한국 한국 !

I really hope we can go Korea some time this year.. perhaps at the end of the year... If the trip can be realised, a 3-day visit to North Korea shall be added to the itinerary too. It'll be interesting and definitely an eye-opener.

In case you don't know, there's no direct flight between North & South Korea. So the routing would be Singapore-Beijing-North Korea-Beijing-South Korea-Singapore.

Philippe (boss' good friend in Seoul), who's also ventured into the North Korea tour business, will help to make all arrangements. Due to the connecting flight timing, a night in Beijing will be needed. According to Philippe, to travel between Seoul & Pyongyang takes 22 hours! And he does this every month! That's pretty incredible right? However heard from him that there'll be some improvement in the flight timing soon. We can in fact make use of the chance to explore Beijing by staying over for 2 nights. I don't mind at all since the last time I been there was 13 years ago. I'm sure it's very different now. But then... provided that we've 10 days to spare all in all.

It's even better if we could go in a group of, say, 6 or 7. We'll have our own tour to N.Korea.

Oh boy.. I'm so very tempted!

All Weeknights Occupied

Last Mon, had a dinner gathering with cousins SM & HW @ 1 of the restaurants in Raffles City basement. Enjoyed the food & the catch-up.. a pity that it's too short. Still a long way to go being Mon night, we didn't want to end it late. Poor hubby.. took the opportunity to stay back & work but still gotta wait for me for more than an hour. He must have been real tired yet he's ever so patient... after these years.

Tue, dinner & fetch mum from cell group.

Wed, went to Ah gong's place in Bishan for dinner as my mum-in-law was there.

Thurs, hubby & I had a very nice BBQ dinner @ Gyu-Kaku, especially like the high-cal pork belly. Hmm.. sinful sinful..
My dining experience will never be complete without my honey ;) This has inspired us to do a couple-BBQ at our place 1 of these days.

Fri, drinks with PY & her sweetheart, Brian @ Ink Bar. A good 3-hour drinking & chatting. We'd agreed to do a double-date of BBQ together soon (instead of just the 2 of us)... + some time by the pool too. Looking forward to it!

Ms Missybe

Yepyep! I'm one of the Spokespersons for Missybe :)

All I have to do is to wear the jewelry as often as possible... & of course to convey any feedback, if there is.

Received my first piece last month... it's a very nice necklace. All thanks to Constance & her business partner+best friend.. hee.

Love the teardrop crystals.. a very unique piece. But still trying to figure out what to wear so as to match well with it.

Awaiting this month's "model" piece - a pair of matching earrings!

Weekend of Family Days

Last Sat, we went 扫墓 ... 4 destinations & a lunch (in-between) took 4 hrs+. After that, bro & family came home with us till dinner. BIL & Rachel rejoined us for a quick dinner @ Causeway Point (sis working).

Sunday.. hubby's company's Family Day @ Jurong Bird Park. We're told that there'd be about 8,000 people showing up but only 200+ parking lots! So hubby & his boss & some colleagues had arranged to meet early in the morning.. 15 mins before the event started. It's a hot hot day & very crowded! Quite fun though... took a walk together & looked at some birds/orange cranes/hawks.. had an interesting conversation with his boss' wife on make-up (she attended a bridal make-up course). Hubby & I love the penguins too.. hehe. The group of us left just after 2pm, after staying for about 5 hrs. Before going home, we went to AMK's newest attraction - AMK Hub. Wanted to just get some groceries from the NTUC hypermart but last minute thought of having cheese fondue for dinner. So we got all the ingredients & made ourselves a simple 1.

Our lil 'fondue fromage' meal :)

Vietnam

Landed in Singapore last night, after 8pm.. & here I was, back in the office early this morning @ 8.30am.

Left on Sunday to Hanoi, took a night flight from Hanoi to HCMC on Tue evening. Supposed to come back tonight but I changed my flight since I got no more meeting & have a lot of paperwork & emails to settle. But who knows, our email system is down today. Sigh...

When I was in Hanoi, I was in a state of confusion. Why? I stayed in Nikko Hotel which was like a little Japan (Japanese hotel guests take up more than 80%) and watched Arirang channel. So, while I was in Vietnam, I felt like I was sometimes in Japan, sometimes in Korea. At times when I yearned for a Singapore-feel, I watched Channel News Asia.

In HCMC, I had no time nor mood to walk around. Felt sad because everything just reminded me of our trip last Nov. As if it's not enough, my room on the 14th floor was overlooking Park Hyatt (where we last stayed). This time, I stayed in Caravelle Hotel.. somewhere I've always wanted to try out. But now, I'm not impressed. The toilet has a funny layout & I'm not talking about the extra loud flushing system (sounds exactly like the in-flight vacuum flush). The vanity counter extended from the basin is fixed right above the toilet bowl.. I was so afraid that my stuff would accidentally fall into the bowl. And it felt kinda weird to be doing my make up just next to the toilet bowl. Hmm...

But actually, these trips do make me really appreciate what we're having in Singapore. And yes, one thing I love about Vietnam is their food, especially in HCMC.

Their main means of transport - motorbikes & bicycles.

Look at the cables

This is still considered a not-so-chaotic traffic condition. Very often, you're just swarmed by motorbikes!

OK, here's a tip on road-crossing in Vietnam (esp HCMC) - don't change your speed. Our reflex is to speed up when vehicles are nearing & by the way, it's impossible to cross an empty road (especially the main roads) in HCMC. The bikers will know how to avoid you, either by going in front of you or from behind, as long as they're able to gage your pace. Hubby & I had tried & it's true. Interesting huh.

Something good

Bz bz bz.... Both of us are so caught up in our work now.

But there's something to be happy about... hubby's officially transferred to another department on 2 April though he's still juggling his new & old duties. The new move opens him to a much better prospect, reporting directly to the AVP. Hubby's handpicked by this very nice AVP who's his ex-boss (whom his immediate superior, Senior Mgr, used to report to). Last year, the immediate boss went on maternity leave & while managing his own duties, hubby had to cover hers. Thank God that it's also during those 3 months that the bosses including the SVP saw his potential. Prior to this, that AVP had tried transferring him to his department but Vince's then new boss (Senior Mgr's immediate boss) refused to let him go. Then for this time when the AVP approached his bosses again, they let Vince make the decision though they're reluctant to lose him. They'd also given very good appraisals about Vince and wished that he would have great advancements. It's God's grace that his efforts are recognised and that he's really good bosses.

In fact his Sr Manager often commented that I'm a blessed girl to have such a wonderful hubby... that if he wasn't married (& still single), he'd have attracted lotsa "butterflies". Haha. Yes I know, I'm truly blessed and so loved. Though he's crazily busy especially for the past month.. so much to learn in his new job (even before he moved officially) while managing the old ones (handing over to the new girl) and his manager still very dependent on him in helping her out, hubby tries not to let his work affect us. He'll stay back for half an hour the most to finish his stuff before fetching me. This makes me cherish our time together & appreciate him even more. Really admire his ability in finishing his tasks efficiently. But I always tell him work is more important & not to worry about me. I've no qualms about waiting for him as I can find my own program or stay back to work. But still, he gives me the best of his time.

Thanks honey! Love u!