Today I Turn A Year Wiser

I know it has been ages since I updated my blog.

Been swarmed with loads of activities since I returned to Singas...loads of pictures to share too...but haven't quite sorted them out yet ...*heh* (will post them up as soon as I get my lazy a*s to do it)

So here's what I've been busy with:

> Celebrate Dad's big 60

> Catch up w/ old friends

> Short getaways

> Job search

... and of cos ...

Yours Truly's Birthday Celebrations!!!

(^ ^)v

More on that soon !!!

My Return To Good Ol' Singas

A week has passed since I got back to my hometown - Singapore.

Beirut International Airport

Me Before Entering Immigration @ Beirut Airport

SOMETHING Making His Final Purchase Of Al Rifai Roasted Nuts @ Beirut Airport Duty Free

The flight from Beirut to Singapore via Emirates was an enjoyable one.

We upgraded ourselves to business class for both legs; Beirut to Dubai & Dubai to Singapore.

And much to our delight, we were once again upgraded to first class for the second leg of our flight from Dubai to Singapore. :)

This is my very first time travelling on business & first class.

Now I curse the management who said there is not much difference between business & economy class except the size of the seats. Bunch of liars!

Now, business class I can give taking pix a miss.

But first class, how can I not take any pix!!! *hahaha*

Emirates (Boeing 777) First Class Seats-Seat 2D

Yes, u saw it right! There's a mini-bar next to each and every first class seats.

The sliver/black thingy next to the mini-bar is the hand-held controller that enables one to personalise the experience from selecting a movie to adjusting the seats (which are sleeper seats btw, which allows one to fully recline) and also selecting the massage feature on the seats! :))

Now, are you ready to see the huge-ass tv monitor!??!?!?!

.

.

.

.

.

Tada!!!

A 19-inch flat screen monitor equipped w/ noise cancelling headphones that are also huge-ass btw! *WOOT*

What a great way to start the end of our stint in MENA!!!

:)

Today's The Day - Bye Beirut, Singas Here I Come!

In approximately 12hrs, I'm leaving Beirut (FOR GOOD)!

Same time tomorrow, I will arrive @ Changi Airport in Singapore.

Boy! I can still remember the day I left Singas for MENA back in 30-10-2006.

Almost 2 yrs now...

// 2 yrs back //

Time to con't packing!

See ya back in gd old Singas!!!

XOXO

TOW The New Ball & My New Bling

SOMETHING & I are into our final 3 days in Beirut. And things have never been busier around here. We've got prepaid gym coupons to complete, finances to settle, places to visit and of cos, last min shopping to do.

SOMETHING wanted to get more books before he returns to SIN cos it's a whole lot cheaper here. And I had a list of stuffs to get also cos it's a whole lot cheaper here; from medication, to PJs from La Senza, to new blings to pimp my naval.

As I mentioned in my previous entry, I was in search of a replacement "Ball" for my pretty turquoise barbell and probably a new naval jewellery.

I've walked pass this particular shop (situated between Hamra & Bliss Street) that sells all sorta jewellery for body piercings several times in the past, but have never found a reason to walk in till today.

I found a perfect ball to match the gem on my barbell! (For only 5,000LL equivalent to 3USD)

The Barbell Is Whole Again!

And.....

This crazily pretty pink dangling Ys naval bling !

(For only 20,000LL equivalent to 13USD)

I'm so in luv w/ it right now!!!

Ladies, tell me u don't totally heart it?!

TOW 9 Boxes & The Lost 'Ball'

There were many things that had to be done as we approach our last couple of days in Beirut.

It's pretty unbelievable how much nonsense we can accumulate in our small apartment since we moved in back in late Feb. But of cos, most of the stuffs were what we already had for the past 1 yr living in Algeria.

On 11/9 (Thu), we had initially planned to set aside 4~5hrs to pack & get our stuffs ready for the packers who were coming on 12/9 (Fri) morning. Turns out, we spent close to the entire day [11am~6pm] sorting out our stuffs and had to give all the other things we had planned to do a miss!

When the packers finally came on Fri morning, it took them less than an hr to pack all our belongings like clothes, kitchen appliances, entertainment appliances, shoes, etc.

Finally! A load off our minds!

A total of 9 boxes for all our personal effects

On a totally different topic...

So here I was, all bubbly & happily taking candid shots & video clips of SOMETHING as we got ready to head out for dinner & movie w/ Salim @ Verdun yesterday evening (13/9).

Later did I realise as I was taking a shower when I got home @ 2am, that the ball on my barbell has gone missing!

!!! ROAR !!!

My pretty barbell w/o its ball

I wasn't able to find it anywhere in the apartment... so I suspect I must have lost it while I was trying on some clothes @ MNG earlier that evening.

*sulks*

This is the 2nd time I lost the ball on my barbell since I first got my naval pierced in Brisbane back in 2001.

This might just be the perfect excuse to shop for a new naval jewellery. Hmm... so my first barbell was one with a red gem, followed by this turquoise one...what colour should I get next? Maybe one with a real diamond? *blink BLING*

;p

C'est La Vie

Here’s what we’ve been up to since our last day @ work [08-09-08];

• Wake up early (no kiddin’! we’re actually waking up earlier than we usually do on work days)
• Enjoy slow breakfast
• Head to the gym for a good 2hr workout
• Soak in the jacuzzi
• Cleanse & relax body w/ a Turkish bath
• Enjoy late lunch
• Walk around the streets of Hamra
• Head home for a late afternoon nap
• Enjoy home-cooked dinner
• Eat grapes/ cheese & drink Lebanese wine
• Chill
• Go to bed early

Pretty darn good eh! (*.^)v

Aahh...~ this is life!

Well, enough of my close to perfection bummer life.

Here are some pix taken on our last working day.

Yes, in case u don't already know... SOMETHING & I WERE colleagues and we left our jobs on Monday.

{ Our Last Day As Colleagues }
Us waiting for a cab outside our apartment along Rue Sadaat.
We've never been more enthu this early on a work day.

{ Us Riding e/ Cab }

{ Our Last Time Walking Thru Those Doors }

{ The Old Making Way For The New}
Me w/ Salim - the newly interco transfered Algerian to our team in Beirut.

Good luck dude!

Gazillion Happy Thots Goin' Thru Ma Mind!

Happy thots!

Happie thoughts!

Gazillion happy thoughts!

I'm bursting with joy, happiness & everything good! :)

Why?

Last day @ work!

Last day @ work!!!

Last day @ work!!!!!

*somersaults in mind 'n' soul*

Nice Lil' Rock from NICE

I guess u'll know it when someone really loves u...

It's when the gifts they bring u becomes simpler & more meaningful...at least for me that's true.

A pebble from along the Mediterranean coast @ the southern city of France, Nice...

That's how simple a gift it was...

Oh...and of cos, a snowglobe from Nice too!

Simply cos we started collecting them since our Europe trip...

Funny thing, snowglobes aren't available in Lebanon and Algeria...*shrugz*

And we missed the chance to get one from Morocco... *darn*

Guess we'll just have to remember these 3 places with something else... *ponders*

Suggestions?

A Pleasant Little Smth From 3 Yrs Back

So I was browsing thru my gal pal, Alicia's old blog posts today and I came across this particular entry titled "Seeing Aatricia", dated 19/11/2005 which I never knew existed till now. Gesh! Come to think of it, I think that was the last time I met up with Alicia...3 yrs, has it been that long?!

//Look! I was still spotting the long curly hair I had done @ BKK's Siam Sq.\\

I don't even remember the exact date this took place, but apparently, it took place not long after I completed my one year stint in Bangkok and was back in Singapore, busy helping a 'friend' set up his wedding proposal @ The Ritz-Carlton (a 'friend' who I turn out never hearing from again after that event *roll eyes*...ok, maybe I was partly at blame cos shortly after that, I left for Ali Baba Land...anyway...).

Both Lucus (SOMETHING's nephew) & Alicia were there to lend me a hand . . . :)

Lucus was there cos he was staying over at my place that night as I was bringing him for a tree-top walk the next morning @ MacRitchie reservoir (I can't possibly leave him at home while I headed out right?!). And Alicia was there simply becos we wanted to catch up before she headed back to Down Under.

And I totally remember how childish Alicia & I were behaving, leading my friends (who've never met Alicia or Lucus before) to believe that Lucus (who has never met Alicia before) was Alicia's son. Complicated right?! *hahaha*

Lucus was still very young and innocent then, and had a very hard time convincing himself to 'play Alicia's son' cos he feels that is lying and lying is not good. *oopsie* I'm a bad nanny! ;p

Kinda reminds me of how me and my gal pals used to lead strangers we meet at clubs to believe we're someone else who lead this other life with some random fake names.

Oh...one would think that I've already outgrown such childish behaviour... gosh...even I would expect myself to be more mature than that by now. But... believe it or not, I still lie about my nationality to random strangers along the streets of Beirut who asks me where I'm from for absolutely no reason. I mean, why would a random guy talking on the phone @ the public phone booth stop his conversation just to ask me where I'm from!?!?!? Does it REALLY MATTER!?!?!?! -___-"

True story!

The Ugly Side of Beirut

*BOO HOO*

Tough luck for moi & moi's SOMETHING!

Last Saturday, after we returned from the gym and was getting ready to head out for a movie @ ABC Asharafieh, we realised our $$$ were missing.

Yes! 3 $ signs cos the amt we lost was 3 digits!

TOTAL DAMAGE:

HE: 110,000LP (equivalent to 73.3USD)

SHE: 100USD

We are positive the $$$ was stolen during the time we were at the gym cos just the night before, we still had the $$$ in (his jeans pocket) & (my handbag).

*RAWRRRRRRR*

Told the landlord abt it, he said he'll investigate cos apparently, the housekeeper for that day was newly employed.

*argh*

I doubt we'll ever get our $$$ back, and I'm now really stressed out abt leaving my apartment while the housekeeper cleans it everyday.

Nothing much I can do abt it really. . .

YESH! I shall unleash the BITCH in me!!!

*wahahaha*

Well, u know how I sometimes post some not so pleasant pictures of the ACTUAL SITUATION in Algeria?

Like the pix below (fished out from SOMETHING's blog entry abt Air Algerie here)

I kid u NOT!

Almost 75% of the seats on Air Algerie (at least the ones flying between BEY-ALG/ ALG-CASA) are in this condition -____-"

And trust me, we aren't the only ones talking abt the below "value for money" standards on board Air Algerie .

In fact, the Lebanese colleagues themselves often mock the pauper-like conditions in Algeria.

Honestly people, take a look around before mocking at others.

Do you honestly think that . . .

THIS!

(view from the back seat of a taxi in Beirut)

AND THIS!
(view of the back seat of a taxi in Beirut)

... is a lot better than the economy passenger seats on Air Algerie???

I've taken my fair share of taxi rides in Beirut (esp since I take a taxi to & from work everyday), and I am certainly not showing the minority taxi conditions. I would say almost 80% or more of the taxis in Beirut are in this condition.

Frankly, I'm always worried that my clothes will get soiled or ripped from the dirty seats or some spring sticking out from the seats. That also explains why I hardly wear / carry and nice clothes / handbags when I'm in this region.

I know.

I'm a BITCH.

WATCHA GONNA DO ABT IT!

Aahhh ~ ~ ~

Feeling much better after blog-bitching abt random stuffs.

*deep breathes*

Do U ♥ Browsing?

Are u one of those who:

• totallyYfashion\fitness\entertainment\gossip\automotive\etc mags?


• sometimes spend hrs & hrs standing @ mag stands just browsing?


• think it's just way to ex to purchase all the juicy mags esp the imported ones?

♪'~*♪~Cos baby, have I got news for u!*~.♪.~♪

—DIGG THIS - Mygazines.com

Browse . Share . Archive //all sorta// Magazines . Articles . Books !

Is this COOL or Is THIS cool !!! –

I Oughtta Be Contented

It's a long story.

Long story short:

• I'm feeling a lotta things after learning that an ex-classmate is in an abusive marriage and could never get over the lost of her unborn child.
• I'm feeling a lotta things after learning that an ex is getting hitched next year.

YIt's amusing how life has a funny way of making a different mess for each one of usY

Vacation Part 4 - Road Trip to Tangier

So, where to after I left Istanbul?

Well, since it was still not possible to return to Beirut at that time (mid-May), the company instructed SOMETHING & I to head to Casablanca, apply for Algerian visa, then go to Algiers to wait out till the situation in Beirut gets better. (Which of cos didn't turn out as plan cos the crisis in Beirut cleared up by the end of May, so I end up staying in Casablanca for 2 weeks then headed on back to Beirut)

During the 2 weeks stay in Casablanca, SOMETHING & I obviously haven't gotten over our "vacation mode", so we decided to make a road trip up to Tangier over the weekend (160508~180508) together with our colleague & his wife.

TANGIER

A city @ the northern point of Morocco, just below Spain

Shortly after we got back to our hotel from the Casablanca office, we packed our clothes & toiletries into a small backpack, picked up 4 burgers from the nearby Mac Donalds, and we were off on our road trip to Tangier! :D

It took around 4hrs drive from Casablanca to Tangier, plus 20mins or so of getting lost within Tangier city while looking for the hotel. By the time we arrived and checked-in to our rooms, it was already way pass midnight.

HOTEL DAWLIZ
Our Hotel in Tangier for 2N

THE ROOM
Looks very old & dingy right? Can you imagine this is suppose to be a 5 star hotel and we're charged around 100USD/ night (supposedly a corporate rate) ?!!?!

ALONG THE CORRIDOR

VIEW FROM THE BALCONY
@ least the view from the room is nice, so no complains

On the way to Cape Spartel we stopped @ this beautiful beach, apparently, this is where the Mediterranean Ocean meets the Atlantic Ocean.

COOL!

MEDITERRANEAN MEETS ATLANTIC

Everything's So BLUE!

That's was our RIDE...

Nah... just kidding, this was our real RIDE! *bleh*

CAPE SPARTEL

Too bad we weren't able to enter Cape Spartel . . . no idea why cos non of us were able to read the sign which was in Arabic! *hahaha*

There was only one restaurant around that area - CAPE SPARTEL RESTAURANT

How original -___-

Food wasn't nice and was way over-priced, but the view was amazing.

Seafood Soup

Grilled Calamari

Grilled Sardines

LtoR: Karla & Felix (Our Salvadorian Travel Mates) + SOMETHING

A random pic from the streets to further emphasize SOMETHING & his obsession with farm animals. (There's a whole bunch of pix with close-ups of these goats but I refuse to post them all!)

SHOPPING @ THE GRAND SOCCO
'Socco' is a just a spanish word for 'souk' or 'market'. It's called Grand Socco in Tangier becos of its Spanish heritage.

A narrow street within the souk

Traditional handmade Moroccan shoes...so colourful

Ahh... Moroccan pottery!

If only I have enough luggage space to carry them all!