Thursday, January 29, 2009
Delay
 Oh gosh! Once again, when life got the better of me, posting of updates about what's going in my life have to be delayed. Sigh! I need time. Loads of it. :(
Regards,
Niz
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Legend of the Seas: SIN-PNG-KL-SIN
Finally, the much awaited post regarding my recent trip on board the Royal Caribbean Cruise is here! Hahahaha. Since it has already been two weeks since my return, I guess there's not much of a need to explain in details anymore, no? :P I don't have that much of a time anyways. Hehe. All I can say is, the experience was priceless and I did enjoy the good time spent with mom and granny. Of course, shopping contributes to part of the happiness too (as most of the items bought were for me)! :D
For those of you who have seen my trip's photos on facebook, thanx a lot but for those who haven't, don't worry. Just follow the links below, yeah? :D
Royal Caribbean Cruise Vacation (Part 1)
Royal Caribbean Cruise Vacation (Part 2)
Royal Caribbean Cruise Vacation (Part 3)
Royal Caribbean Cruise Vacation (Part 4)
I believe, pictures speaks a thousand words and as such, let all the pictures take U through "the journey" of my short trip. Just don't be jealous though coz trust me, looks can be deceiving at times. Up to U to guess what I mean... Hehe! ;)
Meanwhile, here are the things that me and family managed to purchase along the way. Nothing grand but at least there's something... Haha! :D
 A formal shirt for me from Craft Batik, Penang! ^-^
 Faux snake skin Padini bag for mom
 Bonia socks for me! ^-^
 Sembonia slip on for granny
 Sembonia coin pouch for mom
 Sembonia key pouch for me! ^-^
 Fossil watch for me! ^-^
 Anne Klein watch for granny
 Guess watch for mom
 Souvenirs from Legend of the Seas
P/S: The total bill from all the shopping and payment on/off board amounted to something never imagined before by my family but I'm glad we managed to clear everything. Woohoo! :D
Regards,
Niz
The Battle of the Stars
Hiatus No More!
 Wooohoo! It feels so good to be back. :) Sorry for the long and unannounced hiatus. No, I wasn't away on another vacation to Dubai or something... Haha... I wish! I'm still here in Singapore, just that I've been busy with "things". Updating my blog seems like a chore once again. Gee! :( Every single day, I wish I can get to post at least one line but as days pass, those thoughts just lingers in my mind but was never conceptualised. Sigh. So, as U may have guessed it, I have so many things to share right now. From my little vacation on board the cruise to my shopping conquests... It seems endless! :P Haha. So yeah, do bear with me, aite? ;) Thanks!
Regards,
Niz
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
I'm Back/Stress!
 Yups, it has actually been 3 good days since I return from my super tiring & boring yet fun cruise vacation (how contradicting?)! As usual, the laziness in me made this an over due post. Haha! But anywho, I'm glad I'm still alive and kicking. :P
I just finished uploading all the pictures into my lappie last night, but I'm yet to edit them all. There's like 200+ pictures, for god's sake! Haha. So yeah, I guess you just have to stay tuned for all the updates about my recent vacation. I don't see it coming real soon though coz I bet, it's going to take me a long time just to edit the pictures. This is not inclusive of the time needed to upload them onto facebook and then do a *detailed* post here! Oh me gosh! Haha.
 Then again, I would rather spend all my time doing that than stressing over project works! Thankfully, the Public Relations project is over but there's still Project Management to be completed! If that's not enough, Career Development's project is fast approaching too! Argh, I feel so stressed out!!! I swear I hate the word "project"! Grrrr....
Oh wells, that's life. I guess since I've already relaxed for quite a bit over the weekend, I can't complain much now. Haha. I like challenges but I fear going blank and thus, creating an end result which is crappier than crappy. Sigh! I hope it's all gonna be a ok. Pray for me, everyone! ;)
Regards,
Niz
Friday, January 9, 2009
Orinoco Flow
 Let me sail let me sail let the Orinoco Flow
Let me reach let me beach on the shores of Tripoli
Let me sail let me sail let me crash upon your shore
Let me reach, let me beach far beyond the Yellow Sea
Deh deh deh deh deh deh
Deh deh deh deh deh deh
Sailaway sailaway sailaway
Sailaway sailaway sailaway
Sailaway sailaway sailaway
From Bissan to Palau in the shade of Avalon
From Fiji to Tiree and the isles of Ebony
From Peru to Cebu feel the power of Babylon
From Bali to Cali far beneath the Coral Sea
Deh deh deh deh deh deh
Deh deh deh deh deh deh
Turn it up turn it up turn it up
Ah-ah-adieu ooh
Turn it up turn it up turn it up
Ah-ah-adieu ooh
Turn it up turn it up turn it up
Ah-ah-adieu ooh
Sailaway sailaway sailaway
Sailaway sailaway sailaway
Sailaway sailaway sailaway
From the North to the South, Ebudae unto Khartoum
From the deep Sea of Clouds to the Island of the Moon
Carry me on the waves to the lands I've never been
Carry me on the waves to the lands I’ve never seen
We can sail, with the Orinoco Flow
We can sail we can sail with the Orinoco Flow
We can steer we can near with Rob Dickins at the wheel
We can sigh, say goodbye
Ross and his dependencies
We can sail we can sail
Sailaway sailaway sailaway
We can reach we can beach
On the shores of tripoli
We can sail we can sail
Sailaway sailaway sailaway
From bali to cali far beneath the coral sea
We can sail we can sail
Sailaway sailaway sailaway
From Bissau to Palau
In the shade of Avalon
We can sail we can sail
Sailaway sailaway sailaway
We can reach we can beach far beyond the Yellow Sea
We can sail we can sail
Sailaway sailaway sailaway
From Peru to Cebu
Hear the power of Babylon
We can sail we can sail
Sailaway sailaway sailaway
We can sail we can sail
Sailaway sailaway sailaway
Sailaway sailaway sailaway
Sailaway sailaway sailaway
Sailaway sailaway sailaway
Sailaway sailaway sailaway
Ahhh aahhh ah
Ahhh aahhh ah
Ahhh
Bon Voyage!
  I'll be onboard the Legend of the Seas from 9th Jan (noon) to 12th Jan (morning) 2009, heading towards Penang & Kuala Lumpur. As I wish to really unwind during this short "vacation", it would be much appreciated if U don't contact me (unless necessary) while I'm away. I promise to resume my "real life" as soon as I set my foot at Harbourfront once again. Haha! Pray for my safety, aite? Many thanx! :D
Regards,
Niz
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Mom's Birthday GIft
This year, I really had a tough time deciding what is the most suitable and perfect birthday gift for mom. For the past years, it was quite easy because I know what she wants or needs. Unfortunately this year, mom doesn't seem to want, what more need, anything and that just adds to my frustration. Haha! As such, I sought help from my gal friends and they all recommended costume jewelry apart from bags and pouches. It suddenly occured to me that mom had recently developed a strong interest in wearing costume jewelries (yes she used to hate it) and she did mentioned that she would love to have her collections grow slowly. So what else? It's kinda obvious that I must get her at least one costume jewelry, no? Haha!
Me, Farah & Elyana went round and round Parkway Parade, searching for the perfect jewelry and we finally found a bracelet at Chomel. It is not only gorgeous, but it also fits my budget. Woohoo! Most importantly though, the bracelet looks good on mom's wrist and mom loved it very much. Fuh, mission accomplished! :P
 Regards,
Niz
Happy 49th Birthday Mom!
P/S: I hope U like the gift I gave U... :D
Regards,
Niz
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Authentic Coach
 Oh my goodness! I'm feeling ultimate euphoria right now because finally, mom agreed to purchase a Coach bag! :D I personally introduced the label to her some time back but she wasn't at all interested then. Slowly, she started to like, learnt more and even lust for the iconic/signature Coach pieces. That was great news for me but she still wasn't ready to splurge. I know some of the bags can be quite costly but it's really worthit! Sigh. As a result, we always left the Coach boutique, empty handed.
Since I knew the chance of her getting at least one bag off the shelves in the boutique is extremely slim, I decided to turn to eBay for a more better deal. Well, unlike what many thinks, not everything sold on eBay are second hand. There are first hand items too but the prices are still much much lower as compared to those in the boutiques. I still wonder how on earth can the owners afford to sell at such a loss? I reckon they're just too rich. Haha. Anywho, that isn't much of my concern.
What I really care about is, my mom MUST like at least one of the few hundred Coach bags & accesories listed on eBay. It's extremely impossible for one to dislike every single piece! Haha. Since mom dislike carrying a "hobo" bag, she really wants a tote or carryall bag instead. Well, she could be spoilt for choice but guess what? She just had to be so picky about the colour and design! Sheesh. After much deliberation, she finally chose this particular Coach Carryall in Khaki.
 Sad to say, it is actually a second hand bag. I couldn't understand why she wanted the bag initially but after hearing her explanation (oh the irony), I just agreed with her choice. At least it's still a Coach bag! Haha. Guess what's the bast part? The price of course!!! The bag retailed for around SGD900 sometime back but now, the owner decided to let go of the bag at only SGD170! Gosh, what a HUGE savings, no?! When asked, the owner said it was better than nothing. She was already bored of the bag. Geeee... Haha!
 So yeah, my mom is now the proud owner of the Carryall. ;) Personally, I would say that this bag still have a long life but I hope, this won't be the only Coach mom would ever own. Haha! While I may also dislike the latest collections from Coach, I hope we can find more "vintage" pieces on eBay at a total steal! Hehe. Congrats on your latest acquisition, mom! Love how U look good carrying it! :D
P/S: The bag may look "dirty" because the vachetta leather trimmings are still in the process of turning into a nice shade of honey (oxidation). I bet it will look much much better as it age. :D
Regards,
Niz
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Professional Packing Tips
 Now, am I really into the vacation mood or what? Hahahaha. Reality check, I'm heading back to school on Monday, for god's sake! Still, who cares? I bet nothing much will be done for the first week anyways. Hehe. So yeah, I was just Googling about packing tips for my upcoming trip and guess what I found? Oprah Winfrey's guide to "packing like a pro", ya'll! Gosh, we all just love Oprah, no? Haha. Weeee~ Anywho, here's the guide:
1) Color Coordinate - Select simple, neutral clothes (black, white, beige) so everything works together and can be reused. Add colorful accessories. During the packing process, make sure you have all your days covered by laying out clothes by outfit.
2) Think Wrinkle-Free - No one wants to iron on vacation. Choose thin, wrinkle-resistant fabrics like cashmeres, silks and rayons rather than, say, cable knits.
3) Limit Your Shoes - Ah, there's the rub. As a rule, pack your most malleable and wear the bulkiest. If you're planning to exercise, buy crushable running shoes or consider swimming instead. If you need to pack heavy shoes or other crushable items, layer them on the bottom of your bag. Buy some fabric shoe bags to keep things clean and nestle them between the rails in the bottom of the suitcase.
4) Compartmentalize - Mesh packing cubes and see-through sacks help you find what you need and make it easy for security to go through your stuff quickly.
5) Think Tiny for Toiletries - Use travel-size containers for toiletries. It's worth every minute you'll spend transferring goop from large bottles. Keep your kit stocked and ready.
6) Don't Overstuff Your Carry-On - Put your ticket and ID in a special case or pocket to avoid scrambling at security checkpoints. Keep medication and spare underwear on hand in case checked luggage is lost.
7) Make Yourself at Home - As soon as you reach the hotel, hang your clothes, put your toothbrush in the glass and your novel on the nightstand. Establish a place for work-related papers or travel brochures, and plug in your laptop and cell phone.
8) Shed What You Don't Need - Lighten your load as you go by tossing magazines and weeding out papers. Arrange to have heavy purchases shipped home.
WOW, what a list, no? Frankly, I feel these are just the basic things everyone should do when they go on a vacation. I personally swear by number 1, 5, 6 and 7. Geee, I'm glad to have found this guide. Haha! My mom used to think of me as weird when I perform most of the things in number 7 (during some of our previous trips) but now she doesn't. I'm already a pro, mom! :P Hahahaha...
P/S: In my eagerness, I've already compiled all of my family's clothes for the trip. What's left to do is to iron them all and then pack them nicely in the luggages so as to minimise the wrinkle. I don't really agree with number 2 as not all of our clothes, especially granny's, are wrinkle free. So yeah... Haha... :)
Regards,
Niz
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Royal Caribbean International - Legend of the Seas
  "Welcome to Royal Caribbean International, the cruise line that delivers the "Wow!"and the one that put a surfing simulator, rock-climbing walls, ice-skating rinks and other innovative amenities on cruise ships. Whether you've sailed with us before or have just seen our ads, you may have the sense that we're not your average cruise line .... With more than 280 destinations worldwide and an amazing array of exciting shore excursions and cruisetour options, we're reaching out to vacationers eager to try something new ... Thank you for visiting our web site to learn more about Royal Caribbean International. We hope to see you onboard one of our ships soon."
My oh my... one of their ships, the Legend of the Seas, will definitely get to see me real soon! How come? Well, that's because... I am boarding it next Friday! WOOOHOOO! :D OMG... it's been 3 years since I last boarded a cruise ship and now, the opportunity is here once again. Well, since I never went on any vacation trip during my current (and final) school holiday, I guess this short trip could be the best substitute even though it means I have to skip school for 1 or 2 days. Haha! Wow, what a nice way to start my 2009. Told cha I have a feeling my 2009 is going to be better than my 2008. Hahahaha! Weeee! :D
Oh yeah, please do not confuse this with the more common Star Cruises line. Royal Caribbean may sound foreign because it rarely stop by Singapore. It is more famous in the Western countries and also Australia. So I say, it's quite an honour to be able to board this extremely grand cruise. I've did a bit of research about the cruise and guess what? It's total luxury!!! I hate to compare but just from the pictures alone, I can sum up that it is wayyy better than Superstar Virgo (which I boarded back in March 2006).
Hmmm... U must be wondering why the trip is so sudden, right? For your information, I'm not that insane and rich to just book a package for no rhyme or reason, ok! Hahahaha. This is all thanks to my mom's department (ICA coastal). She was once again appointed to work onboard the cruise (thus she decided to bring me & granny along). Her duty is simple but very very tiring. Alongside two other colleagues, she have to stamp and check all the passports of the 2000+ guests onboard. This is essential to reduce the waiting time at the Cruise Center. Imagine everyone queueing up just to have their passports stamped and checked? Sheesh! Still, what's there to complain? My mom got it all for FREE!!! Yups, she need not fork out a single cent for herself. Of coz me & granny have to pay our share but still, there will be a hefty discount. Awesome, no? Hehehehe. :)
The best part is, mom will be getting the balcony room! If U have ever been on a cruise before, U will know that the room is TDF!!! Haha. The view is spectacular and the amenities are more than U can ask for. Geee... I'm getting more eager now. Hehe! One more thing, I also can't wait to indulge in their luxurious and sumptuous buffet spread at the dining room. It also helps that the dining room is beyond grand. Anything will taste good, no? Hahahaha!
Hmmm... what else? Ouh I know! There will also be land tours when the cruise calls at the ports in Malaysia. First stop will be Penang and next will be Klang (Kuala Lumpur). I did say I want to visit KL once again in 2009, no? I guess my wish will come true real soon! Haha. With the generous 8 hours free & easy package, I'm sure going to make full use of it by shopping to my hearts content. Pavilion, here I come!! ;) Ok, I'm officially nuts! :P
I guess that's about it. I hope everything will be smooth sailing. Omg, I still can't believe it's happening. I must be dreaming. Someone slap me now! Hahahaha! :P Weeeeeeeeee~
P/S: FYI, the cost of going onboard the Legend of the Seas alone ranges from SGD400+ to SGD700+ (for the "normal rooms") whereas the land tour is at a separate cost of SGD50+ to SGD70+. :)
Regards,
Niz
Happy New Year 2009!!!
  The most awaited day is finally here! Have a very Happy New Year 2009 everyone!!! Wishing U the best in everything U do and may U stay in the best of health, always! Have a blast and hopefully, U will achieve all your New Year's resolution! I know I have a tough time doing that. After all, I have a really long list! Hahahaha! ;)
P/S: Here's this year's calendar. Use it to mark down all the important happenings in 2009! :D
 Regards,
Niz
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