Wherever you go, I follow – Italy: Rome & Vatican

“Wherever you go, I follow”… The promise that I made to my husband on our wedding day.

Wives, follow the lead of your husbands as you follow the Lord. The husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the church. The church is Christ's body. He is its Savior.  The church follows the lead of Christ. In the same way, wives should follow the lead of their husbands in everything. Ephesians 5:22-24

Hence I flew off to Europe without any knowledge where I am heading to, except for my husband who have painstakingly did up the itinerary for us. I am a control-freak, so it was a new level of faith and allowing hub to take the lead.

Day1: Rome City

Once we touched down at Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in the morning, we took the Leonardo Express train to Rome Termini Station. And just 5min walk we reached Hotel Dharma. Explorer you could call us and we love doing it by foot and clearly we conquered the city in a day.

First stop:
Spanish steps with my colorful umbrella

Since it was raining heavily, we had buffet lunch at Open Colonna at only € 16 (only on weekdays lunch)

After the good Tiramisu, hub started his navigation and off we wandered again.

Ps: Beware, they grab hold of you so tightly and
request you to take photo, afterwhich, they made you pay.

Pantheon

What a waste, it was a gloomy day

And you gonna try this! In my opinion, this is the best gelato I ever had!

Address:
Via del Governo Vecchio, 112, 00186 Roma, Italy

Vatican: Day 2

This is one of my favorite ceiling. From the left, it is the story of the Pact between God and Noah (Genesis 7). Continuing clockwise, the Sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis 22). Moses before the burning the Bush (Exodus 3) and finally Jacob's Ladder (Genesis 28).

Below is the Stairway toward Sistine Chapel.  No photo is allowed in the chapel.

The ceiling of the Chapel was drawn by Michelangelo in 1508.

We ended our Vatican day tour by climbing up to the dome of the Vatican Chapel. It was breathtaking.

The night was young as we understand that Rome is having a "night in the museum" festival going on which allows visitors to pay only €1 to enter from 8pm to 2am.

We headed to somewhere random for dinner but it was reasonably good in food and price

There are too many museum we could choose from but we were alittle sick with sculptures, so we decided to tour the a castle in the night. Eerie...  Castle Sant' Angelo we went.

Us climbing the long stairway
to the top sleeping chamber.

100 days challenge - Gives Thanks day 73 - The Proposal

Cairns where two world heritage sites meet and a place where I found a diamond ring.

On 13 June 2013, the most unromantic boyfriend decided to do something special; to propose at Shangri-La Cairns.

I have nothing to suspect about as it is very common for us to travel together for his race. Something different was that I were extremely busy at work that I hardly have the time to plan any itinerary, so Aaron decided to take over this opportunity to give me a surprise.

What a wonderful joke it is.

It was 4 days after his race; we were adventurous on that day that we decided to go for white water rafting at the Barron River. The day ended pretty fun, tiring and with lots of bruises. It was a rare occasion that he suggested to have a nice dinner to end the day and gave me time to dress up (though I were too tired to dress nicely. *Regretted*).

At North Food and Wines with Sea view

Suspicion arise when the restaurant and bar manager of the North food and Wines, Illy Toloa-Suaniu, brought a bottle of wine, calming that it was the restaurant “lucky draw” and we were the lucky ones. I thought I were over sensitive about things and were embarrassed about myself but I soon put this aside when the seafood tower that we ordered were presented to us. 

Good wine, Good view and a Good ambience

Seafood Tower

 We took our time enjoying the dinner, but I bet Aaron was struggling internally throughout this meal. I reckon it is always a tough mission for any man to pop the question. As for the wine I mentioned earlier, I felt bad not to drink it since it was a gift by the restaurant, so started to drink a few sips while enjoying the lobster, smoked salmon, crayfish and shrimps. It is the best combination I would say. Unknowingly, I drank half the glass and it was more than I could handle. I was feeling sleepy and requested to head back to the hotel to rest.

Before I could stand up from the dining table, the manager has stepped in saying that she has prepared a dessert for us. This was when I knew it is “the moment”.

The specially customized dessert with the ring setting on top with the strawberry 

I saw the ring on top of the customized ice crystal ball and that brought me to tear. Overwhelmed with joy! Aaron was caught off guard too, because North Food and Wines were so kind to help organize this occasion that Aaron only has to do the bare minimum of handling them the ring.

“What am I supposed to do next?” That was his respond, bringing about laughter within my tears.  No fancy speech like he did while emceeing, no animated actions like he did in Sunday school but just a simple “Will you marry me?” and at the same time trying to kneel down with his sore legs. However, all these melt my heart, how could I reject? *blush*

Though no fanciful speech, he jotted down our dating journey in his personalize drawing album. It wasn’t easy to have an endurance dating of 6 years but it definitely taught us how to love and understand each other; and that how we like it, we are endurance athletes.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Thanks to all the friends that contributed the ideas, suggestions and/or simply keeping the cat in the bag. Thank you Illy and North Food and wines for the months of coordination and the surprise. Thank you my fiancé for loving me. Thank God for the angels He places in my life.

The wonderful lady behind the occasion

A special thank you for North food and wines for sponsoring the wine and customized dessert for our special occasion. If you would like to hold a special occasion there:

Shangri-La Hotel, The Marina, Cairns Pierpoint Road, Cairns, Queensland, 4870 Australia
Tel: (617) 4052 7670 Fax:(617) 4031 2815 Email:illy.suaniu@shangri-la.com Website:www.shangri-la.com

To end off, I’m engaged!

100 days challenge - Gives Thanks day 65

God has open the door that I have been waiting for. But I have various concerns. I hope my worries wouldn't hinder God's miracle to happen in my life. Have been praying and till the day comes I'm hopeful and excited. On the plane now to Darwin followed by a 2 hr transit to Cairns. Loves my life, loves what God has provided me with. Off we go again for another race. Flying off in a minute... Bye!

Run To See The World

Recently Aaron and I have been traveling to countries for races and this is addictive. We are inspired by some of our friends who often fly to overseas for races. We are neither rich nor elite, holiday trips are an indulgence and our race timings aren’t good enough to be sponsored. This doesn’t stop us from seeing the world and the passion to run. So, don’t know since when we started having this laborious and expensive hobby of taking every overseas race as a holiday. Tiring but this how we like it! We run to see the world. Much from the unspoken truth is the Love from our God that allows us to be able to see His marvelous creations with every breath we take.

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. – Matthew 6:33

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord – Psalm 150:6

Cingjing Nantou, Taiwan - 2013

Taipei, Taiwan - 2013

Often I will throw nasty comment at Aaron for not having normal couple relationship of having dinner date or just spending time talking sweet things. No anniversary, no Valentine day!  Ironically, I repeatedly have to shut myself up with all my nonsense because as an athlete, I understand it all. Most of the time, we get to see our partner ugly worn-out face that is rather unappealing. We see each other very frequent, like 4-5 times a week, many it maybe seems but none is romantic. Trainings and ministry works are the time that bonded us together.  Now that we have this expensive hobby (I hope this will last for as long as it can *praying hard*), it helps spice our relationship a little and motivate us to train harder. I treasure every trainings, ministering and overseas trips and am really thankful for that. Thank God for His provision to our endurance dating relationship.

Our first trip together was 5 years back. First destination - Bangkok; a trip that we truly understand what “Venus vs Mars” is.  Aaron’s intolerant to wait was immediately surfaced during that trip while I shopped. Back in those honeymoon dating days, he was always the enthusiastic party wanting to shop with me but I guess 1 year was his threshold. This trip unveils our differences and similarities; running shoe is always the item on the packing list. Since then, running shoe is a “Must bring” item for every trip.  Till date, we have run in Melbourne, Japan, Cambodia, London, Paris, Busselton and Taiwan.

Western Australia Ironman, Busselton - 2012

Western Australia Ironman, Busselton - 2012



Tokyo Marathon, Japan - 2012



 

Tokyo Marathon, Japan - 2012



Tokyo Marathon, Japan - 2012





Stonehenge, London - 2011





The Louvre, Paris - 2011

Dandenong Melbourne, Australia - 2009

If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? - 1 Corinthians 12:17

I thank God for providing me a partner and a best friend. Though we may be different in many ways but we learn to grow together in Christ.



Excited for my upcoming trip

I love travelling. It's a time for me to be recharged, a time for me to experience the culture and a time for me to get lost.

My boyfriend and I are currently in a mission of travelling to countries to participate in races; a motivation for us to train hard and an excuse to travel.

I love to travel since young but I'm a coward to travel alone, but now that I have a partner, we love getting lost together. I enjoy planning (DIY) trips where i get to customise my itineraries and to be able to take public transport. My boyfriend like to recite this "Everywhere you go, I follow. Whatever food I cook, you swallow". That was the sweet thing I ever heard from him. But eventually I will be the one following while he swallow the food I cook. Have to start learning how to cook though I only enough baking and ice cream making.

Man, the leader of the Household
For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. - Ephesians 5:32-24

Man, to love your wife too (Very important)
For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. - Ephesians 5:25

Back to the topic...

I have been planning for this trip while my boyfriend prepares for his first Ironman race in Busselton, Perth. For those that do not know what is Ironman, it is not the ironman Tony Stark (love that show) but an endurance race comprising of 3.9km swim, 180km bike and 42km run.

Busselton is the located southWest of Western Australia, along Geographe Bay. In busselton, the main attraction is the beach and it's 2km long jetty with an observatory. The period that we are visiting will be in Summer, so basking on the beach and dipping in the water is a must. A plus point is that we might have the opportunity to catch one or two whale swimming pass the ocean as it is also the season for whale immigration.

I shall keep you in suspense on the itinerary that I have planned up for this trip. Will be in Geographe Bay for a week, for the ironman race and a road trip further south and to margaret river. Followed by another week in Perth. I am so excited to visit Perth again after my last visit 11years ago for my track & Field training. 

That's all for now and to get some rest because I'm having a fever now! 

Fly Scoot Taiwan Sale

I got my scoot tickets to Taiwan!

Taiwan has always been in my "to go list" and since my parent have been asking me to bring them for a trip. Why no this time? I'm just a fresh graduate that has only been working for a year... How could I afford to pay for the whole family. Maybe Scoot Taipei sale is the opportunity to spend on my family.

The online booking experience is not fun and it is very tiring, especially for sale ticket. I was looking at the sale yesterday morning, checking for good dates but nothing caught my eyes (maybe I'm too slow, people had make their purchase already).

When I finally saw a date that is good for all, parent had problem remembering their passport number while other is unreachable... Coordinating to get the ticket is the down side of travelling, but I believe this is the trip that I have been looking forward to. When was the last time you have a family travel trip? I don't usually go overseas with them because I come from a slightly lower than average income family. Parent have been working hard to meet ends meet. I stop taking pocket money after I graduated from Poly and I'm proud to say that I saved up to pay for my own University fee (yes there were days where I went crying to mom for some allowances while I was bankrupt but that was for my last semester school fee. Which means I still owe her money!) SO.. my last trip with them was Genting Highland 6years back. Looking at my parent, make me realised that as I am busying growing up and search for the true purpose in life, my parent are growing old.

Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

Exodus 20:12

Honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself. 

 Matthew 19:19

Beside paying for my parent, I decided to be sweet to give my boyfriend a treat. Nothing big as compare to what he has been giving me. A boyfriend who is so selfless and always sponsor me for our holidays and he was my support while I'm in university paying for some of my necessities. I was thrifty on food so that I could save more but he never fails to bring me to indulge in good food. Having my budget I could only afford on budget airline. So I'm afraid he will suffer with the limited leg space. He is 188cm tall, VERY tall so he usually go for non-budget airline.

Back to the online booking. Beside having hard time coordinating, I had a hard time booking as well... Ask me how many times I tried, 3 times! Error message keep popping while trying to make the payment. And sale being sale, ticket can be gone by seconds. Called up scoot, but took me so long to get through. The booking was reserve but when I called back to make payment they told me the booking has been cancelled. Have to do it online booking again! Ok, fine. Key in the details again and once again had problem on the payment page. Called scoot again and the "best thing" is there is no booking reflected on the system this time so I cannot make payment through the phone, unless I book through teleconversation and have an additional charge of $30. Of cause I won't since I'm trying to get the most out of what I could pay for. Decided to give it a last try. Blood boiling high at that time. Luckily it get through, by then It was 4pm! With all the mishap, I only managed to get the departure sale ticket. Paying $172 for returning flight. Sad but still feel that it was a catch.

Looking forward to fly with scoot for the first time, hope it will be good.

Taiwan, I'm coming!
Which are the places that are a must to visit while I'm in taiwan?