Birthday 2015

The last time I celebrated my birthday with Ken Bin, Cordelia, Ken Lin, Yean Mun and Elsie was during my 21st in Adelaide, when we were in university. If my memory serves me, I think my friends from boarding school, Mike and Ching were also present then. Fast forward to 2015, and in Bali no less, I had the good fortune of celebrating another birthday with the same friends from university plus Ken Lin's wife Sally and their kids Leticia and Lenora as well as Ken Bin and Cordelia's children Brandon and Bryan.

 

I am not one who typically celebrates with a party and cake, and for the past many years, I've kept it to quiet, intimate dinners with family and friends. In fact, I am prone to being in denial when it comes to aging, something that my close friends will attest to. Truth be told, I had the candles on the cake removed before this photo was taken haha! And although a different version of this photo exists, a version with the candles intact, it shall remain safe in my hard disk drive, away from prying eyes!  

 

The company of these 'old friends' during my birthday this year was indeed a blessing. We grew up together during some of our most formative years, and have had enduring friendships. For the most part, there is little of each other that we don't know, and little that we don't accept. Here's to longevity of friendships and many more years of celebrations.

 

 

At Villa Heliconia in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.

Chance Meeting

It is not often that good friends happen to be in the same place at the same time, and with that create an opportu-nity to meet and catch up over a meal. I was in Penang last weekend for a wedding, Ken Bin and Cordelia happened to be there too for work, and so we took the chance to have dinner with Penangites Ken Lin and Sally. Over the course of dinner, we sent photos to our close friends Yean Mun in KL and Elsie in Hong Kong, providing them with an avenue to be part of the gathering virtually.

 

As we reflect on our decades-old friendship, we have come to realise that our efforts to stay in touch throughout the years have indeed kept our friendship intact. Whether celebrating birthdays or festive occasions, going on holiday in groups or just mindless chatter on our Whatsapp group, we certainly have been part of each other's lives since our teenage years.

 

We have made plans for a group holiday next April, with all present, kids in tow. Though it's still quite a number of months away, the enthusiasm is very much already evident. Still, we'll be meeting for birthdays and festive occasions between now and the trip. And with each meeting, I gather the level of enthusiasm will indeed elevate in tandem.

 

 

Ken Bin, Cordelia, Sally, Ken Lin and I in Penang, Malaysia.

Reunion Trip To Adelaide

More than two decades of friendship requires effort from all parties involved, in particular when such a friendship revolves around a group of four. And when such a relationship survives the test of time, it ought to be celebrated. So, to Adelaide we returned.

 

Buddies at university, called a clique even by some, we made plans to return to the city that brought us all together. A week flies by too quickly, considering planning for the trip had been in the works for a year or so. Nevertheless, we had a great time. Reminiscing, creating new memories, strengthening our ties, nurturing the bonds that have kept our friendship intact all these years.

Ken Lin, Yean Mun and Elsie, thank you for making the travel plans, even without much input from me. Most of all, thank you for the long-lasting friendship that will undoubtedly be one to remember.

 

With Ken Lin, Elsie and Yean Mun at the bridge on campus at The Flinders University Of South Australia.

Reunion Trip To KK

I've just returned from a reunion trip in Kota Kinabalu over the Merdeka holiday, with my good friends from university days. At the request of some of them, I am going to defer from saying how long we've known each other. You see, we are rather sensitive when it comes to age. Suffice to say, it's been quite a long time. I first met Ken Lin and Ken Bin when we were in boarding school at Immanuel College, Adelaide. We then got to know Cordelia, Yean Mun and Elsie when at The Flinders University Of South Australia a year later.

Though we are no longer as close as we used to be, we still make it a point to celebrate special occasions and milestones together. Birthdays, Chinese New Year, Christmas, weddings. In fact, I was best man at Ken Bin and Cordelia's wedding, and then again when Ken Lin married Sally, the latter now the seventh member of the clique. With Elsie in Hong Kong, Ken Lin and Sally in Penang, and the rest of us in the Klang Valley, it takes time and effort to get together. Whilst we have travelled together in groups of different configurations over the years, this was our first holiday together since our final year at uni. Back then we were just six uni students on a trip to Kangaroo Island. This time round, we were seven adults with three kids in tow, with another younger one back in Penang.

Short and compact the trip may have been, it was still much enjoyable. It gave us the opportunity to rekindle friendships, reminisce and spend quality time together. Bonds that we formed years ago remain till this day. We just need to work on keeping our friendships alive. Certainly an endeavour that will be worthwhile.

Elsie, Yean Mun, Cordelia, Bin, Lin and I at Mount Kinabalu National Park in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

Annual Christmas Party

My friends Ken Bin and Cordelia host a Christmas party every year, some years at their home, more recently at their cafe The Olive Tree in Petaling Jaya. I always enjoy this annual ritual. I get to re-connect with their extended family and also celebrate the festivities with our friends Yean Mun and David who are also perenially on the guest list.

This year was no different and we gathered at The Olive Tree on Tuesday evening. I was a tad late as I had a staff birthday dinner to attend first but still had a wonderful time nevertheless. It is always meaningful to enjoy the Christmas season amongst good friends. My friendships with Ken Bin and David began in 1988 at Immanuel College, with Cordelia and Yean Mun in 1989 at The Flinders University Of South Australia. That's more than two decades and whilst our busy schedules have resulted in us meeting less frequently, we still make the effort for birthdays, Christmas and Chinese New Year.

Among all of us, Cordelia does best when it comes to wrapping gifts and decorating the home. I always look forward to Christmas parties at her home. Great food enhanced by beautiful table settings, thematic decor creating a festive ambience. A smaller, more intimate crowd. Next year perhaps.

Photo of me, Mei Lin, Yean Mun, Cordelia, David and Ken Bin at The Olive Tree in Petaling Jaya.

Eco-Tourism Convert

Most of my friends would know that lazing by the beach doing nothing is my kind of holiday. And they would also know that I am not one who fancies trekking in the forest, camping or anything that is devoid of creature comforts that much. About the only adventure-type activity that I enjoy is white-water rafting, probably because I have an affinity to water. Well, my friends and I are heading off to Kiulu tomorrow for a bout of rafting and it's something that I have been looking forward to this whole trip.

I surprised myself somewhat today by thoroughly enjoying the treks we did at Mount Kinabalu National Park. Some of the lookout points were great photo opportunities and we had a good time preening and posing for the cameras, totally in touristic fashion. Surprising was the fact that I took interest in the flora and fauna, listening to the rangers where normally I would just wander off rather than paying attention to the knowledge being imparted. I have some beautiful photos as evidence!

I suppose one gets inspired and fascinated when surrounded by such beauty. My previous trips to Sabah have always been centred around Kota Kinabalu and its many beach resorts. Today was a departure from the norm. I tagged along, as 'majority wins' when traveling in a group. I have my friends to thank for perhaps initiating the eco-tourism convert in me.

Photo of Ken Lin, Elsie, Yean Mun and I shot at Mount Kinabalu National Park, Sabah.

Back Together On Holiday

You know a friendship is strong when after not having been on holiday together for more than 10 years, you still hit it off and do not get on each other's nerves. I'm on holiday with 3 of my friends from my undergraduate days at The Flinders University Of South Australia. We are in fact in Kota Kinabalu and the trip is to commemorate our friendship that has spanned 2 decades. We were supposed to be a clique of 6 but only 4 of us are making this celebratory trip. Still, it is rather quite an accomplishment considering that we have barely been in regular touch for the past few years.

So far, we have island-hopped to Sapi and Manukan and got sunburnt in the process, pink as lobsters we are. We have trekked at Mount Kinabalu National Park and marveled at nature's bounty, luckily for us including the Rafflesia, not only 1 but 2. We have witnessed sunsets that only Kota Kinabalu can accord. We have feasted on the freshest of seafood and sampled much of the local fare. But what really makes this holiday meaningful is just spending time together with those whom we came-of-age with. The transitional years from teenager to adult are etched in my mind and these friends of mine - Ken Lin from Penang, Yean Mun from Petaling Jaya and Elsie from Hong Kong (I know that Ken Bin and Cordelia would have joined us too if they could have) - form most of my memories of that chapter in my life. And whilst we may not be as close as we were before, they will always remain part of who I am.

Holidays always pass too quickly. We are midway through ours. We have had a wonderful time up to now, but realisation will soon set in that we will be parting ways again in 2 days. We will of course say how much we enjoyed our time together, which is true, wish each other well and promise to keep in touch more often. I will try to keep my end of the bargain and I hope my friends will too. Friendships like these do not come by easily and they certainly ought to be cherished.

Photo shot at the jetty on Pulau Sapi, Sabah.