It's Been A Long Time Coming

The time is almost here... I'm flying off to Europe tomorrow for six
weeks, with the folks. (I can't seem to get away from em!) Stopover in
HK for few days then off to the UK.

Trouble seems to follow us whenever we go on holidays. Last time it
was the tsunami, the time before that was the bird flu. This time its
the UK terrorists. Luckily for me, the terror alert has lowered so
less restrictions when we fly out.

I'll be glad to get away from this place after such a long period of
time. I think its the longest time I've ever gone away - but I'll
still be stuck with the oldies. I wanna see if I can catch up with a
friend who just left for Europe by herself yesterday. When my tour
ends she'll be on a tour of Spain, although we'll be in amsterdam on
the same day - that would be a blast if it happens!

Maybe this will be a life changing experience for me. Couple of
friends have thought twice about their current situations at work when
they returned back from their holidays... I'll see what happens when I
get back.. In December it will be 3 years for my time here. Doesn't
seem like long but when you say it aloud 3 years really is a long
time. What have I done? What have I achieved? ...

au revoir.
bon voyage.

Labels: holiday, life

Quarter of a Century
Hello World.

It's been a while since the last post, I just haven't been motivated enough to blog about anything. There have been some things I've been meaning to post but they just never made it here.

Obviously I've returned from my trip to the HK. It was a chance to visit the relos and cousins I haven't seen for 8 years and of course to farewell the passing of my gramps. It's sad to say that I don't think there'll be another chance where all of us will gather together again .. only in death.

On more happier(? :) note, I have reached that dreaded quarter of a century mark. Yes indeed, the big two five.
Thanks to the people who came out to celebrate with me on Thursday night, witnessing my drunken festivities. Well.... I was not that drunk I only looked it. Time flies when you're having fun. If only I was 21 again..

Labels: birthday, holiday, life

Leaving Sydney in 10 hours time for my first trip to HK in almost 8
years. Before the new airport was even opened. Ironically, that time
the H5N1 bird flu was around and I wasn't able to eat any poultry.
Looks like I've done it again.. My favourite meat too darnit.

It will be good to be back, although I wish it was under different
circumstances. Hopefully see the cousins I haven't seen for 15 years
and the new ones I once held in my arms the last time around and see
how much they've grown!

It's gonna be weird staying at my grandfather's place. The people I
say this to ask me if I think he'll come and visit me. I don't really
believe that kinda stuff but if he does visit I sure ain't gonna miss
out on the chance of saying goodbye again.

Will be back in 2 weeks..

Labels: holiday, life

*clonk*
So much for leaving early from work. Ended up leaving around 4pm after 11.5 hours at work! Just as I was thinking of leaving at 2:30, few errors appeared in the support queue which I had to go and figure out what was going wrong. If only I left a few minutes earlier......

In other news, the ipod nano I ordered for my sis arrived today! Don't realise how small it really is until you hold it. Felt like I could just snap it just like *that*. Get to play around with it and load some songs on it before it gets delivered to her in the UK heehee.

Labels: holiday, work

*yawn*
Been at work since 0530 this morning to release code for a project I've been working on for the past 12 months. I'm glad that it's now all in and working! I'm sure the rest of the business is too, after spending over $100,000 on it. Noticed a few little problems with bits of it but it shouldn't affect it much now. Can't believe I've been at work for 6 hours and it isn't even noon. Can't wait to get outta here in a couple of hours!

Labels: holiday, work

かんさい。おさか。きょと。
here now in the Larofet Hotel in Kyoto.. using the reception computer with free net access. finally. heehe.

Hasnt been too bad today, compared to yesterday. Only bad thing is the tour guide only speeks mandarin and japanese.. and not much canto or english.. so ive been zoning out most the times and only picking up one or two words ere in there..
Saw lotta deers in Deer Park (obviously..), and yours truly stepping on the droppings of one. mm nice. Didn get to see any geishas in action tho unfortunately.

Tomorrow... get to goto one of the おんせん　hot springs for some wet, naked action with other guys that i dont know, whic im not sure if thats wat id want to be doing.. also be visiting　ふじ山　Mt Fuji so that should be good, if not cold.

Anyway. I think ive kinda overstayed a bit too long ere in reception.... til next time..

じゃね！

Labels: holiday

NOT HAPPY JAN!

Screwed over by the travel agent yet again!

Been here at Osaka Kansai airport for almost 2 hours... a local guide
was spose to pick us up over an hour ago..
Called the office of the guide who said that she is on their way over
from Tokyo and wont be arriving til 1030!! Sposedly this was relayed
to our travel agent who kindly neglected to tell us this information.
Fricking. What a waste of a day!

Add to that i got my fone on roaming cept Japan uses CDMA arhg. I
could rent an NTT DoCoMo handset tho hmmm tempting.. maybe.

This was not the start to the holiday i was expecting... argh!

Labels: holiday

Man..
my mum can be a total bitch some times. Picked up our tickets from the travel agent this morning, and mum wasnt too pleased with all the travel arrangements that transpired. Got the return flight changed, so come home earlier without the 8 hour stopover, now only 3 hours. We've used the same travel agent for our previous holidays interstate and overseas, but it seems that this may have been the last time.. Lotta issues that came up, and some times I just dont like the way my mum acts when shes annoyed, angry and wants to make a point. but thats her. Seems kinda rude the way she acts to other people some times, but oh wells. I learn to put up and ignore with it.

Hope that that's the end of any problems that may happen and the trip will go according to plan!

Labels: holiday

桜雪
あさってぼくと母は日本でりょこします。
ぼくの日本語はままですね！学校に勉強おしました。だけれども日本語おわすれる。

Man, my Japanese is too rusty I can't even remember how to piece together a proper sentence....

It wasn't too long ago that I was on holidays to SingMaThai, and now, due to company bullshit bureacracy I have to use up my leave that I can't accrue. Leaving on Sunday for a week trip to Japan, which I hope will be uneventful unlike the last one. Just have to keep myself occupied for the long hours in Singapore for the stopover (4hours there and 8 hours back) in the wee hours of the morning. Here's to a cold spring sakura season in the land of the rising sun.

Labels: holiday

Merrimous New Year
It's that time of the year again already, and I'd just like to say Merry New Year and a Happy Christmas to all!

I shall be flying off tomorrow (yes Christmas Day) for a while to Singapore/Malaysia/Thailand. Be my first time away from home for Christmas and New Years (that I can recall...) so it'd be an experience.

Any requests for cheap goods, last chance.. drop me an email and I shall see what I can do :)

Jackie has also returned in time for Christmas. We had her cremated and shes in an urn back in her own house. Planning on getting another one in the new year, so it wont be as quiet!

Til next time..

Labels: holiday

I'm Leaving On A Jetstar Plane
and I know when I'll be back again..

It's been a while since I've been on a family holiday.. too long to remember. Last thing I recall was a cruise back in 99, but I wouldnt call that a holiday when I'm stuck with the whole family on a boat and spewing. hmm no sirree. Add to that I was only a week away from my 18th and hence legal age to do anything. Couldn't even enjoy a cruise liner cocktail! It's even longer since I been to the Gold Coast... way before Movie World was open or planned to even open. Last trip I recall was the World Expo of 1988, although I'm sure I've been back since. Hopefully this trip will be good, although I'm not expecting much. Haven't thought about packing yet or know what to bring or where we're even going. All I know is where we're staying and what we're flying since I paid for it. ack.

Also been dying to go to the Snowy Mountains to ski again this year. A few friends have planned to go (booked even) but I duno.. I feel like saving my precious annual leave since I don't get to accrue much... Being forced to have a maximum of 10 days at the end of year doesn't make me wanna use it either in case of any big plans. *thinks ahead*


[Update]
hmm I jus remembered now after writing the above. Last family trip was up to Cairns - I didn't seem to even remember that til now so that's how lasting that trip was in my mind...

Labels: holiday

Back.
Not that any of yous missed me or anything hehe
Might update this post later on ... first up .. gotta finish these assignments due 14 hours ago!

I will be back.

Update [8/5/03]
Back again. I decided it was time to update this entry cos I couldnt be bothered creating a new post so its just an update hehe
Sunny (as if!) tropical Queensland, well far north queensland in Cairns. Sun. Rain. Sun. Rain. Sun. Rain. you get my drift :) Surprisingly the first day we got there it was perfect weather .. too bad we got there late in the arvo so there wasnt much to do. We went to the Casino to kill some time.. Reef Hotel Casino it was, I didn't even know Cairns had one. But they got an International Airport there so I guess they must be pretty busy heh. First time I've ever played the pokies (yes we were that bored) and I won $14! woohoo. Only cos I doubled up when the bet was like 400credits. Mum called me a crazy stupid idiot or something along those lines for doing that heehee but honestly, I didn't even look at how much the bet was, I just hit double up ehaha Beginners luck? Maybe. hehe

Day2. Trip to Moores Reef. One of the Reefs of the Great Barrier Reef. Man was that a rough 2 hour ride. 25knot winds and after a big breakfast, stay well away. I managed to hold it in til near the end when one of the big waves hit the decks and it was outta there :c~~ I duno if it was just me, but the expectation of the Great Barrier Reef was something "great", but snorkelling the afternoon away it seemed like good ol' coral and tropical fish, nothing too exciting. Trying to help my mum snorkel was an effort and a half, she didn't dare venture away from the pontoon, she was having trouble trying to breathe using the snorkel, so she just sat there heahe

Day 3. The usual touristy sight seeing kinda thing. Went on the worlds longest gondola ride, the Skyrail, which goes for 7.4km. Nice tropical rainforest .. all these variety of flora and fauna, 500 year old pine tree, spiders, vines .. the lot. There was also a trip to the Wildlife Park, where there were koalas, kangaroos and crocs and whole lotta other wildlife. The guide mentioned that they have the worlds only suspected gay crocodile in captivity heehee. Over the years they've given him about a dozen or so female crocs to try and mate, and hes killed every one of them. Guess they just dont do it for him heehee. Take a look at it here, does it look gay to you? hehe :)

If you ever fly Virgin Blue, bring your own headsets. sif pay $2.50 for a Virgin Blue headset when using your own will work just as good hehe Luckily I brought my MD along so I could listen in. Although after an hour or so it repeats itself, so you know its time to change the channels. Also bring your own food n drinks. If you drink beer its gonna cost you $6!! even nuts cost $3 bux .. along wif the softdrinks. eesh. Keeping the air fare. We rip you off up there. That's their slogan! hehe

Think thats it .. probably more but i've forgotten most of it. . and the pics dont look too great either haha of me anyway :)

Labels: holiday, life, uni