Haha! Part Two!

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Along with my 2 Korean friends, I’ve been trying to change my dietary habits with baby steps. Since winter is officially over, I’ve been having a cup of water and then yoghurt to start the day. We also remind each other about chewing more, drinking lots of water throughout the day, and taking fruits. A friend and I have constant constipation, and thus keep reminding each other of this new daily regime we must adhere to.

Since I kept encountering bowel imprisonment problems, I purchased a certain Chinese tea that claims to resolve this issue. Having tried it twice, it merely gave me loose bowels about 4-5 hours after consumption.

These days, after the launch of my new daily regime of drinking yoghurt, lots of water, and eating fruits, I feel somewhat lighter, and my mountainous stomach seems to have a slight resemblence of a hill now.

Perhaps it can be concluded that this regime has helped my body system function better. However, if I meet with constipation and the like again, I just might consider purchasing a product like Dual Action Cleanse. I want that feeling of an unclogged colon, that refreshed, clean, toxin-free body.

Maybe many people, Singaporeans especially (after the Slim 10 incident), are skeptical about popping pills like these, but I guess I’ve started popping pills at a tender age and have become nonchalant to the threat of anything pill-related. These substances actually assist in lowering my cholesterol, and some excess weight too.

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Sorry to keep harping on my impending Hong Kong reunion with Sam, but I’m even more excited after doing a little research this afternoon. I would like to stay in Macau for 1 night, but unfortunately it seems that there is only one budget hotel available for at least 800+HKD per night. So maybe we’ll just make a day trip to Macau, though Macau looks like it needs 2 days (also not enough!) for us to take it all in! Ahhhh

Okay I’m really happy right now because I managed to book TWO free hotel nights at NOVOTEL Century Harbourview!!! I sorta had a little disagreement with my mother before being able to book it, but the crux is, Sam and I will be staying in a 4-star hotel after (hopefully) picturesque views of the fireworks on Labour Day (and the day after!)!!! *does the oh yeah dance* 3 cheers to my Mom’s Accor Card!

So I’ll be able to save 2 nights’ accommodation (even if I have to pay service tax for Novotel) at the hostel, which a friend kindly pointed out to have the possibility of rats.

Ah! So many things to look forward to (not the rats) in this Hong Kong trip! The extreme sports (free fall!) in Macau, the whole different architecture in Macau, the Portuguese egg tarts, the casino, the racecourse track in Hong Kong, Disneyland, Ocean Park, Cultural Center, the University, the food, the shopping, the view, the people, etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc……

The reunion plan is now concrete. I’ve booked our accommodation as well as both of our air tickets. Here’s a breakdown of our itinerary:

(Sam) Singapore - HK (return) by Jetstar: 333SGD

Expected arrival time in HK International Airport on 28 Apr: 7.25pm

Expected arrival time in Sheung Shui for reunion hug: 9pm

(Squareface) Shanghai - Shenzhen (return) by South China Airlines: 1660RMB (half-price with free insurance)

Expected arrival time in Shenzhen International Airport on 28 Apr: 7pm

(Squareface) Shenzhen - Hong Kong by K568 & Squareface’s legs (2-way): 40RMB

Expected arrival time in Hong Kong Sheung Shui MTR station for reunion hug: 9pm

(Sam & Squareface) Accommodation at Joy’s Guesthouse (5 nights): 975HKD

Therefore, total cost for both our transportation and accomodation (not inclusive of events during the 5 days) = approx. 4340RMB, or approx. 868SGD

In 2 weeks’ time, I hope to be safely in her arms, viewing the neon lights of the cityscape in Hong Kong; gambling with our money in Macau; and reliving childhood and teenagehood, but mostly releasing the fun-indulging natures in us in Ocean Park and Disneyland.

I’ve booked Sam’s ticket with jetstarasia already, and her flight has been confirmed. I’m still searching for the best bargain I can get for a return ticket from Shanghai to Shenzhen. I’m not satisfied with Ctrip’s price, and think I can bargain with agencies to get a better deal. Our accommodation is also pending, but we’ll most likely be staying at Joy’s Guesthouse (at Sham Shui Po) for 195RMB per night, double bed, ensuite bathroom. It’s the cheapest I could find that was available during this peak season, and I cross my fingers that it’s a decent place. Last year we stayed at a rather sleazy place in Mongkok for 800HKD (3 nights). I recall that some rooms had mirrors on the wall by the side of the bed (which was against the wall), which I presume to be for voyeuristic pleasure for the occupants. We chose a room without the weird location of mirrors, but the “concierge” had to enter our room at least once every night to hang the laundry (our room was the only one with a window). He still remembers us when Sam called him (I guess he never had to rent out a room to 2 women), but he’s working as some matchmaker now, so we can’t bargain for a room there anymore. Anyhow, that place would cost more than Joy’s Guesthouse.

Since flying to Hong Kong directly means I have to incur the cost of an international flight, I’ll be taking a domestic flight from Shanghai to Shenzhen instead, and then a one-hour bus ride from Shenzhen airport to the border of Shenzhen and Hong Kong. After trying it last year, it really does remind me of the Singapore-Johor causeway. Simply take the bus K568 from Shenzhen airport to Shenzhen Railway station, and then walk to the customs area to enter Hong Kong. After getting past customs, you will enter Lo Wu MTR station, so you can just take the MTR after that. I highly recommend this route to get to Hong Kong from Mainland China. Although you gotta have some time to spare since the journey is longer, and allowance must be given for the clearance at the customs area (it took me about an hour to clear customs last year). Cost is reduced a great deal this way.

I think it’s a great way to have a holiday, our meeting somewhere half the miles between us. Although actually the initial reason for choosing Hong Kong to meet impulsively last year was due to Sam’s requirement to have a visa to enter mainland China. You see, she holds a Malaysian passport, which allows her to enter Hong Kong and Macau SAR, but not Mainland China.

During the 5 days, I hope to be able to explore Macau, Ocean Park, Disneyland, Relics/Museums/Concerts, Pubs, and the university. Any other suggestions?

I still recall the very first lesson about 3 weeks back, some young dude made a speech in front of the class by reading out from a piece of paper (that was quivering), saying something about the rules in the classroom; not to fret if we encounter difficulties in learning a new language; and that the school wishes us all the best in the endeavour. Apparently he is in charge of our classroom, though he looked around 17.

Since that day, I have been spending my weekends in that little classroom (except last weekend since I went Huang Shan) from 2.30 - 8pm. Sometimes all the new vocabulary and different verb usages drives me crazy in those four walls, but I’m glad the teachers are patient and don’t get violent with the microphone whenever I screw up some sentence. The room does feel a tad like a pressure cooker, and we’re expected to sprout the tiresome ach-sounds, air-gargling sounds, and differentiate ich from ish, ö (I can’t even spell the pronunciation for this, but it’s between “o” and “yu”) from ü (”yu”), within the 9 hours we share together every week.

If I ever think about skipping classes due to pure sloth, I will be motivated by the determination of a classmate. He is schooling in Nanjing right now, and makes a 2 hour plus train ride every weekend JUST TO ATTEND GERMAN CLASS. I’m attending Beginners’ Class I whilst he’s attending both Beginners’ Class II in the mornings of weekends (8.30am - 2pm), and Beginners’ Class I in the afternoon. He’s hoping to accumulate enough class hours by the end of this year or beginning of next year to qualify for TestDAF application. In order to apply for TestDAF, one must fulfil 900 class hours. To get the class hours, one has to attend such classes, and PASS THE MID AND FINAL EXAMS. Anyway, I admire his tenacity, and push myself to take the 15 minute bus ride every weekend, instead of lazing around in front of my laptop. Prisonbreak can wait.

Although picking up a foreign language can be mind-boggling (see tongue- and mouth-twisters above), the interestingness of it keeps me going. Did you know a person from Hamburg is called a Hamburger?

I have plans to head to Hong Kong to meet Sam this May holidays.

My plans cannot be concrete until I can book a cheap place to stay for 5 nights. I’ll be reaching Hong Kong on the evening of 28 April, and leaving on the evening of 3 May. Does anyone have any cheap accommodation to recommend?

I’ve been looking at the various hostels in Hong Kong/Kowloon/Causeway Bay but the prices are not affordable to me. Most are over 300HKD, and I’m looking for a double room with a bathroom en suite below 200HKD.

I’ve browsed hostelworld, hostelbookers, and all sorts of travel sites, backpackers’ sites, but it seems like I have not much of a choice for cheap accommodation, unless we bunk in a 12-bed dormitory. Accommodation is not cheap in Hong Kong.

I must remember that Hong Kong is a totally different version of China. If Chinese at all. I cannot expect to get a luxurious hotel room at less than 150RMB. Hostel rooms are already more than 300HKD. Argh.

Yes! Another aspiration of Squareface, eh? Haha… People say I behave like the rag and bone man…
I’ve been resisting the urge to throw my empty plastic bottles away in order to collect some money from them. I’ve been keeping the bottles I use (I haven’t gone to the extent of collecting from others) for the past 2 weeks or so…and here’s my collection:

I collected 2.50yuan for the above! When I buy a bottle of water these days, I start to think that I’m spending 15 cents lesser due to the “rebate”.

The word is out in China: Speak better English

April 11, 2007 BEIJING (AP) — Along with spitting, run-down housing and bad manners, add unintelligible English to the list of things organizers of the 2008 Beijing Olympics want to ban.

Municipal officials promised on Wednesday to crack down on awkward, Chinese-inflected English, known as “Chinglish,” and asked the public to help police bad grammar and faulty syntax.

With 500,000 foreigners expected for the Olympics, taxi drivers who can’t speak English — or signs that mangle the language — could be an embarrassment and distract from the $40 billion being poured into rebuilding the city for the games.

Throughout the city, examples abound.

A store selling tobacco products advertises: “An Excellent Winding Smoke.”

On the floor at Beijing’s Capital Airport, a sign reads: “Careful Landslip Attention Security.”

On a billboard, this mysterious message: “Shangri-La is in you mind, but your Buffalo is not.”

In an elevator, parents are warned: “Please lead your child to tare the life.”

Liu Yang, who heads the “Beijing Speaks Foreign Languages Program” for the city government, said 6,500 “standardized” English-language signs were put up last year on Beijing roads. But he acknowledged private businesses were not following the rules, which were handed to reporters — a stack of glossy documents weighing 2 pounds.

“We will pass the message on to authorities in the advertising sector,” Liu said. “If English translation is needed it must be subject to the standards set forth in the regulations.”

Liu said a language hotline may be set up for the games to encourage the public to report nonsense English. China’s diplomatic missions abroad are assisting, Liu said, “and our people working in foreign companies are helping with correct usage.”

“In the future when we set up new signs in public places in English, we hope all these standards will be followed to avoid more additional mistakes.”

Liu said Beijing taxi drivers must pass an English test to keep their licenses. But he acknowledged most speak only Chinese, and many are skipping language classes.

“The taxi training courses are not working effectively, and there is a problem of taxi drivers missing classes,” he said. “Taxi drivers need to get their licenses renewed every year, and an English test is now part of that that exam. But the exam is not so difficult.”

“Some taxi drivers do speak some English, and that’s a big change from the past,” Liu added. “But the overall level still needs to improve. Some taxi drivers speak no English; they understand no English.”

Despite the problems, Liu said one-third of Beijing’s 15 million residents speak some English, a claim that was challenged by a local reporter from China’s state-run CCTV.

“I think 5 million is a big number,” the reporter told Liu.

Liu stood by the figure, but conceded the vast majority of the English speakers fell into a category he labeled “low level.”

“They can have very simply conversations, like: `Who am I? Where am I going?”‘

I think they should have started this English learning campaign earlier. Now is a little late? Okay, better late than never I guess. After Beijing successfully implements it, I hope it’ll be a nationwide activity, especially the part about the signs and menus. Anyway, here’s some of my own personal collection of pictures to illustrate their point: