8 Facts about Taitrepreneur

It has really been hectic for the past months, and I finally have some time to pen down some thoughts!

Concerned friends ponder over what I am doing with my career now, but some filthy mouth spew untrue gossips saying I've started an events agency to despicably trying (too) hard to have a foot in the trade. Not too sure of the authenticity of this piece since it was a hear-say thing, but owning an events company is the last thing I want to do cos' that's as good as selling my life away for a 24/7 job. Nothing against friends who run one now, just saying I'm not cut-out to be an events company lady boss; I'm simply too work-life-balance centric.

I've left my full time job in early 2014 and started to take in freelance events works from various agencies on the go. At the same time, I started For The Wedding with an events girlfriend (she went back to full time after a while) and aim to bring its name to a brighter ground in one year's time, in preparation for my Taitrepreneur journey. I strongly believed that being a Taitrepreneur will allow me to have more time with my kid in future, managing a business at home while having full bonding time with my child. Sounds pretty awesome isn't it? Like an entrepreneurial SAHM (Stay At Home Mum). I gave myself one year to build the name, and most fortunate enough, I got pregnant the second year (that's now!). Everything seems to fall in place nicely so far. The business is growing fast, and I've to put in conscious efforts to keep it within my managing capacity. It's not my intention to grow the business too large scale, because I'm not an entrepreneur, but a Taitaipreneur *wink!* I'll definitely crave for my "Me Time", overseas trips and family times. I reckon this scale is by far the best to work with, at least for now.

So what exactly is "Taitrepreneur"? Well, it's just a Singa Slang for "Tai Tai" (wealthy married woman who does not need to work - every girl's dream to be one, but in Singapore, I guess it just means 'no need to work but won't die of hunger') and "Entrepreneur".
Piecing the two together = Turn passion into business while you still enjoy your high teas and holidays.

Sounds pretty cool isn't it! I'm still holding on to my very positive thoughts about Taitrepreneur, but like all entrepreneurship, there are mind boggling issues that you need to fight on your own. 

Weeks after feeling down in late 2014, I'd gotten over that nasty taste and got on my feet for more challenges ahead. Fast forward to 2015, I see the need to pen down the thoughts and set reminders for self, and probably other aspiring Taitrepreneur, that nothing comes by easy. Even for the easiest job in the world (I really thought marrying passion and forte is easy), there bound to be hair pulling times and self doubting sessions. 

So here are 8 insights about Taitrepreneurship, the good and bad. You decide if you want to be one:

1. Flexible Working Hours

The immediate pro that come to my mind = wake up naturally every morning (睡到自然醒)! Well, sometimes I wake up earlier to prepare breakfast for my entrepreneur husband (co-founder of 360 & 5 branding agency), and I got to enjoy peaceful mornings without the need to commute with million of others during the a.m peak hours.

Working from home is a convenient option, having myself periodically popping into the office/warehouse/workspace (however you call it) when I need to craft for upcoming projects. I sit myself at my cosy working desk, dressed in singlet and FBTs sometimes, liaise with the world at my very personalized comfort zone, literally. I get to cook/bake more often for my family, and if I manage to clear work quick enough, I can even high tea with my sisters.

Of course, the trade-off will be working on the go after 6pm or occasionally when I'm overseas. Well, I don't mind that since I get to travel more often now (without the 14 annual leaves constraints). Sometimes life is all about give and take. I'm still swooning over this unique trait of Taitrepreneur, probably the greatest draw to the profession.

2. The Discipline Issue

Yes, with the flexible working time, it also mean you tend to let loose a bit too much at times. I used to wake up too late and high tea too much with my sister. I was slow in getting my website up and procrastinated over work details.

It was until the first job kicked in last September when I got myself a proper routine. Finally reconnected with my contacts, visited their workspaces, had in-depth discussions with working partners, got my logo done, depicted corporate colours, set up emails, got a warehouse, printed my name cards, selected materials and kept samples for customers viewing etc.

Being your own boss gives you leeway in being disciplined at work, and this very excuse often leads to procrastination. Discipline is something that will haunt you in the course of Taitrepreneurship, forever. I'm still learning to upkeep the disciplinary at work and not slack off too much or get myself out of the radar too soon.

3. Paper Works are Real

I got consumed by paper works really badly. From setting the contract templates, to getting the  excel formulae right, get in touch with the right bank and register the necessary official documents. Top the chart of most hated paper works definitely goes to ACCOUNTING. The P&L, inventory sheets, balance sheets etc seemed foreign after clearing these compulsory modules in polytechnic almost 9 years ago. It gets even more intense when income tax filing is near. When I started out on FTW, I sure have overlooked this devilish side of a business, but paper works are real. Very real.

4. Multi-Tasking

I used to think that paper flower backdrops mean sitting at home cutting papers, beautify the boards with paper blooms and that's all. The only challenge I foresee was the tight set-up timeline between each weddings.

When I finally set my heart and soul into doing this wholeheartedly, I realize I'm battling against time for everything. I maintain relationships with vendors, meet up with clients, close deals, do up presentations, spin ideas, order goods, be around during goods delivery, upkeep marketing efforts, draft corporate and consumer profiles, update social media, double up as photographer for our portfolios (albeit an amateur one), oversee paperworks and temp staff allocations, venue liaison, material sourcing, pay up for rental and to collect rent from my sublet, invoicing & make payments to trade vendors, track cheques status etc... The list just goes on and on.

It can be daunting at first. I was totally spent in the first operation year, often finding myself overwhelmed by the never ending to-do lists. Stepping into our second year, I got a hang in dealing these tasks, and eventually find joys in handling them. Multi-tasking is a valuable skill set that Taitrepreneurs gain overtime, but not to fret over it, the multiple holidays and break sessions help to sooth your nerves pretty well;)

5. Prioritize Better 

On top of my task list, insistent trips and rest times, I learnt to say "No" to requests and demands at ease. Evaluation on opportunity costs come into play more often, for everything we choose to do plays a vital role in losing another potential deal, be it monetarily (business), physically (events participation) or spiritually (holistic recuperations). For me, family above business principally, health over everything essentially. If I'm too jaded at work, I'm no longer shy to reject meet ups just so I can catch some breath at somewhere serene; if I haven't been spending time with my family, I will politely turn down gatherings or some jobs for a short getaway with them. If I am thirsty for social life, I'll date the buddies out for mindless catch ups. Also, I feel less obliged to attend meet ups in a haste of time if there are tight deadlines ahead. You will soon learn that it's difficult to please everyone / everything with just a single You. It's then you're forced to learn the art of prioritizing.

6. Self Doubt

I can't even find the proper words to describe the kind of fear I was struggling with back then. I fear for things that are not even before my eyes. "What if the business fail?" "What if the business gets too overwhelming that I can't handle the growth?" The "What ifs" get a little out of hand after some times when in actual fact, everything seemed smooth sailing. With all the trusts and assistance given by trade or personal contacts, I can't help but feel more responsible for the things I need to deliver. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that I'm trying to cut corners for deliveries, but you know, when people shower you with trusts and good words, you get compelled to deliver above-expectations job.

The mental stress of delivering a "superbmazing" job is killing me, as if I'm not good at all. I lost appetites, lost sleeps and even lost my mirth. I felt pretty alone most of the time at work, and felt like I need to take on a lot more responsibilities in every aspect of the works since it's my baby business. Close friends took extra attention on me and some commented I lost weight, the negative way (looking frail and distraught). This definitely was not something I see when I wanted a Taitrepreneurship.

No one could tame the demons in me, except myself. Afraid that there won't be business? Then work on the marketing and USPs. Afraid that you can't finish the job on time? Then hire more helpers. Soon, I realize that there WILL be a solution to every fear I have. Having plan B helps, but accepting my plan B helps even more. My advise, be receptive to alternate plans and not resent the activation of your backup plans. Sometimes, your unknown internal struggles of not able to fulfill plan A manifests into resentments and that's what eat you up.

Thankfully, I have a supportive husband who pretty much guided me every single time I lose my directions. I took quite a while to walk out from the gloom, but once I'm out of it, I feel 10 times stronger. It's then I look back and think, yay success (whatever scale it is) is sweet. I'm glad that I did not throw in the towel back then.

7. Appear to be a Bummer

I recall this friend who outrightly asked me during a gathering "Hey are you still doing nothing now? Erm, I mean not looking for a job?" I forgot what my answer was, but this got stuck in my head for quite a bit.

Everyone thinks it's easy to go "jobless" (if you only considered being employed as having a job) and be a bummer do something you like. At least they will think that you're probably the "most free person on earth". It is just difficult to put across how busy we are, as we seem most willing to be in this state than another and appear all cheery about life just because we manage our time better now (after ironing out the paper work procedures). I guess it's a happy thing to look carefree! Going overseas more often than you could as compared to full time employment, spent shorter time working on things you used to do from 9am-6pm, have lunch with your mum more often than when you were schooling, attend certain brand sales before lunch time and get hold of better items before lunch crowd sets in... Do the above while you're still working on your business growth, you just feel more satisfied, intrinsically and extrinsically :)

Taitrepreneur is a bummer job? Then be a damn positive one who earns your own living.

8. A more Appreciative Being

When you decide to start a business, any business of any scale, hardships ensues. You understand the concepts of hard earned money better, and capsuled that "Tai Tai" mindset. Taitrepreneurship encompass compassions and that makes you treat your fellow vendors even better, enjoy more while you are enjoying, and work harder while you are working. Truly living the moments anytime, anywhere. You know good days are not owed by anyone, and you have the ability to make your everyday a good one, its all in the mind.

Though I totally sounded busy, I'm actually not that busy either as compared to the full time events days. I would think I learn to love myself better in this race, and appreciate more than I ever do. I find life being a treasure trove of quirky gifts where you uncover happiness from the little things you do everyday. Be it new flowers I'd come up with, new dishes that I discover, a stranger whom we smile to each day, another client who appreciates our work, reunion with long time friends, impromptu meals with family or simply a tickle from the baby inside my tummy. Every ounce of these makes life a little sunnier and rainy days a little more bearable.

I'm most fortunate to have friends of similar frequencies who agree that our friendships are not measured by the number of hours we see each other, but pride over the quality conversations and updates we do from time to time all thanks to technology. We do not drift too far away from each other as we understand the different priorities at various life stages. The late 20s are building up their career portfolios and giving it all to the projects under their wings; the 30s have either settled down and getting used to the newborns / family life or actively connecting with the potential partners in hope to tie the knot in the next few years. We come together to celebrate nothing these days, for we just gather to rejoice every little things in life.

Conclusion

Tough it may sound at the beginning, the ability to persevere is virtue. The returns so far, are rich enough to keep me going,  contentedly in the mind and soul. I adore the state that I'm in now, even though I think I can shed off a few more pounds lol.

If you have the ideas, make them into a reality as best as you can. Cliche as it sounds, "you'll never know till you try". I guess I would rather live fully in "At least I did it..." than regret on the "what if I had done this...". My handwriting is bad, my drawing sucks especially 3D ones, my sewing and stitching never made it to anywhere near 'presentable', but I have ideas. I built castles in the air and thought I'm just good at day dreaming, but hey I turned one of my castles into reality, at least^-^ Paper flowers are Chanel inspired. Putting them together onto backdrops, arches, bouquets and pavilions (soon in stock btw!) falls in one by one when the calling comes. Not sure if this is sustainable in the long run, since I'm just into the second year, but well, I'll keep trying:)

One step at a time, as Taitrepreneur advocates a healthier balance of work & life.

Taitrepreneur at one of the set ups, beaming amongst the paper blooms

My Paper Wedding Anniversary - Bali

Do you know? The first wedding anniversary is commonly known as the "Paper Wedding Anniversary" in the US? I didn't know until I'm in the wedding business and one of my ex partner told me about it, we learn something everyday! So from paper to diamond (60th), it shows how the loves between two lovely souls strengthen over time, and gets tougher as the marriage age gracefully like fine wine. I gonna do something worth remembering along this journey, or at least try:)

It got kinda busy doing the wedding stuffs that this space went into hiatus. And whatever happened to my Bangkok, Vietnam and Sipadan posts *insert the laughing while crying face* lol! I need to write them down one day so I can remember all the awesome details and places in time to come. So what did I do for my paper wedding anniversary? Well, we went to Bali to CLIMB A VOLCANO and caught sunrise on the dawn of our wedding anniversary! Sounds totally #YOLO but we were crying in our hearts while we were descending from the mountain. More to it below!

Do let me quickly jot down the accommodation, mountain trekking and restaurant hopping experience below.

Accommodation - Berry Amour Villas

Website: http://www.berryamourvillas.com/

My dear friend found this villa some time ago and highly recommended them for couples. So we did no further research on other villas and plunge right in to Berry Amour. To our pleasure, they deliver absolutely no disappointment to our visit at all! From service to F&B to hospitality, our senses were well taken care of. 

They possess 3 different themed villas namely Desire, Temptation and Mystique. Maximum staying capacity per villa is capped at 2. Totally set for honeymooners! 

So right before our arrival, they tried fishing the purpose of stay which we didn't really reveal, I was kinda surprise and perplex at the same time as this is the ever first time that I got posted such question. After which, I didn't think much about it anymore.  

Upon arrival, I was given a nice flora head wreath that was only given to female guests, how sweet! Similar to other hotels, a welcome drink was served with a small bite, but what made our eyes widened was the freshly squeezed juices that taste really natural and heavenly! We could even chew on the strawberry flesh while we sip away, unlike the lemongrass drinks we used to have at other places. Thumbs up!

Look quite tired as previous night we had worked till wee hours for a wedding

The staff was picking something from the cabana, the holding area is pretty isn't it

So we finished our drinks and proceeded to our villa, led by one of the staff. The villa was reaaaalllllyy beautiful and most importantly, cosy! I'm glad to have chosen "Desire" as the light coloured furnishings did not attract any insects (smth we read from reviewers on their experience). A short video on how the place look like:

*Video taken after my climbing trip, pardon us the messy shoes at the door*

I was totally thrilled when the door swung open! Blame it on Singapore's small flat, but that makes holiday a whole lot better heh! The pool was what greeted us first, with the splashing sound made from the mini waterfall at the brick. We were then shown to our room, not much a big surprise to see the usual swan towels with red petals forming a heart, but it totally WOWed us when we saw our WEDDING PHOTO by the bed!! I must admit, we went dumbfounded but just kept WOWing away hahaha 

So we were led to the left side of our room, where the TV and a huge sofa/bed (similar to that of the olden day emperor would rest and play chess on) were. We just recovered from the surprise photo when the next wave of surprise came again! Quite a handful of our photos were looped in the TV slides and that really caught us by surprise! It was very pleasant knowing that the staff put in efforts to stalk our Facebook public profiles and grab what little pictures they could find. Some may say that it's creepy, but we thought it's still within our comfort level. Well, it's a public profile anyway, not much personal details were revealed;) 

Let the pictures speak hereon:

Can you see the heart we formed with our feet, on the deck, heh!

Breakfast order will be taken a day before, with a widespread of choices ranging from variety of bread, cereals, juices, coffee/tea, mains and fruits, or ALL OF THE ABOVE! Afternoon high tea was included as well, with different snacks being served everyday (though some were repeated). You may choose to dine in the kitchen, in that emperor sofa/bed or the pool cabana. We usually have our breakfast in the kitchen as per the photo, to enjoy a sunny morning lovely brekkie, and afternoon tea in the room. Days in villa = Swim, eat, suntan, swim, rest, repeat!

Not to mention, the service staff were really polite and hospitable. What impressed us further was their spontaneous communication with one another, to make sure everyone knew that the villa guests were out for dinner, went trekking or back from dinner etc. Everyone was able to start some small talk with us, asked us how did the trekking go and all. It was really cosy staying with the villa people. 

If you would ask me, I would recommend Berry Amour to you without a doubt too. I think muscleman and I will be back! :)

Paper Anniversary Activity - Mount Agung Summit Climb

Mountain guide: Wayan Dartha, mobile: +6285237008513, agungguide@yahoo.com

To be honest, we didn't really set such high aim to conquer Bali's highest mountain, which inevitably make it the hardest mountain among 2 other mountains - Mt Batur and Mt Rinjani. What we wanted was really just to catch a sunrise on our wedding anniversary. I've yet attempted the other 2, but hopefully there would be friendlier heh! 

According to the mountain guide and Wikipedia, Mount Agung last erupted in 1963 and is still active. There is a large crater that is 600m deep (approx.) and it occasionally belches smoke and ash. From a distance, the mountain appears to be perfectly conical. 

From the peak of the mountain, we could see the peak of Mount Rinjani on the island of Lombok,  as well as Mt Batur on the other end, although both mountains are frequently covered in clouds. We were lucky enough to catch both during our ascent.

We always thought that being able to conquer Mt KK, twice, meant that nothing is more difficult than that. We were quite wrong and we'll tell you why in a bit. 

Tripadvisor is really an informative ground where we found out that reaching local mountain guides can save us a heap from going through the agents, who will also get the same local guides. If you are reading the tripadvisor threads, you'll find that Wayan is highly recommended. You're right, but you gotta check which Wayan you wanna engage yo! We chose Wayan Dartha as our guide, and he is really friendly throughout. You can definitely sense his passion about the mountain, where he'll tell you all the facts and information you wish to know about it. He also told us that "Wayan" is a common name that Balinese eldest sibling adopt and hence, there are a lot of Wayans on street. We paid 850,000IDR + 650,000IDR for 2 pax, including 2-way transport from Seminyak-mountain-Seminyak, guide service and breakfast on mountain. I chanced upon some website that charges more than 100USD/pax for almost the same thing. Really did save a heap lol!

Before departing from our beautiful villa, the excited couple demand a wefie at our spacious toilet! 

It was a 2hour ride from Seminyak to Agung, and we started climbing at 12am. There were 3 routes to choose from, 1 that will reach crater rim at 2,827m, the other one being the longest route to the summit of 3,142m but quite popular, and the last one that reach the summit at 3,142m but with a route that the local guide discovered quite a while ago (or probably long time ago as many should have used it by now). Of course, we chose the last option since it reach the summit and not being the longest route. 

We started off from a temple for a simple ceremony to bless all of us during the climb, and set off to the sandy climb that lasted to 2.5km mark. The climb was a breeze and we could always peek at the Bali town lights under our feet, it was really beautiful and serene. We couldn't take photos due to bad lighting (tried and failed), but the slopes were still manageable, not as relentless as Mount KK. 

The real challenge comes when we moved on from 2.5km. The rocky surface created by the cooled off lava were steep and uneven. We didn't ascend in one straight path (i.e. turning to the left at some point, going down a bit then up again etc) and steep was an understatement. Description on how we turn our head and only see a short distance of rocks before the rest of the rock disappearing beneath shows how steep the climb was. I was a scaredey cat at this point and slowed down by 200%. Muscleman and I were super frightened by the thought of slip and fall to the unknown, or losing either of us because of our self-proclaim meaningful celebration. That instance, I really wanna give up but yet didn't wanna be the spoiler of the intended celebration. We bit our lips and moved on, slowly but steadily. Poor Wayan, had to stop many times just to help me cross hurdles over hurdles. 

The real deal comes when we were ALMOST at the summit and the sun came out, Wayan was so excited that he held my hand, and got me to RUN all the way up that vertical slope! I'm still quite perplex on how i did it, but I just did it by running almost vertically. JJ was steadier, and joined us quite soon! It was yet another rewarding view, with us risking our lives to it. Seriously, happy first anniversary my muscleman =)

From the video, what you see behind us diagonally where the higher rocks were, showed the type of steepness that I have been talking about. Running up such steep slope? I think it was a miracle! Thanks to Dartha making it possible :) 

Wayan Dartha, and his barangs so as to prepare breakfast for us. There was a stove, a pan, hot water, snacks and food his wife prepared! He is da man, carrying such many things up for the guests! Actually, even if it's just a sandwich, we would be happy too, at least he need not carry so many things. Nevertheless, thanks!

Our "I think this is crazy" face, I was too chui to take full face so just smile it off 

The sunrise (bad framings everywhere, it was VERY cold and we were extremely tired. Taking perfect picture was a numb instinct so bear with it k! At least the sunrise is pretty on its own;D )

Catch Mount Rinjani on top right behind the clouds! (Above the white dot against the black mountain, there is a faint mountain peak shadow! It was clearer in reality)

Tried zooming in using iphone5 camera

The 600m deep crater, that only has some puddle of water in it that day. Oh we captured natural bends of rainbow from the refraction of lights!! (or is it not refraction? I'm sorry Mrs Har -_-||)

I wasn't all brave and tough when come to descending, and the guide had to bear with the not so cheery me haha all I wanted was to reach the bottom and end the journey in a blink of an eye lol! Descent was more difficult due to the slope, and you may easily lose control of your balance if you're careless. Wayan Dartha held my hands throughout the descent till we reached 2.5km mark, where I started to use walking stick on the terrain that I'm more confident of. 

What's very nice about Wayan Dartha is that he made sure he help us capture lots of photos en route down (since we were half dead and won't be taking selfies anymore). Those that have us walking in the clouds/fog, those that have one large portion of the plateau with white flowers sprouting from the fertile ground thanks to volcano, those hoax that show how relax we were attempting the mountain and many more, just so we could have something to admire back home:)

If you notice, in all these pictures, we need to find some anchor point to stop ourselves from sliding down the rocks *shudders thinking back* It was "Rock Climbing" to its best at these rocky terrains where we used all 4s to maneuver. 

Some Tips

- Ask the guide on weather prediction and avoid being caught in a storm

- If you're tired, by all means rest, but not too long. Resting too long will zap your energies 

- Mind over body

- Trim your toe nails, if not, they will hit against the front of your shoes while descending, can be real painful

- Sip water, don't gulp. Latter may give stitches

- Use walking sticks till 2.5km, while use all 4s after 2.5km

- Pack light to minimize burdens

- Things guide provide: walking sticks, headlights, breakfast, snacks

- Things to bring: light backpack, 1.5L water for each pax, energy bars, a pair of good grip shoes, 2 heat packs per pax for summit rest, hand sanitizer (to clean ur hands before breakfast)

- Attire: Uniqlo heat tech top and bottom, wind breaker/warm jacket, Daiso glove (for climbing on all 4s to prevent cuts) to use and throw, beanie. Don't over clothe yourself as the climb is mainly warm, it's until the summit where you stop climbing and feel a little cold, otherwise, it's quite warm.

At the end of the journey, I'm always thankful to have Mr. muscleman alongside all ups and downs, sometimes literally:) While he is proud of me to complete Mt Agung, I'm proud of you for who you are and what you've achieved too <3

Seminyak Stroll

We didn't really do much thing in Seminyak. Over the span of 2 days, we only visited Seminyak Beach, Potato Head and chanced upon few restaurants with one of it (Nirvana) shouting "Winner of Tripadvisor 2014" and decided to give it a try on our anniversary night.

Nirvana Restaurant / Nirvana Burger Bar

Jl Laksmana 50 B, Seminyak, Bali 80361, Indonesia

We patronized the massage parlour above the restaurant before deciding to get a seat for dinner. I zonked out during massage (the same day that we descended from Mt Agung overnight trekking) so couldn't really comment much on the massage, but the food was really good! 

They specialize in western food, and the alfresco seats were filled with caucasians. Once seated, we were given cold towel, on the house mini spring roll to snack on + a shot glass of frozen margarita each. I was sold for the margarita, the tequila was strong and nice, and we got each of us a glass of flavoured margarita at only 50,000IDR! (That's approximately SGD5 ONLY!) The mains were good, I had pork ribs while muscleman had ... I forgot. hahah well, at least we remembered the anniversary dinner was good. We also ordered Satay, something that Balinese adore as well, and their peanut sauce was different but tasty. There were performances at intervals, the fire dancers definitely light up the dining experience, especially for the kids. 

We returned the next day for the burger bar, which is just next to the restaurant. Overall, the food was good, booze was cheap and money well spent, and worthwhile. Worth a try next time you're in Seminyak Square!

"I forgot the restaurant's name!"

We seriously chanced upon this while waiting for the sunset at Seminyak beach, when we decided to grab late lunch at late 4pm. We were famished by then and couldn't get ourselves a seat at other restaurants as they were preparing for dinner service. 

Exit Seminyak beach and turn left, away from the bustling street that is on the right, towards Potato Head direction, take a 10min walk, when you cross the first or second small road, lift your head and the restaurant is right opposite. They were the first restaurant we saw.

Their burger and laksa were good, just that there were lots of flies surrounding us. A trick we learned from Malaysia trips, light a candle in the center and the flies would naturally disperse a little due to the heat.

Random Ice Cream Booth

Found inside an Indian Cuisine Bistro

Exit Seminyak beach, turn right to the bustling street. Keep walking and there will be one Indian cuisine Bistro on your left, decors are in black and white.

It was a sweltering afternoon when we saw the Ice Cream booth, and decided to give them a try. I had Guava Sorbet while Muscleman had something chocolatey. The Ice Cream tasted extremely good under such weather, until I saw a frozen fly inside my ice cream towards the end of savouring :( I was quite disturbed but I thought to myself, I survived eating breakfast on Mt agung with dirty hands (I forgot to wear my gloves at first) and so this too shall pass. 

Seminyak Beach

It wasn't dirty when we visited, though I do read about the cleanliness issues online. I've been to Kuta Beach back in 2011 during the Dive trip's no dive day, the waves are pretty much similar. STILL IMPRESSIVE! It was calming looking at the badass waves storming onto the shore, though it can be quite traumatizing if they turn into tsunamis. Okay, drifted, here comes the pictures!

Act yi ge

It was also a trip to realise Muscleman can't do the "heart' thing lol!

Attempt 1 with half the heart by him

Demo once for him

Left to Right: Bat Man, Dracula's Bat, drumstick? hahahah 

Add on tips:

- Hail cab from "Blue Bird", typically blue taxi that runs by meter instead of sky high prices calling

- Prepare small notes for cabbing. ALL taxi drivers we met, including blue birds, refuse to give back changes from large notes and demand for tips that way. 

Lastly, the impressive waves, with us running away at the back cos we didn't want the sand to stick onto the feet when wet.

It is a happy recap while writing this entry away, of all entries that I procrastinated, this must not be forgotten. Happy anniversary to us!