WEDDING VOWS

From Tobias to Grace:
Grace, you are my missing rib and the second centre of my universe. Today, I take you to be my wife, and I promise that I will be faithful, loving, supportive and right beside you in everything you do. I vow to cherish you, honour you, adore you, and hold your hand as we embark on this new race called life together, forever and beyond. Nothing short of divine intervention will ever force us apart.

From Grace to Tobias:
Tobias, my perfect match, I knew you were the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with when you loved me and taught me to love more than I ever thought possible. I promise to cherish and respect you, support and inspire you, and to continue to be your playmate so long as we both shall live. I shall continually thank God for you, in times of peril and joy. Today, I give you my hand, my heart and my soul for the rest of our days.

(written on day 22, 17th May 2010)

OKINAWA WEDDING

I almost couldn’t sleep the night before. So much excitement. We reported early in the morning at 7.30am at Aquagrace chapel. I got my makeup and hair done before Tobs did his and then we both got dressed. There was a brief run-through of the sequence of events and a mini rehearsal along the walkway. Then we met the pastor and the staff (attendant, organist, vocalist, photographer, videographer, etc) before everything was set to begin.

I originally wanted both my parents to walk me down the aisle but in the end settled for my dad because it might be strange to have both parents. When the chapel doors opened, I was momentarily stunned by the beauty of the place I almost wanted to cry. The chapel faced the ocean and with its with interiors and full length glass windows, it was picturesque – almost too good to be true.

The walk down the aisle was ridden with problems primarily because my dad did not follow the rhythm so in the end we were totally not synchronized. This was one of the most unpleasant part of the whole ceremony. On hindsight I should have just whispered for him to get on the right foot. It would definitely look super awful on the video.

When it came to the time for the vows, it was such an emotional moment for the both of us. Tobs choked several times on his words, overcame with his emotions, and that made me cry too. So by the end of the ring exchange, we both needed tissue paper, which the very-experienced pastor supplied readily.

Once it was set into motion, the entire ceremony actually went by quite quickly. And it was almost as if I did not get to fully savour every moment. If only I could do it all over again, I would make sure dad got the march down the aisle correct and I would take my time to enjoy every single part of it. But I guess it is inevitable that the nerves and excitement would make everything fly by so quickly so to future brides, please enjoy the moment as much as possible! You cannot relive the experience in reality.

updates on the madness regarding the air travel crisis. tobs was told to pack up and go down to the airport ystday afternoon. there was a flight at 11.45pm out and the team is trying to get on. it is obviously full and they're going to be on the standby list. vice dean was going down to the airport to try and get all of them on the flight.

it was a little disconcerting, considering i thought the original volcanic eruption + disruption to travel plans meant a very clear sign from God that He was going to keep tobs in Singapore and there would be no risk of not making the Okinawa flight on Monday. but He has His ways of doing things, which are obviously incomprehensible to me, a tiny fragment of His entire creation.

so we went down to the airport. they got on the standby list which totaled 14 by the time they got on. chances of getting 4 seats was slim considering there were probably more people ahead of them on standby. the vice dean came down and worked her magic. suddenly, SQ offered 2 seats so candice and charles went ahead. then, they came back with another 1 seat so caroline had to go.

fortunately, there was no 4th seat available. in any case, we've prayed last night that whatever outcome, we will go ahead with it because we trust in His providence. if He were to provide 4 tickets for the entire team to fly over, tobs would go and we know He will bring him back on time. it was a freedom that faithless people do not possess - a freedom that allows one to just sit back and wait, knowing full well that whatever unfolds will be for the best and just trusting, knowing, having faith.

3/4 of the team is over there now with their "anchorman" still in Singapore. i thank God for this. even if tobs had to fly, i still would thank God. this really teaches us how to give thanks in all situations. and what a timely lesson considering the impending nuptials - we are to give thanks in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad. give thanks because we are the greatest gift God could ever give to each other:)

i don't know if it is okay to give thanks for the volcanic eruption that caused the air travel crisis. but i still want to because the NUS team is no longer going to Amsterdam for their competition which means, tobs is still around, giving his 110% to planning the itinerary and getting all the last minute details sorted out. i was very uncomfortable with the fact tt he had to go for a competition right before our wedding. compounded by the fact that he was only supposed to get back to Singapore on the morning when we were scheduled to leave for Okinawa (he'll touch down at 0630 our flight is 1025), it was really insane. but now, no more such concerns. thank God!

another thing to praise God for - my period. sorry if this is really warped but it was scheduled to come on the week we are in Okinawa. which means i will have to deal with water retention and bloating right up till then. not good news cos the chapel is on Wednesday. plus, it would mean i cannot snorkel in the beautiful Okinawan waters or enjoy hot springs. but no more problems with that now. thank God for watching over us!

HEN NIGHT

1. The spa hen
(a) The Nail Spa & Wellness @ Heeren http://www.nailspa.com.sg/
$43 for classic manicure & pedicure
(other services available such as facial, waxing, etc)

(b) Face Bistro @ Robinson Rd, Raffles Place on 24th April Sat 3-5pm http://www.facebistro.com/
$50 for classic manicure & pedicure
(other services available such as facial, waxing, etc)

(c) Juup @ Devonshire Rd (Somerset) http://www.juup.com.sg/index.php
$58 for classic manicure & pedicure
Sparkling wine + snacks

(d) Polished Divas @ Bugis http://www.polished-divas.com.sg/
$84 for classic manicure & pedicure
Cocktail + finger food + chocolate fondue


2. The pole hen
(a) Polefessional @ Bugis on 23rd April Fri http://www.polefessional.com.sg/index.php
$360 for a group of 6. every additional participant at $40
p.s: studio only has 6 poles

(b) Will continue looking for other deals if there is a demand for this

Kindly let me know
1. Your preferred activity along with option (a-d)
2. Your free dates from the 22nd to 25th April

Thank you very much for making the effort:)))

tobs made it down for fitting today! which was good cos i was having serious trouble choosing between gown 3 (see previous fitting post) and gown 7 (this one). i love the bling and the folds. it is a nice cross between gown 1 and 3. finally decided to go with this bcos for shoots that are quite a distance away, gown 3's details will not be very visible. this one is better for the crystals and folds. until i change my mind, that is.

in the Anglo-Saxon times, brides were often kidnapped before their wedding, so when the day came, the groom would let the bride stand on his left, so his sword hand (which is the right) would be free to protect her. romantic huh?

fittings! a pity tobs couldn't come. my parents and sis came along. u should really have been here i tell u.

1st stop: Grace & Viviane Top Gown. didn't take photos here cos i tried on about 3 or 4 gowns. the selection is quite limited cos its a home-based business and she probably has less than 20 gowns in the room. i was offered 399 for rental for 1 piece and 799 for made-to-measure.

2nd stop: Bridal Closet by Elsie. the collection here is obviously way more than over at Grace's. we could also take photos of all the gowns i've tried. it was a hell lot of trouble wearing, disrobing, wearing, disrobing. but nevertheless, fun!

gown 1. pure white. i love the gathers. this one needs to be worn with a mega can can. the pointed sweetheart was also quite nice. but the only issue is with the colour. the rest of it was to my liking.

gown 2. off white. straight cut neckline. satin finish with beading (actually i can't really remember). would really love it if it were sweetheart though. i decided i love sweetheart!

gown 3. off-white. sweetheart neckline with asymmetrical folds. i like! crystal details are nice.

gown 4. my absolute favourite. it is really classic and simple. just the way i like it. i might have a slight issue with the bows that run down the back but i will live. i really love this one!!

gown 5. also white. but i don't like it cos there's something wrong with the bonning it doesn't fit very nicely. and the tulle overlay is not very me either.

thank u elsie and her assistant, li wen, for making this consultation relatively fuss free. it must be really tiring tying up all the corsets of the gowns that i've tried. i placed a deposit will go down (hopefully with the tobs) next sunday for more fittings and to get my sis a dress.

Operation Happily Ever After - The Amazin gRace debrief

By Her Imperial Majesty's decree, here's the debrief from the male perspective.

How it originated:
I have been googling and youtubing around for ages, seeking inspirations from the myriad of "Perfect Proposal"s and "THE Most Amazing Proposal"s. Alas, many of them fall painfully short of expectations. I wouldn't dare to imagine the look on Grace's face when she sees me emerging from a paper box/rubbish bin at her door with a bouquet in one hand and a ring box in the other.

I thought my big break came when I chanced upon this astounding proposal at Disneyland CA on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpojZ0COU3Y
It was nearly perfect - the venue, the atmosphere, the songs - everything so dreamy and Disney-ish that it would doubtlessly leave an engraving 10 feet deep in Grace's mind. My only lingering doubt was that it was too perfect, too smooth, too "professional", almost like a mini musical on its own with perfect lighting and sound system. And after some googling, it turned out to be a staged promotional gimmick indeed - the "Erika" has a different boyfriend in real life, and the "John" is gay. Boo.
http://jezebel.com/5304650/disneyland-musical-marriage-proposal-magical--romantic-or-lamest-scam-ever

But it did sort of confirm my original intention to do it in Disneyland - or at the very least, END it in Disneyland. Grace is every bit a Disney girl, able to sing just about every Disney song ever released and recall every character ever appeared. And Tokyo Disneyland has a special significance to the two of us, being the themepark that we visited twice during our three Japan trips. With a little help from Disneyland, I was confident that my proposal would not pale too sharply in contrast from the staged one mentioned above.

I called Tokyo Disneyland, and spoke to the customer service representative at great length. To my disappointment, they did not accede to ANY of my requests. First I asked to be included in a musical or performance, and assured them that I won't sing out of tune by demonstrating with two lines from Enchanted. The poor guy politely rejected in a quavering voice. Then, I asked if it'd be possible for me to be a stand-in for some nameless characters during their parades - you know, those toy soldiers/weird animals that nobody really pays much attention to. Again, no. At last, desperate, I asked if there was ANYTHING that their staff could do to help me out - passing some flowers to her perhaps, or hiding some props for me before I pop the question. I offered to pay for such services if rendered. The Jap guy was hesitant in his English but adamant in his reply - NO. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Disneyland Tokyo is owned and run by the japanese Oriental Land Company rather than Walt Disney itself.

In contrast, the Californian Disneyland rejected the first two requests but promised that its helpers would gladly assist in most fashions "in line with park guidelines", on an individual basis. Alas, Disneyland CA has no special significance to us, even though I would be in LA for Marshall in Feb. Also, I wanted to settle this around our 5th year Official Anniversary (or 5.5th unofficially). Hence, I was back to square one again.

The notion of the Amazing Race struck me as a divine inspiration out of the blue one day. It seemed so apt, since Grace has been wanting to do it for ages; and the letters can be rearranged to read "Amazin Grace". Symbolically, it will let her relive her experience going through life alone, something that she has not experienced for the past 5 years as we have been virtually inseparable, especially during tours. At the end of the race, when the century-old question surfaces, her decision would be especially meaningful - to continue racing through life alone, or to join me as a team and face the challenges ahead together for the rest of our lives.

And hence the planning and preparations began.



How it materialized:
I had immense trouble getting tickets for ANA or JAL, both of which were airlines that Grace had yearned for, since it was going to be the Chinese New Year period then and many airlines were fully booked for the return leg (13th Feb, New Year's Eve. Our parents would strangle me if I make us both miss the reunion dinners). Finally I managed to snatch the last two tickets on JAL from zuji.com (They were OOS for a few days, but resurfaced probably due to cancellations, and OOS again after I bought them). The price was anything but friendly, with the bill coming up to over 1.5k, substantially more than what we typically pay for on Thai or China Eastern. And I couldn't leave until 9th Feb as I had a presentation on that day. In the aftermath, Grace couldn't stop complaining about me paying so much for a mere 4-day trip. But it was worth every penny in retrospect :)

I wouldn't want to bore you with the details that went into the preparation process, so I'll try to keep this brief. The original plan was much more elaborate than the final version, with a two-day race and many physically demanding tasks such as:

Ramen making - to say that Grace loves Ramen is an understatement, so I figured it'd be memorable for her to step into the shoes of the ramen chefs and get her hands on making some noodles. Alas, the plan backfired when none of the famous ramen shops that we've been to accepted my request, citing reasons from "never done it before" and "tencho wouldn't agree", to their dedication to their trade which wouldn't allow them to make such exceptions.

Unagi roasting - Yet another one of Grace's favourites, and she was fascinated by the Wolverine-like "claws" that the chefs use to roast Unagis at Nagoya. For reasons similar to those above, no restaurant budged. I wonder if they were concerned about keeping their trade secrets.

Pottery making - For this I had no trouble getting offers for help, some free and some at a price. Eventually I scraped the idea for fear of time overruns (just in case the Japanese master craftsman is too meticulous about standards and takes a vernier caliper for measurements, Grace wouldn't be out of the place until after sunset - and I wouldn't be able to spot her in the dark then).

Sake brewing, or rather rice-smashing - we saw this last year during a visit to a sake brewery. Plan abandoned due to time constraint - getting to Kansai and back is insane for a 4 day trip.

There are also other plans like Pachinko (scraped last-minute due to security concerns), baseball (scraped after failing to find a suitable venue and helper), watching sumo wrestling (scraped after timing clashes), kimono-changing (scraped as we have done it before, and Tokyo is just too modern for kimonos), find-the-vending-machine-that-sells-fresh-popcorns (scraped after fears of difficulty in locating it), etc etc. The final list of tasks was much more practical and executable (For the Snuggle Or Struggle detour, it was initially meant to be a Road Block with Struggle only. Why am I so soft-hearted? +_+"). Guess I'm too risk-averse to let her try the real deal :P

Getting the clues out was yet another major headache. I cross-referenced with many websites and forums for the most realistic-looking templates, eventually finding a forum that had a few images of real, used Amazing Race clue cards and based my version on that. I'm not exactly adept at Photoshop, so it was quite an arduous process to get everything out - all the different clue cards, team cards, envelops, etc, and several versions of them before finalizing on what I felt was the most appropriate. I also created an information sheet with Grace's name, picture and a rough description of my intentions and the task that she has to perform before receiving the next clue, just so as to ensure that the local helpers would recognize her instead of passing the envelope to the wrong person.

Initial plan was to print everything out in color and then stick the card front (with logos like Route Info, Detour, Road Block, etc) with the card back (with the clue details), but I figured that it wouldn't look very realistic and eventually handed the softcopy over to a professional printing shop at Peninsula Plaza and had them do it. For the envelops and all those cards, total cost was around 50. Mini ouch but it aint nothing compared to the air tickets, so it wasn't remotely as painful :D



How it went:
For this part you can largely rely on Grace's detailed account. I will try not to recount how dense Grace was in failing to notice that big, bright yellow envelope in plain sight :P

Convincing Grace's parents to let her go barely a day before departure was a huge risk - I had to keep the surprise under cover or it won't be a surprise no more - but it was much easier than I thought. Her mother agreed without much persuasion, though she did press for more details like WHERE we were going. I promised her I'd give her a detailed account once I'm back, but she pressed again the next evening prior to departure, and I relented but begged her to keep it secret.

Execution-wise, I did my fair share of sprinting to and fro, always ahead of her to ensure all stations were in order and always trying to keep an eye on her. Two major disappointments were:
(1) Narita Tourist Information Centre, which I had called previously to confirm that they would be able to assist me in passing the next Road Block envelope to Grace. Alas, when we touched down, I realized to my dismay that the counter was not open yet. We reached too early. And the staff at the Narita AIRPORT information counter next to it refused to cooperate. I had no choice but to wait for Grace to show up and hand over the clue myself, instead of racing ahead to set up the next station.
(2) Tokyo Disney Resort Information Centre, which I had also phoned in to check previously. But for some reason (maybe I looked too suspicious? +_+") the lady at the customer service counter would only oblige if Grace were to reach in 5 minutes, something that I cannot ascertain as her mobile roaming was NOT activated according to plan. Once again, I had to stand at the Maihama station entrance to wait for her.

Slight disappointments include getting spotted twice (once at Uguisudani station while waiting for train, once near Disneyland entrance while trying to observe Grace yet remain invisible), and Grace purchasing the 3rd most popular cake at Takano instead of the #1 cake that she has been craving for (I should have set the minimum purchase amount to 2000 Yen instead). And of course, at the final leg, Grace ending her silent wish prematurely (it was supposed to last over 30 seconds, something I specified in the clues, but she finished it in less than half the time. Hmph...should I disqualify her? ^^").



How it ended:
I had prepared a mini speech mentally prior to the definitive moment, but it all vaporized the moment our eyes met. I managed to squeeze out a few Phil lines initially, but once I'm on my knees, my voice was trembling, my mind was blank, and my chest was brimming with so much emotions that I found it hard to breathe. The culmination of 5.5 years, 2009 days of friendship, companionship, trust and love, the sheer magnitude of the sudden realization of the significance of that moment, the impact of gazing upon those very eyes that drew me in and make me lose myself hopelessly back in our JC days, blurred my vision. Whatever I said during those moments, it was unrehearsed, pure and straight from the bottom of my heart. I cannot recall much in retrospect, but I do remember distinctly that I made a promise, a promise that I vow to keep as long as I shall live.

Here's to Happily Ever After :)

spent most of ystday at NATAS, enquiring about tickets from different agencies and trying to sort out the dates cos Tobs' parents need to be back in Singapore on the 3rd. even had to come back home (lucky i stay in Tanah Merah) for a short while to call the chapel side and for him to do his conference call. then we went back again to NATAS after dinner and (finally) got everything sorted out.

it was either we stick to the 28th to do our chapel or push it backward to 6th so it won't be that rushed for my in-laws. unfortunately, there are no flights available to okinawa until the 6th so we stuck to 28th. 3 different travel itineraries (it was crazy enough), and lots of money to be spent.

26th Apr Everybody Singapore-Taipei-Okinawa
2nd May In-laws Okinawa-Taipei-Singapore
5th May My family Tokyo-Taipei-Singapore
22nd May Grace&Tobias Sapporo-Taipei
26th May Grace&Tobias Taipei-Singapore

26th is the longest we could stay out for cos it was a one month ticket (boo). but i'm excited to be going back to Taipei cos i can finally enjoy the good food there! fell really really sick during our first trip there (which was like erh 3 years ago?) and didn't really eat much.

less than 2 months away. can u believe it?

finally when all the dust has settled and im slowly getting used to referring to him as my fiance, it's time to do some debrief. u really have to give it to him for coming up with this elaborate proposal. seriously. i mean any tom, dick or harry would know tt i will probably say yes considering the fact tt the chapel is in april and saying no does not give much allowance for a second try. it was kinda like cornering myself and leaving myself with no right whatsoever to say no to the proposal.

but knowing him, the man my friends and i have full confidence in, he did not disappoint. he could have come up with some slipshod proposal, definitely; but no, i had to get the best. frankly speaking all i really required was a decent proposal and him getting on his knee before i'd say yes. no need for flowers, fanciful meals or whatsoever. and i got what i wanted. and many folds more.

while i was on the train to ikebukuro, i was astounded at the gargantuan effort he had put into planning this whole thing. the envelopes and clues were all sent to a professional printer so that it would look exactly like the ones used in the amazing race. he had to race ahead to set up everything before i arrived, pleading (as i can imagine) with random japanese folks to assist him. and the money, oh gosh, the sheer amount of money it took to put this whole thing into action. i really have nothing else to say.

why the amazing race? other than the fact tt the letters, when rearranged, became Amazin gRace, it has always been my dream to do a (real) race. on top of tt, this was supposed to be a rite of passage. i would race alone initially and when i get to the wishing well, it is where i have to make an important decision of my life - whether to continue racing alone, or to join with him as a team.

a very redundant question to ask really. but i needed the race alone to made me realise that life is not the same without him. we've been to japan together so many times and of all the times, i've never been left alone to fend for myself. i've always been sheltered, coddled, pampered and brought here and there to places i like and food i like. racing alone, to me, is pointless because to be able to share experiences with a loved one is much more meaningful. while i was alone, i can't help but feel lonely cos there was no one to laugh at my stupidity, no shoulder to nap on while i was taking a long train ride and no one to share happy moments with.

but im really glad that was the last race i'd ever have to do, alone tt is. we'll now race together, for better or for worse, towards a common future together, assisting, encouraging, supporting, building-up and being there for each other. here's to many more years ahead. thank you so much for the wonderful proposal my dearest tobs, my best friend, confidante, porter, body guard, trainer, teacher, masseur, fellow foodie, travel companion, personal shopper, tour guide, lover and now, fiance. i thank God for you:)

if i didn't know the answer to this road block, i ought to be shot. my first guess was Snow White's Wishing Well. that is the only wishing place in the whole of Disneyland. but i took my own sweet time to get there, touring some museum where they featured illustrations of all the Disney fairy tales and how they conceptualised certain characters.

then i decided to head for the wishing well. to be honest, my bright eyes have (once again) spotted the tobs in a corner trying to be as invisible as possible while still looking out for me. not wanting to give the game away, and in order to get my next clue, i decided to follow the instructions. so i clapsed my hands in front of my chest and started to make a wish.

i must have felt him near cos i totally couldn't concentrate on wishing at all. i basically uttered a simple prayer asking for blessings for my family and friends and of course the dearly loved one. before my allocated 30secs was up, i decided to take a peek and found him standing behind me.

he did the (...fill in suitable adjective) phil thing, which is what phil says at the final pit stop. u know, that whole "xx continents, xx countries, xx miles, yadda yadda". actually everything was in a blur from then on cos he was holding the blue box. !!! then he got down on one knee and said a whole string of other things (for us to know only:), at some parts trembling with great emotion, before promising me that as long as he lives, i will be the happiest princess on the face of the earth and asking if i will journey with him as team grace and tobias in the race of life.

i don't know when i started crying but by the time he was done with his mini speech, i was in quite a sorry state. im sure the ppl around us knew what was going on cos suddenly, there was no one else around. from where i stood, i could see random ppl gesturing and pointing at us and it was a tad embarrassing, really, cos i was in quite a mess.

so i said yes (of course i said yes:) and he slipped the ring on my finger and we basked in each other's embrace for eternity. i saw one random girl exclaiming about us to her bf as she watched on happily and everything else fell into oblivion. when we (mainly i) recovered, i decided we have to take photos to commemorate this moment. and so we did.

 

 

i know i probably look retarded cos i cried too much. but so what. i am the happiest princess in Disneyland:)))

now i finally get to wear my hearts on fire. i love it!!

it wasn't hard. really. u just have to read the clue really carefully. to get in without paying cash, just pay by card. (duh) when i was at the cashier i was half wondering whether i was supposed to get a one, two, three or four day pass. but of course it was one since the hotel is not anywhere near maihama. paid 5,800Y for the ticket (ouch) and wondered how come we can't make it for the halfday pass. or is tt only available in hk? hm.

 

his original intention was to get a stranger to hand the key to me. but i was so smart and alert i spotted him first, before he could enlist the help of random stranger. haha. left without a choice, he had to pass me the key himself and as usual, i need to give him a headstart to go set up the next station:)

  

the locker costs freaking 300Y ok. which is close to S$5. i wanted to faint. and when i opened it, there was only ONE item inside. the locker was used for a grand total of less than 15mins? i told him later on tt he could have left the envelope on top of the row of lockers it would have worked too. or under some seat. some place free. and accessible.

  

 

i suspected that the detour was a trick. i was obviously not supposed to go eat a buffet when the big day is less than 3 months away. so i chose treat and made my way to ikebukuro. it was really easy cos uguisudani was on the yamanote line. and i've known this line since our first trip ever so i didn't really need help frm anyone to get directions.

but once i reached ikebukuro, it was a different matter. tobu had separate sections in the basement and after walking around trying to find takano, i decided that it was alot faster to just ask the information counter girl. so it was the usual "do you speak english?" which usually warrants a "a little" reply and a sheepish smile. but it was not hard to ask for takano in japanese either so i got my directions easily.

once i was there, it was really hard to choose something above 1000Y. but i know his intentions. we've always toured the dessert heaven in the basements and everything seemed so drool-worthy but expensive so we usually limit ourselves to little cups of stuff or items tt don't cost more than 500Y. takano was something i've always wanted to try. esp their to-die-for strawberry tart which looks like a strawberry farm on a semi-sphere. u get the point. it happened to be their #1 best seller too.

he had expected me to get that i think. but as usual, i was very cost conscious so i picked the item tt was closest to 1000Y but within the top 3 sellers of the store. settled for a berry cheesecake which looked yummy and not too unhealthy. made payment and as usual, they spent much effort packing the pretty thing and reminded me tt it had to be consumed/chucked in the fridge within 2 hours.

next clue was easy. the only place in Tokyo where dreams come true must be Disneyland. and since im such a sucker for Disney, i knew it had to be there. the problematic part was getting there. i got directions from the JR information counter and made my way there via subway then JR.

i was all ready to sing the silly chorus but i found the tobs standing outside the gantry. apparently the Disneyland ppl could only help out if i were to arrive within the next 5-10mins. any longer, they cannot accede to his request for help. so he had to meet me. and tt was where i had to complete my extra task (for choosing snuggle) - have lunch with the tobs. easy peasy right! if i knew this was the extra task i wouldn't have even bothered with struggle!

 

  

 

we couldn't find the cosy food court we ate at 2 years ago so in the end, we grabbed a public table and ate the cheesecake there. after "lunch", i got my next clue and was told to give him extra 15mins cos he has to go set it up. so i hung around abit more, read the clue and thought real hard about it. (... ... ...)

did not get sufficient sleep cos our flight was 2320 and it took awhile (after midnight snack and settling in) before we got to sleep. was handed the next set of clues before we disembarked, along with 10,000Y allowance. since i didn't know where on earth i'd be going, i only have singapore dollars with me so the yen was definitely very helpful. at least it meant i didn't need to busk on the streets or sth to get money.

there was a slight hiccup cos the inefficient imbeciles at singtel did not activate my roaming even though i notified them on monday. the fella promised activation within one working day but it was wednesday and still no signal. this posed a severe threat to the race cos the original intention of the tobs was for me to sms him once i get to the next station/receive the next clue so he knows im not kidnapped by japanese gangsters or just plain seriously lost. without roaming, i am left to my own devices.

but the very smart me (haha) thought of using the pay phone. so the final arrangement was i would call if i got seriously lost. other than that, i am very very much on my own. after getting to the information counter, my next clue provided directions (in japanese) to the next stop which was the hotel, which was terrific cos i really didn't like dragging my luggage along. i know its light as a feather but its just inconvenient and people race with backpacks, not luggages, u know!

did not feel safe carrying 10,000Y. did not help that it was a big note. first thing i did (thanks to the reminder frm tobs:) was to go to the convenience store and get the cheapest bottled drink so that i had small change. then next it was off to the toilet to dress more warmly and to separate the money in different locations, just in case.

it was quite easy to reach hotel sherwood although that required some help from the tourist information center. but they definitely speak english so after the cursory "do u understanding english?", which i am able to say in japanese, the rest of the conversation was very much understandable. i had to take the keisen line to nippori then change to the jr line to uguisudani. simple.

bought tickets to nippori and arrived at the platform. morning liner came by around 0754 and i wondered if i should board. checked the schedule and realised there was a rapid coming in at around 0808 and decided to wait for that one instead. when the morning liner left, i realised it stopped at less stops than the rapid and should get me to nippori much faster so i wanted to hit myself for being stupid. but on hindsight, that was a good move cos morning liner would not have cost 1000Y and if i had indeed boarded the morning liner with my ticket, i would have got a nasty surprise should the train conductor come and check my tickets.

snuggle it is. and i'll have to do another task. we left for terminal 1 around 2100ish when i finally knew where i was heading - tokyo. kudos to me for being so duper intelligent and guessing it correct. even though i had guessed it correct, it was still quite unbelievable that im actually doing it. via JAL too. on our past trips i had always quipped tt some day, i will fly JAL or ANA and enjoy top rated japanese service. and so he thought he'd make it happen for me:)

   

the service was good and it helped that the drinks menu rocked. loved the special JAL yuzu drink and their plum wine. we also got the last row which is a 2-seater instead of the usual 3-seater in all the other rows:)

thank God it was snuggle, really. i can't imagine what an overnight flight would be like beside a complete stranger. pls i had this really splitting pain behind the right ear and right forehead during the descent the race was almost called off. it was so painful i cried and all the air stewardesses were trying to help out.

grace gets her 2nd clue. a DETOUR: snuggle or struggle.

may i say, this is how extremely cruel can!! but i figured since it'll just be a night flight, i'll survive. and instead of wasting time doing an extra task or taking a time penalty (yes, tobs actually offered that. cruel right?), mayb i'll just take struggle right? i could also use the extra time alone to really spent time with God and recount the good 5.5 years we've been through.

but then again, i kinda secretly want to do the extra task. after all the trouble he has gone to plan this whole thing, how could i not right? and snuggle beats sitting with strangers and having to excuse myself when i need to go to the toilet. cos in the end i'd usually just try not to drink any water at all so i dont have to cause so much inconvenience to others.

after i smsed my choice (struggle), he immediately called back to reconfirm my decision. i guess he was doing online check in at tt time or sth? hm. i was halfway through tuition so i really did not have time for a proper conversation or a cost-benefit-analysis. so in the end, i think he thought i opted for snuggle. we'll see how it goes later when we check in.

LET THE GAMES BEGIN

i know it took me a while. i am not slow okay. even though tobs had to give me a few hints. like he asked me if i'm intending to eat my mints, which caused me to replace the pack of mints into my bag. and yet i did not see that yellow envelope sitting right next to my bag. in the end when he had enough of waiting and asking me why i am so blur, he just pointedly asked what's that on your bag?

and so i found my first clue. which is actually a road block. and the task was to pack. the list is there for you to see. this is highly destabilising to my life bcos i had the idea that everything was going to start on thurs. well, apparently not. i have to complete this road block and i am told that there will be a detour to complete nxt. grrrr. and i obviously am not in the mood to pack right now cos i have pt tml morning at 0830 and its already 2330 wayy past bedtime!

yet i am super excited at what is to come. its like this whole new novel u're reading. u kinda know what lies at the end but the in between chapters are still a total mystery. i am told to pack warm clothes and bring moisturising products so i am guessing we're gng to a cold place. no prizes for that i know. so, with my intelligence, i think we should be going to JAPAN. it should be cold there still. and that is the only way its going to cost such a bomb. plus, the night flight clue. so we'll see if im right and i'll update abt my nxt detour when i get to blog again. stay tuned!!

 

WE BOUGHT THE ROCK!!!

this is really a (fill in mysterious adjective) moment cos this baby costs a whooping $----. but what to do, i really love the setting. i fell in love with it the moment i saw it. i knew it had to be mine. 6 months later i still feel the same. tobs says 5.5 years later he still feels the same. which is really sweet. muacks. 

ok back to the subject matter. i love the setting so much, i went to ask if i can bring in my diamond and get them to set it for me but no, only hearts on fire diamonds can be set in their hearts on fire setting. oh well. it was $980 for the setting. only.

we spent such a long time at the jeweler it was insane. despite knowing exactly what setting i wanted, there were other things to settle like clarity, colour and of course, carat. but they're going to set 2 rocks for me in my size so on mon when i pick it up, i can choose whether to get the bigger rock or not. but im not your material girl so really, i can live with the smaller one - its the significance that counts afterall. and its not like i can eat the diamond.

and lucky i went with tobs cos i gave him the wrong ring size. apparently i thought i was a size 11 but when i went down today, they fitted me and said i was a size 9. haha. lets hope this never changes. now we have to look for the tobs' stainless steel ring.

okay. here goes. this is our official blog for detailing the bits and pieces of the wedding preparation. it is certainly novel, the way we do things, for, as far as i know, tobs has not proposed yet. a frustrating state of affairs? not to worry. everything else has been set into motion and between now and our chapel date (which is hopefully fixed on 28th April), he'll have to do it. stay tuned for updates!