Sea Sick!

In my recent trip to Sydney, I went for a whale cruise, which turned out to be disappointing, but that is another story. I rushed to the harbour after I put my things down at my uncle's place, and managed to make it on time. However, I did not have time to eat anything, so when the cruise started halfway, I got terribly sea sick!

 

The guide who was with us said if we are sick for whatever reason, we should go to the berth and breathe in the fresh air. We should not be staying in the enclosed area even if there are seats, and it would be best to go to the first level of the boat.

 

However, there was hardly any space on the external area as everyone was crowding around there to catch the glimpse of the whales and dolphins. It was a real terrible feeling, nothing to eat and drink, felt so nauseous and yet could not even have space to move around on the deck for some air! Neither could I go downstairs as I could not even move properly!

 

Finally when the boat was turning back, I told the guide how sick I felt. She kindly broughe me to the upper deck, sat me down on one of the chairs and told me to just lie back. After being in the air for a while, I felt better and managed to make my way back to my seat inside.

 

Back inside, I fell asleep. I was surprised I could do that as it was such a terrible feeling earlier on that I could not even close my eyes to sleep! I was so afraid I was going to vomit right in the boat! But luckily, I managed to sleep for about an hour and by the time the boat docked, I felt so much better that I could even walk steadily.

 

I shall never attempt a cruise of any form on an empty stomach again!

A Week (Or More) In Sydney

I spent about a week in Sydney on my recent trip to Australia. Many people tell me there is nothing much to see or do in Sydney. Actually, it all depends on where you like to go. There are many nice places to see and do in Sydney itself.

 

Sydney is worth spending a week there. I was never bored and had something to occupy myself with everyday. Beacuse I had to go to Canberra first before going back to Sydney, I did not manage to spend more time there as I had to get a return flight back. But in order to fully utilise the time, I would recommend at least a week there.

 

I am speaking from personal experience as I really did manage to travel on my own in Sydney and going to really nice places. To kickstart, Sydney's public transportation is really good, so you really do not need a car. Most of the best places are around the train stations and easily accessible by bus.

 

I would recommend getting a weekly pass, which covers all areas, depending on where you go. If you are only planning to go around the metropolitan area and the city centre, just a pass that covers these areas would do instead of getting one that covers fully. The pass itself lets you take unlimited trains, buses, ferries and the light rail, but does not include monorail.

 

So what would I recommend doing in Sydney? That is assuming you take the Scoot flight, which only flies at a godforsaken hour and reach Sydney International Airport around noon. I was staying with my relatives, so had to go to one of the suburbs, but there are many available and not too expensive accommodation around the centre areas of Town Hall and Central.

 

The best way to travel from the airport to the city centre is to take a train. Assuming you take the train from the airport to Sydney Central Station where your accommodation is situated nearby, you can buy a weekly pass from Sydney Central station itself. Please bear in mind that the pass does not cover the airport line. There are additional charges if you need to travel back and forth from the airport.

 

Sydney Central Station is the main interchange for trains, buses and light rail. It is in a colonial style building, built in the style of an old-fashioned railway. The trip from the airport to Sydney Central station takes half an hour the most, which means you would be able to check in at your accommodation by two in the afternoon.

 

Please do bear in mind that Sydney Central Station is very big, so one has to see the notice for train schedules and study the map thoroughly to know where to go. Most of the smaller train stations have no gantry in and out, but if you think you can just buy the cheaper fare, think again, because even though there are no gantries at many of the smaller stations, there are periodic checks and once caught, there will be a fine of A$100.00 at least. I did not experience this but my aunt told me.

 Facade of Sydney Central Station

 

After checking into your accommodation, you can hop onto the light rail and travel to Fish Market Station for lunch at the Fish Market. I did not manage to go there, but that place has the greatest variety of fresh seafood available.

The entrance of Sydney Central, where the light rail stops

 

After lunch, you can take the light rail and alight at Paddy's Market at the Haymarket (the stop is the Paddy's Markets station). The place closes at five in the afternoon though, so there should be just a little time. Paddy's Market has the greatest variety of cheap stuff like a big bazaar. Alternatively, you can go to Paddy's Market first and then go to Fish Market for dinner.

Paddy's Market is opposite Sydney's Chinatown and next to Capitol Square, so maybe you can take in a movie at the old-fashioned Capitol Theatre, and then go to Chinatown for dinner and exploration? And that would end your first day.

If your second day in Sydney happens to be on a Sunday and you are Catholic or Christian, you can take the train around half past eight in the morning to Museum Station and explore Hyde Park. Hyde Park stretches from the Australian Museum, to the ANZAC Memorial, to St Mary's Cathedral and St James Station, and to Hyde Park Barracks.

 

Both Museum Station and St James Station are in the style of an old London Underground Tube station. Get out at Museum station and go down the stretch of Hyde Park where the Australian Museum, ANZAC Memorial, Reflection Lake and Cook and Philip Olympic Pool is situated, then go by St Mary's Cathedral to the other side of Hyde Park where the Archibald Fountain is situated. The end of Hyde Park will be where Sydney Tower is from across the street at St James Station.

After exploring Hyde Park, you can go for mass at St Mary's Cathedral (I would recommend the solemn mass at half past ten) or St James Cathedral. After the church service, walk down the side of St Mary's Cathedral to enter the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Domain, where you can see many good varieties of plants, trees and flowers, and sea view of the Domain at Mrs Macquarie's Chair.

 

Before entering the Domain, consider going to the Art Gallery (free entrance) where there are many nice paintings available. Consider having lunch at the Domain or Art Gallery. My adventures in the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain can be found here.

 

From there, you can walk back via the waterfront to the Opera House and Circular Quay, all the way to The Rocks. Explore the stretch of the Rocks which will end at Campbell's Cove, or the older stretch which will end at the Harbour Bridge. My trip to the Rocks can be found here.

 

If you are really adventurous and there is still time, can consider going up the Pylon Lookout to the top to see the scene from the top of the Harbour Bridge, then walk across to Milsons Point, which was what I did. Or if you like, you can even venture a bridge climb, but that has to be booked in advance.

 

If you are going across the harbour bridge up the Pylon Lookout, the end of the bridge would be at Milsons Point, where you can then take a train back to either Central Station or anywhere else you like. Perhaps you can consider ending the day with a play at the Opera House in the evening?

 

Third day in Sydney can be spent on more thorough exploration. For me, I spent one day exploring the Central Business District, beaches and eastern suburbs, but in order to explore more thoroughly I would recommend two days.

 

So perhaps the third day can be spent just wandering around the Central Business District all the way to King's Cross, Paddington and Bondi Junction, with a trip up the Sydney Tower and shopping at Queen Victoria Building, Galeries Victoria and Pitt Street Mall. If you prefer night life, there are great night spots at King's Cross and the Darlinghurst area, but please bear in mind that King's Cross area is rather complicated especially at night.

 

The fourth day can be spent beach hopping from Bondi to Watsons Bay and the Gap, to the eastern suburbs, to Manly and the northern beaches of Freshwater and Curl Curl, and a trip to the Spit as well.

 

The fifth day can be spent cruising. Depending on the season, you can take a whale cruise, or a lunch cruise, or even a cruise to one of the outlying islands at Sydney Harbour. Bear in mind though that the whale cruise is nothing to shout about, which I have reviewed here. After that, perhaps a trip to the Olympic Park? You can take a ferry to Homebush Bay, which is the terminal for Olympic Park.

 

Enter the sixth day, where you can go to Darling Harbour, and the nearby Madame Tussaud's, Sydney Aquarium or even the Wildlife Sydney. I would also recommend a visit to the Powerhouse Museum, which I went during the second time I went to Sydney. There are also great night spots and shopping in Darling Harbour itself.

 

Enter the seventh day. Finally, you can make a trip to the Blue Mountains. If you have a pass that covers the Blue Mountains, that will be great, otherwise the weekly ticket expires on the seventh day and you need to renew. My day trip to the Blue Mountains can be found here.

 

If you are only planning on one week in Sydney, just get a weekly pass that covers the Blue Mountains area as well, otherwise get a cheaper weekly pass that covers only the metropolitan area, and then extend your stay another week and get another weekly pass that covers not just Blue Mountains, but also Jervis Bay, Port Stephens and Hunter Valley. In this way, you can fully utilise the weekly passes and the train system.

 

Assuming you are extending your stay to another week, with the weekly pass that goes to the Blue Mountains, you can use it to explore Hunter Valley as well. Hunter Valley is about a couple of hours drive from Sydney centre, and about three hours train ride. It is the wine country nearest to Sydney. I would recommend at least a couple of days there, so it would be good to stay overnight and return back to Sydney the following evening. Hence, the eighth and ninth days can be spent at Hunter Valley, before returning to Sydney on the night of the ninth day.

 

On the tenth day, perhaps make a trip to Jervis Bay in the south or Port Stephens around the north? These are also places where at least two nights is required. If you are the kind that likes to lie around a relaxing beach resort, then these places are for you. The next three days can be spent there, and return to Sydney on the night of the twelfth day. The train ride from Sydney to Jervis Bay is about three hours each way.

 

On the thirteenth day, you can take a trip to Blacktown and change to a bus to go to the Featherdale Wildlife Park, which I did not manage to go. The place is a zoo with many local animals like spotted deer, Tasmanian devils, kangaroos, emus, and you can even hug a koala!

 

Finally, on the fourteenth day, you can take a train back to the airport (the flight would be the early afternoon) and return home. Hence, it is possible to spend one or two weeks in Sydney and still have fun!

Murrays Australia

I took a direct flight to Sydney via Scoot. Since Scoot only has one flight a day (although it flies everyday), I had to plan my itinerary according to when the flight would reach Sydney. Hence, because I would reach Sydney around one in the afternoon, I had to plan the bus ride to Canberra after that time.

 

I initially thought of using Greyhound Australia, as I have heard great reviews about their coaches. However, that is not express as it would stop on a few places along the way. Then my brother recommended Murrays Australia. I have not heard of Murrays, but my brother told me because the office is in Canberra itself, so it has more regular services to Sydney and back. And if I book a place early enough, I can get it at a cheaper rate. Most importantly, it is an express coach, so there would not be much time wasted stopping at places.

 

So I took a look at the Murrays website, and was so lucky to find a coach leaving around two in the afternoon at a very low rate! Hence, I booked the coach from Sydney Airport direct to Canberra, and the return coach from Canberra to Sydney Central Railway, which would leave Canberra at seven in the morning in order to utilise my time at Sydney to the fullest.

 

In the end, taking Murrays is a good choice because the driver himself is friendly and helpful. He helped to load our luggages into the baggage compartment of the bus, and greeted everyone by name! When we reached the bus, he also gave us an introduction to the company. There is even a lavatory on the coach for us to use freely, which is hardly the case in other coaches.

 

Due to the traffic, we reached Canberra half an hour later than scheduled. But that could not be helped. The time taken to go from Sydney Airport to Canberra is around three hours, but with traffic conditions, it can take about up to four hours, which is still considered alright.

 

On my return trip, I took the coach to Sydney Central Railway. Perhaps because it was so early in the morning, there was hardly any cars on the street, and we reached Sydney Airport (the first drop off point) before ten. However, once we were out of Sydney Airport, the traffic started to become heavy and we did not reach Sydney Central Railway until half past ten, where I had to then scramble to find the train to take to my uncle's place.

 

Overall, I am rather satisfied with Murrays. Did I also mention that both days, the coaches are full, even at seven in the morning? It seems that Murrays is a very popular choice even with the Australians themselves, so that probably tells a lot about their reputation and service. If I am ever to go down again and need to take a coach elsewhere, I would sure use Murrays!

The Australian Capital Territories (And A Little Bit Of New South Wales)

I am back from down under. Upon reaching land here, I felt so hot and sweltering. Even though the weather there was in the twenties, still the wind was rather cooling and not humid, so now that I am back home, I feel hot all over.

 

It was a great trip overall. I had a great time with my brother, and meeting up with the rest of my relatives too. I took the flight to Sydney, and then a bus to Canberra, so I only managed to reach Canberra on the evening of 17 October. I had to check into my brother's hostel on my own as he was busy on campus.
 

The first street sign to indicate that I have reached Canberra 

When I reached the bus station in Canberra (the Jolimont Centre), I realised that all the shops were closed! It was close to six in the evening, and the shops all closed at five. It was literally a dead town. I could not buy a prepaid bus ticket, and had to walk around looking for the right platform. I was told that the bus interchange was next to Jolimont Centre, but what was "next to" took me a twenty minute walk, with my luggage and backpack and all.

The platforms were not well-marked and not in sequence. It took me a while to find the right platform. Luckily, quite a number of buses go to my brother's hostel and the bus driver was friendly and helpful, so he told me when to alight and where the place was.
 

 My brother's hostel, where I stayed for three nights

 

When I reached my brother's hostel, he had already gotten someone to open the door, so I just needed to call and the door was opened. The person then took me up to the room and unlocked the door, where I started unpacking until my brother came back and gave me some bread for dinner. I was not that hungry despite the long overnight flight as I bought a burger at Sydney Airport before waiting for the bus to Canberra.

The next day I started exploring since my brother would not be free to accompany me until 19 October. I had already booked a farm visit (refer to this for my review of the trip) beforehand. Since I was not driving, I had to take a bus to the place. Unfortunately, the buses of Canberra do not stop at every stop, so I had to take a bus to Belconnen, another suburb away from the city, and then change to another bus to this place called Federation Square, and then walk down.

When I took the bus, the bus driver asked if I was a student, as he said if I am a student, I only needed to pay A$3.80 for the full day with unlimited bus rides, otherwise I had to pay A$4.00 per ride with only one transfer within ninety minutes. Needless to say, I nodded in the affirmative. So I only paid A$3.80 and could take as many buses as I liked for the day! Why did the bus driver that took me from the interchange to the hostel not tell me that the day before?! For that, I wasted A$4.00 for an adult ticket which I alighted after just two stops!
 

 Bus tickets that you could buy on the bus direct from the driver. The left one was the adult ticket and the right was the concession ticket for student.

 

I took the bus to Belconnen, then took another bus to Federation Square. Not all bus stops are marked, some are just poles, so I really had to look carefully where to alight. But finally I managed to alight at the right stop and walked the way to the farm.

 This clock tower is the icon of Federation Square

 

I thought I could find my way to the farm as it looked so easy on the map. Unfortunately, I got lost. The farm was off Barton Highway, and I believed I was on the right track, but after walking for twenty minutes and still could not find the place, I started to panic as I was in the middle of a highway with nothing around me but cars and trees. So I called the farm and they got someone to come pick me up. I just had to wait at the spot for a while and the person really did come to pick me up. Nice service!
 



 Trees and jungle like area along the highway

 

The farm visit also includes a boomerang throwing experience, which you can read about here. Apparently, a group of university students were also on the farm tour. After the farm visit, being a lone traveller, I requested for the chartered bus to drop me off at Federation Square, and the kind driver actually obliged!
 

 Back to Federation Square (this building is behind the bus stop)

 

After getting down, I paid a visit to the Cockington Green Gardens, which I have also reviewed here. Since I still had time after visiting the gardens as my brother told me not to be back until around five in the evening, I went opposite to visit the Ginninderra Historical Village.
 

Ginnenderra Historical Village, just opposite Cockington Green Gardens on Gold Creek Road

 

Most of the old houses of the village has been demolished, but some were preserved and now restaurants, bookshops and stores selling crafts and artifacts have taken the place of the residents. What remains of the old village is now some wheelbarrows that used to cart agricultural products.
 

 

One round the village took only ten minutes or so, and I went back across the street to wait for the bus, which took about forty minutes before it arrived. I took the bus back to Belconnen, and since I still had time, I decided to go to Belconnen Mall next to the bus station and enjoy a cup of Max Brenner's hot chocolate before going back to the hostel.
 



 Enjoying hot chocolate at Belconnen

 

The next day, I woke up bright and early, and saw a very nice view just out of the window. My brother is so lucky! If I have this view, I would not mind studying so hard everyday just to gaze out of the window!
 



 View from outside the window

 

We went out around eleven in the morning. First we walked to the car rental company and got the car. It was a Nissan March, one of the cute cars I like. And because we were both too cheapskate to get a GPS, thinking that the GPS on my brother's iPhone 5 would suffice, we paid a big price for that, but that would be a story for later.
 



 The car we rented

 

We drove the car to his campus first and picked up his friend, then went on to the Canberra Glassworks for lunch at Brodburger, which turned out to be the biggest burger I have ever seen!
 



 This burger may look small here, but it is bigger than my hand and I could not even fit the whole thing into my mouth! I had to dismember the burger bit by bit before I could finish eating.

 

 We also ordered chips (fries) on the side, also a very big serving

 

After lunch, we went on our adventure. We initially wanted to go to this suburb at New South Wales called Bungendore, but because we did not get a GPS, we lost our way and ended up in some nature reserve somewhere. And that was when we realised that the iPhone GPS is totally unreliable as it brought us on a wild goose chase. In the end, we gave up and turned back. (Note to self : do not ever save on GPS. Invest in one as it is a life-saver indeed.)

 

We then started on our way to Queanbeyan, a town around the border of New South Wales and Australian Capital Territories, but again missed a turn and ended up at Canberra Airport. Incidentally, Canberra Airport is relatively new as it was only in the past couple of years that Canberra started having an airport to serve both domestic and international airlines.

 

We took a toilet break at the airport, then went back to Queanbeyan. Queanbeyan is a small town with a modern shopping mall, nice lake and a bridge. We wandered around the mall with a Coles department store, before heading back to Canberra, where we went to the Parliament House, War Memorial, and then up to Mount Ainslie for the aerial view of Canberra.

 

Canberra itself has many free attractions around the same area. Lake Burley Griffin separates the two sides, and the attractions are all on both sides. Canberra is the place designated to hold the capital since both Sydney and Melbourne could not come to a consensus, so the government then decided to choose somewhere in the middle. Mr Walter Burley Griffin, an architect, was tasked to design a town plan.

 

His design was very good indeed, as from the lookout at Mount Ainslie, there was actually a straight line from the War Memorial to the Parliament House. The lake cuts in the middle of the two sides. I would think Mr Burley Griffin went up the mountain and started visualising just how his town would look like. Anyway, our adventures can be found here.

 

We ended the day feeling satisfied. Upon reaching the hostel, we rested a while, then my brother and I drove out again to visit Woolworths, another department store about ten minutes drive away. Incidentally, that place happened to be the Chinatown of Canberra.

 

The next day, I got up early, and my brother dropped me off at Jolimont Centre, where I took the bus to Sydney. More to come about my adventures in Sydney.
 



Passing by some pastures en route to Sydney

Family Visiting Down Under

I am scoot-ing off tonight to Sydney, where I will spend a few days with my youngest brother in Canberra and then another few days with my relatives in Sydney. Hopefully I come back refreshed and recharged as with every vacation I take.

 

Stay tuned for my adventures down under!

The Words Of Atonement

I went to watch "The Words" last week, and it is one of the best shows I have seen in recent years. This show reminds me of "Atonement", as the theme is similar. Both shows focus on a writer, who use words to tell the truth, and atone for what they have done.

 

"The Words" is actually a story within a story. The opening scene is on a writer talking about his new book. In his new book, he told of a young struggling writer who wanted to get something published. Unfortunately, a few years and two manuscripts later, his works were still rejected for publication, even though the publishers all said he wrote well and the story was good, but just not marketable.

 

One day, he came across a briefcase with a manuscript written by someone. He was so haunted by the story of a young soldier in the second world war dedicating the story to his wife and recently-deceased baby daughter, that he wanted the words to flow out of himself. So he went to retype the manuscript on his own typewriter. When his wife came across that story on his typewriter, she was so moved that she urged him to get the manuscript published. Unwilling to disappoint his wife and knowing this would be his big break, he did not reveal that he was not the original writer.

 

His book became a sensation and overnight best-seller. Due to the popularity of this new book, his previous manuscripts were also published. That book allowed him to win the New Letters Of The Year award. The next day after receiving an award, he came across an old man who was revealed to be the original writer of the story.

 

The writer was so crest-fallen and guilty that he confessed of his plagiarism to his wife. He then went on to confess to his publisher, who told him things like that do happen and he just had to ride on his new-found success, as if not because of this book, he would never be a published writer. Hence, he had to live with his guilt, especially after finding out the other manuscripts he wrote were not of the same standard as the first that was published.

 

So the new writer went to find the old man and wanted to give him his proceeds of the royalties. The old man refused and said it was enough to see his words in print, and that he did not tell him the truth to gain anything, but just to let him know the background of the story. Shortly after, the old man passed away, and the new writer did not have the chance to atone for what he did.

 

Back to the opening scene. It is now revealed that the writer talking about the book is none other than the young writer himself, but now middle-aged and with several best-sellers to his name. He decided to write this book to tell the truth and to atone for what he did. Of course, people thought it was all fiction. It was implied that he and his wife never did recover from the deception and their marriage fell apart, and even though he became rich and successful, he never got over the guilt of publishing someone else's work in the first place.

 

Just like "Atonement". The writer in the show never got over her guilt of what she did to her sister and the man she loved. Unfortunately, she never did manage to make amends, as both died during the second world war and never had the chance to get back together. She became a famous writer, and in the end she published her final book entitled "Atonement", hoping to alleviate her guilt towards what she did.

 

Both shows are good in their own ways. "The Words" may sound complicated, but it is actually a very simple movie and quick to understand. And that is why it makes the show so good because it is such a simple, albeit fantastic storyline. Nothing complicated, no extra characters. Just a simple plot and great acting. And that is why it is one of the best shows I have watched in recent years.

Reminiscing Days With My Grandma

My paternal grandma passed away last year. Her death came as a shock to me, even though my mum was expecting it for quite some time. I always thought my grandma as the healthy strong kind. Come to think of it, the women in my family are all pretty strong and capable.

 

I did not grow up in the kind of family where women are subjugated to the wills of their husbands, that their destiny would only be keeping the house, bearing children, and tolerating and listening to what their husbands wanted. In fact, the girls in my family are encouraged at a young age to be all-rounders, to excel in our studies, music, sports and in everything we do.

 

I was taught to have a loud voice since young, that women can speak their minds and that men are not always right. I was taught that being a woman means you can be everything - a wife, a mother, a career person, and yet able to keep the house and bear children too. Hence, I am not the typical kind of girl that so many men crave for - the endearing, soft-spoken demure kinds who only know how to bat their eyelashes at the men.

 

I am the strong-willed, independent kind of girl who does what she likes and thinks is right. For instance, if I want to travel, I will travel, whether the guy comes with me or not. Afterall, just because the guy does not like to travel or cannot travel for some reason, do I have to give up what I love because of him? Do I have to stay at home and shake legs because the guy does not allow me to travel on my own?

 

The same goes for my family. My mum and grandma did what they thought was right on their own, without depending on their husbands. But that do not mean they are any less a good woman. In fact, my grandma and mum live for their families, and will do everything for their families. It is fortunate indeed that even though my grandparents were match-made, their marriage somehow worked out and they had a very healthy relationship with no complicated issues or domestic violence, which is more than I can say for many modern couples with free love nowadays.

 

My grandma was an educated woman of her time. She went to school during the days in her village in China when girls were not allowed any education. She had a good elder brother who made sure she went to school and stopped the other boys from bullying her. She was the only girl in her class every year, and topped her school every year. She had to stop schooling after Secondary One because the government made it illegal for girls to go to school.

 

Despite being educated for people of her time, she married my grandpa, whom she was bethrothed to at the age of four. I remember asking her why so once, she said in those days, when you were bethrothed, you had to marry each other, even if the other person could turn out to be ugly and crippled and handicapped.

 

My grandpa was also educated for his time. He went to university and the military school. In fact, when the second world war came and the Japanese invaded China, my grandpa was away at Nanjing University, and my grandma single-handedly took her two young children, her in-laws, her mother, and a whole lot of relatives out of China and sailed to Singapore to join her elder brother. My grandpa reunited with her after the war and that was why my dad was a post-war baby, and that both his siblings are quite a lot older than him.

 

My grandpa then found work together with my granduncle, and my grandma then took over the running of the household. She not only took care of her own family, she also took care of her in-laws, her mother, her brother's family, and the children of the relatives whom she brought out of China (both my grandpa's and her own relatives), whom she raised and educated as her own. And this also explains why her relatives (some still alive), be it here or back in China, even though they have reached great levels of success, never forgot her kindness and upbringing.

 

She was so successful at running the house that my grandpa let her do whatever she liked. My grandpa never questioned my grandma's judgement and let her be the decision maker in most things. In fact, as far as I remember, I have never heard my grandpa arguing with my grandma, and he would always go along with whatever she wanted to do. Besides running the house, she also set up a business selling drinks at a school canteen, which was later taken over by her daughter-in-law (my uncle's wife).

 

My grandma was the default "head" of the house, until many years later, she relinquished that "title" to an even stronger woman - her younger daughter-in-law, my mother. My grandma knew when to step back and let the younger generation take over.

 

Like my grandma, my mother was the strong and capable decision-maker, and my dad also just let her do whatever she liked and never questioned her judgement. My grandma officially "retired" and let my mum run the household, and never questioned her too. Despite the horror stories of mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, both my mum and my grandma got along very well. I have never heard them arguing with each other, and my mum took care of my grandma much better than my dad ever did.

 

Growing up, my grandma would occasionally bring me to where my grandpa worked and fed me with all kinds of snacks. She would buy me my favourite ice-cream and biscuits, and my mum would always disapprove and interfere. Even if my grandma disapproved of the way my mum did certain things, she would never interfere in how my mum brought us up.

 

In fact, my grandma was full of praises for my mum. She once said luckily my dad married my mum, otherwise the house would crumble. I could not agree with that more! Beacuse my dad is the laid-back, relaxed and mild tempered kind, he needs someone like my mum who has the drive and inclination to get things done, otherwise forever things will never be done. It is due to this that I never have any qualms staying with my in-laws if I get married next time, because I have seen a fine example in my own house.

 

My grandma had three children, eleven grandchildren, and at last count, thirteen great-grandchildren. I was her youngest granddaughter, and the one she doted on the most. One of the things I regret the most is that I never fulfilled her wish of seeing me married before she passed on.

 

I missed her cooking, her Hainanese rice balls, her Hainanese cuisine, her rice krispies. What I regret also is that I never got to learn her recipes before she was gone, and none of my aunts nor cousins learnt her special dishes too.

 

And what I also regret the most is that I never got to celebrate her last ever birthday with us in November 2010. I was sick in bed with a bad viral infection, so never joined in the celebrations at my place where my cousins and their kids came and took photos with her.

 

Despite that, my grandma had lived a long and fulfilling life. Besides the fall in March 2010 that rendered her invalid and bed-ridden, otherwise she had lived an enriching and active life. She passed away just three months short of her 100th birthday.

 

Rest In Peace, grandma! I will always miss and remember you!

Be Careful What You Say Online

Recently, it seems to be the time of "sensational" news. After all the sex and corruption scandals going around, the "biggest" news in the past week is on a certain lady holding a prominent post, making an "innocent" racial-related remark on a social media site and triggering a big hoo-ha over the web.

 

Her remark really sparked controversy. I am not saying what she said is right, it is really downright insensitive, and she should not even state that in the first place. And it is this little "innocent" remark that got her terminated from her employment instantly and triggering some war of the words via the online portals.

 

However, to be really objective, because we are living here, which is why this little remark can spark such uproar. Just imagine if you are living in another country in the West, say United States, United Kingdom, or even Australia. This kind of remark would not even spark off any controversy because freedom of speech and expression is so prevalent there that no one would bat an eyelid if things like that were said.

 

Again, I am not saying what she said was right. Even for other countries, remarks and actions like these would be frowned upon by certain people. But it would not trigger such big controversy and get them terminated from their jobs because honestly, to be really objective, it is not a crime to speak your mind.

 

Having said that, one really has to be careful what one says online. I am also on social media platforms, and I am outspoken and speak my mind too. But there are certain things that I will not say, simply because I know it is not right. Certain things you just do not say online, unless you are willing to face the consequences of your actions, especially in this age where everyone is connected to everyone else somehow. You may say something and the next thing you know, you get into so much trouble.

 

Just look at this poor lady. Because of an "innocent" remark to vent how she felt, within a day, she lost her job, got slammed by thousands, with her photos being floated everywhere, and lost her reputation and integrity just like that. Last I heard, she went back to Australia where she orignated, which would be better for her to start over, as she definitely would not be able to start over here.

 

Hence, in this age of technology and where everyone is living an open life, we really have to be more discerning what we express or say, as one never knows who is scrutinising who. It will be a big surprise if we get called for investigation by the police because of something we said whom we thought no one else would give a deal about. But there will always be people who give a big deal, and no one should go through this kind of trouble in the first place.

How Did A Corruption Case Turn Into A Sex Scandal?

In the past year, there had been many cases of very established men being charged due to sexual-related crimes. In one high-profile case, a group of men, some with high statuses, were charged for running an underground underaged prostitution den.

 

Early this year, a chief of a military unit fell from grace for corruption - having intimate relations with a female vendor and giving her the services of the organisation to boost her sales. Just a few months back, a law lecturer at our number one university was investigated for giving the girl good grades in return for sexual favours, which he alleged the girl volunteered.

 

But the most high profile case in recent weeks is that of another chief from one of the police units, who also allegedly had intimate relations with a female vendor in letting her boost her sales by giving her the contract of his organisation.

 

The thing is, he was charged for corruption. Corruption, in any form, is still corruption, and being a chief in a discipline unit, he of all people should uphold the law. Hence, by having sexual relations with the lady and giving her the contract, that is corruption, as he favoured her company due to the relationship he had with her.

 

However, during the trial, and what the newspapers flashed out, the case somehow became a sex scandal, and to a certain extent, pornography. In the first place, is that really necessary to describe in graphic detail everything that transpired between the two accused? Secondly, there are kids reading the newspapers too, and by describing everything in such detail, it is rather inappropriate for the kids who are reading, is it not?

 

How did a corruption case turn into a sex scandal? Our reporters cater to what the mainstream wants - juicy news. And sex sells. But to me, it is deviating from the actual case at hand - a corruption, and sex-for-contract, which was what he was charged for in the first place, and not some kind of pornographic film where people have no qualms flashing your private life to the whole world.

 

Honestly, what people do with each other is really no one's business. So why must others indulge in these kind of news? Does it satisfy anyone to know which position, how many times, etc, the two of them did?

 

I am not saying what those two did are right. He, being a high-ranking civil servant in a discipline unit, should know better, especially since he is married with a family. She, too, should know better, especially since she has a family as well. But she wanted the sales so went all out, and he just abetted instead of resisting.

 

Which makes me wonder, are people's values and ethics degenerated to such an extent that they are willing to do anything, even cheapening themselves, just to get what they want in order to get more money? Personally, I rather have less money than have less morals.

 

It is sad indeed that so many of these high scholars have turned out this way. Is money and success everything that people's morals just go down the drain now? If that is the case, I rather be poor all my life and not be successful if that is what it entails to climb the ladder.

Revival ...

More than seven years ago, this blog was conceived. I had been writing a journal for a long time since schooldays, but I have never actually considered an online platform, until I was so inspired by a friend's blog. Unfortunately, he has since retired his blog so I am not able to read his amusing antics anymore.

Nevertheless, I started this blog as a platform for all my ravings and rantings. At that point in time, I was getting out of a relationship, and I wanted to start an online journal to document the stages and events of my life. It was so long ago and blogger was still blogger then before it was overtaken by google.

Since then, this "baby" has seen me through my ups and downs in life, the significant events, my observations and lessons, and the best thing that ever happened due to my blog is the friends I have made, fellow bloggers who actually enjoy what I write, people from all around the world. One of them has already become a pretty close friend, and another has also become relatively close (I hope). Coincidentally, both are from the same country.

It is not all smooth-sailing. I have had times when I wanted to shut down this blog, as there have been people who were offended by what they view as "inappropriate". I have lost some friends due to what I have written because they were not comfortable with me "baring all". Furthermore, my long-windedness and "essays" probably turn a lot of people off. Afterall, who is interested in reading the petty ramblings of an old spinster when there are "juicier" stories around?

There have been times when I thought of just acceding to what others request, like writing what they like to read, ie "juicy" stories. But then again, my blog is my own haven to rave and rant, why must I write to satisfy people? Even though I can be offensive and annoying, long-winded and naggy, petty and shallow, but the stories I shared are entirely my own, things I have experienced in life, the ups and downs, the hiffs and jiffs.

And that is what makes my life so real. I can choose to write only the happy things in my life, or paint a good facade of myself, but that will not be real. I am a person who can be emotional, moody, depressed and petty, because I am human. So I have every right to include all my emotions and experiences, good and bad, because these are all part of my life. Then fifty years later when I am old and senile, I can go back and read about what my life had been like and reflect on whether I turned out good or bad.

Some may think I tend to overdramatise. But I assure you, whatever experiences I have gone through, they are all real. I did not exaggerate anything, because there are indeed all kinds of people in this world, and I just happen to be lucky (or unlucky?) to have been able to meet certain kinds of people that adds some "colour" to my life.

Would I trade my life for anything? Definitely not. Despite everything, I love my life, and I do believe I did not turn out too badly. Would I change my stories just to satisfy others? Definitely not too, because these experiences are unique to me alone, and it is these experiences that make me grow and make my life more enriching.

When I started this blog, I did not know how long I can continue writing. I did not expect to to go on as long as it did. It came to a stage where I did not wish to stop, because documenting my life stories really help me in times of reflection. When I jot down things to express myself, I find myself becoming a more peaceful, calmer and better person.

Which is why I continued writing. I do not care about readership because I just want to write. I do not need thousands of readers. Even a few readers who actually like what I write and encourage me is more than enough for me. And to these people, I want to say "thank you very much" from the bottom of my heart.

I always thought I will retire this blog when I get married, because marriage is the next stage of life. It is the beginning of the rest of my life. Hence, the ramblings of an old spinster will no longer be relevant to the ramblings of a wife and mother.

However, about one and a half years ago, I stopped writing. I did not mean to do that, but things just happened. I started a new job in an American multinational, a job I had been praying for. I was involved in religious activities. I was (and still am) studying part-time. I was in a relationship.

The demands of my new job were too much for me, coupled with my studies, relationship and everyting else that came along, not to mention that my laptop was spoilt and my then company blocked just about every website, certain things just lapsed. So my blog became kind of defunct.

Coincidentally, the period of time I stopped writing happened to be the most dramatic times of my life. My relationship went downhill, and it was finally called off when I realise just exactly what he had been doing behind my back. I went for my first ever business trip. I got ostracised because of what the guy I was with did and lost a few friends whom I thought believed in me. I finally got confirmed in my new company after my probation got extended.

I voted for the first time, in the Presidential election. I went for a Conversion Experience Retreat, as well as an overdue healing retreat. I was asked to be the maid of honour at a wedding. I got a good appraisal and significant increment and bonus, my first in four years. I joined a Toastmasters Club and a Reading Club.

And then 2011 came to an end and 2012 came. Things started sliding. Just one year after my confirmation and three months after my good performance appraisal, all of a sudden I was accused of not doing well enough. I was accused of having only the knowledge of a second-year undergraduate, and I fought many "battles" with my then-superior and was finally terminated.

Now as we enter the second half and last quarter of the year, things seem to be picking up. I got a new job just before I went on my long trip to Sarawak. My current boss is offloading things to me without needing to go through him. And just slightly less than three months into this company, my boss said my work is perfect! And I will soon be going down under for some family time.

Hence, it is finally time to revive this blog. When google first took over blogger, I registered the google account together with a guy who turned out to be the biggest jerk on earth. After that, I registered my own google account, but I have not been able to transport this blog over to my new account, so I have been using the old account to log into the blog, but the new account for everything else.

But since I am going to revive this blog, I want to make a clean start all over again to enter the next stage of my life. So I finally decided to transport everything over to the new account. By doing that, I was not able to register the url of my original blog, hence I have to change my url. Which is a pity because I really like the original one, and the second one just does not seem "original" enough.

Now that the transporting is finally done, I shut down the old account for good. But the idiot in me did not realise that the photos I have stored are not automatically transported, hence all my photos (in Picasa) here are gone! *Sob Sob* Luckily I still have my photos stored elsewhere, but it is going to be too much of a hassle loading the photos again.

So whatever that was before and was gone, they were gone, just like my past experiences. Done and over. It is time to go to a new stage where there will be more experiences and more happiness, sadness, blood, tears and whatnot.

And for this, I make a promise that I will continue writing, for as long as I am able to.

I Won Best Speaker!

I did it! I finished my speech entitled "The Men Do Get It", alternatively "Women : The Better Sex?" at the Toastmasters meeting yesterday, and I got voted Best Speaker for the day! This is the ribbon I received - my first (and probably) the only Best Speaker I may ever get. 

 

I was actually rather surprised I won because firstly, I do not think I speak that well. Secondly, I stumbled quite a few times as I could not refer to my notes and had to say everything out from memory. When you are facing people who have all their eyes scrutinising you, at times you just blank out.

Nevertheless, I am so proud of myself for this slight achievement! But I guess it is also because the better speakers are not around, otherwise I will never have this chance!

Looking Forward To More Interesting Modules

My school has changed its syllabus again. Next semester onwards there will be more interesting modules to take up. Why must this come just when I am already three-quarters through the course? But of course, I can choose to take the modules, then I would just take longer to complete the course.

 

The new modules introduced are as follows :

 

1. Children's Literature, and included in the reading list is one of my ultimate favourite books, Charlotte's Web. I cried after watching the cartoon many years back, and I cried after reading the book. When I watched the movie a few years back, I still felt sappy. There are other books like Hana's Suitcase, The Paper Bag Princess, Little Pioneers and Black and White.

 

2. Nineteenth Century Literaure - a mix of Realist Novel and Gothic Novel. Included in the reading list are the books Mansfield Park, Jane Eyre and Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

 

3. Topics In Modernism - this module is on "modern" literature of the early twentieth century. Included in the reading list are E. M. Forster's "A Passage To India", Virginia Woolf's "Short Stories" and James Joyce's "Dubliners".

 

4. Modern Poetry - the name says it all.

 

5. Singapore Literature - series of texts by local writers, including The Scent Of Gods.

 

I guess I can look forward to more interesting subjects! Although my mum is probably going to flip as she is already griping over the fact that I have been taking this course for years and still taking forever to graduate! Now with the new modules, I may take even longer!

How To Say It

After a period of four months, I am finally going back to attend the Toastmasters meeting tomorrow. This time round, I would be doing my Project 4 - How To Say It. I have not thought of the title yet, but my speech is on women being the better sex. It will probably be a tough speech and not sure if the men in the audience can take it, but here goes :

 

How many of us ladies enjoy being a woman? How many of us feel that being a woman is a burden and we are better off being a man? I can relate to all these. Being born a female, I was always placed second best in my family, while my younger brothers were given all the priorities and chances.

 

They were the ones who were sent overseas to study and were given the best things in life, while I had to stay in Singapore and get whatever I wanted on my own. They only needed to open their mouths and my parents would get anything they desired, whereas my mum would lecture me for wasting money if I so much as wanted something.

 

I see my younger brothers having no curfews while I always had to be home at a certain time. My mum would scrutinise what I did and who I went out with whereas my brothers had all the freedom in the world to do whatever they liked. I always thought it unfair that I was always left out of the finer things in life.

 

Later on, I realised just how wonderful it is to be a woman. As I grew up, my journey as a female turned from one of resentment to excitement. Afterall, we women are entitled to look gorgeous and receive special attention from men. We are entitled to show our emotions and moods and use our mood swings to keep the men on their toes. And the best thing is, we know when, where and how to use our “secret weapons” to our advantage.

 

Let me give you an example. A few months back, I was cave adventuring in Mulu. It was a full day trek, and I was the solo female traveller in that group. After a few hours of squeezing under stones, going over stones, stepping on stones and wading in the river, I could take it no more.

 

I was as wet as a frog, as hungry as a wolf, as cold as Antartic, and as exhausted as a labourer. To top it off, my mobile phone had fallen into the river, gotten wet and died out on me. When the group finally reached the destination, I was so ravenous that I could not even enjoy the beautiful pristine waterfall cascading right in front of us. All I wanted to do was to wolf down the picnic lunch like a person out from a famine and hoped the day would end soon.

 

When it was time to leave, I stayed put. I refused to budge. I could not bear going through the same thing again because we had to take the same route back, which meant more squeezing, climbing, wading, splashing and getting exposed to bats, bats and more bats in a cave so dark I could not even see my hand in front of my face!

 

So I cried, whined, and whinged, and finally the guide took pity on me and stayed back with me while I took my time to make my way back. An Australian family in the same group also took pity on me and helped me all the way.

 

This is only one of many examples how women could use their “secret weapons” to their advantage. There are many more examples which I am sure the ladies here have plenty more to share.

 

Right now, I am proud to be a woman, because we have role models like Mother Theresa, Aung San Suu Kyi, Margaret Thatcher and even the late Mrs Lee Kuan Yew. These are great women who portrayed their gentle strength in a harsh male-dominated society. I sometimes wonder what drives them, what moves them to take the risk they took, while fully aware of the consequences, the sacrifices they made and the lives they chose to lead?

 

I can only conclude it is their hearts and their passion for their people that led them to change the world. And the common factor for most of these women? They are strong, dominant, smart, capable, independent and confident, yet are loving wives and mothers. They also have loving, strong and supportive husbands who are behind them every step of the way, who allow them to unleash their fullest potential to help their people.

 

Let me tell you why it is great to be a woman. Women are sensitive, compassionate, tolerant, and have great maternal instincts. A child will more likely cling on to his mother than his father when in need. The mother will take care of the child, soothe him, wipe away his tears and sing him a song, and the child will feel better immediately.

 

Women are organised, patient and have much higher endurance than men. She fights for what she believes in, stands up for the people she loves, and support her loved ones all the way. She believes in the man she loves and sticks by him, tolerates and endures all his quirks and nonsense, even if the whole world thinks otherwise. She gives herself and sacrifices what she wants so her loved ones can thrive. She always puts others’ needs above her own and does not take no for an answer.

 

She smiles when she feels like crying, sings when she feels like screaming, cries when she is happy and laughs when she is afraid. Her love and sacrifice is truly unconditional. She gives without expecting anything back. She knows where to find the strength to get on with life, faces problems head on, and encourages everyone around her.

 

She is a great multi-tasker, educator, mother, and nurturer. She can juggle a full-time job, part-time studies, growing family, household chores and taking care of the elderly all at the same time. She knows that a touch, a kiss, a hug and a smile can heal a broken heart and solve every problem.

 

She has a memory bigger than an elephant's, as she has to remember all the events and occasions of all her loved ones. As the words of Margaret Thatcher, “If you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman.”

 

There is only one thing wrong with her – She always forgets what she is worth. She is always at the mercy of others but never makes others the mercy of her. She sticks to her choices and never aims for more even if she definitely does deserve much better.

 

All the gentlemen, whether you get it or not, do not feel left out. Just think of all the great women in your life. Go home today, and give all the great women in your life a hug and a kiss, and tell them how much you love and appreciate them, be they your wife, girlfriend, mother, grandmother, sister, and daughter. You do not need to shower your women with expensive stuff, just words of affirmation and showing them your appreciation is enough.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, are women really the better sex? You judge for yourself.

 

I am actually thinking of entitling this "The Men Don't Get It", or "Women : The Better Sex?", but I have not decided wihch is the better title that meets the speech and the objectives of the project. Let's just hope I can keep within the time and not exceed!

Final Itinerary For Canberra And Sydney

My schedule for my upcoming trip is finalised! Besides seeing my brother and fussing over him on my mum's orders, there are quite a few places and activities which I have lined up. I will be scoot-ing off on the red eye on Tuesday 17 October, going to Canberra first then back to Sydney on Saturday 20 October, and then coming back on the evening of Thursday 25 October.

Here is the finalised itinerary :

Day 1 - Sydney to Canberra by bus, dinner with my brother

Day 2 - Canberra sight-seeing, most likely a farm trip and a model village. My brother will accompany me if he is free that day.

Day 3 - Canberra sight-seeing around the city area, namely Lake Burley Griffin, War Memorial, National Film and Sound Archive, National Museum, National Capital Exhibition, Blundell's Cottage, National Carillon on Aspen Island, National Library, High Court, National Gallery, Portrait Galley, Parliament House and Old Parliament House and Gardens. Incidentally, all these attractions are free and within walking distance from one another.

Day 4 - Canberra to Sydney by bus, Whale Watching Cruise, Hyde Park (with Australian Museum, State Library, Parliament House, Hyde Park Barracks, St James Church, Reserve Bank, Martin Place and Mint Museum along the same stretch), and sunset mass at St Mary's Cathedral (the biggest Catholic church in New South Wales), then probably dinner with my relatives

Day 5 - Sydney free and easy. Visit and catch up with my relatives, or maybe make a trip down to Jervis Bay on the South Coast to meet up with the Australian family I met in Mulu

Day 6 - Sydney City, including Entertainment Centre, Chinatown, Martin Place Cenotaph, Fountain, Pitt Street Mall, Sydney Town Hall, St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney Tower, Conservatorium of Music, Royal Botanic Gardens and The Domain, Art Gallery, Mrs Macquarie's Chair, Woolloomooloo (Finger Wharf), King's Cross, Paddington, the eastern suburbs like Rushcutters' Bay, Double Bay, Rose Bay and The Vaucluse, Queen Victoria Building, Bondi Beach, The Gap, The Spit Bridge and The Spit, Sydney Harbour National Park like Seaforth Lookout and Oval and Arabanoo Lookout, Freshwater Beach, Curl Curl Beach, Manly Beach and The Corso, The Rocks, Cadman's Cottage, Sydney Cove and Opera House

Day 7 - Featherdale Wildlife Park, Blue Mountains and Three Sisters and the villages of Katoomba and Leura, Sydney Olympic Park and if possible, a river cruise on the Parramatta river back to Circular Quay

Day 8 - Harbour Bridge Pylon Lookout, Madame Tussaud's Sydney, Sydney Aquarium

Day 9 - Home Sweet Home

Seems like quite a feat to see everything in this trip, but I shall do my best to explore as many places as possible to make the trip more fulfilling and enriching!

Nice View No More ...

Just a couple of months of a nice view next to my office window, the grass have been removed and the ground levelled. Construction works is now going on in that empty piece of land which separates my office building to the twin towers opposite.

 

Soon a building is going to sprout out which may or may not block the view. When that happens, no longer can I look out and see the twin towers, with the highway and Flyer in the background. No longer will I see green grass and blue skies with white clouds.

 

What a pity. I thought I would be able to enjoy the view for a long time …

The Mobility Of Modern Society

I have had my Android for two days now, and I have nothing to complain about, except the fact that it is so addictive! I was playing with my phone all the way even until way past my bed time.

 

I told myself that I would not be a slave to any gadget or technology, but now I am doing exactly the same thing! Being mobile is really a good thing, but too much of anything is not good as well, is that not so?

 

Looks like I have to start disciplining myself to go back to my normal functions, before I become an android to the Android myself!