Life is a journey, not a destination

Thiren Turns One!

2008-05-31T21:40:00.008+08:00

Our Big Boy!

2008-05-31T21:10:00.004+08:00

Abu Dhabi - March 2008

2008-04-17T21:54:00.008+08:00

Justin & Jean: Legally Married on 1 April 2008

2008-04-17T20:59:00.026+08:00

Dev, Thiren and I flew in to Perth Australia on 31 March to witness the marriage registration of my brother Justin to his fiance Jean Marie Nunis on 1 April, 2008. The date was chosen to mark our parents' 35th wedding anniversary. It was a beautiful event, and I was glad we made it there to represent the Jeyarajah side of the family. We spent almost a week in Perth doing what most tourists would do: shop, eat, visit Freemantle, gamble at the casino, and eat eat eat!

Freemantle

2008-04-17T20:36:00.008+08:00

At Ciccerello's for some fish 'n' chips, fresh oysters ... and 'seagull watching'!

Little Creatures Brewery

Justin & Jean's Registration Party

2008-04-17T13:43:00.007+08:00

Out & About in Perth AUSTRALIA

2008-04-16T22:19:00.019+08:00

At Whiteman Wildlife Park

At Perth City

Chocolate Factory, Margaret River

Lancaster Wineyard, Margaret River

Bright Shiny Four Bars!

2008-04-16T22:12:00.004+08:00

In March, my parents accompanied Thiren and me back home to Abu Dhabi for two weeks, and we arrived a day after we received the news that Dev (together with many of his batchmates) was officially a captain at Etihad Airways on the Airbus 330. We celebrated with a sumptious meal with friends.

Rowena and yours truly!

My parents, Rowena & our family friend Devaraj who is working in Abu Dhabi

The three new captains!

Daddy & son

Facebook

2008-01-08T21:39:00.002+08:00

Thanks to the invention of FACEBOOK (www.facebook.com), I spend most of my time checking messages, pictures and chatting with friends/collegemates/schoolmates/relatives/new friends. It is amazing just how many people we can meet on facebook!

Because of that, I have uploaded a whole lot of pictures from our Italian trip and also our family holiday in the UAE in Facebook. If you have an account in Facebook, do check it out. In the future, I will be uploading more pictures in Facebook. It is so much easier to upload photos in Facebook - so much faster that the blogger!

Enjoy the photos!

Italy

2008-01-08T13:25:00.002+08:00

MILAN

GENOVA

PISA

FLORENCE

VENICE

Happy 2008!

2008-01-02T21:29:00.000+08:00

Greetings from Kuala Lumpur!

It has been a while since I last updated my blog. Hmmm, lots of photos to upload, no time to sit and get it done. First, it was the adrenaline rush and worry about taking our little six-month-old to freezing Italy, and then it was packing and fitting everything into a suitcase, but it didn't work, so Dev had his own suitcase, I had mine, and baby has his own, too! Imagine us at the airport in Milan - three huge hardcase suitcases, a stroller and a carseat! Never mind that. It was an enjoyable trip, and baby enjoyed himself and the cold. Dev and I were amazed by his good behaviour. With a baby and a trunk full of stuff, we travelled in our rented car (together with another rented car by the captain and his family) from Milan to Genova, Pisa, Florence and Venice. Dev and I took the risk of travelling with a baby, but it was so worth it!

Less than a week after our trip home to Abu Dhabi from Italy, Thiren and I returned home to Malaysia on a very-full flight! Thank goodness, though on standby basis, both Thiren and I managed to get seats. Three days later, Dev arrived on a jumpseat and spent three days here. We attended our friend's wedding reception at KL Tower. Congrats to you both Joanne & Eu Jin! Happy Honeymooning in New Zealand! ;)

After Dev left for Abu Dhabi, Thiren and I returned to my hometown with my parents. We spent X'mas and New Year back home with friends and relatives, and it was so much fun being able to be with them after not meeting up with the entire family for a long time.

Today, we travelled home to KL with my parents. We will be spending the coming weekend in Malacca (Dev's hometown). My in-laws are awaiting our arrival and looking forward to seeing their grandson again. Thiren and I will be returning to Abu Dhabi on 11 January when Dev comes and goes home with us. Dev has a short trip to Dublin on 12-14 Jan, and it is freezing in Dublin. I think I have made up my mind not to go on this trip to Dublin with Thiren, though I wish I could go, because it is a short trip and a day before Dublin we would have just arrived home in Abu Dhabi. Too much of travelling, waiting at airports, packing and unpacking. Another time perhaps, when Dev has a longer trip there.

That is all the update for now. I will upload pictures soon, as soon as I get a chance to do so ;)

Here's wishing you a wonderful new year and may 2008 bring us more joy, happiness, love and world peace.

Our Thiren Boy!

2007-11-26T03:33:00.000+08:00

My favourite picture! :)

I don't quite like my Rusk biscuit ...

2007-11-26T03:20:00.000+08:00

Our adorable baby boy!

2007-11-26T03:09:00.001+08:00

Baby Zohra's 1st Birthday!

2007-11-26T02:57:00.000+08:00

Thiren's First Taste of Banana!

2007-11-26T02:49:00.000+08:00

Hatta After Sunset

2007-11-26T02:43:00.002+08:00

After my family left, Dev, Thiren and I made another trip to Hatta, and this time with our friends Ian and Kurt. The guys did quad-biking in the dark!

Jebel Hafeet Hotel, Al Ain, UAE

2007-11-26T02:21:00.000+08:00

Emirates Palace Hotel At Night

2007-11-26T01:52:00.001+08:00

Hi-Tea at Emirates Palace Hotel

2007-11-26T01:40:00.000+08:00

Heritage Village, Abu Dhabi

2007-11-26T01:26:00.001+08:00

Trip to Hatta, UAE

2007-11-26T00:39:00.001+08:00

Layover in Singapore

2007-11-26T00:23:00.000+08:00

Fish head curry

Sri Lankan King Crabs! Dev and I just coudln't get enough of this!

Monday in Abu Dhabi

2007-11-19T22:59:00.001+08:00

Life is slowly settling in here in Abu Dhabi where the temperature has dropped. Winter has arrived, and so has the midnight-to-morning mist that fogs the view. It's lovely actually, unless of course we have to drive around town not being able to see what's ahead. I am not driving at the moment and do not intend to for the time being. Our seven-seater "tank" is way too huge for me to be handling it! It is just a matter of getting used to it, but I took it for a short drive with Dev, and the surround censor kept beeping to signal that I was too close to some vehicles parked along the streets! Hehe!

Life's good! Baby's fine and has sort of adjusted to living in a fully-air-conditioned apartment in the winter. Hmmm! Thanks to thick clothings! Oh yes, thanks Laila for the clothes :)

Thiren will turn six months on the 27th. He is learning to crawl by lifting his butt up and moving his legs and hands. When we place him down on his colourful playmat in the living room, he goes on all fours, like a little puppy. Very cute indeed! Then, he goes flat on his belly. Everything he grabs goes into his mouth. Imagine his toys are wet covered with saliva!

Thiren took his first taste of mashed banana this afternoon. He swallowed it as Dev and I took turns to feed him, but little man has a frown of disapproval, like "what the heck is mommy feeding me?!" Well, as predicted, he didn't like it that much. Got to try again another day. We have apples, peach and mango in the fridge for him ;)

And for the longest time, yahoo mail is not allowing me to access my e-mails! This is so very frustrating, and the fact that I know I have 11 e-mails waiting in the inbox (because while on yahoo messenger, the messages kept popping up to say that I have mails from various people, and they ain't junk mails!) I am dying to read them, and yet I have to be so patient trying and trying and trying to get to that page. Oh well ...

Baby is going to wake up soon, and I am all dressed up for dinner at the mall with Dev and a couple of our friends. I got my toe nails painted too while baby was taking a nap this afternoon :) Baby will be with us in his stroller, hopefully entertaining himself with his toys and allowing us to enjoy our meal. I have dressed him up in a striped top and jeans with matching socks.

I will upload some pictures of Thiren soon. Until then, have a good week and smile! Life's good!

At Marina Mall Abu Dhabi

2007-11-04T22:29:00.000+08:00

Justin Timberlake Live in Abu Dhabi!

2007-10-26T18:24:00.000+08:00

Tickets for the most exciting event of the year will go on sale on-line from 9.00am Thursday, October 25th 2007 at www.timeouttickets.com. To give fans a fair chance to secure tickets, on-line sales will be limited to a maximum of 4 tickets per purchase. A limited number of tickets will also go on sale in Abu Dhabi on Friday, 2nd November at a location soon to be disclosed.

A spokesman from Time Out tickets said: "We're expecting huge demand for Justin Timberlake tickets and have scaled the reservation systems to manage that level of demand. We've put resources and processes in place to manage the volume of transactions and the fair management of ticket applications in the most effective manner possible. We believe that this online process ensures a fair allocation of tickets on a first come first served basis and without the queuing and crowd problems we've seen for popular concerts here in the past. The ticketing process is designed to be fast, validated, fair and safe for people to use."

The ticketing system being used by www.timeouttickets.com for Justin Timberlake's Abu Dhabi concert has been designed to respond to each ticket reservation request by sending the applicant an email with a unique link to the secure ticketing system that then allows them to enter credit card and address information for the tickets. Only at that point will the ticket transaction be completed and the appropriate fee billed to the applicant's credit card.

Applicants will be able to reserve tickets for a period of 24 hours. Tickets that are reserved but unconfirmed will be placed back on sale immediately following the expiration of the 24 hour deadline.

Ticket categories:

Platinum
Front Standing
AED 895

Gold
Grand Stand - Central
AED 595

Blue
Grand Stand - Left
AED 495

Red
Grand Stand - Right
AED 495

Green
General Standing
AED 295

For further Concert and Ticket Information please visit www.justintimberlake.ae

This sensational outdoor concert will take place at the West Park of the Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi and is the final date of Justin Timberlake's hugely successful FutureSex/LoveShow world tour. The concert is presented in Abu Dhabi by Mubadala Development Company and Aldar Properties PJSC.

Justin Timberlake Live in Abu Dhabi has attracted a high profile sponsorship line up including: Etihad Airways as Official Airline; Du as Official Telecommunication Partner, Emirates Palace as Official Hotel; Time Out Abu Dhabi, Radio 1 and 7 Days as Official Media Partners. This event is also supported by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and is produced by IMG.

Little Thiren Boy, Four Months Old

2007-09-30T23:58:00.000+08:00

New York Bound

2007-09-22T22:02:00.000+08:00

Dev flying the Airbus 340 to JFK.

And Baby Makes Three

2007-09-15T13:07:00.000+08:00

Sleeping soundly in his little cradle

Our beautiful son Thiren Dev Tan Ravindran

Daddy & son

And baby makes three!

Click on picture to enlarge. You will see what is printed on baby Thiren's mitten! He sure loves his Daddy!

With Charlene & my little bundle of joy

Little Thiren boy ... sleeping soundly on the couch

Our adorable little darling

Smiling sweetly for the camera

With Aunty Jean Marie & Uncle Justin

With Grandma ...

Oooh, Grandpa is making me giggle!

With Grandpa ...

Thiren's Full Moon Party & Dev's Birthday Celebration

2007-09-15T12:15:00.000+08:00

Dev's parents and sister Aneetha

Our friend Tay with Baby Thiren

With my good friend Li Yen

Cousin Yvonne & husband Denis

Uncle Justin wth niece Charlene

Jasmina with Ryan (Jean Marie's nephew)

My cousin Amelia & husband Barry

My cousin Nelson with wife Irene & second son Kieran

My mom's brother in blue with wife & son-in-law Peter

Our friends Lam, Tay & Angeline

The kids - Jocelyn, Delphine, Nicole, Ryan & Charlene

Dev's birthday cake, a surprise for him!

With my lovely nieces Delphine & Jocelyn

Shoba with her Dad & sister

The cousins - (back row) Jasmina, Jacintha, Joanne Toh; (front row) Amelia, Yvonne, Jo Lynn

Justin with Jean Marie's sister Joanne & brother-in-law Shawn

Justin proposed!

2007-09-14T22:53:00.000+08:00

Ben playing guitar & singing "I'll Be" by Edwin McCain, Justin's proposal song

With my lovely niece Charlene. Can't believe she is already 5!

Father and son

Justin & Jean Marie

My family and Jean Marie's family - our not-so-big-fat Malaysian family!

The siblings - Jacintha, Jasmina, Justin, Jean Marie, Joanne & Darren

Mama, no milk but PLAY today!

2007-09-06T19:41:00.000+08:00

Just as baby Thiren turned three months last week, he started having problems when it came to feeding. I thought, at three months old, he sure has started early to give his mommy headaches! I couldn't keep to his feeding schedule of every three- or four-hourly. In fact, he only drank as and when he was very hungry, often crying away, leaving me wondering if he was tired, sleepy, wanted to be carried, or just plain hungry but was too tired or sleepy to drink.

This pattern went on for a week or so, and then I was advised that he may have gotten bored with the current brand of milk. I made a switch to another brand, but I didn't see any improvement. Finally, I called up the pediatrician in Pantai Malacca who administered Thiren's growth in the first few days of delivery.

Amazingly (and I never knew this), and apparently, babies between three and four months are at the stage where they get very playful and drinking milk is not a priority anymore. They prefer to talk and coo to adults, and being very observant at this stage and they are attracted to moving objects, colours and everything new around them.

Thiren was just like that. Parents and I were worried that he may be suffering from colic, but then again, he slept well when it was time for him to sleep and played and laughed happily in excitement when he was being teased. However, when it was time for milk, he just refused to take in much, often taking only one ounce, or at most two ounces. It was the same problem at night, too. It seems that this problem is common among babies at this stage, and whenever they get hungry, they would drink. With Thiren, the slightest noise or movement distraction would make him spit out his bottle and turn away in curiosity, never again interested in his milk, no matter how much I try putting back the bottle in his mouth.

What a great relief after hearing it was a common problem with babies between three and four months! I was worried if he was sick in the tummy! Last night, he started feeding well again. Now he drinks his milk whenever he is hungry, not on schedule, and he loves watching the Disney Channel while he suckles his bottle!

Our Little Prince Charming

2007-09-01T17:05:00.001+08:00

This is our little bundle of joy, taken on 27 August 2007, the day he turned three months.

Daddy's Trip Home-July 2007

2007-08-31T11:45:00.000+08:00

Sending Daddy off at the airport ...

Our friends Reez, Audra & baby Noelle

With Grandma

Oooh! I am so sad, Daddy's leaving!

Thiren in his car seat

Check out the concentration!

Look! I am starting to crawl!

Hmmm, the game's about to start. Where's my chips and soda?

Wee Willie Winkie, all ready for bed! Actually, Mom dressed me up for this photo.

Fast asleep after his midnight feed.

Three months old today!

2007-08-27T19:09:00.000+08:00

Baby Thiren is three months old today. Here's his passport photo, taken today.

Wee Willie Winkie

2007-07-27T19:16:00.000+08:00

Today, 27 July, baby Thiren is exactly two months old. Daddy had to return to Abu Dhabi this afternoon after spending 5 days in Malaysia. Here are some photos of baby Thiren to remind Daddy that his cute little boy is waiting for his return.

Looking adorable in his Pumpkin Patch bodysuit and matching socks from his Grand-aunt Winnie in Sydney. Next to him is a Starbucks Barista Bear Daddy Dev bought for him from New York

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

2007-07-24T17:11:00.001+08:00

A gift to Daddy on his birthday, baby Thiren's footprints!

More pictures of Baby Thiren

2007-07-24T16:58:00.000+08:00

Taken at home on 24 July 2007

Baby's Full Moon Celebration

2007-07-24T16:43:00.000+08:00

Baby Thiren's Full Moon (2 months actually) Celebration at The Saujana Kuala Lumpur
22 July 2007 (Daddy's 31st Birthday, too!)

Left to right: Han, Patrice & Laila Van Dam & their son Floris, me & the birthday boy, my nieces Charlene & Delphine, David Peter, Joyce & baby Charmaine, Michelle & Lionel, Li Yen & Chris Loo

Dev's relatives

Our friends Adrian & Jessie's daughter Rachel

Our friends

Denis (my cousin Yvonne's husband), Yvonne with baby Thiren, Ida with Eva (Amelia's daughter) and cousin Amelia

Friends and relatives

Dev and my family members & friend Shoba with her sister & dad

Laila, son Floris and Patrice

Angeline and me

Our private room at The Saujana Kuala Lumpur

Dev's Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb

2007-07-24T16:32:00.001+08:00

Sydney Harbour Bridge - the largest single span arch bridge in the world signifies engineering excellence.

The sweeping curve over Sydney's world-famous Harbour is 503 metres long, 134 metres high and 49 metres wide. Flanked by four towering concrete and granite pylons, it is the crucial centre piece of Sydney's transport network. The weight of the steelwork alone totals 52,800 tonnes and includes an extraordinary six million rivets.

Officially opened on Saturday 19th March 1932 by the Premier of the state of New South Wales, JACK LANG, the bridge has become an enduring international symbol of Sydney.

Baby Pictures!

2007-07-23T22:29:00.000+08:00

Hmmm, when is the party starting? I am bored ....

Boo hoooo ..... I am hungry!

These are my Grandpa & Grandma. Look how cute I am in my denim cap!

Let's make funny faces! Ooops! Mommy & cousin Delphine are not making funny faces, just me!

I look cute!

Thorn among the roses. Here I am with my cousins Charlene, Delphine & Jocelyn

Okay, hurry up. I am getting tired.

My cousin Charlene sure knows how to make me feel comfortable!

This is my mom's cousin Jo Lynn. She got me a lovely Baby Gap sweater with a hood.

Who called me?

Hey, are you talking to me?

More pictures!

2007-07-23T22:15:00.000+08:00

Our little angel baby ...

A cheeky wink for the camera!

With Uncle Justin

Baby Thiren with cousins Charlene & Jocelyn, Grandma, Mommy & Aunty Jasmina

Smile!

With Aunty Jasmina, who is baby Thiren's "Godma"

Baby Thiren's 28th Day Ceremony

2007-07-23T22:01:00.000+08:00

A hindu temple priest was brought to the home (Dev's parents home in Malacca) for the 28th day ceremony held on 23 June. After the chanting of prayers and blessing of the baby, each family member was asked to dip his or her finger in honey and place it in baby Thiren's mouth and then proceed with whispering of his full name THIREN DEV TAN RAVINDRAN in his right ear three times. The honey marked the sweet journey in his life as his name was officially mentioned and introduced.

Daddy was in Sydney on that day. We didn't want Daddy to miss it, so a phone call was made to Dev, and Daddy uttered baby's name three times into baby's ear through the phone

Dev's parents placing honey in baby Thiren's mouth

My mom putting more honey in baby Thiren's mouth

Mommy's turn!

The altar at home

Baby Thiren falling asleep in the cradle

With my mom and mom-in-law

With my siblings Justin and Jasmina

A family photo

Baby Thiren & Mommy

2007-07-06T19:04:00.000+08:00

Baby Updates

2007-06-28T10:17:00.000+08:00

Baby Thiren turned one month yesterday, June 27. He is growing up fast, and with each passing day, his facial expressions and looks change. He no longer looks like a newborn. He is looking much like a playful baby. He likes sleeping on his belly - he sleep longer that way compared to being rocked in a cradle. His feeding time is predictable. He wakes up every three hours for his feed. Mommy gets to sleep quite well in the night too because of his fixed schedule.

As days progress, so does baby Thiren. We know his likes and dislikes. Well, he dislikes loud sounds and dislikes being undressed for baths. Nappy changing, dressing up and preparing his feed must be done as quickly as possible. It reminds me of how pitstop workers carry out their individual duties in a race! The scenario here: my mom putting on his diapers, mom-in-law putting on the mittens and I trying to button his shirt or make his milk. Once he is dressed, brushing his fine hair seems soothing to baby Thiren. His cries will stop as soon as the brush touches his head. Then it is feeding time, and he is quiet again.

Baby Thiren can lift up his head and hold it up quite steadily for quite a while. He smiles when we tickle or touch his cheeks, and his cooing just melts our hearts away! He captures the hearts of every relative, from his three female cousins to the grandparents.

On the other side of the planet, "Daddy Cool" is missing his little boy, often asking me to ring him up whenever our baby cries. Daddy just feels satisfied listening to the cries. Daddy has a very busy schedule, and we are keeping our fingers crossed for a long stretch of off days so that he can return to see his little one.

I promise to upload more photos once I have the right tools to do so when I am back in Kuala Lumpur next week.

My one-month confinement is over. I can now enjoy proper meals and start getting back in shape to fit into my old clothes. I miss wearing my jeans! Gotta work hard now to lose those pounds.

Signing off from Mommy dearest!

Labour room experience

2007-06-14T19:51:00.000+08:00

It was Thursday, 24 May, when my gynaecologist did the usual pregnancy check on me. He mentioned that if my baby didn't arrive anytime sooner than the 30th, he would have to perform an induction and deliver the baby by 30 May.

It was Sunday, 27 May, at 9:30AM, when I was almost done with my shower when my waterbag broke. I was nervous at first-I thought to myself, finally, the time has arrived for my baby to be born. I managed to stay calm, informed my parents and in-laws who were, at that time, having their breakfast. Everyone started getting ready, and along with my hospital bag, I was taken to the hospital.

There was no labour pain, or contractions pain. However, I was wheeled in to the labour room. I was nervous yet anxious to have my baby. I was more anxious hoping for Daddy to arrive in time to witness the birth of our baby!

"Enema" was done on me-a solution pumped into you know where to clear my bowels. I could still walk around in my hospital gown and chat with the midwife. It was 10AM when I was admitted. The contractions started only past 12 noon. I laid on the bed with belts strapped round my belly to monitor the baby's movements and heartbeat.

A couple of hours later, the contractions became more intense, and all I did (or could do) was to concentrate on my breathing techniques, those I have read and have been told what to do. Take a deep breath, hold it, and then release through the mouth, slowly. I did a set of ten counts each time. It worked.

Dev arrived at the airport at 1PM, and my sister and her family were there to fetch him and drive straight to the hospital. They were rushing for time, as it was any minute then the baby would be arriving. My gynaecologist was relaxed and told me not to worry and to take it slowly as we were all waiting for Dev's arrival.

The last 2 hours before baby was born was the worst part of the whole thing. The pain became more intense and more regular. The contractions lasted a minute each time, with less than five minutes interval. I was breathing so hard and was hoping that the pain didn't get any worse.

Finally, Dev arrived at the labour room at 3:40PM. I was asked to start pushing at 4PM. The moment there was a contraction, I was asked to push as hard as I could. I was told to take a deep breath, hold my legs, exhale and PUSH! That was repeated many times, almost a whole hour! It wasn't easy. I was already fully dilated yet the baby's head could not be seen. For a whole hour, that was what I did, push. Dev was standing next to me giving me encouragement. Having him there was just great. I just wanted to get my baby out as soon as possible, and it didn't take long before baby finally decided to come out.

At 5PM on the dot, the final push was done and out slided our baby boy, weighing in at 3.65kg, 54cm in length. I was exhausted by the end of the day. Soon after delivery, I was stitched up.

I am really proud of myself for not taking any drug whatsoever during delivery. It was a normal delivery, and to all the girls our there who are expecting, it is just mind over matter. Concentrate on your breathing and tell yourself that childbirth is indeed an experience on its own.

(More pictures to come soon!) Baby is exactly 3 weeks old today.

Baby Thiren

2007-06-08T22:18:00.001+08:00

Our little bundle of joy, Thiren Dev Tan Ravindran.

Two more weeks!

2007-05-09T13:54:00.000+08:00

Back aches. Sleepless nights due to frequent trips to the bathroom. Anxiety. Excitement. This will last for two more weeks. My little one will be arriving soon, real soon!

25 May is the due date. Soon-to-be daddy will be home for three weeks, hopefully in time to witness the birth of our baby. Dev has agreed to be in the delivery room with me, so that's a little comforting for now. I think I will still be able to handle the whole thing on my own if baby were to arrive early. We are hoping for a normal delivery, with no complications, the least pain and the shortest labour time.

We will keep you posted the moment we get home from the hospital with our new addition. Do check our blog for pictures! Daddy has already got himself a new Nikon camera, so expect lots of pictures ;)

Almost Due

2007-04-20T23:57:00.000+08:00

Thanks to my cousin Yvonne, I have some recent pregnancy photos to share. I am in my 35th week, 5 weeks or less to go!

Dev is home here for 4 days. We have been meeting up with friends and relatives, and we have been enjoying lots of local food! His next trip home will be end of May when our baby is born. That is when our journey to parenthood begins!

Greetings from Malaysia

2007-03-15T22:04:00.000+08:00

Hi there. It has been a month since I left Abu Dhabi and have been home in Malaysia. Nothing like home, honestly. Despite the terrible heat (I feel sweaty all the time mainly because of the stage of pregnancy I am in right now, 7 months), I enjoy being home. I do miss my life in Abu Dhabi, though. Just a little.

I have been meeting up with friends and former colleagues. As long as I can still sit comfortably behind the steering wheel, I drive myself to the malls and shop on my own and have coffee with friends. Some friends have been extremely nice, offering to fetch me from home. Thanks guys!

Yesterday and today, it poured heavily in the afternoon for several hours, which was nice. It is much cooler, and I love the cool breeze that blows in to the house from opened windows and doors. Aaaah, this is what I call home! Fresh air, no air-conditioning but just fans, and the after-the-rain smell.

Above all, I do have some days when I am dead bored at home with nothing to do. I have to keep myself occupied, so I move around weeding the garden, washing the porches, watering the plants, mopping the floors and a little bit of cooking. I think I have done enough shopping for both baby and myself, so no more shopping! I have got everything ready for the arrival of our baby end of May.

Keep those e-mails coming. Love hearing from all of you ;)

Congratulations, Shannon!

2007-03-11T17:24:00.000+08:00

Congratulations, Shannon! Great news indeed. Shannon is expecting her first baby, due in November. Just last week when I was in my hometown, I took a trip down memory lane when I went through some old photos of Shannon and some of the girls I attended college with ten years ago. The wonderful pictures of us taken in Brockport, New York.

My best wishes to you Shannon and also to Brian. Enjoy pregnancy, and hey, if you need tips or information on pregnancy, eating habits and what to shop for when you enter babystores, do not hesitate to e-mail me.

By the way, I am in my 28th week of pregnancy, and as the newsletter shows, I am 84 days away! Nervous and excited at the same time. I am going natural, with no epidural. Wish me luck! I am mentally preparing myself for the "BIG" day!

Chinese New Year Holidays

2007-03-01T22:19:00.000+08:00

We left Abu Dhabi on Valentine's Day, arrived in Malaysia on the 15th and were home in Malacca, Dev's hometown, on the 16th for the Chinese New Year celebration. On the eve of Chinese New Year, we had a family reunion lunch with the family. This year's celebration was rather mellow in Malaysia. Not much firing of the firecrackers, which was good. All of us had peaceful nights of sleep.

There was plenty of food and cookies to feast on. It was hard to resist. Dev gained some weight, and so did I. I can still blame it on my pregnancy hormones, but in the last two weeks, we have been meeting friends and visiting relatives and feasting on sumptious meals.

Two weeks went by really quickly for the both of us. We spent a few days in Malacca, and then we were back in Kuala Lumpur to visit some friends and to enjoy a few days in our own home. My nieces were so happy to see us. So were we to see them. Gosh, they have grown so much since we last saw them in November. Then, three days spent in Sitiawan, my parents' place, were awesome too. We had so much to eat, including lots of crabs!

Despite my constant complaints of the unbearable heat here, Dev and I did have a wonderful time. If only he could be home longer. Today, he left for Abu Dhabi, back to work in two days' time.

Tough luck, no KL route scheduled for Dev in March. Soon, 777 will be taking over the KL routes based on the summer pattern-heavy loads in the summer. Oh well, Dev can only count the days to his next long leave, 3 weeks end-May, when our baby is due.

Until our next blog, adios for now.

Happy Birthday, Kurt!

2007-02-12T02:16:00.000+08:00

Dev & I hosted the last dinner before we leave for Malaysia. Coincidentally, Kurt's birthday happened to be on February 10, so dinner was hosted on the 9th.

Shoba came over to help prepare chili chicken with onions, and it was so delicious! I truly enjoyed it. I prepared the Malaysian-style pickle (acar)-carrots, cucumber, long beans & pineapple cubes. Our friend Atikah prepared chili anchovies (sambal ikan bilis & petai). We also had boiled eggs, cucumber slices and a Jamaican dish "jerk chicken", chicken marinated with jerk sauce. It was spicy and lovely, prepared by Ian's dad.

Rice was cooked with coconut milk, and the entire dinner combination was known as the famous Malaysian cuisine "nasi lemak".

Ian's parents are in town for two weeks. After dinner, we played the board game 'Taboo'. At midnight, carrot cake with frosting, made by our friend Rosie, was a surprise for Kurt. The cake - just delicious!

Our Malaysian friend Devaraj brought chocolates, and indeed he had a fantastic time with us. It was indeed a truly Malaysian dining experience!

Dev's Second Flight to New York

2007-02-12T01:53:00.000+08:00

The date on the camera was set (yet again) wrongly. It should be the year 2007.

Sunrise over the Atlantic, view from the cockpit, followed by pictures of Madison Square Garden, Empire State Building, Times Square, Radio City Music Hall & NBC Studios.

At the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Festival

2007-02-12T01:45:00.000+08:00

February 3, 2007

First Experience in the Desert

2007-02-02T03:25:00.000+08:00

Dev and a couple of his friends went on a desert adventure to Fossil Rock, 32kms off the highway of Dubai. The most amazing part was that some dinasour bones were found there and have been excavated.

Dev was very thrilled that his 'other wife' the Land Rover LR3 did a superb job on the sand dunes. Camels were also roaming that area when he and his friends were there. Navigation was done through GPS, as there were no roads, only sand.

Dev's First Trip to New York

2007-02-02T03:17:00.000+08:00

View from the cockpit over Iran, on the flight back from JFK to Abu Dhabi

"Ground Zero", site of former World Trade Center, which was destroyed in the 9-11 incident

Baby's New Crib

2007-02-02T03:04:00.000+08:00

Our baby's crib arrived today. The excited Daddy assembled it carefully. The crib is now ready with matching fitted sheets and cot bumper, in aeroplane motive.

Tour of a castle in Munich

2007-02-02T02:55:00.000+08:00

Old castle in Munich...old, eerie and smelly.

These are not paintings. They are hand-woven carpets that are hung on the walls in the castle.

A Trip to The Falls

2007-02-02T02:48:00.000+08:00

Niagara Falls in October ... freezing!

Baby's first kicks

2007-01-21T19:29:00.000+08:00

Somewhere between weeks 18 and 22, after a few days of wondering if what you're feeling is gas bubbles or some kind of strange muscle spasm, you'll feel tiny flutters as your baby moves. I had my very first experience on 16 January, 1AM to be exact. Dev was in Frankfurt then. I felt it again at ten that morning, and I was so excited I wanted to pick up the phone and call home, but it would have been 5 in the morning Malaysian time. I decided to enjoy the kicks until I fell asleep.

There's something really special about feeling your baby's kicking, squirming and hiccups. Your baby goes from being an abstraction to a real moving, stretching, living little person. You begin to realize that somebody is really inside you, and that can be just as exciting as the first time you heard your baby's heartbeat or caught a glimpse of her moving during the first sonogram.

"Quickening'" is what sensing first movement is called. It was once believed that mother's first feeling of movement was when the baby's soul descended down to earth. But pictures inside the womb show that babies are actually very active long before their moms ever realized it. You just begin to be able to feel the movements as your baby's bones harden.

First-time moms usually feel their babies move weeks later than experienced ones, and if you're overweight it may also take longer to detect movement. Sometimes, the placenta can be located toward the front of the uterus, making it harder to feel baby movements until the baby gets larger.

As mischievious as our son already is, he refuses to let his daddy feel his kicks. Last night while we were laying down in front of the tv, I felt his gentle kicks, so I told Dev to quickly place his hand on my belly, but as soon as his daddy put his hand on my belly, our boy decided not to kick. Moments after giving up on feeling his kicks, baby decided to kick. Our baby could have heard our conversation and decided to play a trick on us.

I feel his kicks several times a day, every day. It is just amazing!

Too cute to resist!

2007-01-19T20:08:00.000+08:00

I went shopping the other day at a British store called NEXT, and here are a couple of things I just couldn't resist. The best part was they were on sale!

Baby's first pair of shoes ... and socks. Aren't they cute??? The shoes are for "pre-walkers", between 3 and 6 months old.

Mommy-to-be, at five months

2007-01-15T03:22:00.000+08:00

Taken on 2 September 2006, just before my cousin's wedding dinner
(pardon the wrong date on the camera)

Smile!

2007-01-07T00:53:00.000+08:00

A windy morning at the Abu Dhabi Corniche with Adrian & Jessie's baby girl Rachel

At Tony Roma's, Ibn Battuta Mall Dubai

Ultrasound Picture

2007-01-05T20:11:00.000+08:00

Here's a picture of a scanned image of our baby's head at 18 weeks, 6 days. If you look close enough at the bottom of the picture (the white line where his body is), that is his spinal cord.

Check out the pointed nose and the rounded head! Hehe! Our little fellow!

All Things Blue

2007-01-05T19:53:00.000+08:00

Dev and I took advantage of the Dubai Shopping Festival sale in Dubai and went on a shopping spree for our little one at The BabyShop and Mothercare. We also got a Peg-Perego stroller, which is packed neatly in a box, to be checked in with our luggage when we head home to Malaysia next month. Nonetheless, I managed to get a picture of the exact stroller off the internet, just for you.

Here's a peek of what we have so far.

The complete feeding set

The baby stroller, which can accommodate a baby's weight up to 18kg, approximately 4 years old

Baby's first nursery rhymes book and music CD

A gift from our visiting Malaysian friend Audra

Christmas Eve Dinner

2007-01-05T18:21:00.000+08:00

Dev and I hosted a dinner for eight close friends on Christmas Eve, and it all started with the idea of roasting a turkey together with a couple from Malaysia Adrian and Jessie. Adrian and Jessie celebrate Christmas, but Dev and I don't, and because Adrian and Jessie suggested having roast turkey, Dev and I went all out to get everything we needed for a wonderful and memorable Christmas Eve dinner.

Jessie was exhausted from the flight from Malaysia to Dubai that morning so she missed dinner that evening, and Adrian came over with our friend Nurul. We had Deep and his girlfriend Svenja, our neighbours Kurt and Ian, as well as Malaysian cabin-crew-in-training, now with Etihad, Shoba and Rowina.

Thanks to online recipes, our very first Christmas Eve dinner was a success! Check out our roast turkey and baked stuffing!

Menu for the Evening:
Roast turkey, baked stuffing, baked corn on the cob, grilled garlic bread, fried spring rolls and sarmosas, and potato salad and "bubur kacang hijau" (Malaysian dessert - green peas boiled with coconut milk and sugar) made by Shoba, not forgetting my version of the Virgin Sangria!

Ian, Kurt and I enjoyed our non-alcoholic drinks. Both the guys had to work the next morning, so the Sangria was the only drink they could have. Hehe!

Dev landing a helping hand in basting the almost-done turkey

After the rain in Abu Dhabi

2007-01-05T18:08:00.000+08:00

Pictures were taken from our apartment after the heavy down pour in Abu Dhabi.

Gathering in Malacca

2007-01-05T17:28:00.000+08:00

Dev's parents hosted a party on 18 November, a wet Saturday, in their hometown Malacca. Thankfully the rain stopped before the guests arrived. It was a wonderful weather for a garden dinner party. The food was fantastic, and so was the company of family members and friends.

My brother-in-law Ben & Delphine
My nieces Charlene & Delphine clowning around
Delphine posing sweetly for the camera!
My Mom & Dad, and a close shot of my sister Jasmina
The proud-father-to-be!

It was a surprised birthday shout out for my brother Justin, who blew out 26 candles that evening.

Virgin Sangria

2006-12-22T16:32:00.000+08:00

For people like me who can't take any amount of alcohol during pregnancy, I have discovered a recipe for sangria, without the alcohol. This recipe is from one of the pregnancy books I am reading. It will be my drink on X'mas Eve!

VIRGIN SANGRIA

Ingredients

3 cups unsweetened grape juice
3/4 cups apple juice concentrate
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 small unpeeled lemon; sliced and seeded
1 small unpeeled orange; sliced and seeded
1 small unpeeled apple; cored, cut into eights
1 3/4 cups soda / sparkling water

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients except the soda/sparkling water in a large pitcher. Stir well, and chill. Add soda/sparkling water just before serving. Serve over ice in wineglasses.

Pikelets

2006-12-21T22:11:00.000+08:00

I was first introduced to "pikelets" (pronounced pai-ke-lets) by Rosie, one of my good friends here in Abu Dhabi who loves feeding me and Dev! I went online a few days later and decided to get the recipe from the internet, and today, I made my very own pikelets!

These are guaranteed no-fail pikelets, so the recipe says, and it is proven!

Ingredients
1 cup self raising flour
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp bicarbonate soda (baking soda)
1/2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar
3/4 cup milk
1 egg - beaten
30 g melted butter
Butter/oil for cooking

Preparation
Add lemon juice/vinegar to milk. Stand to one side. Melt butter in microwave or over hot water. Mix flour, bicarbonate soda and sugar. Add butter, milk and egg to dry ingredients, mix well to remove all lumps.

Heat pan over medium heat. Drop 1 tbsp of mixture into fry pan for each pikelet. Cook for about 1 minute, turn and cook other side for 1 minute.

Serve with jam and butter or other condiments as preferred. It is delicious when you spread butter first and then jam over butter. Yummie!

As simple as A-B-C! Happy pikelet-ing! Hehe!

* Image of pikelets taken from yahoo image gallery. Mine didn't look as good as the ones in the picture *

Seasons Greetings

2006-12-18T18:10:00.000+08:00

It's the time of the year where the holiday spirit is shared with one another throughout the world. Over here in Abu Dhabi, the temperature has been dropping, and the wind is very chilly. With the air-condition switched off, we are wearing socks all day long to keep warm (in the desert!) The cold season will last until March next year. It sure feels like X'mas now!

Six days from today, Dev and I will be driving to Dubai International Airport to welcome our friends Adrian, Jessie and their baby girl Rachel from Malaysia (we stay in the same neighbourhood in Subang Jaya) for a week's holiday in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. That is also our reason for hosting a X'mas dinner for the very first time, turkey included!

As first-timers, Dev and I are attempting on roasting a whole turkey (the turkey is in our freezer now). We will be having around 8 guests, and we will be serving roast turkey, stuffing baked separately-not in the turkey, garlic bread, corn on the cob, fried spring rolls, potato salad and a dessert-thanks to our friends Shoba and Rowina who have volunteered to prepare them, not forgetting the authentic home-made brandy fruit cake from Malaysia! Some spirits will be shared too-for those who will be drinking, there will be Jack Daniels, Bacardi and wine. I am thinking of preparing a pitcher of sangria with fruit wedges. It is made by adding wine to soda and a couple of citrus mixtures.

On the 25th, we will be heading to a friend's place for some real X'mas treats, including a roasted piglet!

We will update next with images of our friends and our little dinner, provided no one gets sick from the food or drinks! Hehe! To all my friends and relatives out there, HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS & A BLESSED NEW YEAR!

With love,
Dev & Jac

My Pregnancy This Week-Week 15

2006-12-12T14:25:00.000+08:00

My Pregnancy This Week (newsletter from BabyCenter)

Hello from BabyCenter!

At around 4 inches long, crown to rump, your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 ounces. He's busy inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, which will help the air sacs in his lungs develop. His legs are growing longer than his arms now, and he can move all his joints and limbs. That means his hands are more functional, too. Sweat glands are appearing, and although his eyelids are fused shut, he can sense light. If you were to shine a flashlight at your tummy, he'd be likely to move away from the beam.

If you're scheduled for an ultrasound in the coming weeks (most women have one between 16 and 20 weeks), you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! Don't be disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down the gender depends on how clear the picture is and the position of your baby during the ultrasound; he may be curled or turned in such a way as to keep you in suspense.

Your baby's taste buds are beginning to form now, too, and a study at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia suggests he may be able to taste what you've been eating. Researchers found that flavors from the food pregnant women ate ended up in their amniotic fluid. They also found that eating healthy foods during pregnancy may help your baby develop a preference for those foods that could last a lifetime.

Yours truly

2006-11-30T18:55:00.000+08:00

This picture was taken at our friends Lionel & Michelle's wedding reception on 19 November. Our two-week holiday in Malaysia was so awesome words just can't describe it.

Our baby is now 14 weeks old, since the last scan on 28 November. Dr. Meltem told us that the baby's due date is 1st June. Baby is looking fine and doing well, and so is soon-to-be Mummy.

Soon-to-be Daddy is now studying hard for his upcoming base check next week for the Airbus 340 conversion. Soon, his routes will include Paris, New York and Kuala Lumpur. Etihad will be starting its first direct flight to KL on 15 January 2007, 6 times weekly.

Until our next update on the blog, stay healthy and smile always! :)

Minh's Baby Shower

2006-10-31T16:25:00.000+08:00

A Pat On The Back

2006-10-20T02:47:00.000+08:00

Dev and I have always had friends over for dinners, but today was a little special. It wasn't just any ordinary dinner. It was just special, and I am proud to say I did well with the food preparation (with Dev's help in the kitchen, of course!) Again, it had slipped my mind to take snap shots of my dishes.

I prepared "pork adobo", a famous Filipino dish, which is pork belly and rib cubes seasoned in sweet and soy sauce, with a little bit of ketchup added to the sauce. It was my first attempt, and I am proud to say it was a success! I had also prepared nyonya acar (pineapple, cucumber, carrot and long bean cuts mixed with blended chili and peanuts), omelette with cut long beans and tofu with minced pork. When your guests (and husband) take a second helping, it is the best compliment without having to hear it. Honestly, I surprised myself with the ability to cook and my new found interest - cooking. From being a woman who had never liked cooking to being able to prepare a sumptious meal, Mom, you will be proud of me ;)

Let me give myself a pat on the back!

Ski Dubai

2006-10-19T20:40:00.000+08:00

Pictures of Ski Dubai, taken from Mall of the Emirates.

Ten-Minute Tofu Recipe

2006-10-18T18:16:00.000+08:00

Surprisingly, I have picked up an interest in cooking, thanks to a recipe book given by my Malaysian friend. I can now proudly say I can cook! I have made nyonya acar (pineapple, carrot & cucumber pickle with chopped peanuts and chili), chicken rice (the whole works, from preparing the rice to the soup, ginger chili sauce and roast chicken) and my ten-minute tofu. With all the excitement, I had forgotten to take snaps of my dishes. But I got a shot of my tofu dish just for you.

Ingredients

1 pack soft Japanese tofu
1 tbsp oil
4 thin slices ginger
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
100 g lean minced chicken or beef (I used minced pork)
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp cornflour, mixed with 3 tbsp water (I didn't use cornflour)

Garnish:
Sprinkling of finely shredded cucumber, carrot, spring onion and chilli

Method
1. Slice tofu into 2 cm slices and lay on a serving plate (it is not necessary to cook).
2. Heat oil and fry ginger slices for a minute or two until fragrant. Add garlic and fry until golden brown before stirring in the minced meat. Season with the light and dark soy sauces, sugar and pepper. Lastly swirl in the cornflour mixture and stir until mixture thickens - about 2 minutes (optional). Take pan off the heat and pour mixture over the tofu slices.
3. Sprinkle on the shredded vegetables and serve immediately with rice or noodles.

Recipe taken from http://kuali.com

Flying the chopper

2006-10-18T17:58:00.000+08:00

Ian finally took his model helicopter out to the open land, but the chopper just refused to lift off the ground.

Dev & Ian

Getting the engine started

The chopper

Dev & Kurt patiently waited for some take off action ...

... but this was as high as it got off the ground

The show's over!

The Burj-Al Arab

2006-10-18T17:43:00.000+08:00

Last month when our Australian friend Paul was here for a week, we made a trip to Dubai, and we got as close as we could to the world-famous seven-star hotel.

Located at the entrance of the Burj is the Wild Wadi Theme Park.

Friday the 13th

2006-10-13T23:35:00.000+08:00

It is 11:38PM Malaysian time and 7:38PM local time in Abu Dhabi. Dev has left for a night flight to Dammam, back at midnight. I am online and writing this blog while listening to Toni Braxton singing "You Make Me High". Dev and I are counting the days to returning to Malaysia next month for 2 weeks. The timing couldn't have been better-by then, I would be 12 weeks into the pregnancy-safe to fly.

I am doing great so far, with no vomiting or any sign of morning sickness. My first craving attack was last week. I wanted idli (a sourish thosai-like texture but are made in small thick pieces, an Indian delicacy) and fish curry! Dev, the kind hubby that I have, drove me the next day to Anjappar, an Indian shop, that sells idli. It was lunch time, and Anjappar only serves idli for breakfast and dinner. There's always "home delivery". The next morning, we ordered 10 pieces with lovely fish curry. After having idli for two days, I was satisfied :) Since then, the baby hasn't craved anything else. But the Mommy-to-be has made a list of things she wants to eat when she is home in Malaysia!

My face has grown a little rounder around the cheeks and chin. I am carefully taking care of myself with a cup of Anmum milk each morning, lots of fruits and vegies. Dev has been the sweetest thing, helping out with the household chores, washing, laundry, and taking great care of me :)

Arabic classes have been keeping me occupied three times a week in the morning, and in between there are revisions that we have to do at home. We have spelling and dictation in Arabic! I must say it has been fun with the five of us-Judy from Toronto, Minh from Vietnam, Jeanine and Andrea from Switzerland and myself. The instructor (can't pronounce her name) is from Syria, and she comes to Judy's apartment to conduct the sessions. Judy is 6 floors below me. Ma-hah-ba means hello, and shukran means thank you, and habibi means friend. At the moment, we are learning to write all 28 alphabets in Arabic (jawi writing). We have gone from alif to baa, taa, thaa and uu (pronounced oooo). We are taught to write each alphabet independently as an alphabet, at the beginning of each word, in the middle and at the end. The alphabet changes shape as we use them in various ways in spelling. Imagine, 24 more alphabets to go!

Have a wonderful weekend, wherever you are, whichever country you are in :))

A little baby ...

2006-10-11T01:47:00.000+08:00

A little bundle of joy will be coming our way next year. I am 2 months pregnant, and our baby is expected to arrive on 26 May 2007. Both Mom- and Dad-to-be are thrilled and nervous at the same time ;)

Postcards from the desert

2006-10-11T01:35:00.000+08:00

These images were taken as we were travelling from Abu Dhabi to Dubai.

Yvonne & Denis' Wedding Reception

2006-10-10T16:34:00.000+08:00

My wonderful cousin Yvonne and Denis Mitchel tied the knot on 2 September 2006. The beautiful couple are all smiles in this picture with my Mom, brother Justin, niece Jocelyn and of course, the charming couple, that's Dev and me! Hehe!

My sister Jasmina and her angels Charlene and Delphine

Cute little Jocelyn

A visit to Taiping

2006-10-08T18:49:00.000+08:00

During our last visit home to Malaysia in August, Dev and I, together with our parents and Dev's sister, managed to slot in time for a day-trip upnorth to Taiping, Perak. The town is situated on a coastal plain just west of the Bintang Range. Alor Setar, Kedah, lies to the north-west and Ipoh to the south-east. The area developed quickly in the 19th century when tin was discovered. The mines attracted large numbers of settlers, particularly Chinese.

Pardon the wrong date setting seen on the photos

A breath-taking view of Taiping Lake Gardens

Taiping Museum

After a hard day's work

Port Weld Museum

Taiping New Club

War Memorial

Maxwell Hill

The most enjoyable part of the entire trip was the ride up and down the narrow road of Maxwell Hill with 180-degree angles in an old yet sturdy Land Rover Defender.

Dev's Big-Ass Car

2006-09-03T01:34:00.000+08:00

This "big-ass" Land Rover Discovery 3 is Dev's baby, next to his wife, of course. A couple of weeks ago, this LR3 met with an accident due to carelessness while parking in the basement of our apartment building. Well, it wasn't carelessness-Dev said he didn't know about the air-condition duct hanging low with jutting screws at that particular spot just next to the entrance to the building from the basement. As he was reversing into the parking spot, we heard a thud, and immediately we knew the car was damaged to a certain extend.

Dev climbed up and saw the damage which one of the screws had caused-a deep scratch on the body and a shattered sunroof! And you guessed it right, Dev's heart had shattered, too. It took us several days running between the police station and the insurance company, and finally the sunroof is fixed and the car polished.

Somewhere beyond the sea

2006-09-01T00:25:00.000+08:00

Our Canadian friends Judy and Glen who live in the same building as we do recently invited us for a BBQ dinner on their boat. It was an awesome evening as we cruised at the Abu Dhabi Corniche at sunset. We would have gone out further into the sea if not for the rough waters. Nonetheless, the good company, excellent view and great BBQ food made the evening wonderful.

Our new home

2006-08-30T10:54:00.000+08:00

Our shipment from Malaysia arrived in Abu Dhabi after almost a month, but it was worth the wait. Here are some images of the apartment:

The entrance and our cozy little kitchen ...

The living room with a great view!

The master bedroom

Dev's study

The entrance to the living & dining room

Our guest bedroom is yet to be decorated. I will update with more images soon.

What it is like living in Abu Dhabi

2006-08-28T21:08:00.000+08:00

When the idea of living in the Middle East presented itself, my first impression was it would be a great opportunity for both Dev and me in terms of career planning. I, or shall I say we, did not regret the decision to move to the Middle East, though I must say many friends and relatives were very skeptical about the environment and lifestyle in Abu Dhabi. Many don't even know that Abu Dhabi exists on the world map, but strangely everyone knows Dubai.

This blog isn't going to make you want to move to Abu Dhabi, nor will it show how much we appreciate living abroad-Dev and I still love Malaysia-there's no other place like Malaysia. This blog is merely to share information and experience living in Abu Dhabi.

Moving to the area did not sit well with worried loved ones in Malaysia, as they only had information from the area focused on terrorism and war, and certainly nothing positive. When I remarked how safe I would be with near-zero crime rates, there were surprised faces. Many still think that every woman, whether a Muslim or a non-Muslim, is required to cover herself from head to toe. Sometimes, I wonder whether it is just sheer ignorance or am I being teased with the question of our decision to move to the Middle East where women are required to cover up themselves. A real life experience in Abu Dhabi would change a whole lot of perception. To a certain extend, and in many ways, the quality of life and environment is what I cherish, not forgetting how far more modern the lifestyle in Abu Dhabi is, compared to many parts of the world.

Arabia is the area made up of the Arab in Peninsula, located in the southwestern region of the Asian continent. Politically, the Arabian Peninsula consists of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Oman, and Yemen. Excluding Yemen, these countries constitute the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Founded in 1981, the aim of the GCC is to promote coordination between member states and for the most part, their economies are flourishing. They even have plans for a common monetary currency within five years. The UAE is geared towards building seven star hotels and man-made islands shaped like palm trees and the globe. Business is booming. By offering tax-free zones, they attract major international corporations. The UAE has no sales tax or income tax, which makes it an attractive working environment for citizens from countries not obliged to pay taxes on foreign income.

The UAE is one of the most tolerant countries in the Muslim world. Foreign workers make up 90% of the population and somewhere down the line, it was decided to take a moderated ‘live and let live’ attitude. For instance, Muslims don’t eat pork but some grocery stores have a separate section where every imaginable pork item is available. Muslims don’t drink alcohol either, but non-Muslims can get a license to purchase alcohol.

Coffee outlets are everywhere. We get Coffee Bean, Starbucks, and "Mugg & Bean", the favourite hangout of Malaysians! We have two main malls, Abu Dhabi Mall and Marina Mall. Marina Mall is where Dev and I hang out frequently. It is only 5 minutes' drive from our apartment, and the drive by the corniche's blue waters is pleasant. Marina Mall offers shoppers a wide variety of shopping experience, and many who are brand conscious are spoilt by choices of famous brands ranging from Timberland and Levi's to Louis Vuitton, Bvlgari and every available label there is.

Time just flew by for a month though I was home doing next to nothing while patiently awaiting the shipment of our furniture to arrive. From curry powder and all kinds of spices to branded items and the latest gadgets in stores, Abu Dhabi is not as bad as it seems. Now that I’m living there, I am taking the opportunity to learn Arabic, start either an exercise regime of belly dancing or yoga.

When people from outside the region first arrive, the first thing they notice, other than the heat and humidity, is the country appears to be sprouting cranes. Particularly in Dubai, building is underway around the clock. They already have two opulent, seven star hotels. Recently, they’ve reclaimed land from the Gulf, patterned it into huge islands shaped like palm trees and topped them with luxury homes, shopping malls, convention centers and hotels. Another island underway is fantastically shaped like the globe with land forming continents. Accommodations and facilities on these islands sell out faster than they can build them. The growth is simply phenomenal and returns on investment are staggering. And it’s all happening in a place many people don’t even know exists. But they will, soon. This is too big a secret to keep.

Twelve Days To Go

2006-07-04T22:16:00.000+08:00

Twelve days to go before I bid farewell to family members and friends, and I can already imagine the tears at the airport. I am praying hard that Dev and I get to go on the same flight. I would need him with me when my eyes are swollen and teary. I must not forget my sunglasses!

Three days ago, Dev told me that he had gotten my flight ticket confirmed. I will be flying on 17 July in the afternoon via Bangkok, and a couple hours later from Bangkok I will depart on Etihad Airways directly to Abu Dhabi, arriving there slightly past midnight.

Let's not mention the emotional state I am in right now thinking about how close the date of departure is and that I have twelve days to make the best of my stay here before I move on to the next stage of my life. It may sound as though it isn't such a great deal, but it is a great deal to me. Leaving my family is never an easy task, and to my parents and perhaps my siblings too, this separation is the similar event which took place about twelve years ago when they had to leave me to travel alone to New York for two years of college.

On the bright side, Dev had just received the keys to a new three-bedroom apartment unit. Finally, no more hotels and service apartments - we are having our own place! If I am not mistaken, it is the second-highest or the highest floor on the apartment building, and it faces the sea. The unit comes with three bathrooms, each attached to a bedroom. According to Dev, the kitchen is small, but it sure is fine for me - less space to clean up after cooking! Both or us are excited to start decorating the place. Dev will be getting his furniture allowance soon, and by the time we both are there after the 17th, we will be busy planning ways to decorate our new pad. Dev is already getting the basic electrical items - a convection microwave oven, toaster, electric kettle and vacuum cleaner. The rest, he says, he'll wait for me to be there. After all, he will be coming home to Malaysia next week for five days.

I guess this weekend it's time for me to start packing. No more delays ...

Balik Kampung

2006-07-04T21:08:00.000+08:00

In Malay, balik kampung means going home to our hometown. Last Friday after dinner, my brother, sister and her family, her new Indonesian maid, Mom and I drove up north for three hours to our hometown in Sitiawan. We arrived slightly before one on Saturday morning, just the right timing to surprise Dad on his 66th birthday. Thankfully, Dad was home watching football in his favourite Ikea chair, and with my honking to the tune of "A Shave & A Hair Cut, Ten Cents", he knew instantly that the 'troop' had arrived. See, we have always surprised our parents by travelling after work on Fridays and arriving past midnight. To Dad, he said he sort of expected it. Plus, my sister's new maid arrived several days before earlier, and that meant Mom was 'free' to go home after being in KL for a month to help out with the babysitting (my sister has three little girls, and they can be a handful).

After unpacking our cars, my sister and her husband went hunting for food. We were a little hungry, and the first thing my sister and I wanted was asam laksa. About 45 minutes later, they came home with bags of food. Then, it was time to bring out the Secret Recipe chocolate banana cake from the car, and with six large and six small candles, my sister and I surprised my Dad with a birthday song, choired by the rest -- err, come to think of it, it was only the two older kids singing the Birthday song!

asam laksa

Dad is never a cake-lover, except for fruit cakes. This time, we could see he truly enjoyed and commented on the lovely chocolate banana cake. And since he knew it had travelled all the way from KL back home, he enjoyed it even more.

The kids had a whale of a time back home -- they walked the back lanes looking for and chasing cats, being pampered by their Grandparents and had a great time at the playground by the beach. The kids joined the other children there on the swing, slide and see-saw. It was dawning on us and just before we left the playground, my sister and I, each with a kid, went on the see-saw, and seeing how fun it was, the Grandparents and my brother went on it, too -- each with the same reason that the kids needed someone to hold them. There were laughter all around, but after a few ups and downs, we adults got a little dizzy, and that was when we decided it was time to go. Dinner in a chinese restaurant was great. Dad gave us a treat :)

popiah

Once back in our hometown, my siblings and I go along with the motto "Late to bed, late to rise". Breakfast would be nasi lemak from the wet market, and Mom would have finished with the preparation for lunch before all of us wake up. Mom even woke me up just to say she was going to get me some durians from the market, and by the time I woke up with my oldest niece, there were three large durians ready to be eaten! That's not it; after lunch, we all had the bottle of champagne I brought home and soon after my cousin brought cendol, and not wanting to give it a miss, I had some.

cendol

With a combination of all these local food and desserts, no wonder I am down with the cold, cough and a bad sore throat. My nieces were having a bad cough and cold, and I blame them! Hehehe! Mom and Dad just wanted me to have as much local delicacies as I could possibly eat or crave before I move over to the Middle East.

durian

Mommy & Daddy -- thank you very much!

Dinner with Aida & Elaine

2006-06-29T22:39:00.000+08:00

With a date set about two weeks ago, I finally met up with my former colleagues Aida and Elaine for a japanese dinner in Hartamas. Both ladies brought their masterpiece albums to share -- Aida and her wedding photos and Elaine and her photos taken on her recent trip to Japan. Thanks girls, for a wonderful dinner and chat -- if we had stayed on longer in Rakuzen, we would have frozen to death, thanks to their extra cold air-conditioning!

My New Hair

2006-06-29T22:20:00.000+08:00

I have just straightened my hair, and here's how it looks. And oooh, I just realized the date has not been reprogrammed. It should be 29/06/2006.

Good Fengshui?

2006-06-26T20:16:00.000+08:00

The mystical knot sign is said to bring good luck.

What's Next?

2006-06-22T22:48:00.000+08:00

After two weeks and a half of renovation work, the house is finally 'restored' with a fresh new look. Dev and I just hope that our home remains the same for many years to come. The part-time helper I got did a brilliant job! She thoroughly cleaned the entire house from top to bottom, and I was so thankful for her excellent job that I ended up giving her a small tip. I have never hired a domestic helper, and for the first time, it felt great getting our home back to normal again, which means no more cement dust covering out feet, no more inappropriate positions of furniture and no more covered sofas!

As soon as the contractor and his workers cleaned out the mess in the lawn this morning (by the way the lawn is in a mess with a mixture of spilt concrete powder, rain water soaked in the ground and yellow patches -- not a pretty sight), I got ready and picked up my visiting mom from my sister's place and went shopping. It was a great afternoon -- the mall was empty because we were there on a weekday afternoon. No problem finding a parking spot, and no long queues at the cashier counters. However, it poured heavily when we were about to exit the mall.

Tomorrow is HAIR DAY for me. After lunch, I am getting my hair rebonded (straightened) at a nearby salon. I would want to get my hair coloured as well (red, I hope!) but because rebonded hair is brittle and dry, it is not recommended to do colouring so soon. I was told to wait for 2-3 weeks after rebonding my hair. I was also told red doesn't last for a very long time, so it's back to copper for me. Hopefully my hair looks great before I leave for Abu Dhabi. The harsh water in the Middle East makes hair dry, so I may have a problem trying to tame my hair! Must remember to stock up on loads of hair conditioner!

Dev's 3-week leave in July was not approved due to the shortage of pilots (sob, sob sob ... because he won't be home in July for long). He's been given only four off days -- just to be able to attend our friend's wedding, and if we are not too bogged down with running errands at the very end hour, we may have a special celebration of our first wedding anniversary.

Soon, it will be time for me to start packing (no more procratination, Jac!). Until then, I shall enjoy every moment and every day here with my family and friends.

My Big 3-0 Celebration

2006-06-16T00:05:00.000+08:00

At Las Carretas Mexican Restaurant

KC, Li Yen, Chris, Han

Ivan, Hong Tee, May, KC, Chris

Audra, Reez & baby Noelle

Quick before the sauce leaks out!

Joon & Ivan

Hong Tee & girlfriend

Little Women

2006-06-15T23:56:00.000+08:00

My little nieces ...

Dev's New Toy

2006-06-15T22:36:00.000+08:00

Dev has nothing else on his mind except to get his dream car as soon as he set foot in the UAE. Once the car was in his name, there was no turning back for him.

The Land Rover Discovery 3 is an all-new, premium SUV that offers class-leading breadth of capability, innovative user-friendly technology, distinctive design and a spacious interior that can comfortably accommodate up to seven adults. So, if you are planning to visit us in Abu Dhabi with your brood, don't worry -- we've got lots of room in the car for all.

I am impressed!

Front and rear cupholders

Door-mounted bottle holders in front and rear doors and third-row seat

Optional center console cooler chills up to six cans

Seats up to seven adults comfortably

Configurable seats offer over 100 combinations

Allows you to park with confidence, thanks to a clear view of your surroundings

Features reclining, ergonomically designed eight-way power-adjustable driver seat on HSE (six-way on SE and V6)

Five-seat model features a 65/35 split on the second row seat

Seven-seat model features a 35/30/35 split flat-folding second row seat

Outer second row seats can be folded away and the center seat can be turned into a table—providing rear passengers an enormous amount of room and table surface

Stadium seats in the second and third rows offer spacious views and ample leg room—even for adults

Second and third row seats can fold away for a flat loading area for extra luggage

Convenient loadspace cover conceals valuable items in your cargo area and provides an uncluttered look

Memory system for driver seat and exterior mirrors on HSE

Harman Kardon Logic 7 Systems
Harman Kardon Logic 7 sound systems offer excellent sound quality with technology from the best home cinema systems

V6 comes standard with AM/FM-stereo single-disc CD player with 6 speakers

SE comes standard with a 9-speaker, 240-watt Harman Kardon Logic 7 sound system with in-dash six-disc changer

HSE comes standard with a 13-speaker, 550-watt Harman Kardon Logic 7 sound system with in-dash six-disc changer

MP3 disc compatibility

HSE has remote audio controls in rear for back seat passengers to listen to music different from the music in front

Auxiliary input for iPod® or other MP3 player

LR3´s Personal Telephone Integration System gives you the flexibility to use your mobile phone through your car via an integrated cradle or with the wireless convenience of Bluetooth® technology. When connected, your phone can be controlled via:

·Vehicle Keypad ·Voice Recognition System ·Steering wheel controls

One thing's for sure: this baby of his won't be caught travelling in sand dunes! It's too precious to be 'taken for a ride!'

Abu Dhabi Red Bull Air Race

2006-06-15T22:11:00.000+08:00

Several days after my arrival in the UAE, I managed to witness the first Red Bull Air Race in the series which was scheduled to take place on 17 March in Abu Dhabi. The crowd was just unbelievably huge, all gathered at the Corniche, but it was postponed to the following day due to strong, treacherous winds, triggering a sand storm that filled the air with dust and sand. The weather worsened throughout the day, making it increasingly menacing for the pilots and dampening hopes of simply delaying the race until later in the day. Powerful gusts battered the five-story air tower on the harbour and controllers were forced to fasten down the awnings at the top of the swaying structure while workmen had to reinforce the canopy covered VIP lounge stands.

It was a spectacular show the next day at the Abu Dhabi Corniche. The race was flown over the city's harbour basin and pilots usually hope for a light breeze when flying over water because the calm surface makes it difficult for them to estimate the exact altitude. Set up on barges, the air-filled pylons sway and move under windy conditions, as do the fairly light-weight planes.

"Imagine being a Formula One driver coming up to a corner at high speed and suddenly the corner moves in front of you. That's what it's like trying to fly the course in strong winds," explained race commentator Joe McGrath.

Safety remains a topmost concern at the event, which is taking place under the patronage of Sheik Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan and with the support of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority. Several hundred invited guests attended the event, and that included me and Dev and a couple of his buddies.

Thanks Julie!

2006-06-14T00:00:00.000+08:00

I would like to thank my former colleague Julie for the wonderful gift she had given me, a book on Mother & Baby Care and a few other information booklets. These books will keep me occupied once I am in Abu Dhabi. Thanks once again Julie! It was a pleasant surprise! :-)