Photos on Sava and May birthday!!!

As I promised some pics from the race and also may may's birthday....

More to come as there is 2 days, den the evening of the first race day, May's birthday celebration.

Back to race, a new addition to the family of aussies... cannot remember her name, but she he cute man... hehez... check it out...

Isn't she just adorable... hehez... anyway yah thats about it... guess i end off with some pic of my team mates and also myself...

Sava Sprint & May's Birthday!!!

Argh, never in my life felt so terrible after a dragonboat race, usually after a race, despite not bringing any medal home, there is still a sense of achievement coz our team would always bring home something, but this time round our team not only didn't bring anything back, worse, coz we perform seriously under expectation. Reason being the ratio of newbies and experienced people are almost on par... Guess there is lots to train if we wan to win in November. AND I WANT MY GOLD MEDAL!!!


This weekend have been really busy, had Sava Sprint and May's birthday to attend... practically exhausted when I got home sunday. This is how things went...


Saturday, got up early as I need to get to Bedok reservior @ 10 am, dropped of at Eunos and so happend to see Dawn (fellow DBter) so hitched a ride to the place... got there, helped set up and waited for the race. I was in the Men's Open Division, and was chosen pacer (meaning the very front of the boat setting the pace of the row) for that boat, heavy responsibility and stressful as its my very first time, and i am pretty sure I am not up to it coz I have always been the "engine" of the boat till this race. But i left it as it is coz i am sure Wayne (captain) had his reason for putting me there.


Anyway, as i said, the results wasn't very ideal, and since its such a short race for Sat (200m) everything was very competitive and i guess we lost out due to lack of competitive experience. The day ended relatively early for me, so i made an early exit as I need to attend May's birthday that evening. Got over to Tampines SC to get a shower before heading over to the chalet, didn't wanna go all sexy in my dragonboat wear. heez, den loiter around at tampines for awhile, didn't wanna be the first to be there, got some wine to share at the party. By the time i got there, some of them were already there, so yeah... spent the evening taking pictures talking crap like what we used to do in poly... haha missed those good old days.


Anyway, we chatted till about 3 plus, den went to cheers @ downtown east, when we return it was already 4am, and i needed some rest before the race. Got up 615am, wash up and left for race ground again... As usual got there pretty early, so kinda rested while waiting. The race for the day was sightly longer compared to Sat, its 500m. Slightly tougher but definately more fun coz you can really feel the exhaustion when u touch the finish line, the grasping for air and all. In one of my race, one of the paddlers paddle even snapped into 2 when we charged off at the starting point, making us handicapped by one, but we still carried on as there was no time to pass him a spare. By the time we passed the finish line, there was no air in my at all man, i was so drained that i almost passed out... lucky for me i didn't, got back to the tent, grab a drink and i am ok again. After the entire event ended, we all headed to John Magrath (chairman of the team) new apartment, and i tell you, its beautiful man... pool table, swimming pool.. haha its a full bungalow. Got a little debrief session from Wayne, and him being encouraging always, was still very kind with his use of words so as to not dampen everyone's spirits. But having known him for so long, can tell his disappointment. haiz, felt like I have let him down, so have to really work my ass out for November.


Hmm... yah guess thats all that happened over the weekend, went to do some shopping just now, retail theory sure feels good after not doing do for awhile... but well i guess its only once in a blue moon since now that I am pretty much jobless. Alrighty i guess that all... will share the photos some other day, there seem to be a problem with the photo function.. Cheers

A little bit of Langkawi and Phuket... Day 3

Hey, good morning everyone!!! must be wondering why I am so early today right? well okok not very early already but earlier then i usually comes online, heez, well the reason being i just came back from a run with my 2 friends Angie and Jessie, haha Angie initated it, so i obliged, went for a little jog/brisk walk around gardens. The air is fresh and since we were going really slow, got time to enjoy the view around us.


Got home like an hour ago, took a good warm shower before coming online, haha refreshed and really to start of the day, which basically have nothing in plan at the moment... hehez... maybe dropping by town to get stuff and maybe some photos developed. Wanted to get down yesterday but went to check out Alvin's Muay Thai Class instead. Its some cool stuff man... make me so want to start lor... but guess i won't until after wisdom tooth extraction i guess... which is about 2 weeks away, haiz get it done and over with... hopefully will still stay smart, haha already cannot get any dumber anyway so nothing to lose... heez...


Ok, back to the trip, day 3, must be thinking i would slp in as it was a long night from phuket right? WRONG, haha i still got up at 7 in the morning, did my gym regime before showering and had breakfast, by 10 we gathered as we dock Langkawi, and my parents have booked a tour. Really wanted to stay on board thou, as the sun was superb for a good tan... but tagged along since its already paid for. Cannot really stand the tour guide for this trip thou, kept repeating the words Langkawi, even my mum got worried we will get nightmare of the place that night... haha


Anyway, first stop, Eagle Park, that is how Langkawi got its name apparently, "Lang" which means bird, in this case the eagle, and "Kawi" is marble, the colour of which the eagles. And according to the guide, once pple see picture of this eagle, they will know that you've been to Langkawi, so here it is...

And here are some of the scenic view around...

Other then that was some shopping around those duty free shops, which as usual i didn't get anything, mainly the reason is there is nothing much to buy and yah parents not around when there is... no paitence... haha but nvm lah, since its pretty much their trip, i tagged along so no complains... heez... Its was captain's night so we had to dress better for this evenings dinner. here is a family pic of us at our dining area.




Oh oh and some pics of sunset, breath taking man...

That pretty much ends my trip, not forgetting a small episode of allerge, haha but shall not get into details. Overall, its a good trip i would say... very relaxing and a different class of life to what i am having now... hehez...

A little bit of Langkawi and Phuket... Day 2

Day 2 of the trip, started off the day at 730am, had a little difficulty slping, maybe not used to the constrain in the space as i slept on the upper deck, but well still manage to catch a few hours rest, thats one thing army have taught me, sleeping in the worse conditions. haha...

Started off my day with a little workout in the gym, to my amazement, there are already people working out, too bad i didn't take picture of the gym, but imagine this, running machines faceing the vast ocean, the view was awesome, anyone who steps in there won't wanna leave... As for me, i head straight for the free weights corner, did some stretching and start pumping some iron... haha the gym attendent was very friendly, one friend i made on board... And after sweating it out, went back to my room hit the showers before going for my breakfast at Belle Vista. here is how my first breakfast looked like...

Can't get any better than that right... haha and its right beside the window, so u get good food and good view at the same time... really enjoyable. Whats best, its buffet style... haha so there is more from where those came from... haha. Haven't been so pampered for such a long time.

After that fulfilling meal, spent the rest of the day walking around the decks, casino, and explore their different facilities. In the evening, the ship docked over at Phuket where we had our day tour and have to be back by 130 am, so we disembarked, and got on with the tour.

First stop, a buddhist temple on Phuket, not sure if its the only one, but its beautiful, and there is a legend behind it, which is quite interesting....

And some "artistic" ones too

Afterwhich, was the Cashew Nut Factory, where they showed us the processing of cashew nuts, and of course being a healthy snack, my parent bought a few packs under abit of influence (from me that is). Presenting to you, the world's largest cashew nut!!!

Then we head off for dinner at their local restraunt and afterwhich was to Patong beach for some SHOPPING!!! haha, and i guessed you guys won't believe me, but i didn't buy a single item... some minor hiccups between my parents and being sandwiched in between, there is nothing much i can do but kept quiet and glance through stuff... tempted at certain times, but well its hard to shop with impatient parents around, get wat i mean... hehez.. Enough on that, at least the evening ended off in a good note with "Simon's Caberate" as the finale, aka "Ah Gua" Show... Honestly some of them really looked very good... and no wonder they prefer to be gers den guys... here is some picture i too with them after the show... Photographer was my dad.

Final picture with the tour guide of the day, Sally, very good tour guide, really know how make the trip really interesting and enriching for us...

That kinda wrap things up for Phuket, a place i will definately visit again, but definately not with my parents... haha... Ciaoz will have more coming on!!! Thats all for now...

A little bit of Langkawi and Phuket...

Argh.... back to normal life, haha must be thinking what i meant by that right? well, simple, have been living the life of Dao Ming Si (from Meteor Garden) for the past 4 days, everything a swap of a card... okok let me walk you through this little journey, from Sunday den...


Sunday
Woke up at 6 am and got ready for the Terry Fox Run, herbert drove so he came over the fetch me first... The weather was threatening, and true enough, shortly after we reached Tanjong Beach, it started drizzling, both of us was shivering man, they did some warm up in the rain (which is obviously useless, coz i didn't feel my body warming up) and i did some stretching to prevent muscle cramps. When the horn was blown, thats when the rain really came, not the cats and dogs type but close. However, the weather didn't dampened anyone's spirits, as everyone braved the rain. Was off with a rather good pace, with not out of breaths at all, was basically pacing herbert. However, when he lagged behind, i carried on running till about 5km, i allowed myself some rest to wait for him. Then we carried on awhile before i got ahead again. Kinda challenged myself every step of the way. Finally clocked a timing of 43min for 9km, not too bad for a first timer i suppose... Settled down and helped myself with the bananas and water, and waited for bert to run throu as well, he wasn't far behind me, still managed to clocked under an hour, so it ok... After that, spent quite alot of time on the beach to cool down, met up with angie and jessie, they did the 5km run and after they washed up we headed out of sentosa to get some food before i headed for my cruise. Got changed before boarding the ship. here is some shots when i got on board. As i was more or less alone with no friends with me, my pictures are pretty much taken myself, even those with me in it... haha...

Oh yah, still haven't tell you the cruise i was on, heez, but by the looks of it, i guess you know already yah... these are just some of their facilities on board. on their top deck, some other place like the gym (which i freqent, like everyday) is wonderfu. The staffs on board are all super friendly, making you feel really like an important guest. The food is fantastic, u name it they got it... really love the life on board... haha Dinner was by far my favorite, its at a place call Belle Vista, a very posh western restraunt on board, and the food portion thou look little, can really fill you up. There is where i had breakfast for the rest of my trip... hehez... there is a routine, every morning, gym den head back for a shower before going for my breakfast there. Thou its just 4 days, but the people at the gym and the restraunt already know hu i am, and the restraunt will prepare a seat near the window for me as soon as they sees me (unless there is no vacent that is). Very very sweet of them man. And thats that for day one... will carry on with 2 some other time... heez... tired man... tata and leave you with some pic of my first and only dinner (sadly) at Bella Vista.

The evening starts of with an appetizer called Anti Pasti, heez, ordered cause I donno what it is, but its not bad thou pretty nice. Then is the soup, chicken broth, den main course is Rib Eye steak (sinful) and ended off with apple struddle. yum