Long overdue!

A/N: Sorry about the dodgy picture quality...no photoshop to touch things up ^.^

Hello all! I am currently sitting the room which my cousin's shared (one of which was ousted into their parent's room, to make room for me), tapping away at my laptop, and hoping to deliver a long overdue update on my life (which I know you're all very interested in) within the next half hour.

Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start (no Bosco, I didn't steal that off you). So at 7.30pm, on the 21st November, 2009, I arrived at Sydney airport, a little dizzy from the fact that in 24 hours time I would be standing on Hong Kong soil, and inhaling the beautifully clean *ahem* Hong Kong air. I was accompanied by my mother, sister, and brother, and my father was soon to join us, as he was parking the car.

We proceeded to the China Airlines check in counter (lugging my twenty year old, disgusting, red suitcase), and were dismayed by the long line that snaked itself around the rope barriers. Nevertheless, it was soon my turn to check in for flight CI 56 from Sydney to Taipei and CI 641 from Taipei to Hong Kong. Having done that, we were joined by dad, and wandered around the airport aimlessly.

View from the Observation Deck...nothing fancy

As we were wandering, a group of flight attendants from Emirates marched past us. The captain at the front, accompanied by the co-pilot, I assume, a few stewardesses, in twos and threes followed, and three stewards were at the very back. They looked so pro, and it was exactly like the movies. The camera pans across the group, then focuses itself on the captain. A second later, it zooms back out, and the attendants flit across the screen, heads held high, with a little smile on their faces. Finally, there's a high angle shot of them from behind, as they disappear into the distance....

* * *

At 9pm, we said our goodbyes, and I made my way to customs, a little apprehensive at the fact that I would be travelling alone. Again, I was dismayed to see that the line at customs was shockingly long, but I passed my time observing all the interesting people around me. There was a bunch of Japanese school girls and I attempted to translate their conversations, but they just spoke too fast =( Fail eavesdropping =D

After clearing customs, I rushed through Duty Free, to gate 34 (I think), only to be met by another long queue...busy day at the airport =)

As I boarded the plane, I snatched up a copy of the Sydney Morning Herald in one fluid movement, and flashed my boarding pass stub at the flight attendant. I had chosen a window seat, and soon after, a middle aged lady plonked herself down in the seat next to me.

Anyway, to the part you're most looking forward to...THE FOOD:

Supper is served, at 11.30pm

Fish with rice

Chicken with pasta

Pastry, with almonds and currants *drools*

Fruit: Pineapple, Honeydew, Rockmelon, Strawberry

I believe some people would be quite excited by what I found in the music section on the plane =)

Brown Eyed Girls: Sound-G (including the infamous ABRACADABRA)

And I was quite excited to find:

Boys Over Flowers OST

Utada Hikaru: Heart Station (Flavour of Life!!!!!)

Of course, I could have just whipped out my iPod, but for some reason, it felt more fun, listening to songs I knew, on the plane entertainment system. It's a bit like hearing your favourite song playing in the shopping centre, and looking around with a stupid grin plastered on your face ^.^

Ooooooh, I'm getting ahead of myself. Before this, I watched Up. IMO, it had quite a lame plot...but good if you wanted something light and funny. After a restless three hours, trying to sleep while blocking out the plane's engines with music, I watched Julie & Julia - quite a good movie.

Soon after, a light breakfast was served:

Chicken pie and macadamia nuts, smothered in chocolate

Soon after, we landed in Taipei, and I wanted to take some photos, but it was raining, and it was quite hard to get a decent picture through the aeroplane window. Anyway, I ended up chatting a bit with the woman next to me, and we were quite amused to find out we could both speak Cantonese xD Throughout the flight, we'd chatted briefly, with my limited Mando and her shoddy English.

Turns out that she was also flying to Hong Kong, after visiting her daughter in Australia, who studies nursing. Her flight to Hong Kong departed an hour before mine, but we walked together as she was to wait in lounge C4, and I was in C3. Anyway, since we had so much time (I had a 4hr, 40 minute wait), we wandered around, exploring the airport.

This was the Hello Kitty lounge. Very cute ^.^

Orchid displays. These were really beautiful!!

Not sure if these were real or fake...

Some fugly tree thing standing in the corner

More flowers

Reclining on the sofa...very comfortable ^.^

Apparently Taiwan is famous for it's orchids. I should have realised, seeing as the China Airlines logo is an orchid. Might I mention, wandering around at 4-5am in the morning has it's bonuses - no one getting in the way of photos ^.^

Anyway, we both were wondering why our flights weren't on the screens in our respective departure lounges, and we consulted the main screen, realising that we were meant to be in lounge A8. Misleading boarding passes...

Not complaining though, because we got to see more of the airport, as we made our way to the opposite side of the building.

Outside the Prayer Room

There were also many Chinese artworks:

And then this brings us to the previous post, where I sat in lounge A8.

Orchid logo on the tail

Breakfast on the plane from Taipei to Hong Kong:

It refuses to rotate....so you can look at it sideways

Noodles...tasted very nice! Much nicer than they look ^.^

The view, as we were coming into Hong Kong

The first few days have been a bit dull, but I've been out to buy some clothes and window shop a bit - blog about that later, seeing as this post is photo-spammed enough.

It's taken me quite a while to get used to the different air, and up until today, I was constantly sneezing. Much better now, but I still have to arm myself with a packet of 'Tempo' tissues, whenever I go out. Went out to Mong Kok today, and saw some very nice Korean style clothing....albeit expensive. Lots of shopping to do over the next month =D ......but not as much money to spend =(

Haha, hope to see some of you soon!

Good Morning from Taipei

HELLO PEOPLE. Yes, I'm currently sitting in lounge A8 in Taipei Taoyuan International Airport, waiting for my flight to Hong Kong. I'm too lazy to blog properly now, but I'll write more later, and upload all my piccies from the plane and airport =D I'm staying with relatives, and hopefully they have a card reader, because I forgot to pack ours, and I have no other way of transferring pictures from camera to laptop.

Till then, stay safe!!

finish!!

I don't feel particularly relieved about finishing....

There was no feeling of a burden being lifted off my shoulders at 4.40pm, when the supervisor said. 'Time's Up, stop writing.' Not that either of us were still writing.

But yeah. Rather, it feels rather strange, not having to worry about studying, or catching up on math exercises, or needing to memorise chemistry equations. I don't want to waste my holidays sitting around doing nothing. I want to do something productive, something constructive. But what? Playing Neopets is NOT satisfying at all =)

There's so much to think about, and to talk about, but yet...

I don't know.....I borrowed a book from the library today - a THICK book. But I can't concentrate. I can't resist the urge to swivel to face the laptop, and alt-tab, endlessly searching, waiting....and no, not for the best bargains in the Health Food Shop, or Faerie Food Shop (in Neopets, for all of you who are confused) Haha, I must seem like I'm going crazy =)

Oh dear. This is a horrible post to break my unofficial hiatus. Hopefully no one will be left horribly confused. Like I am....about the whole DBSK/SM Entertainment court case *sobs*

Adieu.

3

Wow. I think it's finally hit me that school's nearly over!

Monday: English, Free, Jap, Recess, Year 12 Assembly, Lunch, Double setting up hall for Tuesday's luncheon

Tuesday: Free, Chemistry, English, Luncheon

Wednesday: Beach!

What everyone will miss the most (and I'm 100% sure this isn't a generalisation), is hanging out with their friends. Sure, we'll see a lot of our friends around at uni (hopefully), but it'll be so hard with people in different courses, different classes, and so on. We won't be able to sit around in a big group, chatting, laughing. While many of us will have much more flexible schedules and more freedom, it'll be hard organising things which cater to everyone's taste (except karaoke!!).

And then there are those you don't talk to all the time, but sometimes you happen to sit down next to them at lunch, and strike up a long conversation about something which you never realised you were both interested in. Of course, uni will offer similar opportunities - new people to meet! - but I still wish I could keep in contact with more of these people I've gotten to know a bit, but not enough, over the past 6 years.

Looking back over my high school years, there's one thing I'll always regret (but will definitely change) and that's the way I relate with others. I'm quite introverted, and thinking back to Year 7+8, I was a bit of a recluse. Not quite a loner (trying hard to defend myself here!!), but to be honest, I don't think I had any real friends - just acquaintances, and some who were closer, but not quite friends.

Year 9 was a real turning point in my life, and I got to know three special people who I really hope I'll never lose contact with. In addition to these three, there was this b!tch-loser who shall not be named =) I'm sure you'll know who you are.

Year 9 and 10 flew by, and by now I'd happily settled in a 'clique', with some I know well, and others not so much. However, year 11 was a year of extreme ups and downs, and I quickly realised that despite all these friends I had, I still couldn't ever confide in anyone, and many times this just magnified the insecurity and prolonged the periods of downs. It felt that friends were there for physical enjoyment (please don't take this in a sick way....), but not for emotional support.

My introverted character, as well as my insecurity and growing up as someone who subconsciously chose to be emotionally distant to those around me, has contributed much to this and it's something I'm determined to changed.

I was really worried about going to uni, and losing touch with all these friends, and someone who I've come to be able to confide in gave me some wonderful advice last week.

Friendships are SO hard I know. You need, but you don't want to seem too needy. You don't want friends that 'cling' too much. Yet they are essential and ultimately satisfying. I'll tell you this -friendships are there to sustain us- whether that be listening to your worries, telling you rude jokes, singing k with you or whatever. Friendships nourish us and make us happy. Are all your friendships doing that?

Although it may seem too late, being the end of high school, I'm still going to make every effort to strengthen these bonds of friendship that I already have. Maybe it's not being too clingy, or maybe it's telling others I need help, when I'm upset. Maybe it's just simply catching up with each other more, and talking about ourselves, rather than SNSD's latest song and dance. Sure, our interests can help us get to know each other better, but ultimately, if you want to get to know someone, you have to be willing to change the topic to your own lives.

Apart from this, there has been another deeper, more ominous problem which I'm not willing to share on such a public domain, but I really hope that I can face up to it, and overcome it. University is a new beginning, and I'm going to take this chance to make sure I don't make the same mistakes twice.

This has probably been my most 'revealing' post ever, and I don't think I'll be game to post anything so personal up for a long while yet. That is all =)

What is the policeman's favourite animal?

LION. It only works if you ask the question in canto, and say the answer in English with a fobby accent =)

Today I got up late (because my phone alarm didn't ring again..), but luckily I had a free first so all was well. As I was eating breakfast (yes, surprise surprise....I [the severely overweight one], DO eat breakfast!!!), I picked up a green flyer that was lying on the table and immediately, the words 'WALK AND BE PAID' jumped off the sheet of paper. And now, I have successfully hooked my brother up with a part time job =) Crappy pay, but seeing as he's just a kid, this cliché, low-paying job should keep him out of trouble, and divert some of that energy into something productive (ie, anything but tv or computer games).

While racing to sign on before the bell went for period two, I was quite amused to see our new flag xD And yes! Everyone (or nearly everyone y12) was wearing their junior uniform which was quite the awesome, and the pressures of being stately year 12s were lifted off us for a day. Belle encouraged us to push rudely through a group of juniors after school, 'like year 7's', and that we did. Quite satisfying.

In letzter Zeit habe ich keine Hausaufgaben gemacht. Obwohl das Abitur fast nächste Monate ist, bin ich noch nicht stressgeplagt. Einfach nicht gut, ja? Ich war sehr überrascht, dass ich gute Noten für die Trial-Prüfungen bekommen habe, aber ich weiß nicht, ob ich diese Noten wieder erreichen kann. Immer zu faul =( Die Schule ist fast zu Ende und wir besuchen bald an verschiedenen Universitäten. Wir werden von uns getrennt. Die Zukunft - entmutigend. Aber trotz die Verunsicherung, fühle ich mich auch ein bisschen aufgeregt. Ein neues Lebenstil, neue Freunde, neue Lebenserfahrungen, Universität...was sonst? Jetzt bin ich nicht traurig, sondern nostalgisch. Versuch's doch mal!!

I chucked that into Google translate and it didn't really make much sense....so go and learn German because I cbb translating =) Besides, whenever I try and translate stuff, it loses its flavour and sounds really weird and lame. Then again, it probably sounds awkward to a native German speaker anyway..

School's ending so soon, and I'm not scared yet. A bit wistful about some things, but it doesn't seem that daunting.

So late =O gnites!!!

I don't care...

Been an exhausting few weeks. German went alright on Saturday. Time to start studying hard? I say that every week...

Yeah, I just feel like singing the chorus over and over again (I don't care-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh......). Tired, annoyed, pissed. Sometimes I just get so confused. More often than not, I don't want to get out of bed on Sunday mornings =(

MV is nothing special, been out for two months or so already? 2ne1 doesn't really pique my interest, but they're not bad.

Christmas??

Watch and understand.

Leeteuk's so hilarious.