Chatty Lass

Our hopes for an out-of-the-country vacation were abased to a staycation in the city due to conflicting work schedules. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise because we had the loveliest weekend at The Majestic Hotel, KL as an early birthday celebration (for me).

Our gorgeous living area in the Colonial Suite. I adored the room's classic decor, complemented with modern furnishings.

Endless supply of food in the snack drawer and mini bar (not pictured), which were refilled daily or upon request.

Our sumptuous suite with incredibly plush pillows, bolsters, and nightly turndown service. Perfect for dreamy nights (and days).

My favourite part of our staycation - the claw foot bathtub, where I spent most of my time reading and drowning any remnants of stress away.

Food galore at breakfast. Eggs in every way imaginable (a cheese omelette for me, while my companion prefers eggs over easy), slices of cured salmon, pressed juice, and smoothie cups.

Private pool overlooking the city at the Majestic Wing.

Our suite came with access to the Majestic Club Lounge, which we loved.

Afternoon tea.

Evening drinks. The Scotch eggs were excellent.

Streams of natural sunlight pouring into the Colonial Cafe.

Private entrance to and from the Majestic Wing.

I highly foresee a return in the near future, particularly for the impossibly plush bed and delightful claw foot bathtub, which we (rather obviously) took full advantage of.

Last Thanksgiving, I had just made the biggest decision where my career is concerned, and to be absolutely honest, I wouldn’t have described my attitude towards The Reason as thankful. In fact, I was anything but.

Thing is, He said 'Yes' to me 28 years ago, and has continually said 'Yes' to me since then, especially when I least deserved it. How could I deny Him of the very same answer on the one time He asked me to give up the very thing I loved most (at the time)?

My 'Yes' meant choosing Him above a job I adored. It was probably the toughest thing I've ever had to give up; my most costly worship - obedience. Little did I know, that ‘Yes’ was an open door to the best year I’ve had (to date).

Now, 365 days later, I couldn’t be more thankful for saying ‘Yes’ to an adventure of a lifetime, a life lived, and a story worth writing about.

Yet, I believe the stories we should be sharing around this holiday table shouldn’t be just about what are we grateful for, but how can we change our world because we are grateful?

Perhaps, we can start by saying ‘Yes’ more often - to Him who is worth it all, and let that answer of surrender overflow into the lives of our incredible parents who raised us, to our beautiful children who carry our heart in their hands, or to the person across from you who deserves your kindness simply because.

Your greatest story is waiting to be written. Begin by saying ‘Yes’ to it. I promise, there’ll never be a boring day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

View from where we sat, with tea terraces in the distance.

A colonnade of summery yellow bulbs in the humongous park.

Works in progress.

Clockwise from top to bottom: FRIED PORK KNUCKLE A meaty pork knuckle, fried to crackling perfection - Crunchy skin, tender meat. SALMON SASHIMI with THAI DRESSING Freshly cut salmon sashimi, drizzled liberally with a refreshing spicy-sour dressing of lime, chilli and mint. KAENG HANG LEI Burmese Pork Curry - Pork neck, divinely stewed in ginger, tamarind, turmeric and garlic.

• Travel Log - Chiang Mai (Feb 2017)

DHARA DHEVI An overview of the immense grounds from one of the villas.

Organic farm within the property.

Sticky rice paddy fields within the resort.

Lucky, the resident water buffalo. He's adorable! So fuzzy and tame.

A generous parting gift from Dhara Dhevi.

Indoor rainforest.

Cactus conservatory.

Left (bottom) - KHAO SOI Nothing says “I’m in Chiang Mai” better than a bowl of Khao Soi. This hearty dish is made up of a piece of slow cooked chicken drumstick and yellow egg noodles, bathed in a thick coconut curry broth, garnished with crunchy noodle sticks.

Left - NAM PRIK ORNG Chilli dip with tomatoes and minced pork. Often served with condiments such as parboiled seasonal vegetables and pork crackling. SAI OUA Grilled spicy pork-based sausage. What makes it special is the significant combination of ingredients used in Northern Thai dishes such as lemongrass, chilli, ginger and kaffir lime leaves, resulting in a chewy, well-seasoned burst of flavours. Center (top) - LAAP KHUA MU Spicy pork salad. Believed to originate from Southwest China, the dish consists of minced pork tossed in a rich blend of spices, giving it a mildly spicy yet aromatic taste.

FRIED OYSTERS Raw bean sprouts are assembled atop a sizzling hot plate, then topped with stir-fried oysters, cocooned in crispy egg batter.

BLUE PEA NOODLES Roasted pork, served on a bed of blue noodles, naturally dyed with petals from the blue pea flower. More than aesthetics, the noodles were delightfully springy and tasty on their own.

MAMA INSTANT NOODLES On almost every food cart anywhere in Thailand, there will be packets of Mama Instant Noodles displayed. This supper place took it up a few notches by adding their homemade chilli jam, cracking an egg and tossing in a few slices of meat into the soup. Perfect on a chilly night.

• Travel Log - Chiang Rai (Feb 2017)

Because when you do, chances are:

1. You’ll get bruised / fractured / broken ribs.
2. You’ll suffer for all of eternity.

How did this happen? Does it hurt that bad? Really, for ALL of eternity?

Calm down. All will be answered, in just a moment.

First, you need context.

So, it was the first day of my solo travel adventure and it was marvellous. I touched down, checked in, changed, then headed straight for Borobudur and scaled it twice. On the way back, I had the best piece of fried chicken I’ve ever had in my life, then walked back to my hotel in a futile attempt to shave off some calories and sank gratefully when the door behind me was closed.

My bathroom was spacious, with a huge tub and an attached rain shower above it. I shucked off my sweaty clothes and took a long, warm shower. It was the perfect ending to an amazing day.

Just as I was about to step out of the shower, before I could pull the shower curtain to the side, I slipped and tripped on the soaking wet curtain. It happened so fast; I had no time to break my fall and next thing I know, my chest hit the edge of the tub in a sickening crunch.

Now, being the colossal klutz that I am, I have had my share of falls in my lifetime. My badges of honour include a twice-fractured toe (same toe, different occasion - genius, I know), falling from wobbly stacked chairs in an attempt to retrieve the TV remote (my love affair with the telly was disastrous, as you can tell) and telltale scars at various parts of my body. Lest we forget, I am also a woman who has to bear the monthly reckoning of her uterus wall expelling itself.

Yet, till this day, I have never experienced a more excruciating pain than this one.

I was in agony and I was completely alone in a foreign land.

My arsenal of meds did not include anti-inflammatory pills or pain killers. I Googled my symptoms and was informed that I would most likely die from a punctured lung (Thanks a lot, Google!).

What did I decide to do? I slept it off and went zip lining the next day.

When I arrived on Malaysian soil, I dashed off to the doctor’s, only to be told that:

1. I had indeed bruised my ribs.
2. Ride it out and let nature take its course.

1.5 weeks later.....

Every cough, sneeze and laugh is a searing reminder of my clumsy fall.
For the past week, I got out of bed at a glacial pace because any swift movement would aggravate the pain.

1. I was finally enjoying my birthday present (to me, from me) and it couldn’t have come at a better time - a desperate flee from an ever expanding, increasingly demanding day-to-day schedule.

2. It was my first ever solo vacation abroad.

The experiences I’ve encountered whilst traveling solo as a woman beckons a separate post, which I will get to in a few days' time.

Novotel Yogyakarta.

Nasi Gudeg with Tauhu, Telur, Opor Ayam and Krecek.

Ayam Goreng Kremes.

Sego Pecel.

Sop.

Nasi Goreng.

Pine forest.

Shielding me from the evening sun.

Sand dunes.