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COMMITTEE &
MAGGIE
(for more pictures, see
"ALL PICTURES")
You've learned that most committee members
could not make it to the gathering due to work and school commitments. Well,
eventually, Irene and I (MDN) was able to get tickets to Hong Kong after
Christmas. KF and Anita was stuck at home. We were determined to meet Maggie
as one of the goals for our trip to HK.
Where shall I start? Let’s go to it day-by-day.
A Trip in the Making
I arrived on Chek Lap Kok Int'l Airport at 11 p.m. of the 27th December, highly anticipated about the prospect of my trip. I got to the hotel
at midnight and met Irene for the first time. We chat and showed each other our collections of Maggie’s stuff, hoping Maggie could autograph for us. We were very excited. At least Irene have met Maggie before, I
hadn’t! So I as feeling quite jumpy.
The next day, Jasmine returned from her Beijing trip and met with us that afternoon (28th December) at Starbucks in Pacific Place. We gave Maggie a call on her mobile phone; it was the answering service.
So we eat, chat among ourselves, and waited.
In the day that followed, we still couldn’t get hold of Maggie, but we got hold of Samm, who promised to make some arrangements for us as soon as possible. At the time, Maggie was busy shooting outside scenes for
Better Halves. So we meet up with Linsey, a MCIFC member and an
email-pal of mine, in Mongkok whilst Irene and I do our shopping spree. Every hour we wonder if Maggie got our messages, and at the time we didn’t quite understand why she doesn’t pick up her phone.
Still no words from Samm or Maggie in the morning after, so Irene and I decided to go sightseeing for
our time being, with the help of HK native, Dancer, one of our MCIFC members, guiding us around. After visiting Aberdeen, we decided that we would go to Kowloon Tong or Victoria Peak, but then my phone started ringing! (Gasps!) Who could it be? Samm! Samm said Maggie would like to meet us
in the afternoon, are we available? You betcha! She would meet us at Po Lam MTR Station at 4:20 p.m. Our whole plan
had changed for good.
Irene and I cancelled all our sightseeing plans and rush back to the hotel to get ready to meet Maggie (we had to collect bags full of presents that other overseas fans have asked us to pass it to Maggie). Dancer was kind enough to show us to Po Lam MTR Station. We got there a little early…well, okay, nearly 2 hours early! Haha! You can tell we were anxious.
 At 4:30 p.m., a black Lexus pulled over in front of a bus stop, Irene reckoned that is Maggie, we looked over, a lady in black is sitting in the car, on the phone with somebody—that is Maggie! Few nanoseconds later, Samm called to tell me Maggie is already in front of Po Lam MTR Station (opposite Metro City plaza), did we see her? Everybody who was around the area saw her lah! Maggie waved at us and told us to get in the car, after briefly greeting us both, Maggie got off the car to get some goodies at a bakery for her colleagues at work. Street people were gazing at her as she
was walking, looking great in an all-black outfit with black letter coat, white tennis shoes, and a black leather captain hat (which she wears at the TVB Pre-Anniversary).
Irene
got out her digital camcorder and
filmed Maggie coming out of the bakery store (in Metro City Plaza) as if
we're the stalkers or the paparazzi. Maggie was laughing all about it when
she got back to her car. Then she said she would take us to new TV City in
Tseung Kwan O (TKO). We'd have tea there also. We
chat an awful lot in the car. At one moment, we talked about KF and how KF
could not arrange her schedule to join us in HK. Maggie rushed us, "Call
her! Call her now!" So we phone her all the way to Malaysia and she and
Maggie had a nice little chat. Oh, I also snapped a photos of Maggie while the
car stopped for traffic lights.
TV City: First Visit
TKO is still a very uninhabited area, there are mostly factories. Further
out to more deserted lands stood the new TV City, still under
construction but have garnered a huge amount of space in the area already.
Most modern services are not yet installed; hence, TVB employees cannot receive calls
to their mobile phones from outside because there are no receptions. That explains why we couldn’t get hold of Maggie in the first few days.
Irene and I wasn't aware that Maggie has work on the day she picked us up (30th December). We thought she was only going to give us a little tour on her day off. Nope! She brought us in so we can watch her filming
Better Halves. Jasmine was going to join us after she get off work. We
enter new TV City, Maggie rolled down her car window and report her employee
ID number to the guards at the gate.
She drove straight into the parking lot. We
got off the car and Marco Ngai Chun Kit was pulling out. He greeted Maggie
and then they said something. Marco looked at us and said, "Hi."
Marco looked quite tired, I'm guessing he has just finished filming (Armed
Reaction IV).
We took a few steps into the building, Joyce Tang Lai Ming was waiting at the elevator. She and Maggie
greet and had a little conversation.
Joyce said she has to film until midnight (also for Armed Reaction IV).
I don't think Maggie introduced us to Joyce, but we said "Hi" and
she also reply with "Hello."
BTW, we didn't take any photos because
Maggie had warned us photographing were not allowed in TV City unless you
have "press pass" (in other words, unless you are a reporter).
Joyce got on her lift and we took a separate one, since we were heading up
to the Canteen (third floor). In the lift Maggie remarked TV City has become,
to her, a college dorm, seeing colleagues are like seeing classmates and friends. She said she
missed her college days a lot.
In the Canteen, we saw Uncle Six and Mona Fong doing interview with reporters. After Maggie seated
me and Irene at a corner she came over to greet her big boss. Then
Maggie got Irene a cup of coffee, for me and her each a glass of milk tea. The
Canteen was quite empty at that time. While waiting for Maggie, we saw Dickson
Lee Ka Seng (the villain Sik Chun in Plain Love II) passing by. He
looked funny because he wore a Qing dynasty wig, but modern clothes, and Sung
dynasty shoes. Didn't quite understand what he was going for.
When Maggie got back, we began
to present Maggie with gifts from fans
who could not make it to the gathering. Irene filmed this sequence with her
camcorder. Maggie was very touched by all the gifts, she was about to shed some tears but managed not to. She thanked all of you for your gifts (that’s including Stephanie, Anita, Linsey, Janet, KF, etc.).
Jadess has some Thank You gift for Joe Ma and Steven Ma (for coming to the
gathering), which I asked her to pass it to them because I did not expect to
see them. Maggie said, "Oh, I'll pass this to Joe. As for the one with
Steven, you give it to him, you'll meet him later."
Then we chat until 5:30 p.m. and Maggie has to report to the make up room. Maggie took us down to one of the
buildings. Each building has about 3 large studios, 1 costume room, and 1 make up room among the facilities. The building Maggie took us to catered
costumes, artists, props, sets, etc. for Better Halves, Armed Reaction
IV, and Find the Light (Damian Lau, Maggie Siu, Shirley Yeung).
On our way there, we saw lots
of crew member greeted Maggie. When Maggie almost tripped on the sidewalk,
the whole crew exclaimed, "Whoa! Becareful!" Maggie then said
something I couldn't catch, but made the whole crew laughed.
Maggie wanted Irene to record the whole sequence of her getting in costumes and putting on hair and make up
for fans to see, but we weren't allowed to because TVB was afraid that we would spoil the details about the filming
from artists' conversations in the make up room or in the hallway, and exposing privacy of TVB employees. So we didn’t record or take any pictures.
Sorry guys, but TVB policy were understandable since artists and staff leave their stuff lying all over the place, we can’t really redistribute those images to the
public.
Irene and I quietly watched Maggie get in costumes. Halfway through, a guy walked in, I thought he looked familiar but I couldn’t tell who he was. Irene couldn’t recognize him either. He looked at us and we looked at him. I think he was wondering who we were and vice versa. Haha. And then he started doing
back flips in the costumes room. Irene and I thought it was strange, but that’s probably how he exercises prior to playing his character? I don’t know. And then it
clicked! I finally recognized him, it was Auguste Kwan Tak Fai. Maggie came
out of the changing room and they had a little conversation.
Maggie’s costume is very thin-layered, it’s no wonder she got sick, wearing such thin clothes in such cold weather (TVB needs to get some heaters, man! The whole studio was freezing).
Subsequently, Maggie took us to the make up room. On our way there, we saw Maggie waving at somebody from far away, we couldn’t tell whom it was until we got closer, it was Bernice Liu Bik Yee, she looked quite cute. Anyway, in the make up room, Maggie took her leather hat off and offered the make up crew a box of goodies she brought at the bakery upon picking us up.
Two people work on Maggie’s wig while Maggie does her own make up.
Meanwhile, Irene and I behaved very well. We sat in the make up room quietly
watching Maggie doing her makeup and occasionally eye-tailing artists who
were passing us by. We didn’t jump up and down asking for autographs or for pictures. For Maggie’s sake, we didn’t want to act like monkeys, you know. All artists managed to look at us, probably wondering who we were. Some people greeted us, others
didn't even bother. It's fine.
A little about those artists…Shirley Yeung Sze Kei (in her Qing dynasty
costumes) was doing her make up right next to me but I didn’t even see her because she’s so small in
person (well, I'm not so huge). I wouldn’t know that was her if she hadn’t greeted us. Then we saw Cerina DeGraca (Ka Pik Yee) stomped in
(like a man! I think she's a tomboy) and we couldn’t recognize her at first either because she didn’t have any make up on. And like Shirley, Cerina is quite petite. Joyce Tang was quietly doing her make up,
waiting for the her name to be called into the studio. Deno Cheung (played
Maggie's boyfriend in The Awakening Story) came in, dressed as a Tong
dynasty groom, I'm guessing he's also in Better Halves. There were
tons of kelefei and veteran actors, like Bak Yan, Wong Wai, Ha Ping, among
the many. Then Auguste came in the make up room half dressed—quite funny and cute looking. Maggie Siu Mei Kei also entered.
"Kelefei" actors were everywhere. You can easily recognize
them. Many of them greeted us.
It was quite star-studded, but Irene and I remained calm and cool, we quietly chat…until Kevin Cheng Ka Wing came
in. Words somehow got stuck in my mouth, I couldn't say anything. Would you
girls be able to? He is so good looking in person!
Irene didn’t know what was going on, she
couldn't recognize ah Mark until I told her it was Mark from Burning
Flame II. For a moment there, I think she thought I was stoned. And I think Kevin must have noticed that I gawked at him because it was quite obvious (aiya!
embarrassing!). He lowered his head, hands held behind his back, eyes down,
smiled, and walked by me. I was so embarrassed I didn’t have the gut to ask him for a photograph later on.
He walked back and forth us a few times (patrolling the costumes room and
the make up room). I swear, every time he walk by us, he lowered his head. Irene is still rubbing that against my face. BTW, Kevin was there for
Better Halves. I told Maggie about it afterward and she laughed,
"You should have told me, I would ask him to come out of the make up room for a photo with you" (Maggie ah! You should have told me that earlier too!!! And then she teases me about that in the days that followed…) Hee hee, it was quite alright. I’m not that desperate, just a little star-struck, no, hunk-struck (ahem….hee hee hee).
Oh give me a break, I still haven't got over that yet.
Okay, back to Maggie. Well, after Maggie completed her hair and make up work—looking exceptionally beautiful—it
was already 6:45 p.m. Steven Ma was just coming in and Moses Chan has also just
arrived. We saw them walking in and out of the make up room, but it was so
crowded at the time we didn't get introduced. Meanwhile, Jasmine
has just got out of work and was waiting for us outside of TV City. Then
we realized that to watch the filming, it is crucial that we carry an
authorized pass because TVB wants to protect details about their productions
being leaked to the public--very understandable. Maggie decided she would
drive Irene and I out in front of TV City, with Jasmine joining us, to have
a little time to ourselves. Then, Maggie continued, she would get us back in
TV City next time with authorized passes (she'll just have to do some
paperwork).
 Maggie sacrificed her one-hour dinner break
to sit in the car to chat with us, and autograph anything for us. We insisted
that Maggie should get something to eat while we can meet again next time,
but Maggie said, "No! I can’t just take you guys here and leave you guys like this. It’s okay, I want to spend time with you guys."
So we sat there for about an hour just chatting and teasing each other (yup, Maggie in costumes and everything!).
Jas and I was sitting in the back seats and playing with her wig. Maggie
said they had to spray the top part of her hair later because it's so red
compared with the wig.
At one moment, Jasmine and I sang
"Nui Sat Sau" to tease Maggie. At another moment, Maggie laughed at all her Miss HK pictures, she even signed on one of them,
"This picture kills me, man!" She hated it! Haha, now if you want to piss Maggie off, all you have to do is show her those Miss HK pictures of her. Maggie
thinks those Miss HK pictures captured the shy, unconfident, and girly
version of Maggie
Cheung Ho Yee, which she has totally outgrown over the past years.
Then Maggie said we should meet again the next day. It was already time for her to get back to work.
But we didn't leave without taking a bunch of photos with Maggie. I also ask
her to give the present from Jadess to Steven and Joe.
Here are some of the photos we took (for
more, see "ALL PICTURES"):
Later, she got us a taxi and make sure we were well taken care off before she drive back into TV City to work. She’d have to work from 8 p.m. (30th December) until 3 p.m. (31st December). She
would meet us in the afternoon on New Year’s Eve.
An Afternoon with Maggie: Lunching and Shopping
At around 4 p.m. of 31st December, Irene and I took a taxi to Starbucks at the World Trade Centre in Causeway Bay to meet Maggie for lunch. Maggie drove in shortly after, looking great in a beige outfit.
We didn't take picture at this meeting because it was quite crowded at
Starbucks. But before Maggie leave TV City, she was interviewed briefly by
reporters and this is the outfit she wore when she came to see us at
Starbucks.
 She didn’t get much
sleep and looked very tired, yet still determined to have lunch with us.
Irene ordered a sandwich and a hot drink for her. We were chattering boxes,
picking up from where we left the night before. Among the things we talked
about...marriage and family--she's not planning to tie the knot anytime
soon. Bad economy & warfare--Maggie has a very good knowledge on current
events around the world, certainly she's not an air-head who only knows
about entertainment and showbiz lah. Education--she suggested me to pursue a
law degree instead of a broadcasting career because it is not so reliable
and a law degree is always a good fall-back. Then we talked about Maggie's
college life, she amusingly said "I majored in Sleeping." In all seriousness, she was actually pursuing
a pre-medical education in
nutrition and was going to be a nutritional doctor, but for a while she
couldn't picture herself doing that type of work. So she stopped school for
a while to get some experience.
When I asked her what it was like working
at London Stock Exchange, she made a face and said, "Boring!"
Certainly, if numbers jumping up and down doesn't excite a math whiz like Maggie,
you know school books weren't a a smash hit to this genius either. She was glad have become
an actress because feels this is what she enjoys doing.
Maggie forced me to share the sandwich with her after Irene was blabbing out me having jetlag and homesick and how I wasn’t able to eat much for
the few prior days. Maggie even said, “Homesick? I’ll take you out for steak!” (Oh hell yeah, she sure knows me, but still, I was having jetlag so couldn’t even eat abalone if she had offered).
We chat and Maggie realized I was carrying a black Rockport sports bag again—the first day I met her I was also carrying that bag
(stuff for Maggie to autograph), she
was ticked by that bag and said, “Why do you always carry that bag whenever I see you? It looks like a grandmother’s bag.” Oh dear, oh dear! That’s how it all started. Ever since then, the bag was called “The Grandmother’s Bag” and she called me “Grandma” from then on (Hey, it’s only for Maggie to call, if I catch anybody else calling me “Grandma,” I’m coming after you.
That’s including you, committee folks!).
Anyway, after lunch Maggie took us shopping at Pacific Place.
In the car, I noticed Maggie listens to a lot of French music. When we got
to Pacific Place's car parks we saw Winnie Yeung Yuen Yee pulling out and waving at Maggie. Jasmine just got off work and joined us at Pacific Place shortly.
Maggie made me leave the Grandma's bag in her car.
It was fun going shopping with Maggie, we'd
make fun of weird-looking clothes and gossip about things. Maggie
managed to tease me everywhere we go, especially regarding that Grandma's
bag. Maggie saw a Ferragamo bag that looks like mine and said, "Wei,
Maggie! What's your bag doing here?" Oh, and Maggie found this coat that looks
like a Batman's cave, it looks very interesting, and there is only one. She
told me, "This cave will look good with your bag, right Maggie?" Unfortunately the coat is in navy blue, which Maggie doesn't look very good
in--she wanted a black coat. So Maggie didn't buy that coat even though she tried it on and it looks
really cool on her. Then Maggie fondled with a red coat, she placed the coat
on her chest and said, "Do
I look like Audrey Hepburn?" (it looks like the red coat Audrey
Hepburn wore in Breakfast at Tiffany's). It was lovely on her! And yes, all the charms
Audrey Hepburn has had traveled on to Maggie. But then she didn't buy it
either.
Irene, Jasmine, and I didn’t get anything lah, every stores Maggie entered
were so expensive. Oh! She did took us to a shop where she and Ka Tung loves going there together.
Hee hee, Maggie said Ka Tung is a slow shopper.
Oh, Maggie bought some MAC makeup (she love MAC’s foundation and eye shadows) and some stuff (sorry, folks, I’m not elaborating) at
Joyce boutique. When Maggie was purchasing her MAC makeup, Jasmine joked,
"Maggie, all your fans will use MAC from now on," Maggie laughed
out loud. We also bumped into some Apple Daily reporters. But they weren’t the tabloids, they were looking for Maggie to do some fashion work for the paper.
Maggie is obviously a regular
at all the shops we visited. All the sales people recognized her immediately after
Maggie is one-footed in the entrance. They'd run over and greet her and tell her
all about the new arrivals.
Afterward, around 6:30 p.m. Maggie said she needed to go home to get some sleep. She didn’t know whether she would countdown New Year with us because she was invited to a TVB New Year party, but after learning that the three of us would practically have no where special to go, Maggie decided to ditch the TVB party. After making a few calls, she told us she would call us again at 10 p.m. and will countdown with us, just go back to the hotel and wait for her call. Maggie drove us to the taxi stand. Irene and I
"kidnapped" Jasmine to our hotel where we had lots of fun chitchatting whilst waiting for Maggie’s call. Meanwhile, Maggie said I can leave the
Grandma's Bag on her car—she said in a smart-ass tone, and I quote, “Yes, Grandma, you can leave your bag there.”
We got on the taxi and head back to our hotel
in Happy Valley.
New Year’s Eve
It was already 10:30 p.m. and Maggie hasn’t called. Shoot! We thought she might have forgotten us already. We’ll probably end up counting down over the phone. We didn’t have the
heart to disturb her sleep
lah...Times Square has already began the celebration by shooting fireworks.
We were still at our hotel room looking at gathering photos (that Jasmine
has just got it developed) and having fun on our own.
Around 11:15 p.m. Maggie called and said
"a friend" is throwing a party at Hard Rock Café in Tsim Sha Tsui, meet her there. So the three of us jumped on the MTR train and made it to Hard Rock Café by 11:40 p.m.
It was so crowded! As reported, there were hundred thousands of people in Tsim Sha Tsui that evening as well as other popular gatherings like Times Square, Central, Lan Kwai Fong, etc. to countdown. The atmosphere was very lively! Music was blasting out in the streets from the clubs. People were singing and dancing (as well as smoking all over the place, yuck!). Maggie told us to wait for her in front of Hard Rock
Cafe and not to come in because otherwise we’d have to pay.
But it was already 11:55 p.m. and Maggie has not arrived. She called and said she got stuck in
traffic (she rode in by taxi). Well, duh! It’s New Year’s Eve.
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 – HAPPY NEW YEAR!
As expected, we were counting down over the phone. Maggie phoned us at exactly 12:00 a.m. 1st January 2003 to say Happy New Year, to all three of us. And then two other committee members, KF from Malaysia and Anita from the US, also phone in to say Happy New Year. It was quite fun passing our phones around. Irene, Jas, and I hugged and wished each other a Happy New Year.
A minute later, Maggie arrived with Samm. She was wearing that leather hat
again (she must really like it) with blue jeans and furry-leather coat (she
wears a creamy sleeveless turtle-neck beneath). We all embraced and said Happy New Year. Then Maggie and Samm took us in Hard Rock. We didn’t have to pay since we’re VIPs.
And guess who is the “friend” hosting this party? None other than Joe Ma Tak Chung. The club was wild and loud and very energetic. But no matter how crowded and smoky it was, we all spotted the big and tall Joe dancing in the crowd. We screamed, “JOE!” He pulled all of us over to his VIP table. Whoa! It was loud and stuffy, but we loved it!
The music was great as well, they played Maggie's favorite, Cranberries'
"Dreams"--whoa! Maggie looked so happy she dances as she walks.
Joe greeted all of us. He was very friendly, he grabbed me and Irene over to
the table, seated us and everything. He remembered Jasmine, of course (she hosted a great gathering
mah)! They’re great friends already. Hee hee. Joe’s wife was also there with a
friend, Maggie introduced us to her. Maggie is very close with Joe's wife as
well. Same with Joe and Samm. Then there were some couples from the Wild Castaway show, most noticeable are Ah Tung and Carmen. Those of you who attended the gathering have met Ah Tung (the MC) and Carmen already. That couple and the rest are great friends with Maggie and Joe.
 Maggie
introduced Irene and me to everybody. Ah Tung said it was such a great gathering and too bad I wasn’t able to make it. Then he introduced himself as the MC at the event. I was like…what? Because I had in mind that his name was Tai
Tse Tung (as appeared in the Wild Castaway show), not simply "Ah Tung." So to my bewilderment, he thought I didn’t know what is an “MC” so he was trying to explain it in English. Heee hee…I said, I know what is an “MC” but I thought the MC was Ah Tung. Hah hah hah! He pointed at himself and said, “I am Ah Tung!!!”
Joe then came over and asked what we’d like to drink. I think Maggie was trying to tell him to get something non-alcoholic for us, but it was so loud I don’t think he
heard her. Joe kept saying “Long Island, okay? Okay, Long Island lah!” I didn’t know what was “Long Island” but I could tell it was an alcoholic drink, seeing Joe was a little drunk himself. I didn’t know what we eventually ordered but Jasmine and Irene got non-alcoholic drink and I ended up with a Long Island and got a little drunk myself (hee hee, we were all old enough to drink in HK anyway).
While waiting for our drinks, we took lots of photos. We didn't realized
Irene wasn't in any of our big group photos. Here are a few shots of (from
left to right) MDN, Jasmine, Maggie, Joe, Carmen, and Ah Tung. I think Samm
took one for us, and other shots were taken by other friends of Joe and
Maggie. I could have swear there were other actors at the party too but it
the lights were blinking so much it was hard to recognize them.
 Then we took photos with Maggie and
Joe. I'm quite fond of Joe so I signaled him that I want to take a photo
with him, he was more than happy to pose with me for a photo.
After the drinking and photographing with the group (yes yes, other people were staring
at our table), Maggie pulled us over to the dance floor. Joe even
asked Irene to dance lah! Haha! Too bad Irene didn’t want to dance. Joe was in very good mood, so he was just being nice. So Maggie, Jasmine and I were in the center of the dance floor, kicking butts!
Some people recognized Maggie, they stared at us while we dance (which was a
little uncomfortable). Then some even came up to her and ask for
autographs...as well as Joe's. Perhaps I should explain that this is
actually a public party, but Joe's friends get in free. Everyone else can
pay $150 to get in. Most people who came in doesn't know the party is thrown
by Joe, the actor.
Anyway, Maggie seemed so happy to party with us, she even screamed out loud in center stage (in English, we spoke English most of the time), “I haven’t had this much fun in such a long time! I have to enjoy myself tonight!!”
 I guess, after filming 4 series in a year and still get no rewards from TVB last November, it was a little bit rough on her. She said for many years she didn’t really get the opportunity to come out and have fun like this. It was always TVB party, TVB works, TVB this, TVB that. But this year’s Holidays, she said she was really happy because she realized how much fans cared for her and that the three of us have flew all the way to HK to see her. It meant so much to her so she decided to put TVB aside and spend time with the people that mattered more.
One memorable moment was when all of us got on the dance floor and formed a circle. I’d have to say Joe’s wife
dance pretty well. The rest of us are basically going along with the beat of the music, sometime off beat.
Hee hee.
At around 1:30 a.m., Maggie was worried she had taken us out too late that the parents would get upset (just Jas’ parents, Irene and I were loners in town). Besides, Maggie and her gang were also invited to another party, a little more exclusive so she
couldn't really take us with her. She asked us to go home before the parents get worried. The VIP gang (for once we get to be VIP lah) exit Hard Rock Café around 2 a.m., hundred of people
were still hanging out on the street. When Maggie walked out, I could hear people on the street going, “Cheung Ho Yee! Cheung Ho Yee!”
I think there might have been reporters around the area. Because the next day we were on the newspapers. Headline stated that Maggie took fans to a party hosted by Joe. Though, there were other papers exaggerated and said that Maggie took fans to Joe’s house on New Year’s Eve.
Totally untrue.
Anyway, when we exit the Hard Rock Café, we embraced. Maggie wished Irene a safe trip back (since Irene has to fly back to Singapore the next day). Maggie asked us to call her when we get back to the hotel to make sure we’ve arrived safely. It’s chaotic on New Year’s Eve. Police officers and securities
were all over the place. Maggie told us to keep in touch and hugged goodbye. We also bid farewell to Joe and Samm and everybody else.
The three of us walked away like three drunken loons on Prozac! For me, it was one of the best New Year’s countdowns, if not the best New Year’s countdown in my life. I can’t really explain everything that goes on in there but it was pure fun, I’m telling you. We would stay longer if we wanted to, but poor Jas’ parents were getting worried and we couldn’t leave Jas to go home by herself.
Meanwhile, Anita and KF called on separate mobile phones, we were so loud on the phone! But who cares, everybody else was loud and wild. I don’t think I slept that evening. We chat until sunrise. Irene left on the morning of New Year’s Day.
Maggie later told us she went out until 5 a.m. and had to go back and get read to go back to work (now you see why she’s losing weight?). They’re pushing her to work daily! Nearly 24/7.
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