There are times when I wonder if there are any limits to my stupidity, such as keeping my wardrobe key so safe somewhere that I can't for the life of me think of where I put it, therefore barring my access to all the clean clothes that I have. I am jet-lagged, filthy and still hating the fact that I'm back.
***
Later. Trying to retrace my thought processes as I kept the key, I correctly deduced that I would have put my keys somewhere so obvious that I would come across it eventually - and worked out that it would be in my office bag. Thankful that I didn't have to wait till Monday to find them. Off to the shower, at long last.
Showing posts with label packing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label packing. Show all posts
-3: Holy Shit
I've never really understood why people say that. How is shit holy? I can understand holy cow, but holy shit? This blog post will be open the whole day and I will be typing in random things that I think of, amidst my frantic writing. I can't believe today's Thursday, tomorrow's Friday, then Saturday comes and I'm flying off! But yea, no time to really put up an insightful post full of witticisms as per my usual writing. Still crazy behind with my work. Still.
---
I'm representing for them gangsters all across the world
Still hitting them corners in them low low's girl
Still taking my time to perfect the beat
And I still got love for the streets, it's the D-R-E
---
Just came back from a meeting with my co-supervisor, my safety net, my life raft, my bungy rope. My pillar of support, my oasis in the desert, my please-don't-leave-me-to-die. He seems ok with my progress although I'm not. He also seems to think that I'll be working on it in Europe although I'm not. But seeing that he's always right, I may be ok, and I'll have to put in some overtime in Europe... preferably Berlin when I'll still be having a roof over my head.
I am taking solace in a video that I saw the other day on Discovery News - this explorer guy said that there is only one essential thing to be an explorer. "Incompetence". Because if everything goes well according to (a good) plan, there would be no adventures or good stories to tell. I will think of his wise words when I am stranded somewhere with no roof over my head or after I am robbed by cute gypsy kids.
I saw my insurance guy yesterday to pay for my travel insurance and it was him who told me about the gypsy kids slashing backpacks and pickpocketing in Europe. "They go for single Asian women who look clumsy and lost," he said. "Erm. Isn't that me?" "Yup." "With a neon sign pointing at the top of my head?" "Yup." I think my insurance guy is honest to the point of being annoying, which is probably a good trait for any insurance guy to have.
---
This is my Island of Stuff, still under construction. I can't afford to procrastinate on packing this time, so I've delineated an area to dump stuff that need to be packed there whenever I remember to. This is incomplete of course, especially the stack of clothes, which I put in just for illustration purposes.
From the top left clockwise, that's my day bag cum cooler (it has this really cool lining that keeps your drinks cool inside), my newly acquired netbook, various chargers and adapters of gadgets, my sleeping bag, my 32 litre Deuter Act Trail, some medication and supplements my mum got me, clothes, toiletries, souvenirs from Malaysia for friends and friends I have yet to make, a folder of important documents, a notebook and my passport. Apart from the day bag and the sleeping bag which my dad and I figured out how to affix outside the pack, everything has to go in.
I'm also bringing this new t-shirt I bought yesterday:
---
When I was doing my last-minute shopping yesterday I saw two cute guys. One was a salesman in a shop selling designer bags made out of recycled things such as seatbelts, fire hoses, candy wrappers and soda can rings. He patiently explained everything to me and was very nice even though I didn't buy anything (or look like I could afford to). The other was when I was buying a book in Borders, and the cute cashier asked me if I needed a plastic bag. He was the only cashier who took the trouble to ask me that for the entire day. I asked him if he asked everybody, or if he just noticed that I had a huge shopping bag with me. He said he asked everybody. I thanked him for that =)
Environmentally conscious guys are hot.Actually no, the researcher in me can't make that causal conclusion - so it's either environmentally conscious guys are hot, or hot guys are environmentally conscious. No actually again - there are many methodological problems - the sample's too small, there's a high researcher bias, so I can't say that either. Fuck - They just are.
---
Shit it's evening already and I've only finished organizing all my references and have been thinking a lot but haven't actually written anything. Jen Hui believes in me. If Jen Hui believes in me I should believe in myself right? Right!!!
---
I was just sending an impulse email to Val and at almost the same instance that I was about to send it, I got his text! Freaky friendship telepathy ftw =D
---
OK I should close this post and get down to writing. Two hours of intense word-smithing, coming up!
---
I'm representing for them gangsters all across the world
Still hitting them corners in them low low's girl
Still taking my time to perfect the beat
And I still got love for the streets, it's the D-R-E
---
Just came back from a meeting with my co-supervisor, my safety net, my life raft, my bungy rope. My pillar of support, my oasis in the desert, my please-don't-leave-me-to-die. He seems ok with my progress although I'm not. He also seems to think that I'll be working on it in Europe although I'm not. But seeing that he's always right, I may be ok, and I'll have to put in some overtime in Europe... preferably Berlin when I'll still be having a roof over my head.
I am taking solace in a video that I saw the other day on Discovery News - this explorer guy said that there is only one essential thing to be an explorer. "Incompetence". Because if everything goes well according to (a good) plan, there would be no adventures or good stories to tell. I will think of his wise words when I am stranded somewhere with no roof over my head or after I am robbed by cute gypsy kids.
I saw my insurance guy yesterday to pay for my travel insurance and it was him who told me about the gypsy kids slashing backpacks and pickpocketing in Europe. "They go for single Asian women who look clumsy and lost," he said. "Erm. Isn't that me?" "Yup." "With a neon sign pointing at the top of my head?" "Yup." I think my insurance guy is honest to the point of being annoying, which is probably a good trait for any insurance guy to have.
---
This is my Island of Stuff, still under construction. I can't afford to procrastinate on packing this time, so I've delineated an area to dump stuff that need to be packed there whenever I remember to. This is incomplete of course, especially the stack of clothes, which I put in just for illustration purposes.From the top left clockwise, that's my day bag cum cooler (it has this really cool lining that keeps your drinks cool inside), my newly acquired netbook, various chargers and adapters of gadgets, my sleeping bag, my 32 litre Deuter Act Trail, some medication and supplements my mum got me, clothes, toiletries, souvenirs from Malaysia for friends and friends I have yet to make, a folder of important documents, a notebook and my passport. Apart from the day bag and the sleeping bag which my dad and I figured out how to affix outside the pack, everything has to go in.
I'm also bringing this new t-shirt I bought yesterday:
---
When I was doing my last-minute shopping yesterday I saw two cute guys. One was a salesman in a shop selling designer bags made out of recycled things such as seatbelts, fire hoses, candy wrappers and soda can rings. He patiently explained everything to me and was very nice even though I didn't buy anything (or look like I could afford to). The other was when I was buying a book in Borders, and the cute cashier asked me if I needed a plastic bag. He was the only cashier who took the trouble to ask me that for the entire day. I asked him if he asked everybody, or if he just noticed that I had a huge shopping bag with me. He said he asked everybody. I thanked him for that =)
Environmentally conscious guys are hot.
---
Shit it's evening already and I've only finished organizing all my references and have been thinking a lot but haven't actually written anything. Jen Hui believes in me. If Jen Hui believes in me I should believe in myself right? Right!!!
---
I was just sending an impulse email to Val and at almost the same instance that I was about to send it, I got his text! Freaky friendship telepathy ftw =D
---
OK I should close this post and get down to writing. Two hours of intense word-smithing, coming up!
-16: It's the great I am
I am home. It's fantastic. My eyes are half open/half closed, depending if you're an optimist, but I will ramble a little bit because I haven't felt so free and unrepressed in a while. Yes I brought some sheets of writing back to collate. And yes I can't be arsed to do it now.
It's great to be back in KL. The last time I was back was during Chinese New Year. Since then I've been hit by wave after wave of work, and if I didn't come back this time, the next time would be three months later, after my Europe trip and the confirmation defense. Asa would already be in Brisbane. I would already be different, as all my long travel stints tend to change me substantially in one way or another. In New Zealand I started hitchhiking. In the States I became a vegetarian. I wonder what Europe would have in store for my ongoing evolution.
Speaking of Europe, Val's going to be there when I go! He quitted Australia and is probably on his way back on a plane right this moment. I got the news when I was in depths of despair with some concepts that refused to work, and I only glanced very absently at the text that came in, from a number that I didn't recognize. The next second I was laughing and waving my cell phone and jumping around in the office and poking Kristy.
It's going to be so awesome, I anticipate a lot of beer-guzzling and German-spotting. (He's German. She's German. That dog's German too. How does he do that??) And we'll see Marten again and reminisce over the good old days, and come up with new running gags, because that's what we do. (But the whales! Think about the whales!)
I've also confirmed a detour from Paris to Strasbourg to see Linda. The train tickets that she booked for me (you get cheaper tickets if you buy from the official site and of course it had to be in French) only cost 55Euros both ways so it's not too bad. I'm really looking forward to seeing her again, and being shown around by a local and staying with her family.
So much about Europe. I haven't had time to plan the actual things to do at all although I know I should. But writing has taken up most of my time, and will continue to occupy me until the 11th hour, I think. The only thing that I really need to do is to plan on how to fit my entire wardrobe for 2 months, my toiletries, my sleeping bag, a netbook (which I have yet to acquire) and miscellaneous stuff (flip flops for example) into my trusty 32litre backpack, under 10kg. That means that every item that goes into the bag has to be essential, and versatile in usage, and I probably can't buy anything on the way. Of course the other option is to post stuff back home whenever my pack gets too crazy full. I've a feeling that I'll use this option at least once, to send my formal clothes back after the conference is done. Speaking of which, I haven't prepared for my presentation! Rats.
Anyway, I should go now, a long day ahead tomorrow to run various errands. I leave you with Sufjan Stevens who's playing a part in keeping me sane in these incredibly stressful times.
Sufjan Stevens: Decatur, Or, Round of Applause for Your Stepmother!
It's great to be back in KL. The last time I was back was during Chinese New Year. Since then I've been hit by wave after wave of work, and if I didn't come back this time, the next time would be three months later, after my Europe trip and the confirmation defense. Asa would already be in Brisbane. I would already be different, as all my long travel stints tend to change me substantially in one way or another. In New Zealand I started hitchhiking. In the States I became a vegetarian. I wonder what Europe would have in store for my ongoing evolution.
Speaking of Europe, Val's going to be there when I go! He quitted Australia and is probably on his way back on a plane right this moment. I got the news when I was in depths of despair with some concepts that refused to work, and I only glanced very absently at the text that came in, from a number that I didn't recognize. The next second I was laughing and waving my cell phone and jumping around in the office and poking Kristy.
It's going to be so awesome, I anticipate a lot of beer-guzzling and German-spotting. (He's German. She's German. That dog's German too. How does he do that??) And we'll see Marten again and reminisce over the good old days, and come up with new running gags, because that's what we do. (But the whales! Think about the whales!)
I've also confirmed a detour from Paris to Strasbourg to see Linda. The train tickets that she booked for me (you get cheaper tickets if you buy from the official site and of course it had to be in French) only cost 55Euros both ways so it's not too bad. I'm really looking forward to seeing her again, and being shown around by a local and staying with her family.
So much about Europe. I haven't had time to plan the actual things to do at all although I know I should. But writing has taken up most of my time, and will continue to occupy me until the 11th hour, I think. The only thing that I really need to do is to plan on how to fit my entire wardrobe for 2 months, my toiletries, my sleeping bag, a netbook (which I have yet to acquire) and miscellaneous stuff (flip flops for example) into my trusty 32litre backpack, under 10kg. That means that every item that goes into the bag has to be essential, and versatile in usage, and I probably can't buy anything on the way. Of course the other option is to post stuff back home whenever my pack gets too crazy full. I've a feeling that I'll use this option at least once, to send my formal clothes back after the conference is done. Speaking of which, I haven't prepared for my presentation! Rats.
Anyway, I should go now, a long day ahead tomorrow to run various errands. I leave you with Sufjan Stevens who's playing a part in keeping me sane in these incredibly stressful times.
Sufjan Stevens: Decatur, Or, Round of Applause for Your Stepmother!
Pointless Pre-Packing Procrastination Post
(PPPPP)
Need to stuff all the loose ends on my bed into my trusty backpack which is virtually empty. I'm leaving home in an hour, leaving KL in five. I'm kinda wistful for I won't be home till at least 6 weeks later, but I gotta do what I gotta do. And at least I'm going back to a place that I regard as home as well, albeit a home that needs vigorous cleaning tomorrow. Last year I spent FIVE months living out of boxes and my luggage. That I have a beautiful place to go home to is much to be grateful about.
The past two weeks have been really great. Met all my best friends - someone asked me, how can you have so many "best" friends? Is that even grammatically correct? Well, they just are. And why they're my best friends is because all of them understand me, support me, and make me a better person. I love you all very much!
The six weeks I have ahead, before Chinese New Year, is going to be intense. Nine CSers are coming. I need to come up with some substantial leads in my research to be able to make my confirmation report on time, I need to do my duties for the university, I'm sitting in two classes, and I've already outlined a number of books that I need to read. In short I will be very busy. But in a good way.
Need to turn off my laptop because it's the first thing that goes into my backpack. Oh Happy New Year to all. It's going to be a great year, I can feel it =)
Need to stuff all the loose ends on my bed into my trusty backpack which is virtually empty. I'm leaving home in an hour, leaving KL in five. I'm kinda wistful for I won't be home till at least 6 weeks later, but I gotta do what I gotta do. And at least I'm going back to a place that I regard as home as well, albeit a home that needs vigorous cleaning tomorrow. Last year I spent FIVE months living out of boxes and my luggage. That I have a beautiful place to go home to is much to be grateful about.
The past two weeks have been really great. Met all my best friends - someone asked me, how can you have so many "best" friends? Is that even grammatically correct? Well, they just are. And why they're my best friends is because all of them understand me, support me, and make me a better person. I love you all very much!
The six weeks I have ahead, before Chinese New Year, is going to be intense. Nine CSers are coming. I need to come up with some substantial leads in my research to be able to make my confirmation report on time, I need to do my duties for the university, I'm sitting in two classes, and I've already outlined a number of books that I need to read. In short I will be very busy. But in a good way.
Need to turn off my laptop because it's the first thing that goes into my backpack. Oh Happy New Year to all. It's going to be a great year, I can feel it =)
Vegetarianism and a home at long last?
I am working on some posts on the Burning Man, but they're coming on really slowly. I hate the paradox where you resolve to blog your best, but that intention hampers your writing abilities instead because pressure kills inspiration. You then feel like you cannot write to save your ass and would be better off doing something else, such as learning the ukulele. By you, I mean me, of course. And I would really love to learn the ukulele.
Anyway, pressured writing has never done anyone any good (I tend to leave them as drafts, and you tend to never get to read them), so here I am on a break, to give you an update on the exciting life that is mine!
Firstly. I have turned vegetarian. I even bought a t-shirt to seal the deal on the day that I made the decision to commit, that's how serious I am about the whole thing. I only buy t-shirts with messages that I mean.
This picture is taken by Yuen, my officemate (to new readers of my blog). We are supposed to do a writeup about ourselves and send in a professional-looking picture, to put in the university website. This is the picture that I am putting up in the site, taken by Yuen with her cell phone. This picture is also a statement that the university does not pay us enough to take studio pictures. Yuen's is also taken with her cell phone, with a thinker pose, with a chin-propping arm in the picture.
But I digress. I've told my mum my decision, and being the cool mum that she always is, she gave me no beef (pun intended) and respected my choice. Right now she's on a mission to get more information for me on how to eat properly without denying my body of necessary nutrients. I love my mum.
Why I'm doing it? My primary motivation to change my diet is to lessen my footprint on the environment. It might be apparent for some of you who have followed my blog for a bit, that I am quite passionate about global warming. There are times when I feel that we are headed towards a brick wall, or off a cliff, or any mode of inevitable death that occurs to me at that moment.
It is deeply unsettling. I want to do something. I'm aware that just by living, I consume energy, whether I like it or not. It does not help that I have an insatiable thirst to travel, and flights contribute a lot to carbon emissions.
I've been thinking about vegetarianism on and off through about two years, from when I was travelling with Val and Robert. Along the way I met many others, who have inspired me incrementally - until the fateful last day that I spent in San Francisco, where I met this guy Jim on the train to Davis. Jim is a soft-spoken guy who used his credit card to help me buy a train ticket because I only had cash. We started talking about a variety of topics, until we touched the subject of vegetarianism. I don't know how or why, but I found myself telling Jim that I would do it. I would commit to never eating meat again.
The last time I promised some random person that I would stop eating something was at Motueka, New Zealand, where some people were rallying for a petition to stop McDonalds from being introduced into the small town. I signed the petition and promised never to eat McDonalds or KFC ever again. I have kept this promise for two years to date.
Most people I've met do it for animal rights. To be brutally honest, animal rights would not push me over the brink. I mean I do sympathize with all the animal suffering, but I've never been passionate enough about it to stop my meat consumption. But when I became aware that probably the most effective way to stop global warming and environmental pollution is to stop eating meat - each bite became increasingly laced with guilt. Maybe I will blog at length about it someday, I'm feeling rather sleepy now and am in no form to lay down cogent and extensive arguments. Read this and this instead.
I also realized today that a vegetarian meal has a pleasant side bonus of being at least 50 cents cheaper than the normal meal with meat. The narrowing down of my options mean that I spend less time wondering about what to eat, and just be thankful that there is something on the menu for me. Often there are not. Other issues that I am thinking about is my continuation of dairy and egg consumption, although they too come from the farms that cause the damage, but I don't think I can drop eggs and cheese for the time being. I am also wondering about whether to cut myself some slack when it comes to fish - although that would make me a pescetarian instead. Decisions decisions.
*topic change*
Today I viewed a room. True to my tradition of taking the first room that I view, I have decided to take it. So I am going over on Monday to shake (hands) on it. It is marginally cheaper than my previous room but much smaller. However the living environment seems to be much cleaner and I do appreciate not having to cringe at the body hair on the bathroom floor every time I enter the bathroom. So, does it mean that I am going to have a home soon? I certainly hope so, if there are no creepy landlords or crazy housemates out to get me. I will be staying with a Chinese family (pregnant mum, six year old kid, granny - three generations, oh gosh) and a Mexican guy.
I am going to Malacca tomorrow morning to meet my parents. I haven't packed. I haven't done my laundry. I haven't tidied up Jia Ling's room so she won't have a fit when she gets back from Shanghai on Sunday. It is 2:43am now. Woe is me.
Right, I better get going. I think I am actually inducing jet lag upon myself. I think I deserve it.
Anyway, pressured writing has never done anyone any good (I tend to leave them as drafts, and you tend to never get to read them), so here I am on a break, to give you an update on the exciting life that is mine!
Firstly. I have turned vegetarian. I even bought a t-shirt to seal the deal on the day that I made the decision to commit, that's how serious I am about the whole thing. I only buy t-shirts with messages that I mean.
This picture is taken by Yuen, my officemate (to new readers of my blog). We are supposed to do a writeup about ourselves and send in a professional-looking picture, to put in the university website. This is the picture that I am putting up in the site, taken by Yuen with her cell phone. This picture is also a statement that the university does not pay us enough to take studio pictures. Yuen's is also taken with her cell phone, with a thinker pose, with a chin-propping arm in the picture.
But I digress. I've told my mum my decision, and being the cool mum that she always is, she gave me no beef (pun intended) and respected my choice. Right now she's on a mission to get more information for me on how to eat properly without denying my body of necessary nutrients. I love my mum.
Why I'm doing it? My primary motivation to change my diet is to lessen my footprint on the environment. It might be apparent for some of you who have followed my blog for a bit, that I am quite passionate about global warming. There are times when I feel that we are headed towards a brick wall, or off a cliff, or any mode of inevitable death that occurs to me at that moment.
It is deeply unsettling. I want to do something. I'm aware that just by living, I consume energy, whether I like it or not. It does not help that I have an insatiable thirst to travel, and flights contribute a lot to carbon emissions.
I've been thinking about vegetarianism on and off through about two years, from when I was travelling with Val and Robert. Along the way I met many others, who have inspired me incrementally - until the fateful last day that I spent in San Francisco, where I met this guy Jim on the train to Davis. Jim is a soft-spoken guy who used his credit card to help me buy a train ticket because I only had cash. We started talking about a variety of topics, until we touched the subject of vegetarianism. I don't know how or why, but I found myself telling Jim that I would do it. I would commit to never eating meat again.
The last time I promised some random person that I would stop eating something was at Motueka, New Zealand, where some people were rallying for a petition to stop McDonalds from being introduced into the small town. I signed the petition and promised never to eat McDonalds or KFC ever again. I have kept this promise for two years to date.
Most people I've met do it for animal rights. To be brutally honest, animal rights would not push me over the brink. I mean I do sympathize with all the animal suffering, but I've never been passionate enough about it to stop my meat consumption. But when I became aware that probably the most effective way to stop global warming and environmental pollution is to stop eating meat - each bite became increasingly laced with guilt. Maybe I will blog at length about it someday, I'm feeling rather sleepy now and am in no form to lay down cogent and extensive arguments. Read this and this instead.
I also realized today that a vegetarian meal has a pleasant side bonus of being at least 50 cents cheaper than the normal meal with meat. The narrowing down of my options mean that I spend less time wondering about what to eat, and just be thankful that there is something on the menu for me. Often there are not. Other issues that I am thinking about is my continuation of dairy and egg consumption, although they too come from the farms that cause the damage, but I don't think I can drop eggs and cheese for the time being. I am also wondering about whether to cut myself some slack when it comes to fish - although that would make me a pescetarian instead. Decisions decisions.
*topic change*
Today I viewed a room. True to my tradition of taking the first room that I view, I have decided to take it. So I am going over on Monday to shake (hands) on it. It is marginally cheaper than my previous room but much smaller. However the living environment seems to be much cleaner and I do appreciate not having to cringe at the body hair on the bathroom floor every time I enter the bathroom. So, does it mean that I am going to have a home soon? I certainly hope so, if there are no creepy landlords or crazy housemates out to get me. I will be staying with a Chinese family (pregnant mum, six year old kid, granny - three generations, oh gosh) and a Mexican guy.
I am going to Malacca tomorrow morning to meet my parents. I haven't packed. I haven't done my laundry. I haven't tidied up Jia Ling's room so she won't have a fit when she gets back from Shanghai on Sunday. It is 2:43am now. Woe is me.
Right, I better get going. I think I am actually inducing jet lag upon myself. I think I deserve it.
Byebye Laptop
I'm leaving my laptop and a bunch of other stuff with Yao Hua... I'll have to come back to Davis to get them but this seems to be the best solution to all the crap that I have, bar actually throwing them away.
Here's the top view of my new tent with me in it, in Yao Hua's living room. This is probably also the only picture that you'll get in a while. I've been so lax in taking pictures lately, I have to be in the mood of taking them, and I don't really know when I get in the mood. So for instance I don't have any pictures of the Crazy Hat and Wig Party. For all you know I could've made that up to appear cool. I mean, me, in a crazy hat? *projects image of serious looking self at work station watching Youtube*
OKlah need to go and continue packing, leaving Davis in 3 hours. Been great hanging out with Yao Hua and his girlfriend Kumitaa though, with uninhibited Manglish with all the lahs and ahs and lohs and mahs. Didn't realize how much I missed it!
Here's the top view of my new tent with me in it, in Yao Hua's living room. This is probably also the only picture that you'll get in a while. I've been so lax in taking pictures lately, I have to be in the mood of taking them, and I don't really know when I get in the mood. So for instance I don't have any pictures of the Crazy Hat and Wig Party. For all you know I could've made that up to appear cool. I mean, me, in a crazy hat? *projects image of serious looking self at work station watching Youtube*
OKlah need to go and continue packing, leaving Davis in 3 hours. Been great hanging out with Yao Hua and his girlfriend Kumitaa though, with uninhibited Manglish with all the lahs and ahs and lohs and mahs. Didn't realize how much I missed it!
Relinquishing my room today.
Damn no mood to blog lately. I am fine, just feeling uninteresting and stupid and have nothing much to say. But since I am in the midst of packing (read: leaving the room in about an hour and still have to unpack the stuff from my Random Stuff Box to try to fit in more random stuff) I shall try to write a little. To timestamp the momentous departure from my hostel life to being a citizen of the Heartlands of Singapore.
Heartlands = HDB = government flats = flats for people who are not rich enough to stay in the city centre, Bukit Timah or the like. Information provided by my local intelligence Yuen.
This is a random picture I took of the empty bed in my room when I first arrived.
This is a picture of what my bed looked last night before I packed.
This is a picture of me in my new owl T-shirt.
This is a failed attempt of me trying to take a picture with Spongebob SquarePlush (present from Yuen) and Spongebob SquarePJs (present from Kukui). The picture would be complete with my Spongebob SquareMonopoly (present from XiaoCi) but it's at home. I have Spongebob-obsessed friends! (It's not me, no) XD
OKla have to go, really need to pack before my parents come. Ta!
Heartlands = HDB = government flats = flats for people who are not rich enough to stay in the city centre, Bukit Timah or the like. Information provided by my local intelligence Yuen.
This is a random picture I took of the empty bed in my room when I first arrived.
This is a picture of what my bed looked last night before I packed.
This is a picture of me in my new owl T-shirt.
This is a failed attempt of me trying to take a picture with Spongebob SquarePlush (present from Yuen) and Spongebob SquarePJs (present from Kukui). The picture would be complete with my Spongebob SquareMonopoly (present from XiaoCi) but it's at home. I have Spongebob-obsessed friends! (It's not me, no) XD
OKla have to go, really need to pack before my parents come. Ta!
Buzz buzz
3am! Just got back to my dorm, and am scheduled to wake up at 7am, and I haven't packed my bag to go back KL yet. And I am a little tipsy. Not drunk, mind you. Tipsy.
And as always when packing is involved, blogging is in order. It's like a ritual of some sort. A ritual of procrastination, but a ritual nonetheless, even when you only have less than 4 hours to sleep, heck, I'll sleep on the bus then. Ain't nothing stopping me from packing procrastination, no sir!
Also bopping along Viva la Vida by Coldplay. It's the most upbeat song ever.
Ladies' night was a blast, and Ladies' Night Free Admission is a mighty wonderful marketing ploy. Wonderful for girls anyway. A great night out, four girls, crazy dancing, two bars, 5-6 drinks for each of us, a live band to scream and sashay to, and it cost me what, 10 bucks? That was for the taxi fee btw. If I didn't live as far as Jurong it would've cost next to nothing.
So Gayo, Namrata, me and Suruchi went out tonight - we wanted to go to this place called Double O, and it took us a lot of asking for directions until we finally got there, and then we got rejected =_= because Gayo had inappropriate shoes (she was wearing slippers). Then we went to this other place where they were checking IDs, and Namrata didn't bring hers, so I gave her my NTU debit card, and after the guard checked it he asked Namrata what her name was. She said "Tun-E". WTF, haha... but anyway he was nice and let us go in regardless.
Good company, all of us resonated energy, sometimes when you go clubbing with some crowd that are not sporting they tend to just suck the energy out of everyone, but all of us amplified our energy instead, when one started to bop the others will just be infected, so we had such a great night out dancing! Especially the second place where we went to which looked like it was for the older crowd, but then around 1am the live band came on, and it was so cool! Even had dancers and stuff, and the singers were really good at heating up the atmosphere, once all four of us were just flailing our arms (like enthusiastic but amateurish dancers do) in our cubicle, and the singer looked directly at us and sang a part with full eye contact, I was so pumped up =D
And then they played Jai Ho and we were ecstatic and just Bollywood dancing away. Damn high.
We've made promises to go out again when I'm back in Singapore. And Namrata's going to show me her Indian wear wardrobe so I will know what choices I have when shopping for my first
salwar kameez or kurta. I'm still a little confused by the names.
All in all, a terrific night out - and I've managed to waste 30 minutes blogging. I really need to get a shower because I am super sticky all over. Electrocuted octopus dance (quote from Chindi) -induced perspiration yo.
And as always when packing is involved, blogging is in order. It's like a ritual of some sort. A ritual of procrastination, but a ritual nonetheless, even when you only have less than 4 hours to sleep, heck, I'll sleep on the bus then. Ain't nothing stopping me from packing procrastination, no sir!
Also bopping along Viva la Vida by Coldplay. It's the most upbeat song ever.
Ladies' night was a blast, and Ladies' Night Free Admission is a mighty wonderful marketing ploy. Wonderful for girls anyway. A great night out, four girls, crazy dancing, two bars, 5-6 drinks for each of us, a live band to scream and sashay to, and it cost me what, 10 bucks? That was for the taxi fee btw. If I didn't live as far as Jurong it would've cost next to nothing.
So Gayo, Namrata, me and Suruchi went out tonight - we wanted to go to this place called Double O, and it took us a lot of asking for directions until we finally got there, and then we got rejected =_= because Gayo had inappropriate shoes (she was wearing slippers). Then we went to this other place where they were checking IDs, and Namrata didn't bring hers, so I gave her my NTU debit card, and after the guard checked it he asked Namrata what her name was. She said "Tun-E". WTF, haha... but anyway he was nice and let us go in regardless.
Good company, all of us resonated energy, sometimes when you go clubbing with some crowd that are not sporting they tend to just suck the energy out of everyone, but all of us amplified our energy instead, when one started to bop the others will just be infected, so we had such a great night out dancing! Especially the second place where we went to which looked like it was for the older crowd, but then around 1am the live band came on, and it was so cool! Even had dancers and stuff, and the singers were really good at heating up the atmosphere, once all four of us were just flailing our arms (like enthusiastic but amateurish dancers do) in our cubicle, and the singer looked directly at us and sang a part with full eye contact, I was so pumped up =D
And then they played Jai Ho and we were ecstatic and just Bollywood dancing away. Damn high.
We've made promises to go out again when I'm back in Singapore. And Namrata's going to show me her Indian wear wardrobe so I will know what choices I have when shopping for my first
salwar kameez or kurta. I'm still a little confused by the names.
All in all, a terrific night out - and I've managed to waste 30 minutes blogging. I really need to get a shower because I am super sticky all over. Electrocuted octopus dance (quote from Chindi) -induced perspiration yo.
Going home today.
And I'm sick! Can't even swallow without cringing and for the sake of being melodramatic, there was blood in the phlegm that I coughed out. *cue sad violin background music and thunder*
Anyhow I'm going home today! I haven't started packing yet because I'm still doing my laundry, and my parents are currently in Johor on the way south to Singapore to pick me up. I know, I have the best parents in the world. Originally I was taking a flight home at 2pm this afternoon, but then an important workshop was scheduled (a workshop regarding research funding, which is kinda the lifeline to my research), so my parents agreed to fetch me home after the workshop instead.
My throat hurts so much, I'm dedicating this paragraph to it. Here you go.
I'm drinking some herbal medicine that my Chinese friend Feng Yang gave to me. It sucks being sick but it's sorta nice to have people fuss over you a bit. Only yesterday did I realize that I had no clue about what to do while having a fever, since I hadn't had one since quite some time ago, and I was home then so my mum took care of everything. Do you wrap yourself up under the blankets and sweat it out, or would that only increase your body temperature? I think I've heard theories from both ends. And what aren't you supposed to eat when you've got a fever? Woe betide any kid who becomes my child. After a night of intense sweating and hourly pissing (no shit - hmm do I spot a pun here?) the fever resided. All that was left is this raging sore throat.
Just went down to get my laundry. As a strategy to the norm of not smiling at people here, I've been taking the middle path in walking around with a half-smile so when expressionless people encounter me they don't have to face a full-fledged toothy grin; but decent people can respond with half-smiles of their own and we can take it from there. (Which is often a nod and a slight sidle away from this half-smiling weirdo and a sigh of relief when the lift doors open.)
OK I should go pack. Throat still hurts like a bitch if you want to know. 5 seconds later. Yeap it's still hurting. No signs of stopping.
Anyhow I'm going home today! I haven't started packing yet because I'm still doing my laundry, and my parents are currently in Johor on the way south to Singapore to pick me up. I know, I have the best parents in the world. Originally I was taking a flight home at 2pm this afternoon, but then an important workshop was scheduled (a workshop regarding research funding, which is kinda the lifeline to my research), so my parents agreed to fetch me home after the workshop instead.
My throat hurts so much, I'm dedicating this paragraph to it. Here you go.
I'm drinking some herbal medicine that my Chinese friend Feng Yang gave to me. It sucks being sick but it's sorta nice to have people fuss over you a bit. Only yesterday did I realize that I had no clue about what to do while having a fever, since I hadn't had one since quite some time ago, and I was home then so my mum took care of everything. Do you wrap yourself up under the blankets and sweat it out, or would that only increase your body temperature? I think I've heard theories from both ends. And what aren't you supposed to eat when you've got a fever? Woe betide any kid who becomes my child. After a night of intense sweating and hourly pissing (no shit - hmm do I spot a pun here?) the fever resided. All that was left is this raging sore throat.
Just went down to get my laundry. As a strategy to the norm of not smiling at people here, I've been taking the middle path in walking around with a half-smile so when expressionless people encounter me they don't have to face a full-fledged toothy grin; but decent people can respond with half-smiles of their own and we can take it from there. (Which is often a nod and a slight sidle away from this half-smiling weirdo and a sigh of relief when the lift doors open.)
OK I should go pack. Throat still hurts like a bitch if you want to know. 5 seconds later. Yeap it's still hurting. No signs of stopping.
So long suckers!
I've gotta pack as usual. So far I have accomplished dragging my backpack out of its drawer and smiling amiably at it.
Hello backpack my old friend! Looks like we're flying off tomorrow. Would you be a dear and pack yourself? No? Hey don't use that tone with me young man. Fine! Be that way.
The customary procrastination before packing. Ahhhhhh. The smell of freedom. *sniff sniff* Doesn't smell like anything in particular but is still intoxicating no less.
What I've been up to lately. Reverse chronologically - got interviewed by someone from The Straits Times (only the most important paper in Singapore) on Couchsurfing this evening. She'll notify me if it gets published, i.e. it's still in the early planning stage. This morning had the last exam of this semester!! Wahahahaha! Yesterday got to know from a very reliable source that my homosexuality group project got A. Wahahaha!! Sometime this week I went to see Dr. I and got the results of my other term paper, A+ =D Conference conference!! Sometime two weeks ago got an invitation to review a journal article from the Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, my first ever invitation to do that! (I even emailed the editor to see if there was a mistake in identity =_=)
What I'm going to be up to for the following month. Chronologically - here's my itinerary for Kota Kinabalu, thanks to dear Nex!
Sat 22 - Reach KK at night
Sun 23 - Market in the morning, depart for White Water Rafting by 9am, return to KK by 3pm, transfer to Weston Wetlands
Mon 24 - Weston Wetlands
Tue 25 - Weston Wetlands, return to KK by evening
Wed 26 - Bamboo Festival in the morning, then explore KK in the afternoon and laze around the beach in the evening and watch the sun set.
Thu 27 - Island hopping (back to KK by 4:30pm), departure in the evening
Then I'll fly home =D Spend a week or so in KL =D Book launch on the 5th. Conveniently missing the date for my half-marathon... sigh... yes I am feeling stupid now, 3 months after enrolling myself for that half-marathon. Yeah I'm a lazy bum and I screwed up =( After a week in KL come back to Singapore. Stay put for the rest of December to revise the term paper for submission to conferences and journals, do my research on PhD and sneak in a little French here and there.
Yeah so. Looks like I got a pretty full plate for the time being. But yes. Freedom feels good!!!
Looks like there won't be any packing done today. If you're lucky there may be another packing post tomorrow =D And behold - the longest label list ever:
Hello backpack my old friend! Looks like we're flying off tomorrow. Would you be a dear and pack yourself? No? Hey don't use that tone with me young man. Fine! Be that way.
The customary procrastination before packing. Ahhhhhh. The smell of freedom. *sniff sniff* Doesn't smell like anything in particular but is still intoxicating no less.
What I've been up to lately. Reverse chronologically - got interviewed by someone from The Straits Times (only the most important paper in Singapore) on Couchsurfing this evening. She'll notify me if it gets published, i.e. it's still in the early planning stage. This morning had the last exam of this semester!! Wahahahaha! Yesterday got to know from a very reliable source that my homosexuality group project got A. Wahahaha!! Sometime this week I went to see Dr. I and got the results of my other term paper, A+ =D Conference conference!! Sometime two weeks ago got an invitation to review a journal article from the Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, my first ever invitation to do that! (I even emailed the editor to see if there was a mistake in identity =_=)
What I'm going to be up to for the following month. Chronologically - here's my itinerary for Kota Kinabalu, thanks to dear Nex!
Sat 22 - Reach KK at night
Sun 23 - Market in the morning, depart for White Water Rafting by 9am, return to KK by 3pm, transfer to Weston Wetlands
Mon 24 - Weston Wetlands
Tue 25 - Weston Wetlands, return to KK by evening
Wed 26 - Bamboo Festival in the morning, then explore KK in the afternoon and laze around the beach in the evening and watch the sun set.
Thu 27 - Island hopping (back to KK by 4:30pm), departure in the evening
Then I'll fly home =D Spend a week or so in KL =D Book launch on the 5th. Conveniently missing the date for my half-marathon... sigh... yes I am feeling stupid now, 3 months after enrolling myself for that half-marathon. Yeah I'm a lazy bum and I screwed up =( After a week in KL come back to Singapore. Stay put for the rest of December to revise the term paper for submission to conferences and journals, do my research on PhD and sneak in a little French here and there.
Yeah so. Looks like I got a pretty full plate for the time being. But yes. Freedom feels good!!!
Looks like there won't be any packing done today. If you're lucky there may be another packing post tomorrow =D And behold - the longest label list ever:
In the span of four days
I've managed to acquire:
- Tons of foodstuff
- Two new books (BTW - if you know where Atria is at Damansara Jaya, and if you love books - do check the warehouse sales out. Superbly cheap books!!! Didn't buy many because I was hard pressed for time and luggage space, but they have a good range from RM12!)
- Skincare products - from cleanser to toner to moisturizer to mask
- A new pair of shorts (RM20 plus only =D)
- A wonderful wonderful bag.
- A laminated map of Asia which somehow contains Europe in it, which cost only RM15! Bought it at Atria along with the books. Neatly rolled into a scroll, it is 1m long. I am going to have a ball transporting it back, poking people left right and centre.
- A new fringe. In purple. By a cute hairdresser who looks straight.
Moment of Truth
知己。Literally translated - "know yourself". Meaning of word - best friend who knows you better than you. It really takes a best friend (I am lucky to have a few best friends, so "best" not as in superlative) to knock some sense into you.
*POW*
Haha I've been such an ass for the past few days. Been painfully oblivious to so many obvious things, been self-indulgent to the point of terrorism, been immature bordering on childishness. In true Taurean spirit I went for it, with tunnel vision, insisting that I could fix it, I could make it better, everything will be alright if I am determined to make it better. At a point there was even a flowchart in my head. If, then, else. Loop.
*BANG*
When what I should have done was to leave the problem alone. But the time pressure blinded me. I still have time! I can fix it! Please let me fix it! It's so simple!
*BOOM*
So what I did was to screw things up to the point of no return, when my intention was to salvage what I could. Irony irony irony. So is life. And I would've continued with the downward spiral if it weren't for you. My best friend, my mirror.
Pain. Pain because I see how stupid and simplistic I'd been. Pain because I can see it so clearly in theory but it's not within my practical control. Pain! Why the hell am I trying to explain my pain just pain lah damnit raw stinging teeth-gritting pain. Fuck.
Tomorrow I'll wake up into strong mode again, a useful self-defense mechanism. But still have to go through tonight. Tomorrow my new shell will withstand the stinging humiliation. But tonight still have to pack. Tomorrow I will move on. Tomorrow quickly come. Now have to quickly pack.
I'm sorry. I'm rarely like that. You just caught me at the worst possible moment. I'm sorry.
And Ying Jian, thanks. I love you mate.
*POW*
Haha I've been such an ass for the past few days. Been painfully oblivious to so many obvious things, been self-indulgent to the point of terrorism, been immature bordering on childishness. In true Taurean spirit I went for it, with tunnel vision, insisting that I could fix it, I could make it better, everything will be alright if I am determined to make it better. At a point there was even a flowchart in my head. If, then, else. Loop.
*BANG*
When what I should have done was to leave the problem alone. But the time pressure blinded me. I still have time! I can fix it! Please let me fix it! It's so simple!
*BOOM*
So what I did was to screw things up to the point of no return, when my intention was to salvage what I could. Irony irony irony. So is life. And I would've continued with the downward spiral if it weren't for you. My best friend, my mirror.
Pain. Pain because I see how stupid and simplistic I'd been. Pain because I can see it so clearly in theory but it's not within my practical control. Pain! Why the hell am I trying to explain my pain just pain lah damnit raw stinging teeth-gritting pain. Fuck.
Tomorrow I'll wake up into strong mode again, a useful self-defense mechanism. But still have to go through tonight. Tomorrow my new shell will withstand the stinging humiliation. But tonight still have to pack. Tomorrow I will move on. Tomorrow quickly come. Now have to quickly pack.
I'm sorry. I'm rarely like that. You just caught me at the worst possible moment. I'm sorry.
And Ying Jian, thanks. I love you mate.
Cameron Highlands, and on to Malacca!
Val and I are back from Cameron Highlands. Since he spent most of last night puking his guts out and having diarrhea, we decided to stay in KL for one night for him to recuperate, and move on to Malacca only tomorrow.
It really is unfortunate that food poisoning had to mar the brilliant trip we have had so far. I am having so much fun pointing stuff out and pretending to be streetwise in front of him, haha! (No thanks to my mum blowing my cover when I introduced the hockey stadium at Jalan Duta as a football stadium *cringe* - Han Solo, this is my bimbo moment for you)
And food wise Val has enjoyed everything we've fed him ("We" as in Malaysia =D), so it really is too bad that we might have to be a little bit more careful now on what we order, though we didn't have hawker stuff and the suspected culprit is the Indian food served at one of the restaurants in Tanah Rata. Since Val's vegan, Indian food's convenient because they always have vegetarian options with no eggs or dairy products.
This trip has been so laid back that I've taken like five pictures, which I somehow can't copy into this machine! I don't know why =_= but it's just as well that I didn't take shitloads of pictures and can't use them at the end. I didn't even take the Boh Tea plantation because it was raining and I didn't bring my camera along for the half day tour we had in Cameron.
We were on the tour with a French couple, Laura and Fabien. The first stop was the Butterfly Farm, where I held a live scorpion on my palm for a while, just for the heck of it (since we had no camera and couldn't take pictures). Initially I thought that they had removed the venom from the scorpion, but when it was on my palm (it was as long as my palm actually, the scorpion) the guide said that it was still poisonous. o_O But it wouldn't sting you if you didn't attack him at the abdomen. And the sting wouldn't kill you, it would just hurt a bit like if a bee stung you.
Having held the scorpion I had the bragging rights for the day, such as when we were climbing the Gunung Brinchang watch tower and I was concerned about the rungs being slippery, and Val was like "don't be a wuss", I went, "Oh well, I held a live scorpion today, so who's Da Man now??" Damn right. I am. The Frenchman, Fabien, was so afraid of snakes and scorpions and the like, that he and Laura skipped the Butterfly Farm altogether, waiting outside. I was of the opinion that Europeans are wimps (no offense - I do think it's only wise to be wary about creatures you don't know - they could potentially kill, infect or tickle you) and Val concurs.
We also visited the Mossy Forest, quite an interesting experience trekking through a wet mess of moss and mud and dead leaves. But since it was raining we didn't see much, not as much as I would've wanted to anyway. Val and I were dressed in mere t-shirts and shorts, as opposed to Fabien and Laura's heavy pants and raincoats, but we turned out alright. I'm glad I didn't wear my long pants since I'd get mud all over them and the cold wasn't that unbearable, even though Gunung Brinchang is 6,666ft high and it was raining all afternoon.
I wanted to post a picture of a bonfire they had in Kang Traveller's Lodge (will do a review after the entire trip), but you'd have to use your imagination instead - that Val and I sat in front of, chatting at length about life during NZ, life beyond NZ and evil people who didn't bother to text.
In fact, for the four days that Val's been here, we've just been talking our heads off. In front of the bonfire, while enjoying 100% fresh mango juice, while taking a walk to Parit Falls, while stalking a kid who was quite agitated at two strangers tailing him. Sharing our different culture, learning new words (I now know how to say "You can touch my feet" in German) and cringing over downright disgusting dirty jokes involving glass eyes, eughh.
Oh yeah. Our bus crashed into another bus while on the way to Tapah from Cameron today. We didn't fall into a ravine or anything. I also have a picture of that, so you can use your imagination again.
Annnnd, this subject would come up somehow - I have to pack now. For one night in Malacca, and we're going to do couchsurfing. I'm really curious about how it's like in Malaysia. We're going to visit D'Paradise Tropical Fruit World and will buy some fruits for Mr. Yee in Malacca who has kindly agreed to host us.
Here's Val's post on what's happened so far, and he has even got a label "I-Love-Malaysia", how sweet is that =D
It really is unfortunate that food poisoning had to mar the brilliant trip we have had so far. I am having so much fun pointing stuff out and pretending to be streetwise in front of him, haha! (No thanks to my mum blowing my cover when I introduced the hockey stadium at Jalan Duta as a football stadium *cringe* - Han Solo, this is my bimbo moment for you)
And food wise Val has enjoyed everything we've fed him ("We" as in Malaysia =D), so it really is too bad that we might have to be a little bit more careful now on what we order, though we didn't have hawker stuff and the suspected culprit is the Indian food served at one of the restaurants in Tanah Rata. Since Val's vegan, Indian food's convenient because they always have vegetarian options with no eggs or dairy products.
This trip has been so laid back that I've taken like five pictures, which I somehow can't copy into this machine! I don't know why =_= but it's just as well that I didn't take shitloads of pictures and can't use them at the end. I didn't even take the Boh Tea plantation because it was raining and I didn't bring my camera along for the half day tour we had in Cameron.
We were on the tour with a French couple, Laura and Fabien. The first stop was the Butterfly Farm, where I held a live scorpion on my palm for a while, just for the heck of it (since we had no camera and couldn't take pictures). Initially I thought that they had removed the venom from the scorpion, but when it was on my palm (it was as long as my palm actually, the scorpion) the guide said that it was still poisonous. o_O But it wouldn't sting you if you didn't attack him at the abdomen. And the sting wouldn't kill you, it would just hurt a bit like if a bee stung you.
Having held the scorpion I had the bragging rights for the day, such as when we were climbing the Gunung Brinchang watch tower and I was concerned about the rungs being slippery, and Val was like "don't be a wuss", I went, "Oh well, I held a live scorpion today, so who's Da Man now??" Damn right. I am. The Frenchman, Fabien, was so afraid of snakes and scorpions and the like, that he and Laura skipped the Butterfly Farm altogether, waiting outside. I was of the opinion that Europeans are wimps (no offense - I do think it's only wise to be wary about creatures you don't know - they could potentially kill, infect or tickle you) and Val concurs.
We also visited the Mossy Forest, quite an interesting experience trekking through a wet mess of moss and mud and dead leaves. But since it was raining we didn't see much, not as much as I would've wanted to anyway. Val and I were dressed in mere t-shirts and shorts, as opposed to Fabien and Laura's heavy pants and raincoats, but we turned out alright. I'm glad I didn't wear my long pants since I'd get mud all over them and the cold wasn't that unbearable, even though Gunung Brinchang is 6,666ft high and it was raining all afternoon.
I wanted to post a picture of a bonfire they had in Kang Traveller's Lodge (will do a review after the entire trip), but you'd have to use your imagination instead - that Val and I sat in front of, chatting at length about life during NZ, life beyond NZ and evil people who didn't bother to text.
In fact, for the four days that Val's been here, we've just been talking our heads off. In front of the bonfire, while enjoying 100% fresh mango juice, while taking a walk to Parit Falls, while stalking a kid who was quite agitated at two strangers tailing him. Sharing our different culture, learning new words (I now know how to say "You can touch my feet" in German) and cringing over downright disgusting dirty jokes involving glass eyes, eughh.
Oh yeah. Our bus crashed into another bus while on the way to Tapah from Cameron today. We didn't fall into a ravine or anything. I also have a picture of that, so you can use your imagination again.
Annnnd, this subject would come up somehow - I have to pack now. For one night in Malacca, and we're going to do couchsurfing. I'm really curious about how it's like in Malaysia. We're going to visit D'Paradise Tropical Fruit World and will buy some fruits for Mr. Yee in Malacca who has kindly agreed to host us.
Here's Val's post on what's happened so far, and he has even got a label "I-Love-Malaysia", how sweet is that =D
Customary whinging on packing!
I shall add a new label "packing". It seems to be extremely conducive for blogging for me, this packing business. In fact, when I was telling Val just now that I have to pack, he answered "and you have to blog about it too".
I am becoming too predictable. In fact, I'm sure you would've predicted that my Thailand posts would not materialize. Hehe. And you'd be right. (paisehpaisehpaiseh)
Val reached this afternoon and so far he's been impressed by the good vegan Malaysian lunch, the hugeness of 1Utama Shopping Complex, not to mention the cheapness of well, basically anything and everything. We watched "Wanted", quite a good movie actually, had the best popcorn that Val has ever had in his life (GSC popcorn) and then I took him for mamak. He loved roti tisu.
It's such good fun showing your country off to a foreigner! Kind of makes you see your birthplace in a different angle as well. "And that is a school bus." "Far out! We don't have school buses in Germany!"
Tomorrow we're going to Cameron Highlands, and we've bought a ticket to Ipoh from Hentian Duta since I don't want to go to Pudu. From Ipoh we'll then get a bus to transit, no problem. Wing it as we go along, just like old times. So we're gonna be in Cameron for 2 nights, how do you even pack for two nights?? (Question was rhetorical, no need to answer.) Loaned a weekend bag to Val, and I shall bring my small Deuter backpack, one that I haven't used in a while (too long never go for two-night trips already). Then get back on Friday, repack in a jiffy and go to Malacca on the same day.
I think I will be super tired at the end of this 2 weeks. The good kind of tired, you understand. Like when we came back from Thailand. Just couldn't be arsed to do anything except lie down beside Asa and complain about being tired.
OK I'm getting really sleepy. Haven't got much sleep lately. I should start packing.
I am becoming too predictable. In fact, I'm sure you would've predicted that my Thailand posts would not materialize. Hehe. And you'd be right. (paisehpaisehpaiseh)
Val reached this afternoon and so far he's been impressed by the good vegan Malaysian lunch, the hugeness of 1Utama Shopping Complex, not to mention the cheapness of well, basically anything and everything. We watched "Wanted", quite a good movie actually, had the best popcorn that Val has ever had in his life (GSC popcorn) and then I took him for mamak. He loved roti tisu.
It's such good fun showing your country off to a foreigner! Kind of makes you see your birthplace in a different angle as well. "And that is a school bus." "Far out! We don't have school buses in Germany!"
Tomorrow we're going to Cameron Highlands, and we've bought a ticket to Ipoh from Hentian Duta since I don't want to go to Pudu. From Ipoh we'll then get a bus to transit, no problem. Wing it as we go along, just like old times. So we're gonna be in Cameron for 2 nights, how do you even pack for two nights?? (Question was rhetorical, no need to answer.) Loaned a weekend bag to Val, and I shall bring my small Deuter backpack, one that I haven't used in a while (too long never go for two-night trips already). Then get back on Friday, repack in a jiffy and go to Malacca on the same day.
I think I will be super tired at the end of this 2 weeks. The good kind of tired, you understand. Like when we came back from Thailand. Just couldn't be arsed to do anything except lie down beside Asa and complain about being tired.
OK I'm getting really sleepy. Haven't got much sleep lately. I should start packing.
Feverish Packing!
My flight has been delayed to about 8 something so now baru nak pack...
My favourite pair of jeans, the pair that accompanied me throughout Kiwiland, has finally koyak-ed. Is it me or are my pants just not resilient enough? Favourite jeans... :'(( But no time to cry, kan I am packing feverishly...
Print out articles from Wikitravel. Check. Take down addresses of places I'm staying in. Check. Pack minimum number of garments so that I would be excused for buying new ones in Bangkok. Check. Parade around the room with semi-new backpack. Check.
Passport and wallet. Check. Jamie Cullum in mp3 player. Check. Charger-charger. Check. Clear camera memory card. Check. Steal dad's memory card. Check. Checkers the Stuffed Kiwi. Check. Hmm. Uncheck.
Mum: (menacingly) "If we don't leave right now you'll have to eat your dinner at McDonald's at LCCT."
So I'm off! Be good, eat your vegetables, and I'll be back soon =D
My favourite pair of jeans, the pair that accompanied me throughout Kiwiland, has finally koyak-ed. Is it me or are my pants just not resilient enough? Favourite jeans... :'(( But no time to cry, kan I am packing feverishly...
Print out articles from Wikitravel. Check. Take down addresses of places I'm staying in. Check. Pack minimum number of garments so that I would be excused for buying new ones in Bangkok. Check. Parade around the room with semi-new backpack. Check.
Passport and wallet. Check. Jamie Cullum in mp3 player. Check. Charger-charger. Check. Clear camera memory card. Check. Steal dad's memory card. Check. Checkers the Stuffed Kiwi. Check. Hmm. Uncheck.
Mum: (menacingly) "If we don't leave right now you'll have to eat your dinner at McDonald's at LCCT."
So I'm off! Be good, eat your vegetables, and I'll be back soon =D
1 1/2 Days till Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, Ayutthaya and Penang
And I've yet to pack anything. I have, this morning, changed my profile on Facebook to "Jun-E is packing for Bangkok" as a symbolic gesture. Ahem. The gesture is still largely symbolic.
La di da. Whatever will be, will be. I'll whip up something two hours before departure as usual.
There's something therapeutic about watching a bunch of aunties line-dancing at a basketball court in the evening. I don't know what it is. The rhythm, the skipping feet, the smiles on their faces. It just makes me feel that the world can be a better place.
I've got an upset stomach today. It's interfering with my blogging. You know what they say about stomachs and blogs. Hmm. I think it was actually rectums and blogs, if my memory serves me right. Anyway. Moving on.
I'm a little sad today. I'm always a little sad when I leave my little cocoon of a room. Wednesday marks the start of my last epic romp before Singapore. After I leave for The Land That Owns Pedra Bianca, it will be leaving home, for real. This time it's not just six months. I'm going to be stuck in a foreign place, although Singapore is hardly foreign. Home will be a distant "hometown", and I'll be one of those vying for train tickets and bus tickets come festive seasons.
I'll have a new room there. I'll have new friends. I'll get a new bike, to bike around the NTU campus.
I don't want to go. I like my room here. I like my friends here. I don't have a bike here, but I can't pedal a straight line anyway. Actually I can pedal a straight line. It's the curves that get me.
And when I come home, it won't be the same anymore. It's like growing up for good. Growing up is overrated. I don't want to grow up, like ever.
Hmm. I was just listening to Homer's Beer Song, which I got from this site. The tune is damn emo, like my mood just now, but the lyrics...
Sang to Frank Sinatra's "It was a Very Good Year" =_=
I'm freaking smiling now.
Then while searching for the lyrics I came across this other beer song of Homer,
Sang to "Do Re Mi" of Sound of Music.
OK I'm laughing now. I think I'm horribly hormonal or something. But you gotta love The Simpsons.
I shall go to bed. Meeting LL tomorrow =)
La di da. Whatever will be, will be. I'll whip up something two hours before departure as usual.
There's something therapeutic about watching a bunch of aunties line-dancing at a basketball court in the evening. I don't know what it is. The rhythm, the skipping feet, the smiles on their faces. It just makes me feel that the world can be a better place.
I've got an upset stomach today. It's interfering with my blogging. You know what they say about stomachs and blogs. Hmm. I think it was actually rectums and blogs, if my memory serves me right. Anyway. Moving on.
I'm a little sad today. I'm always a little sad when I leave my little cocoon of a room. Wednesday marks the start of my last epic romp before Singapore. After I leave for The Land That Owns Pedra Bianca, it will be leaving home, for real. This time it's not just six months. I'm going to be stuck in a foreign place, although Singapore is hardly foreign. Home will be a distant "hometown", and I'll be one of those vying for train tickets and bus tickets come festive seasons.
I'll have a new room there. I'll have new friends. I'll get a new bike, to bike around the NTU campus.
I don't want to go. I like my room here. I like my friends here. I don't have a bike here, but I can't pedal a straight line anyway. Actually I can pedal a straight line. It's the curves that get me.
And when I come home, it won't be the same anymore. It's like growing up for good. Growing up is overrated. I don't want to grow up, like ever.
Hmm. I was just listening to Homer's Beer Song, which I got from this site. The tune is damn emo, like my mood just now, but the lyrics...
(spoken) well beer, we've had some great times
(sang) when i was 17, i drank some very good beer
i drank some very good beer i purchased with a fake ID
my name was brian mckee, i stayed up listening to Queen
when i was 17
Sang to Frank Sinatra's "It was a Very Good Year" =_=
I'm freaking smiling now.
Then while searching for the lyrics I came across this other beer song of Homer,
DOUGH... the stuff... that buys me beer...
RAY ..... the guy that sells me beer...
ME...... the guy...who drinks the beer,
FAR..... the distance to my beer.
SO...... I think I'll have a beer.
LA...... La, la la la la beer
TEA..... no thanks, I'm drinking beer...
That will bring us back to...
(Looks into an empty glass)
D'OH!
Sang to "Do Re Mi" of Sound of Music.
OK I'm laughing now. I think I'm horribly hormonal or something. But you gotta love The Simpsons.
I shall go to bed. Meeting LL tomorrow =)
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