Xmas 2018

I really love carolling during Xmas.

This year, LJ invited us to her church for her testimonial and baptism in the morning. I love how short it is 10am to 11.30am, all the carols and Christmas spirit around. We went for a quick lunch and then desserts at Paul's.

I sort of like this kind of short and sweet church xmas thing. I miss carolling. I had a few presents this year, not sure if I'm buying myself another one LOL.

uncertainty

26/12/18: Ok so apparently it's not over but it's uncertain

22/12/18: I guess it has to be this way, although I'm a little sad. I just need to get over it, whether I choose to accept it or not. Bye WTK.

Yesterday luck seem so far away

When will this year ever give me a break?

So just yesterday:

1. While packing my bag for work I smashed a bottle of ginger ale in my room

2. My aircon in my room spoilt again so I didn't have a good sleep

3. My friend said he couldn't go Japan with me because he didn't have enough leave, so we didn't talk anymore.

11 more days. 

New work

2 weeks into my new company and I'm feeling it!

I am so so so so relieved that I'm no longer reporting to that crazy person. My new boss is super nice and my whole team is super nice. And the best thing is people don't judge each other behind their back. I also like how my company has a big risk appetite and it makes my job a whole lot easier, especially when there's no one micro-breathing down your neck.

The environment is also super chill and everyone's quite happy there. It's also so easy to solve administrative problems because everyone's so helpful.

 Everything is so much better in my new job, I really love it.

Nanjing and Shanghai 2018

Like Japan, I didn't expect Shanghai to be so exciting in my first trip back after 4 years, so I booked another trip back there within a month, when I had a blank space between jobs. I really have no plans for 12 days although I considered going somewhere further but looking at my bank account I could only spare 1K so it's either stay at home or free accommodation in Shanghai.

1. The MAS flights were cheap thou. $420 when I checked, but it raised to $479 when I bought it.
2. In my previous post I explained I booked the wrong return flight so I had one less night in Shanghai. Those were beginning of the series of unfortunate events.
3. My luggage zip broke when I already boarded the flight in Changi, and I had to get down to verify that nothing was lost. But luckily it was intact when it arrived in Shanghai.
4. My flight landed at 1am so Tao booked a car to take me to the service apartment. When I arrived at the airport, the driver wasn't there so I had to call him. A ridiculous $10 was deducted from my sim card for 1 minute call.
5. When we reached, he said I had to pay another 30yuan for the midnight charge, which Tao didn't tell me, and I was pissed but it was so late so I didn't argue.

Sigh what a bad start to the trip.

Saturday - We went Jean Georges to celebrate my "birthday" LOL. We only wanted the free cake, and it tasted so good. The food was good as well, a lot of picture taking. Then we went to West bund to Long Museum but the tickets were too expensive so we didn't go in. We ate spicy food, then went back home to prepare for drinks party. Got drunk and went to the club.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday - I woke up at 11am with a hangover, went to the train station to buy tickets to Nanjing but there weren't any tickets left. Nanjing plan was scrapped, so we went Sheshan instead. By the time we reached there it started pouring. OMG SUCH LUCK!!! It's ok, we went back to IAPM for some hong kong food, and home to rest. Sigh what a day wasted travelling.

Monday - Normal lunch, worked on my personal statement, did the laundry, arranged clothes and had dinner at a foodcourt near home. This Lelecha is also crazy good.

Tuesday - Met Tao during lunch time to tailor clothes. I made 3 shirts and 2 pants altogether, he wanted to make a coat. I ended up grocery shopping at Carrefour, because I love supermarkets. I cooked Bah Kut Teh for dinner and Muey arrived in Shanghai to finish everything lol.

Wednesday - Met Shikai, Danielle and Nat for lunch, French concession for coffee, headed home to rest for a bit, then had Mala grilled fish for dinner and botanist for drinks.
Achievement of the day: Finished my personal statement at 1am woohoo! Finally!!

Thursday - Finally reunited with Neab and Liam at Yu Garden because they just arrived, then we walked to W hotel to chill and for the view but the air quality was so bad.
We went to Tianzifang for Yang's dumplings and walking around, then ended the day.

Friday - Travelling day at Nanjing, it was so tedious to go to Qixia Mountain. The mountain is so far away but the air was better and the foliage was so beautiful. We missed our train back to Shanghai so we took the next one. Then we had Lao Wang for dinner.
Lesson learnt: Always buy train tickets one day before.

 

Saturday - Lu Rou Fan for lunch, went to Ritz Carlton Pudong for afternoon tea with Neab and Liam, went home for laundry and Heytea Seasonal Grape Cheezo, then went to K11 mall, Xin Tian Di and crab noodles for dinner.
We had a Gin party again (SG and Thai relations hitting a new high), and hit the clubs, dim sum for supper and went home at 3am.

 

 

Sunday - Brunch at Nest, went to Shanghai Outlet Village, Shanghai food for dinner. Had my last Heytea Cherry Cheezo, then went back home to pack. I took the 9.30pm airport bus, and waited for my 2am flight. I thought the Chinese were noisy enough but the Malaysians and their kids were worse. Lesson learnt: Never take the overnight red-eye flight to avoid tour groups. And I can't sleep on the plane.

A bad start to this trip, a bit of confusion here and there and I overspent again, but it was good overall. I collected all my hauls from the 11.11 Taobao sales, which is awesome. I made lots of friends, closer to some, and got reunited with Neab!

Am I crazy to plan my next Shanghai trip now? Lol.

size after shanghai

After 2 weeks of no gym, 9 cups of bubble tea, eating good food and desserts everyday in Shanghai for 9 days, I declare myself as a Fatty.

Here's a pic of me and Muey the two fatties in Shanghai. Muey went to Japan before this so his tummy is bigger than mine, and we both love desserts and bubble tea LOL.

Stan Lee

 Just to remember the guy who changed the world of comics and changed my world when I first started reading Spiderman comics, then moved on to other Marvel comics. Stan Lee created so many characters that we are all familiar with and the entertainment world revolves around them now.

Thanks for all the great times and I really learnt a lot from your stories!

11.11 reservist week

If you want to go fast, go alone.

If you want to go far, go together.
- Quote from TWD

This week is my reservist week - so one week and one day of coming home early, so I'm going to work on somethings that I have been procrastinating for the longest time: my application to masters and my IPPT. But more importantly, the application to masters. 

It's so hard to find the motivation, and I still need to edit those referrals and stuff, I feel like I need to work on this full time, but I will procrastinate, just like what I'm doing now. 

Anyway I spent 100++ on the Taobao 11.11 sale -_- I really have to resist the temptation for cheap thrills like these. I bought 6 boxes of contacts, 4 bottles of Dove men, a pair of cuff-links, a pair of Feiyue shoes and some snacks. 

I asked Shikai to help me get everything and yesterday Tao was asking me why didn't I send his house and I just casually commented because I didn't know if he knows how to buy from Taobao. LOL. I think he was a bit pissed, yea it's my fault but I'm more comfortable with Shikai buying my stuff hahahaha, just like I'm more comfortable with staying at Tao's place.

that crazy bitch

I really hate the crazy bitch.

She scheduled the exit meeting at 4.30pm to 5pm, then I suggested the day before or on that morning itself, then she called me and said she got a meeting from 3.30pm to 4pm. I said the instruction said I have to return everything to you by 4pm, and asked how about 4 to 4.30pm? 

And she asked so what are you going to do after 4.30pm? I said if possible I will go off and she said no, your working hours is 8.30am to 5.30pm, you can only go off at my discretion. 

Wow is that how you want this to be? You want to be remembered as the horrible person you are? You want to ruin your reputation? Ok fine, I'll play along. I don't have to go back early, I have more connections than you. I can just raise to Head of HR or whistle-blow and you will just get into deeper shit while I'll go enjoy my holiday.

Quote from my team-mate "this person really has no EQ".

Wrong flight

I can't believe it.

Within 2 week return from Shanghai I booked my next flight back to Shanghai yesterday and I'm flying in less than a month's time. I was checking my ticket the day after I bought my flight, which was yesterday. I wanted the 4pm flight on Monday but the ticket said 2am instead of 4pm and I was completely horrified.

Stupid me, I was so concerned about the departing flight from SG that I didn't check if I clicked the returning flight properly and I booked the wrong return flight. I tried to call Zuji so many times. Now I have one night less to spend in Shanghai.

I called Zuji this morning and turns out I have to pay $226 just to change my flight to 4pm and I'm not going to do it. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. This is the first time I bought the wrong flight it's so annoying and I'm so frustrated that I have to reach the shanghai airport on Sunday 12midnight instead of Monday 2pm.

I can't believe I'm so careless. Well, things happened and I'm not going to fork out more money to get the flight right. I guess I just have to manage. Oh wells. I hope things go uphill from here.

By the way, the Zuji customer service totally sucks, she hung up on me when I asked is there any alternatives. I don't think I'm going to book from Zuji from now. This is my resting bitch face.

Shanghai 2018

After 2 Cathay flights including 2 meals and 2 movies, I reached Shanghai and I totally forgot about the China crowd. It took me an hour to get through the immigration and collect my bags and get out of the airport, then I took the train to Shikai's place. The first thing that hit my nose when I get outdoors is the cigarette smell all over the place, which I totally detest. 

After another hour to Shikai's place, settled in at 7.30pm , took a cab to meet Danielle and her friends for dinner, then Shikai came, then we went to hit the bars clubs woohoo! First drinks was at a cute bar with teddy bears, then we went to the club. Joycelyn was waiting there for us, Shikai introduced his Thai friends and we went crazy. 

The music was unusually good according to Shikai, and he disappeared a few times with Luke, while I hung out with Tao and before we went back Joycelyn pulled us to dance on the stage like WUDDDD it was crazy. We went back at 3am and I had to wake up at 7am for my flight to Wuhan the next day.

Fast forward to Wednesday, I came back from Jingzhou, had dinner with Shikai at Wai Po Jia, went to shop a little bit then went back home. 

The next day I went all around the shopping districts, but there's nothing much to buy, a lot of hippie stuff and shops though. I had the mind blowing Heytea, it was totally amazing. 

At night dinner was with Tao at a good steamboat place and we went to drink at his place. His place is beautiful. It's a serviced apartment owned by Shangrila. The next amazing thing was: we wanted to drink gin tonic but didn't have ice and tonic so he ordered online and it was delivered in freaking 15minutes. I CANNOT BELIEVE IT, and they had Fevertree Mediterranean tonic WOW I am super amazed.

Friday I met Jenny Ni in my ex-company, most people left, but the place and Jenny looks the same. We couldn't have lunch so I met Tao for lunch around the area, then I went back to Jingan for Heytea again, shop, went to west bund for the Long museum but didn't have time, then went back to meet Shikai for dinner near our place, which serves really good Chinese food. Went to drink at a sake bar after, then we went back. 

The next morning I met Jenny Loh near the bund, she treated me to a wonderful Peking Duck lunch, and we took the boat across the bund and I explored Lujiazui, went to the touristy Starbucks Roasteries which is a total tourist trap. $12 for a cup of coffee? Seriously. Tao suggested we go W hotel for the view and afternoon tea so we went for coffee and drinks. Amazing view and company. Then went to hit the club again with Shikai, but it was boring this time.

Mercato dinner after.

Sunday we had brunch at Nest, really good brunch food, then off to the airport!

Wow I initially thought my trip is going to be super boring but it turns out, it was one of the most happening trip. Jingzhou, Enshi, Clubbing etc, the people I met were super nice and hip, the food, the weather were all very nice, it all fell into place naturally. The air quality was super good because they shut down the factories for the expo the following week. 

I met super lots of friends who made me miss Shanghai and I want to work there now. The Sg and Thai bilateral relations are really super good and diverse hehe. Very much thanks to Shikai for hosting and introducing me to Tao and Danielle and friends, I'm in love with Shanghai again.

Jingzhou Enshi 2018

After I booked my flights to Shanghai, I kinda regretted because my hair stylist was asking me what's there at Shanghai ad I said nothing. Then I remembered Michelle asking me to visit her if I ever went to Shanghai and I met her for a Korean dinner and she said she will be in Jingzhou and asked me to go there. I didn't want to spend a whole week in Shanghai so I booked my domestic flight to Wuhan.

Second day early Sunday morning I had to take the 9am flight to Wuhan, her driver was there with a Audi SUV at the airport waiting for me and it was a 2 hour ride to Jingzhou where I met her, and had cakes. The cakes were expensive for China standards, around $8 per piece and she ordered 5 different ones for me, paid for everything.

From the moment I met her, she paid for everything and her driver drove us around and she refused my money. She was my Sugar Mummy at Jingzhou.

We went to see some Jingzhou relics, the river, the biggest guanyu statue in the world, ate Jingzhou local food. She bought a bottle of local Baijiu just for me to taste, went to see the ancient walls of Jingzhou, then went to her company to see, and then I checked into the hotel.

The next morning we met for breakfast and sent me off to the train station, and went shopping around the train station to get supplies like food water etc (she paid for everything as well), and I was on the train for a 2 day tour at Enshi.

I kinda regretted joining the tour because they were all elders and the first day was kinda boring. We visited some king's palace, some touristy street and that's it. I had dumplings for dinner and slept in a less-than-average hotel.

The second day was more cool at the cave. It was so cold in the cave in the morning and I was so glad that Michelle's colleague brought me a thick jacket.

The cave was wonderful, I really loved it.

Then back to the train to Jingzhou, Grace picked me up and we went for Chong Qing Grilled Fish dinner which was seriously fresh. The fish we picked was swimming in the tank a few minutes ago. Sorry fish but you were wonderful in my tummy. I really love the food in Jingzhou, it was a bit spicy and sour but not overly salty or oily. The burst of spices in your mouth. Oh and I had their famous lotus root soup as well.

The next day we had beef noodles breakfast and I was on a 6 hour train back to Shanghai with all the supplies Grace bought. The train ride was torturous. The person sitting in front of me was talking loudly on the phone, the person beside me didn't bother to pick up the phone and it kept ringing, and the person behind me was SINGING. ARE YOU KIDDING ME SINGING ON THE TRAIN. I didn't get a good sleep.

Anyway, I am really grateful to my sugar mummy for bringing me around, the driver driving me around and my tummy is perpetually full. I will try and visit again, and explore the Enshi canyons next time. Now, back to exciting Shanghai.