iPhone 3GS

Finally got some songs downloaded into my iPhone.

Another rainy day.

Going to take a nap now.

Back from Beijing

Been super super busy planning for my upcoming melbourne trip next wed. And I'm just back from Beijing on monday. Lots of travelling this year! Until they are wearing me down. No more fun elements in them.

Beijing was extremely hot and stuffy. But the dry weather made me sweat lesser than I would in Singapore. The air was forever bad, with very poor visibility. Dusty roads. I still prefer Shanghai and Suzhou anytime.

Enjoyed Peking Roasted Duck the most and the turtle soup at 全聚德烤鸭店. Expensive though! At about S$40 per pax for dinner with only three dishes in total. Yet there were many Chinese tourists patronising the famed restaurant, besides foreign tourists.

Flew to Xi'an (18 July 2010) and I found the Army of Terracotta Warriors stunning. They were excavated in 1974, after being discovered by a nearby village digging a water well at that time.


Went to Inner Mongolia (19 July 2010) as well. Stayed at a Mongolian Yurt for a night (20 July 2010), and the weather at night and the next morning was chilling, with vapour that came out from my mouth when I speak. Regretted not bringing along a jacket. The Mongolians work only during summer season from June to August. Come September temperature drops and snow starts falling in October. Winter temperature dips as low as minus 30. No tours come after August.



Rode a horse for two hours, until my hips and butt ached. After my china trip, I could manoveur a horse! And ride with confidence. Most Chinese from Northern China know how to ride a horse since young, because it is their transport.


My butt got a second blow the next day (21 July 2010) when I rode on a camel. Thank God the weak-looking camel could not run, but sauntered along the desert path as though it would collapse anytime due to heatstroke.


On the bus back to the city, a french guy seated behind me asked: "Is this bus going back to Hoh-hot?"

Hoh-hot is the capital city of Inner Mongolia. I replied "yes, going back to Hoh-hot."

Then I told dearie that I should have said we're going back to "Hot-yit" (which means very hot in cantonese) and not Hoh-hot!

Got back to Beijing (23 July 2010), visited Temple of Heaven and had Peking Roasted Duck for the next two nights!






Joined a tour to Tianjin (24 July 2010), the fifth busiest port in China, but it wasn't busy at all. I can't see any cargo-lifting work in action. It was 1.30pm, and perhaps the workers were still taking an afternoon nap. The tour bus stinked like hell. I wouldn't want to remember this unpleasant experience, but I wouldn't want to forget that I have to carefully choose the right tour operator next time. No more CYTS!


Still, I would say the Great Wall (25 July 2010) is still the most marvellous structure amongst the other six wonders of the world. Even surpassed the colosseum in Rome. Needless to say, Tower of Pisa.

This Zha Jiang Mian 炸酱面 that I had at the Great Wall filled my final night in China with unforgettable trips to the toilet, even in the sky back to Singapore. SIA should consider installing TV in toilets. So I can come out only when it's about time to land.

A simple cup, above a simple sky. Don't you think I have a flair for marketing photography? I love this pic the most.

Went for my second IPL treatment yesterday at Vivocity. Had an injection on my face after doing carbon peeling. Carbon peeling was kinda unbearable due to the high heat. Felt as though a construction worker was performing soldering work on my face.

Dental appointment today. Paid almost 140 bucks for my broken retainer. Met jc and jm for fyp project discussion, amidst an impending stress. So I went running at Bedok Stadium.

IPL Laser

Dearie brought me for IPL laser yesterday for my acne at Derma Solutions in China Square Central. The package consists of 6 treatments. Went ecp for dinner. Ate my favourite duck rice.

Went cycling with ken this morning. Cycled from home to ecp to changi village. Then had nasi lemak for lunch. Then cycled back to ecp and then home. Took 3 hours man! That's the longest bike ride ever.

Met sis and bro-in-law for dinner at Dian Xiao Er in Tampines One today after my haircut. I still think singapore's salons are more ethical and skillful.

Gonna sleep now. Early flight to beijing tomorrow.

方大同 Singalong song 正式MV版

My china friend said I looked abit like 方大同 when I wear specs, but he's way much taller than me.

And so, I got this song dedicated to me as farewell. Learning piano in China is cheap. At only 100 yuan (22 sgd) per hour.

At Genting now

Woke up at 8 am plus for breakfast.

Checked out at 1130. Walked to KL Sentral but was told that the 12noon express bus to genting was full. Have to wait for 3pm. In the end spent 24 ringgit for sharing taxi with a family of 3 - father from switzerland, mother from indonesia.

I became an uncertified tour guide explaining the height of the mountain, facilities and recreation at Genting, widening of mountain access roads in recent times etc. They ask me why Singaporeans still come here since we have 2 casinos in Singapore. The only reason I can give is the high entrance fee. 100 bucks per entry. Genting package only 80 bucks.

Why Genting will win the bid to set up casino in Singapore? Otherwise the 100 bucks levy won't work.

If the two casinos were run by Sands and MGM Mirage, Genting Highlands will definitely unroll extraordinary casino promotion deals to entice Singaporeans. Now that Genting has a casino in Singapore, it cannot put forward such deals perhaps due to the fear of cannibalising effect?

To put it nicely, of course Genting has experience in the Asian market, so this is a winning factor.

Again, today's journey seemed shorter and I reached Genting Highlands about the same time as mum.

Got room 7144 at Genting Hotel. Renovation on-going, so this time round I'll rather stay at First World Hotel.


Went to gym, ran and performed yoga before using the jacuzzi, steam bath and sauna. Costs me 60 ringgit! But sweating that calories out is more important to me now.



Had claypot chicken rice which costs me about 16 ringgit. Nice though. Southeast Asian food is indeed more appetising, although I have not much preference, anywhere! Had gui ling gao and herbal tea to cool down.

Dusk falls

Slept for two hours till 10 plus and came to coffeebean to use wifi.

Going back to room soon.

Parting time

Yesterday was a difficult time for me, and my china friends as we have to part today. Many flashbacks...

Went Guan Qian Street, wanted to have japanese buffet, but it was closing soon. Lucky for me, otherwise my rigorous fat-shedding routine would have been wasted. Ate 过桥米线 (vermicelli soup) instead.

This morning was especially difficult for me as I made my way to Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport. Even more difficult when I had to pay 58 yuan for a plate of distasteful yangzhou fried rice and 25 yuan for a can of coca-cola which could be bought for 6 yuan and 3 yuan in town respectively.

Upon boarding, I thought I have already reached Singapore. You will know what I mean by looking at the picture below:

Isn't this car similar to our cab?

Plane took off at 2.50pm. Took AirAsia, a bigger plane model A330-300 this time round, to Kuala Lumpur.

Bought a ribena, mineral water and sandwich onboard.

Landed at 7.20pm, helped 2 vietnamese women with immigration cards, and chatted with a china man from the low cost terminal all the way to KL Sentral while on the bus. Asked me how to get jobs in Singapore, told me he likes Singapore alot, and that Singapore is very safe.

Checked into Hotel Sentral. 157 ringgit. Got room 914. Ate mee siam goreng with teh tarik at Old Town for 5.40 ringgit in total. Super nice! At least this cheered me up. Returned to room and realised the hotel did not provide toothpaste. So I have to make my way down again to the minimart.

Going to sleep now. Meeting my mother tomorrow in Genting. Another reason to be happy.

Come to think of it, fortunately I went ahead with the work attachment in China. At least I know I can live overseas independently and handle strangely new problems as they arise.

But now I can't spit on the road as I like whenever I have phlegms or litter whenver I can't find a litter bin.

Humble Administrator's Garden

Went gym this morning, then had lunch at In City. Ate hokkien fried mee from a Singapore cuisine outlet called Sin Chew Kee (新洲记). Not nice at all. Initially did not give me sambal chilli. How to eat?

Went to the Humble Administrator's Garden (拙政园) and was happy to be able to use my student card. So paid half price entrance fee at only 35 yuan. Inside the garden got a pavilion called Celestial Spring Pavilion (天泉亭) and I overheard a tour guide saying that by looking at one's own reflection in the well, one will grow more handsome. So I decided to look 3 times because I need an overhaul!

This well is about 700 years old

Of particular interest to me initially was the Tower of Reflection (倒影楼). But it turned out to be nothing more than a corridor's shadow being reflected on the water.

Got generous bites from mosquitoes, which thrives endlessly since spring time. Other things else......

Went for massage in order to use up my remaining 2 hours on the prepaid card.

Bought taiwanese sausage and braised eggs rice rolls (台湾香肠卤蛋饭团) and a black soya bean for 10 yuan. Returned home before going to Moonlight Harbour (金鸡湖) at about 9pm overlooking the Golden Chicken Lake (金鸡湖).

Reached home at ten plus.

First three days of July

First day of July (Thu)

Went to find my colleagues for lunch after gym near where I worked for the past six months. Had omelette fried rice at a restaurant called New Island Coffee along Zhuhui Road (竹辉路). Only 28 yuan. Purpose for finding them was also to have them help me print out my e-ticket.

Booked an AirAsia flight from Hangzhou to KL next wed. Then I will meet mum for Genting before returning back to Singapore on Saturday.

Time really flies. 6 months just whizzed past in a slow blink of eyes. Yesterday seems like 13 Jan 2010. That dinner at Dian Xiao Er in T3, that Braun Buffel wallet that I received.

Anyway after my lunch, I went to buy ticket for the airport coach. Suzhou, being a booming financial city, has no airport unfortunately. The nearest airport is either in Shanghai, Hangzhou, Wuxi or Nanjing. To Shanghai and Hangzhou, it's about 2-hour bus journey. Sickening~

Went to a salon which I still had a prepaid card with credit left unused worth over 60 yuan. So I decided to go for a thai style head massage for 30 plus yuan. Now I'm still left with 30 plus yuan. But don't think I am going anymore. Each time I enter a salon in China I will have stage fright. Because there are many staff standing there, countless pairs of eyes looking at you. Low labour cost. That's why.

A bar along Shiquan Street (十全街) where my salon is located

Final stop was Times Square (圆融时代广场). On the way there I saw a guy carrying umbrella. The sun here is indeed harzardous. Especially now that heatwave is sweeping across China, in what seems like an outdoor sauna. You'll sweat just by standing outdoor in less than 1 minute. But I don't detest it, because I know this will help me burn my calories.

Outside Auchan Supermarket (欧尚超市)

九光 Department Store in Times Square

Went to a dessert outlet and have coconut sago (海底椰西米露) and a banana pancake. Beside my table were Singaporeans. 1 of them was so "yaya" (arrogant) when demanding that the service crew be "快点！" (faster). That fat ugly man.

Walked to Moonlight Harbour (月光码头), which is my favourite spot, to see it for the one last time, and to say goodbye.

This ferris wheel (摩天轮) is where I visited first and foremost when I reached here in January; it always reminds me of Singapore Flyer and Marina Bay

In fact, Suzhou industrial park is very much like Singapore, with plenty of tree-lined boulevards, and high-rise apartments.

Dinner at a crab specialty restaurant (迷宗蟹).

Second Day of July (Fri)

Went to the gym in the morning. Boarded a bus (no. 2) wanted to go to Lingyan Mountain (灵岩山) but got off the bus 2 stops later due to the sweltering heat. Returned home and slacked before going to Hanshan Temple (寒山寺) at 3.30pm instead after the weather got better, even though still hotter than Singapore. Taxi from home was 37 yuan. Entrance fee 10 yuan (student). Went in to ring the bell 3 times inside a pagoda 5 yuan.

Visiting temple in China isn't like visiting temple in Singapore. Temples in China can earn big bucks from entrance fees and sale of joss sticks (some 60 yuan and upwards depending on the size and popularity of the temple).

Being a poor student like me, I can only afford to press both of my palms together, and drop 2 yuan coins into the donation box.

Took a bus to Guan Qian Street, and then bus 178 to Xiangmen (相门) where I had dinner at a street known as 相门后庄 with full of foodstalls. I had cold noodles (凉面)

Third Day of July (Sat) - Today

Went to Mudu Watertown (木渎水乡古镇) and Lingyan Mountain today. Was super sunny and hot when I left home, but upon reaching it was drizzling. Hate the rain. The former paled in comparison with Zhouzhuang, Tongli and Zhujiajiao watertowns. And with the summer season into play now, trees are growing thick into what looks like a tropical rainforest to me.


Lingyan Mountain reminded me of climbing Bukit Timah Hill, with a temple at the top and boasts of good view of Suzhou city and beyond (entrance fee 1 yuan, cheapest joss stick here 10 yuan). The walk downhill was challenging. Fell once due to the steep incline and slippery path with algae. Then almost slipped another time.

同人不同命啊 (Same human, different lives)

Reached back to my neighbourhood at 4pm and went to the gym till 5.05pm.

Had dinner at In City of spicy soup mee hoon (麻辣汤) but I requested for non-spicy.