Boredom....

It is that time of the year when you have too much time on your side. You’re trying to look busy and yet……..the telephone rings less, the number of emails in your inbox is even less, the number of people in the office is also less and less..

Everybody is either on holiday or just staying away from the office clearing away their ALs'. Unfortunately for me.....I'm stuck here in this office since I've used up all my leaves. My lady boss is not here (which should be a 'whoppeee!!!!) and yet she sends aimless emails at odd times of the day with some stupid tasks after another (dduhhhhhh....).

I wish she can just leave me alone for a few days. She’s not gone for the whole month, but for A week ONLY and yet………
Oh…I know, I know….she’s just checking up on me….sigh…….

I’m so bored now….thanks to my beloved boss, I am not without work. But I just can't 'work' now. It's that pure, no-urgency-i-can-do-it-later = procastination, lazy sickness.

Urghhh!!! Can’t get it out of my system….So bored and lazy…..and sleepy too.

Gimme something that will keep me awake.
Please, please, please….gimme something 'interesting' to do… before I die of boredom…….zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz….....

Ms Wannabee is full of contradictions??

In memory...

Received news that one of my close relatives passed away peacefull yesterday. It was sad...but we have to rejoice too because this is the end of his worldly sufferings.

These past 2 years have been a challenging time for him, physically and emotionally. But it was comforting to know also that since the past few weeks he was surrounded and taken care by his loved ones. At least he went away happy and fulfilled.

Abg 'Pa,
For as long as I can remember you've always had great appetites..... for good humuor and laughter and also good food. You'll be remembered fondly by your friends and family....

Salam takziah to Kak Long and sons, Abg Nal, Abg Am, Abg Man and Kak Ipah......

The Sadaqah Walk, 30 Nov 2008

This activity was organized by the Islamic Union of Hong Kong, the ‘first time ever in China’, as we were told over and over again by the proud, beaming, chairman/organisor.

Bard, Linda, Azam and I decided that it would be a good idea to participate, to meet other fellow bros and sis and also to see the countryside.

It was an enjoyable walk. We befriended several local Chinese Muslim brothers and sisters and it was very interesting to see the cultural differences between the groups. From housewives, teachers, government pensioners, retirees, expats (ermm…like us)…..HK Chinese, Indians, Indonesians, Filipinos and Malaysians, we made an interesting mix of ‘rombongan’ (excursion group). There was even a local anthropology student doing his PhD studies on Islamic Community in HK, I’m sure he must have a lot to write about after that trip.

As for the walk, I think we must have covered about 7-10km of the Hong Kong’s south side, from Wong Nai Chung Reservior to the Tai Tam Reservoir which is part of the Hong Kong Country Park. This time of the year is the best time for tracking and hill-walking activities. It’s not too hot and not too cold, just perfect. And with this being the first such event by the Islamic Community, each of us we were even presented with a Certificate of Participation. Wuuhuuu!!!

After that first trip in Sai Kung and now this, I kinda like these walking trips. Instead of traipsing through shopping malls and shopping heedlessly (the usual weekend activities), we use our time to explore the countryside.

Mind you, we are not aiming for the extreme sports here, it is just walking and walking……….. Sometime it goes uphill, sometimes it goes downhill. And what make it comfortable are the paved and well-directed walking trails and enough public amenities for the comfort of city slickers like us.

And if you get too lazy to walk there are numerous bbq sites for you to sit and have your lil’ bbq party. The pit is already there waiting for you!! Just bring your food and drinks, skewers and charcoal.

Rest assured, that’ll soon be on our agenda. BBQ in the park!

Ms Wannabee…the urban jungle warrior wannabee…

The well directed sign boards

The Certificate Presentation by the enthusiastic Mr Organisor

Now...isn't that exciting? But we haven't gone to that level yet....

Ms Linda in her 'I'm happy' pose, and Mr Azam trying to give that 'cool' pose (tapi tak jadi)

Beautiful background with beautiful models ...(yeah... dream on....)

The Badminton and Tennis Ace Wannabee

Oh, ya! Also not to be forgotten are the Friday night tennis and Saturday morning badminton games. That was first initiated by Bard and Linda and now have nearly become the weekly norm.

Okay, sports is not one of Ms Wannabee’s strong points. I am pacing myself very very slow here…. started from contributing the ‘after games’ bites (as opposed to playing). Like baby steps, I have now ‘gingerly’ started to participate as well.

Have never really involved in ‘sweaty games’ in my ‘younger’ days…thanks to my over conservative parents (then) and ignorant brothers who always left me out of their tennis, badminton, ping pong game plans.

The only contact I have with a badminton games back then was to ‘borrow’ the net as one of my props in my themed events (fisherman village theme) while in college and the only use I had for the ping-pong table back home was to use it as my outdoor buffet table….ha ha…much to the horror of my brothers who complaint that I spoilt the table for good. Well…good for them!!!! (bad, evil thoughts…)

But now…..…..thanks to the encouragements of the Sports Committee (namely Bard and Linda), it is never too late to get started. And so….here I am. Uber Cup and Wimbledon, here I come!!

Ms Wannabee wanna get sweaty….(but not dirty)

An eventful November 2008

Socially and recreationally speaking, November 2008 was an eventful month!

Let’s see what I have been up to:-

Firstly, there was my Birthday Celebration day. I enjoyed myself the whole day of it. Again, thank you very very much for the bouquet of roses, gifts (yeah…even the COW-shaped photo frame), home-made video from the KL office and the ‘nearly’ red-themed group dinner at Discovery Bay. I loved the food and place and simply luvvvvvvv the company. Thanks all!

Then there was the Sailing and Trekking Trip in Saikung. That’s my closest to rubbing shoulders with the powers that be in Hong Kong. Thanks Linda, that reminded me again why we SHOULD BE ladies of leisure.

A ‘close-to-drama’ BBQ and housewarming Dinner at a house of a friend’s friend (Mimi). It was ‘nearly’ a drama since we violated the hostess’s strict number of guest policy and later being ‘subtly’ told-off why we were only allowed to bring a certain number of people and not a person more!

Oh well, to each his own…we have to respect the ‘tuan rumah’ (host) rules & regulations. It’s not that we were simply bringing any Tom, Dick or Harry, we have a certain social obligations to our close circle of friends and can’t leave him or her out without hurting the feelings. Oh never mind… it’ll be sometime again before we make another visit there or, no-more visits! Haha!!

Okay, next came the pampering session at the uber chic Mandarin Oriental Spa. It just got better and better, didn’t it? What a day it was! Spa’ing in the morning, ‘doing’ long lunch with the gals, shopping…..the ultimate high for a social climbing Ms Wannabee.

And then the trip to Macau and at the superbly luxurious and elegant Four Seasons Hotel. No less, mind you….

Ms Wannabee was in her highest elements ever!!

Finally ending the month with our participation in the Sadaqah Charity Walk at the Tai Tam Country Park. We have befriended a new friend from this trip, Abdul Rahim, an English speaking, 3rd generation of Chinese Muslim ‘brother’, born in HK, bred in UK, seems quiet at first but quite okay once he gets started. He is also a keen outdoor man and an enthusiastic sportsman. Hopefully, this will be the beginning of many more walking trips and outdoor activities.

Hear ye! Hear ye! Here's to more exciting outdoor trips for us....

Ms Wannabee continues to dream the great, grand dreams…..

Living It Up in Macau (28-29 Nov)

It was another whirlwind weekend.

I finally went to Macau. Yeah…after nearly 2 years in HK, I guess I must be the last bastion of expats who do not see the need to step foot in Macau within the first 3 months being in HK.

Anyway, if it wasn’t the incentive to stay at the Four Seasons with my group of close friends…I don’t think I’ll be there yet. And so…we planned and planned, and planned but closer to date, there were only Bard and I. Bard had to be there due to work and me….like I said earlier….its the Four Seasons Hotel plus it was FOC (thanks to friends in the right places...haha!!!)

Okay, like tourists….we did the customary tourist landmarks. We did not follow any particular trails, but Macau is a fairly easy city to walk around. From St Paul’s Church we found our way down pass a busy shopping street, cobbled alleyways with beautiful Portuguese names and ended up in the beautiful Senado Square.

If it wasn’t for the Chinese names, you’d think you are somewhere in Portugal. There were Portugese names everywhere. Bard led me to a lovely café at Senado Square to sample beautiful mile-high gateaux’s and aromatic coffee. Actually it was Japanese Coffee but it’s the ambience that’s important right? I sampled the cafe's famous Caramel Gateaux, light and soft vanilla butter cake layered with snowy smooth creamy whipped cream with crunchy caramel pralines. I luv the cake and whipped cream but not the caramel though......

Anyway, from quaint picturesque little town square, we then followed the trail of glittering neon lights and ended up at the foot of the gigantic glass encrusted and glittering lights of the famed Grand Lisboa Hotel, which is the first casino hotel in Macau.

This particular stretch of street is like a mini Vegas with gaudy and bright neon lights flashing various casino and hotel names. We walked passed several big hotels towards the Starworld Hotel because Bard wanted to show me the leggy and beautiful host and hostesses….

And yes…the hosts and hostesses look like fashion models. The men were tall, tanned and broad shouldered and the ladies were gorgeous and really, really sexy….beautiful people with great body, long, endless legs and beautiful bone structure that was simply oozing with sex appeal especially the ladies….…Even I had to curb some sinful lesbian thoughts from my mind when looking at these people….YEAH….they could do that to you!!

After that we return to the Four Seasons. Again, it is another world in here. They really made you feel important…maybe because there were not that many hotel guests, I think that ratio was 5 staff to 1 guest. Everybody was so attentive and welcoming. Never mind that I was only a free-loader, I feel like the whole place is mine. It was sooo luxurious and decadent. Beats all the other hotels I’ve stayed in this year.

Ohhh my……!!! I was soooo born for this…..hahaha!!!

A visit to Macau is not complete without going to the Venetian and casino. And yes…we did this too. I’ve been to Venice, so I guess there is nothing special here but have to give full credit to these people for creating a Venice of the east. It is the exact replica of the Venetian in Vegas complete with artificial lightings, canal and gondola rides. And yes…the gondoliers can sing Italian songs too!

As for the casinos…if you love to gamble you’d love this city. I’m not one….we tried our luck in the slot machines but again….no luck and no patience to wait for our luck to change. But it was exciting though…to see these people…the serious ones and the not so serious ones….

The next day we explored the quiet and deserted Coloane, the Portugese Settlement area. Again, it was exploring some nooks and crannies and it was soo peaceful. I dunno where everyone went, there were lots of houses but it was soo quiet and deserted. Guess it worked to our advantage. It gave us the privacy to take lots of photos (check-out the fb soon) and I really ‘bergaya sakan’ my new ‘sweater bulu-bulu’.

Then back to Four Seasons to watch the infamous multi-extravaganva Cirque du Soleil’s Zaia show. I’m speechless…the artistic direction and technical aspects of the show is mind boggling….

Here’s an excerpt of a of the show, performed by nearly 50 performers:

Zaia is about the musings of a young girl living in modern society, who dreams about being an astronaut, watching the world revolve far below. The usual cirque mélange of dancing, comedy skits, acrobatics and gymnastic feature throughout the 90 minute show, set to a compelling score performed by live musicians.

Just like the Zaia show, I could say that this trip was spectacular. I enjoyed every minute of it!

HK/ Macau/ Hk on Turbo Jet and Cotai Jet Ferry = HKD300++

One night at the The Four Seasons = HKD2000++ (FOC for me)
Ticket to Zaia Show = HKD1000++ (I don't make a habit of this but this is an exception)
Bard’s wisdom and attention = Priceless

Thanks so much Bard.

With just the two of us left for this trip, it was still well worth it. We both know where we stand eh?

I had a great time honey !!!!

Ms Wannabee is lucky again to be in her elements.....................

The Moon Goddess Wannabees

A day spent at the Mandarin Oriental Spa. It was a day of pure, blisfull pleasure....

We embarked on a therapeutic journey called the Moon Goddess Therapy at the posh and opulent Mandarin Oriental Spa. My partner took the moon goddess body therapy while I had to settle for the moon goddess's face therapy (for obvious reason of course).

But ......oh......my oh my.........ohhhh......blisss......... what a pleasurable time we had. To our sponsor, THANK YOU for your generosity, it would have been perfect had there been a Moon God each for us, the newly transformed Moon Goddesses (sigh.......). Anyhow, even with the absence of our Moon Gods, we were still happy and content.

The Moon Goddess Therapy was actually a birthday gift from my dear housemate. From beginning till the end...it was 5-star treatment all along. I guess the handwork (massage, exfoliating, scrubbing, kneading) were all the same like any other spas but it was the luxurious-ness of the place and the level of service that made it sooooooo special.

From the moment our reservations were made to our arrivals, the type of facilities that we could use at our disposal before and after our treatments.......our departure........it was so luxurious and decadent. Both of us were cosseted and pampered like tycoons' wives.

I supposed this trip was really special because it was free and in the middle of the week (my spa outings are usually end of the week, winding down activity after the marathon-like existance during onsite meetings). Plus it was so quiet and deserted....we had the whole place to ourselves!

Not a single moment passed by when we wished that we were both rich tai-tais with nothing better to do but pamper ourselves in this manner (going to expansive spas, 'doing' lunches and teas and shopping with fellow tai-tais instead of slaving away in the office, 'doing' proposals, reports and financial reconciliations....sigh....double sighs.... ).

And YES, we did do a long lunch after that, at an Italian bistro in Lan Kwai Fong. And YES, it was followed with another few more hours of shopping expedition.

Who wants to be career women anyway? We both wannabe ladies of leisure.....RICH ladies of leisure...........