I met an old friend in London for tea just. We had arranged to meet in Charing Cross as soon as I returned from Liverpool this afternoon. Here I must add that the quaint charming city known for a strong European culture, is just as bleak and windy as all the rest. But Merseyside with its rich music history is magic, isn't it.

Anyway, it was a delight to see Jackie again after more than a year. We had worked as magazine journalists together once upon a time in Kuala Lumpur.

Our executive editors at the time with the different lifestyle magazines we both represented were based in Singapore. Jackie would later head the Marie Claire Malaysia edition as its editor. I rose from staff writer to assistant editor in another magazine. However, I turned down the offer of an editorship as I had made plans to go to Australia. Then I would travel globally with Melbourne as my base, for some years.

Today, both Jackie and I are working on our own creative writing projects. Which reminds me that I have 3 writing projects on my plate at the moment. When I return to Ireland, I'll have to sit down for at least a month and a half and finish them all up without moving anywhere. I do intend to travel again in the later part of the year.

It was exciting to see Jackie. As friends and fellow writers, we continue to evolve.

Here's a book review she wrote a fortnight ago in one of Malaysia's national newspapers, in its Sunday edition.