the music of the fishing fleet...

taken from the other blog that i contribute to...my recommendations, however much weight they carry... :))

http://unkster.blogspot.com/2005/11/unker-kona-recommends-unkster-muzak.html
http://unkster.blogspot.com/2005/11/unker-kona-recommends-unkster-muzak_28.html
http://unkster.blogspot.com/2005/12/3rd-instalment-unker-kona-recommends.html

more to come...

LMAO!

for those not in the know...it's Laffing My Arse Off! :))

"I can dribble with my left, I can dribble with my right. I am amphibious." -Shaquille O'Neal

came across this quotation yesterday somewhere on the 'net...nearly fell off my chair guffawing... :D

sure thing shaq, you're just one big motha frog eh? hahahahaha....

the fishing fleet, past and present

my current love maxine...4/01 1.6L mazda mx5...such a looker & such an joyous occasion EVERY time i step into her - wind in my hair, instant throttle response, precise steering feedback, shiokness of riding around in a "impractical" car...wonderful...nothing much done so far 'cept rims, style bar, cold air intake, a strut bar & coilover suspension :P planning to keep her till 2011 & i might then just decide to renew the COE & plonk in the mazdaspeed 1.8 turbo plus the corresponding 6SP gearbox and LSD *dreaming*

ah...bella...my renault clio 1.4L from dec 2001...after the thirsty impreza, decided to go for refinement, power and chicness all in this nice little package...she was a heck of a little killer...i blew my wad on her (sounds really kinky hor?), in all slightly more than 10 grand (siao!!!)...engine worked over, exhaust system, suspension, bodykit, rims...yeeeesh...drove superbly, was fuel efficient...only minor problem was a slight lack of leg and head space for the rear passengers....but who's going in the back? :)) and yes this IS her...my one and only one NEW purchase vehicle...

next was a 1994 subaru impreza 1.6L bought end '95...this was the one that intro'd me to the joys of the flat 4 boxer a la porsche 911 (albeit mounted upfront)...sounded fantastic when pushed...went thru a number of horns and driveshafts though and a bit thirsty overall...still, it handled really well (rally tech filtering down from the WRC rex)..once again, car pictured is not actual one...mine was red :D

my very first car...a white mazda astina 323 1.6L bought in 1992, courtesy of the old man (thanks, dad! :D)...previous owner was a doctor hence it was in rather good running order...came with a digital dash which apparently was only produced for that model year....rather cool chickens but under harsh sunlight, couldn't see shit...nice little runabout with a touch of class...tractable engine altho at hi revs, could be a bit drony...note, car pictured is not the actual one...

...dig, shovel, chuck

...after a long day of email ploughing yesterday, there are now 1100 left... *pant pant*

this morning's weather was just soooo nice to sleep...felt really shitty in having to get up to go to work...if only i could snuggle up under the silk comforter for another 2 hours...

it's back to work again...

...after a break of 23 days!!!

and the email avalanche was unbelievable...2500 and counting :S i am sooooo farked...

like dat how to blog??????? :))

oo-er, my aching head...

current state - BLEDDY HUNGOVER!!!! :S

...2 of my closest friends celebrated their birthdays last night...the actual birthdays are next tuesday and some time in early december...however, december boi will be in japan for 3 weeks and hence they decide to combine the celebration...

they bought drinks for the gang (about 12 of us in total) at trader's hotel...cafe piazza...an open air drinking hole...damn it's been a long time since i was at trader's and i was rather surprised that they have done up the hotel somewhat...a lot more classy now...vedy nice :D

after imbibing what seems to be an unholy amount of alcohol (around 15 or 16 jugs of beer plus several shots of flaming lambos, sambuca and other assorted vile liquors), the topic finally turned to our glory days...reminiscing about days gone by seems always to be the case when we are more than a little bit sloshed...days of being wild, willing, horny (wait, i still AM in the case of horny, that is...heehee), drunk.....you ged the picher ;)

over the years these group of friends has kept me going in both good and bad times...we've supported each other thru our low periods and celebrated together in our festive times...man, i love these guys!

however, things have evolved somewhat...of course cannot be stagnant lah...we've matured and mellowed and slowed down in our lifestyle...people get more involved with significant others, their families (at least for those who are married and have kids), become more earnest in their careers...the hot burning flickering flame of camaraderie has slowly changed to a more consistent slow burn of close enduring friendship...we're definitely still there for each other...but we're more occupied with other "distractions" (for want of a better word)...

still, i am glad for these friends...most of the gang have known each other for a minimum of 10 to 12 years already....my oldest buddy and i have known each other since the 1st day of primary one in 1978 (coming to 30 years, man...holy shit!)...such strong lasting friendships just don't come around every day eh???

oo-er....i'm need h2o and lotsa coffee...what the fark am i doing up at this time with a crushing headache..... :S

gotta try to get back to sleep then...

part 9 of the chink photos

3 miscalleneous shots...2 street scenes at XIN TIAN DI district of shanghai where there are many hip and happening restaurants, nightspots and bars...1 of the famous peace hotel right on the bund...

that's about all, folks...at least all which are fit for public consumption....hope you like the pix...

till the next trip to bangkok in jan 2006 :D

part 8 of the chink photos

it was just soooo frickin' hot in hangzhou that i wasn't in that much of a mood to take photographs...fortunately the day was saved for me when sun blazed beautfully orange whilst setting, on the way back from the islets on hangzhou...the camera flew out in a hurry :D

man i lurve sunrise and sunset pix :)) these are only 3 of about 30 that i shot off in all of 5 minutes plus...

part 7 of the chink photos

these four pix were taken during a small daytrip to hangzhou (about 2.5 hours by train from shanghai)...they are of the Xi Hu (Westlake) surrounds....gorgeous scenery, dotted with numerous islets which tourists can visit...the last one is of the Lei Feng Pagoda...

unfortunately during this day, hangzhou experienced a snap hot and humid day...anticipating a cooler climate than shanghai, both the missus and i suffered big time...sweat gushed forth like the niagara falls :)) she eventually resorted to buying a tank top to change out into...i couldn't find any places selling t-shirts as it was pretty much winter wear everywhere...NABEH!!! :(

it would have been soooo much more enjoyable if the weather were nippy and cold...sigh

part 6 of the chink photos

now for some in shanghai...shanghai is the financial "capital" of the PRC and hence its inhabitants are more happening and definitely in general, more well-off...there weren't many sights to see but first and foremost is the skyline of the pudong area dominated by the oriental pearl tower (the 2 ball tower in the 1st two pix above).

it stands at a height of 468m and is the tallest building in shanghai, just shading the jinmao tower which is 15m shorter...we went up to the 2nd ball for a view of the city and the surrounding sights...we could have gone further up to an higher observation deck but that would have cost an extra 40RMB for another 45m up...no real diff...

the 3rd pic was taken from the observation deck on the 2nd ball at slow slow exposure with a small aperture in order to get the smooth flowing lightshow... ;)

part 5 of the chink photos

three pix taken at the summer palace...it was built on the orders of the empress dowager cixi during the Qing era as a refuge for her and her courtiers...to escape the heat and oppression of beijing in high summer...huge place albeit not as big as the forbidden city of course...but still very much a leg-breaker :))

part 4 of the chink photos

one of a church near wangfujing and two of the great wall of china...

did you know that the great wall of china is actually visible from outer space?? if i recall correctly, it's one of only two man made objects which are....quite an amazing thing...6100 km in all stretching across the top middle portion of china from the sea in the east to the mountains of the midwest...having only seen it previously in photographs and on the boobtube, i was rather left gawking like a fish out of water...photos just don't do it justice...

part 3 of the chink photos

boy, and i tot i was adventurous in my eating habits....the above 2 pix were taken at wangfujing street in beijing...a place full of little street stalls selling all sorts of strange stuff to eat...i sure wasn't gonna be tasting the scorpions, bugs and starfish though....gross :S

part 2 of the chink photos

these were taken at 2 seperate acrobatics and martial arts performances....those monks are really something else...bodies of iron...and it was an iron bar that he broke with his head, nothing less *shock*

finally....some pix for public consumption...part 1

from my beijing and shanghai trip, that is...

starting with the forbidden city...i was quite dumbstruck at the size and vastness of the whole place...you really do get a sense of the long history of china here...if i recall correctly, construction was started in 1420....that makes it all of 585 years old...geez...

do i look like the old geezer mao? hahaha....more to come later...

i'm BAACCCCKKKK!!!

...as if anyone cares :))

what a trip....but more about that later....just expressing my happiness and relief to be back in good ole singapore...they say that absence makes the heart grow fonder...in the case of singaporean food, HELL YEAH!!!

sheesh, i miss my ubi 1ton noodles, my eunos BCM and my tiong bahru chwee kuay....tonight!!!!! :D

will write more later....tata!! *wave*