(Check back tomorrow for the words of this post. Too tired now to think about what to write. But I couldn’t wait to show off pics so here are the pics first haha. as usual, click on pics for slideshow.)

Very much English, Victoria is a quaint capital that is reminiscent of London, somewhat. Be it the architecture, the way the boats are lined on the river, the entire setting of the place illuminates it’s associations with Englishness. With a small population inhabiting the capital of British Columbia, the main attractions are the Parliament Buildings, the Fairmont Empress Hotel, and Butchart Gardens.

(Click on any of the images to view slideshow)

whoopdeedoo! Done with all the term papers and exam papers! Although I only took 5 classes when I usually take 9 or 10 classes at Fudan, it sure drained whatever intellect I have.

Down to 3 days in Vancouver/Canada. It’ll be a mad rush of shopping and exploring whatever I can. 1 day on the snowy mountains of Whistler, 1 day with friends to take care of the friend who got injured in Whistler and is now on crutches, 1 final day for crazy gift shopping and final goodbyes.

Then off to the Land of (lesser) Freedom for more wacky mad rushes, like flying from the West Coast to the East after Christmas to join other wacky people to countdown to 2008 in the Big Apple. Then join the chaotic herd at the airport to fly all the way back to the West on the first day of 2008.

My blog entries should be plentiful for the next 4 weeks.

When I left Singapore for Vancouver (with a 3-day stopover in Taipei), I was on international roaming with Starhub, and chalked up a bill of over S$160. Calls made on my mobile phone from Vancouver to Singapore was about $3/minute. I honestly didn’t make that many calls, but somehow all the short calls added up.

There’s someone I must call frequently, and Pfingo is my saviour from throwing money for idd cards by enabling me to call any number in Singapore for free (valid for 3 months) while skype enables me to save on my mobile phone bill by allowing me to call US and Canada lines for less than $3/month.

Paying nothing to call home is possible.

I’ve booked my one-way ticket out of here, for December 17, to San Diego. Only one month and a week left in this lovely place!

Time! Don’t run so fast!

The moment I stepped onto U.S. soil, I was greeted with the wailing of sirens — police or ambulance, same difference — which sent foreboding signals to my instincts. I took a taxi to avoid the lurking shadows in the streets, but it was another stab in the dark when the taxi driver drove in circles while he was on the phone (there is no rule saying that taxi drivers cannot do so, I asked around afterwards). So this is the States, I thought. Just like what we see on television, almost. Only the mafias and guns were missing. As the taxi went around in circles, we drove past groups of shifty-eyed people huddled together, sucking in their cigarettes and holding a beer bottle wrapped in their other fists. Dubious people roamed around the streets with their hands in their pockets of their hoodies, heads covered with condom-head-lookalike beanies, walking to…? And then there were the presumably homeless, with their signature shabby clothes and disheveled hair, dragging a big bag of their belongings, in search of a warm corner to snuggle in for that night. Who, out of all these people, would I have chosen to ask for directions to my hostel?

After about 3 rounds around the same streets, the taxi driver finally got off the phone, and I decided to get off there and then because the leaping meter on the taxi got the better of me. I managed to find Green Tortoise Hostel, but not after having to walk out of the way of groups of drunks. Only to be faced with more drunks at the hostel. There was a party going on at the hostel and I arrived at the end of it, with plenty of nuts (pun intended) scattered on the floor, possibly by someone who, in his drunken stupor, mistook it for confetti? I had to wait to be checked in because they were changing shifts, and was entertained by a drunk old man blabbering incoherently about Korea (he assumed I was Korean). While waiting I bumped into Singaporean guys on a road trip. The NUS shirt gave one of them away. I was invited to join them since I was a fellow Singaporean but their tight schedule for an itinerary appeared to me worse than my school timetable so I didn’t tag along, which was fortunate, for I wouldn’t have had the adventure I had the next day —

Seattle by day is extremely pleasant in contrast with her night seediness, and I had quite a crazy adventure to match up to the city’s uncanny daytime/nighttime difference. After wandering the streets in downtown and taking shots of the Space Needle on my own, I met a man, who was the source of the adventure that followed. Tall, big (-hearted?), and extremely friendly, our conversation revolved around languages and cultures, and I’ve finally met a Canadian who knows that we speak English in Singapore. He can speak several languages, and does a couple of sentences in Cantonese and Mandarin very accurately. He drove us to the Museum of Flight, where we shared my experience of a lifetime. We took a ride on a biplane with an open cockpit, which provided us with a really cool bird’s eye view of Seattle City and a little beyond. The plane ride blew me away (not literally)! The biplane ride costs $160+, of which I paid $50 haha. It was hard taking pictures though, since the propellers were in front of the plane, so whenever I stuck my head out, the skin on my face would move like jelly.

We left the museum at closing time (5pm) and parted ways, but not before he invited me over to his place, claiming he cooks really well and that he rents out his rooms to students for only ten dollars a night. I managed to turn down his offer with phony enthusiasm, saying excitedly how his offer is such a steal but what a pity I’d already paid for my hostel. Should he really have had a different agenda in his mind the whole time, then the setting sun in Seattle really brings out the Mr Hydes. I don’t exude the Asian exoticness — tall, slim, pretty, elegant?– that most Caucasians are known to look for, so I felt he just wanted to be friends? We received many looks throughout our little excursion together though. You know, the kinda look you give when you see a relatively old White man with a considerably young Asian woman girl?

I went back to my 8-bunk female dorm with my story to tell, but everyone else’s life stories were more interesting. There was an Australian girl who’s an exemplary of a been-there-done-that even though she’s only 22. Australians flood hostels all over the world since they just pack and leave home for months to travel. I made friends who can provide free accommodation in various places (yeah, that’s what friends are for!), and basically learnt so much from these fellow bunkers in the hostel.

So it’s official. I’ve officially stepped into the States, I’ve officially hitch-hiked, officially rode on an open cockpit plane, and officially backpacked! And I’m hungering for more…

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Essential Information (what I did):

Getting there (from Vancouver): Amtrak train

Cost: $43 (Vancouver-Seattle), $37 (Seattle-Vancouver). Could have gotten 15% discount if I had booked 3 days in advance with my ISIC (International Student Identity Card), but this was an impulse trip.

Comments: There is only one trip to and from Seattle, departing for Seattle at 6pm daily from the Pacific Central Station in Vancouver, and departing Seattle for Vancouver at 7.40am daily from the Amtrak station at Kings St in Seattle. The view during the train journey is splendid, because for the most part the train travels along the coast. The train timings at sunset and sunrise are perhaps more than coincidental then. The train ride from Vancouver to Seattle isn’t scenic during winter though because you’ll just be riding into darkness.

Accommodation: Green Tortoise Hostel

Cost: $25/night/bed in an 8-bed dorm

Comments: One of the few hostels available in Seattle. Very clean bathrooms, clean beds (complete with curtains for privacy, or to shade you from light if your roommates switch it on while you’re asleep), cramped dorms, free use of computers, wifi, free screening of films, free breakfasts every morning, free dinners on some days, and plenty of friends to make from all over the world.

Places of Interest:

I don’t believe in this anymore. Just explore. There’s no must-sees or must-dos.

(Click on the image to view slideshow)

I wish there was a course called Travel Studies or something. Travel 101. Introduction to Travel. The Philosophy of Travel. Travel and You: Identifying the Sightseer, the Tourist, and the Traveller. Travel Techniques: A Practical Insight to Travelling in the 21st Century.

I leave behind homework and test preparations to indulge in the cascades of the Rocky Mountains; escape mundane classes to take a hike up the Grouse Grind; and while my classmates grapple with term papers this weekend, I shall be sipping my coffee at Original Starbucks (the first Starbucks!) in Seattle.

With my worn 40L backpack on my excited shoulders, I hesitate, but for 3 seconds, before I turn to close the door, while the sharp-edged, crispy-paged textbooks wait patiently on the floor.

5 - 8 Oct 2007

4 days 3 nights. $249. 55 tourists.

54 ESL (English as Second Language) people and 1 supposed native speaker (me la).

My clique in the trip: 5 Chinese friends (4 from Fudan, 1 from Shanghai Jiaotong University)

My photo-taking partner, ZCJ. We are trying to act like we wanna commit suicide on railway tracks in this pic.

Me, the photographer wannabe. I was happily helping 3 Thai girls take a picture with their Nikon DSLR. Do I look pro or what.

Embracing Lake Louise

Watched others embrace each other with Lake Louise

Presenting Emerald Lake

This is the look of liberation!

Taught my friends to do the jump.

More pics here and at Squareface’s Shots.

*THIS IS NOT A SPONSORED POST*

I’m recommending Pfingo of my own accord.

There’s a certain mobile number I always call when I’m in, but mostly out of, Singapore, so I take into my own hands when it comes to exploring the various means I can call Singapore cheaply, or in this case, ABSOLUTELY FREE!

Albeit for 3 months.

Calls are free, and call quality is excellent (no static, no echoes, no robotic voices).

Special thanks goes out to Ms Fluorescence for telling me about it! So here I am to be the bearer of good news for you guys! Not excluding friends who are currently in Singapore, Pfingo will be your best friend for making calls to/in Singapore. For 3 months after you sign up, you get unlimited incoming and outgoing calls to Singapore lines (both fixed and mobile). You can call from your PC as long as you have a broadband internet connection. If you have a wifi-enabled phone (I wish), you may also do the same as long as you’re connected to the internet. Basically it works like SkypeOut, just that it costs you nothing. Nothing!

Click on the banner at the end of this post to find out more.

Pfingo is a operated by Starhub, and is now offering unbelievable deals with their free 6-month trial.

You can ignore the rest of the digits that talk about subscription rates. Focus on the free trial. 6 months free trial. 3 whole months of unlimited calling to Singapore. Friends in Singapore can call you with your chosen Pfingo number too. Then there’s the $3 credit for you to make other international calls. And the $5 SMS credits. Pfingo is handing you money, so are you going to take it?

As long as I’m online, friends can actually call me on my Pfingo number (Singapore number) using their Singapore phones and get charged local rates while I get the incoming call free, or just give me a missed call so I’ll call you back for free (assuming you have free incoming calls on your phone)!

Launch Specials * New users who register for pfingoTALK or pfingoACTIVE by 31 October 2007 will try the services for FREE for six months. They will also receive S$3 worth of IDD credit and S$5 worth of SMS credit to get started *

On the other hand, to thank the trial users for their support for pfingo, they will enjoy a waiver on the pay-as-you-use subscription fee (S$12 for 12 months), as well as 12-month subscription to the “myGlobal Number: Private” service (they can select either a US, UK or Australia phone number) worth S$18, to continue to test new pfingo services.

During this trial period, you are on our complimentary pfingoTALK PRO
plan in which you will enjoy unlimited free incoming and outgoing
Singapore calls. You can use your free credits given for International
calls(View IDD call rates here)
and SMS. International SMS at S$0.10/SMS and local SMS to Singapore
mobile at promo rate of S$0.03/SMS. You can also purchase additional
IDD and SMS credits from our pfingo Store now.

All trial users have the following options:

Option 1:
If you do not renew, we will automatically convert your pfingoTALK trial account to pfingoTALK BASIC plan. You will enjoy an additional 1 year complimentary pfingoTALK BASIC plan in which you will continue to keep your existing 3-series number for 12 months. All outgoing charges to Singapore numbers will be charged at S$0.01/min. International SMS at S$0.10/SMS and Singapore SMS at promotion rate of S$0.03/SMS valid until 31 Dec 2007. International call (IDD) rate applies. You can purchase additional IDD and SMS credits from our pfingo Store. Your remaining credits at end of trial will be carried forward to your complimentary pfingoTALK BASIC plan.

Option 2:
You can sign up for pfingoTALK PRO plan (refer to Pro plan rates here) from as low as S$8/mth at the end of your trial period to enjoy unlimited free incoming and outgoing Singapore calls. International calls/SMS and Singapore SMS charges applies. Your remaining credits at end of trial will be carried forward to your pfingoTALK PRO plan.

Okay, to be honest, I can get pfingo store vouchers (credits I believe) if I successfully refer people…so you know what to do, yeah? Anyway, even without the referral programme, I’d still highly recommend Pfingo!

I didn’t check out Taipei 101 (apparently the tallest building in Asia) because I don’t like paying to see something. Haha. I’m cheap that way.

I’m trying not to narrate ‘coz I know it’ll get boring, so I hope the extensive pictures will entertain you better.

Accommodation:

After the fear-inciting night at Happy Family Hostel, I knew it was time to move, and move I did. Unpacking and packing led me to Chairman Hotel. For NT$1100 (S$55) a night for a single room (without windows. A window-ed room would cost about NT$100 more), it was sufficient and cosy.

I stayed on a street that was selling plenty of cameras.

The Night Markets:

Shilin Night Market is a confusing grid of eating shops which sell almost the same thing. What’s the competition about? Which tofu is the smelliest?

The Food:

Pot stickers

水饺 (dumplings)

soy bean drink!

花枝 (something similar to squid)

淡水阿给 (VERY NICE). I was very full but couldn’t resist finishing this. Wrapped in beancurd skin, the vermicelli (aka tang hoon) dipped in the special sauce makes you full but yet dig for more.

What youngsters do:

At every mini arcade, youngsters are crazed addicts at the bball machine.

The Hair Salon:

My own TV set to be entertained while my hair gets done.

I permed it a little. Total hairdo (hair wash with incredible massage, cut, style, perm) cost me less than S$50.

Getting Around:

Using the EasyCard gets you cheaper fares than single-journey tickets (although in a very cute form of a token). Tourists are usually inclined to purchase a day ticket, but after some questions asked, I find the EasyCard of the best value. Purchase it for NT$500 (NT$100 deposit, NT$400 value), use it as much or as little as you want on trains and buses, and you can get back whatever value there is left, and even the deposit. The one-day ticket can be purchased at NT$200 but only restricts your unlimited rides on the MRT only.

The amusing:

This got me googling “betel nuts”.

The enlightening:

A Giordano salesgirl wrote me detailed instructions on getting to the places I wanted to check out!

Excursions (to Keelung city and Yehliu Park):

A morning tour in a private car for only NT$900 (S$45) and who should I meet but 2 other Singaporeans in the tour!

Cheng Pin Bookstore (this section is dedicated to CG):

This bookstore is renowned for their opening-and-never-closing hours (24 hours lah)! Although this particular outlet was not the 24/7 one, I found it a very conducive place, complete with a tea cafe on the 2nd level, accessible by wooden staircase.

There were many specialty shop corners though, which I thought was a little inappropriate for serious book lovers, but oh well.

Then GUESS WHAT??!!!

I found an abundance of great NOTEBOOKS!!!!!

And I couldn’t resist buying a few hehe. CG, they pack your purchase in paper bags!

I learnt a slang word in Taiwan! K书 means to be a very avid reader. This derived from 看书…something like 书，一直看看看…so it became K书, and is used widely as a term to either describe a reader, or a provider).

Last glances:

It was my first time on seats located at the front of the screen…our food trays are actually tucked inside our handles, and we can’t place our bags in front of us. And many kids step on our feet while trying to cross over to get to the other bathroom.

Taipei is a city with blue skies and mountains as its backdrop. More importantly, I found Taiwanese to be very friendly and helpful, a stark contrast to mainlanders. A simple direction question posed to strangers on the street led to a Taiwanese whipping out his PDA to locate the place for me, or a Giordano salesgirl writing it down for me. Should the same question be posed to Shanghainese, a curt reply or a wave at the direction will be all you get. Or they’ll tell you to walk some distance ahead, and ask someone else.

Incredibly looooooong queue to check-in to my Vancouver flight. The flight was fully booked (thus very hard to obtain a seat when booking), and they were checking in passengers going to Honolulu too (some passengers were dressed in Hawaii shirts and straw hats haha)

So I queued only after buying a BK lunch so that I could eat while waiting.

I’ll miss the Taiwan meimeis who add an 哦 (in first tone) at the end of every sentence.