SURPRISE! - My birthday present

I'm now sitting on our lodge's balcony, watching the sunset while
hubby's sleeping. My birthday present this year is a weekend getaway
to Sarova Lion Lodge in Nakuru. It isn't my birthday till Monday but I
received it this morning.

Both of us didn't get much sleep, only 2 hours at most before we had
to leave Nairobi. This place is about 3 hours drive but we slept only
at about 12 noon. Huh? Cause we played mahjong all night at John's. We
left at about 10am this morning :s I know right?

Another surprise hubby gave me is that he'll be on leave on Monday
just to spend my birthday with me! Awww so sweet eh? I know! So
touched *sob sob*

I'll write more when I return to Nairobi and post pics too. Oh did I
mention the lodge is right inside the National Park too? Game drive
tomorrow!

Gotta get ready for a traditional dance show before dinner! But first
gotta wake hubby - poor him (and me! I drove, he slept!) tata!

Another birthday looming around the corner

This will be my 3rd birthday which is not a public holiday. All my life, except the recent 3 years, my birthday has always been a publich holiday for me and the whole nation (Malaysia). But since I moved out of Malaysia, it's just another day. This year, I think, will be really just another day. Even though I'm usually never at home during my birthday, even when I moved out of Malaysia in 2006, my birthday has never been a quiet and simple event. I spent 2 birthdays in Moscow, last year in Kenya and this year again in Kenya. Birthdays in Moscow were a blast! The whole office will be celebrating it for me. Oh actually, I spent one of my birthdays in the airplane too! :) Last year, hubby bought us a weekend getaway and Malaysian embassy in Kenya "celebrated" for me too. This year, no sign of anything and Malaysian embassy has confirmed that there won't be any function this year.

Oh well, birthday is really just another day on the calendar right???

It's only a week now before I fly back to Malaysia for holidays. I'm excited and nervous at the same time. Excited - obviously. Nervous - well long story and don't even get me started. I don't want to start actually - I prefer to just try to forget that episode and move on. Not good harping on it. It'll become a disease.

Actually, I'm suspecting that hubby might have somthing up on his sleeves to celebrate my birthday but we're going over to John's for dinner and mahjong tonight......this leaves me a little sceptical. I'm doubting my 6th sense, gut feeling - whatever. So we'll just have to leave it till tomorrow to know won't we? He's been trying to make my Saturdays and Sundays free - I was supposed to have a meeting on Saturday, he said to change to Friday and last night a client asked if I'm able to meet her on Sunday, he said change it to Monday. Weird huh? I KNOW!!!

I'm feeling so moodless these 2 days. Insomnia ain't getting any better too. My body seems to be mixing up day and night. I sleep like a baby during the day and have no problems falling a sleep at all! But during the night, when I'm supposed to fall asleep properly like a sane human being, am getting nothing of that. 

Gotta run! You know your hubby's a gambling addict when he's home early, MUCH earlier than usual because he needs to get ready for mahjong!

Public Holiday tomorrow!! Woot!!

Actually I don't even know why I'm so happy - everyday's a public holiday for me - am not working anyway. Hubby's not working tomorrow though so maybe that's why although I still don't understand why. Hmmm...I mean it's not like he devotes all his time to me when he's not working. He'll be holding on to his PSP all day and night, and I'll still be left alone although it's the company that matters no?

Oh I have not explained the reason for this out-of-the-blue holiday have I now? Well, Kenya is having nationwide census tonight so th president has declared a holiday tomorrow. Have not heard a census conducted at night? You're not alone! None of us have! What??? Census at night? Are you crazy?? Well not if you're in this part of the world. Seems like anything and everything out of the ordinary can and does happen! It's so amazing - am learning new possibilities each day! Good or bad, you be the judge. As it is crime rate is a huge concern especially after nightfall in Kenya so census being conducted in the night is causing even more concern amongst the people and the politicians. So why do it at night??!??? I can't comprehend either. So much security fears are being reported in the papers. So many efforts are being put in place just to make sure everyone's safe tonight. In a nation which is being plagued by starvation, energy and water shortage, a nation which is asking for monetary help from the world, this is definitely not smart. And why the hell on a Monday night?

And because of this one day holiday, we'll be having dinner and mahjong session at our friend's tonight. Sounds like a disaster to the piggy bank and my beauty sleep!!! Oh gosh!!! I'm already crying for help with my recent lack of sleep and another long night? Hmmm...not exactly looking forward to it to be honest, which I have to add, is so NOT me!!! I usually so up for a night/day full with activities - it's just sooooo boring staying home all day. It's hard to imagine especially if you're a working adult. My friends are crying for a break from work but me, I'm begging for a job!!

Yesterday, I realised, whatever money we have left for this month has gone missing mysteriously. When I went out marketing on Saturday, it was still there, I swear! But when I wanted to get some for marketing yesterday, it was gone!! Not a lot but it's significant! I suspected hubby must have taken it because the rubberband I used to tie them was left behind - hmmm...evidence. I asked him last night if he had taken the money - he simply replied Yes. I didn't ask further - didn't know why. I checked his wallet - wasn't there. Checked his working bad - wasn't there. Checked the pockets of his suit - wasn't there. I wonder where he hid them and why. He took EVERYTHING! Not a single note left for moi. I'm really really curious....but I guess I am afraid to know why he took them. I'll ask for sure, after this weekend. :)))) Those who know me might already guess the reason why I'm waiting till the weekend's over :p

Gotta go back to my books now. Making good progress, wish to try and see if I'm able to take my exams before next Saturday! Stupid to rush like this I know but worth the try I guess.

Poker night!!!

Still having problems sleeping. Made myself stay awake all day
yesterday and after a mini-Karaoke session with hubby till almost 1am,
was still unable to fall asleep until almost 3am! What the hell is
wrong with me?? Is it just plain insomnia or something more???
Urgh....

We're having poker night tonight at a friend's place. Waiting for
hubby to come out of the shower. Supposed to be there 15 minutes ago
but as usual, we'll be late. Dinner's served too - yum... Indonesian
fare. It'll be poker for the rest and Wii for me! Yay!!! I bet it'll
drag till late so I slept in the afternoon. It's so much easier for me
to fall asleep during the day nowadays! I slept from 2pm (I think)
till 5pm! That should make up for any lost sleep.

I'm toying with the idea of giving out pamphlets to every single
apartment unit in my compound, advertising the fact that I'll be going
back to Malaysia and able to bring back clothes from Nelanz for them.
No shipping costs (hey hey! a selling point) but am not sure if I'll
be allowed to do that. Will speak to the guard tomorrow to find out.
It's also a move to promote my dealer's business. If she has more
business, I have more business. Both are happy - why not eh??

Gotta run!!!!

No sleep, no food - looks as if I'm being tortured

I managed to sleep, finally, at almost 5am. And guess what time I got up?? 7am!! I was woken up by the alarm clock (as usual) and hubby was disturbing me!! It feels as if he knew I wasn't able to fall asleep last night and he's disturbing me on purpose because he doesn't usually do that. Weird huh? Anyway, he left me alone for about an hour (thank God).

I jumped up after 1 hour when I heard him coming out of the shower. Oh no! Hubby's breakfast!! And honestly, somebody is set to go against me and not let me have my beauty sleep today. I ended up passing him a cup noodle because the bread had started to turn bad. I mean, if I knew the bread would turn bad, I would have just told him to take the cup noodles to work. I don't have to wake up just to put the noodles next to his laptop. To clarify, bread doesn't usually turn bad so fast which is why I said somebody somewhere is set not to let me sleep.

And one more weird stuff - hubby actually turned on every single lights in the room! That he never does, not even when I'm wide awake. I just couldn't go back to sleep after that. When he left, I was wide awake and end up sitting at the laptop going through my routine and waiting for 10.30am for Sister Wendy's visit. And guess what - I have not eaten anything since I woke up! Dinner's in 3 hours btw. OK that's not exactly true - I had 3 slices of cheese and a cup of milk for lunch. Does that count as proper food? I know in my mum's dictionary, there;s no way that is can be considered a meal. That's not even food!!!

Then finally I thought maybe I should take a nap - it was 1 - then I remembered that it's Thursday today. I need to send out the catalogs to my wholesalers! So here I am, been working since morning and am off to watch EastEnders in awhile. I'm beginning to feel a little hungry and tired. I guess I'll order takeaway for tonight then.

Go away, insomnia, go away!

Argh! It's 3.15am and i'm still wide awake while my hubby is snoring happily next to me.

What?! ANOTHER blog??!!!???

Errr....yah another blog. Tee hee hee - I just set up my 5th blog but this time it's a travel blog. What happened was hubby's friend is planning a European trip next year and have no idea where to go and how to go about planning his trip. The only thing he knows is his budget is GBP1,500. Anyway, I told hubby to let me help them plan. I'll come up with an example and they can choose to follow it if they want or alter it. This then gave hubby an idea - he knows I enjoy planning trips etc because traveling's my passion. I've been planning trips sinve Moscow! Anyway he came up with the idea of starting a blog where I publish itineraries which I have planned so far or places which I have visited and help people who needs assistance to personalised their trips. In short, I'm a travel planner (hmmm...I thought I was studying to become a financial planner? What happened in between???)

My target audience are people who wants to travel on their own - backpack or not - without having to go to a travel agent or to join a tour group. I started the blog yesterday and have since posted 3 entries starting with my "hometown" - Russia. I have deep attachments with Russia and it's also because of Russia that made all my subsequent travels possible. Well, for now, I'll be helping people Free Of Charge. Will I start charging later on? All depends on the traffic.

If you're interested to see the first 3 entries, visit exploringmyplanet.blogspot.com I'm still not sure if I want the layout to be like that. I appreciate comments!!!

Oh my 3rd module has arrived! It arrived yesterday and hubby hid it until this morning! That means I can start studying again! But I'll take it easy coz there's a gap of 3 weeks and I don't want to have cramp in lots but forget them again after the 3 week holiday.

So far, I have finished 2 projects - travel project and T's website. I have J's website, my own (2 websites), W's website and MKBC to do. Aiyaya oh and lots and lots of housework!

What a busy week!!!

With the power rationing and all the projects I have on my plate pending, it is not hard to guess why this blog has been so quiet! And falling at the beginning of the week doesn't really help matters. If at all, it delayed work being done.

I fell ill on Tuesday, after meeting with another client and after dinner with hubby and friends. It was my UTI again. Anyway, was bedridden for 2 days - high fever and all the works. But the meeting with the client went well although I would say that she's not exactly sure what she wants so I'm still not optimistic if the sale will actually go through. I'm more optimistic with T. I received the orders from J yesterday and then a different sort of mail came in last night saying that now she's not sure if that's all she wants. She might change again. So she'll only FIX the orders when she passes me the payment after 25th Sept. It's 2 weeks from now, anything can happen.

I am almost done with Sim's European Tour itinerary. I have T's website to complete, I have Wendy's website to do although that will be on hold till next Thursday when we meet and then I have MKBC's website to complete as well. On top of everything, I have NELANZ to update too! Hey! I need to focus on ME hello??? Hubby and I have also just discussed on a new project - so I also have that to think about. I have to figure how I'm going to approach it. And of course, my daily routine of emails, news and blogs to read/reply/update. So it's gonna be busy busy busy all the way till 5th September! With the power rationing? That means I'll only get to work alternate days! Damn!!! *sweat*

I'm starting to think MAYBE just MAYBE I might have taken up too much projects.......but actually I have not. It's just that when I took up these projects, I didn't know bloody KPLC gonna implement power rationing!

BTW, Kenya will officially be in a state of emergency from next week due to food, water and energy shortage. It's the perfect recipe for a failed state. So exciting yeah!! Hehehe....how many people have the opportunity to live in a country (not city or town, mind you) declared to be in a state of emergency?? OOooo....sounds so war-like!!! Hahaha but I doubt anything will change except for food prices. Sigh...hubby's salary is static but the rest of the stuff doesn't seem to stay that way. Gonna tighten our wallet even more now especially after some uncourtese dudes from Singapore who has no courtesy to call to let us know that they are not buying my house anymore!!! Fck them man - they kept telling us they want the house and they will come to town to get the loan done, asking us not to sell it to another. And then, after a month, mum had to call to know that they've decided not to proceed. So like them.....

OK no pics today - too busy. I have a dinner party to host tomorrow so gotta take some time out today to bake some cupcakes.....WHOA!!! I think the solution's to go to Junction on Mon, Wed and Fri to use free Internet!!!

So many things happened since the last entry and it's just 3 days ago! Wow! I'm gonna just summarize everything because I doubt I'll remember everything if I am to put them into separate entries and I don't know when I'm gonna have power/when Internet's fast enough to allow me to put another entry in here.

So, let's start from Friday. I woke up to yet ANOTHER power cut and I do remember that the power rationing schedule published on KPLC's website doesn't include my area for any power cut till at least next week! Still feeling really blur (mind you, I'm still in bed) I called KPLC to find out if that was the routine power cut they warned us about or was it really a failure. Here's the most important part of our conversation:

Me: Your schedule doesn't indicate that I'm supposed to be experiencing any power rationing today. Can you please check and let me know when will the power be back? KPLC: I'm sorry ma'm but the power interruption notices on the website (ie: schedule) is not accurate. When was your last power cut? Me: Wednesday. KPLC: Yes, then you will not have power today but you'll have it tomorrow. Me: HUH?? If that is not accurate then what is? KPLC: Ma'm rule of thumb is power rationing will affect your area every other day. So you'll have power one day and no power the next. Or you can give us a call to find out if you'll be having any power interruption that day.

This conversation got me thinking why the hell did they even bother to publish the schedule on their website if it's not accurate? Even her so-called rule of thumb can be thrown out the window. When I woke up Saturday, we had power so I'm convinced that power rationing pattern will be just like what she said BUT the power went off at midnight for 4 hours and then we had power today! And the power went off again at 2-ish pm for 1 hour and it's back! I hope it's back for good. I suffered 13 hours on Friday when the power went off at 0830 and came back only 15 minutes to 9pm. Poor me - no books to read, nothing to study, no Internet, no TV and no water!!! Our water is pumped up from the ground floor so once the power goes off, so does the pump which means I can't even do any housework!

Anyway the one day when the power was normal and Internet was working damn well, I wasn't home to enjoy it. I was out with hubby on a road-trip outside Nairobi in search of fresh trout for lunch. But as usual, hubby took his own sweet time getting ready and by the time we left the house, it was already 2pm. It's a 2 hour drive to the restaurant and they close for business at 4pm! Massive traffic jam along the way didn't help things. We were not even close at 5.30pm! I decided to turn back because it's not exactly the smartest thing to do to be traveling on those roads after sunset. We stopped at a hotel just before entering Nairobi for dinner instead - food was HORRIBLE but the company was great.

The jam was just as bad on the drive back - and we ended up driving for a full 7 hours to a place which is about 120KM outside Nairobi and back, and we didn't even get there. And the best thing out of all of the trip? I was the one driving for the full 7 hours and hubby was the one complaining of back-aches, feeling tired and needing a massage when we got home.

My sister sent me the game Snood via MSN on Thursday (I think) and I've been addicted to the stupid game ever since! I mean it's a game we've been playing since.....since.....I can't even remember when I started playing that game but was years ago and it's always been addictive. But she sent it to me just as when I was about to take my exams! I stopped studying - honest! I didn't touch any of my study material - I kept telling myself, one last game, one last game but that last game never came until I start seeing double visions which is 1am. It was so difficult to tear myself away from the computer just to shower, cook, eat, whatever. So yeah, no studying at all and I went in to the "exam hall" today with Snood written all over my mind. But thank God, I passed. Didn't do as well as the previous subject but still got a whooping 88%! Not bad eh? So THANKS SISTER for the timing! Anyway, 2 down and 4 more to go!!! Woo hoo!!!

And to continue with the "THIS CAN ONLY HAPPEN IN AFRICA" stories, I was driving to Village Market today to do my marketing. A matatu (van used as taxi) stopped suddenly in front of me. This happens ALL the time! They are very aggressive, they stop and come out anytime and anywhere as they like. They have no regard for other road users and they drive like mad cows just so that they can beat other matatus to more passengers. Anyway, so I was that close to start cursing and pressing down my horn when I noticed the reason why this particular one stopped. It wasn't to pick up any passengers nor to let anyone get off. It was because the door to the van dropped!!!! The door got detached and dropped on the road!!!! He had to stop for his assistant to fix the door!!! I couldn't get angry at him after that - I couldn't stop laughing either! Hai....I was in the car alone so no photos! Sorry!!!

But I do have this photo to share - baby Owen Hudson Lee - Marcus' newborn son whom I mentioned in my previous post. I'm not posting any food this time - don't think my Internet connection is THAT fast. Owent is just as delicious, don't you think so? He's such a cutie!!!

Power Rationing? In the 21st Century?

Oh yah, everything goes when you're in Africa (except South Africa). The Kenyan government has just announced that a nationwide power rationing exercise will start from today onwards till at least the end of the year, unless rain starts falling in September through to December (their short rain season). The recent drought is apparently the cause of this - power rationing (Kenya harness their electricity through hydro), food shortage (rather maize and wheat) and water rationing, all happening at once. From the way I see it though, it's plain greed and stupidity that has caused all these problems.

First of all, which government relies only on 1 source of power generation? Moreover, according to reports, the Ministry of Energy was already told of possibility of power shortage in January when they requested for permission to bring in huge turbins! Secondly, who gives the permission to clear all the water basin, water catchment areas around the country - the government of course. According to newspaper reports, most of these areas (forests) were cleared to settle the citizens which was uprooted during the riot in Dec07-Jan08. So who can they blame but themselves? The government is way to corrupt to notice anything but their bank accounts and their stomach.

Just an example of how corrupt and selfish they are. Recently, the parliament wanted to sign in a rule which will require all MPs to start paying their taxes like all orginary citizens and also the President wanted all MPs to give up their luxury cars as a measure to cut unecessary costs. Nope, none of them are paying taxes at the moment - great place to be huh? Anyway, all MPs went crazy with both rulings which I think was never passed coz nobody agreed to it. All of them went against it - there was so much drama for weeks! MPs said if they are required to pay taxes of, for example 20%, then their salary must be increased by the same percentage. I mean how stupid and how - I'm loss for words - FUCKED UP is that??? It's then back to square one - might as well not pay! As for the cars, they refused to give up their car. One of them even said he'll rather cycle to work if he has to give up his luxury car for a smaller sedan. I mean OK go cycle then! I'd rather take a car anytime! It's so easy to see what they are in the government for - for the people or for themselves? The nation is so poor and yet they who are suppose to represent the people, well, maybe in their world people means them and their families.

So yeah, Kenya Power Lighting Company will have a schedule drawn up to notify the public which area will be affect when. I'm not sure how reliable that is - left to be seen. I'm just worried about my exams now. I'll be taking or I plan to take my exams next week. If the schedule is unreliable then I'm dead.....suppose it goes off when I'm in the middle of it?? Take during the night? Nah, I only have that many hours during the night.....I will not be able to sit through the 4 hours. I mean if I start after dinner, 8pm, I'll completed the exam only at midnight!!! Anyway, have written to the college to find out what will happen if the power goes off while I'm in the middle of it. And guess what - my course coordinator is on maternity! GRRREEEAAAATTTT! What a timing huh?

Our electronics seems as if they are taking turns to give up on us one by one. 2 weeks ago was our TV - it just went bust all of a sudden! Sunday was OK but when hubby woke up on Monday, the TV just went black....nothing came on. We got a new TV 2 days ago - a 2nd hand 29 inch China made from John. It's really China made - a brand which nobody knows unless you're from China. Anyway, it's not a lot of money so we'll just use it for now. We can sell it before we leave anyway. Then yesterday, I found out that our Olympus mju 700 digital camera has gone bonkers!!! It keeps having this whirling sound when is switched on, the lens just keeps adjusting itself by going in and out. The picture - unable to focus - is blury all the time and after awhile, it stops with the screen showing D: 5e08 5e02. Googled and apparently a lot of people have the same problem only nobody could answer my questions: Can it be fixed? What happened? People in the forum have their own way of repairing it but none of it worked for me. I guess will just have to take it back to Malaysia and hopefully won't take too much to fix it. Luckily I still have my old old Olympus so will be using that for now......

Oh oh Liz has delivered! It's a boy!! Wow can't believe Marcus is a daddy and U.Hua is a grandpa! First great-grandson of the Lee family. The name's Owen Hudson Lee. He looks exactly like an ang moh!!!

Anyway, today's menu: fish in soy sauce, radish soup and pok choy in oyster sauce.

Nelanz in Kenya?? Why not!! It's coming soon!!

Uh huh! You didn't read wrongly - you'll see Nelanz Products in Kenya very soon! I don't mean in the shops but you'll be able to buy it locally without having to worry about exorbitant shipping prices and possibility of being taxed by the customs. I met up with a client (a friend's colleague) over the weekend. She recently purchased 20 items off the website so I met up to collect the payment from her. She got to know my website through a Malaysian friend who is her colleague. My friend bought something from me and wore it to the office. This girl, T, fell in love with the top the moment she saw it! So my friend introduced my website. That was how our relationship started. Anyway, I brought up the subject of her being my dealer in Kenya. She got excited immediately because it so happened that she started a jewelery business about 4 months ago! It's a good complement. Talk about timing! :p We went through the details over a cup of coffee and honestly, I can see this working out. I hope she thinks the same too! She wants to look at the products first before she decides which I think is fair enough.

Next week, I have another meeting with another Kenyan girl about becoming my dealer too. I don't have any idea how she found my website (www.nelanz.com) but she did! Anyway, I do hope that this discussion will turn out fine and she'll get as excited as T too. She's a student and her focus will be on a totally different group of consumers and also her area of focus will be outside Nairobi. All these are good for me. She has some concerns which I think is valid but will take me sometime to convince her and also depends on herself how much trust she'll give me.

Whoever is reading this post and interested in becoming a dealer for Nelanz, leave me a comment or send me an email using our Wholesaler Enquiry form on www.nelanz.com!

Hubby was unwell over the weekend so we had a pretty lazy weekend. Spent most of my time at home except when I went to meet T and when I went to do my grocery shopping. We suspect he might have appendicitis which we managed abort with antibiotics and penicilin. I think it's appendicitis because the right side of his stomach was swollen - near the hip bone. Anyway, he's fine now. He's usually very quiet when he's unwell. He'll spend most of his time sleeping, which was the case Friday and Saturday so the house was pretty silent those days. But come Saturday night and Sunday, the house was noisy again. That is a very big hint that he's fine again.

What did he eat those days he was unwell? Kuay teow soup with beansprouts and fishballs. Kuay teow is broad rice noodles in chinese. This is a very light meal, very good for people who are not well or you just want something soupy and light.