Oh hai yoh!!!

Out of the kindness of our heart, we have decided to set up this new blog to haolian, oops, i meant showcase the photos and experiences we had on our recent trip to Hokkaido and Tokyo. Heh.

Its the start of what we hope would be many many trips, the reason being that we both want to splurge all our money on exotic getaway, to lands far far away. Really, a trip together brings people closer, be it friends or people in relationships. Its a whole different chemistry and experience, and it is also a chance to ascertain for yourself whether you can stand your friend/girlfriend/boyfriend/sibling/gay partner and his or her habits. And ultimately, if the trip turns out wonderfully, it will be so much more wonderful because of that person.

Ok!!

Enough of such romanticism talk!

Lets get on to the good stuff!

Before the trip, i must admit i was a little intimidated and sian that i was going Japan for my grad trip. I mean, Carine had been to tokyo before already ma, and i had always thought that a grad trip should go to a exotic country where Kong bushmen would spring out at anytime to harpoon u with a spear, or where the women have very long necks.

The trip however totally changed my perception of that country. We were really stunned by the beauty of Hokkaido, and how scenic, refreshing and breathtakingly beautiful the sights were. Well Carine had wanted to go there to see the Cherry blossoms cos she wouldn't be able to see them anymore once she started working, and i must admit i was not exactly thrilled at the idea of spending $2,265 to see flowers (yao kan hua, qing ni lai wo jia....) but when we finally saw them, they were stunning. And illuminated by the backdrop of the snowy cloud-topped mountains, wow...

But, as with all tours, we were brought to some really boliao places that i had to physically drag my body through. I mean, who in the whole wide world would want to see how beer is made and bottled rite? And we were also taught an immensely difficult task that no man or woman or child should attempt without supervision: how to scoop jam from a big pail into a smaller jar. Wah lao damn difficult lei! Kids don't try that at home.

Anyways, before i begin our account of the trip proper, as with all good stories we must first introduce the characters. Our tour group was a huge one consisting of 40 people, and with a group that huge, you can find some truly memorable characters, many of whom were the very caricatures of Singaporeans. And given our creative minds, and our penchant for gossiping about people, we had to give them some nicknames that reflected something about them. Heh heh. Let me first start by introducing these characters:

1. Buck & Bucky

A couple on their honeymoon who were the archetypal Singaporean. The first to grab anything and everything at the buffet line, or the free products that the hotels provided for us to shower with [ooh we had to shower naked...but thats a story for another day!] We called them buck and bucky for a very obvious reason, but they are really funny. Oh and they are also the first ones to always sniff a bargain. Zai man

2. Barney Mum and Dad

Married couple. Called them Barney cos during the briefing for the trip they had brought their daughter along. Who brought a Barney along. Who wore socks for her Barney. So we always remembered them as that lor. Very cute and likeable couple whom we shared a few meals with [not that poor lar, just share table and one king crab only]

3. Extend

Actually their names are Andy and Meihong, but we called them Extend cos they also extended their trip like us. I know we can get very creative with our nicknames. Anyways, a very nice couple who were also on their honeymoon. But i tell u hor, the world is so freaking small. Andy turned out to be working for Touch Community Services as a IT guy [i volunteer with Touch Seniors!!], and Meihong works in Nus!! Actually me and carine have never met them before. But still quite qiao wat!!

4. LBR

Cannot tell u all the real nickname we gave. Confidentiality issues. Hur hur. Anyways their names are actually Weiming and Meiqi, a couple from Malaysia but who work in Singapore. Thought they were quite serious at first, but turns out Weiming talk a lot of cock also. We both wanted to visit the Soapland in the Red light district in Sapporro, but we were of course given the cold stare of death by Carine and Meiqi respecitively. Our dinner buddy in Sapporro.

5. Laptop and Family

And last, but definitely not least, is Laptop. Oh Laptop! What an enigma, and the very caricature of the aunty personified. We still laugh and crack jokes about her and her family from time to time cos its just so freaking funny. We coined the nickname Laptop for her, because she was perpetually taking notes during the trip. Yes, notes. During a tour. Every word the guide said she would copy religiously into her little black book. Even things like how many times to swirl the milk while making the ice cream, or how many bottles the Asahi beer factory produces everyday. She's even more hardworking than i was during lectures lor. Then sometimes she would ask her husband [very loudly] on the bus to repeat some inane thing the guide said. Then she would copy it down again. Haa haa haa!! She's even funnier when she says things off the cuff like "huh, we travel so far to see these only ah??!" And she says this very loudly.

Oooh and her husband is damn funny too. Think we should have called him the snorer. During the long bus rides, the guide would play some Wu Zhong xian video to while the time away. He would watch it for a while, then make a comment like "Wah so funny hor!" One second later, we would hear this:

"Goooorrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!"

[In case u din get it, that was a loud snore]

And the process would be repeated again the next time we board the bus. One second we would hear him laughing, and the next, a snore that would shake the foundations of the earth. I kid you not.

Oh and they have a daughter we named Makeup. For obvious reasons. She quite power also. We had to wake up every morning at the unearthly hour of 6 plus or 7 plus, and i din even have the energy to brush my teeth [though i still smell like a million dollars] but she cld get up to put make up on, and wear her pointed shoes and walk around on the tour in those little pointed shoes. Oh and she always has her compact with her. Power lar.

Alrighty the intro is done. Got loads more to write though.