The City of Boiled Eggs

Rotorua Museum, Rotorua, New Zealand

Gong Xi Gong Xi. Gong Xi Fa Cai! Chinese New Year is knocking on the door, and it looks like it’s gonna be another fabulous Chinese New Year, …in lockdown!

Ah well, at least we can save some angpow money (gotta look at things on the bright side, don’t we?) …Until someone decides to create an e-Angpow app that is!

Oh God, continue to give us hope. Keep us all safe and healthy. Help those who are in trouble to overcome their problems. Mend broken relationships. Help people forgive each other and make this world a better place. Make the economy thrive again. Give my company big, grand projects so that all of us can keep our jobs, and get an increment, and a promotion. Make things go back to “normal” (but what is normal nowadays)??..

Well, since we got no place to go, and I don’t have any Chinese-y photos to post, here’re some pictures of a time we spent together with family, some time ago (in 2018 to be exact) in New Zealand. Here we go!


Anu and the kids, at the Government Gardens, Rotorua, New Zealand, Dec 2018

This is Rotorua, New Zealand, which my nephew Jared says smells like boiled eggs. And he’s right, it does smell like eggs! Actually, ummm… to me, it smells more like the gas you pass out after eating eggs. And that’s thanks to the natural gases (hydrogen sulphide) that comes out from the ground in the form of hot springs, bubbling mud pools and geysers! Heck, there’re even places called Sulphur Point and Sulphur Flats! That’s because Rotorua happens to sit inside a friggin VOLCANO! Yup, you read correct. Lake Rotorua is actually the caldera of a volcano that erupted 240,000 years ago, and judging from all the geothermal activity that’s still active, I’d guess that the volcano isn’t exactly extinct. Well, guess I wouldn’t be moving to Rotorua (unless there’s a job offer of course, hehe).


Sulphur Flats, beside the hotel that we stayed in, the Sudima Lake Hotel, Rotorua




More photos of Government Gardens, Rotorua


With the boys and some scary looking tiki statuettes, at Prince’s Arch & Gateway, Government Gardens, Rotorua


Lake Rotorua, Rotorua, NZ – What’s the Indian and South Korean flags doing here?


Yours truly at Lake Rotorua – Hey, can we get on those sea planes in the lake?


Lake Rorotua is formed from a caldera of a volcano which erupted ummm 240,000 years ago, before modern humans even existed. In the background is the lone island inside the lake, Mokoia Island




More views of Lake Rotorua, it was a really windy day when we visited, brrrr… (although this was the peak of summer in NZ)


Mommy with the boys and Jared in Rotorua. Jared’s mom had to tend to Jared’s baby sister, Skye, and Dad and Hazel decided to accompany her and catch up on some rest in the hotel (this was not their first time in Rotorua, ...unlike us)




Kuirau Park, with geothermal hot springs and bubbling mud pools


Tired? You can dip your feet in the free hot water springs in Kuirau Park, Rotorua, NZ

Before I go, here’s to wishing all a happy, vibrant and happening new year, filled with opportunities, success and hope. Here’s to wishing the world a recovery from the effects of the pandemic. Let us step out and make this world a better place again.

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On a more solemn note, 2 days ago, Anu’s younger sister, Amrita gave birth prematurely to a baby boy only after 6+ months of pregnancy because of fibroids in her womb. The baby was on life support but unfortunately, weakened and passed away later in the day. Mother is still in pain from the fibroids, birth and is greatly distraught over the loss of her child. Oh God, take care of the little baby who’s gone back to you, heal Amrita of her pain and condition, give Amrita and Rahul the strength to overcome this loss and to strengthen their relationship to create an ever happier and closer family going forward. Thank you Lord. Amen.

The Story of Jayden, Year 7

Jayden, Love Lake, Dubai, Dec 2020

Finally, I finished looking thru all the photos of the little one between his 6th and 7th birthday (after 3 months!), and here they are, a summary of his Year 7 adventures, stuck completely in the UAE, thanks to friggin COVID. (I’m getting sick of this word…). Enjoy!


Here’s he at home, explaining what his monsters can do. Hey, did it kill King Kong? Nov 2020


Al Jazirah Al Hamra Old Village Fort – Behind this fort is the abandoned ghost village of Al Jazirah Al Hamra, spooky eh? Ras Al Khaimah, Dec 2020


With his Koko at the zoo (he loves aquariums and zoos, by the way), Dubai Safari Park, Jan 2021


Another fort! The little visited Falaj Al Mualla Fort, Umm Al Quwain, Jan 2021 – We were the only ones there that afternoon. The watchman had to unlock the museum just for us. A whole fort to ourselves!


Hey Harry Potter, where’s Ron and Hermione? Fooling around at home as one of his favourite characters of that time – I think this was British Book Character Day, or something like that. Their school has all sorts of ideas to make parents use up their money – Feb 2021


Gong Xi, Namaste, I’m confused… Malay clothing, Indian greeting, Chinese decorations, …ahh, what the heck, we’re Malaysians! Malaysia, truly Asia! – Mar 2021


Last trek of the season, Wadi Ghub, Fujairah, Mar 2021 – The weather turns up the heat from April onwards… Waiting eagerly for the end of Oct again to go outdoors


Another of his all-time favourite character, Spiderman – Apr 2021


Oh, it’s stifling hot! May and June 2021 were the skating months where the kids went every other weekend to rack up their skating skills (coz that, and swimming, were about the only things we could do that’s free …nah, we aren’t stingy, …just thrifty, ahem) – Nshama Town Square Skate Park, May 2021


Museum trips are still OK during the summer months. Hey, where’re your legs??!? Sharjah Science Museum, Jul 2021


Jayden with friend Viva and the Fox of Fabyland at Dubai Festival City, after a playdate with his Koko, Arya, Mashel, Viva and their moms at Bounce Trampoline Park, Jul 2021


Pulling faces with Koko, at Ce La Vi Restaurant, atop the Address Sky View Tower, Downtown Dubai celebrating Mommy’s birthday, Aug 2021


Abu Dhabi reopens! Abu Dhabi finally relaxed its internal border controls regarding COVID-19. Before that, all entering the emirate of Abu Dhabi from other emirates had to show COVID-19 PCR test results not older than a certain amount of days (it changes from time to time) – Hey, look at my piece of salt! At the Al Wathba Long Salt Lake, Abu Dhabi, Sep 2021


Expo2020 Dubai finally opens! I AM THE MUMMY!! At the Egypt Pavilion, Oct 2021


Happy Birthday! Jayden at the South Korea Pavilion on his 7th birthday, Expo2020 Dubai, Oct 2021

The Labyrinth of Shops

And so, 2021 is gone just like that. With COVID-19 reigning for another full year, keeping us stuck from going anywhere overseas for the second year in a row. Sigh…

Anyway Happy 2022. Let’s see how this year goes. As a start, things look really promising, if you’re a super-rich billionaire with some big pharma and tech companies under your control. (Just imagine how much money I’ll make from vaccines, drugs and online games, hahaha…).

If you’re an ordinary folk (like yours truly, ahem), cross your fingers and pray hard, with the economy crawling slower than a snail and COVID cases going thru the roof, probably from the ultra-contagious Omicron strain and having too much fun during New Year (told ya to stay at home, din I?) Here’re some photos of New Year’s Day of 2020, which was the last holiday we spent overseas before COVID struck. (Hoping for the day we can fly again!)


City of Sousse, Tunisia – What a maze? A view from the Ribat (fort). The castle at the far end of the photo houses the Sousse Archaeological Museum – New Year’s Day 2020


Exploring and getting lost in the maze of shops and houses is part of the fun


Why is everything in blue and white? And it’s not only in Sousse. Wait till you get to Sidi Bou Said…


Uh-oh dead end


Another dead end? At least the doors are yellow here


Wee…. These alleys are fun to be an airplane


Let’s get up that fort (Ribat)




More views of the city from the Ribat


Mommy at the Ribat, Sousse, Tunisia


Tired? Some tea perhaps?


Hey, it’s New Year, but there’re not much signs of New Year??

That’s it folks but oh, here’s a point too important to miss. Today is a landmark day for the UAE. The first official working Friday for the country since time immemorial, after the UAE government switched the weekend from Friday-Saturday to Saturday-Sunday. I prefer the old system, Fridays off, and alternate Saturdays. A slow Saturday (or Sunday) after the weekend is a way better start to the week than a friggin hectic Monday!

Here’re some quick updates. At work, things are busy despite the lack of Projects. That’s probably because I’m functioning like a friggin one-man show in charge of the closeout of 4 Projects, and have to beg and plead for resources whenever I need help. Fuck.

At home, Omicron has driven the boys back to distant learning, which was announced only half a day before the school officially reopens. Now, ain’t that a nice New Year surprise for parents!?! Bummer! HAPPY NEW YEAR!