I intend to go but a Travel Guide book on Italy tomorrow, cos we are going to ROME this coming December !

Though I woudl love to soak under the beauty of the Tuscan sun and enjoy the romantic gondola ride in Venice.. these will have to wait.

Heading to the Vatican soon! Yippeeeeeeee!

It was written in URBAN today that dragonboating is getting popular and the people who are into it has beautiful body and tan! Totally agree. Sometimes, I do miss the lean, mean me...not too much of the tan though.. I was almost burnt.

Last week, Dearie brought some old photos (taken during my dragonboating days) to show me - to show me how dark I was! I burst out laughing. That was quite a feat! But I don't think I ever want to be that dark anymore! I'm a little too vain now, overly concern that my foundation and make up will not match my skin tone if I get too tanned suddenly, that the sun is gonna dry up my skin or cause outbreak...

I don't think I enjoy being in the smelly and dirty Kallang River anymore. Or having to queue for a shower from the low-pressure tap, washing up the dirty clothes after training... But I do miss the feeling of competitive sport, trying to challenge my body & mind, the team spirit, the way sports takes away your toughts about everything else like studies and work while you are at it...

I've learnt lots from dragonboating - commitment, discipline, team-spirit...etc. One most important thing that I grasped from my "sporting days"- its always mind-over-body... and its the truth.

And I know I wouldn't be where I am and who I am without these little lessons ...

Dearie is flying off back to England tomorrow and it will be X'mas eve before we will meet again.
Think the feeling of separation is sinking into us but I guess we are coping really well individually. As much as we do not want to discuss too much about it, we both know that we are really gonna miss each other lots.
Thanks to technology, can't imagine struggling without the webcam, skype and budget calls.
Its gonna be the final leg and we are gonna do just fine. We know that we are both looking forward to the togetherness that will come in mid 2007 and nothing else seems more important than that now.

Spen S$138 at the Estee Lauder Counter today .. bought new foundation, loose powder and lip gloss. Make-up seems to run out faster than ever due to current work requirements. The irony is, the more make-up one piles up on one's face , more needs to be spent to cleanse it! In all ways, money & time are needed.

Had menicure and pedicure done. This time round, merely wanted a fresh coat of colours. But ended up with finger and toe nail mask too... really don't mind this occassional indulgence if its gonna prevent my nails from splitting and breaking. ($40 in all).

Bought Dearie a pair of Levi's today and so did he.. so we both ended up with a pair of jeans each at S$139.90! He said that I needed a pair of new jeans. Though it was not the most important piece of clothing I need now, I thought why not? Decidedly then to ditch all my old jeans ... though I have been keeping them, I know somehow that I will never wear them again. Ever since I bought my low-waist jeans, I have been wearing the same pair of jeans for many months as I no longer like the old ones. Thanks to Dearie, I have another pair now.. and its square-cut jeans this time round!

He loves seeing me spend on things that I like, he loves playing fashion consultant and often tells me how good / bad certain things will look on me. He is perfectly all right with me spluging on LV and Gucci and even encourage me to buy more! He enjoys buying the sparkling hair clips and accessories for me to wear to work and tells me that I need more to match my outfit!

Sometimes, I wonder how many women out there are as fotunate as me.

Been wishing & hoping the last few days (even weeks), that my year-end leave will be approved... otherwise, my hopes for a longer side-trip during my year end visit to England to visit Dearie Chew will be shattered!

I guess my boss will be understanding enough... she know that my bf will be away for a long while and taking leave to visit him is a MUST!
Whats more, my very kind buddy at work had agree to stand-in for me and I am so glad that her leave period will not clash with mine.

Will it be NYC, Barcelona, Spain, skiing in a French Village, Scotland or otherwise? Or perhaps, visit the Lake District for a quiet Christmas? Every plan sounds good and exciting.
I love planing for trips - it is a occupational hazard that has stayed with me. I tend to read and research in depth, somehow, losing the spontaneosity but always prepared and well equipped with travel infomation.

Once my leave is approved and tickets to England booked, I will be ready to plunge into travel research once again.

Spent a night in Bintan. For me, the objective was to relax and for him, it was to get a tan! But the main objective for us , is definitely to spend some private time with each other before he flys back to England next week.

Dearie was so eager to get a tan, I would use the word DESPERATE. He tried all ways and ceased all opportunities to "absorb" the sun. The gloomy weather nearly drove him nuts. Overall, the result was not too bad with only 3 hours at the pool this morning... Its just his luck, the last time we were in Batam, it was rainy too! For me, I only need minutes to get a tan. Like what one of my friend once described - my pigments are already "chao ta" - so thats why I absorb the sun so well! We also discovered that the colors on him comes out quite slowly, we only see the results when we are back home. In fact, he is feeling heaty and burnt now!

Trips to places like Bangkok and HK always leaves me more tired due to the shopping, crowds and pollution. I enjoy short retreats to beach resorts like that as it leaves me time to relax and recharge. Though it was merely 2days and 1night in Nirwana Gardens, it was saisfying and enjoyable.

We took time to have good meals, to stroll, chat, read, sun-tan, swim, rest ... we took things slowly and as always, talked a lot. The feeling is fantastic - not having to answer to anyone else, ignore all phone calls, sleep and eat as we wish and did things at our own relaxing pace.

The meals were good. We had pizza for lunch yesterday and had a lovely dinner at the Kelong Restaurant for dinner. We managed to get a table by the edge of the Kelong. We enjoyed the view, the breeze and the good food (it was Szechuan Chicken, Ma Po Tofu & Sambal Prawn). During dinner, we made a pact that we will continue to have our regular retreats and couple time even when kiddos come along! Even spoke about where to "dump" the kiddos when we need to getaway!

Breakfast was not too great as he was speculating if it would rain, if the clouds will go or if the sun would penerate though those dark clouds! Man!
Lunch was hamburger for him and nasi goreng for me. In between, we had 2 mocktails in the pool's bar. Soaking in the sun with a ice cold drink and looking at the horizon with you love one is an amazing feeling - I wish I could indulge in this more often!

As I type away, I could feel the headache setting into me. Must be the sun ... Dearie is already sleeping... Ciaos.

Did my manicure & pedicure today in the new shop "LING", located opposite my block.
As always, though I felt the session burnt another hole in my pocket, I left the shop satisfied :).

Having nice nails makes my day or rather, my week. As I type on the computer each day and paused to look at the nicely polished nails, I sometimes smile by myself and felt thankful for the luxury that I have. Like what mum said, she never had the chance to have someone tend to her hands and feets till recent years and for me, I started young. Its a lifestyle that I have gotten used to... and something that I enjoy and will continue to do so if I can afford it.

The shop is a cosy place, set-up just like a home, sofa, TV...the manicurist said that she is a homely person and hence, the homely set-up. She treats it less like a business but rather, a role that she enjoys for helping people look pretty and well. (She does massages too). She is confident that her business will thrive as she is confident of her own skills. Beauty is also something that she is interested in and she felt that in life, it is important to do something that one enjoys...I can't agree more and how I wish that someday, I will be like her.

I look up to not just successful people who speaks with authority and power, not just certain politician, CEO or high fliers, I also look up to people like the manicurist. She seems like she really enjoy what she is doing and there is this passion in her to do it better. Time and again,she ask me if everything is ok and that I must tell her is something is not up to expectation so that she can improve.

Another lesson learnt.