Category Archives: travel

asia, travel

The Beijing Express

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China — the land of It-Can-Be-Done. Think Great Wall, the Terracotta Warriors, the capital’s makeover for the Beijing 2008 Olympics.

Time is of the essence!

We tried our own great feat as well: a city-wide scramble to pack temple-hopping, panda-spotting, bargain-hunting, palace-promenading and kung-fu fighting — ALL IN ONE DAY. We couldn’t afford to waste any time, and we were mad to comb through the ever-spry Beijing. One thing that we had going for us though was that it only took 2 RMB (0.3 USD!) to go to anywhere by subway in the capital. Yup, the Beijing IC transit smart card (or ‘Yikatong’, as they call it) will be your new BFF when in the city. Continue reading The Beijing Express →

asia, travel

Lessons in Mandarin

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Just when I thought I was getting savvy with flinging myself off to new, strange places, China happened.

This trip was supposed to be a solo jaunt, but I don’t think it would have been quite the same experience if seven of my pals didn’t sign up for an adventure in the Orient as well. There were more than enough bloopers and good times to go around, after all! Continue reading Lessons in Mandarin →

oceania, travel, video

Melbourne: The Posh and the Wild

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Melbourne can be a poster boy for the Weekend Warrior — on weekdays, it charms you with its effortless chic, but on weekends, it’s all about basking in the sun and heading out for the stunning raw beauty that’s just a stone’s throw away.

Hit Play for some glimpses of Melbourne and Victoria; if you fancy some tales about koalas, narrow alleyways, fairy penguins, the Twelve Apostles, et al, then check out https://ishg.wordpress.com/tag/melbourne/.

asia, singapore, video

Wakeboarding? Bangarang!

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Bangarang (as defined in urbandictionary.com)
1. Battle cry of the Lost Boys in the movie Hook.
2. Jamaican slang defined as a hubbub, uproar, disorder, or disturbance.
3. General exclamation meant to signify approval or amazement.

When almost everything in your entire country fits in one tiny island, you don’t get a lot of chances to go out to sea. That’s one of the main reasons why I love to head out to the Punggol Marina to don on those wakeboard boots — just to jump on a speedboat and feel the wind slap against my face as we zip to the vast open water — ah, this is the life! For a moment, the busy urban jungle that is Singapore feels like worlds away.

This is for Yuvraj, Parvind, Lawrence, Cecily and Dai Lin — our brave first-timers for this round, and for Gaurav, who seemed to have banished all anxieties of open water. Til next time!

Song: Bangarang by Skrillex
2012-03, Wakeboarding at Punggol Marina Country Club, Singapore

asia, singapore, travel

Occupy Tiong Bahru

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I belong to the church of Ye-Does-Not-Have-To-Travel-Far-to-Explore. It’s a good thing that Singapore is one of those places that always has something brewing, whether it’s an event for the arts or a good old flea sale.

Dimsum may be the best way to a naughty girl's heart. Artist: Sokkuan Tye (http://www.sokkuan.com/)

When I caught whiff of Oh! Occupy Tiong Bahru in the Honeycombers newsletter (one of my most dependable sources for choice weekend jaunts), I immediately jumped on the chance. I mean, a day spent enjoying art while poking around other people’s houses, especially in one of the more interesting boroughs in the Red Dot? Sounds like a brilliant day to me. Continue reading Occupy Tiong Bahru →

oceania, travel

Life’s a Beach in Sydney

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It was our Day 8 in Australia, and I was getting a bit frustrated as I haven’t been able to take a dip yet after seeing miles and miles of gorgeous coastlines.

Okay, let's take a vote --- Aussie dads: cool or hot?

Well, I certainly was in for a treat in Sydney’s Northern Suburbs. On a weekend, the dress code seemed to be singlets, bikinis and board shorts. We haven’t even lingered for an hour yet, and I had my nth sighting of someone crossing the road, lugging along his surfboard. All these just a brief bus ride away from alighting the tube. How could I not fall in love with this lifestyle? Continue reading Life’s a Beach in Sydney →

oceania, travel

Yey for Australia Day in Sydney!

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After back-to-back days of nature-tripping in Melbourne, we hurled ourselves back to the urban jungle, this time in the heart of Sydney! It was a cool coincidence that we arrived just in time for Australia Day. Festivities were in full swing in almost every nook, despite the unusual rainy weather. On the train, I glimpsed at kids and adults alike proudly bearing the Union-Jack on their board shorts, capes and even temp tattoos. Continue reading Yey for Australia Day in Sydney! →

oceania, travel

What’s So Great About the Great Ocean Road?

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Exhibit A: Gorgeous beaches that will blow you away

Growing up in an archipelago of kick-ass beaches, a look-see at the shorelines of other countries usually isn’t the highlight of a trip for me. A mental image of Boracay would almost automatically pop up every time, and pride would make me go, “It’s okay, but I’ve seen better.” But then, I caught a glimpse of Australia’s coastline: Continue reading What’s So Great About the Great Ocean Road? →

oceania, travel

Happy Feet and the Wildlife of Australia

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Everyone has their destination must-do; for Geebee, it was to see the Penguin Parade at Phillip Island. Fortunately, it wasn’t that difficult at all to arrange a day trip. It took us just a couple of sites before we set our hearts upon the fairly-priced Phillip Island package offered by Wildlife Tours.

We sneaked in a quick breakfast jaunt at the Queen Victoria Market, before rushing back to the hostel, where our tour coach was to pick us up at 11 am. Continue reading Happy Feet and the Wildlife of Australia →

oceania, travel

Day 1 in Melbourne: No Plans? No Problem!

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Flinders St Station -- Melbourne's favorite meeting place

Fresh off a chill-out weekend in Perth, I found the busy, bustling streets of Melbourne a bit disorienting at first. Quick-footed yuppies stirred the city off to a start, while tourists and a whole lot of tennis buffs looked forward to another nail-biting day of the Australian Open.

Our well-laid out itinerary for Melbourne Day 1? Verbatim, it was this: “see the city”. Okay, sounds like a plan to me! Continue reading Day 1 in Melbourne: No Plans? No Problem! →