Salut, mon cheries...

So I have been in Paris for 2 nights so far and i have climbed the Eiffel Tower, well took a lift to the 2nd floor and then had a cruise along the River Seine. Then I went to visit the palace at Versailles and had a dinner and Can Can show at the Nouvelle Eve. Which i think is the same as the Moulin Rouge, but it has some variety shows between the t*tty and cheek show. There were some crazy acrobatics, and i mean crazy from both extremes (good and incredible wacky).

Bought an unbelievably expensive bar of chocolate, which one can only purchase from this woman in a small obscure store in Paris, which is a story in itself.

Today i left the tour and met my friend...being tired of touring and always on the move, we decided to take today slowly and go exploring Sacre Coeur later today in the early evening but rest throughout the day.

I have done some obscure things on this tour like visit small places: Burano, Lucca, Vance, Burgois, Toledo, or doing the Light procession in Lourdes. We did wine tasting in Tuscany and got to visit Cannes when it wasnt even a possibility.

I did the typical things like buy chocolate from Switzerland...leather, jewellery, lace from Florence...perfume from France...damas jewellery from Toledo...horse and carriage ride in Innsbruck.

I have so many memories but i know i will be going back sooner or later, and i have already decided that i will be returning to Barcelona to see Sagrada Familia completed in 2020.

I will be going back to Sydney next week...so i'll update the blog with stories about each country there after.

Concert in Vienna...

This has to be quick.

I'm currently in vienna and its really hard to type this because the letters on the keyboard are weird z where the y should be...

Anyhoo...going to a palace tomorrow and then seeing a concert at the palace in Vienna.

Had a glorious dinner in the Woods of Vienna and had some Hungarian men play music all night long!!!

The trip has been fun and is utterly enjoyable...i wish that i had more time in each country...

So far my favourite is Lucerne and the Jesuit Cathedral with the Roccoco interior...completely breath taking.

I wish that all my loved ones were with me when i saw the snow on the Austrian Alps yesterday on my horse and carriage ride...beyoootiful!!!

Plenty of pics...post everything up when i get back...

Love u, and miss u!!!

~petals

Airport Lounge...

So, i'm currently sitting at the HK airport lounge. I'm surrounded by a lot of asians...oddly enough. I figured the people transiting would be foreigners, not asians - Chinese.

My flight from SYD-HK was delayed by 1 hour this morning, but the flight made it hear, like 10 minutes late...how does that work???

On flight, i'm really impressed Qantas food is edible. They even gave me an ice cream...and i love the fact that i was given bottles of water, not just itsy bitsy cups of water. Albeit, the bottles were small too.

So, right now, i need to ride out this long haul of layover time. Try to get myself tired so that i fall asleep on the flight to the UK.

I cant wait to meet my workmate over there.

Funny thing is, im still not excited - what the hell is wrong with me? I dont know...i thought i would feel the buzz when i got to the airport. I thought that while i waited for my flight that i would get that excited feeling, but it hasnt happened yet. I'm not sure if it will happen at all.

Back to the airport lounge, my massage is scheduled for 8:20pm local time. I want to fit in a shower before that...grabbed some food already, but i will grab a sandwich and bottle of water later too.

I do believe that this is the last time i will log onto the net...so dont miss me too much! (And thats aimed at Mon, E, & K).

*hugs*

Au revoir mon cheri...

So, i'll say farewell now...although, i have this feeling that i will be online at the airport tomorrow morning. But in case i dont get the chance...

I dont plan on being "in touch".

I do plan to switch off and not think of anything but where i am, what sights i will be seeing that day, and what food i will be trying.

I'll write up my posts and upload photos when i get back.

Come back in a months time for a read.

See you then...

Dernier jour travailler...

Its my last day at work.

I have a sh#% load to do, but i cant be fudged.

My colleague and partner in crime here has just told me that she will be taking up an offer she cant refuse. And i can see why. If i was in her position, i'd take it too.

Its just a shame that i wont be around for her farewell as i am going o/s.

A lot of crap has been dished out lately...so a lot of my workmates will be leaving soon.

The team is disbanding.

I guess my trip away will give me the opportunity to think things over and see where i want to go next. I'm thinking contracting isnt such a bad idea.


(lit: last day to work...)

I am sick!

I had the cold/flu about 2 weeks ago...it took about a week to get over it. I was okay last week, a bit tired, but over the cold/flu.

Just my luck, im struck again.

My nose is blocked and running at the same time!!! How is that f#$%ing possible???

Pourriez-vous m'aider, sil vous plait?

Its drawing near.
I'm anxious.
I'm packed...just need to put documents, cables and stuff into my bag...
Get some food to snack on...
Need to remember to bring an empty bottle so i can get a 1L bottle of water during my flight, and refills...yes i drink like a fish...i typically go through 3-4L a day.
I'm going to miss my family, but i hope the whirlwind of a tour will make it pass with lesser pain.

(lit: Could you help me, please?)

Trop à faire...

So little time.
It has hit me this morning.
Time is flying by.
Money needs to be transferred.
I need to schedule payments.
I need to finish things up neatly at work, so that the next person to pick it up can find everything.
I need to exchange some money.
I wanted to buy tickets to JT, but missed out on it and cant find 3 tix to buy because there is probably only single tix left...what kind of f#$%ing system does ticketek have where they leave single tix for sale? Who is going to be a nigel and buy 1 seated tix for a concert??? If you are going by yourself, get a standing tix, cos then at least you wont feel like a loner throughout the night!

I can't believe i'm flying out next week.

(lit: Too much to do...)

Je suis malade...

I went to see my doctor to get prescriptions before the trip. I told him about a skin thing i noticed and he told me to take a blood test because he thought i might have low platelet count.

So, i gave some blood and started panicking that i might not be able to go overseas!

How bad would that be? After all this organising and then the waiting and it all amounted to the fact that i would not be allowed to travel due to some blood condition i didnt even know that i had!
=(

Got the results yesterday, and i am fine. Don't know what is causing the problem, but i can still go overseas, so thats a good thing.

But its sooo anti climatic if you have a problem and yet there is no explanation. But its there. You cant treat it, though. It doesnt seem to exist. But it is right in front of you. grrr...

And im currently nursing a flu...Codral cold and flu should kick it...need to get another pack for the actual trip!
>_<

I did a trial pack of the clothing i plan to bring. Even though i am being advised to bring about 5 tops only and 2 bottoms...for me, that is unrealistic. I packed 12 tops - a mix of singlets, tees, long sleeve tees, 2 jeans, 1 pair of shorts, 2 dresses, and 2 skirts, 1 jumper, 2 cardigans, 1 jacket, 2 sets of pjs. And you know what? It all fits into my handcarry bag...and im not talking a HUGE bag i plan on smuggling on board the plane with me without anyone from the airline noticing...i'm talking a standard sized handcarry bag.

The problem for me is all the other things to pack. Like toiletries, medicine, towel, shoes, miscellaneous stuff...but irrespective of all those things, I should be well under my allowable 20kg.

So, i'm pretty proud of myself...no need to take things out of the bag as yet.

(lit: I am sick...)

Texas to California...

Mum got a weird phone call on Monday from Texas. It was a lady from my Dad's primary school back in Vietnam. How weird is that?

She asked if Dad was at home, but Dad was at work. So, this lady starts talking to Mum. She told Mum about how after sooo many years leaving Vietnam she was on holidays in Sydney and was in Chinatown at a store when she bumped into Dad again. This happened about 15 years+ ago, as i was still a kid.

It seems that while this lady was at the store in Chinatown, she had written something down and Dad saw her writing and asked her if her name was "so&so"? She didnt recognise him at first until he said his name and that was when he gave our home number to her. They were suppose to bring each other's family and meet up for dinner, but it never happened.

15 years+ down the track and she calls out of the blue. The purpose was to advise Dad that there was going to be a School Reunion in California. Not sure what made her think that Dad would be interested in going...but i guess it was a nice thought?!

After mentioning the reunion to Mum she proceeded to ask about the family and found out from my darling Mum, that Mum has a single 26 y/o daughter. This sparked a frenzy with the lady. She proceeds to insist that Mum and Dad bring me over to Texas to introduce me to her 29 y/o nephew! Like, what the...?

Mum, obviously thought it was funny. Which is why she told me about it the moment i got home on Monday night.

I'm heading overseas in about 10 working days. Weekends dont really count, because they usually fly right by! Last thing to do is purchase some medicine and exchange some money.

I found out that a credit card i have allows me to put my cash on the card (over the limit) and withdraw without being charged any transaction fee or exchange fee from an ATM. Transaction fee will be charged from transactions via EFTPOS, but still no currency exchange fee.

I was over the moon when i found this out! I dont know of any other card, debit or credit, that allows you to do this!!! And get this, zero annual fee for the credit card! The usual 55 days interest free on purchases applies too. Like, woohoo!!!

*^_^*

Rêves...

I had a vivid dream early in the morning (3/4am). I woke up from it. But the only other person that i recall in my dream is my mother, but there were at least 3 other people in the dream.

I was pregnant. There was a man apparently infectious with some sort of disease. He was slumped in his car which rolled into the circle in which we were all sitting - as though there was a camp fire, but there was none. He got out of the car and stumbled towards me. Grabbed both my wrists and started to tell me about how i was now infected and how quickly the infection will reach my heart and there was no cure.

While he reached for my wrists everyone around me was shouting, telling me to run away because he was obviously sick with some sort of disease and that i would catch it too if he touched me. I couldnt hear anyone, not until the old man grabbed my wrists and it was too late.

I woke up at this point.

I had two re-runs after that. One very similar to the description above, but the ending was different. I fainted while the old man grabbed my wrists and ended up dying. The final version was that when the car rolled into our circle, everybody present dodged the car and ran off before the man could get out of this car and infect me or anyone else.

What a whacko dream!?

I dont usually remember my dreams either, so this is an odd occasion. I wonder what it is that is causing my lack of sleep and these weird dreams. I mean, if it was excitement over my trip...shouldnt i have more pleasant dreams?

(lit: Dreams...)

Mes filles...

I like watching the Simpsons episodes on tv. I like watching the dvds. I don't actually tire from watching the cartoons...and Chloe is very similar to me in this way. Before you start pointing the finger and tell me what a bad influence i am on her, that the Simpsons is too "adult" for a 5 year old...i can assure you that the jokes that are for adults fly right over her head. I laugh at some things, she will laugh at others on the opposite side of the spectrum.

I took her out on Saturday to watch the Movie as an early birthday present because I wont be here for her 6th birthday. In fact, on her 6th birthday i will be in Paris...in particular, i will be lunching at La Tour d'Argent and then shopping to buy her something special.

She loved sitting in the recliner at Gold Class, but at the same time she must have felt like she was being swallowed up...because half way through the movie, the novelty wore off and she asked me to put the recliner back upright.

She was armed with her cheesy popcorn from Kernels and i ordered strawberry smoothies for the both us, which arrived when the movie started and were about 750mL each.

I like spending time with her at this age. She teaches me patience, i teach her manners, we can reason with one another. It works when it is one on one. Just me and her. It gets complicated when her mother is around because then she will sulk and throw tantrums and silent treatments and will be awfully difficult.

I know that this is the time to be cherished...because in a few more years, things will change dramatically. She will inevitably start thinking about boys in ways other than just friends. How scary?!

I better start thinking of some tactful answers to the impending questions that lie ahead. I have a knack of being around when she is curious and the questions gets deflected towards me for an answer...*sigh*.

Aimee is such a cutie. She is 3 and a half. I called her a baby the other day and she corrects me by telling me "No, i'm a toddler!" and yes, she is right and i am wrong.

(lit: My girls...)

Mes vacances de tourbillon...

My long awaited whirlwind holiday is less than a month away.

I just received advice that my travel documents are at the travel agent and i can go pick it up any time.

My manager's wife works on the airline i will be flying on and she will be helping me reserve good seats so i can have comfortable flights there and back.

LESS THAN A MONTH!

I have been waiting sooo long since i paid for the whole trip for this time to come. And now that it has...i'm feeling a bit ambivalent...I was born a chicken and therefore sometimes feel like a chicken!

I'm excited, no doubt, but being cautious is forcing me to think about the "what ifs" and in some ways, its good to think about those things so you can prepare contingencies to deal with such situations.

But i'm not sure if im well prepared.

Well, thats a lie, i havent prepared anything yet...so im not prepared.

I need to go and see my doctor too, so i can get a med kit prepared, just in case...

(lit: My whirlwind holiday...)

Danser...

So, last night I had my second dance lesson.

We went over the cha-cha, salsa, and jive. We started to learn the waltz and the "box step".

I can do the cha-cha, just not the spot turn. But that could be partly due to the fact that i was wearing my running shoes and not a pair of heels. So, the grip on my joggers didnt allow me the fluid movement that i required.

Salsa became a little more interesting with the "cucaracha" - the "cockroach" stomping move. It seems with this addition, i have managed to move my hips much better.

The jive is sooo much fun. Especially when the music is playing really really fast! We have done the basic step and the instructor incorporated the turn into the sequence, but didnt show the girls how to turn back and return the start, but us girls are so "smart" that we taught ourselves...ahhahaha...to be honest, its actually quite easy to figure how to turn back with the jive. Its actually quite natural for the body to want to turn to the original position and start all over again.

The waltz...what can i say? I can't do anything outside of the "box step". This is due to the fact that you must alternate from right to left (girls), each time you finish the 3-steps (the step-slide-together). I actually thought the waltz was really easy...but i am wrong. Its actually tricky if you are unco like i am.

(lit: Dancing...)

Mon père...

I often talk about my mother...like it was her birthday on Saturday...i took her out to lunch and my brother paid for dinner later that evening.

I talk about how my mother is so talented and is a brilliant dressmaker.

I tend to not talk about my father's accomplishment.

Its not that i have a problem talking about such things and there are many achievements that i can talk about...i just dont.

I dont hesitate when the opportunity arise, either.

For instance, the bus driver of the company bus noted that he had never been into the Chinese Gardens at Darling Harbour and that he should really make a visit. This triggered me to mention that my father was one of the men in my Great Uncle's team who helped build the structures in the garden.

My father was also one of the men who built the home for the panda's when they visited from China (way back when) at Taronga Zoo. I remember this fondly, because we ended up going to see the panda's after the construction was completed and the panda's were comfortably housed.

On a smaller scale he had worked on some restructural constructions inside the restaurant - East Ocean.

Dad built the shelf in my room where i put my shoes. He built the desk my older brother used during high school. He built one of the wall units that now houses the portraits of my grandparents and the incense holders. The lattice work outside the front of the house was also made by him.

So, Dad is very talented & brilliant too...

I'm guessing that my creativity stems from both my parents. The fact that i'm hands on with everything i do also comes from Dad as much as Mum.

(lit: My father...)

Toujours une demoiselle d'honneur, jamais une jeune mariée...

I bought a pair of silver satin shoes for some weddings i will be attending that i could also use for my friend's wedding where i will be one of the bridesmaids. And since its more pertinent that the shoes will match my dress when i am a bridesmaid, i asked her to bring my dress over to my place when she visited her mother last Sunday. (She lives a distance away, while her mother is actually in my local area).

I tried on the shoes and then slipped the dress over my head and tugged on the zipper. To my horror, I couldnt zip myself up.

=(

I'm too FAT!!!!

I first did the rounds of trying on gowns for her wedding in December-January 06/07. It had to be made, so she paid for the dresses and i had forgotten about it ever since. I can't believe that in 7 months...i had managed to put on weight...so much that i cant zip the damn thing!!!

~~~>_<~~~

I can only zip it up to under my bustline. And then i'm stuck!!!

I knew i had put on a little bit of weight compared to what i averaged the last couple of years, but not more than what i weighed in January this year...I thought i was still roughly the same...i didnt think i had put on so much that the dress wouldnt fit!!!

Mum has offered to fix the dress for me...but i dont want her to.

Now, I am on a mission.

TO GET INTO THAT FREAKIN' DRESS (AND LOOK DAMN GOOD TOO)!!!

The bride-to-be had a moment yesterday where she realised how unreliable the other bridesmaid would be...she saw a hint of it previously...but something else happened yesterday that really ticked the bride-to-be off. This wedding is gonna be a loooooooonnnnnngggggggg day for me.

We started a beginners ballroom dancing course last night. The whole bridal party is attending and it was fun, but i cant salsa. I can cha-cha, jive, and rock'n'roll...but am unable to salsa the most basic steps.

Lets see if i improve next week.

(lit: Always a bridesmaid, never a bride...)

Enchante...

(Pronounced: on.shon.tay)

Life is funny in almost every circumstance.

Like shopping with my mother every weekend...ritualistically...meeting all these people - her friends...their children sometimes...

Being single and more the fear of dying lonely with no one to bury me when my turn arrives makes me sit and wonder sometimes.

There are the people who are fortunately charmed and everything seems to go there way. And there are the others who dont lead such a charming life. I come across a lot of people, but i have been trained to keep to myself and and pretty much avoid eye contact.

I dont try to make conversations with strangers. But i have an ability to have friendly conversations with say the stranger that is serving me at the cafe or the local fruit grocer...etc...

I am sometimes lucky, but i dont have it all.

With my weekly ritual my mum goes to this one asian grocer and always chit chats with the owner and their sons. The older of the two sons had a crush on me about 8 years ago...I was young and he was a smoker...sooo not my type. And in the end his parents forced him to marry a girl from Vietnam whom they had arranged for the two of them with her parents when they were toddlers. Weird, i know...who'd actually go through with the arrange marriages their parents set up yonks ago, in this day and age - all willingly?!

His younger brother i knew only by face, because he went to the same highschool as i did and is a year or two younger than my older brother. He would on occasion help his parents out at the grocery store on the weekend and my mother would chat to him whenever we'd drop by. He would always ask my mother what she would be cooking that night and ask if he could come over? My mother would say "sure thing...and dont just say you are and not show up! I'll get angry with you..." She said that jokingly and he never did show up.

The thing is, i never thought he was attractive. And when i saw him, i'd keep to myself and patiently wait for my mother to buy whatever she needed and when she would appear out of the store, the two of them would joke while i grabbed the bags from her to carry the bags to the car. I didnt even say hello to him, nor did he say hello to me...not until maybe 2 years ago did we speak a little to eachother.

After speaking to one another, i guess i saw him in a different light and i noticed that he had a nice smile...that he was cute in a very quirky way...and that this guy genuinely liked chatting to my mother...he didnt do it just out of politeness.

I think its very hard to find a guy who will get along THAT well with my mum. Not that she is a difficult person to get along with...but the two of them talk like friends...and well, its nice to see that.

There are some things word just cant express. Sometimes we'd look at eachother. He would notice something. I would notice something. We're probably not thinking the exact same thing, but were on the same wavelength...and its some form of enlightenment that transcends verbal communication.

I do believe that he finds me mysterious and interesting, because i dont often say anything more than a "Hi!" to him. And i have the tendency to look at something or someone and smile or laugh to myself...and he has the tendency to catch me in the action of doing so.

He was there at the store today. We said hello and i stood to the side waiting for my mother like the diligent daughter i am, he was talking to his parents and as my mother and i left we noticed a girl with him.

When my mother and i got into the car i told her that he caught me laughing to myself when i saw this old lady try on this hat. Mum later mentioned that he was getting married in September this year.

I then realised that i could have, would have, should have...but its too late.

I put it down on the fact that it was one of those moments where i was the unfortunate one.

It just wasnt meant to be.

There is a saying in Vietnamese that my mother often quotes...and it seems befitting this moment.

We both didnt have the "charm"...

(lit: Pleased to meet you...)

M'épouserez-vous?

I had lunch with a friend today and was told about a friend we both know. That the mutual friend was going o/s to marry someone he has only had phone conversations with for the past 6 months and plans on going over to marry the girl in a Las Vegas style wedding.

There are twists here...its not a straight and simple connection of 2 single people meeting online and finding love across all the expanse of water and land via the cyber-highway.

She is currently seeing someone long distance. Has not broken up with the current bf, but feels that she can marry this mutual friend.

For me, I just couldnt do it. I would not be flying over to meet the person...I wouldnt even be thinking about marrying them - knowing that they had someone and still hadnt broken up with them...even after supposedly committing themself to you.

Its too wacky for words.

I am a known sceptic...but I do wish the mutual friend all the best - no one wants a friend to be hurt especially from a broken heart...but am i the only one who thinks this situation is too much left of the centre?

(lit: Will you marry me?)

Dermatologue...

A girls best friends, i think are: water, SPF30+, laughter and a good dermatologist.

Some may want to add to this list and rightly so, depending on their needs, but i would highly recommend a good female dermatologist for all of our girly needs pertaining to skin and hair.

It brings a world of difference when you find a truly talented dermatologist. One who is open and honest and understands what you are talking about...

I have found one and she has helped me return my skin back to the days where i didnt have pimples. I see her now whenever i have a skin problem. She likes to chat too. So, it is quite easy to visit her without having to feel like you are about to be interrogated. The only hang up of visiting such a good dermatologist is waiting to actually go in and see them.

(lit: Dermatologist...)

I gotta tell you about Milan...

For the past few voicemails left on my mobile by L&E...they have repeated the same line over and over and over and over and over and over and over...You get the drift...

And the line is "I gotta tell you about Milan"...

But in the message itself...they say that line, but they dont say what about Milan. I guess they are trying to keep me interested by messing with my mind.

And they keep mentioning "Susan".

But "Susan", brings back bad memories of a girl at Uni that had a thing for our G! And L&E know it too.

The last message listed a number of people on their tour, a couple of 80-something year old people, someone knocking their head and the Canadian couple laughing at the poor person who knocked their head, i think there was 2 guys (can't remember where L/E said that they were from) but one talks and the other doesnt...

And the surprise of the day...?

I came home and spied some writing on a postcard that looked familiar...it looked like L's handwriting. So, i picked it up and read it. Sure enough it was addressed to me and the message on the left read:

PETALS,

WERE THINKING OF YOU IN ITALY....

LOTS & LOTS & LOTS
OF LOVE
L&E
xxx

I flipped over to see what was on the postcard and it was Michelangelo's David - but the focus is on his specific part!!!

I told and showed my Mum, and she told me that she was outside by the letterbox with her friend when she took the letters out of the letterbox and her friend asked what it was? Mum saw it upside down without her glasses and said it was a flower in bloom! *RofL*

They both looked closer and had a heartattack when they realised that it was David's man bits.

At least Mum recognised it was Michelangelo's David! *LoL*