14 Days To Go!

[Warning: picture heavy post!]

OK, ok, I am hopelessly slow at times, because as you know, I'm a procrastinator, and even my senses tend to procrastinate as well.

I only just realised *fidgety & excited* that my holiday is AROUND THE CORNER!!! Woo hoo!!

*fidgets around some more*

Me to YB: HOLY
COW!!! Next week's
our last chance to finish up work before our
holiday!!

YB: Ya. (Ish. Such lacklustre response from a busy man
at work!)
Me: I'm checking out places for beef noodles now!
*drool emoticon*
Me: Oh, our last training run will be on the 12th Dec
k.

We were supposed to discuss our budget for the trip last Friday but a yumcha session got in the way. It was nice to meet up with friends after a long tiring week, anyway.

We have also been ridiculously knackered from our runs and socialising. A 25km run last Saturday and a 10km on Sunday wore us down. I honestly thought Nike's We Run KL 2011 on Sunday was going to be a recovery run for the both of us, but once you're in a crowd, well, it's very hard to slow down. Nevertheless my legs were sore and I didn't do as well as I wanted to.

Looking back, November was an extremely busy month for the both of us, with weekends of traveling, if not running. The first weekend in November (5th - 7th), we were back in KK to visit my family, attend a friend's wedding and conquered the Padas River Rapids.

Before we left on Saturday, we were invited out for drinks at the last minute on Friday night. We were supposed to be resting at home and packing for our trip back to KK!

Even Lynn dropped by to say hi right after she landed in KL. ;D

YH's wedding reception was lunch at Promenade Hotel. We met up with our old friends; YB and his university mates (and my college friends) and I with my schoolmates.

We were lucky to be seated at a table with 2 darling kids. They were both so excited to be part of the toasting ceremony, one with a glass of water and the other with his milk bottle. SO CUTE!!!!!!!!

There was so much food that we weren't able to finish. Such a waste.

YB has ALWAYS wanted to take on the Padas river while I have always resisted it. In the end, after years of resisting, I thought ah what the heck, I have to be adventurous some day!

We went with Riverbug. They picked us up from their office at 540am to drive us to Beaufort train station. We rode on the old locomotive train to our destination which took about 2 hours. It was fun but long. On our way back, the journey was stuffy and uncomfortable due to the humid afternoon air.

I could have peed in my pants, I'm not sure but I was terrified.
I am NOT an adrenaline junkie nor do I love water sports. I'm so glad I didn't fall into the water. You can tell I chose to fall INTO the raft instead. =P

However, my senses left me for a teensy bit and I took a leap of faith and jumped into the water to body raft.

It was scary shit when I submerged but fun when the waters were calm.

(Then I felt a bit fluey.)

The second weekend in November (12th & 13th) was the Terry Fox Run as well as the Tom, Dick & Harry's Still Mou Man Tai 2.0 run. That was a crazy fun weekend!

We were supposed to lend a hand at the Terry Fox event but after listening to the voice of the person in charge of volunteers, we were put off. And since we weren't planning on running, anyway, we decided to run OUT of the event instead. We headed to Petaling Street for beef noodles instead. ;D

Poor Gilbert must have been wondering how he succumbed to playing truant...

The same evening, most of us met up again at Taman Tun Ismail's Tom, Dick & Harry for their 2nd installation of the Mou Man Tai run.

RM30 registration fee for a 5km run and free flow of beer right after the run - how much better can this deal get? But the run to the park and back was no easy feat, especially when there are hills in the way. And I was, erm, feeling a bit fluey, remember? Ah, I shouldn't have ran.

I'm not sure whether we drank our fill but we couldn't stay too long as Dr OKT was hungry. We had to proceed to dinner after 3 jugs (and more) of beer.

We were high and happy!

Then I felt sick and miserable that week. It was very very frustrating, but you know that already.

Came Friday, I had to meet up with my old friends from school for dinner. By this time, I wasn't able to taste my food so urgh, it was a real bummer! But I could tell that the food at Basil Thai, Bangsar Village was not very good. Their pad thai was a lump of noodles stuck together!


The 3rd weekend (19th & 20th) saw Dutamas Runners making a road trip up to Ipoh and Penang for the Penang Bridge International Marathon (PBIM). I shouldn't have ran since I was still sick but I did. It was a baaaad run, but the view from the bridge was breathtaking in the wee hours of the morning.

I think we had enough of hawker fare by the time we were ready to go. I still wasn't able to taste my food, you know, so I honestly didn't know whether they were yummy or not. But the price of char kuey teow for the big prawns is honestly not justified. *shakes head*

Geoff and YB made their PB in the 10km and half marathon respectively. It was a miserable LSD for me but somehow I managed to complete the 21km within 2:24. Argh.

Took time off from work to recover. Was worried by then that perhaps I had caught pneumonia on the bridge ... *touch wood*


The last weekend (26th & 27th) was our time for running and visiting friends. We made a trip up to Ipoh to surprise YB's dad for his birthday. I baked him a banana walnut cake which wasn't rich nor sweet, thankfully it was too his liking. =)

Visited our friends who were back from Perth for a while. Darling Ryu Iskandar is 3 going on 4. He's a big boy now, and is still his hyperactive self. YB played the role of the manny while we chatted.

Miya Suraya is round as ever (look at those cheeks) and has just started to walk.

Why are babies just so adorable???

It was our first Nike We Run KL event and man, it was crazy crowded! Some of the guys were at Desapark City Run while most of us were in KL.

It was a very good event, I must say, and perhaps it's all part of the branding. RM40 registration for a buddy sign up (2 pax) is very cheap, especially when you get a free dry-fit tee for the run.

Free massage and ice cream. Free concert from Mizz Nina and Joe Flizzow ... not to say I was listening to them as I was busy chatting away.

It was a recovery run for both YB and I but somehow he managed to maintain a very good pace while I had a difficult time trying to keep on going. I walked a lot!

But I'll take the 57:07, thank you very much.

We couldn't hang around too long with the gang for breakfast as we had to finish decorating the cake before driving up to Ipoh immediately.

Note that the icing sugar completely disappeared by the time evening came!

The Parents-in-law ("PIL") weren't expecting us that weekend as we thought we'd keep it a surprise. We called home as we were outside the house, "Please open the gate, we're outside!"

Dad asked us why weren't they informed of this trip. YB and I both looked at each other and grinned ruefully, "Uhmmm, surrrrprise!!"

We returned to KL on Monday afternoon, just in time for me to rush out to meet Steph and Dot for tea. Dot brought baby Zoeyy along and she was such a delight to our tea party!

We did our best to squeeze in as much catching up as we could in that short allotted time, but awww, Zoeyy proved too much of a lovely distraction for us to exchange enough gossip in our lives. =)

The rest of Monday night was spent snuggling up in the sofa watching Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides and Horrible Bosses.

I am also in charge of my department/floor's Year End Gift Exchange via Secret Santa Programme and cross fingers it will be fun and successful. We have up to 12th December for everyone to fill up the designated Drop Off area and we'll open up our presents the following day. The gift must cost at least RM15 and above.

I wonder who got my name? I gave hints that I adore Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh and I needed gloves for my cold hands!

The last day of November saw dinner at Rakuzen, Hartamas Shopping Centre with my old friends. It is always the same as before, some catching up and gazillion of laughs. I have never known it any other way since our high school days. *wipes a tear*

This picture is actually dedicated to our dear VK in Perth, who's busy making big bucks.

And last but not least, November brought my sister her darling daughter into the world, making YB and I officially an uncle and aunt!!

Woohoo! I wish I could go back soon to swoon over her chubby cheeks but sadly, I will only be home in February before Chinese New Year ends.

Call me a procrastinator (again and again), but I am checking out our flight tickets to KK this instant!