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Thoughts While My Phone's 3G Data Was Down
Wednesday, July 31, 2013 | 12:22 AM

Why is my Whatsapp message not getting sent?
Are you kidding me, why is my data not working?
Is this really happening again?
Maybe it'll come back after a while, it often does.
I'm so annoyed right now.
Can my message just get sent?!
Maybe I'll scroll through Instagram while waiting.
Oh crap, Instagram can't load without the internet as well.
I'll just go to bed.
Why is it not working...
Why is it not...
Why is it...
Why is...
Why...
Nice and sunny today! Wonder if it'll rain later.
Accuweather requires the internet too.
My life is getting ruined because I don't know if I should dress for rain.
I really want to know the weather for the rest of the day.
Maybe I can try restarting my phone.
This usually goes away after I restart my phone.
I hope it works this time.
No it's not working.
I give up.
I'm not giving up.
I'll remove my battery and try again.
Why not I remove my sim card as well.
Please work.
Why does it not work?!
What is wrong with my phone?!?!?!!!!!
Maybe I should change my phone.
But there's nothing wrong with my phone!!!!
Perhaps I'll call the help centre.
I'll just wait a little while more, cause it usually comes back.
It's been two days it's not coming back!
C'mon Maddie you gotta do something.
I'll check all the settings right now.
Mobile network settings sounds about right.
Access point names.
ACCESS POINT NAMES.
OMG THE APN.
I want to punch myself!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why didn't I think of this sooner?!??!!!!!!
What screwed with the APN?!?!?!!!!!
Whatever, I'm changing it back.
Please let this work.
I think it's coming back.
I see the H sign.
IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S COME BACK.
I'm gonna test it with a whatsapp message.
IT GOT SENT.
Why are you not replying.
Please reply so I know this works.
I'LL TRY INSTAGRAM.
I can see the latest pictures!!!!!!!!
THIS WORKS.
I am a genius.
Wow, why am I such a genius?
I think I should be awarded a prize.
No, seriously, I'll text my friends and let them know I deserve a prize.
Is it really already 12:52am?
What exhausting 2 days of not having mobile data.
I am so dependent on the internet that it's ridiculous.
Ridiculously funny.
Oh, a friend just Whatsapped me to ask if I'm going for lecture tomorrow!
I guess I am because I RECEIVED A WHATSAPP MESSAGE ABOUT GOING TO LECTURE.
I can go to bed now.
I should go to bed now.
But I'm so happy.
What do I do with all this adrenaline.
I shall blog about it!

Trying to go to bed,

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Penang (& Other Parts of Malaysia)
Tuesday, July 30, 2013 | 9:18 AM

Hi!

So we decided to have themes every fortnight that we could all write about, and on the first week we're going to talk about travelling! 

I shall start the ball rolling by revisiting Penang in my mind..

A tiny disclaimer before I continue. Everything I say here is only reflective of my own opinions, so don't take my word for granted! Everyone has different tastes after all (: Also, the exchange rate of SGD to RM is about SGD1.00 to RM2.50, for reference.

Late May/early June this year, I headed up to Kuala Lumpur (KL) with my mother for a projected 10- or 11-day trip. We started this "tradition" last year end during my school holidays, staying with my aunt in KL and going shopping or doing whatever we felt like doing. This time, we decided to go further up north with another cousin. We booked the hotel online after checking a number of websites like Agoda and Asiarooms etc. Then it was a quick pack of bags and we were on our way!

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Early morning, we drove up and turned into Ipoh for lunch at Ipoh Foh San Restaurant, which is a famous dim sum eatery. 


It's not easy to find parking spaces along the old streets, and you have to put coupons. Food-wise, there was little variety, but that may be due to the fact that we were there during lunch time, and not breakfast, when variety peaks. 


That green thing is some bun (pandan I think) with floss and condensed milk. I'd never seen it before so I thought to try. It's not bad, but the parts without condensed milk were a bit dry. The braised brinjal was the tastiest item we ordered. For a spread like this, we spent RM53.40. It doesn't really fill four.

After lunch we continued on our journey and headed into Penang! Found our hotel through GPS. We booked Georgetown Hotel for RM110 per room per night for 2 nights, so that works out to be RM110 per pax for 2 nights' accommodation. Georgetown Hotel is a small green building located in Georgetown (duh), which is like a town centre of sorts. The room is tiny, and the toilet has no separate shower cubicle.



The heater was not working properly for my room, but my aunt's one was fine. In fitting with the tiny concept, the lift is absurdly tiny. Think of the smallest lift you've seen, and cut it in half. It was like a rectangular box that barely fit all of us with our luggage. The reception staff were helpful but sadly inefficient. They promised to bring something I requested up to my room, but forgot. Twice. Still, I suppose it's okay for the price. In Europe, I think you can at most get hostels with this amount of money. This is at least a hotel. 

After we left our luggage at the hotel, we set off proper and headed for the famous Teochew chendol. It's RM2.10 per bowl. It's really refreshing!


Then we had some kueh pie tee too, right next door. Crispy and delicious (: 


Decided to go on a trail to explore the famous wall murals in Penang. This is the most famous one! It's quite an experience taking these photos because they are at the roadside and you have to stand across the road to take. 


Dinner was along Lebuh Chulia, where a small gathering of stalls sold char kway teow (oily but good), wanton noodles (oily), curry mee (my cousin said it was tasteless but I liked it), satay (tasteless but the sauce is nice), fruit juices. Speaking of fruit juices, you have to try the ba long long, or sha li as they call it. It's a fruit that you don't see in Singapore. It's an acquired taste though; my Singaporean friends don't like it. Haha. Perhaps I should mention here both my parents were born and bred in Malaysia. Accounts for my tastes heh. 

The next morning, we stopped along Jalan Anson and zipped into this hawker centre-like place that was serving dim sum for breakfast. Only for breakfast (and lunch till 1pm)! It's called Restaurant Zim Sum. This place was really good and cheap! There was a wide variety and even tze char available. We paid RM32.40 for around 9 dishes and tea for 4. 


After that we went to Kek Lok Si temple, where there's a huge statue of the guan yin. And I really mean huge. Under the tentage there was a wishing tree. You can buy strips of ribbons with different blessings on them (RM1 each), write your name and hang it on the tree. 


Then we headed to Penang Hill. It's a must-go place for tourists, so RM30 for entrance for foreign adults is understandable (to a certain extent. Local adults only pay RM8). The tram-like ride up felt like a really mild roller-coaster. Quite fun. Penang Hill is 800+m above sea level, so there was a cool breeze even while the sun was shining strongly. There isn't much to see there though, but the views were good. 


Next up we went to Batu Ferringhi Beach! The roads to get there were really winding. My mother said the beach used to be a lot prettier, more happening. 


There are lots of sea sports, with designated areas for each. I got to try parasailing! The price is RM80 for a solo flight and RM140 for tandem. I got RM60 for solo after lots of bargaining! The lifting off was really exhilarating, and the first few moments in flight were awesome. After that because it's very stable, I just felt a calm settle over me as I watched the ocean and horizon. 


We waited to see the sunset and it was brilliant.


Dinner was at the famous Gurney Drive (not sure if we went to the wrong place). Very crowded as expected. The stalls sell rather similar food. We bought char kway teow (RM4), grilled stingray and sotong (RM25), fried oyster small (RM7), chee cheong fun and yam kueh (RM8.10), rojak (RM4), ice kachang with ice cream (RM3.50). The char kway teow and fried oyster were good. The ice kachang had Sarsi instead of evaporated milk, which is quite different from the Singaporean taste.


On the third day, we checked out of the hotel and went to Telok Bahang Dam. There was an International Dragon Boat Festival happening and we were interested to watch. The dam is really beautiful. We waited until the first race started and then we left. 



On the way out, we turned into the floating mosque for the third time, because previously the tide wasn't in so we couldn't see the mosque "floating". This was as best as we got. 


Headed to the famous Him Heang bakery to buy some local products. The tau sah piah was RM6 for a box of 16. And they are heavenly when they are just out of the oven!


Out of Penang, we turned into Taiping. We found our way to Taiping Lake. It's a beautiful place with amazing scenery! Low-hanging branches and mountains in the backdrop. 



Then we went to Ipoh again for dinner! This time it's the Restaurant Cowan Street Ayam Tauge and Koitiau, which looks really plain. But wow the food is awesome. They serve koitiau (kway teow) instead of rice, with very tender chicken and super fat bean sprouts, which are a local delicacy. Half a chicken, a plate of bean sprouts, chicken feet and 4 bowls of koitiau cost RM44. 

As we drove back to KL, we were gifted with a rainbow! 


And there was a beautiful sunset but my pictures don't do justice to it. Just imagine a sea of red amidst dark mountain peaks. 

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So that concludes my Penang trip! It's a pretty quaint place but you should plan what you want to do, else you might end up just wandering around aimlessly. That might be your intention, of course, but personally for me some parts of Penang are not that interesting. Driving up to Penang took quite a few hours from KL, so it'll be a really long drive if you start from Singapore. Fortunately, there are budget flights there that start from SGD40+. But it sure is convenient driving in Penang. GPS is really crucial though.

I didn't get to go to fantastic overseas destinations this summer holiday (haven't gone for many years), but this brief trip was a nice taste of holidaying. Malaysia actually has a lot of treasures!

Happy holidays,

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Introduction: Stella
Thursday, July 25, 2013 | 1:11 PM

Hello!

I’m Stella, 20 this year, and majoring in literature and social work at NUS. I stay at College of Alice and Peter Tan and there’s where most of my university memories are being made. I’m a Christian and I have my own blog faithinbuilding.wordpress.com :).

Currently passionate about literature, community engagement and…soon, photography! I love starting things, creating stuff and seeing ideas transformed into reality. I think the best thing about an idea is in the using of it.

 Fun facts:
1. I can seldom find a good book these days, but when I do I can be absorbed in it for hours.
2. I play basketball and captain’s ball.
3. I love dogs but no longer have one. Especially if they are fluffy and small (like my dog was!)
4. I get my best ideas, thoughts and basically inspiration in the toilet. Or sometimes it’s just a quiet place to withdraw to.
5. I like happy Indie music, but not all of it. 
Haha I just realised Maddie called me a talented writer. Maddie is the fun, crazy and lovable one who is the shortest but the most ‘high’ of all of us (unless Ji inn is in a fangirl mood :P). I’m sure you will love her writing too – I know I do.

“I’m Gonna Write” is a promise I made on 13 July 2013, and this is where a new chapter begins. I always have too much to say about writing, so I shall not try here. But I’m happy to be doing this with Maddie and Ji Inn, the 2 friends who have shared so much of my blogging journey. In fact, they were the ones who got me started on it with their locked livejournals.

Here’s to us guys – a new journey together! I hope you too will enjoy reading the experiences of 3 dreamers finding their way. And have a great one yourself :)

Scribbling,

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Introduction: Ji Inn
Wednesday, July 24, 2013 | 10:59 PM

Hellooo!

I'm Delighted.

Delighted to meet you, that is! I'm really Ji Inn.

I'm 20, and currently enrolled in the Renaissance Engineering Programme in Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. (For the record, we don't study the engineering techniques during the Renaissance period.) It's a 4.5 year programme that sends me overseas for my third year, so I'm pretty psyched about that. It's also relatively new (I'm part of the second batch), so there are some kinks and conks here and there but it's pretty cool to grow together with the programme.

Fun facts about me!
1. I love to dance! But I never had proper lessons so I'm not very good at it. Still, I was part of my hall's dance team and we emerged champions for the largest inter-hall dancing competition, so I'm very proud of that! ^^
2. I used to hate running, but I found my own routine, which consists of running 3 rounds around the track (which I'm increasing - I ran 4 today!), and then heading to the reservoir, running 1 round around the park and then chilling at the reservoir. It's awesome.
3. I'm really shy around new people but I talk entirely too much around my friends..
4. I'm very emotional (working on that). I gush a lot, and then I crash. It's an oft-repeated cycle. I like to think that I'm very in tune with my own feelings, though that's just a nice way of putting it.
5. Still kind of idealistic about love. 
I keep a personal blog that's locked, so like Maddie, this is pretty freaky to me. But yes I'm very excited about this - all of us are; that's why we're here! But be warned: I tend to ramble a lot. So bear with me as I learn to be a better writer. I'm still growing, okay? (;

Oh yes, we'll try our best to be truthful and honest about both fact and opinion, but we do have to adhere to guidelines by the Singapore law (no racist remarks etc), which extends to comments as well. So keep those itchy fingers in check!

That's all for now! Follow us on our journeys as we navigate this treacherous but wondrous new decade of our lives. I hope Sundaescribbles will not only entertain, but also inspire you.


Delighted,






ps: Awesome job with the layout and design of this journal, Maddie! Thanks :D

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Introduction: Madeleine
Tuesday, July 23, 2013 | 11:19 AM

G’day mate!

I’m Madeleine, 20 this year, and majoring in Communications & Media and Anthropology at the University of Western Australia. Being able to study in Perth is probably one of the biggest blessings in my life, and I can’t wait to share more about my thoughts and experiences while living here.

Fun facts that you don’t need to know but we include anyway because why not it’s called fun facts for a reason:
1. I’m really short. All three of us are petite. But I’m the shortest one.
2. I’m an Aquarius and very proud to be one!
3. I can sleep without a pillow, but I absolutely need a comforter/ blanket.
4. I don’t really (like to) eat veggies, but I am willing to swallow sambal kangkong and broccoli and lettuce. If I feel like it.
5. There isn’t a day that goes by without playing foosball (unless there’s no foosball table available). With my friends in Unihall, foosball is an everyday after-dinner activity. 
Lately, I’ve been more of a listener than a talker, because I enjoy learning about people’s stories and their opinions. I have relatively uncommon ideas about life that I may share with you personally, if I feel that you will respect my beliefs. I don’t usually reveal a lot about myself and my thoughts, so contributing to a blog like this is, frankly, quite terrifying. But I am up for it and really excited about it.

So, that’s a few paragraphs worth of an awkward introduction. I never know what’s interesting to mention about myself, although I do pepper my sentences with this pronoun too often. I’m neither a talented writer (like Stella) nor an intriguing person (like Jeanie), but hopefully you’ll find my entries as inspiring/ entertaining as theirs, or at least enough to keep returning to this space.

Have a great one,

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