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randoms

How do you pay your bills?

 

While in Penang, Sheila brought me to the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion aka “La Maison Bleu” or the Blue Mansion. During my last visit, I missed the timings for the daily tour, but this time round, we managed to catch the 3pm tour. The tour was nothing short of fantastic, especially the story behind this magnificent mansion and it’s owner. I was especially sad to hear that after his death, his children sold off his business and all his properties, except this one, which was kept because it was enforced by his will.

 

Anyway, part of the tour went about how the mansion was built with strong emphasis on “feng shui”. The guide showed us how these were inconspicuously incorporated into the entire house, from the most basic structures to the minute details. There came a point where the guide said… “Feng is wind and Shui is water… these are free, you don’t pay bills for wind or (rain) water right?”. In the back of my mind, I wanted to ask her “are you sure we aren’t paying bills for wind and water?” And no, I’m not talking about the PUB bills because we’re lucky we’re only paying money. There are people (and animals) around the world who are paying it with their lives. Just look at the rising amount of “natural” disasters.

 

Although I didn’t ask any questions, but based on what happened after his death, I figured, no amount of Feng Shui will help if one doesn’t work for it. And if we don’t change for the better, very soon, there won’t even be “feng” or “shui”.

 

Anyway, this is just a thought. I’m not an environmentalist or Greenpeace activist and I don’t go to Live Earth concerts. Don’t use me as a benchmark:)

 

[tags]Feng Shui, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Penang[/tags]

 

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posted by wansheng on September 19th 2007 in randoms, voices





Attention… will passenger xxx please proceed to gate xx for IMMEDIATE boarding…

 

My friend once told me… “late” is my middle name. And I just have to keep proving it…

 

While heading to the airport in Penang, I was just sharing stories with Nic and Sheila about how I nearly missed my flights previously, and telling them, this time I’m very sure it’s 630pm. I did my internet check-in and thought, well, I can be there at 530pm and still board on time. As usual, I looked for my flight details upon arriving at the airport, and to my horror, it says 605pm. The conversation with the check-in personel went like this…

 

Me: *walked towards one of the many closed counters* Erm… I’m checking in for 605pm flight to Singapore…

CIP: Sorry, it’s closed, you have to wait for the next flight.

Me: Can you please let me go through?

CIP: I’m sorry, I’ll put you on the next flight.

Me: … ok, but I checked in already

CIP: !!!! *speaking in the calmest tone he could muster*… Mr Tan… even if you have checked in, you STILL have to be here early.

Me: I…

CIP to colleague: Help me print a ticket for 63 Kilo… *typing furiously on his computer*

CIP to Me: *look at all my bags (4 of them)* You have to hand carry everything…

Me: But got liquid inside… more than 100ml…

(at this point, I can tell he wants to tear me apart… but still keeping it very professional)

CIP: Ok, bring it here… *handed me the boarding pass* now go to the gate IMMEDIATELY!!

Me: …*points at his desk*… my passport.

CIP: … (good thing they are not armed, else I think he’ll shoot me)

 

I think they are going to ban me from flying very soon. Ok ok, I promise, next time I’ll be there early, I’ll bring a book to read. So sorry about the inconveniences, but I have to say, they are so much nicer than the ones I encountered in Singapore, because here, they “follow law”.

 

8 Comments »
posted by wansheng on September 18th 2007 in randoms, travel / landscapes, voices





Congratulations, uncle now:)

 

Finally, after playing hide and seek for more than 2 weeks, he finally bestowed me the title of “uncle”. My nephew was born just a day after I came back from Sydney, after waiting for his arrival for a good 16 days. I even extended 2 more days hoping to see him, but he sure knows how to play me out. Bro-in-law sent me a photo early on Sunday morning, before I headed for Penang. When I looked at his photo, I could imagine him saying… “bleah, you lose!!”

 

Today, sis called me and we chatted abit. The baby’s fine and he put his mum through 16 hours of labour (ouch!). And the most amazing thing is… when my sis first held him, she told him “you missed uncle by a day…”. Guess what, he smiled :S

 

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posted by wansheng on September 18th 2007 in randoms, voices





Back in town

 

After spending 16 days in Sydney, 2 days in Penang, I’m finally back home. Mentally refreshed but physically tired. Going to catch some really nice sleep before working out my schedule for the next 2 weeks. Main aim is to strike a perfect balance between work and personal time (which also means, less reliance on the mobile phone). I read this article that a good percentage of people will choose to have their mobile phones over almost everything, including sex.

 

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posted by wansheng on September 18th 2007 in randoms, voices





èµ°å…‰

 

What the duck!

 

Only saw that “èµ°å…‰” after I downloaded the photos.

 

 

[tags]Photography, Sydney, 2007, Travel, Self Portrait[/tags]

 

4 Comments »
posted by wansheng on September 12th 2007 in images, randoms, travel / landscapes, voices





randomsinsydney

 

Things that got into the camera. Traveling makes me happy. Photography allows me to document some of the things I want to say, but can’t express it in words. I say it’s a lazy way to say a thousand words.

 

 

 

 

 

[tags]Photography, Sydney, Bondi Beach, APEC 2007, Travel[/tags]

 

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posted by wansheng on September 12th 2007 in images, randoms, travel / landscapes, voices





Hunter Valley

 

Threw the dart on the map and it indicates “Hunter Valley”. So to Hunter Valley it is today. Since I’m driving alone, I didn’t try too many wines, just a couple, trust me, I know my limits… on the official wine guide says, to avoid exceeding the limits, “For men, 2 glasses for the first hour, 1 glass for subsequent hours…”, but it also says, “this is just a guide”.

 

Finally… I get to see grapevines with leaves!!:)

 

 

 

[tags]Photography, Sydney, 2007, Travel, Hunter Valley[/tags]

 

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posted by wansheng on September 11th 2007 in images, randoms, travel / landscapes, voices





Blue Magic

 

Took a short trip to Blue Mountains today (because I nuah-ed in the bed till lunch…) and headed straight to Leura to do some window shopping. Last stop, Wentworth Falls. Instead of heading down the the falls which I did last time with my mum, I decided to just stay at the Princes lookout (which is FAR from reaching the bottom). While watching the streams of tourists come and go and waiting for the sun to go down, I saw from far, the weather changing. It’s an amazing sight, the changes in the cloud formation, the rain moving down the mountains and the sun setting behind the tablelands, all happening at the same time. It’s magical yet has something eerie about it.

 

  
 

I stayed till last light and figured I had to run because there are no lights in the mountains and being the last day of the Lunar 7th month, there’s not going to be moonlight either. I made way my way up, but after a few steps, I saw a figure, a man in a long beige trenchcoat, skinny, face sunken, making his way down the valley. He reminds me of one of those psycho killers or Dracula. My heart missed a string of beats… then I said, “Hi, getting dark eh…”. He gave me a smile that made my skin crawl and said something about my tripod. At that point in time, I just thought, who the hell in the right frame of mind will make his way down into the valley at this time of the day without any lights?! I could hardly see where I was walking. Doubling my pace, I made my way up while checking back every 2 secs or so, making sure I’m not being followed. I can imagine so many scenarios I’ve seen in movies, like him appearing right in front of me or floating on top of me… etc (now you know why I hate horror movies!!).

 

When I finally reached the safety of my car, I was already panting like a dog… silently swearing… “uncle… 7th month not over yet leh… don’t come out and play this kind of game can?…”.

 

This is the last time I’m going there on my own. Took me 1 large pizza to calm my nerves…

 

[tags]Photography, Blue Mountains, Sydney, 2007, Wentworth Falls, Princes Lookout[/tags]

 

3 Comments »
posted by wansheng on September 10th 2007 in images, randoms, travel / landscapes, voices





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