Guess who's in town?

She has the largest legion of admirers in school history.

She's not here just for a holiday.

She's not only visiting.

She's not on a stopover.

She's been my friend for 17 years, 5 of which we spent as classmates.

The last time we met was nearly three years ago at a Class of 2000 reunion.

She's now here to study forensic psychology for two years at UNSW.


Welcome to Sydney, Nat!

First birthday

Time flies. It seriously does. When I first arrived in Sydney, I was helping out at Petrina's wedding. Now, 5 years later, I helped out at her baby's birthday party. It's a big deal here, birthdays, I mean. A baby's first, a teenager's 16th, then the 18th because that's the legal drinking and clubbing age, then the 21st.

Birthdays are celebrated in style, here. Well, more so compared to in KL. I guess, there's nothing much else to celebrate other than the big ones (i.e. Christmas, Easter, Australia Day, New Year). At least in Malaysia, we have everything from the main races.

Birthdays are even bigger when you're the first child. You see, Brianna is the first child (and grandchild) of both families so naturally, her birthday was a big hoo-haa.

Sadly, I don't recall my own first birthday. I have many pictures documenting it but no mental recollection of it. Not even a tiny bit. The photos show that I turned one at my grandparents' house in Seri Kembangan. Dad was most probably the one who took the pictures as he was in none of them. Mum was wearing a pale peach coloured maternity dress (yup, mum gave birth to my li'l bro 2 days later). Granddad was there with my other cousins. In one picture, I was frowning at Cousin Pei Li because she took a cherry away from the cake!

However, I do remember my brother's first birthday, though. We celebrated it at home, in our first house in Klang. We had a chocolate sponge cake with Mickey Mouse on top. It had chocolate wafer sticks around the sides. Mum boiled two red eggs (one for each of us). Back then, bro was still a chubby, fair and adorable little boy with big, captivating eyes - total opposite of what he looks like now. Mum was desperately trying to take good shots of both of us, to no avail. Why? Because dear li'l baby bro decided to GRAB the chocolate wafer sticks from the cake using his hands! I remember how I was upset with him... funny, the things you tend to remember.

Oops, sidetracked.. haha.. well, Brianna's birthday was held at Nurragingy Reserve and I doubt she knew what the commotion was about.

She was happy to enjoy the attention and the food. I was glad to have been part of it.

Madang

"Huh? Where's Madang?"

"Tai so, how can you not know where is Madang?"

So yes, that was my introduction to Madang, a very popular Korean restaurant in the heart of the city that sounds like a kampung we have back in Malaysia. Situated somewhere in the backstreets off Pitt Street, this restaurant's ambience abd service speaks for it's popularity.

We met up for dinner for 2 reasons: to sort of celebrate Melvin's birthday and to let everyone meet Yu Sheng and his Jenny. I think there was a third reason: to welcome Jenny (Tan) back to Sydney.

The guys did the ordering since they've been there before. My gosh, even when we arrived there was a queue outside. We ordered lots and it's amazing how the 4 swimmers there still have their enormous appetite. There were 2 kinds of Korean pancakes (seafood and kimchi), there was a sort of a tofu miso soup which I didn't really enjoy and we had one type of bbq and steamboat each.

It was funny how our seating arrangement reflected out status. I was, naturally, at the 'singles' table with Jenny (Tan), Miow and Melvin.

Nic and Clarrie, as well as Yu Sheng and Jenny (Chan) sat at the adjacent table. They were in charge of the hot plate while we were in charge of the hot pot. Fair. Sorry yea, I didn't ake any photos of the food.

After dinner, I insisted on having hot chocolate and someone suggested Lindt Cafe. So yes, Lindt Cafe it was and it was there where I was more or less 'trashed' by Nic and Miow. What is so surprising with me knowing who Daphne Tan is?!?!?

Oh, and while walking to Jenny (Tan)'s house to collect my stuff, we bumped into Govin and Deidre. The last time I saw Govin was probably at the M-Fest 2 or 3 years ago! Wow! So glad that he finally received his PR after a year-long wait.

So, where to next guys?

The place I miss most is....

and the people in it...

It doesn't take much

Phone calls
Greeting cards
Text messages
E-mails
Photographs
A short mention in a blog
Even better, a whole blog post
Birthday wishes
'I miss you's
Surprises
'Let's go out for makan's
'Never mind la, I belanja la's
Hugs
More hugs
Pecks on the cheek
Sweet smiles
Remembering our past
'Thank you's

Doesn't take much, really....

Thanks to the long conversation I had with Robin last night on the MSN, I would like to take this opportunity to thank a few friends who have made the last few months 'Happy' months...

Starting from the most recent: Robin, I seriously meant it when I said you made my week. I actually had tears in my eyes when you told me you are still using the mug I gave you on your 12th birthday - something that even I can't recall! Thanks, mate!

Max, I was honest every time I told you that I think you're really sweet - in the history of my 4.5 years stay here in Sydney, you are the ONE AND ONLY friend who bothers calling me up. Means heaps to me..

Josh, aiya, you know why I love you so no need to say la...

Stellina, without your presence here in uni, I think I'd just die of loneliness - nobody understands a Malaysian better than a Singaporean classmate.... hahahahaha...... when are we going shopping again ar?

Jenny and Angeline, no need to say much ler hor? Quick, we need to make time for our dancing sessions again!