Innumerabilis

Jed came over for a few days from the US, so we had another CMB Gathering. Darran joined us for the first time too!

Group Photo.

Yeah he’s crazy like that.

Tice Eco Camp 09 was held from 12 – 15 June 09. This year’s theme was the Reefs, the Sea Stars and the Sotongs, and the host was NIE. As part of the welcome package we got a nice dri-fit cartoon Tice T-shirt, a bandana and a BP Science series book. You know, those “A guide to the endangered species of Singapore” genre.

I decided to go, basically because I thought I’d be pretty free during the holidays. I’ve no regrets going, but not for la raison écologique. It’s because they have very good food! The NTU hostels were undergoing renovations for the YOG 2010, so we had to sleep in the NIE Student Centre (which was absolutely freezing at night) and shower at their SRC. “To make up for the inconvenience”, the managing committee splashed out on food (about $3k), and I can easily believe that – from the buffet meals, bbq dinner at Sentosa and packed breakfasts, it was good food and more good food. They should just rename this FoodFest. (=

The highlight of the trip was a visit to Chek Jawa, followed by games at Sentosa. It was chartered buses to and fro, and I really wonder how much money was splashed out. There was a presentation on saving Pulau Ecosia (a fictitious island with a mangrove, turtle nesting site, forest, lake and village), and to our surprise we got 3rd prize. It was literally a surprise because while other groups were planning and discussing from day 1, we slacked and played cards, and only started working at the very night. There’s nothing like desperation to get the brain juices flowing, but I can’t help feeling sorry for those who put in 10x more effort and still scored less than us.

So yeah, I’m happy we won 3rd prize ($100 in Swensen’s vouchers) while putting in minimal effort, very happy about the good food, and the people I met there (though 3 days is much too short a time to really get to know anyone).

Some pics:

Beautiful picture of Chek Jawa.

Attap seeds, where the attap chee in ice kacang comes from! It was my first time seeing it in it’s natural form, I must admit.

Surprisingly there’s a colonial era bungalow at Chek Jawa. It was a summer home for some British official.

What’s the use of a fireplace in Singapore?

Group picture of the puffer fish! The two in front are just extras…

We got up at 5.30am today to watch the sunrise. We climbed up Mathanga Hill, and I was huffing and puffing by the time we reached the top. Unfortunately it was too cloudy to catch the sunrise, but the panaromic view was spectacular.

View from the top of Mathanga Hill.

The monkey and me at the top of Mathanga Hill.

In the late morning till afternoon, it was a tour of other temples in an autorickshaw.

A stone chariot.

Carving of a Chinese. This shows that there were traders way back when this monument was built.

This one is of a Mongolian.

In front of a gigantic statue of Ganesha. About 2.7m tall.

On top of the steps at a ruin.

A huge statue of Hanuman.

At the Mango Tree restaurant. It is so out of the way from Hampi Bazaar that if it wasn’t recommended in the Lonely Planet, there probably wouldn’t be many people there. As it is, though, there were lots of tourists there today.

After a 9 hour bus ride (550 Rupees) which alternated between freezing (when the bus was moving) and stuffy (when it stops), we arrived in Hampi. Today is rest day, we’ll only visit the temples and boulders and famous monuments tomorrow.

The view from the hotel’s rooftop in Hampi.

Also from the rooftop, with the famous boulders in the backdrop.

“Pizza” with chappati base!

Arrival at Bangalore Airport

Statue of Queen Victoria in Bangalore, outside a park which locals call “The Rock” because of a rock formation jutting out in the middle of the park.

Self-Explanatory. The alphabet is Kannada.

Supposed to be modelled after Windsor Palace, built during the colonial times. Now a state administrative office, and we couldn’t go in.

ISKCON temple, one of the biggest Hindu temple in Bangalore. No photo-taking inside, so there’s only pictures of the façade.

Fruit Store along Mahamat Gandhi road, the Orchard Road of Bangalore.

Old part of Bangalore.

MG Road has some buildings with interesting architecture.

Bangalore at night, near the Bus Station (Majestic Area)

Yep, I’m going to India from 11 to 25 May 09. It seems that almost everyone needs a visa to enter India. I got mine done at Mustafa Travel, it cost me $59. Exciting times! I mean, India!  Très exotique!

Indian Visa

Departure at Changi Budget Terminal

I have previously blogged about Ridge View Residence here and here.

Time really flies, and today’s my last day at RVR. In a sense I’m sad because it represents the end of another year at NUS, and I’m one step closer to graduation and the working world. Also, it was only during these 2 weeks of pre-exam mugging where I saw my roommate everyday that I really get to know him; the past year was spent with 4 days in school and 3 days at home, and it was kind of a hi-and-bye affair.

This isn’t the end, because I’m going back to RVR for one more sem. Apparently there’s this new ruling that you can’t get into a hall without any hall points, which is totally ridiculous because you can’t get any hall points without being in a hall! This is just going to make halls totally insular, with no fresh blood.

Why do we love putting pics of our rooms?

My roomie and me.

The kitchen of Blk E. It is usually so dirty that I don’t like to take water from there, let alone cook there!

Not to mention, there are lots of thieving going around. Here are some samples of notes written by angry victims: