My superman

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there!

For those of you who didn't know it's father's day today, big shame on you & I suggest you call your dad up right now to present him a long speech. I haven't been around to celebrate this day with my dad or granddad ever since I've been sent off to London to study but I've never forgotten to wish my dad.

It's easy to be carried away by the hectic timetables we all have, the tasks waiting to be done, the people waiting for meetings and jobs to be delegated and so on. But having no time is the lamest yet the most used excuse. 

My dad is a very important figure in my life. He provides everything for us from shelter to education to maids to scrumptious food to those to-die-for bags and basically anything we could ask for. Since I'm the youngest at home, I'm obviously most 'manja-ed'. He's the one I run to when 'talks' with my mom goes sour. He's the one I tend to when my bank account dried up. He's the one I call when there's any problem cause he solves it faster than my mom. :S

He has been there for me through stormy weathers and sunny days, never stopped loving me no matter what mistakes I made. I always remember two of my favourite quotes from him:

"If you don't know how to spend money, you'll never know how to earn it"

and 

"If a problem can be solved with money, then it's not a problem at all".

Obviously moms being the way they naturally are, my mom wasn't too happy with those statements. 

Oh and don't you worry, I've done a lot for my dad too. For example, my dad is a huge foooooood lover. He drives for hours to try any dish which she said or he said or his friend said is delicious. And being the good daughter I am, I always voluntarily tag along and stuff my face even though my stomach is already about to explode. 

AND he's always craving for dessert. After a heavy heavy meal, he'll be like "Oh, who's up for ice cream?" And when no one's keen on it, he'll put on this sad, miserable face. Then he walks to the ice cream shop and just stares at the ice creams, hovering there until someone comes to his aid. And voila, few minutes later, he and I will be eating ice cream or perhaps even a banana boat. :S (Ever wondered why I'm the size I am? I have my dad to thank.)

Anyway, I'm thankful to God that I have been awarded with such a protective, loving, patient, hot-tempered and understanding dad. I wish I could spend this day with him but I know he knows where my heart lies. Our undying love for each other goes a long way back - though probably only after my unfaithful teenage years.

Us in Tokyo Disneyland

During the 07/08 countdown

Happy father's day daddy. Will make it up to you soon enough <3 

London musicals' reviews

One of London's must do is to watch a musical. Every musical gives you a different experience and could make you love it or loathe it so be sure to choose music that you like or a producer that you fancy. I really enjoy musicals probably due to it being a live entertainment, how professional they look and perhaps give you a hint of what goes on behind closed doors when filming a Hollywood movie.

Here are my reviews of the musicals I've been to:

 

Dirty dancing (6.5/10)

Actually went for it twice; E tried to surprise me in our first month of dating but obviously failed. Some parts of the musical is a bit slow for me, too much talking, too little action going on. 

Oliver (8/10)

To be honest, I fell asleep mid way. Not because it was that bad but I didn't sleep at all the night before for some reasons I cannot remember. (Things I sacrifice for my degree) *shakes head* But I remember the music was quite lively with cute little kids running about. OMG they are seriously cute, would have adopted one of them if I could afford it and if I knew how to look after a child. I probably rated it higher as well because it's harder to train kids to act in front of a huge crowd though it's not really related but it is to me! :D The adult actors cracked a few jokes here and there.

Wicked (3.5/10)

I don't think it's worth watching at all though I was sick when I went for it. LOL. Aren't I quite on the unlucky side? But there's this girl dressed in green from head to toe and she screams at piercing voices most of the time & out of the blue. I find her quite annoying and unrealistic. Like if kids watch this they might think she's an alien or get the wrong idea about humans or something. Right? Kids these days are so imaginative. Heh.

Love never dies (5/10)

Almost everyone I spoke to loved this but I kinda dislike opera singing so hence a 5. Though their voices go really high or wtv but I'm not into this kinda music/sounds. Besides, although it's a sequel to Phantom of the Opera, the plots are completely different. This one was a little boring and very predictable. And I hate any movies/stories I can predict spot on cause then I'm not in the suspense which means you didn't catch my attention which equals boring.

Jersey boys (7.5/10)

It's quite entertaining maybe because I'm a bit of an Abba fan & they sang a few of their songs which I liked :D It could be a little slow at some scenes as well and only contains 4 main actors so could come across as boring to some. But their singing made up for it, to me anyway.

Hairspray (10/10)

It's one of my favourite. Full of vibrant colours and cheerful people. I loved almost every single song in this musical. It's almost a replica of the movie so if you liked the movie, you're definitely gonna like this 10 times more. Some audiences were so into it, they started jumping and waving their hands as well. It could definitely cheer you up on a bad day.

Mamma mia (9/10)

Music is rather cheerful here as well. Brings you back in time. It's probably the musical I laughed the most. Only musical I've been to where at the end, everyone was at their feet dancing and singing along.

Les Misérables (10/10)

All scenes are very entertaining. A lot of suspense are created. It's the longest musical in London. (3 hours I think) Words can't describe this musical, you just HAVE to watch it.

Rat pack (6/10)

There are only 3 main singers and 3 female dancers through out. They smoke and drink on stage, very 'cool' esp since smoking is banned indoors in the UK and man, what a job. These actors are probably doing three of their utmost favourites simultaneously: sing, smoke, drink. Some songs are rather nice. BUT, this musical is gone. The theatre is being used as a venue for Love Never Dies now.

The woman in black (5/10)

Some parts are indeed a bit scary. Do not sit at the lower deck if you're afraid. Wouldn't reveal why or I'll spoil it for those who are interested in watching it but if it bothers you till you can't sleep late at night then you can ask me :P Some scenes are a bit boring. A bit too much talking for me but it's a play not a musical so what did I expect anyway? I am too hard to satisfy I tell you!

I wish I could watch more musicals but tickets are quite expensive & I have done my time here. The best available tickets are priced at £60 for most. The cheapest range could start from £20 I think. You can buy them online or in the theatre itself but either way you are able to choose your seats. You have to pay some surcharges online though but saves you the hassle of traveling there itself. You can even purchase tickets from some stores in Trafalgar Square for convenience sake but I've never tried that cause it looks dodgy. :S

Tip: If you book it way in advance, you could even be sitting right in front.

Anyway, hope you found this helpful. (:

Enjoy your next musical!

Hollywoods reunion

NO, I don't think we're blondes or brunettes trying hard to be a bimbo. Neither are we born Americans or anything to do with celebrities or the strong paparazzi/media influence in this generation.

It's a Hollywoods reunion because although Payal, Yoyo & I went to the same college, we only bonded because we were living with the same host family. We lived in an adjourned house with our "guardians" at 12 Hollywoods, Courtwood Lane. So there you have it. Gosh, I can still recall those 12 am curfews and how we all rushed to get a cab and forced the driver to speed all the way home. Those were our underage days.

Since Yoyo's from China, Payal's from Dubai, and I from Malaysia, it makes meeting up that much more difficult. To have our last reunion, poor Yoyo had to travel to London all the way from Manchester. *pat pat*

So naturally, to live up our college days, we went clubbing. Payal usually compromises with us to have Chinese cuisine so we reluctantly agreed to go to an Indian nightclub called Maya at Soho. The club is quite bad so I have no idea why the queue was so long and creeping so slowly, music was very bad, bars were jam packed & dance floor was teeny weeny. Even after renovation, the deco was still horrible-even I could do a better job at decorating.

Anyway, here are some pics of the night:

Happy to finally be INSIDE

Getting comfy on the couch

Second shot of the night

Camwhoring

Vodka & orange juice

Unknowingly last dance

Getting some fresh air

Right before re-entry

Notice how sober we were at the beginning and how the events unfolded into shaky legs, loud talking, hands up in the air etc. Little did I know that the third last picture was gonna be my last dance because...

We decided to get some fresh air and sober up a lil before finishing our bottle of Vodka. As we were re-entering the club, we had to descent this flight of stairs. I was being so careful, holding onto the railings, going step by step until at the corner of my eye, a pair of pale chopstick legs flew pass me. I looked right and Yoyo was sprawled on the floor with a pitiful look on her face. And you guessed it, we got kicked out. They nearly didn't permit us to retrieve our coats. Pfft.

The next day, we all woke up with heavy heads and aching bodies. *sign of old age* ): Thus, we spent our day just like any normal person; going to the mall i.e. Westfield, shopping, eating, walking in the park & drinking responsibly at the pub this time.

At the Bull

In the park

I learnt a very valuable lesson that day: Never go to Maya again!!!

Yoyo: Congrats upon your grad and have sensible fun with Masters in Warwick

Payal: Try your utmost best to complete your useless degree & stop going around wasting daddy's hard earned cash

Here is a virtual toast to our friendship!

xoxo

Decisions decisions decisions

It is indisputable that any decision we make affects and changes our lives in many aspects. Which uni to go to? Which country to work in? Who to date? Dress to impress or not? Should I play the polite & kind card or demanding & wild card? Every decision you make has a risk factor and you shouldn't be weighed down by it.

It's my last week in London and although I've been looking forward to this week for as long as I can remember, it's suddenly a bit overwhelming. With only 4.5 months before I start work, I wanna have a hell of a time and tick off my long to-do list of crazy stuff. I very rarely regret the choices I've made cause what's the point? Regret or not, it's done and over with; just learn from your mistakes. I've learnt that wtv you do, you need to be happy and confident about yourself. That way, you perform better and gain more satisfaction. Everyday is a slow learning process.

To me, nothing is more important than family. Obviously having spent all our lives waking up to the familiar faces and going to sleep with the familiar voices will drive anyone insane. Hence, like a normal family, we do bicker. Especially my sister & I. I think she secretly enjoys annoying me. But at the end of the day, we all sleep on the heated arguments and tend to let bygones be bygones.

I think all families argue because you know that no matter how bad the temper is, how many vases are broken, how loud you shout, we all know that we are bonded to this person for life. And that is when people often take family members for granted. I often say to my girlfriends that you can tell if he will be a good father by looking at their current relationship with their family especially their parents. If he is from a close knitted family, probability is he will be a caring parent and looks after their family well. If not, you might wanna look elsewhere.

Anyway, I've decided that I've been away from home for TOO long and it's time for the four of us to be reunited by living under the same roof. We could finally go on family holidays again with everyone present and yummy lunch/dinner buffets.

Us in Manila

Anyway ask me again next year. I may change my mind after the nightly fights for the Astro remote with my darling sis.

Moving on, Payal and E had been urging me to read. They have left me with more than 10 books to choose from. As most of you know, the only books I read are textbooks or magazines. No, I'm not a nerd but I just cannot sit still and read cause it's just too boring for me.

Thus, I'm thrilled that I finally finished a storybook today. Knowing me, I obviously chose the only pink book available cause a pink cover signifies a chick flick book. I figured it's better to get into the groove of reading first then tackle the hard core ones like The Art of War by Sun Tzu.

A Hollywood Ending by Robin Sisman

This book ain't great but it's ok if you just wanna read to pass time. I'm actually patiently waiting for Sunday to come to hop onto my plane to Egypt. Oh note: ever ever travel for more than 2.5 weeks. I remembered when I was traveling around Spain and Germany for a month and nearing the third week, my sis & I were just in the hotel watching movies. Yeap, what a great way to spend money. But trust me, by the second week, you're already so knackered & worn out from sightseeing, the constant switching of hotels and hotel food. Hence, I'm taking a week break from Malta before heading to Egypt. Smart eh?? :P

Break your heart

Dear V,

Sorry I haven't been much to you. I had been so busy helping E move out of his place and the movers finally came to take over. Anyway, heart break is a normal occurrence. Every minute, people fall in/out of love. Some even make an effort to stay away from love in fear of heart ache. 

The best thing to do right now is just to move on. Stop replaying the relationship from the beginning to the end cause that's not going to help. You'll only be left with nothing but memories. Stop beating yourself over it, you did everything right. I think the distance had finally taken it's toll. Keep yourself occupied, go out and meet friends. You definitely shouldn't lock yourself up at home because of him. He is over. Start doing things for yourself, things you enjoy doing.

Please stop dwelling on the past. Live in the moment and for the future. This is a blessing in disguise. No more waiting on him to be free and no more frustration with talking to 'a wall'. I know easier said that done. Right now you're probably thinking, "Why you? Why is this world so unfair?" Well, when one door closes, another door opens but we often stare at the closed door that we don't notice the open one. 

The empty feeling in you, the loss of appetite, the fatigue, the puffy eyes, feeling lonely, hopeless, in despair, upset and worse of all, in denial. Please do get rid of all these negativeness. You may not see the light at the end of the tunnel right now, but there is a light, perhaps a dim one. There's always a solution to a problem. You have to find your way out of the blurriness. I can say a lot of things to you but only you really control your own emotions, thoughts and feelings.

You deserve much more than this honey. Read this, cry your heart out one last time and tomorrow will be a new and brighter day. 

A broken heart can still be mended after all.

A big thank you to S for being such a dear to V. I hope you both are studying smart and all the best for the coming exams. What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger! In less than a month we'll be reunited again. (:

With love,

G

Snapshots of Malta

For those of you who haven't heard of Malta, here's a few useful details at the top of my head:

1 It's a tiny country made out of a few islands in the south of Sicily, in the Mediterranean Sea. 

2 It joined the EU in 2004.

3 The capital is Valletta.

4 They have their own Maltese language.

5 It's a Catholic country.

6 Malta's flag.

Anyway, I stayed at Corinthia Resort and Spa, St George's Bay. There's 3 Corinthia Hotels in Malta itself so you better not end up in the wrong place if you're thinking of going.

Front of the hotel

Back of the hotel

One of the five pools

The upper deck pool

The service in this hotel is quite shit to be honest. The suite room we stayed in was very tiny compared to other suites around the world. Service is just horrible, staff members are unfriendly and incompetent though the guys provided much better service than the girls. Breakfast and dinner buffet is very limited and food in all five of the restaurants are only okay, presentation is not bad but limited menu once again. 

Room service is not 24/7 like wth, what if I'm hungry past 10.30pm?!? Housekeeping is bad as well, they did not vacuum my room at all throughout the eight days stay. It's so called 5 stars but I'll rate it a 6 out of 10 perhaps due to the value of money not being fulfilled. 

To do list in Malta

1 Get a massage, you're by the beach so you obviously want to relax.

(We went twice, the first day was horrible-it was as though the lady was just lotioning me, the second day much better so it depends if you get a good masseuse)

2 Visit Haqar Qim Temples

It's like UK's Stonehenge I would say although this is more interesting. For example, they have sunlight shining though the doors of the temple during sunrise but only on certain days like equinoxes where the day and night time is the same which occurs twice a year.

Taken from the museum

(You can see the ray of light shining through the doors of the temple)

Interior of the temple

Exterior of the temple

3 Hitch a ride on their local bus

Malta's population is rather tiny so cabs are really expensive. It's about a tenner for a 3 mins ride. Solution: hope on the bus. The only catch is that the buses' frequency is every 30 minutes. LOL. I went on it for a day but surrendered after. Oh, the advantage of the bus? You get to hear the current and latest pop music. :D

Maltese stripped yellow & orange bus

4 Take a cruise to Gozo & Comino (up north)

It's quite worthwhile to go on a full day cruise to see the cliffs, coasts, caves, natural bays and rocks which formed over thousand of years. You can even take another boat ride into the caves. 

5 Visit the churches and catacombs

Catacombs are underground tombs. You can see the skeletons in open tombs. If you're claustrophobic, I probably won't recommend you going down under as passage ways are tiny and dimly lit.

Churches in Malta are the only churches I've been to where the floors are filled with tombs under it.

The ceiling

6 Visit the Blue Cliffs

7 Go to Mdina & Rabat

Entrance to Mdina (It's like a little enclosed village)

Rabat

8 Dip into the pool or jacuzzi and sunbathe

9 Walk along the promenade 

10 Try Maltese food

Their food is heavily influenced by the Italians since they're so close to each other.

Overall, Malta is a beautiful country full of history (it was once under Spanish, French & British ruling) and nature. War ruins are still evident in the city where rubbles could be seen nearly everywhere. The people are quite friendly and helpful which adds more to Corinthia having no excuse for their bad services. It's quite the perfect place in Europe for relaxing and chilling out especially right after your final year. 

Oh yeah, ever bought an ice cream at sea?