HAPPY NEW YEAR!

If you are keeping up with us via our blog, we would like to wish you a Blessed 2009. We are probably miles away from you but we send out love and best wishes for the new year... new challenges... aspirations.... May you continue to walk closely with God and trust God in everything you do. We miss you and hope to hear from each of you soon. luv mich n dave.

Christmas 2009 - Eastbourne

Like last Christmas, when families huddled closely together under the christmas tree opening presents..... Dave and I, took a nice quiet drive down South once again to the white cliffs at Eastbourne. Eastbourne is East of Brighton (where we were last Christmas). Freezing cold....but would have been much colder without my perfect beanie, compliments and thanks to someone special out there.

Here are some of God's beautiful creation.....

Surprise for me

Knock knock.... delivery man stood with a package at the door. It had dave's name on it... so i just thought to myself, "what did dave buy? some golf stuff on amazon? ..... its huge! I'll ask him when he returns and I left the object just at the entrance of the door where the delivery man left it till dave came home....."

Turns out...... it was for me..... how sweet...

Mandarin Worship #3

Had our third trial of mandarin worship today. God willing, mandarin service will kick off weekly from next year onwards. Rusty ole me has been allocated keyboard playing for a couple of times since. Hope to improve as I go along. I am seriously out of touch after so many years but let's see how God provides the talent....

God is good...

Praise God for the time of rest over the last couple of months and for recently providing a job opportunity. It's truly God's providence esp during one of the most severe economic downturns and unemployment at present. Hopefully, I will be able to do well and my contract renewed for as long as possible into 2009 or beyond!

Am now based at Canary Wharf... will put up a pic soon.... Now I have to take the tube daily and it can be quite traumatic when you see the crowds that build up on the platforms. It makes my journey into work seem much longer than it actually is. But still, thankful...

Perth - Farmstay Wedding

Waiting at Heathrow to board our plane to SG

SG here we come! It has been almost a year since we last stopped by. Will be having two and a half days there this time round which is really short considering the many things we would like to do..... spending time with family and frens, getting to each and every corner to pig out... haaa...

SG/Perth here we come!

Currently getting ourselves ready for the long flights and short few days stay in SG (2 nights) and Perth (4 nights). Travelling light with mostly presents in our bag and some clothes but probably coming back with a full luggage! Looking forward to seeing our family and a couple of frens!

The true Summer Retreat - Annan Court 08

About 110 of us spent the long weekend thinking about how we can be more like Christ. It was a very enlightening time because it was such a practical session and had alot more relevance to our lives here on earth. We need to learn to be more Christ like, to grow as a soldier of Christ and bond with other christians around us! It has helped us see that we can leave our plans to God and trust Him to see us through.

A kiss of love

Nicole's way of saying I'll miss you mama Christina.

NYC Summer Retreat 08

Final week of work (for now)

4 days to go. My first contract with DB London has come to an end. Will be saying my goodbyes to my colleagues onshore and offshore. Quite a sad-ish affair but I'm looking forward to moving on after this piece of work that has been done. God has been good to be able to stretch my role till our visit to the States (NYC, LI, Boston, NJ, Washington DC). Will be joining part of dave's family for hols and also meeting ole frens we havent seen for a year. Somewhat like a reunion. Currently, researching and planning the to-dos!

Farmer-ing on .....13 July 08

The time has come for the strawberries, raspberries, red/black currants, GOOSEBERRIES, carrots, beetroot, spinach, peas....etc to be harvested! A whole lot of fun, very exhilarating. Never knew how raspberries grew on trees and never seen a gooseberry (more familiar with goosebumps!) before, let alone tasted such a juicy and sweet one! Our first 'trip' with a bunch of us from the mandarin fellowship group at church, just about 40 to 50 mins drive after service. Great place for kids and those who like an introduction to farming. Ended the day with the fruit/veg that we had picked in our tiny baskets, weighed and purchased, ready to be cooked up at home.

Happy Father's Day!

My dad is my hero - Happy Father's Day.

Back to London

Flight from Milan has been delayed by about am hour (am sitting on the floor), passengers are getting a bit edgy and pushy in the queues! Yes, this is budget airline flying... where no seats are allocated. Got to Luton airport, hopped on the shuttle bus to the station and caught the train that was meant to take us to home but due to the train driver reporting ill, we were seemingly stranded for an hour till the next train at 3am. Finally, the train manager arranged for cabs to take us home.... yay.... We were home about 4plus in the morning. We will never be flying at such a late hour ever again. Thank God for a safe flight nonetheless.

Fantastic trip overall!

Fashionable Milan

Our final night in Italy - Milan. The heart of fashion? Any shopping to be done? People here dress well, boots, leather jackets, large sun glasses... you see these icons in magazines. Did not get up to much in Milan just strolls in and around the city, with dave still having gelato (i think i was already over dosed), having dinner at a cafe reccommended by a colleague and having a drink at the D&G bar (quite a fancy place).

Branded Station...


Duomo...




D&G bar

Lake Como alas!

Our last view of Florence city and the Duomo (dominating the view and built up of the city) a hillside town called Fiesole. Only a short 45mins bus ride up. Panoramic views, very pretty.

We are currently on a 3hr 50mins train ride up north to Lake Como for 3 nights.

Here's Lake Como:
Views on board the ferry.




Pizza (Our Dinner) by the Lake...



Think this was our nicest pizza of our trip, look at those scampis.... (probably so tasty cos we have been deprived of seafood in London)



Bellagio, one of the pretty towns on Lake Como.

Leaning Pisa n Unique Cinque Terra

Pisa... pizza...(amazing when you are physically there, photos do not do the place justice)

Cinque [five] Terre [lands]...(my fav spot in Italy)...Dave slurping down the best pasta!

Mich chilling with gelato...

Dave resting his hairy legs onwards to the Mediterranean Sea

The railway which connects the 5 towns...

florence...David viewing David

Why the smile? There's a lady behind Dave shouting 'no photo, no photo!'. We didnt even think of taking a photo until then, but being rebels....

The Dome of Florence's Duomo, amazing views from above once you climb up the 463 steps

Made it! Can you spot little Michy?


We struggled with food the first day in Florence. While looking for some lunch at about 3pm, we stumbled upon this €4.50 pasta shop. It looked pretty cute, so we went in and ordered a pasta and lagsane. You sure do pay for what you get - the gentleman bent over and pulled out a packet from the fridge, ripped off the cardboard cover, and stuck our food in the microwave for 2 minutes before proudly serving us. We were shocked / devastated / loss for words, and from then on decided to research every meal we had.

Read some reviews online and found this place, where we lined up for an hour to get into here for dinner, where we had the 'fun-est' meal

Waiting...No we dont know them!

Waiting...Look at the queue!

Off to Italy!!

Rolling our hand carry sized suit cases into the train and office today so that we can zip off at 4pm to take the train to Stanstead Airport. We are on our first proper holiday in Europe. We will be spending 9 nights in Italy. First stop Venice...... (2 nights)