Water Environment Survey, Mt Stirling Ski Trip & My Mug

We had to do an environment survey of the water around town...recording frogs species, doing water test etc. I am suppose to write a 2000 word essay on what i think about it. Sian man! How to write 2000 words on catching frogs?! Can see thats why there were unhappy participants around.


We had to count and take note of water bugs like this as part of the survey.


While doing all that, we came across this site. The white stones here were placed by the parent bird to act as a decoy to prevent predators from getting the real egg in the nest. Interesting!


Did an introduction to cross country skiing last week at Mt Stirling. Here is my group and some seniors. It is much tougher than down hill skiing cos there isn't any ski lifts to get you to the top of the hill. So we had to ski up and down and to make it worst, I had to do all this with my 18kg pack. Sorry...no photos of actual skiing cos I spent most of the time crashing while the group waited for me.


Can see there is not much snow left as we had to find a patch of it to pitch our tents on. If not how to call it camping in winter and alpine environment?


Here is my mug I made during my orientation. Not bad for a half hour job...still got my name some more.


Thought it is nice, thats why I took it. There are more flowers blooming as its the end of winter now. Great time to get out for some sun...we even had our tutorial class outdoors instead of using the rooms. Its starting to get busy at this stage of the semester...assignments and field trips almost every week. Still moving along...

"Operation Ba Kwa"

"Operation Ba Kwa" was something I wanted to do when I am here. So earlier this week I finally did it! It actually turned out pretty good. I brought some to the people(from church) who ate it before so that they can give me some comments. These were some of their comments: "where did you buy them?" or "wah! can sell and make money" or "how did you make it?". I added some photos to prove to my critics back home that I actually did it! Acknowledgement goes to Jerri for giving me the recipe and showing me how its done. Thanks Jerri!


(a) A bowl of marinated minced beef after about 30 min(can't find minced pork or chicken). (b) After spreading on an alum foil, put it into the oven to dry and drain away the excess.


(c) Cut it up and then either grill or fry it. (d) End product! Goes well with porridge too.

Mid Week

I will usually take a 15 min drive north to an indoor heated pool at Eaglehawk for my weekly swim. Its 4AUD per entry (concession rate). The temperature of the water is far from heated...24 degrees but this is as good as it gets...especially in winter!


Some Asian stuff I got from the grocer in Melbourne.


Mail from Singapore!!! Unfortunately they were mostly investment related or bills to be paid or even junk mail... I guess this is the kind of mail you find in a 30 something's mailbox. Sad but still enjoy reading them. Thanks Dave!


The Drosera peltata is starting to bloom which only mean one thing... spring is almost here!!!


Was walking in the bush and had a rare visit by a Echidna (ant eater) in the bush. They are usually more common at night.

Naturalist Studies

This week I had my first field trip for one of the units called "Naturalist Studies". Sounds cheem but in this trip, we were taught how to kwa zhiow(see birds)...


...like the small ones, the Australian version of Magpie...


...and got up close to the bigger ones in the water like the cygnus atratus...which simply means black swan...must show I got do research mah!


We did other stuff as well...like study about the Acacia pycnantha aka Golden Wattle which is also the country's national flower. Damn! Im good!


This is how the real mistletoe looks like...its actually a parasite that grows on trees. My chow ang moh classmate tried to con the girls to stand under it with him so he can get a chance to kiss them. He failed horribly.


The remains of a Brushtail Possum...had to draw and do research on this as well.


Tracks of a wallaby(smaller version of the kangaroo)...measurements were part of the job too.


Other than the week of "National Geographic" activities, it wasn't a happening week. Now that the hype of being away is over, it tends to get really lonely at certain moments...many of my dreams are about the ones back home...symptoms of homesick? I think so. Going to Mr Brown's website helps me stay Singaporean! Free some more...not like The Straits Times Interactive!Still need to pay to feel Singaporean! tsk tsk tsk...SPH shares better go up! Anyway pictures like this brings back good memories...of Home.