Travel Log 1.1

14/12/04 Tuesday : Shen Zhen - Humen

Touched down in Shen Zhen Bao An Airport on SQ flight with Wilk and two of our friends (henceforth, "the girls") around 2.30pm. Practically uneventful for the rest of the day after my dad picked us up in his battle-scarred MPV. Point to note is how dad has learnt to drive just like the locals, with no regards to lanes and no inclination to signal. It was quite nerve-wreaking being a front seat passenger. As usual, meals were hearty affairs that cost next to nothing considering the exchange rate of S$1 to nearly RMB 5. Wilk and I were pretty used to it by now but it was an eye opener for the girls to have a whole spread of fresh Japanese fare (Ooo more sashimi please!) for a mere pittance.

Settled into the parental slick, if slightly unfurnished, new 25th floor penthouse. Yes, relatively cheap housing too. Ok, so I was fairly impress with the new pad, but service from the locals I was not. It was pretty ridiculous when you have the money to spend and yet the people who do the renovations, deliver the furniture and plant the garden were pretty darn incompetent (kept bringing the wrong stuff, never bring the equipment they need for gardening and sat around drinking coffee instead). By the time we left, the gardeners (all 4 of them) still have not completed planting in a garden the size of two bedrooms of a 5-room flat and they have started almost 2 weeks before I even got there.

15/12/04 Wednesday : Humen

Brought the girls to see the local wet market (roasted dogs!!) and found it rather toned down compared to 2 years ago where there were stalls selling assorted wildlife such as raccoons, cats etc. Guess after the SARS and bird flu epidemic, the authorities have been really clamping down hard on exotic wildlife cuisine. Now all that is left are a couple stalls selling various reptiles like king cobras and bullfrogs. Still it was an eye-opener for city folks like us to see snakes being skinned alive and �drowned� in alcohol to make medicinal wine. Not to mention the abundance of live fishes swimming in numerous pools, ranging from huge eels to octopuses and all forms of clams and crustaceans. Only poor people would buy seafood that was dead and often, the seafood we get on the dinner table were most certainly alive minutes before they were put into the wok.

Afternoon spent bring the girls to the ONLY local tourist attraction, the Lin Ze Xu Museum. (RMB10). For those who have no inkling of Chinese history, that�s the guy who burned down all the opium (more like flood actually, than burned) which propelled the Opium War. That�s probably my 3rd visit there and frankly, it was pretty boring and the exhibits were limited and not well maintained. After dinner at home, we went prawn fishing (1st hr RMB38, 2nd hr RMB33) at the local �prawn pool�. If we were expecting a nice outdoor pond with balmy sea breezes, we were sadly mistaken. The �prawn pool� was just as the title suggested, a pool (which is not very big in the first place) filled with prawns housed within one of the shop houses along the main road. Not much to look at, but we were able to bring our own beer and peanuts, which we proceeded to ignore, being so intent watching our fishing lines. It may not sound like much, but I think the joy was in actually getting a prawn on the hook (using liver and prawn meat as bait). Once that happened, we stayed the whole 2 hours. By the end of the day, we took home around 1jin (kg?) of prawns of various sizes. Not too bad to the end of day 2 for a couple of city slackers who never even fished before.

The Quest...

My wedding notebook (you know, the one filled with secret information which does not make sense to anyone else but me?) is aptly named "The quest for Enlightenment". It was a hand-made 'one of a kind' (and made with love, so said on the introduction page inside) journal made from a recycled indian "philosophy" book i bought originally for the SO. The cover is still intact but the inside pages has been taken out and now it is ring-bound with blank journal paper.

SO didn't quite like it. I thought it was a laugh... so guess that's why i am using it now for the wedding notebook.

I think the heading just said it all, esp in light of our endeavours in this whole fiasco of wedding preparations. I must say that not all quests will bear fruit.

Let's hope this one will...

Hectic Holidays

Well, we are back, in one piece... more or less.
Let's just said that China has been extremely kind to us, gastronomically and financially. And not to forget, the graciousness and generousity of my parents to our friends while we were there.

hmMmm.. starting to sound like a thank you/acceptance speech thingy...

In any case, WILL post up trip details once i have my travel diary with me.

Summary as follows:
12 days
Humen, Guangzhou, Guilin, Yangshuo, Macau, Shantou
Eating,
Walking,
Cycling,
Cruising,
Drinking Coffee
&
Playing bridge.

But, it is actually more fun than that.
So stay tune...

Let's get jiggy with it!

To the tunes of Xmas Jingles!!!

*cough*
*hiccup*

*headache*

Can't wait to leave the country already...

Half-fucked face

One of the more hurtful things i uttered yesterday.

It came suddenly...
"Why don't you put your half-fucked face on it instead?"

Actually what i really wanted to say was...
"why do you have to put my half-fucked face on it?"

I guess i really meant to hurt someone else when the only thing i am really upset with is myself.
Lashing out at others is an easy way to cover up one's unhappiness of oneself.

I have a Jambu Tree...

Actually, make that two.

One tree resided in my garden where it has been planted directly into the ground while the other was planted into a flowerpot outside my gate. They are both huge and yet strangely, while during certain period of the year, the one outside my house continued to flower and bear fruits, in fact absolutely laden with them upon occasions while the one inside the house never did, despite being planted into the soil of the garden.

Then one particularly stormy night, the flowerpot outside my house was blown over. I realized that the reason the jambu tree outside was bearing so much fruit was that the roots has grown out of the pot and into the soil beneath the pot. But due to the storm and the weight of the pot toppling over, the thickest root, the size of my arm, was severed from the rest of the plant. Though we put the pot upright again, from then on, the tree withered and lost all it's leaves within a week. A gardener was employed to replant it directly into the soil outside my house when we noticed that part of the brunches, after a month or so, sprouted tiny leaves. After a few months, the leaves started coming back slowly but the tree itself remained rather 'crippled'. I doubt we will ever get jambus again.

This morning, my maid placed on the dining table, five big bright pink jambus. A miracle of sorts. Though not from the 'crippled' tree. Rather, the dormant tree in the garden had rather quietly flowered and bore fruits for the very first time. Just 5 and nothing more. But it was 5 perfect looking jambus.

Perhaps when given time, the tree outside will flower again.

Somethings i have learnt from my two jambu trees:
1) Things does not always remain good
2) When adversity happen, it does not mean we stop trying.
3) Like all things, it takes time for one's effort to bear fruit.
4) Just because someone else presented results first, you are not necessary out of the running.
5) Miracles can take time too.
6) Life will find a way.

4949

Had a little 4D adventure just a week ago. Though i hardly ever buy 4D (toto still occasionally, especially during birthdays *heh heh*), decided to ask SO to go buy the number 4949 after two particular incidents we witnessed where a dog was ran over along the ECP. In fact one dog was ran over just a few cars before mine and was still kicking its legs when we drove by. SO called the traffic police and we weren't sure what happened after that. In any case, we didn't really stop to think about it till 2 days later, we saw a dead dog on the ECP again. It was a chance remark about what a unfortunate coincidence and luck when the number 4949 (twice si-4 kou-9) came to mind.

On the day of the draw, the number which came up closest to ours was 4749 which sort of made sense if you think about it (si qi-as in last breath, since one dog was still alive the last we saw it)...

Surreal.

Not about the numbers and the dogs.
But the fact that people can see meaning in random numbers or try to give meaning to them. In any case, i am not sure i would feel good if we did win some money. Seems abit... wrong somehow. Perhaps i ought to stick to buying quickpicks from toto instead.

Singapore Idle

Finally watched an episode of Singapore Idols on Thursday because i was 'dateless' for the evening. Yes, blame the SO for going off to cambodia with a bervy of young chicks... And it was also his fault that i did one of the most meaningless things in my life...

I SMS in to 43657 and voted for Taufik.
Only because 1) I was bored 2)the other GUY really sucked big time.

*awkward silence*


Anyway, back to the monotonous scheduled drivel of yours truly...

Realization No. 60

A perfect day can have imperfections too.

Cat on probation...

At least for the time being for showing examplary behaviour for the past 2 days. Shall monitor his progress before lifting his punishment totally and take him off the 'naughty list'.

Which i guess will be soon, seeing how good he is at getting back into my good books.
*roll eyes*

Between Cambodia and Australia...

I've just lost two of my consistent 'entertainment' in my private and work life...

*sniff*sniff*

I wish i am overseas too!

Dream a lil dream

Was startle into a 'deeper' sense of consciousness when in my dream, i suddenly remember that i have to prepare for my history exams. History? Good lord, i haven't studied history since i was sec. 2! Still, whoever said that dreams had to make sense? Anyway, i was flipping pages and pages of thick history textbooks and making notes with my highlighter when i mentally evaluated my 'progress' on history and other various subjects which i then remembered the exams were due in 2 weeks time.

It was a panicky sort of feeling but i think overall i felt in control because i though i was adequately prepared (i.e. i don't think i will fail) for the subjects. That is until i realized that i have done nothing for my maths paper. (Maths? What the heck was i doing maths for?) Then it was a mad scrambling for old textbooks, notes, lecture notes, exercises, piles of assessment books and model answers. On first glance i already knew i have no freaking idea how to do cosine of anything to anything or remember what's the formula for a triangle (is it a2 + b2 = sqrtC. Argh! I was freaking out but not quite knocked-out yet. From the top of my head, i was wondering if i could get tuition at the last minute from the teacher or friend and even planning which topics i ought to concentrate on (draw graphs on planes or something like that and NO trigonometry!).

So i would say i am still pretty in control (hmmm keyword?) though hopping on one foot when the better part of me (left brain probably, or right, or hind or whatever) stopped to ask...

"So what exactly is the paper i am cramming for. Was it C Maths, O-levels? Waitaminute... I finished my O-levels! And my As (okie, so i didn't do that well, but goddamnit, i completed that blasted C maths paper!). University? What the heck! I didn't even do maths in uni. And this ain't no psych stats paper either."

The more the thoughts rambled on, the more excited i became...

"Hang on... i finished my As, my university. I got my bachelor's degree. GEEZ! I even got my Masters already! (EUREKA!!!! - you could literally hear my brain blew a fuse just then) I DON"T NEED TO PREPARE FOR NO MATHS PAPER!!!!!! WOOHOOOOOOO!"

Well, that was probably when i realized i MUST be dreaming and need to wake up.
Besides, i think my phone just rang... *heh*

Off to Siam Reap

No.. not me.
HIM!

Sigh. So fun.
Wish i can bring a whole bunch of pesky, overprotected sec. sch girls on a overseas trip to a 3rd world country for 6 days after fending of defensive and protective parents too.

Some people have all the luck.

I am a part of the UN!!!

It tickled me to no ends when i surf on the web this morning and found that "Aurorin" is one of the nation member of this internet united nations under the umbrella name "Ztorque" (HmMm i don't know, sounds pretty much like a new model of sports car).

Apparent it is named The Commonwealth of Aurorin (WOoHoo! I am rich, rich, RICH!). With a really cool looking flag/crest/totem(?!?) that sorts of look like a desolute planet with a funky blue spike for a hair do (or perhaps a inverted ice cream cone, or mabbe not-so-coolly, like a missile emitting from the moon).

I am under the UN Category of Inoffensive Centrist Democracy (whatda??!?)with good civil rights track record, reasonable economy (wo0oHoo) and below average political freedom (yaY for ruling party!!). I even have my own motto - "Triumph is eternal" (that's right baby! and national animal (atomic superman?!)..

*heh heh heh*.

Being alone

I am in the enviable position where i get to live alone, with all the amenities and comfort of staying with the family (big room, live-in maid who cooks, do the laundry etc) and no nagging parents/siblings to content with. No one to ask me what time i am going to be home. No one to fight over the remote and internet phoneline with. All the peace and quiet i want, with no rent to pay.

Yet, too quiet, i'd say.

More than once the SO has mentioned that to me but i am quite used to it, really. I have my tv and my cat. What more would i need? And SO's company whenever he could come over (which is pretty much 80% of the week). I really don't think after we get married, much will change.

Except perhaps, we should really find a place of our own, to call our own.
Where there's a sense of belonging.

Not transcient migrants living a life beyond our boundaries.

Soon i think, though situation demands that statues quo remain as it is. As least for the time being.

Solitary confinement

The cat has been kept in solitary confinement for doing something naughty.
Really REALLY naughty.
So he has been looking mightily guilty and contrite in the past two days.
Not a peep out of him either.
Will let him stew in guilt for a while before cuddling him again.

Has been in self-imposed solitary confinement too.
Guess that virus which plagued me has not fully been eradicated because i am sick.
Again.
It is always the same problem.
Nose blocked.
Throwing up.
Feverish.
Sore throat.
SO seems to think it is stress related.
Perhaps it is but then i only got sick after i confirmed the 'venue'.

Strange.

I decided to control myself a little bit and not talk too much about the upcoming 'event' next nov *argh. the wedding damnit*

Don't want to have to rename the blog - "The marrying psychologist".

But who knows.
I may become indulgent later on.

Yoghurt and Tuna

For the past two weeks, i have been eating tuna/cheese with softmeal bread, cherry tomatos and a cup of yoghurt with nata de coco for lunch. The yoghurt, especially, is strangely addictive, considerating that i never liked yoghurt much in the first place. In any case, this rather boring combination for lunch every day has been quite good because a) it is cheap (in the long run), and b) it is healthy. However, i doubt i can continue this for long because everyone needs some variety in life, even boring people like me.

So, i decided to have yoghurt with mixed fruit from now on instead.

Salsa!!

Having the second session of salsa tonight. Quite enjoyable though if you asked me, i would still rather prefer the edible kind... HmMMmm with nachos and cheese... yum!
As usual, there was way too many women sharing the pathetic number of men in the class. Whatmore (and that's not being overly cocky), most of the women danced far better than the men. Case in point, one of the guys actually 'danced' by remembering the steps by linking it to military marching commands. Wouldn't that be nice to see on a National day parade? A contingent of soldiers doing the salsa *oops* sorry, march pass the President on TV.

As for me, i don't think i have the flair and aptitude to do good salsa though rhythm i get, steps i remember. Still, a sight far better than 'forward 2 3 4, backward 6 7 8, Kekakan Puseng!' (at least that's what i thought he said).

Deja vu... well, thereabouts

It's a trifle bit disconcerting to be typing in your own blog and the first other website you surf had the name of your blog, as a title to their blog.

Not that there's any relation.
Just something that jumps out once in a while.
I guess in this instance it must be only me (darn! the voices in my head!) who even find the name Madness Monologues vaguely familiar.

3 year-old husky male to give away

Found this friendly and affectionate husky named wiggy at the pet shop near where i worked yesterday whose owner wanted to give him away. Originally the owner wanted to put him to sleep because they are moving to a condo and wiggy needs a compound to roam in.

So anyone interested please let me know?
Preferably someone who has an outdoor area and no other big-sized male dog. Wiggy is quite territorial but is very good with smaller dogs (saw him playing with pet shop's jack russell) and also cats. Doesn't bite but may want to intimidate larger dogs (male ego thing).

Really very very cute. Would love to have him if i don't already have a possessive Rottweiler!