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Everything is fine. Sorry, no time to blog... see photos first...
Click here to view my photos
Reporting live from London
I have touched down safely in London. Weather here is very cold, but my heart's warm...
Family, buddies, friends... where will qi-yong be without you people...
谢谢你们的疼爱有佳
Read all the cards and gifts on the plane... especially the CD-ROM with my laptop onboard... It is really heartwarming. Thanks so much!
Departure Day!!
First Officer: BA0018 ready
Control Tower: BA0018 clear for take off
Captain: Take off
First Officer: Roger
BA0018, Strike Freedom 発進する！
Finally, the day has come. Also declaring the official debut of this blog.
Lucky coins
Thanks to all my friends who came to send me off at the airport. To show my appreciation, I am giving out a lucky coin to you. Let me eleborate what the whole idea of this Lucky coin is about. First of all, it is in EURO currency, so it is definitely something with value (1 EURO = 2 SGD yah). However, in order to spend it, you got to go to Europe! Our local money changes doesn't deal with coins as far as I know. (Evil me huh?) So, this is the idea. Please keep this lucky coin till I returned, and use it to exchange for a souvenir from me, the next time you see me. Of course if you prefer to come to Europe and spend it with me, you are most welcome!
A little bit more about the EURO coins...
Actually, it came with 15 different designs from 15 different countries. Hmm, so which country is your coin from... Check out the below links...
2 Euro Identification Guide
1 Euro Identification Guide
Thanks to all my friends once again and take good care! I will be back really soon... An early Happy Chinese New Year to you! Farewell for now!
The Quest for food continues...
Have been pigging for the past few days. But there's still quite a number left on my list. Haa, manage to clear three in one night - Satay, prata and durian. All from different locations - Lau Pak Sak, Upper Thomsom and Geylang! Wanted to do more, but its already 1am plus at the third checkpoint, Juan has to work the next day! Also, no more space left in the stomach already.
First checkpoint - Satay Club at Lau Pak Sak, of course the most famous stall is the FATMAN Satay. However, we didn't patronize it because I was looking for some stalls to take photos. Wanted to take some pictures of our local food, in case I have to give a presentation on something about Singapore when I am in the UK. So we spotted for a stall with the biggest visible fire. (Not very big also, as you can see from the photo, but that's the best already.) So, if you want more customer, make sure your flame is good!
The master.... and the apprentice 
Checkpoint number 2 - The Roti Prata House. First time it seems to be so quiet. Usually it is so crowded that we have to wait very long for the food. But yesterday was fast, the waiter still have time to offer to help take a photo of us. Is it because yesterday night was a monday night? Haa, must be they know that I am flying off and will not be able to patronize them again for the next 6 months! 
Last checkpoint - D24 at Geylang. Very full already when we reached this checkpoint. Couldn't finish and tao bao home for my mother, who had durian for breakfast this morning! Sense of achievement for clearing three different supper location in one night!
Happily playing away...
Click here for more photos in a slideshow
Reunion Dinner with my Family
We had an early reunion dinner this year on sunday evening, for very obvious reason lah. We went to Chongqing hot pot. We choose to go to the one at Tanglin Shopping Center and not the one at Suntec City, as it was more authentic according to the 0899ers (just had one for wenxiang's farewell recently!) Normally we will just ask the waitress to serve as a so called "standard set" where they will arrange a variety of dishes to be served. For those of you who know me, I am not a vegetable person, my parents do eat vegetables but they don't eat a lot la. So we decide to do away with the "standard set" and start ordering right from the start. 8 plates of beef, 8 plates of fish paste, 8 plates of jiao zi, 8 plates of prawns, 8 plates of golden mushrooms, 8 plates of hee piao (in teochew, some sort of fish something, not sure of what is it called in english or mandrain). Yah and some vegetables, for the first round. Notice all the numbers start with 8, lucky number for Chinese New Year! The best part of this steamboat is of course the Dessert!
A little entertainment... he's so good at it!
Click here for more photos in a slideshow
2/6 Family Reunion Dinner 2006
We have our 2/6 family reunion dinner yesterday at Bugis, with one new additional memeber to the family. Haha. Food was so-so la, but the company was great! Thanks to juan and jx for arranging it.
Our 2/6 family photo '06
After dinner, we slacked at TCC, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, where we played some games and the loser had to drink some disgusting drinks as forfeit. Yesh, I was the one drinking by the way. Of course, it was really great that 10 years of friendships were renewed over a cup of coffee. We stayed there till they close, and carried on the second round at ECP Mac, where an Operation DF was suggested. I know I will be away soon, but I just have to be included in the operation DF, through whatever means like webcam, video-conferencing, etc. Hehe.
with sistar yehong n bruthar juan
Best buddies for 10 years
Ahh... I m looking forward to Operation DF!
PhotoPuffing from Chinatown to Boat Quay 
Went to eat frog porriage with Angela and Yenteng at this coffeeshop called 长成粥 in Chinatown last night. The food was good, obviously something that I will be craving for very much for the next six months, at least... Katong Lasak, Geylang Beef Horfun, Upper Thomson Road Roti Prata, Queensway Hawker, Geylang Tim Sum, Changi V Nasi Lemak, Rochor Tao Huey and many other supper late nights hang out places! Hopefully, I am able to find some great relacements in UK... Actually jio-ed more people to meet up, but then some got to work, some busy, some find it too troublesome to go such a long way just to have dinner. In the end, only left the three of us, and I thought YT said she was tired…, Angela and YT, you all steady lah!! Haha
After dinner, looking for some great spots to play with my camera. Why not, since I have got 2 great models with me. Haha, we decided to make our ways from Chinatown to Boat Quay. The crowd at Chinatown was not that bad lah, guess it was not at its peak yet, for the season. But anyway, that’s already the best I can get, may be missing two consecutive Chinese New Year! Arghh… a great loss! Where's all my ang baos (red packets)?!
Actually, the distance from Chinatown to Boat Quay is pretty short. We walked past two different MRT stations of the NEL, thinking that they were two different exits of the same station. At Boat Quay, we also checked out the Thai restaurant where YT works, according to her, they really serve authentic Thai food, unit number #01-47 if I remembered correctly. Didn't really stopped by coz she felt really paiseh meeting her colleagues. We also went to the Eski bar. This is a bar that serves alcohol in an environment of temperature from between 0 degree Celsius to 5 degree Celsius. If a guest brings his own winter wear into the bar, he will get a 10% discount. What a great idea for a hot tropical country like Singapore. However, I guess everywhere will be like Eski bar in UK during winter. What they need over there should be a Summer bar – an environment of 30 degree Celsius? And maybe anybody who brings their own bikinis or beach wear into this bar will get a 10% discount. (Only applicable to babes and hunks.) Haa. Next time bah, when I have the capital. Angela, YT… want to join in?? 
Last stop was to The Fullerton Hotel. Spotted this little bug with a nice number plate. Took a picture of it, hopefully the owner of the car don't mind lah. For all you know, he may be having some secret affairs in the hotel and may mistaken me for being a secret detective sent by his wife, to take picture of his car as evidence!
We sat down by the riverside and crap for a while before heading home~ Great way to end the first day of my last weekend in Singapore!
Death of a Tree After days of raining, I spotted this interesting phenomenon near my block. One day when I was on my way home, I saw this botak tree. The neighbouring trees are green and alive. Only this one seems dead. All the leaves turned brown and hanging on the tree. Why didn't they drop off? Why are the neighbouring trees all surviving but this one? Could it be no more nutrients in the soil from that patch of grass? This certainly isn't that kind of tree that dropped leaves during certain season. I have been staying here for more than twenty years and this is the first time I saw the tree in this state. I am puzzled...
Personal experience in the CAVE @ IHPC
Today, I shall present to you a special blog entry. Why special, because I have invited a special guest to do this entry, as promised earlier. Due to the busy schedule of the guest, this is actually a back-dated entry, featuring the personal experience with the CAVE at A*STAR IHPC. (Refer to the entry dated December 28, 2005.) My entry will be in blue colour while the guest’s one will be in green. A warm welcome to the special guest, cai ling!
First of all, can you believe this guy?! The things he can think of - omg - a guest entry...
Ok this entry's about the cave - so yup yup, I gotta first thank qiyong for arranging with his supervisor for me to visit the cave.
Yesh, I managed to smuggle her into IHPC. I didn’t expect boss will agree when I ask him at the very last minute if I can bring a friend along. Thanks to Dr Lu Chun and Tomas for this.
I met up with cai ling at the NUS central library bus-stop and took the shuttle service to Science Park II. Why do I have to mention this? Hmm, because she has said something strange on the bus. Can’t remember the exact words, but she got the idea that it was an embarrassment for me to bring her to my office! Gosh!! I kept quiet, and don’t know how to reply. She presumed that I agree with her. NO! She has definitely up my market value by going to IHPC with me, haha.
I kept quiet then, because I was thinking… the scenario was a bit familiar, just that I can’t be certain. After some confirmation with the DVDs at home, I then realized that it is that scene of SATC season 6, deleted scene 07, where Harry accusing Charlotte of being ashamed to introduce him to her friends. Haha. Maybe no link, but just find it funny.
Okie, and so we proceed to the CAVE. 
For those who didn't understand qiyong's utterly-technical, lengthy explanation of the cave in his earlier entry, it is in a nutshell, a 4-walled "cave" that can present 3D images when you put on expensive glasses.
4-walls are the front, left, right and bottom walls (imagine standing in the middle of a big cube with no ceiling & no back wall). The special glasses cost abt USD800 a pce (can tell how special already??)
So why the cave? When ppl come up with models of the real thing and they need for some reason to see it in 3D - go to the cave. According to the demonstrator, it's usually for presentation purposes. And what did our friend qiyong think about it? "Install counterstrike."
Isn’t it cool, to play counterstrike in an entirely 3D environment? Even better, if can have force feedback. Those who are in Japan, highly recommend visiting SEGA World, where they use the CAVE for gamming experience!
Of course, it is not only about gamming. I feel like I am like Casper, the friendly ghost, when inside the CAVE. Flying and zooming pass everything without feel. It will definitely be nice if the video can be of real life images and touring around the world will be possible! Virtually!
As you will see below, he was fervently clicking away on his digicam... At first I didn't think taking pictures would be allowed, but then the demonstrator said, "Use night shots." So qiyong got more excited...
The main menu of what is available, with our presentor Mr Bernard 
The bosses of the Villa Resort, somewhere in Indonesia (shh...cannot disclose) 
Busy at work, do not disturb! 
Coffee and Tea in the pantry before the CAVE demonstration
Caught unaware! And then... she thinks she's taking a passport photo!!
Thanks to cai ling for the entry above. Today is also the last day of my internship at A*STAR IHPC. I would like to thank Dr Lu Chun for the opportunity and my direct boss Dr Tomas for the guidance.
Dr Tomas Karasek, happily posing for my camera!
Lastly, of course I remember, Happy Birthday to my brother, Rongjin!
Skating with sibling
I have promised my sister to teach her some skating tricks after she finished her O levels. Due to my busy schedule, this has always been delayed. Well, shall include it into one of the New Year Resolutions. And soon... the training started on the 1st Jan!
Immediately after the fantastic New Year Count Down, we hit FUJI Ice Palace the next day!
Trying to attempt backward skating on ice - Nope, failed! haha
Of course, I have not been hitting the ice ring since JC. However, I have been doing inline skating. By priciples, they should be similar. At the ice ring, I decided to try out one of my favourite stopping technique - The Hockey Stop. It was expected to have ice splushing out when performing that technique. Disappointed, able to stop, got a sharp sliding sound, but no ice splushing out! Argh... I guess its because of the blade that I am using, a rental pair. Will I only be able to cut ice wearing a pair of hockey skates with sharp blades? Maybe it was the skill of the "pilot" afterall, the plane doesn't matter. Yah, guess my skills are lousy.
Sibling, the best!
After the skating while having dinner at my grandma's house, Ju called! Surprise activation - for board games at Changi Airport! Best la, previous night had Big Brother Two card games at Shears Bridge railing... and today... Yesh, first time. Not online gaming, not mahjong, but BOARD-GAMMING and at the Pacific Coffee in Changi Airport Terminal 1.
And with huihui and juan
Games that we played... 
Think it was a nice idea to have these games onboard during my long distant flight to UK! Haha
The next day, we hit ECP in the afternoon for inline skating. Again with my sister, and one of my best companion - CROSSMAX3 (Name of my skates, see photo on the right.) We passed by the Cable Ski and saw people testing out the ski. It should be ready by this year, but sad to say, I will not be in time for it. Maybe, when I return?
The Cable Ski @ ECP
There is actually a story to the dustbin and this slope...
With sister, Joey and Aaron...
Doing a backward swizzl
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A CROSSMAX and 3XP!
That's all for now. Hopefully, able to spend more time together before I leave. Yup, I think she's doing good.
Count Down 2006!!! - Adventure with the Powerpuff girls & friends
Happy New Year 2006
It was an enjoyable New Year Eve's evening. Met up with Angela, Ronghua, Siewhwa, Yenteng and Yihan at Suntec City for the New Year countdown. As it was overcrowded, we decided to make our ways to the Shears bridge to enjoy the fireworks.
As I have done two long wordy posts previously, I decided to do this one with more pictures...
Too front?? Too back?? Apologise for the poor photography judgement skills...
Powerpuff girls at work!! Do not disturb! Sometimes, you just got to give it to them... 
And who's the table for the card?? Great contribution... (The loser from the previous round)
Powerpuff No2 in her funcky specs!
Why isst always the same pose?
With powerpuff no 1 and 5
Just before my camera's battery runs out entirely...
The Count Down... 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...
After the count down, made our ways to geylang for supper.
Of course, after supper is the most exciting part of the night. Introducing the new computer game hit - The adventure of the Powerpuff girls. The mission or objective is to find the way to the homes of the Powerpuff girls. First two levels were the most challenging - the boonlay and chua chu kang checkpoints! I guess I was quite good with this game lah, finished off the game too early to watch a beautiful sunrise... (^.^)
Had a great night, definitely hope to do this a few more times before leaving for UK. Happy 2006 and Goodbye 2005~
