2015 – A year of transition & new experiences

The seconds continue to tick by as we approach the end of 2015. Time is a constant unit yet the past year has flew by in such a blur that seemed to defy the laws of physics! As I look back at the events that have shaped my 2015, I couldn’t be happier with how things have unfolded. It has been a year of transition and full of new experiences.

The year kicked off with me finally rejoining civilian life after ORDing from Army. Contrary to many, I actually miss camp life! The simplistic lifestyle of moving out for missions, sharing a laugh with my brothers and all those late night suppers. I miss these tiny aspects of my NS life that I may have taken for granted when I was still with the force.

16th Mono Alpha Coy

Looking back at the two years in Army, I have made numerous silly mistakes. Rash and hot tempered, I wasn’t easy to get along with. Thank you my Guardsmen brothers for accommodating me! Yes I am looking forward to reservist! See you faggots soon J

Bored with nothing to do after finishing my national service, I decided to take up a part-time job. It was the first time I had taken up a job or worked! I worked as Customer Service Operator/Telemarketer and experienced first-hand the nasty side of customer service. Rude, unreasonable, over-demanding customers drive you crazy and leave you frustrated and exhausted at the end of the day. After working such a job, I made it a point to always hear out whatever the person has to say over the phone because getting your call slammed down leaves an unpleasant bitter aftertaste!

By June, I had left my job and dedicated the rest of my holidays to joining NUS’s freshmen orientation camps. Perhaps the most memorable of all the orientation projects, RAG (stands for receive & give, a performance incorporating dance and background structures) gave me the opportunity to experience the business school spirit and instilled a sense of faculty pride in me. Though the camp was a crazy 1 month long filled with sleepless nights, I made some awesome friends and had tons of fun!

Tutukueh My B'RAG Family!

It was such a good experience that it motivated me to join the organizing committee for next year’s RAG even though most shy away due to the heavy summer commitments. I want my juniors to enjoy such a wonderful experience because I have benefited from my senior’s sacrifices.

School begun in August and the next 4 months went by in the blink of an eye. From trying to get my rusty mind working again to cramming for finals, uni life so far has been fast-paced and busy. Even though I don’t stay Hall, my time seems to just fly by. Assignments, projects and presentations, exams, sometimes you struggle to catch your breath. Well if uni was that easy, why bother to attend in the first place huh?! With all that freedom bestowed upon you in uni, it can sometimes be tempting to just slack off. I guess at the end of the day, its all down to personal discipline and work life balance.

But the most fulfilling event of 2015 was that I managed to go on 4 trips this calendar year! Bangkok & Perth with my family, Sydney & Hong Kong with my friends, I really could not ask for more! (well technically I went to Johor with my whole extended family too) My strong urge/passion to travel the world and capture the most stunning photographs has been fulfilled to a certain extent HAHAHHAHA! So looking forward to 2016! Where will my travel diary take me?! J

Just for fun! My top 9 Insta posts of 2015!

Thanks again to everyone that made my 2015 such an awesome year! Happy New Year readers! Cheers to a great year ahead and please continue supporting me!!!

My Summer Paradise – Rottnest Island

Pinky Beach, Rottnest Island

“The Simple Pleasures in Life”, Rottnest Island certainly lives up to its tag-line. Spend your day lazing around on its pristine beaches or exploring the island’s many nature wonders, Rottnest Island is the perfect destination for a family outing and a day of fun! The 19km square island situated off the west coast of Perth, boast some 63 beaches and 20 coves. The island is also rich in fauna & flora and is home to the happiest creature on earth: The Quokka! With a wide range of activities to choose from including snorkeling, wildlife bird watching and cycling, Rottnest certainly caters to all sort of visitors with differing interests.

The sporty Rottnest Express!

The only way to get to Rottnest Island would be to take the Rottnest Express (Unless you sail there yourself!). The speedboat sets off from the ports of Fremantle and it takes roughly 30 mins to reach Rottnest. A 2 way ticket cost AUS $79 but other bundles are also available. For an additional $20, you can rent a bicycle for the day. Having a bike is especially convenient since cycling is the easiest way to travel around and explore the island. Yes you can hop on to the buses that service the island but waiting time between buses can be as long as 40 minutes. You can also stay the night on Rottnest Island but be sure to book your accommodation in advance because the lodges are always packed and the waiting list is long!

Layout of Rottnest

So much to do and explore but I only have less than 12 hours there, WHERE SHOULD I GO?! I highly recommend visiting Pinky Beach and The Basin situated at the Northern Tip of the island and is within walking distance from the main settlement.

Soft silky marble white sand & clear blue turquoise seas, what more can you ask for?! This is my summer paradise! I think I can stay here forever and watch the waves crash. The water is crystal clear and chilling cool, perfect for snorkeling (though I didn’t try). You can rent snorkeling gear on the island. So if you are a seaside, beach person, be sure to add this travel destination to your bucket list!

Oh yes, before I forget, let me talk about the Quokkas!!!!! Cute little furry rat like animals that roam the island, these tame creatures have been voted as happiest creatures on earth. Why so?! Well that’s because they often flash a goofy smile for the camera! Known for their friendliness, the Quokkas are more than happy to take selfies with you J

What a sweet face you have! Awww!

With a population of roughly 18,000, the Quokkas inhabit every corner of the island and can pop up anywhere. Don’t be surprised if you spot one or two under your seat at a café cause these little fellas love to munch the crumbs left behind by diners! Tempting as it may be, try not to feed them as much as possible (they might suffer from serious indigestion if they food is unsuitable for their stomachs). Yup I wish that I could bring one home as souvenir! TOO CUTE!

When it was time to board the last ferry and head back to the mainland, I was a little reluctant to go. Time seems to slow down on this island. The beautiful open landscape and laid-back lifestyle was a welcoming contrast to the cramped up hectic urban lifestyle of Singapore. Rottnest is somewhere you can go to take a good break and rejuvenate your soul! Looking forward to visiting this place again!

Christmas Wonderland - Gardens By The Bay

The Spalliera & Supertrees

So what is the most in thing/popular place to visit this December in Singapore? That would be a trip to Christmas Wonderland at the famed Gardens by the Bay. Decorations specially set up to bring the Christmas festive spirit to our garden city, Christmas Wonderland did a decent job in bringing some excitement for both locals and tourists. It was pretty packed and crowded when I went but hey that was to be expected since its Christmas Eve after all!!!

Interior of the Spalliera with the Cassa Armonica in rhe middle

At the center piece of all the decorations is the Spalliera. The majestic 20.5m high and 24m wide Luminarie structure is fitted with thousands of LEDs and is easily the prettiest structure in the whole garden. Housed within the Spalliera is the Cassa Armonica, a beautiful white pavilion where the choir stands and sing Christmas carols. Surrounded by the towering Supertrees (which my friend calls purple things HAHAHA), this place is an ideal location for capturing some brilliant photographs!

At certain specific scheduled timings, there will be light-show performances where the landscape changes in colour and pulse to the music being played. Indeed a quite a sight to behold!

Kinda like a scene out of the movie: Avatar!

Though Christmas Wonderland has plenty of others attractions including the Ice Palace where you can go ice skating or have some fun at the Carnival being held, I felt a little disappointed with what was on display. I expected more from the lights and decorations amid all the hype online regarding this attraction. Thankfully the awesome company I was with made up for what was lacking and I dearly enjoyed myself! ^.^ Even with all of that said, Christmas Wonderland which opens till 3^rd Jan 2016, may still be worth a visit for Singaporeans seeking for somewhere new to explore! And ITS FREE TOO so why not?!

Hohoho Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! May you readers have a blessed festive season!!! 

Breakfast Adventures in Perth

Pixel Coffee Brewers

A tiny crowded cafe located along Oxford Street, you are hit by the strong aroma of coffee before entering the store. The cafe is tastefully furnished and decorated with lush vegetation and flowers. The walls are layered with light blue/turquoise green tiles and the cutlery used also comes in the same matching colour. This is definitely an artsy cafe that you cafe lovers will fall in love with! 

Love the colour of the tea cup! The mocha was also fantastic!

For breakfast/brunch, I highly recommend the Sweet French Toast! Sourdough (bread made by the fermentation of dough using naturally-occurring lactobacilli and yeast) toasted to perfection and drizzled with honey syrup, served with half a banana, thick slices of juicy bacon and homemade strawberry wiped cream.

The pomegranate look like red rubies!

Served on a china porcelain plate, this dish is simply beautiful! The dish is not just easy on eye but also fun to eat! Play around with the dish by mix and matching the ingredients. Savor the natural sweetness of the banana by having it together with the toast. Mix it up by having the toast with bacon which gives it a salty flavour and a crispy texture. And when the bacon becomes too overwhelming, spread some wiped cream on the toast that gives it a refreshing taste accompanied by the mild sweetness of strawberries (T think they added mint to the cream). I really enjoyed myself as I repeated the process a few times. 

Though you might baulk at the price of AUS $21, the serving is huge and enough for two. For that price, you are technically paying for the ambiance and arrangement of the food which I believe is worth the $$$. With dishes resembling works of art, this breakfast avenue is special in its own way and worth a visit!

Pixel Coffee Brewers

2/226 Oxford St, Leederville WA, Australia

Toastface Grillah

Pretty damn funky huh?!

If you are unaware of this cafe's existence, chances are that you will never see its storefront. Even with the help of google maps, I had difficulty locating this breakfast joint. A funky cafe located in the back alleys of Barrack Street where the walls are covered in colourful graffiti and streets littered with cigarette butts, this place serves up some of the best cheese sandwiches one can get their hands on in Perth! Toastface serves up a variety of grilled cheese sandwiches that range from the Basic Classic (containing only cheddar cheese) to more exotic choices like The King (contains banana slices, bread spread with peanut butter, brie & maple syrup). I went for the Ol’ Faithful (ham & cheese).

Are you drooling yet?

Wholegrain bread is toasted to a golden brown state and sprinkled with pepper. Melted cheese practically oozes out from the sides of the sandwich. The saltiness of the ham enhances the flavour but what makes the sandwich really delicious is the use of mustard. A thin layer of mustard is spread on the slices of bread which gives the sandwich a subtle sweet taste. You might be surprised at how well the flavours of saltiness and sweetness go together!

The sandwiches certainly did not betray the good online ratings given by past customers and are indeed finger linking good. With the sandwiches priced between AUS $5 to $10, this sandwich joint is definitely a must try!

Toastface Grillah

Wellington St & Barrack street, Perth WA 6000, Australia

The Hidden Gem of Hong Kong - Lantau Peak Trail

Love trekking/hiking or nature sightseeing? Then I have the perfect recommendation for you! I strongly urge you to try out the Lantau Peak Trail. The trail is preserved properly and almost deserted except for the occasional hiker. With majestic views, this is THE LOCATION for a photo shoot to capture your next model perfect social media profile display picture!

Here is a topo map of the trail, highlighted in red dots

The trail begins Pak Kung Au on Lantau Island and ends at Ngong Ping. You can reach Pak Kung Au via bus 3, 3M, 11 or 23 leaving from Tung Chung MTR station. The hike was pretty challenging and no walk in the park. With the trail rising to 984 meters above sea level, we took 7 hours to complete the hike (but we stopped many times to take pictures and for picnics). If you walk at a brisk pace, you should be able to complete it within 3 hours. Be sure to wear sufficient clothing if you are planning to go there during winter as it can be pretty chilly and windy up there.

Start of the trail

To be honest, I was blown away by the scenery. At one point, I no longer believed that I was still in Hong Kong. The mountains and vegetation resembled those of New Zealand and Middle Earth where The Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit were filmed at.

Group photo and happy faces before the fatigue set in

Mist started to set in around sea level 700+ meters. We are kinda like the hobbits scaling Mt Doom

Yup the girls doing what they do best: acting cute

WE CAME, WE CLIMBED & WE CONQUERED! Ignore my makeshift hoody but it was totally misty at the top and we couldn’t see anything further than 15 meters in front of us. Such a disappointment but only when you have regrets and unaccomplished tasks, will you make a second visit!

This trail was such a gem find that I recommend visitors that are seeking a challenge to give it a go! It  will also help to burn some calories gained from all that eating in the city. Believe me, the view is definitely worth the aching and soreness in your legs!

So where to have breakfast in Hong Kong?

Breakfast, often known as the most important meal of the day. You need a hearty breakfast to kick-start your day that’s for sure! Today, I will be sharing about cha chaan tengs in Hong Kong that serves some of the best HK style breakfast. These eateries are often very crowded as both locals and tourist flock there every morning to enjoy the best breakfast the city has to offer. Visitors do take note that waiters and eatery staff are often impatient, rude and have little time entertain queries as they buzz around the store to serve the morning crowd so do browse through the menu while queuing outside so you can order immediately once you get a seat. With that little setback out of the way, let us start on my recommended list!

Australian Dairy Company

Situated a short distance away from Jordan MTR, this breakfast joint really does serve some to-die for scrambled eggs! The eatery is well-known for its scrambled eggs & steamed egg pudding with milk is a must try for all travellers out there. Daily breakfast sets offering toast, scrambled eggs, milk/coffee/milk-tea and a serving of macaroni are the most popular. You can add on a serving milk pudding at HKD$25. Set prices range from HKD$26- HKD$34.

The scrambled eggs certainly didn’t disappoint us. The eggs were soft and fluffy. Every mouthful left a strong buttery after taste. My favourite way of savoring the eggs were to put them between two slices of lightly toasted bread. Are you perhaps drooling right now from just imagining the eggs? My friend ordered the almond egg pudding. Texture of the pudding was smooth and silky. The rich blend of almond and eggs gave rise to a unique taste. I am not a really big fan of almonds so I didn’t really like it so much.

Overall, this was one of the most satisfying meals I had on the trip so do drop by for all those egg lovers out there!

Australian Dairy Company

47 Parkes Street, Hong Kong

Accessible from: Jordan MTR

Kam Wah Cafe

Pastries, pastries, pastries. Hong Kong, a city famed for its Egg Tarts & Bo Lo Baos (波萝包). For this entry, I will be sharing where to find some of the best Bo Lo Baos the city has to offer. A 5 minute walk away from Prince Edward MTR station, this Cha Chaan Teng serves some delicious piping hot Bo Lo Baos! Some of you may be wondering what are Bo Lo Baos, also commonly known as pineapple buns. Do not be mistaken, the buns do not contain any pineapple!

The soft fluffy buns have a sweet crispy crusted top. The thick slice of butter inserted inside the bun melts from the heat of the bun which enhances its flavour. The Bo Lo Baos are priced at HKD $9 each. The buns also come in a variety of combinations, with Cha Shiu filling or a pork cullet inserted within the bun. The outlet is also famous for its Eggs Tarts so do give them a try!

Kam Wah’s Cafe

47 Brute Street, Prince Edward

Accessible from: Price Edward MTR

Lan Fong Yuen

Lan Fong Yuen, one of the oldest traditional Cha Chaan Tengs in HK. It started operating in 1952 and rumour has it that beverages such as Yuen Yang (a combination of condensed milk, tea and coffee) and Stocking Milk Tea originated from this eatery. The store is famed for its award winning pork chop buns and condensed milk butter buns. They have two outlets, one situated near Central (Main) and the other near Tsim Sha Tsui (Branch). Sadly due to time constraints, we only managed to visit the one at Tsim Sha Tsui.

In my honest opinion, the food was pretty average. The pork chop bun tasted like any hamburger I ever had but the condensed milk butter buns were surprisingly good. Crispy and sweet, the bun definitely satisfies your sweet tooth! Lan Fong Yuen (Main) is still worth visiting for its ambiance. The rustic beautiful storefront gives diners a feel of nostalgia, as if we all have time travelled back in time to the 1950s. It is an experience not to be missed!

Lan Fong Yuen

No.2 Cage Street, Central (Main) or Shop 26, LG, Chung King Mansion, 36-4 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui (Branch)

Accessible from: Central MTR (Main), Tsim Sha Tsui (Branch)

Hong Kong - Kam's Roast Goose

Hong Kong, the city that never sleeps. With thousands of restaurants, food vendors to choose from, tourist are spoilt for choice in terms of food selection. The city satisfy cravings for all different types of cuisines and delicacies. However with so many restaurants to choose from, tourist often have difficulty finding out which stores serve the best of each dish.

For a tourist heading for HK, a must try local delicacy is the Roasted Goose, 烧鹅. The most popular restaurants that specialize in Roasted Goose are Yung Kee, Kam's and finally Sham Tseng Chan Kee. I highly recommend Kam's Roasted Goose. The popular restaurant has earned its 1 star Michelin Star and is situated conveniently near Wan Chai MTR station. The restaurant is relatively small and sits only 50 diners at once so be sure to arrive early before peak hour meal times as long queues are guaranteed.

The Roasted Goose meat is juicy and tastes heavenly. With the right amount of fat, it melts in the mouth. If you find it too oily, try dipping the meat with the restaurant's homemade plum sauce which gives the dish a refreshing taste. Half a goose priced at HKD $225. Trust me, this dish is definitely worth the price.

We also ordered a portion of Cha Siu and Suckling Pig. Though the Cha Siu was pretty average, the Suckling Pig proved to be surprisingly good. The crispy skin makes the dish addictive and the whole plate was finished quickly. Do also try out the Kinsen Noodles which has a flavorful taste. 

I highly recommend this store and the dishes are great value for money so if you are heading for HK, do head down and give it a try!

Kam's Roasted Goose

226 Hennessy Road

Tel: +852 2520 1110

Accessible from: Wan Chai MTR station

My first post!

HI GUYS! THIS IS MY FIRST EVER BLOG POST! 

Just wanted to try something new so I decided to set up a blog :) Yup the main feature of my blog is the world map. 56 cities, 9 countries visited and counting! 

The red and blue markers represent the cities visited and next on my itinerary respectively. Do play around with the map to see the cities I have been to. Hopefully I can tour Europe soon. Can't wait to visit Old Trafford, The Theatre of Dreams and watch Manchester United play live.

Yup I will be flying off to Hong Kong tonight so stay tuned for more updates regarding the best places to visit! Here is a shot of HK's city skyline. Do follow my travels on Instagram too! Happy holidays to all!!!