The changing season in Hong Kong

Autumn is here. The change from summer has been gradual. The days are shorter - the sun rises a little later in the morning and it gets dark by 6.30 pm now. It used to be that the late evenings were cooler. Now, even the late mornings are cool. This means that Kess and I can go for longer walks in the morning, even if we get a later start. Before, during the peak of summer, our little beagle will let me know when she wants to go home by doing her own u-turn and pulling me back, usually only after walking for about 15-20 minutes. She would be panting not long after we start our walk. Today, this beagle was raring to go and we actually walked past the Wan Chai Gap Road for the first time since she arrived in Hong Kong. In fact, I had to gently nudge her to do the u-turn as we would have to cover the same distance back.

Having lived in Malaysia where the only seasons we have are rain and shine, and daylight is fairly constant throughout the year, I look forward to experiencing the four seasons in Hong Kong. We were told that last year's winter was quite cold by Hong Kong standards. I wonder how our beagle will adjust to the cold weather, having lived her 9 years in a tropical country. J and I noticed that she has more fur now on her belly. Before, we used to see the spots on her belly. Now, those are covered by soft white fur. I suppose being in an air-conditioned home during this past summer is good preparation for her!

It's now 3 months since we've relocated to Hong Kong. I guess I've finally adjusted to it being home. It's been fun exploring new places and experiencing new things. Recently, our families came for a visit and we were able to revisit some of the places we used to go to, like Stanley and the Peak and explore new places like Lamma Island. Shopping was fantastic and we were all a little poorer after our shopping spree. At least we now have a fabulous new wardrobe! Of course, being Malaysians, we tried out new restaurants as well. It is so much more fun to have a big group for meals coz we get to try more dishes. I really must put together a to-do list for visitors and post it on this blog. I guess this will go on my to-do list!
Hong Kong by day and by night

First Day in HK

The last couple of weeks have been hectic as J and I prepared to relocate to HK. After all the planning and preparation, we've finally arrived in HK to begin a new chapter in our lives. I must admit that I leave home with a heavy heart. Despite its many imperfections and the high rate of migration of our friends to the Land Down Under, Malaysia is still home for me. I will miss my family and friends. I will also miss my favourite local dishes, ranging from nasi lemak to "har meen", roti canai to rojak. What can I say? I'm Malaysian :-)

We touched down today this afternoon and was greeted by a beautiful summer day in HK, with sunny blue skies (a real treat in HK). After a late lunch, we went grocery shopping as we had nothing at home. Thankfully, the supermarkets here offer free grocery delivery as we had over HKD1,000 worth of groceries. It would have been a challenge lugging all that back home without a car. I will have to get used to the high HK prices for some of the goods here, especially dairy products, which is almost double the price in Malaysia. We bought take-away food from the supermarket for dinner so that we didn't have to go out again. So, our first meal in our new home comprised of rice with small portions of steam chicken, siew yok, tofu and fish and brocolli and cauli stirfry.

Tonight, I look out of the window of my new home in HK and admire the bright lights of HK city from one view. I am thankful for the lovely green hills on the other side of our apartment, as it reminds me a little piece of my backyard in our home in KL. It'll continue to be busy in the coming 2 weeks as we open accounts, get new mobile numbers and sort out all the other administrative issues that come with moving to a new country. Kess will arrive next Friday. We do miss our little beagle, but she's in good hands at the moment with my parents. Can't wait to see her again. Hopefully, she won't be too traumatized by the journey. I was told by a fellow blogger who's also moved with her Great Dane that us humans tend too worry too much and that the dogs actually cope better than expected. Let's hope so. Then of course, there will be quite a lot of unpacking to do when our shipment arrives in about 2-3 weeks time. Once we have our things, we should be feeling more at home.

Well, one door of our lives are closed, and a new one has just been opened. I don't know what's in store for us but I do know that God does. That is enough for me.

“The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.”
Flora Whittemore

Be Still

Water is life. Yet, the very thing that man cannot survive without also brings death. I just cannot believe my eyes when I saw the giant waves of the tsunami sweep everything on its path, tossing trucks and ships like toys, destroying homes and buildings in Japan last Friday. The earthquake and subsequent tsunami resulted in thousands killed, thousands missings and tens of thousand homeless.

It is incidents like this when one realizes how helpless mankind is. Despite how much we have progressed and think that we're self sufficient, we all need God more than ever.

Still
Hide me now
Under Your wings
Cover me
Within Your mighty hand

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with You above the storm
Father you are King over the flood
I will be still and know You are God
Find rest my soul
In Christ alone
Know His power
In quietness and trust

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with You above the storm
Father You are king over the flood
I will be still and know You are God

The simple spirit of Muhibbah

It sometimes amazes me how simple unity or Muhibbah can be. It's not a trumped up call by the politicians or a slogan/propaganda that every Ali, Ah Kow or Raju latches on for personal gain. Instead, it's simply appreciating, respecting and enjoying each other's culture.

On the eight night of every Chinese New Year, one of our neighbours will host a lion dance performance - a troupe that performs amazing feats on stilts. When we walked over before the start of the show, a young Malay boy was already sitting outside the house, waiting eagerly for the troupe to start the dance. Later, more neighbours start trickling in - young and old, Malay, Chinese and Indian, all out to enjoy the lively and loud performance. More than that, it was a great time catching up with each other, people whom we may not have time to talk to apart from the occasional "Hi".

And really, that to me is the best example of Muhibbah.

Love that keeps on giving

It's Boxing Day today. Time to put away the gift boxes. For many Christmas is about Santa and Christmas presents. For some, the toys will be played with for a a seaon before being tossed aside. Rarely will gifts last forever. But Pastor reminded us during Christmas service, at its heart, Christmas means no matter what else will disappear in the future God's love will last forever.

1 John 4:9-10
By this the love of God is revealed in us: that God has sent his one and only Son into the world so that we may live through him.
In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

What Living in Thailand Taught Me

A friend of mine was lamenting about the language challenges of visiting Japan. As a result, he did not enjoy his travels to Japan. On the other hand, despite my lack of Japanese language skills, I loved my trip to Japan. I pondered about our two different reactions to the same circumstance.

My conclusion? Living in Thailand has made me more open to visiting a foreign country where English is not the first language and is not widely used by a wide majority of the locals. I admit it was tough going for me the first couple of months living in Bangkok. I remember my frustration during my first grocery shopping trip. I could not figure out the laundry detergent to buy for my top-loader washing machine because all the packaging was in the Thai language. Thankfully, I later found another supermarket that had small English labels on the shelf. There was another time when we were eating at a local open-air restaurant. As we were not well-versed with the Thai language at that time, we pointed to a dish that another patron was eating, thinking it was fried squid. When our dish came, it turned out to be fried intestine!

There are probably a dozen or more such stories - driving on an unfamiliar highway interstate and not being able to read the Thai detour directions, having to memorize a few local Thai dishes names so we could order at local shops when we travelled out of Bangkok, not being able to understand the commentaries when watching a Thai performance, etc, etc. As a result of having experienced first hand the language challenges of living in a foreign country, I think that I have become more accepting of people who don't speak English and perhaps, even more adaptable when visiting a country like Japan.

Live and learn!

If at first you don't succeed...

... try and try again"

Today, I managed to do a roll-over* at my Pilates mat class. I've been struggling with this exercise in past classes and have never managed to do a successful roll over on my own. So, when my Pilates instructor told us to do the roll over exercise three-quarters way through the class, I mentally groaned and thought to myself "Oh no...". Anyway, I gave it a go. To my utmost surprise, I actually managed to perform this exercise on my first attempt. I could not believe it. It was probably not the most graceful roll over, and yes, I needed to use my hands to support my buttocks to assist the roll over - but I did it! I still have to keep working on it to refine my technique and learn to roll down properly but after a taste of success today, I am confident that I will be able to master this exercise not too far in the future.

The key to success is to keep trying, keep practicing, keep going. And when success finally comes, it will taste so much sweeter because of all the sweat (literally, in this case) and tears (for all the aching muscles after each class).

So whether it's trying out a Pilates exercise, or learning to ride a bike, or sitting for a test, or going for a job interview, or securing a business deal, if at first you don't succeed, try and try again. Don't give up. Success comes to those who work at it!

* Generally, a roll over exercise involves lying on your back with your hands by your side and extending your legs upwards at a 90 degree angle. Using your abdominal muscles, you then draw your hips and legs over your head until your legs are parallel to your chest. Deepening your abdominal muscles, roll onto the broad part of your shoulder. Slowly roll down, using abdominal control to peel down one vertebrae at a time.

He is Risen!

This morning as we took Kess for a morning walk, we were greeted by the sight of a rainbow. Now, in the days of Noah (Genesis 9:13) the rainbow was given as a sign of God's covenant with His people after the great flood that destroyed the whole earth, all except for the people and creatures on Noah's ark. The rainbow was God's covenant that a flood would never again destroy the earth.

On this Easter morning, the rainbow reminded me of more than just God's promise not to destroy the earth. The rainbow was a symbol of God's redemption for mankind through His son Jesus Christ. Jesus, who bore no sin died on the cross for mankind's sin. Yet the story does not end there. If it did, there is no redemption for us. Jesus is risen! Death could not hold the Son of God in its grip. So, we have eternal life because our Saviour conquered sin and death on that Easter Sunday.

The Frailty of Life

Can you imagine what it would be like to kiss your partner good night and then to wake up and find that he/she has passed away? This is exactly what happened to a friend. His wife was awakened in the wee hours of the morning when she heard him groan, as if in a bad dream. By the time she had put their baby aside and turned back to him, he had already passed out. When the parademics came, he was pronounced dead - just like that. A husband and father's life was cut short, in his prime.



Job 14:1-2 says "Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He springs up like a flower and withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure." All of us have to die one day. That is a sure thing. We'll never understand why God chose to bring this man, well-loved by all, back to heaven. But we do know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

At our friend's wake last night, all who gave an eulogy spoke of his gentle spirit, his willing heart and his ever-ready smile. That's exactly, how J & I remember him. He was a man who lived his life on this earth well - serving the Lord with joy and gladness. And now, He is in a much better place with his heavenly Father. Whilst we rejoice in that knowledge, we regret the lost years and mourn this temporary separation. But we know we will see him again one day. God bless you, Kumar.

Romans 14:8
"If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord."

2009 - The Year That Was

Time really does fly, especially when one gets older. I can't believe that 2009 has come and in a few hours, gone. There were challenging times but all in all, it's been a memorable year. I've had the opportunity to do what I really enjoy - travelling, both for work and pleasure.

Indeed, as I look back, I realize that I am truly blessed. I have a family who loves me, surrounded by friends who care, and saved by the grace of God. What more could one ask for?

These are my photo memories of the year 2009:

January - College reunion


February - Chinese New Year


March - Lazing by the beach at Langkawi


April - Enjoying a cup of tea at Cameron Highlands


May - J at Mount Kinabalu (for the 3rd time!)


June - Was a slow month


July - Sometimes the simple things in life are the most memorable


August - A night out at Il Padrino


September - The Great Ocean Road Trip, Australia


October - Shopping on Regent and Oxford Street, London


November - In awe of the Taj Mahal


December - Christmas in Bangkok

What New Delhi Taught Me About Gratitude

There is a Sunday school song that goes something like this "Count your blessings one by one". Too often, we forget to do that. It's only when we see others less fortunate than ourselves that we are reminded of how much we have been given.

On my first trip to India, I saw first hand how the poor in one of the world's largest populated nations live. It's not something one forgets easily - families building make-shift homes on the sidewalk. I was told that some of these people have to pay "rent" for the sidewalk space. Livestock and strays forage for food in piles of rubbish. Horses, cows and donkeys that pull carts filled with supplies look mal-nutritioned. People cram into buses, three-cycle motorcyles, trucks and tractor or animal pulled carts, some hanging precariously. Children have to work, be it in the paddy fields or selling souveniers to tourists.

Of course, not all of India is like that. But during my 5-hour car ride from Delhi to Agra, home to the magnificent Taj Mahal, I saw these scenes repeatedly. After an experience like that, I'm not likely to be complaining about the "hardships" of life anymore. My troubles compared to the daily struggles of these people and animals just to survive day to day seems insignificant. If there's one thing my experience in India has taught me is to count my blessings one by one.

"Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have, we will not be happy - because we will always want to have something else or something more."

Brother David Steindl - Rast

The Taxi Phenomenon in Singapore

It's been years since I was last in Singapore. Last night I experienced what I would call the "taxi phenomenon" in Singapore. M & I decided to go to Vivocity for dinner at the Serenity Spanish Restaurant. After a delicious meal of paella and tapas, we decided to head back to the hotel. We followed the taxi signs in the mall. As we had no trouble catching a taxi there, we did not expect any difficulties for our return journey. After all, we saw a long line of taxis queuing for passengers when we were dropped off. Boy,were we in for a surprise!

Once we were outside, we saw people scattered around the curb, sticking their heads out looking out for taxis. There were a couple of taxis, which had the hired signs on without passengers. We were puzzled. So, we asked someone where the taxi queue was and was told it was further ahead. Later in the queue, we discovered from a local in the line that the taxis we saw earlier were pre-booked. We soon learnt the hard way why people pre-book the taxis - after one hour of being in the queue, which by all intents and purposes wasn't really that long, the lack of available taxis at 9.30 pm became very clear to us. As visitors to the country, we were caught unaware by this phenomenon. We were so desperate that we even considered taking the limousine across the taxi queue. The $40 quote stopped us. The wait - 1 hour, the journey - 10 minutes.

The question is - does the lack of taxis at the stands cause more pre-booking or does the increase in pre-booking perpetuate a shortage of taxis at the stands? Or maybe, they just feed each other. Whatever the answer, I have now programmed the phone number of a taxi company on my phone - just in case!

British Humour

And what a property it was...


Anyone fancy a game of giant chess?

A Time For Me

I woke up this morning to a brilliant blue sky - the kind that we've not seen for a while in light of the haze we've had. It reminded me of the same beautiful day I spent in the Andaman, Langkawi earlier this year. And like that day, it would have been a waste to spend it indoors. So after my regular morning walk with Kess, I decided to pop by the park for a brisk walk to get my heart rate up (Kess tends to sniff every tree, branch, hydrant and electric pole so we usually end up with a leisurely walk). Later in the morning, I took my parents for a follow-up visit to dad's cardio and then had lunch with them at a popular Hakka restaurant. I got home just in time to catch a bit of the hunky "Take Home Chef" on the Asian Food Channel. After all that food, it was time for a quick nap.

Refreshed and awakened by a strong cup of Ipoh white coffee, I decided it is time to update my neglected blog, which brings me to this very moment in time. The very fact that I can do this today, on a weekday, is a gift - a gift of time. Ever since I started working from home last year, I've really cherished the flexibility of working from home. Sure, it requires an incredible amount of discipline because unlike working in an office, there isn't a punch-in clock or a sign-in sheet or a raised eyebrow from the boss to keep me on my toes. What drives me is deadlines. Yes, I can choose the hours I work but sometimes my choices mean I have to work nights or weekends to get the project done. For today, it is good enough that I can choose to take this weekday off for myself.

Tomorrow, it's back to work. A deadline awaits.

"Time is an equal opportunity employer. Each human being has exactly the same number of hours and minutes every day. Rich people can't buy more hours. Scientists can't invent new minutes. And you can't save time to spend it on another day. Even so, time is amazingly fair and forgiving. No matter how much time you've wasted in the past, you still have an entire tomorrow."
~Denis Waitely

My Beagle and Me - The puppy years

I finally watched Marley and Me, a hilarious tale of Marley, a "clearance pup", hyper-active, storm-fearing, trouble-causing Labrador and his humans, the Grogan family. I laughed at his antics, sympathized with the Grogans and as warned, cried bucketfuls at the end when the family had to finally "let Marley go" when Marley was ill with a serious stomach disorder.

I couldn't help but think about my relationship with Kess, my beagle. J and I welcomed her into our family 7 years ago. For us, she is more than a dog, more than a pet - she is our child.

There are some parallels between a puppy and a baby, although it is much easier having a dog than a child. As part of her "potty training", every time she woke up from sleep, after play and after meals, we used to place her in a small fenced area in our garden to pee and poo. Of course, she didn't always cooperate. The worst times were when she woke up at the wee hours in the morning and whined to be let out of her crate. Bleary-eyed and groggy, we would let her out and place her into her fenced-in spot. We would then sit on the bench and waited, and waited some more. Our neighbours probably thought we were wonky!


Like Marley, trouble is also Kess' middle name. She did not like to kept in a confined area. We had to abandon our noble ideas of crate training as she would just whine and claw at the crate door. We then decided to keep her at the laundry area next to our kitchen - a bigger area should do the trick, so we thought. We fenced the area off with dog fencing and went off to bed. A couple of hours later, our blissful sleep was interrupted by a heart-wrenching yelp of pain. We jumped out of bed and rushed to the back. Our little beagle pup, in her quest to escape from her "prison", had tried to climb over the dog fencing and had gotten her paws stuck in the gaps. This was the start of her famous escapades, and we knew we should have named her "Houdini" after the famous magician and escapologist.

Family - Life's greatest blessing

~ The love of a family is life's greatest blessing ~ Author Unknown

In these past few weeks, I've really come to appreciate the meaning of family. I felt really sad when I read the headlines in the Star about children abandoning their parents at government hospitals. It does make you wonder what have we become in today's society? Have we lost our sense of humanity and compassion?

When dad was scheduled to go in for a total knee replacement surgery, my sisters and I rallied around my parents, giving our support in time and finances. I'll be the first to admit that it was tough. Our regular routines were thrown topsy turvy with hospital stays and visits. Post-surgery,there were errands to run and more follow-up visits to the hospital. Yes, it wasn't easy, but I guess it's the least we could do given the sacrifices that mum and dad made to raise us and provide us with a good education. They saved and scrimped so that we could have a better life. We do, thanks to mum and dad.

Action Speaks Louder than Words

"Action speaks louder than words"

Sometimes love is best expressed by action. Dad just went for a total knee replacement surgery two weeks back and more recently, gave us all a scare when his heart rate spiked to 149 bpm and he had to be admitted to ICU. Throughout the numerous trips to the hospital and post-surgery recovery, mum's been a rock. It is not easy to be a care-giver, especially when the patient is frustrated and in pain. But mum is a trooper and I am so amazed by her love for dad.

In our Asian culture, especially among the older folks, it is not common to hear them express their love with the words "I love you". But then again, action speaks louder than words.

Words of wisdom

Life is fragile. No one know what's round the corner. All you can do is to live each day and take it as it comes along. As the former president of the United States once said "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." ~Theodore Roosevelt

Amazing Love

Today is Easter Sunday. The day Christians rejoice that Jesus who was crucified on Good Friday for our sins was resurrected - defeating Satan and death once and for all. It's the day that I am reminded of God's amazing love for us, His children. The song below by Graham Kendrick describes it so perfectly.

Amazing Love by Graham Kendrick
My Lord what love is this?
That paid so dearly
That I, the guilty one, may go free.

Chorus:
Amazing love, oh what sacrifice
The Son of God, given for me
My dept He paid, and my death He died
That I, might live.
That I, might live.

And so, they watched Him die
Despised and rejected
But oh, the blood He shed, flowed for me.

And now, this love of Christ
Will flow, like rivers
Come wash, your guilt away,
And live again.

Words of Wisdom

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. ~Desmond Tutu

How true it is. Sometimes we forget that families are God's gift to us. And sometimes, like God's other gifts we tend to neglect this gift. Let's make time with our families. Have a meal together. Go for an outing. Let's not have any regrets when it comes to one of the most important things in our lives.