There And Back!

Alrighty...I just got back from my paddle trip along the Great Barrier Reef and it was amazing!...minus the BCAMs of cos. I am still sorting the pictures and trying to settle down after running around since last month. Semester starts today and the internet at my place is down again...and the list of things to be done goes on and on. Here are some quick shots of the trip...


...island hopping


...nice sunsets


and time to look under the sea as well. Wait till I get the rest of the pictures out! but its back to school and sort out my timetable for now...

Priceless...

Taxi to the bus station: $9.30. A bus ride to Melbourne airport: $25.


A quick bite at the airport: $5.50.


A plane ride: $1056.


A MRT ride back: $1.30.


The smell of home: Priceless.
Somethings in life just can't be bought...now you know why I was looking forward to my break since April. It was great to be able to catch up with many around and I wished I had more time to meet up with those I did not manage to. Don't we always wish for more time in life? I am glad I made the most of what I had, all 166 hours of it. Oh ya...the surprise look on the faces of everyone when they knew I was back was also priceless. Gotcha!

Now That Its All Over...

It has been a while since I updated my blog...the 'joys' of mugging for exams. Anyway, life has been slow and depressing...cannot even get out of the house to train as the weather could have been better. And now that it is all over...time to kio sia. Like a semester's pile worth of work to clear. The mess is still there behind me...


I went straight to the supermarket to buy the food needed for the next trip which is in ten days time...thats all the break I've got. The price of some stuff now a days are just ridiculous!


As this coming trip is going to be a long one, I decided to dehydrate some of the fruits and vegetables...its like putting a hairdryer in the middle of all those trays until there is no moisture left in them. Seems fun but a long process though.


So this is how the next trip is going to look like...more like a holiday. I have not gave it much thought about it yet and it seems everyone else in school is excited for me going and I still don't feel a much. Maybe the one thing I might look forward to will be fishing. We will see...but I am actually looking forward to my break before the trip since April. You will know why soon enough.

Time To Wind Down

Just did the last trip for this semester and the picture very much says it all. We nua the whole day...go for walks through the bush...have afternoon tea and naps...sit here and stare at a hollow in the tree till dark...can't get more siong than this!


Uni gave me a birthday present by sending me to do driver training in another town an hour away. The first part of the day was like doing highway code all over again. Boring stuff...plus practising driving and reversing with a trailer.


However, the day got better when they took the 'skid car' out. It was the only chance for us to try driving recklessly on wet surface with and without ABS. I got so carried away spinning the car 360 and burning tyre until some of us had to get out before we merlioned! Its just one of those moments that boys can have fun playing with other people's toys. This gives a rough idea of being in it...the quality of the video is not as good as I wanted though.


Yeah...I just wasted more money on another race on my wish list this year. This race is known for the toughest bike leg in the Half Ironman series. I delayed my return flight just to do this cos I know I might not get another opportunity to do it ever again.


Its time to wind down as the trips and lectures are all over and the usual prep for exam begins. Its also time to review of how much effort to put in to achieve my grades for each subject. Remember...study smart, not hard is the key.

Aussie Signs

This was what happened since my last post... high carbon content buns! Solid black on the outside and golden crisp on the inside...hmm...nice.


Nando's spoof of Australia's famous reality television programs 'Big Brother'.


Err...question: Why is it only 'male toilets'? Are we that bad? Does it mean that the top two are allowed in the female toilets? Haha...


Even the road signs change with the season...


Hey hey...chanced upon this familiar looking kid while on facebook. He looks more grown up and happier...maybe because I am not around to disturb him. I will get my chance in July!


Okay. 129 days before I do this up north...one of the few things that I try to look forward to while I am here. Will squeeze in the Canberra Half just before I get back in December. I just love torturing myself!


So its the end of yet another semester...glad that its over but I am still here. Sigh... I got in contact with two big outdoor companies here to line up some work in time to come. All thanks to my lecturers who help me sell ko yiok, they seem really interested in getting me to join them...even to fly me up to Queensland to run some programs. It will be great if it all works out cos firstly, I will get to work again and earn some money...feeling a bit rusty. Secondly, it will do good for my experience handling BCAMs and lastly, time will pass so much faster!

Food Glorious Food!

I decided to take it easy on my trips for the past two weeks just to finish up on my assignments. And a good chance try out my hidden culinary skills while being grounded here.


I tried making prawn mee soup and invited some guys over for a makan session. Verdict: the no msg soup can be better even though I tried boiling the bones and prawn head over night.

Some of the Outdoor Ed International students gathered at Sean's place and prepared a dish from their own country for dinner. So we got American cheese burgers, Swedish meatballs, Indian chicken curry, English bread pudding, some Japanese fried cake, Australian dessert and I did the Singapore fried rice.

Other times, a simple plate of chicken noodles together with Tim Tams is good enough for dinner.

Milo peng and kaya toast for breakfast...forget about the half boiled eggs. Takes too long to prepare just to finish it in less than five seconds. No need to send me food pictures from home anymore...cos this is as close the taste of home as it gets!

And it can't taste any closer than this! The kaya is not only made in Singapore but its from the street behind my place! I am going down to Melbourne to buy one carton worth of kaya back after this.

Something else from Melbourne...this is the result of Rocky's impulsive buying. I usually stay clear from the big ones cos they stink a bit more than the small ones but not these! They are so fresh that they were still moving when we squeeze the lemon on them!

And here is my tuna steak with sauté mushrooms! It not only taste good but also healthy. A bit expensive though... I mean to prepare! not buy! Thanks Gene for the tuna steak recipe. Anyway I read this from some where: "You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you might find, you get what you need". So it is always good to try in life, you will never know...Cheers!

Always Time For One More

The sixteen day paddle in the Whitsundays, Queensland is just two months away. As part of the preparation, we took a weekend to stay at one of the guy's family beach house along Great Ocean Road and did some paddling there.


This is Cali. One of the American post-grad students, my paddle buddy (for now) when we are up there. I hope she don't paddle the way she put on her wet suit. Anyway, this is not the first time seeing people doing this to their wet suit...a couple of Singaporeans who were featured on my blog also did the same. Haha... By the way, if you are still wondering what is wrong with this picture, go ask someone who has put one on before if the zip is suppose to be in front or at the back.


'China Man's Hat'. A structure in the middle of Port Phillip Bay where you find seals lazing around as you paddle past.


Just a random shot with one of the guys in church. 'Rocky' is his Aussie name cos the BCAMs cannot pronounce Duong Anh Pham.


As you noticed I don't have many shots of my paddling trip cos my long serving Pentax is out of action. He got injured while we were out at sea and suffered a crack to his screen. 90 percent of the pictures on this blog came from him. No one gets left behind! Therefore I have decided to retire him back home. Looks like I will just have to rely on Sony Ericsson to finish the job now.