Meandering Roads

If I were to be honest...

2011-11-01T05:39:00.000-07:00

All right, all right, I admit it. I am vain. And arrogant. And insecure. And spiteful. And jealous. These are the demons on my back that keep yelling into my ear, telling me what to do and how to behave.

I want to be the best person I can be. To do the best that I can and to be all that I was made and born to be. But in doing so, I always look alongside me and see others. And compare. That's it, really, isn't it? I'd be perfectly happy doing what I did if I didn't know or care what someone else was doing. But I do not have that luxury.

The most glaring thing about the prominence and greatness of others is the inadequacy I feel in myself. This has to change. I know this is a lesson a long time in coming and I have tried my best to avoid it by humility and modesty, if often of the false variety. But now, it comes to it. There's no escaping and no side alley to duck into. Just the plain and hideous face of my pride sneering at me. And comparing.

This must end. The way it has to. The way of honour and of truth. If will must strive against will, so be it. Only that it not be from selfishness and ambition, but for the desire to do what is right.

I hope I am walking the right path and if I am not, may some kind soul lead me to it.

Come on, guys...

2011-06-20T22:10:00.000-07:00

Dear MPs, why must it take a poor GE result for you to want to serve and understand the public? Weren't you supposed to do this regardless of the GE? Weren't you supposed to be doing this all along? Isn't that what an MP does?

Weren't you supposed to be thinking about the rising costs of living and DOING something CONSTRUCTIVE about it? Did it only just occur to you that the massive whirlpool you call your immigration policy has cost Singapore and Singaporeans their livelihoods, environment as well as their prospects for a better future?

Sure, you all can sit behind your millions and 'consider' the reprecussions. What is a $300,000 3-room HDB flat (I am being conservative, here) to someone who earns a million dollars a year? Don't give me this nonsense about the annual median income being $50,000. If 51 people out of 100 earn $50,000 and the other 49 earn $18,000, what is the relevance of THAT sort of statistic?

All you guys seem to be able to do, for all your self-righteous 'we-are-incorruptable', 'we-are-the-best-there-is' back patting, is tell us each and every time there is an issue, that 'SORRY, WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT'. If a million dollar a year salary buys that kind of an answer, I think my nephews could run for government. They're cuter than you, too.

Flooding, housing, Mas Selamat, the rising cost of living, education, retirement (don't get me started on CPF. No, wait, in fact I will), national service, wages, transport, liberty...the list is rather long isn't it?

Flooding the likes of which we have seen in recent months (nope, the interval for this kind of thing is not 50 years) has not occurred at any point in my 30 year lifetime. Don't you think someone other than Mother Earth may possibly have contributed to this?

Isn't land and the prices of public housing controlled by you guys? Don't you own the land? Don't you own HDB? Don't you think a $300,000 3-room apartment for someone earning $18,000 a year is rather STEEP? You might think a 30-year loan creates a twisted sense of 'ownership' for us, but it doesn't. All it does is make us hate you. You try paying for your home over a 30 year period and see how you feel. Not a mansion. A flat, a normal, ordinary HDB flat.

How about retirement? For us, I mean. On what you earn on average in a year, you could retire immediately after that and not have to work for the rest of your life. You don't have to worry that 20% of your money is taken away every month and is strangely, 'earning' DEPRECIATING value. 20% of $1 million leaves you $800,000. $800,000 a year. What do you do with that kind of money?

Inflation is 5% and the CPF gives 2.5%. Come on, guys, what were you thinking when you came up with this? Would YOU invest in something so absurd and then make it mandatory? Here's a little suggestion: give the people more than 5% interest back on their CPF. It's a start. And no, having my life savings for my old age spent on a house which I will need later on IN MY OLD AGE, is not the answer. Seriously, guys.

Here's the heart of the matter: National leaders, yes, that's all of you, right down from Dear Mr. Lee Kuan Yew to every single backbencher MP there is, do not understand what it is like to be a Singaporean. A normal, average Singaporean. Someone who ISN'T a scholar, related to someone powerful or have millions of dollars to spare - does that give you some idea?

That is why your policies don't work, that is why no one buys your excuses and no one wants to listen to you anymore. At best, the current effort looks half-hearted. If you were truly for the people, if you were truly interested in making this country better, you need to look no further for guidance than that average, normal, ordinary Singaporean. Not someone like you. Someone like us.

2011-05-08T04:02:00.000-07:00

We had it in our hands. Freedom and the capacity to effect change for our nation. To speak out against the astronomical prices of homes, against obscene salaries for ministers and against a system of government that keeps the people prisoners. We had a chance to do something about it, but 6 out of 10 Singaporeans decided not to.

6 out of 10 decided that its okay to get 20% of our salaries taken away and put in a faulty scheme that returns far less than even an insurance policy.

6 out of 10 decided that million dollar salaries for ministers who do not share the aspirations or concerns of Singaporeans are okay.

6 out of 10 decided that its okay to let their children be financial hostages should they ever wish to own a home in Singapore.

6 out of 10 decided that they are okay with a system of government that uses you and robs you blind when you are productive, but that abandons you in your old age.

6 out of 10 are okay that the poor are neglected, while the rich enjoy this little island paradise.

6 out of 10 decided that they are okay with empty promises.

It is one thing to be ruled by leaders who view the people as assets to further their financial goals and who choose to ignore them once their vote is secured.

It is quite another when these people choose these leaders for themselves.
After learning of the results of the 2011 General Elections in Singapore, I know one thing is clear. 6 out of 10 Singaporeans, a majority, do not want things to get better. 6 out of 10 are satisfied with the way things are and they agree with the policies and direction this country is taking.

Government leaders, in the leadup to the elections, claimed that they would listen to the people and address their concerns. Now that the votes have been cast in their favour, they say that they won't be looking into the policies they're planning to implement, but merely the WAY they are implemented.

That, is what 6 out 10 Singaporeans wanted. Another broken promise. We had a chance this May to make them listen. Do you honestly believe that they will listen now? 5 years is a long time. Another 5 years of rising costs, people being left out and left behind and the perpetuation of a culture of 'me first'.

I am ashamed to be a Singaporean. We criticise and complain and speak of taking steps to change the status quo, but when we are given the chance to do so, we falter. We lack the integrity to follow through. Contesting parties put themselves on the line to give the people an alternative and a choice, but it seems the people do not want it. I wouldn't blame them if the contesting parties never do return to the political arena. What's the point when they have been betrayed by the very people they sought to serve and save.

So guys, expect an increase in housing prices, expect an increase in immigration, expect an overloaded transport system (6.5 million, remember?), expect your children to be pressed by an overly competitive and academically obsessed education system, expect to be fleeced for more money in a myriad of new taxes and fees I am sure are in the pipeline, expect your lives to be just about work, sleep and then the frenzied attempt to relieve that stress that comes from a meaningless life, expect to be poor with no savings when you retire, get retrenched for a less expensive talent or lose the use of your faculties and expect to become a minority and a lost whisper when the next slate of government policies move to squeeze you into the mould of their favourite type of citizen - a nodding, wimpering sycophant.

There's nothing for it now Singapore. You asked for it.

I know what it is...

2011-03-09T01:44:00.001-08:00

I'm a bad boy. I've been thinking of all the times recently when I've been angry with people, whoever it may be for whatever reason. I believe I'm really just angry with myself. I know, narcissistic, but I've analysed it and if I felt better about myself, I know I wouldn't be so bitter or angry.

07 Dec 09

2009-12-07T03:10:00.000-08:00

Wow, it has been a while. Since I've last written, I've been kicked around MCYS, sung at a wedding, a private birthday dinner and at the MCYS Volunteer Appreciation Ceremony...

Now, I guess I'm still where I've been the last 2 years...nowhere. I'm set to join the IRs when and if they open. I'm beginning to get a little impatient, being as it is that I got interviewed in August and they are still processing all of our applications.

Oh well, I'll find something else while I'm waiting. Melvin's right, it's better to try and fail miserably, then to live a life doing something you hate. We've all only 1 life to live. If it's not going to be lived the way you want to, it's a darned waste, now isn't it?

Now, go ahead. Go live.

The Qunicy

2009-08-17T06:21:00.000-07:00

Subject: RE: Regarding our stay (15 - 16 Aug 09)Date: Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:09:06 +0800From: frontoffice@quincy.com.sgTo: knyht@hotmail.com
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Hi, Joshua and Jyn Yun!!
Wow!! Thank you very much for your beautiful letter. You made the Q team very happy with your nice review. That is why every one of us decided to follow this passionate career, so we can meet nice people and make them happy. At the end of the day, a letter like yours is our best reward and satisfaction.
Please, visit us again any time soon!! I promise you I will learn how to pronounce Jyn Yun properly. Lol!
Hugs and Qisses from the Q team

Be good today…
Ruben
Your Guest Service Executive
Quincy
22 Mount Elizabeth
Singapore 228517Tel +65 6738 5888
Fax +65 65101938
frontoffice@quincy.com.sg
www.quincy.com.sg

…

Ruben
Your Guest Service Executive
Quincy
22 Mount Elizabeth
Singapore 228517Tel +65 6738 5888
Fax +65 65101938
frontoffice@quincy.com.sg
www.quincy.com.sg
From: A. Knyht [mailto:knyht@hotmail.com] Sent: Sunday, August 16, 2009 6:01 PMTo: Front Office (The Quincy Hotel); Info (Quincy Hotel)Cc: wizzi_ger@hotmail.comSubject: Regarding our stay (15 - 16 Aug 09)

To the Manager and if possible, CEO of Far East Organisation, It is a matter of utmost seriousness and severity to me that I write to you about the virtues of the Quincy. My girlfriend and I stayed there from the 15 - 16 of August. The moment we stepped in, we were greeted by an air of sincere hospitality, beyond and above anything we have experienced before.

1. The Staff

There are many factors that contribute to the success of a hotel, but I offer my humble opinion that the foundation of any hotel and what makes it a great place to stay at, is the staff. From concierge to waiters at the restaurant, we were treated with so much warmth and kindness. To Leo, Eric and Jaslyn, you guys are really cool. The sense of humour and good cheer you guys have makes one want to linger at the reception for as long as possible, just for the company.

2. RUBEN!

On a special note, I'd like to commend Ruben, who settled us in, explained all that we could enjoy at the Quincy (which we did, to an immense degree) and was with us every step of the way during our stay. His professionalism, bright, winning personality and his attention to detail really won our affection. Plus, he found a romantic table for us at dinner (I owe you one, man!) This gentleman is really first class. One in a billion. If there is any kind of award that you may have for excellent service or for being a model in hospitality, I'd really like to recommend him for it.

3. The Quincy Qoncept

The all-inclusive concept is quite new to me, but it is deeply appreciated. Providing 3 hearty and absolutely delicious meals a day (this coming from someone with a big appetite), complimentary snacks and drinks and all the comforts (and more) of a modern home; like the complimentary broadband and freshly brewed coffee (my favourite), impressed on me vividly that the Quincy is not just a place to stay, but a place that goes the extra 30 miles out of its way to TAKE CARE OF ME. Even the signs and notices put up around the hotel exude charisma. Whether about the rules of the gym or just telling us about the channels on the television, the text is not just informative, it is INTERACTIVE - a very nice touch. The welcome note issued to us with the names, pictures and signatures of our hosts during our stay is another good gesture. The amount of communication between the guests and the hotel makes the place inviting and come alive. If not for the fact that we only had the weekend to spend there, we would have definitely extended our stay. The quality of the staff at the Quincy is simply superb. I'd have to say the HR really did a good job selecting people with the right character, aptitude and attitude for the Quincy - young at heart, humourous and with great love for people. It is the suave and classy decor, combined with great staff and great food that will win acclaim for the Quincy Qoncept. We felt, as I am sure many guests also have, almost sad to check-out. It was a wonderful stay and I will do my best to return. Once again, I'd like to thank everyone at the Quincy for a wonderful weekend.

The Quincy Qoncept

I hope you'd excuse the raving of a victim of the Q,
Who spent a weekend in classy paradise and returned to tell its true.
With quality splendid each and all, what a staff beyond compare!
So hear now, this questing qrying of how much Quincy Qares.

From warm handshake to gracious smile and coffee oh so strong,
To scrumptious meals and chic decor to enjoy all day long,
If only I had another day to rest in this retreat,
So come one and all to Quincy and to the Qoncept you're sure to meet!

2009-05-10T00:25:00.000-07:00

At one point or another, we find ourselves at a cross road. What do we do with our lives? Which path do we choose? I find myself at a cross road right now.

Do I want to be like everyone else? Get a regular job, so I can work my ass off 8 - 12 hours a day at a job I hate, so I can get that car, that house that I won't get to enjoy for 8 - 12 hours of that same day...

I know it might not be like that, but that's what I normally see. Some might argue that they don't hate their jobs...yup, they'll tell everyone that. But they know it ain't true.

I don't want to be like that. Don't want to live like that. I'm not sure what I'm going to be or what I'm going to do with my life. That's my secret. I know I don't want to live like the rest of these guys...nope, no way.

Protectionism vs. The Competitive Market

2009-02-21T22:22:00.000-08:00

Well, what's happened since the last time I've written? I've busked the streets a few more times...and I went for an audition with a bar called Oosh, but they already have a singer who sounds like me, so they weren't keen...that's all right, though. I will not be stopped.

I've been reading this book called 'The War of the World', about the concept that there never wars that could be contained by a single time period, but that the world has constantly been involved in one long, protracted war. It explores the concepts behind war and the perpetuation of war. It has brought up an interesting topic to me - the role of governments in the free market.

Governments, it can be argued, exist for the mutual benefit that governance confers onto a population, building infrastructure like schools, museums and public services like hospitals and libraries. Does that benefit also include economic improvement? Yes, I would say so. But in the free trade market of the modern 21st century, governments have come to rely on the varied businesses that pervade the global society. Global multi-nation spanning corporations like Hewlett-Packard, Coco-Cola and McDonald's, just to name a few, literally control where the money of the world is being spent.

Now for corporations to ensure that they make a profit; and it could be also assumed that they would wish these margins of profit to increase over the years; they would need to achieve a desirable balance beween 3 factors, demand for products, the revenue from these products and the investment costs - this includes the hiring of labour, which can also be divided into 2 categories. These 2 categories being the labour or the front to middle managers and the talent, which refers to upper management. The cost of upper management, it seems, is highly disproportionate when compared to that of labour. At times, a single executive can command a salary hundreds of times that of an average labour worker.

The question thus comes up. Is that one executive really worth the hundreds of workers that could be hired on his pay alone? That is debatable, as organisations, especially private ones, do not see the need to justify such controversies, After all, being private organisations, they do not answer to anyone except the shareholders, who most would agree, put these executives there in the first place.

Next, the labour that is hired is constantly under pressure to perform at higher levels, for less monetary gain. For organisations, the mathematics is that of hiring cheaper labour for the same tasks. If an organisation can hire a secondary school student to do a job normally assigned to a degree-holder, that effectively cuts labour costs by 50% to 75% - if the organisation is unscrupulously paying according to qualifications rather than for the value of the appointment - which most are doing. That, simplistically, would put the higher educated out of the workforce. Leaving the 'talent' and the 'labour' with an increasing educational and pay gap, which would in turn be transalted into higher profit due to lower labour costs - the revenue from which, would go to the executives. The same can also be said of hiring cheaper foreign labour.

For example, Country X (a rich country) hiring workers from Counry Y (a poorer country) would not only want to pay them less (as the conversion rate would already grant immigrating Indian nationals a wage increase in absolute terms), it would also assume that foreign labour would not expect the same lifestyle and thus not demand a comparative lifestyle to that of their employers. It could be assumed that foreign labour would be satisfied living at the standards they were used to back home - in a sense, standards lower than that of Country X.

So, does a free market mean that the income gaps between the rich and the poor are reduced? On the contrary, large corporations would hire cheaper labour to increase their profit margins, while consigning labour forces to live at the standards they were used to, in effect, lower standards than those of their employers. Thus, the gap increases as corporations seek to hire labour at cheaper costs, driving the living standards of the majority their workforce lower (if they want to keep their jobs), while channelling the ever-increasing revenues to the select few at the top of the corporate ladder.

Hence, the free market has enabled situations where the executives at large corporations are able to draw billions of dollars in wages while the majority of their employees make hundreds to thousands of times less. Would it be irredeemably socialist then, to question whether that 1 'talent' would be worth 1,000 'labourers'

It is a difficult question to answer. A magnanimous CEO would aim to improve the lives of those under him, which would include the improvement of social infrastructure, family, health and wage related issues.

Would the responsibility then come under the governments, to which is held the task of upholding the fiduciary interests of the people who elected them into office (assuming a democracy - for dictatorships, like the Nazi and Stalinist regimes, no such considerations are taken into account - evil did as evil pleased)?

Yes, it would. How does a government get elected into office? Is it not by the promises they make to the people? I will build more schools, I will improve public services, I will be better than YOUR LAST government...

But governments that find themselves proliferated, in fact percolated, by the economic and financial demands of a free market can no longer do that. There are always 'other concerns'.

Leaders would expound, 'How can our country stay competitive in a 'global market' than to be more efficient and more productive at a reduced cost?' What does this statement mean? Essentially, it would mean, if you follow me, that the government would need its people to do more for less. In other words, be 'labour' for the government's 'talent'.

But, there are differences between a private organisation and a government. While a private organisation exists for the benefit of the shareholders, the government exists for the benefit of the employees, sorry, I meant the people. While a private organisation can pay an agreed salary to 'labour' and siphon off the profits to the shareholders and executives, where does the profit from a country go to?

Does not the profit from a country's labour rightfully belong to its people? What can this mean? It could mean subsidised (or dare I even say free?) housing, healthcare, education and public services like public transportation. Indeed, a country that 'does more for less' could be reaping the handsome benefits of such toil - of a life where the government gives back what it takes. Is that not its purpose? To improve the lives of its citizens?

Of course, one could say that governments can simply ignore the people once they are in power. That may be true, but governments that do that, do not last for long. In a power structure where one rules in tyranny, all may fear you, but you must then fear all.

So, how does this end? In Communism, which in essence is a perfect system, but tragically always run by imperfect people, all the wealth in a country is distributed equally. This will be contested by those who feel that their labour is 'more equal' than that of another. This leads then to Nationalism, where the wealth of a country is distributed based on the needs of the nation. Who then decides the 'needs' of the nation? The people? Or the people, mediated by a government body? Careful there, as this just mimics democracy.

Democracy is only fit for a society that is worthy to govern themselves. It is a privilege, but also a responsibility.

George Washington:
As Mankind becomes more liberal, they will be more apt to allow that all those who conduct themselves as worthy members of the community are equally entitled to the protections of civil government. I hope ever to see America among the foremost nations of justice and liberality.

Busking 121208

2008-12-12T06:37:00.000-08:00

Went to Yun's house today. She's not feeling well. Fever ever since she came back from the UK...God, please don't let anything bad happen to her. Keep her safe and well. Amen.

I went busking today. Sang from 5 to 7 pm in Orchard Road. Made $25.75 in all. It's a start. Thank you, God for the experience.

2008-11-21T19:40:00.000-08:00

Well, my first competition. The MCYS Superstar Competition during their Dinner and Dance last night. Well, it was really chance that allowed me to work at MCYS in the first place. I didn't think that there'd be a chance to sing and then to win a contest. I sang 'Little Wonders' by Rob Thomas and for the encore, 'I'll Be There For You' by Bon Jovi.

It was nice. I haven't been in a competition before and to sing in front of so many people, it was something I'd dreamed of for the longest time.

And after the results were announced - the thunderous applause. I'm so grateful to be so blessed. And who should surprise me by being there to see this? Yun and Jarred. Can't get any better than that.

2008-11-21T19:33:00.000-08:00

The best part of Phuket Island, Thailand, isn't Patong (at least to
me). I was enthralled with what Patong had to offer when I first got
there. Bars, markets and throngs of people. But I was wrong.
This September, Yun and I spent a few magical days at the resort
paradise, Karon.

Yup, Karon Beach is the place to be. From strolling the beach,
sampling locally-endorsed glass noodles to scooting around on a Wave scooter - this place has it all. It's like a small part of Patong,
made cheaper, more relaxed and spread out over the same land area. My
kind of chill out place.

Gosh, we had 27BHT cans of beer (that's a bit over 1SGD) and glass
noodles for 30BHT a bowl. The chilli was awesomely good and I had my
fill of thai fried rice.

I ran the stretch from our hotel, Baan Karonbuuri, to Kata Beach and
back. Took in the sights on foot and met people along the way - all
caucasian - which is not unusual.

Excellent stuff. The hotel was excellent. Buffet breakfasts and the
funniest host I've met. When he showed us to our room he said, in all
seriousness:

"If you need anything, just dial '1'."

"If you can't get us, just dial '2'."

"If you still can't get anyone, just dial '3'."

"And if you still can't get anyone, just dial not '4', but '5'."

Comprehensive? Definitely.

Busking

2008-10-28T07:23:00.000-07:00

Whoa. Just came back from busking in Orchard. I wanted to get a feel of singing on the street and after 2 hours of shouting out the words amidst heavy human traffic, I know why everyone uses amplifiers.

I teamed up with a regular busker, a chap named Jeffrey. We played duets and did accompaniments. It was interesting, except it was difficult for anything to be heard unless you shout or man-handle the guitar...not cool.

I was just after the experience, so I told him he could keep the money - doesn't really matter to me at this point. I just enjoyed the experience.

18 Aug 08

2008-10-10T03:01:00.000-07:00

Well, I was a bad boyfriend. I didn't prepare for our anniversary! When I looked at Yun's face, I realised how much I'd let her down. But, fortunately, there was Pasta Fresca at Bukit Timah, where we had really strong flavoured pasta...gosh...they really layed on the olive oil thick!

The mood really brightened after lunch...I'm so glad to have this angel by my side. If you knew where I was from, you'd understand that being in good company is an elusive thing for me, especially at home.
But, today, it was just Yun and me...a perfect day, if not for a slight drizzle. But, they do say that a slight drizzle on your wedding day is good luck...right, cher?

2008-10-07T04:54:00.000-07:00

These good looking young men are my god-brothers. Just flew in from Holland. The oldest, a nature lover and all round nice guy, is named Jonathan.
The second, the cool dude, is Bryant.

Of the three, I find that he's the one who's searching very hard for his place in the world. I can identify with that.

The youngest is the most humourous. He has the best expressions and he tells the best jokes. He used to say that he'd never grow tall - I think he's 1.8 now...haha, it's funny how the Lord answers prayer.

I was with Yun today and we were at West Mall when we saw this really intersting looking car...a Japanese make, but I couldn't identify it...

2008-07-26T09:14:00.000-07:00

25 Jul 08
Today saw me at the Garden Festival at Suntec City. Now, if not for the people I was with, I would not even know such a thing existed.

And, yes, being a man, I was done seeing all 2 levels of it in 30 minutes.
There were some interesting landscaping exhibits though. Here, we have a 5m by 5m exhibit that resembles a hut in the forest.

This one here was the one that stole the show. A replica of a sunken castle, surrounded by coral looking flowers...

But, being the biased person that I am, the most beautiful thing that I saw when I got home, was...

Yes, she is the one. I was trying to define whether she looked foreign, but I know now what it is...it's an elfin look that she has.

2008-07-08T21:10:00.000-07:00

Today, I went to the university to get my school fees paid for. I'd received a late letter from the university inviting my class for the Honours course - claiming that we met the requirements. Probably looked at our payment records and went, "Oh! These folks still have money! Okay, they meet our requirements!"

So, here I was at the counter, with 48 $50 notes, fully prepared to pay the $2400 for the course. Then the cashiers begin a discussion and I overhear that the due payment records are incorrect. They make several phonecalls and present me my new bill : a full $100 less.

They politely apologised for the delay and the mistake, to which I really had no issue with at all.

2008-07-04T08:24:00.000-07:00

Yun and I are having dinner at her house. As her mum's cooked porridge, we go get some pig trotters (which I don't eat), salted veggies (which I sometimes eat) and some plain ole' pork (which I eat, a lot) from the Toh Yee market.

So, here we are, enjoying a quiet meal together when I fish out something from my bowl's soupy contents. One look and you'd think, "That's it. That's good old Chinese cuisine - didn't even spare the pig his genitals."

No. That's not a pair of Babe's ding-dongs. It's just two pork balls (nope, not at all) stuck together. If Ray were here, he'd be laughing so hard. And so I laughed for the both of us.

2008-06-26T00:34:00.001-07:00

My bro once told me that when someone has a strange experience with an unusual life form - I mean insect or animal, it could be a message or a greeting from someone from the 'beyond'.

You may have had those before, an exceptionally intelligent cat or dog, or a huge, colourful insect all on its own that happens to hang onto you.

I know I have, just recently with a potentially hazardous wasp. I would like to believe that the more dangerous the animal or insect, the greater the meaning. For while it is natural to be afraid of harm, to not come to any in the presence of such a creature, well, makes one feel blessed. Singled out.

2008-06-23T18:47:00.000-07:00

Smokes! Am I a blessed boy. Ever since I've come back from Mongolia, I've been treated to a series of huge meals. Everyday, it's been a mountain of rice.

An interesting food event for me was when the aunt I normally get minced meat noodles from gives me 3 times the noodles. Oh. My. Gosh. I can see murder in the old lady's eyes. For 3 bucks too!

That was last week.

I have been blessed with a beautiful morning in Toa Payoh. A bright day with the sun peeking through the canopy of rain trees...my, my.

And to top it off, a hot cup of coffee.

Perhaps heaven on earth rests not upon the beliefs of a man, but in a heart that is blessed, for then can a man see heaven.

Amen.

2008-06-19T08:54:00.000-07:00

This, here, is one of the greatest blessings in my life.

A little known fact, is that its name is Ginger. I purchased this machine from a man named James. Coincidentally, my first bike, a Phantom 200, was also bought from a man named James.

It's helped me get to places I wouldn't have been able to on public transport. Love it.

Star Wars Concept

2008-06-18T03:57:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Okay, time for a little presumptuousness. When I was in OCS, I had a concept for a Star Wars game - never got around to putting the concept down till now. There's a short introduction, followed by the scope and certain elements, concluding with the plot-based missions.

So, for whoever's interested, here it is.

Star Wars : Destiny

Scope of the game:

The player will be able to pilot fighters and take tactical control of capital ships and freighters. As progression is made into the game, the player will also gain access to space stations, shipyards, planetary defences, moons and control planets.

As a mainly exploratory, free-form game, Destiny will allow the player to complete the story-arc of the game as well as play without interruption within the vast Star Wars universe.

Main Characters

Albrecht O’Rielly : Father of the O’Rielly family. He owns a small family-run ship repair and refurbishing operation aboard a floating space station orbiting a planet.
Lyssa O’Rielly : Mother of the O’Rielly family.
Rachul O’Rielly : Only daughter of the O’Rielly family.
Ophelia : Captain of the Sable Sun
Sylvan Kyte : Jedi
Manedrott Viltine : Dark Jedi
Captain Uvriel Adtaine : Rebel officer
Major Lientu Hoft : Imperial officer
Zequa Manning : enforcement agent

Playable Ships

The player can own as many playable ships and bases as can be afforded, building up a veritable trade empire or an interstellar military force to be reckoned with.

Starfighters can be bought and piloted by the player. The player will also have the option of purchasing additional craft to pilot, or to place wingmen in them to act as escorts for the player or any ships, bases or planets acquired.

Transports can be purchased by the player and flown, if chosen. They can be assigned to conduct trade and ply specific routes at regular intervals. They are prone to attack from pirates or rogue military ships, so it is always good to keep an ample escort about them. Transports can also be used to board and capture another vessel or asset if the appropriate upgrades are acquired.

Capital ships can be purchased and made into operational bases for the player. Each capital ship that can accommodate fighter craft can be landed in and an interface will appear for the player to interact with the ship, it’s crew and with any other fighter craft within. The player can also map out trade routes for freighters, escort patterns for fighters and capital ships as well as communicate with the myriad inhabitants of the universe. Especially large capital ships may be fitted to fabricate fighter craft if the appropriate upgrades are purchased.

Facilities:
Docking
Repair (fighter)
Base of operations
Fabrication (fighter)

Space stations are similar to capital ships except that they move very slowly and normally would not relocate from their original position or orbit. They are used as bases of operations and can be set up to facilitate trade with merchant vessels or with planets. All space stations come with a repair facility for fighters as well as capital ships. Space stations can also be fitted with fighter fabrication facilities if the appropriate upgrades are acquired.

Facilities:
Docking
Repair (fighter/capital ship)
Base of operations
Trade port
Fabrication (fighter/industry)

Shipyards manufacture starships exclusively and can be also set up as a base of operations by the player, though in terms of trade, the only products available would be starships. The player would be able to build up a fleet from scratch from these facilities. They, like space stations, rarely move from their original locations or orbits. They are the only platform, besides planets, capable of manufacturing capital ships.

Facilities:
Docking
Repair (fighter/capital ship)
Base of operations
Trade port
Fabrication (fighter/capital ship)

Planets are the ultimate purchase a player can make. Not only is a planet self-sustaining, it can accomplish all the tasks of the space station and shipyard combined. Apart from this, a planet also has a natural economy that generates income for the player automatically.

Facilities:
Docking
Repair (fighter/capital ship)
Base of operations
Trade port
Fabrication (fighter/capital ship/industry)

Fighter/Capital Ship/Space Station/Planet Upgrades

The player is able to upgrade fighters, transports, capital ships, space stations or planets with various facilities or capabilities.

Offensive Upgrade
Turbo laser turret : an upgrade from the normal laser turrets (transport, capital ship, space station, shipyard)
Missile battery : an upgrade that allows all affected turrets to launch warheads(transport, capital ship, space station, shipyard)
Boarding Party : allows transports and small capital ships to board and capture other vessels (transport, capital ship)
Shock Troops : time required for capture of vessels with a Boarding Party is shortened by 25%. (transport, capital ship)

Defensive Upgrade
Orbital cannon : a powerful, off-planet defense weapon that can be used to strike enemy capital ships. The player may purchase up to 3 per planet. (planet)
Enhanced shielding : an improvement to the shield ratings can be obtained for all vessels. Can be purchased to increase shield ratings by increments of 10% to a maximum of 100%. (fighter, transport, capital ship, space station, shipyard)
Drones : provides transports, capital ships, space stations, shipyards and planets with AI controlled drones for protection. The player may purchase as many drones as can be afforded, which will be applied to all of the players vessels and holdings except fighters, up to a maximum of 12. Drones are replaced if destroyed at the start of following battles. (transport, capital ship, space station, shipyard, planet)
Planetary militia : planets that the player owns will field a militia consisting of 2 capital ships and 2 squadrons of fighters. (planet)

Trade Upgrade
Trade Commisar : increases trade profit by 10% (space station, shipyard, planet)
Free port : increases trade frequency by 10% (space station, shipyard, planet)

Fabrication upgrade
Fabrication (fighter) : allows the manufacture of fighter craft. (capital ship, space station, shipyard, planet)
Fabrication (capital ship) : allows the manufacture of capital ships. (planet)
Fabrication upgrade (fighter) : allows manufacture of fighter craft at 80% of cost. (capital ship, space station, shipyard, planet)
Fabrication upgrade (capital ship) : allows manufacture of capital ships at 80% of cost. (shipyard, planet)

Special Upgrade
Imperial Indulgence (1&2): increases trade from Imperial vessels and provides players ships and holdings with Imperial assistance if required, in the form of fighter (upgrade 1) and or capital ship (upgrade 2) support. Trade routes within Imperial space will also be provided with Imperial protection.
Rebel Associate(1&2): increases trade from Rebel vessels and provides players ships and holdings with Rebel assistance if required, in the form of fighter (upgrade 1) and or capital ship (upgrade 2) support. Trade routes within Rebel space will also be provided with Rebel protection.
Goodwill : establishes immediate goodwill with all ships docked at the player’s holdings. Should the player’s holding be attacked, all ships in the area will protect the player’s property.
Fighter Augment : enhances the speed and laser damage of all the player’s fighter craft. (fighter)

Trade Routes

The player may establish trade routes with one or a fleet of transports, ferrying cargo for profit to and from various planets or stations. Transports can be assigned to conduct runs on a regular basis and will do so automatically once instructed. It should be noted that transports are susceptible to raids from enemy craft, so it would be good to keep an escort with them at all times. Even so, battle does inevitably break out sometimes. The player would be informed of this and allowed to send support, go to relieve the transport or call in for available reinforcements.

Patrols

The player may assign fighters or capital ships to conduct patrols along trade routes or in areas where the player has holdings. The ships can be instructed to attack enemy vessels or to merely protect any of the player’s assets in the area.

Areas consistently and successfully patrolled by the player essentially become the player’s territory. This can be used as a harassing tactic to disrupt the activities of enemies.

Mission Computer

The player may take on missions from the mission computer at any space station, shipyard or plant. Missions may involve trade or entail strikes involving fighter craft up to engagements involving fleet actions. These missions are purely for-profit and will not affect the story arc.

Facilities

The player will receive revenue whenever a ship that is not owned by the player :
1. Docks
2. Conducts repairs
3. Conducts trade

At any of the player’s holdings.

Guilds

Formed by capable professionals for the purpose of mutual financial benefit, guilds are powerful, with assets all over the universe. Members of guilds are allowed access to their holdings and interaction with their ships.

Most missions offered by guilds involve trade or cargo runs, with escort missions (being more lucrative) available to the willing.

Guilds have a generally bad reputation with clans and are natural enemies.

Associate status allows privileged access to the guild’s trade routes and special upgrades. A player can achieve associate status by making a sizeable donation to the guild.

Upgrades

Negotiator : increases profit from trade by 10% at all of the player’s trade posts above other upgrades.
Trade Tariff : player receives 5% from all trade that is conducted at the player’s trade posts above other upgrades.

Partner status is highly lucrative as it pays out an automatic cut from all deals made within the guild. The player achieves partner status by buying out a current partner. This occurs in a bidding process for the limited places for partners within the guild. This ensures that only the wealthiest guild members remain. New partners are granted an escort of several fighters and will be given 3 transports, as well as the authority to call for guild escort vessels when necessary.

Upgrades

Trade escort : player’s transports are automatically protected by fighters assigned from the guild. The fighters work for the guild and only protect the transports when underway to and from their destinations.
Union Negotiator : the player is able to manufacture fighters, capital ships and products at 15% less than the original cost, above other upgrades.
Trade Tax : player receives 10% from all trade that is conducted at the player’s trade posts above other upgrades.

Warlords

These are individuals who have access to large amounts of military equipment and have the manpower to operate them. Most are former Imperial fleet commanders who have decided to carve for themselves their own piece of the galaxy. Others are barons who have amassed navies through trade or illegal activities.

Though a dangerous group to associate with, warlords are constantly on the lookout for skilled pilots and will pay hefty sums for good killers.

Warlords do form relationships with Clans and Guilds, good or bad and these relationships will affect the kinds of missions the player can accept. Missions from warlords are exclusively combat-oriented, with generally higher pay.

Hitmen are skilled assassins hired by warlords for strike or terror missions. The player, if successful in missions for a particular warlord, may be invited to be a contracted hitman. The warlord will then provide special upgrades and weapons to the player, as well as access to the warlord’s personal bases. Hitmen are high priority targets for hostile warlords, clans or guilds. Occasionally, security, Rebel or Imperial forces may also seek to eliminate hitmen.

Upgrades
Assassin grade weapons : all of the player’s fighter craft are equipped with more powerful lasers and warheads.
Deadeye warhead : available only to the player’s craft, the Deadeye is a devastating warhead used to make quick kills and can be used to attack capital ships.

A Lieutenant is a commander lower in rank to and who reports to the warlord. The player may be offered the position if the relationship and mission record with the warlord is especially good. Accepting this post will give the player an entourage sponsored by the warlord, which includes several fighters as well as a capital ship to be used as a base. The player may also call for assistance when in distress. The lieutenant gains access to all of the warlord’s bases, shipyards and planets and receives a regular retainer allowance. The lieutenant will also be called upon to conduct strikes against rival warlords or hostile parties.

Upgrades
Warlord fighter : the player is given access to the blueprints of a special fighter craft. The player will be able to manufacture or purchase such fighters for use.
Bodyguard : the player is able to call in a full squadron of 12 fighters loyal to the warlord to assist him.

Clans

Clans exist as a form of protection for its members and can be found in many areas of the universe. The player is able to form alliances with clans, which would open trade, allow interaction with clan bases and allow the player to call for assistance when necessary. The number of ships that arrive when asking for assistance increases in proportion to the player’s status within the clan.

The player would also be able to take on assignments from the various clans. As the clans do war with each other, the player’s association with clans would affect relationships with other clans. Clans generally dislike guilds due to their solely fiduciary-oriented nature and are natural enemies.

The player may at times be invited to wage war against another clan. This opens a mission series that may involve strikes or fleet actions. The player may also perform independent actions against clans and take over their assets. Once conquered, the player then controls the clan. The player will then have control over all assets of that clan at the time.

Some clans may be hostile to either the Rebellion or the Empire and at times, may come under attack from these forces. The player has the option to assist, which would yield rewards.

Friend status is accorded to a clan member who has distinguished himself in service for the clan. A player would have to have accepted and completed a number of missions to be offered this status from a clan. Friends will be given access to special weapons and upgrades by the clan as well as access to secret bases.

Upgrades
Multi-lock warhead : a special warhead that targets and delivers a payload to a maximum of 4 targets, applicable to all fighters owned by the player.
Clan fighter : the player is given access to the blueprints of a special fighter craft. The player will be able to manufacture or purchase such fighters for use.

Fellowship status is a high honour accorded to friends of a clan who have exceeded expectations and hold the interests of the clan above their own. A player who is accorded this status will be given an entourage by the clan of several fighters and a capital ship to use as a base.

Upgrades
Clan corvette : the player receives the blueprints for an exclusive clan-type corvette. The player is allowed to purchase or manufacture the vessel. This vessel is able to perform Boarding Party functions.
Heavy lance : equips turrets on capital ships with a powerful beam weapon (capital ship)
Ion cannon : equips all the player’s capital ships with ion cannons. (capital ship)

Story Arc

The player wakes up from a coma in the O’Rielly residence, the Grand Horizon. He is attended by Rachul O’Rielly, who informs him that he was found adrift in a damaged fighter craft amid a sea of debris.

Having lost his memory, the player is given a repaired Z-95. While his original ship was beyond repair, the O’Rielly family managed to sell off the parts and purchase a new ship for the player. His only possession is a pendant that looks like it had been broken into two.

Onboard the Grand Horizon, the player meets the rest of the O’Rielly family, as well as the regulars who frequent the base. The player is asked to help the O’Riellys with some of their errands.

The player is paid for the missions accomplished and may also accept missions from the mission computer.

The O’Rielly family tries to stay out of the greater conflicts of the galaxy, but have leanings toward the Rebellion against the Empire. The choices the player makes will affect the relationship with the O’Riellys.

Humanitarian or pro-Rebellion choices will advance the romantic plot line with Rachul and endear the player to the O’Riellys and their friends. This will be shown in the various communications received from the O’Riellys and their allies and reflected in the behaviour of ships allied to him and them.

Ruthless or pro-Imperial actions will slowly estrange the player from the O’Riellys, though they will still assist the player. The romantic plot line with Rachul becomes a strained one, reflected in the communications received from the O’Riellys. The friends of the O’Riellys will distance themselves from the player and will not offer their assistance.

One For Family

Mission Characters
Lord Deelven Hetse : warlord

Rachul has been kidnapped by a local warlord. Albrecht, in his efforts to rescue her, has been captured as well. Lyssa approaches the player to aid in the rescue.

The warlord that kidnapped Rachul is a lonely, depressed, former Imperial commander. The player has the option to rescue Rachul by force or to reason with the warlord and persuade him to willingly give Rachul up.

Success : Player may use the Grand Horizon’s facilities for free and establishes a romance with Rachul.

If the player chose to assault the warlord directly to rescue Rachul, the warlord becomes hostile to the player. Other warlords take note of the player, however, sending offers to make the player a Hitman.

If the player chose to reason with the warlord, an alliance is formed and the player may interact with the warlord’s ships and bases.

Echoing Dark

Whilst on an errand for the O’Riellys, the player is attacked by vessels of unknown origin. Over the communications circuit, one of the attackers mentions, “finishing the job”, with reference to killing the player.

On his return to the Grand Horizon, the player is informed that the O’Riellys and their friends have been harassed by ships of unknown origin as well.

The player goes in search of these vessels and in a chance encounter, they identify their employers as being members of the Circle. They also reveal that all the player’s friends will be in danger as long as he remains with them.

With that, the player resolves to leave the Grand Horizon as soon as he can.

Ties That Bind

An engagement between 2 warring clans has found its way to the Grand Horizon. Once allies, a disagreement between them has escalated into open warfare. The player has to rescue the O’Riellys from capture and certain death.

This mission can only be attempted if the player has a base of operations (capital ship, shipyard, space station or planet).

The O’Reillys will relocate to the player’s ship or holding for some time. The player will also embark on missions to secure the Grand Horizon, finally ending in a strike to drive out enemy forces from the area.

The player discovers that the heirs to both clans are lovers. The player then has the option of brokering a peace between the clans or of taking advantage of the hostilities to take over their territory.

Success : A deepening relationship with Rachul and goodwill from ships in the vicinity of the Grand Horizon. All of the player’s ships and holdings in the system will also be protected by various independent craft in-system. The O’Riellys also give the player a transport as a gift.

Completion of this mission leads to the Lonely Exodus mission series.

Lonely Exodus

The player leaves the Grand Horizon to try and find out more about his past and the Circle. The player comes across a group of homesteads that are being threatened by a malevolent warlord who is intent on destroying them for refusing to submit to his rule.

The player has the option of protecting the homesteads or participating in the raids to destroy them.

Success (warlord) : If the player helps the warlord, he is granted a reward and Hitman status. The warlord also becomes allied to him.

Success (Homesteads) : If the player aids the homesteads, after defeating the warlord, they present him with a set of droids.

Upgrades
Nigel : A research droid. Having Nigel around decreases the cost for purchasing upgrades by 25%.
Dashiel : A security droid. Boarding Party actions will be shortened by 25%, above all other upgrades.
Ariel : A protocol droid. Ariel will conduct negotiations on behalf of the player. This increases all revenues from trade, repair and docking by 10%.

All the droids are interactive and will offer their advice and comments throughout the game.

Contract Terms

The player comes across a guild, which is embroiled in a civil struggle as its members revolt against leadership.

The player has the option of aiding the Guild or its rebelling members.

Dominion

Mission Characters

Lord Reginald Pike : Warlord
Duke Endreu Feist : Warlord
Khan : Warlord

3 warlords, Lord Reginald Pike, Duke Endreu Feist and Khan, each with their own territories and fleets, strive to destroy the rest. For some time, an uneasy peace was maintained, but hostilities have arisen again.

It is discovered by the player that another force is at work, attempting to pit the 3 warlords against each other, hoping that in the ensuing war, they would all be wiped out. The player is able to uncover this plot to be the work of the lieutenants within each of the warlord’s forces.

The player is given the option to side any of the warlords, making that warlord an ally. If the player chooses any of the warlords, the player will be assigned offensive missions against the other warlords, culminating in a final triumph.

Not doing so, though making all of them his enemies in the immediate future, allows him to uncover the real reason behind the hostilities. Eventually, the player forges a genuine truce and treaty with all of the warlords to create a mutually beneficial trade protectorate.

Success (siding any of the warlords) : allows player to travel freely in the area and to call for reinforcements from the warlord or assign ships to protect the player’s ships or holdings. The player is granted Hitman status with the warlord.

The player is also able to accept missions from the warlord, which may include small strike missions to fleet engagements.

Success (siding none of the warlords) : allows player to travel freely in the area and to call for reinforcements from all 3 warlords or assign ships to protect the player’s ships or holdings.

The player is able to conduct trade freely within the new protectorate and to receive a premium on goods sold (an increase in 10% on trade revenues).

Throughout the game, the player may influence the protectorate to conduct raids against either the Rebellion or the Empire.

The Contest

The player is invited to participate in a no-holds barred starfighter gladiatorial match, The Contest. The Contest is sponsored by several immensely rich individuals, known as the Circle. Though illegal, it is a highly popular event, watched by trillions. Aside from the many participants, the player meets a few prominent contenders.

The prize for The Contest is the Black Castle space station.

Success : Prize money and ownership of the Black Castle space station.

Mission Characters

Wulf Griten : The current champion. He fights to provide for his daughter, Leila, who is suffering from a rare genetic disease. He cannot afford to lose as one of the Circle has supplies of an equally rare pathogen which temporarily stems Leila’s disease, preventing it from ravaging her mind and body.

The player has the option of helping Wulf.

If the player chooses to help Wulf, he goes on special missions to obtain a permanent cure for Leila’s disease, which the Circle has been hiding in order to maintain control over Wulf. Once the player cures Leila, Wulf leaves The Contest, to live out a peaceful existence with his daughter.

Success : Player is able to call upon Wulf for help in battle and to interact with his space station, the Reunion.

Baxtere Munico : A hotshot pilot set to win the current tournament. He fights only for wealth and shows himself to be a cold, sadistic killer. However, the player overhears a conversation where Baxtere is being blackmailed by a nameless individual.

It is later learned that Baxtere is schizophrenic and imagines that one of the spectators has wired his ship to explode should he not behave mercilessly on the battlefield. Baxtere actually disappeared from his homeworld some years ago, leaving behind a grieving family who think he has committed suicide.

The player has the option of helping Baxtere.

If the player chooses to help Baxtere, he will go on special missions to locate Baxtere’s family and to find the cause of his mental illness. The player discovers that Baxtere’s schizophrenia is caused by an implant in his brain, surgically inserted by one of the Circle. Baxtere is merely being used by one of the Circle to make a killing off bets.

The player cures Baxtere and reunites him with his family. This provokes a response from the Circle and the player will be forced to defend himself against their ships in one mission.

Success : Player is able to interact with Baxtere and his family in their frigate, the Cloud of Dusk. The player is also able to call on them for help in battle.

Pixe Leliantiva : A fierce female who takes a liking for the player, stating her wish to test him on the field. The player learns that she is being sponsored to kill the player by an unknown party.

Throughout the tournament, Pixe is impressed by the player’s ability and in her attempt to renege on her contract, is assaulted.

The player has the option of helping Pixe.

If the player chooses to help Pixe, the player discovers that an enemy of the Leliantiva family, Witue Joppiv, is trying to get Pixe killed. The player will go on special missions to uncover Witue’s identity and to neutralize his forces to protect Pixe.

Success : Player is able to interact with the Leliantiva family and their trade fleet, operating from the station, Leliantivage. Player is also able to call on the Leliantiva family for help in battle.

Zequa Manning : A new entrant into The Contest. Zequa is sociable and tries to befriend the player. The player has the option to accept or decline.

The player learns that there is something Zequa is hiding. Zequa is an undercover agent attempting to infiltrate the Circle and apprehend its members. His brother was killed in The Contest by Wulf Griten and Zequa intends to kill him too.

The player has the option of helping Zequa.

The player, if also helping Wulf, will explain the situation to Zequa, appealing to his sense of justice. This will assuage his hatred and stop him from killing Wulf.

The player will also undertake missions with Zequa to apprehend the members of the Circle. The missions will ultimately fail, as Zequa’s superiors at headquarters are being controlled by the Circle as well.

Zequa will be falsely accused of murder and will join the player as a permanent character.

This will also lead to the Against the System mission series.

Eudenique Imeche : A disgraced warrior attempting to restore his honour by gladiatorial combat. Eudenique was cast out from his clan after he was defeated in battle. In order to earn their respect and acceptance, he enters The Contest, hoping to be reunited with his clan and family.

The player has the option of helping Eudenique.

If the player chooses to help Eudenique, the player will learn more about his culture and will be forced to defeat him in battle. Eudenique will then offer himself to be the player’s bodyguard till his death, having been ultimately disgraced.

Success : Eudenique can be selected as the player’s wingman at any time or assigned to escort the player’s ships or holdings.

This will also lead to the Honour Bound mission series.

Honour Bound

Mission Characters

Eudenique Imeche : clan warrior
Zequa Manning : enforcement agent
Major Lientu Hoft : Imperial officer

The player, in trying to help Eudenique regain his honour and be reunited with his clan and family, tries to find a battle worthy to restore him.

Whether the player joins the Rebellion or the Imperials, the player will have Eudenique as wingman in a furious battle that will restore his honour. Eudenique will then leave to return to his clan.

Eudenique finds his homeworld torn by civil war as the clans battle for dominion. The player has the option to aid Eudenique. Together, they uncover the reason behind the conflict.

Several prominent members from each clan have been abducted and each clan blames the others.

The player has the option of aiding Eudenique or joining the Empire to destroy the clans.

Aiding Eudenique prompts the player to call upon Zequa Manning to help them with their investigation.

Betraying the clans to the Empire will put the player in contact with Major Lientu Hoft, though they will never meet face to face. Major Lientu will assign missions to the player.

It is found that Eudenique’s race has special genetic characteristics that the Empire is seeking for a genetic experimentation programme. The Empire seeks destabilize the clans at the same time for conquest.

Success (clan) : Player is accorded special honour within the clan and will be able to interact with Eudenique’s homeworld and to call upon his clan for help in battle or to escort ships or holdings.

Success (Imperial) : the player is granted a reward by Major Lientu and a batch of genetically enhanced clansmen.

Upgrade

Clansmen : The player’s Boarding Party is enhanced to be able to capture vessels 25% faster, above all other upgrades.

Against the System

Mission Characters

Commandant Hyden Grieffnun : Police Chief
The Knife : hitman under employ of the Circle
Cyril Starhand : Zequa Manning’s former partner
Zequa Manning : enforcement agent

The player ventures with Zequa to his home system, incognito, to uncover the truth behind the murder charges against him.

The player will undertake missions against the system police, who are actively trying to kill Zequa.

The player will meet Cyril Starhand, Zequa’s former partner who will try to help the player uncover the truth. In the process, Cyril is killed, but not before revealing that the person supposedly murdered by Zequa, was a civilian killed by Commandant Hyden in order to incriminate Zequa.

The player will undertake missions with Zequa against a large part of the police force, which has become corrupt. The player eventually has to fight The Knife, a hitman employed by the Circle.

The mission ends with Zequa apprehending The Knife and becoming Commandant himself. As The Knife is being led away, he calls the player a ‘double-crosser’. This triggers a memory flashback that the player keeps to himself.

Success : Player is able to interact with Zequa’s police force and to call upon them for help. The player and Zequa also make more discoveries about the Circle and their vast influence in all areas of society.

Completion of this mission series makes available the mission series, The Circle.

Matters of the Heart

The player receives an urgent transmission from Rachul O’Rielly. Her father, Albrecht, has mysteriously gone missing and she suspects the Circle may have something to do with it.

The player arrives at the Grand Horizon to investigate the matter. It appears that the O’Riellys have come under the scrutiny of the Empire as well. The Circle are secretly manipulating members of the Empire to harass the O’Riellys for harbouring the player.

The player have the O’Riellys fake his death, after which he informs them that he must leave for good to protect them.

After a tearful farewell, the player leaves the Grand Horizon.

The Endless Struggle

The player is in a bar and has the option of talking to either of 2 individuals:

Captain Uvriel Adtaine, a Rebel officer or Major Lientu Hoft, an Imperial officer.

The player can choose not to accept both offers, in which case the offers will remain open till they are taken up by the player.

Talking to one and accepting terms will automatically deny interaction with the other.

Both will look surprised at first and will offer the player working terms with either the Rebellion or the Empire. Missions will be assigned at intervals throughout the game, to be completed when the player chooses to, though to do so would progress certain plot lines.

Imperial Service will be more lucrative, though of questionable moral grounds at times. Missions will involve actions against the Rebellion, culminating in a major victory in the sector, though Rebel presence is never truly stamped out. After this, the Empire will release the player from service with a handsome gratuity.

The player will be able to accept missions from the Empire, ranging from strike missions to fleet engagements.

Upgrades
Fabrication (Imperial fighter) : the player is granted blueprints to common Imperial fighters.
Fabrication (Imperial capital ship) : the player is granted blueprints to common Imperial capital ships.

Rebel Service will not be as financially rewarding as Imperial Service, but will give the player benefits, such as assistance from Rebel ships and access to secret stations and worlds. Missions will culminate in a major victory in the sector, though Imperial presence is never truly gone. The player will then be given an honourary status within the Rebellion and allowed to interact with Rebel ships and holdings.

The player will be able to accept missions from the Rebellion, ranging from strike missions to fleet engagements.

Upgrades
Fabrication (Rebel fighter) : the player is granted blueprints to common Rebel fighters.
Fabrication (Rebel capital ship) : the player is granted blueprints to common Rebel capital ships.

The Prodigal

Mission Characters

Captain Uvriel Adtaine : Rebel officer
Major Lientu Hoft : Imperial officer.

The player is contacted by Uvriel and Lientu, separately. Each e-mail contains a message expressing surprise that the player is alive and a series of coded words. This triggers a series of flashbacks which show the player in a fierce battle where his ship is damaged, right before he is picked up by the O’Riellys.

The player will be given the option either to aid the Rebellion or the Empire incognito in the capture of a neutral planet, Hullyn, eyed by both sides.

Imperial forces arrive, which are soon challenged by Rebel ships.

If the player works for the Empire, missions will include suppressing the population of the planet and the setting up of bases to establish an Imperial presence. The missions will culminate in a fleet engagement with the Rebellion. After which, the Empire will release the player from service with a gratuity. The planet will hence be under Imperial control.

If the player aids the Rebellion, missions will include helping in the efforts to incite the local population into open revolt against the Empire. This will in turn lead to a fleet engagement with the Imperials who attempt to punish the population. The planet will hence be loyal to the Rebellion.

Success (Imperial) : Player is granted a gratuity by the Empire. This will lead to the To Rule A People mission series.

Success (Rebellion) : Player is given 2 Corellian Corvettes and 1 transport by the grateful population. This will lead to the For Freedom’s Sake mission series.

Completing this mission series will lead to the later mission series, The Nature of Force.

For Freedom’s Sake

Mission Characters
Mayor Garett Oeden : mayor of Hullyn
Cirrus Meletarque : Hullyn’s militia commander
Commander Darius Denquee : Rebel commander
General Byron Kall : Imperial commander

This mission series is open if the player assisted the Rebellion in the battle for Hullyn. The Empire attempts to recapture the planet and has dispatched a large fleet to subdue the planet.

The player will be able to land on Hullyn and meets some of its inhabitants. The player will perform missions to aid the militia, led by Cirrus, in the defence of the planet. Mayor Garett fears for his people and the success of the player in the mission series will determine if he will try to broker a peace with the Empire.

Eventually the Imperial fleet is able to land AT-AT walkers onto Hullyn and the player will perform atmospheric missions to defend the capital.

Hullyn is unwilling to surrender and is repeatedly bombarded by the Imperial fleet. The player is able to carry out missions independently to disable, drive off or defeat the Imperial fleet. A Rebel task force, under Darius, arrives and the player is able to command them in these efforts.

Success : The player is able to use Hullyn’s facilities and will be able to call on the militia for assistance in battle. The population present the player with several fighters and a Strike Cruiser, the Might of Hullyn, in gratitude.

To Rule A People

Mission Characters
General Byron Kall : Imperial commander
Cirrus Meletarque : Hullyn’s militia commander
Commander Darius Denquee : Rebel commander

This mission series is open if the player assisted the Empire in the battle for Hullyn. The population of Hullyn has risen in revolt and the player is assigned to conduct punitive strikes to subdue the population.

In the process, the player meets some of Hullyn’s inhabitants and is given the option to hand over the resistance leaders to the Empire for a ransom.

The mayor of Hullyn agrees to surrender the planet, but is usurped by the militia commander, Cirrus. The player will perform missions aimed at destroying the resistance on Hullyn.

A Rebel task force arrives and the player is able to independently destroy the Rebel force with the help of the Imperial fleet in the area.

The player also has the option of destroying all forces in the area, Rebel and Imperial and establishing rule over the planet. If so, the player will need to maintain a sizeable force in orbit around Hullyn.

Success : Hullyn comes under Imperial control and the player is able to interact with the planet like any other Imperial planet. The Empire releases the player from service with a handsome gratuity.

If the player chooses to take control of Hullyn, the planet Hullyn becomes owned by the player. However, a force consisting of at least 1 capital ship needs to be kept in orbit to maintain order. If not, the planet revolts again and ownership is lost.

Broken Threads

Mission Characters
Ophelia : captain of the Sable Sun
Commander Darius Denquee : Rebel commander
General Byron Kall : Imperial commander

The player encounters the captain of the Sable Sun, who recognizes him immediately. Ophelia is in fact, the player’s sister, who was there at the initial battle where the player lost his memory. She has been searching for him ever since. She proves this by presenting her half of the cracked pendant worn by the player.

Ophelia is being pursued by an Imperial force, led by Gen. Byron, for aiding the Rebellion. She is escorted by a small fighter escort led by Cmdr. Darius and is seeking the player’s help.

The player has the option of helping her or turning Ophelia over to the Empire.

Success (Imperial) : if the player turns Ophelia over to the Empire, the player is granted a reward by Gen. Byron.

Success (Rebel) : Ophelia joins the player and the player has full control over the Sable Sun. Ophelia tells the player that their mother was heartbroken when he left home, but has never given up hope.

Throughout the game, Ophelia advises the player on choices to make, though they will lean towards helping the Rebellion. Ophelia is also eager to bring the player home.

This makes available the mission series, Redeeming Quality.

The Circle

Zequa Manning : enforcement agent

Mission Characters:
The following characters return only if the player chose to help them during the The Contest mission series.

Wulf Griten
Eudenique Imeche
Pixe Leliantiva
Baxtere Munico

The Circle:
Raefuan Qelltu : interstellar celebrity
Exalt Izekil : religious leader
Anton Poole : renowned entrepreneur
Admiral Belfust Entarian : Imperial fleet commander
Lord Vantype Luuftvaven : warlord

Zequa sends a transmission to the player regarding his hunt to bring down members of the Circle. All previous contenders in the The Contest that the player aided will convene to try and defeat the Circle.

Having brought down The Knife in Against the System, the other members of the Circle have become aware of the player. The player discovers that the members of the Circle have far-reaching influence all over the universe, even within the Empire and the Rebellion and have almost limitless resources. The group embarks on a series of missions to bring down the members of the Circle one at a time.

The mission series will pit the player against security forces, police, religious zealots, Imperial forces and hitmen in the fight to destroy the Circle.

Success : the player is able to discredit, expose and bring down each and every member of the Circle. The player also becomes the new warlord over Lord Vantype’s holdings.

As each member of the Circle is apprehended, they reveal a little of the player’s past to him. Raefuan asks if the player has forgotten his place, while Izekil expresses disappointment. Through questioning each of the members of the Circle and from the player’s own resurfacing memories, a secret is unearthed.

The player is in fact an agent working for the Circle, sent as a double agent to both the Empire and the Rebellion. The Circle has been making huge profits off the Galactic Civil War. The player was feeding both sides information to encourage engagements.

However, this changed when the player discovered that the Circle had arranged for the deaths of his parents, who had been advocates for peace. The player had declared his refusal to work for the Circle. The Circle had denied all culpability and had assented to the resignation and seemingly in goodwill, asked the player to accomplish a final mission, after which he would be granted severance pay.

He was sent into the middle of an Imperial and Rebel engagement, where it was hoped he would be killed in the cross-fire.

The Nature of Force

Captain Uvriel Adtaine : Rebel officer
Sylvan Kyte : JediMajor Lientu Hoft : Imperial officer.
Manedrott Viltine : Dark Jedi.

Imperial and Rebel forces clash over a planet which is rumoured to contain a cache of ancient technology which may tip the balance of the war. Due to the environment of the planet, only force-trained individuals may descend onto the planet’s surface.

The player has the option to aid either the Empire and the Sith or the Rebellion and the Jedi.

It is rumoured that the technology has, among others, the ability to resurrect the dead and that the player was after this technology himself when he discovered his parents’ death.

Success (Imperial): Imperial forces become allies and allow the player to call upon Imperial forces for assistance. The player will also be allowed to call upon Sith fighters for assistance and to interact with their bases and ships.

Upgrades
Fabrication (Imperial all) : the player will be given blueprints for the manufacture of all Imperial fighters and capital ships

This makes available the mission series Descent into Darkness.

Success (Rebellion): The player will also earn the friendship of the Jedi, which will enable him to call on the powerful Jedi fighter ships for assistance. The player will also gain access to the Jedi secret base and be allowed to interact with their ships.

Upgrades
Fabrication (Rebel all) : the player will be given blueprints for the manufacture of all Rebel fighters and capital ships

This makes available the Paths of Violence mission series.

Paths of Violence

Mission Characters

Zequa Manning : enforcement agent
Sylvan Kyte : JediManedrott Viltine : Dark Jedi.
Ophelia
X’uyt Gibrusinti : Pirate leader
Tibalt Kibeon : Clan leader
Cheshbo Qifty : Guild partner
Lord Reginald Pike : Warlord
Duke Endreu Feist : Warlord
Khan : Warlord
Commander Darius Denquee : Rebel commander
General Byron Kall : Imperial commander
Captain Uvriel Adtaine : Rebel officer
Major Lientu Hoft : Imperial officer.

This mission series is only available if the player aided the Rebellion in the mission series, The Nature of Force.

The nature of the ancient technology has become known to many parties. The Rebellion, while trying to figure out how to use the technology, are assailed by the Empire, warlords, clans and other groups who are interested in taking the technology for themselves.

He is told by Sylvan Kyte that the technology is evil and has a will of its own – it must be destroyed.

The player embarks on missions to fend off first the clans, then the guilds, the warlords and the pirates clans. The player has the option of defeating these parties by force, or by convincing them of the truth - that the technology must be destroyed.

Finally, the Sith and the Empire come for the technology and the player must defeat them or suffer the end of the universe.

Success: If the player persuaded the clans, guilds, warlords and pirates to relinquish the technology, they will become his allies and he will be able to call on all of their fighters for assistance. If not, their territories will be diminished, but will treat the player with hostility.

The technology is destroyed and the player earns the rank of General, along with the goodwill of the Rebellion and the Jedi.

Descent into Darkness

This mission series is only available if the player aided the Empire in the mission series, The Nature of Force.

Mission Characters
Zequa Manning : enforcement agent
Sylvan Kyte : JediManedrott Viltine : Dark Jedi.
Ophelia
X’uyt Gibrusinti : Pirate leader
Tibalt Kibeon : Clan leader
Cheshbo Qifty : Guild partner
Lord Reginald Pike : Warlord
Duke Endreu Feist : Warlord
Khan : Warlord
Commander Darius Denquee : Rebel commander
General Byron Kall : Imperial commander
Captain Uvriel Adtaine : Rebel officer
Major Lientu Hoft : Imperial officer.

This mission series is only available if the player aided the Empire in the mission series, The Nature of Force.

The Empire and the Sith begin to use the ancient technology and discover its immense power. They now surge across the galaxy en masse, destroying all in their wake.

The player has the option of accomplishing this objective or to challenge the might of the Empire and the Sith.

Success: If the player remained under the Empire, he is inducted into the Inner Circle of the Sith and will be able to manufacture Sith ships. He is also rewarded immensely for his help in the war. The player is granted the title of Grand Admiral and is granted an Imperial Star Destroyer. The player will now have control over a fleet of Imperial ships, though he is not part of the Imperial Navy.

If the player chose to challenge the Empire and the Sith and managed to defeat them, he would gain the allegiance of several warlords, who will each present him with several capital ships as a tithe. The territories of the Empire will also be diminished, but they will be hostile.

Redeeming Quality

This mission series is made available if the player chose to save Ophelia in the mission series, Broken Threads.

The player’s mother, though marked for death by the Circle, did not die and is lying in a coma. Ophelia leads the player to the planet. The player brings an artifact from the cache of ancient technology, hoping to use it to save his mother. It succeeds, but now the player must battle the powerful entity that now resides in his mother to save her.

Siding with the Rebellion in previous missions will pit the player against the Empire and the Sith, who will stop at nothing to recover the last remaining artifact.

Siding with the Empire in previous missions will cause Rebel and Jedi forces to seek out the player to destroy the artifact.

Success (Rebel) : If the player sided with the Rebellion, he manages to save his mother from certain death. The player returns to the Grand Horizon for a reunion with the O’Riellys and marries Rachul.

Success (Imperial) : If the player sided with the Empire, his latent force abilities kill his mother. The player in grief and anger, then departs.

16 May 08

2008-06-16T07:53:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

I went to my oem ma's place today for lunch. As I walked into the lift, I felt something brush past me. I thought it might be just trash which decided to follow it's relative into the lift.

It wasn't that at all.
I felt something on my tank top and looked down. And here was this huge colourful wasp staring up at me. I think it was a wasp, anyway. And when you have such a big bug on you, all you can think of, if you can still do that, is how it would be one of the rare, endangered, coloured wasps that kills elephants with its sting.

And man, did it look like it could kill 7 elephants and all their mamas in one blow.

So, here I am, thinking, "Lord, well it can't get any worse than this."

AND THEN, the blasted thing starts crawling. Upwards. It takes about 2 seconds for it to crawl from my waist to my chest and by then, I am staring right into its many faceted eyes, wondering where it is thinking would be the softest spot on my face to lay the smack down.

Okay. I start praying. If anyone can handle an angry critter, it's God. So I pray, "Lord, only You can help me now. So, er...help." And I think, okay, maybe it'll just fly away or I could brush it off me gently.

AND THEN, it starts crawling again. Upwards. Onto my collarbone. Onto my shoulder. Onto my neck. "Oh God!", I am praying, "forgive me, for I am a sinful man!"

Onto the back of my neck. Into my hair. Oh Lord...

And just before I make an irrevocable vow, it flies away.

I'm not sure how badly I was perspiring, but somehow I managed to walk calmly into my oem' ma's house like nothing happened.

Well, we went marketing together. Well, she went marketing, I just carried stuff. After that, we cooked and settled down to a large and might I add, sumptuous meal. Prawn cakes (my favourite and now I know how to cook them!), fried fish, fried pork wrapped in lettuce and rice.

Nice! We spent the day just talking and lounging in the living room. I wish I had known my oem ma sooner. I really enjoyed the day.

Finale

2008-06-09T20:56:00.000-07:00

Well, after travelling for more than 2 weeks across China and into Mongolia. I have found that truly, home is where the heart is. As much as I loathe the country I stay in, we have much more than almost every other country in the whole of Asia. Efficient and effective infrastructures, unpolluted, clean air and a safe environment in which to live.

Yes, Singapore has it all.

Thus, instead of trying to leave, which I still would like to, I think it would be better that as citizens, we try to make a change in our country. To make it better, to inculcate democracy in our young and the belief that freedom and diversity do make us stronger as a people, a society and as a nation.

2008-06-09T20:28:00.000-07:00

Shenzhen 30 May 08

Leaving the train station, I see a swarm of guys in light blue uniforms. Turns out they are cab drivers. One of them tries to hustle me for 30 yuan, but when I say 20, another guy promptly leads me to his taxi.
The place I'm heading to isn't that far, but the ride is safe. This is my experience with Shenzhen cabbies, though and it may not speak for them all.

I arrive at Hongbao Lu around 0500. I take a short walk down the street and find myself at my destination, the My Little Hut Hostel, as advertised on Hostelworld.com.
The rooms are at 138 yuan a night, which is good, considering that this is the only hostel I've stayed at in China that has a carpet.
The 4th and 5th floors are where the hostel is located. The 2nd floor being an internet cafe and the 3rd being abandoned. There aren't any lifts, but then again, this is China, remember?

I meet the receptionist, Ms. Zhan and the cleaning lady. Both of whom are very nice and friendly, despite our communication difficulties.

I wake up after a couple of hours and head out for a walk. Shenzhen, is quite aptly described by one of the passengers on the train here : "It's bright, but you have no idea where the light is coming from."

I get some shao bing for 2.5 yuan and a bowl of beef noodles for 6 yuan. As usual, too much for me.

I manage after some time to get on-line, the hostel staff having no inkling of how to speak English. Something that is to hamper me further in my stay in China.

I meet up with Kingston, which is a boon for me. Spending time with someone who speaks English, after 2 weeks of complete Chinese immersion has a comforting effect on me.

We walk to a mall in Shenzhen for dinner and as recommended by my lovely Yun, I try the food at the Shenzhen Ajisen.

We have spicy beef fried rice, gyoza (friend dumplings) and some sushi. Total bill : 96 yuan.

2008-06-03T02:25:00.001-07:00

"If you subtract all the public holidays and weekends, maybe I'll be 43."

Yeah, that's my uncle Peter. 53 years of age. He's one of those uncles that you don't know exist till they come to live with you.

That's how I knew him. I was 16 when my mum introduced him. I'd never seen the guy before, but before long I was addressing him with the title 'Uncle'.

When it comes to age, our society has come up with various ways to manifest our own rebellion to the natural course of life. From plastic surgery to slimming centres to beauty treatment, since the beginning of time, man and more notably, women, have been trying to stave off the clinging fish hooks of time that threaten to sink and sag every part, seen or unseen, of the body.

Perhaps, it is our very nature that tries to mould our envionment and in some sense, the very fundamental of that environment to suit our own vanity. Man, the ultimate being on planet earth. And this, we blatantly flash around like a badge as we stomp on our planet, strip its resources and violate its essence.

2008-05-28T22:49:00.000-07:00

28 May 08 - Train to Shenzhen

I get to the train station at about 2300H and like all train stations in China, the entrance to the ticketing office is different from the train entrances.

I share a six-man cabin with 2 ladies and 3 guys. Guess which bunk I get? Yes, that's right, boys and girls. I get the topmost bunk once again!
I think once the ticketing lady sees an able bodied person, they are put up there.

Anyway, the Beijing trains are slightly more spacious and as you can see, they have a washing area for the passengers.
I spend most of the day sleeping, since there really isn't much to do or see in this part of China. Just farms and well...
A good majority of the passengers alight before Shenzhen, so by the time the train gets there, I am left with a chinese businessman.
As we near the station, he briskly proceeds to investigate his left nostril. This, I cannot capture on film for obvious reasons, but the impression left is indelible.

2008-05-28T22:48:00.002-07:00

27 May 08 - Beijing

This is a picture of Tristan's room in Wudaokou. We wake up to find that there's no power in the apartment. His roomate walks in and says that it'd cost 50 yuan to get power back into the apartment.
I take a shower in his apartment and we head out for some lunch. It's in a small side street with Korean restaurants. He tells me that there are more and more Koreans in Beijing. This seems to be happening in Ulaan Bataar and Kuala Lumpur too.

We walk to the subway and part ways.

Tristan, all the best with that Russian girl! Do let me know what happens!

I take the subway to Xi Zheng Men, where I have to transfer to Fu Xing Men, which is a short bus ride to the Beijing West train station on service 52. The subway ticketing system is still rather manually operated.

While there are cards with microchips to swipe across readers, there are still paper tickets that can be purchased from a counter. Once you are at the gate, a lady is there to take your ticket and tear it to shreds. Neat.
I get a midnight train ticket to Shenzhen for 437 yuan, the exact price I got my last ticket for.

I head to the Railway Hotel next door and get a room for 290 yuan. It's rather expensive, but it's spacious and it's got internet access and a good shower.
At about 8 p.m., I go for a walk across the street and get a huge bowl of wanton for 5 yuan. Of course, there are a couple of flies sharing it with me, but I don't expect much from a roadside stall. Hours later, no ill side effects.
I do recall Khoso saying that I have a dog's stomach.

2008-05-28T22:48:00.001-07:00

26 May 08 - Er Lian

The train onto Er Lian is similar to the one I took inbound. But the ladies who are in charge of the train are so unfriendly. Like old grandmothers who hate to have their empty, prisine train cars disturbed. They do give us some food, though.

There's a small TV in the cabin, but that hardly makes up for the rough treatment. Sharing the cabin with me is Tristan, an American who is making his way to Beijing, where he is taking Chinese classes. He is hoping to teach English in one of the schools in Beijing.

At the Er Lian train station, I am met by a chinese guy who offers me a ride to Beijing in his car for 300 yuan. That is not bad, considering he is going to get me there in 7 hours, compared to the 14 hours by bus.
We meet other passengers, Chris, a lady from Malaysia and another chinese lady. Together, we 5 head to Beijing from Er Lian.
We stop by at a rest stop some 200 km from Beijing for lunch. They don't seem to have anything for sale and we settle for wantons and fried noodles.
This is where it gets interesting. A dust storm is kicking up and all the expressways into Beijing are closed. So we go by backroads, country roads, back up the wrong side of the expressway, trying to find another way into the city.
12 hours later, we are in Beijing and by this time, I have realised that while it could have been worse, 12 hours in a car is just no good for the soul.
Tristan kindly lets me stay the night at his house. After our little misadventure, I am glad just for a place to rest and take a shower.

We talk about this girl he had met in Mongolia. She had written her e-mail address on a piece of paper, but for the life of us, we cannot figure out what she had written.

2008-05-28T22:47:00.002-07:00

25 May 08 - Mongolia

Today's my last day in Mongolia, so Taivan, Khoso and Amarah takes me out to see the sights.
We have a short breakfast of lapsha at the campsite and head out.

Along the way back to Ulaan Bataar city, we see a tiny dust cyclone. It's interesting to see.

We head to see the Mongolian Parliament. Just constructed last year. Genghis is deified here by a huge statue of him on a throne. In the parliament plaza, there is the GPS 0 degree point. This means that at this spot in Ulaan Bataar, any GPS device would read 0 degrees.
They bring me to get some Mongolian souvenirs at the state department store.

We go get some more beer and I pick up some Chinggis to give to the guys before I leave.
We then head up to a hill called Zaisun. It's a war memorial to all the Russian and Mongolians who fought and died in the Second World War. There are murals here depicting the triumph over the Japanese and German armies through the co-operation of the Mongolian and Russian army. It is shown in sequence, which is interesting as the Germans and Japanese never really co-operated on any front during the war.
Here are some shots of the view from the top. Gained at the cost of a short, but tiring climb.
After I climb back down to the car, Taivan and Khoso go get some more beer. I talk to Amarah and find out that she is a doctor who also lectures at the Ulaan Bataar University. I take a swing of my beer and am about to set it one the ground, when Amarah stops me. She explains that in Mongolia, a drink should never touch the ground when the sun is down. It has to be set on something. I am unsure of the meaning to this, but I believe it has something to do with their nomadic history.
Dasha and his family arrive to pick us up. Khoso also insists on giving me a 5 minute crash course on numbers in Mongolian :
1 - Neg2 - Hoyr3 - Gurav4 - Duruv5 - Tav6 - Zurga7 - Doloo8 - Naim9 - Eys10 - Arav
All the 'V's are pronounced as 'U's
We spend some more time on Zaisun together, just talking and enjoying the view.
I ask if I can go get a shower at Dasha's and am driven to his sister-in-law's, who graciously lets me use the shower.
At the train station, I give out necklaces to the ladies that I got from the souvenir store (I know, but what am I supposed to get them?) and I hand out bottles of vodka to the guys. Khoso insists that I take the first swing of his bottle of vodka, which I learn is a custom.
It is a sad farewell and I promise to send them e-mails once I am home. I will miss them.
Taivan, Dasha, Sarot, Khoso, Amarah, Tauga and Aurena, thank you for making me feel so at home in Ulaan Bataar. I came as a complete stranger, but you have treated me as a friend. And I now leave as a friend. For this, I will be eternally grateful.

2008-05-28T22:47:00.001-07:00

24 May 08 - Mongolia
I wake up at about 8 a.m. and do some statics. I walk downstairs and get some breakfast. It's just bread, so I order a horshor. It's the biggest horshor I am to see in Mongolia.
(Hoshor)

I talk to the waiter, who is very friendly. Baska is his name and he is 20. He's worked at the LG Guesthouse for overa year. He speaks a little English and we have a decent conversation.
(Baska)
Taivan walks in at about 12 noon and he gets a bowl of lapsha. Total bill for both of us : 4100T (tugruk - this, I learn is the name of Mongolian currency).
Taivan tells me that Khoso is having an exam today and that we are all eading to the countryside to stay at a gur, or traditional Mongolian hut. I take a photo of myself at Tauga's sister-in-law's shop, called Chic Studios. I have to wear all tht out of necessity. It is that cold.
(Chic Studios)
We meet Dasha and gang at the train station, where I learn that there aren't any tickets to Beijing, the only ticket I can get goes to Er Lian at 2000H the next night. This turns into one of the biggest detours of my trip. More on that later.
We all go and get lunch and shop for loads of beer and a bottle of Chinggis vodka. I want to thank them for being so kind to me, so I buy all of the beer and the vodka.
We make our way for an hour down bumpy, pothole ridden roads to Hotel Mongolia, which is sort of a gateway to the countryside area. You have to pay a small fee to gain access. They really deify Genghis

or Chinggis Khan.

Here's a picture of his mobile gur.
With the majority of Mongolians being Buddhist, it is interesting to see how this comes into direct conflict with the conquering nature of Genghis, which is so prominent in their speech and culture. A conflicted society, perhaps?
We rent a 4-bed gur for 30000T, which comes up to about 35SGD and we all settle down to conversation and booze. I learn that Dasha has been drinking for the past 3 days, meeting with friends and he politely declines the proferred vodka by dipping his finger into the glass and putting it to his forehead. Also, as we hand the vodka around, we share the same cup and it is traditional to pass the cup with the right hand and the left hand held at a right angle to the elbow of the right hand.

It's a really cozy atmosphere : the kids go outside to play and the guys sit down for a game of cards. Just a normal day in the country in Mongolia.

Horses are aplenty in Mongolia and we ride a pony for about 1000T. Horses are inexpensive, one costing about 200 USD. There's plenty of space to rear them too, so it's no problem for some to own up to a hundred horses.
Dasha and Tauga's families have to go home for the night, so Khoso brings his girlfriend, Amarah to the campsite to join us. They talk well into the night and I...well, I just listen.

2008-05-28T22:46:00.000-07:00

23 May 08 - Mongolia

Taivan asks me to get breakfast while he finishes up with the girl. I go downstairs and as a tour group has now comandeered the hotel's restaurant, I walk to the supermarket to get a loaf of bread and some orange juice. It is really cold and I take a walk to see some of the neighbourhood.

I get back to the room at 1200 and we all head out for lunch after checking out. We have rice with meat and tea. Total bill: 17000T.

We take a cab to the train station, looking for a guesthouse. Taivan brings us to a non-descript apartment block, at which he yells, "Where are you, guesthouse?" He said it was there when he stayed there last...2 years ago. I remind him that much has changed in Mongolia in the past 2 years, to which he laughs.

I recall one of the hostels on Hostelworld.com being located near the train station and I suggest we walk there. I am impressed by the room we are given. It is homely and spacious and the bathroom works!

I am sitting in the room now, typing this Taivan and his girl nap on one of the 2 beds. This place is at 18700T a night.

Now, that is really great.
We go get dinner after the 2 have been asleep for a few hours. I've been exercising in that time. We head to the main street of Ulan-Bataar. It's not much, but a walk down it is a good way to see the whole town's population.

We have dinner and eat buuz, which is a meat dumpling. Like all Mongolian food, it's very heavy and you can't eat too much.

2008-05-28T22:45:00.001-07:00

22 May 08 - Mongolia

We will get into Ulan-Bataar at 1300. Taivan and I will alight from the train, but Shuji, from what we understand, still has a 5 day journey to Moscow. We take to joking about him being the '6-day kid', which he takes to quite sportingly.
Mongolia is really a far, green country. It is common to see nomadic shepherds and their herds out in the open. Horses can also be seen dotting the landscape at irregular intervals. At the station, we each give Shuji a hug and wish him farewell. We are going to miss that man.
Taivan has kindly offered to take me around Ulan Bataar and to meet his friends and family. I am really fortunate to have met this man. I tell him that I was initially intending to go to Moscow too. I wanted to try pirozhki, a common Russian meat pastry. He smiles and says, 'No need to go to Moscow, then. We eat pirozhki in Mongolia!'
At the train station, we are met by Taivan's friend, Dascha. Their meeting is full of joy and happiness as they haven't seen each other for 2 years. I learn that Taivan, Dascha and 2 others have been the best of friends for 16 years. Dascha drives us to the ticket office so I can buy a ticket back to Beijing. The counter staff say that I can only get a ticket on Saturday. No reasons, just go.
Dascha brings us to his house. In Mongolia, the roads are narrow, so every U-turn means making a 3 point turn, often right in the middle of the road. Pedestrians are also quite liberal in crossing the street. More often than not, cars will stop for you if you walk across the road. Just use your discretion as this does not mean that crossing the road can be done indiscriminately.

At Dascha's house, we meet his wife, Sarot, his daughter and his nephew. Here's a short tour of his house.

It is cosy, consisting of 2 bed rooms, a kitchen, a living room and a small storeroom. Most of his furniture is functional, but in disrepair, much like the rest of Mongolia from the get go. Oh, did I mention that it's coldr here than in Er Lian. I'm told it's 5c in Ulan-Bataar and that it gets worse at night. Yay.

Sarot brings us bread and a pasta dish called lapsha, which has pork in it. Just the thing needed for a cold day.

Mongolia has a horning culture. All the drivers horn at each other to alert each other of danger and to generally inform each other to keep a distance. It also has a very strong spitting culture. All the guys spit at some point in the day, though it is gross to see a line of spittle worming its way down the side of a cab. Gross.

We head to Taivan's mother's house, which is in neighbourhood that is divided into somewhat equal, square pieces of land. Some plots have houses on them, while others have gur huts and others, a combination of both.

Their meeting brings tears to all our eyes. To see an old lady gasp in shock at her long lost son and to hold him so tightly for so long, all the while whispering to him and crying at the same time. Gosh, it was more than I could take.
We are invited to their traditional gur house.

There are no partitions in the hut, which accommodates about 2 people. Cooking is done within and there is a chimney to expel the smoke from cooking. We are offered bread, biscuits and coffee.

In front of the family gurs is Taivan's old cafe, which he closed down 2 years ago. He said the business was bad. The wood building is spacious and I can imagine the potential it had and still has.
We look around for a hotel, but they are expensive, charging almost 2 times for foreigners. We finally settle for a 25000T place called the Sansar Hotel.

The room is huge, but in a terrible state. It was probably once a fine apartment, but neglect and lack of maintenance have turned it into one big run-down shack. It looks nice in the photo, though and perhaps it would be better if I remembered it that way.

The water is not running and the shower head does not work. This I only find out once I have completely soaped down, with suds in my eye. I am reduced to groping around at the sink to try and salvage the situation, only to find out that yes, the water at the sink stops after about 30 seconds. Yay.

We go to the hotel's restaurant downstairs for dinner with Dascha. At the dinner table, Mongolians only use a fork to eat, unless there is soup, in which case, a spoon appears. Taivan explains to me that when people are sitting together and someone accidentally taps someone's foot under the table, they have to apologise by shaking hands and addressing the other as a superior by saying, 'San-bano'. This is a greeting used for people who are older than oneself. We have rice and meat as well as the egg salad.

We have horshor, which is a meat pastry dish. It's like curry puffs using roti prata, filled with pork. It isn't pirozhki, but I am promised a sampling soon.

Tonight Taivan's best friends will be meeting at Dascha's pub to celebrate his return. At first, the power's out, so there are no lights.

I learn that the whole city is without lights for today. So we light a candle and pour ourselves a glass of whiskey and conversation each. An hour later, power is restored. This is about the time that the rest of Taivan's buddies arrive and I am introduced to them all. From the left, Taugar and his wife, Aurena. Sarot (Dascha's wife). Me. Eric (Taivan's classmate in the language school in Singapore), Taivan, Hosoh and Dascha.

The mood is severely festive. They are toasting each other repeatedly, shouting, 'Tok toi!', which means, well-met. These 4 friends have such a strong bond and all, a healthy dislike for mainland Chinese.
Taivan brings out gifts for his friends, which they receive in the customary fashion, by touching the gift to their forehead. We sing on Dascha's karaoke machine and down 2 bottles of Grant's whiskey, the remains of the King Robert 2 and 1 bottle of Chinggis Khan vodka. It's one really fun night. Most of them can speak a few sentences of English, but it's enough to laugh and joke with. For all our language barriers, there is one thing which sounds like music to all our ears - Guns 'N Roses!
The Mongolians really love to sing and their songs are about friendship and love. The ideal Mongolian singing voice is deep throated and powerful, much like the Italian opera style.
At about 0100, Dascha closes the bar and Hosoh, Eric, Taivan and I head to another disco called Amrita. By now, I am having trouble trying to walk, but somehow we walk in and out. We end up at a bar that belongs to Hosoh, where we sit down for some talking. Well, they talk, I just listen. We meet a portly fellow called Menge, who performs a fire-breathing act with a lighter and a can of cooking gas. Taivan excuses himself and returns with a girl, who could be his girlfriend, but I'm not sure.
We get back to the hotel at about 0600. I am dead beat and promptly fall into bed.
I am awoken a few hours later when I hear crying. I open my eyes and see Taivan crying and being comforted by the girl. Hosoh is there too and he seems to be crying. Eric is nowhere to be seen and I assume he has left. I ask what is wrong and Taivan says that's nothing to worry about, but that he's just in his cups. I go back to sleep.
Then, I am awoken again to some really strange noises. I open my eyes. Hosoh is gone. But in the next bed, Taivan and the girl are seriously getting it on. I laugh to myself. These guys.

Taivan asks me to get some breakfast and I go down to see that a tour group has occupied the restaurant that we ate at last night. No way to get a meal there. I then walk over to the supermarket to buy a loaf of brown bread and a bottle of orange juice. I sit down in the small plaza outside the hotel and have well, a cold breakfast.

2008-05-28T22:43:00.002-07:00

21 May 08 - Trans-Mongolian

I wake up at about 0600 and check out of my tiny room. A few minutes walk towards the direction Mr. Lee pointed out to me leads me to believe that once again, a '15 minute walk' is going to turn into a 15 minute walk followed by a 15 minute jog. But I didn't know that yet.
Here's Beijing at 0600.
(Beijing)

I step into a McDonald's on a whim to get a 9RMB breakfast of an egg burger and some coffee. I wouldn't know till later what a boon that whim was going to be to me. It's about 21c in Beijing, so it's still quite comfortable.

The train station is packed. A lot of Chinese are carrying bulk goods to bring over to Mongolia or to the northern areas of China. It mirrors the JB to Singapore checkpoint at some points.

As I board the train, I meet the conductor in charge of my train car. He is a friendly sort with a ready smile and a warm demeanour.

Each train cabin accommodates 4. From the first instant, I knew that I was really getting my RMB's worth for the 24 hour trip.

I meet Shuji, a Japanese high school physical education teacher who lives in Hokkaido and Taivan, a mongolian chef who studied English in Singapore, lived in Potong Pasir for 1 year and 8 months and is returning back to live in Ulan Bator.
Shuji, who is sharing the cabin with me, has a girlfriend who works at Tiffany's and has just quit his job to travel the world for 2 years. He'll be heading to Moscow, Eastern Europe and then Africa.

Taivan has 2 older sisters, 1 older and 1 younger brother. They don't know he's coming home and he wanted to surprise them. He explained a lot about Mongolian culture. When drinking, never excuse yourself from a drink or you'll have to drink 3, 6, or 9 times more as a penalty.

We are all given 2 meal tickets for meals at the dining car. The cabins are arranged such that the most expensive are nearest the dining car, the distance to the dining car becoming longer the poorer the class of accommodation gets. There is a class higher than ours that seats 2 per cabin and is finished with a pseudo wood panelling.

Well, not that it really makes any difference as we soon discovered, as the train food can only be described in this manner : POOR. It is a ghastly spare meal, mass produced and really smacking of a lack of effort. And those 2 meatballs you see there? Yeah, right there - cost us 10 yuan. 5 yuan a meatball!

But anyway, we're not expecting something fantastic anyway.

The scenery gets increasingly better as we move up north, farms and shrubbery giving way to rolling plains and mountains. Quite a sight.

To pass the time, Taivan engages and finishes off (read : beats us senseless) both Shuji and me in chess. His personal set is quite interesting.

We drink Taivan's personal store of beer and he teaches us a few words in Mongolian. 'Sano' is hello for soemone younger or of the same age. San-bano is for greeting elders or strangers. Krasivy diotchka is pretty girl in Russian. Aje is mother, awa is father. Hamtcha means delicious, but we seldom use that word on this train! Sakh means excellent, but again, it is a seldom used expression on this train.

Hot water is available on the train and I am blessed that my used McDonald's coffee cup serves as a carrying vessel for the whole journey. The readily available supply of drinking water really makes the trip more comfortable.

At about 2100, the train needs to replace its wheels and we make a stop at Er Lian, which is the border town before we cross into Mongolia. If I thought my flimsy red windbreaker was going to be enough, was I wrong.

Biting cold.

That's what the weather is like in Er Lian. Even from the train station, I realised why a good part of the passengers were running. It was just one of the ways to keep warm.

We are told onboard the train that we have about 2 hours to roam Er Lian before we have to return to the train. Inside the Er Lian train station we find all the doors locked and chained. When asked, the station staff alternate between ignoring us and telling us they can't let us out. In particular, there is a this grumpy old lady in a green uniform who tells me that the station has rules not to allow us to leave the station. Like hell.

Finally, a guy arrives and unlocks the door. Taivan, Shuji and I make for the door and Ms. Grumpy shouts at us that we aren't allowed out. We ignore her and once we are out the doors, she gives up trying to stop us and shouts that we'd better be back by 2300. Ha. Ha. Ha.

Er Lian is a big city, but like the rest of China, is still in the developing stage, with many of their buildings in disrepair.

We get a Mongolian dinner at a nearby restaurant. We are served egg salad, a tangy beef salad, a beef stew called goulyash and fried and steamed buns.

Then the main course arrives, I like to call it, beef with nipple rice for obvious reasons. We are also given hot Mongolian milk tea, which is salty. It's all very filling and I can scarely hold it all down.

Total bill : 90 RMB for all of us.

We head to a mall in Er Lian. It is a huge warehouse with rows of shops and businesses. It would seem that the design of the mall was to facilitate structure and order. There's nothing much there, just lots of boutiques selling shoes, boots and clothes. Kinda like Singapore in the 1960s.

We head back to the station where I purchase a 700ml bottle of King Robert 2 whiskey for 45RMB. It's really a steal. Once in the train, the three of us settle down for a few shots of whiskey before we hit the bunks for the night.

2008-05-28T22:43:00.001-07:00

20 May 08 - Beijing

Beijing is in a perpetual haze due to the pollution and the sand in the air. Occasionally, a gust of wind will blow some right into your face.

From the Beijing West train station, I was directed to take Bus Service 52 to the Beijing Main train station. This bus passes by Tian An Men and all the Forbidden City nonsense as well, so it's really not bad. Tickets are 1 RMB per trip regardless.

Every bus has 1 driver and 2 conductors that sit at each of the 2 entrances to the bus. The conductor will do spot checks and sell bus tickets for those who do not have the bus cards that are swiped over a scanner. She will also call out the names of stations and give general directions.

Labour intentsive, but very useful.

You can't get a ticket to Mongolia approaching the conventional counters in Beijing train stations.

The only way is to get in touch with the China International Tour Agency, which is located opposite the Beijing Main train station, at the Beijing International Hotel. The agency's office is on the 2nd level. Now, when I say opposite the station, do not take that too literally, it is still at least a 20 minute brisk walk to the place.

Now, how I got to know this is pure providence. I was walking towards the Beijing main train station when this man in a blue vest approached me and asked if I needed a place to stay. Perceptive, from the way my 2 bags made me look like a tortoise. He quoted me the price for the room and it looked decent, so I told him that I'd come back, once, I got a ticket to Ulaan-Bataar.

To this, he began asking his buddies, who were also in these blue vests. I am guessing that the government in Beijing is stepping up its efforts in promoting 'safe' tourism due to the Olympics. So, Mr. Lee, my new-found friend, walks me all the way to the CITS and back and then gives me a free ride to the hotel.

At the counter, my passport causes a little commotion. Mr. Lee explains that not all motels can take in foreigners, but that this particular one, can.

Anyway, back to the ticket thing. I managed to get a luan wo che seat. Most expensive, at 1056RMB to Mongolia. But, seriously, after spending 1 day in a hard bed, I could do with some comfort right now.

Before leaving me, Mr. Lee directs me to where the train station is from the motel. 'Just 15 minutes walk', he says. When Mr. Lee says it's a 15 minute walk, this has to be taken into the Beijing context where distances are greater. It was more like 30 minutes of walking and 15 if you were running from something.

The motel I stayed at was called the Jin Shi Xin Hotel, a room cost me 126 RMB. It's a tiny thing, but I don't really expect that much in Beijing.

There's free internet (you'll have to ask for a cable) in the room and frankly, except for the space constraints, which is so true to the spirit of Beijing, is everything you'd need.
It's near the Ciqikou subway station and opposite the Guang Ming Daily building.

I settle down and take a walk to get some dinner. I step into a little mon and pop eatery and oder some you mian, or oil noodles. It's a huge portion, as usual. I quash it with some Yanjing beer. Total bill : 7.5 RMB.

I walk back to the hotel and hit the sack early. The train leaves at 0745 and I have to be an hour early.

2008-05-28T22:42:00.002-07:00

19 May 08 - Shenzhen
The subway in Shenzhen is very similar to the ones back in Singapore. (Shenzhen subway)

To board a train, you either get a card which you can swipe over a scanner, like in Singapore, or you buy a green token for 3 RMB. This, you can also swipe over the scanner.
(Shenzhen subway token - 3 yuan)

Here's a view of their line in Shenzhen.
(Shenzhen subway map)In each car, there's a lighted display of the stations along the line. Blinking lights indicate which direction the train is heading and also the progress the train is making in that direction.
(Shenzhen subway display)

Yup, that's right. Only 19 stations.

I need to get onto the Long Distance train to Beijing and it is at this station that Wor and I part ways.

In the train station, there are car attendants who will stand beside their assigned cars and will guide passengers to the right car.

I purchase a Wo Pu Che ticket, or a hard bed sleeper type, for 437RMB. There's another class of sleeper, known as the Luan Wo Che or Soft sleeper, which costs a whole lot more.
(Shenzhen - Beijing ticket)

Each car has 22 rows of 3 bunk beds, with 2 rows facing the other. That's 66 people per car. Of the 3 bunks, the best would be the bottom as you have more space and you get window scenery whether you are lying down or sitting up. The middle bunk has even less space, but it's still manageable. The top bunk has the least space and no matter what, from there you will only get to see the different grades of cement used in the flooring at every station.

The beds are cramped, as you can see.

Guess which one I got? Bloody hell.

Here's their washroom. Now, I know it looks all right, but after it's been used, say, about 10 times, it ain't a place you'd want to be spending a lot of time in. Also, an interesting thing is that this opens right onto the tracks. The washrooms are only open while the train is in motion, once it stops, the washrooms are closed. I guess they like to spread the love.

Every now and then, a lady will push a cart through the car, selling anything from food to fruits and the occasional gadget or necklace.

The food is really not that bad, but after the recycled air and the fusion of smells, it doesn't do that much good to eat. Here, for 15 yuan, I got a bowl of porridge and some noodles.

I found myself bunked with 4 older women and 1 older gent. The gent was a businessman and he offered to show me a map of China as well as gave me some travelling tips about where to visit in Beijing - not that I'm going. One of the ladies is incessantly on the phone. The other 3 are a bit more quiet. One is a young lady who I overheard cooing into the phone at night to her boyfriend. The second lady was in her late forties and was very kind. The last one, well, I haven't a clue about her.

I try to get some sleep, but it's near impossible unless you're really tired. The cramped space and the chatter from the other 65 guys in the train car are all you need to keep awake at night.

Travel by train. See the REAL China.

2008-05-28T22:42:00.001-07:00

19 May 08 - Hong Kong
My trip to Beijing needs a little more time, so we head on down to Hong Kong to get my passport renewed. We intend to stay for just an hour or so.
(Hongkong 1)

From Shenzhen's Luo Hu station, we follow the directions to the Hong Kong customs. It's very much like the checkpoint to Johore Bahru, with the same rows of shops selling stuff that's readily available across both borders, catering to the inners and outers from China and Hong Kong.
You need an Octopus Card to get into a train in Hong Kong. Fares are charged according to the distance you travel, unlike Shenzhen, where it's one flat fee.
(Hong Kong train station)

At the nearest station from the Hong Kong customs, called Sheng Xia, I think, we stop by this little restaurant. It's starting to pour and the quiet little eatery offers a welcome respite.
(Hongkong restaurant)
We order a set meal each, which comes up to about 50 Hong Kong dollars.
(HK 50)
It's porridge, chee cheong fun with pork and you tiao. We sip tea as we take a rest from the day's walk.

(Chee cheong fun with pork)
The waitress comes over and makes a culinary suggestion. She helps us mix the ketchup, chilli sauce and some kind of mustard over the chee cheong fun and you tiao dishes. Really tasty.

(Hongkong waitress)(You tiao with skin ad 3 sauces)

Apparently, this is her 2nd job. She works somewhere else in Hongkong and moonlights at the restaurant during her time-off. We bid her farewell and we set off again to find some milk powder for Hai Dong's son.

Well, we did try. After 2 hours of running around in the rain to every Park'n Shop in a 5 station radius of Luo Hu, we have come to the conclusion that either all this particular brand of milk powder has been bought up in Hongkong, or it's a governmental procreational industry conspiracy of the worst kind.

Oh, Hong Kong is also one of the cleanest places I have seen. A far cry from any part of China, except maybe the parts of Shenzhen nearest to it.

2008-05-28T22:41:00.002-07:00

18 May 08 - Shenzhen

From the village, we get a minivan to Meilan airport in Haikou, Hainan for 100 RMB. We board the flight for Shenzhen's Bao An airport.
(Shenzhen Bao An airport)

We hook up with Wor's friend, Hai Dong. He, his wife and son, Yu Hai, stay in this apartment. We have a nice dinner of fish, a szechuan style pork dish and rice, washed with beer. After that we spend the night at his place.

It's at one of the poorer parts of Shenzhen, Hai Dong says, but it's homely.
(Shenzhen housing stairwell)(Hai Dong's house)

(Hai Dong's kitchen)

Imagine the 2 of us sleeping on this for the night...well, we did!
(Hai dong's bed)

2008-05-28T22:41:00.001-07:00

18 May 08 - Hainan

We start off by heading to Wor's relative's house for a family lunch.
It isn't ready yet, so we chill outside for a while. In Hainan, the women do most of the work and the men, well...they chill out most of the time.
(Lazy day in Buo Li Xi )

Here we have Wenchang chicken, which is quite tough! We have friend fish and noodles with bean sprouts. It's quite filling - we wash it down with cups of Anchor beer.
(Family meal in Buo Li Xi)(Family photo in Buo Li Xi)
I take a walk around the family farm and this is one of the piglets that they currently have.
(Piggy)

2008-05-28T22:39:00.004-07:00

17 May 08 - Hainan

We wake at about 8 a.m.. I am having a fever and Wor's relatives cooked me a meal of porridge, pork and bitter gourd for me last night. The last of which I swallowed without chewing.
We have coffee with his 2 cousins at the coffeeshop across the road from the hotel. Coffee is 2.5 RMB a cup, again with an accompanying pitcher of warm water.
(Buo Li Xi 2.5 coffee)

We head into the main town where we are treated to a breakfast of beef noodles. The red stuff on the top are peanuts. 5 RMB a plate and I am hard pressed to finish.
(Beef Noodles)
Buo Li Xi is an agricultural town and it has 1 major road. The town is approximately 1 km in length and comprises a market square (vegetable s being plentiful, while meat not so), a police station and various private establishments.
(Buo Li Xi main town)

After breakfast, we head back to the motel as I am feeling ill again. This time one of Wor's relatives gives us a ride on his motorised trishaw.
(motor trishaw ride)
It appears that almost everyone in town is related in some way.

2008-05-28T22:39:00.003-07:00

16 May 08 - Hainan

Temperature is about 26c here in Sanya at this time. We've split off from the tour and are on our own in Sanya. After a quick breakfast at the bus terminal,
(Sanya food)

We make our way to purchase 4 tickets to Wenchang. The distance covered is 250 kilometres and will take appoximately 4 hours. The tickets cost 52 RMB a head. We set off at about 9 a.m..
(Bus ticket to Wenchang)

As we board the bus, it doesn't look so bad, an open air mini-bus that looks like it can accommodate 30 sitting passengers.
(Empty bus to wenchang)
However, as we continue on, the bus takes on other passengers and we find out what the plastic chairs at the back of the bus are for.

(Full bus to wenchang)
Generally, about 40 chinese guys on a bus. In an awkward sitting position for about 2 hours at a stretch, with a 10 minute break each time. A good way to see the real Hainan.

Wenchang town is a smaller town to the east of Haikou, the main port from Hainan to China. Developing towns are the same all over the world, be in Batam, Malacca, Taiping or Wenchang.
(Wenchang town)
We arrive at Wenchang town at about 1 p.m. and we settle down for a short lunch.
(Wenchang restaurant)

We order 4 pork buns, 4 cups of coffee (which come with pitchers of warm water, to dilute the coffee, it seems) and a plate of beef noodles for 17 RMB.
(Buns, coffee and noodles - 17RMB)
The washroom in the restaurant is spartan. It's surprising because it's just what I was expecting.
(Wenchang hole)

We hire a private car to Buo Li Xi, which is the hometown of Wor's father. We first visit Wor's relatives. Their place is homely and reminiscent of well, nothing that I have ever seen before. Here's a short tour.
(Tour of village house)

Wor has a cute nephew and well, I just thought I'd take a picture.
(Wor's nephew)
We check into a motel about 10 minutes bike ride from their house, the Tai Long Motel. Rooms are 60 RMB a night.
(Tai Long Motel)

Did I mention that Wor's cousin took us both on his little bike all the way to the motel?
(3 man bike ride)
I am impressed with the place. The cleanest, most well-kept motel I have ever been in. This could be either due to lack of patronage or Chinese conscientiousness. I prefer to believe the latter.
(Tai Long Motel room)
The washroom is well-kept as well, with a liquid petroleum gas cannister to heat water. This looks a bit dangerous as it is definitely bad to be caught in a fire completely naked while washing your hair.
(Tai Long Motel washroom)

2008-05-28T22:38:00.001-07:00

15 May 08 - Hainan

I have given up taking pictures of tourist attractions. There are just too many nonsensical locations to name of in Hainan.

Well, the first stop was a trip to one of the beaches in Hainan. A-Ting made us sign an impromptu acknowledgement of indemnity with her when we went for a swim. It roughly read that we would not hold her responsible should we die.

Well, the only thing really of interest, besides the gravelly sand and overpriced everything, was a rare occurrence of a cat taking a dump right in front of us. Getting up on its haunches, it squeezed out one little critter for the world to see. And they say that you don't see that everyday...hell yeah!
(Dumping cat)

Here's a picture of the beach at Sanya where we were. Diving costs 880 RMB and other related sea activities range from a minimum of 240 RMB. A tourist trap!
(Sanya Beach)
We went to a slough of other tourist places. Too many and just too stupid to even waste a picture of it.
Here's some photos of Tian Ya Hai Jiao. Some place in Hainan that was featured in one of Jacky Cheung's songs. It's really just some rocks in the middle of the coast. I'm just so surprised at the herd behavious at work here and the way that this becomes so easily manipulated by the tourism trade.
(Tian Ya Hai Jiao)
At this place, there are kids selling sea shells, really nice ones too. The only thing is that these kids are so persistent and they goad you into buying their stuff by saying that you don't love your wife if you don't buy it!

Funny stuff, so I took a short video of one of these kids. She ended up trying to get me to delete it, for which I asked for 1000RMB for the service. She protested and even hit me a few times. Kids...
(Sea Shell girl)

We'll be spending the night at the New Hope China Hotel. A sea view hotel in Sanya. I for one, am glad that we'll be splitting off from the tour group tomorrow morning. I am so, so disappointed with this trip to Hainan. Hopefully there will be better tidings from the mainland.
(hope china hotel)

2008-05-20T03:54:00.000-07:00

14 May 08 - Hainan
All right folks, good morning. We start the day at Hainan Hotel, the little whore-orama we spent our first day at. The time is 0700. Here's Wor making a little cup of tea for the both of us.
(Wor making tea)

We stroll across the road from the motel and stop at a little tea house, frequented by elders and middle aged Chinese. We do not see many youths there, owing perhaps to the globalisation of China, which sees less of the young clining to the culture and cuisine of the 'older' China.
(At the teahouse)(At the teahouse 2)

We four have a small breakfast of pork buns, doughsticks, 'jin tui', which is a crispy, round pastry covered in sesame seeds, filled with some sort of salted vegetable and a light tasting coffee all round. The total cost, 15 RMB. (Auntie making tea)

We head off for a 3 day tour of the sights of Hainan, which I am hoping will be quite good. An overall perspective of the place is what I'm looking for. We hand over 400 RMB per person - which includes entrance fees to whatever attractions (read : traps) we go to, hotel stays and meals.

We are introduced to a charismatic young tour guide called, A-Ting. There are about 45 of us in the crowded tour bus. I am sure that I will be treated extensively to the smells of Hainan as well.
The first stop is a tourist and souvenier emporium, where I am introduced to the sanitary standard of Hainan.
(Chinese sanitation)

3 red buckets isn't that bad, as I'm expecting a hole in the ground and an appropriate government scholar to clear up the mess afterward.
Then...

(The Bamboo brothers)
I see a guy walking in with a transparent plastic bag full of, what else, but piss. This he quickly and without aplomb, empties into the sink. He whips out a stem of bamboo, also covered in the remains of the gentleman's previous night of drinking. This he washes too.
Wor and I just stare in shock. As we are about to board our bus, we catch a familiar sight coming up the bus with us...the revenge of the Bamboo Brothers.

We are next taken to a piece of reclaimed beach. The first thoughts I had as the ferry beached onto the shore, were of a month before in Taiwan...

The beach is reclaimed and is nothing much. The sand is coarse and gravelly. Nothing much to its name as a beach except that its been pulled right out of the left ass cheek of Hainan itself.
The teenager giving the short introduction was sincere in her delivery, if a little nunny - read : chanting.

(Hainan Beach)

We next stop at a war memorial for the female soldiers of the Chinese Red Army during the Second World War. Pretty sad stuff. Sadder still was the fact that this piece of history was being quickly forgotten by the locals - the place being dominated by tourists like me who have no idea what the hell we were doing there in the first place.

(Female Red Army Monument)

We stop at a cave mound somewhere in the bowels of Hainan. We take a few photos, but like all graves, its just full of fertiliser and people praying for wealth. Oh, there's a cable car too. I use 'car' as tenuously as possible, as it looks more like a ski-lift, except that if you fall, it's not snow you hit - it's a million tonnes of fucking granite.

(Cave mounds)

Here we have a nice piece of pastry, made of a fried egg and some dough. Kind of like an egg cake - added with ginger, it tastes really nice. I have 2 for 6 RMB.

(Egg Pastry)

That is the nice part. I have not told you about the trip we had to make via the tour to some coffee factory, where the store is laid out in a labyrinth, creating as much walking distance as possible in the smallest space possible. Think of an official letter telling you something you don't want to hear - long, winding, meandering and basically saying, yeah, that's right, 3 million dollars worth of nothing.

We stop at a botanical garden and right now, A-Ting is getting to be quite a bother. She is voluminous and descriptive, with a well projected voice. But after 2 hours of listening to continuous talking in Chinese, with her adding little comments about how tough her life is and how hard she is working, I'm beginning to feel a little tired - in every sense of the word.
Alighting from the bus and taking a break from the incessant bitc...er, tourguide, we see a spectacular sight...

I have not seen so many people walking around in their pajaymas before. What they are wearing counts as the 'Hawaiian shirts' of Hainan. Unfortunately, no one told them that there's a reason Hawaiian shirts are WAY more popular than Hawaiian shorts and that wearing both, well, haha, makes you look like a fucking curtain!

(The PJ Party)

Oh. My. Gosh.

We get to dinner - oh, by the way, Hainanese food is just the most...well, we have the same dishes for both lunch and dinner :
1. Beancurd

2. Some kind of funky green vegetable, but its the same one for both meals

3. Chicken - its a tenuous word, again, as it looks more like something Mad Max would have hunted.

4. Fish - perhaps the little brother of the Soon Hock, the Some Fuck.

5. A grain rice that is coarse and really, makes you wonder what's so nice about this place anyway.

We watch a Transvestite show - nothing much that you'd miss. I've been totally disappointed by this trip, actually. We get fleeced when we try to take pictures with the trannies. My gosh, what a fool I was. It's 50 RMB a photo and these fuckers really are trigger happy.
I advise you, if you are going to Hainan, to be firm in your decision - if you don't want something, don't feel obligated. Tell the asshole to get out of your face.

We are planning to split as soon as we can.

If possible, I'd advise you to avoid taking tours by the following company : Hainan Chinese Youth Tour Agency.

There's a reason why they prey on the young. They suck. Big time.

We finally get to the hotel, and guess what the view's like...

Yup, we get a grand view of the corridor of another row of rooms! The window doesn't open to the outside of the hotel, it opens to the door of another room. Boy, these guys sure are fuckers.

Our consolation for the night is our supper. It's a roti prata like thing, made of dough and fried, with a little bit of onion in it. Nice.
(Supper)

13 May 08 - Singapore - Hainan

2008-05-15T05:20:00.000-07:00

We got to the budget terminal - oem ma drove Yun and I there, where we had a wonderful McDonald's breakfast. The company was what really mattered, though.

Wor, his dad and his dad's friend (whom I shall call Uncle) were waiting at the terminal for us.

As you can tell, Tiger Airways is a budget airline in every way. The menu for their flights consist of as assortment of hot meals to milo 3-in-1s, which range from $8SGD to $3SGD

The flight was about 4 hours long to Haikou and while we waited to disembark from the plane, we got a good grasp of the perspective of manpower and air travel in China - all in one go.
It is fairly reminiscent of the baggage train used to ferry poultry across desert wasteland during a Mongoloid invasion.
Haikou Airport is a rather old, but well kept air terminal. The themes are tropical, as are most of the tourists there. We found that the majority of flights out are domestic, with a grand total of 4 out of the 60 boarding counters allocated for international flights. The International Departure counters are located separately from the domestic ones, at the far right of the terminal. It seems that the lights are only switched on when there are flights - which, by the lonely, sole Tiger Airways flight listed on their huge LED billboard which could easily accommodate 20 flight listings - is not very often.

We were met by a persistent native who insisted that he was offering the best taxi rate to the main town of Haikou (60 RMB). We found, to our slight chagrin, that he was quite honest in his confidence. So, doing a slight drift in his beat-up old left-hand drive KIA, he picked us up and ferried us to the grand Hainan Hotel.

(In the KIA!) We crossed a golden-gate bridge lookalike and after 20 minutes, arrived at the Hainan Hotel.

On the way there, we were received by the resident mascot of the hotel.
Apparently, this little one belongs to the owners of the hotel. He goes wherever he pleases and is generally welcomed by everyone there, with the occasional, 'Don't pee everywhere! Don't PEEEEEEE!!!' that he receives with the perfunctory swat of the palm.
(Little Pup)

Well, here's our room. What can one really expect for 130 RMB per room? It's not that bad, though. The official rate was 180 RMB - well, goes to show that you should always walk to the back of a hotel to receive the better rate.
With a view like that, one would easily assume that Hainan is quite possibly, the anus of China.
(Our room) (The view)

The facilities in our room were well-intentioned - please see our well-meaning cupboard, which, though failing, did quite well in providing a sense of security, if only for the first 8 seconds.
(the cupboard)

We were also pleased to see that the establishment was adamant in providing the best in imitation footwear possible.

The bathroom was also a sight. It is obvious, that in the construction , the workmen had the acumen to foresee that baroque art would be in the in-thing in the early 21st century.

We went for a dinner of rice for all and 2 bottles of beer. For 4 of us, we spent a total of 135RMB for that meal. Not too bad, really.
Uncle managed to get a pair of leather shoes for 20RMB - here he is, the jolly old soul, with his prize!
(Uncle with $4 shoes)

Pre-Launch

2008-05-11T09:21:00.000-07:00

Well, okay, here is an update. Will be heading out with Wor to China and taking a round trip. We may get to Mongolia, but for sure, my last 2 weeks will be spent chilling out at a beach in Phuket. I'm almost all packed, having packed all my belongings into a few bags for storage.

Will update again when we are on our way.

2008-05-06T07:21:00.000-07:00

Change of plan. Now that we can't get into Russia without an official invitation, Wor and I have discussed and these are our options:

1. Round China trip - Mongolia
2. Round China trip - Pakistan
3. Round China trip - flight to Istanbul, Turkey and then a ferry to Constanta, Romania

Istanbul - Constanta (Rom) :
MV Arielle Ferry with a capacity of 1200 passengers carries passengers in between Constanta-Istanbul- Volos Line. Departure from Istanbul to Constanta is every Tuesday at 12:00, Saturday at 10:00. Travel time is 10hrs. Sales: Kiptur, Address: Rihtim Cad. Veli Alemdar Han No:53 Karakoy - Istl; Tel:+90 212 292 35 58

All these are no visa options - guess which one we'll be going for? I've just got the info for the ferry to Romania from Istanbul, now I have to find the flights from China to Istanbul since every damned country by land all the way from China to Turkey needs a visa.

Buskers!

2008-05-04T08:53:00.000-07:00

Yo, okay, so in line with my goal of getting outta here, I've added a new side objective.

I've just auditioned for a busking licence on 2 May 08. The National Arts Council guys asked for 3 songs from different genres. Everything sounds like soft rock to me, so I did 'I don't Want To Talk About It' by Rod Stewart, 'Angels and Devils' by Dishwalla and 'One Last Breath', by Alterbridge.

They gave me 9 minutes before telling me that they'd inform me of the outcome soon. Nice trio, thanks whoever you are. Really appreciate you guys spending the time to listen to a poor boy sing.

So, I've been practising my line-up for when I can finally busk - if I'm okay here, I'll try to busk wherever I travel. So I might face deportation - watch out for that!

Embassies

2008-04-27T21:28:00.001-07:00

All right folks, for those who have been watching to see me fall on my face in this, here's an update for you sad fucks.

Checked out the China Embassy and they're requiring proof of return air tickets and hotel bookings for visas exceeding 14 days - due to the Beijing Olympics which would be starting in July.

I made a trip to the Russian Embassy round the corner. The visa office is a small brick outhouse looking thing. There's no way into Russia without a tourist voucher and tourist visa - which, yes, you guessed it, you can only get from a travel agency.

Backpackers are obviously not welcome.

Lunacy Embark

2008-04-27T03:59:00.000-07:00

All right, folks. As some of you may not already know, I will be setting off on a trip of imbecilic proportions soon. My aim is to reach St. Petersburg or some other town in Russia from Singapore.

I will be detailing my unfortunate exploits from time to time. If my posts do stop after a certain time or country, you might find my rotting corpse in said country.