Pictures of Apartment at Kinkora

Just tidied the place so thought of taking pictures and upload them here since I have delayed it for so long.... :)

Location: 3.06/769 Glenferrie Road Hawthorn Vic 3122

(Bedroom - Bed)

(Bedroom - Stella's Study)

(Bedroom - Door to Balcony)

(Bedroom - Wardrobe)

(Toilet - Shower Area)

(Toilet - Laundry Area)

(Toilet - Toilet + Washup Area)

(Toilet - Washup Area)

(Living - Dining + Nic's Study Area)

(Living - TV Area cum drying of clothes area ;p)

(Living - a view of the entrances)

(Kitchen Area)

That's all folks... so which apartment feels more cosy? This or the previous one? :p

Semester 1 2008

The first semester passed so quickly, and it seems as though I have been doing alot during the months, but yet again it seems as though I havent been doing much. Anyway, exams are over and I am now on my school holiday till 21st July.

Just a fast recap of the 'major' events that occurred during the whole semester (and since I have not blogged for so long):

March:

- We discovered and started playing free poker at APL on Sunday afternoons.

April:

- We discovered more APL events on other days of the week, so we went to play almost every other day...

- Attended Tania's graduation and sent her off to the airport.

May:

- Made friends with the APL gang (Rachel, Andrew, Matt, Ben, Cheech, Trudi, Jason, Jaci, ...)

- Went drinking and partying with them and getting drunk twice...

June:

- Poker and more poker

- Drinking and partying...

- Nic's parents and Martin were here on a holiday

- Exams

- Trip to Perth

July:

- Lazing at home...

- Poker!!!

- Awaiting for school to start

- Perhaps looking for a part-time job for income.

Hmmmm... that's the summary of what has been going on for the past few months.. basically we have done really nothing much except poker-ing and partying... I can say that now we are truly leading the Aussie lifestyle.. hahaha.. ;p

Well, next semester will be my last semester... and I think after making friends with the APL people, I began to like staying in Melbourne... and especially working here is definitely less stressful than working in Singapore (which is what I hate most).. so I am having second thoughts about staying here now.. Nic always wanted to stay here, so I guess we will try applying for PR and see if we can find a job... but the only thing that I am worried about is Rico.. who is going to take care of him?? I am sure my parents won't be so cruel so as to release him... but I did promise them that I will take care of him after I finish my studies, so if I were to stay here, I will not be able to keep to my words... and moreover, they really don't like him in the house... sigh!! how now??? I guess if I am really staying here to work, I will probably fly him here..... I guess that's the best alternative.... anyway, I will just pray and leave everything to God's will... :)

Ok, that's all for today... ciaoz!!

Soon to bid farewell to Tania. She's leaving Melbourne on Tuesday, going back to Singapore.. Feeling sad that one of my two good friends in Melbourne is leaving, and soon will be Janice's turn.. sigh.. that's life....

Anyway spent the whole day helping Tania pack her stuff and clean up her place. You wont believe how dusty her place was.. layers of dust on the window still and on those hard-to-reach places... guessed she only vacuum those places that are accessible to her.. haha.. but anyway, quite satisfying to clean up such a dusty place..

Last Wed (23rd April), I attended Tania's graduation ceremony and took some pictures:





The ceremony was abit boring, so I dozed off... but I am looking forward to mine next year, where my family will be here too! :)

hmmm.. time to blog again...

Today is a pleasant Sunday, with a good weather and even a mini carnival on Glenferrie Road, known as the Glenferrie Festival. Took a short walk to have a look at what's going on for the festival. Though it wasn't a big event, but seems like all the locals enjoyed these type of carnivals. As I walked, I saw this cute mascot for Yarra Trams (and you know I just can't resist dogs), so I got someone to help us take a photo:



Anyway, now I am back home (der right, if not how can I be writing this blog.. haha).. This morning went for mass and then gym. Did a 5km run and some cycling.. burnt 500 kcal. haha, allows me to eat more for the day.. ;p

Alright, just an update of the steamboat session we had last friday at Tania's house. Tania's mom is really good at preparing food, and though its obvious that she was very exhausted from the preparation for the steamboat, but she still try to force a smile whenever she talks to us. She is really a nice person and a good mother to Tania and her brothers.. Anyway, we had a sumptous steamboat dinner, we had beef, prawns, hot dogs (or what known as bak-tiao by janice and paul.. keke), fish, sotong balls, fish balls, crab meat stick, sotong, veggies, fish tofu, homemade super spicy balachan (chilli).. some tang hoon and rice cakes. We all had a great time eating, chatting and joking...





The funniest joke of the day was when Janice asked this "qian bian wen da ti": What did Miss Zero (0) tell Miss Eight (8)? I shan't tell the answer here so next time I can share with others.. but the answer is really hilarious.. so funny that I rolled on the floor while trying to swallow the food left in my mouth.. luckily I didn't choke myself.. hahaha

Saturday was a lazy day... we slept till about 12pm, then went to shop for car audio system to replace the stolen one. After that went to Chadstone, with the motive of buying nic a jacket. But in the end I bought myself two pairs of flats (very cheap at $20 for 2 pairs) instead.. And nic was unhappy cos I bought myself something instead when our purpose to shop was to buy him a jacket, so we ended up not buying any jacket. sigh.... Anyway, after Chadstone, we came home and watched tv all the way till night....

Daylight savings officially ended this morning at 2am.. so now Melbourne is only 2 hours faster than Singapore.

Alrighty, that's all for today.. getting ready to go out for the free pub poker... hopefully i can last longer today.. keke...

Mahjong-ing time !!

Played mahjong till 6am this morning, and we started at around 9pm last night! Wow right?! can't believe we actually played this long... first two rounds were rather good... but towards the last round, we were all getting tired.... so took even longer to finish the 4 winds..

Anyway its good...

This whole week shall be our mahjong-ing week... :)

Melbourne once again....

It has been quite a while since I got back to Melbourne, but only now then I have the time to sit down and blog. Not as though I have been very busy, but just pure laziness! haha... anywayz...

Everything feels the same, familarity, no longer homesick. Perhaps I am used to the life in Melbourne after staying here for about a year. First few weeks in Melbourne wasn't so enjoyable due to the hot weather... the heat is really a torture to even stand out in the sun for a second, but luckily summer is over.. and now the weather is nice and cool.. though once in awhile the heat will still be there, but mild.

School has started for quite awhile too, it is now going to be the 4th week of school (after this week of easter term break). Work seems cope-able, but just lack of the mood to study. Hopefully the mood can kick in soon, if not I will have to rush through the studies last minute again (this is something I really hate but can't help it)..

Ok let's talk about things that have been keeping us occupied for the past one month in Melbourne; during the few weeks without Janice and Tania back here, I was either at home, in school, or out with Nic to play free pub poker and sometimes, at crown. Now that Tania and Janice are both in Melbourne, life is less boring. Last Friday, Janice and I went to a club called Seven.. it was good.. it has been so long since I last went clubbing... pretty enjoyable...



And yesterday, we gathered together to play mahjong at my place, and then second round at Tania's place. We had home-cooked pasta (by Tania) for dinner. Luck wasn't on my side yesterday, so I lost quite a bit of money. Feeling very bad towards papa cos that was the money i just withdrew from part of the pocket money he gave me just before I came over to Melbourne.. sigh.....

And before I forget, I would also like to mention that I have made a few more Singaporean friends over here. They are from the Singapore Student's Association in Monash. I got to know them through Nic as he is quite into the club at the moment..

This whole week as mentioned is the term break, so no school. But will be going to school for assignment tomorrow. And on Friday, Jessie will be flying in, and she would probably be staying with me.. hehe.. so maybe I would organise another session of Mahjong for her, Janice and Tania, who so happen to be ex-SQ girls! :)

Alright, that's all for this moment. Will try to blog again soon...

Hongkong Trip 18 - 22 Feb 2008

18 Feb 08, Monday:

Took a flight to Hongkong (SQ866) at 1330hr and arrived at about 1715hr. After which, we (Uncle Kevin, Uncle Larry, Nic & I) took a taxi from the airport to Excelsior Hotel where the uncles will be staying, and to Stanley's house at Cairn Street.

After leaving the luggages, Nic & I took the MTR (train) to Kowloon to meet uncle kevin and a few of Nic's distant relatives for dinner. We had a sumptous steamboat (hotpot) dinner.





19 Feb 08, Tuesday:

We met up with uncle kevin for breakfast. We had congee at a nearby restaurant. It was simply delicious! Yummy!





After breakfast, we took a train to Admiralty Station where we took a bus to Ocean Park. We experienced all the rides, including the one that shoots up in the sky and drop down at a rocket speed, gosh.. it was terrifying but at the same time exciting.

Here are some of the pictures taken:























After Ocean Park, we visited the Peak:



As well as the the famous wax museum (madam tussaud) and took pictures with the "stars & famous people":























At night, we went to the Lady Street, a tourist attraction where imitation goods and cheap stuff are found. We didn't managed to get any things for ourselves, but I got a bag for my Sister and some art stamps for aunty serene.

We had congee as dinner.

20 Feb 08, Wednesday:

Met up with uncle Kevin to yum cha, but wasn't successful as the restaurant which we took pains to locate is closed when we were there, hence we settled for something light, thinking to eat dim sum later in the afternoon. So we went to a small chinese cafe to have our breakfast.

After breakfast, we did a little shopping around causeway bay, in shopping centres such as Times Square and Sogo. Uncle bought quite a few items, while I only got myself a trenchcoat from Giodarnos.

We shopped the whole day. At night, uncle brought us to the pier where we can take the star ferry from Tsim Sha Tsui back to Hongkong island. The night view of hongkong island is very beautiful.









As the whole day I was in boots, my legs were killing me and I desperately wanted to get home to rest them. We parted with uncle as he said he doesn't want to join us and Stanley for dinner. As we were still early, Nic and I went home to put our things, and also for me to change into my flats, before we left for Lan Kwai Fong to meet Stanley and his colleagues for dinner. After dinner, we went to LKF Hotel for drinks before heading home.

21 Feb 2008, Thursday:

Our itinerary for the day is to go to Macau.

We arrived at Macau at 1pm, after an hour's ferry ride from Tsim Sha Tsui. After clearing the immigration at Macau, we took the shuttle bus from the Ferry terminal to The Venetian Hotel.





The hotel was very grand and big. In Macau itself, there are quite a few big hotels, all with Casino.

Anyway, as the normal activity in Macau is to visit the Casino, Nic and I also decided to try our luck. We tried to look for Texas Holdem but to no avail. Thus, we settled to play Carribean Studs. Its real fun, but in the end, we lost!

So we spent the rest of the time venturing the hotel and taking a few pictures.

We depart Macau for Hongkong at 7pm. We then had our dinner at a noodle shop along Elgin Street (Hongkong). Though the shop's location is a little deserted, but the noodle served was delicious.

After dinner, we headed home to wait for Stanley's call ( he was suppose to meet us for dinner but he was held up at work). In the end, I was too tired to go out so Nic went to join Stanley for drinks.

22 Feb 2008, Friday:

Nic and I woke up early to pack our stuff, and also to travel all the way to Causeway Bay just to have our congee breakfast. Yummy..





After breakfast, we returned home to get our stuff and took a taxi to Airport Express Station. We checked in our luggages and took a train to the Airport (which took us only 25mins).