Prometheum XIII

Six years and a day after my first performance at Victoria Concert Hall came my last. Both were Prometheums, X and XIII, and both featured alumni playing chess, or rather, Chess. The difference was, this time, I would be playing as the alumni. And how far we've come, the Prometheum X alumni band was a motley collection of RI alumni, brought together solely for Prometheum, while the alumni band of Prometheum XIII would be the well-established (I hope) Raffles Winds.

Sadly I had to work in the morning, and rushed down after some failed hairstyling by my colleagues. Had lunch in the good old RJC canteen, which I do miss. I then headed over to the Varese to get the stuff ready.

While we were preparing, Amir said that the RI people had requested our help to move the percussion instruments. It ended up being a mostly RWinds effort in loading the percussions up, until Mr Oura saw this. He unleashed all fury on the RI people, and blasted them with the question of why all the "old people" were on the lorry doing all the work (Amir promptly responded "We're not old").

Eventually we boarded the buses and headed for VCH for the last time. Once there, we moved instruments up, and once again, I felt unsurprised at the lack of efficiency on the RI side. However, their soundcheck did sound better than I expected.

Soon it was our turn. Problems with the tenor saxophone scores aside, everything went well, and I was confident that it would be a good performance. Dinner was spaghetti, which was excellent, probably the best I've had pre-concert in Singapore. I then proceeded to change, and headed to the foyer to meet people. I met Shuotian, Calvin, Huijun and Paul and passed them their tickets, but didn't enter the hall as I wanted to mentally prepare myself for our performance.

Intermission came and we assembled backstage, before quickly proceeding onto the stage to warm up and tune. Soon, the bell rang, the emcees introduced us, we stood as Quanhui strode on stage, and proceeded with what was possibly, if not definitely, the best performance in the history of Raffles Winds.

Up was uplifting, we played well, and I could think of few, if any, problems, none of them major. I really enjoyed playing this lighthearted, relaxing piece, and I'm glad Jinjun and I recommended it.

Chess was, quite simply, the best performance RWinds has put up so far, in my opinion. Despite the fact that there were a few problems, and it was I think not as well played as Up, considering the relative difficulty and length, I think we did really well. Anthem especially brought a lump to my throat. Having recordings of superb quality helps of course. Quanhui's passion was evident, not to mention infectious, and I played my heart out, for RWinds and for VCH.

After the performance, we vacated the stage to allow RI to enter. Jinjun and I busied ourselves collecting scores, following which, possibly the largest camwhore session I have ever seen ensued. Cameras were flashing left, right and center, probably because of the amount of time we had before the end of the concert. Near the end though, I snuck out and to the stage door on the opposite side, to watch Mr Oura conduct from the performer's POV, or at least, as close as I could.

When the whole performance is over, we took a few more shots, then moved our stuff down to the porch. While waiting for the RI people to load the percussions, my batchmates and a few of the other RWinds members had a chat with Mr Oura, discovering, among other things, his Facebook profile.

We headed back to school and after packing up, the remaining RWinds members headed for Junction 8 for supper. During supper, we discussed the plans for the Coda VI cycle, and set the wheels in motion.

This concert was a significant performance to me. Of course, all my performances, no matter how small, are significant, but this was particularly special in that it would be my last at Victoria Concert Hall before she underwent plastic surgery. Victoria Concert Hall has been the site of most of my most precious memories, especially Prometheum XI, Coda IV and Coda V. I will forever treasure her.

On the RWinds side, I was thankful for the chance to do more with RWinds besides just a yearly Coda. I think this performance really showed what we can do, and I wish for more such chances, to keep the RWinds momentum going.

Of course, I need to thank Mr Oura, once again, for his patience in taking RI band through this concert, for all the wisdom he's shared and for all the fun moments too (like when he found my file lying around). Someone I'll never forget, really.

I guess it was a fitting end to a VCH career. Here's a final tribute to the great concert hall.

2004 - Prometheum X
2005 - Unisono
2006 - National Band Competition, Prometheum XI, Coda II
2007- Coda III
2008 - Coda IV
2009 - Coda V
2010 - Prometheum XIII

Thanks, VCH.
For RIMB and RWinds.
For Twelve Seconds to the Moon, Ragtime, Vox Stellarum, Seventh Night of July, Saga, Up and Chess.
For the music and the memories.
For everything.

A Tempo XX

Let's take a trip back in time, just a few days short of 2 years, back to the 26th of May 2008...
It was a school holiday, so I woke up relatively late at around 10am, then headed for the Esplanade via car, before transferring to the MRT to school.

Flash back to today. Unlike then, I woke up at 5am in order to reach camp by 7am, then spent the full day at work.

Pre-concert was a whirl of activity, the usual concert stuff. Of course, the fact that it was in the Esplanade made things slightly different, but the familiar still held.

After work, I took a cab down to Raffles City, where I tried to find nice gifts for people, but ended up buying various types of "flowers" for people. Had a rushed dinner with Paul and Eugene, then headed for the age-old Victoria Concert Hall. It didn't strike me then, but this would be the last concert I would ever watch in that hall. Fitting that it be RJCSB's A Tempo XX

A Tempo XIX - Love Knows Not of Death or Calculus Above the Simple Sum of Heart Plus Heart - This line adorned the front of our programme booklet, intricately designed in full colour, and featuring heavily our theme of love.

A Tempo XX was emblazoned on the front of the programme, resembling not so much that of the previous A Tempo than that of Coda V, with photographs of the Golden Gate Bridge, Mt. Fuji and an airliner landing over an array of approach lights.

Of course, before the concert, there was a mad exchange of giving gifts and notes and receiving them. I gave out stuff ranging from a DVD to a box of "Chicken McNuggets", and received... absolutely nothing, other than notes I mean. Not totally unexpected though.

While it was surely a night of musical enjoyment and appreciation, it was really hard to ignore the fact that many of the people sitting (and standing) in front of us were people that I once played with.

Before.

It was a surreal feeling. This is the first time I've watched RJCSB since graduating, and unlike the times when I was watching RIMB, since I knew many of the people on stage, it was really hard to ignore that fact.

It's a feeling hard to describe. Their batch of J2s were the people I had known since I was sec 3, and played alongside all the way till last year. And surely, no one will be able to forget aobut the times we had, the songs we sang together?

RJCSB occupies a special, inerasable part of my heart.

It's guilt, it's regret. All the endless possibilities, of things that I could have done with this band 2 years, even 1 year ago, that I did not accomplish. During the concert I was alone and took a moment to ponder about all of these. I stifled a tear out.

Hearing the music, I couldn't help but noticing that those were not faceless, nameless people on stage as is usually the case, but people like Samuel, Benjamin, Alastair, Huijun, Zhenyi, Yethong..... the list goes on. I saw them both as people and as the musicians they were, adding to the emotional rollercoaster I never expected to feel.

You could say that I was going like, "ugh why do they have to start with Army of the Nile"? It brings back way too many memories.

Our first piece was Army of the Nile, with Mr Oura walking in halfway. I think we did pretty well, and the song brought back fond memories of RIMB 2006.

Their first piece was Army of the Nile, with Mr Oura walking in halfway. I think they did pretty well, and the song brought back fond memories of, well, everything. RIMB, A Tempo XIX, Limelight... Emotions welled up in me even though the piece was a simple march.

I'm not going to review the rest of the pieces in depth, except for a few that mean much to me. Suffice to say, mostly, they were all well played with few errors, and more importantly, I could see that the band, and Mr Oura, was playing right from their heart, having a good time and enjoying the music.

Throughout the concert though, I couldn't help but hear in my mind, as each piece was played, the repertoire of A Tempo XIX

Saga Maligna was arguably one of our two best songs of the evening. I love the piece itself, it epitomises the sound of the band and it is majestic, light and grand all at once. I almost cried during God in Heaven.

Satoshi Yagisawa's Symphonic Poem - "Northern Mother Earth - With the Beat of All Living Things" was epic. A grand, majestic and beautiful piece that RJCSB premiered outside of Japan. I really loved it, and enjoyed it immensely. I hope the players did too.


The intermission was a boring one, nothing much to say here.

During the intermission, I popped downstairs and ran into a few people, but it was generally uneventful.

Titanic Medley... I really can't describe how it felt playing this song. Memories of my batch, my time in RIMB welled up and in the end, during the saxophone soli, where my first solo was played during Investiture 2006, I couldn't hold it in. I just let go completely and let my emotions and tears run. They kept running too, all the way until the end, as I just played my heart out. After the song, I couldn't turn the page to the next song, I just stared at it, until Mr Oura raised his baton for the next piece.

The next song that struck a chord (pun not intended) with me was the Joe Hisaishi piece. I love his music, and it was really nice to hear familiar tunes such as those from My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away.


In it's third year serving as an RJCSB encore piece, Takarajima brought the house down with it's lively tune and hyped up rhythms and sax solo.

Encore was sooo awesome...

In it's fifth year serving as an RJCSB encore piece, Takarajima brought the house down with it's lively tune and hyped up rhythms and sax solo. It was the best part of the concert for me. I felt emotional and high all at once, wanting so badly to join in the music but knowing that I could not. Pity Samuel was not as audible as I would have liked, but no matter, the band really had fun, and Mr Oura was smiling all over.

After that amazing performance, we went to recieve the performers, despite rain and more rain. As each RJCSB guy and girl walked past, a different memory came up, which when pieced together, reveals the essence of RJCSB, and my time spent, especially guest playing last year.

After the concert, of course the usual occurred. We went to find our friends, and I handed out my "flowers" and took a few photos. I really really enjoyed seeing all my juniors again, especially the J2s. After some nice chats with them, as well as the good old VCH uncle, I headed off with Jeremy for supper.

In the end I feel as a whole that the concert was a rousing success. The audience thought we played brilliantly, and everyone left the concert happy. I guess no matter how divided our band has been, we, for a brief moment of time, felt as one.


This will probably be the last time I'll be seeing the J2 batch in action. They aren't going to be present in Prometheum. And technically, it will also be the last time seeing them in action, since I'll be performing WITH them in RWinds in the future.

Which all translates to: the last concert that I'll ever see my juniors in.

And it ended well.

Well, what do I have to say. My mind kept flashing back to that day, 2 years ago, and I still remember it so clearly. As we greeted the performers, I flashed back to the Esplanade stage door 2 years ago, where we got a hero's welcome from the audience, and I remembered as clearly as if it were happening then the events, hugging my juniors and friends, talking and chatting. As the lorry arrived (drove into VCH itself no less), I remembered pushing instruments up onto the lorry in the Esplanade with the bottle of milk. And as the pieces played, technically good or not (and they mostly were), I remembered how it felt to be back on stage.

Walking alone after the concert, I kept thinking about these events, and how I missed being back in the school bands. I wondered, too, why RWinds never evoked the same feelings, despite my passion for her. I came to the conclusion that it was probably because RWinds is more or less eternal, in the sense that it will always be there as long as the people are willing. However, in school bands, graduation's graduation. A Tempos, Prometheums and Cadenzas are finishing points, and starting points, more so than Codas.

This A Tempo was also special because of the people playing, especially the J2s. I've watched them grow since 2005, followed them through Prometheum XI, Prometheum XII, the Japan trip, and especially Limelight, where they made me feel more at home than I was with my own batch. To see them end their career with school bands, and at such a great concert at that, it's almost like watching your own son grow up and leave home...

Ah well, I'm getting way too emotional. But really, it's hard not to. I think no other Prometheum or A Tempo will ever evoke in me these feelings, of grief, laughter, pain, indifference, remorse, despair and hope.

To the RJCSB - Thanks for providing a place to further my musical skills, to my batch, for pulling through in the end, for giving me a night that I'll never forget

Most of all, to Mr Oura - Thanks for everything, over the past 6 years, for all your musical guidance, humour and imparted discipline and wisdom, for teaching me what it means to be in a band.

Also thanks to: Benni, for providing half the material in this post, and being a part of the wonderful music today.

Confused

I've been feeling quite lonely the past few days, and it's not just due to Bali/USA withdrawal. Recently I've been plagued with yet another wave of uncertainty and distress, feelings of nostalgia and loneliness all rolled into one, and recent events haven't really helped all that much.

Specifically recent events such as the Pixar exhibition have left me feeling even more neglected than ever. I suppose I shouldn't feel this way, but really, when your friend asks you to go for an outing, then turns it into a group outing with you as the sole outsider, it's almost inevitable to feel this way, and the feeling was heightened through the events of the day. I may as well have gone for it myself. But it's not just that of course, I find myself feeling left out, neglected and lonely. I've also come to the realisation that most of the time, events which I try to initiate always seem to get rejected whereas I find myself caving in to the demands of others, and flashbacks of events such as the A levels release day don't help.

Who do I have to blame for these? My friends, for leaving me out or not taking heed? No, I believe I have to blame myself, at least mostly, for feeling this way. How can I, after all, blame my friends for having others they value more than me? It's their right after all. Who am I to detract from their friendship with others? Friendship isn't just something I can demand, it has to be given freely. And it's not as though they don't give the friendship, they do, just that somehow I never feel satiated. It's like a neverending hunger of mine.

I just wish that sometimes, people would make me feel as though I mattered. Maybe it's just my luck, or the fact that the people I'm friends with don't see things the way I do, but I never really get this from most people. I know, consciously, that they regard me as friends but sometimes my heart just needs more. Sometimes I just feel like a friend of convenience, that people call if they need me or want company, but otherwise they'd rather not go out of their way. I guess it's the differences in the way I see things, I regard each person as an individual and treat the friendship as such, while most people would be happy with anyone's company, not caring who it is.

This loneliness and unjustified jealousy and possessiveness is something I need to get rid of, but I have no idea how, really...

Indonesia 2010 Day 4

This post hasn't been posted live because the day offered no chance for me to blog at all. It was a pretty eventful one, and I'm glad that all the problems are solved now.



We woke up, finally, after the sun had risen, and went for breakfast at the hotel. It was a buffet, with some pretty good food. We then headed back to the room to rest a while before heading out to shop.



Our shopping trip wasn't very fruitful though. We walked around trying to find a specific CD, but couldn't. In the end, we bought 3 souveniers, for Huijun, Yethong and Jinjun's friend, but try as we might, we couldn't find anything else. This was probably due to the fact that most of the shops were, for some reason, selling nothing but large wooden carvings of a particular section of the male anatomy.



We headed for the hotel, packed, had our final lunch with my final orange juice, then set off for the airport in an unofficial cab. Along the way, Calvin and I were showing our passports to each other. Big mistake, I think.



At the airport, disaster struck. Calvin found that his passport was missing. We had an hour before the flight, and we frantically searched for it, but to no avail. The only thing to do was to find the Singapore Embassy in Jakarta, and at this point I was thanking God we had chosen to fly back via Jakarta, as there is no Singapore Consulate in Bali. After some searching for a police post to make a report, we gave up and headed for the plane. Some panic arose as Calvin forgot his bag and phone, but thankfully they were found.



The airliner, PK-LGK was a 737-900ER, the first time I'd flown this type. We passed by numerous interesting airlines on taxi, including some Pacific Blue airliners, Cathay, Thai, China Airlines, a BAe-146 and for some strange reason, a Trimotor. Took off straight west and headed for Jakarta.



The flight was really uneventful, save for me noticing that the safety card consisted of a series of prayers for the Islam, Hindu, Catholic, Protestant and Buddhist faiths. Somehow this didn't encourage me. Nevertheless landing in Jakarta was uneventful, and we taxied to our gate in Terminal 1, parking next to the Dreamliner special livery that Lion Air painted on their first 737-900ER. Something I found ironic was that the planes were parked directly in front of jetways, but they used airstairs instead. Still, I always like walking on tarmac.



A strong sense of Deja Vu as we found that Jinjun left the tent on board the aircraft. Upon realising this, he sprinted back across the tarmac and climbed the airstairs ... of the wrong aircraft. Calvin and I shouted after him, but he seemed oblivious, and only the flight crew of that aircraft managed to convince him. He then sprinted across the tarmac again to the correct aircraft and retrieved the tent.



We cleared baggage claim and headed for the shuttle bus to the international terminal, with Calvin calling the embassy along the way. The bus took us past the ex-SQ Lion Air 747-412 and an Emirates 777-300ER.



At the terminal, we made it to the Lufthansa check-in counter, and tried to organise Calvin's ticket. Thankfully they agreed to waive the change fees if Calvin could provide the documents to prove that he had indeed lost his passport. I withdrew some money for Calvin, as well as to pay the departure charges, and we checked in. At this point, we bid Calvin farewell as he headed for the embassy. I felt really bad leaving him behind, and would have rather we stayed together, but in this case circumstances such as our tickets having to be paid for to change and our NS obligations prevented it.



We started queueing at immigration for about 10 minutes before realising we had queued at the queue for Indonesians. We then joined the back of a foreigners queue, and I was cursing the fact that Soekarno-Hatta airport did not have a priority lane for business class passengers. Just as we reached the front of the queue, Jinjun realised that he could not find his departure card. We had to go all the way to the Turkish Airlines check-in counter to get one, then rejoin the queue at the back.



Nevertheless we did make it through with a bit of time to spare, and after a couple of quick photos we headed for the lounge. I left for a while to try (and fail) to photograph our 747, while Jinjun hit the buffet. When I got back, we enjoyed relaxing in the lounge, which is pretty luxurious, to the point that there's a guy who does nothing but open the restroom door for you.

All too soon it was time to board our flight. We headed for gate D5 and boarded the 747, turning left instead of right at the jetway and taking our seats in 2H and 2K, forward of the nose landing gear. We were presented with a welcome drink as the safety video was played, then the airliner taxied out and made ready for her takeoff.

Now, I know I'm about to wax lyrical, but the 747 and I share an emotional connection of sorts. The feeling of takeoff on this aircraft is vastly different from any other, even the A380, and on this, Jinjun will agree. For me, taking off on a 747 is always a special experience, and usually, it's heightened by the fact that normally the flights I take on a 747 are homeward bound, as it was in this case. We surged skyward as I felt a small lump in my throat, as is normally the case with the 747, simply because of its power and my connection to the plane. The sound of the nose landing gear being raised was quite magnificent, as the plane shot to the sky like a bat out of hell, heading home for Singapore at a 3000fpm climb.

The service on this flight consisted of what must be Lufthansa's idea of a "light snack". I'd hate to see what their main meals must be like then, because it turned out to be a full four-course meal, with a main of fish in butter sauce with ratatouille and pasta. Really delicious, but not as much as Singapore Airlines, I have to say.

Throughout the flight Jinjun was like a kid with a new toy, playing around with the business class seats, and I don't blame him, remembering my first time on SQ's business class. For my part, I relaxed a little, explored the seat and just thought about how happy I was to be flying again, under such great circumstances. At the same time though, I wished Calvin were around to share in the experience.

All too soon though, the flight turned over Singapore for landing. Surprisingly we landed on 20R, 20 minutes ahead of schedule. The feeling was quite fun, as the main gear touched down before the nose gear, we were suspended with the nose above the ground for about 10 seconds before we felt the nose gear slam into the ground. We took a long taxi around the north cross, then parked at E24. We deplaned after taking some good photos of the cabin, though sadly, none of the flight deck.

We met Jinjun's parents at the airport, and I managed to catch a ride home from them. But the story doesn't end here. Calvin faced a couple of snags in his passport process, and in the end came back on the same flight two days later. I met him at the airport, and it was my turn to give him a ride home.

Overall, besides the snag with Calvin's passport, this trip has been really enjoyable. Short of the Hong Kong trip, this has to be the best so far. I will never forget all the moments, the big moments, like summitting Batur, seeing dolphins swim during the sunrise and flying, or the small ones, like walking around Kuta, playing Pokemon with Jinjun in the rooms at the Vilarisi or sleeping in Surabaya Airport.

Much as I felt Calvin's pain at the end of the trip, I felt really happy seeing Jinjun so happy during the trip and on the LH flight, the first time I've seen him really enjoying himself in a while, and I'm really thankful, for him, that he got the chance to spend his birthday this way, and for myself, that I got the chance to share in the experience, and I hope Calvin felt the same way. I guess it's true about friends, that you share in their joys and their sorrows, and I really hope this won't be the last time we share the joy together. (*cough*)

All good things must come to an end I guess. Indonesia Raya, and on to the next trip. Advance Australia Fair!

Indonesia 2010 Day 3

040410 0030 local time (GMT +8)
Bali, Indonesia

Happy birthday Jinjun!!!

Damn I hate waking up at this time. We have a little time to prepare, Jinjun's cooking Maggi using my mess tin. Oh well, got to rush!

0300 local time (GMT +8)
Mount Batur, Indonesia
1100m ASL

Wow. Batur looks imposing at night. What a starry sky though.

We took a 2 hour drive to get here, where we met our guide and prepared to head up. Just starting now, all the best to us!


0700 local time (GMT +8)
Mt. Batur, Indonesia
1600m ASL

Wow, the sunrise is simply stunning. It's almost surreal.

I can't really describe it, the vista with clouds below and Mt Abang and Mt Agung shrouded by mist in the distance.

The climb was much easier than Mt. Ophir. Took us 3 or so hours to get to this point. It's not the summit but it does give us good views of the sunrise.

There are quite a few people here, not to mention a bunch of playful and smart monkeys who love stealing our food and producing babies in front of us.

We'll be heading to look at the crater soon, then pressing on to the summit.


0900 local time (GMT +8)
Mt. Batur, Indonesia
1717m ASL

Summit!!!!

The view is brilliant.

The climb up took us up slippery slopes of volcanic soil. Kept slipping down, but I found it easier to get a comfortable footing as compared to rocks.

On the way we heard about a Swede who fell into the crater and perished. Sad, really.

We carried out a flag raising ceremony on the summit, using of course the Raffles flag. Really nice to plant our colours on the summit.

I feel really happy for Jinjun, to be able to spend his birthday this way. I know it means a lot to him. It means a lot to me too, as his friend, to be sharing this with him. I really have him to thank for making it here. Calvin too. I never had any motivation to climb myself, so every inch of the way, my main motivation was not to let them down.

Should be casing the colours and making our way down soon, as rain clouds are coming in. Agung looms in the distance, but I'm thankful we didn't climb her. We wouldn't have made it, not to mention missing out on the dolphins and stuff.

Facebook on the summit is fun.

1200 local time (GMT +8)
Kintamani, Indonesia
1300m ASL

The descent was pretty ok. Had a taste of skiing as we delberately slid down the volcanic sand on our feet. That was really fun. The rest of the descent was easy, checking out stuff like volcanic vents called fumeroles and cooking combat rations on them.

Now on our way to buy Babi Guling, or roast suckling pig, which is one of the most famous Balinese delicacies. The mountain looks like Totoro from here. Hope we get back soon, we need to change room again and I'm exhausted.

2100 local time (GMT +8)
Bali, Indonesia

A strong case of Deja vu. I left the room for a while to use the net downstairs and when I came up, Jinjun and Calvin had both fallen asleep, leaving me locked out. They didn't even wake up to the repeated excerpts from William Tell Overture. In the end I had to find a spare key once again.

We wanted to watch the sunset that night. However, Calvin and Jinjun slept through, and no matter how hard I tried, I failed to wake them up.

Dinner was KFC. Not as bad as I remember it, but nothing fantastic. Now at the restaurant having a LAN session with the other two guys.

Back home tomorrow, it's a bittersweet feeling.
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Indonesia 2010 Day 2

030410 0300 local time (GMT +8)
Bali, Indonesia

Got turned out just now. We were supposed to wake up at 1:45 to catch our ride at 2. We ended up being woken by our driver. Now on the way to the north of Bali, Lovina beach, to see dolphins.


1300 local time (GMT +8)
Bali, Indonesia

Wow. We did manage to see a whole load of dolphins and some beautiful corals, as well as some cool night views of the mountains, such as Batur and Agung. The dolphins and sunrise were really pretty. I've always loved dolphins, and the sunrise was vivid. Bali is really a beautiful place.

Back in the hotel now, lunch was traditional local food from McDonalds. Later we aim to watch sunset from Kuta beach.

2000 local time (GMT +8)
Bali, Indonesia

Mission CX due WX. Nothing much left to do but camp in the hotel, use the net and play Pokemon. Sad, right? Hope we get a good few hours of sleep, since we have to wake up at 12. We were actually supposed to sleep by now, but I'm not nearly tired enough.



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Indonesia 2010 Days 0-1

020410 0033 local time (GMT +7)
Surabaya Airport, Indonesia

I'm back with another trip report, less than 3 weeks after my first. This one will be much shorter of course.

Mad rush down to the airport after work, where I met up with Jinjun, Paul, Hafiz, Calvin and Shuotian in that order. Had a bite at Popeye's and presented Jinjun with his birthday present. Hope he likes it.

We then ran for the gate, having only 15 mins before scheduled tine of departure... only to find that the plane was delayed. Luckily though it turned out to be a special livery.

Eventually we boarded, and were soon on our way, passing by stuff like a CX 777-367, a JAL 777-346ER and 9V-SPP. Takeoff at 2217 was slightly rough, but not very.

The flight itself was possibly the longest sector the 3 of us had flown together. This says a lot considering it was 2:15. Dinner was chicken with potatoes or seafood rice.

Landing on runway 10 at Surabaya was rough, with an on time of 2208, during which we noticed that the tower resembles a lighthouse. Also, the first plane we saw was a CX A343, B-HXA.

We cleared immigration after deplaning and were treated to the realization that the landside of the airport isn't air conditioned. The night's not going to be comfortable. At least there's a 24 hour place here.

0733 local time (GMT +8)
PK-GZI over Bali

Yay we survived the takeoff!

The night was a little restless, but at least I caught some sleep. Still feeling dead tired though.

Walked out to the plane at gate 8 and took off at 0713. Pretty ok so far, except for a rough takeoff, albeit with a powerful climb.

The volcanoes we saw on the way were really scenic. Also Jinjun tells me we can see Agung. Time to go find it.

2100 local time (GMT+8)
Bali, Indonesia

That was a pretty good pair of landings our plane did. First aircraft we saw was our own 9V-SRC.

Getting our bags proved to be a snap, and we then caught a cab to our hotel, the Vilarisi in Kuta.

The hotel was nice, but despite our need to rest, the room wasn't ready. We dropped off our bags and decided to "Jalan-Jalan", hoping for A Vision of thr Isle of the Gods, as Bali is otherwise known. We saw Kuta beach, with it's many sunbathers and surfers having a good time, and the more subdued Bali bombing memorial.

We then returned to the hotel to rest. Calvin and I concussed almost immediately, while Jinjun, who had managed enough sleep in Surabaya, managed to stay awake long enough to find out that...

Mt. Aging was closed! He woke me up with this shocking piece of news, and, faced with this huge problem, decided to go for lunch at the hotel restaurant.

We discussed plans and settled on climbing Mt. Batur instead, our original plan. We tried, but failed to wake Calvin up to enter our room, so we had to ask for a spare key.

After resting a while, we took a walk out again, to watch the sunset near the beach. On the way, we decided to plan something for the next day, and had a tough choice between watching wild dolphins or white water rafting. In the end, the dolphins won.

We then took a cab over to Barong beach to watch sunset and planerise. The sunset was simply beautiful, but far away, shrouded in mist, Agung stood taunting us.

After it got dark, we set off for the return trip to our hotel, and had dinner at the hotel restaurant again. We then decided to turn in early, for tomorrow will be a long day.


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Satoshi Yagisawa "LIVE"

Victoria Concert Hall, 20th March 2010
To The Crown
Berutness - Ship of the Sun That It Invites to Ocean
Cluster of Light from Pleiades
Birth of Life from Sea
The Honour of the King
-----------------------------------------------------------
March Willing and Able
"The Bells of Sagrada Familia" - An Everlasting Will of Antoni Gaudi
Perseus - A Hero's Quest in the Heavens
Ephermal Dream of Prosperity
"Morning of Keith Haring" And the Darkness was Filled of Happiness

Yes, I know, the titles of the pieces look like they were fed through Babelfish.

Met Benjamin at the Esplanade's rooftop, then headed for dinner at Just Noodles at Suntec. After dinner, we attempted to find Eugene a gift, found said and headed for Victoria Concert Hall, where I discovered that our reservation wasn't present. We did get tickets though, and a CD.

I shall not comment much on the concert, because my comments are going to get boring. But suffice to say, it was brilliant. Excellent musicianship and conducting from both bands and all three conductors. For me the highlights were, of course, seeing Mr Oura in action once again and seeing Satoshi Yagisawa in action live.

I was most impressed, and moved almost to tears, by the performance RGSSB put up with Perseus. It has to be the best performance I've ever seen by a secondary school band, and was of a standard I wish RI could even reach half of.

After the concert, I was pulled aside by Mr Oura to meet Yagisawa himself. At this point, I was really touched by his actions. Not only did he give me some special token (some cute Yagisawa piece stickers), when I requested his autograph, he did it in Kanji instead of his usual English "just for me".

Had a quick photo with Yagisawa, where I introduced Benni in Japanese as "the best percussionist under Mr Oura". Benni of course was smiling happily and nodding, not knowing what I was saying. We then left for Macs and home.

This concert was one of the best I've attended. Musically, it was brilliant. I half expected to be bored after so much Yagisawa but that was not the case, as each piece had its own unique flair. NTUSB and RGSSB put up magnificent performances, and credit goes to Yiheng and Eugene among others.

On a personal level, it was good to spend some time with Benni in person. For all the talking we do on MSN, we don't see each other in person that much, and it was a good bonding experience.

Sound advice of course from Satoshi Yagisawa, music must come from the heart. I loved the way he conducted, you could see that he was pouring his heart into his conducting and that he really felt the music. I would really have loved the chance to play under his baton.

Finally, the actions of Mr Oura today left a deep mark on me. More than Yagisawa, I was really looking forward to seeing him today. As my teacher of six years, as the person who taught me music and life, I really miss him and his doing what he did, minor though his actions may be, really touched me. So, obviously, you're not reading this, but I have to say this, once again, but it won't be enough.

全て私の心から ありがとうございました

UK/USA 2010 Day 11-12-13

090310 0713 local time (GMT -7)
Denver International Airport, Colorado, USA

Well I'm off on the next leg of this 2 and a half day long journey home, and I'm back in KDEN queueing fo security and looking at N927FR out the window. She has a dolphin on her tail, I think Jinjun would be happy, I know I am. The queue is quite long. No rush though, and I managed to get my bag checked through all the way home. What's the worst that cou... Oh crap I shouldn't be saying that.


0843 local time (GMT -7)
N791UA over Colorado

Channel 9 rocks. Had it all the way from the gate, and I made good use of it, listening into ATC. We took off at 0827 and are now headed for southern California. Incidentally we were followed by the dolphin plane I noticed earlier. Quite fun to hear Denver ground tell him to follow "the United heavy".

At the moment I'm listening to Monument again and enjoying the scenery it describes out the window, which is simply spectacular.


0902 local time (GMT -7)
N791UA over Utah

How poetic. The last notes of Monument ended just as we exited Colorado and left the Rockies behind.


0837 local time (GMT -8)
N791UA over Nevada

I just listened to a nice talk by the captain about the flight, the 777 and so on. I found it pretty informative, and it was a really nice personal touch by the captain.

We're flying near Las Vegas now, sadly it's too cloudy to see out. Should be over California soon. Whatever happens in Vegas stays there I guess.


0857 local time (GMT -8)
N791UA over California

Descending into KLAX now. Channel 9 is the best form of inflight entertainment ever. It's really fun to follow your flight and hear what's happening around you. Crossing over another beautiful mountain range now, the Sierra Nevada.

1000 local time (GMT -8)
Los Angeles International Airport, California, USA

Quote of the day:
"American 2099, light chop and heavy 777" (referring to our own 777)

On time was 0918, much earlier than I expected. Something interesting to note is that during the post-landing announcement, the flight attendant mentioned that we had members of the armed forces on board and thanked them for their service. I did notice earlier that a major in uniform was upgraded for no apparent reason. Now why can't Singapore Airlines do this?

I did want to find my way to the In-N-Out at LAX, but decided it was too difficult and that finding spotting places in the Tom Bradley International Terminal would be easier. I'm there now checking in for SQ11


1246 local time (GMT -8)
9V-SPO at Los Angeles International Airport, California, USA

Most of my time, other than a break for curry rice brunch at Hamada's, was spent photographing airliners from all over the world. My ride home is a new one, 9V-SPO. I'm finally back in Singapore, officially. Let's hope she's a great way to fly.


1518 local time (GMT -8)
9V-SPO over Oregon

We taxied out a little late, but not very. Amusingly during the taxi there was a little kid who kept going "bye bye plane!" I remember a story in the news once of a mother and a kid who got kicked off because the kid was saying exactly that.

Fortunately this didn't happen this time round, and the majestic 747-412 took to the skies at 1332. It felt good to be flying, better to be flying home, better still to be on Singapore Airlines, but the best part was really the 747.

We flew out over the Pacific for a while, then turned north to fly over California. The lunch was excellent. I had a really tough time choosing, reason being that one choice had smoked salmon for an appetizer and the other had soba, my two ultimate favourite SQ dishes. Eventually I went with the soba and teriyaki chicken, and as usual, it was superb.

For now the queen of the skies is over the third mountain range I'm flying over today, the Cascades. She's just about to cross the coast once more, and we expect to reach the Empire of the Rising Sun in 10 hours or so.

Interestingly, we're now flying close to Everett, Washington, the place where this magnificent airliner was born and first took to the skies.


100310 1718 local time (GMT +12)
9V-SPO over the Pacific Ocean

Hmm I pretty much concussed after we left the Alaskan coastline, so not much to say. 4 hours left to Tokyo and once again we're racing the sun. Doubt we'll win though.


1804 local time (GMT +11)
9V-SPO over the Pacific Ocean

Am I the only person who thinks that flying, especially oceanic flights, and Satoshi Yagisawa pieces, especially Hymn to the Infinite Sky and And Then the Ocean Glows, go extremely well together?


1756 local time (GMT +10)
9V-SPO over the Pacific Ocean

Just had the "light meal" which wasn't that light. It was good though, ham and potato salad followed by a really good barbequed chicken with mac and cheese.

Looks like we just came off the PACOT and I think we're passing GUPPY. Sapporo is just off to the right, so we should be reaching Tokyo soon. The clouds appear to be bathed in the light of the early stages of the sunset. Hopefully the sun doesn't set that fast.


1746 local time (GMT +9)
9V-SPO over the Pacific Ocean

Just felt the unmistakeable downward pull that means we've started our descent. The sun is well on its way down, I really hope we make it before it does.


1845
Narita International Airport, Tokyo, Japan

Touchdown was on the dot at 1816. Sadly we lost the race against the sun, and it was quite dark by the time we got to the gate. Still, I did manage to catch some planes. Interestingly I think I saw more United and Delta/Northwest airliners than JAL and ANA ones. Should be boarding soon for the last leg of the journey home.

2032 local time (GMT +9)
9V-SPO over the Pacific Ocean

We took off quite late, almost an hour after scheduled time. This was probably due to a long queue for the only long runway there, 34L. I wonder if we were routed via taxiways O U R A again.

Eventually we made it into the air at 1959. I'm dead tired and intend to conk out after dinner. Looking forward to wheels on at Changi.


2032 local time (GMT +9)
9V-SPO over the Pacific Ocean

The winds are really bad. Something close to 160kts headwind. I think we could hover if we wanted to. As it is we can't even hit 600km/h of groundspeed. This is going to be a long flight.


110310 0104 local time (GMT +8)
9V-SPO over the South China Sea

Wow. I've never seen so many stars out the window of an airliner before. It's simply epic.

It's nice to be back in my home time zone again, and we're just abeam of Kota Kinabalu. We took a far more westerly route than Japan flights usually do, for some reason, missing Taiwan completely as opposed to the usual overflying it.

Just over an hour to home.


0120 local time (GMT +8)
9V-SPO over the South China Sea

"Singapore 11, contact Singapore Center on 127.3, have a good night"

Just entered the Singapore FIR. Less than an hour.


0153 local time (GMT +8)
9V-SPO over the South China Sea

For the last time on this trip I feel the familiar lurch of an airliner starting its descent that in this case means we're near home.

0319 local time (GMT +8)
Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore

I'm home.

Touchdown at 0219 after flying past all the familiar sights of home and the 2L approach.

At the airport I found myself turned into an airport guide of sorts, helping a Texan guy find his way to T2 in the absence of a SkyTrain. There was also a Japanese student flying to Sydney who I met. She turned out to be a flautist with her high school band. I walked with her from the plane and helped her find a transit lounge to shower. On the way we talked in both English and Japanese, and turns out she was on an exchane program. Sounds way too familiar. Still, it was good talking to her, telling her about Singapore (her first time here) and of course, good to help people.

On the ECP headed home now, finally. It was a good trip, overall, especially the later half. I enjoyed visiting the United Kingdom, the United States of America and for a brief while, Japan. But really, there's just no place like home.
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UK/USA 2010 Day 10

080310 1219 local time (GMT -7)
US 160, Arizona, USA

We are currently barrelling down US 160 at twice the speed limit and really pushing the Hyundai Santa Fe because as usual, we are late. We have a flight at 1400 and our GPS tells us we'll reach the airport at 1358.

We did go to Monument Valley again, and this time the weather was much better. We drove on dirt roads within the valley and saw many natural wonders. The place is indeed a place of outstanding beauty. There was a bit of light snowfall but it soon cleared up.

At the gift shop I noticed some Native American flutes and immediately thought of Colorado Dreams from Monument. Fitting name for the piece and the location I guess.

But anyway, as a result of all this we are now horribly late for our flight back to Denver, and I hope we can reach Farmington on time

1357 local time (GMT -7)
Four Corners Regional Airport, New Mexico, USA

Well, that was certainly a mad rush. We got to the airport at 1345, but thankfully the flight would depart only at 1500, having been delayed. Now sitting around charging my camera, which died somewhere after leaving Monument Valley. Incidentally there's a Learjet parked here with United States Air Force roundels on it.


1501 local time (GMT -7)
Four Corners Regional Airport, New Mexico, USA

Hmmm the flight's supposed to leave at 1507, but when I got to the gate, there was no plane. Why does this sound so familiar?


1602 local time (GMT -7)
N201GL over Colorado

Boarding took pretty long because of weight and balance issues. Apparently we went out at MTOW. Still, we had a good takeoff at 1555 and we're now well on our way to KDEN, though it is a bit bumpy.

2100 local time (GMT -7)
Denver, Colorado, USA

That landing was fun, especially since I had a front view thanks to the open cockpit. We landed at around 1700, then taxied to the gate.

Had a good dinner at Applebee's before heading to the hotel. Going to sleep now, tomorrow will be a long day, but it's the journey home, so I can't complain.


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UK/USA 2010 Day 9

070310 1023 local time (GMT -7)
Denver International Airport, Colorado, USA

Weather's causing numerous flight delays, result being that while we should have been at Farmington a minute ago, we're still in Denver.

Crossing the taxiway bridge was fun, and I spotted quite a few Frontier aircraft, but visibility is quite bad. In fact, at the Panda Express earlier, I could see airliners at adjoining gates, but once they pushed back, they all but disappeared. Notable highlights (all 737NGs) include Aeromexico, Continental Star Alliance and my catch of the day, Alaska's Dreamliner 737-800.

Still waiting for my flight. Latest word is 1144. Well, at least the plane's here...


1843 local time (GMT -7)
Kayenta, Arizona, USA

The flight was really great. It was on a small Beech 1900D, and on such a small plane, you really feel like you're in the air. Such a small plane is way more susceptible to turbulence, and gives a wild ride. The flight was exactly an hour and fifteen minutes long, and flew over much of the Colorado Rockies.

We landed at Farmington, New Mexico at 1330 and proceeded to get our car. The good news was, we got a free upgrade. The bad news was, it was to a Hyundai.

We set off for Four Corners, the intersection point of the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. Sadly, we got there to find it closed. Still, thanks to the road network, we did traverse all four states in the span of 15 mins.

The car ride to Monument Valley was long, but really beautiful. This is the first time in the whole trip I felt happy about long distance driving. We passed by magnificent, and ever-changing scenery characteristic of the American southwest. Even the dreary weather couldn't spoil it, though it did make photo taking hard.

After 2 hours we came to the outskirts of Monument Valley, and I was struck by the beauty. Words can't describe it, so I shall let pictures do the work.

We wanted to hit the visitors center but found it closed. I got some shots, then we headed for the Holiday Inn, where I am now. This is the first time I've been somewhere that has wireless but no phone reception.


2315 local time (GMT -7)
Kayenta, Arizona, USA

I just watched Up win best original score. I'm happy for Pixar, but of course my favourite Pixar film is still Cars, and I can see the reason out my window.

I love this region of the USA. The scenery is breathtaking and the small-town environment is warm and friendly. I feel an affinity to the western United States and its ruggedness and free spirit. Monumnt Valley especially is epic.

Tomorrow I begin the long journey home. Much as I'll miss this place, more so than the rest of the places visited so far, I can't wait to get home.
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UK/USA 2010 Day 8

060510 1542 local time (GMT -5)
New York John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York, USA

About to fly again, this time on Delta, the last of the remaining legacy carriers I have yet to fly on. Of course, this flight's being done entirely on former Northwest metal.

Didn't do that much in the morning, saw both St Patrick's Cathedrals and that was it. Of note though is that I passed a plaza surrounded by all the flags of the world. It was a windy day and all the flags were flying, except for one flag which had wrapped around the flagpole. Normally I wouldn't take notice of such details, but in this case I did. This is due to the nation whose flag was stuck. Can you guess which one.

I'm getting quite annoyed with my family. Really.


1741 local time (GMT -5)
N783NC over New York, USA

The shuttle bus ride from terminal 3 to terminal 4, as well as the slight delay, offered excellent spotting opportunities. Today JFK was 777-200LR land with Air India, Pakistan International Airlines and Qatar Airways among others. Watching the Indian and Pakistani 77Ls face off was amusing. Of course, the highlight was 9V-SPJ, good ol' Singapore Airlines 747-412.

When I got to gate B22, there was no plane, and I felt a strong sense of deja vu. It showed up eventually though, and we boarded.

We pushed back and started, and for the first time I got to experience the noise of the old PW JT8Ds. Felt brilliant. We taxied off to runway 4L and took off at 1725.

Being on this aircraft has the atmosphere of flying in the old days, with ancient seats and windows that make B-HNH's look spotless. I'm also enjoying the fact that the land we're flying over is blanketed in snow. Really nice.


1918 local time (GMT -5)
Detroit Metropolitan Airport, Michigan, USA


The flight was short and uneventful. Some nice snow covered scenery along the way. Landed at 1846 on 27L and taxied to gate A11. I managed to visit the flight deck, a real treat for me a I've never flown an airliner from that era, let alone the DC9.

Detroit Airport is really nice and modern, with a hint of Seoul Incheon International Airport. At a nice Japanese place now, with the tram running just above. It's quite sad though. Once a giant Northwest fortress, there is now no trace of Northwest other than the other DC9 we parked next to. Everything's Delta now...


2048 local time (GMT -5)
N318US over Michigan, USA

Had dinner at this good Japanese place. Given the amount of Japanese traffic that probably passes through Detroit on Northw... Delta, I guess it's to be expected.

Boarded an A320, an airliner which I've had more than enough flights on. I was quite annoyed to find a kid on my assigned window seat, but what could I do? Remind me to do my long overdue rant on flight etiquette soon.

We just took off at 2043, let's see what happens next.


2101 local time (GMT -7)
N318US over Colorado, USA

I'm really exhausted, and a little numb to my surroundings at the moment. Can't really be helped I guess, given the hectic nature of the trip so far. We'll be hitting the ground in Denver soon, already descending.

2300 local time (GMT -3)
Denver, Colorado, USA
Monument by Robert W. Smith rings in my mind as I arrive in Colorado. The airport is nice, and I love the decor, especially the world peace mural.

And my sense of dislike for travelling with family grows and grows.


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UK/USA 2010 Day 7

050310 1553 local time (GMT -5)
Woodbury, New York, USA

At a huge discount mall now. Being me this isn't exactly my idea of a great time. I'm feeling quite annoyed at the wastage of leave, and I think the homesickness is taking its toll. Ok it's not exactly homesickness. Just missing one aspect of home terribly. I'm sure you know what that is if you're reading my blog in the first place.

2055 local time (GMT -5)
New York, New York, USA

I'm in Carnegie Hall watching a band concert at the moment. The first band was a jazz band, which was pretty decent. Looking forward to the symphonic segment. The hall's pretty awe-inspiring too.


060310 0217 local time (GMT -5)
New York, New York, USA

Back from the concert. It was a really interesting experience, seeing an American band concert. The 3 symphonic bands were all good, the second being my favourite. I also enjoyed Der Traum des Oenghus by the third, and massive, band. It was played really well I believe, kudos especially to the two basses for supporting such a huge band.

I notice the Americans love giving standing ovations too. Good spirit I guess. But I did get annoyed by midmovement applause.

The scene post concert reminded me of that back home. People crowding to the backstage to find friends, phototakings along the aisles and outside the hall and a lorry for the percs were all present. The only diff was really the American flags in the background as compared to the statue of Raffles.

Our dinner was at a pretty nice Japanese ramen place which featured innovative dishes such as Philadelphia cheesesteak springrolls. Cute.

From tomorrow onwards I'll be flying everyday for 5 days. I take comfort in the fact that every flight except one short one will now be taking me closer and closer to home.
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UK/USA 2010 Day 6

040310 1512 local time (GMT -5)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

This morning was a little more eventful than I expected owing to the towing away of our car for illegal parking, but still rather uneventful. Amusingly my mum left the room without the car keys. We had no way to contact her, but she came back eventually.

We had lunch at Under the C Seafood below the Comcast Center, same as last time and the staff even remembered us. Now back at the hotel lobby waiting for our car.


1809 local time (GMT -5)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
The only thing we did so far was shop for $308.38 worth of stuff. Waiting for Curtis results now.

2300 local time (GMT -5)
New York, New York, USA

Back in NYC after a fully uneventful day other than the numerous amount of traffic violations. It was amusing to see a whole row of cars with traffic tickets on them. That's all for today I guess.
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UK/USA 2010 Day 5

030310 1345 local time (GMT -5)
I-95, New Jersey, USA

This morning's quite pleasant, weather wise. Spent the morning at my aunt's house chatting with people, which left me feeling quite well.

Headed for KJFK (John F. Kennedy International Airport) to pick up my brother, seeing the flag of Singapore among others there. Also I caught sight of Air India and Air Jamaica.

On the road again! Down to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There are banks of snow along the roads, which makes the drive looks quite nice.

Also, I used to wonder which cities could possibly be represented by Simcity 4 in terms of the neatly ordered streets abs building design. I used to wonder which city in the world would be designed that way. Somehow it never occurred to me till now that New York was it. Maybe it's because it's the first time I've been to New York while playing Simcity.


1550 local time (GMT -5)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Back in Philadelphia, a city I'm somewhat familiar with by now. We had Philadelphia cheesesteak sandwiches for lunch at Geno's. It's famous, but I preferred the one we had last time.

Parked outside the Curtis Institute of Music now, the main reason we're here. And to think when leaving last year I thought I'd never see the place again.

2300 local time (GMT -5)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

In the hotel now after catching a performance by the world's largest working pipe organ and a massive steak for dinner. I need a break...
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UK/USA 2010 Day 4

020310 1641 local time (GMT)
N26123 over the United Kingdom

It's good to be flying again, I must say.

This morning I headed back down to Piccadilly to buy stuff at my regular HMV. Of course, I utilised the London Underground. My impressions of their subway system are that it is rather messy. Stations are more like mazes, and changing lines is tough. To be expected from a system that grew rather than one that was planned, I guess.

Headed to the airport after a good lunch of stew. The airport, like the subway, is quite messy and we had to navigate our way to Terminal 4. We checked in and proceeded through security, where my mum once again got caught for liquids.

My usage of the net once in the terminal caused me to miss some good photo ops, including the Emirates A380. I did manage some shots of interesting aircraft though, such as an Amiri 747 I think of the UAE.

Soon our flight was called and we boarded the 757. Interestingly we were subjected to a full patdown and bag search halfway down the jetway. The plane's half empty, so I expect the rest of the flight to be quite comfortable.

We pushed back for quite a long time, one of the longest pushbacks I've experienced, before taxiing to runway 9R for takeoff. There was a long queue for takeoff including a BA 772 with GE90s. I love the way BA registers their 777s.

Our off time was 1607 local time, and the plane did a right bank over Heathrow that afforded me some good views. The takeoff was supremely powerful, and I was pressed backwards into my seat throughout. The 757's climb was like a bat out of hell too. I admire this aircraft and its diversity and capability. I also like its feel. You can hear its every movement, unlike the newer planes. Sounds like the flaps and gear give it a very organic, almost human feel, to quote Jeremy Clarkson. Speaking of which, I'm listening to Born in the USA on the IFE

Continental seems like a good airline so far, though the flight's just begun. Hope it keeps up.


1745 local time (GMT -1)
N26123 over the North Atlantic

So far so good, grilled chicken dinner was pretty nice. Just watched Planet 51, corny but good entertainment. Mozart Symphony no. 40 playing now.

I love flying. Most people just see it as a mode of travel but I always find it something more. Looking down at the clouds and the ocean is really nice, and I find myself at peace up here.

1921 local time (GMT)
N26123 taxiing in Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey, USA

Finally back in the United States of America.

I used the IFE a lot on this flight, watching The Wizard of Oz and Ratatouille. Nice that the airline gives you the earphones to keep.

We came in over Canada, then headed inland for a while before turning to land on runway 04R at 1917. Our gate, 120, is a tow-in gate, meaning that the engines are shut down and the aircraft is towed in to prevent the engines from damaging baggage carts and stuff in the gate. At the moment we're waiting for the tow.

2300 local time (GMT -5)
New York, New York, USA

Not much happened after deplaning. The pilot was kind enough to tell me the registration of the plane on arrival. Smooth pass through immigration and customs, then we headed for my aunt's house.

The UK was good, but I'm happy to be back in the USA. Also, I was very happy with Continental Airlines. Their service standards are far above the standards one expects from a US Airline.

Flying for me tends to be a time for personal reflection, this was no different, but probably not such a good idea.
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UK/USA 2010 Day 3

010310 1900 local time (GMT)
London, England, UK

Today began with a long car ride up to Stonehenge, which I took a walk around. Not much to say though, you have to be there.

We then went to Salisbury Cathedral, which is really huge. Soon after we entered, the massive organ started blaring Pachelbel's Canon in D. I can find no escape from that piece, can I. In the room containing the Magna Carta, I discovered something quite interesting. The guide stationed there served in the Royal Air Force during WWII, and was posted to, of all the possible bases in the British Empire, RAF Tengah. This base, obviously, is now known as Tengah Air Base, RSAF. Small world.

After a stop on the motorway for lunch, we headed for central London for my mum to shop. On my part, I stopped at Chappell's to buy a trumpet mute and be stunned by the high price of reeds. Then, I headed for Russell Square to meet Brian. I made a call to Jinjun on the way, which I found reassuring I a way.

By the time I met Brian it was around 5. We embraced each other as though we hadn't seen each other in months, which, since I missed him in Singapore, was the case.

We took a relaxing walk around the UCL area, and talked about life, love and RWinds. Brian also showed me around UCL before bringing me up to his room. We chatted a while, discovered that SLRs can't be used to camwhore and slacked a bit before he had to head for a meeting or something.

I bid Brian farewell outside his faculty building with another embrace, then tried to find my way back to Russell Square. This did not go too well, but after some aimless wandering I found my way to King's Cross and took the train to Queensway.

I am there now, enjoying the long queue for the lift. This is quite annoying, both here and in Russell Square, the only access to street level is by lift. Not very efficent, is it?

2230 local time (GMT)
London, England, UK

Dinner was quite uneventful, and we headed home after that.

I'm starting to like London a lot. In a way, I'm feeling the same affinity and warm familiarity as I do with Hong Kong. I don't feel this way with my other two favourite cities, San Francisco and Tokyo. Not just because I haven't been to them as often, but probably because I've explored London and Hong Kong myself on my own time. Nevertheless though, there is still no place deeper in my heart than my hometown.

Also I really, honestly, loved meeting Brian and Yuhyiing again, especially since I missed them in Singapore. Makes me want to come back to see them next year.

Off to the United States tomorrow, and I am looking forward to that. I love London, so I am sad to leave, but as a country, I love the USA. New York is waiting.
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UK/USA 2010 Day 2

280210 2139 local time (GMT)
London, England

It would seem that carsickness is the bane of my plan to update asap. Today has been rather busy I guess.

Typically we woke up late in the morning, leaving our plans for the day in a mess. Still, we left the house eventually and headed off for Oxford.

By the time we reached Oxford it was 1100. We then tried to find parking. This was eventually done by 1145. Says something about Oxford.

We met up with my mother's friend, the same guy from yesterday, then I set off to find Yuhyiing. I eventually met her outside Waterstone's.

After a good lunch at O'Neil's, Yuhyiing proceeded to show me around town and the university. We stopped by a music shop to take a look, but bought little. We also met up with her friend, another Singaporean student. At his room I demonstrated my lack of ability to play the violin, then we talked politics.

Soon it was time for me to leave. I bid Yuhyiing farewell and met my mum and her friend, who took us around Christchurch College. I also witnessed a woman appearing to have a heart attack. It was scary, especially as paramedics were rushing there as we left.

That aside, we finished our tour and left the city to meet another relative. My aunt lived in this little village, incidentally next to a nuclear reactor. Her house and food were both nice. We then left for a walk to take in scenery, then my mum and I headed home for a good steamboat.

All in all today was better than yesterday. The weather was warmer and more inviting. Also it was really good to see Yuhyiing, as I haven't had the chance to meet her in a long while. Hopefully tomorrow will be as good as this.

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UK/USA 2010 Day 1

270210 1043 local time (GMT)
London, England, UK

Murphy's Law states that if anything can go wrong, it will.

After deplaning and stopping for a couple of quick photos, I made my way through immigration and baggage claim. We then set about collecting our car.

The car rental area offered a good view of the runway and I enjoyed watching planes take off. Once we got our car, we realised that we left one luggage bag on the carousel. We had to go get it back, which involved me going back into the sterile area to find it.

Once this was done we headed for my aunt's place in London. However, satnav cockups caused some delays. Eventually we did make it here though. Today wouldn't be so interesting, I suppose, but we'll see.


1400
Leicester, England, UK

We were delayed again, this time to figure out how to use the SIM card we bought. Eventually we did, then drove out all the way to Leicester to meet my mum's friends. Now we should be going to a scenic castle in Warwick.


1630
Warwick Castle, England, UK

I'm standing here looking at the most beautiful rainbow ever. Got some shots of the brilliant double rainbow.


2211
London, England, UK

What a tiring day. As I mentioned above we did go to Warwick Castle. Pretty cool stuff we saw, including various human body parts. One thing that stood out to me was the enthusiasm of the guides. Though they couldn't have earned much, their passion for ther job really shone, and their acting skills are superbs.

I saw the abovementioned rainbow while leaving. We were headed to meet another of my mum's friends for dinner. I was pretty tired by then, think I slept in the car. Dinner was uneventful, then we headed back to rest for the next day.

So far, the weather has, with the exception of the rainbow, been miserable. It's not helping that I'm sick either. I find myself getting pulled down by the dreariness, a far cry from the warm and inviting London of last year. I now find that I'm yearning for the physical and metaphorical warmth of my Singapore.

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UK/USA 2010 Day 0

270210 0104 local time (GMT+8)
9V-SKI over Malaysia

I'm taking advantage of my phone's blog feature to try something new - live on-the-spot blogging. At the moment I'm at seat 74K aboard Singapore Airlines Airbus A380-841 9V-SKI bound for London Heathrow, listening to Yagisawa's Hymn to the Infinite Sky. Photos will be added later.

The trip began at the airport a few hours ago, where I met Shuotian, Paul and Calvin at check-in. I was deeply disappointed that I didn't get to see Jinjun, but sadly it was not possible. We had US fries and a Topless 5 at Swensens, reminiscent of the time we went to Japan two years ago.

I dislike being sent off, as compared to being received, as I usually hate leaving my friends behind. This was no exception.

I proceeded to gate A10 (Thunderbolt II) where 9V- SKI was waiting. After a quick call to Jinjun, I boarded her and took my seat.

Pushback was slightly late, not that I minded, since this meant that there was a chance the sun would rise before we landed. We taxied out behind a considerable queue, the longest I've seen in Changi so far. I saw numerous airliners landing, including a United Airlines 777-222ER and a Japan Airlines 777-246ER. Also, we were overtaken by a Qantas A380-841 along the way, probably racing us to London. This lead to an interesting situation of us holding for the runway on W1, the Qantas A380 holding parallel to us on W2 and what I assumed to be a Paris or Zurich bound Singaporean A380 parallel to us on W3. The plane that was holding us all up? A Jetstar A320. Imagine the view from the right of that plane of 3 A380s lined up waiting.

The other A380 took to the skies, then we lined up and began our takeoff run. Our off time was 0033, making this the second longest delay I've experienced in Changi, and probably the longest out-off interval I've had in a while.

As the plane soared into the sky, I felt some of the burden on my back fall away, for which I am thankful. I guess I really do love being in the sky.

Till now the flight has been uneventful, although the clocks in the flight maps are an hour forward for some reason. Interestingly I was asked for my dinner order in advance. Not sure if this is due to my silver status with SQ. Also, after a year, the stage selections appear to be unchanged. Dinner should be interesting. Yusheng for starters. If you get more luck the higher you toss it, then I wonder how much one can get from tossing it 35000ft in the air.


0044 local time (GMT +6)
9V-SKI over the Bay of Bengal

Interestingly I was served dinner first, again not sure if it's due to my status.

Dinner was, as usual, excellent, especially the yu sheng, and I did do a little personal toss of it. Just took a little walk around the back end of the A380 to have a stretch. Top Gear as usual during dinner, love that show. I really should try to get some sleep in.


0344 local time (GMT +4)
9V-SKI over Afghanistan

Guess I'm not getting any more sleep than this. Probably because it's already nearly 8am back home. And I see as I'm typing this that we've just crossed into Iran. Fun part of the world this is.


0414 local time (GMT +3)
9V-SKI over Azerbaijan

Time's passing slowly thanks to the time zones. Just watched Merry Widow, which they've been showing since I flew this flight this time last year. Soon be over Armenia. I'm considering listening to Armenian Dances now. Should have listened to Persis when I was over Iran.


0525 local time (GMT +2)
9V-SKI over Moldova

The seafood noodles Singapore Airlines serves are excellent. Just crossed into Europe and it shouldn't be long more. Incidentally I did listen to Armenian Dances when we passed into Armenian airspace, but we crossed into Georgia before even halfway into the piece.


0549 local time (GMT +1)
9V-SKI over Germany

Deutschland Deutschland uber alles, and I am at the moment over Deutschland, therefore I am above all, and I just happen to be in the RSAF. Just over an hour left to go. Incidentally I am quite annoyed by an article in SilverKris magazine. It talked about how a successful trial flight was conducted on how to save fuel and all, lauded the achievement, talked about the vast environmental benefits and spooned praises to all involved, but made absolutely no mention at all that the star of the show, the aircraft, was a 747-412. Does Singapore Airlines really dislike it that much? Had it been an A380 you can bet the article would have highlighted the fact.


0619 local time (GMT +1)
9V-SKI over Belgium

My last post before landing. Listening to Saga Maligna on the way down. Been a good flight so fat, still racing the sun and hoping it wins.


0553 local time (GMT)
9V-SKI over the United Kingdom

Guess not. Holding over LAMBON. At least this should give the sun more time to come up.


0641 local time (GMT)
London Heathrow Airport

Great landing to a great flight. It was not as bright as I'd wanted, but still quite bright. The next aircraft to land was the Qantas A380 that raced us here (and lost). Now back in the all too familiar LHR T3. I shall end off here and carry on in the next post.


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