Back in London

Finally after 14 hours in the air and catching up on some rare flight sleep (and in the process, missed some nice movies), we are finally back in London.

No sooner have we arrived back @ Boardwalk Place, Miss Wee engaged in her favourite hobby - all hidden under the blanket and pillows! Another hour before the work day starts, time to do some unpacking.

One more day... but not without meeting a close brother...

All good things must come to an end, never mind even if it's expected. This CNY trip has been particularly rewarding as I managed to catch up with close relatives and friends that I have not met for a long time. And rewarding for the local retail outlets as well as we must have spent a few S$k here.

Met Weifu and Merlin for lunch at Ivin's today. Jeiel (as everyone has already said) is really cute (handsome), very quiet (steady) and obedient (no crybaby). I can only wish that my kids (note the emphasis on the "s") will turn out to be like him. Weifu and Merlin shared that they have been praying for the unborn Jeiel at the start of the pregnancy and it's truly amazing to see how God works in the life of this baby boy. I then had the chance to meet up with Pastor Roland and Chun Mei and blimey, have they not looked a day older. Pastor Roland is indeed the "lao hero"! Roland and Chun Mei, along with Andy, have been instrumental in bringing me back to church. Seeing them and sharing with them about my time in London and various prayer needs reminded me of the good old days in CFCC. Weifu topped it by praying for me just before I left them.

For many of us who know Weifu/Merlin at the onset of their courtship, to their wedding (I was the driver!) and now seeing them as proud parents of a healthy boy, we can only give thanks to God for the many amazing things that happened and will happen in their lives. Their lives have impacted me and I am sure many can testify how their's have impacted the many.

It's 23 hours to departure and how fast the 14 nights have gone. Will really miss seeing my parents and sister and my relatives. I have never missed my parents so much and this time away has actually brought me closer to them and wanting the best for them. Xueyan no doubt will feel the same with her family. Hearing my mum say "it's good for your career to stay in London for a few more years" is especially touching since my sister shared that my mum misses me a lot while I was away. Putting my career above her personal feelings. Indeed the best mother in the world and I will not exchange this mother-son relationship for anything.

Will not be blogging until I reach London as I intend to share more time with my family. The next few months will pass by very fast and, God-willing, we will be back before the next CNY!

I went, hoping for a chance to talk...

... but, as the wise man says, opportunity doesn't come by twice.

Surprise them!

I was looking at Eliza's blog when I chanced upon http://jonoandsandra.multiply.com/, Jono and Sandra's blog. Interesting read! This further proves that blogs are not just for "kids". Sandra also has her own food blog (http://gagamama.multiply.com/).

Go, leave your mark and surprise them!

Counting down the days...

It has been more than a week since we returned to Singapore. I remembered counting down the number of nights I will get to sleep on my comfortable Four Stars bed when I was back in Singapore last Oct. And as of tonight, it's five. A sad, miserable five.

This trip has been a different experience to the last as it's 1) longer 2) CNY and 3) not being away for a long time (only 4 months since we last returned). Other than seeing relatives and collecting ang pows, time was spent catching up with childhood friends (i.e more than 10 years which implies I am either old or we have known one another for a long time.

Interestingly, the topic has now shifted to buying/renovating a flat as compared to which football player is better, location and housing loan amount as compared to the latest movie. I have a group of close mates from VS/VJC (about 12-13) and half are already married with 2-3 more getting married in the next one year. Guess time is calling on us and I can't help but feel my singlehood is entering the sunset industry stage.

The next few days look busy as I look forward to catching up with former KPMG colleagues (can't wait to catch up with Shoops/Peter/PP/Serene/Winston/Amy etc). I know the 5 nights are going to go by like a breeze. I am already planning our next trip back in the second half of 2007. Looks like Andy's marriage in early October provides a good excuse!

It did snow!

Amazing and this time worse than the snowing 2 weeks back. A mate's flight from Stansted to Rome got cancelled. Enjoy the pictures. Freezing!

The marina outside our estate

At the carpark

Xueyan outside our apartment

Something Ching can't understand...

Can someone explain to her?

Will we see snow tomorrow?

For most who have seen snowfall before, this is hardly exciting. Then again, London hardly experienced snow and it is actually quite thrilling to see that on way to work. It's close to freezing temperature today and the forecast is -2 degrees tomorrow.

Since I am not going to work until 10am, guess I will open up the curtain, make myself a hot cup of milo and enjoy the falling flakes.

England braced for heavy snowfall

Snow fell across the South East, including Brighton, during January. England is bracing itself for wintry weather with a blanket of snow forecast to fall across much of the country.

The North East experienced light snowfall on Wednesday morning, but up to 6ins (15cm) of snow was expected to fall later in a number of regions.

The worst-hit areas are expected to be hilly parts of the Midlands, such as the Cotswolds, with East Anglia and the south of England also expecting snow.

The Highways Agency said it had 400 salt-spreading vehicles on standby.

It said England's motorways and major A-roads would be treated with salt before the snow arrived, while work to treat and clear the roads would continue throughout the cold snap.

Racing off

Early snow in the North East was worst in coastal areas, with a light coating in Newcastle.
Horse racing meetings at Carlisle and Ludlow were called off because of frost.

Bob Davies, clerk of the course at Ludlow, said: "It went down to -10C (14F) and we have got frost an inch-and-a-half (3.8cm) into the ground."

The Met Office issued a warning of heavy snow spreading north east across England on Wednesday night, extending across the Midlands, London, the South East and East Anglia during Thursday morning.

Driving warning

While people in the Midlands were warned to expect up to 6ins (15cm) of snow, the Met Office said London and the South East could see up to 2ins (5cm) by Thursday morning's rush hour.

The Highways Agency has warned against driving in the snow unless a journey is essential and urged drivers to listen to travel bulletins while on the road and make sure they are prepared with items such as warm clothes, food, water, boots, de-icer, a torch and a spade.

Network Rail said railway lines in Kent and Sussex were most vulnerable to snow and ice because they take their power from the rails rather than overhead lines.

The South East and parts of northern and eastern England were hit by snow in mid-January.

Bookmakers Ladbrokes has offered odds of 6/1 that snow will fall in London on Valentine's Day - next Wednesday.

BBC

Price of studying

"The benefits of studying are limitless and priceless", that's what my parents used to say. Well, now you can put a value to it. In a certain sense.

Degree adds 160,000 pounds to lifetime earnings

LONDON - A university degree adds an average 160,000 pounds to an individual's lifetime earnings compared to people whose education finished at A-level, a study said on Wednesday.
Medical graduates can expect the largest boost to their income, earning an additional 340,000 pounds before tax over their career, said the report conducted for the vice-chancellors' body Universities UK.

Graduates in engineering, sciences and maths enjoy the next highest increase, of around 240,000 pounds, said the study, prepared by accountants PriceWaterhouseCoopers and consultancy London Economics.

Men from lower socio-economic groups who earn degrees gain the greatest financial benefit compared to men from similar backgrounds who do not attend university.

The study also found that the massive expansion in university students over the past 15 years had not eroded the so-called "graduate premium".

It said this was because demand for people with university qualifications had increased in line with the supply of graduates.

"Higher education is still clearly a worthwhile investment for the individual," said Universities UK Chief Executive Diana Warwick.

The study challenges concerns that rises in student fees in England have reduced the financial benefit of a degree.

It calculated that students were actually slightly better off, in part because they no longer have to pay tuition fees up front. (Reuters, 7 Feb)

While £160,000 (S$480,000) looks significant, an average worker's career lifespan approximates 35 to 40 years. On that note, having a degree adds less than £400 to one's monthly salary. Premium of having a degree?

Most people have degrees nowadays and, I think, no longer gives an edge over non-graduates. Ever since I started working in the banking market, I could see that it's MBAs that are a lot more valuable as the MBA graduates tend to get hired in Front Office (where the moolah is).

My MSc course at Imperial College costs £22,000 (excluding books). Investing that in a fixed deposit at 6% a year will get me £120,000. That means I only get a net £40k benefit over 35 years. Worth it? It has been more than 3 months since I stopped studying. Maybe it is time to dust off the covers and start "burning the midnight oil" again.

Back from Hamburg/Lubeck

What a tiring trip. Just got back 30 minutes ago and Xueyan obviously got a cold from the wintry weather in Hamburg/Lubeck. Quite a nice town for a weekend getaway. A pity the sun wasn't around to meet us.

Remembering NS after 10 years...

I was looking for the theme song of former NS brigade when I came across the following ads (not exactly) which had me in stitches. My British colleagues obviously couldn't quite understand why I was laughing with tears. It has been 10 years since I went into the army and blimey it was certainly an interesting adventure. In retrospect very funny. And totally a waste of time.

Elephant in the Way

Crooked Cashley Cole

I do not believe in karma but I can't help but felt some of it in Mr Cashley Cole.

Cole's season not over despite knee injury

Chelsea expect Ashley Cole to play again this season after the England international defender was diagnosed with posterior cruciate ligament damage.

The left-back was injured during last night's Barclays Premiership clash with Blackburn when he twisted his left knee - and it was feared he may be ruled out for the remainder of the campaign.

However, a scan has revealed the 26-year-old does not require surgery - and the club's official website tonight said he is expected to feature again this season for the Blues.

However, the player is almost certainly out of the England squad for next week's international with Spain at Old Trafford.

Cole was carried off on a stretcher during the second half of Chelsea's 3-0 victory last night.

The former Arsenal defender trapped his studs in the turf as he attempted to control the ball and went down in agony clutching his left knee.

Cashley Cole was one of my favourite Arsenal (now ex) players until he moved across the city to join the Russian revolution - Chelski. Whether it's for money or motivation, I no longer care cos it's history and he's history. I dun feel at all sad for him and I know how terrible knee injuries can be, more so a professional (since I have had knee reconstruction surgeries on BOTH knees). Is this case of posterior knee ligament injury some justice for Gooners?

Congrats to the Lions but...

... how on earth can this happen?

Shambolic scenes overshadow Asean final

Singapore beat Thailand 2-1 on Wednesday but the first leg of the Asean football final was overshadowed by shambolic scenes when the Thai team walked off the pitch for 15 minutes.

In a fiery contest, a dubious penalty decision eight minutes from time sparked the walkout that showcased the worst of Southeast Asian football.

Noh Alam Shah was adjudged by Malaysian referee C. Ravichandran to have been pulled down by Thai centre-back Niweat Siriwong but the Thais were not ready to accept the decision.

After manhandling the referee the team stormed off the pitch and refused to return until Asean football officials persuaded them to get on with the match after holding it up for 15 minutes.

Mustafic Fahrudin calmly converted the spot kick to hand the defending champions their first victory over Thailand on home soil for almost 30 years and a psychological boost ahead of the return leg in Bangkok on Sunday.

It capped a frantic and scrappy match, with just one shot on target in the first half.

It came from Singapore who shocked Thailand by prising open their defence against the run of play to take the lead in the 17th minute.

Indra Shadan Daud picked up the ball on the edge of the box and had two stabs at goal, which were both blocked by the Thai defence.

The ball bounced to Fahrudin whose shot landed at the feet of Shah who swivelled and let rip from 10 yards with a left foot rocket that Thai goalkeeper Kittisak Rawangpa flayed at but missed.

It was Shah's 10th goal of the tournament, built on the back of his seven goal haul against Laos in the group stages, and he was ecstatic, gesturing to the 55,000-strong crowd to get behind the team.

Fired up, Singapore played a physical game and at times it was brutal.

Four yellow cards were brandished in the first period, and seven in the match, with both sides fortunate that the referee didn't get out the red as dangerous tackles came thick and fast.

Thailand came out in the second half a different team, immediately pressing on the attack, and scored with their first sniff of goal four minutes after the break.

Striker Pipat Thonkanya picked up a ball slotted through the Singapore defence after a midfield blunder and calmly rounded goalkeeper Lionel Lewis to roll the ball home for the equaliser.

Pipat had another chance four minutes later after some sloppy Singapore defending but lashed his shot high and wide from just inside the penalty area.

Thailand could sense victory as the home side lost their composure and they were unlucky not to score before the penalty decision that brought the game to a standstill. - AFP

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It's probably very easy to say the Thais were big losers, but I guess that is the harsh reality. An ever-present in Asean cup finals and undisputed soccer champion. This defeat is probably hard to take, especially on away grounds. Not to mention, Thailand survived a tumultuous 2006 with a political coup, upheaval in the equity market, social/economic uproar over Shin Corp. This defeat might just have broke the camel's back.

A New Wonder

For the last 15 months, we have struggled with watching TV programmes. Back home i.e. Singapore, my place was wired up with Starhub Cable TV. Many channels with unlimited programmes especially soccer meant I could spend hours in front of the TV and not get bored. This until London.

There are basically 4-5 BBC channels for non-cable subscribers. BBC, being BBC, was a bore. Initially the international news and documentaries were pretty interesting, but as a seasoned potato couch, that is never good enough. Cable TV is also pretty expensive(£50+) and does not carry our much-missed Hong Kong series. Despair and sorrow sets in... until we discovered....


Basically, SoP is abbreviation for Streaming over P2P. Sopcast is the Streaming Direct Broadcast System based on P2P. The core is the communication protocol produced by Sopcast Team, which is named Sop://, or sop technology. Their goal is to let everyone in the world have a chance to set up their own on-line media world.

With this, I was able to catch Arsenal vs Bolton live on ESPNStar Sports or watch Phoenix TV or Star Movies. Folks back home probably will not appreciate this that much given the overwhelming number of shows available on Starhub and, more importantly, live soccer games.

Have a try and you might be able to catch some UK shows!

A Game of Two Halves

I snapped this on the way to church this morning. No idea what statue this is, other than it being behind Westminister Abbey. We were late for church but I can't resist shooting this. Especially since sun's a premium in London these days. Kiah Ngee was due to travel to Tokyo in the afternoon so we missed the weekly ride. And as usual we were late (Ms Wee refused to wake up until I have showered which is a little silly since I have my own toilet and she has hers).

The CG was scheduled for catering duties today. I was totally mad as we were supposed to sell coupons to the church members queueing up to buy lunch boxes (£2.5 which is pretty decent). Yet some members were going straight into the kitchen for their own personal transactions. I spoke aloud, saying why are there two queues and why wouldn't people following the correct queue? Some had the audacity to say that they are church staff and need to buy for others. Blimey, din know we have 60+ church staff.

Back to the subject title, bogey team Bolton managed another "victory" against Arsenal; this time playing to a 1-1 draw in the FA Cup. The Gunners couldn't cope with the physical play and aerial bombardment for the first half, and, unsurprisingly, fell behind to a Kevin Nolan's goal shortly after the break. Toure's equaliser was particularly sweet and the endless attacks on the Bolton defence cannot yield another goal. If only Arsenal plays like that in the first half. Cesc, as usual, has a fab game. Too bad, another energy-sapping game at the Reebok. This time, I will be praying for two good halves.

Blood on our hands?

Just came back from watching "Blood Diamonds", the show starring Leonardo DiCarpio and Jennifer Connelly. It's a show, as aptly titled, about conflict diamonds and how the money generated by the mining, export and sale of such diamonds are used to fund civil wars in Africa.

I have heard/read about this before but had not paid much attention to it. Diamond is a gal's best friend and a wallet's worst. I have brought rings and necklaces before yet I have never considered the possibility of them having "blood". I did a search on certain jewellery shops and, phew, that they are conflict-free.

As much as the show was about diamonds and how people were going around killing their own people (of the same nationalities and colour), I was particularly disturbed by what Leo said in the middle of the show. He was with Jennifer and, with a bottle in his hand, said:

"Will God ever forgive us for doing this (ie the killing) to one another?" He paused and said
"No, He has forsaken this place a long time ago".

Will a great and mighty God, so full of love that He gave His only Son to die for us, do that? On the contrary, it's the evilness in Man and the pursuit of power and the lust for material, temporal things that drive all these insane behaviour.

God is around and watching and, probably, weeping at His Creation. And He knows He gave us a choice - to choose His ways or ours. And for most of us, and more often than not, it's the latter.

The KPMG Way(ang?)

The KPMG Way defines our common purpose and reflects what we stand for and what it means in practice, namely that we are:
Professional. We are knowledgeable, act with integrity, and strive to provide services to the highest professional standards at all times.
Understanding. We develop strong, enduring, and independent working relationships with our clients, both as individuals and as teams.
Challenging. We proactively seek to establish the facts and apply judgment, in order to provide insightful advice.
Successful. We recruit and develop some of the best people and demand the highest standards of performance for our clients and for KPMG.

------------------------------------------------

This came just when I was about to leave KPMG. A very idealistic but proactive move towards creating a perfect working environment for KPMG staff. Recently an email went around the small city of Singapore of an ex-KPMG auditor complaining to the Head of HR regarding certain instances of ill-treatment resulting in his/her eventual departure after only half a year in KPMG Singapore. The actual email is not posted here because:

1. Contents have not been verified;
2. Should remain P&C (even though it was forwarded by a KPMG staff); and
3. Bias as it came only from the ex-auditor.
   

Amongst the grievances:

1. Lack of guidance given by seniors;
2. Verbal and emotional abuse;
3. Late hours; and
4. Lack of empathy demonstrated by superiors.

The most worrying thing (for me) regarding the email, however, was not the difficult circumstances he/she was in BUT how it relates completely to my situation back in KPMG Singapore. I remember:

1. Working the first weekend I joined KPMG;
2. Spending National Day, Hari Raya, CNY in office;
3. Spending two nights and sleeping on the carpet at the client's place; and
4. Working virtually 18-hours weeks for a good part of the year.

However I do not remember having any desire to pen such a letter. In fact, I had excellent memories of my time in the firm. Seeing many of my colleagues "fighting" alongside me during those late hours, seeing the satisfied faces of my audit clients and having long lunches/coffee breaks bitching about our managers (who are still around). Yet, I asked myself, am I guilty of those charges brought by the ex-auditor? I do remember the insane deadlines and having to leave my juniors to fend for myself while I fend off the managers and clients. Did they ever feel the same and not complain because I was too oppressive? Did I drive them to insane hours causing them to age?

Perhaps these are questions I can never get answers. Hopefully I have been good. =)

Rude awakening!

Woke up this morning feeling extremely chilly. Thought it was due to the cold wind coming in from the window I left open last night. Little did I know I was in for a freezing shock.

It hasn't snowed in ages (not least in the 14 months I was here). Little wonder Arctic temperature was predicted. Gosh, time to layer.

I hope that's not Meng Yang's car

Life in UK - The Ant and the Grasshopper

CLASSIC VERSION: The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks he's a fool, and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the Ant is warm and well fed. The shivering grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold. THE END.

UK VERSION: The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks he's a fool, and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed. So far, so good, eh?

The shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others less fortunate, like him, are cold and starving. The BBC shows up to provide live coverage of the shivering grasshopper, with cuts to a video of the ant in his comfortable warm home in Hampstead with a table laden with food.

The British are stunned that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so while others have plenty. The BH-Liberal Party, the Respect Party, the Transvestites With Starving Babies Party, the Single L£sbian One Eyed Mothers Party and the Coalition Against Poverty demonstrate in front of the ant's house. The BBC, interrupting a Rastafarian cultural festival special from Grimsby with breaking news, broadcasts them singing "We Shall Overcome." Ken Livingstone laments in an interview with Panorama that the ant has got rich off the backs of grasshoppers, and calls for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his "fair share".

In response, the Labour Government drafts the Economic Equity and Grasshopper Anti-Discrimination Act, retroactive to the beginning of the summer. The ant's taxes are reassessed, and he is also fined for failing to Hire grasshoppers as helpers. Without enough money to pay the fine and his newly imposed retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by Camden Council.

The ant moves to France, and starts a successful AgriBiz company [funded by the EU] (although within weeks, his business is threatened with Compulsory purchase by the state unless he marries a French ant). The BBC later shows the now fat grasshopper finishing up the last of the ant's food, though Spring is still months away, while the government house he is in, which just happens to be the ant's old house, crumbles around him because he hasn't bothered to maintain it.

Inadequate government funding is blamed, Diane Abbot is appointed to head a commission of enquiry that will cost GBP10,000,000. The grasshopper is soon dead of a drug overdose, the Guardian blames it on the obvious failure of government to address the root causes of despair arising from social inequity. The abandoned house is taken over by a Gang of immigrant spiders, praised by the government for enriching Britain's multicultural diversity, who promptly set up a marijuana growing Operations and terrorize the community. THE END.

Won the battle, Lost the war

Apart from the opening 10 minutes, Arsenal totally overwhelmed Manure. 2-1 looks tight (especially an injury time winner) but there's no denying Arsenal was, clearly, the better side. Rooney's theatrics and Ronaldo's time-wasting tactics were shameful and takes away the shine from the huge potential and match-winning abilities.
As said, Arsenal is probably not going to win the League after league defeats at Bolton and Newcastle and the inability to win while clearly on top (at home to Newcastle). This win, however, got us bragging rights and, more importantly, a greater sense of self-belief. A group of up-and-coming players against has-beens.
Opening up the title race and ensuring an exciting finale isn't of interest to me since Arsenal is not longer to be in it (I am a realist). The Champions League is of utmost importance, giving the tottering south London neighbours a stuffing comes a close second.
If Arsenal can win the CL and FA Cup, it may well be a dream come true.

7 hours to reality...

The buzz and adrenaline has yet to set in, despite the game being less than 7 hours away. Looking outside, the weather looks very good. None of the hurriance-strong winds that have been hitting London. Emirates has not had a memorable game to date, a fortess that has been built but not feared.

Here's how I think the teams will line up (and the stronger of the two).

Lehmann - Van der Sar (Lehmann)
Hoyte - Neville (Neville)
Toure - Vidic (Toure)
Senderos - Ferdinand (Ferdinand)
Clichy - Evra (Evra)
Rosicky -Ronaldo (Ronaldo)
Helb - Giggs (Giggs)
Flamini -Carrick (Carrick)
Cesc -Scholes (Cesc)
Henry -Saha (Henry)
Van Persie -Rooney (Rooney)

7-4 in favour of Manure. Man-for-man, Arsenal does look the weaker side since we have no big names BUT collectively we should give the current league leader a run for their money. After all we beat them 1-0 at the Bishan Stadium. All about fulfulling the "potential" and bragging rights come Monday. I am rooting for a 2-0 score (hoping a clean sheet since I have Clichy, Cesc and Henry in my Fantasy football team!).

Com'on Gunners!

Xuefeng's Grad Trip

5 May (Sat)
Arrive in London in the morning. Chauffeur to pick up Tau Yee, Meng Yang and Xuefeng from Heathrow to Canary Wharf. To fight the jetlag, no staying at home for the morning and afternoon.
Visit Greenwich in the morning and then take a river cruise down the Thames from Cutty Sark to Tower Bridge. Visit Tower Bridge and Tower Hill, then proceed to Borough Market for lunch. Visit Tate London and then to London Eye for an 1hr ride. Sightseeing at Westminister (Big Ben, Parliament House).
Finish off with dinner at Covent Garden (either Spanish or Belgian). Walk down the river towards Waterloo and then proceed home for an early night coz adventure starts tomorrow!
6 May (Sun) - 8 May (Tue)
Fly via Easyjet to Venice (depart at 730am). Visit Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale) and Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square), and enjoy a gondola ride on the canals. Leave in the afternoon for Milan.
8 May (Tue) - 9 May (Wed)
Milan is a stopover for us going into Switzerland since there is only one train leaving from Venice. Spend the day shopping and do some sightseeing in Milan (Lake Como for me, shopping for the ladies). Spend a night in Milan and leave for Luzern in the evening of Wed
9 May (Wed) - 13 May (Sun)
Luzern will be our launchpad for most Swiss activites. We will be travelling westward towards Gevena. Things to do:
Eiger - Jungfrau Glacier Panorama View
Mount Titlis
Interlaken
Geneva
Xueyan and Yibao will depart from Geneva to London. The rest will continue on a train towards Paris. Reach Paris on Sunday night (which is good since all retail shops are closed in Paris on Sunday)
14 May (Mon) - 16 May (Wed)
Visit Eiffel Tower, Shopping at Champs-Elysees, art appreciation at the Lourve, Dame hunting at Notre Dame, cruise down River Seine. Leave for Amsterdam in the afternoon via train.
16 May (Wed) - 18 May (Fri)
Arrive in Amsterdam. To stay at Marriot Renaissance. Spend the afternoon touring the small town of Amsterdam, visit Anne Frank's House. Thursday morning - take Half Day Tour to Alkmaar Cheese Market and Schermerhorn Windmills. Afternoon in Amsterdam. Friday morning - take Half day Tour to Keukenhof tulip garden. Afternoon return to Amsterdam for free and easy. Depart for London in the evening (Reach 5pm). Musical in the evening in London West End (either Phantom of the Opera or Mama Mia!)
19 May (Sat)
Day trip to Cambridge. Dinner at Royal China.
20 May (Sun)
Free and easy in the morning - Xuefeng to decide. Afternoon at Buckingham Palace. Leave for Singapore at night

Silly me!

Someone found a glitch on the Ryanair website the other day and shared the "good news". Tickets went for just 1p (yes 1pence=S$0.03) WITHOUT TAXES and SERVICE charges. Seeing this good offer, I went ahead and booked 4 tickets for ourselves and Pat/Jamie. The total charge came out to 8p (return). Guess what silly me did? I paid by credit card and incurred £14.10 on the transaction. Darn, really stupid. Good thing it's shared by 4 persons which mean each of us has to pay just £3+ pounds on the flight. Still, an extremely good deal.
I had no idea where to go, so long I can get the tickets. Every other place was being snapped up. I saw that Hamburg, Germany was still available and went ahead to buy the tickets with no idea of:
1) Where in Germany lies Hamburg?
2) What to do/see in Hamburg?
3) How to get to Hamburg from the Luebeck airport (where we are flying into)?

Turns out that this "confused purchase" has just brought us to a UNESCO World Heritage in Luebeck! Check out the link. Instead of going Hamburg, now we might just stay on in Luebeck to enjoy this mediaeval town!

I passed my exams!

Now onto CFA Level II. Sigh got to start studying again....

iCar in 2008?

Time for me to change handphone?

My present phone

The new iPhone

The iPhone is much higher-end than I thought it would be: It has not only GSM, EDGE, and Bluetooth (and notably, not one of the 3G high-speed cellular networks) but Wi-Fi and a gigantic, super-high-res touch screen. It surfs the Web with a desktop-quality browser and gets push e-mail — but notice that it's personal Yahoo! e-mail, not corporate e-mail, and there's no solution for editing document attachments. This is a consumer phone, not a business phone.
But high-end smartphones like this are only a sliver of the U.S. market, and most of them are sold to business customers, not to consumers.
If Apple hopes to sweep the nation, it'll be banking on its famed usability and brand identity to push this costly device (one of the most expensive phones I've ever seen, even with a two-year contract) forward.
The interface looks a lot like an iPod, and a lot like OS X. This is good — great, in fact — because cell-phone interfaces have needed an overhaul for years.
Many phones today are based either on ancient OSes developed before mobile media, or picky PDA operating systems designed to be tapped with a stylus.
The iPhone's elegant scrolling and big buttons take smartphone applications and get rid of the need for a stylus.
Apple aims to solve the famous problem of cell-phone usability with an all-touchscreen interface that you can tap with your finger rather than a stylus.
Americans haven't taken to all-touchscreen phones before because of the lack of tactile feedback proving that you've pressed a button, and the unattractive "screen grease" look that results from pressing your cheek to a touchscreen.
- Extract from Fox News

Arsenal 9 Liverpool 4

Over two games I meant. Liverpool fans and Weixiong, eat your hearts out! Absolutely the best "reserve" game I have seen in a while against a relatively strong side. After all, Pool's the third best team in Liverpool after Everton and Tranmere.

One for the memories!

What's next?

Just had my appraisal today. It goes according to my expectations. A boring *guess?* for work done in the last 5 months. Was told that I did my work well and can be trusted to perform the tasks efficiently. However, my performance rating will be benchmarked against every executive in the department. Against Mark (4 years in product control), Hengyi (1.5 years) etc. Certainly dun think this is fair but I kept my mouth shut given that it would be a futile attempt. How can I be benchmarked against seniors who are aiming for managerial positions soon? Looks like the coming 2 months would be my last in Middle Office.

Had lunch with my former boss today to seek his opinion on my next rotation. One of the few Christians I know in Barcap and whom I can seek godly advice. Once again, it seems that prospects within Finance are quite limited (for me, who's keen on research and analytical stuff). Even his department, which seems rather interesting, only takes in MBA graduates.

So what's next for me? Do a MBA? Hang in there and hope for the best? Really got to trust God with His plans for me. A place where I can shine forth His Glory and be a "salt and light" to the world. Indeed a struggle between personal desires and godly destiny. May I be atuned to His Heart and be obedient to His cause, whatever it be for me.

Is this a travel blog?

I can't imagine this blog, which was meant to detail our lives here, has actually grown to be a "semi-travel" blog. Time to revamp?

Anyway the first day of the work week for us has got us kan-cheong. For Xueyan, it's the thought of going through the week "smoking". For myself, hoping to survive tonight's late shift with just Mark and Alastair (Hengyi, Andy and David are on leave!). Good thing, trades were closed early for me to complete the lates for tonight.

Xueyan cooked a marvellous meal tonight with steamed cod fish, fried egg with prawns and crabstick and sambal calamari! Time for me to feast into the seafood feast!

Spending April in Sweden/Finland

Yes, yet another travel. This time we will be going to Helsinki/Stockholm over the Good Friday and Easter long weekend (6 - 9 April).

We will be flying into Helsinki with Mark/Francine (at least them at the moment), and thereafter taking a cruise over the Baltic Sea with Viking Line. Yes, this ship...

... will take us from Helsinki to Stockholm via Mariehamn. An overnight cruise which would allow us to see the beautiful Swedish islands when we awake in the morning. All these at the recommendation of Tua Yee which travelled this route with her husband many years back. Haha, time for us to savour the moment!

Thanks for 2006, looking forward to 2007

Just came back from CG an hour ago. The theme for tonight was for us to remember 10 things (at least!) to thank God for 2006 and things to pray for in 2007. Initially I thought it would be difficult to remember 10 things, turned out 10's not enough. Anyway here's the ten...

1. For Xueyan to come over to London for us to enjoy life together as a couple in a foreign environment;
2. For Xueyan to amazingly find a job on her last day in London (back in Jan-06) before she returned to Singapore for CNY;
3. Finding and settling into Emmanuel Evangelical Church and the Canary Wharf Young Adults care group;
4. Good health and peace in my family back in Singapore (so glad to be back in Singapore come Feb for CNY!);
5. For my current job rotation (though I have been complaining at times being scolded by the traders);
6. Journey mercy on all our Europe travels;
7. My knee which survived the skiing in Zermatt, Switzerland;
8. For Kia Ngee who so faithfully blessed us by fetching us to church every Sunday;
9. Assimilation into London, getting used to the food/weather/culture (and enjoying dim sum every other weekend);
10. For every new day God has given to us to live and witness His Glory in action!

Prayer items for the new year

1. Personal - being able to spend more time reading His Word, reading more literature and brushing up on my guitar skills;
2. Cell - more active in worship and (prayerfully) leading more worship and bible study sessions;
3. Church - currently not in any ministry but hopes to get more involved in church activities and to attend more Christian Education sessions such as Spiritual Parenting

AND on a personal basis...

Good bonuses for 2006 (to be declared end Feb-07) and an exciting third and final rotation (I am praying for Strategic Planning!)...

Exciting days ahead!

RM9.99 from Malaysia to London

Unbelievable but it's true! Check out the link. So who's visiting us?!?!?

Back to Singapore Part II

SQ319

Depart London - 10 Feb, 18:15

Arrive Singapore - 11 Feb, 14:55

SQ322

Depart Singapore - 25 Feb, 23:20

Arrive London - 26 Feb, 05:25

Switzerland (22 to 26 Dec 2006)

Guess you folks back home must have read/heard about the fog in London. Yes it was very terrible, basically once you stepped out of the house, you can't see anything more than 50m. In fact, you can't even see Canary Wharf from where we are staying (check out the photos).

Our flight got delayed for a day. This after fighting to get a transfer to another Zurich flight at Luton (taxi fare S$450 from London City Airport). We were told of the cancellation and postponement after getting onto the plane! We finally left London for Zurich at 12noon Sat, a good 30 hours from our initial booking.

We finally get into Zurich, from there we took a train to Zermatt (good 4.5 hours away). Zermatt is simply too beautiful, although it's very commercialised. Matterhorn, in life, looks so much prettier than what I see in photos. 2 days of skiing took its toll on us as we left with swollen calves and tired arms. But it's definitely worth it and we will definitely want to return to Zermatt soon!

Valencia (9 to 10 Dec 2006)

Yes, yet another holiday. But this was a short weekend getaway via Ryanair @ 1p! So off we went with Serene, stayed in a reasonable good hotel and had breakfast for three! All at £63, good deal!
Despite Valencia being Spain's third largest city, it looks remarkably quaint and closed (not many Asian faces around - sense of tourism) and felt a lot smaller than Barcelona. We could walk around the town on foot and cover most places.
Have a feel via our pictures!

Peace ensues

A good 1 week since the "incident". Thankfully common sense prevails. The best thing out of it was that I became more sensitive to her feelings. Maybe it's just difficult for her to be here alone - in some sense. As a man, it might be easy to rationalise certain things but you know gals... haiz...

On an even better note, Xueyan's going for another internal interview again - this time with Emerging Market Product Control. Apparently headed by a Singaporean who incidentally applied to my former FP&A department. This looks like a permanent posting which means 1) better for her career and future posting to Singapore BUT 2)slightly worse off in cash flow. Structured Equities, Cash Equities and, now, Emerging Markets - looks like a good rotation on its own too!

Beer - Man's comforter

Alas, it took me so long to realise when grown-up men turn to beer on TV, after after a quarrel (usually involving relationships).

As said earlier, I had an argument with Xueyan on Friday night. Things certainly got worse on Saturday. Can count on one hand the number of sentences exchanged. Have I misunderstood her? Am I getting complacent in this relationship? Has my apology not suffice?

I went to bed last night without saying anything. I remember Ephesians 4:26 (In your anger, do not sin; DO NOT LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON YOUR ANGER). Yet I am powerless to reconcile this. I just cannot understand her. Does she not know with every "It's none of your business", "please dun disturb me", "go away" is tantamount to a knife that cuts deeper into my heart. I have condoned and disregarded this for years, in hope that she will eventually understand. Does she not understand that with love comes respect? Love is not JUST a ragged doll waiting for more punches. And I simply forget about this each time she apologises.

It's definitely harder this time. I went up to her after church this morning and asked a simple question about the wedding dinner she attended last night and got a "It's none of your business". I went silent but if she could hear, there was a heart crying. We went our separate ways after church. I had instant noodles while she had dim sum. I went to sleep in the afternoon and was awakened by a SMS - "Serene asked me out for dinner tonight. Settle yours yourself".

Now I know what beer's for. As I looked at the ice-cold Foster that stood untouched in the fridge for the last 6 months, I know it has been watching all these unfold. Quietly but knowingly. It has suddenly become a friend that just listened to my sorrows.

Terrible weekend?

Should it be since I am doing this blog on a cold Sunday evening?

Admittedly it must have some time since I last blogged. This weekend certainly didn't start well with someone "flying my plane" having arranged a game at Canada Water at 10am. I was there at 1010 and had a call (from this person, who's a friend of a friend). Guess what? Still at home with the TV in the background and had the audacity to say "I am on my way. In 10 minutes". What a way to start the weekend, with me having a silent argument with Xueyan last night over this.

1045 - I had enough. And indeed the call came soon after. "We have an issue. Did not manage to book the court last night. But NO worries. We will try to sort this out. Have you managed to get your friends?" HELLO!!! I had enough (Part II). WTF, I replied in a really kind way, just to let them know I am no longer keen. Good thing he called 30 minutes later to apologise.

It certainly didn't get better as I watched Arsenal laboured to a 1-1 draw at the Emirates. Cheers to my mate Alex for getting the tickets (last saw the ticket going for ₤85). Good stadium, nice weather but bad result.

Brazil 3 Argentina 0

Click the link for more pictures as Brazil turned out to be worthy winners.

Vienna (27 to 29 August 2006)

Vienna - a city that loved and loved by Mozart. A pity over commercialised in my opinion and, having visited Salzburg, a bit of anti-climax for me. While peace was a premium, its architecture certainly hold its weight against the likes of Paris and Rome. St Stephanson Cathedral was a tad too similar to Duomo in Florence though.

Vienna is a paradise for photographers and I did like the historical significance of the place, despite Ms Wee's boredom after "churches-and-museums again?!?".

To be continued

Salzburg (26 to 27 August 2006)

We arrived in Salzburg in the early hours and took a train directly into the city centre. Knowing that we only have a day and half in Salzburg, we have long decided to max out our time here with 2 day trips planned for Ice Caves near the Salzburg Alps and Eagles Nest at Berchtesgaden, Germany. Yes we know that the "Sound of Music" tour is usually the key highlight, but knowing we could cover some of the places e.g. Mirabell Garden on our own as well as negative feedback from friends who have been to Salzburg.
In short, Salzburg is a beautiful place. Very peaceful and quiet; charming as a old city yet we know its violent place and historical significance - birthplace of Mozart, previous "country" of its own.


We took a quick walk from our hotel at Haupbahnhof to Mirabellplatz, taking in the sights of this small town. We then moved around Mirabell Garden, crossing the Danuhe to the outskirts of the old town before returning to Mirabellplatz for the tour to Ice Caves. The Ice Cave is at Werfen, about an hour drive south from Salzburg. Reputed to the BIGGEST ice cave in the world, the entire cave stretches an amzing 42km, with the first 1km covered in ice. As we were told, 772 steps up and 772 steps down. We had to cover 20 minutes uphill after alighting from the coach, a quick cable ride up Europe's steepest cable car (in less than a minute!) and then another 25 minutes walk to the cave (Read here for more details).


Breakfast in the morning was a little yucky, with slices of ham, lotsa cheeses and bread - typical Austrian stuff. Our hope for a full continental breakfast has to be postponed to Vienna. The cold/rainy weather didn't add to our joy as we waited to be fetched to the Eagles Nest in the Bavarian Alps, briefly crossing the German border into Berchtesgaden. The tour took us the entire morning, with a ride up the Alps and about 45 minutes at the 2nd headquarters of the Nazi Party and Adolf Hilter's home. Click here to see the pictures.


We spend the rest of the day touring the old town and going up to the Festung, a Salzburg fortress, and a key highlight of the Salzburg city. View up there was beautiful and it certainly didn't make us feel like leaving. Although we did eventually depart for Vienna in the late evening, saying a sad goodbye to this charming town and hoping to return for another visit.

Brazil vs Argentina (3 September 2006)

Emirates Stadium here we come!

Salzburg & Vienna (26 to 29 August 2006)

Please pray for us as we prepare for a 4-day getaway to Austria. Travelling has not been easy since 12 August but pray that everything will go smoothly. The last major travelling before we return to Singapore! Will share more about the trip and the pictures soon!

Back to Singapore Part I

Tickets bought. We are going home on 7 Sept!

Details:
SQ321
Depart London - 7 Sep, 22:15
Arrive Singapore - 8 Sep, 18:00

SQ320
Depart Singapore - 18 Sep, 12:40
Arrive London - 18 Sep, 19:10

The journey so far...

It wasn't so long ago that I came over to London. Hmmm, some ask: "So how has it been?", "feelings after 8 months?". Feelings? Well, I can still remember:
- The apprehension that I had when I first heard of Barclays Capital's interview;
- Confidence when I was interviewed by Mark and George;
- Anxiety of waiting for the results;
- Relief when I got the offer;
- Confusion when I had to break the news to Chin and Shu Ping;
- Excitement in the days leading up to the departure (for London);
- Sadness on the day of departure, leaving my family and friends; and
- Lostness in my first month in London, and;
- Inexplicable joy when I saw Xueyan at Heathrow.

I added disappointment to the list when I was first assigned to Financial Planning and Analysis. Quite a funky title but not quite the technical stuff I was hoping for. How that mindset changes in 8 months. I have indeed learnt a lot during the last 8 months. And most glad to be given (limited) access to management and the trust to handle certain key stuff. The good appraisal simply topped the icing on the cake. I shall NOW replace disappointment with bliss. Most things aren't the way they sound or seem. The low expectations I had made it easier for me to enjoy and whatever good fun I had were bonuses to me.

I look back with fond memories, especially the friendships cultivated with Viv, Anthony, Mark, Sarah, Alex and Matt. Pity Rosy came over just when I was about to leave. Next stop - Fixed Income Exotics and Quantos. Quite a mouthful but I asked for it this time. Prayfully it would turn out equally well, if not better.

Away from the topic, we (group of 10 Singaporeans, Malaysians and Australians) went to join the NEL Ramblers for a 13-miles walk at Hastings last Saturday. What an introduction to walking in UK. Click on the link for some (few) pictures of our time there. Good scenery, nice hot/cold weather and, undeniably, 10 pairs of sore legs after 7 hours of brisk walking. With old folks no less.

Barcelona Buzz (28 June to 1 July 2006)

It was just hot hot hot, which simply reminded me of Singapore. The first day saw us arriving in Girona @ 10am, thereafter making a 1hr+ journey via Barcelona bus into the heart of Barcelona, dropping us at Arc de Triomf.
We made our way to La Rambla, just 3 stops away, at a budget hostel called Apartments in Barcelona II. How apt. Despite the seemingly nice place (La Rambla), our hostel was situated on a quiet street - extremely dodgy. This wasn't helped by frequent "reports" of how unsafe Barcelona was and the potential encounters with thieves and robbers. We were, however, blessed to survive Barcelona unscathed.

I had great expectations of Barcelona, from the various reviews and kind remarks by friends and the rave feedback on the internet. The first day saw us hitting the various "touristy" attractions - La Rambla, Casa Mila, Plaza Catalunya and Sagrada Familia, the last one being extremely impressive and I must say the highlight of this trip, along with Montserrat (see below). Climbing up 100m of narrow spiral stairway is no mean feat and the clean breeze and nice view of Barcelona from the top makes it rewarding. The heart, though, shouldn't take such stress unless properly trained. The night was spent wandering around the Ancient City, near La Rambla.

The second day saw us heading towards the "serrated mountains" - Montserrat. We set off at 9am to catch the train leaving from Espanya. After what resembled a wild goose chase and €25, we set off for Monistrol for the tram up the mountains to Montserrat. The journey took us more than an hour. We rested i.e. slept, along the way and woke up to beautiful, nature-sculptured mountains.

Montserrat was certainly an awesome sight, which ranks alongside Colosseum and the Vatican City as highlights of our trips so far. We spend about an hour at the monastery before embarking on the various routes which you could see on the photo forum. The searing heat plus the long dirt roads make for tired legs and we could only manage 3 routes before calling it a day at Montserrat. We then began our journey back to Barcelona. We stopped at Espanya, just minutes away from the Olympic site of Montjuic.

We spent our last full day in Barcelona by visting Parc Guell and FC Barcelona, the latter second-best club after Arsenal FC. The stadium was awesome and a very well-maintained field which, again, will rank second to the Emirates Stadium. We were shown around the stadium, the museum and saw the CL cup (incidently stolen from the Marble Hall). I actually had a TV interview there (how I felt about the place) by TV3! It took a whole full day to tour the two places. We then spend the evening at Barceloneta and Port Olimpico. The beach was (quite) nice and we had paella rice as a final flourish to our enjoyable time in Barcelona.

Guess I will end here as words speak later than words. So check out our photo album!

Barcelona

Road Trip to Cornwall (27 to 29 May 2006)

Attacking King Arthur's Mount... You can tell how dangerous and tiring it was...

Amazing Amsterdam (28 April to 1 May 2006)

Florence Fantasy (16 April 2006)