Singapore Day in London 25th April 2009

I had volunteer in many different ways but the few remarkable events include NDP celebration, 1st Formula 1 Night race 2008 and the most recently Singapore Day 2009 in London.

I woke up early at 530am and set off to the train station at 620am. I had went to check out the day before on purchasing the train ticket. I got on a bus, catch my train and head to Hampton Court Palace. I was LOST in the surrounding area. I knew I will be lost hence I had set off early. I know I'm a traveller, my navigation should be good but most of the time I took the route based on my 6th sense! hence alot of time is spend on walking to and fro at the same place.

I saw another sg in the train, we merely smiled at each other. We reached the station at 740am. I began walking to the meeting point based on the map given and it rained slightly heavier than drizzle. AND I was LOST for 2hours before finally tagged along a group of lost students who went to the place I been to earlier on. >_<||| After that, we moved around the garden to find the meeting point. Phew. Not many volunteers there yet, I got myself a sandwich, some briefing from my leader and set off for my role. Btw my role was Registration Usher - we'll vexed through people who came with their printed E-Ticket, those without will be turn to PDA ambassador, for those who have not register will be asked to sign up at the registration tentage, those not register and yet not a Singaporean will be turn away. Put it bluntly - I'm a waiting staff. Cos alot of people came in from the EAST door - we welcome them with open smile, greet them and wish them have a nice day. =) even thou is FREE, I still do it HAPPILY, wholeheartedly. I believe is the group of people whom I'm working with, esp the garang aunties whom I worked with they were very enthusiastic! They made me enjoy my day very much.

After my shift, I headed to join 3 little piggies for LUNCH!!!! SINGAPORE FOOD at FOC but you need to Q up! We finished the whole program and ate till we drop or I shall say till I wanna PUKED. I m not really missing any sg food yet other than my mummy's food.

Overall - GOOD WEATHER, GOOD CROWD, GOOD FRIENDs, GOOD ENTERTAINMENTs, GOOD PREPARATION and GOOD NEW FRIENDs made....

I LOVE YOU, SINGAPORE!

Alien in a Whiterland - Top of Europe

We had booked a tour to Jungfraujoch (pronounce as yong-fro-yoch) a UNESCO World Heritage of the Swiss Alps. We arrived at Interlaken - Metropolis of the Jungfrau Region between Lakes Thun and Briez, is the economic and cultureal centre of the region. Interlaken OST Railway Station is the departure point for the most beautiful excursions by bus, boat or rail.
We arrived at 1 section of Eismeer Station - 2865m above sea level to take photo before heading to the top of Europe. The journey took more than 1 hour plus but along the way, we get to see BEAUTIFUL WHITE snowy mountain, hundred years old of cottages, children running after the train, having snow fight, playing on a sleigh and alot of people ski-ing in the eternal snow.
Jungfraujoch is 3454m above sea level, on the top, we can enjoy a breathtaking views of France, Germany and Italy from the Sphinx, standing at the Plateau and get close to the snow, sending postcard at the top of Europe and enjoy a meal at one of the restaurant. If you have more time, you may sneak out to the Glacier.

(11-15 April 2009)

Alien in a Wanderland

It took me 2 hours to reach Luton Airport, I wandered around to find my destination from bus stop and getting familarise with the simple, empty airport with lot of people sleeping around.

I dread the long waiting hours, again in the waiting lounge is another long hour before I finally board easyjet. We hopped on the bus which drove us to our 'Private' jet. I'm glad I occupied the 3 seats even though I don't see empty seats around.

The journey from the airport to hotel was considered smooth other than taking a wrong route a few times. Guess that is me! The train from Airport to the Main station aka Hauptbahnhof, HB for short, took 15min and the tram to the hotel took another 15min.

Zurich is easy to explore on foot and there is a Tourist Information counter at HB which has Zurich map available for free, you can book tour package or check out train detail from them. From HB, you may walk along the Limmat Quai, explore the Old Town - Niederdorf Strasse. The Grossmünster, The Fraumünster and St Peter Kirche.
The Grossmünster (Gross = Large, Munster = Cathedral, minster, orig. monastery), there are 3 choir-windows in the church which portray the Christmas story in a magnificient display of colour. Beneath the Church, was a hidden crypt which is the oldest part of the church. There is a Gothic figure of Charlemagne, dated 15 century, who was said to be the founder of Grossmunster.
Fraumünster was founded in 853, mostly noble women lived in this influential Benedictine abbey that had the right to collect tolls, hold markets and mint coins. It is famous for its Chagall Windows.

That's not the end yet. More to come...
(11 - 15 April 2009)
Accomodation 11-13Apr - Crowne Hotel
13-15 Apr - Backpacker Hostel - Pls note Switzerland has its own list of budget hostels which is not list in hostelworld. Try your luck here for Zurich.

Total cost on lodging, food and package tour - £450

To get around UK & Europe

Some tips on travelling around UK and Europe.

Explore England can refer to visitBritain.

To check out public transport around England, this is quite a good website to refer to, it provides you the latest traffic update from underground, bus diverted news.
Public Transport.

To explore around UK, it will be cheap to travel in bus than rail. So here I recommend a cheap bus trip:-

- Megabus
- For Railway - National Railway


To get really cheap air ticket to Europe, you can try the below websites. The air ticket fluctuate up and down. It will be good if you BOOK early, the cheapest you can grab is £9.95.


- Aerlingus

- Easyjet

- Ryanair

- Pegasus Airline (To Turkey - Istanbul only)


By Rail, Eurostar only serves some area like Paris, Brussel, Lille, Calais but you can get really cheap ticket at £59 for return if you book EARLY!

- Eurostar £59 value


After settling your transport, you gotta find accomodation, you won't want to sleep in the COLD, WINDY street. =)

- Couchsurfing

- hostelworld

- hostelboooker

Do update me if there is any cheap tour around and I'll post it here too.

Survival Skill 4: COOK

Finally, I'm cooking. I bought 3 packets of cheap Pasta, tomato pasta sauce, cheese, spinach, cheese spread, grapes, banana, mushrooms, beef & hams.

I got recipe from the internet on Teriyaki sauce. Is nice but I forget to add garlic so it taste like sesame oil chicken kekeke but w/o the sesame oil cos of the ginger slices.


I made tiramisu but failed cos I added milk to the whipped cream so it became watery T_T.


I made Chocolate crunchflakes too =) No more M&S expensive chocolate crunchflakes.

I baked pasta! It was a success! Cos it was finished in 'SPLIT' sec. hahaha
exaggerated? ok is nice. Get yourself an oven and it make everything easy.
Ingredient for my baked pasta - Penne pasta, oil, garlic, beef, 1 pack of 3-in-1 soup, mushroom, cheese and carrots. Boil the penne pasta, fry the garlic, beef, mushroom & carrots.
Place the boiled pasta in a tin and pour the 3-in-1 soup in. Then pour the cooked ingredient. Place slices of cheese to cover the pasta. BAKED.

"A London Landmark" - National Geographic - Sept 2000

I went to a Hindu Temple in London. Yes in London! At first, I thought it will be similar to those in Singapore. Oh definitely not! It was very different and it looks grand with its exotic design and workmanship. Too bad I can't take picture inside. you gotta see it yourself.

The Hindu Temple - BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is located near Neasden Tube Station within walking distance. I guess it is so popular that even the tube station had pieces of paper with direction to the temple. =)

We had to deposit our bag which is free and went through a scan before entering the temple. After getting in, we had to remove our shoes before moving on to other part of the temple. The significant of the temple is the Italian marble and Bulgarian limestone were hand-craved by skilled craftmen and assembled by volunteers in just 2.5years.

Lisa had planned to visit a Thai temple, Hindu temple, Air force museum and a Park on a Saturday. But too bad the transportation for tube is so expensive I limit to taking BUS cos it capped at £3.30 per day. By the time we reached our first destination was already 2pm. When we left was already 5pm. I don't think is wise to move on to another temple if it is too far and expensive. However, along the way we dropby Ikea =) though we don't have anything to buy but end up getting FOODs - Ikea hotdog bun at 40p and Waffle Ice cream at 35p.

We wanna head to a park for picnic but Wembley Park isn't a Park is just a station! =) so we end up picnic in BUS. We had grapes, orange, cammomile tea(sweet Lisa to think of it), scones with home-make lime cream, tortilla chips, crisps aka chips & homemake sandwiches.

English Weather by Wendy Cope

January's grey and slushy,

February's chill and drear,

March is wild and wet and windy,

April seldom brings much cheer.

In May, a day or two of sunshine,

Three or four in June, perhaps.

July is usually filthy,

August skies are open taps.

In September things start dying,

Then comes cold October mist.

November we make plans to spend

The best part of December pissed.

I first came across this poetry in National Portrait Gallery, I laughed after reading it.