cho cho train

A friend got married yesterday (Mark & Stacy), Jon & I were invited to celebrate with them at Haywards Heath. The interesting part was after the official wedding registration, we were going to have a detour lunch & more celebration in the steam train! It was called the Blue Bell Railway in East Sussex.

With much anticipation, I wasn't sure if the train was actually an operating train, or merely train models cum restaurant opening to the visitors. Another friend with us even thought it was just a name of a famous restaurant with sign posting on the main street :). When we finally got there, I was particularly so excited to see the operating steam train with elegant setup in the Lilian carriage and friendly services and smiles from the crews & stewards.

I have dreamed about boarding onto the Orient Express after having watched the movie "Romance on the Orient Express" since teenager years with my sisters and mum. Boarding onto the Blue Bell train is definitely an equivalent although much scaled down version of the sort. Interestingly, the wedding hails an element of East meets West, as the groom is a half Chinese, half English. Our seatings were pre-arranged and there was a small token of good luck charm to each guests which consists of a lotto ticket! How thoughtful of the married couple to their guests (I wished the Chinese pre-arranged seated wedding dinner will also do the same!)

We were being served with 3-course sumptuous lunch, drinks and more drinks. At first we weren't sure how long would the trip take as the track layout is only 19 miles (or less) between 3 stations. Hence you could have guessed that the steam train will run 2 return journey to make time for the wedding toasts at the other end of the station! Silly me started to associate the reality with movie when the train passed through a dark tunnel and imagined that was when all the dodgy things happened in those days. Ha!

I have to say this is one of the most interesting wedding invites I've been to (apart from my sister's of course!). The wedding ceremony was very well planned and organized. M & S even have their name printed on the front of the train. It was truly their day - relaxed, enjoyed, and most importantly they got to really mingle and enjoy the food themselves! Everyone was having so much fun, especially the children on board too.

My heartiest congratulations to M & S : "May you be blessed with lifetime full of love and happiness, all good wishes just for you!"

Circle of Life

This month has turned out to be a really different month for me. Different in the sense that I start to view things differently. Pardon me for my short sense of humor here :)

It is a month to celebrate, as well as to pay my sincere respect to a friend.

I would like to give my deepest condolence to my friend - his wife had deceased in recent accident during a work trip with the Hospital in South Africa. It was daunting learning about this as they were married only last year. One couldn't help wonder what is the reasoning to this? It torn my heart looking at the once open hearted and cheerful person to be in his lowest state. I heard his voice looking for forgiveness and only wanted another day to be with his wife. If only he was given the chance. I hope that my friend will take his time to grieve through, and learn to believe in faith and love again.

Unfortunate incident like this, is not something that one can see it coming. It somehow become second to nature that everyone would expect everyone to be there, every day. Taking things for granted is what I deem the most severe and expensive mistake one can take as a habit in life. Old habit dies hard but it's never too late to start kicking off the bad habit now, is it?

Sometimes when we start to feel that life is not treating us fairly, or not looking forward to go to work/school, or feel angry and argue over petty things - wouldn't it be more meaningful if we start to appreciate this fragile life and feel blessed to be able to wake up in the morning to welcome the rise?

It's also birthday for many whom I know this month, comprises of both of my lovely sisters, my adorable niece (turning to 1 this year), 2 good friends, 2 work colleagues, and myself. Celebration for the Cancerian :).

Apart from this, special congratulations dedicated to 2 special couples who join the wedding bells this month and may they be blessed with life long happiness in marriage.

Looking forward to another wonderful day tomorrow!