Uchida announced over reunion dinner just now that, my mum and him are getting married officially in Japan next year!

My first reaction when I heard this?

'Wah... faintz..' I said, ' Are you all gonna like wear Kimono or something? Can I be the bridesmaid? Will we (my sister and I) get to wear the kimono as well? We can get Koneko to be the 'flower boy'!'

And my sister guffawed with laugher.

I have to admit I am excited! I can't help it man. For one, I don't really feel Chinese New year-y this year at all for god knows what reason. It's just happening too fast, even before I could accept the fact that 2008 was last year already. And while my sister was enthusiatically making lanterns out of red packets, decorating the 'Ying liu', shopping for new year clothes and stuff, I was.. well.. indifferent.

We don't go back to Malaysia for visiting, and my other family is in Chiang Rai, celebrating Lahu New Year :) . Other than the compulsory annual reunion dinner on the eve of Chinese New Year and the 'shou sui' (to stay up late into the wee hours of the morning to bless your parents with long life), Chinese New Year has gradually become just 1 or 2 days of extra rest days for myself.

Hence, the announcement did well in getting me into a festive mood. I thought it's only in dramas that you get to witness your parent's wedding. It's actually happening to me now can you believe it?

' That means you will get married in the same year as Safiah!!!' I exclaimed to my mum. (Safiah is one of my JC besties)

' That means I'll be the last to get married in this family!' My sister piped.

-_-!!!!

Was jokingly telling Louis that I wonder if I have to change my surname to 'Uchida', but maybe after changing I'll have to change my surname again soon (to 'Jator' .. hahha very thick-skinned nor Jayor?). Louis said I'm being Corky. Hahaha... Who's the 'corky' one loh, Louis?

Cool right, 3 surnames, 1 Lifetime, Chinese, Japanese, Thai. Woot.

My mum and Uchida's wedding rocks more than Fann wong and Christopher Lee's. :)

Had a lot of fun this weekend. Went 'strolling' at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve with a few Endeavourians+ Eric and Youkai yesterday morning as training for the Mount Ophir trip end of February. It's really great fun to get fit together with your friends. It makes the whole process less tiring( with the occasional teasing flying around here and there, crappy photo sessions etc ).

Some photos here to share:

Big Bear and Ling Wei

You Kai and Fang Jing leading

Big Bear and Ling Wei again

Walking down the long flight of stairs before another long flight of staircase going UPWARD

We found a cave!

Eric trying to get a shot of the cave

The Posey Ling Wei

Another pose.

While the rest of the peeps were figuring out which way to go next....

Mr Big Bear was huffing and puffing..

Jayor, look at Ling Wei's Lahu Bag... He said he wants the black type with the colourful cloth ja

You Kai

Group photo 1

A very unglam shot of Eric

Fang Jing

Our Uncle Kwa looking very feminine

Group Photo 2

Group Photo 3

Where is Eric?

Here he is!

Yes I was trying to be extra

Most Scandalous photo of this trip. Some tongue action when they were turned on by each other's sweaty looks.

On the way back

We saw Ling Wei's friend

Met up with the Thai language gang in the evening yesterday for Naam Waan's belated birthday/ advance reunion steamboat dinner at Bugis. Girls outing! Wanted to share my photos here but xanga said I have hit the montly upload limit :( But anyway the photos are uploaded on facebook :) so you can view the photos there.

I finally have the time and discipline to sit myself down to type out this entry. Quite a lot of photos this time round, so this definitely won't be a short entry. Get yourself a tub of popcorns, a box of tissue papers and some drinks. Here I go...

I departed for Thailand on the evening of 23rd December 2008. My flight with Swiss Air International to Bangkok was scheduled at 2120. So I had a hell of a time rushing with some last minute packing and bathing after I reached home from work at around 6plus.

The packing was the challenging part. All because of the difference in Baggage allowance for my two flights. As there are no direct flights to ChiangRai from Singapore, I had to take a flight to Bangkok first. I took Swiss Air International because its promotional rate was cheaper than that of Air Asia at the point I did my booking.

Swiss Air International allows 20kg of check in baggage and 8kg of hand carry luggage. How ever, my flight from Bangkok to Chiang Rai with Air Asia allows only 15kg of check ins and 7kg of hand carry. Hence I had to manipulate my stuff inside my luggage such that I can easily remove a 5 kg load from my check ins to transfer it my hand carry for my flight to Chiang Rai.

I was lucky both flights didn't bother to check the weight of our hand carry lugagge. The weight of my hand carry luggage to Chiang Rai was about 13 kg! That was almost twice of what was allowed!

Reached Bangkok at about 2245 Thailand time, and I had a long way to go before my flight to Chiang Rai departed at 0700 next morning. It was one of the longest wait in my life. I could not sleep, because I was travelling alone and had to look after my luggages. Besides, it was too cold inside the Airport, and the metal chairs didn't help at all.

I didn't bring anything to entertain myself because I thought I won't need that for my short stay of 4 days in Chiang Rai this time. Secondly there was baggage restraints too, as my luggages were already very over weight.

Started looking around and caught sight of my fellow colleague from Toursim Authority of Thailand at the arrival hall.

The kinda empty Suvarnabhumi Airport.

While waiting for my flight to Chiang Rai, I did some cross-stitchings. With some difficulties though, because my foldable scissors was confiscated before I boarded the flight to Bangkok. Ok, I have myself to blame too, because on all my previous flights to Thailand with the budget airlines, my foldable small scissors had never been detected in my hand carried luggage before, hence i assumed that I will be as lucky this time. 

I guess it's what they call 'what you pay is what you get' --budget flights =lousier security systems.

But argh.. I had to use my hands to 'tear' the threads for cross stitching. And taadaa! here is my end-product (part of Jayor's Christmas present):

My flight to Chiang Rai was scheduled at 0700, which means I can check in earliest only at 0500. The 6 hours at Suvarnabhumi Airport was really longggggg... Now I finally understand why the stranded passengers at Suvarnabhumi Airport were so furious.

By 4plus am I couldn't stand it anymore, hence I started making my way to the Check-in counters and stood around, trying to waste some time. I must have looked very lost, because this kind security guard came up to me and asked me where I was flying to and upon knowing my flight, he told me that I can actually go check in because the screen above the check-in counters said 'All domestic flights check-in now open'.

I think I am blessed you know, to have people lending a helping hand when I am travelling alone, like the kind cab driver who drove me to Mo chit on my previous visit to Thailand in september.

The flight to Chiang Rai was a breeze. That was because I spent like 90% of the time dozing off. There was a point the flight attendant had to tap on my shoulder to wake me up to pay attention to the demo for the ways to exit the plane in case of emergency. (Because I was sitting just beside the emergency exit).

The outside temperature was 15 degree celcius in Chiang Rai, as announced by the Flight Captain when we touched down. As I made my way down the plane into Chiang Rai International Airport, my stomach did flip flops. I was DAMN nervous about seeing Jayor ok.

It's that kind of feeling you get when you are getting ready to go on your first date. Really. No kidding. Try being apart with your girlfriend/boyfriend for 3 months man.

Jayor was nervous about seeing me too (as confessed by him later). He was so nervous that he didn't know what to do or say upon my exit from the baggage claims section. He only managed a small and quick wave with his hand at his stomach level. Can you imagine?

I tried to be cheeky despite my own nervousness and said 'Didn't you say you were going to hug me the first thing you see me here?' HAHAHA.

He gave me the hug he promised and it felt so good to be home again.

When I reached P'Sophie's new house, I was surprised that there were something waiting for me in the fridge already. Here:

YES. My favourite Thai Barley Milk Tea! Jayor had bought them the day before I arrived and kept them in the fridge for me. That was such a sweet gesture. It's small things like this that touched my heart na.

After that Jayor proceeded to make a quick and simple breakfast for us. I am such a lucky girl.

P' Sophie's doggies. This is Baby, he's been around since Jayor was a kid. You could say Baby and Jayor watched each other grow up. Baby was an abandoned dog at a Thai Temple before P'Sophie took him in.

If you look carefully at the photo of Jayor below, you can actually see Baby in the background:

Now Baby is an old dog... and Jayor is an old man... HAHAHHAHAHAHA KIDDING na Jayor..

Next up, we have Futsa. Futsa was bought from the night bazaar. He was one of those cute little puppies in the cage being put up for sale. But Futsa very naughty sometimes, he likes to bite Baby if Baby gets more attention from P'Sophie than him. And he likes to jump up and pounce on me when he sees me. I guess that is his way of giving a 'Big Doggie Hug'. 

Breakfast is almost ready! Jayor looks very focused na.

Taa daa! Something simple. It's the Ai Xin Zao Can = Breakfast of love. =)

This is one of my favourite photos for this trip. He looks like a contented kid with food in his mouth... his bah-geh..

Basically he is just too cute in this photo.

Can you believe this small shelter for motorcycles was hand built by Jayor with the help of his friends? Will those Singaporean guys who can do this please stand up?

I told Jayor I want a shelter like this outside my house in Thailand next time too =)

After breakfast I fell into a deep sleep all the way until almost evening time because I did not sleep at all in the previous night. I know I know... you must thinking that I wasted my trip sleeping. I can't help na... I was really sleepy.

Jayor brought me to this roadside foodstall for dinner. This stall serves great Char Siew noodle soup man. I get hungry everytime I look at the photo.

This is me.. trying to play with the spring onions on the table.

Jayor... having his drink.

The stall.

This bowl of Baa Mee Muu Daeng aka Char Siew noodle soup was heaven.. especially during cold nights!

Couple shot. =)

I found the following on his study desk. Guess what my reaction was when I saw it?

Yes. I went 'WOW!'

The night was really very cold.. even with comforter he was still cold. He looks like he is watching horror show in this photo. No la.. he was watching the news. I tell you, this boy is a news freak. If you want him to sit down quietly, just switch on the TV with news. He will be glued to the TV instantly.

Back to our favourite mixed-vegetable rice stall near Jetyod road again.

The 2 must-haves on our list of side dishes: Green Curry (red kind, my favourite) and the chicken curry (his favourite)

The two of us always order an extra plate of plain rice to share after finishing the 1st plate.

It was my favourite day for this trip. Because it's Christmas!

He gave me a Christmas present that morning. But I said I will open it that evening because it feels more romantic hahaha.

When we went to the market after that, I saw a shop selling Thai costumes and I told him I want to get myself a Thai costume because I know I will need to wear it during functions in future.

He stopped me immediately. Saying 'No, don't buy, it's a waste of money. Let's go'. I suspected something was amiss. Because he has never show such a strong immediate reaction if I want to buy anything.

We didn't enter the shop anyway, and I was surprised that I was actually so obedient (not like me at all).

'You didn't let me buy the Thai costume because it's what's inside my Christmas Present right?? right?????' I said, laughing.

He was speechless for a while too... before bursting out into laughter and replied 'who says I bought Thai costume for you? Don't think too much. I bought candies for you instead'.

We decided to treat ourselves to a resort stay for our first Christmas together. It was a nice and peaceful place, I regretted not taking pictures of the outside of the resort because the little white cottages looked very pretty.

This is the Christmas present he gave me:

And GUESS WHAT? I WAS RIGHT!!!!!!!

He got me a traditional Northern Thai costume!!! He later confessed that he was actually stunned with my comment at the Market. He asked me how did I know he got me a Thai Costume? And he said I was no fun at all... But I told him I could 'act surprise' if he wants. HAHAHAHA.

This is the Thai costume. The skirt was a bit big for me so Jayor said he will bring me to the shop the next day to see if we can either get a smaller skirt or get the lady to alter the skirt a bit since the lady told him she does alterations.