The Day I Forgot To Fetch Ace

 Had to pick Ace up a few days because my car pool kid was not feeling well... Took these photos to help remember this wonderful school...

And then leh, the mum in our car pool said that her son is still not feeling well. I was thinking how I can have some extra time to pack the house and thought of asking my neighbour whose daughters are in the same school to help me send Ace to school when they send their daughters there and my helpful neighbours agreed!

I was very proud of myself that I came up with such a good idea and so pleased with myself that I saved some time to pack more things...

But leh, silly me.. I forgot that if i dun need to send him to school, it doesnt mean that I dun need to pick him up!

I was happily sitting at home.. and then suddenly at 2.45pm, I realized that I HAD TO PICK ACE UP and school has already ended for half an hour!!! At this time, my phone rang and it turned out that Ace used his school phone to call me!

Oh dear, I chili cholor quickly change and take a cab to school to pick him up.

I asked the taxi uncle if he can wait for me but he says he is changing shift and so I had to go home on my own via metro.

Heng ah, reach there Ace was not the last kid to be picked up.. so not so paiseh:) wahahahaha

But leh, it was no joke to walk in the 40+ degree hot sun to the metro station. And because i came out in a rush, I forgot to bring food along with me. So we went to the mama shop near the school and bought some snacks and decided to brave the heat and quickly walk to the metro station.

 Finally at the metro station and we found a place to sit down and eat snacks so Ace doesnt feel so hungry before we continue with our journey... Ah, very shiok to be in aircon after walking 15 min in the hot sun!

 Took the train home and saw something hilarious.. there was this guy.. who came into the women and children carriage... look at his bewildered look.. i bet he is thinking.. WHY SO MANY WOMEN AND NO MEN?:P wahahahahaah

Reached home liao then asked Ace if he wanted to eat the lychee swiss roll I made. I think my pan is too small so very difficult to roll. Plus it is a new oven and I still cannot catch the temperature and so the bottom is a little chao dar..

Other than that, Ace says it is very nice.

Previous Post: Farewell Dubai: SWG Breafast Meeting

Farewell Dubai: SWG Breafast Meeting

I think Dubai is undergoing a huge change. All of a sudden, there are many people around me LEAVING and GOING to dubai.

Just in SWG itself, there are quite a few people who are leaving in the month of July! So a few of us decided to meet up for a gathering at Sangeetha's.. an indian restaurant we said we wanted to visit together previously..

As I had to bring Ace to school that day, I brought Ace to school and tried to walk to the restaurant after taking a train to the nearest metro station. I have been living in that area so long but really first and last time I walk around that area.

Dunno when I will get to eat good and cheap indian breakfasts like this again:) Will certainly miss the good company and all the interesting things we did together like the cooking lessons, picnics , visits to places of interests and day out to visit Ya Kun... Haha.. Am going to miss my taitai outings as I will no longer have the freedom to do that or kakis to meet up with when I am back in Singapore.

Previous Post"\: Make Your Own Breakfast

Make Your Own Breakfast

 Ace hasn't been making his own breakfast for quite a while  so  I asked Ace if he wanted to make his own breakfast.

And Ace was naturally excited as it is his way of exerting his own independence and  made this... and decorated it to look like a happy face:)

Since I had some corn left, made some corn sushi for him as well for lunch...  Haven't made these in a while.. hope he likes them:)

Previous Post: Food Explorer

Food Explorer

Somehow, knowing that we are leaving make us look at Dubai with different eyes and sort of make us a little more adventurous.. hahaha :) In my mind, I had a list of places I wanted to visit again and eat again before we left and without doubt, Lan Kwai Fong is top on the list...

Anyway, one of the days, we were wondering what to eat and Max suggested that we go eat at some restaurant near our house as they said they were selling Asian food as well.

 Had a pretty decent view...

 Can you see Khalifa in the background?:P

 Max very sian cos the food took very long to come..

 Ace was happy to self entertain..

 The food was... erm... well, if i were living in Dubai, I will never GO BACK AGAIN!:) So ex and looks like shit PLUS taste like shit too...

 The Phad Thai also not very much better

 Green curry was also a thumbs down..

 Ace was very hungry and asked for more rice.. this big plate of very little rice cost like 18 dirhams.. that is six sing dollars lor!

Thankfully, we also visited other restaurants in our last few weeks day...

Jioed Fayth to eat Thali with us at our favourite Sai Dham... (we call it the sai diam.. wahahahaa)

 Eat till super full lor:) Even Ace overcame his intolerance of spicy foods to join us:)

 My favourite was this deep freid ladies fingers.. dam nice!

 Hehehehe... after tat, I went shopping with Fayth and for dinner, we decided to eat at Gallery Lafayete

 You wouldnt think that they serve decent Asian food but they did! Even better tat that hotel restaurant!

 This is my favourite thai noodles in Dubai.. DUCK NOODLES:) hahahaha

And the laksa got dragon got tiger lor.. really tasted good!:)

Anyway, we also went to LKF and told Dai Gor we were leaving. That day, we got extra servings of extras from him.. I will miss the taste of HK in Dai Gor's restaurant and his wonderful boiled soup!

PS: I asked Ace what is the restaurant he will miss most in Dubai...  and he said he doesnt miss any:) wahahahaha...  but he actually missed gobi munchurian enough to ask his dad to bring us to indian restaurant to eat it when we ask him what he want to eat on our last few days there.. and he also misses LKF.. guess i have to learn how to make the jia chang doufu in LKF  for us to eat in Singapore:)

Previous Post: Goodbye Dubai: Kidzania

BZ BZ BZ Week!

While leaving dubai is a very happy thing.. it was really a mad rush for me.

Reason being, we already bought our tickets to go back and we only found out and confirmed that we were going back to Singapore for good some two weeks before we were due to go back to Singapore for a vacation.

This means we have to do our goodbyes, complete our list of things to do before we leave, pack the house to get ready to shift, pack our bags to go back all within two weeks. To add to the "difficulty" level, Max was away for week to do the 3 Peaks Challenge. So I had to send Ace to school.

During this period, Ace's car pool had some issues and some days I had to go and pick him up as well. On top of that, Ace was invited to many birthday parties and I had to arrange to pick him and send him.. and also bring him to buy pressies... And I was also quite bz at "work" as there were alot of things to do before I returned.

And then also had to plan for Ace's party and there were so many unexpected things that happened.

And that Max leh, just post pics after pics of him mountain climbing and going pub hopping!

Well, that weekend, had to bring Ace to Dubai Mall again.. cos he needed to buy a birthday present.

One of our friends also wanted to go DM, and so we made a date to go together...

Walk walk walk.. till my legs want to break.. haha:)

But leh, it was likely the very last time I get to visit Dubai Mall before I leave.. so leh, ONE MORE pic with my favourite Burj Khalifa:)

 Ace brought along one of the sweets he got in one of the birthday party goody bags... he say it is for me:) hahahaha... cos he saw the word LOVE on it..

 We also had some fun playing with the camera in the macbook at Virgin Megastore

I was so glad when Max  returned cos I felt like I was always all tensed up during the week he was away.

Ace was ok with his dad being away the first few days but the last few days he started to whine a little about missing his dad and he was extra happy when his dad came back with some comics and magazines for him :) I think he really is maturing and growing up!

Previous Post: 1025

1025

Picture taken when I arrived in Dubai on 29 Aug 2011.

1025 days ago, I arrived in Dubai after much struggles.

Max and I were having a tough time... My business was hanging by the thread.. Max made a tough decision to leave the Navy and got offered a job which was supposed to send him for a month to Dubai and post him back to Singapore after that.

One month became two. Two months became 6. Before we knew it, one year had gone by. We had spent a grand total of 2 months together in that one year. One month during his holidays home and another month where me and Ace just visited him.

It was tough for me. Through that one year, there were so many times Max seems to be able to come back, only to meet with some sort of "challenge" tat stopped him. The people who recruited him left, there were major changes in his office. I couldnt decide if I should wait or if I should join him. I started to halfheartedly look for a job but never knew if I should start working or pack my bags and leave. I had to spend carefully as I was not working and had to rely on Max to send money home. I had to think twice even if it was just a cup of kopi but I was lucky I had generous friends who always gave me treats because "You are not working and I am mah.."

It was even tougher for Ace... He always cried a good 15-20 min everytime we say goodbye to his dad. He will look really sad for the next two weeks or so after his dad leaves and once a month, he will have a melt down and cry in the middle of the night.

So some time three years ago, after a good talk with one friend who told me I will probably be happier in Dubai, I decided that we will just heck it and shift to Dubai. A family has to be together somehow and long distance is no way for a family to live, much less anyway for any loving couple to live.

So we sold our car, sold our flat... I used almost two months to pack the flat ALONE (for most part lah. On the last day, a good friend came and helped me pack till 2am in the morning.. Also, someone else promised to return to SG to help but did not lor:)) And then, we packed our bags and what little things they allowed us to bring and arrived in Dubai on my birthday.

Max promised me then that we will return home together after 2 years.

During these 1025 days, there were many false alarms that we will have a window of opportunity to return to sgp. But each time, something always changed in the management and we will go back to square one. I so badly wanted to return to SGP to my family, my friends and my freedom. For me, it felt as if I had to give up EVERYTHING in my life to be with Max here in Dubai.  Each time I was given false hope and disappointed, I will fall into some sort of depression that saw me baking and cooking fervently. Sometimes it helped. Other times, it didnt.

I didn't tell many people this but in these 1025 days, I cried a total of 26 times while I was missing home. The worst bouts of crying usually happens when someone i love in Singapore is injured or sick.

I had wondered what is wrong with me or my life. Why am I "not allowed" to return home?  I went for spiritual workshops to work on those "unconscious obstacles" but still, time after time, I just end up getting "STUCK" here.

Some time near to the 2 year mark, I had a realization that Max had no intention of returning after two years like he promised. If an opportunity came, he would take it but he is actually really happy here in Dubai.

Some time around that 2 year mark, I discovered that I rather liked Dubai too:)

I love it here during winter. I love going to the park in winter and experiencing East Coast Park with air con. I love the huge malls and large spaces with relatively small numbers of people.

I love the crazy sales that allow me to purchase Stella McCarthny designs at 60% discount.

I love the wonderful friends I have made here. My soka friends Momo, Kyung Ah and Leiko were a constant source of encouragement to me. My SWG friends made me feel much at home. My Dubai Sister Ah F who goes shopping with me and allows me to recreate a semblance of the freedom I used to enjoy when I was in SGP  and my Dubai Gang always helped me feel better about the boring weekends by arranging to go on trips, excursions or just finding a reason to have a meal together!

I love the fact that Dubai has given me a chance to learn how to cook. From a really novice cook who did not even know I had to add oil and salt when frying a vegetable.. I started to bake, fry, steam, roll my way to recreating all the Singaporean dishes we miss.

I love it that the educational system here in the international schools are so holistic. Ace never fails to pleasantly surprise me with his stories about what happened in school and how or what he learnt in school.

I love it that there are tonnes of free to air movie channels here and I always get to watch rerun after rerun such that even if I missed some part of a movie, I always found out what happened in the end:)

I love it that the service staff here are so easy going. They allow you to take pictures and do pretty much just about anything within reason as long as you do not expect speedy service:)

I love it that there is so much do do and explore during winter in Dubai and love it most that Burjuman Mall near my place always has interesting activities for Ace to take part in.

I love it that I am a mere 20 min walk from the Dubai Creek and I love taking the abbra on a cold, windy day as I feel the wind beating on my face.

I love it that drivers always give way to me when I am holding on to Ace while crossing the road and I love it that they have Women and Children's Carriages on the train here so that you only need to squeeze with other women.

I love the soup Dai Gor from Lan Kwai Fong always serves us for free as it reminds me so much of home.

I love the Best di kar in Dubai which is sadly no more at Red House and their famous tomato fried egg which is still the best I have ever tasted in the whole world.. yes, even including CHINA:) haha

I love being told, "Oh, that is a nice country!" whenever I tell others I come from Singapore...

I love watching the Emirates go about with their prettily decorated cars with faces of their beloved shiek during the UAE National Day..

I love the layers in the skies during winter where you can see the beautiful layers of pink, orange and blue across the skin...

I love looking out for Burj Khalifa whenever we are driving in unfamiliar territories as it sort of serves as a "lighthouse" and lets me know which way is home.

I love telling people that I watch fireworks until sian because where I lived, they usually had a month of daily fireworks twice a year:)

I love it that we are being treated like VIPs at consulate and OSU events and made to feel like we really matter to Singapore.

I love it that I have aircon in my house 24/7. A luxury I will not indulge in if I were in Singapore.

I love it that the people here are so vocal and engaging and I love being exposed to so many more different cultures.

1025 days later though, I have just been told that it is just about time to say goodbye, pack our bags and return home to Singapore.

Thank you Dubai. Thank you for all you have shared with me. Thank you for all you have taught me and thank you for all you have given me. I will now gently and happily let you go as part of my past in my life. I will miss you I think and perhaps, come 2020, I will visit you again with my family:)

Singapore, HERE I COME!:)

PS: Post was written on the day Max tendered his resignation and we were CONFIRMED to be returning home for good!:)

Previous Post: Goodbye Dubai: Kidzania

Goodbye Dubai: Kidzania

I know Ace is not so good in saying goodbye.

He tends to have strong attachment to things and people and takes it very hard if they leave and is not so good at letting go. I remember there was once where he cried about not getting to say goodbye to the flat we sold.. another time where he was sad he did not say goodbye to Uncle Seng before he died.. so I was worried how Ace will take to saying goodbye to Dubai.

During the 3 years we were in Dubai, there were many opportunities it seems that we might get to go back to Singapore but everytime I told Ace that, he will always show very strong reaction and say he doesn't want to leave Dubai because he will miss his friends here.

Interestingly, this is the only time where he said, "Yeah, then I can be with my family and see them anytime i like!" Perhaps he has matured or perhaps, it was really just the right time to go and we could all feel it inside our hearts.

Still, just to be safe, when things were confirmed and we knew for sure we were headed back home for good, I decided that I needed to come up with a plan to help Ace with saying goodbye. After thinking about it, I decided we will come up with a list of things we wanted to do in Dubai before we left and we will tick off as many as possible before we left.


First in his list, Ace wanted to visit Kidzania again and he was really lucky and won a free ticket to Kidzania with his recycling invention. And so, we decided to visit Dubai Mall and hang out in Kidzania for half a day.

Since it is our last trip, must take more pics with Khalifa... for me, this building is a building tat represents Dubai. Because when we get lost or whereever we go in Dubai, always can see this building somewhere around.. I told Max we should buy a nice picture of Burj Khalifa and put in our house to remember Dubai. Alas, Max's new job was confirmed in such a hurry we did not have the luxury of shopping for a nice picture of Khalifa before we left..

This is our third visit to Kidzania in Dubai.. (First visit in 2011 | Second visit with Annie Godma in 2012) and I was thinking it is going to be a boring trip for me again:) hahaha

First thing you do, go collect money from the bank to get started! Things have changed! The bank inside used to be HSBC and has not changed to Al Hilal Bank..

No prizes for guessing where Ace headed for as his first station! Answer below!

THis time round they had a soccer pitch in the middle as it is world cup and they had a summer camp where children could play soccer:)

Ace going out for his mission..

Sadly, his mission is just to hold on to the red tape to prevent people from going close to the "fire scene" at the one and only "hotel" that is "on fire" every half hour:) hahaha

THat is him posing for some photographer... now they will take photos of you and give you a chit and hope you will buy their photos..

Next stop, time to be a PILOT:)

WHile waiting for him, i just wander around and take pics lah..

We came across this climbing the building thing. The last two times we came, he said he was afraid and did not want to try. THis time round, he decided that he will challenge himself. THe building is quite high and I was a little worried he will be scared..

At first he kept slipping but after a while, he got the hang of it and he was actually quite fast!

I am so proud of Ace that he conquered his fears and climbed so high!

Truth to be told, my heart pik pok pik pok when he was up there!

I think he also felt a strong sense of achievement!

Next stop, the paramedics station where i had to wait half an hour just to get in the other time. Next time I know liao.. go on Friday.. there will be alot of children so it will be fun but it will be far less crowded than the school holidays and so it is a lot less waiting and alot more fun!:)

He has been in this one  a few times so i think he can answer all the questions already!:) wahahaha

Off to SAVE THE DAY:)

Ace super lucky, time for the FIRE at the hotel again so it was a combined thing with policemen and firemen again..

After that, he decided to try the surgeon thing again in the hospital. The hospital looks different now.. i think different sponsor..

Dr Chua.. handsome boh:)

Ace was lucky he met a really good instructor. She made it very fun for them to cut open and take out the diseased liver:) hahaha

Every one got a chance to ZAP the body and the instructor will make the table jump so that the body will jump. So even though Ace was initially hesitant to do this surgeon thing again (he did it once the last time he went), he really enjoyed himself ;) he said it is more fun this time round. I think could be that he is older and appreciates it better...

Next stop, car designer..

But koyak one.. the printer spoil. so take photo of the cert lor :) His orange sports car...

After that, Ace said he wanted to do the dentist station... We arrived when they just started another session and Ace said he doesnt mind waiting..

That is Ace waiting for his turn..

Ace enthusiastically joining in the discussion. The last time he went, they only used toothbrush to brush a dummy's teeth. I think this Colgate sponsored session is better planned. They were given some talk about taking care of their teeth and got to do alot of things..

The guy who hates to brush teeth most gets to DEMO how to brush teeth.. the IRONY!

Next stop, become an interior designer!

They are given a few pictures to choose from.. once they decide on the picture, they have to set up the "living" room to look exactly like the picture. I walked past this station a few times and noticed that for some unknown reason, everytime i walked past, the children always chose the SAME picture!

Hmm... did the picture say red cushions or white??

They allowed me to go in and take group photo with their finished work. Notice how ACE IS THE ONLY BOY? Wahahahhaaha... I think most boys wouldnt want to do that, but i think Ace likes art and design.. so that is why he wanted to try it out..

Next stop, becoming a delivery boy...

I lost him when he was trying to find DEWA to deliver the parcel to! Scared die me.. heng we found each other again..

After that very hungry, so we went to buy Mac Donalds. For a small fee on top of your meal, you get to "make" or rather "pack" your own Happy Meal set..

As you can tell, the jie jie did most of the work:) wahahaha.. Ace just wear the "uniform" and action action only..

BURGER CHEF leh! Aiseh!

Next stop, he went to work in DEWA.. tat is our PUB equivilent.. but is sort of boring, they just sit at the computer and take a quiz only. Other children do halfway and pian jiak and take their money and go.. only my son gong gong sit there and finish the whole thing! whaaahaa..

But I think becos he finished the whole thing, on top of money, they gave him an extra badge:)

Next station, he went to be security...

I saw a sign that says there is a new station called Aero Factory.. i assumed is the making of planes and asked if he wanted to try.. he said ok..

Attending training.. the training is just a video they have to watch..

Moulding the airplane wing..

Wah, wu leng wu hor like tat leh, got smoke even.. But by now, I already know everything in kidzania is just well planned illusion lah.. but i give them points for planning in such great detail..

Check out Ace's expressions! Serious man!

After you fix the wing, can test it one.. someone sit inside and someone outside has to check if the wing can "flap" up and down..

SUCCESS!

Got employee ID one lor:)

Then Ace said he wanted to go make jewellery..

He said he wanted to make it for me. He chose this because the other one is triangle shaped, "And I was afraid that it will prick your hands.." Very sweet gesture from my thoughtful boy:)

And then leh, Ace wanted to be policeman AGAIN!!!!!!

 

After that, he decided to go university to STUDY :)

The ending is they made him take a test and told him what sort of careers are more suitable for him. And if he does those careers he gets more money. Alas, not much time left and we couldnt complete the list.

Ace said thirsty wor.. and wanted to do the bottle your own coke thing. Like all other KIdzania station.. is just pattern badminton only lah..

But is very detailed lor.. first time i came, i really tot they were bottling their own coke. hahahaha..

First need to press button for bottle to come down, then have to wash the bottle..

Shine light to check no dirt..

BOttle it with some brown colour liquid..

Cap it and check..

Then put it into "LABELLING MACHINE".. actually this is where the conveyer belt sends this into a basket below and sends out a ready bottled cold coke:)

But of course, that is not what Ace thinks!

We really did not have much time left as Max was coming to pick us.. so Ace decided that he will go climb the building AGAIN:)

At the end of the day, Ace was very disappointed that he cannot find anything that he likes to exchange his kizania kidzzos into.. in the end he decided to keep the "money" as souvenior lor..

But we still had fun lah.. I am glad we ticked this off our GOOD BYE DUBAI list:)

Previous Post: Ace The Lucky Boy