I awoke just before 6 this morning to a loud whoop-whoop noise. The apartment block's fire alarm had gone off. I looked out my bedroom window and saw the whole street covered in a red smokey haze. It looked like some raging fires were sweeping across the entire city or something. Residents had to be evacuated from the building.
Above photo was taken with my handy Sony T-5 while I was freezing my ass off outside the apartment building waiting for the fire brigade to arrive. They never came although I heard fire engine sirens and saw a few of them pass by when I walked around to the main road. Several residents called the emergency services number 000 and were informed that the whole of Sydney was assaulted by strong gails and severe dust storms and hundreds of buildings with automatic particle-type fire alarms were set off. The fire brigades were flat out hence they would take some time to attend to our building (they eventually came at around half past 7). I called 000 myself to confirm that this was the reason for the alarm going off and even took the trouble to inspect the entire building by walking its perimeter to ensure there were no visible fires before I went back home with the whoop-whoop noise still going on. You can't really make such life-and-death decisions based on hearsay from others, can you?
Subsequent readings at online news sites revealed that the Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning across the entire state of New South Wales because of widespread damaging winds. Severe hail and rain storms hit parts of the state last night, and flash floods and bush fires affected some other regions right up to the Victorian border. (Update: Oh and I just read that Melbourne experienced earthquakes in this period too.)
Right now, at close to 4pm, the dust in the air has more or less cleared, but the wind rages on. Thick films of dust blanketed vehicles parked on the streets. I'm glad mine is under cover in the basement garage.
On the surface, it seems like everything has reverted back to normal from my side of the world, but who knows what/where/who are still suffering from the aftermath or will be affected next.
As for me, the moment I stepped out onto the streets this morning during the evacuation, my eyes had been tearing non stop rendering my vision to almost zero. I had to remove my glasses every few seconds to wipe the tears and that resulted in very tender and swollen eyes now. My already highly weakened lungs and respiratory system cannot take such trauma. The nasal passageway got immensely irritated to the extent every millimeter of skin and flesh leading from the nostrils in to the back of the throat first itched, then hurt because of the body's natural reaction to try to dispel the foreign particles by coughing the guts out. I had to kinda sedate myself with some drowsy meds so as to knock the consciousness out and calm the systems.
Ah... Mother Nature's wrath is finally manifesting itself on the disgusting human race population. Awesome.
Afterthought: I would choose to bear the SG haze over this anytime.
crimson skies
photographer in hot air balloon
Ok it's time someone, anyone, gets me a present cos I've been working so hard. I want the Photographer necklace and the Hot Air Balloon necklace please. Thank you.
Aren't they all so cute?
Left: Photographer Necklace; Right: Hot Air Balloon Necklace
Left: Vintage Typewriter Necklace; Right: Antique Sewing Machine Necklace
Left: Brass Utensils Necklace; Right: Watering Jug Necklace
All necklaces are from verabel.
we loves them vintage cases!
Samsonite Shwayder Brothers Aqua Sky Blue with Silver Sparkles
American Tourister Mustard Yellow Vintage Carry on Messenger bag with Dandelions and seedlings
We wants!
10 day sg bintan stint
I took a 10-day break from work in mid August and went back home to be near familiar faces and places. Here's the view out from my window seat in the Boeing 747 aircraft looking out onto the Melbourne Airport tarmac on a rainy afternoon. (My departure port was Melbourne instead of Sydney because I had to be there for work that morning.) The gloomy weather made me doubt my decision to head home at such short notice. Then I saw that rainbow peeping out through the layers of dark storm clouds and told myself that must be a sign for me to relax and look forward to a colourful trip home.
I caught up a little with an ex-form-teacher-turned-good-friend upon my arrival at Changi Airport and spent the whole of day two in SG pampering myself with manicure, hair-do and brazilian sessions with my favourite Tudi before catching a really heartwarming animation movie UP in 3D, then rushing off to a wild night out with the girlies at Zouk.
Days three and four saw me relaxing and practically doing nothing much in Bintan. I did lots of sleeping though and had a great 90 minute whole body massage that relieved the years of knots in every muscle of the body. Below is a series of shots taken in Bintan. Not many pictures as I wasn't really in the mood for photography but I do like the few snaps I managed to capture.
It poured just before I left the resort. I welcomed the cool drops of rain after having experienced a sunburnt afternoon just the day before.
Once back in SG again, I took a stroll along the now alien Orchard Road. How it has changed in just 6 months! Singapore is changing at an alarming rate. I guess I will need to do more frequent short trips home just to keep abreast with the changes.
The new ION that seems to be everybody's choice destination now to see and to be seen.
For me, the crowds give me headaches so I'd rather stay away. I much prefer staying home with my loved ones including Xiao Xiao Bai who's all grown up now - see below. Here's how she looked when she was a baby.
I did some catching up with Angel J over some one-for-one Stella Artois right smack in Orchard Road. Here's a shot of what we reckon to be a good commercial pic for the beer, complete with the essential boobies.
These are of Angel J doing the slutty poses with my big retro shades.
And the dreamy-gal-next-door me in a pair of 'Happy Birthday' cartoon shades.
And this is what Angel C calls the 'Powers Combined' picture where all three of us got together for some sinful indulgence at P.S. Cafe in Dempsey.
Woooo.... I like my tan in this pic below.
Towards the end of my short stint back home, I managed to spend some time with the monkey cousin who played dress up with me. I was her audience as she paraded in her Cinderella dress, cheongsam, platform heels, ultra mini skirts and even her Kindergarten uniform although I didn't manage to capture all of the costumes she wore.
Then these last few shots were taken at the airport just prior to my boarding the plane bound for Sydney. Mr P was the last person to see me walk through the departure gates.
All in all, it was a good 10 days away from work. I had some quality time together with my Mum, Ex-Teacher-turned-friend, Fav Tudi, Lambchop and Rae too but we were too caught up with catching up and forgot about taking photos. Now I'm all recharged to survive another 6 months of madness before I head back for some familial-and-friendly-love therapy again.
project 'chio'
Project P came to a stall for some reason and never got resurrected. A recent event triggered the birth of Project Chio and I am working to keep the momentum to:
- eat healthier
- sleep better
- get outdoors more
- generally love myself more
One Saturday night, I put on a little black dress, spiced it up with a glittery scarf, fishnet stockings and knee high boots (partly due to the cold spring night), made up the face a bit, and went to paint the town red. I was quite overwhelmed by the attention I drew. I was also most flattered that I got chatted up by a charismatic lady with an extremely toned body - I was so tempted to go home with her (?!?!). It was a real confidence booster for me.
I think the photos above show a very radiant me. The glow is partly due to the short break I gave myself on an impulse, and it really took the fatigue off me.
I hope this Project Chio can help shed a few years off the face and a few kilos off the body in time for some hot summer beaching and for my next trip to SG via Bali in 6 months time.
ps: Beakee, you'll see I have your Silver Grey Drops on if you click to enlarge the pics. Love them!
shadows of spring
The spring leaves outside my windows cast warm fuzzy shadows on the bedroom walls in the evening light. The heart flutters.
through the eyes of the tiger
While enjoying my Tigers on Singapore's special day, I snapped away unabashedly and look what nice pictures I took in my semi drunken state!
The world seems smaller but clearer once you've had a beer. Yes?
I particularly love how the glass door throws multiple reflections at you whenever something / someone passes by. Isn't this how the world looks like after a few beers? Check out the lady with a blue headband - I think she looks way cool.
I couldn't help but take more shots of the lady with blue headband. I then did a random tilt of my quite-heavy-after-five-beers head and caught the doors ajar scene without thinking.
Do two halves make a full schooner? And thus we ended a great tiger evening at Bank Lounge.
tiger day
I'm a bit embarrassed that this entry is about a month late, but hey, better late than never.
Although I didn't say the national pledge with the rest of the Singaporean population at 8.22pm on National Day, I wore the national colours and headed to Bank Hotel in Newtown for some Tiger beer in commemoration of my home country's 44th birthday.
Check out my new chio chio Crumpler camera bag by my side!
Cheers!
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