December is just round the corner which means I am getting closer to my trip to Japan.
I have started looking at the rates offered by the money exchange in various places. OMG, 100 JPY at S$1.615. When I bought my air-tickets, the rate was 100 JPY = S$1.57.
How am I going to swallow this HUGE difference? And I need quite a lot of Japanese yen to cover my meals, entrance fees to some places of interest, travelling expenses and other misc expenses.
Am I going to Japan at the wrong time?
To complicate things further, J will be leaving for France and be back a day before our departure to Japan. I am unsure how he is going to cope with the jet-lag when we hop on to the plane to Japan.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Christmas Shopping Spree
Who said there is a recession in Singapore?
Go to Singapore Expo and you will see throngs of people, carrying new tv flat-screen monitors, laptops, electrical gadgets etc. And if this is not enough, John Little is having a mega-sale in Singapore Expo too. Lots of people are buying apparels.
Starlight is also taking this advantage to stock up her wardrobe; a working blouse at $10 is quite reasonable. Isa bought some long pants at less than $10 each.
Tangs in Orchard Road was crowded with lots of shoppers too. After a long search, we finally parted our cash for a pair of Bonia wallets for Mr and Mrs Ito. It is so hard to find something unique from Singapore or Made in Singapore.
Now for the kids, maybe we will buy the Monopoly but on Singapore edition. We have looked at this board game. It is quite bulky and heavy. I wonder if this is a suitable gift as we have to carry it until towards the end of our Japan holidays before we meet Ito's family.
Go to Singapore Expo and you will see throngs of people, carrying new tv flat-screen monitors, laptops, electrical gadgets etc. And if this is not enough, John Little is having a mega-sale in Singapore Expo too. Lots of people are buying apparels.
Starlight is also taking this advantage to stock up her wardrobe; a working blouse at $10 is quite reasonable. Isa bought some long pants at less than $10 each.
Tangs in Orchard Road was crowded with lots of shoppers too. After a long search, we finally parted our cash for a pair of Bonia wallets for Mr and Mrs Ito. It is so hard to find something unique from Singapore or Made in Singapore.
Now for the kids, maybe we will buy the Monopoly but on Singapore edition. We have looked at this board game. It is quite bulky and heavy. I wonder if this is a suitable gift as we have to carry it until towards the end of our Japan holidays before we meet Ito's family.
No bonus for civil servants
APART from their regular 13th month wage supplement, civil servants will not be receiving any other bonus next month.
However, they will receive a one-off payment of a quarter month's pay subject to a cap of $750. This is to acknowledge their support for wage restraint during the recession, the Public Service Division (PSD) said on Thursday.
The 60,000 civil servants also went without a mid-year bonus this year.
This means that civil servants - from the Customs officer to the Cabinet minister - end the year with 1.25 months in extra payment, one of the smallest bonus packages in recent history.
The Singapore economy is expected to shrink by 2 per cent to 2.5 per cent this year.
At the end of 2007, when the economy grew 7.5 per cent, the average civil servant took home about three months' pay in bonuses.
source: www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_459726.html
My comments:
Taking inflation into consideration, we are having a pay-cut. The 13th month pay is mainly to pay tax. There are 52 weeks in a year which translates into 13 months. So that 13th month rightfully is our salary and not bonus at all.
However, they will receive a one-off payment of a quarter month's pay subject to a cap of $750. This is to acknowledge their support for wage restraint during the recession, the Public Service Division (PSD) said on Thursday.
The 60,000 civil servants also went without a mid-year bonus this year.
This means that civil servants - from the Customs officer to the Cabinet minister - end the year with 1.25 months in extra payment, one of the smallest bonus packages in recent history.
The Singapore economy is expected to shrink by 2 per cent to 2.5 per cent this year.
At the end of 2007, when the economy grew 7.5 per cent, the average civil servant took home about three months' pay in bonuses.
source: www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_459726.html
My comments:
Taking inflation into consideration, we are having a pay-cut. The 13th month pay is mainly to pay tax. There are 52 weeks in a year which translates into 13 months. So that 13th month rightfully is our salary and not bonus at all.
Most of the top PSLE students from neighbourhood schools
SINGAPORE: This year’s top Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) student is Qiu Biqing from Qifa Primary School.
Qiu Biqing has an aggregate score of 290, and this is the first time the neighbourhood school has produced a top PSLE student.
The highest PSLE score ever recorded is 294 in 2007, from St Hilda’s Primary School.
Six other top PSLE students are also from neighbourhood schools. These primary schools include South View, Greenridge, Gongshang and Rulang.
The 2009 Primary 6 cohort is the first batch of pupils under Subject—based Branding who sat for the PSLE.
The branding programme was implemented from the 2008 Primary 5 cohort to give pupils the flexibility of taking a mix of subjects at Standard or Foundation levels, depending on their strengths and abilities in each subject.
97.1 per cent of pupils who sat for PSLE this year will proceed to secondary school.
Secondary One posting results will be released on Tuesday, December 22.
source: sg.news.yahoo.com/cna/20091126/tap-708-most-top-psle-students-neighbour-231650b.html
Qiu Biqing has an aggregate score of 290, and this is the first time the neighbourhood school has produced a top PSLE student.
The highest PSLE score ever recorded is 294 in 2007, from St Hilda’s Primary School.
Six other top PSLE students are also from neighbourhood schools. These primary schools include South View, Greenridge, Gongshang and Rulang.
The 2009 Primary 6 cohort is the first batch of pupils under Subject—based Branding who sat for the PSLE.
The branding programme was implemented from the 2008 Primary 5 cohort to give pupils the flexibility of taking a mix of subjects at Standard or Foundation levels, depending on their strengths and abilities in each subject.
97.1 per cent of pupils who sat for PSLE this year will proceed to secondary school.
Secondary One posting results will be released on Tuesday, December 22.
source: sg.news.yahoo.com/cna/20091126/tap-708-most-top-psle-students-neighbour-231650b.html
Monday, November 23, 2009
10 Health Benefits of Eggs
1 Eggs are great for the eyes. According to one study, an egg a day may prevent macular degeneraton due to the carotenoid content, specifically lutein and zeaxanthin. Both nutrients are more readily available to our bodies from eggs than from other sources.
2 In another study, researchers found that people who eat eggs every day lower their risk of developing cataracts, also because of the lutein and zeaxanthin in eggs.
3 One egg contains 6 grams of high-quality protein and all 9 essential amino acids
4 According to a study by the Harvard School of Public Health, there is no significant link between egg consumption and heart disease. In fact, according to one study, regular consumption of eggs may help prevent blood clots, stroke, and heart attacks..
5 They are a good source of choline. One egg yolk has about 300 micrograms of choline. Choline is an important nutrient that helps regulate the brain, nervous system, and cardiovascular system.
6 They contain the right kind of fat. One egg contains just 5 grams of fat and only 1.5 grams of that is saturated fat.
7 New research shows that, contrary to previous belief, moderate consumption of eggs does not have a negative impact on cholesterol. In fact, recent studies have shown that regular consumption of two eggs per day does not affect a person's lipid profile and may, in fact, improve it. Research suggests that it is saturated fat that raises cholesterol rather than dietary cholesterol.
8 Eggs are one of the only foods that contain naturally occurring vitamin D.
9 Eggs may prevent breast cancer. In one study, women who consumed at least 6 eggs per week lowered their risk of breast cancer by 44%.
10 Eggs promote healthy hair and nails because of their high sulphur content and wide array of vitamins and minerals. Many people find their hair growing faster after adding eggs to their diet, especially if they were previously deficient in foods containing sulphur or B12.
(source: unknown)
2 In another study, researchers found that people who eat eggs every day lower their risk of developing cataracts, also because of the lutein and zeaxanthin in eggs.
3 One egg contains 6 grams of high-quality protein and all 9 essential amino acids
4 According to a study by the Harvard School of Public Health, there is no significant link between egg consumption and heart disease. In fact, according to one study, regular consumption of eggs may help prevent blood clots, stroke, and heart attacks..
5 They are a good source of choline. One egg yolk has about 300 micrograms of choline. Choline is an important nutrient that helps regulate the brain, nervous system, and cardiovascular system.
6 They contain the right kind of fat. One egg contains just 5 grams of fat and only 1.5 grams of that is saturated fat.
7 New research shows that, contrary to previous belief, moderate consumption of eggs does not have a negative impact on cholesterol. In fact, recent studies have shown that regular consumption of two eggs per day does not affect a person's lipid profile and may, in fact, improve it. Research suggests that it is saturated fat that raises cholesterol rather than dietary cholesterol.
8 Eggs are one of the only foods that contain naturally occurring vitamin D.
9 Eggs may prevent breast cancer. In one study, women who consumed at least 6 eggs per week lowered their risk of breast cancer by 44%.
10 Eggs promote healthy hair and nails because of their high sulphur content and wide array of vitamins and minerals. Many people find their hair growing faster after adding eggs to their diet, especially if they were previously deficient in foods containing sulphur or B12.
(source: unknown)
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Final Draft of my Japan Itinerary
The bookings of all hotel accommodations have been made using the credit card.
The most expensive stay would be a night in Kokuya Ryokan in Shibu Onsen, Yudanaka, Nagano.
http://www.ichizaemon.com/en/
I will take plenty of photos of this hotel, the kaiseki dinner and Japanese breakfast.
From Nagano, we will take the shinkansen to Shinosaka for our hotel accommodation. This is also where we make our day trip to Kyoto. I look forward to the stroll in Saga-Arashiyama.
http://www.hanatouro.jp/e/arashiyama/index.html
We will spend a night in Kawaguchiko!
Yes, I have turned down the offer from Ito-san to go to Disneyland. It is just too expensive and tedious to spend a whole day in Disneyland. Instead, I prefer to see Mt Fuji.
We will still meet Ito and spend a night in his house as planned before we return to Tokyo for our last minute shopping.
With our trip to Kawaguchiko, we will no longer take the double-decker shinkansen to Nikko.
Now is just praying for excellent weather in Japan during our time there.
The most expensive stay would be a night in Kokuya Ryokan in Shibu Onsen, Yudanaka, Nagano.
http://www.ichizaemon.com/en/
I will take plenty of photos of this hotel, the kaiseki dinner and Japanese breakfast.
From Nagano, we will take the shinkansen to Shinosaka for our hotel accommodation. This is also where we make our day trip to Kyoto. I look forward to the stroll in Saga-Arashiyama.
http://www.hanatouro.jp/e/arashiyama/index.html
We will spend a night in Kawaguchiko!
Yes, I have turned down the offer from Ito-san to go to Disneyland. It is just too expensive and tedious to spend a whole day in Disneyland. Instead, I prefer to see Mt Fuji.
We will still meet Ito and spend a night in his house as planned before we return to Tokyo for our last minute shopping.
With our trip to Kawaguchiko, we will no longer take the double-decker shinkansen to Nikko.
Now is just praying for excellent weather in Japan during our time there.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Closure of academic year 2009
The school will be closing soon.
The booklist will only be given on the last day (ie 20 Nov) of this week. So the students have been playing in the school all day long.
This year has been extremely tough and challenging for both Isa and the family. We are glad that it will be over very soon and that next year will be a brand new start for everybody.
Isa has been offered to take up Higher Chinese though she is not very strong in this subject. In fact, she is not strong in any subjects too which bothers me a lot.
Nevertheless, J and I decided to let her try this subject. Afterall, both of us did Chinese as a First Language when we were in sec schools and we enjoyed it. Yes, it is a common mistake that we always assume what has been good for us would be good for our kids too.
The result for UNSW ICAS Mathematics has been returned. Isa scored 28/40 which was not very fantastic. She was weak in geometry. More work needs to be done to improve in this area.
While Isa has been having a fun time after the exam, I have been tidying up my training report after my Beijing Workshop and getting the preparations done for our Japan trip. J's France trip is yet to be finalised which is bothering me too. The last thing I want is we leave for Japan immediately he returns from France.
The booklist will only be given on the last day (ie 20 Nov) of this week. So the students have been playing in the school all day long.
This year has been extremely tough and challenging for both Isa and the family. We are glad that it will be over very soon and that next year will be a brand new start for everybody.
Isa has been offered to take up Higher Chinese though she is not very strong in this subject. In fact, she is not strong in any subjects too which bothers me a lot.
Nevertheless, J and I decided to let her try this subject. Afterall, both of us did Chinese as a First Language when we were in sec schools and we enjoyed it. Yes, it is a common mistake that we always assume what has been good for us would be good for our kids too.
The result for UNSW ICAS Mathematics has been returned. Isa scored 28/40 which was not very fantastic. She was weak in geometry. More work needs to be done to improve in this area.
While Isa has been having a fun time after the exam, I have been tidying up my training report after my Beijing Workshop and getting the preparations done for our Japan trip. J's France trip is yet to be finalised which is bothering me too. The last thing I want is we leave for Japan immediately he returns from France.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Photos from Beijing
Heavy snow again in the early morning of 12 Nov 2009, which caused my return flight to be delayed for about 3 hours.
Water Cube and Bird Nest Stadiums.
The famous shopping street, Wang Fu Jing, in Beijing.
Heavy snow fell in the early hours of 10 Nov 2009.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Last Day in Beijing
I woke up at 4am despite the I have set the alarm clock at 4.45am. I looked out of the window and there was no snow. I felt relief and quite confident that my return journey would be smooth.
I was supposed to collect my pre-packed breakfast around 5.15am. The pre-booked taxi would arrive around 5.45am. Since it was an early morning, the journey from the hotel to the airport should be less than an hour. That would leave me plenty of time in the airport to do any last minute shopping since my flight departs at 8.45am.
I reached the Reception at 5.15am. The breakfast was ready. Besides buns, I have a packet of milk, a big sandwich and a hard-boiled egg. I felt so pampered by the service of this hotel. Just as I was struggling to put my breakfast into my haversack, the taxi arrived. I happily hopped onto the tax and assured myself that I would reach the airport even earlier.
Around 6am, I arrived the airport. I saw something started falling from the sky. The driver told me snowing again. Ok, at least I was able to see snow falling just before I left Beijing. I was quite excited and stood outdoors to see any snow falling. Due to mist, the visibility was poor. Everything was still quite blur and dark. I decided to check in earlier as I knew I have to take a train to my departure gate.
When I reached the departure lounge, OMG, the wings of the SQ airplane were covered with snow. By then, the snow was getting heavier. It was like heavy rain. The ground crew were busy spraying chemicals to melt the snow. I started to worry if my flight could take off at the scheduled time under this condition.
Soon at 8.45am, all the passengers were seated and the doors of the aeroplane were closed and locked. I felt warmth despite the weather outside was chilling. The feeling of returning home and seeeing my loved ones gave me the warmth.
The aeroplane began to move slowly despite it was snowing heavily. It stopped and then moved again. By 10am, we were still in the airport!
The captain announced due to the heavy snow, the aeroplane has to queue for de-icing. The runway has to go for de-icing too. OMG, the cabin crew were rooted to their seatsbecause the seat-belt sign was ON. Passengers were frustrated, thirsty and hungry. Only then the cabin crew started serving drinks.
By 11.30am ie close to 3hours later, the aeroplane was finally given the green light to take off.
Once we were out of the clouds, the meal and dessert were served. Everything was done in a rush. Some passengers began worry about their connecting flights. The cabin crew were unable to offer much info as they could only seek help when the flight approaches S'pore.
Instead of arriving S'pore at 3.15pm, the plane touched down close to 5pm.
I was not very satisfied with the service of this airline.
I was supposed to collect my pre-packed breakfast around 5.15am. The pre-booked taxi would arrive around 5.45am. Since it was an early morning, the journey from the hotel to the airport should be less than an hour. That would leave me plenty of time in the airport to do any last minute shopping since my flight departs at 8.45am.
I reached the Reception at 5.15am. The breakfast was ready. Besides buns, I have a packet of milk, a big sandwich and a hard-boiled egg. I felt so pampered by the service of this hotel. Just as I was struggling to put my breakfast into my haversack, the taxi arrived. I happily hopped onto the tax and assured myself that I would reach the airport even earlier.
Around 6am, I arrived the airport. I saw something started falling from the sky. The driver told me snowing again. Ok, at least I was able to see snow falling just before I left Beijing. I was quite excited and stood outdoors to see any snow falling. Due to mist, the visibility was poor. Everything was still quite blur and dark. I decided to check in earlier as I knew I have to take a train to my departure gate.
When I reached the departure lounge, OMG, the wings of the SQ airplane were covered with snow. By then, the snow was getting heavier. It was like heavy rain. The ground crew were busy spraying chemicals to melt the snow. I started to worry if my flight could take off at the scheduled time under this condition.
Soon at 8.45am, all the passengers were seated and the doors of the aeroplane were closed and locked. I felt warmth despite the weather outside was chilling. The feeling of returning home and seeeing my loved ones gave me the warmth.
The aeroplane began to move slowly despite it was snowing heavily. It stopped and then moved again. By 10am, we were still in the airport!
The captain announced due to the heavy snow, the aeroplane has to queue for de-icing. The runway has to go for de-icing too. OMG, the cabin crew were rooted to their seatsbecause the seat-belt sign was ON. Passengers were frustrated, thirsty and hungry. Only then the cabin crew started serving drinks.
By 11.30am ie close to 3hours later, the aeroplane was finally given the green light to take off.
Once we were out of the clouds, the meal and dessert were served. Everything was done in a rush. Some passengers began worry about their connecting flights. The cabin crew were unable to offer much info as they could only seek help when the flight approaches S'pore.
Instead of arriving S'pore at 3.15pm, the plane touched down close to 5pm.
I was not very satisfied with the service of this airline.
MOH alerts hospitals after two women given wrong dosage of cancer drugs
SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Health has alerted all hospitals to take immediate measures to ensure safety in the use of infusion pumps when administering drugs.
This follows a pharmaceutical error at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital — where two cancer patients are now under observation, with one potentially in grave danger.
Mrs L K Ng, aged 51, and Mrs Yip Poh Hung, aged 44, were given chemotherapy drugs via an infusion pump — but settings on the pumps were inaccurate, despite two pharmacists checking to ensure accuracy before the infusion pumps were given to the women.
The ministry said it will share the findings and risk reduction strategies with other hospitals after KK Hospital completes its detailed root cause analysis.
If things go wrong, Mrs Yip Poh Hung’s organs could be damaged seriously. She is being given an antidote — Vistonuridine — specially flown in from the US. Although stable at the moment, she still needs to be observed carefully. She had consumed five days worth of cancer drugs in just five hours.
The hospital said the antidote being given to the patient is safe to use, even though the drug has not been approved for general use in Singapore. The drug has not even been approved by the FDA in the US. But the hospital is citing a recent study to vouch for its safety.
"They have tested this drug and out of the 17 patients, all actually recovered well. So that is why it is important to have this particular drug for our patient here," said Associate Professor Tan Kok Hian, director, Clinical Quality, KK Women’s & Children’s Hospital.
The hospital said her chances of full recovery are "very high".
Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority (HSA), which gave the last minute green light for the special use of the antidote in this instance, said: "Our regulatory framework has a system in place that allows HSA to consider special concession for clinicians to use unregistered medicinal products under exceptional medical circumstances, when there is no registered alternative available in Singapore.
"This is to ensure that patients are not denied access to critical treatments in the case of unmet medical needs." The HSA added that there have been past approvals granted in life or death situations where no alternative is available in Singapore.
Meanwhile, the pharmacists in question have been assigned "light duties", while they assist in investigations.
Hospital officials said they have apologised to the patients and their families. The hospital is also waiving current medical fees for the next cycle of chemotherapy treatment. As for further compensation, the hospital said the issue has not surfaced.
As a safeguard, the hospital has now decided to use only one type of infusion pump, so that the rate and calibration will be clearer and chances of error will be further diminished.
"We have a variety of pumps — the default rate is set at one rate and another pump is set at another rate. So sometimes if you are using the different pumps you should know the default rate and to set it accordingly. Unfortunately, it is very rare, there was an error and it wasn’t recognised," said Prof Tan.
"KK is also sorry about this incident and we take full responsibility for this error and we would also like to say sorry to the patients and their families who are involved," added Prof Tan.
Some patients, the hospital said, were concerned about their own medication after learning about the incident. However, doctors said the patients’ fears were assuaged and they were informed that the chances of such errors are extremely rare.
The hospital said investigations are ongoing.
(source: http://sg.news.yahoo.com/cna/20091113/tap-828-moh-alerts-hospitals-women-given-231650b.html )
My comments:
My prayers go to the affected patients and their families. I hope the patients can have a speedy recovery.
This follows a pharmaceutical error at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital — where two cancer patients are now under observation, with one potentially in grave danger.
Mrs L K Ng, aged 51, and Mrs Yip Poh Hung, aged 44, were given chemotherapy drugs via an infusion pump — but settings on the pumps were inaccurate, despite two pharmacists checking to ensure accuracy before the infusion pumps were given to the women.
The ministry said it will share the findings and risk reduction strategies with other hospitals after KK Hospital completes its detailed root cause analysis.
If things go wrong, Mrs Yip Poh Hung’s organs could be damaged seriously. She is being given an antidote — Vistonuridine — specially flown in from the US. Although stable at the moment, she still needs to be observed carefully. She had consumed five days worth of cancer drugs in just five hours.
The hospital said the antidote being given to the patient is safe to use, even though the drug has not been approved for general use in Singapore. The drug has not even been approved by the FDA in the US. But the hospital is citing a recent study to vouch for its safety.
"They have tested this drug and out of the 17 patients, all actually recovered well. So that is why it is important to have this particular drug for our patient here," said Associate Professor Tan Kok Hian, director, Clinical Quality, KK Women’s & Children’s Hospital.
The hospital said her chances of full recovery are "very high".
Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority (HSA), which gave the last minute green light for the special use of the antidote in this instance, said: "Our regulatory framework has a system in place that allows HSA to consider special concession for clinicians to use unregistered medicinal products under exceptional medical circumstances, when there is no registered alternative available in Singapore.
"This is to ensure that patients are not denied access to critical treatments in the case of unmet medical needs." The HSA added that there have been past approvals granted in life or death situations where no alternative is available in Singapore.
Meanwhile, the pharmacists in question have been assigned "light duties", while they assist in investigations.
Hospital officials said they have apologised to the patients and their families. The hospital is also waiving current medical fees for the next cycle of chemotherapy treatment. As for further compensation, the hospital said the issue has not surfaced.
As a safeguard, the hospital has now decided to use only one type of infusion pump, so that the rate and calibration will be clearer and chances of error will be further diminished.
"We have a variety of pumps — the default rate is set at one rate and another pump is set at another rate. So sometimes if you are using the different pumps you should know the default rate and to set it accordingly. Unfortunately, it is very rare, there was an error and it wasn’t recognised," said Prof Tan.
"KK is also sorry about this incident and we take full responsibility for this error and we would also like to say sorry to the patients and their families who are involved," added Prof Tan.
Some patients, the hospital said, were concerned about their own medication after learning about the incident. However, doctors said the patients’ fears were assuaged and they were informed that the chances of such errors are extremely rare.
The hospital said investigations are ongoing.
(source: http://sg.news.yahoo.com/cna/20091113/tap-828-moh-alerts-hospitals-women-given-231650b.html )
My comments:
My prayers go to the affected patients and their families. I hope the patients can have a speedy recovery.
北京夜降大雪 未来几日持续阴冷天气
2009-11-10 07:30:00 来源：中国天气网
中国天气网讯 " 北京，又下大雪啦！”今天（10日）凌晨，随着一道闪电一阵惊雷，漫天白雪悄然飘下。一夜飘雪，使今早的京城笼罩在一片白茫茫的大雪中。同时，今早6点的温度只有零下2.5℃，比昨天同期低了9℃。人体感觉比较冷，出行注意防寒保暖。
据北京市气象台最新观测数据显示，9日20时至10日06时，海淀降水量为18.5毫米，朝阳15毫米，门头沟13.7毫米，平谷13.1毫米，其他地区0.1-12.7毫米或无降水。
北京的这次降雪，与11月1日的降雪相比要大得多。据气象专家介绍，造成这种现象，一方面是由于地面温度相对较高，天空飘落的小雪还没有来得及落地，就已经在空中融化了，另一方面是由于本次的降水过程的上升运动并不剧烈，空气中的水汽含量不是很高，因此降水量总体比较小。
气象专家还介绍，今早6时的温度只有零下2.5℃，比昨天早上低了9℃左右。未来几日，北京的气温仍然较低，并且会继续下降，降幅在1-2℃左右。
北京市气象台预计，今天白天，小雪转阴天；今天夜间，阴转多云，最低气温零下5℃；明天白天到夜间，阴转小雪，降雪主要出现在夜间，最低温度零下6℃。
受降雪降温天气影响，路面将出现结冰，请行人和车辆注意交通安全。此外，由于未来气温较低，特别提醒市民注意防寒保暖，及时添加衣物，以防感冒；燃煤取暖的用户需注意防范煤气中毒。
(source : http://www.weather.com.cn/static/html/article/20091110/131657.shtml )
中国天气网讯 " 北京，又下大雪啦！”今天（10日）凌晨，随着一道闪电一阵惊雷，漫天白雪悄然飘下。一夜飘雪，使今早的京城笼罩在一片白茫茫的大雪中。同时，今早6点的温度只有零下2.5℃，比昨天同期低了9℃。人体感觉比较冷，出行注意防寒保暖。
据北京市气象台最新观测数据显示，9日20时至10日06时，海淀降水量为18.5毫米，朝阳15毫米，门头沟13.7毫米，平谷13.1毫米，其他地区0.1-12.7毫米或无降水。
北京的这次降雪，与11月1日的降雪相比要大得多。据气象专家介绍，造成这种现象，一方面是由于地面温度相对较高，天空飘落的小雪还没有来得及落地，就已经在空中融化了，另一方面是由于本次的降水过程的上升运动并不剧烈，空气中的水汽含量不是很高，因此降水量总体比较小。
气象专家还介绍，今早6时的温度只有零下2.5℃，比昨天早上低了9℃左右。未来几日，北京的气温仍然较低，并且会继续下降，降幅在1-2℃左右。
北京市气象台预计，今天白天，小雪转阴天；今天夜间，阴转多云，最低气温零下5℃；明天白天到夜间，阴转小雪，降雪主要出现在夜间，最低温度零下6℃。
受降雪降温天气影响，路面将出现结冰，请行人和车辆注意交通安全。此外，由于未来气温较低，特别提醒市民注意防寒保暖，及时添加衣物，以防感冒；燃煤取暖的用户需注意防范煤气中毒。
(source : http://www.weather.com.cn/static/html/article/20091110/131657.shtml )
Day 4 in Beijing
An official visit to the relevant departments ended in the late morning. Since I was already near National Library Station, I decided not to return to the hotel for a lunch before setting off for a trip to Olympic Green Station. Initiallly I wanted to take the subway from National library Station to Olympic Green Station, when I asked the locals, one of them told me I could take a bus 86. I gladly took up the suggestion as the bus fare was only RMB 1 instead of RMB 2.
The bus journey took about half an hour. Water Cube, Bird Nest and National Stadiums are all located within walking distance from each other. The ground was still covered by snow and workers were busy clearing the snow. There were lots of tourists at these places. Despite the coldness, I managed to take a few photos.
Now the challenge comes. I would like to go toTiantan park (Temple of Heaven Park) which is located at the other side of the city. I doubt there would be a direct bus and have no choice but to try the subway.
The subway fare was RMB 2. You can travel from one location to any others via changing lines. As long as you do not exit from the subway station, you can continue to travel. So I took the subway from Olympic Green Station on Line 8 to Bei Tu Cheng on Line 10. From Bei Tu Cheng, I travelled to Hui Xin Xi Jie Nan Kou Station on Line 5. From there, the subway will brings me to Tian Tan Tong Men Station where Temple of Heaven Park is located.
I did not enter this Park as I am not that keen but still would like to take a photo. From this Park, there is a direct bus 36 straight to the hotel. Again, kudos to Ms Hu from the hotel who has given me this tip.
By the time I have reached the hotel, it was already 2.30pm and the restaurant was already closed. I met a kind waitress, Ms Nie. I told her if there was any rice and piping hot soup for me. Immediately she asked me to take a seat and requested the chefs to prepare. Within a few minutes, a simple Korean style meal was on my table I gobbled anything served and was very grateful to Ms Nie and her colleagues.
Since asking is no harm, I asked Ms Nie if I could take away few pieces of bread during the dinner, so that I can save them for my breakfast for tomorrow. I have a breakfast coupon for tomorrow but since I will be leaving the hotel around 5.30am, I will be unable to enjoy the buffet style breakfast. Ms Nie agreed to arrange some sandwiches for me to bring on my way to the airport around 5.30am.
I am very impressed by the staff of this hotel, Beijing Henan Plaza Hotel. Many are polite and helpful. Staff like Ms Hu and Ms Nie went the extra mile to serve the guests, leaving them touched and grateful. For my next trip to Beijing, I will not hesistate to stay in this hotel again.
Tomorrow, I will catch a morning flight back home. My trip to Beijing is just too short that I have no time to visit the Great Wall. This means another destination for future holidays.
The bus journey took about half an hour. Water Cube, Bird Nest and National Stadiums are all located within walking distance from each other. The ground was still covered by snow and workers were busy clearing the snow. There were lots of tourists at these places. Despite the coldness, I managed to take a few photos.
Now the challenge comes. I would like to go toTiantan park (Temple of Heaven Park) which is located at the other side of the city. I doubt there would be a direct bus and have no choice but to try the subway.
The subway fare was RMB 2. You can travel from one location to any others via changing lines. As long as you do not exit from the subway station, you can continue to travel. So I took the subway from Olympic Green Station on Line 8 to Bei Tu Cheng on Line 10. From Bei Tu Cheng, I travelled to Hui Xin Xi Jie Nan Kou Station on Line 5. From there, the subway will brings me to Tian Tan Tong Men Station where Temple of Heaven Park is located.
I did not enter this Park as I am not that keen but still would like to take a photo. From this Park, there is a direct bus 36 straight to the hotel. Again, kudos to Ms Hu from the hotel who has given me this tip.
By the time I have reached the hotel, it was already 2.30pm and the restaurant was already closed. I met a kind waitress, Ms Nie. I told her if there was any rice and piping hot soup for me. Immediately she asked me to take a seat and requested the chefs to prepare. Within a few minutes, a simple Korean style meal was on my table I gobbled anything served and was very grateful to Ms Nie and her colleagues.
Since asking is no harm, I asked Ms Nie if I could take away few pieces of bread during the dinner, so that I can save them for my breakfast for tomorrow. I have a breakfast coupon for tomorrow but since I will be leaving the hotel around 5.30am, I will be unable to enjoy the buffet style breakfast. Ms Nie agreed to arrange some sandwiches for me to bring on my way to the airport around 5.30am.
I am very impressed by the staff of this hotel, Beijing Henan Plaza Hotel. Many are polite and helpful. Staff like Ms Hu and Ms Nie went the extra mile to serve the guests, leaving them touched and grateful. For my next trip to Beijing, I will not hesistate to stay in this hotel again.
Tomorrow, I will catch a morning flight back home. My trip to Beijing is just too short that I have no time to visit the Great Wall. This means another destination for future holidays.
Day 3 in Beijing
Thick snow fell overnight and when I woke up, the top of the cars and trees were covered by inches of snow. The road was wet and slippery. Some snow has melted but plenty still stays due to the cold temperature of about 1 C.
Today is the second and last day of the workshop. Speakers from the Organizer shared their knowledge and experiences in dealing with disasters. It is really an eye-opening know there are so many different satellites meant for monitoring different types of natural disasters up in the sky.
After lunch, it was Closing Ceremony. The participants thanked the Organizer for such a wonderful arrangement in Beijing.
Armed with some brief instructions from the hotel and a map, at about 4pm, together with 2 participants from Philippines, we took a public bus 802 (fare at RMB 1) to Tian'an men Square. Along the way, we saw lots of Beijingers well-dressed in their winter clothings. I made a mistake forgetting to bring along my gloves. My hands and face were numb due to the coldness. I could not even hold my camera carefully. Staying outdoor was a torture and all we wanted was to stay indoors.
The bus took about half an hour to reach Tian'an men Square. As expected, it was very, very spacious. We just missed the Flag Lowering Ceremony. I realised the importance of knowing another language as travelling in China was no problem to me at all but not for my friends. I have to ask along my way. I took a few photos just to remind myself that I have been there. Then we walked to the famous shopping district, Wang Fu Jing. By then, I wanted to go to the washroom. I recalled a guide book has mentioned; use your nose.
True enough, I started sniffing around and followed that smell. I found a toilet in the shopping mall. The smell was really unbearable that I almost vomitted.
I bought more sweets and snacks at Wang Fu Jing. We took quite some time to locate the right bus-stop to return to the hotel. By the time we reached, it was about 7pm. We were so hungry and cold. The dinner tasted delicious.
Here, I must mention Ms Hu from the hotel. She is very friendly and helpful. We met during lunch. I have never imagine that she went an extra mile to bring me to a shop that is famous for selling Beijing snacks. It was about a 15 min walk from the hotel. This is called excellent service attitude. She was the one who told me how to go to Tian'an men Square too by the public bus.
I was again glad that I have brought a big luggage. When I started shopping, I lost control. By the time I saw all my gifts lying around the luggage, I felt worried. How am I going to bring all these goodies back home? If J is around, it will be his responsibility to pack the luggage. Now I have to fend myself.
Due to the cold weather and the sky getting darker, I did not have a good walk in Tian'an men Square.
What's next for tomorrow?
Today is the second and last day of the workshop. Speakers from the Organizer shared their knowledge and experiences in dealing with disasters. It is really an eye-opening know there are so many different satellites meant for monitoring different types of natural disasters up in the sky.
After lunch, it was Closing Ceremony. The participants thanked the Organizer for such a wonderful arrangement in Beijing.
Armed with some brief instructions from the hotel and a map, at about 4pm, together with 2 participants from Philippines, we took a public bus 802 (fare at RMB 1) to Tian'an men Square. Along the way, we saw lots of Beijingers well-dressed in their winter clothings. I made a mistake forgetting to bring along my gloves. My hands and face were numb due to the coldness. I could not even hold my camera carefully. Staying outdoor was a torture and all we wanted was to stay indoors.
The bus took about half an hour to reach Tian'an men Square. As expected, it was very, very spacious. We just missed the Flag Lowering Ceremony. I realised the importance of knowing another language as travelling in China was no problem to me at all but not for my friends. I have to ask along my way. I took a few photos just to remind myself that I have been there. Then we walked to the famous shopping district, Wang Fu Jing. By then, I wanted to go to the washroom. I recalled a guide book has mentioned; use your nose.
True enough, I started sniffing around and followed that smell. I found a toilet in the shopping mall. The smell was really unbearable that I almost vomitted.
I bought more sweets and snacks at Wang Fu Jing. We took quite some time to locate the right bus-stop to return to the hotel. By the time we reached, it was about 7pm. We were so hungry and cold. The dinner tasted delicious.
Here, I must mention Ms Hu from the hotel. She is very friendly and helpful. We met during lunch. I have never imagine that she went an extra mile to bring me to a shop that is famous for selling Beijing snacks. It was about a 15 min walk from the hotel. This is called excellent service attitude. She was the one who told me how to go to Tian'an men Square too by the public bus.
I was again glad that I have brought a big luggage. When I started shopping, I lost control. By the time I saw all my gifts lying around the luggage, I felt worried. How am I going to bring all these goodies back home? If J is around, it will be his responsibility to pack the luggage. Now I have to fend myself.
Due to the cold weather and the sky getting darker, I did not have a good walk in Tian'an men Square.
What's next for tomorrow?
Day 2 in Beijing
My second day started with temperature around 5 deg C. It was very cold and misty.
Today is the first day of the work. After the formal Opening Ceremony and the Group Photo Taking, the real work started. Each representative from the ASEAN countries made a presentation on how the natural disasters are managed and handled, what are the measures taken to migitate these disasters and how cooperations between countries can be sought etc.
Natural disasters include tsunami, earthquakes, landslide, typhoons, duststorms, deforestations, floods etc.
Philippines in particular, faces about 22 typhoons yearly with 5 to 7 of destructive nature, during June to December. Almost every participant remembers how typhoons Ketsana and Parma affected Philippines badly during the recent months. After the typhoons have crossed Philippines, they are likely to continue their tracks to Vietnam.
Tsunamis from the east and west are likely to affect Thailand in different manners. If the tsunami comes from western Philippines, due to relatively shallow water, the speed is likely to slow down and these tidal waves are likely to reach Gulf of Thailand later. But if the tsunami is from Nicobar Islands, since the water there is deep, it is likely to reach Phuket real fast.
Very soon, the lunch time arrived. Maybe is due to the extreme cold weather, I felt hungry easily despite I had a heavy breakfast. The lunch break was a luxurious 2 hours. But since I am a fast eater, my 2 rounds of rice and dishes were done in about 45 min. So the rest of the time was spent walking around the hotel to "enjoy" the cold weather.
After lunch, another participant talked about how satellites can be used to help monitor any development of natural disasters.
The dinner was hosted by the Organizer. Peking Duck is a must have famous dish in Beijing. Besides this dish, we ate duck's liver, shredded duck's wings, duck soup, duck feet etc. In fact, just like the chicken and pigs, many parts of the duck can be eaten. This amount of food was just too much for all the participants to finish. We were very grateful to the Organizer for such a delicious feast.
In the evening, the temperature dropped below freezing level and light rain started. The roads were wet. People were hurrying so that they can get to their destination faster and be shelted from this dull and cold weather.
Tomorrow, we will learn how the Organizer made use of various satellites in natural disasters management.
Today is the first day of the work. After the formal Opening Ceremony and the Group Photo Taking, the real work started. Each representative from the ASEAN countries made a presentation on how the natural disasters are managed and handled, what are the measures taken to migitate these disasters and how cooperations between countries can be sought etc.
Natural disasters include tsunami, earthquakes, landslide, typhoons, duststorms, deforestations, floods etc.
Philippines in particular, faces about 22 typhoons yearly with 5 to 7 of destructive nature, during June to December. Almost every participant remembers how typhoons Ketsana and Parma affected Philippines badly during the recent months. After the typhoons have crossed Philippines, they are likely to continue their tracks to Vietnam.
Tsunamis from the east and west are likely to affect Thailand in different manners. If the tsunami comes from western Philippines, due to relatively shallow water, the speed is likely to slow down and these tidal waves are likely to reach Gulf of Thailand later. But if the tsunami is from Nicobar Islands, since the water there is deep, it is likely to reach Phuket real fast.
Very soon, the lunch time arrived. Maybe is due to the extreme cold weather, I felt hungry easily despite I had a heavy breakfast. The lunch break was a luxurious 2 hours. But since I am a fast eater, my 2 rounds of rice and dishes were done in about 45 min. So the rest of the time was spent walking around the hotel to "enjoy" the cold weather.
After lunch, another participant talked about how satellites can be used to help monitor any development of natural disasters.
The dinner was hosted by the Organizer. Peking Duck is a must have famous dish in Beijing. Besides this dish, we ate duck's liver, shredded duck's wings, duck soup, duck feet etc. In fact, just like the chicken and pigs, many parts of the duck can be eaten. This amount of food was just too much for all the participants to finish. We were very grateful to the Organizer for such a delicious feast.
In the evening, the temperature dropped below freezing level and light rain started. The roads were wet. People were hurrying so that they can get to their destination faster and be shelted from this dull and cold weather.
Tomorrow, we will learn how the Organizer made use of various satellites in natural disasters management.
Day 1 in Beijing
Finally after about 6 hours of flight, I arrived Beijing International Airport Terminal 3.
When the plane started to descend, all I saw was layers and layers of clouds. The sky was dull and gloomy. The latest temperature reported at the arrival time around 2.30pm was about 11 deg C. All the passengers immediately took out their furry winter coats out from their hand luggage.
I zipped my brown old jacket to fend the coldness.
The frontline staff was the quarantine officers! They were all wearing masks and I submitted my health declaration form. The immigration officers were with mask too. Is the H1N1 virus situation in Beijing very serious?
By the time I reached the taxi-stand, it was about an hour later. The journey to Beijing Henan Plaza Hotel took about an hour. During the first half hour, the traffic was quite smooth. The driver was listening to chinese opera! As we approached the central Beijing, the traffic began to crawl. The locals wore beautiful furry winter coats. I was glad to bring my furry coat too although I do not know when I will be wearing it as most of the time, I would be in the hotel.
This hotel looked posh. The organizer has arranged the participants to stay in the rooms with a PC in it. But I have already brought my laptop. I decided to use my own because I have all my favourite sites.
Dinner was buffet style on chinese food. I could not imagine that I ate a big plate of rice and a plate of dishes with meat and vegetables. After finishing the first round, I ate the second round. I ate 2 bowls of seaweed soup, followed by fruits too. It must be the coldness that made me very hungry.
Temperature reported at 9pm was about 9 deg C and expected to dip to 3 overnight. Rain with snow ie sleet is forecast on the next day.
When the plane started to descend, all I saw was layers and layers of clouds. The sky was dull and gloomy. The latest temperature reported at the arrival time around 2.30pm was about 11 deg C. All the passengers immediately took out their furry winter coats out from their hand luggage.
I zipped my brown old jacket to fend the coldness.
The frontline staff was the quarantine officers! They were all wearing masks and I submitted my health declaration form. The immigration officers were with mask too. Is the H1N1 virus situation in Beijing very serious?
By the time I reached the taxi-stand, it was about an hour later. The journey to Beijing Henan Plaza Hotel took about an hour. During the first half hour, the traffic was quite smooth. The driver was listening to chinese opera! As we approached the central Beijing, the traffic began to crawl. The locals wore beautiful furry winter coats. I was glad to bring my furry coat too although I do not know when I will be wearing it as most of the time, I would be in the hotel.
This hotel looked posh. The organizer has arranged the participants to stay in the rooms with a PC in it. But I have already brought my laptop. I decided to use my own because I have all my favourite sites.
Dinner was buffet style on chinese food. I could not imagine that I ate a big plate of rice and a plate of dishes with meat and vegetables. After finishing the first round, I ate the second round. I ate 2 bowls of seaweed soup, followed by fruits too. It must be the coldness that made me very hungry.
Temperature reported at 9pm was about 9 deg C and expected to dip to 3 overnight. Rain with snow ie sleet is forecast on the next day.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Snow Forecast in Northern China Again
强冷空气卷土重来 京城有望再现雨夹雪
2009-11-07 07:00:04 来源：中国天气网中国天气网讯
一股较强冷空气正在缓慢逼近我国，此次冷空气的强度与上次寒潮天气过程相比大有“巾帼不让须眉”之势。专家分析，本次冷空气在降水方面将胜过10月底至11月初的寒潮。
冷空气步步逼近
11月7-11日，一股较强冷空气将自北向南先后影响我国西北部和中东部大部地区。其中，内蒙古大部、东北、华北、黄淮、江淮、江南大部将有4-5级间6级偏北风，过程最大降温有8-12℃，局地可达16℃。受该股冷空气继续南下影响，12-13日，华南、西南地区东部将降温6-8℃，部分地区10-12℃。
全国降温预报图（2009年11月7日至12日）
除了降温，我国东部地区，华北一直到华南都会有大范围降雨出现。其中，西北地区东部、华北大部、东北地区东部和南部、黄淮等地将先后出现一次小到中雪（雨）或雨夹雪天气过程，部分地区大雨。
全国降水量预报图（2009年11月8日08时至13日08时）
中央气象台首席预报员宗志平分析，这股冷空气主要给我国带来的是降温和雨雪，具有影响时间长，累积降温幅度大，降水范围广的特点。
尤为一提的是，由于水汽条件较好，此次降水将持续7天左右，可能会带来较多降水。所以这股冷空气至少在降水方面胜过了10月底11月初的寒潮。
(source: http://www.weather.com.cn/static/html/article/20091107/129206.shtml)
2009-11-07 07:00:04 来源：中国天气网中国天气网讯
一股较强冷空气正在缓慢逼近我国，此次冷空气的强度与上次寒潮天气过程相比大有“巾帼不让须眉”之势。专家分析，本次冷空气在降水方面将胜过10月底至11月初的寒潮。
冷空气步步逼近
11月7-11日，一股较强冷空气将自北向南先后影响我国西北部和中东部大部地区。其中，内蒙古大部、东北、华北、黄淮、江淮、江南大部将有4-5级间6级偏北风，过程最大降温有8-12℃，局地可达16℃。受该股冷空气继续南下影响，12-13日，华南、西南地区东部将降温6-8℃，部分地区10-12℃。
全国降温预报图（2009年11月7日至12日）
除了降温，我国东部地区，华北一直到华南都会有大范围降雨出现。其中，西北地区东部、华北大部、东北地区东部和南部、黄淮等地将先后出现一次小到中雪（雨）或雨夹雪天气过程，部分地区大雨。
全国降水量预报图（2009年11月8日08时至13日08时）
中央气象台首席预报员宗志平分析，这股冷空气主要给我国带来的是降温和雨雪，具有影响时间长，累积降温幅度大，降水范围广的特点。
尤为一提的是，由于水汽条件较好，此次降水将持续7天左右，可能会带来较多降水。所以这股冷空气至少在降水方面胜过了10月底11月初的寒潮。
(source: http://www.weather.com.cn/static/html/article/20091107/129206.shtml)
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Preparation prior to Beijing Workshop
Just a few more days to go before I hop onto the plane to Beijing for a workshop.
As I seldom travel alone, the preparation and packing for this trip is really driving me crazy. I need a formal dress for the Opening Ceremony. Am I suppose to wear a cheongsam? I always dress in blouse and pants in my office. Where am I going to find a formal dress? How to keep warm in a dress? Bring a shawl?
The weather pattern in Beijing is just like the unpredictable stocks and shares. Since the first snow fell on 1st Nov, the temperatures have risen a lot. Should I pack my thick winter wear? Maybe bring a normal jacket too in case the weather did not turn out to be that cold. What about the thermal wear?
What about another pair of shoes in case the pair I always wear give me troubles? I recalled during a holiday in New Zealand, the sole of my shoes gave away. Instead of holidaying, J and I were busy hunting for a shoe shop. I did not find a pair of shoes suitable for my size. In the end, I bought the smallest size but still too big for me. Once I reached home, I immediately dumped that pair into the bin. From then onwards, I will always bring an extra pair. Even a pair of home slippers is better than nothing.
Then my digi camera plus its charger, my mobile plus its charger, my heavy laptop plus thumb drives etc. I have been so tempted to buy a lightweigh and trendy net book. But look at the price, it is at least $500 and what am I going to do with it after this working trip? At home, there are already 2 PCs and a laptop; more than enough for everybody in my family. So this net book will soon be left in the dark store room. Ok, I can always save this money for future usage.
Plus goodies/souvenirs for colleagues and family members, I have no choice but to bring a big luggage. This is what I hate most as I always prefer to travel light. I have only 2 hands but I will be bringing 3 things - a laptop, a luggage and a haversack.
My presentation for this workshop? Yes, a few slides of presentation have taken me days to prepare. I must admit it is not of the highest quality as it was done in a rush with lots of cut and paste. I start to wonder if I should drop out from this workshop as I am the only representative from home. But it is really too late as the air tickets have been bought and paid, the hotel accommodations have been arranged too.
Personally, I am not really in the right mood for this trip. Isa's year-end exam results were quite disappointing despite she has worked hard. Maybe not hard enough but how hard is considered enough? Now we have to consider carefully if she should take up Higher Chinese for the next year.
Also, J's France trip is yet to be confirmed and it has to be completed before our year-end holidays. The last thing I want is after he touches down from France, we are hopping on the plane to Japan the next day!
As I seldom travel alone, the preparation and packing for this trip is really driving me crazy. I need a formal dress for the Opening Ceremony. Am I suppose to wear a cheongsam? I always dress in blouse and pants in my office. Where am I going to find a formal dress? How to keep warm in a dress? Bring a shawl?
The weather pattern in Beijing is just like the unpredictable stocks and shares. Since the first snow fell on 1st Nov, the temperatures have risen a lot. Should I pack my thick winter wear? Maybe bring a normal jacket too in case the weather did not turn out to be that cold. What about the thermal wear?
What about another pair of shoes in case the pair I always wear give me troubles? I recalled during a holiday in New Zealand, the sole of my shoes gave away. Instead of holidaying, J and I were busy hunting for a shoe shop. I did not find a pair of shoes suitable for my size. In the end, I bought the smallest size but still too big for me. Once I reached home, I immediately dumped that pair into the bin. From then onwards, I will always bring an extra pair. Even a pair of home slippers is better than nothing.
Then my digi camera plus its charger, my mobile plus its charger, my heavy laptop plus thumb drives etc. I have been so tempted to buy a lightweigh and trendy net book. But look at the price, it is at least $500 and what am I going to do with it after this working trip? At home, there are already 2 PCs and a laptop; more than enough for everybody in my family. So this net book will soon be left in the dark store room. Ok, I can always save this money for future usage.
Plus goodies/souvenirs for colleagues and family members, I have no choice but to bring a big luggage. This is what I hate most as I always prefer to travel light. I have only 2 hands but I will be bringing 3 things - a laptop, a luggage and a haversack.
My presentation for this workshop? Yes, a few slides of presentation have taken me days to prepare. I must admit it is not of the highest quality as it was done in a rush with lots of cut and paste. I start to wonder if I should drop out from this workshop as I am the only representative from home. But it is really too late as the air tickets have been bought and paid, the hotel accommodations have been arranged too.
Personally, I am not really in the right mood for this trip. Isa's year-end exam results were quite disappointing despite she has worked hard. Maybe not hard enough but how hard is considered enough? Now we have to consider carefully if she should take up Higher Chinese for the next year.
Also, J's France trip is yet to be confirmed and it has to be completed before our year-end holidays. The last thing I want is after he touches down from France, we are hopping on the plane to Japan the next day!
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Snow Fell in Snow Monkey Park
(source : http://www.jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp/livecam/monkey/index.htm)Snow fell in Snow Monkey Park in Nagano, Japan.
Sunday, November 01, 2009
First Snow in Beijing
(source: http://www.cma.gov.cn/)Just when I start preparing to pack for my Beijing trip, I read that the first snow has fallen in Beijing due to a cold outbreak in the northern region.
I was dropping the idea of bringing thick winter clothing as it is still early November. With this latest news, I have to monitor the weather situation in Beijing carefully.
I am bringing a small luggage since the trip is quite short. I am bringing my laptop for my presentation too. I do not want to bring any unnecessary things.
To pack all the necessary winter clothing into my small luggage would be another nightmare for me over the next few days.
If I come armed with thick jacket and the weather turns out to be just early winter condition, I would be embarrassed by my inappropriate clothing.
November Starts
The presentation on Project L went smoothly on Friday morning. As usual, only 5 officers were selected to attend this presentation. Due to the small size of audience, there was quite a bit of interactions among us. They shared their experience during their sail to Australia. They also shared how this presentation would help in their work which I was quite glad.
After the presentation, while I was waiting for my pre-booked taxi to arrive at Changi Naval Base, there was light drizzle and thunder was heard. I even saw lightning flashes across the sky. This reminded me on the case of a golfer struck by lightning in a golf course. I could not wait to leave this place to meet Isa and J.
We went for an ice-cream in Swensens. We went to Giant to buy our groceries.
The rain got heavier when we were on our way home in the late afternoon.
WHile trying to get away from the rain, Isa ran and fell straight on her left. A happy occasion turned out to be a painful and miserable one.
She has bruises on her left cheek, left elbow and left knee. In a way, I was glad that there was no fracture of bones and she was able to stand up on her own after the fall and also the exam was over. We had a teary dinner!
The next day, to ensure there was no complications due to the fall, we went to NUH. The doctor assured us that Isa was ok except to watch for infections setting in especially for the bruise area on her face.
Saturday was spent mostly facing the tv and laptop!
After the presentation, while I was waiting for my pre-booked taxi to arrive at Changi Naval Base, there was light drizzle and thunder was heard. I even saw lightning flashes across the sky. This reminded me on the case of a golfer struck by lightning in a golf course. I could not wait to leave this place to meet Isa and J.
We went for an ice-cream in Swensens. We went to Giant to buy our groceries.
The rain got heavier when we were on our way home in the late afternoon.
WHile trying to get away from the rain, Isa ran and fell straight on her left. A happy occasion turned out to be a painful and miserable one.
She has bruises on her left cheek, left elbow and left knee. In a way, I was glad that there was no fracture of bones and she was able to stand up on her own after the fall and also the exam was over. We had a teary dinner!
The next day, to ensure there was no complications due to the fall, we went to NUH. The doctor assured us that Isa was ok except to watch for infections setting in especially for the bruise area on her face.
Saturday was spent mostly facing the tv and laptop!
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