The gypsy diaries

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Tahiti.

Tahiti.

A friend posted up a gorgeous picture titled Bora Bora in her online diary. I have concidentally finished The Paradise Room by Belinda Jones just two days ago. Not unlike Jones' other novels, the exotic setting this time around was in Tahiti and the lead spent most of her days in Bora Bora Lagoon Resort. Assuming that the Bora Bora in the picture is the Bora Bora in the novel, then Bora Bora is indeed paradise. (Am I confusing you yet?)

Anyways, do check out www.theparadiseroom.com for the scoop on Jones' novel and the island that inspired her. "Anecdotes from my trip to Tahiti for research for my new novel..." I can't believe she said that. I am so envious. If I ever had the shot (and moola) at becoming a bestselling author like Jones, then I would most likely spend a month of two in Bali soaking up the local culture (and sun) in preparation for my novel, haha!

This post won't be long. I think my lemon cookie dough's done chilling in the fridge. Time to bring out the cookie cutter! Cross your fingers that my latest baking endeavour will be a success.

I was tagged. Scroll down to see if I tagged you.

The Final Five (remove the top and add your blog to the bottom)
Shahruddin.com: Project Sha
Asmaradiana.com
x.tutyfruitty.com
www.emo-zions.blogspot.com
sarongskirts.blogspot.com

What were you doing ten years ago?
Flirting with the boys in my Pri 4 class ha ha!

Five Songs Which You Know All The Lyrics Right Off Your Head Now
Wish I - Jem
Sway - Bic Runga
Chances Are - Robert Downey Jr feat Vonda Shepard
Again - Lenny Krevitz
Mr. Beasley - Corrinne May

Five Things You Would Do If You Were A Millionaire
Fund my university education
Travel - Bali, Australia, Cambodia, Thailand, States, Europe, in that order
Buy a car
Buy a house
Buy a genie and wish for another million

Five Bad Habits
Quick-tempered
Shooting my mouth off too quickly
Tanning
Messiness
Impatience

Five Things You Like Doing
Reading chick lit
Watching chick flicks
Soaking up the sunshine
Cafe hopping with girlfriend(s)
Reading tabloids haha.

Five Things You Will Never Wear, Buy Or Get New Again?
Veet hair removal mousse
Cai fan from the coffeeshop across Jason's place
High-cut sneakers
Baggy FUBU jeans (I sure remember when they were THE CRAZE back during my Sec 1 days...)
Can't think of the last!

Five Favourite Toys/Things
My auntie
Jason (so sad, they're under the toys/things category haha)
My blog
My handphone

You're IT
Faggy
Kelly C
Jasmine
Sarah
My bitch

Monday, March 13, 2006

workout2

An accidental peek into the crystal ball.

For those who have yet to be enlightened, I've given up hardcore tanning as of the start of 2006. However, while I used to be really tanned in phases (depending on when I hit the beach), I am now, to the dismay of my parents, perpetually tanned due to my thrice-a-week swims. And in the mornings mind you. Being a faithful fan of the breast stroke (because that's the only one I know ha ha), I have still yet to figure how my tummy gets tanned. Now that's food for thought.

It might seem like I am having my cake and eating it, but no! In exchange for getting a tan while splashing around in the pool getting a workout, the chlorine has robbed me of m-o-i-s-t-u-r-e. I never knew it was even hereditarily possible for me to get dry skin till I got into the swing of my pool workouts. Don't even get me started on the state of my hair. Everybody's at my back, trying to get me to wear a swimming cap, but I look like the lead in The Revenge of the Alien Mushroom Head in one, trust me. Don't wanna go around freaking out the Delta users now do I?

Being in the sun has morphed from me being vain to a lifestyle. I love the pool, I love the beach and I love the feel of sunshine on my bare skin. However, the worry of getting skin cancer when I'm older creeps me out once in awhile. I do take the necessary precautions like applying sunscreen and avoiding the sun at its strongest, but there's always a 'but' ain't there? The best prevention of all naturally would be to avoid the sun, but that's proved futile. We were at Ikea today when I saw a Caucasian lady with her husband and toddler in tow. She was gorgeous but her skin was quite a wreck! It was kinda like Lindsay Lohan's freckles X 1000 + peeling tan. While it could be due to her genes, it got that niggling worry at the back of my mind surfacing again. What do you guys know about oral sunscreen?

Enough about the sun. I've been finding a little hard getting back into the swing of daily life here in Singapore ever since my return. I don't know if I'm being lazy or if my legs have lost their will to hold my weight. (Must be the extreme shopping I've done over in Bangkok.) I've now taken to shuffling and getting Jason and whoever else volunteers to drag me along. What's with me?!

My lazy legs remind me of something a friend once told me about workout performance. "Your performance has its peaks and valleys," he said. This is what I imagine him to be talking about:

However, the peaks and valleys of my performance seems to resemble this more:

5 days in Bangkok and I've seemingly lost the ability to swim 30 laps at once. I've taken to doing 20 laps each of the three times I was at the pool since my return. Is it all really in the mind?

Thursday, March 09, 2006

Back from the land of smiles.

Back from the land of smiles.

Food for thought: Why is Thailand called the land of smiles? The locals in Bangkok weren't quite the friendly bunch I'd expected.

Though this trip was more of a shopping trip more than anything else, I've returned with new ideals, dreams and questions. This is how I am - every trip out of Singapore gets the wheels in my head turning. I haven't gone into full post-trip reflection mode yet, but here's a huge realization I made about myself:

I don't quite fancy city holidays. Sure, Bangkok was a haven for shopaholics like myself but as we were all busy trying to cram the many shopping spots into our limited time there, it was barely the relaxing and rejuvenating getaway I had visualized. Thinking back on my past vacations, I've concluded that unless I'm at a resort where I have absolutely no itinerary.. where I can wake up when I please, splash around in the waters and soak up the sun... then a holiday ain't quite a holiday for me. So shopping ain't as important to me as I had thought it to be.

Shopping and reflections aside, the food was lip smacking delicious. Basil pork. Beef noodles. Wanton mee. Red ruby. Thailand is quite the foodie haven! In fact, I am inspired to pick up Thai cooking! I even went to Borders today to get myself a Thai cookbook. That's how serious I am baby. Haha! Can't be too long a post. Meeting the gals at the pool tomorrow morning. 5 days of pigging out and virtually no exercise... I feel unhealthy. In the meantime, here are two excerpts from my travel diary. Enjoy.

"Bangkok Day 3
Bkk time: 1900 hrs

The day was winding down was we weaved our way through Pratunam Market. As the scorching heat of the day slowly slipped into the humid coolness of evening, the throngs of people ironically dwindled.

As families gather in the front of shops, the kids playing and the adults curiously eyeing the passers-by; shopkeepers go just a little more slack with their haggling. Despite the chaotic and shabby living conditions uncommonly seen by us city slickers, the warmth of family life permeated the sticky stillness of the air into my heart.

Though the pace of life is different, we have such evenings back in hectic Singapore too. Who will be there with me to kick off our shoes and flop onto the couch after a busy work day?

Bangkok Day 5
Bkk time: 0130 hrs

Silky noodles in a simple but flavourful beef broth - though devoured in a crowded and noisy foodcourt and not a Zen-inspired Thai restaurant, it still hit the spot. I should have picked up the Thai cookbook from Borders last Saturday. I'm gonna make my future hubby a very lucky man!"