Clem and i stayed at this spectacular villa in Phuket last month… I would have blogged about it earlier if there weren’t SO MANY CRAZY BEAUTIFUL pictures i took! Finally edited them, which will all be up in the next few days. To get to Sri Panwa, we took a flight to Phuket. Seeing we arrived really late the first night, we stayed in the town before checking in to the resort the next day. It took us about an hour by car to reach Cape Panwa, which is on the South-Eastern tip of Phuket.
We couldn’t see much when we arrived at Sri Panwa. The car drove us in to the check-in lobby, which is really one building by itself. I should know next time that when you don’t see much, it’s because the estate is so huge that the buildings and villas are hidden from view by trees everywhere!
In total, Sri Panwa has 52 villas on their lush estate of 40 acres. The villas range from 1-bedroom to 5-bedroom ones, all strategically built over 40 metres above sea level. We received a little guide when we checked in – showing us a map of the whole place. I was hoping we wouldn’t have to walk everywhere! Luckily we didn’t… we had shiny red tuk tuks to fetch us at any time from our villa to the restaurants 😉
Besides the little guide, Kun briefed me about a schedule the resort had prepared for Clem and i lest we get bored! We had options to take cooking classes, sightsee around the island, get massages at the spa, etc. Very exciting! Suddenly 3 nights didn’t seem enough!
A few minutes later we were zooming down a lane hugged by greenery to enter our home for the next few days. As Kun showed us around our 1-bedroom villa, i looked at Clem, looked at her, then said, “Tell Kun Clare (whom had arranged our schedule) to cancel everything. We’re not leaving this place.” She laughed. We laughed. However… I was not completely joking!
When i entered the main door of the villa, to the right was the living room, kitchen, verandah, shower and bathroom:
Living Room #1 (there’s another in our bedroom)
View from the Living Room #1, looking at our bedroom
This was our bedroom, and you can see Living Room #1 across the little courtyard
Living Room #2 is in front of the bedroom
In between both little buildings in our villa, are the stairs to the infinity pool which encircles our entire bedroom villa
Main bathroom
Steam room and shower #2
Shower #3 is outside. I love showering outside! Feels so NATURAL. Except it got a bit cold when it was windy! We chilled in the villa on our first evening, and Clem found his ‘spot’ on the verandah. He loves balconies. Every time we’re in an unfamiliar apartment, the first thing he’d do is check out the balcony.
It was going to storm that evening, and simply marvelous to just sit there. Watch the clouds roll by. Smell the storm coming. Stare at the blues and purples changing.
Clem had a drink while he watched me sketch the rolling sky and sea with pastels i’d brought.
Later that night, we went to Small Bar, which deserves a post of its own because it is that awesome.
I assumed that the blogpost featuring pictures from our villa would be the best one out of all. But wait till you see the pictures of the resort that will go up later this week!
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This trip was made possible by Luxe Nomad, a soon-to-be-launched website dedicated to traveling the world in luxury and style. Sign up for member-only rates at TheLuxeNomad.Com. Membership is free.
I cannot lie to myself anymore that i NEED to work out. Considering i eat like a monster (according to Clem) and only do yoga once a week, i think i’ve been quite lucky that i’ve managed to escape exercising for almost a decade. So much for being active in school, that all got shot to hell once i discovered partying and conned myself into thinking dancing and lifting pints is exercise.
Last week i wore a pair of fitted pants to a dinner… and had to unbutton them *while* driving -_- How sad is that. It’s like all the food i consume is going to my tummy, hips and butt but nothing is going to my arms or face.
I’m DETERMINED to get more fit. Last week i went to the gym (first time in 5 months). And the day after i went for my regular yoga class. The next few days after that i could barely walk cos i was so semangat to work out my thighs, i forgot to stretch after *idiot*.
Heard about Powerplate classes from a few girls and thought i’d check it out online. Basically you work out on a vibrating machine that accelerates the exercise, so working out for 45 minutes on Powerplate is like 90 minutes at the gym. So they say. I’m all for less pain in less time cos i don’t have that much time anyway (okay and i’m lazy too). Plus they have some machine (called P517) they place on your tummy and fat areas to vibrate before you work out, so when you do, it’s the first area all the work you do targets.
The downside of this Powerplate is that it’s quite pricey. A 12-session + 12 p517 package with PT is RM2,820. A 36-session + 12 P517 package is RM5,880. SAY WHATTTTTT! But the girl said there are classes in another outlet that are held with 6 people at a time so i’m assuming it will be cheaper. I don’t know what the price is yet. Will find out later.
I had my first trial class today (which was free). Was just keen to try it and see how i felt about it before deciding whether i’d take it or not. I liked my PT the moment he complimented my Monsters Inc. socks (we do Powerplate with just socks on, no shoes). Working out on the vibrating machine was weird but fun… just cos its different i guess! And knowing whatever i’m doing is supposedly putting on double the impact on my body. I was sweating like crazy after 15 minutes..! At one point he asked me how i was doing while i was doing push ups on the machine, and i retorted: “I want to go homeeeee” I’m such an exercise fail. Maybe this is why i need a PT to egg me on.
Before exercising, they got me to stand on a machine to measure my muscle and fat content. Seems my arms have NO muscle. I’m not surprised. And my hips/tummy/butt area has a fat measure of 7.7. The ‘normal’ range of fat content is up till 8. At 8.1 and beyond its considered obese. WHAT THE FRICK. My bottom half is on the edge of obese?! I know i’m not lying to myself which is why i’m forcing myself to do something about this. But this bloody machine had to totally take me by surprise…!!! Ugh. Ugh ugh ugh.
Pacifying myself that at least i’m doing something about this now! I just want to get a body like Kate Beckinsale okay.
Had a very social weekend and happily collapsed into the sofa on Sunday night to watch The Descendants. Contrary to the trailer, the movie isn’t as happy as i expected. Basically someone dies in the end and half the movie is a long sad draw out.
Anyway i got to thinking where i would like my ashes spread if i died. I never told anyone. I never thought about it. And i’ve never recorded it down so it’s BLACK AND WHITE somewhere for people to know in case it ever happened sooner than i imagined!
If i died, i’d like my ashes to be spread across six continents. Seeing that i like to travel so much, it just makes sense that i make someone travel in my death. And if others wanted to join him (i’m assuming Clem will be making this journey if i died suddenly) then you could make a whole big traveling party out of it.
Imagine the memories you’d have! Because of this last MISSION i had to make up. It’d be a once-in-a-lifetime story.
I feel so so lazy to blog! It’s like i got used to the EAT & SLEEP pattern of CNY!
Last night i ate so much at my uncle’s i almost blacked out on the porch.
Seriously! My vision went fuzzy for a few blinks and i almost tipped over before putting myself upright.
So i now know: a food coma is indeed possible.
Also, i had a really vivid dream about slashing two snakes with a sword. Steph was with me and the snakes were swimming in a pond in a field. The sword just felt so HEAVY in my dream and i was so tired after killing them. There was even a victorious portion where i stabbed the snake right through the top of its head. So violent but i remember feeling relieved and awesome. I did google what killing snakes mean in dreams, but the variations were too many, i wasn’t THAT bothered to find out.
Anyhoo, some daily dress pix. Nowadays, I seem to be really casual but still maintaining colours. As long as the piece isn’t sheer, i deem it fit to be worn to the office.
double-layered studded top; spain
leopard tights; bangkok
kimono slip; beautiful disaster wishbone necklace; present from clem
long necklace; thomas sabo
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grey silk & jersey shirt; f21 tokyo
pants; topshop
studded flats; singapore flea
vintage coin necklace; brick lane london
+ + + + + + +
aztec print slip; f21 tokyo
leggings; old blossom box store
leather moccasins; harajuku
white bead necklace; flea market
My dad texted me a few days ago asking whether everything was okay cos he hadn’t heard from me for a week. I called back to say everything was fine and that the office held me captive for a bit. He told me that my Mama (grannie) wanted to meet all the grandchildren for lunch today to pass on some inheritance gifts. I said i think she’s getting old and sentimental about passing her things on…
After a huge dim sum lunch at Grand Imperial, we headed back to her house where she laid out red velvet boxes of jewelry on the dining table. All female grandchildren were like “OOH… “ My brother, the only male grandchild, was watching TV, completely disinterested in jewelry.
In my younger years, i’d be elbowing with my cousins for the best present. But today… i was really nonchalant about it. No matter what i got, i would still love it cos it’s coming from her, and that was the main point of it. In the end there was no elbowing or ‘chupping’ occurring today. Mama had already carefully written our names in Chinese and English on little tags attached to the pieces for whom they were to go to.
I got this beautiful set of jade and gold necklace and earrings.
So gorgeous… i feel honored to own family jewelry like this!
My mum looked over my shoulder saying, “Things like this, money cannot buy one you know.” I nodded.
Smalls called me frog face when she took this pic of me wearing the necklace. I know i look slightly worse for wear. Went all out partying last night and came home at 5:30am. Girl can still party yo.
Mama & i
My mum got a pearl set with this crazy awesome bracelet that caught my attention the moment i laid eyes on it. Its design and simplicity are fantastic. I tried it on and fit me perfectly! Mama’s wrists are really tiny! Now i know where i got my supertiny wrists from. My mum said it’s too small for her even… so i guess it goes to me HEEEEEEE.
One of Smalls’ pieces
Nick, Mummy, Mama
Mama said my great-grandfather gave this to her – a solid gold coin that went to Nick. EchoPunyaBaby said she has the same one too! Maybe it was some token of wealth amongst our great-granners back in the day… I find it weird that it’s from USA tho… 0_0
Nick got this jade ship pendant so his life will ‘sail smoothly’.
And one of my favourite pieces (because of its story!). My Yeh Yeh gave the gold ‘Happiness’ brooch to Mama when he married her. He passed away in his 50s. This went to my brother to give to his future wife. Awwww 😀
Anyway i am a bit scared to keep all the gold in my apartment. I always hear about friend’s houses/apartments getting robbed and even have a friend who had her RM30k wedding diamond bracelet stolen. Also, i do have cleaners coming in and out all the time… so everything was handed over to my mum to be kept in a bank safety box.
The only thing i dared to hold on to myself is this gold bangle i also inherited 😀
