Bintan Trip Part 1

Good Sunday to you! -big happy smile- It's been ages since I last blogged and I apologise for the emo nemo entry. I was a tad bit down that day and writing somehow helped. A BIG thank you to my dearest POK, JH, Siding, Ben and the few others that left encouraging messages on my blog and my cell phone. I'm back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Armed with lots of smiles, energy and a TAN!!! yippeee yoolee yay!

Bintan was pretty much a cookie cutter holiday. It's more for the tourist, not the traveller. The gigantic resorts are self-sufficient, armed with an array of activities from water sports, to diving, to dirt-bike racing, to achery..-wink- you get what I mean. It's very expensive though.. everything is paid in Sing $$ and it's a lot more pricey compared to what you get in Singapore. They don't sell instant noodles at their convenience stall in order to encourage consumptions from their cafes and restaurants. They food and beverages served in the cafes and restaurants are generally better than average. In fact, I enjoyed the food very much! So did Louis :)

An advice for general folks looking for a laid back holiday: Bintan is gorgeous but be prepared to pay a little more for everything else. Don't travel out of your resort unless you're in a BIG group because there are no cabs for hire, unlike the abundance of taxis in Singapore. The hotel chaters them and you HAVE to take their vehicles, paying about $125 for half a day's rent.

Ready for the adventure??!??! Here goes!!

Louis and me!! All smiley and fresh for our trip! -big grin- My current favourite colour is white and I wore white throughout my trip!!

Ooppps? -laughs uncontrollably- Fashion Faux!!
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. Introducing the 2 contestants - Grace and Louis. Who looks worse? You decide!

Louis and I had half an hour to kill before we could check into the Bintan Ferry Terminal. This was taken at the Factory Outlet store just beside the Ferry Terminal at the very end of our trip. I begged Louis to try on the outrageous shirt for me and he agreed only if I wore something hilarious in return. Hence... we each had a choice of 4 items to dress the other party up!!! I think I won!! He looks like a GANGSTER- HIP HOP- PUFF DADDY- WANNABE!!!!!!

Laughing uncontrollably as we emerged from our changing rooms

That's me!!!!!! I was laughing so hard before I came out because I looked so funny! Louis heard me laugh from where he was standing!

Sorry.. back to the trip! hehe..a nice bit of distraction there I hope? A good laugh to brighten up your day?

Back to breakfast at Kiliney Kopitiam. The boy had 4 eggs!!!!!!!

Posing while we waited for our ferry.

The ferry ride took about an hour! Here is our gorgeous gorgeous resort!!!!!

Aye Aye Captain!!


After soaking ourselves silly in the sea, we sneaked into the golf course! I was still in my BIKINI!! eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkkkkkkkksssssssssssss :)


We spent most of the time at the beach and by the pool. The food and beverages were yummy!

We wanted to have a special dinner and found out that the resort served this fantastic dinner by the beach! Not only was it a buffet dinner with endless supply of Indonesian dishes, there were huge succulent prawns, fishes and other seafood to complement! The service by the smiley staff made us feel like royalty AND there were several dance and singing performances put up throughout the whole dinner! A wonderful experience!!!!!!!!!!

After the luxurious dinner, it was a walk by the beach. We were intrigued by the little sea creatures we found at night. Louis became a little boy. His eyes lighted up when he found the crab! It was eating a green bug when we decided to observe it.
Back in our rooms.. the deluxe room was so spacious.. we had our own coffee area!
When we travelled out. I had ice cream!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's half an entry for now. I have so many pictures to share! I'll put them up again real soon! I have to show you my snorkelling pictures, wakeboarding ones too and all the lovely lovely shots!!

Dearie,

Thank you for the wonderful trip. You remind me again on how and why I fell in love with you. Thank you for standing by me during the good and bad times. Thank you for being the special guy in my life :)

A moment of randomness

It's one of those days when you come back from comforting a friend that it hits you--you're the one in need of a refuge. Just had a call from a good friend I got to know recently. Being a girl isn't easy sometimes. You get a call from a friend who needs you and knowing you shouldn't wallow in self pity, you muffle your tears, put up a cheery voice and give all the listening ear and advice like nothing bad happened.

I wished that it didn't too.. I want so much..so much for the people around me to be happy. I enjoy being happy, positive, but things just hit you all at once. That's when I think my walls start to crumble. I don't wish to see anyone or do anything but just seek the comfort of retreating in my own room, my own world.

Suddenly, it's not just Him, not just friends, all that's bothering you come crashing in. Reality sinks in. It'll all be right in a few hours' time, after a good night's rest but right now, the few hours before you become oblivious to the world is the most difficult

I just got 2 more messages... Dear Lord, I need your strength right now.. I'm so tired....

Heart warming friendship

I wasn't feeling too well yesterday. Think I caught a cold from the midnight pool session at Flo's. Felt so much better after meeting Siding for coffee over lunch. We weren't hungry so it was a simple session of catching up with each other. I came back from lunch to the office with a heart warming feeling. It's so good to see her looking pretty, healthy and happy. She said something that tugged at my heart, that she missed us all - the A3 girls. I felt exactly the same. Those were days when we would go cranky due to exams.. go for fantasticfun food sessions and cry in each other's rooms when we were overwhelmed with sadness. Ding was one of the first few that I got to know at A3 and she was so encouraging and friendly back then. She still is that same down to earth person. I wonder how Amanda, Yuimin, Ting and Qinmei are. I missed the last session of girls' get together due to tuition. I missmissmissmissmiss the girls so much. I've got to organise something!!!

My plans for the rest of the vacation would be to catch up with all the people I treasure! My sportsclass girls and guys, the A3 girls, my friends from dance.. I think I'll make a gift for each of my colleague from the DHL team too..perhaps a card with a team photo and a personalised gift? It'll probably take some time so i have to start!! No procrastination -gives a determined look-

It's Freda's 21st birthday party tomorrow and I'll definitely pop by. Happy advanced 21st Birthday dear! May your special day be full of warm smiles, joy and lots and lots and lotslotslots of people you love!

Oh yes, I have to start thinking of modules to bid for. Jereld!! Are you going to take something with me!!??? Let's meet up for dinner before the new semester starts!! And JH, thanks for being my MSN buddy every working day. We talk online for at lest 6 hours a day!! -grin- Come online soon!!! It's 11:30 am and you're not online!! :(

Cheers!!

xoxo,

grace

Harry Potter Magical JB session

Met Anna, Vivian, Herbert, Florian, leong, Mark and Marcus in JB today for a mass seafood session and to watch Harry Potter. I enjoyed myself tremendously!!!!! It's pure pleasure being able to stuff your face with a bunch of fun friends. Louie and I had lotsa laughs and of course wonderful memories with our friends from Germany, Austria and Canada.

See how happy we look!!
It was an eventful squeeze in the cab on the way to Taman Tebrau for seafood. All six of us travelled in a tiny cab.. Vivian and I got to sit on laps.. poor Louis. All 46kg of me was on him.. on one lap to be precise..

Left to right: Florian and Herbert from Germany and Vivian from CanadaAnna from Austria and Vivian.. they're absolutely adorable and very very infectious! I love these girls.. they're so genuine!! That's the bunch of us at dinner.. all 9 of us. Dinner was an eye-popping, sumptuous meal of Chili crabs with buns, crayfish, prawns, kai lan, hot plate toufu, satay and fried rice. We stuffed our faces with the fantasticfabulous dishes and only paid SGD 17 dollars each!!!!!!That's including the drinks!!

Hungry??? teeheehee
Leong being sandwiched by 2 bullies
Herbert attacking the crabs! Oh the beers came in humongous bottles too!

Vivian and I are Mac's ice-cream addicts! We satisfied our cravings :)

Group picture!!
Wanted to grab cakes from secret recipe but it was closed. Florian was so disappointed...
Louis demonstrating how full he was
Mine's a terrible imitation. I think I looked constipated! Vivian..looking so cute! Ice-cream or New York cheesecake? Why not both!!

Vivian with her weapon..THE PLASTIC FORK!! -laughs-



Fooling around in the cinema



I had such a great time... I'm meeting these guys again tomorrow!! Florian invited us to his house for dinner!! Yippeeeeee... !!!!!!!!!!!

Simple pleasures

Nope! This isn't my new boyfriend. Introducing Desmond. He's a colleague of Louis and we were trying hard to portray the rich husband and obedient wife from older times, except that it came out looking nothing like that. Desmond used to stay in the same hall in NUS and he's hilarious! Desmond loved to tease Pei Huan and me mercilessly.. it's so nice to see him again! He's looking a lot better!!

Now THIS WAS MY HOT DATE!

Louis looked adorable today. He had the best shirt on at dinner. Oh I forgot to mention!! Dinner was at Chevron's. It's an anniversary celebration dinner for his company. The programmes weren't too interesting cause it was mainly catered for army boys.. the dance put up by 4 skimpily dressed girls weren't choreographed nor synchonised. It was mainly parading in tiny outfits and gyrating their bodies with the music, occasionally mingling with the audience. I guess the programmes lined up weren't really my cup of tea but Louis more than made up for it. He looked so cute!!!! His stylish shirt coupled with stripped greyish black pants gave a polished yet droolworthy look. Talking to the boys under Louis wasn't too bad too. I enjoyed myself..I wasn't used to hearing his "men" calling him Sir though.. it's kinda cool actually..cause to me. He's just a guy I love and we enjoy a certain closeness.

After dinner, we decided not to join the guys at Zouk but head down to Serangoon gardens to have a drink. I really enjoyed the short but pleasant time we had at Cartel's. And it's times like these that reminds me on how much I love this guy... -smiles-

Anyways, before I make everyone gag from mushiness..here's some random pictures I took!

I'm so sleepy!! But before I go, I have to gloat!! It's a mustmustmust. I'm watching Harry Potter in JB with Anna, Vivian and Herbert tomorrow!!!! AND we're going to have famous seafood for dinner!!! Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! -bounce bounce bounce-

Tip Top Secret...revealed!!!

Lavs just had her surgery on monday and I'm officially taking over some major stuff at O&M. I've been pretty busy lately, hardly knocking off before 6:30 pm. Evenings are usually spent hanging out with friends or exercising. It's kind of a nice routine to work. Speaking of which, being in an advertising agency is never dull. Just today, I had one of the cutestmostenjoyableandnottomentiondownrightexciting invitation! The girls are organising a dinner on 4 of Aug at this fancy French restaurant. It's another bonding/get together session before the long holiday arrives (over national day weekend). It's the usual but very much addictive gossip session with lychee martinis and gourmet food of course. The energy and tightness of the team have infected me!!! Somehow, this reminds me of the A3 girls. The friendship that developed over time through effort in organising girlish bonding sessions. Come to think of it, I do miss the girls very much. I haven't seen them in 2 weeks!!

As mentioned, the theme for the fancy French dinner is to go glamourous. I have a few ideas in mind for sexy pretty dresses. I've found a new love now.. not yellow, not electric/cobalt blue.. it is sky blue!!! Coupled with a Jessica Alba tan of course. I shall reveal the dress in a few weeks' time! -grin- Actually I'm playing with the idea of an elegant but sexy corset with a flowy slow slung skirt and curled hair..either that or i'm going for the sky blue dress made of rayon perhaps? What do you think? I'm going to tailor my own dress. It would be my second design now! -smiles happily-

One more month to design and sew up the dress!! There's a prize to be won!!! -rubs hands gleefully- I heart prizes!! It reminds me of my primary school days! Yipee!!!!

Perk me ups!!

To grace:
This is a gentle reminder for you to take your medicine, to drink more water and pop the vitamins that comes with the package. It isn't the same without you today.

From,
(XXXX)

That's so sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for the perk me up on a sickly monday!!!! -big happy smile-