Yesterday, there were a string of surprises!

After work, I asked if we can go and have bbq pork...and Huimin gave herself away. Haha...actually she and Fung Han have secretly discussed where to eat for my bdae dinner!! I also spotted a birthday cake lying on the chair, which she bought from one bakery which we went last week, and got the cake I like! :P So thoughtful...

So, we went to the high class district again! And...had BBQ PORK!! Wows....I felt estatic. And, I drank beer with FH, while Huimin drank shoju with Yuchen. Huimin only drank 2 sips though. hahaha.

Ok, end of my bdae celebration in Seoul.

THANKS EVERYONE!

Continued...

Wells, I have more surprises! And more wishes.... :)
Thanks to :
Connie for being the first to send wishes thru mail....
Shenhong too, for wishing me on blog...
Betty, for wishing me WHEN I TELL HER "today is my bdae!"... hahaha
Huijing, who greets me all the way from Shanghai...
All my colleagues who ichatted me all the way from SG in the morning...making me feel so important.

Special thanks to 2 ladies (Mi Ryu & Hee Jin) I met in Seoul...who bought me a birthday cake and even surprised me by calling me into a dark room, with the candles all lit up. I am really very touched...cos these are people whom I only met for less than 2 weeks. Loves. I am a happy girl.

Connie and Yanling told me they bought my pressie, and claimed that it is very nice. I am sooo excited.

I LOVE MY FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!!!

30th July 08 (Wed)
Today, I turn 26. ^__^

Thank you darling. To receive your birthday wishes at 12 am sharp, Singapore time. Although I can't spend it with you, my heart is with you. Luvs.

Thank you twin, Siew Lim, Celine, Stef, Alicia. My pressie indeed was delivered to Seoul!!!! via our DHL lady, Huimin. It was really a pleasant surprise for me...early in the morning.

Thanks little fluffy for being by my side for the past 1 year. Happy anniversary to you, love. I miss you.

Happy Birthday to MYSELF! from Seoul.

27th July 08 (Sunday)
We went to Lotte World. Today is a fine day, without rain, and without sun! Perfect for outdoor activities. Our VP, Fung Han arrived this morning, so now the group has 4 members.

Today seemed to be the most enjoyable day throughout the trip. The 4 of us instantly turned into kids when we saw the rides. Yuchen is the lousiest. He only survived till Viking. One down. After the Gyro Swing, Huimin got giddy and refused even taking the bumper car! Two down. Now the bravest 2…ME and BOSS. So I took up the challenge of the Gyro Drop. It is a free fall ride all the way from a height of 20 stories. Urgh…this gives me goose bumps even thinking about it right now. Broke out into tears when I landed…scaryz.

Took some pictures, but battery died on me. Hmmmph. Had dinner at Lotte World …delicious. We had hotpot, with spicy soup base! You know I love it….don’t you?

By the time I reach the hotel, I am really exhausted.

I had a nightmare. It must have been the heart dropping rides in the day. I dreamt that Yanling, Connie, Yanrong and I were kidnapped. Somehow I managed to escape by jumping out from the window (notice: this sounds like the Gyro Drop). And I rang Yanling to tell about the escape route….when Connie and Yanling escaped, we met…AND HAD MA2 LA4 HOTPOT! (notice: this sounds like the dinner I had in the day). Wells, what happened to Yanrong? She died… Shits. Urgh.

26th July 08 (Saturday)
Weekend weekend!

Finally there was some fun. Actually..ALOT of fun!
To start the day off…I slept till 10. haah.

Namdaemun
Walked down to Namdaemun, which is a market place where you can find all kinds of local food, fruits, clothings etc. People here are mostly older aka aunties and uncles. Wells, it sounds boring isn’t it? But I got my PILLOWS here! These must be the best buys for the trip. I ever dreamt of sucha pillow and I couldn’t find it in SG for some reason, and jQ and I even went to spotlight in search of pillows of that size…and cloth to custom make into my “dream pillow”. Yet…I found it in Seoul! =D got a smaller version for Siew Lim’s little grace. Here at Namdaemun, we also spotted a wholesale accessories market, selling all kinds of necklaces, earrings, keychains and lots more! Bought a number of earrings and most importantly, I found those chunky Swarovski bangles for DANCE! Not cheap, but I finally FOUND THEM…here in Seoul too. Happyz.

Dongdaemun
Took the metro to Dondaemun. This is where most youngsters gather. There are a few shopping complexes in this area, and a long stretch of night market. That few hours were definitely not enough, and I did not get any clothes! Our new found friend, Mi Ryu, called to tell us that the area will be closed for the night. Not too sure why though. Huimin and I told ourselves we must come again tml. MUST.

Myeung Dong
Met Mi Ryu at our hotel at 7pm and off we went to Myeung Dong, a shopping area near out hotel, which we didn’t manage to find throughout the entire week. Haha. Went to Skin Food, Face Shop etc. Can I say that the shops here just luv to give away freebies? Bought 2 packs of face masks, and they gave me sooo many free masks, facial wash, sunblock and even a mirror.
The counterfeits are of the best quality, and of course they are not cheap too. A fake LV wallet costs S$90!
Here we also tried the local street food. Wow, the food was simply delicious!!

Café
The four of us took a cab to a high class district…almost like Orchard in SG. Here we can see cars other than Hyundai and Kia. :P Mi Ryu brought us to a café opened by a modeling agency. All the waiters are models…but…they look very thin, and mal-nutrition. Mi Ryu told us that male models today no longer look muscular…cos they need to fit into the skinny jeans. Had the nicest “ice kacang” here…the ice-cream was really rich and creamy. Yummy.

Hyatt Hotel – Club
Cabbed to Hyatt Hotel to take a look at the night life there. The 3 of us were not prepared for this place at all…I was in SHORTS and Huimin was in glasses…Yuchen looked like some uncle going to the market. Oh goodness, admist all the ladies in thick make-up and fanciful clothes, we look like some maids. Urgh. But still it was an experience!

Ended the day feeling satisfied. And I did mask in the hotel room. I have many free masks, remember?

I miss u, fluff.

25th July 08 (Friday)
Phew. Friday!! It’s Friday!!

Anyways. My birthday is 5 days from now. Happy Advance Birthday to Ting… =D
I doubt I will get any celebration in Seoul…
Sadness…
Loved ones are not around…
Wells, on the 30th July….it’s my 26th Bdae (I feel old)…and it also marks the one year anniversary for Fluffy’s arrival. He came into my home 1 year ago, as my bdae present from jQ. I can’t celebrate with lil one….
I have a wild idea. Keke.
I want to go for a photoshoot with little fluffy! Can I? Maybe with family too. J
That is what I want for my birthday.
Meaningful.

We just had lunch with 2 beautiful and friendly ladies. I realize they converse well in Mandarin, better than MOI. Haha…And I probably will go have a haircut tomorrow. Bleh. I wonder if that’s such a good idea, but I think every country has its own unique technique for haircuts. But I still have 1 week to go in Seoul, don’t want to look like some freak walking down the streets though. Hmmm.

Looking forward to the weekend!

24th July 08 (Thursday)
Happy birthday to my beloved Sock Noi. I wish her nothing but happiness…and I really miss having her around in office.

Today isn’t a good day for me. I had bad cramps, and I rested in hotel till noon. Missed the nice sashimi…instead I had Korean ramen in my room. It’s not nice.

Today working hours are short…obviously cos I started late. However, it’s a fruitful day as our risk register is quite filled up…for the moment.

Nth much to update, except that we had pizza and pasta for dinner! It was a cozy dinner and I like it.

23rd July 08 (Wednesday)
It’s midweek! Today is the fourth day~ I like this place…I like the food…food…food.
Today, we went to a toufu soup restaurant for lunchie. *notice that entries have been on FOOD* Wows, soup was really spicy but the best I’ve ever had.

We walked around the CBD area, and there was a man made river called the Cheongye Fountain. I managed to take some photos too. Guess what? I found Ya Kun Coffee and Toast here! Hehs. It’s at the basement of the Seoul Finance Centre (the place I work now). Saw only a handful of customers…and we came to realize they are our fellow Singaporeans from Ascendas. Oh, Ya Kun is expensive here….they are priced the same same STARBUCKS, and I just can’t bring myself to believe my eyes. Did I say that they tasted bad? Hmmm.

Today seem to be a better day at work. I drafted an issue, and keeping my fingers crossed. I am going to draft another potential one tomorrow. *sheesh* We knocked off earlier today and it was drizzling. Don’t like the rain. Had dinner at 南翔 Chinese restaurant, and soup buns. Not too good, but passable. I like the vege in XO sauce though.

Wells wells. Is fluffy missing me? Luvs.

22nd July 08 (Tuesday)
Today’s topic is FOOD.

Breakfast was simply fabulous. The buffet spread was good good. Can I just say that the spread in LA Marriot was 1/10 of what we get here? I only managed to try a small part of buffet today. There is even salmon sashimi! I missed it…and only saw it when I was going off. Nvm, there is always tomorrow! =D

Then comes lunch. Did I mention that we were chauffered in this mafia looking black car? Country head brought us to a restaurant that apparently has some historical value to try the famous Ginseng Chicken. There was a long long queue…perhaps the longest I have ever seen, outside a restaurant during lunch time! I took a pic of it, but I can’t load it now. There is indeed every reason to queue. The chicken was….oh. JUST SO GOOD. After that we were brought to this mountain area for coffee. I must say that the mocha was one of the best I’ve ever tasted…tasted so so “REAL”.

We had dinner at this local brand “SUBWAY”. Don’t mistaken, I wasn’t sick of Korean food yet. But just had too much in the afternoon…

We got lost in the underground on the way back to the hotel! Oh wells.

21st July 08 (Monday)
Today is the first day of work. The people here are generally nice, though I find it hard to communicate with them. They gave us a big big meeting room, I guess the biggest one I ever had. Even bigger than HSBC meeting room. Keke.

Wells. Had a good lunch this afternoon. The Finance head brought us to a nearby restaurant and I had Bibimbab. Delicious-ness. :P And tml seems like the country head is bringing us to taste the ginseng chicken. Yayness!!

Heard that there will be demonstrations quite often RIGHT in front of the finance centre, where our office is. Will be quite an experience..so no harm encountering 1 or 2…but not everyday please. Hee.

More updates tml. But there don't seem to be much happening yeh. Just workkkkk. lala.

20th July 08 (Sunday)
I woke up at 5am this morning, and left home at 6+…off to terminal 3. This time round I felt much better than the trip to LA. At least, I don’t think I was as worried for fluff as before. I do miss him, but the extent wasn’t as much. I think it is good thing that I know he will be in good hands. :)

I am now in Seoul Plaza Hotel and it is currently 8.54pm, Korean time. It is one hour ahead of SG. Had dinner at a foodcourt at Lotte Plaza Hotel. Stress Stress Stress. This place is so tourist unfriendly! There aren’t any English in the food court. Huimin and I wanted to ask whether the soup contained beef…we had to write Chinese, and thank goodness, she understands. L Maybe we should print some cow/pig/chicken pictures and make into flash cards and we can flash them in supermarkets and the restaurants. Haa. I hope we won’t have too much language barrier in office tml.

It is raining now. Not the best weather…and somehow it dampens my mood. I miss home right now. I don’t know what I can do right now…I am munching seaweed, typing this entry in ms word and hearing the news in alien language. Faintz. Called jQ awhile back and I felt much better hearing his voice. I get home sick rather easily.

Ok, that’s all for today. Nothing exciting…nothing happening. There is some getting used to. Shall go iron some clothes for work tomorrow. Goodnight world.

It's a Friday packed with meetings...and by the next Monday, I'll be in Seoul.
I am having mixed feelings again. Hmmmph.
This time round, I am not very prepared. At least not as prepared as L.A.
The second overseas audit in 2008. I should be glad. Yes, I should.
All I want to do this round...is to execute FAST. PLAY. WORK. I must enjoy every moment...
And temporarily forget about home. I think of home far too much I guess.
I will be fine.

Yesterday, the team celebrated birthday with me. I was indeed shocked when Siew Lim pushed me into the pantry yesterday and there lying on the table was a bdae cake! hehe...Thanks for remembering. It doesn't matter how u guys celebrate for me...as long as u remember. :)

Wells, flying off on Sunday 8am at Terminal 3. It's business class again. :) I shall EAT EAT EAT on the plane. See you when I'm back on the 2nd August. Tata.

Had a tiring Sunday. But happy.

I went on an outing with the BOYs... jQ and fluff!

Visited Kent Ridge Park and walked all the way to the new Alexandra Arch that links to Mount Faber. It was a long long walk under the scorching sun. At certain parts of the journey, I got to carry lil fluff who was too exhausted to move. :P He wasn't exactly light...and poor me was really perspiring like a piggy. But at the end of it all, it was really satisfying and I feel rejuvenated! Thanks boys.

Here are some pics taken. Lurve.

Watched 10 promises to my dog yesterday with JQ…I never cried so much, nor felt so touched by a show. It is about how a 14 yr old girl got a golden retriever from her dying mom. The mom read out the 10 promises to the dog, Socks, to her girl….which she has to keep. Socks accompanied the lonely girl in her growing up years…and when she’s all grown up, Socks has become old. In the 10 years, the girl started to have new commitments in her life, work, relationship…and neglected Socks. Socks is always there for her, and when the girl started to take a closer look at Socks, she realized that he can’t move much anymore. The day Socks died of old age, the girl and her dad sat beside Socks, and she read out the 10 promises to Socks that she made 10 years ago. Some…of which she did not fulfill…. L Before Socks closed her eyes, she gave her paw to the girl….

To my little fluffy,

You did not choose to come to our house; it’s me who brought you home. We all love you, and we promise to take care of you, and give you our love and attention no matter happens. I was touched when you licked away the tears from my eyes…and I know you love me dearly too. If you can speak, I am sure you will tell me you love me too. J We’ll be there with you. Stay happy & healthy my little love… I want you to have all the happy moments with us, and no pain. Hugz.

This is our old car...rather nostalgic. This is the car which jQ drove and first met me 2 1/2 years ago at Kreta Ayer cc. This is the car which he picked me for the 1st time to Geylang for supper at 4am in the morning...and this is the car which we had many many fond memories. I remember jQ didn't use to allow me to hang any soft toys in the car....but in the end....we got beanie in the car, my little pink blanket, and my lil blue pillow! lurves.

This is our new Subaru Impreza....

I'm in love with our new car....it's white and clean, now. :) We've got some accessories for the new car, and jQ got me a very 'homely' pillow...the seamtress has yet to sold the cover, will post it another time. HUGS!