The Proposal

The Venue.

I had planned to do it here the very first time I stepped through it's doors. The pre-war architecture, the restaurant's romantic air with it's dimly lit seating area would appeal to her senses. Having sampled the food (which appealed to my palate), I knew that this place was able to satisfy her taste buds as well. What really drew me to this place was the intimacy that a couple like us would be able to share in private. Close enough to the busy main road, but quiet enough to be transported away from the hustle and the bustle of the city. It had to be a special place and this place checked all the boxes, dotted all the i's and crossed all the t's for me.

After all, it's not everyday that one proposes to one's significant other =)

The Ring. 

It's amazing how one becomes an instant expert when one sets one's mind to it. Over the span of a couple of weeks, I learned how to separate my Colour from Clarity, my Carat from Cut and learned the significance of the 4C's. But ultimately it boils down to what captures your attention at first glance. The diamond I ended up getting called out to me the very first time I set my eyes on it. I just knew that I had to have it. I must have went back to the shop 3-4 times to admire it and to negotiate with the proprietor on it's price. 

The Visual Aid.

I had originally bought the deal from milkadeal to create a storycard to document our recent trip to Taiwan. When I started to put the storycard together, I realised that we have taken so many pictures together that I could put a story of how we met via the storycards. The more I started to look through my photo library, the more I realised what I wanted to do with the storycards. I would use them as a visual aid for the proposal.

Putting together a storycard isn't as easy as it seems. I wanted to truly convey a message. I wanted the photos to match the captions. Thankfully, this wasn't too hard to do given the huge photo library that I have of the both of us =)

The Dinner.

Dinner almost didn't come to be! Traffic in KL on a Friday evenings is nightmarish at best. She recommended eating some place closer to my office, but I insisted that we go to the venue instead. She's a bright one, the significant other. She can normally smell out my best laid plans by just the tone of my voice. Thankfully, she didn't suspect a thing this time round ;)

She was enamoured the moment she climbed up the steep stairs that led to the dining area. I breathed a huge sigh of relief. After getting seated and getting her order for dinner in, she mentioned that it was worthwhile making the trip to dine here; traffic nonwithstanding. That gave my confidence the boost that it needed. 

I recommended that she try the Prawn Cocktail as her starter while I ordered the Sweet Potato and Corn Croquette. We ordered a Rib-Eye to be shared between us and we also ordered a serving of Sauteed Spinach with Garlic and Mashed Potato as sides to accompany our main meal.

There's always something very sensual about sharing food and feeding your loved one. If you asked her, she'd probably relate to you the lunch that we had at Sid's where we shared food and I fed her for the first time. Mind you this was only our third date together, and if you asked her again; she would question the legitimacy of the date, as I didn't formally ask her out =)

She ended up having most of my appetizer while I polished of the rest of her Prawn Cocktail. The steak was served and the evening was ambling along perfectly.

She ordered a digestif after the meal. She said she wanted something sweet and the waiter said that he had just the thing for her. The bartender had a new cocktail he said. He then proceeded to ask if she likes Dragonfruit.To which she replied, "yes." I ordered a glass of Sauvignon to help the meal on it's way as well. What is it they say...Alcohol = Confidence?  

I pulled out the storycard and proceeded to sit next to her. She was pleasantly surprised and proceeded to flip through the storycards. I guess it didn't hit her till the 2nd last card, that I was about to propose to her.

In the meantime I was reading her reactions and trying to time when to get down on one knee.

When she flipped to the very last card, I produced the ring from my pocket, got down on one knee and asked her if she would be willing to take my name. 

I asked her if she was willing to marry me.

I looked her straight in the eye and asked her, "Leong Yun Mun, will you marry me?" I normally call her B which is short for baby. I called her by her full name because I just wanted to make doubly sure that she knew it was her that I wanted to be my wife. 

Tears flowed down her eyes, the very eyes that I gaze into when I wake up most mornings, the very eyes that I want to wake up next to for the rest of my life.

I asked, and she said, "Yes"

Biting Off More Than I can Chew

Apologies for the lack of updates. Lack of fodder. Meh.

One of the guys I bike with will be leaving us at the end of the year. So a bunch of us decided to get together to organise a bike ride to celebrate his move to greener pastures. A last hurrah so to speak. So 11 of us will be headed to Pahang where we will be biking along Sungai Tembeling on a self supported cycle/camping trip for 4Days/3 Nights. The actual distance covered will be around 180KM. We will be cycling on logging trails for the better part and the plan is for us to set up camp near the river.

Best Case Scenario? Overcast skies and a cool tailwind to breeze us through our ride.

Worst case Scenario? Take your pick. Hot blazing skies or Heavy torrential rain. Hey, we do live along the equator, so this sort of weather is expected.

Part of the fun of such trips is getting prepped for the trip itself. With the advent of technology, communication and updating each other on the preparations for the trip is that much easier. A facebook group, a whatsapp group, google docs and e-mail are the weapons of choice for communication. Now that the trip is getting closer (we leave on the 27th), there has been a flurry of activity on the whatsapp group. 

Apart from the obvious preparations for supplies (food), we also needed to get ourselves and our bikes into shape for this epic adventure. 

Physical Preparation

I bike all of once a week, but I do run and go to the gym at least twice a week to stay in shape. I hope that the time I've been spending on the treadmill and in the gym will be able to carry me through the 4 days of riding =) Now, riding a bicycle for 4 days back to back to back is going to take a lot of getting used to. Think sore bum! In my 20+ years of riding a bicycle, i've never cycled in tights/padded bicycle pants. Rather than suffer a sore bum, I plonked down a small fortune on a decent pair of padded bicycle pants. I'm thinking my bum will thank me for it. LOL!

I needed to get my body used to the fact that I will be spending 6-8 hours on the saddle. Normally, when I run or bike, I go flat out and leave nothing on the table. Now this is fine for my normal activities, where I am able to refuel and rest adequately. But for a self supported bike and camping trip, riding this way isn't advisable. Throw in the the unknown quantum of the elements and it's a recipe for disaster. For the past couple of sessions in the gym, I've been getting on the stationery bicycle and spinning the pedals at 90RPM and keeping my heart rate at below 80% of my threshold (<150BPM). I must say that I am now able to work at a higher rate (wattage) for longer (time) while still listening to my heart (<150BPM). The human heart is such an amazing and trainable muscle =)

Bicycle Preparation

I could have slapped on a backpack and biked for 4 Days, but I don't think that my old bones would have appreciated it much. As the significant other pointed out, a day out of walking in Taiwan with a backpack and I was already complaining non-stop. My next option was to fit a carrier on my bicycle and slap on two panniers to carry my barang for the trip.

That was the beginning of my headache.

To cut a long story short, my bike was not made to attach a carrier :( After much consultation with the group and researching on line, and of course some vitamin "M" I was sorted. I'll let the pictures do the talking =)

Transforming my sleek Titanium ride into an "Uncle" bicycle as the significant other puts it.

Two clamps were needed to fasten the rack to the bottom of my rides seat stay.

 Clamps fastening the top of the rack to the top of my seat stay. Had to be filed down to get it to fit.

Transformation Complete!

It's really been fun getting myself ready for this cyclo-camping trip. I think the trip itself will be filled with laughter and much camp fire stories as well. I intend to bring my moleskin along to jot down notes and document this trip. So much for lack of fodder, eh? Heheheh.

Hopefully, I'll survive this trip to come back and regale you with tales of my rumble in the jungle =)

A Quick Pit Stop.

"I feel like getting of at Central Market to go get some breakfast", I said.

"Huh?", she replied. Sounding surprised.

"Hungry lar", I retorted.

"You sure you can make it to work on time?", she questioned.

"Should be fine B, will whatsapp you pictures?", I replied.

I've been taking the train to work on Fridays of late. Friday rush hour madness, unpredicatable weather equates to a long commute home. Being stuck in traffic for 2.5 hours while needing to use the loo is not nice. I look forward to Fridays even more nowadays. Not having to worry about traffic and being picked up by the significant other at the train station followed by spending some quality time with her is nice. Weekends are starting earlier for me now. =)

Growing up, Dad has always mentioned that restaurants and eateries near bus or railway stations almost always serve good food. I personally find is observation holds true not only in Malaysia but also overseas.

Klang Bus Station is no exception to this rule. 

The restaurant, from the train platform.

 

I've had the beef noodles down at Restaurant Starlight before and I've been spying the restaraunt every time the train passes by the Central Market station as well.

A combination of not having breakfast at the normal time (I woke up a little later this morning and the bus to the train station was late) I was really hungry as the train was pulling into Central Market station. 

Before I knew it, I was aligthing the train and making the phone call and having the conversation above with the significant other.

The restaurant is really very old. I made my order at the beef noodle stall and found myself a comfy table in the restaurant. I spied the crowd tucking into their breakfast at the restaurant. There was a nurse, some white collar executives and students. Some of them seemed to be regulars given the conversation that they were having with the guy who served the drinks.

Casual Friday indeed :)

I was out of there by 8.45.

 The piping hot bowl of beef noodles really hit the spot.

I'm glad I decided to step off the train to have breakfast, it was thoroughly satisfying :) I wonder where I should pull of for breakfast next week. LOL.

Enjoy the weekend peeps!