A comment or two will be greeted with warm hands.

31 July 2007

Template Tweak

I've tweak my template a bit lately...
You would probably notice the changing color effect of my Blog title [3POINt8 4444]. I've also added a servbot animation in front of every post-title.. Cool eh??

1 question...
Do u guys have any problem with the blog's loading time??
Is it being loaded fast or slow??

29 July 2007

Religiously Messed Up

Reflecting on my life, I realized that I had been living in a metropolitan city throughout my whole life. My recent Melbourne Trip was a good getaway period and it was indeed an awesome holiday!
However, I still had the desire to escape from the city lifestyle for a while. I don't know why, but I had the urge to go camping in the wilderness, but I'm not too keen on Australian wilderness though. Maybe its because that I haven't been to a camp ever since I came to Australia. I'm already missing my yearly camping trip when I'm was still in Malaysia. [Oh wait, I've been to a Christian camp once in Australia!]

I just wanted to go to a quiet peaceful place. I guess the best substitution for that is to stay overnight in a temple. I rang up a friend, Ang, an active member of the UNSW Buddhist society to ask him whether he would be interested in staying over in a temple. He said 'Yes', all I have to bring there is just a sleeping bag and some warm clothes. So 5 days after my Melbourne trip, I was off for an overnight stay in Hwa Tsang Temple, Homebush.
1) It's a good quiet peaceful place.
2) I haven't visit a Buddhist temple for a really long time. (perhaps more than a year)
3) Any experience is a good experience!! That was an opportunity to experience the lifestyle of a Buddhist monk.
Throughout our stay in the temple, we did a little bit of praying, and a little bit of gardening.
I got a photo of the temple this time, unlike my previous visit.

On the next day, I was kinda reluctant to leave the temple early in the morning. Then again, whenever I thought of traveling back to my house, I'll surely pass by the Hope Sydney Church. Since I'm passing by, might as well pay them a surprise visit. [I have a reputation of not being too keen to go to church]. Haha, I guess most people were surprised when I turned up in the church with a sleeping bag. Interestingly on the same day, there was a baptism event by Hope Sydney Church. That was another opportunity to witness how baptism is being done.
I do not have any photo on the baptism event, however I do have a photo with the church members of Hope Sydney.

Now, i can proudly say that I've experience the 2 extremes of Buddhism and Christianity in a day. Then again, I'll be lost for words when people ask about my religion. I think I'm religiously messed up!!!

27 July 2007

Melbourne Trip Aftermath

Traveler's Map:
This is a summary of the places we've been to throughout the 10day Melbourne Trip.

Total Distance Traveled by car: 2200km approx

  • Its the first time I've traveled so much millage by car within a short period of time.
  • A lot of photos taken in this trip amounts to approximately 3000photos. Thats like taking an average of 300photos per day. Actually this makes sense considering there are about 10cameras involved in this trip.
  • Its also the first time I've experienced snow!! When I first touched snow, I so wanted to tell excitement to someone. When it snowed, life seems so much more beautiful!!!
This Melbourne trip holiday is by far my best holiday!! I've never had so much fun before in my life!!
Man, I'm so looking forward to my next trip happening tomorrow in Port Stephan in NSW, Australia.


Note:
Blogging will resume as normal. 1 post for every 2~3days.

25 July 2007

Melbourne Trip Day 10 [last day]

Traveler's Map:
Day10: Jindabyne -> Canberra -> Sydney
Visited: Canberra Parliament House & Telstra Tower [Black Mountain] & Embassy House.
Total Distance Traveled: 505km approx

Parliament of Australia:
The place where all the national affairs are held seriously

In front of the New Parliament House

The Great Hall which features a tapestry based on a painting by Arthur Boyd. To illustrate the size of the hall, we stood in a straight line and there are still spaces at both extreme end to fit a few elephants. <)-_-(>

Mr.IronMan Jayson representing Singapore & Mr.Joker Kif representing Malaysia in the House of Parliament.

My great intellect being sucked by the cute WeiTing. The Iron-man Jayson being supported by hyperactive RuiQi.

A girl, a guy, a girl and a guy on the rooftop of the New Parliament House


Old Parliament House Lookout:
This is place somewhere up in the mountains over viewing the Old Parliament House.

All of us in front of the Old Parliament House

We had the guts to demonstrate violence in front of the parliament House. How many people can do that without getting into jail??


Wacky Photos in Canberra:

Allow the joker to introduce you the world of wackos!!!

Boys and girls, lets gather around, point at the sky and hope for money to drop down from the sky.

Peace!! Joy to the world!!

The Cause & Effect principle. Karma. The mirror effect. What comes around goes around.

The happiness and satisfaction I got from the 10 day trip expressed in this single picture.

天下无敌

24 July 2007

Melbourne Trip Day 9

Day9: Jindabyne -> Perisher Blue -> Jindabyne
Visited: Perisher Blue Snow Field.
Today is SnowBoarding day.
[Yesterday was Ski Day. Today is Snowboard Day. I just had to experience both of them]

Snow Field:
Alrite, Snowboard time!!!

Getting ready to GO FLAT OUT at Perisher Blue

Snowboarding is a much better experience than Skiing and I look cooler with the snowboard. But its much more tiring to maneuver the snowboard as compared to ski.

The Swnoob family photo. [Swnoob = Snow Noobs] -_-"
Oh, plus it was snowing when this photo was taken.

Fun-Time with on the snow field.

RuiQi, WeiTing & YuHua throwing snow at me, while jack sits there not wanting to help a friend... Sigh, what is the world getting into now??



I don't understand, why do I always get bullied?? I'm gonna have to brush up my Goshin-Ryu Karate when I get back to m'sia

23 July 2007

Melbourne Trip Day 8

Day8: Jindabyne -> Perisher Blue -> Jindabyne
Visited: Perisher Blue Snow Field.
Today is Skiing day.

Perisher Blue Base:
We had to take a train from the base to the snow field.

Poor plants being suffocated by the snow. Let me help u guys a lil bit by throwing snow balls at my buddies...

The Crimson Boys. Notice that I wore a white bandanna and the other guy a black beanie. Black&White....Doesn't that reminds you of Yin&Yang??

Look at our ski equipments!! A pair of Long skis and a pair of big ass boots!!

Iron Man Boots vs Think Insulator Gloves

Getting ready to GO FLAT OUT at Perisher Blue

Eager skiers ready to rumble!!


Snow Field:
Alrite, Ski Time!!!

Look the noobs... Let me show you how skiing is done!! Wait a minute, why am I in the noob pic??

Skis off...Let's go home guys.... I'm tired... Snow Ball Soup anyone??

22 July 2007

Melbourne Trip Day 7

Traveler's Map:
Day7: Melbourne -> Jindabyne [Snowy Mountain]
Visited: Jindabyne Lake

Total Distance Traveled: 608km approx

Jindabyne Lake:
In winter, Jindabyne is a base for skiers.

Behind us is the Jindabyne Lake. In front of the Jindabyne Lake is the 'Wacky Bunch'.

What happened to other wacky photos?
We spent the whole day traveling 608km from Melbourne to Jindabyne. So, not many photos were taken during that day.
[Awww....WeiTing seems to be disappointed in this post. Cheer up, more photos to come in Day8. And guess what?? Day8 is Ski Day!!]

21 July 2007

Melbourne Trip Day 6

Traveler's Map:
Day6: Grampians -> Ballarat -> Melbourne
Visited: Mckenzie Fall [Grampians] & Sovereign Hill [Ballarat] & Dracula Cabaret Restaurant [Melbourne]
Total Distance Traveled: 268km approx

Mckenzie Fall:
MacKenzie Falls is one of Victoria’s largest and most spectacular waterfalls.

Waterfall exploration

Observation Tower in Grampians


Sovereign Hill:
Step back in time and experience Australia's exciting goldrush days at Sovereign Hill, Ballarat. Set on a former goldmining site, this award winning outdoor museum recreates in fascinating detail the hustle and bustle of life in the 1850s.
Welcome to the Golden Days, a city built on Gold

This is unexpected!! They showcased Kif without his glasses. Dang, that guy is just handsome.

I say I look like a Dog, a KifDog... Chen Hooi comments that I looked like a person looking for his glasses while drawing his eyes funnily...

The Gold Rush!!! Travelers always wandered around this stream of water hoping to find Real Gold!!!

Standing majestic behind me is one of the gold processing buildings.

Walking along the streets of Sovereign Hill.

Snow falls in Sovereign Hill.

I tell you, this is the best hang out spot in Sovereign Hill. Its warm and cozy. And if you are lucky, maybe a passerby will drop some coins if you stretch out your hand.

An old veteran officer showing off his ancient weapons. By the way, the thing he is holding is actually a real gun!! He fired a shot in front of us, luckily not at us. Well, I wouldn't mind if he did fired that thing at us....I'm 100% positively sure that he'll definitely miss.

Never....Never ever.....Never Never ever hire Jack (the guy behind me) as a manager!! Freakin' slave driver...


Dracula Cabaret Restaurant:
Dracula's Cabaret Restaurant is Australia's largest and longest running Theatre Restaurant. The costumes are lavish, the comedy is jet-black, and the acts are a feast for the senses - All set to a rockin' song list that'll have you stomping your peg leg.

Posing in front of the Best Theatre Restaurant I've ever been to!!

No photography allowed inside the restaurant. However we managed to take a snap shot of the dessert. Ice-cream, coffin style with a strawberry heart sliced into 2 pieces...

20 July 2007

Melbourne Trip Day 5

Traveler's Map:
Day5: Princetown -> 12 apostle -> Port Campbell -> Grampians
We continued out journey along the Great Ocean Road.
Visited the 12 Apostle and the London Bridge [Port Campbell]

Total Distance Traveled: 267km approx

Dawn Driving:
We started our journey at 5am and we drove along the dark lonely 1 lane road. We practically own the road that time. We didn't see a single car from 5am till 6.30am. Despite having that said, we got ourselves in an accident today.

Along the road, we saw this signboard all the time. In fact, this signboard can be seen all over Victoria. An advice to all drivers in Australia, Never ignore this sign!!! Seriously, when you see this signboard, better slow down and be aware of your surroundings.

Back to the accident. We rammed into a kangaroo that morning. It happened at around 5.30am. The road was freaking dark and there were a couple of kangaroos wandering around the streets. We managed to evade 2 kangaroos, but we rammed into the 3rd kangaroo splitting its head from the body killing it. Hey, it was accidental as the kangaroo suddenly jumped in front of the car. And this is what happened to the 'Tarago' after ramming into the kangaroo. Luckily the engine wasn't damaged in any way, only the left headlamp was gone [Look at the left picture, we even put a plaster on the poor car]. However, nothing can be done about the kangaroo. All I was capable was to say a little prayer and wish it well in the afterlife...

Since the car is damaged, might as well take some wacky photos with it, Goshin-Ryu Karate style!!


12 Apostles:
The Twelve Apostles are a collection of natural limestone stacks standing just off shore in the Port Campbell National Park, on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia. Their proximity to one another has made the site a popular tourist attraction. Initially 12 rocks, now only 8 rocks are standing.

Behold the 12 Apostles

The Sun-Rise Version and the Sun-Shine Version of the 12 Apostles

A group photo around the observation path along the 12 Apostles

An animated version of the Group Photo


London Bridge:
Historically the London Bridge formation was a natural archway and tunnel in an offshore rock formation caused by waves eroding away a portion of softer rock. However it collapsed on 15 January 1990 and became a bridge without a middle. Two people were on the bridge at the time but no one was injured.

Freezing at the London Bridge.

Grampians:
Our final stop for the day is at the Grampians National Park.
The Joker is staying at Grampians for the night.

That place is swarm with wallabies [A wallaby is like a small kangaroo]. I wonder whats for dinner tonight...

The place that we are staying sure has a vintage feeling to it.