The day flew by so fast it was a blur...

Friday, 9 January 2026

I'm back, after a 10-year hiatus!

So much have changed in the last decade. YK completed his doctorate in 2023 and now resides in Australia. SK tied the knot in 2024 and is living 15 minutes away from me.

Rusty passed away at a ripe old age of 20.5yrs in 2023. We adopted Kopi, a Singapore Special, 10 years ago when he was still a tiny puppy.

I'm now a farmer operating out of my parents' farm. This gives me the opportunity to see them daily. Watching them age is sad but at 88 years old, they're still active and well. Their minds are still sharp as ever and their doctors say they're in much better physical shape than their peers.

When I turned 60 last year, I took a step back from my busy schedule to focus on my health and well being. I love that my job keeps me on my feet all day, clocking over 10,000 steps daily. However, as we age, we tend to lose muscle mass and gain some fat due to declining metabolism.

Some adjustments were made to my diet and lifestyle. I attended a workshop on 'Ageing through physical activity', learning how to build muscles without straining the body.

This year, I will focus more on my well being. I'm starting to paint again. This time, I've signed up a sketching and painting course in Feb 2026. Maybe I'll travel more, read more and just chill more.

Many of my friends have already retired but I love my work too much. Seeing how my parents have benefitted from working till they're in their 80s have inspired me to never stop working.

Let's see how the future pans out. Stay tuned!

Monday, 29 June 2015

Chowmahalla Palace

During our week in Hyderabad, some of the places we visited include the Mecca Mosque, the Charminar (the icon of Hyderabad), Sufi Shrine, Birla Mandir (pure white marble Hindu temple) and Salar Jung Museum (pretty good actually).

I personally enjoyed Chowmahalla Palace because it has a great combination of nice architecture, history, artifacts and gardens all within the sprawling compound.

The magnificent palace of the Nizams, unique for its style and elegance, originally covered 45 acres but today only 12 acres remain.

Friday, 26 June 2015

The streets of Hyderabad

We visited Hyderabad when the weather was at its hottest. With temperatures soaring to 40 degree celcius, even the breeze was hot. The death toll in India during the heatwave was alarmingly high at over 2,500!

It was essential for us to stay hydrated and dress in thin cotton. Business was always brisk at the coconut and sugar cane vendor's cart.

Even with the heat, the bazaars were always packed with people and vehicles. It takes a lot of courage to weave through chaotic traffic and cross the busy roads.

On some days, we could even see the tar on the road melting from the intense heat. In the evenings, people came out in full force to shop at the bazaars. Sultan Bazaar is textile paradise while Laad Bazaar is the place to go for jewelry and pearls.

Food is cheap and plentiful. Hyderabad is famous for briyani, with variations like vegetarian, mutton or chicken to choose from. Aside from rice, we ate different styles of roti, served with dips and curry everyday.

We drank lots of milk tea as well. They were so good and cheap! The small glass cups cost SGD 20cts each.

Enjoy the photos taken while we were out and about. It was mango season and hawkers were selling them everywhere.

Traditional wedding in Hyderabad

When the opportunity came up for us to attend Sai and Ramya's wedding in India, we grabbed it without any second thoughts. It turned out to be a fascinating ceremony which lasted an entire week.

First, we went to the mehendhi party at the bride's house.

The mehendi artists from Rajasthan were amazing.

The bride getting her arms and feet painted.

It was a first for me and I was so thrilled.

The Hindu wedding ceremony took place two days later at a hotel. It began at 7am and lasted 6 hours. It was a real eye-opener and for those who are interested to know the details, I found an excellent article here -The hindu wedding ceremony.

We also attended two dinners, hosted separately by the bride and groom's families.