BEEN STEERING THAT WHEEL

NOVEMBER 13, 2012 was when I passed my practical driving test in the UK for the first time! I was overjoyed of course. My driving instructor Dave was amazing. He always believed that I can do anything he taught me and with practice, I got better at maneuvers. I still remember alot of the tips and tricks he shared with me. However, the only thing that has changed is now I’m driving on the right hand side of the road.
It was easier for me to do my driving in the UK as it was the same side of driving with Singapore, and best yet (depends on how you look at it), there are roundabouts! Signals to go into the roundabout and out of the roundabout takes special skills yo! There are a few roundabouts in the US but they are mostly replaced by 4-way stop intersections. I am pretty sure some people have studied which ones are more efficient.
But I picked up driving in the US pretty quick, and got comfortable as I drive more often around the neighbourhoods and also along the highways and long roads. They can be really boring though especially the roads running through states or a long highway through a state like the I-10 we were on, towards Disneyland Orlando. That was real boring and you definitely need some kind of distraction in the car to make it more interesting especially when the other is snoring away on the passenger seat. I was thinking on the lines of awesome music hehe!
We have a 16 hour drive to somewhere very soon…

PASSED THE LAST TEST

Could not sleep the night before. Woke up early before my alarm 8.15am. Takes about 20-30 minutes to get to the Okaloosa Tax Collector’s Office in Niceville. I drove there for the last time before my test. There was barely anyone there so we were quick to be called. The Clerk for Practical Driving was the one doing our paper work and we didn’t know that she was the tester too. I was given a laminated paper for me to read and it is what will be tested that day.
Took her out to the car, she checked that all the blinkers, horn, back lights, break lights, head lights and wipers are working before we set off. We started driving around the small neighbourhood near the parking lot. There were so many stop signs, T-junctions, cross junctions, bushes, houses, and the roads were so narrow it was crazy! We did many maneuvers, including 3-point turn, 50 feet straight reverse, park in between four cones and also I had to answer one question regarding parking on a hill.
She didn’t tell me straight away whether I passed or failed but she asked me to sign the marking sheet and told me that was the end of the test and to see her inside. At her desk, she told me that I passed the test and I had 1 point to failure and she told me the mistakes I made. Apparently I was using a lot of how the UK teaches driving here in the US. It’s quite different. Example, backing, I was taught in the UK to look at the back and also glance to the right/left side mirror but she was telling me that I had to turn to my right and look behind my shoulder the whole time.
All I did not know but hey guess what I passed the test and they issued me the license then and there. I was pleased and happy I didn’t have to do it again! 😀

I PASSED THE TEST!!

The Okaloosa County DMV is located at the Tax Collector. They provide walk-ins for the written test. She took all my details, passport and other driving licenses I have and I had to go into a room with only 4 computers. I was assigned the first with my name flashing on the screen. It was a touch screen computer. Read all the instructions and did a practice to make sure I knew how the test works with choosing the option I think is the correct answer.
There are 50 questions and all I need to pass the test is to answer 40 questions correctly. I skipped the ones I don’t 100% know I am going to get it right. Once I got 40 questions correct, it immediately stopped the test and flashed on the screen that I have passed! I was nervous and then glad I passed. Dave was waiting for me outside and we were attended by another lady at another counter.
They could not issue the permit to drive or learn to drive yet as we have not have the Adjustment of Status nor a Marriage Certificate. It was their first time handling a K-1 Visa applying for the permit, so they had a discussion with other colleagues and also their supervisor and manager. They came to a conclusion that they might be able to issue me a permit but only until the end of the I-94. However even if they could, they didn’t know if they could issue it there or whether Tallahassee has to issue it. And if Tallahassee were to issue it, it would take at least 3 months (if I recall correctly). But if they can do it there, it would be there and then we could leave with the permit. But they could not go ahead to know who will be the issuer since they cannot go on to the next page, and to go on to the next page, they would need our documents that I mentioned earlier.

But whatever, however so, I passed the test! 😀

Caribbean Joe’s @ Destin

We got to know about Caribbean Joe’s from TripAdvisor as it was and still is number 1 in the restaurants to go to in Destin. The place was pretty easy to find as it was by the maid road, Habor Boulevard. It can be quite easy to miss it too, so keep your eyes peeled.
There were nobody there when we went as it was not within any meal times like lunch or dinner. We were there at roughly 5pm-ish. Sat down at the bar and was given the menu straight away and to get any drinks of which I just got a cup of ice water. Service was pretty good so far. I liked the atmosphere where it wasn’t that formal, it was very laid back and I know I can just have a casual hang out time there.
It’s not too often that I see pork on most of the menus in Florida, so that was a first besides bacon. We got the Shrimp Panini and the Tequilla-Lime Steak Panini. We also had the black bean salsa on the side. The lady owner came out to greet us and talking to us about the new place they had and also a lot of challenges they faced with opening up the restaurant. It was a couple, Brian and Alison (if I remember her name right) who own and run the place. They were so warm and easy going with us.

Our food came, and yes we were hungry. I could not wait to dig in. The shrimp tacos had some green leafs in them and I literally can taste all of the ingredients in there. They are not blend nor are they too much flavourful. They are just perfect amount of taste to “isolatingly” taste the individual ingredients in them. The shrimps were soft and easy to chew and swallow. There was a light batter to the shrimps, not too thick or chewy.

The steak panini was made amazing too! Not too overcooked nor under-cooked. We learnt from the owners that all their ingredients are freshly made including their bread and they also do get fresh ingredients for their menu. Although it might seem too much of an effort to get fresh ingredients all day and it also can be very expensive getting more ingredients everyday and also throwing away goods that might have gone past its due date. But to be very honest, it all is very worth it. It is very rare to find a restaurant or an eating diner that serves fresh food made with fresh ingredients. I cannot stress how amazing their food tastes. Their black bean might have been from a can, but their corn and onions in their salsa was too good….

Be sure that this will not be our last time in this place! We are coming back again when we head down there again!

Journey to Florida!

Another journey to Florida, another 26 hour plane ride, another 3 time layover, another 40 hours of no proper rest and sleep (I mean horizontally). I have always loved traveling Delta ever since I booked flights on it the second time to Stateside. My dear friend Ling sent me off at the airport and had my last breakfast in Singapore for a while. I am really lucky to have friends that would go the extra mile. We were at the airport at 4.30am for my check in.
We had the most local simple breakfast – eggs, kaya toast and I had teh C (tea with evaporated milk). I was going to miss laksa the most and maybe nasi lemak as well, but someday maybe I’ll learn to cook it myself.
My first flight from Singapore to Narita (Tokyo) was pretty smooth. Smoother than I thought it would be. The other three times when I was on this flight, there was too much turbulence. For this flight, just in case, I brought with me anti-anxiety pills the doc prescribed to me along with two kinds of pills just in case I get into any sort of allergy reactions, including Prednisolone. I never thought I actually didn’t need it. I was also lucky enough to sit next to a nice Singaporean guy on the way to North Carolina for a friend’s wedding. I hope he is alright whilst typing this post as the Carolinas are in a state of emergency as Hurricane Joaquin visited the waters very close to them causing terrible flooding.
Anyways, touching down safely in Narita and happy, I went on a souvenir shopping spree. I would want to buy all the goodies they have in those Japanese store but I had to resist temptation. So I ended up with only four boxes of which most of them are matcha flavoured. I really am in love with anything matcha flavour. Only thing matcha I cannot touch is match ice cream. I guess I can pop a Lactaid pill on my first bite. So I waited another hour and a half before my next flight departs for Atlanta. I got onto the WiFi for a bit, it comes on and off, but it was alright in the end, I got to send the messages I needed to inform people I was alive!

I had a pretty good seat mate for the Narita-Atlanta flight. The seat on my left was empty, thankfully I had leg space! We also had a flight steward that looked like Tom Cruise, it was so cool, should of taken a photo of him with his smile! His cheekbones, teeth, nose, chin, mouth, lips look exactly like Tom’s I could not stop looking at him. We had a good look at him for a bit, the two of us.

Getting into Atlanta, it was my first Port of Entry into the United States. They had to go through my visa envelope and it took a while for processing with more questions but they were so easy to talk to and very conversational. Got my luggage and had it checked in again as it wasn’t my destination. One more flight to go – an hour’s flight. At least I had a chance to freshen up a little. Next flight was in 2-3 hours and sitting down would make me fall asleep, started walking around with my (more than 7kg bag) and the goodies I got from Japan. Tried staying awake until boarding time and I was on Sky Priority for Delta. I got an upgraded seat by the window. I love the window seat especially on short flights.

Finally touched down in VPS, with an almost full flight. I fell asleep nodding a few times on the flight, which made time past so fast that made it feel like it took only 10 minutes in air! I manage to see take off and landing out the window though which was amazing at night in the lights… I finally made it, my heart was beating so fast walking out the arrivals, looking out for that one man I’ve been dreaming everyday of the 4 months we haven’t seen each other.

Felt so good to finally be in his arms again…felt comfortable and safe, knowing that I belong and I was happy inside out…and then I can finally go to sleep horizontally!!

Bye Bye Maybank!

After a year working for Maybank, I finally had to bid it goodbye. Stepping into a formal work environment was very different compared to the past jobs that I had as an editor and a waitress both in Singapore and the UK. I feel a lot more confident with what to expect with a wider job scope as I progress on my career.
The people I met have been very wonderful, also the events and happenings in the office. No matter what went on in the office, you know you’re with an awesome bunch. It’s the company of people most of the time that makes my day. The hospitality they have given me is beyond what words can ever express.
As much as I didn’t want to leave so soon, life has bigger plans for me….
Jennifer and I. Photo credits to her.

Los Angeles baby!

So here I was in Los Angeles, California. Never have I ever thought I would walk the streets of Los Angeles anytime soon. I was only here for a 12 hour layover to Atlanta for another layover. I had to retrieve my luggage as it was more than 6 hours according to Delta is the only time frame before flight I am allowed to check my luggage in.
Thinking it was LAX Airport, a big international airport, they SHOULD have a left luggage service, but guess what? I was surprised that they did NOT have one. It’s either you check your bags in or take it with you wherever you go in Los Angeles. #disappointed
So my awesome friend, Lina, whom I haven’t met for more than 4 years picked me up with her husband, Nik, along with my luggage – praise the Lord! Nik dropped us off to wander the beaches of L.A. I was really unfortunate that the weather that day was…yeah you can see my pictures below. Apparently there were bad storms across the South West states including Oklahoma which got hit the worst with hurricane season in full swing during the time I was flying.
First stop, Venice Beach on the way to…….

MUSCLE BEACH!!! I was so excited but I wished the weather would have been much nicer to me. The sun was beginning to be a bit bold out of the clouds moments later though.

I found you Richard Gaspari! Met him in person at Body Power in the UK (upcoming post on this event!), and now I’ve met his weight?!

There are a line of shops selling all kinds of products from summer t-shirts to food, snacks and marijuana paraphernalia. It was too interesting to people watch over here. Warning: some spots may be pee zones. But delve into the mini culture there…

We walked further down to Santa Monica Pier where the mini theme park is. There were a few like this in the UK but not as big as it is here in the US. The sun finally begins to shine!

 How amazing is that view….

After a good walk and talk with my old mate Lina, we were hungry. Looked up some restaurants on Lina’s phone and voila we chose something healthy – Sea Salt Fish Grill! Took our chances, what the heck I’m on vacation. It was a good choice – here’s what I got below – Grilled Tilapia with Sauteed Vegetables. It included rice but I chose not to have rice. It was delish!
Check it out if you’re in LA – http://www.seasaltfishgrill.com/downtownLA/home

Nik picked us up and had a drive around downtown LA through Beverly Hills and not very much Hollywood as we didn’t have that much time on our hands.

Beverly Hills

Lina and Nik had plans that evening with friends so they had to cut short our time by an hour or two. But guess what? After more than 20 hours on plans and airports, I was able to SHOWER at their place and have a nice cuppa hot coffee. Of course then I texted Dave just in case he was wondering what was up (this trip was his birthday surprise, of which I have yet to post about it..upcoming guys!). Oh yeah and my 4 hour plane from L.A. to Atlanta was horrible I felt like I could die in that plane with the bad turbulence…. 😦

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