Scenes from Sky72
View of the Ocean course from Sky 72's clubhouse rooftop
out on the course
black garlic fried rice
evening play
when the sun came up...
inside the clubhouse
do we have a new photographer? ;)
evening play
following the "bigfoot"
out on the course
onsite at the tv compound
looking down at the clubhouse
strange beings
... and an alien! argh!
* ickle in seoul*
Scenes from Namseoul
Captured whilst on the job last week.... Looking forward to going back to the same sort of weather next week!
live international coverage
spectators getting comfy outdoors
beautiful lush fairways
on the job
view from the first tee
pretty colours
perfect place to cop a squat
mandatory feet shot
You gotta have faith
E and I don't really know what we ate last night - We just pointed at a picture and ordered.
Sometimes you just gotta have faith like that.
Can someone enlighten me, if they can?
* * ickle in Seoul * *
Beauty at Jinji Lake
The sun is out in Suzhou today and I've finally made it out on the course. Paul took this picture of Colin Montgomerie today which I can't help but repost 'coz it just shows how nicely the weather has turned out for the tournament.
** ickle in Suzhou **
J has left the clubhouse!
The past few days have been really interesting. I wasn't sure I would be busy but I've actually been flat out everyday so far, but all manageable so its all good.
It is raining in Chengdu and E, C, S and I are going to head out in search of hotpot tonight... I have been looking forward to this! It'll be a late dinner but totally worth it.
Meanwhile, it is my boy Rosco's birthday today!! I can't believe I am missing it. This day 3 years ago, I fell in love with a little brown ball of fur, brought him home, let him wee on my sister and cuddled him ferociously. He is now a handsome fella with lots of loving aunts and uncles, and I love him more than ever.
Rosco fella, Mummy will be home soon!
Hello Panda
I said hello to some pandas today in Chengdu.
And I must say that they are the most adorable creatures I have ever laid my eyes on, aside from my Rosco and Sally. They are affectionate and playful and if they are not eating or playing, they are catching a quick kip in the trees, paws and bum dangling and all. I had a silly grin on my face all day.
Then there were these two little baby pandas who followed their Mummy around relentlessly. They made little squealy noises at her and tried to grab onto her for milk. When they climbed and didn't quite make it up trees, she put her paw out to pat their bums so they wouldn't fall. It was so heartwarming.
I am so glad the Chinese are breeding pandas in Chengdu and preserving these beautiful creatures. They even told us about the 'expat pandas' who 'work overseas', i.e. in America. I laughed at the direct translation.
Aren't they cute?!
Photo by DPM
* ickle in China *
Back in the cold
Getting in touch with my roots
Beijing - The Capital of China. I am embarrassed to say I've never visited in my life before this. I know, like what kind of Chinese person am I right?!
And I had many conversations in Mandarin today. Needless to say, I struggled through many a few of them. But hey - I managed. I have a feeling this job is going to force my Mandarin to improve which is not a bad thing, really. I'll be able to call myself well and truly Chinese, instead of just a banana.
(Yellow on the outside, white on the inside) =P
Off for dinner in an hour so better go get in the shower. I sure wish Hubba and the doggies were all over this room :)
Country Bumpkin in the City
I've always been a city girl. I grew up as one and I can't help but think I am one.
But every now and then I realize this might be a bit delusional.
It's not like I grew up in a hick town with cows around me - I guess I've always been near enough to the thick of the action. And all of my career before the stripes saw me jostling to get to work with fellow city slickers. I felt terribly disconnected from the world during my two years in Great Malvern but I feel that it did me a world of good to be away. And when it was UCAS time, I immediately looked at several cities which I thought I'd do well in and fortunately got accepted to my first choice at Leeds.
Even in my short working life in London, I found myself right smack in the middle of Bond Street and bunking at a mate's place at the Barbican Centre. Coming home to Singapore, I was always in Shenton Way or somewhere in the vicinity of the Central Business District.
The past two years on the outskirts of town were weird for me. The good part about working in a questionable area was the ability to drive to work, which I realized I didn't like doing. I missed the zone-out time I got whilst riding public transport. I was often frustrated by the unavailability of good coffee joints I could entertain associates at and my inability to do impromptu catch-up lunches with friends. Thank God I had a few great friends in the office whom I never tired of having lunch with - Otherwise, I would have been in big trouble.
Being a little dislocated from the rest of the working world, life went on. I accepted that kopitiams were pretty much an everyday affair and teh si became my staple beverage. The only people I jostled with became the aunties and street promoters outside NTUC at lunchtime. The sights and sounds I saw everyday became comfortable and my special treat to myself during the work week would be Indian take-out from Brinda's. And unbeknownst to me, I was slowly maxing out the heartland.
And the impact only unveiled itself to me last night, when I made my way back into the Central Business District for my first new gym session.
"Let's go to Quiznos," Hubba suggested when we thought about something fairly light for dinner. "Where?" I said. I had never heard of the place in my life. And when I walked into the sandwich cafe and the smells of bread and fresh condiments and coffee hit me, I was bowled over. I ooh-ed. I aah-ed.
And then I thought, OMG. What's happened to me?
So yeah, city girl or not - I'm a total country bumpkin now. I can't wait to start work in the city again and I'm already relishing the thought of a good latte every now and then when I crave it.
Cheap thrill, eh?
And the dark side descended…
I guess that's the one thing I'll really miss about this work. The awesome fun you get out of it at the point of execution. That day was truly fun!
And thanks to STREEThing for immortalizing the day here and here.
Preview of the collection here and here.
Hits the galaxy next month... Not very far, far away...
Get me back out there
This week, Saf and I got to meet one of our global sports heroes, Veronica Campbell Brown.
olympic champion
A track and field sprint athlete, Veronica is a five-time Olympic medallist and the reigning Olympic 200m champion. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, she ran the 200m in 21.74s and became the 2nd woman in history to win two consecutive 200m events.
It felt surreal to be so close to a superhero. Saf and I were a little intimidated, I think.
in the presence of greatness
It's not everyday you get to stand close to such great forces of power.
I wish I could run again.
Days Gone By
Wandering Eye
