Marina bay sands,

16th December 2011

Made my way to Marina Bay Sands the night after touching down from Taiwan for well-spent time with some of my favourite university friends for company ♥ All thanks to Delvin's treat heehee. I've never had the chance to stay at this glamourous hotel so it was a good opportunity to soak in the essence of what everyone has been raving about - the infinity pool and the skypark! Whilst the 2 other guys went to get drinks for later that night, the rest of us headed to the pool before it closes. But us being us, they managed to come back just in time for us to make our first dip.

All photograph credits to Yiting's camera :)

    

   

Lo and behold..... the gorgeous skyline which was literally breathtaking (because of the cold breeze at the top of MBS) Tried swimming around to stay warm but didn't really help hahaha but bumming around the pool was a lot of fun.

After many attempts of pillow snatches and episodes of big bang theory later, I couldn't really fall asleep and we managed to get everyone up to the skypark for a short walk. Talked for a bit, took pictures and caught the sunrise (on a second note, I'm not sure if we did) with our feet soaked in a warm jacuzzi and wrapped in bath towels haha bliss on a whole new level.

So glad for every single one of them to spice up my University life ♥ I'm definitely going to miss Yiting and Mingyi leaving for exchange this semester, it won't be the same without you girls :'( Can't wait for you two to come back and we can hang out like good ole times!

Marina Bay Sands
10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018956
http://www.marinabaysands.com

Taiwan captured on film (Part I),

Selected some film pictures out of the four rolls developed to share, quite pleased because they turn out sharper than my Melbourne film pictures here.  I'm also sharing the locations of where they were taken (recalling by memory). I've tons of digital family shots too, but I'll post them after these analogue moments ♥

Travelled from the outskirts of Taiwan to the inner cities, which is quite a mean feat for 8 days in the country. We had to switch hotels every day so had to make sure we didn't unpack too much! The weather was crisp and especially icy along the coastal areas (missing the breeze nonetheless), but I'm missing the good street snacks and friendly people there. The countryside was was blissfully therapeutic, with the breathtaking scenery @ Taroko gorge and quaint laidback culture of the small towns painting the perfect picture of a retiree's dream - which is quite hard to achieve with the hustle and bustle of Singapore city. I'll let the pictures speak to you.

"The Light of the Buddha" mountain 佛光山 (Kaohsiung) 

Fisherman's wharf and Lover's bridge (Tamshui)

National revolutionary Martyr's shrine, 忠烈祠 (Taipei)

Five cent driftwood restaurant (Yingge)

Taroko gorge national park (East coast of Taiwan)           

     

                                    

                     

Taipei city

Film: Kodak max GC (ISO 400)

Camera: Canon SLR EOS 650 (2nd hand)

Be us against the world,

Photograph taken by the KTM railway tracks (2011), loosely translated as 'The path I've taken'

“Sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of courage, and I promise you something great will come of it.”

A quote from the film Benjamin Mee - "We Bought a Zoo" which I felt somewhat meaningful in challenging us to embrace spontaneity amidst our caged up stability. Revisiting the past year with mixed emotions, some with glee but some with arduous courage to recollect once again. The second half of the semester has taught me immensely: Love, Life, Family. As cliche as it sounds, You win some, you gain some. The fragility of any relationship is so real, be it in the making or the breaking. Sometimes it's so powerful, it's overwhelming don't you think? Especially when you're at the verge of crossing the line of losing what you cherish most or letting someone new into your life. Or the resistance of change that cowardice paralyzes you with, and the convenience of a white lie that falls in place.

It has indeed been a trying year, but I'm exceptionally grateful to everyone who really brightened the days which I felt down on or were there to share my joyful times, you know who you are ♥ With the advent of 2013 drawing near, I'm crave for an adventure to see the beauty of the world soon.

Important New Year resolutions cum To-do list
#1 Exercise (Holla to my dear friends)
#2 Get a watch
#3 Time management
#4 Finish reading Pride and Prejudice
#5 Financial prudence
#6 Stay foolish
#7 Stay hungry

This is getting a bit too personal so I shall lock the second half of this journal post to spare you :)

Click to enter password

This new year, I'll try to step onto muddy waters no more and be me/us against the world (or not). Happy blessed 2012 everyone!

DIY home fountain,

When no one's home, I make it a point to spread my notes around the coffee table next to the fountain because it's the water sounds are just so soothing! Plus, it's highly therapeutic having it in the background. This is mumsie's DIY project though, she has been into plants and semi-precious stones lately. She calls it a makeshift fountain but I think it's not really a makeshift because it's very well done :)

Here's how it looks like with the rubber tubing visible, you can play around water plants and twine it around the tube so it becomes unseen. All you need is a rubber tubing, water motor, pebbles collected from various places or you could go to your local aquarium store (get creative) and a large dish and viola, you get your own DIY fountain!

Happy New Year's eve everyone ♥ 

Hitting the beach,

Satisfying our beach bumming desires after the much dreaded exams @ Tanjong Beach Club with the pretty Aish and Sarah ♥ 'Twas good talking to them again....because they never judge hahaha. Had a lot of fun downing Red sangria and sinful baskets of fried food goodness, and of course catching up a whole semester's worth of news and fooling around in the pool!

Shoutout to Aish: Sarah and I are gonna claim our Spa Botanica date!!!

120 Tanjong Beach Walk
Sentosa, Singapore 098942

Faith makes a fine pillow,

I'm comfortable with routine, who doesn't. Every morning, I take the same route to the nearby bus stop, stepping unto familiar footing each time. If it rains, one of the loose tiles sinks me into a puddle of murky mud water. But somehow or another, even though you know that bad tile has failed you not once or twice but countlessly, there's always this strange tendency to keep stepping on it to trace back familiar footing. I didn't take that leap of faith so maybe I should, and stop plunging into these muddy waters. After all, certain moments call for that embrace of risk when the time is right. This semester has indeed taught me a lot, spiritually and emotionally.