All in a day...

0700-0800 Flight to BKK
0800-0900 Taxi ride to embassy
0900-0915 Done at embassy
0915-1000 Walked around aimlessly.
1000-1045 Taxi ride to airport
1045 Plane delayed. Walked around aimlessly again
1330-1430 Flight back to CNX

All in all, I spent 15 minutes at the embassy but 4 whole hours travelling and 2 hours wandering and waiting. You know what, I really feel like screaming out loud. I rushed to the immigration and managed to reach there at 3pm, but they refused to accept my application and told me to return the next morning!!!

This is just so unbelievable.

If you plan to marry a Thai...

The guy doing the paperwork for my visa extension was not informed of the policy changes and it turned out that I couldn't extend my visa after its expiry. The thing is... my visa is going to expire when I am in Dubai!!! I have to extend the visa before I leave or my work permit will be terminated. P brilliantly suggested for me to change my visa from a "O" category visa to spouse visa, meaning Mdm has to get to the Singapore Embassy in Bangkok, get our marriage certificate endorsed, then return to extend my visa in Chiangmai. I am leaving on Sunday and the immigration office will be closed over the weekend. To not risk doing it at the last minute, we plan to get the documents to the immigration tomorrow afternoon. That means... I am going to Bangkok tomorrow and will get back for my visa application before the immigration office closes at 4pm. Mdm is traveling to Bangkok then back to Chiangmai all in 4 hours!!!

Seriously, P's PR application in Singapore was a breeze. This whole visa application thingy is really a big hassle and it is making us very frustrated. I will not allow my Vietnam trip episode to replay!!! I suggest for anyone who has plans to marry a Thai (or any foreigner) to first review the immigration rules and regulation of his/her country thoroughly.

ARGH.

As you age...

Yummy yummy





I made 6 cheese pies in cups and one using a medium size aluminium tray. P commented that the crust I made (using Khong Guan biscuits and lots of butter) tasted better than Judy's!

Yesterday morning, C commented that I looked funny the moment I settled myself at my workstation across hers.

"Did you cut your fringe?"
"No"
"Did you do something to your hair?"
"No"
"Did you put something on your face?"
"No"

When I went to the ladies and stared at myself in the mirror, I realized that I have forgotten to draw my brows. Ages ago, my confidence booster used to be just 2 strokes of eyeliner. The colouring works on my face have since expanded to include brushes of blusher, drawing of brows, eye shadow etc.

Temptations to men and dogs

Mdm and my office at lunch last Wednesday (pigging out on food prepared by the students from International Hospitality Management)



I didn't manage to get the peace I have anticipated. In fact, I had a terrible night yesterday. At somewhat regular intervals, our dog howled. It was terribly annoying and I was jerked awake periodically. Anyway, I managed to drag myself to work this morning and I thought I deserve a pat on my shoulder.

Ok, back to the dog.

He attempted escape numerous times and when he did, he would appear at the front gate at about the time when everyone gets back from work/ school. Somehow, he always find his way back home. Few weeks back, instead of being cautious and try keeping him in every morning (which is by the way, a very tedious job), SIL decided that the dog would be allowed to roam the streets in the day. You know how humans succumb to temptations, dogs too. And I warned P about it. I predicted that he would be home later and later each day and soon, he would be gone. And that happened. He was punctual for the first few days, and then he got home later and later (like 6pm, 7pm). Last Thursday, he was home at 9pm. We had to check the gates (front and back) every half an hour. So after his last venture, SIL decided that he should be locked in. And since then, he howls continuous (now stretching into the nights).

And just yesterday, I was on the phone with mummy. She attended a birthday celebration the day before and as usual, she had lots to share about her meet-up with my uncles and aunts. Mummy mentioned that one of my married cousins is having a very active nightlife (twice weekly). She frowned upon this and commented that his frequent late nights out will only "brew trouble".

It so reminds me of our dog.

Mdm is going to spend my weekend recharging

Man decorates basement with $10 worth of Sharpie



I don't think I can do anything to the wall in our room. P has vandalized it enough.

The kids will be away this weekend, meaning I can finally have plenty of sleep on both saturday AND sunday! This is indeed a very good piece of news for me. This has been a really slow week at work and I badly need a good rest over the weekend. I have planned to improvise Judy's cheese pie recipe and I will be preparing some oreo cheese pies tomorrow. That should be about it for my weekend.

It's the annual Vegetarian Festival in Thailand and this is going to last till next wednesday. I am not on a vegan diet and I don't think I will ever be. I am not really a meat lover but I don't fancy too many types of vegetables either. It didn't come as a surprise to see long queues at the vegetarian stalls since most of the Thais are Buddhist. Just today, I saw a group of ladies donned in all white and I found out that there are actually some rules participants have to adhere to over this 9-day period (e.g. wearing white or yellow, no sex, no alcoholic drinks or tobacco etc).

I didn't get the origin of this festival and couldn't quite understand its purpose but this must be the only time that Thais are staying off alcohol.

Mdm cannot wait for her upcoming trips

蚵仔煎
aka oyster omelet

蚵仔麵線
aka oyster vermicelli

魯肉飯
minced, cubed, or ground fatty pork, stewed in soy sauce and spices, then served on rice

芋仔冰
a dessert made of frozen taro root paste

臭豆腐 aka stinky tofu!!!

It's food, food, and more food!

Mdm is so excited about my Taiwan trip! I didn't have much interest in visiting Taiwan before but once I started preparing the itinerary for our year end trip, I couldn't help feeling excited about it (especially at the thought of the many night markets, potential shopping spree, yummy food and Taiwanese TV shows!).

Mdm is travelling with her loved ones

We have confirmed our trip. We are going to Taiwan, then Hong Kong in December and I so want to spend this Christmas eve in Disneyland!