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Business as Usual

20 Jan

You know the holidays are over when routine kicks in once again. The girls are back to work, and our weekly activities are business as usual. I did not realize we actually took a five-week break from pickleball. With the festivities and long holiday stretches towards the end of last year, and our recent New Year trip to Chiang Mai, that is quite a stretch!

Last week, we played our first pickleball game for the new year, and it felt good to sweat despite the cool air-conditioned court. There were nine of us, and two courts, at two hours each! No wonder everyone worked up a sweat. Hahaha.

The weekly golf games have also resumed. This year, I’d like focus on participating more in events organized by our club, such as monthly medal games and tournaments. It will be beneficial to build my mental strength by competing in these games rather than just playing casual matches with friends. It doesn’t mean fewer social games, but more club-organized games. A busy year ahead, and I’m looking forward to it.

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First Trip of the Year, Part 2

13 Jan

Last week, we flew to Chiang Mai, Thailand, for three rounds of golf. It was just the four of us: hubby and I, along with two friends. The weather in Chiang Mai was excellent! I’m glad we chose this destination over Jakarta for our trip when we were deciding where to go.

The temperature was around 14 to 15 degrees Celsius every morning, which made it wonderful to play in such comfortable conditions. By noon, when we finished our game each day, it was still cool. And being buggy to the ball on the fairway for all three courses, we hardly broke a sweat.

At Alpine Golf Resort
Chiang Mai Highlands and Summit Green Valley

We played at Alpine Golf Resort, Chiang Mai Highlands Golf & Spa Resort, and Summit Green Valley Chiang Mai Country Club. All three courses were enjoyable, yet challenging as well. And for the first time, after-game foot massage was unnecessary for the whole trip! Amazing.

The highlight of the trip was definitely the food—there were so many palate-pleasing gastronomic delights! Then again, on this trip, we ate at Michelin-level restaurants, something we never did when in Bangkok. Somehow, Chiang Mai’s cuisine has more finesse and flavor than the options in Bangkok. However, this is unfair to say because I have yet to visit a Michelin-level restaurant in Bangkok. Can’t compare apples with oranges, right?

At Ekachan Ethnic Thai Cuisine
Wantan noodle choices and Vanilla Coke!
At Baan Landai Fine Thai Cuisine

Anyway, besides the two Michelin-level restaurants, we had noodles in a roadside shop and food from a food court in Nimman Square. To cap off the wonderful trip, the shopping after golf was so satisfying! I cannot recall the last golf trip being so relaxed and carefree. I have added several new golf shirts to my wardrobe.

Doi Suthep temple
Wat Rajamontean

All in all, every aspect of the first golf trip of the year was excellent! From the company, the golf courses, the sights, to the food and shopping, I am blessed to kick off 2026 with a memorable start. More to come? Definitely.

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First Trip of the Year

5 Jan

What better way to kick off the new year than to go on a golfing trip with friends? A very Happy New Year indeed.

It was an impromptu trip planned within a few short months. We decided to keep the group micro small, as such, there are only four of us, unlike previous golf trips, where there were 16 to 20 people.

Anyway, four is enough to make a flight, and it’s perfect. I hope this will be the start of many more trips for 2026! Yay.

First trip of the year!

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Goodbye 2025

30 Dec

Two more days before we say goodbye to 2025. What a year it has been for me, and I cannot gush enough about it. Thank you, 2025, for the people, the places, the experiences, and the wonderful memories.

I look forward to the coming new year with excitement! Here’s wishing all my readers, friends, and family a very Happy New Year! May the new year bring exciting adventures and experiences, a healthier lifestyle, and good well-being to all.

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Two More Weeks

16 Dec

Gosh, 2025 is coming to an end soon! There are two more weeks left in the year. And what a year it has been for me. As always, there were ups and downs, as well as memorable and sad moments, to mark another eventful year.

For me, the highlights have been my international travels! This year, I visited Bangkok, Halong Bay, ZhangJiaJie, Kyoto, and Osaka. And not to mention several local road trips within Malaysia. A good mix with family and friends, I would say, in terms of activities like shopping or golf, sights, and gastronomic adventures.

2025 saw my golf skills fluctuating up and down too much. I experienced both great games and frustrating ones, whether it was putting issues, chipping challenges, or just inconsistencies in my swing – I have encountered it all!

When the mindset leans more towards treating the game as a social outing, the focus on doing well tends to falter. If I want to play to win, I have to be very disciplined and change my mindset. We shall see.

2025 was also when hubby and I became serious pickleball players. We invested in better paddles, balls, and shoes, thus making our weekly games more enjoyable. When one has the right equipment and apparel, it makes the outing more comfortable and fun. And it’s a great alternative to golf, especially during the rainy season, because we play the sport indoors, covered from the weather in an air-conditioned space!

Thank you, 2025! But it’s time to store these wonderful experiences and memories away soon, and make way to usher in 2026 with a bang!

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Wet Year-end Challenge, Part 2

25 Nov

It has been raining cats and dogs the past few days. The situation has gotten so bad that several toll gates on the main Plus highway had to be closed yesterday. Several states have experienced flooding, forcing families to leave their homes. A significant annual challenge as we approach the end of the year.

Closer to home, we typically have two issues: a garden filled with backlogged water that cannot drain due to the continuous rain, and an occasional leak in the roof. On the activity front, I have been very fortunate for the last two golf outings.

There were threats of impending downpours only to have the sun peak out, and strong gushes of wind to blow away the voluminous clouds. There was no need to bring out the raincoat, and the leather shoes held up without issues. And the rain came down only after we were all showered and sat down for lunch, for both games! Aren’t we blessed?

As I have said previously, I take each day in stride, and if the weather is unfavorable, it’s best to return to the clubhouse and be safe. If I can complete the round of golf with my friends, we return to the clubhouse to celebrate!

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The Carving Completes

11 Nov

Completing the three gnomes took considerable effort towards the end, after missing the first two deadlines in August and September. And my trip to Japan in October set me back even further. Upon my return, I dealt with a persistent cough that left me too drained to do much.

And when I felt better, I was busy playing golf and pickleball, leaving me little time to focus on the pieces. Eventually, I sat down and added several more layers of varnish before deciding they were good enough to gift the intended recipients. The completion was dated 1st November.

The final picture does not do justice to the gloss varnish that I have painstakingly applied. But the colors are so vibrant, I think I did a good job. Ahem.

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July Interclub Down South

15 Jul

The Interclub trip down South over the weekend came and went by in a blink. Waking up at 4:30 in the morning is not something I wish to do often, but it was necessary, as everyone had to meet at the club to depart by six o’clock in two buses.

Although there were 60 players, some chose to drive instead. The journey was comfortable with fewer people on board, and traffic was manageable along the highway. Despite taking a couple of wrong exits, our group arrived on time.

Our first Interclub match was against Ponderosa Golf and Country Club. After the welcome lunch, the shotgun start matches began. It was a good fight, but our club lost out with a score of 13.5 points versus 16.5 points. However, Ponderosa, being a gracious host, declared everyone a winner! The losing team players received silver medals, while the champion host team members collected their gold medals. What a friendly way to build friendship in a golf tournament.

The next day, the entourage traveled to Singapore via Woodlands to visit the Keppel Club for our second Interclub game. The format of play was a bit different, which initially left everyone confused. It turned out to be a team event; our players were paired with the opponents, meaning we were playing with them rather than against them. The team with the best ball score for Stableford points will be declared the winner.

Keppel Club is not an easy course to play. It may look short, but the distances to the pins were deceiving, especially with the undulating terrain. I felt so drained after the game despite the cool and cloudy weather. The early confusion on the game format aside, I would say everyone left Keppel feeling satisfied and happy.

On the final day, we had a casual game amongst ourselves at Palm Resort Golf & Country Club (Cempaka course), which was not an Interclub match. I played with my regular group, and it was quite an enjoyable round of dueling to see who would end up contributing less money for lunch! Hahahaha.

I’m just glad to be home after the hectic and tight schedule for three rounds of golf.

Keppel Club with a glaring OB spelled out guarding the Par 3; approaching Woodlands on the Causeway, and sights of the other golf courses.

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Being Serious About Pickleball

24 Jun

It has been eight months since we started playing pickleball. And I must say we enjoy it very much. It is because we can see ourselves improving with each outing every week. Unlike golf, the more I play of late, the more fatigued and frustrated I become with my golfing ability. And sometimes, unfavorable weather, too hot or wet, makes the golf outing not as enjoyable.

Now pickleball is very interesting. We have a little group where everyone started together eight months ago. And everyone has improved together, so it’s much more enjoyable because everyone’s ability is equal. During the weekly two-hour session, we rotate playing partners constantly after each round.

The best part of our weekly pickleball sessions is the place where we play. After several venues that we have tried, mostly outdoors but covered, we found a comfortable indoor air-conditioned pickleball center, and we have been going to this venue ever since. It’s the perfect venue, especially when it rains, as we are safely indoors and can continue playing without interruption.

And, after four months into the game playing with an entry-level paddle purchased online, hubby and I decided to upgrade and invest in better paddles. He chose the Australian brand Six Zero Black Diamond, while I selected the American Neonic Flare Prime [X]. His choice is more for power, and my choice is because it looked so cute on display, being 14mm! Hahahaha.

Seriously, my paddle is very lightweight, but the spin is deadly. I love my paddle, and my game has also improved by leaps and bounds. Yes, we are being serious about pickleball, hence these purchases.

I love my Neonic pickle paddle!

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Bragging Rights

10 Jun

Hubby was not keen to play golf on Sunday morning after a gruesome pickleball session the day before, but he went. And I’m so glad he did because he achieved a hole-in-one!!! Wheeeeeee.

After dinosaur years at the sports, the elusive glory is finally his, along with all the bragging rights. No further words are necessary as the celebration and drinks were non-stop after that.

Have I aced a hole before? No, and I am still waiting for mine, although I can proudly say I had an eagle achievement two years ago on a Par 4. Congratulations, hubby dearest. I hope my turn to achieve this and have the same bragging rights will arrive sooner.

The HIO achiever!

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