Adios my friend

Couple of farewell to my new found friends. We had a farewell dinner and on my way there, I chanced upon this sign.



Does any drivers not know that? Duh! How to pass highway code?

Our Dinner at Buca.

It was a pity that some of them were leaving, as I just got to know them better. We had a small farewell dinner at Buca. Buca is a family restaurant serving Italian food. The interior deco was unique. There was a bust on one of the tables, a dog’s shrine in one of the rooms and haha… a framed up bra hanging in the ladies washroom. (Really sorry, was too enticed with the deco that I forgot to take photos!)

The only thing I remembered was to take photos of people who were departing Guess… that was more sentimental for me.

I found Coffee Bean and Tea Leaves!

Yes! I found Coffee Bean and Tea Leaves about 20miles from where we lived. Finally... I managed to satisfy my coffee addiction. Since I’ve came here, I had tried StarBuck's Frappacino... but it just does not measure up to my favourite Ultimate Vanilla from the Coffee Bean. My usual order back home also came with extra beans. Back in Singapore, the lady even knows me by my name and my order and does not even charge me for my extra bean. Believe it or not, she even gave me a Coffee Bean Mug on knowing that I will be leaving for Arizona for 2 years.

Well, guess I don’t have that power here. I got to pay for my extra beans. Nevertheless, I was more than happy to see my favorite franchise here. But this comes with a cost. My ultimate cost me 5USD here, which is equivalent to about 8SGD back home. Ouch…

Somehow, I felt that the coffee and fastfood are overpriced here.

Below is a “CHING’S INDEX
1 Ice Coffee = $ 5USD = 1 Bean
1 Mac Meal = 1 Bean

Imagine you can buy

1 Tub of Haagen Daz Icecream = 0.4 beans

1 Tub of Godiva Ice Cream = 0.5 beans

1 CK undergarments = 0.5 beans

1 Polo ¾ Pants = 1.5 Beans
1 Levi’s Pants = 2 Beans
1 DKNY Shorts = 2 Beans
1 Yoga Mat = 2 Beans
Most Clinque Products = 3.5 beans

Imagine back home, my daily consumptions is about 2 Iced Coffee or sometimes even 3. So that equates to buying 1 Levis a day. I don’t think I can afford to buy 1 Levis a day back home!

Pecan Farm

I had to admit that I had been a real lazy bum in the last one week. Not discipline enough to update my blog. Apologies!

The last week had been a busy one for me. Lots of gatherings and shopping as some of my newfound friends are going back. Somehow, I wish it was me…. packing away….returning back to Singapore. Sigh…. Yet another 18th mths to go … have to stop this whinning….

21st Sept (Thursday) : Pecan FarmThe wives organized a quick getaway to the Pecan Farm at South Mountain (http://www.thefarmatsouthmountain.com/) It was disappointing as it is highly commercialized. Just couple of pecan tress planted on a plot of land. Built couple of restaurants on the land and charged you high prices for the food. As I quote from the website “Relax by the organic gardens, savor the moment, and enjoy delicious made-to-order breakfasts?” Surprisingly, there was lots of working crowd there…. Duh… and there was not even an office building 100m radius from the farm!

PecanS!

Biggest Lalang tree I even seen!

Happy Birthday Lily

Wishing you a very Happy Birthday Lily

May your Birthday be as lovely as you are!

Weekend!

Sat: We had a potluck session attended by the captains and the warden officers (W.O) to bid farewell to those who are returning back to Singapore (How I wish I was one of them! Sob sob). It was held in a clubhouse. Lots of yummy food… I loved the pineapple rice best. Well, the wives of the W.O could really cook. In comparison, our skills were far worst and hence my friends and I decided to just bring ice cream and fruit salad. You never go wrong with that!

Haha… Believe it or not, Angela and I were challenged for a game of pool. Our contenders were…. Haha 2 boys (see pic below….the boys in yellow and green shirt). I got to admit that they were good because we LOST to them but hey… that doesn’t mean our skill sucks… just that we were a little down in our luck! (EXCUSES)

After the dinner, some of them adjoined to my house. Well, the girls get to continue to practice our pool while our husbands were happily playing RISK (Big boys!)

Sun: Doesn’t the steak look yummy…. Hot plate steak courtesy of Howard of course. Do I need to elaborate further?

Lots of Birthday Wishes coming.....

Firstly, I would like to wish everyone whose birthday falls on Sept, Oct and Nov a very Happy Birthday. I promise to try to remember your birthdays and will pose a little birthday note for everyone. (please bear with me , cause its going to be the birthday period)

People say birds of a type flock together. I sometime wonder, do people's birthday who tends to be close together have the same traits and hence become good friends? Most of my friends' birthday falls within the month of Sept - November. Is this by pure coincidence? Come to think of it, even my family members birthday falls within this period!

Happy Birthday Sis! You're the best!

Sept 17
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIS
And yes.... pls give yourself a break today...
May all your dreams come true...
and please spare one for me too!

Happy Birthday Girl

Sept 14.... One of my good friend's birthday.....

....Happy Birthday Yuting....

...May all your wishes come true...

...Or did one already came ....

(The flowers)

...Well a good start and many more dreams to be fulfilled...

More Pic from my friend's camera

The Roses...
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Among



The Th.....( you go figure out) Hahaa
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And put them together..... you have the NORTH RIM KAKIS

Grand Canyon North Rim - One of the 7 wonders of the World

Grand Canyon North Rim (6.5 hours by car from phoenix)

9 Sept : Grand Canyon North Rim (6.5 hours by car from phoenix) Yippie Yuppie... off I go on my first road trip. We set off at 7.00 am that morning and I was initially under the impression that we were going to visit south rim as its nearer to phoenix (about 3hours drive). It was only the day before that I realized we were going to the north rim and yes.... its going to take 6.5 hours ride and we were going only for 2 days ie, 13 hours car ride over the weekend (900miles in total). Ourch... my butt is going to hurt.

Enroute FlagStaff is the nearest civilized town to the grand canyon north rim. From Flagstaff, it will be about another 4hours drive before we hit the canyon. Better get our petrol top up. We do not want to be left stranded in the highway

In flagstaff town, there were holding an antique car carnival. See pic above.

The blue car that I'm in, its self constructed using ford engine. Its height is only about 1.5m.

I too wonder how can the red car ever cross a decent hump.

We saw an apple tree on the road. We just couldn't help but pluck some apples... haha

Grand Cayon North Rim

I was told that Grand Canyon North Rim is a road less traveled, or "other side" of the Grand Canyon. It is visited by only by 10% of all Grand Canyon visitors. It is higher in elevation hence it is closed during the winter months because of snow, but fewer people means more peace and tranquility and the views are just as good.

Click on slide show on the right (Grand Canyon North Rim Slide show) or http://www.flickr.com/photos/83964018@N00/sets/72157594280073600/show/

Click on slide show on the right (Pic of me in Grand Canyon) or http://www.flickr.com/photos/83964018@N00/sets/72157594280104365/show/

North Rim Entrance

Dinner

We prepared steamboat dinner. 2 pots of soup. 1) Tomyam and 2) Chicken base. It was just so yummy... In the cold (about 10degree) slurping into hot tomyam... yum yum. Chicken base was even better. It was really sweet filled with ikan bilis, scallop, wolfberry fruit and chicken breast....

Initially, we planned for lots of board games. We even brought along Jenga, Risk, Poker Cards, Monopoly and etc but by then, everyone were just too tired..... and also... we all planned to wake up at 5.30 tomorrow for sun rise....

10 Sep: Sun Rise at the canyon. Spectacular is an understatement.

Our lodge - the only "in-park" lodging at Grand Canyon National Park North Rim!
It came with really basic amenities. No TV.... which is great....



Enroute to Antelop Canyon, there is a cluster of really unique rocks.





Antelope Canyon - Page

Click on slide show on the right (Antelope Canyon Slide show ) or http://www.flickr.com/photos/32119100@N00/sets/72157594280144784/show/

Beautifully sculptured from rain and wind which slowly wear away the sandstone grain forming this beautiful graceful curves in the rock.

Hooray... 2 Road Trips ahead

I just can't contain my excitment anymore. Will be going for 2 road trips

9 sept - 10 sept
Grand Canyon North Rim this weekend. Will show you guys all the beautiful pics of the canyon. But the only thing... sigh.... got a big pimple on my face. haha... so on the bright side, you will only see the picturesque of the canyon minus(-) me. haha... or perhaps just my back.... kekeke

30sept - 3 Oct
Enroute :will be visiting some apple and berry farm and off I go ... picking fruits.....
And off to catalina island. Looks really pretty on internet. check this up : www.catalina.com Yuppie yippie off to hiking, snorkeling, sunbathing and etc. Just can't wait for this day to come. Oops did I not mention that this trip will end with a factory outlet shopping at desert hill premium outlet........ kekekee. Hopefully my pimple has subsided and I can start showing all my pics plus(+) me in it.

Look out for the pics!

Yippie... Got my American Driving License.. But after a long wait

Yippie.... Yuppiee

Got my American Driving License today. Our Singapore driving license only allows us to drive for a month and thereafter we have to take both the theory and practical test.

The wait was a nightmare. The Americans way of working is just simply unacceptable. If it was back home, I would have screamed and fired a letter to the customer service

We arrived at the driving center at 10am.

Queue 1 (20mins): We got to queue at the information booth to get a number to enter the main building (There were only about 15 people ahead of me) - Well, duh... can't they just automate this process like what we have back home in our SCB banking hall whereby we can just press the button for a number. Why do they need a person there asking "Mdm what can I do for you today? What are you looking for? Is this for JOB CREATION?

Queue 2 (30mins): Once we got our queue no, we were told to wait for our turn

Serving time (30mins) : Once we were at the counter, the lady took her own time to go through all my document and started typing away on her computer. After which she rejected my application saying that we did not have all the relevant doc in place. She needs a letter noting when will I be leaving back for Singapore. Duh.... This can be easily found on my visa. She reluctantly went over to her supervisor for help. Thanks goodness, application was approved and I was asked to go to another room to take my theory test.

Theory Test (30mins): I took 30mins for the test and passed with flying colours. Believe it or not, no mistake at all.... kekee... my brain is not that rusty afterall =p. I studied the day before and just memorize all their rules... eg... you cant park 20ft from crosswalk, 15 ft from fire hydrant and etc.

By then it was already about 12pm.

Queue 3 (60min) : I got to wait for an hour for the practical test. The test took only 10mins.

Queue 4 (60min): I was told by the instructor that I have passed and that to wait in the hall for them to issue me my card. I thought this would be a really fast process but oh no… My name was finally called an hour later but where is my card? They handed me some document and told me to put it in another tray (that is just 10 steps away) and to yet wait for my name to be called. Duh…. Why do they need to take a good (60mins) for this? This is a redundant step ....

Queue 5 (15mins) Got my photo ID taken and finally the wait is over! I got my ID and am pissed with the turn around time.

Arghhh....Its already 2.15pm and here you have an angry and hungry couple! In short.... the ang maos are just so inefficient.