Family

  • Klang Valley

    Klang Valley

    We spent the last stretch of our trip in the Klang Valley. This trip was low-key as we didn’t have any sightseeing activities planned. Our usual daily routine involved going for a morning walk with dad and running errands in the afternoon. Typically, we enjoyed the free air conditioning at a nearby shopping mall to… Read more…

  • The Garden

    The Garden

    Whenever we came home, dad-in-law would request me to capture photos of his garden — partly to document the progress made, and he could also send them to his friends. This time was no different. Minutes after we arrived, he enthusiastically provided us with a grand tour of his ever-changing garden that he is incredibly… Read more…

  • Sarikei

    Sarikei

    We spent the shortest time in Sarikei since we met most family members in Kuching. Nevertheless, this trip home was extraordinary. Not only Tony and Jimmy traveled with us from Kuching, but Simon flew from Kuala Lumpur to meet everyone for a few days, with Richard waiting for us in Sarikei. The last time all… Read more…

  • Kuching

    Kuching

    Our last visit to “The City of Cats” was six years ago. This time, several family members made last-minute efforts to join us in Kuching for a week. We had parents flying from Sarikei and Tony from Singapore. Most surprisingly, Jimmy and Shing decided to join us a few days later, even though we had… Read more…

  • Semporna

    Semporna

    Our day began at 4 AM when we checked out from the airport hotel to catch the 7 AM flight to Tawau to visit Jimmy and Shing in Semporna. We made many promises to see them throughout the years. Still, we could not carve out extra days in our usual tight itinerary due to the… Read more…

  • 45-Hour Flight to Malaysia

    45-Hour Flight to Malaysia

    This imminent trip home was our most anticipated event of the year. Like many individuals living abroad, this was our first trip home since the pre-COVID-19 pandemic. The flight prices were twice as high, and at the same time, most flight durations were longer than before. Instead of hunting for better prices, we blindly swiped… Read more…

  • Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway

    Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway

    We took a day off from work to visit cousin Troy who had a day layover in Minneapolis. The last time we met him was in 2014. After picking him up from a downtown hotel before 9 AM, we headed to a nearby coffee shop for quick bites. We used this opportunity to bring him… Read more…

  • Sarikei

    Sarikei

    Throughout our stay in Sarikei, we switched our accommodation back and forth between the house in town and a recently built 4-bedroom house at the nursery. The latter was quieter and cooler in temperature although the mosquitoes were rather voracious in the evening. Typically, after finishing our dinner in town, we packed some necessity items… Read more…

  • Taichung & Taoyuan

    Taichung & Taoyuan

    Waking up in Taichung, we headed out before sunrise in search of breakfast. While the local breakfast meals weren’t necessarily our comfort food, they were very cheap and tasty. Our plan was to spend a full day exploring Taichung — the third largest city in Taiwan after Taipei and Kaohsiung. Perhaps this is the southernmost… Read more…