Photography 101

Can't seem to fall asleep despite taking the drowsy meds, so shall blog about the photography class that I've been going for.

Alvin has apparently been learning photography from this guy for the past three years or so, and has been waxing lyrical about how skillful his teacher is. Since LGG and a couple of friends were interested in going for class, I decided why not.

We were warned, though, that lessons would be taught in Chinese. *gulp*

Got the contact number of the teacher and somehow I was tasked to make arrangements for the class. Me? Speaking Chinese?! Here's how the conversation went.

me: Hello, 请问你是 Alvin 的 photography 老师吗？(so far so good) 我是他的朋友。我们想跟你学... (pause cos I didn't know the word for photography)
teacher: 哦！你是 Alvin 的朋友！对，他有跟我说你们要来学 (dammit I didn't catch the word for photography! He is speaking too fast!)
me: 是的
teacher: bla bla bla (something about how he doesn't normally teach basic photography cos he usually teaches advanced stuff.. but cos of Alvin he will teach us..)
me: 哦！谢谢！(pause cos I could not think of anything else to say)
teacher: bla bla bla (something about how the students he teaches are winning awards..)
me: 是吗？很好啊。(OMG this conversation seems to be going waaaaay off tangent.)
teacher: bla bla bla (still going on about ... hmmm I stopped listening)
me: 哈哈哈 (polite laughter cos I have absolutely no idea what he is saying)
teacher: bla bla bla .. 上课..
me: (oh did he say something about class? I try my luck..) 我们想在下个星期四上课,可以吗？
teacher: 星期四？让我看一看.. 应该没问题。我还有 bla bla bla (something about other students who will be joining the class too)
me: 可以 (what did I just agree to?!)
teacher: bla bla bla (again I think he is telling me about him not teaching basics.. but I'm not sure)
me: 是吗？哈哈哈 (the only response I know)
teacher: bla bla bla (he talks a lot)
me: 哈哈哈，可以。(again, not sure what I'm agreeing to)
teacher: bla bla bla .. 你给我你的 email, 我再给你我的地址。
me: 好的，我现在 sms 你。(yay! conversation finally over!)
teacher: bla bla bla (?!?!?!)
me: 哈哈哈，好的，我现在 sms 你。BYEBYE!
teacher: ok, byebye
me: *phew* (I survived!)

Anyway, that's how I fumbled along trying to arrange for the class. The entire conversation took a good 20 minutes. A lot of "哈哈"s and "好的"s and "可以"s from my end. *hangs head in shame*

Later, the teacher sends me a looooong email (written in Chinese omg) to confirm the dates and times, and all I could come up with to reply was "可以". Lol I even forgot to thank him, where have my manners gone?!

More on the actual class in another post. Lol.

Eid Mubarak

It's that time of the year again where Muslims around the world celebrate the end of Ramadan.

I was on my way back home, and got into the lift with a family who was probably visiting some relatives in the same block. Just watching them made me feel a slight tinge of nostalgia- I do miss the house visiting, matching bajus and gorging on goodies all day long.

(Actually I probably just miss the food. Lol.)

Ah well, to all my Muslim friends: Eid Mubarak! May your year be filled with many blessings. And, let me know when your open house is so I can go makan, boleh?

Health Is Wealth

Haiz, my immune system is shite, judging by the increasing frequency and severity of each bout of illness.

In just the past three months, I've had a chest cough / infection while I was in Perth, a stomach infection leading to delirium-causing fevers when I was in India, and now post-Malacca I'm battling an adult onset asthma attack.

Is it even possible to get asthma so late in life? *shrugs*

I wonder what I should do to help improve my health. Umfortunately good health has always been something one takes for granted. Might need to go see a TCM doctor and see what he says.

But anyway, as JM so aptly put (6 years ago): I'm not getting any younger, you know.

Burp

OMG I think it's a uniquely Singaporean ability to constantly be able to stuff one's face.

We arrived in Malacca and headed to some roadside shop to have satay celup- various skewers of fishballs, meat, fishcakes, seafood, you tiao etc cooked in a simmering pot of satay sauce. OMG sedap sia!

In the morning we had nonya laksa, then A&W for lunch (coney dogs, how I've missed you) and assam laksa for dinner with a bit of rojak and chendol. Slurp.

Did the touristy thing and headed to a'famosa, and also took neoprints at the mall. Ended the day prowling Jonker Walk for knick knacks to buy.

All in all a tiring but highly satisfying day. Chicken rice balls tomorrow!

Leaving On A .. Bus

Whee! We're off to Malacca tonight! Chicken rice balls and chendol, here I come!

But first I've got to survive the countless meetings and appointments that plague my day today. It's inhumane, I say, to make people work on Fridays.

Anyway, babycakes (new nick! no more slutty lol), XY and Mich will be heading up tonight and crashing at Mich's aunts place. Free accomodation is always da bomb. Imagine an entire weekend of stuffing face.. oh wait, I do that most weekends already. Hehehe.

We'll be back on Sunday night, despite Tuesday being a public holiday. Don't think a leave application for the 4 of us on Monday would be approved. Plus I have my photography class (which I'll blog about later).

Happiness!

This Is Why I'm Not A Doctor

Was telling EYS about my snow-not-snow moment and he used the word "precipitation". Me? I just call it frozen waters from the sky. Lol.

Whiskey Appreciation 101

Ok I'm officially turning into an uncle.

Met up with Alfred to have dinner and check out cameras at Funan. The camera I'm eyeing only costs $629 with free 8GB memory card, extra battery, camera casing and mini tripod! I was going to buy it but Alvin suggested I borrow Rod's camera and play around with it first before deciding on a purchase, so I guess that's wht I'll do first.

Then met up with EYS and had some beers and shisha and had a nice evening chatting and dispensing advise (me not him) about not worrying too much about screwing one's kid's life.

Conversation went on to how I've not actually learnt to appreciate whiskey (bleh) and somehow we ended up back home and sampling some of the whiskeys in his collection. Something about peaty whiskeys vs non-peaty whiskeys. Yawn.

Spent more time playing with Vanilla and Caramel, his two retriever-poodles.

So the whiskeys he let me try were smooth and easy on the throat, but I don't think I'll be stocking up on my Glenfiddichs or wadyacallems any time soon.

But man, am I turning into an uncle or what?

Sibeh Bo Liao

Sometimes I think the conversations that we have are seriously bo liao lor. Was chatting with Rod and disussing how "old" the collective sexual experience that he, LGG and I have. So we did a count.

me: OMG our collective sexual experience is 55 years!!
Rod: Fark! Our sexual experience can take CPF liao lor!

Lololololololol.

Being Carefree

One of the happiest feelings in the world, I reckon, is that carefree joy that you feel while lolling about in bed, knowing that you don't have to go to the office and have the rest of the day ahead to do absolutely nothing.

I was in that state of pure bliss, literally rolling from side to side in my bed, silly smirk and grin on my face when my mom walks in.

mom: It's 8am
me: Yep!
mom: You're on leave today?
me: No? ... Oh. It's Friday huh.

*cue sinking feeling*

Lol. So anyway, here I am in the office, experiencing what must be the second most happy feeling in the world- the rush of caffeine to the system. Slurp.

I Want, I Want, I Want

Oh no. Is it that time of the year where I start hankering for new toys? My latest obsession- digital cameras. Yikes. I have a perfectly fine digital camera that takes decent pictures, but yet I still want to get a new one.

Plus, we'll be going for photography classes soon so I might as well get a new toy and learn how to use it, right?

*breathes*

About Ladakh

I know, I know. I said that I'd write more about Ladakh, but I'm just so lazy. So everyone, please just head over to TFP's page and read his account there. He has a better description anyway, and I've already uploaded the pics and blogged about the important (to me) bits of the trip. Lol.

Malacca next weekend. Mmm chicken rice balls.

It's Just A Technical Difference Lah

After showing everyone a picture of what I thought was snow, I've been told that it wasn't snow, but probably sleet. Apparently snow is soft. Chey.

Same same, I say. Frozen water from the skies is frozen water from the skies. Pfft!

Home Sweet Home

After one and a half months of traveling in and out of India, I'm so glad that I'm finally done. Phew.

One of the best feelings in the world, I reckon, must be taking a shower immediately upon reaching home, and giving myself a good thorough scrubbing to get rid of the accumulated India-dust on the skin. My skin feels like it's finally clean again, and soaks up all the moisturiser that's been slathered on.

Spent the entire day at the Delhi airport yesterday. Arrived from Leh at about 8.20am and my flight to Singapore was at 11.30pm. Since I was already OD-ed on India, I decided not to join TFP as he made his way around Old Delhi.

Watched Community (both seasons of) and filled my tummy with coffee and cake. It was actually quite pleasant to just sit back and do nothing. Lol.

Alright. Time to zzz. Will update more later.

Soon!

At the airport waiting to board the plane back. Omg I can't wait to get back home.

Last Day In Ladakh

Spending a lazy day just nua-ing and doing absolutely nothing. How pleasant.

Happiness!!!

1. Plucked a radish. One of  the advantages of having a garden at the guesthouse. Sure it's not a tapioca, but it's bigger and I reckon much harder to yank out of the ground. Wahey!

2. Took a camel ride shadow pic. Went on a camel safari in Hunder and managed to get a snap. Whee!

3. I SAW SNOW!!! There was a traffic jam near the Khardung La. My window was open and I noticed these little white balls (that looked like mini melts) falling in through the window. Stepped out and IT WAS SNOWING!!! :D:D:D:D:D

.. More on my trip when I'm back in Singapore.

Ladakh

Yippie!!! I'm here!!! To do list for today- explore bazaar (done), explore old town (soon, after it stops raining), book taxi for trip to Nubra Valley and Panggong Lake (in progress).

Happiness is being on holiday. :D

Done!

Ahh I'm finally done with all my work trips in India, and now getting ready to check out of my hotel in Dehradun and head to the airport. Flight to Delhi and stay there for a night, and then onwards to Ladakh!

I do hope I have enough money with me. Yikes. I didn't really think through carefully about how much money I'd need, so I don't know if the money that I've got on hand will suffice. Will probably call the guesthouse when I'm there, and ask her for an estimate.

I'm excited. How often does one get to go to one of the world's most beautiful places?

Food Cravings

Having been traveling in and out of India for the past month and a half, each time I'm here, I just crave non-Indian food.

Reading Sus' blog and how she had chilli crab and Jumbo, and my mouth waters. I waaaant. Plus I've not had my previous durian craving satisfied (why ah?). Sigh.

I'm not normally so whiny when it comes to food, and am usually quite easily pleased. As long as it's tasty, I'm a happy camper. And Indian food is definitely high up on the tasty list. It's just.. bad associations? Who knows.

Spent the day in the hotel today playing this game. Could have gone out for a walk but I've seen most of Dehradun in the couple of days I've been here (it's really a small town) and it's too hot out to walk around.

Back to Delhi tomorrow. I'm doing my research online for some nice restaurants to eat at (haha, non-Indian of course) and then off to Ladakh on Sunday. Woot!

One Day In Dehradun

And so far, I like it.

Dehradun is rather undeveloped, compared to the other cities that I have travelled to. The plants along the sides of the roads are overgrown, there are cows and monkeys and dogs running on the street (well, not the cows), it's crowded but has a simple and blast-to-the-past vibe to the place. Sort of reminds me of Goa, minus the beaches and throngs of ang moh tourists.

Checked in, took a quick shower, and left the hotel for my appointments. After I was done, I drove to Clement Town and visited the buddhist monastery there. There were quite a number of Tibetans there, walking around the stupa chanting with their prayer beads in hand. It also seemed like a place for Indians to hang out- you could see couples sitting here and there on the grassy patches. (No Amorous Activities Please, said the many signs around the place. Hehehe.)

I spoke to a Tibetan guy who was sort of a caretaker for the temple. I said the only Tibetan I remember (tu chi chieh- which means thank you) and he was so happy he took me on a mini tour of the place. :D

Got back to the hotel with every intention of exploring the area, but zzz. I took a shower, got into my sleeping clothes and now I'm all ready for bed. It's still early in India, only 9pm, but my body is in Singapore time (11.30pm). My allergy is flaring up and my lips are all red and swollen now, I wonder what I ate.

Think I'll log off and go to bed. Zzz.

Good News

Congratulations Alkee!!! Finally hold hands, no need to wait till year end. Wheee! So happy for you both. :D:D:D

All My Bags Are Packed, I'm Ready To Go

2 hours before I have to leave for the airport. My bags are packed (amazingly), and I have a sticky date pudding in the oven. I'm still undecided on whether I should take a nap now, or just stay up till it's time to leave.

Crazy schedule for the first day of my trip. I fly at 2am Singapore time, land at 5am India time, reach the hotel at 6.30am, leave at 7am for a 2 hour drive to my 9am appointment. Gah.

Anyway, highlight of this trip is finishing all my work visits to India and rewarding myself with a quick getaway to Ladakh. Whee! Will be meeting TFP in Delhi and taking the flight to Leh together.

Don't really have much expectations of the trip, except that I think Ladakh is going to be breathtakingly beautiful. Hope my camera can do the place justice.

Ok. I think I'm going to take a quick nap. Zzz.