Adidas gear and torrential rain

Yesterday I was wearing my favourite Adidas tennis wear. Yes, I was ready to play!

But, unfortunately, on the way to the tennis court, suddenly had a torrential rain! Oh, no~!!!

Hard courts were completely wet...


I was waiting for more than 2hours until it stopped. The hard courts were still wet so decided to play on the clay court.


Oh no~! I am wearing clean shoes today! When we play on the clay court we really get dirty. Especially our shoes! Look at my shoes for clay court below. ↓ Dirty!!!

Luckily, because the clay got a lot of rain, the surface was very hard. Did not have any powder clay(sand) on the surface. It was just like a hard court. (bounce-wise)


So I could keep my other pair of shoes 'relatively' clean. Relieved!!!

My Babolat Aero Pro Lite

I am using Babolat Aero Pro Lite. To reduce my arm-straining, I am using light rackets.

I have two same ones because I sometimes break the strings.


Main - Babolat RPM blast
Cross - Babolat Xcel

Tension - 57 for both


At this moment I am using RPM blast for the main. This string never get broken.



People think I might be a huge Nadal fan??    (^-^)

FORTNUM & MASON Tea/Coffee

At home we are drinking tea and coffee from Fortnum & Mason.


There are many different types of tea and coffee there.


Our favourite tea is AFTERNOON. This is lighter tea. We think this is the best for standard milk tea. In England most of the people use tea bags for daily milk tea.

Our favourite coffee is Cnnoisseur Blend.

We are using this espresso maker

If tea leaves I like silver needle white tea. It is really light. I also like rare yellow tea. We should drink such light tea as it is (without milk/sugar).


I was always having silver needle white tea from Darjeeling at Four Seasons hotel, one day they gave me the same tea leaves in a tin as a gift! What a nice present!!!


If flavoured tea I like rose tea. Again, I got some rose tea leaves in a box as a gift from Oberoi hotel! They really made me happy!!!


Before tennis I always have a cup of strong tea or coffee. It is said that if we take caffeine before exercise, it helps to galvanize our performance. I feel it is true.

Jordan Dead Sea

We went to Jordan to experience Dead Sea & Petra.

The hotel was Marriott Dead Sea Resort & Spa. We stayed in a suite so our room was huge.

View from our room1

Hotel pool & Dead Sea

 View from our room2

View from our room3 

 Dead Sea





Floating people in Dead Sea

 

 

In the hotel spa they have a small indoor pool filled with Dead Sea water. If you do not want to get sun tan, or when rainy you can use this pool instead of Dead Sea.

 

 

On the shore of Dead Sea, we can put on black dead-sea mud all over our body. Both Dead Sea water and mud are good for our skin. Plenty of the natural minerals. Our skin condition gets better there. Dead Sea is called the world's oldest aesthetic salon!

 



To float at the surface of Dead Sea is unforgettable experience! You cannot sink.  (^-^)


Recommended for the people who want natural beauty!!!

Golf

In England we are having longer weekend thanks to bank holiday Monday.


Today we played golf! It was a long time no golf for us so we went to the range before our round. To be honest with you I do not like practicing at the range... I rather want to play longer on the course. It is said practice makes perfection. I might be too lazy for that...

When I was playing in India my golf coach & caddie really looked after me. My coach even brought my favourite biscuits for the tea time in the middle. My caddie rushed to me to pass me a bottle of water after each hole. After hitting I even did not have to check where my ball went. They find my ball before me anyway!


Now DIY for everything. Yes, we came back to England... I do not have a caddie so I have to pull my trolley by myself. Here it is not common to use the electrical carts like US or Japan.  (*□*:)



Anyway we enjoyed our golf under the sun. Relaxing!!!

 

Grande Real Villa Italia Hotel & Spa Portugal

We visited Cascais Portugal. Only takes 1hour from Lisbon airport. Beautiful marina there. Reminded me Hayama in Japan.

View from our room





 

 

Cascais is the romantic seaside city. Cobbled alleys everywhere.


I found some interesting official photos of Estoril Open Tennis this year. My favourite Richard Gasquet was cycling on the small road in front of this hotel! He was also in front of the city hall! I was pleased to see him at the same places I visited before!!!
Although I do not think he felt comfortable to cycle on the cobbled alleys! 


Walking along the beach is so relaxing. It is very beautiful.


Would be nice to go back there for good sea food & egg custard 'nata'!

Hotel Le Palais Prague

We spent our New Year's Eve at Hotel Le Palais Prague.


We both visited Prague before separately for business trip. It was a nice change to have a relaxing holiday together in this romantic city!



A bottle of red wine was waiting for us



In our room we had nice & bright dining area

 

 

We attended the hotel New Years Eve party. It was a nice party with classical live band. After good meal and drink we saw fireworks of this hotel. In front of the hotel many many fireworks were sent up. Fireworks on top of us. It was amazing experience. Very romantic.

We really enjoyed it!!!  (^o^)

Richard Gasquet

My favourite tennis player is Richard Gasquet.

It was Mumbai where I saw him first.

He is always shining out like a star. Even when he is with many other players, I can see the spotlight twinkling on him.

Now I only can see him during Wimbledon. It is not easy to get the Wimbledon tickets. I can get some tickets from public/club ballot if I was lucky. When I do not have my ticket for the day of his match I have to join a long queue at the very early in the morning. When I joined a long queue this year, I had to wait for many hours so I could not make it... When I could get in finally his match had already been finished. Can you imagine how much I was disappointed?  (*~*:)

I like to see his beautiful tennis.

Hoping Richard makes a good result at US open!!!  Come on Richy!!!   \(^o^)/

Amansara (Aman Resorts Cambodia)

We visited Cambodia to see Angkor Wat. We stayed at Amansara (Aman Resorts Cambodia).

At Amansara they use antique Mercedes-Benz for airport transfer.


We can expect the best detailed service at Aman Resorts. They are very considerate. Their service was really unique (in a good way) and made us feel warm.


When we entered our room we found a 'personalized' guidebook for us! Everything was ready, the itinerary with our private guide has already been arranged.

We found a nice gift on the bed every night.

When we came back from outside, amazingly, our bath was ready 'every time'!!!


We did not see our cleaner 'at all'. It was a perfection! They clean our room 'every time' we go out. (not only twice a day like the other hotels)

Our dining area outside

I spent my birthday at this hotel.

During the day, after my spa treatment, I was asked to go to the library in the hotel. A Buddhism priest was there. The present from the hotel was Buddhism blessing!!! I had the birthday blessing ceremony there.

In the evening I had nice dinner with my husband at the hotel private house near Angkor Wat. Only for two of us, we had a chef, a waiter, a musician and a driver!!!
It was the best birthday I have ever had!


I will never forget my great experience at this hotel.

The Oriental Bangkok (Mandarin Oriental Bangkok)

Our favourite hotel in Bangkok is The Oriental Bangkok (Mandarin Oriental Bangkok).


They always welcome us saying 'Welcome back!!!'


They always assign the same room to us so really feel like 'we came back home in Bangkok'!

 Our favourite Veuve Cliquot is waiting for us 

 Comfortable bed

 Exotic fruits

 Writing desk

View from our room

I am always looking forward to having afternoon tea at Authors Lounge. It is different from English afternoon tea, it is more oriental style. Plus, we can enjoy nice historical atmosphere there.

I also like being at the bamboo bar. It is a nice jazz bar. Relaxing!

Hoping to go back to 'our home in Bangkok' very soon!!!

YSL BB cream

When I play tennis I really get sweaty so I need good water-proof cosmetics. I also get browned by the sun.


On the other day I found this.↓

YVES SAINT LAURENT BB cream

I do not need any base cream/liquid foundation. Only using this.


Plus, UV Shield SPF 50!!!


On top of this BB cream I put powdery foundation using brush. Done! My paint?! on my face is still there even after heavy tennis session!



By the way I have not been asked to promote this cream by YSL.   (^-^)

The Peninsula Hong Kong

We stayed at The Peninsula Hong Kong.

 Our lounge & dining area

Beautiful furnishings 

 Bed room

Hong Kong night view from our room1 

Hong Kong night view from our room2

It was a memorable stay. They use Rolls-Royce for the airport transfer!


During breakfast (not dinner time!) I realised that many male guests were wearing their jackets!!! Such guests in style were making good prestigious atmosphere of this hotel. The service was superb!


We visited Hong Kong but did not see much there. No sight seeing at all! We spent most of the time at this hotel. We might need someone who can drag us out of this hotel for sight seeing!!!

Bali -Chedi Club Tanah Gajah-

Our favourite hotel in Bali is Chedi Club Tanah Gajah. When we go to Bali we always stay there.

We like staying at Spa-villa. In our villa we have a spa treatment room as well as bed room & lounge. The spa therapists visit our villa at our preferable time twice a day!
In the villa we also have a private sauna & small plunge pool.

Romantic towel display on bed

The hotel is surrounded by a beautiful nature 

In front of the restaurant

View from the restaurant

Our favourite place in the hotel is the restaurant. In the evening we have nice dinner watching fireflies. Really relaxing. During our breakfast we can see a beautiful bright blue kingfisher!!!

The building over paddy field is the hotel spa

Outside lounge near restaurant

The service is very good. We have a private butler and he looks after us very well. He brings our afternoon tea to anywhere in the hotel. After our trekking he even cleans our dirty trainers!


I especially like their laundry service. We just put all the dirty clothes in the laundry basket, our butler sorts them out and brings them back when ready. If the other hotel we have to fill out the 'annoying' laundry form! Anyway it is nice not to have loads of washing after holiday!!!