My Best Poker Session Ever: Marriage Proposal From My Love!

Bf proposed last night! And in the way I absolutely love love love, which is original and filled with surprises!

It was meant to be a regular poker session and I felt so lucky to have pocket Queens in the first round. The 1st three cards on the table were Queen, X & Jack.  As it went on, 3 players went all in with bf being 1 of them. *Woo hoo* The pot was getting big enough and gave me an adrenalin rush!

When it was my turn to make a call, I hesitated before going all in. I really didn't want to lose all our chips in the first hand even though the odds were in my favour. And so the showdown began... with 2 pocket Queens from me and 2 pocket Jacks from bf and 1 other player that was significant. Hehe....

My heart was pumping when the 4th card opened and it showed a Jack. "That's fine", I thought, "at least the money is going back into bf's pockets" and I still stand a minute chance. With poker, there's always this element or luck, no?

The trash talk went on and when the last card opened, I was stunned for a while. It was a Queen and I've won! But.... why was my winning card so dirty with all those scribbling?? Huh???

It was a split second before I caught the word "MARRY" and I beamed away. What a way to propose! A climax on top of a climax! Bf is so cool!!! :D

He went down on his knees, took out the custom made ring and gave me the flowers. Of course I said yes. Yes, yes, yes and a million times yes!

The Lovely Bouquet of White Roses

It was a moment of blur and flurry. His thoughtfulness and effort makes me beam from ear to ear. The thoughts that went into the ring design, the flowers he got me, the way he orchestrated the whole poker session with friends.... Yes, I'm truly touched. 

❤ Thank you baby! I really do feel so so lucky to have met you and have you in my life. ❤

The ring is designed with an infinity love symbol on the side. BF insisted on having this on the ring and he used my tattoo drawings months ago as the reference.

Infinity Love Design On Side Of Ring

I was still contemplating getting the tattoo yesterday when I eventually feel up for it someday. Now, I'll wear it on my engagement ring instead. How meaningful! 

I have not told bf this before. He was my inspiration for the infinity love design and I felt so strongly for him at one point, I almost added one more tattoo to my body. But my rational mind got the better of me. Tats really aren't cool when I am older. Haha...

It wasn't the easiest allowing myself to fall in love with him, to bare my soul and just let the feelings flow. I had hoped that our relationship will go on forever but I was hesitant. I wasn't sure he felt the same way then and whether he wanted the same things in life as me.

Yes, this isn't the end of our journey and I know it'll get better because we both want it so.

Last Pic For The Lovely Night

❤ Baby, you're the best bet in my life. Muacks! ❤

Permanent Laser Hair Removal - Lumenis, Most Effective Hair Removal I've Tried!

I've been so busy lately but I just have to review my most recent hair removal experience coz it was really good! By that, I meant the effectiveness and the comfort level throughout the session.

Ok, so here it goes...

About 2 months back, I was invited for a trial laser session using the LUMENIS LightSheer Duet machine.

I didn't know what to expect and whether it would feel any different from my regular underarm and bikini line IPL sessions at Musee Platinum.

When I arrived at the location, I was asked to go into the treatment room which was neat and filled with several machines.

I was also given a loose-fitting navy satin gown to wear as I was doing a bikini hair removal :P

This was my view while lying down and waiting for my treatment to start. I felt a little nervous not knowing what to expect. And of course, not knowing whether this form of hair removal will hurt a little, especially it was at a sensitive area. 

Somehow, the treatment bed with the extra support at end, near my feet there, made me feel like it was more professional. It seemed more comfortable placing my feet on the support to prop my legs up.

I had to first put on the goggles below before starting my treatment. Looks funny eh?

I was informed that the treatment was about to begin the moment the machine hand-piece was placed on my skin. Immediately, I felt this weird sensation on my skin but I couldn't quite make out what it was. Every 1-2 seconds, the hand-piece was moved. After a while, I badly wanted to know what was giving me that unusual sensation and found out that the Lumenis LightSheer Duet machine has a vacuum assisted technology that gently pull and stretch the skin before applying the laser energy. So it was a suction feeling on my skin. No wonder, I didn't feel much pain from the laser. 

I was told that the vacuum suction allows for a better and smoother hair extraction as the hair follicles are pulled closer to the surface with each suction. I think the suction distracted me from feeling the laser at work too, hence the distraction/reduction in discomfort. It was a plus point for this hair removal treatment! Not only does it reduces discomfort, it also increases efficiency since the vacuum assisted technology reduces the amount of hair removal time required.

At one point, I felt a slight pain and a slight burnt smell. I voiced out my discomfort and a shave was promptly given. Apparently, I didn't shave cleanly and this attracted more laser energy to the area, causing the pain. So, take note to shave properly on treatment day itself. ;)

Well, the whole process was really fast. The whole session was over in less than 10 mins!  There was no need for gels or whatnots. Just the shaved skin and the machine, so it was really much less messier than my regular IPL. This is one of the reasons why the whole session was so speedy. Time is shaved off from applying numbing gel before the session and from applying the post treatment cooling pad and soothing cream.

You can do lunch and have your hair removal session all done with no hassle. It's that convenient and speedy.

Yes, this is the wondrous machine....

My verdict? Hair did not grow out for a month after the treatment in most areas. I was almost hairless! Now, after 2 months, the hair growth has slowed A LOT for most areas and I'm impressed by the results. If this goes on, I think I'd only need a few more sessions to be completely hairless! It's more effective than the other bikini IPL I've tried. It's fast, not messy and the discomfort level is low. Moreover, there's no need to remind myself to shave a few days before treatment. 

If you want to find out more, drop me a note or email me at mei.journey@gmail.com. Give it a go and experience the effectiveness yourself.  

Bike Tour In Ubub, Bali, A Fantastic Way To See Ubud

I started 2013 in the way I like! First to Bangkok then to Bali for some me time. =))

Bestie invited me to bunk in with her at Bali and bf promptly bought me air ticket to send me off. Whee... And it is to Ubud this round in Bali.

Since I had the daytime free to myself, I signed up for some activities to get to know Ubud, Bali a little better. And one of it was the bike tour organised by Bali Eco & Educational Cycling Tour.

It was a pleasant start with prompt replies to my emails to ensure a beginner like me can handle biking in a foreign land.

I got picked up by the tour really early at 7.15am to have breakfast with a view... of Mt Batur, an active volcano.

The whole group was of a comfortable size of only 10 people.

It was a simple meal to start the day and the view was gorgeous. If only bf was with me...

The black soil area is where the lava flowed from Mt Batur's last eruption in 2000. The friendly guide went on to tell us a bit more about this area and also the spiritual significance of the calm lake besides Mt Batur.

Next up was a short educational tour about some Balinese native spices and plants and also a brief history of how some other foreign spices like Vanilla came to being on this sunny island.

Coffee Luwak Beans On The Left Looking Prettier

We were introduced to a live civet cat that poops out the very expensive Coffee Luwak beans. We were told that the coffee beans is foreign to Bali, hence, it was by accident that the civet cat ingest these beans and poop them out. 

Shortly after, we had a break and was given a tray of samples of ginseng coffee, lemongrass tea, Balinese coffee etc.

The guide managed to find a big spider out of nowhere and showed it to us. Reminds me of uni days. 

Just as I thought that the tour felt more educational and cultural, we were driven to pick up our mountain bikes for the real cycling deal. 

It was a breeze cycling as it was mainly downhill on wide roads.

We stopped by a Balinese family house to take a look. 

The guide went on to introduce their way of life and how this family makes their living by producing bamboo products.

The next part of cycling was through the padi fields; Something I was really looking forward to.

We rode through these fields with the blue sky above. 

See how beautiful it is....

The only problem for me was that the cycling path was a tad too narrow. It was more of a psychological issue when I cannot see where the edge of the path was. I was moving slower than usual and before I knew it, I was in the waters after going over a broken concrete patch. Talk about embarrassment. Thank goodness all I got was a refreshing soak for both my feet with no injuries. 

Then came the uphill stretch where a true bike beginner like myself had to dismount and push all my way uphill. There was a guide behind the last person (yours truly) and he offered to push my bike when he saw me struggling. But I managed to get through it, and boy, what a work out it was on my first day in Bali.

We rested under a 500 years old Banyan Tree where the guides brought out bananas for snack. The whole time, there was a van following us, except for the stretch through the padi fields where it couldn't go. So, no worries if you don't have much stamina like me, which is highly unlikely. :|

At this juncture, we were asked whether we wanted to continue with a 40mins downhill cycling route or a 40 mins uphill one.

Of course I opted for the downhill route where a van would be waiting to send us uphill for lunch. We were handed cool towels at the end of our ride too. The bulk of the people opted for the challenging uphill route.

This is the view from the van with the rest working out hard under the hot sun. 1 person gave up midway and the guide took over her bike. 

Before long, we arrived at the lunch venue and the uphill cyclists streamed in one by one, totally drenched in the humid weather. 

The tour ended with a delectable lunch. I can't decide whether this lunch or the one from my cooking class is better. 

Either way, it was a fantastic way to start my holiday in Ubud, Bali. For 36,000IDR, I really like this tour. The whole program was well paced and totally enjoyable. Despite me falling into the waters, I had a really good time that day!

Parador de Carmona, Carmona Town in Seville Spain Review

What a stay, what a trip! Yes, whenever I recall my stay in the Parador de Carmona, it brings a smile to my face.  It has become one of my favourite hotels.

Rolling Hills Of Spain

We had rented a car in Cordoba and drove to Seville, Zahara, Rhonda before ending off our road trip at Granada. So, bf suggested to stay at the restored state owned castle hotel, Parador Carmona, for 2 nights since we could easily drive out to Seville with the car; Seville is just a short drive of half an hour away.

We arrived at the charming town of Carmona, driving through the cobblestoned streets to reach the majestic Parador Carmona, a castle enlarged by King Pedro, sitting atop a hill.

Paradora de Carmona Gate 

Free Parking Spaces Are Readily Available

There's shuttle bus service available from the town centre to Seville. Just check with the reception for the bus schedule. We found it more convenient to drive though. The only challenge was to find parking lots in Seville.

I really love the moorish designed tiles in the lobby and courtyard. The motifs are so beautiful. The place somewhat transported  me to a time ancient enough.

Hotel Lobby With Gorgeous Tiles

Courtyard With A Fountain...

...So Gorgeous That Even The Pigeons Gather To Drink From It

The restaurant has an open area that has this marvelous view of the Andulusian plains. And our bedroom had the same facing too. It was oh so lovely!!!

Hotel Room Corridor

The room was huge and once again, the tile flooring brings me back to the ancient times. It's felt wonderful to be staying in a building that has so much history to it. And it's not just any history, but one that was once lived in by the royals.

My favourite part of the room was by the windows with the view of the endless plains.

Watching The Sunrise

My Favourite Spot In The Room

How can one not fall in love with this view?? It's so calming and you can see miles and miles away from your room. 

It was cool in the daytime in October but I found the waters too cold to enter. So, we just strolled around the hotel grounds taking pics.

View From The Pool

Resident Cat That Followed Us Around The Pool Area

We spent 2 nights in this charming town and the lastd day, we took it easy and went for breakfast at a Creperie.

Carmona Town

It was just perfect that our last day at Carmona fell on a Sunday.... because...

sitting at our outdoor tables, we saw a group of funeral mass goers and wedding guests all decked out in their fancy wears.

And I was surprised that the small town of Carmona has a little restaurant that serves excellent food. I think that it's because were in Spain; Almost every meal we had was a good one. Oooohhh... how I love the food in Spain. :P~~

La Almazara Restaurant

We ordered 2 starters and the anchovies can hardly go wrong here in Spain with their fresh olive oil. But the dish below was simply divine.

It is the one of the few appetizers I'll remember for a long time. Each piece was serve on a chip and has melted baked cheese coasted shrimp. The flavourful taste just burst with each bite and the cheese was so soft and warm. Even though there was 12 pieces, we cleaned up the plate really fast.

I really enjoyed my stay in the Parador Carmona in Andulusia. And to spend a full relaxing day in the small town of Carmona make this part of my trip memorable.

If you intend to visit Seville, you should consider the Parador Carmona. And if you can spare the time, extend a day in this charming town. You'll love love love this place loads!