Weird dream

Was very tired this morning so I went back to sleep after DD got up to go to work, which resulted in the following dream...

I dreamt tt DD and I were back in SGP and that we were going to spend the National Day weekend in Phuket with Princess Di and her bf. I think it might have been Wednesday or Thursday; we packed and went to work the next day.

We couldn't remember whether we were supposed to leave for Phuket that day, or the day after. Then Princess said she was going to have lunch with her bf before they boarded the boat (it suddenly became a trip to Tioman), but DD and I were still in the office working and we didn't have our bags with us.

So I went ahead to the jetty to meet Princess and her bf, while DD was still at the office finishing up some work. We went to report to the tour agent and bumped into a colleague SH and his gf, who for some reason was called Eunice in the dream.

The tour agent said we were just waiting for two more people i.e. DD and one other, so we waited around a bit. Then he decided to give out the room keys first, but somehow my name wasn't called. I asked what happened and was told that the hotel had screwed up our reservation so DD and I would need to try to get a room on the spot when we arrived.

People then started boarding the boat (which resembled one of those tugboats on the Singapore River). I sat down first, and Princess + bf sat behind me. Then some caucasian suddenly sat next to me. So I moved to the back of the boat to find a seat for both DD and myself, and ended up sitting near SH + gf.

Then I decided to get off the boat and walk around to look out for DD. That's when I bumped into my Filipino friends. I later got an SMS from him saying that my sister said that this year's NDP would have sakuras.

I decided to board the boat again but it wasn't there anymore. Another boat that looked like the boat that I had boarded earlier came to the jetty. I thought I saw Princess Di on it and I got onto it. Then I realised that it wasn't Princess and it wasn't the same boat.

*DUM DUM DUM*

I think that gave me a scare so I woke up.

Inspiration from reality

1. Why National Day weekend - because it is this weekend.
   
2. Why a holiday - DD and I were planning to go Dubai for a short holiday next weekend.
3. Why Phuket - I had went to Phuket last month.
4. Why Tioman - I think it might have actually supposed to be Batam or Bintan (where my Choir friends had been planning to go and would explain why we were taking a boat ride) but not sure exactly why it's Tioman. Maybe subconsciously I want to go Tioman again. Could be because DD and I recently recalled when we went Tioman.
   
5. Why Princess + bf - I had chatted with Princess recently.
6. Why SH + gf - DD and I had been looking at photos of SH and his gf on FB the evening before
7. Why an SMS about what my sister said about NDP - My sister just went to watch the NDP preview + she likes to go see NDP fireworks.
   
8. Why sakuras - When we realised yesterday that the Dubai hotel offer was no longer available, and a colleague in Tokyo replied to one of DD's random email, the thought came across my mind to go Japan for a holiday instead when we return to Singapore in Nov.
   
9. Why my Filipino friends were there - The next work meeting was supposed to be in Manila.

So the only inexplicable part is why SH's gf is called Eunice.

Weird dream, wasn't it?

Ten

I'm going to complete my ASEAN 10 tour today. For the uninitiated, the 10 member states of ASEAN are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam (arranged in alphabetical order - habit from work). Hoping not to get mozzie bites and not to develop an allergic reaction to my malaria prophylaxis pills.

But really, what I wanted to blog about is my new bag! Well, bags actually, cos the big bag came with a small one. I bought a Nike Golf Boston bag yesterday. It's not like most golf bags where they have a separate compartment for shoes. This one is just a big bag, in a shade of pink darker than baby pink or dusty pink (apologies for the lack of knowledge of colours. Princess Di would probably be able to give a more precise description of the colour). What first attracted me to the bag was the size (not too big), the shape (stays in shape) and its waterproof material (can use it when I finally take up diving later this month when I return to AD). Then I discovered the clincher - it's got many pockets and compartments. I knew this was it. The bag. Yet I resisted for 15 min because I really wanted a bag more suitable for the office, and this one wasn't THAT cheap ($69). But I succumbed to it anyway. =P

I also succumbed shortly after to Azabu Sabo's sea salt and caramel ice cream. I blame Princess Di for this - she was the one who introduced it to me.

Looking forward to returning to AD next week after being away for a month... yet apprehensive about the 50 deg C weather.

Photos!

For the benefit of those who don't have facebook account (and this means Vin), here are the links to my Switzerland photos:
Day I - Geneva
Day II - Lausanne
Day III - Glacier Express
Day IV - Gruyere

Back from the Land of Pho!

Am 1 country away from visiting all 10 ASEAN member states. =)

IT WAS HOT. More humid than Singapore, which is currently more humid that Abu Dhabi. Da Nang itself was boring - no tourist area, just the beach, which I didn't have time to enjoy since I was there for work. The resort (Furama) was nice though, and food was great! Fresh seafood, pho... Got to go Hoi An, which is beautiful old town. Too bad didn't get a chance to go to Hue, the ancient imperial capital.

I did one of those things I've always wanted to do - get my own ao dai (pronounced zai)! At the airport, I was convinced by the boss and my colleague to buy a conical hat too - for the complete look. =P

The other girls also tailored ao dais and we're probably wearing them to the next meeting. Will upload photos then. If our Filipino colleague brings his karaoke machine, we might have a reprise of the Spicy Girls of Geneva. hee...

I was also tempted to buy those famous silk lanterns but since my AD home doesn't really have a place to hang such lanterns and it'll be some time before I own my own home in Singapore, I didn't.

Was told that Nha Trang is much more beautiful than Da Nang, and that Da Lat is a town up in the clouds where you can experience the four seasons in one day. Wouldn't mind going back to Vietnam for a holiday in future. =)

Send-offs...

Went to the airport earlier to send off Spinky, Aki and Aki's mum, who have embarked on a one-week trip to South Korea. Wish I could have gone with them... not cos I've very keen to visit South Korea, more cos it's fun to travel with your close buddies. =) While waiting around, we pondered if the large tour group size (40!) would affect the dynamics of the tour group, and recalled how we were like when we went Japan last year! And such a coincidence that our Japan-based tour guide was at the same check-in counter! Though we didn't get a chance to go up to him.

A visit to the airport would not be complete without taking photos of those present and waving endlessly till the tourists pass the wall that blocks our view of them from outside.

At least it's comforting to know that Vin has confirmed that he would complete his studies in time for a visit to Japan next year to catch sight of sakuras! Looking forward to the trip immensely. =) Vin! You must pad yourself up before we go!