Living life on South China Sea for 1166 Nautical Miles

Back from a 12-day Asian voyage on Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas. Really missed that beautiful boat!

Cabin no. 2028

Crowds were mostly Australians, followed by Singaporeans and other Europeans. I had a chance to speak with a Mexican while dipping in the whirlpool and he told me how much he liked the transport system in Singapore and Hong Kong. He told me it would be difficult to get around in Mexico if you don't own a car. I asked how many cars his household own back home and he said "5." Each car (Ford) costs only around 10,000USD. This means that his 5 cars can trade in for 1 car in Singapore.

On the second day of our cruise, mum and I saw a Filipino elderly woman on the verge of crying and walking frantically along the corridor on deck 2. I asked her if she needed help and she told me she can't remember her room number (there were hundred over cabins on deck 2 alone!), and her husband must also be waiting for her.

I asked if she remembers her own name (although a little crude) and when she said "yes," bingo! Then I calmed her down by saying I'll bring her to the reception desk on deck 5 where they'll be able to help locate her room number.

She walked very slowly due to age and trembling in fear. Each time she repeats the same old story that her husband is waiting for her and on the verge of crying, I just need to repeat the same old remedy that the reception desk will be able to locate her room number, and then she would be in delight again. I held her hands and at times I had a tendency to walk rapidly, forgetting that I am assisting an elderly and need to have more patience. The receptionist from South Korea was very kind to say to the elderly woman as she held both her hands that "it is okay you're not the only one faced with this problem, this is only your first night of the cruise. Someone will escort you to your room." The receptionist thanked us profusely and off we went to catch a sunrise and buffet breakfast.

It's a scary thought that one may get senile when we come of age.

The rest of the cruise was smooth sailing.

Had mud bath in Vietnam's Nha Trang, voted as one of the world's most scenic bays. Still, that place really sucked to the max. Although I believe good people does exist, those whom we met were horrible! We initially agreed with the driver who can't speak English on 40USD for a 3-hour car hire. Towards the end of the trip, he stopped at a roadside where he sought the help of his English-speaking friend to dig another 10USD from us. He said 10USD is to drive us back to the pier. I told him that if he didn't drive us back to the pier immediately, he don't even have to think of that 40USD! I rolled up my window pane and he drove off immediately. At Cho Dam (Central) Market, we had a simple lunch (rice with meat) and coconut for 5USD per person! Simply conned. But I must say that one simple lunch alone beats the fine dining main course on board. The cod fish we had on board tasted like chicken breast, dry and hard. Mum said they use frozen fish. Obviously, how can they use fresh fish when the ship calls at a port only days later to re-stock? What's more is that they don't take in supplies from every port but main ports such as Singapore and Hong Kong where the stock is available and quality is good.

Thap Ba Mud Bath

On a tender boat (deep water docking) back to ship in Nha Trang

Spotted our ship from afar

On Hainan Island, I bought an iPhone cover. The seller's initial price was 50CNY, although I managed to bargain and bought at 20CNY (less than 4SGD). Happy!

Upon reaching Hong Kong, it was the Victoria Harbour that stunned me as the ship sailed past the Lantau Bridge.


Reached Shanghai and the weather turned chilly and started drizzling. It was only a transit stop and soon, we were on our flight to Xiamen in Fujian Province.

Xiamen was nice and the buildings looked just like those in Taiwan. And now I know, both Xiamen and the Taiwanese share close relationship in terms of trade and kinship.

Xiamen (view from Nanputuo Temple)

Took a ferry across to Kinmen from Xiamen, a remote island of Taiwan (just like how Okinawa Island is so remote from mainland Japan). Much of Kinmen's remnants came from the Japanese occupation and civil war that took place on the island in the 1940's. Land mines still exist and one is safer sticking to proper roads. This half-day tour to Kinmen has earned me another passport stamp - "Admitted R.O.C, Duration of Stay: 30 Days."

Kinmen - my immediate thought was "what happen if tsunami come?"

Flew back from Shantou, a place near to the Tropic of Cancer.

Lots of sun, sea and sand. Simply love a cruise vacation! Free-style!

Back from 18 days of travelling

Returned home yesterday after 18 days of travelling on the road.

Left on 29 December 2010.

Spent my new year in Hong Kong, watching countdown tv channel in the room instead of Victoria Harbour, which was so full of people until I could imagine Kowloon sinking. Ronald, my ex-China colleague, spent his new year (0000hrs) in the shower. Lol. Anyway, Chinese nationals don't really celebrate new year (gregorian calendar), but Chinese new year (lunar calendar).

I prefer Christmas and new year because they usually coincide with end-of-year clearance sale.

Went Suzhou to meet up with my friends there. They treated me to lavish dinner. I am praying hard they won't come to Singapore in the near future, or else I can only treat them to dinner at Lau Pa Sat. Satay. Ooo.. missing it.

Went Shanghai and Shaoxing alone. Weather was at freezing point. Worn 5 layers of clothing which made me felt heavy and clumsy.

Flew by budget carrier to Hong Kong, and toured for 5 days before returning back to Singapore.

One more week left before school reopens on 24th January 2011.

Tune Hotel Danga Bay

Went Tune Hotel Danga Bay by coach from MBS yesterday. 12 SGD one way. Journey time about 1.5 hrs.

Had foot reflex in Festive Street Market - 38 MYR/1hr. Cheap cheap. In Singapore, I pay 38 SGD/40mins. Foot reflex is good because it aids in blood circulation. I felt pain when they pressed the acu-point on sinus and gastric... Very true. Cos I always wake up having running nose, and food never gets digested in my stomach. Too much gastric juice.

Next time I go I must tell that old lady from Chiangmai to be gentler, cos I had to walk back to the hotel limply. Power!

Napped in the room until it was dinner time. Bought 1 roti boy from that same market which I had to walk for 10 minutes. Then had mee rebus which doesn't taste like our usual mee rebus. Cos the mee rebus that I ate was indonesian style. Still it was a good try and new experience, and I turned out to like it.

Watched a show on National Geographic on air disaster. After I slept I dreamt of 1 old lady committing suicide by jumping down a building. Today news reported the crash of an Air China flight in China.

Reached back MBS at about 12nn.

Took bus to Esplanade and walked to Raffles City. Met mum, sis and jeck. Had lunch at Shokudo before checking into Fullerton Bay Hotel room 620. Sis booked for her 3 nites stay there to celebrate her birthday.

One night 388 SGD! Very nice hotel. I loved the pool overlooking Marina Bay.

Mum and I walked to MBS for dinner. Fried rice tasted horrible! Plain. Char siew puff was so dry. Both of them wasted the space in my stomach! Could have filled it with something better. I don't usually fuss over food, and when I does, you know the standard.

Left with 4 more days to play before school starts on mon. Finally.

Back from Australia

My trips for this year have ended, finally.

For once I felt soooo tired jetting around!

My trip to Australia was relaxing though.

Some uniqueness about Australia:

- Aussies can wear t-shirts and shorts with slippers in winter
- Most don't wash hands after pee-ing
- Fish & chips!
- 3.50 AUD per mineral water bottle
- Friendly with lots of smiles
- Shops close by 6pm

And I met a mad woman at the hostel! She can really talk nonstop. Was telling me how Australia should learn from Singapore by banning chewing gums. Got one time she sat on it at the bus stop and had to waste 9 AUD sending it to the laundry.

The next day, she repeated the same old story to other hostelites while we were in the kitchen.

The first moment I saw the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House, I was soooooo excited! But after a few minutes, I felt that they were nothing special. Its only that our version is called the Benjamin Sheares Bridge and the Esplanade respectively.

Melbourne? I like it better than Sydney. At least our drive to the Great Ocean Road was something memorable. But then, after a few minutes of driving along the coast, we see the same thing - sea after sea!

I still enjoy Japan more.

Oh well tomorrow have to go collect my dental retainer at 9.30am at SGH! sigh... i am lacking of sleep.

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.

Putuoshan Island 普陀山 16-17 June 2010

Went Putuoshan Mountain on Wednesday 16 June 2010 by overnight ferry from Shanghai. During the day time I went Postal Office in Shanghai to post a gift to my prof. That postal office is a landmark in Shanghai in itself. Had a long walk from the Bund (上海滩) as the security officer whom I sought for help pointed out to the wrong direction. So I had to u-turn.

My ferry left Wusong Port (吴淞码头) at 8pm. I reached just in time to board the ferry and while walking halfway to the ferry along the walkway, I stopped to take a photo of the ferry. Then I heard a woman shouted at me from faraway under the dimly-lit shelter "小姑娘快一点儿！船都快开了! 还拍什么照！ (Young lady hurry up! Ferry is leaving!)

Upon nearing the woman who turned out to be a fruit seller, she then said: "叫错了。这小伙子。到了普陀再拍嘛！" (Called out wrongly, you this little dude. Take the photo when you reach Putuo!)

I think my stature is sexy. That's why people often mistook my figure as a female from afar! Omg. Indeed I think I am more sexy than both of my sisters whom that same fruit seller might have otherwise mistaken as "uncles in the late 30s" with a beer belly.

So I boarded the ferry and then located my berth (bed on a ship/ferry is called "berth") on Deck 3A, berth no. 36. It was a middle-class standard cabin, with 8 berths in total. My lower berth was occupied by a mother and her daughter, who had difficulty climbing up the ladder. So I took her berth. Anyway, I prefer upper berth so I don't have to get near to the shoes of others left on the floor.

I went to the outdoor deck and watched Shanghai slowly disappear from my sight as we sailed out on the pearl river delta (珠江). For the next few hours, I indulged myself in a snoring symphony as soon as I sunk into my berth, hard as rock. Two old ladies were competing in a snoring contest. So much so that I began to question the quality of my ear plug.

Woke up at 0445 in the hope of watching the sunrise, but the sky was shrouded with thick, dark clouds. It was drizzling and I returned to my dreamy state of mind before hearing the announcement that breakfast could be bought on Deck 3 Cafe. So I had a bowl of minced meat noodles for 15 yuan, just to realise that I should have taken vegetarian instead, since I was on a pilgrimage trip to one of the 4 most reputed Buddhist mountains in the whole of China.

Reached Putuoshan at 0730am, sky turned sunny! And temperature began to soar above 30 degree celsius, unbearably hot!

Paid half price for admission to Putuoshan (just like an airport tax) for 80yuan upon presentation of my Foreign Student Pass. So I was delighted! As usual in China, I began hearing hagglers calling out for tourists who need accommodation and guide. And so I began to feign deaf by ignoring and not lend any facial expression.

Walked up a hill to Southern Sea Goddess of Mercy Statue (南海观音圣像). That was when I felt Putuoshan is just like Pulau Ubin on a bigger scale. Winding and steep roads, with green trees alongside. And that reminded me of my torturous cycling trips with my mates such as nb, ken and sc many years ago. Time really flies!

I sought for accommodation later at Puji Temple (普济寺) but was told that the 100 yuan single rooms were all taken. Only left with the 200 yuan twin rooms. Initially I wanted to go for it, but when I came to read "No in-room television," I decided to take my leave. What am I gonna do if without laptop with me and no TV? I put accommodation matter aside for the time being, and then took a minibus to a ropeway station.

The ropeway (cable car) which costs me 50 yuan roundtrip took me up to 佛顶山 (Buddha-top mountain), which commanded a bird's eyeview of Putuoshan and where the Huiji Temple (慧济寺) is sited.

Very soon, I was on the way downhill, and went to Thousand Steps Beach (千步沙) where I caught a good amount of sunlight. I looked at my watch, it was only midday, and I have covered the main attractions in Putuoshan. So I decided to leave the island and caught a 1235 ferry to Ningbo (one of the richest city in China).

While waiting for the ferry, a lunch of rice with tomato fried eggs and cabbage cost me 25 yuan. All things on the island are double the price as compared to elsewhere. Still, I had to waste 1/4 of the food since I am on a light diet these days.

Slept unglamorously on the ferry, lying horizontally across the 3-seater row as I was really really exhausted from the walking. And my flip-flops left blister on my feet.

Reached the port, and took what turned out to be the longest ride on a public bus ever - 2.15 hours - to the train station, for 5 yuan. Indeed worth the ride (travelling through time from cultivated fields to modern city), but not worth the havoc wreaked unto my skinny ass.

My ass felt a second major blow when I later took a 3-hour coach ride back to Suzhou for 115 yuan. Got to travel along the Hangzhou Bay Bridge (杭州跨海大桥), which seemed endless to me, and the longest sea-bridge I've ever travelled on. I later googled the bridge and came to know it is 36km long, the world's longest trans-sea bridge. My coach travelled along the bridge for over 15 minutes, across the sea can you imagine?? And this is happening in China, unbelievably.

I reached home at 9.30pm. Shack. I think I'm one of the few who managed to tour Putuoshan in such a few hours. Because I can walk really fast! The usual route is to stay overnight on the island. But I managed to save the cost on accommodation.

Stress

Spent 4 nights in Shanghai last week (17-22 May 2010). Got this mont blanc watch and ax berms from dearie as belated birthday presents.

Went Expo, Zhujiajiao (朱家角) watertown and city tours. Only managed to visit Finland Pavilion, which had the least people queuing at that time.

Tea time at Zhujiajiao

Have started running again, because my belly is now visible after eating so much rice in china. Stress!

Back from Qingdao, Taishan and Shanghai

Qing Ming Festival is so fast over. Got public holiday off, so I went sightseeing in Qingdao, climbed Mount Taishan and shopped in Shanghai with mum and sis.

Now I am having post-holiday blues, because 9 days have whizzed past so quickly!

Qingdao can be a good summer destination, owing to its beaches.

Mount Taishan has a very steep inclination, unlike other mountains I have climbed before.

Shanghai is just like Hong Kong, although on a much larger scale, so I love it!

Shall post my photos later.

Japan in February 2010

Nagoya's famous kishimen, or handmade flat noodle

Nagoya's ferris wheel; I want to take all the wheels possible in Japan~ taken Tokyo's Odaiba, Yokohama, now Nagoya and where's next?

Nagoya TV Tower

Me in Yukata

Nijo Castle in Kyoto
Sakura in bloom

Kyoto Tower

Kiyomizu Temple

Hakone

View of owakudani valley from the ropeway

Hotel Green Plaza hotspring in Hakone

Tokyo Tower

Night view from Tokyo Metropolitan Building

Tokyoites also study in cafes just like in Singapore, but the differences are that they need blanket to cover up their legs and they can smoke cigarettes and study at the same time.