Sunday, March 23, 2008
In Laos....
I thought I might just update my whereabouts since I have been incognito. Loads of pictures...some really breathtaking some really mediocre. Till then off for a swim and a milkshake.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Wet Wet Wet - Hanoi
It is the second day in Hanoi and drizzled all day. Stupid me brought myself a pair of running shoes instead of a cross-trainer and of course there is muck all over my legs. Vietnam is a mix bag and I've noticed how different Vietnamese are to the Chinese. I have been mistaken as Vietnamese countless times so I've given up trying to explain instead a wave of a hand and a smile is becoming a norm.
Pictures are hard to take especially during the wet season but I've noticed that it is hard to put your camera away...
More updates soon....
Pictures are hard to take especially during the wet season but I've noticed that it is hard to put your camera away...
More updates soon....
Monday, March 10, 2008
One more time....
I've just lost my post to Cyberspace and He didn't even try to return it back to me. Bloody internet connection is acting up again but it is obvious that I need a newer, 'swishier' laptop with the works...the kind that will make my grandma blush. I just have to wait till I get my new job and then I will have a reason to get one but for now the HP is fine to get me going.
Amazingly, the other half said rather passingly this long weekend that he wants an iPhone. I wonder where that came from? He's always been a Windows advocate but I think my Touch has a lot to do with it and the fact that he can then bundle everything into one little flat pack is really enticing. What he wants to do is to have his email, music, a GPS, WIFI connection for browsing, make phone calls to moi only and then be able to take pictures at the same time. I think the iPhone is really the answer since we've pondered over a Blackjack and an 02 - finding that none of the specifications fit our needs. Hopefully they will have a 32GB or 60GB model when it finally arrives in Australia. The 8GB is just ludicrous for the price.
Only 4 more days before I hit the vacation track again. 10 days in Vietnam and another 7 days in Laos with a layover in Singapore...in which will be spend by the beach eating some local delicacies. I can't wait.
I have also managed to get my Manfrotto into the Oyster in the hope that I will get great evening/pictures under low-light. Maybe the 10.5mm fisheye and a prime lens is in order but that it the least of my worries.
The 12mm bike lock has been purchased as we are doing some biking this time around in the hope that we can get to places in which people ignore (not the usual tourist route). So let’s see what transpires in the next couple of days.
Indra is at the oncologist today for his chemo treatment. He is in remission and therefore continuing the programme will keep him in remission for longer. Mum has agreed to take him to Dr. Davies while we are away...it is a big commitment as she will need to feed him antibiotics in the morning/evening and take his temperature as well. He will be a grumpy bastard when he comes home but he is such a sweet boy that he is accorded the luxury with what he is going through. Daddy will miss you sweetheart!!
Amazingly, the other half said rather passingly this long weekend that he wants an iPhone. I wonder where that came from? He's always been a Windows advocate but I think my Touch has a lot to do with it and the fact that he can then bundle everything into one little flat pack is really enticing. What he wants to do is to have his email, music, a GPS, WIFI connection for browsing, make phone calls to moi only and then be able to take pictures at the same time. I think the iPhone is really the answer since we've pondered over a Blackjack and an 02 - finding that none of the specifications fit our needs. Hopefully they will have a 32GB or 60GB model when it finally arrives in Australia. The 8GB is just ludicrous for the price.
Only 4 more days before I hit the vacation track again. 10 days in Vietnam and another 7 days in Laos with a layover in Singapore...in which will be spend by the beach eating some local delicacies. I can't wait.
I have also managed to get my Manfrotto into the Oyster in the hope that I will get great evening/pictures under low-light. Maybe the 10.5mm fisheye and a prime lens is in order but that it the least of my worries.
The 12mm bike lock has been purchased as we are doing some biking this time around in the hope that we can get to places in which people ignore (not the usual tourist route). So let’s see what transpires in the next couple of days.
Indra is at the oncologist today for his chemo treatment. He is in remission and therefore continuing the programme will keep him in remission for longer. Mum has agreed to take him to Dr. Davies while we are away...it is a big commitment as she will need to feed him antibiotics in the morning/evening and take his temperature as well. He will be a grumpy bastard when he comes home but he is such a sweet boy that he is accorded the luxury with what he is going through. Daddy will miss you sweetheart!!
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Trying to make a Phone out of a Touch
Busy, Busy, Busy with what you say since I am apparently on 'vacation'? Well I have been working the widgets on the Touch and looking at other peripherals for my touch to turn it into a Skype? I think I need Peter & PB's help on this. As long as I can get the extra gadgets I am sure I can make this work without having to go back to 1.1.1. Note to self : Email the Ohmypod boys!
Wifi coverage in the city is also pretty sparse...for a country that favours technology, Australia really needs to be more competitive i.e. service providers. If we can bring in more competitors into the market, I am sure broadband will be like breathing air but at this stage its like smog - chokingly slow!
The State Library isn't that great either. Next to my desk is an Indian national whom is skyping his wife in Bombay talking loudly in Hindi. I think people need to share connection and not hog the system all to themselves. Earlier today he had abandoned his son to go to the toilet...he left with some other Indian guy for a smoke or something - he looked homesick and the boy started freaking out in the reference section. I so happened to be the recipient of his repertoire and so reported it to security that a child has been abandoned and required removal. Daycare this is not MISTER! It's the bloody library!
So that is my whinge for the day and I am happy to say that I am so looking forward to the holidays which starts next week and with my Touch, I can now email while I am in the hotel...they're big on WIFI in Vietnam/Laos.
Till then.....Peter/PB/Kevin if you are reading this....are webapps any good?
Wifi coverage in the city is also pretty sparse...for a country that favours technology, Australia really needs to be more competitive i.e. service providers. If we can bring in more competitors into the market, I am sure broadband will be like breathing air but at this stage its like smog - chokingly slow!
The State Library isn't that great either. Next to my desk is an Indian national whom is skyping his wife in Bombay talking loudly in Hindi. I think people need to share connection and not hog the system all to themselves. Earlier today he had abandoned his son to go to the toilet...he left with some other Indian guy for a smoke or something - he looked homesick and the boy started freaking out in the reference section. I so happened to be the recipient of his repertoire and so reported it to security that a child has been abandoned and required removal. Daycare this is not MISTER! It's the bloody library!
So that is my whinge for the day and I am happy to say that I am so looking forward to the holidays which starts next week and with my Touch, I can now email while I am in the hotel...they're big on WIFI in Vietnam/Laos.
Till then.....Peter/PB/Kevin if you are reading this....are webapps any good?
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Discovering Adele 19
My iPod distraction at the moment is Adele Stephens with her album 19. Everyone is raving that she is the new Amy Winehouse but I think they're far from being identical. In fact, the core of their songs/age of maturity in their lyrics even social demographic of their sound, if there is such a thing, sets them entirely apart. Adele reminds me of all the new singers in the UK like Kate Nash, Duffy, Lily Allen etc. - influenced by the mix of R&B, Soul and Street + Joss Stone wannabe.
In any case, it is a very good effort for her first album and if you are on iTunes, I recommend buying a couple of her tracks or if you are like me, just get the whole album. Its not Janet but it gives you a very good palette of the type of music that is hitting the UK scene and an inkling of what singers these days have to offer apart from SEX in their music/industry.
Here is a very morbid video of Adele's Chasing Pavements - my partner taught that it was a little strange but it is the tragedy which interest me i.e. the concept behind it all. By the way if you google Adele Stephens you might just get the porn star Adele Stephens. They have no relation whatsoever... trust me the microphone doesn't look anything like SHURE to me!
My favourite from the album?.....MELT MY HEART TO STONE! I remember at 19 how I fell into the trap of not seeing the obvious.
In any case, it is a very good effort for her first album and if you are on iTunes, I recommend buying a couple of her tracks or if you are like me, just get the whole album. Its not Janet but it gives you a very good palette of the type of music that is hitting the UK scene and an inkling of what singers these days have to offer apart from SEX in their music/industry.
Here is a very morbid video of Adele's Chasing Pavements - my partner taught that it was a little strange but it is the tragedy which interest me i.e. the concept behind it all. By the way if you google Adele Stephens you might just get the porn star Adele Stephens. They have no relation whatsoever... trust me the microphone doesn't look anything like SHURE to me!
My favourite from the album?.....MELT MY HEART TO STONE! I remember at 19 how I fell into the trap of not seeing the obvious.
A positive start to the week
Having had my Singlish episode before editing this post....
It's Monday and I have a great feeling that the week will be wonderful. I find myself in the State Library today sending emails to all the hotels to reconfirm my booking for the trip and thinking of all my friends from afar especially what they were up to for the weekend i.e. Kevin - get well soon mate, Peter/Pinoyboy - have sex already!?, John Ong - I think you miss home!, Andrew - OMG a year older!, Brad - back at home maybe?, Keiran - what were you up to? How was your weekend?. I think I need to get a Life! I'm supposedly trying to re-write my resume without much success....maybe after lunch!
The weekend was spend cooking northern/southern Indian meals for the other half. I am a good cook but a lazy one. The repertoire incorporated blood plum and lamb curry, chicken madras with yoghurt, Bindi (OKRA) Spiced, Cauliflower in mustard sauce and spicy eggplant over tomatoes, raita served with low GI rice. It was wonderfully rich and all in all took me around 2 hours including a complete clean of the kitchen at the same time while pans were hot on the stove. I just needed to be more organised and the fact that the other half marked all my spices in little plastic containers with a labeller made the rummaging less taxing.
I have also been busy with my new iPod Touch and I love the fact that I can connect to unsecured WIFI connection around the city while I am out and about. Some people need to me more careful with the wireless connection and security but for their lack of interest in such matter I am thankful. People need more education I guess or maybe they just don't know that they are broadcasting? I can also check on the weather at home in Singapore. The GPS system is still a little arbitrary but you can't complain unless you have a chipset built in like the BT338 on an O2? Maybe the ohmypod guys know of an application that can triangulate locations better than using telecommunication towers. I can also get my mail on the run without paying a single cent! WOW! I love my touch - now I truly understand all the hype about the iPhone. I am still reluctant to hack my Touch for those super duper uber applications.
I hope you guys have a great week too and it's 13days n counting before I zip off on my vacation! All the hotels apparently have Wifi so with my Touch, I'm sorted.
Ciao babes!
It's Monday and I have a great feeling that the week will be wonderful. I find myself in the State Library today sending emails to all the hotels to reconfirm my booking for the trip and thinking of all my friends from afar especially what they were up to for the weekend i.e. Kevin - get well soon mate, Peter/Pinoyboy - have sex already!?, John Ong - I think you miss home!, Andrew - OMG a year older!, Brad - back at home maybe?, Keiran - what were you up to? How was your weekend?. I think I need to get a Life! I'm supposedly trying to re-write my resume without much success....maybe after lunch!
The weekend was spend cooking northern/southern Indian meals for the other half. I am a good cook but a lazy one. The repertoire incorporated blood plum and lamb curry, chicken madras with yoghurt, Bindi (OKRA) Spiced, Cauliflower in mustard sauce and spicy eggplant over tomatoes, raita served with low GI rice. It was wonderfully rich and all in all took me around 2 hours including a complete clean of the kitchen at the same time while pans were hot on the stove. I just needed to be more organised and the fact that the other half marked all my spices in little plastic containers with a labeller made the rummaging less taxing.
I have also been busy with my new iPod Touch and I love the fact that I can connect to unsecured WIFI connection around the city while I am out and about. Some people need to me more careful with the wireless connection and security but for their lack of interest in such matter I am thankful. People need more education I guess or maybe they just don't know that they are broadcasting? I can also check on the weather at home in Singapore. The GPS system is still a little arbitrary but you can't complain unless you have a chipset built in like the BT338 on an O2? Maybe the ohmypod guys know of an application that can triangulate locations better than using telecommunication towers. I can also get my mail on the run without paying a single cent! WOW! I love my touch - now I truly understand all the hype about the iPhone. I am still reluctant to hack my Touch for those super duper uber applications.
I hope you guys have a great week too and it's 13days n counting before I zip off on my vacation! All the hotels apparently have Wifi so with my Touch, I'm sorted.
Ciao babes!
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