Can't Wait.

Harley has given me the go signal to book my dream PVR (photog, video and reception) wedding suppliers. I was shocked when he told me that, didn't believe that he was serious - suspecting that he was just pocketing me (that means, baka binubulsa nya lang ako). But he assured me that he's serious. So I reminded him that if he wants that he has to double his current wedding budget because I might just have to wear sako sa harina sa kasal. And he said yes!

After feeling a tremendous amount of elation that geysered to the roofs, guilt followed. Of course I wanted to have those dream suppliers (kaya nga dream!) but I couldn't help but feel guilty knowing he has to shell out a huge amount of money for that. So I offered that he'll just allocate a certain amount and whatever the excess will be, I will personally shoulder it. I reasoned I have enough time and resources to save for it while being assigned here in UK. But he doesn't agree - he wants to pay for it all. He said he wants to prove to himself and to his family that he can afford it. And besides, he said, he really wants me to have my dream wedding... Sigh, am I really this lucky? I really can't wait getting married to this wonderful guy.

So there the budget has been adjusted and I made a promise to him and to myself also (nakakaguilty kaya) that this is the last time we have to do that.

Read more...

Happy Anniv 2 Us

Oct 24 is our anniversary. It's still the 23rd here and in Kuwait, but what matters is it's already the 24th in Manila. I gave him my sweet yes in Manila so I am following that timezone.

Warning, this blog entry is mushy. And perhaps with the effect of a glass of wine I just had to celebrate this important event - this blog may be mushier than I intend it to be. So Claire, if you're reading this right now... STOP (in the name of love) ! I don't want you having a smirk on your lovely face and maybe puking while reading the rest of this. But hey I know you too well - you'll probably continue reading this just because of the fact I warned you not to do it. Oh well if you'll decide to continue, which I'm 100% sure you'll surely do that... bahala ka, kevs!

As most of you know, it all happened because of the orchestrations by the lovely couple Ria and Dan. They executed intricate detailed design plans for us to get to know each other better. I owe a lot to these guys. They're the very soul of compassion and goodwill --- they simply wanted others to experience the happiness they're experiencing. Sharing their blessing. Aren't they sweet?

2 years ago Harley and I were walking along the streets of Makati. After we had dinner at a now defunct restaurant in Greenbelt, we decided to extend our pacute-an by having some ice cream at a Mini Stop store. Yes I have always been a low maintenance girl - stuffs no matter how simple and cheap always make me smile as long as given from the bottom of his pocket este heart pala =p I can still remember him stealing glances at my way that made me look twice at my reflection on the glass window to check if I had some muta, which I didn't - thank God! Just with 20php investment (the amount he paid with the ice cream) he stole my heart. I didn't even care I was entering a long distance relationship. I threw my apprehensions into the wind.

So how did we survive being in LDR for 2 years now? Simple - keep the communication lines open. Well you're probably raising your brow because how can that be possible when there's no physical contact between us with miles of earth and sea separating us? But it is, I'm telling you, it's possible. How? Well take advantage of technology my dear - the power of the World Wide Web! There's chat, webcam and Skype / YM calls - these tools doesn't even cost you a penny (without counting the monthly internet bill of course). Keeping communication lines open means I share everything to him - what happened to me at work, what I ate, what telly show I watched. Even the time I had to def (hehehe just kidding), even just nonsense things I share to him whatever that comes to mind. I admit it was hard at first because I am a very secretive person - I do like to keep an air of mystery around me (uhhhh mysterious) and I am not articulate, I find it difficult to express my thoughts and my feelings in words... as in, really! But once you get the hang of recounting to someone what happened to you during the day, it gets easier and then it becomes a habit. It's better than writing into a diary because he can talk back and most of the time grrr he interrupts while I'm in the middle of my animated retelling, which is the only downside. Harley is the first person I talk to every morning I wake up and he's the last person I have a conversation with before I close my eyes at night. It seems natural that I even miss not having the routine just like when I went to vacation that deprived me of internet access.

But what about the trust issue, you might ask? Well when I entered into this relationship I decided to trust him with all my heart. He deserves no less. If he turns out to be stupid and tramples all over that trust by two timing me, then goodbye - he's the weakest link! Yes of course that will terribly hurt. But if it ends that way I will not have regrets because in my part I've given everything to make the relationship work.

But I count myself so blessed because it's not so hard to fall deeper in love with Harley even if we only see each other twice a year. It's in the way he loves me - it's amazing. He makes me laugh not because he's got a fantastic sense of humor but because he's sorely lacking of it, ang corny ng jokes nya! But sshhh don't tell him that =p I find his makulit nature cute (note to LDR couples, one of you should be makulit - but not in an annoying kind of way). And he's being so generous not only to me but also to his family is very endearing. I am everyday grateful to Him for giving me him.

I am indeed a blessed girl. Perhaps I must have done something awesomely good in the past to be this fortunate. With Christmas just 2 months away I find myself at a loss as to what to add to my wishlist for once. Oh well aside from good health to my parents, sister, relatives and friends, blessings to everyone and of course the ever permanent wish of World Peace, I can't think of a material thing to wish for! Eeep help!?! Hmm but wait....... I remember that I really want to have that Gucci wallet :p

Happy anniversary to us, how fast time flies indeed :)

Read more...

In the land of Chocolates and snow-capped Alps - Switzerland!

I went to a memorable 4 day vacation to Switzerland (October 11 - 14). No visa was needed, my UK Work Permit was all that's needed to gain entry to the gorgeous country. I had to do the trip this month because I can no longer avail of the privelege after this month ends. Switzerland is joining the Schengen and starting on Nov 1, 2008 it will require a Schengen visa for its visitors.

And I'm glad I went there. I had the time of my life! It was a dream come true. Snow! Snow! Finally I saw real snow! (Well I don't really consider snow here in London as real because it doesn't stay on the ground for long - it just teases me - it's so puny, I can never create a snow angel here, hayyy)

We took some tours in Switzerland - tours I just found in the internet. It was a risk really because I just relied on the reviews in the website. But it turned out well - thank God! Me and my friend were both happy with the tours. Both had very great tour guides, very informative and both tours quenched my thirst for Switzerland (at least for now). These were a the tours we booked - worth every pound, I tell you!

• Jungfraujoch - Top of Europe (from Zurich)
  
• Lucerne City Tour

I found the Swiss surprisingly hospitable. We had no problem familiarizing the tram system and finding our way to the hostel the day we arrived because there was always someone willing to help. Even if they had a hard time conversing in English they would still try their best to explain everything. And Swiss always have an easy smile - everywhere I looked I could always find someone offering a ready smile - especially the elderly. 

Having Swiss banks in mind I had thought that Swiss are meticulous in security - you know security checks everywhere. But no - I experienced in Swiss airport the fastest immigration processing I ever had. The guy just asked me how many days I was planning to stay, after that he smiled and let me through - just like that! Even on the train nobody checked our tickets. And even on the trams, which we were using for 4 days, we never had our tickets checked. Maybe this means that all Swiss are so law-abiding that the polizei doesn't have to bother employing regular security checks? Or maybe the punishment for every crime (even minor ones) is so severe that the Swiss just don't consider breaking a law?

Switzerland is an expensive city, but because we came from UK, it wasn't such a shock. (UK is still more expensive, I think). And since exchange rate is like 1 £ = 2 CHF (Swiss Francs) I had the illusion of being richer there, hehe. McDonalds typically costs 8 CHF, meals in a typical restaurant costs 15 CHF to 20 CHF per person. What not to miss is buying the Swiss products for souvenirs because they're sold there in 30% to 40% less than in the Philippines. What products? Well Swiss knives and Swiss watches of course! If you're feeling a bit extravagant you can buy the high-end watches like Breitling, Rolex or Omega. But if you're on a tight budget (like I was), you can just buy a simple Swatch as keepsake. I also bought a PINK Swiss knife for myself - couldn't resist it :p 

Chocolates are everywhere in Switzerland. If in Phil or in UK what we can find in street stalls are bags of crisps (chips), there it's chocolates... chocolates of brands I didn't recognize - Toblerone and Lindt parang Goya lang yata dun :p There were also chocolates of different flavours - flavours that I wouldn't fancy in a chocolate - examples are Rum-flavoured and Whiskey-flavoured chocolates. I bought some Absinth-flavoured chocs for my pretty girl friends hehehe.

Swiss public transport is of top quality - the impeccable punctuality to timetables is impressive. Lots of the places can be reached through trams, trains, busses, boats and cable cars. If you're planning of travelling throughout Switzerland, it is recommended that you get a . But for us since we were on bus tours already, we just had to buy 24 hour unlimited ride ticket on trams in Zurich (costs 7.80 CHF).

You can view my pictures here.

Read more...

Happy sha-la-la!

... it's so nice to be Happy...

I knew it! I always had anticipated that 2008 would be a good year for me and it is living up to my hype. It's turning out to be a very very good year and it's not even over yet! Last week I received the good news from my manager that they're extending my contract until March 2009. Yisss! I still have a chance to save up for a trip to Paris. It's really a dream of mine to shout 'I'm the queen of the world' from the top of the Eiffel Tower (Frenchies pronounce it as eee-fell by the way, not eye-fell). And I just came back from a 4 day vacation from the land of snow-covered Alps and heavenly chocolates… Switzerland! I'll be posting the pictures soon - it's so hard to choose which to post among the 700 shots I managed to take. So only for this year I have visited a total of 3 countries I had never been to - Scotland, Wales and Switzerland. And this December we're planning to frolic in Hongkong, which will increase the grand total to 4. Hmmm not bad for someone who grew up in a little island of Cebu, someone who had never dared to dream she would one day wear leggings and knee-high boots to strut her stuff in Europe… Fierce!

And 2008 is not only good to me but also to my handsome fiancé as well. He's blessed this year - not only that I gave him my sweet yes, he's also given a once in a lifetime opportunity to improve his career. I truly am his lucky charm :p Last week he resigned from a company where he had been employed for 5 years to take on a bigger role in a bigger company. On his last day his colleagues gave him not only a send off party but also a couple of send off gifts - a Diesel watch, a Mont Blanc wallet and a brand new SE phone! I have never heard a company that generous with their resignees. Sa ka-pula sa akong lubot (translation: my ass is gorgeous), I have never experienced being treated that way! Well maybe the Kuwaitis are simply generous or maybe they're just overjoyed that he resigned? Whatever their reason maybe Harley was like a kid on Christmas morning - he was very happy. And because he's that happy I successfully wheedled a dinner treat from him, which in turn made me happy. It was a happy cycle. It is a happy year indeed.

Harley's gifts - a w960i SE phone

a Diesel watch and a Mont Blanc wallet

Read more...