Monday, July 26, 2004

The Met.

The Met - a company to which I contribute a significant amount of my monthly expense to. It provides public transportation in and around the city of Melbourne.
 
Melbourne undeniably has an edge over KL&PJ over public transport. Here, the entire train/tram/bus system is integrated. Of course, in return the fares are considerable if you use it as often as I do. The system is divided into 3 zones, with each zone priced accordingly. One can purchase a 2hour/one trip/daily/weekly/monthly/yearly ticket. A single ticket provides access to the entire network within the zone, which is extremely convenient. Unlike back home, they have this piece of paper called a SCHEDULE, which is adhered too (people actually complain in the papers bout trains being a minute late!) hey I'm happy that at least it shows up.
 
Malaysia really should take a look at how they integrated the transportation system here. In KL (when I talk bout Msia, I mean KL/PJ areas), a rather dismal effort to integrate the system seems to be ongoing. (*ongoing* = *going..going..gone...*). When the Monorail services were launched, I was happily thinking that travelling to the city via public transport was going to be less tedious. On the contrary, its seems to makan up more costs. Going to Bukit Bintang starts with a trip on the LRT (2.20 one way if I'm not mistaken) plus a change to the Monorail (2.10 one way). Btw this amount disregards the costs of getting to&fro the LRT station. Per pax this totals up to 6.60RM return. In Melb, I'd pay 5.80 (think dollar to dollar in this instance) for unlimited travel within zone1, which will get me from the city to where I leave, to near Clayton, an approximate 20odd km away (?). It gets even cheaper if I'm on a weekly/mthly ticket. Cars are cheap here, though petrol and parking isn't. So many people rely on the Met to get around, which seems *terbalik* in KL's situation where the number of cars are increasingly out of proportion with the number of highways built. Building more highways will help to a certain extent, but how long before land runs out esp in the Klang Valley? From personal experience, it is already evident in the LDP, where they simply have no space to expand the current highway. The spine of the highway consists of a few lanes, with interchanges seemingly added on only as an afterthought. When oh when is the govt gonna figure things out??
 
On other stuff, last week was the first week of uni where some societies set up recruitment booths. Being Malaysian, I dutifully joined the Malaysian Students Society/Org. Paid 7AUD only to receive a little piece of cardboard measuring probably 5*4cm with my name imprinted over a *liquid-papered* mark. Such a dismal-looking piece of work! Aihh..dah takde patriotism le..(disregard that last sentence I still love my country regardless)
 

Monday, July 19, 2004

A good meal, Healesville, St Kilda etc..

Omigosh can't believe I forgot to mention it in the previous post. Thanks to *Wong si-fu* I had the privilege of enjoying a very grand dinner a coupla days ago. =) Thanks for the invite HauWei!
 
Now, to the beginning of my ramble; Friday last week, as Monash's Big Day Out program, we went to Healesville Sanctuary up in the mountains. Happily my campus was more than adequately represented in the entourage of 3 buses plus a small coach. Its a full day trip. Left campus in the morning, and stopped by Olinda first, a small place (not exactly a town, since its so small) up the mountains. Olinda's pretty quaint. The wind that day was rather extreme, gusts blowing non-stop, so you can imagine how cold it was up there. We ended up hanging out at this warm cafe. By we, it means the bunch of us who transferred/exchanged over, plus Bernard plus Lina.
 

*not everyone's in the pic.
 
After that was off to the lookout point, where one can experience a great view of the city of Melbourne in the distance. Although beautiful, the wind was so strong till I could hardly appreciate anything hahh..Next stop was the Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary. Umm not too much to describe, 'cept that we saw most of the animals there, all the *must-see* Aussie animals ie koala, kangaroos, wallabies, platypus, Tasmanian devil etc..Interesting to see their conservation efforts..haven't developed my pics yet so no pics of that at the moment. Most of the animals seemed lethargic, prob because of the weather. Oh, except for the Taz devil, which kept running around its little island in circles. They even set up an electric fence around its enclosure..come to think about it, it looks like half a pig actually..
 

*finally the koala awakens from its deep slumber (pic courtesy of Bernard)
 
At 5 we all went to the Healesville Town hall to have our night of fun! Dinner plus bush dance was the programme of the night. Thoroughly enjoyed it, as almost everybody participated in the dances. Maybe our mentality does change when we're in a different country..the band introduced many dances, made myself giddy by spinning round and round and round =) 
 
Next up- yesterday after church we decided to visit St Kilda, which is just a tram ride away from the city (sigh the wonders of modern transportation). FYI St Kilda's one of the beaches in Melb. By the time we arrived, poor Tuck Him and Bernard had already been freezing for 2 hours while waiting for us hahhha..did the usual, walked the pier, the beach plus the many cafes there. You can actually see sunset from there, but it was too cloudy. We in our moment of madness went to buy cakes and walked to the pier to enjoy them. By then our hands were mostly numb in the wind, plus our faces, plus our tongues..you get the idea. Another wacky idea was to next wait till dusk and hope to spot some penguins (yes, I know what you're thinking right now - penguins in St Kilda??). Bernard said he'd heard them before, but hadn't seen any. All the way to the end of the pier, a local told us she hadn't seen any before. But just before we were about to give up, we spotted one! Me being sceptical thought it was a sea gull/duck. But clearly before us hopping about the rocks was a little penguin =P Too bad I didn't have my camera with me..our super chilling few hours there was meaningful at last - seriously it was very very very cold by the sea..according to TuckHim it was 4degrees min, and when the wind blows it feels like 1degree..
 
hmm, today. Today was good too. Good food I mean. Almost everyone knows I can hardly cook. Funny how most guys I know can cook..? (Don't kacau me Sam I know you can cook too). Bernard came over just now and cooked lunch, which tasted great. This means I've got another *si-fu* to learn from!
 
The pic below shows how dark Melbourne is by 5plus pm..

 

Monday, July 12, 2004

Settled down partially.

Yups I've moved to my own place. That was last week. Haven't had any opportunity to get online for a week. I'm now staying 2 train stops away from campus, only bout 5 minutes away..Its a big old house, built in 1873. I found a few paragraphs on the history of the house. Shall post it sometime..interesting stuff.. I've got my own room, which is fairly large =) on the 1st floor. Shall post some pics soon. With me are 3 other uni mates, the few things bugging me a little now include: no internet, no phone, no ESPN/TVB series. First 2 still can settle, but the 3rd!! Arghh when football season begins in August, I'll miss it more!!

Hahha so melodramatic right? Anyways I've gotten used to the weird weather here. Besides the cold (hey its winter after all), it rains on and off, sunny on and off too..Things are abit quiet here. Since I can't load any series now, shall have to go find HauWei and load from his supply instead!

Hmm speaking about him, we had a pretty interesting meeting coupla days back. I expected to see him, CheeSiang, Siew Weng and Cindy. Ended up we became a fellowship of 7, plus I Lin and Soon Yeow who were in Melb as well..went to Chadstone awhile too. Oyah, I'm staying 15 minutes walk from Chadstone Shopping Centre, "largest in the Southern Hemisphere" - thats what the Aussies always mention. Wait till they see OneUtama and MidValley back home!

I'm actually at campus now..having some problems with enrolment due to the nature of our transfer. Next week's the beginning of lectures but they haven't sorted out my units yet.. =( Today's the beginning of orientation week. Last year, what we went through was just a morning full of talks. This time around, there're more activities. Went on the city tour just now, visited the Shrine of Remembrance (grand and dignified IMO), Rialto Tower (went up to the 55th flr observation deck), and around the city. There are a few major parks around, which I resolve to make time to visit, plus the botanical gardens and the art galleries...Oh, did I mention the weather today? Dreary and an almost non-stop drizzle. What a bad time to be touring...Will be going to the Healesville Sanctuary as part of Monash's Big Day Out this week. Hopefully will get some pics up soon..

Ohmygoodness this post's so messy, rambling all over the place..

Anyways, had an insight-filled conversation yesterday night after dinner. Sometimes, its funny how things happen. To quote someone - the world's so small, our God so big..

Sunday, July 04, 2004

My first week almost done

Am now in Clayton where it's windier than the city and much darker. Hogging a friend's comp now..will be staying coupla days at another's friend room at the next stairway. They have this network among the residential blocks. (Actually its more like a huge pirated network!!) Which means I get to watch Star Wars for the umpteenth time (ROTJ and Empire strikes back)!!!

Melbourne so far has been...
*pretty expensive, if compared with home. Standard of living is probably near double what we're used to (again depending on personal living tastes/choices), and I'm talking bout prices even before converting to RM. Have gotten some clothes needed. Most are on sale, but one would be surprised to note that things in the same chain of supermarket costs different in city and in suburbs. Surburbs obviously cheaper. Haven't settled on accomodation yet, though will prob take a place near campus, which I've already viewed.

*pretty slow, the way they do things. It'll take at least a week to get my ATM card. Banks work 9-5pm. Everywhere else too. By 5 most places are closed. It gets dark really early. 5pm here looks like 9pm back home. When I was here first coupla days, kept having dinner at 4pm-5plus pm..

*pretty cold. It seems colder in Caulfield and Clayton. Taking showers are the worse. plus skin getting so dry..

I've been doing much walking around the few main streets. Will be hoping to get my place soon, though its now hardly possible cos my ideal place'll only be available almost end of the mth. Might wait for it though, just the problem of temp accomodation
=(

**my goodness, yesterday night something went "ting" in my head. I think I saw someone I knew a coupla days ago. I just recalled who I believed it was. Its just been too long since I saw him, so not too sure. But if it was, really, such a small world!

Thursday, July 01, 2004

Day 3 - Melbourne

Haven't been doing much these few days, went walking round city central ie Swanston, Flinders etc. Yesterday walked all the way up to Melb Central and was somewhere near Federation Sq. Didn't bring my tripod and so couldn't take pics properly..

Donno whats with me today, misplaced a coupla copies of some important documents (fortunately they're only copies!) and just a coupla hours ago lost my gloves. Thought I left it in Donald's car but somehow it wasn't there...? as if it disappeared or something, both of 'em.. Sobb my hands get cold very quickly, so I guess tmrw gotta get another pair.

Today..hmm..kinda weird. Someone who's usually punctual, made me wait more than an hour outside Nike Melbourne ahahhah you know who you are ya..Coupla of us went for lunch at Wing Loong's at Chinatown (2nd time I'm there). One portion of fried rice there looks as if they heaped 3 cups of rice on that plate. Nah I tried something else. But certainly its worth the $6 one pays.

Oh, did I mention practically all the shops are on sale now?? =) Not that I shop much, but they do have much more choice in terms of clothing such as jeans and jackets etc. Bought a proper jacket for $30 and some other stuff (not alot le)..Mindset is still in the *Malaysian* mode where one tends to convert prices into ringgit.

Today seemed to be a day of *waiting*..Late afternoon waited more than a half hour for weekee yuanmeng waikuin and donald. BUT finally tried gelati. I use *finally* cos everyone who comes back insists I have to try that..Nice, 3 scoops for $3.50 for yummy ice cream! After all the tales bout people piling on the pounds in Aus, I have to watch out too =P better follow gillian to gym more often!

Been bumming around (but walking alot - from city to Gillian's place is bout 40 minutes walk minimum) these few days, so from tomorrow onwards have to start settling my stuff. Prob will go take a look at my campus tomorrow, and complete the essentials. I haven't gotten a phone yet, so will email/sms you people with my number when I get it.

Tonight Euro2004 semi final: Portugal v Netherlands. Sigh I SO wanna watch that, but its only on cable I think..I miss live football!!