Wooohoo! In 3 hrs time i will embark on my longest trip for year 2011! Pitstops are trekking in Kathmandu, Deep's wedding in Delhi, rave parties in Goa, KL stopover and xmas in Hanoi!
Friday, December 9, 2011
Friday, January 1, 2010
Sleeepthrough Brussels
I was feeling really sick yesterday when i was in Amsterdam, i practically dragged myself to Brussels on a morning train. Thankgod Ding and Shing were with me, concerning words and company exactly what a sick bird like me needs.
I was planning to crash immediately after arrival, however,i can get into the room until after 2:30pm and it was only 11:30... so i went for a walk and treat myself to a good yummy dinner at one of the cheaper restaurant. The setting was really welcoming, although slightly cramped. you will the the video later after i load them! and you tell me whether you agree with me.
It has been quite a while since i have lunch alone on a 2 seaters! Anyway, i was really uncomfortable at first being the only Asian,and i asked for a english menu for their drinks and the waiter said it is the same, coke is coke -_- i can feel the french couple beside me laughing... =/
anyway, after a while i grew comfortable with it and start noticing the people around me. there are about 10 tables in the room, mine is the back round with 4 tables and 3 each in the rows infront. the table on my left is a table with 3 ladies in their 40s or 50s.. happily chatting away... the table on in front of them is 2 ladies just figuring out where to go and what to do.. the table after that consists of a white lady and a black girl around 40 years old, i suppose they are related somehow, they seems really happy making pictures and all that! Not forgetting the couple on my left and a lady on their right alone just like me...
The thing that gets me to start noticing the people around me was the couple right in front of me, maybe in their 60s... there's no conversation between them, i was facing the husband, he was just looking around, or rather finding something to look at... and i thought o myself.. is it possible that the person that you though you love and married one day has nothing to say to you? what keeps the relationship going then? that further strength my belief that if you can feel comfortable in someone's presence without words and felt like you have the best conversation, that is someone you wanna keep in your life...
this private time also alongs me to look at what do i want to be, do and have in my life. I am a quarter century years old now, tomorrow and for the next week i will write my next quarter plan (inspired by my brand value professer Yemih Salman)
sadly that i didnt get to try to waffle nor chocolate nor the wine, i am just too sick to move, i am coghing every 5 seconds and i hate this feeling! =S i just feel like going back to singapore right now!
I was planning to crash immediately after arrival, however,i can get into the room until after 2:30pm and it was only 11:30... so i went for a walk and treat myself to a good yummy dinner at one of the cheaper restaurant. The setting was really welcoming, although slightly cramped. you will the the video later after i load them! and you tell me whether you agree with me.
It has been quite a while since i have lunch alone on a 2 seaters! Anyway, i was really uncomfortable at first being the only Asian,and i asked for a english menu for their drinks and the waiter said it is the same, coke is coke -_- i can feel the french couple beside me laughing... =/
anyway, after a while i grew comfortable with it and start noticing the people around me. there are about 10 tables in the room, mine is the back round with 4 tables and 3 each in the rows infront. the table on my left is a table with 3 ladies in their 40s or 50s.. happily chatting away... the table on in front of them is 2 ladies just figuring out where to go and what to do.. the table after that consists of a white lady and a black girl around 40 years old, i suppose they are related somehow, they seems really happy making pictures and all that! Not forgetting the couple on my left and a lady on their right alone just like me...
The thing that gets me to start noticing the people around me was the couple right in front of me, maybe in their 60s... there's no conversation between them, i was facing the husband, he was just looking around, or rather finding something to look at... and i thought o myself.. is it possible that the person that you though you love and married one day has nothing to say to you? what keeps the relationship going then? that further strength my belief that if you can feel comfortable in someone's presence without words and felt like you have the best conversation, that is someone you wanna keep in your life...
this private time also alongs me to look at what do i want to be, do and have in my life. I am a quarter century years old now, tomorrow and for the next week i will write my next quarter plan (inspired by my brand value professer Yemih Salman)
sadly that i didnt get to try to waffle nor chocolate nor the wine, i am just too sick to move, i am coghing every 5 seconds and i hate this feeling! =S i just feel like going back to singapore right now!
Couchsurfed with Sanne in Amsterdam
My first experience and it was awesome! She has a cosy apartment and a double bed all for myself. Very interesting character and to certain extend i wish i have some of what she has, that kinda life and space, the job that gives her flexibility to travel and do things that she likes and be in a wonderful city like Amsterdam.
I enjoyed the slow strolls along the many canals that it has. You will seems to find something interesting at different corner (not forgetting getting lost too!) I think 2 days is rather short (back to defer anthony's argument) I have only seen the Jewish Historical Museum, Amsterdam Historical Museum and Van gogh Museum. Alright i know i missed out anne frank, but schedule was really tight, i passed by on the way to dinner at about 6pm(they close at 8PM for winter) and the queue was really long still...
TIPS:If you're going to see alot of museums and travel alot (thou you can walk from one end to another end within an hour +- within city centre) You should consider the IAMsterdam card. It cost 48Euros for 2days.
I enjoyed the slow strolls along the many canals that it has. You will seems to find something interesting at different corner (not forgetting getting lost too!) I think 2 days is rather short (back to defer anthony's argument) I have only seen the Jewish Historical Museum, Amsterdam Historical Museum and Van gogh Museum. Alright i know i missed out anne frank, but schedule was really tight, i passed by on the way to dinner at about 6pm(they close at 8PM for winter) and the queue was really long still...
TIPS:If you're going to see alot of museums and travel alot (thou you can walk from one end to another end within an hour +- within city centre) You should consider the IAMsterdam card. It cost 48Euros for 2days.
Cobra, no no LonBrA
i was really puzzled when i saw the word cobra at the tate mordern arts museum and subsequently afew others like van gogh in Amsterdam and etc. Anyway, they are make up of a expressionist group of painters whose name is derived from the first letters of the three northern European cities—Copenhagen, Brussels, Amsterdam—that were the homes of its members.
Oh well, for the past week i have beeen to Lon-Br-A instead of CoBrA. London from the 23rd to the 28th December 2009, Amsterdam from 28th to the 30th Dec 2009 and now i am in Brussels just for the night of 30th December 2009.
Tomorrow i will set off mid noon to Frankfurt and spend New Year and New Year Eve with Eva! A friend from my Outward Bound Sabah in 2004! It have been a really long time! And Cecilia in Prague after that from 2nd to 4th Jan.
No white christmas in londoni left KOC to london with tonnes of mixed feelings, anxiety, sense of lost, discomfort, bundled with excited and uncertainties and cooldd! The farewell dinner was cok guzel (very good), my chance to see everyone on last time, the people that i hangout alot with and close to. Thank you for showing up! Appreciate it ; )
I was packing way passed 5AM and the cab came at 930AM so sharply, didnt give me much to sleeep and not forgetting my laudry that is only half dried. for a moment i was about to glue myself to my seat on easyjet as i just feel like going back to KOC, my comfort for now.
anyway,i got off, got lost a lil and found my way to the hostel. We stayed in Clink hostel, the building used to be a old court house i believe. I have to say i dont quite like the bed arrangement. imagine lockers, enlarge it enough for a person to sleep inside. although its pitch dark and ALOt of privacy, i felt enclosed and hard to move around. This is the same for the toilets and showers.
However, the facilities are good, internet(1pound for 30mins, 5pounds for 24hours), breakfast(FREE), TV room(huge comfy sofas, chairs and couches), bar(cheap beer).
But it was nevertheless an amazing experience! I am really really gladto meet up with alot of people! Seok and Si How, Nasir, Cecilia, Jiali and Victor, Cindy, Chen Na Huiwen and Shiyun, Anthony, and 4 SMU guys! Some of us went for the free Royal tour, walked for about 5 hours on 25th because there's no transportation, shoping during boxing day sales! <<<-- awesome!!, had the legendary duck in bayswater(taste of home for me), watched wicked,
xmas period is not the best time to be in london, except for boxing day sales, because people usually spend time with their families. theres no countdown and the shops closes early, no transport on 25th itself. really damn quiet! hence, after the 2 days of rest, boxing day sales is INSANE! i found fred perry shoe for 9.99pounds! and... the size ran out and fred pery polo for 19.99pounds, but they cant find the barcode so they cant sell me. (WTH@!$%#^) =S more on that later!
if you are going to london, get the oyster card the first thing when you arrive! because with that each trip is 1.60.. if not it is 4pounds! and.. the 3pounds deposit for the card is refundable...however, the customer services aint that good in london, though i wish i have a little more time to go back there again... maybe yearly boxing day sales!~ :p if i am rich enough!
Oh well, for the past week i have beeen to Lon-Br-A instead of CoBrA. London from the 23rd to the 28th December 2009, Amsterdam from 28th to the 30th Dec 2009 and now i am in Brussels just for the night of 30th December 2009.
Tomorrow i will set off mid noon to Frankfurt and spend New Year and New Year Eve with Eva! A friend from my Outward Bound Sabah in 2004! It have been a really long time! And Cecilia in Prague after that from 2nd to 4th Jan.
No white christmas in londoni left KOC to london with tonnes of mixed feelings, anxiety, sense of lost, discomfort, bundled with excited and uncertainties and cooldd! The farewell dinner was cok guzel (very good), my chance to see everyone on last time, the people that i hangout alot with and close to. Thank you for showing up! Appreciate it ; )
I was packing way passed 5AM and the cab came at 930AM so sharply, didnt give me much to sleeep and not forgetting my laudry that is only half dried. for a moment i was about to glue myself to my seat on easyjet as i just feel like going back to KOC, my comfort for now.
anyway,i got off, got lost a lil and found my way to the hostel. We stayed in Clink hostel, the building used to be a old court house i believe. I have to say i dont quite like the bed arrangement. imagine lockers, enlarge it enough for a person to sleep inside. although its pitch dark and ALOt of privacy, i felt enclosed and hard to move around. This is the same for the toilets and showers.
However, the facilities are good, internet(1pound for 30mins, 5pounds for 24hours), breakfast(FREE), TV room(huge comfy sofas, chairs and couches), bar(cheap beer).
But it was nevertheless an amazing experience! I am really really gladto meet up with alot of people! Seok and Si How, Nasir, Cecilia, Jiali and Victor, Cindy, Chen Na Huiwen and Shiyun, Anthony, and 4 SMU guys! Some of us went for the free Royal tour, walked for about 5 hours on 25th because there's no transportation, shoping during boxing day sales! <<<-- awesome!!, had the legendary duck in bayswater(taste of home for me), watched wicked,
xmas period is not the best time to be in london, except for boxing day sales, because people usually spend time with their families. theres no countdown and the shops closes early, no transport on 25th itself. really damn quiet! hence, after the 2 days of rest, boxing day sales is INSANE! i found fred perry shoe for 9.99pounds! and... the size ran out and fred pery polo for 19.99pounds, but they cant find the barcode so they cant sell me. (WTH@!$%#^) =S more on that later!
if you are going to london, get the oyster card the first thing when you arrive! because with that each trip is 1.60.. if not it is 4pounds! and.. the 3pounds deposit for the card is refundable...however, the customer services aint that good in london, though i wish i have a little more time to go back there again... maybe yearly boxing day sales!~ :p if i am rich enough!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Snow! For the first time! =0
Today marks the day that i see snow! no no, seeing snow! December 19 at 2AM! And it is the first time after so long that im kinda enjoying the cold. strange i know.
I am so swamped with exams and projects because i will be leaving here for london on wednesday; so i have to complete everything a month earlier. But i guess it is all worth it for the travelling and experiences that i am going to have for the next month.
I am not usually a festive junky, but this year felt especially special and different, and... im really looking forward for christmas! i hope it will be a good one.
Stay tune!
I am so swamped with exams and projects because i will be leaving here for london on wednesday; so i have to complete everything a month earlier. But i guess it is all worth it for the travelling and experiences that i am going to have for the next month.
I am not usually a festive junky, but this year felt especially special and different, and... im really looking forward for christmas! i hope it will be a good one.
Stay tune!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Pre Trip Summary!
after much procrastination and laziness, i am finally done with the finances for the pre trip! (hooray!~ ) If you are planning to use this as a guide, please note that my spending is skewed as i have free accommodation in Paris and Barcelona. Also, the expense for activity is rather high as we "Pacha" (this famous club in ibiza that cost us entrance of euro40 (from the black market)), parasail in Ibiza too that cost 55euro and surfing in Peniche cost 135. (this includes accommodation)
stay tuned for the video.. coming soon!
Monday, September 14, 2009
After 2 weeks of travelling...
been to paris, nice and im currently in barcelona. will be heading to ibiza in the next 3hrs. then i will be in portugal alone, before flying back to meet with the rest (cecilia, alan and jonathan) in london and back to istanbul.
I am actually feeling kinda tired right now. =(
I am actually feeling kinda tired right now. =(
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