Back from Bali
Thursday, December 30, 2010, 12/30/2010 08:10:00 PM
Hey, i'm back from Bali. That island was truly fascinating! Our accomodation, The Palm Suite Villa was WOW with a personnal swimming pool! 5 days were really not enough, how I hope we could stay there for a few more days. Indeed it was an unforgettable trip with Duke, Trevor, Amberlyn, Faezah, KaiYan, Zelda, WenQiang, Dinesh and not forgetting Wei Cheng for organizing such a mesmerizing trip. Now i'm thinking of having the next trip because the experiences were really haunting me to go for more overseas trip!
This are the events that we did.
Day 1 - After we touched down at the Airport, we took a 12 seater van, our main transport for the next four days to have our lunch before heading to our accomodation called The Palm Suite Villa at Sanuar. Once we got in, we were WOWed by what we saw. A two-storey bunglow like house with a personnal swimming pool and 3 bedrooms with hugh beds greeted us. The staff were also very nice and friendly. We tooked tons of photos and changed in our swimming gear and jumped into the pool that is seducing us. After that, we changed, had our dinner and head down to legian and indulged in Bali nightlife, a Christmas night.
Day 2 - We went to Tanjong Benoa Beach, famed for it's watersports activities. We did Scuba Diving, Flying fish and Donut Ride. Scuba Diving was addictive. Getting so close to the corals and feeding the marine fishes 6-10 metres under water. Flying Fish was relaxing. It is a ride where you lay down on an inflated boat. A rope is attached to the speedboat and once a certain speed is reached, the boat will fly up and you could have a low ariel view of the boundless sea. Donut ride was fast and exciting! You sit on an inflated boat with a rope attached to the speedboat. The speedboat speeds ahead with full force and made turns. You will fly out the inflated boat if you do not hold on tightly. After that, we proceed to a nature made scenery which I really love alot. It is a blowhole at Nusa Dua. How I wish I have the photos with me so that I can share it. But if you would like to know what is a blowhole, go to google images and google it under Bali Blowhole. In my own terms, it is actually a nature made hole of rock formation at the side of the sea, with gallons of seawater gushing into the hole at an incredible speed and directions. It will hit the rock and formed a splashing water fountain. Truly mesmerizing, with the help of the great sun ray. After that, we did some roadside shopping. You have to slash the price more than 60% if you don't want to be "Cai Tau".
Day 3 - Our main destination is to GitGit Waterfall and It was a 2 and a half hour ride from our villa. On our way there, we dropped by a place which introduce visitors to Coffee, one of the famous product in Indonesia. Tried a few drinks including the famous Premium Luwak Coffee and we also got a chance to see the cute Luwak. We also stopped by a roadside stall that sell pork meat. It was really delicious, thanks to the recommendation by our driver. We also had lunch buffet at a restaurant that has a view of mountains and rice fields below it. Then, we reached the GitGit Waterfall. It was HUGE! We got all wet just trying to get near the waterfall to take some nice photos. But it was really worth it for the long journey ride. While on our way back, we bought some strawberries. We had some local mee goreng and fried rice. It was nice and cheap! Only 7000rupiah per packet. Had a great idea on how we are going to spend our night at the Villa. We decided to dip in the pool while watching DVD that we bought and indulge in the sweet strawberries.
Day 4 - Today, we went for White Water Rafting in the morning. Wasn't as thrilling as the one that I had in Perak but it was rather a ride that was long and relaxing, with the nice beautiful scenery of mini waterfall, tall trees and rock formations. Got the chance to dip and swim in the cool river too. After that, we proceed to Kuta Beach to enjoy the breeze. Then we went to the nearby streets and shopping mall to shop. There was one ridiculous experience that I would like to mention. WeiCheng wanted to buy a Bintang towel. We had asked alot of shop and their initial quoting price was around 80000 rupiah. This shop that we went to, his initial quoting price was a ridiculous 250000rupiah! What a vast difference. In the end, we bought it from another shop for the price of 40000 rupiah. (FYI, S$1 = 6850 Rupiah). Flying fireworks are very common in Bali. We bought some of it and went back to our villa to put it. It was our first time cherographing our own fireworks display and it was an experience.
Day 5 - We decided to go for a relaxing massage in the morning. It was truly a "unique" and "unexpected" experience. Hope next time we can go to a proper one instead but still we did get our massage. Rush back to our villa and prepared for our flight to Singapore.
It was truely an unforgettable trip. How I wish we could stay there longer. Of course, this trip is fun because of the amazing companions! Can we go for another trip soon?
Cheers~
*.*"
I like the feeling
Monday, December 20, 2010, 12/20/2010 07:55:00 PM
Another well spent weekend with friends! If every weekend is like this, life would be ridiculous great.
Had a pre christmas celebration with awesome mates at Qi Jun's House. A mini party and gathering. Chilling out and playing through the night with gift exchanges. I got a T-shirt this year, Thanks Kelvin! Reached home at 6am in the morning. Dead tired.
Woke up at noon and got myself prepared. Met up with Kian Aik, Faezah and Denise to MPH bookstore sales held at Singapore EXPO. Got myself 2 books. One of it is "Sellout", it talks about "how three decades of Wall Street greed and government mismanagement destroyed the global financial system." The other book is "The Miracle, The Epic Story Of Asia's Quest For Wealth." It is a book about how some Asia countries economies like South Korea and Singapore able to acheive such high prosperity." Quite cheap at $7 per book. Denise bought an Australian guidebook for me to plan a trip to Australia on the 4th term of 2011. Guess that I must really come up with a plan for it. =D
After that, we went to Coffee bean to chill out for a while before going over to the Mechatronics and Crocs Sales.
When I reached home after that, I followed my family to have vegetarian dinner before proceeding to IKEA and Courts to shop for furniture. I'm excited that my room is going to have a makeover soon! Wonder what it's going to be like. A new sleeping environment and that's going to happen in January!
I still remember vividly when I was in Primary 3, I was crossing the road after finishing my tuition. Than I saw this old lady having difficulty pushing her trolley across the road. The trolley was filled with used boxes. It seems heavy for her small build. At that time, I had learned what is being compassionate and helpful in school. I offered my help to her and bring her stuff to her house which is just opposite the road. In return, she treat me to a lollipop which I declined as I have also learned in school of not anyhow accepting things from strangers. Today, I am glad that I saw this old lady again. She seems as strong as before but with a more prominent hunchback. I bought 2 boxes from her so that I can stuff all my things into it for my room makeover. At the same time, I felt very happy as it seems like I am helping her.
At times, I would think of the sacrifices that my parents made. Like paying for my food, studies and stuff. Giving my the best even when they are struggling financially in the past. But I felt so helpless as I am unable to help them. But I made a promise to myself, to work hard and give them a comfortable life after I join the workforce. Thank you Mummy and Daddy! =D
Bali Bali Bali!
Cheers~
Ricky
Thank you friends =D
Tuesday, December 14, 2010, 12/14/2010 05:36:00 PM
I'm very glad that my exams are over! Had my F2- Management accounting and F3- Financial accounting papers last week. How I prepared for my exams? The day before the main exams, I went back to Temasek Polytechnic and studied from 10am in the morning till 10pm at night. Having short breaks in between for lunch and dinner. Glad that AC gang meet up with me for lunch. I did at least three mock exams paper to make myself more familiar with the type of questions that are going to come out in the exams. Happy that it really helps me alot. Before that I have a lot of uncertainty as it was told that ACCA past exams questions are not released for practice. So the mock exams questions are probably prepared by lecturers who tried their best to remember the exams questions that they have taken and note it down for us to practice.
The next morning, I woke up at 8am and got myself prepared to study again. I tried to stop studying at 12pm as I wanted to make myself relax before taking the exams. Than at 3pm, my exams started.
Hope that all my past effort for the last 6 months will not be wasted. Exam results will be out in Feburary, will be excited for that. Next semester school starts in January again. Same process, same life. But difficulty gonna be a notch higher thus I must work even harder than last semester. And great that for my 2 papers, my colleague is taking it with me. So at least I have someone to ask if I am unfamiliar with the question.
Friday night was out with AC gang again. Went to Simpang Bedok for supper. Didn't realise that their Brownie with vanilla ice cream was really delicious. I will definitely go back there for it again.
Saturday was out with Faezah and Denise to Orchard road to shop around. After that, meet up with the rest of the AC gang at SAF Yatch Club Sembawang, Gallary By The Straits to celebrate Kai Yan's birthday. Price and food are reasonable with a live singing performance and nice seaside atmosphere. It's a very relaxing evening with the companion of the cool sea breeze and great friends. After that, we went to SengKang to chill before heading home.
Sunday was out with Buddies. Caught Next 3 Days with them. A rather slow pace but not a bad plot movie. After that, we head to Teo Heng. It was the worst service that we had met over there. Initially, we booked our room at 7pm. Than I called back again to change it to 8pm as our movie will start late. After that when we reached there at 8pm, they told us that someone has called back to change the time to 1030pm... Maybe some ghost did it. So we decided to go and have our dinner-Ashton first and they gave us a room at 930pm. After dinner is settled and we went back at 930pm, the lady told us to wait till 10pm as she changed our timing and gave us a rather stupid reason like "I scared you guys will not finish your dinner on time so I push back the time for you." Buddies were feeling rather pek chek and start to talk reasons with her. In the end, I think the "boss" saw what happened and gave us a room immediately. It wasn't the service that buddies really care about. It is the honesty of the lady that they want to correct.
So excited that this month is a festive month. Having a festive mood with all those gift exchanges planning and christmas celebration coming up! Not forgetting Bali trip is 11days away!
Glad to have shared my shivers with friends. It makes me feel that there is a channel for me to release it and not being in it alone. Thank you my friends and thank you =D
Cheers~
*.*"
