Loads of surprises

Hey ya all! Yesterday brain dead and muscles ache from my first dragon boat training. Hmmm let me tell you what we did briefly. Alright, there were about 18 gals who went for the so called "orientation" but it's more like assessing your fitness levels. The number of boys there was like 4 times the number of girls, so you guys do the maths yeah? The air filled with MACHO-NESS!

Alright anyway, the coach said we had to do two rounds of warmup slowly, followed by push-ups and incline pull ups and finish of with a 4 rounds around the track (1.6km) with timing run. LOL... Oh man, ya noe the warm up already felt like sprinting cos they guys ran in front of the girls and their warm up speed you know... is the girls sprinting speed!!! HAHA but anyway for the push ups section, i cant even do one! YEP, you are right, not even ONE!! becos the senior said my posture for doing it is wrong! She told me "nevermind, must go home and practice k?" but whoa, i have been doing push-ups like this for years! To change? Not so easy ah!!!! But anyway, at the incline pull-ups station, the senior counting for me said i looked like a basketballer and i was like NO WAY!!! But you know though i fared badly for the strength station, my stamina still manageable! I manage to come in a joint first with another girl for the run!! Oh my tian!

HAHA and the thing about the girl is she used to study in St. Nicholas and she was talked to me excited about the orange bowl at my secondary school. Hmmm, thinking about it makes me drool now... the world is so small yeah, me going to dragon boat with Joanne, my primary schoolmate and now meeing a secondary schoolmate!

Today, another whiff of fate hit me on my face too! While on my 20 min walk to school, Stanley, my class rep and of course classmates saw me from the bus stop. HAHA and i dragged him to walk to school with me although the bus takes only 5 min to reach. But oh well, it's a good way to know your frens through bus rides and as for me walking rides! So Stanley is my walking partner for the next 2 and a half year. (psss GOOD LUCK TO YOU BRO)

Anyway, im really adapting to poly life. And to the Click Five that worry about me, dun worry k? OBA IS FINE AND HAPPY =)!

Poly vs JC

Hey you all! Since i have been a student in both JC and Poly, i thought i would dissect the two different types of instituition and education route. I dunno where people get the impression that Polytechnic rules and regulations are very slack because that is ABSOLUTELY not the case. for instance, we have our student lanyards to tap as a way to mark our attendance but in JC, i think my classmates used to skip lectures and walk over to KFC for lunch! Elson and the girls! HAHA.

Ok, today the computer lab was freezing cold. I shall dress up as an eskimo every friday and live the life of an eskimo for 3hours. Learning Microsoft Access is simply cool, i mean the functions are so easily managed and i believe this skill will be a niche in the work force in the future. Hanging out with guys in class let's say it's kinda thrilling, after all if you've been kept in a convent school for 4 years... Get what i mean?? Hmm, hormones are raging at this stage, but i dun mean my hormones though. Mine are completely in control. Be safe BOYS. =) Mwahaha.

Somethings are bothering me now. Mum said several things about dad which reminds me of my depression. I remembered the doctor asking me if anyone in my family has this mental problem as it runs in the family. Now, im quite sure i noe where i get my depression from...

MAMA and GongGOng, i wish u well, GET BETTER SOON YOU BOTH!! Yan YAN ho dam sam le!! ( THis is in cantonese)

When GOng Gong was in good health, haiz...

Tiring but Fruitful Day

Hey ya all! Hmm never post for a while so i shall just write some stuff.. Well, firstly i hope im getting fitter because i walk to school and back from school and with each walk taking about 20 mins, im actually getting a free 40 min workout each day... The only downside is appearing in class all sweaty and soaking wet which is rather gross if you can imagine me being in that state...

Hmmm, classes are interesting and yep there are loads of group work and all and one of the boys sabotage me to be leader for the group... The subject is Statistic and im really bad at maths so i hope they made the right choice.

I made my way to the gym intending to workout for 3hours there... But my legs were kinda stubborn... After brisk walking on the treadmill for an hour and doing body combat which is really really happening and fun, i decided to head home. My mode of transport? My legs which took me a full 40 mins to reach home!

I think the workload still havent caught up with me... Grandma is sick and at the hospital... The touching thing was she told my aunt that i am always an obedient girl and my aunt messaged me to tell me that... You know, i believe when one is ill, unspoken words from the buried from the heart just pour out all at once. She's so frail now...

Reminds me of economics lecture today when the lecturer said most things in life goes in a circle. Take your life for example, you start out as a kid, become an adult and when you grow old and become senile, you have youe 2nd childhood. Hmmm, how adept this analogy is huh??

What do you all think?

New Start Making me Uncomfortable

Hey ya all! Getting back on track is harder than i thought. The buying laptop and installing what new programmes is driving me mad. Hmmm.. I cried in my room again today, it's time to take my Prozac again to remain my sanity.

Since every wednesday will be a holiday for me, i guess i ahve to make this day special somewhat. Haiz.. My CLICKFIVE.. Nopes, not the American boyband! My CLICKFIVE are all gals, my girlfriends, I MISS YOU ALL! Glancing through our Connexio pics and whoa, time flies buds! 2 years zoom... I wanna share photos with u all.. Our gooding never seem to end dearies! HAHA.. eh my Best friend, i think about you too k?

Us on top of the building..

Pole Dancing anyone??

Why, these pictures are classic man... PALA! Thanks for chatting with me yesterday babe, yeah pigs are soft and i like you for having a soft heart towards me! It's been months since i met you all and i cant understand why you gals are so willing to tolerate my absence and my you know daoing... The thought of me refusing to see you gals when you came to my house still haunt me. You waited outside the room of my door and wrote slips of paper, called out my name "OBA, OBAAA!" but i still hid in my shell, my room. Why dun ou all hate me huh? I always am puzzled about this, why are you all so patiently waiting for me to appear in your lives again... Girls, understand that im rooting for you all in your A' levels yeah? But oh well, there's something i have to do before i meet you all...

Im writing this post as i feel so distanced from my friends. Something which of course is due to my own "disappearing acts" and what not. Dinner or movie dates with friends and it's a NO NO thing for me. Now in Nanyang Polytechnic, yeah, i may appear bubbly but my classmates don't know my past. They don't know what i went through only CLickfive you understand. You all were there. Literally there for me.

Evidence of being literally there. =)

LOL... I dunno why im feeling so touchy and emotional today... Haiz.. Girls ah girls... How COULD I LIVE WITHOUT YOU??

Weird bunch of Singaporeans

Hey ya all! Today is officially my first day in Nanyang Polytechnic. Hopefully, my decision this year will not be another wrong decision as myprevious one to enter Junior College. Boy was it tiring but phew at least the number of guys almost equate to the number of gals. 12 boys and 17 girls, so that's all RIGHT! Ogls are pretty fun and they sorta keep begging us to return for 2nd day orientation for water games as they were so afraid everybody would just pon...



Anyway, first day of school and i'm off to a bad or should i say an unexpected encounter... My darling sis insisted of walking to AMK hub for dinner instead of takiing the bus so we strolled along the HDB flats and wallah ritgh opposite Cheng San Communtiy Centre, there goes a man prop right in the middle of our path with a dozen of flies swarming over his motionless body. Hmmm, the first thing i sought to do was to check if he was breathing and yes, he was. Secondly, my eyes followed from his head to his feet and wallah, a second surprise, he was bare footed. NO SHOES AND LYING FACE DOWN??






This = call 999. Passersby all around with curious looks on their faces but after glaring for a while, simply sauntered off. Sis suggested doing that but a guy who had a cell phone in his hands asked us if we had any handphone. (erm.. shouldnt he call the police then?) But oh well, frst time in 17 years of my life, i called the police. After what seemed like an interminable wait, i was feeling flustered by then, the police arrived... A lady rushed forward to give her eye witness account... As for sis and me, we would rather not want this kind of spotlight and hence we crept away. The policeman didn't dare to touch the motionless man, he poked him with his walkie talkie but he still was unresponsive. THe last thing i saw was the paramedics using black coloured devices to monitor his condition before i turned around and never looked back from that second onwards.


What a 'pleasant' first day of school goodie bag for me and this made this day more memorable. May LORD just revive his health because i believe he fainted out of starvation even though Singapore seemed to be a beggarless state. We all need an education, so please work hard to get the paper that you need. I dun wanna end up calling the police on your behalf.

4th day( i think) in Taiwan

Hmmm.. I messed up all my pictures and i jus think it's the 4th day but well i just wanna share the pictures and also remind myself of my trip, the journey and the people i met along the way.

AHHA, today we were brought up to Alishan where the tour guide reminded us to prepare extra warm clothings to protect ourselves from the cold but haha, the weather was pleasant and wasnt what i expected. Mum even brought long john along! Kiasu i guess! For Alishan, words cannot express the beauty of this place, i shall let the pictures speak. The amazing thing with nature is that they can grow and mould themselves into shapes without the human touch!

Here's a stump that has grown to be shaped like a heart:

Another picture that has this tree growing and looking amazingly like a pig:

Another surprise that caught me off guard was that Taiwan actually has cherry blossoms! Mum happily said that at least she does not regret not going to Japan during this cherry blossom season and of course she wanted pictures with the cherry blossom tree. Really beautiful with there pinkish flowers. Ever wondered how a tiny dark brown, ugly tree could produce such pretty things?

The cherry blossom tree:

Wanna know how peaceful Alishan was? I have an alibi to prove my point. Even an animal like the dog took time to enjoy the peace and stillness of the forest. The tranquility really grabs you.

My alibi:

Dinner was yet fired off with an interesting story. I love stories like these. Tour guide explained to us that the owner was a countryside gal and she found a passion in using waste wood to build structures and therefore started out her restaurant with everything made my her own hands. Every bowl in this restaurant is handmade by her and no bowls are identical. A special night for me and adding to the pleasure was the excellent food served.

Here's the interior:

Their restaurant speciality dessert Muah Chee which is more milky than our version here:

I inlcuded this picture as i thought mum look kinda high class and she sparkles here:

I'm kinda inspired by the motive behind this restaurant as i have the passion for food, a passion to open my own restaurant one day and this is an example of one restaurant which has taken a bold approach to be different, to serve good food and to provide a different ambience as compared to the typical restaurant out there. Not to mention that this is one woman who know nuts about business and is having the last laugh today..

3rd day in Taiwan

Fresh start of the day and today we're gonna embrace the native roots of the Taiwanese.

We were taken to this place called Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village which in my opinion is just another tourist trap. Where have all the real natives gone to? The pressures of life have definitely made them conform and many have moved to the city so i guess we tourists have to just make do with the man made cultural village.

Welcomed by the group "Natives" and boy the guys are really eye candies with 6 packs!

This was just outside the washroom and mum and i decided to be chained in punishment for entering the sacred washroom!

here i am, what can i do when nature calls ?

Walked past this stack of skulls which is believed to be said that whenever a tribe kills their enemies they would behead them and preserve their skulls as a warning to the enemy tribes. Gave me te creeps.. Im glad im not ancient but a modern human being.

I was pretty intrigued by the boars as i have never seen such hairy, grunting, enormous pigs in my entire life! I just stood there taking photos and watching them and mum was annoyed and told me not to go near them in or else i shall be as fat as a boar next time!

My friends the boars!

We were taken to a peacock garden and boy peacocks are really proud creatures. Can you imagine 40 people gathering around the enclosure waiting patiently for them to oepn their feathers? We oohs and aahhed when they open their feathers.. Boy boy, kinda shameless and a little degrading for us humans to be excited over their feathers! I mean there feathers are useless as they cant fly and i realised that male animals tend to be more beautiful in appearance than female ones as they have to attract them. But this of course does not apply to the homosapiens! I strongly believe that the females outdo the males in terms of physical appearance!

Showing off his glory:

Later we were taken to a street where of course we did some shopping but mum and i went to eat this taiwanese dessert where they pound the tapioca and sweet potato, mixed them with some flour and add a little of red beans, grass jelly, ice and syrup and wallah, you got a new creation. But it was really great, the tapioca thingy was chewy and i just liked the texture and the ingredients paired up nicely with the bland tapioca flour. Love it! What a nice complimented dish.

The tapioca flour dessert:

I cant remember where we went next but haha there will be more posts of food coming up! drool drool!

Day 2 in Taiwan

As i look through the pics i cant imagine my face looked so puffy in Taiwan. Talk about pigging out. The tour guide warned us about putting weight in Taiwan and everyone in a jolly mood agreed to worry about the extra pounds on our body and not to mention luggage when we reach Singapore.

2nd day and we took to the mountains called "Jiu Fen" which in the 1930s had gold buried in the ground until the Japanese dig them all up. So now resting in the high mountain of this tiny little village of a population of 200 depends on tourists business to survive. In reality it's just a dinghy, long alley and from the starting point to the end takes only about 20 minutes to cover so you can imagine how small the place actually is.

Standing on the path of "Jiu Fen"

A rare skill that one master possessed caught my eye as i was strolling down the black trodden path. This master has the niche to use just a tool the size of an eraser to create art works that capture the passersby attention. Well, it sure caught me in rapt attention that mum and be bought 2 artpieces which i have no idea where to hang them.

Here's the master writing my chinese name with the artistic stroke of his hands:

After which we took a 2hour journey ride to Hualien to see the spectacular nature that God has provided for us. Through the thousand of years of high tides washing the mountains, they have been polished and polished numerous times that the mountains in that vicinty are all made of marbles. Pure Natural Marble.

This was followed by a cup of flower tea at the mountain top overlooking the panoramic view and it was indeed breathtaking. How nice if Singaporeans could slow down their pace of life and just enjoy an afternoon like this? The feelings of a tai tai runs through my head and i must be elucidating awe from you guys yeah?

We were transported to our five star hotel resort which was kinda a new kind of experience for me. The vibe that the resort emitted was different. We wre the only Singaporeans there as people who stayed over were mostly Taiwanese looking for a place to let their hair down.Can you imagine the owner of this resort used to be a mechanic and he slowly amassed his fortune and build this whole resort from scratch. Talk about amazing people.. Even the ordinary can become extraordinary.

A Snapshot of the resort

The highlight of my stay in this resort was that we could "fang Deng long". The olden type of lantern where people of the past used to write wishes on the lantern and let it fly away, with the light piece of plastic lantern carrying everyones big ambitions and hopes. It makes one ponder that no wonder the lantern will fall when it carries the hopes of so many individuals and yet it flies alone up un the dark sky.

Preparing for the lantern's take off

This was my second day in taiwan and what an indelible imprint it left in my mind especially the lantern. Funny how write their dream 4D numbers on the plastic and hope to strike and how others hope for health and widsom. For me, hope is in believing my Saviour and my friend Jesus.

My first Day in Taiwan

Imagine the amount of calories consummed during this trip and it would be enough to sustain me for a month without eating.

Truly and surely, Jolin Tsai did a really good tourism advertisment which showcased the finest of Taiwan and so we headed to the all so popular Shilin Street which is more like a hawker centre filled with stalls the size of 2 office tables.

Seriously, the stalls are basically carts with their stall names brightened up my neon lights.

Just like any our typical Singaporeans, good food = Long queue and queue i did for this famous chicken cutlet stall.

Taiwan has a speciality dish that is close to every Singaporean heart. I mean who can resist succulent, fresh juicy oysters fried in an egg and flour batter right? But their version is slightly different from Singapore's as the orh luak contains more flour batter as compared to ours and threre's is the soft, chewy version while the Singapore one is crispy.

Floury orh luak, not the best though

We all know about the bubble tea craze that exploded in Singapore a few years back yeah? Bubble tea was created in Taiwan and the tour guide said now Taiwan has a new kid on the block which is this -- Bittergourd juice with honey. I tasted it and it kinda has 2 dimensions to it tase, when the juice enters your mouth, it taste well, tasteless then before it enters the throat there is the kick of bitterness and lastly followed by a hint of sweetness. Hmmm, talking about a happy ending huh.

Bittergourd juice with honey:



Walking around Shilin evokes the feeling of being packed in a sardine can and having to endure the stink of smelly tofu and Taiwan is famous for there fatty sausages! It kinda scared me to see the long, red meat embedded with speck of white fat in intestine skins hanging on the metal rails on the stalls. Taiwanese people seem to be in love with the internal parts of animals as can be seen by the large display of lungs, pig' blood, etc in front of the stall.

Well, that's the food part for shilin and Mum and me ventured into the clothing side which is a long stretch of road with roadside stalls selling a wide range of stuff. It was a wrong move to enter that zone as we we stuck in the human jam for 1 hour and mum was so fed up that she hailed a taxi and headed for the hotel the minute we squeezed our way back onto the main road.

HA, what a day. So packed that i couldnt whip out my camera to photgraph the scene!