Natasha and I got married 20 years ago today. We partied with friends at lunch and dinner, then we went to The Lone Pine in Penang for an after-party that lasted a few more days. For our respective honeymoons, Natasha flew off to Sydney, where she was an FEI Eventing official at the Sydney Olympic Games. I went off in the opposite direction, to Jaipur, India to play in the FIP World Championships Zone D qualifier.
It’s been a little like that in the twenty years since, many adventures together and also individually. We enjoy our independence. But we’ve managed to have three kids, though I dare not say the job of raising them is anywhere near complete.
Working together has been a joy as she has different skills that complement mine. She has been the photographer, the designer, the artist, while I have been the writer, and the initiator of the many projects we have had so much fun with. Natasha’s Eventing League, 2006 and 2010 Asian Games, and with me, Equestrian.Com.My, Zack’s Tack, PoloEquestrian / Pete’s Blog-In-The-Garden, and now KL Academy of Polo.
It has not always been separate travel. We’ve managed some great tours together: Tianjin for the FIP Snow Polo World Cup, Buenos Aires for the Argentine Open, many times to Perth for polo adventures and tours, and last year’s epic Shandur Polo Festival has to rank amongst the best.
We got married on Merdeka Day because Natasha wanted her anniversary to always fall on a public holiday. I wanted a date I could remember. It worked – I haven’t missed one yet.
Natasha managed to get Tun there for our wedding lunch. It is something I shall always be indebted to him for, and admire him for, as he was Prime Minister (1st time around) and had just come from a Merdeka Day parade in Putrajaya.
So far, it’s been quite the ride.
Here’s to twenty more.
