In Phnom Penh!

We arrived here this morning. We're excited but anxious. But more excited :)

We went to check out several apartments today. I guess we checked out about 6 or 7 apartments. I am absolutely knackered.

We're staying in a hotel right now but we're moving tomorrow to the new apartment, hopefully. The apartment looks lovely! And it's new! And it has a gym! I am so thrilled.

Another place, another culture, another cuisine, and another adventure await us.

The best is definitely yet to happen. Loving it!

Would have been better

For our 10-day stay in Manila, EJ and I stayed at The Malayan Plaza in Ortigas. I love Ortigas and its accesibility. It's near EJ's pedia, our banks are there, two of our properties are near, it's near my brother's place and best of all Megamall and Shangrila Mall are just walking distance. LOL!

I booked our stay at The Malayan Plaza thru their website. It was easy and fast. Best of all I got the best rate online for only $65 per night for a studio superior.

Source

The picture above is exactly the same as our room. It was very spacious and complete with the kitchen equipment like stove, microwave oven, utensils, etc. For long staying guests who want to cook sometime, this is a perfect place.

The Malayan Plaza is not a hotel but a serviced apartment. Hotel-type facilities are limited. But I was okay with it. My basic requirements were A/C, TV with cable (most importantly Playhouse disney channel for EJ), and internet in the room. All of which were available. Internet in the room was of course expensive but they had a weekly rate which I availed. It was cheaper.

It would have been a totally perfect stay if only the breakfast buffet was good. As it was, the food choices were limited. I only had breakfast there once. I never returned. Oh I did. But I never ate on the second visit. There was nothing to choose from.

Will I stay at The Malayan Plaza again? I will. It is the cheapest accommodation in Ortigas so far. And the location is great. I just hope they do something about their breakfast.

New gadget

I had hoped that the Viviene Tam HP mini is still available here in Manila. When I arrived I immediately called the HP in Mall of Asia and HP in Trinoma. Both said they ran out of stocks.

I was set on buying the regular HP mini when I saw the eee S101H netbook. I liked it immediately. The only problem was that it was more expensive than the HP mini and the Viviene Tam HP mini. In short it was beyond my budget. So I checked around first hoping I find something around the price of the HP mini or even the Viviene Tam.

Finally I found one store in Megamall which sells the S101H cheaper than the other. I found out also that the price of the S101H had already dropped but the other stores have not changed their price yet.

Original price of the S101H: Php33,000
Drop down rate: Php25,500

I bought it immediatelty.

I don't have to buy a pouch anymore. It comes with a cute black pouch/cover.

I love the color - champagne!

Thank goodness I was able to sell my Gateway laptop immediately. I have always wanted to have one of those cute netbooks. Now, I have one and I love it. It's easier to lug around. No more shoulder pains. I am happy!

Sick

We're flying back to KL tomorrow and I am worried. I have colds and I am worried that the airport officials might stop me from boarding the plane. I know it's silly. But I couldn't help it.

I had a check up already and doctor said it's just a regular colds. I have no fever and fever like symptoms so I shouldn't be too worried about swine flu. But I still am. After all there are so many cases of reported swine flu here in the Philippines already.

What if I develop a fever tomorrow? I am absolutely sure they'll hold me. Will I be able to rebook or refund our ticket? Actually there are so many things running through my mind right now and flying back to KL is the least of my worries.

I should rest but I could not. I need to drop by Megamall later for last minute shopping: first aid medicines, EJ's drinks and food on the airplane, some horse supplies, and my toiletries.

I pray and hope my colds will go away tomorrow and we will be able to travel safely back to KL.

2-bedroom condo unit for rent

We're renting out our new and unfurnished 2 bedroom condo unit with 2 toilet and bath (a total of 70sqm) at Boni, Mandaluyong for Php25K/month. The rent includes use of parking space (located at basement 3), and amenities like swimming pool, gym and kiddie playground.

The location is very convenient and accesible. It's just a walking distance to Boni MRT Station and a tricycle ride away to Shaw Boulevard.

The exact address is Unit 8I Paloverde @ Dansalan Gardens, M. Vicente St. Boni Mandaluyong City.

Lobby Area with guard 24/7

Lobby Area with nice couches

Swimming Pool

Unit 8-I Paloverde

Hallway with intercom

Living Area

Kitchen Area

Master's bedroom with toilet and bath inside

Master's T&B

Second bedroom

Second T&B

We prefer a long term rental, with one year minimum stay. For more info, email me at mjosiet [at] hotmail [dot] com

In Manila for a few days

EJ and I arrived here in Manila yesterday. Our plane ride was okay. But there was a bad moment of turbulence. It made me think about death and all. Is it easier to die in a plane crash or suffer in some form of cancer? Morbid thoughts but I couldn't help it.

Anyway, I'm here in Manila to do some errands and of course "rest". Hahaha! Let's see if I can do that. I think I'd be lucky if I'd be able to have a spa massage while we're here. We'll be here for 11 days and it's too short to have some proper rest. LOL

What makes me excited though is a red HP mini. I hope it is still available here. I sold my Gateway laptop in KL the night we flew here. What I am using right now is a borrowed laptop from my brother. Thanks Kuya! Hehehe.

Today is shaping up to be a busy day. As soon as EJ wakes up, we'll go to Trinoma Mall and check if the red HP mini is still available. Then after that, check out a beach property. And later on at night, meet family for dinner.

I hope it doesn't rain. I don't like rain.

PS. Thanks Mano for picking us up at the airport! =)

EJ says

EJ was watching TV. I sat down beside him. Suddenly I heard him hiccup. I said, poor baby you have hiccups? And he said "My hiccups is inside my mouth." Hehehe.

EJ and I were playing. I got so "gigil" so I told him, Your cheeks look yummy. I want to eat it. And he said "It's not yummy. It's not a food!" Oo nga naman. Hahaha!

EJ has this habit of touching my lips before he sleeps. I usually let him. But this afternoon I was really sleepy myself so I asked him to touch his daddy's lips instead. He said "Daddy's lips are yucky." LOL

More photos

Here are some more pictures from our Bali Trip:

One of the temples at Ubud, Bali.

One of the famous temples at Taman Ayun, Bali.

Still at Taman Ayun, Bali.

Mee Goreng. Yummy!

Lunch al fresco, by the beach.

And of course my photo inside the temple at Taman Ayun. I believe I was at my "best" weight during this trip. No Apidexin needed to look good. LOL!

Sadly, I may need some pills now. I have gained weight again.

I am not ready

EJ did not take a nap today, and yesterday, and some days last week. At first, I was elated. It means he's going to sleep early. It means more time for me to do what I want at night. It means late night DVDs for hubby and I.

I actually wished it becomes his new sleeping pattern. Until I realized I am more exhausted than ever before.

Yesterday, he woke up at 11:00am. Since he doesn't go to school for now, I let him sleep in as late as he wants. And I hate waking him up.

So I knew then that it was going to be a long day. I had anticipated that he would not take a short nap anymore because he woke up late. And that's what happened.

He went to sleep at 9:00pm. But by then I was a total madwoman. I was so tired and was getting crankier by the minute. I didn't have a minute's rest since he woke up. When he wasn't watching TV, he was demanding that we play. When he was watching TV, I was busy doing housechores!

Today, it's the same story again. He woke up later in the day, refused to take a nap this afternoon and went to sleep at 8:30pm. It sounds great but by the time he finally slept, I was ready to call it a day as well. Except I have to stay awake to do some things first.

Sigh.

I have two options: sleep in as late as he does or take a lot of vitamin supplements. The former is impossible as I wake up early however late I sleep. I guess I should stock up on multivitamins now.

Signs

It seems everywhere I go lately, I take notice of the exit signs. No kidding! They seem to be calling my attention everytime.

Of course I associate it with our impending departure from here. EJ and I are flying to Manila earlier than originally planned. It's absolute now. We are flying on the 17th - tickets rebooked! Then we're flying back to KL again on the 27th so the three of us (hubby, EJ and I) will fly together to Phnom Penh on the 29th. I didn't know there aren't direct flights from Manila to Phnom Penh.

Anyway, I hope there aren't any other meanings about me taking notice of these signs aside from the obvious.

A fan now

Oh I know I am too late but I just can't get this out of my mind. It's Charice "a note to God" performance at Oprah show. She was amazing!

I don't know how to upload a youtube video here so I just got a screen cap. LOL! If you want to watch it (but I think you have seen this already), just go to youtube.

Back to Charice, she's getting better and better. If she were a laptop, it looks like she's had a software development or upgrade. LOL!

I mean it though. She's prettier now, more confident and a better dresser. But above all I became a convert. I was never a fan of her before but I am now.

The song and the performance totally blew me away. It was unbelievable!

I heard that the "a note to God" is available in itunes. I don't have an ipod so I guess it is time for me to buy one now. I just want to hear the song over and over again!

Before leaving KL

EJ and I will be flying to Manila on the third week of this month. I haven't decided the exact date (keep on changing my mind!) and most importantly I haven't started packing yet.

We will not be flying back to KL anymore. EJ and I will be flying from Manila to join hubby in Phom Penh at the first week of July.

I guess the reason why I couldn't decide when to leave KL exactly is that there are so many things I want to do first before finally leaving this place. After all, who knows when we might come visit here again.

So here's what I WANT to do with my remaining time here. I'd be happy if I'd be able to do some of these:

~ Buy a camera. I think it's cheaper here compared to other SEA countries.
~ Go to the Night Market. I can't believe we haven't been there.
~ Eat Char Kway Teow every night. LOL!!! Honestly, it's one of my favorite Malaysian food.
~ Experience eating at the revolving restaurant at KL Tower.
~ Go up the Petronas Twin Tower.
~ Get crazy shopping. A friend warned me there are no big malls in Phnom Penh. LOL!!!
~ Buy a very cheap office furniture. Whatever for, I don't know. Hahaha!!!
~ Go to Cameron highlands.

It would be our 16th month here this end of June. Time fly by so fast, when you're having fun. And that's how certainly I feel.

We had a great time in KL. And I will definitely miss our life here.

However, I am also looking forward to living in Phnom Penh. I expect it wouldn't be as convenient as living here but I am ready for another adventure.

Game on! =)

I just wanted to hide

Last week had been crazy. I was in a funk the whole week. Stuffing my face with chocolates didn't help lighten up my mood. I was tired, cranky and generally miserable. It could have been PMS but things at home didn't help as well.

~ EJ had a bad cough at the start of the week last week. It ruined his sleeping pattern the rest of the week which in turn ruined my own routine.

~ He also stopped going to school. He said he didn't want to go to school "anymore". We tried all sorts of bribe to make him go back to school but he would cry and say "I don't want to go to school anymore." At the end hubby and I conceded, after all he is only 2 years old. We didn't want him to develop a phobia of school or something. Although the school term is ending on the 12th of this month, I couldn't help but think "there goes the rest of his school fees and school deposit, what a waste!" Note to self: understand the school's unbendable policy first regarding refundable and non-refundable deposits before enrolling son again.

~ Our internet connection was and still is a challenge. It's on and off. Sometimes it works fine and sometimes I have to pray to make it work. I don't think it was this bad last year. But hubby said it was. I have to accept that living at the 37th floor has its disadvantages and a bad internet connection is one of them.

~ I didn't get to exercise as much as I want to. EJ had been a tad demanding.

This week started okay. EJ is better now. No more coughing in the middle of the night. And I am also feeling better and I am getting my much needed exercise.