The Moshi Daily Times

The good, the bad and the ugly

2011-03-24T01:56:00.003+10:00

An eventful few months it had been, and what a journey of discovery it was!
As we approach the final week of the 7-week journey, I can't help but reflect on the great deal I have learnt about my family, my friends and myself.

Healthcare - an industry I never thought I would step foot in.
It has been a powerful, challenging, knowledgable and yet humbling experience.
I feel so small and humbled by the people I am surrounded by every single day.
Doctors, nurses and frontliners who incessantly and tirelessly do their utmost for their patients. Patients who put up a fight against their condition, accompanied by their family members who fight alongside with them unconditionally.

There are the good ones, and there are the better ones.
I haven't been the most cooperative kin of a patient.
I have been demanding and at times, overinsistent and paranoid.
But there have been doctors and nurses and frontline workers who have stood up to my demands and in fact, humbled me with their sincerity and professionalism.

Friends and people - as with all apples, there too exists the good, the bad and the ugly.
The past 4 months felt like a crash course of lifelong lessons, delivering a hard slap on my cheek and awakened me to who I have been and who I should be.

I am thankful for this wake up call that has taught me to treasure faithfulness, selflessness, reliability, positivity and love in a friendship.

I am thankful for the selfless traits in my friends. They have provided comfort and strength that I need and not what they think I need. There is a subtle but important difference, for in a friendship, friends play the rules of the game together and not by the rules of one or the other.

Here's to the good, the better and the best.

Daunting journey ahead

2011-01-11T21:53:00.003+10:00

Just at the turn of 2011, we faced a shocking piece of news. The road will be daunting ahead but the only way to face it would be to tackle it with positivity and courage, and hope the rainbow does come at the end of the tunnel.

Still alive!

2010-02-03T20:58:00.003+10:00

Yes I am still kicking and breathing! It had been very hectic, and I must admit it's tough to hang on sometimes.

But I must look toward Formula One as my target!

Talk to my hand

2009-11-24T17:00:00.000+10:00

A taxi driver just showed me his hand, when I was trying to tell him in detail where my destination was.

I was telling him, very politely, "Uncle, I need to go to Yishun, and then to Hougang. Yishun it's at (That's when the hand came up)". He apparently decided to head to Yishun before finding out the exact venue.

I have been ticked off one too many times for giving too little details. But this time, the uncle decided he didn't want to know too much?

The hand sign is truly an intimidating one.

Moving right on...

2009-08-12T20:03:00.004+10:00

I am almost done with Raffles Place. 8 months isn't a long time, but sufficient to instil the Raffles Place culture in me.

I have learnt how to make sure my tissue pack is differentiated to chope/reserve seats properly. I now know where the best (& cheapest) lattes and teh-sis in Raffles Place are. Fruit juices at The Arcade are simply the best ever to boost your day.

Above it all, the most lucrative spot to score freebies is at Raffles Place greens at lunch time, where I received blister-busting bandaids, a travel-sized toothpaste and even sanitary pads!

Just 11 more days to go and I am done.

Yummy lunch

2009-06-03T13:30:00.001+10:00

I just discovered another to-die-for sandwich - Cedele Depot's Shrimp Avocado!

This was recommended by my colleague and I finally got to try it today.
After braving the long queues at peak lunch hour-Raffles Place, I took my first bite in the comfort of my office.

The combination of shrimp and avocado won it all for me. First, there were generous slabs of avocado, with mayo to top it off. Coupled with fresh, fat & juicy shrimps, it was so easy to finish my lunch, a feat my friends would credit me for (you see, I have a big problem with finishing up food!)

Looks like I will be swinging by Cedele Depot soon again!

Busy busy busy

2009-06-02T15:27:00.000+10:00

Weekend was packed... and I mean, packed!
I spent my entire weekend packing (pun alert!) my room and it's now in a decent state. Now that I have kept count of my clothes etc, I can now get what I need at the GSS :P

Confirmation

2009-05-27T02:32:00.000+10:00

It's been a while, hasn't it? Well, I am trying my best to revive blogging so let's see how it goes.

I have just finished up my six-month probation at work. A painful and draining process, but I have come through. I have learnt some new things, both good and bad, both professionally and un-professionally. I guess it's true what they say, you never stop learning. I hope the next part of my work journey can only be smoother, with less awkward and "frightful" situations.

In search of perfection

2009-05-08T12:36:00.001+10:00

Don't search for perfection if you don't know what you want. Coz you wouldn't know it even when you do find it.

For the record

2008-12-27T04:28:00.003+10:00

I just wanna put this in the books - Christmas has always been a great festive season for me.

I am so glad to be back home sweet home this Christmas to relive the many years of celebration with this group of growing-old-together friends! Long Live Us!

Merry Christmas!

Quick Random Thoughts

2008-12-19T15:21:00.002+10:00

2 totally unrelated thoughts from the ST headlines today.
1) The new Prime Minister from Thailand looks like Mr Big (Sex & the City)! My gosh!
Let's hope his star looks and sense can placate the parties. On a less serious note, we need a peaceful Bangkok so that our short term travel itch can be fulfilled. Plus I miss Chatuchak and MBK.
2) I wonder why KBW fronted a session about the TC investments. Where's THP, the coordinator for the councils gone to? My vote goes to KBW though! Have always thought he has been doing a great job in all the major issues that came up.

This time, 20 years ago at Jurong Bird Park

2008-12-15T01:04:00.011+10:00

I must have been here watching the flamingos before... well at least 20 years ago. To me, Jurong Bird Park is located at one of the most ulu places in Singapore, this is even when I was staying in the west of Singapore long time ago.
That's why I only went one other time in my entire life.

It's quite a pretty sight, with lots of green and chirping sounds (the squawking of the parrots irked me though!!). The daily performance "Birds of Prey" was fun to watch too. There was a good 5 mins where the vultures and eagles were diving down at the audience members. Very intimidating! I told my friends that's definitely NOT part of the show - the birds have run amok! I really thought so, and wonder why my friends rolled their eyes at me for that?!

My favourite and coolest part of the bird park has got to be the penguins "cave". The penguins look so cute (and silly and helpless)with their flaps. They can't fly of course, but sure are made for the water!
Penguins are groupies though. You start to notice they don't stand alone and are always in a clique.

And finally, that's us!

Long time no see

2008-12-11T16:20:00.002+10:00

I have decided to attempt getting over my emotional rut and catch up with old friends, especially those working in the vicinity.

Met an ex-colleague whom I haven't seen or spoke to for nearly two years now and although we could only lunch for one precious hour, it was a nice and heartwarming 60mins.
It felt surreal to see someone after such a long time. I told him I felt as if I just found my long-lost brother (I don't have a brother though, nor lost any relatives??!) and couldn't help repeating "it's so nice to see you again, and I miss talking to you!".

It was just nice catching up and talk about old times though many things have changed too. He is now married, just got promoted in his job and lifestyle has somewhat changed. All these aside, things felt exactly the same. I suppose at this age, friendship and a sense of familarity matters more than ever.

Week 3 at Raffles Place

2008-12-10T15:43:00.004+10:00

Despite turning in really late last night, I managed to coax myself to wake up and got into office 30 mins earlier! Not too bad an effort for someone who kinda loves to sleep.

I am quite sure I am right about this - there seems to be lesser people around in Raffles Place today. Probably a good time to clear leave and go on a long holiday.
I am craving for a long holiday (yes, again!!) too. Thank goodness Christmas is coming up soon!

Golden Shoe

2008-11-28T15:03:00.002+10:00

I am back to the sea of fast-paced executives at Raffles Place!
Survived Week 1 and pretty much enjoying every moment of it.
I finally decided to brave the daunting Golden Shoe food centre for lunch and have absolutely no regrets!

A decent portion of Salmon Teriyaki bento for only SGD5.50 and it even comes with miso soup. It's a steal!

More to explore in coming weeks at Golden Shoe!

Revival

2008-11-17T02:03:00.008+10:00

Gasp! It's been nearly 3 months, my blog is almost doomed for demise.
Before that actually happens, here's some photos of my Hongkong trip a couple of months back. The main highlights - the 1 July pro-democracy protest in Central.
Here's a souvenir from the protest. I had to take a photo of it and then dump it before I went to Beijing for the Olympics. Didn't want to risk being mistaken by the Chinese authorities as anti-government.
Hongkong media - going all out to get their story.

Pin Slut!

2008-08-21T15:37:00.004+10:00

Okay, whilst the rest of the world athletes fight it out for the medals, there is another underground "medal" tally going on with the staff, journalists and volunteers - The Pin Tally!

We were told to bring along some pins from our home countries for exchange. I simply ignored this very useful advice and brought nothing with me. Pins are hot collectibles and after shrugging off pins for the first 3 days, I couldn't resist anymore. I became a pin slut!

So it was endless begging, pleasing, committment to little favours and chatting up sessions all for the sake of that ONE pin. The number of pins on one's lanyard seemed to suggest how sociable and popular that person was. I was a late-bloomer and so booked my spot at the bottom of the pin tally.

Still a couple more days to go, let's see how I can catch up!

4am

2008-08-21T04:11:00.003+10:00

It's 4am now, and I am still somewhat wide awake.
I wonder if it's the adrenalin of the Men's Basketball quarterfinals or supper with some fellow volunteers that is keeping me awake.

I just can't believe how fast this whole Olympics experience is going to end, in another 3 days. It is an irony really - I was so mega unhappy at the start, but am enjoying every moment of it right now.

The Olympics is really a huge celebration of mankind. In an intense international event like this, you see the worst and the best in people. I am happy to have experienced both. Whilst discovering the meanest and most cynical of mankind in some journalists, I have seen the best of sportsmanship, patriotism, caring and sharing in the people here.

Olympic Green

2008-08-19T02:42:00.010+10:00

The Olympic Green is a huge area that resembles a country with its own transport system of shuttle buses, IBC (International Broadcast Centre), MPC (Main Press Centre), McDonald's, shopping area and mini concert stage.
It's one of the most spectacular icons of this year's Olympics because it houses the Bird's Nest, the Water Cube (where the swim events are), the Gymnasium and the "Pagoda" where all the world's premier broadcasters reside.
Have a look!

Journey to the Bird's Nest

2008-08-18T02:35:00.002+10:00

And so, I made it to both the Bird's Nest and Basketball game on Saturday.
Getting to the Bird's Nest alone is an experience, mainly because it's located in the Olympic Green. More about Olympic Green later... here's how crazy the crowd was!

Just in case u can't figure out what the words are (due to my shaky hands on the train), it's Olympic Green where the Bird's Nest is located!

Myths

2008-08-17T03:26:00.005+10:00

I learnt a few hard facts whilst here in BJ:
1) Whatever impression you have about the population of Beijing, dispel it! It's 10 times more massive than you think.
2) They still do spit on pathways. The local men (and women sometimes). But they apparently have improved lots.
3) There is no such thing as personal space here. Your personal standing space, and sometimes breathing space is always being enroached on. And we are talking about shoulder to shoulder, buttocks to buttocks!
4) Beijing can probably set the Guinness record for squeezing the most number of people in one train cabin. Try taking the subway at peak hour - this is when you see the most skilful of them all plonking themselves into the train however freaking cramped it is.
More to add on... till laters.

Live from Wukesong Day 7

2008-08-16T03:26:00.001+10:00

It was a fairly peaceful day with the women's basketball games on today. No major upsets nor big hoo-ha for journos to storm the mixed zone.

It suddenly dawned on me: It's Day 7 and in 10 days, the Olympics will be over and it's back home for me.

Strange really, I was yearning to go home at the start of the games. But now, I am enjoying this whole experience. It's just been great chatting with the local students and learning how similar and different we are despite speaking the same language.

Athletics vs Basketball

2008-08-15T22:19:00.000+10:00

I admit - I haven't stepped into the Olympic Green and I haven't been in close proximity to this year's Olympics icon, the Bird's Nest. Here comes my chance: a ticket to Athletics at the National Stadium (Bird's Nest) tomorrow at 7pm.
The thing is, there are 2 crucial games for the Men's basketball at the same time and I wanna watch that too. Choices!

Live from Wukesong Day 6 Part 1

2008-08-14T23:08:00.002+10:00

It's USA vs Greece now in the Men's Basketball.
The US dream team is doing too well, and I wish another team can put them in place!

It's nearing the crucial matches and the teams are playing their hearts out now. I only hope China can score a victory against Germany this coming Saturday to secure them a spot in the quarter-finals.

Laters...

Simple pleasures at Wukesong

2008-08-14T02:42:00.004+10:00

More on the simple pleasures...
There is no better to keep awake on a quiet night than supper!
Here's what we get for supper!
Specimen 1: Chef Kang cup noodles with preserved vegetables (which are a staple every mealtime) and sausage-in-a-tube! Though the sausage tube looks dubious, it turned out to be a yummy accompaniment to noodles coz it tastes like my first love Spam (aka luncheon meat)!
Specimen 2: Mongolian brand 'Yi Li' packet milk. The milk packaging here is different from back home. They have the usual tetra packs and bottled packaging but this packet form is the most popular. You simply bite off a corner and start sucking the liquid. Another popular milk brand is 'Meng Niu', also from Mongolia (This brand has stepped on Singapore shores). I know this brand becoz one of my friends here is from Mongolia! How cool is that?!
Specimen 3: Perhaps the most unhealthy yet satisfying of all is this crab flavoured noodle snack. It works exactly like the Mamee back home. You sprinkle the packet of seasoning inside, break up the noodle-cake and give it a good shake! It's a childhood snack for the Chinese here too!

I wonder what's for supper tomorrow! Looking forward... :P

Live from Wukesong Day 5 Part 1

2008-08-13T21:07:00.000+10:00

Women's Basketball turned out to be less exciting... perhaps because of the lack of big names.

I don't know if it's due to fatigue or because I am still recuperating from being ranted at by the Spanish A-hole from some EFE Agencia last evening, but everyone is feeling a little deflated this evening.

I was briefly perked up by a Double Cheeseburger from Macs a fellow volunteer bought for me - ahhh... the simple pleasures in life! :D

Live from Wukesong Day 4 Part 1

2008-08-12T20:54:00.002+10:00

And so, it's the men's basketball games today.
The highlight was the match between China and Spain. Spain is undoubtedly one of the strongest teams alongside with Argentina and needless to say, USA (with their league of NBA biggies!)

The Chinese were the underdogs with their fair share of NBA stars too like Yao Ming and Yi Jian Lian, who sent many hearts fluttering (& probably broken too). They were pretty impressive in the first 3 quarters with plenty of 3-pointers and even led the game by 14 points at one point in time.

The game drew closer when the 4th quarter started and the Spanish finally caught up to draw the game at 72 points, stretching the game to extra time. Spain won ultimately... boo!

But the Chinese audience scored big time as they possibly created the most phenomenal atmosphere ever! We are talking about the audience going berserk every single time the Chinese players even touched the ball! 中国队，加油! was the only chant I heard the entire game, accompanied with uncountable number of Chinese flags.

I was rooting for China too, together with my fellow volunteers. It felt as if we were breathing with the players and probably felt as nervous as them. To a better game against Angola on Thursday - 中国队，加油!

Clarification

2008-08-12T13:59:00.000+10:00

And so, I thought it's time to clarify this.
I came for the Olympics thinking I was going to be an ONS reporter. Well at least, that was what I signed up for, trained for and apparently promised.
I must have either thought wrong or something, somewhere or someone screwed up.

It was decided that I was allocated to the mixed zone (the hell of media operations where journalists can get really rude and anal!). On the bright side, I suppose English is a pertinent language to know here and I can be useful here.

Laters...

Live from Wukesong Day 3 Part 3

2008-08-12T02:12:00.002+10:00

I am happier ready to slumber in my comfy room.
All thanks to the efforts of the volunteers who tried their best to ensure that the bus arrived! (Booboo to the people at CUC who have failed badly in their administration!)

Live from Wukesong Day 3 Part 2

2008-08-12T00:34:00.000+10:00

End of shift for today... Now coming to the part for the shuttle bus at 1.15am.
FAITH.

Live from Wukesong Day 3 Part 1

2008-08-11T22:03:00.000+10:00

It's Day 3 and after the chaotic and massive mixed zone after the USA and China game, everyone in the mixed zone seemed a little tired. It's just the final game of the night now where Australia meets Brazil. I am just looking forward to home sweet home.

On the upside, I have been rather comforted by the kindness of some fellow volunteers here. I have 2 friends in the workroom who specially reserved a bottle of chilled Coke. That saved my sanity! :D
And my fellow colleagues in the mixed zone are a gutsy and caring lot!
We all braved and survived the horrors of the mixed zone together.

The management at the venue - a couple of the higher management were rather impressive too.

Anyway, more later... perhaps.

Letdown

2008-08-11T02:39:00.002+10:00

While the rest of the world rave about the most sensational game in basketball history between USA and China (101-70), I have my gripe about something else.
After working damn hard in the mixed zone, I was looking forward to the shuttle bus to take us home sweet home.

Once again, we were let down.
The bus, stupidly, left at 12.50am, which was 10 minutes earlier than scheduled.
Why??!!

Is it the last straw yet?

2008-08-10T21:52:00.001+10:00

I don't have many straws (of patience) left... maybe a couple more left.
Is this enough to last me for the next 15 days?

Testing my patience

2008-08-10T02:42:00.002+10:00

I just got back to my dorm 15 mins ago, becoz the shuttle bus that was supposedly arranged for us volunteers didn't show up! And so, over 30 volunteers were stranded outside the basketball stadium at 1.30am!

I really cannot fathom how a simple task like this can screw up at an international event of such magnitude. I thought the idea is straightforward. Ensure that basic neccessities like food and transport is taken care of PROPERLY for the volunteers, and in turn, the volunteers will take care of the international media properly. It's THAT simple!

Will it be better tomorrow??!

Live from Wukesong Day 1 Part 3

2008-08-10T00:30:00.000+10:00

End of Day 1. It was a close match between Russia and Latvia, Russia won by a mere 5 points.

I am so looking forward to my room and bed... but the shuttle bus comes only at 1.15am, so I have to last another 50 mins.

More tomorrow... signing off...

Live from Wukesong Day 1 Part 2

2008-08-09T23:30:00.000+10:00

It's 11.30pm now, the 3rd quarter of the game between Russia and Latvia (Women's). First night shift and it's quite a challenge keeping awake and alive at this time.
A simple supper of cup noodles pumped some energy so hopefully I can last another hour. Some of my friends are on the graveyard shift - they stay till 3am!!

I wonder how I can stay alert for the hottest game of the Olympics tomorrow night (USA vs China Men's at 10.15pm)!!

The game is really close between Russia and Latvia (41 vs 48). Final quarter to go before we wrap up for the night! YAY!

Live from Wukesong Day 1 Part 1

2008-08-09T20:48:00.000+10:00

It's Day 1 of the Olympics and the basketball season has kicked off and so has my night shift (4.30pm - 12.30am).
Basketball is the most popular game in China and the stadium was in a state of delirium this afternoon when China emerged victory over Spain.

The atmosphere was amazing... the stadium was styled in NBA fashion where cheerleaders came out during timeouts to lead the crowd in cheering and applause.

The USA women's team is playing right now (agst Czech) and apparently Bush is in the stadium.
So that's kind of cool... I can say for once in my life that Bush is in the vicinity. :P

There was a little commotion in my work area, where a journalist was upset about a miscommunication that resulted in a delay for his story. Being one of the rare English speaking pple around, I had to intervene and was glad that things turned out alright in the end.

Anyhow, I am waiting for the game to end and then we will have to handle the group of American journalists.

Wish me luck!

Let the Games begin

2008-08-09T01:19:00.003+10:00

The long-waited day is here for the billions of Chinese in Beijing... the Olympics!
After thinking through the various options of places to watch the Olympics (other than the Bird's Nest becoz we are sadly not given tickets to go!!??), I decided to invite a couple of fellow local volunteers to watch the opening ceremony in my humble abode over pizza and Coke.

I was really impressed with their patriotism. Each time the cameraman did a closeup on their Premier, the girls went into a screaming frenzy which was comparable to their excitement about Federer and Kobe. Political idols - how many of that do we have around??!

On another note, Zhang Yimou is an artistic genius. He got us hooked on the opening ceremony for more than 3 hours. That is a feat in itself. I can't imagine how overwhelming the feeling was at the venue itself becoz watching it on tv is awesome already! I thought the diverse cultural elements of Chinese history was so aptly and beautifully captured in each performance.

With this glorious moment captured in the history of China and the Olympics, I begin my night shift from 4.30pm to 12.30am at the basketball stadium, which once again promises another high point (basketball is China's most popular sport).

Looking forward to the clash between most-prized (& higest-priced black market ticket) game of 2008 Olympics, Men's Basketball China vs USA this Sunday.

It's 9 August... Happy National Day Singapore!

Yummy Yum NO!

2008-08-07T03:38:00.006+10:00

Mealtime at the Olympics venue isn't always a treat, especially when you are NOT at the main press centre where McDonald's is readily available). At the various venues, we get lunch boxes that look like this. My aussie classmates call it slush!

It was a little interesting at the start... Then it isn't funny anymore when you eat this every single day... it gets depressing when you realise you HAVE to eat this for the next 3 weeks at least once a day.

And so, to preserve my sanity and tastebuds, I decided to give myself a little treat with a nice, reputable set lunch at Time Cafe, Jianwai Soho, Beijing. At only RMB78, it's ten times the price of my humble dinner the night before (I had wanton soup and noodles at a street restaurant for only RMB7 = SGD1.50!).

It started with a very managable serving of minestrone soup, followed by a glorious salad toss with pan-seared tuna topped with pastry sticks.

I was on the verge of licking up the plate after the drought of gourmet food.
The main course of lamb chop and filet mignon was so tempting, I took a couple of bites before remembering to take a photo!

To sum up this lunch, it was a lifesaver!

My daily retreat!

2008-07-27T01:53:00.002+10:00

For those curious about my lodging here in Beijing, here's where I go home to everyday! It's a little untidy but I haven't had the time or energy to tidy up. Thank goodness I have a room to myself!

Fav photo!

2008-07-26T23:29:00.000+10:00

This is my favourite Beijing photo thus far! Everything is right: pose, angle, lighting, proportion (in comparison to the huge ones!), tone!
Taken at Beijing's 798 Art District.

Chinese Pub in Sanlitun

2008-07-26T01:17:00.000+10:00

And so I went out drinking with the whole bunch one night (now this is a very rare occasion coz this is the only time I joined them!). After loitering around the stretch of pubs along Sanlitun just to look for the Brits, we finally settled down for a beer at one of the overly crowded pubs. A couple of us got really bored and so headed off to this Chinese pub. The live band was really cool and the guy actually did a pretty convincing cover of Bon Jovi's "It's My Life".

Volunteer Ceremony

2008-07-25T20:19:00.000+10:00

It's the swearing-in ceremony for the volunteers at the baseball and basketball venue. For the first time, we were all dressed in full Olympics gear! Doesn't this remind you of the National Day Parade in Singapore? Amidst the sobriety of the ceremony, the 3 of us still managed to sneak in a cheery shot. (That's Viola, Me, Vivian)

Tickets on sale!

2008-07-24T23:40:00.001+10:00

As like any other day, I made my way to the Basketball stadium this afternoon!
Apparently the tickets for the basketball games go on sale this Saturday and check out who's been queuing already 3 days in advance! I heard black market tickets are going for 1000 yuan (originally 50yuan)!!!

A taste of home :P

2008-07-24T23:28:00.000+10:00

And so, I have been away for nearly a month now. While I appreciate the opportunity to live the local Beijing life, I miss home.

After fighting through the aggressive crowd at the subway, I treated myself to a bowl of Chicken Laksa at our very own Prima Taste, Oriental Plaza, WangFuJing. It came with tender chicken slices and even the juicy taupok (which is a challenge to find in Brisbane).
I am happy now!

Latest fashion in work gear!

2008-07-24T02:39:00.003+10:00

Look look! Here's what I am gonna be wearing for the next 5 weeks! Courtesy of Adidas: Super comfy dri-fit shirts, convertible trackpants, windbreaker, bumbag, water bottle and jogging shoes!

Us in Beijing!

2008-07-23T02:55:00.004+10:00

There is just sooooo much happening every single day! I don't know where and how to start but here's us at a dinner place at Houhai, Beijing just today! So it's almost the whole lot of us in this photo (except for poor Joshie who's down with the sniffs!). Not a very coordinated shot coz we were supposed to NOT look into the camera??!!

Yummy in Shanghai!

2008-07-20T23:29:00.000+10:00

And so we decided to have dinner in one Friday night, and look at this feast fit for 3 kings and a queen! For the record, we didn't finish up the whole lot... oh... I miss Shanghai!

More from Wukesong... coming to u live from Beijing!

2008-07-19T01:01:00.000+10:00

And here's a look about my new workplace for the next 6 weeks - the Wukesong stadium. It's a huge site. It takes about 40 mins on the subway from my dormitory and another 15-20 minutes to walk from the entrance of the premises to the stadium itself. Good for shedding some pounds I suppose!
I really like the exterior of the stadium. It had an edgy touch to it, and the bronze look of the stadium looks gorgeous set against the clear blue skies (though it can be tough to see clear skies here!). This is the media entrance where we are supposed to enter from... looks kind of cool, doesn't it? It's all nice and clean now, but it's probably not going to stay that way once the games begin.

Labels

2008-07-17T23:41:00.006+10:00

*Like I said earlier, it's gonna be random blogging*
Just when I thought 18 months in Brisbane has cleansed and detoxed me from the designer world, this trip in Hong Kong tugged a little at my old self.

I cannot imagine how impossible it was not to be consumed by this couture-clad city.
Even the 50something “auntie” (who curiously looked like the hair salon auntie in Toa Payoh) in the washroom wore a pair of Giorgio Armani frames as staple wear.

The Landmark at Central Station was oozing with multi-leveled designer boutiques namely Celine, Dior, Harvey Nichols, the newly overhauled Louis Vuitton, Jimmy Choo which I daringly tried on a pair of SGD800 slip-ons and possibly any other obscure labels you can/cannot think of!

I suddenly felt like I needed to spend my next paycheck (which will sadly be another 2 months later) on a pink Bottega Veneta phone purse and a pair of Ferragamo shoes. Even the usually auntie-looking Chanel bag looked so funky and classy when young hip working adults carried them.

Alrighty! Let's start slow... maybe start with a basic Coach handbag first?

Hello from Beijing!

2008-07-17T01:56:00.007+10:00

Hello from Beijing!
I am so behind in blogging that I will just have to talk about things randomly.

It's been almost a week in this huge massive city... it's filled with billions of people and probably millions of cars! Preparations for the upcoming Olympics are in the final stages and the international volunteers are all undergoing training for their respective events.

I was allocated to basketball, which is so so cool! It turned out that I was the only international volunteer at the basketball venue, the Wukesong stadium (which also houses the baseball events on the outdoor wing). The stadium looks spectacular... and incidentally the Chinese team were training. I caught a glimpse of Yao Ming, but wasn't quick enough to snap a photo!

That's a photo with my supervisor. She actually handpainted the dragons on our T-shirts with our names on it. There are 2 other Americans with me (from Emerson). They are allocated to baseball... (I still prefer basketball! :D)

Being an international volunteer at the basketball venue, I do get treated really nicely. It feels strange though because the training materials was all in Mandarin. I am not all that competent in Mandarin and so I can't say I understood every single thing they said. Thank goodness there were a few girls who were really friendly and patient enough to take me under their guidance!

Here's a generic shot of the entire group in training today!

A month later

2008-07-06T03:16:00.003+10:00

Gosh! Looking at my previous entry, I must have been mega-depressed!
I can't quite remember how that felt now coz time really does heal all wounds. I am back to my home and surrounded by all things familiar. That's comforting.

The past month went by in a whizz.
After 3 massive weeks of meeting up old friends and getting back into Singaporean rhythm, I set off again for Hong Kong and China, this time for slightly over 2 months.

The 5 days in Hong Kong was interesting mainly because I was on a study trip and so, I don't have time and money to go shopping. This is certainly very disturbing coz a trip to HK should never be without some indulgence in shopping and food. I didn't even get to eat wanton mee!

Wanton mee or not, I am at least happy for now! :D

The word "Sorry"

2008-06-04T21:04:00.004+10:00

Sorry - feeling regret, compunction, sympathy

How powerful IS the word "sorry"?
When you say sorry, does the recipient appreciate the torment and courage you mustered to apologise? Will things really be resolved and reset from scratch?
Does the recipient understand the intense emotional trauma before one says the word "sorry"?

Sorry carries with it a sense of hope and fear.
Hope because you hope it will take all unhappiness, discomfort and anger away.
Fear because you fear it will backfire and you now have to accept the certainty of the anger.

It's even an intricate decision-making process simply because of the extremities of the possible outcomes.

Ignorance is bliss

2008-06-03T10:45:00.000+10:00

The more you know, the less you feel.
I saw this on my friend's email signature... and it isn't right.

It's the other way around. The less you know, the less you feel.
They say ignorance is bliss. I know, for sure, that is true.

Someone hand me a prescription for happy pills...

2008-06-02T19:09:00.004+10:00

A Happy Birthday to Ms Mak and for her awesome piece of poetry... really touched for this! See the poem she wrote for me!

Last weekend

2008-06-02T01:44:00.004+10:00

My last weekend here has been fruitful. Not neccessarily all good here, it was also a ride on an emotional and most intense rollercoaster.

No details here, but I just want to say how grateful I am to the people who have talked to me and trying to knock sense into me, and simply for being there.

I am one big emotional sook, but this makes me real too.
I never learn from my mistakes... and am still learning this valuable way of conduct.

Despite having an emotional weekend, I am glad it turned out alright and I am feeling reasonably at ease.

2008-05-30T23:36:00.003+10:00

My all-time favourite movie! I must have seen it over ten times and loving every minute of it still! I am watching again right now to get my fix of positivity and hope :D

I just love the little individual stories with their themes of love, hope and friendship weaved in, not forgetting the charming English accent! It brings a warm fuzzy feeling everytime I watch it... :D

Back to point A

2008-05-29T23:19:00.003+10:00

When you are at point A, you want to get to point B. But when you get to point B, you want to go to point A.

This is eating me... and the stress of it all has caused much trauma to me and the people around me.

I'll be home soon though, back to my comfort zone.

2008-05-28T00:17:00.003+10:00

Ever felt that time is knocking and pounding hard at your door?
That's how I feel counting down the ten days left here.

Coke fix

2008-05-15T21:11:00.002+10:00

It must be the stress of schoolwork & the blues of leaving this place!
I am back to my poison - a 600ml of Coke everyday for a week now.

Plus, I am constantly eating and walking to the kitchen to rummage the fridge.
Got to stop eating, got to stop!

Last days

2008-05-07T12:47:00.001+10:00

I am in the middle of my Sydney trip, which also means I am nearing the end of my stay in down under. :(

It's winter

2008-04-30T23:54:00.002+10:00

The temperature just dipped the past couple of nights... it was 12 degrees celsius last night! And 11 degrees tonight!
Time to get the heater and fleece jacket and socks out for a goodnight's sleep.

This great weather makes it wonderful to sleep... but that also means it makes it tough to get up and do my readings.

CHINA versus WORLD?

2008-04-26T16:40:00.004+10:00

I have been catching up quite a bit on the controversies surrounding the upcoming Beijing Olympics. To sum it up sweepingly, it seemed to be a case of "People who want to address human rights issues in China" against China, with the former using Olympics as a platform.

Everywhere the Olympic torch went, protests resulting in loss of lives happened, which makes you think what Olympics is about these days. That would be a whole new topic on its own.

Interestingly, I have a few friends from China on my MSN and all of them had a logo "Love China" as part of their avatar. My friend said this was their way of showing their support for their country no matter where they are.

Current issues aside, I wonder if Singapore were to ever experience this similar type of public or international lashing, will we stand up for Singapore the way we used to sing the same words with much enthusiasm in primary school and national parades? Will we stand for our country in times of adversity? When are we able to truly build a nation, and feel it within us?

A year wiser

2008-04-25T16:01:00.001+10:00

I just turned a year wiser this week in a foreign land... and it's getting to be demoralising especially when you celebrate with a group of friends who are ALL younger than you! Whatever it is, thanks to all my friends for their greetings, celebrations, massive gorging and gifts :D

Precision Parking

2008-04-24T10:24:00.000+10:00

And probably the top OZ occupation is......

2008-04-16T19:56:00.004+10:00

... BOOZING! This is no supermarket queue... it's the queue for the liquor store on a weekend! The store was jam-packed.

The Aussies buy crates and crates of beer (not forgetting the Koreans too!!). The four of us just bought a six pack of Victoria bitter and have to brave this massive queue! boohoohoo... :(

Foodie

2008-04-15T09:10:00.002+10:00

A recent culinary achievement :D (pardon the poor resolution coz my camera screwed up, I had to take this with my mobile!!)

Brisbane's best student deal!

2008-04-12T18:06:00.009+10:00

Hidden in a corner of the foodcourt in Wintergarden, Queen Street Mall, Hanaichi is a Japanese eatery that we have been enjoying for the past year in Brisbane. It's been the best deal in Brisbane for students coz you pay only AUD5.90 for a decent portion of curry katsudon. It's yummo too!

This place is like a little indulgence for one of my friends who simply loves Hanaichi for both the food and the price! We will meet up for a Hanaichi session everytime we need to relieve some stress. At our latest session, the stall was super crowded probably becoz it was school holidays for the high school kids. It took longer than usual to get our food but it was worth the wait. Check out the thick saucy curry gravy!

Strange as it may sound, Hanaichi is an important institution in most Asian international student's life in Brisbane.

When birthdays feel like christmas

2008-04-11T09:13:00.002+10:00

I have 3 friends with birthdays all falling on the same day - 11 April!
I thought it will be nice to give them a early birthday greeting call on the morning - thinking that they will be up and going at 8am (Spore time) and probably on the way to work... (the first 2 calls went smoothly but the 3rd one ended up being a wakeup call, oops!)

It was strange to say "Happy Birthday" 3 times in a row, and it was strange to ask "So what are your plans tonight?" thrice. My housemate (who couldn't help listening in my conversation) was chuckling and thought I went nuts repeating the same conversation 3 times.

It felt like Christmas "Oh Merry Xmas!! So what are you doing for Xmas? Where are you going for dinner? What presents did you get?" Same thread of enquiring for both birthdays and christmas!

Hmmm I suppose they are similar since both occasions are of a celebratory nature.

Happy Birthday Sf, Beth & Nuanda!
It's nice to have friends growing older together :)

Brekkie for two

2008-04-10T23:29:00.002+10:00

I have grown to love breakfasts - it's a wake up treat for me and always an excellent way to start the day with! Here's what my housemate managed to cook up one morning... simply yummy!

And it's April already...

2008-04-09T23:17:00.001+10:00

It's nearing mid April already... which means I am almost done here.

My friend told me it's pre-departure depression, something he kind of experienced before. Basically you don't quite know where you will be happier.

You want to go back to your friends and family and yet, you are reluctant to leave behind all the memories and experiences, more so because you are probably never going to be able to see the people here ever again!

The thought of that happening in a couple of weeks makes me feel really lost and sad...

Steamboat!

2008-04-05T11:37:00.003+10:00

Yay my very first steamboat session in Brissy! Steamboat was perfect to complement the cool weather these couple of days, there is no better way to keep warm than a hot bowl of soup!

Our host Matthew was so nice he actually started to prepare the soup base the night before, just to ensure the high quality of the taste! And it really did matter!

Because of the unique make of our steamboat "pot", we took a longer time than usual to have dinner... but it was great to be in the company of fun people and Victoria Bitter (located at top right corner of photo). It just makes this steamboat session all the better!

I saw sunset!

2008-04-03T22:10:00.008+10:00

Now that I've kinda seen sunrise at Byron Bay, I just saw the most gorgeous sunset ever! And I saw this right from the patio of my house... (photos courtesy of my housemate Joyce :D)

I went to...

2008-04-03T00:33:00.000+10:00

Yoohoo! I am here at the Most Easterly Point of the Australian Mainland, Byron Bay.
This road trip is a first for me - we went to Gold Coast for my favourite Japanese dinner, then hit the casino till 3.45am before we set off for Byron Bay.
The time is 5.45am, New South Wales time (& 4.45am, Queensland time). It was fairly dark when we got here and virtually impossible to walk around properly... Thank goodness we had torchlights with us. I was freezing too, it felt like 10 degrees or so!

People say a trip to Australia can only be complete with a trip to the Byron Bay lighthouse, and catching the sunrise from the same spot. I think this is the nearest I ever got to a lighthouse and it was quite a sight being the only thing that was lit in the dark.

Initially, there was just a handful of people parked at various spots when we got there. Then suddenly, more and more people came jogging up the hill. It apparently is a very popular spot for joggers and exercise... If I were to live around here, I would come up here too (every morning?) to breathe in the fresh air and take in the view of the neverending skyline.

BUT, despite slogging to get here the entire night, we didn't quite get to see the sunrise. It was far too cloudy... and the sun just came up and the sky suddenly brightened up. Though a wee bit disappointing, tt was still great just to gaze out at the open sea, this somewhat reminded me of the Twelve Apostles at Great Ocean Road.

And that's me over here in the red jacket, caught in an unglam moment! I was having a snack of crackers and dip coz I was starving!

Another first for me coz I have never snacked at 6am in the morning, and looking out at the open sea! :D

晚餐sssss

2008-04-02T17:37:00.007+10:00

My dinners for the next few days is settled - all thanks to my friend, Matthew's cooking! He kindly packed for me in his favourite Pyrex tubs his specialty chicken stew and chicken soup... and trust me, he CAN really cook!

Only problem is I won't have a chance to practise my cooking :(

Oh and not forgetting the top container of half a roast duck packed from the Chinese supermarket! Turned out to be a skinny duck, with lots of bones and minimal flesh but nonetheless yummo!

We are gonna have steamboat this Friday! Yay - really looking forward to it... :P

I luv Havis!

2008-03-27T18:16:00.002+10:00

The one week semester break went by in a whizz, I can't quite remember what I did. I know I was very busy, and didn't have a chance to slack at home much.
There was supposed to be a picnic but we had to shift it indoors due to the threatening dark clouds.

And I remember I went shopping and bought this gorgeous pair of Havis at a steal! facebookless thinks that one only has one pair of feet, and therefore do not require too many pairs of slippers. I object and thus, this recent pair adds on to my collection!

Lack of schedule with quite a bit of time at hand

2008-03-20T00:58:00.002+10:00

Quite a few people have responded with absolute shock at my timetable, or rather the lack of one. I basically attend a fixed 3 hours session per week.

I know I know... it's unfair and blah blah blah. But u know, it's hard on me too!
Sometimes, it's easier to have to keep to a schedule - you know exactly what you want, where to go and what to do!

During my vast spare time, I think about the days of having to rush from one place to another. I think of the timelines I have to keep to and things I have to do.

Nothing comes close to those days the past weeks. I don't foresee this going on for too much longer, so I ought to cope with this "problem" of mine properly for now.

Difference in viewpoint, or mere difference in culture?

2008-03-19T21:41:00.002+10:00

What do you define as adventure?

Sky-diving? Bungy jumping? Getting lost in the jungle? Or simply sitting it out (on hard seats mind you!) on a 24-hour train ride in China?

I was recently perplexed by what-seemed-an-obvious-choice decision which turned out to be totally out of my league of thoughts.

Between a 24 hour rail trip and a 3 hours flight at almost similar prices, there are people who actually opted for the 24 hour rail trip. U can almost see that glitter in their blue eyes as they ooooh-ed at the mention of a train ride across China...

My lecturer, a Caucasian who is in love with Europe and alternative adventures, was one whose eyes glittered. I told him bluntly there is nothing to see in that 24 hours but yellow land, according to my Chinese friend. He must have thought I was silly and didn't comprehend the beauty of adventure and all things different. Well, he's right! I really don't understand!

I suspect I am not alone. I am almost sure that I am one of many million Asians who will only deem these long and likely to be disgusting train rides as mere drudgery.

I can only simplify the recent phenonmenon down to the difference in culture.

More composure now?

2008-03-18T23:30:00.002+10:00

After 3 whole non-Coke days, I gave in today when a small serving came as part of my Macca's quarter pounder meal which by the way is quite a rip off! I wouldn't call this a small, medium or large meal. It feels more like a kids' meal and I paid a blooming AUD5.75 for this!

I am not really apologetic coz I did afterall keep off it for 3 days. That's a feat!
To further reward myself, I treated myself to a soft serve at Hungry Jacks on the way to catch the bus home.

In between Coke and ice cream, we attended our housemate's graduation ceremony and gosh, it's this whole lot of young, positive, untainted people there! I was once there too, when I first graduated. It was really quite a lifter to one's spirits to be surrounded by so much positive energy and I must say I quite enjoyed myself.

I am also proud to say that I feel more driven and focused this semester to finish up my studies. I think the visit home did me damn good. I feel humbled by the kindness of my family and friends, and I am better equipped to deal with things that I didn't quite take to last semester. This evening was a good test in some ways and I dealt with it with more composure.

New poison

2008-03-17T23:43:00.004+10:00

Yay I am off Coke for 3 days now! Awesome!
Now, for my latest poison....

7% alcohol and taste like heaven! Absolutely cool! Erm, Smirnoff isn't gonna like what i just wrote... oops!

24 hours without Coke

2008-03-16T15:31:00.004+10:00

I have managed to stay off Coke for more than 24 hours now... It gets me a little cranky several times in the day. And I decided to vent my frustrations by conjuring my masterpiece salad! I just had to overload it with avocado, one of my other indulgence!

I had salad for lunch two days in a row... hopefully it will help ease some weight!
Meanwhile, counting down to another 24 hours without Coke.

Coke Mania

2008-03-14T20:58:00.003+10:00

This doesn't bode well.

I have had a Coke every single day for 2 weeks straight now.

Tomorrow will be the day I am getting it out of my life!

Court reporting

2008-03-11T22:34:00.003+10:00

One of the things I love about my journalism course is how the lecturers send us out to the lion's den to experience the pleasures and perils first-hand.

Last year, as part of my assignment, I had to go to a hearing and take notes to write a story. And boy, the process of getting to an interesting hearing was cool. I almost forgot how fun it was and was reminded of the pleasure yesterday when i tagged along my 2 friends who had to do the same thing this semester.

I was reminded of how unfriendly and irritating the guards at the courts were... how greenhorn me was led on a wild goose chase to different court rooms, listening to most boring cases ever!

I had it tough... unlike my 2 friends who had their lecturer telling them exactly which session to attend. All my lecturer shared last year were tips on how to get around the guards and how to behave in court. That was it! My batch was left on our own to look for cases, zipping in and out of court rooms to get a good story.

Tougher it was, but I learnt a great deal more. I only know I love this so much more when I compared it to my friends' smooth sailing experience.

Teh-Si

2008-03-10T21:19:00.004+10:00

Yeap I miss home... and as I am sipping my mug of Lipton tea to drive away my sucky monday blues, I can't help thinking of authentic teh-si.

The craving is back again...darn!

Oh... and yes I am back too!

Home Sweet Sweet Home

2008-01-14T22:41:00.000+10:00

I can tell the future.
2 weeks from now, at this time, I will be at Street 52 unloading my luggage with help from my dear friend Kenneth.

Daddy Hock Soon awaiting eagerly for me to come home, and WALA! The door opens... and there he is with newly grown greys and perhaps a couple of pounds piled on?

After hugs and kisses, my attention move towards the new tivo and bose system he bought and I secretly scan the room quickly for other new undeclared purchases! :D A short interrogation session about additions to the house takes place.

Dad then tries to end the interrogation abruptly by telling me all about my 3 darling nephews and how cute they are when he was talking on the phone with them earlier in the evening. ;)

After that, it is supper at Jalan Kayu, slurping up yummy curry with crispy prata, at a steal too (sorry, still comparing with Ozzie prata prices!)... Oh, not forgetting the frothy teh tarik conjured up by the man wrapped in checked-bedsheet looking things (stereotyping here!).

Sweet!

Kangaroo Land

2008-01-08T08:50:00.000+10:00

An outdated post but what the ****!
When Kenneth visited Brisbane, I went along for the touristy thing and visited Lone Pine Sanctuary. It was an animal place, filled with koalas, birds and kangaroos!
I love our pose at the signage... quite a contained pose but good enough :)

And I love the way the kangaroos came up to us. It felt like the ones here were trained to come near human beings, unlike some others I saw before.

The ones here are photo sluts (a term coined by facebookless!) and were hogging the cameras. They look like they don't give a damn but secretly striking a cool pose. Check out the one on the bottom right!

As calm as I looked too, I was actually wary of them farting into my face!

2008-01-06T15:52:00.000+10:00

More on Sydney... despite feeling a little hot and bothered by the burning Sydney sun and not-as-friendly locals, I squeezed in a couple of touristy attractions.

The Harbour Bridge left quite an impression and I liked it that I could see both the Bridge and the Sydney Opera House just by standing at The Rocks, an area where weekend markets are aplenty. I haven't tried walking on the Harbour Bridge, but would probably try that on a second trip with friends. And neither did I sign up for an inside tour of the Sydney Opera House coz it costs AUD32!

In the centre of the strip photo is Darling Harbour. Another kerfuffle of cafes, eating joints, and people just looking out at the waters. Think Vivo City...

I had wanted to catch the fireworks at Darling Harbour by booking a place for dinner for NYE, BUT the menu prices put me off. It would cost AUD189 for a 4-course dinner!
I opted for cost free venues instead.

Remember I said Sydney reminded me of Chinatown in KL etc...? This is why... This is part of Sydney's Chinatown.

Nothing to do with 2008 whatsoever - Organics anyone?

2007-12-29T22:16:00.000+10:00

I know everyone's into the new year and logically, technically, this ought to be about new year. BUT I am not quite ready yet and still gathering thoughts for the new year. So here's venturing into something totally unrelated... hah!

Anyone into organic food here?
No offence but this darn healthy option is so not for me. I took a stab and ordered a salad at an organic cafe in Melbourne. It was a pasta cum cous cous cum greens sort of salad...
I took 3 bites and that was it for me! I really couldn't stomach any bit of that organic salad.
It must be good somehow given the crowds at the cafe, or maybe it's just what I ordered.

But for now, it's going to be a long time before I dare venture into organics.
KFC is still the finger lickin feel-good indulgence for me! Oh and Coke too!

Disclaimer: Entries on this blog is not neccessarily in chronological order of event happenings.

First Impressions of Sydney

2007-12-28T20:20:00.001+10:00

I just arrived at Sydney a couple of hours ago. These first few hours is pretty impactful and quite enough for me to form first impressions.

People - They are focused with a no-nonsense attitude. Totally un-laid back, unlike relaxing Queenslanders. It's a tit-for-tat, which means, when u ask ONE question, u get ONE answer, no additional details offered. That was the case with the woman at the airport, bus-driver, stranger on the bus and stranger at the bus stop.
There was one kind soul though, this guy on the bus when I was trying to find my way to my friend's place - he is Italian on a working holiday visa, so maybe that's why he's friendly.

City - Sydney is like several cities knocked into one - CBD and skyscrapers in New York and London, Chinatown (roadside eating zi char stalls) in Petaling Street, KL and Chinatown, Singapore, high fashion shopping Champ Elysee of Paris, Xi Men Ding in Taipei, shorter version of Mongkok Street in Hong Kong and Docklands of Melbourne...

Weather - The sun in Sydney burns. And of all times, I just had to forget to bring my SPF on this trip! Darn!

I feel so tiny and kampong when I was walking around. Maybe because I have had 2 peaceful and quaint days staying at Bernice's place, surrounded by 9 puppies! :D
I miss them already!

Boxing Day Sale

2007-12-27T10:37:00.000+10:00

Tried so so hard to climb out of bed at 6am to hit the stores for the infamous Boxing Day sale. BUT loser loser - we only managed to slumber out of bed at 10am!
We thought the first batch at 6am would have been exhausted and it's time for us to take over the shift. Wrong! There's still scores of people at the mall.
I only bought a luggage and a couple of tops. :(

Boxing Day Sale down under

2007-12-25T21:50:00.000+10:00

I hear the annual stocktake sale in Australia on boxing day is crazy... people wake up and queue up from 6am waiting for the doors to open.
I have to be a part of this too... so we are heading off to Chadstone tomorrow morning at 7am. Hopefully we aren't too late to grab good deals!

Merry Christmas all!

2007-12-25T00:00:00.000+10:00

There's an annual pinnacle in my life - Year end festivities namely Christmas and New Year. This is when I start doing my life accounting, summing up what was done for the year and stuff I experienced.

It's a tradition for me. It used to be a mere habit but as years pile on, it became an addict, and ritual. I am proud of it, coz so many years down the road, I am really glad I am still thinking and that emo muscle in me is still flexing!

I am back to Square One this year.

I used to spend Christmases alone in secondary school. It was simple diary writing and chatting on the phone through xmas hours.
In uni, it became annual Xmas eve parties with friends for a good 8-10 years (Gasp, has it been almost a decade already!?). This too became a tradition which I know we all hold dearly in our hearts despite struggling sometimes to get people enthusiastic and efforts to think of new themes, new food, new venues!

Now I am back to spending a peaceful eve alone, thinking aloud via blogging. It's also the first time in many years that I am not frantically running around in the afternoon wrapping up presents and writing heartfelt christmas greetings (i really do try!).

I am really glad to have a chance to spend a silent evening because this reminds me to count my blessings, a virtue which I lack very very badly in. And I know, I will treasure my xmas eves and friends even more now, and I certainly look forward to frantic shopping, wrapping and running around.

Oh and Merry Christmas all! It's officially 12am in Melbourne now!

Hols in Melbourne

2007-12-22T20:48:00.000+10:00

I decided I didn't want to be in Brisbane all alone for Christmas and so I am back for a holiday in Melbourne... my 3rd time now and so it's more a slack and catching-up-with-friends trip more than doing the sights.

CY is gonna be back in Singapore soon so the first few days of my trip was dedicated to him! (In his words, so noice so noice!) BUT being on a student budget trip is not easy when it comes to eating with high 'crass' CY! Pains my heart everytime I eat out with him and of course, this gourmet's recommendations never fail... he brought me to a rather chi-chi Korean restaurant "Hallah Korean Restaurant" which is near Queen Victoria Market. He also brought along a bottle of white wine which is soooo excellent, I had more than usual.

That's us in action! (We decided it's more important to take photos of US rather than the food... it's us, and us and us only! It's all about us!) Actually enough of us - I really dun fancy self-absorption!

Annyeonghi kaseyo

2007-12-19T23:54:00.000+10:00

Annyeonghi kaseyo (Goodbye to someone leaving in Korean)
My Korean housemate is leaving - for good.

It's strange really, coz I am leaving for Melbourne tomorrow and she's only leaving this Sunday. I get to say goodbye first... I wonder if that helps to take away some sadness.

I was looking forward to holidays and now it's just a plethora of mixed feelings.
Plus it's year end and my usual feel-ly, emo stuff starts acting up more as I reflect on the year.

Carrie only stayed in the house for less than 2 months and boy, she made an impact!
We held long conversations in loose English, yet we were able to understand each other perfectly aided by hand gestures and repeat phrases. I felt like we knew each other for years.

You know, we all know some friends we'll be comfortable with just staying silent. No conversation needed, just mere company. I realised it is not just with old friends - I found this level of comfort with Carrie.

So it's farewell for now, and hopefully that trip to Malaysia we verbally agreed on will happen.

Defeated

2007-12-18T13:54:00.000+10:00

I concede defeat.
Maintaining a blog isn't easy at all... and kudos to all those brave and faithful blog-souls out there who keep it going.

Blogging is not for the faint-hearted and lazy a**es...(trust me - I bring laziness to a whole new universe level!)

I need CPR!

Iron Chef

2007-11-26T20:53:00.000+10:00

It's payback time!! In a good way of coz... the other two iron chefs in the house decided to introduce Carrie to the world of Chinese cuisine in return for her Korean feast 2 weeks ago!

So on Sunday (25 Nov) we prepared a simple dinner for her, in true blue amateur-style (that's only me though! Ivan is a pro!).

It wasn't easy thinking of what to cook to "represent" our type of cuisine... plus Carrie told us she wasn't really a meat-lover. How can anyone not love meat??! (We later found out it was a misunderstanding coz she couldn't understand what we were asking!! She is a normal meat-eating person!) Aaarrgghh... this made the task even more upheaval.

After keeping busy in the kitchen for a couple of hours - voila! The dinner looks decent, doesn't it?!

Here are Ivan's creations. He named them 'Creation One' & 'Creation Two' (how creative wor!). I have to take my hat off to him though... he put in a lot of effort in preparing.
I took the easy way out... wanted to prepare Bak Kut Teh (Pork soup with herbs and spices) but I became lazy and did these two. Thank goodness it turned out edible!

Overeating!

2007-11-21T23:28:00.000+10:00

We went crazy one day to satisfy some major craving.
Sunnybank is the suburb in Brisbane where Asians are plenty plentiful! Serious Chinese grocery shopping goes on in Sunnybank... And that is also where The Singapore Restaurant is. The owners aren't Singaporeans though... I didn't get to finding out where they are from.

I have only been to this area twice coz it's really far from where I live... at least a 45 mins journey by bus.

Now back to "we were crazy", it started with my craving for nasi lemak... This was really decent. The beef rendang reminded me of what you can get in Malaysia, which also means it probably taste better than the nasi lemak in Singapore.

And then it went on to chicken rice... this was my friend's main course. I took a bite and thought the rice was fragrant and could certainly match the authentic chix rice back home. Chilli was a let down though!

And to a side dish of ngoh hiang, sambal kangkong... The ngoh hiang was awesome! As for the kangkong, by the time we got to it, we were on the verge of breaking point!

And we just couldn't resist adding on another side dish of roti prata! Breakpoint - we had to stop! Did take a bite of the prata dipped in curry... it was nice. Well it had better be nice coz it costs AUD10 like all the rest of the other dishes!!! Forget the Jalan Kayu SG1 prata!

And there were just the three of us!

My partner in crime, Winnie! The other party has chosen to remain anoynomous - haha!
The binge continued at Just Soy Cafe (which I wrote about earlier)!

State of mind at the end of the evening: Content and major guilt!

Well, this is why I signed up with the school gym and have been walking home religiously from the city twice a week. This had better darn work

Cairns

2007-11-19T22:59:00.000+10:00

Never too late to post some photos of my Cairns trip from 3 - 6 Nov 07! It was a little treat to celebrate the end of semester and of course, I am now a grad dip holder! Yay!

Anyway, I travelled with a few new friends from Taiwan... and initially I was quite apprehensive coz (for those who know me) my Mandarin isn't all that great! But after that solid 4 day trip with Candy, Elaine and Jill, I can hold my head high to say that I can actually hold meaningful and solid 2-hour conversations in Mandarin!

Here's the four of us looking forward to the cruise to the Great Barrier Reef! More on the trip later...!

A little piece of home

2007-11-15T10:03:00.000+10:00

I had an ang moh brekkie again today - Mcdonald's (Macs is also known as Macca's) sausage and egg mcmuffin with hashbrown and latte for AUD5.70!

It's a little different today coz I added Sinsin Garlic chilli sauce to the muffin and hashbrown, to relive memories of having Macs in Singapore. Somehow, it made this morning's breakfast so much yummier!

With my morning satisfied, it's now back to work!

豆浆 without 油条

2007-11-14T22:08:00.000+10:00

All thanks to my resourceful friends who scouted out this 豆浆 dessert shop Just Soy Cafe at far away Sunnybank Hills in Brisbane. It was a 30 mins bus trip from the city and all worth it!

For a moment, I felt like I was in Taiwan or at some part of Asia. The cafe was filled with Asians, and mostly Taiwanese I suspect. Feels like home though... back to my comfort zone for a while. We had the classic plain soya beancurd and drink which could rival the quality of those back home. One major difference though was each serving costs us AUD3.50 & that is more than 3 times the usual price.

Well, I suppose that's the price I have to pay over here no matter what... *burn hole in pocket*!