Sigh, what can I say? My summer break is over yet again, and just like the past 8 summer breaks prior to this year's , it went by after weeks of wastefulness.
But come on, a break is a break. And think about it, once I start working full-time, I wouldn't be getting any more 'Summer Breaks'. Might as well continue living the break as a break instead of trying to work and be exhausted by the end of it. This break, I appreciate that I had a couple of relaxing yet exciting travel trips and was able to experience Suzhou from a different perspective. I'm also appreciative of the stress-free lifestyle I was able to have. But perhaps most importantly, I truly treasure the time I spent with my family in China, and with my grandparents here in Malaysia.
Of course, part of me can't wait to go back and get on with the productive stage of life again. Active learning, studying, working, exercising. But the other part of me just can't afford to leave my two old and weak grandparents behind. I guess that's probably the major difference between my reluctance to end my summer break when I was younger and now. Back then, I didn't want to summer break to end because I didn't want to go to school and work hard. I wanted to stay at home, relax, have good food, enjoy myself, visit the cinema, play lots of games and read lots of book. I didn't want to work hard. Those were the naive days. But now I've grown to appreciate life as it should be -- work hard and enjoy the state and rewards of doing so -- yet I still don't want my summer to end, this time because of my ageing grandparents. Potential time spent with them are getting more and more precious as they age. Sooner or later, once they're gone -- touchwood -- the memories of the time spent with them will be luxurious and all I will have left of them. And I can't bear to leave Malaysia and end my time with them this round. But such is life, things have to go on, and I have to live my life. What will come, will come -- I have to go back to Sydney.
Looking on the optimistic side, I look forward to getting back to routine. Study hard, exercise well, and commit enthusiastically to my community. And of course, I look forward to International House's O-week where I will get to meet lots of new people, catch up with old friends, set new goals for myself, and ultimately, have fun. And I'm sure Time will pass faster than I can live it, and the next thing I know it, I'll be boarding a plane again, this time heading back here to Malaysia [it's looking like the end of June].
So with a resilient mood, Sydney here I come.
Showing posts with label Vacation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vacation. Show all posts
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Holiday in China
It has been almost 3 weeks 4 weeks since I'm here in Suzhou now. Time has once again taken its toll on us: we survived the 'Mayan Apocalypse Day', Christmas has just passed and the New Year [2013!] is just around the corner it's 2013 now. A belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone. The holiday 'fever' has led me to procrastination -- I started writing this post the day after Christmas but 2 days have already passed since 2013 commenced.
With an average day temperature of 0-3 degrees Celsius, plus occasional wind/rain/and snow(!), winter in Suzhou can feel really cold. I haven't felt this chill for the past 2 years and sometimes it just demotivates me to do anything but stay at home. The shivering is definitely one thing in Suzhou that I didn't miss! But looking at the bright side, it allows me to appreciate Sydney's fine winter [10 degrees Celsius!] so much more.
As it is holiday, everyday feels rather monotonous yet relaxing. Sleeping 10 hours, waking up to do nothing [using the computer but not knowing exactly what you're doing], and sleeping again feels like the holiday that I dreamt about during semester in uni. Sometimes, I might go out to eat or shop, and that contributes to the casual holiday mood. Other times, I might go out to meet up with some few old friends who happened to come back to Suzhou for their respective winter breaks. Sydney and uni suddenly seem so far away in the past now. Just thinking of going back and being proactive/resourceful/productive feels a little overwhelming.
Despite the passive mood, I did end up going to Xi'An with my older brother for a 3-day trip. We visited one of the most well known wonder in China -- the pits where the Terracotta armies were buried. There is a lot of history behind the wonder and if you want to know more about it, Wiki it or go there yourself. Definitely a worthwhile place to go, if you are ever in China. All I dare tell you now is that it was discovered in 1974 by a local farmer and I saw that guy living his now 'comfortable' life sitting in a chair and charging for autographs. Other than the Terracotta army, Xi'An offers some other cultural/historical sites including the Big Wild Goose Pagoda [one of the places where Buddhism first spread into China as it was the pagoda where Xuanzang (the fictitious Monkey King's master) brought his sutras after his journey to India] and the City Wall [a well-survived military defense system from the past]. Some photos follow:
Due to the cold, I have had second thoughts on travelling, especially anywhere higher in latitude than Suzhou. But on the other hand, I get to spend more time in Suzhou with my family, which I feel is more important right now. Also, less money spent on travelling also means more money to spare for photographic accessories (:D)!
At times, it feels so cold that I can't wait to go back to Malaysia and bathe in the warm sun. But knowing that I will definitely be leaving in less than 3 weeks from now, I'd better stop thinking about going back and enjoy my days in Suzhou while I still have time. After all, I doubt I'd be coming back to Suzhou for a long while to come.
With an average day temperature of 0-3 degrees Celsius, plus occasional wind/rain/and snow(!), winter in Suzhou can feel really cold. I haven't felt this chill for the past 2 years and sometimes it just demotivates me to do anything but stay at home. The shivering is definitely one thing in Suzhou that I didn't miss! But looking at the bright side, it allows me to appreciate Sydney's fine winter [10 degrees Celsius!] so much more.
As it is holiday, everyday feels rather monotonous yet relaxing. Sleeping 10 hours, waking up to do nothing [using the computer but not knowing exactly what you're doing], and sleeping again feels like the holiday that I dreamt about during semester in uni. Sometimes, I might go out to eat or shop, and that contributes to the casual holiday mood. Other times, I might go out to meet up with some few old friends who happened to come back to Suzhou for their respective winter breaks. Sydney and uni suddenly seem so far away in the past now. Just thinking of going back and being proactive/resourceful/productive feels a little overwhelming.
Despite the passive mood, I did end up going to Xi'An with my older brother for a 3-day trip. We visited one of the most well known wonder in China -- the pits where the Terracotta armies were buried. There is a lot of history behind the wonder and if you want to know more about it, Wiki it or go there yourself. Definitely a worthwhile place to go, if you are ever in China. All I dare tell you now is that it was discovered in 1974 by a local farmer and I saw that guy living his now 'comfortable' life sitting in a chair and charging for autographs. Other than the Terracotta army, Xi'An offers some other cultural/historical sites including the Big Wild Goose Pagoda [one of the places where Buddhism first spread into China as it was the pagoda where Xuanzang (the fictitious Monkey King's master) brought his sutras after his journey to India] and the City Wall [a well-survived military defense system from the past]. Some photos follow:
Due to the cold, I have had second thoughts on travelling, especially anywhere higher in latitude than Suzhou. But on the other hand, I get to spend more time in Suzhou with my family, which I feel is more important right now. Also, less money spent on travelling also means more money to spare for photographic accessories (:D)!
At times, it feels so cold that I can't wait to go back to Malaysia and bathe in the warm sun. But knowing that I will definitely be leaving in less than 3 weeks from now, I'd better stop thinking about going back and enjoy my days in Suzhou while I still have time. After all, I doubt I'd be coming back to Suzhou for a long while to come.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Landing on Chinese Soil Again
17 months, the amount of time that I was away from China for.
To many extents, China was 'home'; and it felt great to be back after so long. Though the first Mainland city that I stepped on was not Suzhou but Shenzhen, everything that screamed 'Chinese' to me were there. The polluted air, the poor visibility, the dusty streets, the Chinese KFC spicy crispy fried chicken, the cheap-butt electronics, the electric bikes, etc. Oh how much I had missed them!
Besides Shenzhen, I also visited Hong Kong and Macau, the two special administrative Chinese zones. Though the shopping, the food, and the casinos were great, the best thing for me was still meeting up with fellow friends who I hadn't seen since high school. It was only a year and a half since we had last met, but for some reason it felt as if it was longer. Perhaps because we went through so much during that short time -- what with all the transition from high school to university. Definitely a big step into the 'real' world.
It was simply a splendid way of spending time, revisiting high school memories and catching up with how friends have got on with university life. One thing we all seemingly agreed on was how different university was to high school and how much we have all been forced to grow up and learn. Besides the fact that everyone has become more matured and independent, it was also nice to see that we haven't really changed at all on the inside: Jia Yen is still cheerful and enthusiastic, Justin still over-eager and fun to tease, Bor Hung still makes the same jokes, Kai still his usual chill self, etc etc. It was also great to meet up briefly with You Jeong and Yeong Min, who we met when we went to chill at HKUST. Due to Bor Hung's relations, we also got to meet up with fellow juniors from SSIS: Qian Ting and Diwen.
In addition to meeting up with old friends, I also had the chance to meet up with several friends from Sydney. Special thanks to Bella, who kindly allowed us to stay at her place for the week.
After Hong Kong, we went to Shenzhen in the morning for a day's visit before having to board our flight at night back to Suzhou.
As usual, I took lots of photos and these are some that I have downloaded and edited, and are ready to be shared.
To many extents, China was 'home'; and it felt great to be back after so long. Though the first Mainland city that I stepped on was not Suzhou but Shenzhen, everything that screamed 'Chinese' to me were there. The polluted air, the poor visibility, the dusty streets, the Chinese KFC spicy crispy fried chicken, the cheap-butt electronics, the electric bikes, etc. Oh how much I had missed them!
Besides Shenzhen, I also visited Hong Kong and Macau, the two special administrative Chinese zones. Though the shopping, the food, and the casinos were great, the best thing for me was still meeting up with fellow friends who I hadn't seen since high school. It was only a year and a half since we had last met, but for some reason it felt as if it was longer. Perhaps because we went through so much during that short time -- what with all the transition from high school to university. Definitely a big step into the 'real' world.
It was simply a splendid way of spending time, revisiting high school memories and catching up with how friends have got on with university life. One thing we all seemingly agreed on was how different university was to high school and how much we have all been forced to grow up and learn. Besides the fact that everyone has become more matured and independent, it was also nice to see that we haven't really changed at all on the inside: Jia Yen is still cheerful and enthusiastic, Justin still over-eager and fun to tease, Bor Hung still makes the same jokes, Kai still his usual chill self, etc etc. It was also great to meet up briefly with You Jeong and Yeong Min, who we met when we went to chill at HKUST. Due to Bor Hung's relations, we also got to meet up with fellow juniors from SSIS: Qian Ting and Diwen.
In addition to meeting up with old friends, I also had the chance to meet up with several friends from Sydney. Special thanks to Bella, who kindly allowed us to stay at her place for the week.
After Hong Kong, we went to Shenzhen in the morning for a day's visit before having to board our flight at night back to Suzhou.
As usual, I took lots of photos and these are some that I have downloaded and edited, and are ready to be shared.
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| Shenzhen right before the customs to Hong Kong. Overlooks the Luohu area and the Shenzhen train station |
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| Railway tracks in Shenzhen, with Hong Kong in the far distance |
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| Upon passing customs to Hong Kong; floods of people moving at a frantic pace |
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| Hong Kong's efficient MTR system, filled with daily passengers |
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| Hong Kong's mini bus -- more like a van... |
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| Walking down the steep hills of Clear Water Bay, down to our host's [Bella] place |
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| MTR station |
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| Hong Kong Central -- Asia's business district -- plagued with massive skyscrapers that make Sydney CBD look like a small town in comparison |
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| Red taxis, everywhere, just following the jam... |
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| The Royal Peninsula hotel, one of the largest and grandest in Hong Kong. First class stuff; there were even stewards in the toilets handing out tissue... |
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| Group picture with the Royal Peninsula in the background |
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| The Venetian, a place of eternal entertainment, everyday. |
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| A replica of Venice's well known canals and gondolas |
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| The Venetian celebrates Christmas |
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| Artificial snow combined with the rainy cloudy weather creates a rather realistic snowing winter atmosphere at the Venetian, Macau |
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| Macau's amazing Portuguese egg tarts; definitely worth the HKD$150 trip to get to Macau! |
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| McDonalds amidst the old Macau streets |
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| In contrast to the famous Hong Kong crowd and night lights, the residential area of Clear Water Bay offers these dark empty streets... |
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| Old houses in Clear Water Bay |
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| An empty double decker bus in the morning |
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| Attending Bor Hung's lecture at HKUST; |
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| HKUST Atrium, which connects almost every other building that is part of HKUST |
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| Located on a hill, HKUST offers plenty of assistance to students needs to get around |
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| The huge cafeteria at HKUST that offers cheap food |
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| The view from HKUST; sky wasn't exactly great as it was rainy |
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| Bor Hung's small dorm room, with his drying laundry left hanging on a DIY string near the ceiling |
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| Faded colours of old Hong Kong |
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| Busy pedestrian streets in Mong Kok; everyone just goes about with their own business with little regard to others |
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| Lady's market, just located on the streets of old residential flats |
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| Another shot of HK's crowded MTR during rush hour. All trains are pretty much filled despite the ridiculously fast frequency of one train arriving at the MTR station every minute |
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| Hong Kong's public transport, ranging from the huge double decker buses to the expensive taxis |
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| Commuters of HK MTR |
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| Civilised commuters who follow the rules: right lane being the slow lane and the left lane being the fast lane; the same can't be said just across the border in Shenzhen... |
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| Spending the day at Ocean Park |
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| Reminds me of Genting; the cable cars, mountains, the poor visibility... |
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| A group of Chinese and Westerners enjoying their wet boat ride |
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| Sunset at Ocean Park |
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| Shenzhen's just-as-busy city |
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| We met lots of people in the streets of Shenzhen trying to sell miscellaneous products and service. This one here is promoting tattoos... |
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| I'm not sure what she was offering, but I think it had something to do with facial treatment products. I'm not sure if cucumbers give a good image of the product... |
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| Humble fruit seller |
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| Rainy Shenzhen forced us to get a cheap umbrella that only cost 15RMB |
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| Shenzhen's industrialisation plays a key role in its heavy pollution as well as its economic development |
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| Breaking his back to earn a living |
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