Dating days for us were about talking. We talked and talked. Talked about the circumference of Pandan Reservoir, the reasons why National Education was not propaganda, and why Christians should date with marriage in mind. And sometimes we just hung out.

I asked Ruth out at the Garlic Restaurant in Nov 02. It probably wasn't the wisest thing to do breathwise, but I couldn't help being honest about my feelings for her.

Our first trip overseas in Feb 03 brought us to the historical town of Malacca where we had lunch in the Portugese "village". We enjoyed our random walks; not really deciding where we want to be and just letting our instincts lead us down one alley to the next.

We had a nice time at Junker St, looking at the old shophouses that was like a mega-Katong, and the really yummy chicken rice balls which we packed for home.

I had a weak spot for travelling, so it wasn't long before we planned another trip further afield in Jul 03; this time down under to visit an old friend from college. Photo is that of us at the Yarra valley. Having spent our college days in the cold New England and Mid West, we welcomed the cool weather.

It was also a time when we started thinking more seriously about our life ahead. We started talking to our friends and our elders in church about what we should do next, and it was very re-assuring that many of them felt that we were ready for the "Big Step".

And so I did. I proposed to her at East Coast on 20 Sep 03 before I set off to Vietnam for the AlphaSoc Challenge. My original intention was to bring the ring with me up 3,100ft into Mt Fansipan and vandalise a rock up there with my proposal, and then to cycle 400km to Dien Bien Phu to use the river rocks to scratch the ring to remind us of the mortality of our earthly union, but in the end, caution won. The photo on the left was taken in Oct 03 when Ruth joined me in Vietnam at the completion of the Challenge.

Looking back, we thank God for the smooth courtship that he had provided us. We could agree on most things, and when we disagreed, we prayed, and God was not silent. The valuable lessons we picked up along the way made us ready for the marriage that was to come.