laze around north of Brisbane

ADMIN : Had not been updating my own blog recently. Will make an absolute effort to put in more details. Secondly, pic will be online soon to make the blog more readable, so stay tuned. (",)

It was a fine morning when a few of our guys - Kim Song, Eric Ki, Patric Choy, yang, gene, taha and myself carried out a small day trip to climb Mt Coolum and make our way to Noosa. Mt Coolum was kind of the last min, so imagine mi wearing slippers threading through the slippery rocks. Luckily, I got my ODAC training whereby I climbed up Mt Ophir in my slippers. BUt WARNING, as far as one is concerned, it is always good groundmanship to wear proper shoes to prevent sprains, bites and bruises.

Mt Coolum is situated a few bus stops away from my accomodation side. The climb is relatively easy. It is similar to Bukit Timah Hill, slightly lower though. As I reached the top, it brought back fond memories of my trekking days with my best friend, Jeffrey. Though the process of climbing up is extremely tedious, the end results of reaching the top, enjoying the views from the top is something to cherish always. Still remember my younger days when people tell mi - "you siao or not, waste S$2000+++ to torture yourself by trekking in Nepal?" I replied," because it is there and you can see what other people cannot see from above". It rekindles my fire deep within mi to trek and climb higher mountains. My next feasible target may be MT Kinabula with my wife, Huimin. Making it happen is what I need to do amid my hectic schedule.

We proceeded on to Noosa Head. It gave mi a "Holland V cum CHangi village" kind of feeling. Nice beach, people, chill out, alfrenso coffee, etc. When I was walking thorough, I saw a simple outdoor marriage ceremony. THere is a small garden, the bride, bridegroom, 3 pairs of brothers and sisters. Can see from their faces that that day is the happiest day of their lives. It sort of bring back sweet memories of my engagement party on 29 May 2004, less the drinking, of course. :)

Take care, ladies and gentleman.Eng Wei, Chong / Yingwei

Still in my 10km mark

Just ran for the second time this week. Time 00:59 Dist : ~10km, I reckon. Glad that I am getting used to my running. Feeling strong at the finishing. Knee is okie for now. But it seems that everytime I run a longer dist, my knee must hurt. Then the next time when I run again the same longer dist, my knee is okie. Hope that I am heading in the right direction. Let us recall my "my things to do b4 I go back to Singapore" - to complete 21km in Brisbane to prepare for the Singapore marathon at the end of the year 2005. I still got a month in Brisbane, so will make the best out of the situation!! :)

So what else had I been doing during my free time? I had just finished Harry Potter - Half Blood Prince. Not so bad, but I think it is on the downturn side. This fact had been proven, the first is most often the best: Star Wars Trilogy and not the Phantom Menance, the matrix and not the Matrix revolution, the fellowship of the Ring and not the Return of the King, Gundam Seed and not Gundam Seed Destiny. I miss the first :)

Here is my list of things to do in Brisbane:
1. Climb Mount Coolum
2. Finish my OJT here
3. Run 21km under 2 hours
4. Watch more DVD, finish Initial D Stage 4, watch heaven dragon eight episode
5. Buy my wine glasses, more merlot, more sightseeing
6. Finish the LOTR trilogy book for my second attempt

Good day, ladies and gentlemen
Eng Wei, Chong / Yingwei

Had been a while since I wrote

It had been a while since I wrote. Well, I am still who I am :) Approaching the mid phase of my training in Brisbane. Still got one good month to go. So let mi tell you what I had been doing for the last two weeks

1. Went back to Singapore for 2 days for my project. Had kept a very very low profile abt it. Not even Jeffrey and Lip Chee know abt it. In due course, I will reveal my project to all of you. Stay tuned. By the way, had mee siam, roast duck rice, chicken rice, kopi satu susu sikit, fish sliced porridge. Hor yeah!
2. My Harry potter is half way through...still do not know which main character had died...and everybody don't you tell mi who that is....slow in reading, I am.
3. Initial D had been advanced to the 4th stage alreadi....Yes the dream team had finally forged upon.
4. Gundam Seed Destiny had only been advanced to the 15th episode. Any kind soul to help mi out?
5. Running : Yes, I had reached my 10km mark alreadi, only half way to my target distance of half marathon. One more month of training in Brisbane. Knee cap had been doing well, just hope to continue to strengthen it with intervels of short bust running and endurance running and good food consumption.
6. OJT on my current training. Learning curve had started to steepen up again. Got to wake up, concentrate and give my best!

It is time for me to rest cos I got a black day tomo ie day off! Got to rest now...good nite, ladies and gentlemen.

Eng Wei, Chong / Yingwei

Just another Off day

I am so glad to have an off day today. It is soooo important to have an off day after two intensive drilling of advanced training. Quoted by my friend "when it start, it will end". True enough, the tough training for the day had ended. And I am at my kitchen, once again, typing something to be posted on the next journal.

It feels so good to be able to dine together. My friend, Melvin decided to inspire oneself by cooking for 10pax - black bean chicken hor fun. All of us tried to help out in one another - eye power, cutting the veg, boiling the flat noodles, boiling the bak ku tae, grabbing extra chairs and utensils, etc. Had a heart to heart dinner. I am sure that it will not be the last one.

I love get together, makan and chill out with coffee or a mug of beer.

Things to do today
- read up on my work syllabus
- watch Gundam Seed Destiny
- Go for a run (45min)

Had a good day to all
Eng Wei, Chong / Yingwei

He who shall not be named is back!

Yeehaw! THe six instalment of the book had finally arrived today! Will be looking forward for the book to be sent from Singapore to Brisbane by my wife. :) Thank you so much!

Had been doing a lot of running here in Brisbane. From my list of things to do in Brisbane, I have this project on going - to run a 21km here in Brisbane successfully for the major built up of running a marathon this year end.

For today, I had just completed a 1 hr run (I hope it adds up to a 8.5km mark). Slow and steady does the way. I am not looking out for some fantastic record breaking time. My goal is short, simple and unambigous - to finish a marathon. At this stage, I am not sure if I can do it or not. But I always remember what a friend of mine told mi - "Got try then got chance, no try confirm no chance!" Secondly, I got a crazy best friend, Jeffrey, to do it together.. Easier to do crazy things together with someone else, so that you realise that you are not alone in doing crazy things in order to feel alive. :)

I must say that for today's run, I struggled, panted and simply exhausted. My knees are hurting and be rest assured that I am not a fan of extreme pain. Hope that the continous training regime will knock off my injury and make mi a new aura man. Top it up with some karma and I am positive that things will go on nice and sweet.

Time to go for a run.
"The runner in front is meant to be overtaken" - Nike advertisment at East Coast Park

Eng Wei, CHong / Yingwei

LIFE IN BRISBANE

Had just spent my first weekend in Brisbane. Was sent to Brisbane for my advanced training. Will definitely miss singapore, especially my loved onesas well as the food. Oohhhh, I miss the laksa and the satays and....

Life in Brisbane had been so far so good for mi. Stayed in a chalet, next to a river. Though it is now the winter season, it does not feel like winter.It feels more like spring to mi, with lots of sunshine and chilling weather, say like 20 degree celcius. I am still wearing my usual T shirt and bermudas running around. :)

Feels so nice to meet up with the rest of my guys - Bret, esmond, KT, Meng, Melvin and Eric. Felt very fortunate as most of our guys are rather tight in our training. Hence we got a chance to "stick together" even when we came over to Brisbane. I will be attempting to organise a course gathering soon. Heard that the T bone steak at the Lawners club nearby is cheap and nice....yum yum!

Not sure if everyone felt the same, everytime that I moved out of my comfort zone, there is apprehension, do not know what to expect, information overload, blur blur, learning new things, missing the loved ones, missing my fav fishball noodles, etc. Though it is initially tough, I am looking forward to the objectives at the end of my training - learnt new skillsmaking new friends, rekindling existing friendship, breaking new grounds, looking back and give yourself a good pat on my own back and say "been here done that"

Got to work hard now, see you later, mate!

T-67 days to go homeEng Wei, Chong / Yingwei

Will be away from Singapore for a while

Yes, I am leaving my dear Sillypore to Brisbane for training tonite. Must say that over the last month in Singapore, well spent it is.

Met up with my engagement party helpers yesterday at Secret Recipe, Plaza Singapura. People there are Efung, Huiyi, April, Hanrong, Huimin, Jingyi, Chin Chew, weimin and cherlene. Yes, the names that I had mentioned are some of the most amazing people who helped out in the engagement party of Huimin and I. Though the event had passed over a year alreadi, we were still talking abt the "wish" that I had declared that nite, the nite that I drank till I am 110%unconscious, the nite we had so much fun, the nite that I found out that I got more right hair on my right nipple than my left, and so on. Really had a nice dinner and chit chat and dessert. Will be looking for more of these when I come back to Singapore.

Oops, forgot to infer that I had just celebrated my first anniversary with my wife, Huimin.

I will be back in 3 months time. Will be attempting my very best to update the site. Stay tuned.

Good day, mate! Down Under, here I come!

Eng Wei, Chong / Yingwei

A Miracle wedding of Jaslin and Dave

It is a nice sat evening. Huimin and I were walking along Beach Road on our way to the wedding of Jaslin and Dave's at Raffles' Hotel. The time had finally come. While I was away from Singapore due training, Jaslin had linked up with Huimin to ask if the both of us can make it. I would be a heartless soul to reject such sincerity from a close friend like her. Now, the miracle is going to happen soon at the Lawn, Raffles Hotel.

The Lawn is a rectangular yard whereby Jaslin and Dave are going to exchange their vows to become husband and wife. Though I had alreadi been a married personnel for a year plus, I can still feel the excitement of getting married (as if mine had just happened the day before) - the atmosphere, the love, everybody talking abt Jaslin and Dave, challanging Jaslin to be demure, asking Dave not to shave his moustache, seeing Jeffrey panic button pressed, seeing my dear ODAC friends, etc. Weddings are such a joy to attend that I am quite sure that your live span would be lengthen if you attend more weddings. (putting the Hongbao money aside...haahahah)
The sequence went like this : seating of the guest, invitation of the Justice of Peace to be seated, walking in of 3 pairs of brothers and sisters, the ring bearer, jaslin and father, transferring her to Dave, vow taking, exchanging the rings, declared husband and wife, petal throwing and fire crackers, photo taking. It feelsssss so good to be able to see Jaslin in the good hands of Dave. FYI, they had known each other for 2 decades, and Dave had loved her since primary school days. Arrgh!!! Man, all the women in the world would die to have him as their husband. But am I glad that Fate had put jaslin and dave in good hands together, forever and ever.

During the dinner, I managed to meet up with more of my ODAC friends - Gina, Ginny, Kim Lan, Ah Hong, Aloy, Julian and Betty. As I caught up with them, vivid memories of us going to expeditions of Berkelah Falls, Mt Kinabalu flashed back within mi. I always believe that good friends are always met in the hard way. Though many had stopped trekking, the forged friendship remained strong in all of us. [eg, Ginny is now busy taking care of Carriane (carry - ann), others in no particular order choir, chionging, teaching, construction, HR, etc] You can see that wedding also serves as a centre stage for all of us to put aside time and meet up as purely friends.

Last, but not least, my most heartiest congrats to Jaslin and Dave on their marriage and I wish them all the best in their future endeavours.

Eng Wei, Chong / Yingwei

Back to the Swiss old days

Got inside information that my Swiss Cottage Secondary School Form teacher Mrs Lee Ji Pang as well as one of my most beloved teacher Mrs Chin are going to retire from teaching today. I told myself down down must make an effort to make my way down to school to meet them. True enough, I arrived at Swiss Cottage (Bukit Batok) at 1530hrs LMT to hook up with Ben.

Man, it had been a long 11 years since I graduate from secondary school. There is so much changes to the building, to the kids, to the layout, to the atmosphere. But some things do not change - the same cheerful uncle Charlie who sells drinks, the friendly Auntie who had gone through thick and thin with him. We chatted for a while, talking abt the new layout of the canteen (more stifling now), how the new malay vendors sabo him, his son coming back from Hong Kong due overseas attachment. Even though I am not of close terms with Uncle Charlie, we spoke as if we were close friends. We belong to what we say the era of 1991~1994. :-)

Finally got to meet Mrs Chin and Mrs Lee after their contact time. Not very sure what do they mean by contact time, but I think it is something like shooting all the arrows b4 school reopens. Finally they came out and I am so happy to be able to see them again. Mrs Chin hugged mi so tightly as if her son is back to see her. Believe mi, the feeling is soooo good. I still remembered when I was young, we learned so much intangible things from her in all aspects of life. Foolish I am, but I dare to dream. Leadership I was taught the hard way. Determination I was to make sure that the objective were met at the end of the day. Results though important, it is the process that moulds a person.

I was greeted by a young female lady which I later realise that she is a vice princpal. Man, I was honoured!!! Ben, Daniel and myself were even introduced to the Principal, Ms Tay and we had a chat. I guess in the eyes of all teachers, seeing their former students coming is indeed a proud achievement for them. Mrs Lee was close to tears and we talked abt the good old days that we had. I updated her abt the status of our class,like Tingxui married last year and Dharma had a son. She showed mi the teachers day present that we gave to her 11 years ago, all in good condition.

Really had a good chat with Mrs Chin b4 we left. Retirement is not the end of the day. More good times will come, I assure them.

Eng Wei, Chong / Yingwei

Off for today!!!

The time now is 1100hrsLMT. Feelssss so good to be given a day off to rest at home and explore more on my newly found blog. Had been wanting to type some journals since this blogging thing pops up say 2 years ago, but the lame excuse of mine is LAZY!! But I am glad that this task had been shot down from my ultra big "list of things to do when I come back to Singapore and before I leave Singapore list". Just to share with you some of the things that I had drafted up:

List of things to do when I come back to Singapore and before I leave Singapore list
1. Spend time with my loved ones, eat dinner, watch movie, go Zoo, etc
2. Repair my shoes
3. A new pair of specs
4. A watch
5. Start a blog
6. Settle my work related stuff (that is a big subtree of another list of things to do...)
7. Redeem my freebies from credit cards b4 it expires
8. Fix up my brother desktop which is U/S for the last nine months.
9. Watch Initial D with the "Chong aka Chiong" family
10. Celebrate Father's day with my family
11. Meet up with Huijing and Xinyi, Meiting, Jacqueline, Jianfeng, Kok Kim, .....

Yesterday, I met up with my sec school guys - Ben, youtian and Daniel. Kudos to Daniel for making the extra effort to meet up with us despite the fact that he only touched down in Singapore today from Bangkok. The gathering was kind of a last min, and I was just organising it given the slim chance...The results are satisfying. 5 came /8 possible. To quote what a friend of mine, Ben Poon KK, told mi "got try then got chance, no try confirm no chance one lah!" Most of then are fine. One is a teacher, one is a chemist and one is an engineer. But we are bounded by the fact that we had known each other for more than 15 years. Oops, I think I had just revealed my age to all of you out there. :-)

My wife Min met up with us later in the second stage and all of us went to view Youtian's new house in Yew Tee. Good stuff! HDB 5A, 110sqm, renovation thrown in with a human touch and you have a home of your own. It is amazing what are the topics that we talked abt throughout the years of friendship - from which girl to chase, NS chiong Peng Kang Hill, the most hated lecturer in NUS/NTU to the everlasting FYP.. Now we are talking abt which contractor to look for, marble or homogeneous flooring, which venue to host the wedding, etc.....Time flies, I say....

So after this entry, I am going to :
1. Fix up the second PC which I had damaged while troubleshooting the first one
2. Animation Time
3. Research on my current "project 2006"
4. Meet up with my NUS classmates, 9pm, Holland V

Good day, mate!
Eng Wei, Chong / Yingwei

NUS classmates, my ME Class 2A, 2B(1999-2003)

Going to meet my NUS classmates for the first time soon eversince i am back from Perth, WA. Really really excited to be able to see them soon cos when we meet, we "Ta!" or chill out!. For those who do not know what is "Ta!", all you have to do is open up a can of beer / have a glass of merlot/ a shot of Famous Grouse, Tequila pop, Chivas neat, then you drink from the tip to the bottom, then I will tell you what is the meaning of "Ta!" :-)

We were fortunate to have classes forged in NUS Mechanical Engineering (ME). Hardly surprising, most of them broke up when one graduates, starting to work, based overseas or simply too busy to catch up with due clash of schedule. Yes, my class faces the same prob, but yet, everyone in my dear class are still willing to meet up when the notorious class outing arises from the bottom of the earth. Everyone is striding well in their own wide and varied fields right now (We graduated 2 years ago, you know??) - from mad scientists, financial planner, "mountain of doom" specialist, mountaineer, heavy transport operator, communication analyst, army regular, bio researcher awaiting to transform himself into Darth Vader, engine master so that he can be the first Asian to be in the F1 chief engineer, pneumatic pumpers, teacher, "everything also do" engineers, etc.... Even though all of us are busy, they are all very willing to put aside time to have a class outing. FYI, I go by the rule of at least 1 class outing every 3 months. And I am proud to mention that our class had been achieving that since the year 2000. Kudos to my class!!

Who are the hearts and souls in my class? In my own words, it is all the very single individuals in the class. Though it takes a simple and normal guy to organise a class outing, it takes everybody to make a class outing a success. "Class outing" - defined as a gathering of 2 or more people to eat, drink,"Ta!", relax, chill out, gossip, talk abt the good old days and think abt the good new days ahead.

With so much benefits in hand, isn't it time to have a class outing for you?

Eng Wei Chong / Yingwei