There’s hardly anything sweeter in life, than finding more than a few kindred loonies to enjoy it with. This first trip to mainland China is definitely one for the books; if you want in on all our equally-loony adventures, check out my posts over here. For now, play the vid and get ready to say, “Ni Hao!”.
Day 4: The Good, the Bad, and the Forbidden
Early morn:
The Good: Finally indulging our itch to shop after being in China for several days already. Shortly after we arrive from Xian, Phoebe and I freshen up and dart for Qianmen Shopping Street, south of Tiananmen Square.
Food Tripping at Donghuamen
When you think of Chinese food, I guess the last thing that would cross your mind is this:
The Terracotta Warriors: A Battle Royale
Peaceniks, flares, and boogie ruled the 70’s, but for the men in idyllic Xian, it was just another quiet day. It was the type of day when you joshed with your buddies in the farm, trying to overlook the arduous task of digging up a communal well. It was all good old fun — well, until someone discovered a head. Continue reading The Terracotta Warriors: A Battle Royale
When Great Means Epic
First, let me get this off my chest — we sold out! We rode the cable car to get up the wall, instead of that dramatic hike that we originally planned. But just because passed on the chance to go ala-Dora doesn’t mean that it was any less of an adventure.
The Road to Jinshanling
I lost track of when the day ended and when another began. I nodded off to sleep at 2 am, only to wake up at 5:30 to make sure that Jan and Alex made it all the way from the airport to our meeting point safely. Fates be praised, they did and after a few bouts of groggy discussion, we agreed to slightly change our plans. In place of far-off Jinshanling, we were heading to the Mutianyu area of the Great Wall instead, given that we had less time than we thought. Adjustments were made, and after a while we were boarding long-distance Bus 980 at the Dongzhimen terminal. Continue reading When Great Means Epic
The Summer Palace: Why It’s Good to be Royalty
If there’s one thing that the guidebooks don’t stress enough about the Summer Palace, it’s the fact that the Summer Palace is huge. No, I mean REALLY huge. Hail to mind what you think is huge, then double that. Then add in a man-made lake in the middle. Yes, it’s that massive.
I’m more hippie-chick than socialite, but if being a member of the Imperial Family meant having a playground that was as breathtaking and serene as this, then sign me up! I can totally imagine myself as that low-profile royal cousin, who does nothing but meander in the summer recluse given whatever season. Let my power-hungry relatives rule the Forbidden City; methinks I’ll stick with my writing and kite-flying near KunMing lake. Continue reading The Summer Palace: Why It’s Good to be Royalty
The Beijing Express
China — the land of It-Can-Be-Done. Think Great Wall, the Terracotta Warriors, the capital’s makeover for the Beijing 2008 Olympics.
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
Lessons in Mandarin
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
Melbourne: The Posh and the Wild
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/.
Wakeboarding? Bangarang!
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
5 Tricks to Re-Simplify Your Life
When Facebook set ‘It’s complicated’ as a valid status, no one really batted an eyelash. Whether it’s about relationships or something else bigger, we all get it. We’ve all been there — that point where we wonder when life started to be one big mess, when we all just wish that we could conjure a big wind that would whoosh us away to the simplicity of childhood.
While there is no magic formula that will instantly wipe out all inevitable complexities of life, there are some tips and tricks that you will stumble on along the way to help you regain your peace of mind. Here are some of the ‘hacks’ that have worked like a charm for me; hopefully, you guys will find them useful too.
1. Actively de-clutter.
Start with your mail, then raid your closets, your drawers, and the junk underneath your bed. This is effective for two reasons: (1) de-cluttering with active use of your hands does wonders for the mind, and (2) seeing something that used to be in shambles now as clear as a canvas, gives you some space to relax and to be creative. One adage has stuck and has incessantly fed my motivation to de-clutter through the years — if I can fix my room, I can fix my life. Continue reading 5 Tricks to Re-Simplify Your Life
Easy, Breezy, Perth
It took me a long time to finally get this done, but I’m really happy at how my Perth collage turned out. Enjoy!
Want the behind-the-scenes stories, photos & tips? You can check them out over here!
Song: Love Today by Mika
.: ishcapades 
