Sunday, February 19, 2012

Day of Fun and Adrenaline Rush at Universal Studios Singapore

Universal Studios Singapore. Been there since forever, but never been even though I'm a Singaporean. Well, hey you've gotta wait for all the rides to be in existence right? So I was waiting for transformer to be ready and going!

So one fine day, a canadian whom I met in Thailand, popped by my little country and with other backpackers he met @ the hostel, we decided "Why not go to USS instead of the planned Ubin trip"? I'm up for it!
FYI, you get 15% off if you're a Maybank credit card holder. I'm not, so I paid the full price.

We started around 11-nish. And since we paid the price, we have to do almost everything! So we started from the left, where all the kiddy rides are!

1st was Madagascar rides, real kiddy, a slow boat ride through the jungle, and some splash of water! Good respite from the heat outside. But it's just a kiddy ride.

We did a small rollar coaster ride, that was pretty decent but really too short!!!!! Like 2mins and woops you're back at square 1. Wait, i don't think it was even 2 mins! Maybe 30seconds!

Then we ventured into the far far away land....
Where we met Puss in Boots...
And of course Princess Fiona and Shrek!


Then we thought 'Enough of the kiddy rides!!' We decided Jurassic Park should be a good one. At least I really enjoyed the one in LA, that was great ride!

Turns out.. It sucks! We were told 'There's going to be a drop and water and you're going to be soaked'. Right, built up our excitement about the drop! But it was just a really really small drop after a long, slow, boring ride down the river...Was it worth the 25min wait? Not really if you're pressed for time! And yes, you will be soaked but worth spending $3 for the raincoat? Nope! Oh, and if you really wana try the ride but not wait 25mins? Go for the single rider line. You immediately hop onto the boat since no one Qs there!

We went for the canopy ride too, thinking it's just a stroll in the park. But hey! It's actually pretty fun cos it zooms at high speed through the turns and you feel that you're flying! But it was too short for it's own good.

So enough was enough. Kiddy rides are passe and we have to go for the real deal!!!

Transformer 4D!!!!! And it was AWESOME!! Funny though cos there was NO LINE!!! We went and immediately (or rather like 3mins walk through the empty Q) we were in the car and ready to save the world! And saved the world we did for 3 TIMES!! Really awesome!!!!

Then it was time for photo taking with whatever characters we get! And we spotted Kungfu Panda! HiYa! I'm Kungfu Dian Shan!

Also Betty Boob was there, in her all red glory and funky hair! And squeaky voice.


I'm so in it with Betty Boob

We didnt catch Marilyn but we passed by the famous air hole... And decided to channel the Marilyn within us...

Josh trying to channel Marilyn but I think he got the genre wrong. It's sensual not downright erotic!!!

This is the correct impersonation. Just imagine the white dress on

Then, it was Battlestar Galactica! We had been eyeing that since the minute we stepped in and finally the time has come!

There are 2 rides - RED (the easier one where you aren't danging in the air) and the BLUE (the more exciting one where you'll be fling upside down, dangling.

We went on the BLUE twice! It was pretty awesome, and feels so fun dangling in the air with your legs swinging above and through nothingness...RED was pretty decent ride, but BLUE is still the better one. And the amazing thing? NO QUEUE!! Man, what's wrong with people? Q-ing up for kiddy ride but no one wants to go on Battlestar?
Then of course, the MUMMY ride! That was the best ride I ever had in LA Universal Studios and I was so thrilled to be going there! And once again, No Queue! This is really weird.


They did not break into so much as a smile or anything when Josh was trying to flex his muscles...

But I was disappointed! It was not as exciting as the one in LA. The speed was not fast enough. There were more turns, but in LA, it was more sudden and fast! Like when it stopped at the door, it pulls back real fast that you get sucked in and it felt so good! I went on the ride 4 times in LA. But here? It's good, but with comparison, it pales...

And by that time, it was time to say good bye to USS. Our last stop was to watch the breakdance boys in their glory! And our Nancy got called to perform a short number!

It was pretty fun in USS with the lot! We did a lot of photo bombing (you know, putting yourself behind the scene of someone else's photos). Hilarious! Krieg was the master and I'm not too bad at that too! We just spent too much time doing the kiddy rides man... Hahaha... But yea, USS is a little small, you go round pretty easily. If you skip the kiddy rides, you probably will be done in half a day! Food is expensive inside, so step out of USS for any kinda food you want. There's a Malaysian food street, 7-11 and breadtalk out there!

We went for a couple of shows, like the Donkey night club which was pretty fun. It's donkey (from shrek) singing a few songs and us dancing a little with him. Simple and quite alight. We went in not knowing what the heck to expect but lured in with the 'it's starting soon, only in 5 mins'. Missed the waterworld show entirely. Went for Monster Rock, which is like Rocky Horror, but with Monsters singing and dancing. Pretty good! Also went for the special effects showcase. Missed the Madagascar show. Well come to think of it, if we were to go for all the shows, it would be packed! So priortize! Skip the kiddy rides, go for the shows and the thrillers!

Monday, February 06, 2012

Hello 2012, Goodbye 2011

Finally 2012 has arrived. This is supposed to be the last year of Earth, according to Mayan predictions. True or Not?Believe or Not? Up to individual I guess.



1 month has passed in 2012, yet to reflect upon my resolutions made in 2011 and hopes for 2012. Been rather busy in Jan 2012, travelling, back for a few days and traveling again. Finally have the time to rest and think it through..




What was made in 2011:




1 - Knee is feeling MUCH better the entire 2011. Been training real hard, working my quads, hamstring, calf etc etc to really strengthen my leg muscles.




2 - Finally I'm going to scale Mt K this year!! End March is the date, and we're going to do it in 1 day! Saves the RM400 per night accomodation at base camp. Going to be tough, but I'm going to make sure I complete it!




3 - Finally able to really play tennis after being out of action almost the entire 2010. And I feel like I'm getting better, though still not quite there. Think I need to change my racket, it's making me hit weird..




4 - I've been reading even more in 2011. Done the Wheel of Time series till the last book available, and literally borrowing every single book available to read on my commute to work! And I bought a Kindle in 2012!! Means, no more waiting for books to be available in library, bringing those thick books to and fro work..




Proud of myself. I've pretty much achieved lots in 2011 :) 2011 had also been an important year for me, and a fun year too! A year of great travels and great fun - Fantastic trip to Miri in May, paradise vacation in Palawan in June, hikes and camping in Kota Tinggi and Sister Island with a group of really funny people, a fantastic Xmas and NYE vacation in South Thailand. Met loads of really great people and friends along the way and opened my eyes to alot of new experiences and happenings.




Also, I quit my job in May 2011, finally ending some sad, unhappy months of work in my old job with several unhappy incidences. Yup, the overseas assignment negotiation fell through, but look at it from the bright side - it may have been a blessing in disguise! If I had gone to US, I wouldn't have gone to Paradise Palawan, I wouldn't have met those funny and hilarious friends, I probably would have neglected my tennis. Well though I might have gone to Peru (Macchu Pichu). I guess everything happens for a reason, and it's all fated to happen whatever way it turned out to be!




With the new job, I've been to US 3 times in 2011, great shopping trips!! Bought loads of great deals online and at outlets. But it has been real tiring travelling >20 hours and having to endure the day and night time difference.




2012, a new beginning?!?!


What will 2012 bring for me? Went to Japan for skiing during CNY - a 1st for me! Enjoyed it but it was tough. Will I try it again? No idea.. Heading to Dubai for work in Feb, another 1st, and looking quite forward to it! I'm so going to Burj Khalifa! Sabah trip in Mar/April, another adventure I'm so looking forward to.. Then?? No idea! Hopefully another great year end trip to bring in the new year. Oh, and I have just made a 6-pack challenge (6 pack referring to abs) which I know for shizzle I'm not going to win anyways, but I've watched too much of Barney to be influenced by his "Challenge Accepted" anytime and anywhere...Who says the world is ending on 20 Dec 2012?!?!

Friday, February 03, 2012

127 Hours



Just watched 127 Hours while cooped up in my hotel room in Washington. Yes, I'm years behind, but at least I finally watched it! With all the hype and accolades, I have to watch it! How as the movie? I thought it was good. No ups and downs, and pretty plain jane, it's more of a 'silent killer' movie. You don't expect much from this movie, yet you're impressed by what happened.


It's based on a true story of an Aron Ralston, who went on a trip to Utah Canyonlands National Park, ALONE. And got trapped by a fallen rock, which crushed and sandwiched his arm. 127 hours is the total time he was trapped, before he finally decided to cut himself loose. Along the way, he did a lot of reflection on his life and people around him.


Well, I watched it while having my dinner, and the most gross part where he broke his own arm, and cut through the flesh with a blunt knife happened after I've finished my dinner. And boy, was it a WRONG choice! Note to others: Do not watch that part after a meal. It could have been my jet lag and tiredness that made me nauseous, but I didn't feel that great.


Watching that movie reminds me of myself. He went on the trip without telling anyone, and he regreted it dearly. I do that quite often too! Alot of times, when I travel on my own, I don't tell anyone my itinerary in details. Just a brief 'Oh I'm going to Thailand, south thailand during this period', and off I'm gone. And I don't exactly report back my location to my family periodically. Same goes when I'm overseas on business trip. Touchwood, but nothing has happened to me so far. Though watching that movie made me think twice. You know, I like to do some adventurous things when I travel (like hike up mountains, trails, explore unchartered territory, snorkelling in open sea alone etc etc), and a lot of times, I do those alone without anyone's knowledge. So you know, if anything happens, no one would know! Like when I was alone in Khao Sok National Park in the late afternoon, and almost got myself lost on returning. Those were the times when I thought in my mind 'Shit, no one knows I'm here'. What happens if I slipped and fall suddenly? Then again, I'm not the sort who reports every little details, lo and behold, someone will try to stop me from doing some things!


But the movie made me wana go UTAH!! That place is amazing! Just the kinda place I would love to explore. Especially that part where he took the 2 girls crawling in a tight space and slide way down into a pool of crystal clear blue water! AMAZING! I would love to do that!


Glad I finally watched that movie. It really takes a lot of resolve to break your own arm and cut through your skin and flesh and tendons etc. So make sure you bring a good swiss army knife so that at least when you cut through something, it's 1 clean strike. And he didn't give up after that! He continues to be active, climbing and scaling mountains and doing sports and everything! That's the positive attitude to take in life!


What would I do in similar situations? *Shivers* Touchwood, *Pui Pui* I never want to be in such situations.