Saturday, July 03, 2004

Bloody Hot Day!!!

Super hot weather today... cannot tahan, its this kind of weather that make me miss sydney really badly... Anyway, think i will get used to it sooner or later... heez...

Yesterday went to the chalet after work, all the way at Pasir Ris, had bbq food and some drinks, was ok lor.... everyone was really "tame" as compared to in Aussie, maybe lost the mood liao ba =p... saw Ivan for the first time after such a long time, still the same, haven change much, Lao shi also joined us for awhile, had abit to drink and makan, then have a chit chat before heading home, the mood wasn't really right lor... maybe everyone is still trying to adapt to the time and weather ba... wasn't the best chalet experience i had but it was still enjoyable still, have a little get together, chit chat and all, Uncle dennis also came, that is when things start to get little more noisy... But the night was short for some as they have to leave early and by 12 plus the group was rather small... i left at about 12 plus myself, Dennis gave me a ride home, together with Angie and Han, driving skill power man... lolx... going at close to 140 on the expressway... But it was fun lah... short chalet but enjoyable...heez...

Today, come to work as usual, hot and humid weather made me sweat quite abit... really sickening... cannot tahan... anyway... did some work today, after that wrote some testimonial juz to kill time... will be going paddling today.... have been looking forward to it... finally rowing in an aussie shirt... haha hopefully will be good paddle today... after that, should me meeting the guys(who is going for syf finals) for dinner if nothing goes wrong... then should be heading home for some rest... got some "homework" from dav this morning, need to tink about it and discuss it over on monday... haiz.....busy weekend then... Anyway thats the plan lah... will blog monday then... Meanwhile, thats all folks... heez... Cheers and Take care!!!

Quote of the day: To have others respect you, you have to first learn how to respect urself

Friday, July 02, 2004

Buai Sydney... Halo Singapore

HALO pple!!! i am back from down under (aka Australia)... hope those die hard blog reader didn't missed me too much yah...heez... Had a wonderful time in Sydney(& Bathurst). Will try not go into too much details if not i will end up writing a novel out of the trip... heez...

As it was a night trip, reach at the airport in the morning, and the driver for our trip, John was already there waiting for use with a sign "Nanyang Polytechic" in his arm, the weather was ok when we reach there, the sun was out and i tink is about 15 degrees that morning, but not everyone feels it was cooling like me, as some have already took out their jacket and stuff... couldn't adapt to the weather i guess... After that, had lunch and head to the Blue Mountains, where we got a wonderful views of the mountains in Australia, simply sensational... took quite abit of pics before heading to Bathrust (a town we will be staying for 4 days of the 9 days trip). As it was a rather long journey (about 1 hrs 45mins bus ride), majority of them had a little nap in the bus (including me)...

Bathrust, first word most if not all say when we finally reached is COLD (temperture was close to 0 degrees)... lolx... As we reach there at night, everyone was practically breathing out smoke, that was how cold the weather was in Bathrust... was kinda sad that the 5 of us (Andy Koh, Andy Tan, Wei Xiang, Zhongxi and myself) have to be separated from the rest of the gang as there was not enough room at the other hotel, but we ended up being envied by everyone, coz we ended up staying in an apartment with our own living room, kitchen, laundry room, etc, rather then juz a hotel room. everyting we wan was there, and the owner of the motel was great, making breakfast for the 5 of us every morning... really gan dong man...feels like home too, Had load of fun, though its 5 guys, it turn out that we are not that untidy after all and guys can live togther as a group...lolx... got to try Andy Tan's cooking for the first time, and i must say he is a great cook... he cooked our "last dinner" there as well, superb... Activites at Bathrust includes the norms, shopping and taking pictures, other then that, was performance and attending music master classes and concert (and also pubbing nights...=P), there is a couple of good band for this trip, one from Shanghai, China and the other would be a band from USA, the Orchestra from Shanghai was my favourite and was the best band for the entire event. WE didn't really didn't very well in Bathrust, guess everyone was too tense and nervous as for some, it the first time performing in such and event and overseas. There were many other interesting things that happen at Bathrust, really wish to mention all but guess it would be super duper long, so guess its for me to know and for u to find out lah...=P.. Overall, had a wonderful time at Bathrust and was an excellent experience...

After that was Sydney, weather was not as cold compared Bathrust, but was still dry and windy, so we had to have drink lots of water. And i must say Sydney is a totally different place than Bathrust man... buzzing with life man even till late... (unlike Bathrust, quiet after 5). Visited a wildlife park first before going into town, there, we took photos with koalas, fed kangaroos, and etc... i saw white peacock and kangaroo for the first time, and they are juz so beautiful, and i also manage to take a pic with a joey (baby kangaroo) in my arms, was a wonderful experience... Okok back to town, we all checked into a hotel (finally dun have to split into 2 groups) somewhere in the middle of the city, and the 5 of us split into 2 group when me and the Andies in one room while the other 2 in the other, the place was not as big as the one we had at Bathrust but it was rather cosy... done plenty of sight seeing and exploring the place a little... First time having chinese food after so many day, and i must say the chinese food there is not bad at all... heez... we still had chinese food for lunch for the subsequent days but we enjoyed them... (maybe its juz that majority of us are chinese). We also visited Hardrock cafe in Sydney and we celebrated Xiu Xiu Birthday there... it was a touching site, Xiu cried, which almost got me into tears also... lucky i didn't heez... (*so paiseh, big guy like me cry...heez) anyway, i am sure its the best birthday she have every had (i know it would sure be my best if it was my birthday), the place actually extended operation hours juz for us... Thx guys from Hard Rock Sydney!!! 2 thumbs up!!!

The most memorable part of our stay in Sydney i would say was to perform in the Sydney Opera House, the place was simple fantastic, both externally or internally, everything was so grand... really an honour to be able to perform there... though it was just a short 30 mins performance, memory of the performance will stay with me forever... As they all say, all good things have to come to an end, before we know it, it was already the last few days in Sydney, as we were set to go back in 2 groups, some get to go back one day later then the other, i am one of the luckier ones to stay for another day *grinz* On the 2nd last day (last day for some) we actually when to Manly beach to explore rather then roaming about in the city, and i must say the place have one of the freshest and best seafood i have ever tasted, i had a cold platter which include 2 Oysters, so King sized prawns, and half of an average sized lobster for only 15 Aussie dollars, was so gan dong while eating it man... everyone enjoyed that meal, i know i did, it was one of the best meal i have yet... just superb, after lunch, went for a walk on the beach barefooted and test out the water... and it was freezing, amazingly there was still pple swimming in it... took a few picture there before washing up and start out shopping spree... heez... everyone got someting they like from there as there are loads of shops selling surfing stuff there... Sherine bought a pink top that is really nice, and all of us got a similar keychain of a cap which is really cute... there are plenty more stuff we bought other then that... After that went back to the harbour to met up with the rest of the guys (han [TIC], melvin and dennis) who rather sight see then shop... heez... We each got ourselve ice creams before boarding the ferry and head back... its was throughly a fun trip and would like to thank Dennis, because he was the one that intro us to that place and all, he was practically the one bringing us around everyway and i really appreciate it... Thank You Uncle Dennis (primary school greeting style =P)

On my last day, where majority "my gang" have return, i had a rather mixed emotion, i was delighted to be staying in this wonderful city for another day, but at the same time feeling a sense of loneliness as i kinda missed the guys that have gone back... i didn't had the chance to send them off as i overslept that day, and i was sort of woke up but the feeling of loneliness that particular morning... seeing all the empty rooms made me feel worse... but anyway i went out with the Andies, jasmine and carol, it was fun lah, as we were determind to spend all our money and went on a shopping spree, it was the first time i really shop in sydney... was really cool...carol got a bad throat so she didn't really speak much, so its been the 4 of us doing most of the talking... heez, by the end of the day, i was totally broke, not even a single Aussie dollar left... first time i ever spend till i drop in a foreign country heez... anyway still carried on to take pics... this whole trip i took 9 rolls of film, which me close to 300 photos, power man.... cost of developing it also power man... lolx but that is not my concern if they turn out fine... Ok back to the trip, didn't really stayed up really late that night, everyone was rather tired as we walked alot, we even walked accross the sydney harbour bridge. Next day off we go... took virgin blue from sydney to brisbane, then from that SQ home..reach home, got some spirits (tequlia and volka to be exact) before exiting custom, when to have some indian food before heading home. Still need time to get used to the weather here in singapore, its really hot and humid... cannot tahan... lucky i am working in an aircon environment, if not i am died... heez...

Yeap....guess that ends my little journey down under, there is alot of fun details that i might have not have mention in the blog, but it will sure be a cool topic to chat about for many years to come. This is by far one of my most enjoyable overseas trip... and i would like to thank everyone involve (directly/indirectly) in this trip... without you guys the trip might not have been the same... XIE XIE!!! ***MUACK*** Overall, i have learn many things from the trip, and have greatly improve my knowledge of music, as well as having a better understanding of my friends, characters and all... the phrase "zai jia kao fu mu, chu wai kao peng you" (a chinese proverb; meaning to depend on ur family when at home, and depends on friend when out of home) really applies here... This have truly been a wonderful experience for me.

Today, first day at work after 10 days in "heaven", not bad, alot of people seem to be on leave, Pam is off to get married, Ron is in Phillippines, Kam is going to Hong Kong later tonite, office will be rather empty... heez... (Yippe!!! can slack abit...lolx) But anyway, there is work to be done so not as boring, later after work will be going to a chalet, some kinda celebration for soon to gradutes like me... so gan dong... heez, but looking forward to seeing my "jie meis" again only lah... haha hopefully Uncle Dennis can come also... then will be really fun.. heez... Anyway... guess that is all i have lah... squeezed all 10 days into a single day's blog....power man.. haha, anyway enjoy reading will keep u guys updated again tml... Ciao...


Quote of the Day: A pessimist looks at all the difficulty in an oppotunity, an optimist looks at oppotunities in time of difficulty