Counting Stars

Merry Christmas all~! (:
Cover by Gardiner Sisters (ft. Kuha'o)

It's only when you've been through it, then you understand.

End of #Project21 series!

Happy Sunday peeps! (:
End of the #Project21 series posts.
22 days after my #Project21! (:
Spend the day with my friends.
The company and the thing I've done to remember my 21st Birthday is all that matters.
However, had jet lag after I came back from London.
Tips which some websites and people don't teach you.
Don't sleep in the plane.
What do I mean by that you may ask.
I boarded the plane at 10pm. Quickly set the time to the destination time.
It should be 4am in SG.
So, sleep.
But if you wake up for the loo, check the time.
If it is noon time already, no matter how tired you are, please don't sleep!
I made the mistake of sleeping throughout my flight.
So, I slept at 2am in the morning.
Subsequently, 5am, followed by 3am, then 2am. It was crazy.
So, yea, hope these lil' tips help! (:
God Bless You! (:

#Project21 -- Extraordinary!

Some interesting things to share with you! (:
London have a few interesting & cool museums and places to visit! (:
Sherlock Holmes Museum
Museum of Brands
Florence Nightingale Museum
Alexander Fleming's Museum
Ripley's Believe it or Not! Museum
BBC Tour

Although a lot of museums in London is free. They 'encourage' you to donate 5 pounds to make the museum free for public. If you have to donate 5 pounds to keep the museum "Free" for public, I don't see how the museum is free.
However, if they were to charge, I don't mind paying for it.
The museums are really BIG, and houses a lot of interesting exhibits. It's totally worth the 5 pounds, or even more than that!
Can't imagine if anybody will walk in and walk out of the museum without paying.
Totally amazed at the exhibits they have.

One of my day tour guide recommends visiting the Shard instead of the London Eye. London Eye was a bit boring, I'm sorry to say.
Madame Tussaud was considered worth it with the London Black Cab Ride. Didn't go to Scream because I was afraid.
As for London SEA Aquarium, hmmm...a lil' pricey.
For free tours, consider Sandeman's tours! (:
For paid tours, I went with Premium Tours.

Come, join me together in this adventure to London! ;)

Swiss

Was in Zurich Airport, and saw all the advertisements about Swiss Air. How good their service is and etc.
I was extremely disappointed.
Stewardess stepped on my foot not once, but multiple times. As my seat was an aisle seat, the stewardess walked quite fast and hit me.
Tsktsk.
I didn't receive hot towels for the flight back to SG from ZUR.
One stewardess even passed me my No Lactose meal with the plastic wrapper still on. She expects me to unwrap the plastic covering my food tray. The plastic wrapper I'm talking about is not the one covering your hot food. Normally, they hand you the tray without the plastic covering on it because they have removed it for you. Mine was still intact.
Service was totally inconsistent.
Touched down in SG, baggage was still in London or Zurich. Fantastic.
Please people, just to let you know that you can claim money from the airline if your baggage is delayed or lost.
I bought insurance and my friend told me I could claim so I went to claim.
By the way, I attended a Fairprice course where I learn that people give complains because they care and they want you to improve. Really true.
This time round, I don't even bother sending feedback to them.
Because I'm not planning to take another flight with them. At least SIA has better service compared to Swiss Air.
Heard Emirates has pretty good service. Shall try Emirates next time! (:

#Project21 -- Shopping!

I bet you must have heard about Primark right?!?
I went there, telling myself, "Okay, shop for 2 hours will do."
I went into a relatively packed Primark filled with women and men.
For the first time I stood in a store feeling lost. My North South East West was filled with clothes. I TOTALLY HAVE NO IDEA where to start my shopping!! It was packed with clothes and people.
Things were sooooo cheap that I keep grabbing and they added up to a high amount.
I bought a few pair of leggings. Dirt cheap. 3.50 pounds for a pair of 150 denier leggings. 5/7 pounds for a pair of superrrrr thick and comfortable thighs for the Autumn/Winter season.
Not to mention a pair of faux Suede boots for hello, a mere 8 pounds. If I were to buy a pair of similar shoes in SG, they would have easily costs twice or thrice the amount!
Candles that could burn for 12 hours for 1 pound.
Onesies for 12 pounds, but costs me 11 pounds after discount.
Coloured leggings for 3.50 pounds.
Bra for 5 pounds.
Thermals for 5/7 pounds.
No, you didn't see wrongly. Primark things are just so nice and cheap.
You really have to see it to believe it.
My jaw dropped for 4 hours in the shop. 4 hours in a shop. Record breaking. I think you could easily spend half a day in the store okay! It's just so crazyyyy.
Another store which I like is...the 1 POUND STORE!
Hehehe.
I walked into the store located at Canterbury.
Wow, it was crazy too. Literally 1 pound for EVERYTHING!
If you are those people like me who like to buy souvenirs, head to Portobello Market!
6 keychains for 5 pounds. Still expensive, but they are the cheapest.
Covent Garden has a market too, but I heard from locals that it's v.expensive because it's for tourists. Haha.
For branded goods, Bicester Village is a good option.
You can get to BV by train or by their luxury shopping coach (Evans Evans). Return trip for 25 pounds.
Prada Saffiano wallet (small & black) costs me 160 pounds. Outlet price.
If you buy it in local stores, it will cost you 245 pounds if I'm not wrong.
I saw a brown leather Prada bag which I was sooooo tempted to buy okay! But I didn't because Prada staff didn't allow me to use my card because the name on my card is different from my driving licence. So, please use the name on your NRIC for your cards.
Outlet price: S$1.3K.
Local store price: S$2K ++.
Other than that, Michael Kors wallets are 89 pounds. MK bags, the most common ones, are 159 pounds.
Kate Spade, MK phone covers, 20-40 pounds.
Discounts are crazyyyyy! (:
So, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!? Grab your cards and money!!!

#Project21 -- VAT/Tax Free Shopping

If you shop in the UK, the VAT is 20%.
FYI: For eg: an item costs 120 pounds, the VAT is not 120 x 20% = 24 pounds.
For eg: an item costs 120 pounds because...20% VAT + RRP of the item = 120 pounds.
So, if you go to a shop to purchase things, sometimes they will only do Tax Free Shopping (TFS) for you if you spend 50 pounds or more.
I went to Bicester Village to shop, they do the TFS for you at the cashier. But for Primark, you have to pay for your purchases first, then head to the Tax Free Shopping counter where they will calculate for you the VAT. Every store that you go will deduct some processing fee from you. For Lacoste, the skirt I bought was 33 pounds. VAT refund entitled was 5 pounds. After they deducted the processing fee, I was left with 1.50 pound. For Prada, VAT refund entitled was 28 pounds for a 160 pounds item. But after processing fee deduction, I was left with 15 pounds. Ohhh man! I felt sooooo cheated! The stores charge high processing fee, but they don't complete the form for you. That's the irritating part.
When I got to LHR T1, you have to take out the VAT form from the envelope. That's not all. You have to fill in your address, date of arrival, date of departure, name, email address, credit card number if you want to claim through card. That's the part where they don't fill up for you.
So I highly recommend that since you know this precious info, do it at your hostel or hotel to save time.
The customs officer will stamp and take the paper back. They will suggest to you to take a photo of the receipt in case anything happens. My VAT refund came back 10 days later.
Happy Shopping! (:

#Project21 -- Experiences

I was quite creep-ed out when I touched down at Zurich.
From what I know, Zurich airport is one of the best.
When I touched down at Zurich airport, I was quite shocked to see chairs and some things placed randomly, and the toilet was quite old. Then I thought to myself, "Why is this place one of the best airport??"
Hmmmm...
So I continued to walk, hoping to find the answer to my question.
On the way to collect my baggage/head to transit E, you have to take the train to another part of the terminal.
So I waited for like maybe 1 min, then the train came.
Okay, this is the creepiest part.
Alone for the first time in another country, I didn't know what to expect. So I boarded the mini train (somewhat like Changi Airport Train), the door closed and the train start to move. Halfway through the ride, there were cows moo-ing in the background, women singing (think the Ricola Commercial but in a dark tunnel). I looked to my side, there was moving images of a person throwing the Swiss flag in the air. These were all meant as entertainment for the boring train ride. But it was really creepy. 6am.
Anyway, though I did a lot of research, I was rather disappointed to know that there was no Marche. And I was stuck at the airport for a few hours with nothing I like to eat and no where to go. Couldn't connect to internet as well. There was no msg sent to my SG number. (You have to register with the sms sent to your mobile).
So I ate bought a small packet of potato chips for S$3+, and bought a 500mls of Evian water for S$5+. It was freaking EXPENSIVE!!! @.@
Lesson learnt: I will always bring my own food when I go to Europe!!
Anyway, when I reached the 'main terminal', the toilets were much better, and it looks pretty nice and new.
After that, the plane came and I headed to London.
Here comes the London part.
Touched down at Heathrow T1 around 11am, the place was filled with people. I waited for approx 30 mins to be asked a lot of qns. Why you come to London? Your return itinerary pls? What are you doing in London? Where are you returning to? C'mon, the card wrote the things right? I'm not some criminal! The only place I got asked a lot of qns.
After the customs, it's baggage claim.
After you've claimed your baggage, head down the escalator, and there will be people wearing the purple Heathrow vest selling Heathrow Express tickets in front of you as you come down from the escalator.
It's 34 pounds for a return ticket. It comes in a receipt and you have to keep it with you throughout if you bought a return ticket.
After you have purchased the ticket, take the lift and head to platform 2.
15 mins later you will reach Paddington Station.
Ticket officers will check your ticket around 5 mins after the train start to move. If you buy your ticket on board, it will cost more. So, either buy your ticket online or at the airport itself.
To get your Oyster card (somewhat like Octopus HK, Easycard TW, Ezlink SG), head to the tube station.
The card costs 5 pounds, and I topped up 45 pounds for 8 days in London, traveling in Zone 1 only. Be prepared to walk from one line to another line. (Eg: Bakerloo to Circle Line).
Also, sometimes it's easier to walk then to take the Tube. (Eg: Oxford Street-Piccadilly Circus).
S$100 for 8 days travel in London. It's my 1 month travel cost in SG.
The card is refundable, but I think you have to write in and wait for them to refund you the money. I love London so I can see myself going back there. Haha. So I didn't return my card.
For SIM Card, there's Vodafone at Paddington Station. However, the microSIM was sold out. So I went to Orange at Paddington Station also. It was quite troublesome for me. I inserted the card, received a few msgs from them to say my card is activated and I can use it. I could call and msg. But the internet connection was so troublesome! I had to add some APN. I went to google it and followed the steps then after I've added the APN or VPN I could use the data. It was 10 pounds for one month of unlimited calls and msgs, with 1GB of data.
--> I will do a separate post of shopping in London, interesting things to do, and VAT (Tax Free Shopping).
So, after 8 days in London, it was time to go back to SG!
I was so pissed off! The staff at LHR T1 gave me an earlier flight because I checked in 2.30hrs before my initial flight. The info on the ticket was different from the one on the screen. Thinking I was late for my flight, I brisk walked for 10 mins with 5-10kg of baggage in both my arms and trying to protect my macarons before I reach my departure gate. So, can you imagine how far it was?!!? When I reached the boarding gate, the screen showed "Take a Seat."
Tsk. Perspiring from rushing and an empty stomach, just to see that sentence. So disappointed.
After 15 minutes, we boarded the flight.
Touched down at Zurich Airport, went through the same motion, with the only exception that there wasn't much tourists around. Ate a bowl of tomato spaghetti. S$25. I will go bankrupt if I was in Switzerland for 1 month. :X
Anyway, I will also do a separate post on Swiss Airline service.
Ciao! (:

#Project21 -- Accomodation

Came back from London already! (:
IT WAS SOOOOOOO FUN!!! (:
Miss the weather and shopping there!
Tried to blend in with the locals.
Still remembered the way I look at everyone as though as they were pickpockets on the first day.
Haha.
Stayed in a 4 bed Deluxe Room with a mini kitchen (microwave oven, kettle, sink, no stove) and toilet with shower in Pride of Paddington. Free wifi too! (:
I like to stay in this hostel. Good experience for me as a first-timer staying in a hostel. The cons is that it's too near to the hospital and roads that I hear ambulance and cars going by. Not to mention construction work. But it was not much of an issue to me because I was so tired from walking that I just slept. Haha. The bed was comfortable. But the lockets were too small to fit my luggage so I had to put it beside my bed. It costs me S$530 for 7 nights.
20 pounds will be paid as a deposit for the 2 keys, and towels given to you. Once you have returned these items (toiletries do not have to be returned), the 20 pounds will be returned to you upon checkout (8am-12nn).
You have to inform them for early checkout so they can arrange to return you the 20 pounds deposit. If you want to ask them to help you store your luggage while you go shopping, it can be done for a small sum of 2 pounds.
Anyway, I met a few new friends from Brazil, Japan, Zurich, Australia & China, and almost everyday! (:
It was nice to mingle around with people around the world, and share with one another about our stories of why we came to London. (:
I think it's kinda true for this saying by Samuel Johnson: "Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he if tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford."
What do you think?
However, after all I've only been there for like 8 days, so I can't agree with him fully.
Anyway, stay tune for the next post about London and Zurich. Touching down/flying off.

#Project21

Well, day 9 into #project21!
Well, if you've been wondering...Project 21 is a project which I've created. A countdown to the things I do before the day of my 21st birthday!
Boarding the plane in 8 hours time. Time difference between SIN & LON is 7 hours. It should be 8 hours. But because of daylight saving it is 7 hours.
Hope I won't have jet lag.
Official first trip overseas alone.
I will update you guys after my trip!!

Till then, ciaos!

6 days of M A D N E S S!

Alright, I'm finally back from Melbourne, Australia!
One thing about Australia is that you need to fill up the Immigration form as you enter the country, and also when you leave the country. Both forms are quite similar. And don't forget, check if you require a visa!
After you've cleared the customs, you can get into the city by taxi, bus or skybus. It's quite convenient. The terminals are just beside each other. So, from T2 (International flights), walk for 2-3 minutes and you'll be able to spot the Skybus ticket counter. One way: AUD$17, Return: AUD$28.
There are 2 stops. The stop where you are suppose to board the Skybus to the city will be the one behind the ticket counter. The stop in front of the ticket counter is for people to alight.
20-30 mins ride to the city. And you will stop at Southern Cross Station. Once you've reached Southern Cross Station, and you can't find your way, it's fine! Just a 3-5 minutes walk towards the station, you will find a place called Traveller's something something. Can't remember the name. From there, you can ask for help! (:
Anyway, I was quite surprised when I went to Australia. People there were friendly, and I didn't expect to see a lot of Asians there!
Back to the topic.
I went there to visit my friend whom I got to know 5 years ago in Poly.
When I first stepped onto Southern Cross Station, ohhh man! It was cold! I was not used to the weather! From 30d.c to 13d.c. Wrapped in a trench coat, fleece jacket, jumper, shirt, and a scarf, I still feel colddddd~
Some training before I head to London. Haha.
It was 6 days of MADNESS. 6 days of lame jokes, 6 days of stuffing ourselves with food, 6 days of running after trains, 6 days of cold wind, 6 days of laughter, 6 days of each other's company! Well, you got the idea here right?
My friend told me Australia is an expensive place in terms of food, shopping, sightseeing, which is true.
Here are some tips. If you wanna shop, you can get super cheap clothes as well. But you gotta know exactly where to go!
For me, I got some pretty stretchable quality comfortable jeans at Dotti for AUD$15! That is if you go to "Spencer Outlet" at Southern Cross Station, or "DFO" at South Wharf. If you visit Dotti at other outlet, the price would be AUD$59.95 I think. My friend also recommended me to go to Outer Harbour. But I didn't get a chance to go there. If you have, you can check it out!
Some places I would recommend for girls to shop at:
Dotti
Valleygirl
Factorie

For food: Queen Victoria. Go during weekends, and you will score yourself some fresh and cheap (A$10) seafood near the closing times.

I think that's about it.
Hope you find this post useful!
Next up: London!

Don't be complacent!

2 more days before I fly to Melbourne! (:
Today I received an email from SingaporeAir.com RE: my flight info. But I was wondering why they didn't send me the details RE: checking in. Because for my HK trip, they sent me 2 emails instead of just one.
So during my break time at work, I went to SingaporeAir.com to check in. But I couldn't because there was a note stating that I don't have a valid visa so they couldn't check me in.
My reaction was like WHAT?!?!?!? at that moment. I began to panic because thoughts of how my hopes would be dashed because of my complacency. Singapore passports allow Singaporeans to travel to a lot of countries without having to purchase a visa. So I assumed that I didn't need a visa to enter Australia.
Anyway, I went to do some research, and made a few phone calls to the Australia Embassy situated in SG, and to SingaporeAir. And I was so blur as a sotong. I used my mobile phone instead of my laptop to purchase the visa. And because the font was so small and I was so worried, I saw wrongly and bought the wrong visa. I should be buying a ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) which lets you stay up to 90 days, and it can last for a year. It costs AUD20 and is instantly approved. But I went to buy the Visitor Visa. Takes from 1 day to 1 month to be approved. Let you stay from 3 months to 1 year. It costs: AUD130. So in the end, I bought both & I spend AUD150?!?!?! Arghhh!!!
So, ALWAYS ALWAYS check.
It's such an irony.  My itinerary is so detailed yet I missed out such an important detail!
But the thing which I've learnt today is that God is my provider. Though I've lost this amount of money, but since God is my provider, He will definitely provide.
A blessing in disguise. I've saved the price of my air tickets and road trips though I've spent AUD130 to learn a lesson.

"Prayer is the answer to all your problems." 

Struggles? Your guide is the Bible!

Last week I've been feeling quite depressed.

I feel like the past is back to haunt me.

My insecurities coming back, negative thoughts clouding my mind.

I sought the Lord.

In the Bible, it says, "The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth." -Psalm 145:18 (NASB).

Then His promises begin to fill my mind.

Everybody who lives on this earth will definitely have troubles and struggles in their lives. The key is whether you know who to turn to and who to seek.

For me, I am glad because I know there is a God who loves me and cares for me. I can run to Him freely as & when I like. To be still & wait upon Him. Though I can't see Him, but I know He is there.

"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." -Hebrews 11:1 (NLT).

I admit I can't do things on my own, however, I still know I can do it because..."For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." -Philippians 4:13.

Lastly, I just wanna share the verses which reminds me to love others.

"4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

13 Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love." -1 Corinthians 13 (NLT).

P.S. "There is no fear in Love." -1 John 4:18 (NIV).

Bringing joy to the elderly in the community!

Saw 2 TV programs on Channel U, one is about this lady who owns a cafe mentioning about Singaporeans going overseas more often. Another one was our PM Lee who mentioned about building more buildings in Singapore. Then, this thought came into my mind about how blessed the younger generation in SG is.

Many young people in SG have at least been to M'sia, USS or some attractions in SG.

However, I feel that our older generations are sometimes being forgotten...

How many of the elderly have been to the places which I have mentioned above? I think only a minority of them.

I have a dream to get sponsors to hire a bus and bring the elderly to the places.

Well, I guess I have to work along this line.

Make this dream work step by step...

What about you? Do you have any plans to help the society?

The only difference...

Earlier this week, I've had an unpleasant experience.
Getting scolded and insulted for something which is not even my fault.
At that point of time, I realised I didn't have to go through all these scolding. Angry thoughts ran through my mind. I was tempted to scold the person back. But I didn't.
I went to a corner and prayed to God.
Then, I remembered my prayer to God that morning. "Jesus, please prune me."
God answers prayers.
In John 15:2 (NIV) it says "He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful."
It brought me to think about Jesus. What about Him? The things He faced are definitely million times worst than mine! Yet He still remain faithful.
The word of God says in Matthew 5:44 (NIV): "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,"
As I begin to pray for my enemies, something amazing is happening. There will be this beautiful exchange.
Till today as I write this post and think back about what has happened, there is no more hatred and anger in me. I have forgiven them! Because I know that the Beautiful Exchange has taken place.

In the past before I came to know the Lord and accepted Him in my life, I used to be a child who is always angry with people. Always finding fault with people. If someone has offended me, I will remember it in my heart, and whenever I see that person, there's this grudge in my heart.
But today, I am a changed person! As long as you abide in Him, You will never go wrong.

P.S. The only difference...is that I have God in my life now. And I thank Him for that! (:

The countdown never ends!

27 days to seeing my friend in Melbourne!
It's going to be my 2nd time on SQ flight. Hope they don't disappoint me the way they did for my HK trip.
Really looking forward to all these traveling. I still remember clearly when I first took a plane ride, the plane had a turbulence. I was like enjoying the turbulence because it gave me a feeling of being on a roller coaster. Lols. But at that time I didn't know it was a turbulence lahhhh. Tsk. Don't judge me okays!
Haha.
Anyways, after I'm back from Melbourne (I'll be there for 6 days), I'll be flying off in 3 days' time to LONDON!!!
I know I can be quite irritating at times by constantly putting London trip London trip on my mouth. But I'm really really really excited to go to London ALONE! I can barely contain my excitement!!! =D
The good thing about Free & Easy trips is that you can squeeze whatever you like into your itinerary without having the need to discuss with anyone.
The highlights of my London trip:
Sherlock Holmes Museum (I've always liked Sherlock Holmes since young)
Bicester Village -- Luxury Shopping Outlet (I've always wanted a Prada, at least a wallet will do?)
Portobello Market (The famous market situated at Notting Hill)
Hyde Park (Super BIG park with a lake where you could row a boat in it~)
Ripley's Believe It or Not! (I've only seen them on TV, now is the time to visit them!)
Museums, museums, and MORE FREE MUSEUMS!!!
Hillsong London (Church during vacation is something which I have never done before...)
BBC Tour (Touring the company during office hours with all the action going on behind the scene! Isn't it like cool?!)
FOOD! (Hummingbird Bakery, Laduree, Pierre Hermes, Amorino - Ice Cream shaped in a petal form!)

Creating the Perfect Itinerary!

Planning for a Free & Easy holiday? Then you definitely can't miss this post!
Today's topic is all about creating the perrrrrrr-fect itinerary!
It's just a guide though. Based on my few Free & Easy trips over the past few years! (:
My humble opinions...
All right, let's begin right now!

These are my few sample itineraries from my previous trips...

Basically, before you begin your itinerary, these are the few things you need to do!

1. Pick your destination (The most egg-citing part!)
2. List down the things which you plan to do (eg: Beaches, sightseeing, shopping?)

Now that you've got these things all sorted out, open up your Microsoft Word to draw up a rough guide on what you plan to do and also to select your layout (With/without outlines)

A few websites which I like to go & would recommend is the country's official Tourism website, and TripAdvisor for where to go for sightseeing.

Virtual Tourist for Tourist traps, warnings and advice.

Google Maps for how to proceed to my destination. Google Maps is pretty interesting I feel. Because I can see where I am going to stay and how to navigate around the place I'm going without actually being there! Fantastic!

Forums to see where to shop! Muahahahaha...

Government websites to get the necessary information on my country's embassy, the local police contact number/police station, and hospital/clinics/ pharmacy, not forgetting transport & local SIM costs.

What to pack for your trip?

Hi there!

Back for more travel tips again? (:

I realised a lot of packing videos I've watched tells me how to pack efficiently. In other words, how to squeeze your whole house into a luggage!!!

However, that's not what I believe most people are looking for right?

Imagine opening your luggage to a whole lot of mess.

NOOOOOOOOO!!!

Image from Superstock

So, here are some tips to help those out there!

First, what are the things you will be bringing?

For me, the items essential for my Check-In luggage will be...

1. Toiletries
2. Day Outfits
3. Sleeping Clothes
4. Chargers
5. Devotion Book
6. Slippers (Optional)
7. Make Up bag (Optional)
8. Extra pair of shoes (Optional)
9. Swimsuits (Optional)
10. Accessories (Optional)

Now that you know what you wanna bring, have a system!

The thing I hate the most about travelling is having your clothes mixed with your gifts, food, etc.

So, for those out there who feels the same as I do, I will advise you guys to purchase one of these.

Classification Case For Travel Double Type

It's kinda convenient. You can put both your clean clothes & dirty clothes because there's a divider to separate them.

Also, pack for clothes in outfits, from the ones you are going to wear first on the top, followed by those you are going to wear at a later date below. So it will be easier for you to take your clothes. Save time!

Other than that, you can group them together...

Clothes one bag.

Toiletries + Chargers + Slippers/Shoes = One bag.

It's also advisable for you to bring extra bags for the other things you might purchase during your trip.

In case if any custom officers want to open your luggage to check them, it will be easier for you to pack them.

That's all for today!

Ciao! (:

P.S. Checklist! (:

Keep that fire burning for God in your heart!

Revival by Soulfire Revolution (feat. Kim Walker-Smith)

Will you be that salt & light of the world that God has called you to be?

Do you believe in Him?

Hillsong -- Beneath the Waters (I Will Rise)

Update!

Hi peeps, I'm finally back from HONG KONG!!!
It's time for some updates & travel tips!
Alright, just a day before I flew to Hong Kong, I fell sick.
You must be thinking..."That's bad!" Right?
IKR.
So...I popped some panadol for the next 2 days. And my fever didn't get any better, still coughing & having sore throat. Drank like lots of water, but...still sick!
So, on the second day or third day, I've decided to see a Dr. I was directed to a nearby hospital. And guess what?
I paid HKD990 (SGD165) just to get some pills & to see a Dr who don't really understand my english. Fail.
It's such an irony. I popped 2 panadol extra tablets & was still having fever. I took one panadol tablet which the Dr prescribed and my fever was gone. Hmmm.
So, the lesson I learnt was...always buy a travel insurance. If I had bought one, I would have been able to claim my medical fees!
And some travel tips...
1. Bring a large recycling bag or backpack which you can dump all your shopping bags in. So, you will end up carrying one bag instead of multiple bags which could make your life so miserable.
2. Bring a water bottle or purchase water at a local supermarket so that you won't die of dehydration.
Just kidding. But really, your body will thank you for the water that you have given it. At least 1.5L/day.
Click it --> Reasons to drink water!

Till then, ciao!

Dromomania?

Secured another week of annual leave!
The 4th week of July.

Me & my crazy thoughts...
Having those thoughts of traveling abroad.
I think I'm becoming a travel addict.
But who cares? Traveling is such an awesome thing!
To see what God have created, constantly saying the word "WOW" every time I see something cool~

"When you travel often, you will be addicted to it forever. Our destination is not the place, but new way to see things." - Henry Miller
Well said. *clapping hands*
Totally agree.
Till then, see ya! (:

So the wait begins...

21 more days and I'm going for my annual leave! Really can't wait. Can you feel my excitement?? (:
This time round...can you guess where I'm going?

Hong Kong, Macau & Shen Zhen! (:

It'll be my second time visiting HK, but my first time to visit Macau & SZ.

To be honest, if I have a lot of money, I wouldn't give a second thought. I will just jump down from the Macau Tower!

I've always loved those out-of-your-mind activities.

On my bucket list:

Bungee jumping

Sit on a helicopter

Get on a hot air balloon

Sky diving

Wake boarding

I've got a chance to do all of them this year. But, all of the above mentioned activities costs at least SGD$100 & above. OMG.

Anyway, back to the main topic.

It's pretty much of an impromptu thing~

My mum have always wanted to go to HK.

So, I have annual leave from 15th-21st July.

And the G12 conference is from the 18th-21st July. (Theme: Breath of Life)

I was thinking...hmmm, why not go somewhere out of this country?
I was searching for cheap tickets but I wanna travel in comfort. And I was looking for flights in my handy dandy S3. Cathay Pacific has offers, but it ended on the day I searched for the tickets. So, the prices are from SGD$500 & above.
Next, Jetstar. SGD$400 and above. Crossed out the above 2.
Last hope, SIA! It's kinda unlikely that SIA will have cheaper tickets than Jetstar right?
But NO!~
I bought my SQ tickets for SGD$389.10 per pax. Can you believe it?!
So happy!
That's all~!
Ciaos!

P.S. Be a smart consumer!

Free & Easy? You want it, you have it!

ATTENTION!!!
Today I'm gonna talk about ..."How to travel Free & Easy!"
First, you need some courage, some money, some crazyyyy thoughts, and some supportive people!
And you are all set to go!
Nah, just kidding. It's easy, but not that easy~

Alright, here's the elaborated part...
Step 1:
Apply for leave.
For my job, it's quite tough to get annual leave because we do get a few pregnant staff and there goes your annual leave slots. Did I even mention we start to "chop" our annual leave slots in October for next year's slots? Yea, so I think you roughly get the idea about how difficult it is to get annual leave right?
So...after you have gotten your leave, think about where you wanna go. Finland? Iceland? Greenland? Sweden? That's Step 2. Ohhh, and don't forget to inform your family!
Then, for Step 3! For me, I think I actually planned to go to London like alone, in December 2012. So...I had about 8 months to save my money. And way plenty of time to plan! (:
...Which brings me to Step 4: Plan your Itinerary.
Actually I was contemplating whether to put "Book your tickets" as Step 4 instead of Step 5. But, I made a small mistake for my recent trip. So yea, hence "Book your tickets" will be Step 5.
How do you plan your itinerary?
Go do research on the internet (duhh~). Tourism websites. I believe most countries have their own Tourism websites. Or TripAdvisor? Lonely Planet? Guidebooks. Blogs. YouTube. Don't be surprised! You can roughly get the idea of where to go by looking at videos. Google Maps. It's good if you know how to use Microsoft Word, Paint.
Learn some of their language, or gestures.
Step 5:
Book your tickets.
As you guys know, I'm the kiasu type. Going to different websites almost everyday to check out the air tickets prices is my thing. Unfortunately, my job doesn't allow me to book air tickets way in advance! Only like 2-3 months before I fly. But thank God! Airlines do offer last minute deals...(:
Some websites I recommend, Zuji, Chan Brothers.
Once you know where you wanna go, and the duration of your trip, quickly book your tickets!
For my London trip, I booked 10 days. But alamak, too short. I've included too many things and now it's kind of squeezy.

Another Tip: Are you willing to sacrifice your comfort? If you are willing, go ahead to book budget flights.
But if you aren't willing, you can consider joining "frequent flyer" programs. The groups which I know of is Star Alliance. If I'm not wrong, I think they are the largest group in the world. Another one will be One World. Next, Sky Team. Choose one you think you will benefit the most from, or based on the airlines which is in the programs, as well as where the airlines fly.
Qatar & Emirates are pretty good airlines, but they have their own frequent flyer programs.
Don't forget to buy insurance!

Step 6:
Edit & Print your Itinerary, your relevant documents (don't forget to make photocopies of your passport, ID, Credit Cards, Hotel Vouchers, Entrance tickets) keep one with you in separate places, and keep one at home!
I can't stress this enough. That is, safety!!!
- Bring a money belt with you. Those you hide secretly under your shirt. Travel stores sell it at S$10.
- Keep your valuables out of sight.
- Bring a muggers wallet. Wallet that is with some cash to "satisfy" the mugger.
- Register with eMFA (for Singaporeans)
- Buy travel insurance. Some banks offer discounts.
- Know where your country's embassy is, in the country you are travelling to.
- Bring those door stopper if you are staying in the room alone.
- Bring TSA approved locks.
- Report your location at a particular time and everyday to your family.
Step 7: the last but not least
COUNTDOWN!!!!!!

Somewhere only we know

Cover by Max Schneider & Elizabeth Gilles (Original by Keane)

Someday, I wanna go somewhere with you, somewhere only we know.

What do I want?

3 months 12 days more to my world tour! (actually it's just Australia & London). :/
It's 25 d.c. outside with wind blowing, but I'm sneezing. Can't tolerate 25 d.c. but wanna conquer 15 d.c. Hmmm, smart.
Anyway, back to the topic. What do I want?
5 more days into the mid year of 2013! And it's time I start to think about where to goooooo...
Honestly speaking, I think my dream is to travel around the world now.
I hope to go Spain next year with my friend.

New Zealand with my family.

Korea & Australia (again) with my colleagues!

I'm not sure if it's what had happened to me during my childhood that caused me to want to travel around the world now.
Hmmm...
But anyway, I still have to work to save the money to travel!!

Don't be afraid to live out your dream!

What makes you happy?

Happy Sunday! (:

To love or not to love?

Do you love for the sake of love (because you're lonely) , or do you love because you genuinely want to (take care of the person, to share his/her ups & downs in life)?

I love you...it's more than a sentence. It's a feeling.

Sweet Nothing

Another sweet voice~
Sweet Nothing (Calvin Harris ft. Florence Welch) Cover by Madilyn Bailey & Corey Gray.
Check out her other videos here --> Madilyn Bailey

Blessing in Disguise

Another episode of heart rate going up to 170 plus.

Alright, another ECG to be done.

Dr informed, another dose of IV Adenosine to be given.

IV Adenosine 6 mg given, but to my surprise, heart rate went back up to 170 plus again.

This time round, dose up, 12 mg to be given.

12 mg given. Heart rhythm could not be recorded on the cardiac monitor for a few seconds.

And I was rather in shock to see my patient in front of me, who seemingly was having some sort of spasm, with her eyes opened widely. Like the scene in Mummy when the devil left the man.

But a few seconds later, the heart rate went back up to 120 plus.

So I was extremely relieved.

Something struck me when my friend told me that the heart is such an amazing muscle. A drug could shock your heart and make it stop. But your heart will start to do its job by starting to pump all over again.

But what's amazing is God for He is the One who has created us.

"The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life." -Job 33:4 (NIV)

Rewarding

Busy at work lately. But when is work never busy? Rarely.

Kinda stressed out because of the heavy workload and the lack of manpower.

Frankly speaking, if people want things to work out, having good leadership and good working relationship is very important. If not, things aren't gonna work out the right way.

Anyway, after a busy day at work, it's kinda nice to be able to meet up with my bff whom I haven't seen in months!

Had dinner at Astons and supper at Good Morning Nanyang Cafe.

Astons:

Crispy Fish & Chips ordered, S$9.50, including 2 sides for you to choose. Total price includes service charge & GST. So, yea, quite cheap for a restaurant.

Good Morning Nanyang Cafe:

Toast Set A: Regular Toast x 4, 1 drink, 2 eggs. S$4.10

Quite expensive to me. But I guess it is market rate.

Eggs were not half boiled. Egg whites were still like in the semi solid state. But the yolks were cooked already. So...was kind of disappointed with the eggs. :(

Other than that, my BFF & I went to the Espirit Outlet store at SSC (Sembawang Shopping Centre), and my BFF bought this Tweed kind of jacket with faux leather sleeves. Awesome~ for S$34.90 only! What a steal!

And I'm still thinking if i should get myself the faux leather/biker jacket for S$69.90.

Hmmm...

Anyways, have a good night rest people! GBU! (:

Ciaos~

Favourite Fashion Youtubers!

Today's blog post is about the Youtubers whom I look to for inspiration when I run out of them...haha.

All of these 3 are my favourite Youtubers atm. It's just a random rating...

I'll also be sharing a video by them which I like the most.

First up!

Jenn

Clothes Encounters

More towards the late teens to early twenties~

Second!

Wendy

Wendy's Lookbook

For those out there looking for more fashion tips!

Last but not least!

Chriselle

Chriselle Lim

For those who are more mature, like maybe early twenties to late twenties~

Fashion Inspiration!

Hi there!
I'm going to introduce a few local online shopping sites with prices below S$100!

#1 Runway Bandits
Based in Singapore, Runway Bandits was founded in 2008 as a place to inspire through a careful yet creative curation of bold fashion pieces based on quality, one-of-a-kind aesthetics and street culture. 

#2 Static Fumes

#3 Momo Teapots
Established for more than 5 years, MMTP now also has its own line of designs that goes by a philosophy of comfort and quality, ensuring something for every occasion.

#4 Green Poppies
Founded in 2007.

Who says comparisons are bad?

Let's fly away together, just You & I...

Sup folks!

I'm backkkk again to blog more about airplanes! (You just know you can't get enough of this!)

I began flying from the age of 17.

1st Airplane I've sat in: Cathay Pacific

Followed by 2nd: Jetstar Asia

3rd: TransAsia Airways

4th: Airasia

5th: Scoot Airline

Alright, here are the reviews...

Cathay Pacific (From SG-HK-Nagoya)

Seat Pitch: 32.0

Cushioned seats.

Individual TV, and individual headset wrapped in plastic.

Snacks, and meals provided.

Service wise, hmmm...although they do greet you, but I don't feel their sincerity at all. I'm sorry to say that! It's like they are greeting you for the sake of greeting you.

Next up!

Jetstar Asia (From SG-HK)

Seat Pitch: 31.0

Leather seats. Comfortable.

No snacks, no meals provided. Have to purchase.

No TV, no headset. Remember to bring some entertainment along with you!

Good Service, greeted with a bright smile! And answers you promptly when you call for assistance! (:

TransAsia Airways (From SG-TW)

Seat Pitch: 32.0

Cushioned Seats.

Shared TV. 1 TV for every 3 rows. But no headset.

Snacks, and meals provided.

The best hospitality I've ever experience on airplanes so far. (:

AirAsia (From SG-Bali)

Seat Pitch: 29.5

Leather Seats.

No TV, No personal headset.

Snacks provided, no meals provided. Have to purchase.

Service was still okay, not that bad though.

Last but not least...

Scoot Airlines (From TW-SG)

Seat Pitch: 31.0 (But honestly speaking, I think the seat width is wayyyy too small. I don't feel comfortable AT ALL.)

A piece of advice, please don't choose the blue seats. Just add some money and choose the yellow seats.

Cushioned seats. Terrible. Really budget ttm. The cushions can be pulled out and what you have underneath are metal frames of a chair.

No personal TV, no personal headset. Duhh~

No snacks, or meals provided unless you choose the premium meal selection when you purchase the tickets.

Service was terrible. Stewardess walking past you several times, but nobody even bothered to check on what you need despite pressing the button several times. Have to personally call them before they even notice you exist! (Maybe it's a new airplane so the buttons are not in service yet! =/)

Other than that...I think that's about it folks.

P.S. Jetstar have sale on every Friday.

Bargain!

Hi folks!
I'm back to talk more about bargains! (:
I'm turning 21 in like...4 months 25 days. Say short not short, say long also not long.
So, since it's my 21st birthday, I've came up with this theme called #Project21.
In this project, I will be spending 21 days mostly abroad, instead of the usual party which many people do...
So yea, let's begin...
First, I shared in my previous blog post that I got a super great flight deal from SG to LHR for only $1050.
Next, I found another deal. (Y)
After checking like basically everyday for like 2-4 weeks or so, I compared the prices for Jetstar, AirAsia, Qantas, SQ, Malaysian Airlines, Emirates...
Since Jetstar (Low Cost Airline) was $800+ for a return trip (direct/1 stopover) from SG-Melbourne, and Emirates (Luxury International Airline) was $900+ (direct), of course book Emirates right!
So far Emirates was the cheapest if I compare it to SQ (approx 1200), and Qantas (approx 1000).
I checked the SQ prices (SQ app on s3) again on my way to work to ensure that Emirates offered the best rate in the market. (Kiasu~)
I was like delighted to see that SQ has offered a Super Deal! (:

It was 767.50 for a return trip from SG-Melbourne (direct). So i quickly book lahhh. SQ lehh! =D
Pros:
Audio & Visual: A lot of US channels available, and a wide range of music options available.
For eg: I've sat on Cathay Pacific, there was only a few music options available. As for TV wise, the movies were up-to-date. Other than that, built in remote and individual new headset provided by Cathay Pacific. But for SQ, it's a totally different thing. TV which can be tilted for your range of vision, portable remote which has a Qwerty keyboard behind, and a Power charger which I realise quite a few international airlines don't have.
Food: World Class Gourmet.
One thing which caught my attention was the Ulcer Meal (what?!) under Meal options. Haha. So funny. But I feel SQ do take care of their customer's stomach. Hehe.
"A hungry man is an angry man." True that~
Definition by SingaporeAir.com -- This meal contains easily digestible, plain, poached and broiled foods (e.g. white meat or fish). Food or fruits that are acidic (e.g. citrus fruits) are avoided.
Cons:
Timing: Flight from SG--Melbourne 0745hrs--1705hrs. =(

Nevertheless, we still love you.

http://www.tfpstudentaction.org/politically-incorrect/homosexuality/10-reasons-why-homosexual-marriage-is-harmful-and-must-be-opposed.html

Just Give me a Reason

Cover by Megan Nicole & Jason Chen
Original song by P!nk ft. Nate Ruess

Can't live without you

Stay by Rihanna
Cover by Megan Nicole.
Godere! (:

Me without You

By Sam Tsui.
Enjoy~

I'm on Cloud 9!

Went out with my friend last week & I spotted a pair of white and navy strips flats on her! Then she told me about how comfy and cute the shoes were...
In my mind, I was like..."okay, how comfortable can flats be? I mean most flats are.'
Then, the next day I went to Ion with my friend. Went to the Muji at Ion B4 because it was BIG, and I wanted to shop for my travel stuff. So I went in, and I saw the flats which my friend said were  comfortable. I tried it on. And the feeling was amazing! As I slipped my foot into the flats, I felt like
I was stepping on clouds. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!
Nahhh, just kidding. I felt like I was stepping on candy floss. It was rly comfy! Your legs feel like they were 'padded'. So soft...
Anws, prices range from 39.90 onwards.
Ohhh, and did I mention that they sell moccasins too? In navy & brown. For 79 bucks.
Pay coming in 2 more days! Hehehe...

A smart consumer!

One of the places that I feel is worth shopping in, is UNIQLO!
The reason why I feel so, is because periodically, Uniqlo has sale going on...!
And the savings are like 50% or so?
Therefore, there's no harm in waiting for a lil' longer till that favourite piece that you've been eyeing on is on sale! (;

Heart Attack by Demi Lovato

les hommes qui peuvent chanter sont irrésistiblement chaude

Mirrors by Justin Timberlake
Cover done by Kurt Hugo Schneider & Sam Tsui
Enjoy~! (:

Quanto è dolce

Little Things by One Direction

Genießen!

When I was your man

A Bruno Mars Cover by Sam Tsui
Enjoy~! (:

I knew you were trouble

A Taylor Swift Cover by Chester See, Tyler Ward, and Lindsey Stirling!
Hope you enjoy it~! (:

Swedish House Mafia

Love this song by SHM-Don't You Worry Child ft. John Martin.
Went to search this song on Youtube, and I saw in the beginning of the video that it states that SHM is calling it a day and that they are going to 'break up'. So out of curiosity, I went to google it. Then saw this on wiki..."On June 24, 2012, the group announced via their website that their current tour would be their last together. They have officially broken up as of their final appearance at the Ultra Music Festival on March 24, 2013."
What a pity...
Anyway, hope you guys will enjoy this song! Lyrics are below.
Ciao~

There was a time, I used to look into my father's eyesIn a happy home, I was a king I had a golden throneThose days are gone, now they're memories on the wallI hear the sounds of the places where I was born[Chorus]Up on a hill across a blue lake,That's where I had my first heart breakI still remember how it all changedMy father said,"Don't you worry, don't you worry, childSee heaven's got a plan for you
Don't you worry, don't you worry now."Yeah!"Don't you worry, don't you worry, childSee heaven's got a plan for you
Don't you worry, don't you worry now"Yeah!
There was a time, I knew a girl of a different kindWe ruled the world,I thought I would never lose her out of sightWe were so young, I think of her now and then
I still hear the song that reminded me of my friend[Chorus]Up on a hill across a blue lake,That's where I had my first heart breakI still remember how it all changedMy father said,"Don't you worry, don't you worry, childSee heaven's got a plan for you
Don't you worry, don't you worry now."Yeah!Ooh ooh ooh ooooh!Ooh ooh ooh ooooh!Ooh ooh ooh ooooh!
See heaven's got a plan for you"Don't you worry, don't you worry, childSee heaven's got a plan for youDon't you worry, don't you worry now"Hey![ From: http://www.metrolyrics.com/dont-you-worry-child-lyrics-swedish-house-mafia.html ]