First timer in standard charterd Marathon

Wah... I have finally finished the 21.1km.

I have never run further than 12km before, thus I am quite apprehensive as to whether I can complete the run.

The first 1okm was quite easy. I only get my second wind at 7km mark and managed to feel real good. My knees dun hurt which was a miracle as my knee used to hurt at the 3km, then proceed to 5km. During the Great Eastern, it start throbbing at 4km. so sian.

At the 12km mark, I felt a blister on my left foot. So painful. Then my right knee start its usual throbbing. At the 14km, I felt so hungry and my left abductors hurts as well. The right ankles also felt so numb and I find myself plowing along. Heng the 100 plus drink station at the 15km energise me a bit. I find myself moving somemore. The markers couldn't be seen after the 16k, without me knowing it, I saw the 150m more mark. I finally finished in 2h 43s chip time. The timer at the ending point shows 2h52min. I was a bit off the targets as I aim for a 2h35 min finish.
I aim to finish next year half marathon at 2hr 30min. Yes I am doing it again. (10km was not shiok enough)If I got enough time to train, maybe I would do the Full marathon. Meanwhile, think I should go back to swimming and aerobics sports for a while.

Hong Kong 2007 (part 1)

This is the first time I travelled with people that I barely know. But think I managed to click with them after 2 days. ( ETS is the funniest, she rox!!!)

Day 1: H&M hunt

My favourite shop in Hongkong must be H&M. Lots of stuff to buy there. Spanish brand but cheaper than Zara and Mango. ETS, Garfield and I are busy trying all sorts of clothes there.Bao and the rest seems bored in H&M thus we parted our ways for the first day. We shopped so much that my legs ached for the day, making me so worried about whether I would be able to complete my Stan Chart? Heng, my legs were used to all those shopping after the first day and we manage to shop lots more. Actually, we shopped much, but we din buy much as Hongkong are now full of winter wear clothes which are not suitable for Singapore climates.

I managed to buy a nice sling bag and a red wallet from H&M. Garfield bought a pair of shorts and ETS bought a top.

Btw,Sasa in hongkong sell dirty cheap mask. S$50 for KOSE whitening mask while Singapore sells it for S$96. Garfield and I chiong for it while ETS were still contemplating on whether to buy the lancome mask, which is abt S$75 while it cost abt S$125 here.

Day 2: Shenzhen

Before we went to shenzhen, we wait up early to go to Wong Tai Sin. Full of people in the morning already.

We then took our breakfast at a nearby veg restaurant. The dim sum there were fabulous. The mock siew mai was very well made. To be honest, it taste "meaty" The carrot cake was so soft that it melt in your mouth... Yummm!

After that we meet Bao and gang to go to shenzhen, while ETS went Tsim sha Tsui to shop on her own as she said that Shenzhen probably wun have things that she wld want to buy.

Err she was quite right. Garfield and I din managed to buy any clothes or accessories in Shenzhen. I was marred by my Shanghai shopping trip last year and was weary of the durability of Mainland made products.(My bag fell apart after just 6 days of usage)I bought socks though which is dirty cheap at S$2 for 3 pairs. (I bought 6 in shanghai and they last till now)

Unless us, AC n R like Shenzhen a lot and we decided to part our ways again to hunt on our own.

Well, there are a few things that I will like to buy here such as DVD 溏心风暴. But I think it is a bit expansive as it cost S$20. In the end, Garfield and I went to Shenzhen book store to buy books. I manage to splurge and bought enough books to make a membership card. In the evening, we join ETS to eat here at Xu liu shan. Err for dun noe what reason, Garfield keep saying that it is call chu liu xiang... Hmm weird garfield.

The mango pudding shown above was super delicious. Mango ice-cream was so rich with mango. I love mango v v much. I always complain to Garfield I can't find decent mango dessert in Singapore. Yummy !!!
Day 3: Ocean Park

ETS returned back to Spore on the third day, leaving behind 6 of us to go to Ocean park.

We take a bus from the Admiralty Station to Ocean park. The cost of the entry of the park is HK$177. ( after discount from R 's friend, else it is HK$185).

The park was quite fun with all those rides and I especially loved the dolphins and seals performance.

We are quite gamed in trying out the rides esp Garfield, think she love the roller coaster . I decided to give the 360 roller coaster a miss, while Garfield, Bao and ZC tried it. This is the first time that I tried the Evisu, the free falling thingy. It was not as scary as I have thot, tho the HK gal beside kept saying that she was scared and dun wished to ride.

We went to see those indoor aquarium after our lunch. The quality of the aquariums were definitely better than Singapore underwater world. I can stayed the whole day in the aquarium and wun feel bored. I laugh at the jellyfishes, make funny faces at the sea urchins. A stingray actually swim up to me and wave, it blows some bubbles at me before goodbye.

We can oso spot gaint panda at ocean park, though it was not as enjoyable as the aquariums.

We parted our way again as Bao and gang want to go to Lam Kui Fong, while I want to go to the temple street to take a look.

To be honest, temple street was a disappointment. Nothing much to see there.

Counting down to Marathon

Oh no....
3 more days to stand chart... Me have been lazy in training. Dun noe why, but no mood to train after Hongkong holidays...
Sei ah!!!

All thanks to MZ for collecting my race pack while I am in Hongkong...

日本旅行(part 3) finale

Tokyo shopping trips

to be honest, still find Tokyo the best of all shopping area... Cos there is

Shibuya 109

Things there are not cheap, but you cannot get those things anywhere.

There are actually 2 109 building, but the first one is catered mainly to the ladies while the 109 2 is catered to the men and the teens.

Of cos 109 is more to our taste. Karen, Garfield and I bought a bag each. Mine was a navy nautical type of bag. Waterproof somemore. I love it man.

definitely can't find in Singapore. Garfield bought a transparent bag. ( often featured in Non-no and vivi) very stylish. All bags costed about $40 -50.

There is a Samantha Vega outlet in 109 building. Too bad all the Samantha bags costs about $120 onwards.

Ikemen paradise (good looker)

Japan has risen to the occasion by having the most good looking men in Asia. ( Never been outside asia lah me)

We have spotted Kaneshiro takeshi look alike in Shinjuku shopping centre. We are so thrilled.

Takeshita Dori

This is a good place to spot those cosplayer. Stuffs were cheaper and quirker. Atas people probably wun find stuff to buy here. (maybe bags bah) I bought a quilt bag and Long bought some clothes from here too.

Akihabara

If you want to buy Nitendo DS, this is the place. Since all instructions are in Jap, there wun be much difference. Price are cheaper and there are more variety of games to choose from.

I manage to bought some Naruto stuff for Bro. Figurine are not cheap woh!!

At first I thot that there will lot of otaku as in Train man, but men there generally look like those normal IT savvy guy.

All in all, I love Japan, tho it is quite hard to find vegetarian food. Not recommended for my parents. But for those who love shopping and site seeing, Japan rules. 日本人がなりたいな！

My Running

This year, I am quite busy training for various runs.
Garfield and I have been training together, or should I say I run, she blade along ECP. Whenever I can squeeze time on Saturday morning, we will try to go there.
We have completed the shape 5km run in about 35 mins in sept.

The greater achievement was that we manages to complete the Great eastern run in 1hr 15 min(Chip time). This was quite a good result for first timers. I have calculated, we run about 8km/hr.
I have been trying to improve my timing by running 8.5km/hr recently.
But I think a consistant 8km/hr for my half marathon should be enough. Very excited and scared as this is the first time I am running such long distance and I dun think I have trained myself sufficiently. To make things worse, Garfield is not joining me for the Stan chart.
I have been trying to cover as much distance as possible, but lazyness and my overwhelming schedule are prevent this from happening. Just hope and pray that my knees wun give way on 2/12...
(the weather is not helping too)

日本旅行(part 2)

It has been a long respite from part 1... Yah, been rather busy with lota things.

To be honest, memories fades and I am not so young anymore... Anyway, sequels are never as good as the first.


Station 3: Edo wonderland
If you watch Mark Lee travel program in Japan, you should be familiar with this place.
It is based on the old pre- meji Japan. All employees are clad in period clothing. You can see Ninja, Geisha and shojun all over the place.

We managed to catch 3 shows altogether.

The first one was an indoor Ninja exhibiting their abilties to go throught different task. The second shows was about how Geisha entertained those big shots in a typical tea house.

The third one is an outdoor Ninja shows

The front entrances

Ninja's jittsu.



Station 4: Otaru and Ishiya chocolate factory






On the fifth day, we managed to go to otaru. Otaru is famous for its music boxes and lota chocolates.


Due to budget constraint I bought a small music keychain which chimes to sakura (V old jap children song). Most of us bought lots of chocolates from 六花亭 as お見上げ（Souvenir) for our relative and friends. Long and I found out that we didn't bought enough...( too many colleauges liao)




Music box come out from here!!!
After our lunch, we went to the Ishiya chocolate factories to buy the very famous 白色恋人. They were so good that I did not want to give it out as お見上げ. The taste was so good that a non-chocolate lover like me love it.

Station 5: Sapporo: Chitose Factory outlet mall
When you heard factory outlet, you dun expect this atas place in front of you. The building is like a series of white boutiques and they sells products that is unbeliveable cheap, but without compromising the qualities of the products.

Gafield manages to buy a bikini for about 3000 yens and I bought a top for about 1500 yens.
Shopping in Japan is never enough... We already bought so much in Hokkaido... Tokyo was even worse.

日本旅行(part 1)

おしゃしぶり。私は日本にぃって帰りました。

北海道を通りました

To get to Hokkaido, we had to take JAL to Narita airport, from there, we took coach to Haneda airport before we could take the domestic flight to Chitose Airport. While we were at Haneda airport, we noticed that there are a lots of 高校生.

" Huh?, they no need to study meh? I tot sch holidays had not yet started for the Japanese."

小黒さんによると：It was the excusion vacations weeks for the Japanese students now, thus they will be visiting the cultural spots in Japan

Japanese students are so fortunate. ヤパリ

As our tour guide asked us to check in on our own, I smiled at the pretty Japanese airport personal and gave her our tickets.
Then to my surprise, she assaulted me with amazing speed of Japanese.
"Wat", Aiyoh, It was hard to understand her Japanese, I was not familar with her ascents. Then another personal start to talk to me more slowly, From her, I understood that we could only check in 30 minutes before the flight as there were be lots of people transferring from one

県to another 県of Japan. 困ったな！

Japanese Scare: 3/5 ( I expected all airport personals to speak in English)

No Vege food Scare: 0/5 ( not hungry yet)

Politeness rating: 4/5( They apologise when they accidently knocked onto you, and everyone kept to the left of the escalators, everyone woh!!!)

Station 1:洞爷湖

We reached lake Toya at about 12 something, our first stop was to see those bear in the bear ranch.

Did anyone remember 蜡笔小新 threw his mother purse to feed the bears? This was where it happened. ( I later found out that there are so many bear ranches in hokkaido)So cute right!!! 3 little bears. (seems like both Korean and Japanese like the three bears a lot)

After our lunch, we went to a quaint ice-cream farm to make our own ice-cream. 楽しい. We had to add 500ml of fresh milk with 250ml of fresh cream. We had to whisk them together in a large metal bowl with salted ice underneath . Though fun, it was pure hardwork.

The Japanese were so authentic. Furthermore we were not comply to buy anything after the visit, they even give us free pudding to bring back home. (Japanese are also obessive with pudding) After the farm visit, we went back to the hotel.The hotel had a very nice view woh!!!
Glad to find my hotel room was in Japanese style. I could sleep on the futon woh! Karen and I were contemplating of doing some sparring on the futon. Yeah!!! (We collapsed in fatigue on the first day though)

After the dinner, we took a stroll around the lake and waited for the fireworks to start.

To the Japanese, 花火 is a very important thing. Even the most workacholic Japanese will take time to watch the fire works and participate in the summer festival wearing their yukata.

Thus I was very glad that I managed to catch the 花火 as this was part of the Japanese culture.
We had the luxury of a 30min show. Fantastic.

Too bad, I didn't use Nikon D70, thus only had this as memory.

While we were walking back from the lake, Garfield suddenly turned to me,

" I tot some Japanese guy was toking to Karen, turned out that it was you"

" なんだろ！"
" At least, I say u looked like Japanese Guy mah"

Wah, I was really ”flattered”。
I was wearing blazer with cap as the wind is quite chilling in the night. Yeah, blazer was really what the Japanese guys will wear. They wun be caught dead in dreadful windbreaker.

Actually we found quite a number of handsome or should I say kawaii couple during the fireworks. Hmm I find it real romantic!!! to watch 花火 with our 恋人.

気になる人と一緒に、花火を見ったら、喜びます。

After the fireworks, I proceeded to soak myself in the onsen. Only Long and me decided to go for the public bath on the first day. Garfield and Karen were too tired to join us the first night.

As I had Onsen experience before in Korea, I didn't find it awkward . Just when I stepped in, an obasan ask me where to get towels as she did not have one at the moment, I told her that she needed to bring her towels from her room and she looked very distraught, fortunately, she saw her friend who managed to give her one. (Other hotels provide towels at the main entrances to the bath)

Hmm had a really nice time in the onsen, felt totally relaxed and I found it really nice to sleep afterwards. No wonder Japanese really love their onsen.

Japanese Scare: 1/5 ( I can understand majority of what the owner said and got Long san has to translate the remaining 20 percent to me. I can converse with the obasan, very happy )

No Vege food Scare: 3/5 [ Got food, though dun look as good as "meat eaters" course(^ _^!!!) my Dinner looked pathetic as it is buffet style. ]

Politeness rating: 4/5 (The Owner of the farm is so friendly !!! I am impressed)

Things bought: A Hello kitty Pen that is only sold in Hokkaido, costed 520円



Station 2: Sobetsu and Noboribetsu

We took a ferry in the moring and went to Nakajima Island to learn about hokkaido zoology. Seems like deers, bears and foxes are commonly found in Hokkaido. We went to Sobetsu in the afternoon to pick the the strawberries. The owner of the farm was again very friendly and we were not force to buy their strawberries. The strawberries were very sweets and very big... Hmm, I polished about 8 strawberries. The same farm also harvest apple in autumn, As it was spring, we can only see the beautiful apple flowers (Hokkaido is in spring in June)

We then went to visit the ainu village in Noboribetsu, Ainu was the minority enthic group in Japan and from what I see, they resembled those minority enthic group in China (白族）and Taiwan anuwa. We learned about their custom and their living style. See a lots of 高校生.

Trivial

How to differentiate 高校生,from 中校生?

For female students:Look at their skirt length, the 高校生 weared mini skirt.

For Male students: They are taller with stylo hair.

Next we reach the hell valley for our second hotel, the hell valley was literally hell as sulphur dioxide gas enguffed the air. Smells like rotten eggs .

They even have a puppet show about the hades of hell along the street near my hotel and the street are full of people cladded in Yukata waiting for the show.

Seems like in Japan, they wear Yukata whenever they are on holiday in the summer.

That day we also wore Yukata. They looked Kawaii, for me it is more Kakkoii . Haha

The Onsen rating for the second date is 5/5. There were a lot of varieties . My favorite was the skin beautifying onsen.

Japanese Scare: 4/5 (The introducer of the Ainu village spoke in record time Japanese as there were lots of Korean tourists around and their tour guide translated everything for them. The introductor also spoke in Korean sometime, I was so fetted up, only long understand him.)

No Vege food Scare: 3/5 [ 2nd day dinner is better ]

Politeness rating: 3/5 (Sales persons are friendly and gave recommendation)
Things bought: Just black seasme ice-cream 230円

つつく！

お楽しみに待って見ます。

Me back from blogging ashes( Dun noe for how long)

Moi had been super duper busy for the past one month. It is like a bl**dy long marathon of activities. All sensei should have know the mad race toward the exam period and the after exam marking, keying of marks, remarks and the meeting of parents of those students.
All these were behind me now. Though I had to get rid of the extra midsection of my flesh now since I missed out on my gym and running training.
In a more cheery note, the GSS come timely for my rewards of my hardwork of these past weeks.

My GSS conquest

• Nice Jap inspired light grey dress.
• Few earrings
• Black gel eyeliner and brush. (My collection is now completed with Gel, liquid and penciled eyeliners)

I have done this in 3 days since the start of GSS. GOd help me!!!

日本はじめ

In the midst of setting exam papers and moaning abt my ex. I forsake the precious time to write my blog.

The Damn Ex
I thought I have get rid of him by intoxicating myself with Roaccutane, pamper my darlings with chemical peels and expensive serum. He is gone... Finally, after years of sheer torture.

WHY DID YOU HAVE TO COME BACK AND DESTROYED ME???
YOU EVIL PIMP...les.

Determined not to let his mood get me to the downside, I went and book a holiday package to Hokkaido with Garfield, Karen and Long. Yeah!!!! 日本はじめ I am gonna set aside $4500 for this trip.... Wahhhahaha 鞄おいでエアッリンを買いたい

My goals (Only 17)

I always have the habits of writing journal and I happen to chance upon an entry when I was 17.
Some of those in the list are accomplishment while others are great jokes.

The Jokes

• To obtain 4 "A"s for my A levels.
• To be a chemical engineer.
• To publish articles in Science Journal.
• To be a great ice-skater ( Figure skating?but then wtf am I thinking of... Durhhhh)
• To Obtain a Ph.d (Dreams ah dreams)

The accomplish

• To be religious.
• To be able to learn Japanese.
• To be a good friend to my pals.
• To buy discsman, mini compro, subscribe internet ( during that time, I was as poor as any shelter seeking man in NY city)
• To read books by famous author esp literature works. ( dunnoe whether Murakami counts boh, but at least I read 100 pages from Natsume Soseki lah, I confessed I read Austen and Wharton)

The " Maybe"

• To visit Japan (yeah! I am going to do it soon) meet, speak and befriend Kimura Takuya (tats is another one of the great old Jokes)
• To visit Hollywoods and meet and speak with Leonardo Dicaprio ( If I Know he will turn up ugly, I wun write this at all...)
• To step into Harvard University ( Err will do that if I ever step into boston, will try to step into Tokyo University as well and I means literally Step into, not study in... )
• To enjoy life
• To be a BOSS
• To visit NASA.

The BIGGEST JOKE is........ no 38 of my list is " TO TEACH"

No wonder, WHY THE HECK shd I CURSED myself at the age of 17... ARghhh the

Age of innocence. No should be the Age of ignorant!!!! WAH LAU

Long Lost Bro

Garfield sent me this Photo of her beloved. Bro say dun look anything like him, So do all of my friends.

Instead he look like another Mr Goh/Wu.

They say Daniel Wun and Daniel Henny sport similar looks. I beg to differ. Can't find anything that look similar. After intensive search. ( Nah, just a few more min ) I finally found this.

*Chay* Slight resemblance only.Instead Garfield xiao Zun zun look exactly like *Gasp*

Long Lost bro??? Garfield leave one for me just in case I can't get

Book Review: For one more day

Have you wish that you want to turn back time, to repent and to undo your wrong?
Super heart wrenching story about a prodigy son who went all way out to please his all american dad. When dad left family decade later, his world come crashing down if not for the opening arm of Mum. Taking mum for granted and feeling embrassed by her, he could state numerous occassion where he did not stood by her , hurt her by the frequent accusation of "You ruined my life"

How many time has our life been so called " ruined"? Stuff that we know will pierce her heart yet spoken while in rage. This guy get his chance, to say sorry to his dead mother after his own attempt suicide. Done so as his own daughter cut him out from her wedding due to frequent stupor moments.

This is a masterpiece of self-reflection. We don't want to empathise only after we have became the victim of suffering. He has done it once again, in less than 200 pages. Good Mitch.

CNY

Notice the difference? No pineapple tart photo lah, no relatives photos or after spring cleaning photo. So unlike last year.

Honestly, I felt quite sick after the cleaning due to my perpertual sinus problem. I have been sneezing non-stop after all the dusting, cleaning and arranging of wardrobe. I endure, all for the sake of recieving good luck.

The only thing that I feel happy about the new year is...

No it is not the angbao money. This cease to have much meaning after I start working.

OF COS it is not the meeting of old relatives who start the questioning of my singlehood as soon as I entered the door. ( Last year, it start only when they gave me angbao... Man, it get worse )

It is.... *drum roll*... my mum... This year, she din scold us... Hooray!!! Finally a year start with the absence of anger.

The task of preparing zillions of thing before the actual event eventually took the toil . The fume, the stream start to accumulate. By the first day of CNY her anger will reach the boiling point. She exploded!

This year, me and bro decide to help whatever we can. We cleaned, we run around finding the precious quail eggs that happen to be extinct on the eve, we start sweating before streamboat time + many more.

Our Hard work had paid off. Perhaps we shd do this every year... So filial???
Nah, it is for good luck sake.

飞轮海

Another Idol sighting , this time, it was飞轮海. Hmm We finally saw 吴尊. Wah my legs aching sia. Heng can see a bit of their face... else waste my sweat.

Err since I nv chase those F4 lah, 5566, 183 club... Why am I chasing after this group leh... Are they so special?

Hee, actually since we manage to see 权相宇 few months ago, we decide to try our luck since 尊尊 is garfield " now" hubby.

Haha to be honest they all look quite shuai in real as compared to the photos. In the photos, only 吴尊 look good. Well tho 吴尊 look good, still feel that my Jun Ki is better. When is he ever here from Korea?

Too bad, me and garfield never go and chase Rain last week, tho we guess correctly that Rain lived in Ritz Carlton. That one too power liao, will kanna standpit one yoh!