I smell of Laksa

Perhaps the thought of going back to London, and braving through the winter EATING TOES again, I am in the mood to devour all things spicy.

I thought that super yummy nasi briyani which gave me 2 full days of diarrhoea should put me off curry for a while, but NO!

There i was, happily ordering Laksa, which is more like noodles.

Yummy, but fatty.

So I tried my best to SQUEEZEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee out the last bits of oil from that XXL taupok. I was really successful with the first taupok. Squeezed out all the oil, and eaten it up happily.

The second Taupok, decided to rebel.

When really really pressed hard against the spoon by my chopstik, it flipped, fly, and landed on my chest.

Now, everyone notices my assets. I am wearing pink blouse. And the stain is obvious. Even if you are blind, you will notice me. I smell of LAKSA!!!!

That Taupok, survived. It was not eaten.

And now.. i got to postpone my OTO purchase!!!!

Contact lenses popped out!!

In an air conditioned room.

Working hard.

Left eyes suddenly felt weird.

And then I realised.. the contact lenses "dislocated" again. Yup, bought a box of daily lenses. Cost buy 5 get 1 free. It is so much cheaper than London's. If it is good, I will buy more!

How am I going to survive the cold, dry winter working hard?? How am I going to survive central heating with my contant lenses?

This is supposed to be the best, most "moist" already.

Busy... going back to UK soon

I will be very busy over the next two weeks.

Lots of things happening, but I just too tied up.

Got to book my ticket today, while the promotion lasts. Will take Qantas, cos that gives me enough miles to go to Zurich!!! Hehehehe....

Ok.. after the evil laughter, it is back to my work.

I was so groggy this morning that I made a mistake, and converted a tape into a high quality DVD! One hour = 10 GB!

Die!!

If I work really really hard, I might be able to visit Comex.

I think I need more gadgets. I am a FLASH packer hehehe. I think I get get another portable hard disk. I am totally addicted to portable hard disks.

STill wondering whether it is time to buy a digital camera. Casio has one which is so cool, that you can read powerpoint and maps on them. Read power points? Yeah?

Why? The "prof" asked. Haha, so that I can "think about" ie "prepare" my presentations on my way to conferences. That cuts my preparation time. I will "practise" in the plane. Cool huh?

Yeah, I know I am nuts. I am nuts already. Shall "claim" my present tonight, I think. I shall settle for the OTO one.

British museum's courtyard

When I saw this photo from Bisoumoi's blog, I decided to link it!



Lovely design isnt it? This was designed by who else, Sir Norman Foster.
It converted an open courtyard, to as still "open" courtyard, but protected from the elements. I can't wait for his masterpiece in Hong Kong's kowloon cultural thing to be completed.

Book lovers' paradise: LondON

Suddenly missed London terribly when Hubby MSNed me the price of a book; £8 for a 400+ paged book called “The Poker Face of Wall Street”. Sigh...

If there is something great about London, BOOKS will definitely be part of it. Books books books!!! Books on any subjects! Brand new, second hand or even leather bound family heirlooms and antiques! Books on any subject, at any price. Books are just so affordable there. Yup, it cost less than a fast food meal for a paperback.

I am a nosey as ever. Despite the English’s privacy thing, I managed to peep into people's homes during my long walks, and also into people’s cars and vans. Ok, I admit most of my walks are around the Notting Hill area, (yup, that area and THAT book store), so it is not a reflective sampling of London. But hey, at least in these areas, I noticed a really strong love for books!!!

I saw piles of books in the cars' back seats. I saw a good pile of sci-fis’ in a plumber’s van (which I happily told hubby… “Look! Plumbers here read more than you!!”, and which as usual he would conveniently ignore such "insults" from me). I see basements filled with book cases, I see people relaxing on balconies, gardens, parks, or riding Tubes and buses and having a good read. I see young kids clutching books (“real” books, not TEXT books!!).

And in my charity store, I know regulars who pop-in, at least once a week to grab a book and pay £2, and return a few days later to “return” (ie donate) the books, and spend another £2-3 on another book. I also had a woman (OK, "lady" would be more appropriate) coming in with 3 large suitcases of books (sans maids). Her books were obviously read through many times (can see the thumbing stains), and with price tags from all over the world. Yup, from pesos to AUS$, RM to US$.

Throng the Notting Hill Gate area, and you will see a few book stores in just that high street alone, and we are not even talking about second hand book shops and charity stores or walking down to High Street Kensington! The bookshops in London are BUZZING!!!! Yup! Waterstone’s, Books etc….. and we are not even talking about Charring Cross Road which is bubbling with BOOK SHOPS!!! Even Oxfam run bookshops!

Even if you are DAMN broke, and cannot spare 50p (which is the cost of a pee in some tourist areas) for a book, fret not. The public libraries are FANTASTIC!!!

15 books at one go, 3-week loan! You can renew by calling them. Elderly, disabled? They deliver to you! (That started my “retire here!!” thought) And yeah, when greedy me borrowed huge piles, the friendly librarians would always offer me free bags to cart them home. Wow, I never had that from the libraries! And you get NEW titles there! They order multiple copies of chart toppers, and display them prominently, so that busy people could still dash in a “grab” a good book. Unlike here… where I got to pay to reserve or wait long LONGGGGG, I managed to read quite a number of top sellers there.

If there is something I LUV A LOT about London, it is the BOOKS. Yup, BOOKS!

Stop sniggering… I am a book worm, I know. At least I am a happy worm in London, cos books are affordable there! When I am here, I see I sigh, I leave. So depressing.

Shhh.. needless to say, Oxford is also a fantastic place for books. I went there and “got lost” in the shops. Ha...ha… The best day so far was a day spent lazing around in an old church’s backyard, facing the magnificient dome of the theatre, with a book in hand , and coffee from The Vault. That was a perfect summer day for me. When i go back, i wil take the megabus.com's £1 offer, just to go there and get lost in the book shops (...and of course ogle, and salivate at the handsome aristrocratic ie Prince William-type-of- look students there!!!)

laughing out loud...Mc dull

I laughed until tears came out...

If you cant view it here, you can check it here (link to YouTube)

Friends...sake and the PLATINUM gang?

I have been going out, meeting friends, which is GREAT!!! and very FUN. Yuppp... yesterday i was piled expensive sake by dear Phi and hubby. Sake did its wonderful works. I think the 4 of us were probably the most noisy bunch at the Jap restaurant. Even Eu was happily yakking, and cursing her boss-Something that is impossible for tight lipped Eu. Haha.

What is new? Well, another of my friend joined the Platinum club. Yupp yuppp. What am I STILL doing here???? Basically most of my sista gang are holding Platinum Cards!!! Gosh!!! these screamy, kaypoh gals? Well, I am damn proud of them :) They worked their butts off for these!

Hanging out with my friends seems to get more expensive. I am not sure it is because of prices rising, or their earning rising.

It is either it is very very easy to get a platinum card these days, or my friends are doing very well. I supposed both applies.

Still no credit card

Hope.. credit card has not arrived. Despite the promise to arrive by Friday night by bank B.

Am I supposed to trust them at all?

Can I depend on their credit card as my source of travel insurance anymore? [ they automatically covers when we charge air ticket to them]

If they cant deal with a robbery, can they deal with a disaster?

Imagine my plane crashed, and they insist on talking to me first before doing anything.... hahahaha. That is called "flexibility". World class.

How the Credit card ie BANKS would respond if you get robbed?

Why do you have a credit card with you, especially when you travel?

1) convenience, no need to carry/exchange a large amount of cash
2) some sort of "security" feeling. Affected by those ads which subconciously equate CREDIT CARD=GOOD service, purchase production, blah blah blah....

Lets see how the "pore pore" BANKS "deal" with my hubby's case, and note the time lines.

BANK A

Saturday night:

• Hubby called to report card loss due to robbery from London's police station.

Bank's Action?

• Card blocked.
• Promise to courier replacement card over IMMEDIATELY, at no charge. [You must be thinking it is not cheap to courier from "pore pore" to London, rite?, well this is not the first time they do this for us]

Monday:

• Delivery note from UPS received. Hubby was in the hospital then. But card would have been in his hands if he were at home.

Lets see how another BANK, BANK B deal with it.

Saturday night:

• Hubby called to report card loss due to robbery from London's police station.

Bank's Action?

• Card blocked. Asked hubby whether he wanted a replacement card. A replacement card ccould be issued and sent to "pore pore" address. Charge is $20.
• Informed hubby that if no replacement card is issued within a certain time (2 weeks? ), his credit card account will be cancelled.
  

Hubby's response??

• MAD! Pay $20 to send to the "pore"?
• Cannot get free replacement? Bank "threaten" to close account unless he get replacement card, ie pay $20. He was robbed man! Pissed off. Discussion ended....
• and complained to me when he got more energy on Sunday night.

Monday morning:

• I was very angry with the replacement card thing. Desperate to get him his cards, just in case he needed more medical treatment. Well.. if you read my blog, I was worried about his dizziness, headaches, sleepiness... blah blah.. all signs of potential brain injury.
  
• SINCE hubby is very curious how I got them to agree to issue free....haha, I put the "process here", so that if there are any other unlucky "travelers" encountering a similar situation, they can "benefit" from our experience.Yup, you can read it, it is FOC.

So, I called the bank....... (long winded story to describe a long winded process)

• ME: "My hubby told me he was first robbed in London, and now his bank is trying to rob him as second time. Is it true that your bank has a policy that no replacement card will be issued unless he pays $20, and if he does not want replacement card within 2 weeks, card will be cancelled???" Cant help being sarcastic :P
  
• CSO: Immediately put through to bank "officer" (BO)... {I think they sense I was in a mood to KILL!!!!}
• Told BO that hubby was robbed. Can get replacement card?
• Bank officer told me they only want to talk to principal card holder. If he loss his card, can he call?
  
• ME: "He called your bank immediately , from the police station in London. However, your officer tell him to pay $20!! Why dont you check your records?"
• She checked records, insisted hubby never ask for replacement. If he can PERSONALLY call, the replacement will be issued immediately, charge is $20!
• ME: "#*&^* "Hey!!! My hubby has called. You guys tell him that he must pay $20, and the card will be sent to "The pore". He was injured. Just robbed off everything. Wallet, phone, backpack. How would you feel if you were him? Will you want to pay $20 to your bank just to get your card? His other bank asks no questions, and IS ALREADY sending him his card!!! "
  
• BO:" Oh, you don't have to pay immediately. It will be reflected in your statement, you can pay next month."... {YEAH RITE.. very GENEROUS, rite? Print you extra 1 card, charge you only in the end of month.}
  
• Me: ^*&^(*&^~$%$£~# haha.. i remember using the term "pissed off" during the conversation. Can't believe I am capable of using this phrase... will make my Tai Tai auntie JUMP or faint seeing how unlady like I am turning out.
  
• BO: " Ok, mrs.. X. I will talk to my superiors"...

{And there I was..." happily" listening to the voice of a famous local "artiste" over and over again...... what happened to the good old days of music when on hold?}

• BO:"Ok mrs X, I talked to my superior. THIS time, we will do a waiver, since this is the FIRST TIME. THIS TIME ONLY..."
• ME: " What do you mean this time ONLY?? You mean if he is robbed again, he will have to PAY, is it?" {hmmm.. you can imagine how angry I was??}
  
• BO did not answer me... went ahead to tell me to ask hubby to call them again immediately.
  
• ME: He is seeking medical help now! Must he call you again, now? He already reported the loss. Cant you proceed to issue card? He needs his card as soon as possible, because he might need to pay for medical expenses? Do you understand??
  
• BO: No, sorry, we can't. Give me his handphone number. I can call him.
• Me: I just told you, his handphone has been robbed! He is uncontactable now. He is still seeking medical help in a hospital!

...........................................................

• Finally, after more than 1/2 hour, they agreed to issue card. Asked me address. Of course, I gave Uk address. They said HOME address. So "the pore"'s address? Fine! I will send it to him myself then.

Wednesday afternoon:
I called to follow up.
Told me card still have not been issued, cos hubby never called them.....
Ah ha????? I thought they said will proceed to issue???

??????

Now must have hubby call them, or till they manage to contact hubby. Great.... Well, honestly we cant be bothered.


Thursday afternoon:
I received call from BO. They will courier (this term was repeatedly emphasized over the phone call, so I better emphasize it here also ) the card over to our Singapore address. Yup, "express".. by tomorrow evening, sure can receive. Can they leave it in the post box if I am not in?

Story is over (If they dont change their mind again). If all goes well, I get the card tomorrow. If hubby want the card immediately, I got to spend $ to courier it over...


Latest update: Saturday is over.. and no card in sight.


Moral of the story...

If you only have 1 credit card... and it is from THIS bank, and you have an EMERGENCY overseas... GOOD LUCK to you!!!

All the nice "rewards" they give us, will never ever REDEEM (pardon the pun) this bad experience.

Imagine, if hubby needed to pay for medical expenses? Hubby needed to seek help from private doc (which you will do, if you have brain injury, cos time is everything!)


And yeah.. one is a CLASSIC card, another is a ******UM card which had been shoved to us(we did not apply, we just needed to sign, and will get card + gifts )...

Guess the classic card is from which bank?

Is it legal for me to tell you? Will I be sued by the other bank????

I better dont telll.....

But.....

Whereever I go, I will bring my CITIBANK!! classic card.


Enough said.

Free replacements??? I love LONDON for this.

Once upon a time, a classmate lost his wallet.

He searched all over the campus for it, hoping the thief would dump it somewhere.

Reason? He got to pay to replace all the contents!!

• Driving license
• ATM Cards
• Identification Cards...
• Matriculation card...
• etc etc
  

Blah blah blah....

The theft of a cheap wallet and some money is not that painful. It is the "FINE" he gets to replace the contents. Yup. Fined for having his wallet stolen. All, in all he told us, he lost a few hundred dollars to replace all the contents!!!

In hubby's case.

Thank goodness. Most things "originated" from London sources, and he gets FREE replacement.
The telco, a "budget telco"; TESCO, replaced our SIM cards free, even mine, which happened to be in his phone.
His other cards, including london issued credit cards, are all replaced, FREE.

In short, he gets all the assistance needed ... with KINDNESS, WITHOUT charge.....


HOW ABOUT THE BANKS????

Well, long long story.... BUT I promise to tell.

Cos I think everyone needs to KNOW.

another day..

The robbery aftermath....is finally almost settled

Yup, the robbery aftermath is finally almost settled.

Phone will be there soon
He got to get his new NI number
Credit cards settled

I just need to rest
.....

That guy, aka as MY husband seems ok...despite the mugging

Thanks thanks everyone, for your concern.

It is true we were very unlucky to have hubby bumping into 4 b*st*rds. (Pardon my language. This is probably the first time i use this word in at least 5 years???)

I spoke to him again, and MSNed him.

Status report:

• Brain damage? Still complaining of dizziness (insufficient sleep?), but should not have any problem, I hope. He is behaving abnormally, which is his normal, usual behaviour. No signs of PTSD .....yet.
  
• Eyes: Bruises resolving. Lids dont look like he had stolen my eye shadows anymore. Able to see clearly again. Specs fixed. FOC!!! Thanks to two angels in the specs shop at Gloucester road. I always walked pass that shop on my way to Oxfam, and would have never ever dreamt that one day, they will help us in such a way. :)
• Damage to his looks? Swelling going down, but bruises may turn colorful next few days. Hmmm... dunno whether he will need my foundation or not.
  
• Body? Aches here and there... esp fingers. :(
  
• Will be contactable again soon. Another angel, MS, is lending him his spare handphone. In fact, there is a "complete stranger" angel, after reading my blog, offered her sim card. I am so touched!!!

If you count the number of angels ... there are already 4 mentioned so far.

Don't forget there are other friends aka angels in my life rallying around us, and also the policemen who appeared right after the attack and helped him. Our bosses have been supportive as well.

The die hard optimist in me will STILL look at the bright side of the picture.

There are more angels than B*st*rds in LONDON. :D YAY!!!!

Tonight i shall sleep well, and let my pimples (which popped out like crazy past two nights) heal.










Hmmm if you noticed, I did not mention my Romanian housemates. Well, luckily the gal, E was around, and my hubby could still ask her whether he could "borrow" their phone to take incoming calls in the hall and call 800 numbers.

If it was only the guy (A), hahah.... I don't think he is so kind. The stupid guy was grinning happily seeing hubby come back bashed up. Yup, E is human, but A is.. errrr I am still not sure what species he is.

blood clots........???

Just now, he called....

When I asked him ok? What did the doctor said?

He said "ok".

Hmmm.. if I dont know him well enough to sense the "lie" and prod prod prod..... probe probe... he will not tell me that there "might" be some "clot", which showed up in the scan!

Ai... anyway, the blood loss is severe.. in the form of ME vomiting BLOOD... over this whole thing. He does not even know whether their scanned his brain or his face. Only know that they scanned his HEAD.....

Status report:

Brain damage? Uncertain. There is a hematoma somewhere in the HEAD near the cheek bones. Complain of dizziness and headache, ie signs of brain damage. Hard to determine whether he behaves abnormally... cos he never behaves normally. Sigh...............

Damage to his looks? No broken cheek bones, no broken nose. No fractures detected. But there is hematoma somewhere "near the cheek bones"??? Face swollen.

Eye damage? Right eye bruised. But otherwise should be all clear. No retinal detachment, or other nasty things. Cham....., his 1.5 cm-long eyelashes must have dropped quite a few now that his eyes are swollen. I hope he pick them up to make me some fake eye lashes next time. Anyway, his glasses are broken, and now he only got his tinted glasses on. No one can see his eyes. People might just wonder why he is like that Nicholas Tze's dad; wearing dark glasses even at night.


Well, just hope that he does not get any permanent head damage even before I got mine.

Darn.. I hope my "handsome" Osama-middle-eastern-looking hubby dun look like "zhu tao pang" because of those blows.

Grrrrr... don't let me see those people...

Robbed, bashed up, but refuse to see doctor!!!!

I married a good citizen. Yup, my hubby is not just a joker, he is a public-spirited model citizen.

He still has not seen a doctor/went to A&E.

Reason? Police looked for him at home, just as he was about to go to A&E, as they needed his help to identify the spot of crime.

Great!!!! While I am jumping/hopping mad here seeing his eye & face bruised, and listening to his complains of dizziness and "funny" headaches after his head was kicked, he spent last night "assisting" the police, instead of seeing a doctor. Very good citizen, right?

After one more night, he still have not decided whether he "need" to see doctor.

Damn. It is FREE, and he still refuses to go!!!!

What is so difficult about getting checked up?

He does not plan to get a handphone soon, while friends are anxious to contact him, and make sure he is not having any of those delayed effects of those injuries.

But he is such a cool guy, he can live 1-2 months without a handphone. He is in no hurry to get a phone replacement.

Argh......

So, why am I so busy checking crime rates of the areas we are about to move to?

Why am I busy blasting the bank for refusing to issue replacement card (unless hubby personally call again, and agree to pay $20 for the replacement? ) to ensure he gets his card, and checking out the insurance coverages, just in case he need more treatment? That guy is a tough, cool superman.

Ohh, BIG congrats to myself! I married a joker cum model citizen cum superman. Woahhh.. I must buy him a RED underwear this Christmas, plus a pair of leotards.

Oh yeah... those banks. For all they say about their " good services", and pages of advertisement about "concierge" services, the "priviledges" of *********M cards etc, the acid test comes when something happens, and also when you are travelling. I shall "complain" more about these BANKS one day. After this year of living abroad, and the robbery, we know which are THE BEST banks! Some"global" banks are totally sh*tty.

I should have taken an afternoon nap instead of getting busy. Darn.

Never make a "Tai tai" get insufficent sleep or worry; she will revenge by piling on more eye cream. ($$$$$$$)

Hmmmm......The last sentence should be enough to make someone "behave" more effectively than hours of nagging..

ROBBED!!!!

Hubby has been robbed.

When? When I was suddenly awake last morning. 8 pm his time.

Where? He was walking across the Broad Walk in Kensington Park, just outside the palace!!! And it was still bright! That is probably the safest place in London!

What happened? Hubby was happily walking home with his FOOD. When a guy asked him for his telephone number, and whether he know kung fu in a very friendly manner. He refused to give him his number, but did not want to irritate him either. Hubby offered his email address!!! [When I heard this part, I did not know whether to laugh or faint. I married a joker. Confirmed!!!!] He told that guy that he does not know Kung Fu!

Woah.. Chinese guy who does not know kungfu and carrying bags of food!!! Good target. 3 other "youth" aka hooligans join in. Surrounded hubby. And pushed him to the ground. Kicked him. Stamped on his face. Ouch!!!! (BLOODY idiots!) Went off with his phone, wallet, back pack.

As they are not civilised enough to know instant noodles are edible, those were left behind.

Argh, who would have thought that crimes happen there too?? In broad day light!


The difference between a man and a woman who got whacked?

A woman will want to get a medical examination. Doubly triply sure that she has no internal injuries, and external scars.

A man probably think that he is still alright, and refused to see a doctor. When a man is assaulted, his ego is probably more bruised...Seeing a doctor is an admission of weakness? He lost the fight?!!!

I am sooooo mad!!!!

Mad at the gang of youth who assaulted and robbed him!!!

MAD at him for not getting a medical examination!!! Seeing his bruised eye 13000 miles away is enough to get me jumping up and down!!!

Getting whacked on the face and back is no joke.

This fans my "racism"? Yeah, it does. Don't know why people who commit crimes always come from THAT RACE (s).

And it is never enough for them to mug or rob you. They need to kick you, punch you. Bloody idiots.

Whoever who kicked my hubby, deserves to ROT in hell-that bloody gang of four.

Hmmm.....

And the prove of my hubby's love for instant noodles?

He still picked them all up, after his backpack, phone, wallet, everything was robbed. Yupp, he must have been in considerable pain as well. But still picked up his instant noodles. Psyhologically, i know that this is done to get a hold of "Normality" after a shocking experience... but those stuff being his instant noodles.... hmmm

Yeah, he is very happy that the instant noodles was not robbed. And his favourite Lau Gan Ma chili oil is also still safe. However, his spring rolls were in his back pack, and was robbed.

Hmmm..... They hooligans are smart. If they took his instant noodles, I think he would have ran after them.

Well.....

I was walking happily with my friend after a buffet of local food, when he called to tell me he was robbed. And my friend and I were happily talking about retiring in UK, finding a cottage and quiting the rat race. Yup. She would be a village doctor there, and our kids will visit each other, roam in a farm, ride horses.

The call ends the discussion of retiring in UK, and started a discussion of potential signs and symptoms of a concussion, and other internal injuries. Medical terms fly out of our mouth as we tried to get hold of the situation by buying more Japanese food.

P/S after thought..... could the bloody idiots mistaken his spring roll boxes in his back pack for LAPTOP????? They shape and size is similar to a laptop!!

Real shopping, please!

My mind is getting numb.

The numbing part is the SHOPPING, and the CROWD!!!!

Big crowd wherever I go. Same shops wherever I go.

I MISS Portobello market!!!!

Just before I came back I had the chance to explore Portobello Green area, and checked out those up and coming designers. :) Although I could see that the area has been "contaminated" by cheap imports from Thailand/China passing off as "unique" pieces, there are still many good original works there!

When I walk there, I always think "so pretty", "so creative", "so cool"! In contrast, I beat the crowds here thinking, "so, what is new?"

One label caught my name. Romeo Pires.

Looking at this translucent, girly, art-y fart-y designs make me think of LOSING WEIGHT!!!!

I have no idea what material it is made off. But the dresses, skirts and blouses seemed so light! The pleats so feminine, and the prints so real, and almost look like hand painted pieces!!! IAnd of, when you move.... the effect is ...AW..... totally impressive how the whole thing is done. I don't really know how to describe it, but it is simply BEAUTIFUL!!!

However, I know those "painted" pieces are not meant for BIG people. That would look like an elephant wearing a canvas. URgh!!! I need to be at least size 10 and below to look pretty in them. DARN. Size 8 would be perfect. :(

The price? still not too bad. £30ish? Not bad for a unique piece, where you can wear for dinner, office, wherever with guaranteed compliments. Better that those mass duplicated pieces we got to put up with. Haiz....

Going shopping with my sister... purchasing more MASS duplicated pieces.

I can recognise what people are wearing on trains here. Hehe. G2000. Dano. MNG. On peak hours...you see really lots of G2000 and DANO.

Sianz...... Next time I will get my skinny sis Romeo Pires. The problem is, she might not dare to wear it here. Too attention grabbing. Back to wearing G2000 then . SAD!!!!!

Another "terror" plot

Another terror plot...

Lucky me. My return to London has been delayed! I escape the chaos, and miss a once in a life time adventure. Being on an airplane marked for bombing! Wow, that would be exciting, wont it??? OK.. OK.. my parents and hubby will be spared the worry.

Nuisance... what a nuisance.

Hate those terrorists.

Nah, I am not a political woman. I am just a vain woman. Now I am terribly worried.

Why?

1) My Uzap!!!
I have been plotting to maximise the amount of luggage i can bring on. My plan was to buy my UZap in the duty free shop!!! Yeah, the Osim shop. Then I will carry the 2 kg something massager as hand luggage! My experience tells me they seldom "kacau" or make it difficult for people who brought on things they bought in the duty free shop.

2) 13 hours flight without my moisturiser???
There goes my beauty routine. Hot towel. Make up removal. Applying moisturiser. Eat, and then sleep. And waking up every few hours to pile on more moisturiser.
For depriving gals like me moisturiser.. the terrorists deserved to be stoned!

3) No carry on luggage? I will be starved!
Luckily I did not buy return ticket. My experience in the previous flight tells me that M** do not feed passagers enough. 10 hours between meals! It means I got to bring snacks onboard! Now I better stick to Qantas/BA or SIA.

4) How am I going to be entertained?
My books???? No hand luggage.. how to bring on my books? If I got no books with me, I feel very uneasy. I dont care about inflight entertainment system. I want my books!


hmmmmmmmmmm


finish complaining.

Now, will there be more reduction in fares??? Kekekekee Looking out for more airline sales!!!

1696 on mutual points!

Heehee, I earned 1696 point already.

Have not even spent a cent yet. Now i just got to wait till
A) hubby hits 3000 points- as I recommended him, I get 1500 points when he hits 3000 points
B) buying something from one of the merchants
C) earn my points the "hard" way - and he hardways means clicking the emails, and searching kelkoo to compare prices....

:D

waiting for my £20 voucher to appear once it hits 3000 points!!!

UK is full of freebies....!!!!! Great for broke/thrifty/cheapskate people.

p/S anyone want to join mutual points please tell me leh... dun waste the 1500 (£10!!!) referal points!

Paying..................

Nah, I am not paying for the internet access. I paid the first two weeks here. But now I realise that it is getting UNreliable despite PAYING!!!.

Who says if you pay, you get good service?? No! Not if they monopolise the market!!!

...... And this will leave me with limitted access during most weekdays.

Don't worry, I am alright. Probably growing lots of flowers.

I feel sooooo poor here. Really. I keep on spending money, money and more money!!

It scares me. It really scares me.

I imagine myself a Mc D*n*lds burger flipper-- earning a low hourly pay.

My wages for the first hour of work would barely be enough to pay for my transport.

My wages for the second hour will be just nice to pay for dinner and lunch at a hawker center.....

I got to bring water with me, or forgo ordering a drink during lunch or dinner. If not, there goes almost 1/2 of my third hour's pay. I probbaly got to skip breakfast. A loaf of bread is worth 1/2 of my hourly pay.

Assuming I bring my own water, if I work 8 hours a day (Very lazy, right? Everyone works 10+ hours in this city...), I will have 5 hours' worth of wages to pay my bills-accomodation, utilities, blah blah blah.........?

Life is tough? I don't know. I feel the squeeze. Will burger flippers feel it more?

I just bought a small bottle of shampoo and conditioner. If I am a Mc D's burger flipper, that shampoo and conditioner is equivalent to about 3 hours of my pay!!!

I miss expensive London.......

If I work as a burger flipper in London, one hour's wages is about 1.9 times the maximum fare for a day's bus pass. The balance from the bus pass is enough to get me one shampoo, and a conditioner from Tesco, plus a few pennies to buy a Boots brand toothpaste.

if i work on the 2nd hour, the wages from the 2nd hour can buy me 1 loaf of Tesco whole meal bread. 1 litre of milk, 1 tray of chicken wings and still have enough left to get a punnet of apricot or a few packets of vege....

........Is that why people go to London?

.................ops ..... almost forgot about writing about my Romeo Pires....

Transport cost hike aka ie fare increase!!! So, grow more flowers........

Woo hooo!!

Bus and train fares increase again. Not “significant increase" they say, so... still can “absorb” right?’ Of course can. (???)

When life gives you shit, you got to think of how to make use of the shit. Eg? Grow flowers. Use it as fertiliser. Organic, wat! Err.. wait. What is the importance of organic flowers, huh?

Sorry… Digressed from topic. Keep focused. Woman, you got to keep focused. Don’t know what is wrong with me today. Must be too many nights of non-stop data analysis. (except to drink water, eat, sleep, msn, watch tv-that is why I know price increase… & shower?)

So, what is my plan?

Well, I am SO happy that the fare of bus, train , and taxi are increased!!!

I have been having bad body odour aka BO with big capitals since I came back and trying to adjust to the weather. Maybe due to the increase in the price of fuel , or a very noble effort to save the environment and cut our “carbon foot print”, the trains seems to use less air-cond? I don’t know. So.... I have been marinated in my own sweat and BO... like a salted sardin parked in a train.

Maybe they are finally inspired by THE TUBE in London. There are a couple of times the air-cond seemed to be non-noticeable... ie I SWEAT and felt faint. And recently, there was also train “disruption”, London style, ie.. many hours of “disruption”.

I am very thankful for these. These constantly remind me of London, and make me miss my hubby less, right? It reminds me of the air-cond-less, window-less buses and Tubes that hubby and I got to take on a hot summer day. I get to to “suffer” the heat wave “together” with hubby, although we are more than 13000 miles apart, and I am sure this would increase our bond. Although I usually dun pray pray, God must have been kind and arranged these events to fit my mood.

So, what is my action plan?

Stay at home! If you feel the pinch when you go out, stay at home! Wanna meet friends? Arrange to meet like this….

If I go out every weekend to meet a friend, I can just squeeze it all into one day, and stay 3 weekends at home.

8:30 am-do morning walk from home to station Y. Then pray that the toilet is open, and change blouse/T-shirt. Also remember to spray A LOT of deodorant, and perfume!!!

10:30 am-Meet Miss A for breakfast at Burger King in the shopping centre at train station X, and please remember to drink coffee only. Take 2 pieces of plain bread before going out.

12:00 am- Meet B for lunch at KFC-shopping centre at train station X. Both of us are fat and broke, so we are gonna share a meal. Yipee!! Another step to weight loss and a long healthy life!

3pm- meet C for coffee at coffee shop, 300 m from tube station X. (Note, bring umbrella in case it rains.) drink coffee only, hor! Too bad cannot ask for plain water, because auntie want to charge 40cents for it.

6:30pm- meet D for dinner and movie at station Y (hehe, station Y is nearest to my house. If I watch 7pm show, it should not be too late to walk 1.5 km home rite?)

If I go out every weekend to meet a friend, I can just squeeze it all into one day, and stay 3 weekends at home. That way I will have 3 free weekends to make sure cob webs will NEVER, EVER appear again in my house.. and got time to grow more flowers.

See? My social life will not be compromised. Otherwise, how to practise being a Tai Tai? Nah, I shall not compromise my Tai Tai training.

If everyone do what I do, planet Earth will have a chance to survive (though spiders which live in homes will extinct). When you have no maaaney to take bus/train or drive a car you either A) walk (and lose some weight), B) you dun go out- at least don’t go out sooooo many times. Which means? When I take bus/train, it will be less crowded!!! That is a great solution, isn’t it?

I just hope that everyone thinks like me, then the world will be a greener place. Come, join me and grow more flowers! Amen. Alhamdullilah. Oh mi toh fut.

p/s: If you dun understand this thing about growing flowers...........then it is time to migrate to a place that only have cows for transportation. Cows dun increase fare. With that kind of IQ.... you will not earn enough to take bus to work some day...... Sorry... if you feel insulted.