Ski Trip: More Trip, Less Ski Continues...

Day 2
After a good rest, we woke up early to have brekky at the lounge area. It was simple pancakes and eggs. I can still feel all my sores and my aches. It was really bad. I was tired and sore all over. After brekky, we headed back to our rooms and i fall asleep again. I was really tired. In the end, i went out in the afternoon when it was not so cold.

This time i borrowed my friend's snowboard and took it out for a try. Another friend was snowboarding the previous day and she joined me. Or should i say, she accompanied me while i fall and tumble. Hehe...

I took the snowboard up the ski lift and put them on. The first try i fall on my ass really really hard. I can hear the bump! But i kept trying no matter what... Stood up and tried again all over. Kept falling and tumbling but i told myself i have to at least snowboard a small distance before i give up. Until i tumbled pretty badly on my belly that felt like a jab, i decided to sit up and look at how those pros do it. I had almost took off my board before my friend came up to me and gave me some advice. I took it and slowly i was controlling the board rather good. I was snowboarding but not as cool as you would have imagined.

After two runs down the mountain and i changed back to my skis. I sucked at snowboarding but i liked the adrenaline while going down on my skis. It is a feeling you cannot describe. I would love to do skiing or snowboarding again. But i guess i have to wait till the next season...

At the end of the day, the mountain got a rush of fog and it was really bad. Visibility was really difficult and it would be very dangerous if any accidents were to happen. So we took the ski lift back down. We handed back all our equipment and went back to the lodge to clean up and have dinner.

Dinner was another amazing experience. If you check out my Facebook photos, you would see how small that piece of fish is. Haha... It was lucky that i chose the chicken pastry. Haha... After dinner, a couple of friends and I sat down and started drinking wine. It was nice to drink with friends and chat about anything under the sun. We talked about clubbing scenes in Singapore to girls from the Orient. It was incredible how two bottles of wine can open up people.

Day 3
We woke up and had brekky soon after. It was bacon, eggs and beans. Something like a mini American Breakfast. Too bad no sausages... We packed our stuff, had a little snowball fight and checked out of the lodge soon after. Frantically took photos with everyone as we would not see each other(there are other Singaporeans from other Unis) and also exchanged contact. I hope to keep in contact with them and enjoy more happy times with them again.

Ski Trip: Less Ski, More Trip

I was away for three days since last friday. Went up a mountain with the student association. It was rather expensive but at least it was extremely memorable. Though it was not my first time to see snow, it was my first time skiing and snowboarding. And i sum it up with a one word, ouch!

Day 1
My friends from the city came over to my place. The bus was scheduled to come around 2am near my place. So they came here early to rest and prepare to go together. Near 1.45am, we carried our stuff and boarded the bus. Our five hour journey to the mountain has begun. I couldn't sleep very well on the bus and woke up near dawn and saw the sun rise over the mountains. It was an amazing sight.

We arrived at the place and it was freezing. I was underdressed and i could feel the chills biting my body. Good thing a friend of mine brought extra jackets and borrowed me one. Owe him one... We dropped our bags and got fitted with our equipment. I opted for skis as i was advised that skiing was much easier. Plus if i wanted to try snowboarding, i could switch with my friend. As i got my skis, i put them on. It was tough as the snow was making it hard for my boots to clip onto the skis itself. I took awhile to get them on. The easy part was conquered, next comes the hard part; moving on your skis. I had them on and took some time to get used to them on the snow. Then we get on the ski lift and up to the mountains we go.

Up there, i decided to try out without even attending the lesson. I fell down plenty of times as i have no experience. After a few tips from a few friends and strangers, i got the hang of it. So i challenged myself and went a little faster. As they say, the faster you are, the harder you fall. I have to agree on that... I fell a few times and kinda hurt my myself. I ended the day with a run down the simple slope and my target is not to fall. I finished the course and only fell in the end as i was stopping. It was an amazing adrenaline rush! Haha...

At the end of the day, i took off my skis and went back to the lodge. We were given our rooms, washed up for dinner and went to bed soon. The lodge was kinda like a backpackers' motel. The beds were extremely bad and the rooms were really pathetic. I guess that is the cheapest we can get during the peak season of winter. Well... More about my ski trip on the next post.

Im Chosen and Hunted!!

This blog consists of two parts, chosen and hunted. I will explain both parts as much as i can.

Chosen
Last friday was suppose to be the tryouts, but it was pouring so we had indoor training again. I always liked indoor training as the game is faster and more about personal skills. I'm not always good at personal level but i love to team up with players whom i can communicate and work together effectively. Enough about me, the tryout was postponed to today. The guys were split into two teams by the coach and we were playing a game against each other. The game ended in 2-2 after an hour. After that the coach shifted players around and we continued the 2nd part of the game. My team lost 4-2.

It was pretty easy to spot that the other team was the first eleven. Ended the tryouts with the coach confirming the first eleven and the second eleven. I didn't want to be the first eleven as i would have to attend extra trainings which i cannot afford at the moment. So i hoped for the second eleven. My name was the first the to be called out. Coach said to me that i can run alot but i have to work on my ball control and cutting in. He told me to work hard on placing my crossings too. Well... I could not ask for more now. At least i can await my chance to play for the school.

Hunted
Word of my running got on quickly. I joined the Nike Human Race as my friends in Singapore are doing it, my brother is doing it plus a close friend of is joining too. So i just want to there for the t-shirt and the participation. I joined the run and my friends introduce me to the running captain of Monash University. He tells me that i was hunted by him to run the Standard Chartered Marathon in Singapore at the end of the year. The perks of joining the run under Monash; free registration, running clinics and commendation letter on representing Monash University. Cool! So i guess i will be seeing my friends at the end of the year at Padang. No more oily food for me!! Darn...

Seven days has passed...

I have endured the cold for the past seven days. It really has caused me to change my lifestyle rather drastically. I eat more, i sleep more and i drink more fluids. It really is something different from previously. Well... Other than the cold, nothing has changed much.

Some activities that I have line up:
Ski Trip
Students Association Singapore AGM
More eating adventures

Good luck for me and hopefully i return in one piece after the ski trip.

Yesterday's, Today's and Tomorrow's Weather Forecast: COLD!!!

The title says it all... It's extremely cold now. Everyday is cold. Even now as im blogging, it's raining!! It adds on to the cold im already suffering from! Arghz... My buddy in Hungary warned me about the cold, it will cause me to turn nasty and tire out easily. I expected it anyway... I would say my friends are having both but im still just suffering from tiring out. Guess we are all accustomed to sleeping or feeling sleepy when the temperature drops.

Even with 2 layers from top to bottom... Im still suffering from the cold... Damn...

Back in Melbourne

18 months ago, this place was a target for me. I wanted to come over here to study and learn to be independent. I've achieved my dream 6 months ago. Now i am kinda regretting it. I've returned for the 2nd semester of the year and im already missing Singapore alot alot. My friends, my family, my favourite food, my favourite hangouts and my bed. Not to mention my fast paced internet speed with unlimited download capacity. Sigh... Internet here is slow and limited...

Courage

I have always boasted that i have plenty of it. But when i want to find the moment and the strength to say what i want. I couldn't find it. Well... Guess courage is just another word i hang on my lips...

Back from Taipei

I've been to Taipei(TP) twice and the last trip was my third. I would say my last trip was the best. Why? Simple... My friends. I have my friends to accompany me. We really spent good times together and created lots of jokes. We went to so many different places, ate so much and bought so much stuff. I went to their IT street and found out that the IT stuff is not cheaper. So its still the same as SG.

What i love there was the food and the shopping, not leaving out the girls. Haha... Oyster egg, milk tea, sausages, grilled meat, Ah Zhong Mien Sian, Ah Ge, etc. Those are the foods i love to eat anytime! Shopping is always fun, no matter where. I would prefer Bangkok for shopping, but just purely buying Onitsuka Tiger products, TP wins hands down. A pair of Tigers cost less than $50! Imagine how much it would have cost me in SG or anywhere else. If selling at $50 and the owner is still earning, i would say those operating the boutique store would definitely earn alot. ALOT!

Male fashion over at TP does not suit me, they dress very 'attractively'. I would not know if the word attractive would describe their dress sense but they dress in a way that would attract attention to themselves. Maybe its their culture for both sexes to dress 'attractively'.

Accomplishments

I have accomplished a few things after a week here in Singapore. Certain foods has been eaten, friends has been met and media stuff have been downloaded on the ACTUAL broadband speed.

So i have left with two weeks. Many more things to do, more friends to meet up, more food to eat and definitely a very important issue to settle. Hopefully it is settled before i go back to SG.

Singapore, I miss You!!

I have finally returned back home. It is something that i have been looking forward like one month. Upon returning, i have been eating all the nice food i have missed so much. But the bad thing is that all the foods i missed are all junk food. SERIOUS junk food. Hehe...

On My Way Home...

A little more and im gonna go back home to eat all the food that i like. Oh, and meet my friends who miss me. Hahah...

Saturated

Im saturated. Fully saturated. I cannot absorb anymore. Feels like a 20GB harddisk trying to squeeze 160GB of files. ARGHZ!!!!!

Tagged...

Got tagged, so here it goes.


1. What do you want to do now?
Dinner perhaps, or continue studying

2. Define cute?
Comes naturally, no doubt about it.

3. Do you hate your friends sometimes?
Yea... With them as enemies, who needs friends. Or issit the other way... Hmm...

4. Where do you wish to die?
Come back to me when i'm 70

5. Do you believe in seeing a rainbow after the rain?
Not believe, i've seen it with my own eyes.

6. What impossible things you wish to do?
Travel to space, walk on water

7. Your most sensitive part?
You know... That part that becomes 10 times bigger. The retina.

8. Are you happy with your life now?
Delighted.

9. What if your crush asked you out?
Than its a date.

10. Describe your other half.
Well... She gotta be slim, beautiful, smart and able to accept my constant jokes.

11. What feelings do you hate the most?
Guilt.

12. Do you cherish every friendship of yours?
No doubt.

13. What are you looking forward to in the coming weeks?
Using my own computer with the ACTUAL broadband speed, sleeping on my bed, eating all the food i miss, going to Taipei and going skiing

14. The most important thing in your life.
People. People that is part of my life.

15. Who do you hope to always be there for you?
The person whom i least expect.

16. Do you find life meaningless?
No

17. Who do you love the most?
Family and friends.

18. What's the most gross thing you've done?
Peeing in a swimming pool.

19. What's your greatest wish?
Live the Singaporean Dream

20. The sweetest thing you ever did for someone.
Quite a few, but i guess buying a bag of sugar for my mom counts right?

21. Your favourite animal at the zoo:
Lion

22. What is your favourite colour?
Black

Euro 2008 has started...

Euro has started, which means my exam is gonna start soon. It will be my first paper of the semester. Im kinda geared up for it but i feel i've not prepared enough. Well... Im pretty sure i can pass it. The paper is 50% of my total grade and the other half is assignments and tutorial participation. Apart from the paper, i've known that i've got at least 40% of the total grades. So its pretty easy to pass this unit. The paper... It consists of 10 MCQs, 30% of the paper, and four short/long answer questions. No way am i not able to get at least 50% for the paper. Furthermore i studied this topic when i was in my Poly days. That is why i felt like i was a little too lenient and slack... Well... I will only know when i enter the exam hall then...

Oh... My exam hall is located at the racecourse. I wonder... If im bored, maybe i will look out the window to view the horses doing their practice runs. Hahaha...

Fuse Hunt Day

The night before, i was studying at the library. My friend notified me that the power is out and i realise it too. Initially we thought the librarians switched off the electricity to our outlet, but the truth is that the fuse in my charger blew. Well... I found that out only when i went back home. Since its just a fuse, it should not be hard to find a replacement. Well... It is.

I started my fuse hunt right after breakfast. So i grabbed my friend's car and went to first place. It didn't carry fuses or small electrical parts. So i went to a nearby shopping centre, hoping my chances of finding it is higher. Well... None of the electrical stores have it too. Dang...

So i went back to a nearby hardware store and asked, they do not carry it and gave me directions to another location nearby. When i drove there, i was stunned... The store moved to the western part of the city. ARGHZ!!! I called a friend to find out another place. That place is 30 mins drive. I have never went to that place before. So i drove and finally found the place. It was huge. They are like the American Kmart. Shelves were stacked high and there was a ton of stuff. So much stuff that they do not carry the fuse. A big blow to me...

The assistant was very helpful and gave me diretions to another place. An electronics and electrical store. I can still remember his last sentece to me, 'If JayCar does not carry it, the whole of Australia will not have it.' It gave me alot of hope. I believed in what he said too. If the store does not carry it, im gonna go bonkers!

I managed to find the store which is roughly 10mins drive. I went into the store and they really is live up to their reputation. They sell alot of electrical stuff. Small parts too. So i thought this would me the place. It would be the one that will carry the fuse i want. When i step up to the counter, i gave the assistant the fuse i was finding. He looked around all the small little drawers where you keep small parts. He searched again. Then he turned to me saying that the store does not carry 3A fuses. DAMN IT!!!

So i drove back home, feeling all lost and down. I went back to my place, grabbed my entire charger unit and went out again. I went back to the first place to look for a replacement. Hoping that at least they have the replacement power cable for my charger. Turns out they do not sell power cable. They have the charger unit fit for a range of computers. When i brought it to the counter, it cost me a whopping A$100 for it. After an entire day, 5hours of driving to six different places and i ended up paying so much for a charger. I wonder why such a thing happen to me when im so near the exams...

My Final Weekend

This weekend is my final enjoyment weekend. After this week, im going to study full steam as what i had done last semester for my exams. I enjoyed myself pretty much this week...

A nearby shopping centre that i always visit had a midnight sale, 20% off mall wide. So i took time to visit the mall and bought a couple of stuff. A jacket, sweater and a pair of Havaianas slippers. The jacket was on 50% discount, sweater on 30% while the slippers were on 15%. With such discount, its hard not to buy them.

The following day, i had friends over for lunch. They came from Singapore and started touring and enjoying themselves for the past two weeks. I've met them last week and this week i meet them again before they fly back to SG. Than the preparation of the pranks and celebration begin...

We decorated my friend's place. We placed a big shiny "Happy Birthday" banner with music playing at the back. Than we ambushed her in her room. When she came in to the room, we blasted our party poppers. That was the start of celebration of birthdays.

The next morning, i woke up early to continue our series of pranks and surprises. Together with another friend, we came to her car and started sticking stickers of ducks, monkey and bananas on her car. It was hilarious... She liked it pretty much, guess i can say i can start my own custom design workshop for cars soon. Hehe...

Night time arrives and we had dinner at this place called Greasy Joe's. It is famous for their tasty ribs and big burgers. One word to describe it, dissapointing. The ribs were slightly overdone and the meat was tough. The chicken we ordered was undercooked and we got it sent back. The meat used for the burgers had a strong beef smell. It overpowered even the sauces. The crispy salmon was not done well either... It tasted like half-cooked salmon. The only good dish we had was the wedges and the plate of chicken wings. The rest... Dissapointment. Eight diners and we were charged almost A$200. Well, lesson learnt, never to go back there again.

After dinner we drove to the city and we went to Crown's Casino. Before heading into the casino, we had desserts and drinks. We ordered cakes, tea and a bottle of wine. It was more satisfying than dinner except for the slightly poor service. The waiter gave us a corner which does not have a heater. It was really cold for some of the girls. When we called for the bill, they did not print out our bill. We could simply walk out of the cafe and nobody would know. But i was honest and i paid for the bill. It was pretty sad that such great food is not matched by great service.

In the casino, we watched people playing at the tables. The girls went to play pokies, a.k.a. jackpot machines. The guys, we headed to the blackjack tables. We started with $50. We all said we are prepared to lose up to $50. So we went up to the $10 table and started playing. I was on a streak and stopped shortly after i have won roughly $50. So i told my friends, i've decided to stop. The croupier wanted me to continue, i simply told him i had won my lunch money for the week. Hahahaa...

Final Assignment Push

I've decided to push for my final assignment. Even decided to skip soccer training to work on my assignment. I realise that even with the training, im kinda putting on weight. So i sat down at a coffee joint one day and decided to take a breather from mt assignment work. Look back on the past few days and i realise that it was my diet and snacking to keep awake in the nights.

The nachos, the sweet drinks, the occasional beer. All culprits of my weight gain. The cold is not helping too. I cannot do jogs due to the cold. Maybe i have to pay for gym entries soon.

Assignment work is going to end next week. Im going to finish up whatever i need to do and hit full steam ahead for revision for exams.

What the *beeeeeeeeeep* X 2

Presentation day, Monday

I finally see my missing groupmate. He comes only at the moment he is required. Damn... And when we are preparing for presentation, he pretends to make himself useful. Standing behind me, looking interested. When presentation time, he just stands behind and keeps quiet. Even though he doesn't know anything, he just stands there and keeps quiet. Not bad for keeping quiet, doing nothing and still get full marks for it.

Another Assignment Presentation Meeting, Tuesday

I was suppose to wait for my groupmates at 6pm. They came late. I was in school since 12pm and im really tired. I waited till 6.30pm and we finally started. In the end, i ended at 8pm which made me so hungry and tired. I went home ate and slept. Didn't do anything good...

Assignment Presentation, Wednesday

I got played out. Group members said wear smart casual. I asked, jeans and short-sleeved. They said yes. When i finally see them, they are in jeans and long-sleeved. ARGHZ!!! Great then... I then decided to do more during the presentation. In the end, my tutor found my presentation much better than my groupmates. Hope he doesn't mark me down on attire.

What the *beeeep*...

It's only Thursday and i have received lots of crap from one of my group assignment members. 'I'm not free to meet', 'I'm busy so i can't meet', 'My friend had an accident so i can't come.' Everyday i learn a new excuse... Sick of excuses.

So i wrote in to my tutor last night. Arranged an appointment with him to discuss about my situation. We met today and we discussed on what he will do to them. He told me he will grade them down on the presentation. He will ask them questions so as to back the reasons of marking them down. Also, a peer evaluation sheet will be used to mark them down too. Overall, my groupmate and I would still get the marks even if we do not meet all of the requirements.

I asked if it is possible to reduce the requirements if its just the both of us. He said he will consider it. But if we can 2-man this assignment he will award higher marks.

Hmm... Guess I will be spending lots of time in school from now on...

Beginning of the End

It is the start of May, that means its another month before the exam period starts. Im still plagued by the assignments i have on hand. It is not alot but it's still stressful to have assignments on hand. Slowly but surely, i will finish them and go on to full steam study.

Well... To good grades and more fun in June!