Accident

After a hiatus from blogging, today (or rather last night, since it's already past midnight) was so eventful it deserves a page on this blog. Arggh, I got into a car accident! The 2nd one in my life...the 1st time I met one wasn't so bad. A van bumped into me when I was on my way to work, and he eventually paid cash for my repairs lah.

But this time round, I'm the unlucky one at the rear end =( Just left school and was driving back home along ECP....then suddenly I realised the car in front of suddenly stopped, & as hard as I jammed on my brake, I couldn't stop in time...and kissed the rear of the Toyota Wish pretty hard. Lucky no one was injuried though, but I was super distraught - called my in-laws immediately to seek advice on what I should do. Lucky one of my classmates was in the car (but unlucky for him though...i still feel so bad for wasting his time) and he helped me take pictures and note down particulars of the other 2 drivers while I was trying to sort out other stuff on my end. Coincidentally, there was a toll truck on the left side of the expressway, and the people were nice enough to suggest that I drive my car away from expressway and park somewhere with less traffic, and that they would follow me from behind. The truck even helped me blocked the traffic when I needed to filter lanes..such warm help from fellow roadsters, I really appreciate it - God Bless them!

Laterwards, I bumped into car driver #1 (there were 3 cars involved in the accident, mine takes queue # 3) at the shell station off bukit batok west ave 3, and then car driver #2 (the owner of the car which my dear Colt couldn't help smacking hard till its front sank in) called me and also turned up at the petrol station. I later found out that apparently, there were 2 other cars before car driver #1, and the first of the 2 cars actually stopped suddenly and switched on the hazardlights for no rhyme or reason. Then when the car pile-up occurred behind, a mechanic showed up and recommended drivers #1 and #2 a vehicle workshop and gave them namecards as well. So it seemed that the car accident might have been deliberately planned by some low-class workshop that is looking to earn $$ via underhand means.

But regardless whether the event was a set-up or not, it does not disregard the fact that I should have been a safer driver. The roads were wet (though rain has stopped) and I should have exercised extra caution. My father-in-law & uncle later told me that one should always try to keep to middle lane, and the extreme right lane is only for overtaking. Well...I will try to adhere to that rule, but sometimes cars in the middle lane go really slow, u know! & when I'm rushing for time...especially with the east-west route I have to take 4x a week to school....the drive is already so long, I just have to drive a bit faster. But point taken, I will try to be more careful in future.

Right now, I'm just stressing about my daily commute to school. Wah, public transport involving bus-long MRT ride-bus doesn't seem too appealing, yet it seems really extravagant to be taking cab to & fro, especially if I have to call cab after class. And it doesn't help that projects and assignments are due next week, and exams are scheduled the following week...so I need as much time as possible to do my work. But I'll see how, hopefully my insurance policy provides a replacement vehicle, and hopefully (fingers crossed) the car repairs will be completed quickly.

Sometimes I wonder why such 'suay' events must happen to me...why must add spice into my already very hectic student life. But I always believe (whether happily or grudgingly) that some things just happen for a reason, and I'd rather a minor accident occur then for something worse to occur. So that's my attitude to life...I may not like what has happened, but it could have turned out uglier, but thank God it didn't...at least no one was injuried, drivers #1 and #2 were pretty nice about it and even bothered to ask whether I was injuried..and lucky I also had the company of a nice classmate who helped me sort out stuff and stayed with me till my father-in-law and uncle arrived.

So I guess the 'morale of this story' is that some things happen for a reason, and hopefully everything cloud will have a silver lining!

Life as a Student

Its been a really long time since I've written. My heart and mind has always been with this blog though..wondering when I'll have time to pen down the latest happenings in my life.

In the short span of a few weeks since my last blog, my life has taken a poorer (materially-wise, that is) turn as I've decided to embark on the intellectual route which consists of reading wordy statistics and computing textbooks, rushing weekly assignments, and pulling my hair out every Wednesday night trying to understand my incoherent calculus lecturer. That's my life and hopefully things will take a better turn once I've adapted to the new lifestyle. Its been a mad rush trying to finish my assignments, in addition to the stress when I don't understand a single word the lecturer is uttering (lucky it is only for 1 subject thus far).

But well, at least I feel some sort accomplishment whenever I finally understand a difficult concept and when I finish a set of assignment...at least I've learnt something new. But I've just started the marathon run, and am hoping that I'll have the stamina to complete the steep learning curve I've embarked on.

Sighz...actually I shouldn't sigh. I should rejoice! Shouldn't it feel great to be on the path of learning again? My memory has kinda improved with the many mental exercises my brain has been through recently..and I should be enjoying the challenging homework that has been posed to me. Classmates have been pretty friendly and nice..although it's a little stressful to know that I'm one of the rare ones in class with no maths and computing background.

I actually miss working...less stressful and there are nice colleagues to chitchat with, not to mention the $$ that goes into my bank account every month =). But it's a choice I've made, and I'm going to try and pull it through. By the way, although it's only been 2 weeks of school, and exams are only 4 weeks away!

But surely with God's grace, I'll manage. It's been a frantic first 2 weeks, but I believe that He will be with me to see me through!

Amazing Singer

Amazing voice.

http://sg.video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=646496&fr=

Maths - Phew

Finally received my maths test result, and I cleared it! PHEW!

Now I'm all cleared to lead a student's life for the next one year. Understand that self-tuition is going to be more effective than sitting through lectures, but will see how.

Not looking forward to the daily 45min drive from East to West. In addition, my hubby has warned me not to speed (arggh...ok ok i'll be a safe driver). But I certainly hope to learn as much as I can, and with the grace of God, hopefully I'll be able to manage the challenging computing and maths subjects.

But its really a load off my shoulders....and its time to just relak and enjoy the rest of my break!

My Flat

I just needed to include the following table reported in the papers yesterday:

Well, it aint everyday that something I do appear in the papers. I have been looking for a place to be near my family (in particular, my granny) and bought a flat not too long ago. Despite it was a corridor unit and had a bit of the west sun, I seriously thought it was a good buy - nice open view, breezy in the evenings, close proximity to train station and other amenities but not noisy, and few structural walls (good for my open concept design)...

But just like the elusive buyer who sent jaws dropping by paying a whopping S$720,000 for a Tiong Bahru flat, my purchase was also reported as the highest price done in my area during 2Q 07 *FAINT*. I count myself as someone pretty shrewd when it comes to $$$$, so I certainly didn't think that my buy would make it to the records. Aiyo..but in retrospect, I think I would still have bought the place, and I consider myself lucky to have confirmed the purchase before property prices spiralled any higher, as it has been for the past few months.

Right now, I'm just looking forward to renovating my place. Still in the midst of choosing an interior designer, and by the looks of it, the decision should be made by end next week! =)

Full details of Straits Times article:

July 19, 2007

Prices at 8 HDB towns up by 5% or more
But second-quarter figures from two agencies show some estates yet to pick up
By Jessica Cheam

THE long dormant public housing market has bounced back with a vengeance, although some areas remain sluggish.
New figures from property agencies show that prices of flats sold in Queenstown, for example, shot up by 11.8 per cent on average in the second quarter over the first quarter.
Another hot spot was the Kallang/Whampoa area, which was in second place with a 10.2 per cent rise.
As many as eight Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates registered quarterly price rises of 5 per cent or more on average.
Prices in Ang Mo Kio, Serangoon and Marine Parade grew by about 7 to 9 per cent. One 116 sq m sea-view flat in Marine Parade sold at a record of $695,000 for the area.
Property agency PropNex's chief executive Mohamed Ismail said the strong upswing in prices was not surprising as many buyers, cash-rich from recent collective sales, were paying premium prices for HDB flats in prime locations, or with good views.
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On the uptrend

Other estates such as Clementi, Bukit Merah, Jurong East and Bishan also posted a healthy growth of about 4 to 6 per cent.
One executive flat in Queenstown sold for $628,000, well above the average of $559,000 for the area.
These figures were released to The Straits Times yesterday by two of the largest property agencies ERA Singapore and PropNex. Both claimed to have a 30 to 40 per cent share of the HDB market.
The agencies say they give a clearer picture of recent HDB price movements.
This follows HDB's unexpected move on Monday to disclose average resale prices and the average cash-over-valuation (COV) - the sum paid over market valuation - of flats by region on its website www.hdb.gov.sg
Property experts expressed misgivings over the HDB figures, which were grouped according to five clusters of towns, instead of individual towns. 'The figures may not be the true reflection of what the current market is willing to pay for specific estates,' said Mr Ismail.
For example, the overall average COV for the West region is $7,400, but in Clementi, the current average market price is $20,000 over valuation, he said.
The property agencies' figures show that some areas are still sluggish. One group of estates, which includes Bedok, the Central area and Geylang, had slower growth at about 1 to 3 per cent. Prices at other towns such as Bukit Batok, Pasir Ris and Yishun hardly moved.
Mr Ismail said this was probably because the 'excitement and price awakening' of the second quarter had not reached the outskirts yet. He expects prices in most HDB towns to move upwards in the third quarter.
One effect of the new statistics released from the agencies and HDB is that they serve as a reality check for sellers currently demanding unreasonably high prices due to 'headline' sales reported in some areas recently, analysts say.
A five-room flat in Bukit Merah, for example, sold for a mind-boggling $720,000 recently. But the average price for such flats is far lower at $467,000.
ERA assistant vice-president Eugene Lim said sales volumes could have been higher if not for flat-owners looking to 'catch on the initial euphoria'.
Buyers and sellers are now beginning to digest the deluge of information. But 'it will take a few weeks for the dust to settle', and for the market to see the real effects, said Mr Lim.
An HDB spokesman said yesterday that it is monitoring the market very closely, and will assess the need to provide such data on a regular basis.

Escape From Hell

Last weekend's Sunday Times printed a story about a North Korean's escape from a concentration camp. My heart was full of angst as I read about the plight of this man. Thankfully he has escaped, but there are still so many other victims who are trapped.

The many centuries that have passed are rifed with the horrifics of war and crime. I still cannot comprehend how can anyone have the heart to torture and hurt another person physically. I ask these questions again: Who gives any man the right to abuse a fellow human? How can a mere human possess the authority to subject anyone to pain and torture for no wrong that he has committed? Even if justice needs to be served, is there anyone who is so perfect and all-knowing that he is qualified to mete out such inhumane punishments?


My take: No one.

Ho Chi Minh (Jun 07)

Whoa, been quite a while since I've blogged. Been busying myself with quite a bit of stuff...meeting interior designers in the evenings, trying to revise my maths, watching Lost 3 =) Ah-ha, this is the first holiday that I am putting on my blog! Hopefully there will be more to come.

Overall feel of Ho Chi Minh is that it is good for shopping and pigging out! But hotel rates are on the pricey-end, considering that the standard of living is not quite high. But what I really like about the place is that it is pretty tourist friendly. There aren't many persistent street peddlers, and its pretty easy to travel within the city by cab. Read on a website that tourists should only take cabs with certain licensed cab companies. I faithfully followed that advice at all times except once, and bingo,the fare meter jumped every other second and I ended up paying an exorbitant amount compared to what I would usually pay...but lucky it was only a short trip.

Despite the unpleasant experience with the cab driver and the hassle of bargaining for my buys...it was a pretty good holiday! The food was excellent, shopping was not bad (except for the hard bargaining part)and I had one of the best spas in my life. A pity I had only 3.5 days, hardly enough to explore and soak in the beautiful country.

Day 1 (15 Jun 07)

Checked into Somerset, a service apartment that is about 10min drive from the city centre. Clean nice apartment, but decor is nothing to shout about...

Since inflight cuisine is never exciting, we were famished...and made the best-est decision to lunch at a local eating place 'Pho Hoa'. I am not a fan of soup noodles, but this shop converted me. The soup was divinely tasty and I slurped up almost every drop of the soup, and gobbled down every piece of that tender beef slices. This is indeed the best Pho in HCM!

After a satisfying lunch, shopping was in the itinerary to burn off some calories. We headed for the famous Ben Thanh market. But my shopping spirits were dampened by the huge amount of haggling required, so I did not buy much.
Since one of my priorities was to tailor an ao dai, I spent quite a fair bit of time instead looking for an ao dai tailor, and eventually chanced upon a lovely seamstress who later sewed me 2 very lovely pieces for a total of about USD70. In my opinion, the pricing is pretty reasonable since these are customised to one's size. During my window shopping, I also came across numerous lovely tailored pieces that could be worn for office. I am now set to go back to Vietnam to tailor business suits in the future =)

During the hunt for the tailor, we came across a girl selling pop-up cards. The cards were so pretty, I could not resist buying some. I actually had the inclination to buy all the cards on display, but I knew my hubby would never agree! So I ended up snapping many shots of the cards.

Dinner came, and again, Vietnamese food was superfabulous. We went to a restaurant that was very popular with the locals - Quan An Ngon. It was supercrowded when we arrived. But I loved the atmosphere...very cosy and the place was filled with little food stalls. You order the food from the waiter, and he would pick it up from these stalls. Unfortunately it was a rainy evening, and although the restaurant used huge canvas sheets to shelter guests from the rain, the sheets were no match. Eventually some of the canvas sheets collapsed at the weight of the rainwater collected above it, and there was quite a scene as the waiters tried to hold up the canvas umbrellas.
The day ended with a spa message at Xuan Spa (Hyatt). One of the best massages I have ever had in my life! The place was also very lovely - the spa was painted in a clean white, and decorated with beautiful paintings of Vietnamese ladies. I am not the arty kind, and hence, possess the lowest level of art appreciation that one can imagine. But the non-artistic me fell in love with the paintings, and got my sturdy Nikon to post them in memory lane (and in this blog of course).



Day 2 (16 Jun 07)

We took a day excursion to Mekong Delta, and visited the floating market, as well as food and pottery factories. As a self-professed shopping queen, I just had to buy something, and set my eyes on a Vietnamese hat. Thought it would really match my ao dai. Lunch included a really interesting dish, called Elephant Ear Fish. Just looking at the photo is making my stomach rumble... These are some shot from the pottery factory. There was a very adorable girl, and I just had to snap some pics of her...

Dinner was at Vietnamese House. As usual, Vietnamese cuisine never fails to disappoint, and we left feeling full and very satisfied.


Day 3 (17 Jun 07)

This was our last full day, we decided that we enjoyed the food at Quan An Ngon so much, we needed to make a 2nd trip back. The restaurant is a perfect spot for lunches, and it looks much prettier in the day with the greenery all around.

After lunch, we made a trip to try on my ao dai. Yep, my first value buy in Vietnam!

Following that, we made a trip to the war museum. The pictures all emitted a common melancholic theme. Learning about the atrocities of the Vietnam war saddened my heart, and I felt dismayed at the extremes that humans can be capable of, and how could anyone have the right to hurt another fellow human being when all our lives are blessings bestowed by God. And I also wondered why did God allow such deeds to take place?

After visiting the museum, there was still some time before dinner. We went to Highland Coffee at Diamond building for some coffee. This coffee joint is the Starbucks equivalent in HCM, and the seamtress had recommended the coffee from this cafe. But we didn't quite like the slightly sourish taste of the coffee, and thought that the coffee we had during our day trip to Mekong Delta tasted much better. Diamond building is probably the most lavish shopping centre in HCM, and this is the place to go for luxury items. The exterior of the building had very pretty motifs such as that below. Across Diamond building is the Notre Dame Cathedral. Certainly not as grand as the original one in Paris, but is one of the prominent structures in HCM. As it was Sunday evening, there was mass and the church grounds were packed with people, including peddlers selling drinks and foodstuff.
Did I not mention the numerous motorbikes in HCM? The number of people on bikes are unbelievable, and it is pretty challenging trying to cross the streets with the heavy traffic.
Last stop for Day 3 was another spa session at Aqua Spa at Sheraton. Decor of the place was not bad, but the massage manages at best a thumbs-down from me. The masseur assigned to me used minimal strength, and she was also totally unattentive - abruptly shifting my feet, hobbling the stones (I opted for a hot stone massage) on the bed so that I felt the vibrations with every throw..sighz, this place is totally not worth remembering, and it was probably one of the worst spa sessions in my life.

Day 4 (18 Jun 07)

On our last day, we made a trip to the backpackers' area. We were scouting for a breakfast place, and chanced upon a café with my name. Ha, with such a meaningful name, I had to make a stop there.

And boy, was it shopping haven! I did not even have to bargain much. The items were very reasonably priced, and it was much more enjoyable shopping there instead of Ben Thanh market. After shopping, it was time to head back to hotel to collect our luggage before returning back to reality in Singapore.