Wednesday, October 28, 2009

17th - 19th February 2009 The Current House

17th February 2009
Daddykins came down with me and Khuan, just to make sure we were setttled in [hugs] love ya daddykins. Mumsie didn't come down with us though. These photos are the empty apartment that welcomed us when we touched down at Melbourne.

This would be my room. It came with the bedsheets and pillow+pillowcase.
This is the hallway outside my room.
This is Khuan's room.
The other side of it. We had switched the position of the bed and the table later because the ports were above the bed...
And this is the bathroom / toilet. Nothing extravagant, not that we need it.
This is Khuan, resting after 8 hours of flighttime.
I told her to strike a pose for the camera and this was what she gave me. [lol] Original-ness. The sofa is in the living room / kitchen / dining room. It's technically all the same room / space.
The sink area (came with the chopping board)
The kitchen part of the room. Set with microwave, refridgerator (it's a brand new one, sweet~!), toaster (which was cranky that we got a new one from the management) {I remember that overburnt bread will set off the smoke alarm so best to get a new one) and a waterjug (which we didn't use because I got a better one from my old housemate from Unilodge, thanks Brett wherever you are)
We wanted to get our stuff that was in the storeroom but Frank was out so we ventured to see Khuan's university, RMIT. From where we stayed, it was virtually next door.
We walked past a bilboard in the city and it was advertising "Wicked" the musical. Daddykins was really interested in watching it (plus he needed to find something to do on wednesday since I had to register myself for my course and Khuan had orientation I think)
While waiting for Daddykins to buy his tickets, I was just looking around in the reception area of the ticketing kiosk... delicate structures.
I like this. Too bad there isn't a backdoor to fantasy land...
Looking around some more. Daddykins was in luck since wednesday was the matinee so it's was cheaper.
I'm thinking if it's originally like this or there made it for the Wicked set....
Can see that there are some setup for the Wicked stuff in the foyer which were behind the doors that were locked. So I just took a photo of it behind the glass.
The other side of the "You are now leaving Oz" poster.
Went back home to document the original stuff that we were provided.
The stove top and the plates. There are the electric type so no need for matches or starters.
The empty cabinets (though there were some ermm... chicken stock cubes but I threw them away since who know how long it's been there)
And this is the dining / living room part of the space. We got this small but sufficient sized television to watch (beggars can't be choosers). After breakfast, we got the stuff from the storeroom and started unpacking there and then.
In a few hours, we unpacked the kitchen stuff (bought a new rice cooker since the old one that we brought over died in the end) {I'll point out that we are currently using a 2nd one (exact same model) now because this one died about 5 months later and I couldn't find the receipt} [points to the right most] that's the water jug that we are using now.
The hallway. There's an intercom phone. To get into the building, you need to have the building's passcard to unlock the double security at the main floor. Else, you call the person you're visiting via the intercom. There's a button that we can press to allow people to come in.
That's just me preparing lunch.
In the hallway, we placed this shoerack (one of the many things we salvaged from the place people throw out stuff in the building - just washed it and strengthen the structure with rafia strings) and a collapsable? laundry basketbag thing (that I found someone put outside in the lift area of Unilodge) Really handy. ^_^

The laundry rooms are on the even numbered floor on our building. We're lucky to be on one. Hehehe~! There's a washing machine (aud 4 per wash) and a dryer (aud 3 per wash) in the laundry room. Random, we had bought this HUGE box of detergent powder (10 kg) in the very beginning of 2008. So far we've only used 6.5kg.... What am I going to with the rest... [lol]

This is Khuan's room after we did the switch.
It makes much more sense to have this position anyway.
My room. It was pretty easy to unpack, may as well since it would be a bother to search for stuff in boxes. [shrugs] Don't know how Evelyn lived like that last year. I understand her logic about no point unpacking if she was going to move again anyway...
Think this was us preparing dinner. The dustbin (this was just one of 4 that we picked up from the rubbish area - don't worry, we got them all washed down and disinfected before we used them.)
There wasn't a balcony area to hang our laundry though. So we just open the window and hang them nearest to the window. Random, I only bought one of these clothes hanger-thingy... now I have 4 of them (3 were my ex-housemates' at Unilodge)
Daddykins had the kitchen / living / dining room as his bedroom while he was staying in Melbourne. The sofa is also a bed but it's got poor back support so he normally just take the floor.
Nothing much different in the bathroom / toilet. Just put a mat down and the shampoo and soaps, toothbrushes and stuff.

18th February 2009 Federation Square

We didn't go anywhere much after settling in. We looked around in the museum in Federation Square. Took photo of the funky looking interior ceiling.
There was this big screen in Federation square, just real-time feed of people walking around federation square. This was daddykins' five minutes of fame. [lol] before we just walked away.

19th February 2009
Just photographed the outside of our room. I do recall that the night we went to fetch my elder sis from Southern Cross (she came to visit us from 22nd - 26th May 2009), we saw this SUPER duper drunk girl unconscious on the floor in front to those doors. I could see that the girl had vomitted and that's how I concluded she was drunk. We were rushing to meet my sister so we left her there. When we came back, there were some people attending to her. [shrugs]
Anyway, we continued documenting what we were provided with so that later we know what we bought and stuff...
Daddykins just photographed all the utensils while I just wrote it down in my organizer just in case.
Nothing much to cook with. Just a skillet and frying pan. I had a small pressure pot from Neha (thanks darling) and we bought a big pot (which we use a lot) later.
That was the big luggage bag that I came with. Though I think it'll be very heavy in the year end when we travel back home.
Think this was just us preparing breakfast. I concluded that from the messy bedhair of mine. [lol]
That's all for now. The next post will be of the Ballarat trip we took with Daddykins. Didn't post it just yet since there are quite a lot of photos to sort through for that one. =P

Til next time, cheers~!

Thursday, October 22, 2009

16th February 2009 Flight to Melbourne

I think it was pretty much just a little packing up stuff since most of my stuff was already here in Melbourne... in a storeroom in the apartment that I'm staying in now.

Though I don't know how it still got to quite a bit to bring over.... [swt]
But anyway, we were flying over to Melbourne with daddykins. Zie Wei and Alin (bless them) came over to say goodbye to Khuan.... and me I guess. [shrugs]
Thanks for coming to see us off and we look forward to seeing and hugging you guys when we get back, k? [hugs] yes, that includes Alin too (though I'm not sure if she's a hugger type person) [snuggles Zie Wei]

But finally, I'm moving on to Melbourne type posts. [lol] Cheers~!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

10th February 2009 Chap Goh Mei

Finally at the end of Chinese New Year... [lol] I look forward to Chap Goh Mei since it's the day that I opened the angpows. Well, that and we go up to the temple.
We parked down near Midvalley and walk up to Tien Hou Gong (I think that's the name..) Ooo.. there was a lion dance in front of this restaurant.
But yea, there are light displays up there every year. This is the entrance lights.
The temple itself is stringed with lights. XD
I'm not sure if it's all light up during the whole Chinese New Year but I do know it's nice and lit up during Chap Goh Mei.
There were lots of people celebrating the last day of Chinese New Year too.
There was a stage set up and shows performing....
Singing in costumes... Can't understand what they're singing since my Chinese level isn't high enough. [snicker]
Singing and dancing... Ermmm... Dad took this with the tele-lens. From where we stood, they looked like specks.
There was this set up too.
We were standing just watching it rotate...
The ox up on the top reminds us that it's the year of the Ox.
It took us a very long time (and many shots) to get this one. Hahahaha~!
The zodiac 12 family members displayed like paper lanterns.
I wonder why they chose to pose the Ox like that.... [shrugs]
The dragon looked like the emperor amongst the others.
Silly doggie and welcoming piggie.
Happy Bunny.
Some characteristics of the Ox.... it's alright if you can't really read the smaller ones. all you need to note is "please do not touch" [snicker]
Me and the Ox. You can see the rabbit in the background since the tiger is on the other side of the pathway.
Dragons... Colourful dragon on colourful clouds.
Inside the temple, there was an event going on...
My guess is a quiz of sorts. Can't read it... So we just move on to the top floor.
All you see is red~! The same every year really...
Don't think they take it down... though my guess would be that they would need to replace whatever that is fused and stuff... Anyway, we normally go up to the top floor to kau cim (just in case you ask what it is, wikipedia has the answer > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kau_cim)

Relatively good for me. So it's cool...
This year what we different would be that some people had set up their telescopes out in front.
It's not your cheap kind of telescopes but rather these big boys~! I think some people were looking up to the moon to see if they can spot any "lucky" numbers to buy. [lol]
The moon was really bright that night... oops this photo was taken with my camera flash... [resets camera]
It really was about THIS bright that night. XD
[happy smile] I like looking at the Kirin. Must say that I really learnt to appreciate them from reading a manga, Petshop of Horrors (sounds grim I know but yea...)
On the lowest floor are things that you can buy... like these ermmm... windmill kind things. Suppose to change your luck (of course you buy them to change the bad luck to good). Come to think of it, I have one that I stuck on the wall... might need to take it out from the room at least (wouldn't want to change my good luck to bad now, would we?)

Until there for now. Cheers~!

Sunday, October 04, 2009

1st - 10th February 2009 Chinese New Year Part 2

1st February 2009 - Klang Trip
Every year, I call Eugene over to my house to celebrate Chinese New Year (as seen in the Open House bit) and then I go over to his place to visit. I take the KTM down to the Klang stop. Takes about 40 minutes to reach his place... and that's not factoring the time it takes the train to come (almost never on time).
In the beginning, Eugene called a whole gang of his friends to visit him. Then the next year, it was just me that went down to his place. Brought Khuan along this time round. Can't really remember how many years it's been between us... [goes to check] Most probably right after SAM and that was back in 2003. Oh my god, I've known Eugene for 6 years already. How time flies. Hahaha~!


After coming back from Eugene's place, later that night, my family and I went to Aunty Lay Chooi's place (mum's friend).

She got a new house last year but I couldn't go so it was my first time there.
Didn't take any photos of her new house (since that would be like invasion of people's privacy) so you'll have to make do with random photos instead. hahaha~!
It used to be that mum's friends came over to our house (my guess it's because it was the big enough to accommodate the bunch of us). The new house is pretty big and nice.
Yea.... there was a lot of people... not enough space for me to "play with the food" so I just sat it out and took photos.
Not that I was able to change place since everyone was pretty much crowded around.
When it started, there was a roar of well wishes and laughter around the table.
I'm pretty sure everyone is familiar with the "Lo Hei". I have it like 3-4 times a year (around CNY of course). The arrangement of the food was pot luck. ^_^ yum yum.

7th February 2009 - June's place
I got invited to go to June's place for her open house. The only thing was she had invited like a ga-zillion people. She had invited people from her university and from secondary school.
We played mah-jong while waiting for out turn to eat. It's really saying something when one has to play mah-jong to wait for our turn to eat... [lol] That's Jess presenting her mah-jong tile.
Khuan was one of the other player.
Woan Wei wearing her bright red t-shirt~! Ong ONG~!
No money was involved though. oh well. Was teaching Zie and Jess how to play mah-jong and stuff. hehehe~!
They're pretty quick learners. Just need more practice. =P Though we really shouldn't teach them these sort of stuff.
In a random corner of the house, the host was tucked away discussing something...
I don't know what they were discussing but yea...
Got to see her handle her guitar if that's any plus point. [grin] Maybe I ought to pick up the guitar... Seems more likely to happen than the violin I guess. [lol] I don't know why but I think that violins are sexy. I bet that Pui Yee can insert a "dead chicken" comment somewhere around here. hahahaha~!
A group photo which is blur and I'm sorry... my camera is not "canggih" (sophisticated) enough. I look forward to going to your house again, June~!!! Thanks for the invite.

8th February 2009 Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) and meeting Sunny
We met up in KLCC for lunch and MPO
We had our lunch with Zie Wei. Though she didn't order anything...
We met up at Little Penang Cafe.
This was what Pui Yee ordered if I'm not mistaken. XD mind me, it's been like 8 months since I took this photo...
This is what I always order when I go to Little Penang Cafe. It's the red ruby dessert. This is the before shot..
And this is the after shot. Frankly, the previous one looks very much more appealing and stuff but I like to eat it like this. XD
Oh, other than dessert I had the assam laksa as well.. At least I think it's assam laksa... hahaha~! After lunch, Zie Wei left (yea, she only popped by for lunch)
It was quite a long while since I last saw Kuan Win. It was interesting to find out that he was teaching back in the One Academy. We'll catch up when I get back. [grin]
Later that night, I had dinner with Sunny , Sabrina...
Pui Yee and Kimberly back in Midvalley Japanese Restaurant.
This was what I got... Curry Chicken Katsu with rice and pickles.
Well, that and this. Cawamushi (I think that's how it's spelt)... [drools]
The following are food photo spams of what the others ate~!
Food photo spam~!
It doesn't look like a lot but the bowl was pretty deep so yea.. looks can be deceiving. [snicker] Let's hang out some more guys~!

9th January 2009 Mel and Chris
Interestingly enough, the last time I met Mel (yes, this is the 3rd Mel I know) was back in Melbourne (Boxhill stop) when she was going to the Melbourne Japanese Festival as I was leaving the station. Hahaha~! I saw her as she was going down the escalator and I was heading up. The world is a small place sometimes. But yea, we met up with Chris over a drink to catch up.

Later that night, I met up with some more friends.
Oops... this isn't a photo of my friends but a delicious bowl of lemak laksa at Little Penang Cafe. In case you didn't realise by now, I like eating at Little Penang Cafe in KLCC. Hahaha~!
Anyway, Chuan Lo was down in KL for a while from New Zealand~! ^_^ She migrated there with her family. It was nice to meet up with everyone again and it certainly won't be the last, ok girls?

10th February 2009 Cake
I can't really remember how this cake came about BUT if I'm right, it was a cake that mumsie and daddykins brought home from a wedding dinner. It just looked so incredibly colourful and cute that I was playing photography with the cake. This was the best shot and looking at it makes me want to eat cakes now. Hahaha~!

The next post would be the Chap Goh Mei post and that would be the last day of Chinese New Year. ^_^ Uploading these photos more or less took forever using my Internet at home.

Until next time, Cheers~!