CNY'10 is just round the corner...

the festivities have begun.. with chinatown having streets filled with chinese new year goodies and loud music all around. it's just that time of the year again!

it's my 2nd fav time of the year; next to christmas! pretty looking fwd to it actually.

anyways... this summer hols has been a fun-filled one for me.

apart from starting the summer in melb with roadtrips and all..

i came back home and had 2 holidays abroad to add in to the fun. both in the span of a week.

to vietnam and to KL.

KL was a blasT!!

Vietnam was an eyeopener to me somewhat. brought me back to 1960s Singapore. not that i lived thru the era but i kinda seen our history textbooks come to life. it was the fishing village sorta thing and the traffic in itself is def a talking point.

after spending 5 days there im sure i've gotten used to handling the traffic and crossing the roads with ease. Vietnamese food undoubtedly still taste better in Melbourne. i prefer indochine and hoa tran anytime. but... the french food in Viet was fantastic! not to say cheap too. it was more than 1/3 the price of what we would get in french restaurants. it was mainly a food trip in Vietnam due to the demographics of the grp. 

we just spent a day trip down to the Mekong river. polluted as it may be. it was nice seeing floating markets again and seeing kids enjoy the simplicity of life just playing by the river and having a worry-free time. other than that. time was mostly spent visiting markets and appreciating the culture of the ppl and their way of life. of the hustle and bustle.. the ppl living in the city are of survival-driven. thanks to the vietnam war i guess. ppl are just out to battle for survival. amidst crazy traffic, ppl begging on the streets, ppl just selling their wares all around, there is order in the messiness. all this in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

i couldnt live w the pollution as it irritated my nose quite a bit. but i def dont mind paying a visit again. w a whole new different perspective taken on. maybe to Hanoi the next time round would be good.

right after getting back frm Vietnam, i headed for KL.. mainly to visit the ex-housemate.

the 3D2N we spent there was just a blast. with little sleep, we survived the first day just going around starting w eating Klang Bak Kut Teh for our very first meal. it was ShIok! then we headed to have Cendol. of which we got conned into eating big bowls of it. and then whilst shopping... i saw A&W! and so we settled to have Rootbeer Float. it was nolstagic.! thereafter, we rekindled our childhood playing games in the arcade.. partly to kill time before dinner as well since we were all full.

the journey to dinner after was just ardous. took us 4 hrs. driving thru the rain n shine to get to Telok Gong. all the way frm subang jaya to kepong to fetch WenQian and then to Telok Gong. that was the time we could have driven back to Sg. lol. BUT. the dinner more than made up for it. it was heavenly! after 3 plates of crabs, 2 plates of lalas, 2 coconut shells of prawns, 2 plates of beehoon and a plate of vegie and coconut juice to go around. i'm missing it already!

and so that sums up day 1.

day 2.. we went down to the city.. visited KLCC and the Petronas Twin Towers. was a good lookout. at 41st storey... it was as good as me looking out frm the balcony at home. view was pretty good. spent the whole day in the city before we headed for superb mamak for dinner. loved the roti hawaii and ribena special that they had. was super full.. raymond even had space for Ramly burger after. till nw i havent tasted one before. -.- 

day 3 zoomed by pretty quick. had dimsum for brekkie at the kopitiam. something i've always wanted to try. tried out thai massage after.. and then to get last minute goodies before bidding farewell to justin and it was home sweet home.. 

and yes. achieved what we set out to doing there as well. the trip was planned to visit justin and to pray for his complete recovery. felt God's presence in his home and definitely keeping the faith and believing that he'll be well one day .. all to fall within His plan. Justin's been really thankful to what he is today already. but we're all def pressing on for full restoration. glad he's doing fine and still recovering.. it's been great catching up and spending time joking around and just enjoying each other's company. it's been an awesome albeit short trip! :)

lovin january and the start of feb so far.. as i head back to melb end feb. im looking fwd to a significant 2010! :) Woohooo! hanging on the ride..