Plsssssssssssssssss

Wait... wait... wait... that's what i have been doing lately. Waiting for someone, waiting for some things, waiting for something to happen...

Do you know its tiring to be waiting?

Make time concessions ? Perhaps. But it would be nice if everyone keeps to the appointed time. No doubt sometimes traffic, or other issues pop up unexpectedly causing us to be late. However, if these kind of "unexpected issues" pop up EVERYTIME for an appointment, then its time for a evaluation isn't it ?

I am not writing this to ask for any apologies. I am not writing to pin-point anyone too. Neither am i writing this to prove the point that i am always early, so-and-so is always late.

I am just venting some frustrations here. I am just tired of waiting.

So plsssssssssssssssssssss... keep to appointment time, can ???

Japan (Hokkaido) 10-16 June 07

Hi, me back from my Japan, Hokkaido trip ! I was there with my 3rd aunt & uncle, my cousin CK, his wife Q, baby E, his friend W, cousin R and her hubby SK. Total 9 of us.

Hokkaido is beautiful, relax, slow moving & picturesque ! There are plenty of beautiful diasies everywhere you go, so pretty that we took lots and lots of photographs with them as the background ! Heehee..

Taking a flight from Singapore to Tokyo took us approx 6hrs 55mins, followed by a domestic transit plane from Tokyo to Hokkaido of approx 1hr 30mins. It was messy during the transit from international to domestic flight at the Tokyo airport. We had to collect our luggages and check them in again for the domestic flight, then proceed to go through long queues of security checks before we can finally proceed to the departure gate. Phew.. what a challenge.

Some of the highlights of this trip:
1) Fireworks @ Lake Toya Hotel (Crater lake) - Awesome ! I always love fireworks.. even wanted to buy some fireworks (yes, they sell in their Seicomart, which is similar to our 24hrs 7-11 stores) but didnt in the end.

2) Bear Ranch - Many many big black bears kept in big cages. We bought some biscuits to feed them.

3) Foxes & foxes holes - They were free to roam around unlike the bears. We even witness one of their "fighting scenes" among 4 foxes. They can be really fierce !

4) Waterfalls (Shooting Star & Silver River) - Situated at the foot of Mount Daisetzu-zan (Sounkyo Gorge), very awesome waterfalls, all the way from the top of the mountain downwards.. I decided i like them !

5) Sounkyo Ropeway - We took a Gondola (can take up to 100 passengers at a time) & a chairlift ride (2 at a time) up to the Mountain Daisetzu-zan. I like it a lot. During winter, many people will flock to this place to take the chairlift right up to the top of the mountain and ski downwards ! Wow... should make a trip back to Hokkaido during their winter season ! The tour guide told us that many Japan olympic competitors for ski-ing comes from Hokkaido. Hokkaido has 6 months of winter every year.. so every kid here knows how to ski !

6) Ishiya Chocolate Factory - The fresh and rich aroma of butter, flour and chocolates fills up your whole senses as you walk through the whole building. The owner of this factory also has a great collection of toys on display on every level, so many were they that if i could, i will definitely take a picture with each of them ! There was also a period of time where bubbles (yes bubbles) will be released from a machine in the garden (filled with lots of flowers) that is so beautiful, you just had to reach out your hands and burst them ! I feel so like a kid at that time, and i believe i must really be grinning from ear to ear !

7) Otaru Music Box Museum - This place has the largest numbers of music boxes i had even seen to date. The music was so nice that i wanted to buy everyone of them back.. but too expensive lar of cos ! hee hee...

8) Kitachi Glass Shop - The types and colours of glass items in this shop is humogous ! Spoilt for choice. I finally decided on a glass container for my sis. She could use it to store all her earrings, necklaces, bracelets etc. Beautiful !

9) Lavendar Ice-cream - Japanese called them "soft-cream" not ice-cream. Purplish in colour and lightly flavoured with lavendar taste, i would say its unique and something that i would try again if i do go back to Hokkaido.

So far, i had visited Japan twice. Tokyo (4 years back), and now Hokkaido. The next trip ? Hmm.. maybe to Osaka or some other parts of Japan. Till then...

Japan (Hokkaido) 10-16 June 07

Going to Japan (Hokkaido) from 10-16 June 07 with my relatives. My family is not going this time round as my dad doesn't like japanese food, so mum not going too, sis and sis-in-law will be busy with their renovations. So its just me, me and me..

Nevertheless, me going to enjoy myself there ! Amen.

Okie.. now better hit my work and complete them... ganbatte neh !

Campus Superstar begins.. 04 June 07

Campus Superstar is back !

Alas, 1st preliminary round and a handsome boy (his name is Xu Bin, if i did not remember wrongly) was kicked out.. okie.. no need to watch liao lor.. hee hee..

Its not the winning part.. its the process that is most memorable .. years down the road, this whole event will become some interesting part of your life's memory !

That's what i think..

I say a BIG "Jia-you" for those contestants still remaining in the competition.

I shall continue to watch and play "judge" for myself.. hee hee..

Guangzhou Trip (11-15 May 07)

Made a business trip to Guangzhou from 11-15 May 07. Purchased many stuffs. Opened my eyes. The way people conduct their business dealings and how hard they work.

Briefly, Guangzhou is a BIG wholesale centre, you can find shoes, clothes, accessories and all kinds of items there. I was told, many business people from Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia marks Guangzhou as one of their main buying areas for their goods. Its amazing how many variety of items you can find there.

Visited also my China relatives in their kampong, Punyu. MRT train ride (approx 45mins), change to bus nbr 3 (approx 20mins), alight and walk for another 20 mins to reach their house. 3 storey house, 4 rooms in total, even had big balconey and rooftop that can be used for BBQ and gatherings. Met up with my relatives also and had a good catching up session.

Food is good and cheap. Where else can you eat 2 big bowls of wanton noodles (with at least 1 dozen of big and full wantons in it) plus a big plate of vegetables for just mere SGD3.00. No kidding ! That's where me settled most of my meals ! Piping hot meals. :-)

Before i went there, i was told the security level was not too good. Many pick-pockets and snatchers, need to watch out for own hangbags and belongings. However, when i was there this time round, i saw many security officers around. Do not think they are policemen though, but they sure make their presence felt as there were many of them in the streets. Of cos, no matter where you go, even in own country, we should always be careful and to take care of our own belongings.

Pollution is high in Guangzhou too, esp for the heavy traffic and the ever-increasing population numbers there. The air was so bad that just half an hour walking out in the streets and you can wipe a layer of dirt (black colour) off your face ! That's how bad it is.

Nonetheless, if need be, i am most willing to pay a visit to this place again, to excercise my bargaining skills and shopping limits ! Hee hee...