puzzled at why the Taiwan 'chemically contaminated' food incident wasn't reported in sg media until earlier on.. at least i don't see them in the conventional media.. it has been a week and some of the food items are being exported out of Taiwan and hence should be a concern to us & seems like right now it's becoming from bad to worse... even Brands is affected over in TW!! i hope the Taiwanese brand bubble tea is safe for consumption...
at e same time also surprised to hear from the news that Germany becomes the first country to announce a total abandonment of using nuclear power stations by 2022. is it too much of a knee jerk reaction?? cuz my personal belief is that alternative source of energy is still at infant stage and no one can tell for sure when it can become a reliable + efficient source to produce electricity..
then happy that Barca meets Man U in Champions League final! seems like the Prima Liga champion is better than the BPL champion.. hee tho not surprising, cuz Spain is the current World Cup + Euro Cup holder and a significant number of them comes from Barca which helps to explain their strength.. & what Barca did to lead to such success can also be a learning lesson for Singapore. Don't rely too much on the so called Foreign Talent!!
finally sian 1/2 tt Vettel is winning F1 race again... can someone, anyone stop him from his winning streak?? Hamilton, must jiayou k??
looking at e local side, Mr Khaw seems to be doing well in his job as MND Minister.. did address the concerns of the people well for now 不愧是新官上任三把火 拭目以待
don't say i biased cuz Mr Khaw is my MP.. giving credit the new Health Minister too. in his setting of agenda, not bad too.. tho i dunno if its just a follow up left by Mr Khaw, esp on the long term care side..
& also the Edu Minister.. he actually sent a personal email to the teachers asking for feedbacks/thoughts etc good attitude!
on personal matters...
was reading through the promotion brochures at the various shopping centres to find e best deal to do my hair but sadly they aren't as good as last year.. & from what i've seen so far, the discount that individual shops dish out is just okay.. nothing very enticing except for one category - skincare just spent a fair bit on skincare pdts (again!!) i purposely didn't buy in HK cuz i know my inventory is not depleting but end up e apparent pent up desire sees me stocking more items in sg.. haiz.. so right now skincare pdts is my official soft spot.. i shdn't spent a single cent more on this category for at least the next one year...
& looks like right now i got wedding invites phobia feel quite blue whenever i received one.. it's not that i don't feel happy for them, it's just... a mixture of feeling sad that i'm no longer young (aka early 20s) & uncertainty over what lies in front of me.. maybe i ought to be more positive.. afterall i do have my Dear now =) despite the hiccups, our feelings are still going strong hope things will be great when i go visit him ^^
Food stalls folding up and new stalls replacing them as well as some empty stalls in food centres is such a common sight that people usu don't beat a eyelash over it.. afterall, it is all part of doing business right? either u make money & survive or you lose money & u have to close down..
hence i didn't slow down and ponder abt the 'why/how come' bit when i saw some empty stalls at Amoy Food Centre. However i do notice that there are more empty stalls over the past 2 months or so.. & looks like they have been staying vacant for months!!
just when i thought it is probably an isolated incident, i saw that the equally well known Golden Shoe has perhaps even more vacant stalls than Amoy!!
something is quite amiss here...
Raffles Place lunch crowd is so crowded that it is the birthplace of the tissue paper culture surely the pie is big enough to go around but based on what i see, selling food in CBD isn't profitable anymore?? is it due to the high cost of rental? or high cost of food? can it be the quality of food that's the culprit??
now i wonder if i will meet with similar sightings if i go to other food centres in the Raffles Place/Tanjong Pagar area
didn't even realise that i'm having a fever.. super best.. no wonder i felt so drowsy and weak today..
& while on my way home, excited to see lots of SALES sign going around.. or perhaps i shd put a brake.. realli had enough items, except shoes and bags to replace the spoilt ones...
The iceland volcano is giving trouble again... let's hope it wont be as bad as last year..
& e issue of ministerial pay review has attracted more criticism than i expected.. the common ones i saw are like its just for show, e committee wont dare to cut pay by more than 50%, the committee members are not impartial enough etc..
perhaps i belong to the more optimistic kind and think that since PM has the sincerity to do so, we the citizens should perhaps be less harsh and leave our comments till the committee announce their recommendations? & i do hope that e public will be widely consulted during the review and after the recommendations
tho i must agree with one of the views that it shdn't be the end and shd instead be a start to a more consultative style, showing that e gahmen do indeed care to listen to its ppl.. & that there will be more pressing issues to tackle afterwards hence e gahmen shdn't lost sight in e process
When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary; When troubles come and my heart burdened be; Then, I am still and wait here in the silence, Until you come and sit awhile with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains; You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas; I am strong, when I am on your shoulders; You raise me up... To more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains; You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas; I am strong, when I am on your shoulders; You raise me up... To more than I can be.
There is no life - no life without its hunger; Each restless heart beats so imperfectly; But when you come and I am filled with wonder, Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains; You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas; I am strong, when I am on your shoulders; You raise me up... To more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains; You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas; I am strong, when I am on your shoulders; You raise me up... To more than I can be.
didn't expect LHL to announce the new cabinet so fast.. & with several surprises too!!
& 2 newly elect MPs are promoted to Ministers straight!!! & its Education somemore... hmmm...
i shall keep a lookout for any future policies.. personally dun realli like the current (or shd i say, previous) one cuz i dun think he really knows Edu well enough & say wrong things somemore..
& perhaps i shd see if healthcare cost is going to rocket afterwards as the new minister previous portfolio is MOM...
jialat, realise i took too mani photos in HK until i veri lazy to choose e better ones to upload...
on e contrary, i'm done with e Tioman ones..
but i find it too much a chore to upload the same things on both sides so whoever is interested in looking at the Tioman album pls go to this link: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.203136306390755.46720.100000831617636&l=cca37ccac5
& here is a summary of what happen during e trip
Day 1: Got a room in poor condition and found out we (e whole grp) is in a way conned by e agent. After requesting strongly to change e room, the bathroom is still *faceplam* cuz 1.bathroom room can't even close properly, 2.the shower heater is faulty, 3.no toilet paper is provided and 4.there's not even a hanger in the bathroom to hang our towels & clothes (used & new) etc.
Day 2: Duty free shop ran out of stock for quite a number of alcohol =.='' & the restocking time is actually later in the afternoon... urrgghh... Thereafter at Renggis Island, the coral reefs are slowing dying, the colour is not as vibrant anymore and there aren't as mnay fishes as it was 2 years back..
The only consolation for the whole day is probably i saw a shark while snorkeling =P
Day 3: the heavy downpour in e morning disrupts my intended plan of trekking full day.. =( then decided to join a grp of Malays who are learning Chinese under the invite of another resort lady boss who then subsequently treated us to lunch. They are also friendly enough to volunteer to be our tourguides to the waterfall which is quite a sight cuz of more water due to the rain!!
upon returning to the village, the lady boss invited us (me & ning) to attend the BBQ later in the night.. she is also kind enough to allocate a room in her resort to us when our room's water supply got cut off due to the all day long rain but just when I was about to go bathe, the electricity got cut off too so i ended up placing the old style kerosine lamp (battery operated) in the bathroom so i can start showering.. somehow i still remain unlucky as i realise the water is muddy!! so i found myself stuck in the bathroom waiting to get clearer water to wash my hair and face. wat an 'adventure'
BUT the BBQ is superb!! we were treated to plates of fish, clayfish, tiger prawns, lobsters, crabs. The lady boss also grilled chicken wings and cooked rice + noodles to go with the food and make delicious desserts too! definitely my heartiest meal during this trip and after HK =) & one guy is gentleman enough to help me crack the crab so i can eat the flesh.. hee
that wraps up this trip.. the last day was spent having breakfast and packing and the water supply is cut off again.. another big disappointment is i cant get to see enough stars throughout the 3 nights!!! the sky never seems to clear.. =(
overall this trip has more bad than good...
To give credit to the village, the scenery is beautiful and the people are friendly but the room condition did dampen things a fair bit..
but at least the magnitude of the good tilt the balance to me enjoying the people, the BBQ and the scenery..
the most post election news so far has to be both MM & SM announcing to leave the Cabinet..
i did caught me off guard esp for SM cuz he is not that old in the first place!!
tho i do understand where they are coming from.. there can't really be a renewal of thinking/doing of things if both of them are still ard cuz out of respect, the younger ministers may not necessarily frankly speak their mind..
& also wondering who will fill GY's shoes...
on a personal note, was looking thro some of my frens' FB photos and a question just went through my mind: is it normal for a girl to gain weight after she is attached?? looking around me, this seems to be the case and it kinda puzzles + worries me..
cuz first of all, even tho being in love make you a happier woman, but if ceteris paribus, your weight shdn't change, unless your metabolism goes down.. so if one is gaining several kilos more, it will mean either one eats more and/or unhealthily or one exercises less frequently..
then it brings about the question to why do so when one knows its probably harmful to one's health? is being attached an excuse to indulge?? hmmm
looking at the FB activities, i wonder if the people are too idealistic.. whatever that has been cast in stone cant be changed.. why petition?? until now, i haven see a petition that works in sg.. cut the girl abit of slack, since the GRC has alr chosen (tho e winning margin is small & may not be convincing enough to some), let's see her performance for the next 5 years. i believe if she is not up to par, her future won't be bright too..
& i think e result of the election did serve as a waking up call for the ruling party.. now they are reviewing some policies, talking about engaging and connecting with the people etc.. i cant help but wonder will things be different if Aljunied isn't won by WP??
another day of not sleeping before a trip, again...
& this time round lagi better.. until now, i haven pack!! & my mum has been harping on why i always go aboard now... zzz.. if not for not being able to go japan, i wont be going to these 2 lor...
decide to go to WP's rally @ Serangoon Stadium on thurs night & e crowd surprises me.. & heard somebody behind me mentioning that with such momentum, if WP does not win Aljunied GRC, it's really saddening..
fast forward to sat nite, i decide to immerse myself in election mood by going down to Hougang Stadium.. from the intention to leave at midnight, i stayed on till 2+ cuz the ambience is high & i didn't want to miss any result.. one thing to complain, the TV is so SLOW!!! im getting all e updates from FB instead!! zzz... & i don't get it what took the relevant department so long to announce the results when the votes are completed by ard 11pm!!
im so glad i was at the venue to witness a part of history being created e cheers, e loud applause, the non stop shouting of WP
BUT this is just the beginning... tho im happy for WP, the team has to prove their worth within the next 5 years i also hope that the citizens all over sg will not have unrealistic expectations over what the opposition members can do.. the policies in place WILL NOT change overnight the opposition is still very much in the minority and the power still remains strongly within the PAP.. but i will be anticipating the diversify of voices in time to come
after hearing stories after stories tt HK is not cheap etc, i decide to go on a rather frugal trip..
but surprise!!
perhaps its cos of e 10+% depreciation of HKD, things are affordable if not cheaper than sg!!
okay, NOT ALL things are cheaper..
the followings are cheaper..
NOTE: exchange rate now is approx S$1=HKD6.20
1. ALCOHOL!!!!
reminds me of tioman siah!!!
2 330ml of San Migel is HKD 12.90
so tempted to substitute water with alcohol.. =P
2. Bus/Tram ride..
So long as you stay within Kowloon or Hong Kong Island (meaning don't need to use the underground tunnel), it is cheap..
seems like all buses run on a flat fare
Tram ride (no air con) is HKD 2
Normal bus (similar to SBS buses but with BETTER seats) for the one i took is HKD3.40 but it is limited to within HK island. Haven tried e bus ride within Kowloon so no info on that.
3. Fastfood!!
a McChicken burger in sg cost S$2, the same thing cost HKD8!
McValue lunch in sg starts from S$4.50, it is HKD20 in HK!! even cheaper than KL!!
What's more! MacD even have McValue Dinner in HK everyday from 6-8pm at the same price!! >.<
no wonder while i were there, one of e South China Morning Post headlines is about how undervalued HKD & RMB are right now and that HK and China serve the cheapest MacD in the world!
now i regretted not even having a burger in HK...
4. Bubble Tea
Pricing is similar to Taiwan..
Ranges from HKD 12 to 18 for a big cup
& one cute thing, I can't find KOI aka 50嵐 in HK..
5. Perfumes!!
PLS PLS PLS don't get your perfume in HKIA duty free stores..
"Rumours" that you can get a better deal in the streets of HK is indeed TRUE!!
Check out the prices at the airport first and then go Sasa and/or Bonjour to compare the prices.. Price differentials can be as high as 30 to 40%!!!
agrees with what a Sales Asst told me, "You'll regret if you didn't get a bottle of perfume back"
6. Dim Sum!!! needless to say, since HK is the home to dim sum..
had a realli good serving of dim sum at a popular restaurant in Mongkok and e bill only come up to be S$10 per pax!
& during the session, i ordered a tasty big bowl of sesame paste for only HKD6.80 =D
7. Skincare pdts/Comestics!
Referring to drugstore brands (the kind you will find in Wastons/Sasa etc).
The Jap brands can be 30-40% cheaper.
2 good examples are Hada Labo and Madom Cleaning Express Cleanser Range (Makeup Remover)
As for comestics, as i didn't intend to get them, i didn't do much homework prior to going over.. but the impression i get is it is 10 to 20% cheaper...
8. Branded Goods
Agnes B, Longchamp, Kate Spade and Burberry are cheaper. From the ones i've looked at - about 10% cheaper.
& there are brands not available in sg eg Jill Stuart
9. Haircut!!!
A colour job can be just HKD120
& another salon is advertising cut&wash+colour+rebond for just HKD299!!!
wasted i din have enough time.... ='(
10. Cab fare after midnight NO 50% surcharge!! =D
The following category is on par with sg price level
1. Clothings
if you go Mongkok and Causeway Bay, not very different from sg..
Mongkok is abit like Bugis Street/Far East Plaza but i feel the quality is better..
The pricing at Causeway Bay is higher but personally i feel it is reasonable given the quality.
Alternative for cheaper clothing: GO Shenzhen!!! (but must REALLY bargain HARD)
What is MORE exp in HK
1. Food
i think e food centres (or more fondly known as hawker centres) in sg is one of a kind in e world tt sells cheap food.
The cheapest food i can find in the 茶餐廳 is maggie mee served with egg/luncheon meat/chicken and price starts from HKD20.
Other dishes (for one pax only) ranges from HKD 30 to 50..
& extra charged will be incurred if you asked for iced water..
For warm water (which is essentially hot/boiling =.=''), it is FOC - but it's better to clarify
2. Shoes
now i understand why Peggy always buy shoes back to HK whenever she comes back to SG..
don't get it why they are pretty exp down there, esp if the shoes are imported from China.
If you think that Charles & Keith is getting exp, wait till you see e prices in HK. But fret not, there's always Shenzhen to go.. heh..
3. Bags Just like shoes, you are going to be disappointed if you are the kind who usu spend S$50 on a bag bought from a departmental store.. Or perhaps i didn't look hard enough? Even in Shenzhen, i cant manage to find bags tt appeals to me in both design & price.. Or perhaps i shd say im really hard pressed for time in Shenzhen to look around..
These are just the categories which i notice.. i heard tt electronics esp Apple products are cheaper too tho i didn't find out.. well the rest is up to you to explore! hee..
now just some food for thought...
Q1: how did the HK govt manage to balance its budget when the goods are all tax free (no import duties, GST etc) and its personal income tax + corporate tax rate is lower than SG? A: over-reliance on property tax..
Q2: Why is it that the transport companies can keep fares low while maintaining high frequency of bus/trains?? A: I need to do searching liao.. haha
so how does HK compare to Taiwan? hmm... Food, shoes and bags are cheaper in TW.. tho i must say the quality of the bags bought in TW night markets is not very good.. Clothings is cheaper in TW as well but more towards causal wear.. skincare pdts/comestics shd be more or less on par alcohol & perfume definitely more exp as TW is not tax free.. & you can find more Jap magazines in TW.. lolz the rest i'm not too sure..
so will i go back to HK? a definite YES! cos i haven't 1. cover all the famous night markets/streets 2. go from 中環 to 半山腰 via escalators 3. had enough of dim sum + desserts + bubble tea + fast food 4. club the whole night at Lan Kwai Fong 5. go to 黃大仙 temple 6. travel to Macau 7. get my hair done there 8. shop & drink enough!!! ;p
however, it is not a trip without hiccups for me.. this is what happen: Day 1: My luggage lock was damaged the moment i arrived at HK + was assigned to a smoking level at the hotel..
Day 2: Got scalded during dim sum brekkie cos this big size guy just bulged in between me & Joe with his hot kettle to refill the teapot and my left hand was in contact with tt kettle and in knee jerk response, i spill the hot tea (i was holding e teacup with my left hand) to my right hand + lost my ticket for the Lantau Island cable car ride
Day 3: Found myself alone in HK Island as i need to go back to hotel to settle my luggage (while most others are shopping in Mongkok) + board the wrong bus when on e way back to my hotel from Causeway Bay such tt im way over shot..
Day 4: Screwed schedule partly due to Day 3 which leads to super intense travelling for me + miss the last MRT in Shenzhen + lost RMB10 in the cab (luckily its not SGD)
Day 6: Bus driver drove off from Terminal 1 without noticing tt me & SL were still trying to push our luggage to the exit door + while on the flight, a Chinese couple asked me why i adjusted my seat backwards & subsequently asked the air stewardess to 'persuade' me not to do so..
only peaceful day is day 5.. first time i encounter this much of suay/無奈/sian diao/weird incidents.. luckily these didn't dent my mood & i really enjoyed myself.. =)
look out for the photos!! shd be up before i go Tioman
