Aqua Pond - 青池

After Miami Beach, Bec and I are on our way to Orlando Disney World. One advise, if you ever need to go from Miami to Orlando, take a flight, we toke the greyhound bus, we saw some "local culture" that we didn't expect to see, it was a rather interesting experience.

 

We arrived at Crown Plaza Universal Hotel, it is much more better than Best Western, the room is big, nice and clean. At Singapore, we stayed at Crown Plaza, it was very good as well. We spend the rest of the night planning out the next two day. There are 5 Disney parks (MGM Studio, Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, Epico and Water park), but we only got two days, we could get hopper pass, which is more expensive than base pass, but we get to go to all parks, on the other hand do we have time to go to all parks, would it be too much a rush. At the end we decide to get the base pass, one park per day and the two park we chose to go is MGM studio and Magic Kingdom.

 

5th March - MGM studio, this is the first park we visited, very excited, when we got the map, we carefully examing which ride and show we want to go. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is our first stop, "Drop 13 stories at random, into another dimension.", I was so scared, I held on to the handle when I got onto the ride, and didn't let go until the ride ends, I scream so hard, almost lost my voice. Coming out of the ride I saw the photo, my eyes was shut, Bec and I was leaning against each other with mouth open, not a good sight. Some of the other rides and show we went are Star Tours, Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, Sounds Dangerous, Muppet Vision 3-D, Lights Motors Action Extreme Stunt Show, Voyage of The Little Mermaid, The Great Movie Ride and Beauty and the Beast. But my favourite Show is Fantasmic at night, there were fireworks, boats and most importantly Mickey. And my favourite ride is Rock'n'Roller Coaster, it was so good Bec and I went on there twice, to make sure we get a nice suvernier photo. We spend whole day in the park from 10am - 9pm. It was hips of fun.

 

6th March - We went to Magic Kingdom the second day. We toke a ferry to the Island, saw the Cinderella Castle. I think Bec and I were too tired from the day before, we were not as excited and ambitious the day before. Rides and show we went are: Jungle Crusie, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Mickey's PhilharMagic, It's a small world, Tomorrowland Indy Speedway, Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin and Stitch's Great Escape. Our favourite is Splash Mountain - "Plunge 5 stories into Brer Rabbit's Laughing Place", the sign says "You will get Wet", and we did, twice. Of course we got the photo to prove it. We had this nice Turkey Leg for lunch, it was yummy. Shopping at Disney world was not that good, the merchandise is nothing compare to what I have seen at Paris Disneyland, things are very plan. I only end up getting a shorts for myself, Bec got a T-shirt.

 

7th March - Another "interesting" ride on the greyhound bus back to Miami, straight to airport and flying back to London. One thing worth mention is that US duty free cosmetics are very cheap, almost half price compare to UK retail price.

This was a much needed holiday for me, away from the winter cold, get to see the ocean and beach again. Most importantly get to meet my family (cousin at LA) and friend (bestfriend from SYD), yes both of them flew to Miami.

 

I fly to Miami on the 28th Feb with Virgin Atlantic, I have to say this was one of the best flying experience I had. Their entertainment system was very good. You get to chose from 30 movies (all very new). I watched "Dream Girls", "The Prestige", "Happy Feet" and "Maria Antoinette", on the way back home "Superman Return" and "A night at Musem". The food is also very nice.

 

We stayed at Best Western South Beach, meant to be 3 star hotel, but the room is more like a motel room or worse. We even got charged for using the safe in the room. But it was peak season that was the best we could get. At least they have a tiny pool, which I get to swim around at night, I really enjoy swimming, something I don't get to do that often at London.

 

First night after meeting up with Rebecca, we went for a walk on the Ocean drive (the main beach front road at South Beach), we had Lobster paelle, I got tonsilitis on that day, so didn't enjoy the food as much.

 

1st March - We signed up for a Everglades airboat tour for the morning. Sitting on the airboat, it reminds me one eposiode of CSI Miami when they trying to find the alligator that swollen part of a dead body. Heehee I like CSI Miami. We had gator tail meat for lunch. In the afternoon we spend some time on the beach working on my tan. This girl slept about 10 meters away from us didn't move for a long time, the lifeguard called the Beach Rescue to check up on her, her nose was bleeding after they woke her up, and the ambulance and more beach rescuer came, it was very dramatic. She is 22, very pretty and poshy with nice body look a bit like Jennifer Garner. At the night we went around Collins Street shopping, spend hips at Armani Exchange.

 

2nd March - More shopping in the morning, got two pairs of shoes. My cousin arrived around lunch, we went to Joe's Stone Crab for lunch, we were a bit late, the restaurant closed, but the takeaway is still open, even though it was not fine dinning but the crab still taste very good, Bec and Nina loved the stone crab, while I prefered coconuts shrimp. Remember to order the stone crab craw, not the atlantic ocean crab craw, they both nice, but stone crab is their specialty, also recommend the key lime pie for dessert. More shopping in the afternoon, since Nina lost her luggage, we trying to shop for a swimwear for her. At night, while I am getting ready to sleep, Nina and Bec are putting their makeup on getting ready to do some night clubbing. After 5 hours of dancing and 2 clubs, they came home 4 o'clock in the morning, fully excited and with Nina's lost luggage. The bad news is Nina can not find her camera in the luggage, it got stolen.

 

3rd March - Nina and Bec only had 3 hrs sleep before we got on the tour bus for a day tour to Key West, the most southen point of US, only 90 miles from Cuba. It was a 4 hrs drive. The town look a bit too touristy, Bec and I signed up for snokeling, while Nina decide to catch up with some sleep on the beach. The boat toke us to the only living coral barrier reef at Northen hermisphere for snokeling, the reef is nothing compare to our greater barrier reef at Aus, it is not as colorful and not as many fish. But the highlight was that I saw a more than 2 meters long tiger shark (at least I think it is tiger shark, look like the one in finding nemo). At night we had dinner at this very nice Italian restaurant, but don't remember the name, but if you walk down Eleven Ave towards Ocean drive, turn left at Ocean drive, it is about 100 - 200 meters, you cannot miss it, it has red light, red and white checked tablecloths, very Italaian with live music.

 

4th March - Forgot to mention, another highlight of the trip is that I have dinned at a true American dinner, you know those you seen in the tv series and movie, where people have their breakfast, or couple goes to at night after a movie. We had breakfast there twice. It was very nice, it is at the coner of eleven ave and washington road opposite to best western. This was the end of my Miami visit, after breakfast we said goodbye to Nina, and started our jounery to the Disney World.

 

 

 

Celebrated Chinese New Year in true Chinese style - with food . Had Dim Sum at Royal China for lunch. Running around whole afternoon preparing New Year's eve dinner, especially the fish soup, cannot have a NYE dinner without fish. My hard work had paid off, my flatmates enjoy the food (see the before and after shoot of the food).

 

New Year day was interesting. My friend is a hotel social event manager, got invited to a Asian Wedding Expo, and I went along with her. The expo is all about Indian wedding, there are nice traditional Indian dresses which I like. The catewalk was not that professional but very entertaining. After the expo I went to watched "Music and lyrics" with my friend, it was a cheery film, not the most romantic, but bits and pieces of it was funny.

 

In general my Chinese New Year started on a good note.

Encouraged by Ronny, I decide to regularly updating my blog. Hope I don't bore you all with my life.

 

It snowed today, it was very beautiful. There are about 5cm of snow in the garden. The pedestrian path was covered with snow, made it a bit hard to walk to station in the morning, but I enjoyed every moment of it.

 

Chinese New Year is coming up, got plans to go yum cha with friends. Really miss home and China, hope I could be at either place rather than here for New Year.

 

Weighted my self today, 46.5kg, half kg less than last week. I am not on diet or trying to loss weight. It just that there aren't anything nice here to eat. Lost my appetite on most of the food here.

 

Have been going to gym the last few week, trying to get nice abs for my holiday, going to Miami meeting up with Rebecca this month end. I get to enjoy some sun and the beach. Hope I get to go fishing and snorkling. Also going to Orlando, get to visite Disney land and all the other theme parks. Get to do some duty free shopping as well. Can not wait for it.

It is a long weekend, I thought I do something touristy - I went to London Aquarium. As a big fish lover, it is always exicting to viste an aquarium.

Compare to the aquarium at Sydney and KL, London Aquarium is not that impressive. It is not as modern as the KL one, and doesn't have as many display as Sydney Aquarium. But overall it is still good.

Highlight of the viste include

- Seeing little eels poping their head out of the sand

- Seeing shrimps and crabs

- The moonlight jellyfish is beautiful

- Found one nemo at the edge of the tank

I went for Go Kating last tuesday. It is an event organised by FICC IT social committee. The race court is at Kings Cross.

 

It is nothing like I imagined. The kart is small, the race track was big, the speed was fast and everyone is so competitive. There were only two girls went for the event out of the total 40 people went. We all have to dress in this racing suit. While we waiting at the briefing area one of the staff toke a kart for a spin. I was shocked how fast he went. Then I look around everyone is exicted and talking about how experienced they are, I was seriously concerning about my life, and praying I will come out of this in one piece. During the briefing I was concentrated and listening to everything the instructor was saying, but because of my nerve I keep forgetting what he said, such as what is the difference between the blue flag and the yellow flag, what am I suppose to do when the light in the tunnel is flashing, how do we change driver.

 

I was team up with the serious developer who I work with, he was very nice and trying to calm me down, telling me everything is going to be ok. I was first up for practise round. The moment the engine starts, the kart start to vibrating so hard I can not get a clear vision with the helmet on, and because I am short my feet barly reaches the accelerator or the break (which I was more concern about), fortunately I was the last one in line to get out of the pit,  I could take my time. Once out of the pit, I start to feel much more better, the nerve is gone, I thought, since I am already here, I might as well enjoy myself, I press my foot hard on the acclerator and here I go.

 

Through the whole race I didn't manage overtake anyone, I guess everyone toke a turn overtoke me. Of course the result of that is my team came last in the competition. After close to 30 mins of driving, I came out alife and excited, my right side of the ribs is still hurting until today (cause by an early collision), but I truely enjoied and had fun that night. Wouldn't mind doing it again next year.