Locked and Loaded

Decided not the wait for the confirmation of my visa and went ahead to take the plunge.

Tickets have been bought for my one way trip on 25 January 2010. And I used 25,000 miles to book a short ski trip to Denver from 27-31 January 2010.

If for some reason something occurs, the downside is minimal: $100 to change the airfare, and 25,000 miles foregone. I think I’d rather that now than wait and pay a potentially higher ticket to Chicago and then shell out an additional couple hundred bucks for the ticket to Denver in lieu of miles.

2009, Coming Home Again

Yes, I can see why you want to leave Singapore, everyone tells me over and over, it’s not that exciting a place to live in, it’s so boring.

They are missing the point.

To be honest, it took me the better part of a year from when I returned to Singapore to fully appreciate life here. Not because there isn’t anything to do here – someone once said (probably my mother) that life isn’t boring, it’s the person who is – but rather that it took me a while to feel part of a community again. One cannot simply expect to stay away for 7 years and return to find groups of people eager and waiting to take you into their fold again. Once I finally settled in however, I packed my schedule to the brim with activities: climbing, diving, etc. This might be a tiny little island, but there is plenty to do both on and off the island. Case in point: this weekend, I will be climbing, singing karaoke, playing badminton, swimming, playing tennis, kite flying, and having dinner with friends.

No, I’m choosing to leave not because I don’t like life in Singapore. I love life here, and I think that this past year, I have come to see home as here.

~.~.~.~.

Now that the year is drawing to the close, it’s time to do the traditional and look back at some of the most memorable moments:

Best Article/Book
I haven’t been reading as much as I used to. Most of my literature this year consisted of books on wine, and old books from my bookshelves that I re-devoured. Off the top of my head, I can’t quite name one book that made an indelible impression on me.

That said, there are two articles this year that I have read, and re-read, and also forwarded on to friends. The first was a speech given by Karl Paulnack, pianist and director of music division at Boston Conservatory for Boston Conservatory’s freshman class: Things that Matter. The second was Steve Job’s speech to the Stanford 2005 graduating class, entitled Connecting the Docts. I have turned repeatedly to this latter speech in recent days, while trying to come to a decision on the move back to Chicago.

Best Trip
I’ve made quite a number of trips taken this year:
1. Work trip to Jiuzhaigou, China, January
2. Skiing in Innsbruck, Austria, January
3. Work trip to Kunming and Lijiang, China, March
4. Ski trip and visit, Colorado and Chicago, April
5. Diving in Dayang, Malaysia, May
6. Work trip and climbing trip, Tianjin, Dalian, Suzhou, Shanghai, Hong Kong, June
7. Diving in Tioman, Malaysia, August
8. Diving in Redang, Malaysia, September
9. Wine and hike trip to Tasmania, Australia, October
10. Upcoming diving trip to Sipadan, Malaysia

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Of these, I think the most memorable would be the week sojourn through Tasmania. Everything was perfection: the food, scenery, wine, hiking, company. The only lacking bit was time.

Best Wine
I haven’t tasted it yet, and I doubt I will, but 2009 marks the year I bought my first first growth wine, Chateau Lafite. In fact, I bought a case of it, along with half a case of Chateau Margaux, and several cases of second growth wines. These are for investment purposes.

Best Restaurant

I loved my trips to Ember, and Grand Asia has the best sizzling pepper beef ever, but hands down, the best restaurant of the year has to be Alinea, and not just for the hefty price tag. The food was as much of an experience as the service and the presentation. I doubt I will be making a return trip sometime soon, but no matter, that way the magic is preserved.

Best Challenge
Diving, diving, diving! I love it as much for the incredible scape and amazing diversity of life and color underwater as for the companionship of all my zany friends.

Symphony in the Park

Another blazing hot day. Back again at Dairy Farm, this time with a bunch of other folks. Fruitful climbs today – four routes, including 1 I attempted to lead before but bailed out on, and 1 new route. Super fun.

I was so exhausted from the heat and the climbing though, that when I finally got home in the late afternoon, I just wanted to crash. Alas, I only had enough time to take a cold shower and a 10 minute nap before I hurriedly put together a picnic basket of sorts for the evening out at the Botanical Gardens with Peirui and Janice. The Singapore Chinese Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic Brass was putting up a concert there.

I had packed a bottle of South African late harvest Riesling, some pate from Paris, a basket of fresh strawberries. Peirui and I also went to Dempsey and Seven-Eleven to pick up some creamy blue cheese and bread, juice, chips and salsa. By the time we found parking and made our way over to the green, Janice was already there, sitting amongst hundreds of others on the slopes, listening to the Chinese Orchestra play some pieces from Carmen.

I like Carmen, so it was enjoyable, though we thought the music sounded a little muted coming from Chinese instruments. And the orchestra did sound tons more lively when they finally switched back to a Chinese piece. While we listened, we also lay back and started munching on the food. The blue cheese was delicious, and paired really, really well with the grapes that Janice brought.

The brass section came on nearly 40 minutes later than scheduled, so by the time they started playing, the families amongst the crowd was starting to pack up their restless toddlers to go home. There were only 5 musicians – so their sound was a lot softer than the orchestra, but they had some fun jazz pieces.

So, totally enjoyable weekend. Very chill way to round off the evening.

Frying under the tropical sun

Fwooooooh. So blardy hot today. Thesun has not been so brilliantly intense in a while. I am sitting under the blessed shade of a tree and just staring out at the reflection of the grass in direct sunlight hurts my eyes.

Didn’t go windsurfing again. Couldn’t find any buddies. Then again, it’s Deepavali so I don’t even know if the surfing center would have been opened in the first place. Would have been nice to cool down in the water though.

So I went climbing instead. I arrived early at Dairy Farm, so I decided to check put the mountain biking trail loop that circled the Singapore Quarry. Thankfully, after a half hour of walking in the sun, the trail led into a narrow, rocky and steep dirt path under the cover of trees. Wah quite a scary trail. I definitely wouldn’t dare to do it on a bike. But I guess this is also where the national mountain biking championship is being held. Anyway it took me another twenty minutes of trashing through the jungle that I finally found myself in the open field of Dairy Farm Quarry.

By this time I am almost too tired already to climb. What I wouldn’t do for an ice cold Coke now!

Down Under in Tasmania

I will probably get heartburn when we do up a final tally of the trip. Australia is not a cheap country to live in, nor is it to visit. I reckon the standard of living is even higher than that of Chicago.

It was a phenomenal trip nonetheless, and totally worth it.

Wine:
We left with two cases of wine – although we had pared down the number of wineries from our original admittedly ambitious list (we went to 13 in the end, plus stayed at another vineyard), we bought on average a couple bottles from each. The winieries here typically make two distinct styles of Pinot Noir: a more fruit forward, fresh and vibrant one, with a perfume-like nose of rose scented water and cherries; and a more complex, aged style that calls up spices (pepperberry bush, a Tasmanian plant) and oak trees. Look to the next post for a lengthier summary of the wines.

From 2009 Sep-Oct Tasmania

From 2009 Sep-Oct Tasmania

Accommodation:
We lucked out on the apartments and the one bed & breakfast that we found. They were all cute, spacious, and had different styles and charms.

Our first night, we stayed in newly remodelled apartment trailers with large living rooms and patios that overlooked the beach – beautiful sunrise. The second night, we stayed in a stone cottage with interior wood paneling and a kitchen in which we whipped up a breakfast of omlettes and fresh cherry tomatoes. This cottage, in Bicheno, also overlooked the coast.

From 2009 Sep-Oct Tasmania

From 2009 Sep-Oct Tasmania

Our first evening in Launceston, we stayed at a bed and breakfast. Although it was a little aways from the city center, the views were also gorgeous. The house was situated on top of a hill and from the living room you could look down into the valley and at the Tamar River. Beautifully apointed room, with small welcoming touches like a fresh jug of milk in our fridge for coffee and tea, and a decanter of tawny port with chocolate to enjoy in the evening. In the morning, we were also treated to a sumptuous made to order breakfast. Along with fresh juices, latte/cuppacino, toast, I had a beautifully done up saffron infused omlette with smoked salmon and hash, while Jeff got asparagus wrapped prosciutto with poahed eggs and hash. Such a treat!

From 2009 Sep-Oct Tasmania

From 2009 Sep-Oct Tasmania

Our second evening in Launceston, after a fulfilling day of tasting, we pulled up into Rosevears Vineyards to find our own apartment overlooking the grapevines and the river. Gorgeously done up in a contemporary style, with track lights, floor to ceiling windows. Just had to wake up for the sunrise again to snap some photos.

From 2009 Sep-Oct Tasmania

Our wooden cabin in Cradle Mountain was a delight too. Although it got really chilly in the night after the fire in our wood stove died out, we loved that it was set back in the woods and had a lovely smell of pepperberry wood. It was such a fun surprise to be cooking in the kitchen and looking out to see a pademelon (looks like a small kangaroo) curled up right outside. Too bad we did not catch a glimpse of what the other guests affectionately referred to as Rufus, the giant posum that loved to visit the hut.

From 2009 Sep-Oct Tasmania

Scenery:
Tasmania, for such a large island state, is very sparsely poplulated. We spent most of our evenings in tiny towns with population not more than a thousand – Swansea had 580; Bicheno 700. Even Launceston had just 71,000 people. After so many days in the countryside, it was a bit of a shock to return to Hobart, a town of 200,000. All these other random Asians and kids decked up in goth milling about. But then again, it is a small city – probably 20 blocks by 10 blocks?

From 2009 Sep-Oct Tasmania

From 2009 Sep-Oct Tasmania

We wished we had more time to do the scenery justice. As it is, it was lovely to drive down the highways of Tasmania (one lane affairs typically, like in Scotland), past the bucolic countryside and lazy cows and sheep grazing in the flourescent green grass of spring. We managed a five hour hike in Freycinet National Park, covering the famed Wineglass Bay and Hazards Beach circuit. Too bad the water was a little too chilly to splash around in, although that did not stop a quad of teenagers frolicking in the sea.

From 2009 Sep-Oct Tasmania

In Cradle Mountain, we hiked the Dove Lake Circuit, which, as the name implies, circled Dove Lake, with the imposing Cradle Mountain as a backdrop. We also did two short forest hikes and revelled in the deep greenery and moss. One of the walks was aptly named the Enchanted Forest Trail. We covered that at first light, when the grasses and shrubs were still encased in delicate sheens of ice that sparkled and glittered in the soft morning rays, and took exuberant delight in snapping dozens of pictures of the pademelons calmly grazing not two feet from the trail.

From 2009 Sep-Oct Tasmania

From 2009 Sep-Oct Tasmania

From 2009 Sep-Oct Tasmania

Food:
For the most part, fresh and delicious. We still dream about the calzones we picked up from Bread the first day we arrive in Hobart, as well as the super fresh beef and salad roll we picked up from the Ugly Duck Out in Swansea. But eating out in Tasmania is hard on the pockets. We made breakfast a couple of days and cooked dinner one evening but the food bill will be not much fun to look at.

From 2009 Sep-Oct Tasmania

In summary, a great and fun trip. We had a total blast and are putting Tasmania near the top of our list for a return visit. Still more wineries to taste and so much more hiking to do!

Diving in Redang

What a weekend! It was a long weekend of: diving, singing, eating, and even some dancing.

We started off late on Friday evening, thanks to the long weekend and thanks to the traffic jam. It was a long overnight bus ride into Malaysia, but thankfully for good company and a relatively comfy bus, the journey wasn’t too torturous.

We arrived at our resort in Redang late Saturday morning, and had a bit of spare time before our first dive to enjoy the warmth of the sun on our backs, the light but cool breeze in our hair, and the sparkling crystal clear waters.

Two dives that first day. Lina and I were doubly excited; it was our first time breaking out our new underwater camera cases. Bijuan and Peirui were nervous; they were about to try open water diving for the very first time. While we suited up, Ruoxi and Jiahui watched from the comfort of their lounge chairs; their snorkeling trip was after lunch.

The dives were pretty fun in general, and we had a blast playing with our cameras underwater. Obviously, we still have a lot to learn about underwater photography techniques, including how to breathe and stay in neutral position without bobbing around while trying to snap photos of shy sea anemone fish.

Post-dives, we soaked in the beach resort atmosphere as best we could: that meant lazing around on beach chairs, and then stuffing our faces with delicious fares of curry, noodles, rice, lamb, chicken etc. In the evening, after the sun had set, we converged on the karaoke room, where we spent three happy hours generally shrieking away (and dancing), and scaring the other resort guests away with our crazy enthusiasm.

In the morning, we pretty much repeated the itinerary of the day before, with three dives instead of two, and with cake cutting (Huixuan and Jiahui’s birthday) instead of singing (a family of 20 had arrived, and they beat us to the karaoke room).

Good trip though. For getting away from Singapore and the world in general (no Internet access), for the diving, and for the excellent, excellent company.

From 2009 September Redang Diving

From 2009 September Redang Diving

From 2009 September Redang Diving

From 2009 September Redang Diving

From 2009 September Redang Diving

From 2009 September Redang Diving

Counting Down

Seems like whenever I have a big vacation trip planned, I’m always busier than usual the week preceding it. This time around, the week before my much anticipated Tasmania hiking and winery tour, I am going to Redang, Malaysia, for a spot of diving, and to Suzhou, China, for work.

Counting down, can’t wait! First of all to Redang this Friday, where I will break out my new booties, fins, mask, and G10 underwater camera casing. Woot woot! Where I will get to hang out with some of my closest friends and hopefully still find time to make some new ones. Where we will get to enjoy the sun, sand, sea, and amazing dives.

Hopefully I’ll get enough rest though. Current schedule is to arrive back in Singapore late on Monday. Tuesday evening, I have golf with the clients. Then it’s back home to rush to the airport for a midnight flight out to China. In China for 2 days, then it’s back to Singapore; will arrive at midnight on Friday. And then Vivie comes in from Atlanta Friday evening for a sleepover at my place. I still have to work on Saturday, half day. Hopefully time for some rest in the afternoon, before Xavier’s wedding in the evening. Then to the airport to pick Jeff up at midnight. Then we fly out early Sunday evening for Tasmania.

Exploring Ubin

Sunday morning: we awoke to grey skies and ravenous appetites. I brought Bruce to the nearby food court, where we ordered vegetarian noodles, roti prata, and jwee guay (or however you spell that).

Our stomachs had about an hour and a half’s rest, then we were off to Changi Village for lunch with Wellian: carrot cake, goreng pisang, and fish soup with rice. Joined up with a bunch of the others after, for our trip to Pulau Ubin. Ten of us turned up, which was great since it meant we didn’t have to wait to take the bum boats over; they will otherwise wait for a full boat of 12 before they deign to take off.

I hadn’t been to Pulau Ubin in years, not since the biking trip with a bunch of the U of C folks, so it was fun to re-explore the island and show Bruce what Singapore was like 50 years ago. All dirt roads and greenery, with run down metal zinc shacks – kinda like rural Taiwan he said. We biked to Chek Jawa Nature Reserve, where we strolled down a really long boardboard that hugged the coastline before turning into the mangrove swamp. Quite heartened and fascinated to see that the beach was teeming with life – mudskippers and crabs with huge purpley-orange pincers that you never get to see on mainland anymore.

We spent a good hour wandering around the area, before clambering back on our bikes and exploring other paths on Ubin. Took a bit of a breather by a ramshackle shelter next to a river, where we partook in coconuts. After, Johnson brought us to the restaurant by the sea for dinner. It was operated by his aunt’s best friend, so we were given a 10% discount for the feast that we ordered: chili crab, pepper crab, steamed fish, honey marinated prawns, etc.

Bruce comes to town

I had my doubts that he would make it; after all, he only bought his air tickets at the last minute. But make it to Singapore Bruce did, finally. It was good to catch up again, considering that he couldn’t spare me the time when I was back visiting Chicago in April, stressed as he was trying to complete his PhD.

But he’s finally completed the doctorate, and decided to come by for a couple days’ visit before he starts work in San Francisco. I’m glad he managed to make the trip out; we were really close friends back in Chicago, drinking and biking together.

His flight landed on Friday evening, mid way between Korean BBQ dinner at Ruoxi’s place. I wolfed down some tender meat, washed it with some wine, and rushed to the airport to pick him up, returning in time to start on dessert. Great times; just like our college dinners of old!

I had to work Saturday morning, but in the afternoon, we hit the ground running on the attractions to cover: Little India; fish farm by my place; Sentosa (wow they have a stationary surfing thingy that I want to try!); Clarke Quay for lousy beer and even lousier popcorn chicken at the Pump Room; Singapore Flyer for a really slow but awesome view of the island by night; a Christian pub where Pak was performing at for the “Holy Ghost Festival”; Geylang for supper. Out of breath yet? Yah, we were too, by the end.

Blow wind blow

915 am, the first of my phone calls/text messages. The weather looks terrible, are we still windsurfing? That was from Peirui, by the time the fourth call came, from Wellian, I had my stock answer ready even before he could proceed beyond hello. Yes, we’re still on, come on down.

Funny how the burning sun of the early morning disappeared behind the clouds so quickly. When I walked Hot Dog around the park, I was perspiring only after a half round.

Nevertheless, we did get out into the water. It was pouring out, but we were safe without any lightning.

What fun! It took some getting used to though, balancing on the board and trying to turn the boom around to face the right direction – seemed so much easier on a sail boat when you don’t have to flip the mighty sail 180 degrees and simply can duck under the boom. And for the first hour on the water, while all managed to sail out, none of us quite managed to figure out how to turn the board around back to shore. Consequently, it seemed we were paddling on our boards more than we were standing up and surfing.

After lunch, we had another theory session where the instructors taught us how to tack and steer. Very useful! At least now we had a fighting chance of steering clear away from others in the way instead of having to drop sail and speed.

The second time out was more successful. There wasn’t any wind when we first started out, so it seemed that everyone was just posing on our boards and trying to look cool. But after a while, the wind picked up and we were off. I managed to sail back and forth a few rounds before finally wiping out. Hehe.

Despite the rain, it was still a really great time out. We were all thoroughly exhausted by the time we came out of the water, so much so that I didn’t have the strength to carry my board on my own. But everyone loved the experience, and we are all looking forward to the next time. Especially since if it means good food at the East Coast hawker center afterwards.