Hello Son,
So here's the update on your parents' cruise
holiday after Christmas.
Our cruise date : Dec 28 - Jan 2.
Dad and Mom were so looking forward to
our much-deserved holiday.
Oh, Mom forgot to mention that we had a
successful concert on Dec 2nd.
Here's the link to our concert videos.
On the morning of Dec 28, Dad and Mom
were at the airport very early in the morning.
After checking in, we went to a cafe.
Imagine our surprise to see a branch of
Oriental Kopi at the airport. LOL.
Mom stood in line.
Dad went to the washroom.
Yup, there was a line already forming
at 7:15 am thereabouts in the morning.
Dad reappeared just when Mom was
walking into the eatery.
The waiter showed us to our table.
 |
| 7:34 AM |
Mom's eyes shot to the table number.
23.
Awww.
You must have seen a big grin forming
on your mother's face.
Mom said aloud to Dad,
"See the number? Twenty-three."
That's secret code for 1994.
Your birth year.
ZAP ZAP ZAP!!!
Morning Son, Mom whispered in her heart.
You are here, we know.
Mom had half-boiled eggs
and Dad had fried mee hoon.
It was about 7:30 am at the time.
We hung around for about an hour or so
before making our way to the
immigration check point.
Before long ...
O
M
G
At the entry check point,
Mom caught sight of a guy wearing a tee shirt
with a huge number 23 on it.
He was in fact going through
the scan station, just in front of your mother.
Say what???
We were just on table 23,
and now tee shirt 23 is right in Mom's face.
No ...
Of course, Mom couldn't
and didn't - take a photo.
She didn't want to be arrested
for suspicious behaviour.
No ...
She cannot risk missing
the much-awaited cruise.
She did the next best thing though.
Right after the body and bag scan,
Mom hurried after him.
At one point, she even broke into a run.
Mom snapped a photo.
OMG. The guy was too far away.
He was at passport clearance.
Darn it.
Mum quickened her footsteps.
Ahh. There he was.
In the passport booth.
Quickly, Mom angled her handphone
(so it did not look like she was
taking a photo of the guy)
and swiftly snapped a shot ...
Mom was hoping there were no
CCTV capturing her movements.
 |
| in the automatic passport booth |
ZAP ZAP ZAP!!!
Were you rolling your eyes, Daniel?
HAHAHAHAHA.
Dad was probably shaking his head.
Mom did not dare to look at your father.
We walked on, slowly ...
and quietly ...
side by side ...
towards the boarding room.
As we were walking on ...
your parents happened to see a
soft toy
on the floor, right in front of us ...
though no one ... no baby nor child
were to be seen anywhere near us.
We ignored the toy on the floor,
passed it and
and walked on.
We could have taken about 10 steps
ahead, after passing the soft toy,
when a guy called out to us from behind.
"Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me ..."
a voice came from behind.
Dad and Mom turned around.
He was a foreigner.
Middle Eastern, Mom thinks.
The guy had apparently picked up
the soft toy ...
it was a cuddly grey-white
shark ...
He held it up to Mom and asked,
"Did you drop this?"
It was at that moment that
Mom had a good look at that
soft toy.
O
M
G.
Pause.
A shark???
LOL.
Mom had to hide a sudden
surge of happiness within her.
Dad and Mom answered in unison,
we said no,
the toy was not ours.
We tried to help locate a possible
family / child who might have dropped the toy.
We looked around ... ahead ... and behind us ...
there were no one to be seen ...
and clearly no children within our sight.
We exchanged smiles,
the guy shrugged, still holding the toy.
Dad and Mom
continued walking ahead to
the boarding hall.
Mom couldn't contain her excitement.
"Shark? OMG, seriously???"
A SHARK???
A stranger had to stop your parents
to show us a toy shark?
We had in fact ignored the toy
and had walked on.
Oh boy ...
It wasn't until the guy held the toy shark
up to Mom that she got the ZAP.
ZAP ZAP ZAP!!!
Your -- shark.
We still have them at home.
Justine and you did some painting gel
activities during the holidays one time.
You were in preschool then.
Justine a year older.
Here is your shark.
Bottom left.
Dad would always tell friends who visit our home,
about your shark.
How you accidentally stained the red
at teeth area, making it look even more real.
Grin.
By the way, it must have been some 25 years,
since Justine and you made the craft.
The cartoon art pieces are still sticking on strong
on our kitchen see-through glass door.
A SHARK ZZZZAP.
That was ingenious, Daniel.
Whatever will you think of next.
You must have whispered to that guy.
Seriously, everywhere we are,
there you'll always be.
 |
| photo time : 9:44 am |
Dad and Mom at the boarding hall.
So, at one point, Mom found herself reaching out
for Dad's passport in his hands.
You must have whispered to Mom.
Mom opened the passport casually,
to the front page of personal details.
Pause.
Your mother stared at the page.
O
M
G
Do you see what Mom saw?
Flashback to our
First Prize
we almost won on Dec 16.
 |
| Lucky Number Draw |
1122
Mom was like in total surprise.
"OMG, the 1122 is in your ID!"
Mom continued,
"Daniel is definitely planning something
amazing for us. OMG!
Just wait for it.
The 1122 and the 2424 ...
He has something up his sleeves."
Fast Forward ...
At Marina Bay, Singapore,
before we board the Royal Caribbean,
Dad was at the passport counter.
From the corner of Mom's eyes,
she saw.
She grinned.
OMG.
Seriously?
How do you do that, Daniel?
Counter number : 23
The number 23 that Mom was
chasing the guy around at the
KL Airport this morning?
ZAP ZAP ZAP!!!
Yeah, that was quite hilarious.
Are you rolling over in stitches,
up there???
Our luggage tag (also room) numbers.
128
Smile.
21 8
21 44
You're clearly with us, Son.
Deck 10
Stateroom 10128
(228)
(48)
(21)
Meeting Point for briefing at A4.
Got it.
Mom absolutely loved the cabin number.
 |
| our cabin balcony |
Dad said, "Table 121 is our table for the
entire cruise
at the fine dining room."
Huh.
What d'ya say?
121
Number 4
Mom commented Dad looked like a
college boy in that new tee shirt.
Now Dad wants to buy another tee shirt
just like that, in another colour.
Eye roll.
 |
| The fruit punch was delicious. |
 |
| Can't believe we have 121 for the entire cruise. |
 |
| Cheers. |
 |
| breakfast the next morning |
 |
| dinner second night - awesome |
Dad and Mom were having the
most wonderful time.
 |
| Day 3. |
That morning,
we went for breakfast as usual.
Mom had been commenting
how white and crisp and
clean the dining table clothes were ...
each time we were at the fine dining hall ...
However, that morning,
we were shown to this other table,
on a different side of the dining hall.
No longer on table 121.
Maybe because it's Phuket Day.
Mom sat down,
and immediately saw a tiny stain
on the white table cloth.
Your mother exclaimed,
"There's an orange dot on my side ..."
and just as she said it,
she heard it.
Drawing in a deep breath,
and peering closely to the dot,
Mom repeated to Dad,
"OMG, there is an orange dot here ..."
Orange Dot.
That's your blog.
Another one of your blogs.
ZAP ZAP ZAP!!!
Truly Daniel.
Everywhere we are,
there you'll be.
Always.
Always.
Always.
Let it be so,
until we reunite again, ya?
Thank you JESUS and MARY,
for allowing us this
special communication.
Mom is eternally grateful.
 |
| Farmer's Breakfast - Yummy! |
 |
| Dad had extra bacon. Hmmmm. |
The waiter brought Mom's
marmalade and strawberry
to go with her croissants.
The mini jars were placed down
before your mother.
OMG, say what???
Mom had to smile.
She suddenly noticed
SON SON
SON SON
staring back at her.
(DickinSON X 4)
And ORANGE???
The icing on the cake surely.
You must have whispered to Mom
to request for some croissants ...
because without the croissants,
Mom would not have asked for the jams.
ZAP ZAP ZAP!!!
How strange to have noticed
absolutely clean and white
table linen daily, only to notice -
an orange dot ...
a few days later.
Smile.
More photos here ...
Dad and Mom had the whole solarium
to ourselves when everyone went down
to Phuket Island on the 3rd day.
Dad was on the sofa, chilling and
enjoying the view of the ocean.
Mom was um, perfecting her selfies.
 |
| Hehehehe |
Nothing can beat this pose.
 |
| New Year's Eve |
 |
| Ooooh, Mom's fav punch. |
January 2 (Day 6)
Back at Singapore Changi Airport.
We were there around 9am.
Checked in our bags
and chilled in the airport till evening time.
Our flight was at 7:40 pm.
 |
| Breakfast : Coffee Latte |
 |
| Lunch : Seafood pasta |
 |
| OMG> The chicken rice was delicious. |
Evening time.
We were at the Hawker area.
Dad happened to put down the tray
after ordering our food.
Mom saw the HUGE Order Numbers :
Oh boy.
But of course ...
It wouldn't be complete if we didn't end with a ZAP.
HAHAHA.
73 64
42
21
 |
| The chicken rice was seriously out of this world. |
 |
| OMG. May it never end ... |
It was that good!
Comparable to Dad's chicken rice.
We landed in KL Airport at 8:40 am.
Took a cab back and reached home safely
before 10 pm.
Thank you, Daniel, for being with us
throughout the trip.
Your parents had such a nice time.
May there be more travels
for your family ya.
xoxo
Mom
Ohhh.
Before Mom forgets ...
This cruise trip was on
Dec 28 - Jan 2.
Mom did not have the time
to tell you about it.
Until a 3 days ago,
on January 17th,
about 330 pm ...
Dad and Mom were at the Gardens Mall.
We went up this escalator,
and Dad said, "Look ..."
Mom turned to look and
saw this.
Zooming in ...
Oooh. Flashback.
Tee shirt number 23
at the airport.
Grin.
(fast forward)
Then about 3 hours later,
we were walking to our car.
Dad said, "See that car ..."
Mom turned to look ...
Which car ... ?
Ahhh ...
21
Mom had no choice but to find time
to relate the cruise story after the 2 zaps.
Also Daniel, we have not forgotten ...
tomorrow is January 21, 2024.
14 years ago on January 21,
JESUS called you home.
We miss you very much.
We thank GOD for all the ZAPs
you are able to send us to remind us
that you are always by our side
and watching over us.
We love you so very much, Son.
Happy 14th Anniversary
with JESUS and MARY
in Heaven.
Keep the ZAPS coming.
Daniel Jason Phua Yun Shih
24/12/94 - 21/1/2010
Sending all our love up to you, Daniel.
