The Singaporean Overseas Crap Box .....
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you + SO .... together say $8000 .... can probably backpack Europe for three months on that amount ....Originally posted by Wanda:Yep, that belated honeymoon.
Last night, I asked the SO which package (12/15/18 day) he would like, and he said 18 D would be nice. Then I said: "That will cost min. S$4000 per pax excl. some meals and shopping". He reacted as if he was jolted with an electric shock.
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You think so? Not sure about backpacking, but my gf told me that train tickets and accom aren't cheap in Europe, so won't save a lot if you go on a F n E trip.Originally posted by Fatum:you + SO .... together say $8000 .... can probably backpack Europe for three months on that amount ....
You spoke like my SO...he also said that amount can allow us to make 3 backpacking trips to China, blah blah.... -
a friend studying in the UK made a speed run through Europe this summer, he got one of those Euro-rail passes that's a lot cheaper than buying individual packages ... so that may be one option you want to look at ....Originally posted by Wanda:You think so? Not sure about backpacking, but my gf told me that train tickets and accom aren't cheap in Europe, so won't save a lot if you go on a F n E trip.
You spoke like my SO...he also said that amount can allow us to make 3 backpacking trips to China, blah blah....
travel and accom won't be cheap ... but you can do the standard backpacking thingy mah ...
you know ... the lap cheong, hae bee, sea weed, maggi mee and portable stove routine .. -
Hur hur hur.... on all our backpacking trips, we have never brought any stove (which we recently sold to cash converters).Originally posted by Fatum:travel and accom won't be cheap ... but you can do the standard backpacking thingy mah ...
you know ... the lap cheong, hae bee, sea weed, maggi mee and portable stove routine .. 
Nice cooked food is affordable in Asian countries.
Perhaps we can't be considered hardcore backpackers.
But I did carry my own backpack, and walked and walked a lot!! -
perhaps I can't be considered a backpacker too ...Originally posted by Wanda:Hur hur hur.... on all our backpacking trips, we have never brought any stove (which we recently sold to cash converters). Nice cooked food is affordable in Asian countries.
Perhaps we can't be considered hardcore backpackers. But I did carry my own backpack, and walked and walked a lot!!
I do more camping than I do backpacking .... tents, parang, an axe, and a survival kit isn't exactly backpacking standard issue stuff eh ... -
Where have you camped? Alone? I would consider it backpacking as long as you travel about on your own and stay in non-luxurious accom.Originally posted by Fatum:perhaps I can't be considered a backpacker too ...
I do more camping than I do backpacking .... tents, parang, an axe, and a survival kit isn't exactly backpacking standard issue stuff eh ...
My camping days are over long ago....can't sleep well.
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the standard places in west malaysia, as well as Borneo ...Originally posted by Wanda:Where have you camped? Alone? I would consider it backpacking as long as you travel about on your own and stay in non-luxurious accom.
My camping days are over long ago....can't sleep well.
and a few Thai national parks in the west and north east ....
it's pretty fun actually ... I'm trying to psycho my sis to lug more of my gear over to vancouver the next time she's flying there so I can go camping here too ... -
I think the canadian forest and national parks would be lovely....but do watch out for wild animals, ya?Originally posted by Fatum:the standard places in west malaysia, as well as Borneo ...
and a few Thai national parks in the west and north east ....
it's pretty fun actually ... I'm trying to psycho my sis to lug more of my gear over to vancouver the next time she's flying there so I can go camping here too ...
Hey, you're quite the jungle man, Fatum....that's cool ! We have so far stayed clear of most urban cities on our trips too.
Is your forthcoming Tibet/KKH trip on? I hope to go back to KKH one day, with SO.
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well ... I'm not thinking of that yet ... personal life is a bit messed up right now ... so it's full steam ahead on the studies front eh ...Originally posted by Wanda:I think the canadian forest and national parks would be lovely....but do watch out for wild animals, ya?
Hey, you're quite the jungle man, Fatum....that's cool ! We have so far stayed clear of most urban cities on our trips too.
Is your forthcoming Tibet/KKH trip on? I hope to go back to KKH one day, with SO.
yeps, the mountains here are beautiful .... I've seen wild grouse, wild rabbits, moose, deer, fish eagles, wolves (cayotes ?) and a baby bear ....
we ran quickly from the last one cos we didn't know where mama bear was ... and I wouldn't want to rely on a teeny little bottle of bear spray to stop momma ....
and I'm not sure I was quite the jungle man .... I think I'm more of an Ocean man actually ... . But I don't mind jungles ... and I don't mind roughing it either ... 5-star room or the jungle floor somewhere, makes no diff to me ... -
i had a direct flight from toronto - hong kong then SIA to sg. crazy long ass flight !Originally posted by Fatum:stopping over where ? ....
remember the first rule of long haul air travel hor .... Make sure you have NO BABIES next to you on the flight ! ..... -
Oh, what happened in personal life? Hope you'll sort it out soon.Originally posted by Fatum:well ... I'm not thinking of that yet ... personal life is a bit messed up right now ... so it's full steam ahead on the studies front eh ...
yeps, the mountains here are beautiful .... I've seen wild grouse, wild rabbits, moose, deer, fish eagles, wolves (cayotes ?) and a baby bear ....
we ran quickly from the last one cos we didn't know where mama bear was ... and I wouldn't want to rely on a teeny little bottle of bear spray to stop momma ....
and I'm not sure I was quite the jungle man .... I think I'm more of an Ocean man actually ... . But I don't mind jungles ... and I don't mind roughing it either ... 5-star room or the jungle floor somewhere, makes no diff to me ... 
Reading your description of the mountains, I can imagine the lovely view and the fresh air....sigh.....at one time I wanted to live in Montana, after watching The Horse Whisperer. Apparently, Kitaro goes there to compose his music. -
My worst experience was a return trip from London, transit at some place on the Indian continent, and then to Sg => 21 torturous hours!Originally posted by ben1406:i had a direct flight from toronto - hong kong then SIA to sg. crazy long ass flight !
Plus the one day already lost. That was in the early 90's when such flights were all terribly long. 
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at least u survived the trip its goodOriginally posted by ben1406:i had a direct flight from toronto - hong kong then SIA to sg. crazy long ass flight ! -
You must have felt "Welcome Home" eh? So, in total, how many hours? Which carrier was it? CX? Didn't you need to go via Anchorage?Originally posted by ben1406:i had a direct flight from toronto - hong kong then SIA to sg. crazy long ass flight !
Well, I've always travelled Toronto/Vancouver/Seol/S'pore. 27 HOURS!!!
For my next trip, I like to try CX which is Toronto/Anchorage/HKG/S'pore.
Hey, Ben1406, happy visit and eat, eat, eat ah!!!! -
My last trip via CX ... the flight's actually New York/Vancouver/HK/Singapore actually ... hellish trip too ... flight was filled with wailing babies ... including one right beside me .... carried by some mother-in-law who also stole my pillow ! ...
I dunno why, but inbound flights from North America to asia always have a much higher percentage of babies than other flights .... a fact confirmed by my SIA stewardess sis .....
maybe people go to the US or canada to give birth, get papers for the BB, then bring the BB back ? ... -
Hee hee............Originally posted by Fatum:My last trip via CX ... the flight's actually New York/Vancouver/HK/Singapore actually ... hellish trip too ... flight was filled with wailing babies ... including one right beside me .... carried by some mother-in-law who also stole my pillow ! ...
I dunno why, but inbound flights from North America to asia always have a much higher percentage of babies than other flights .... a fact confirmed by my SIA stewardess sis .....
maybe people go to the US or canada to give birth, get papers for the BB, then bring the BB back ? ...
Sounds hellish, alright! I really don't enjoy long haul. Or actually, I don't like flying at all. I like land travels or maybe a cruise, which sadly, I still can't convince hubby to take one with me. -
wow... wanda, u do seem to b veteran backpacker.... western europe.... yeah.... expensive... the travelling n accommodation.... and the food.... mayb only cheap thing is the beer... .... ha.... but u will love it i think..... the architecture and the history... the arts n the culture... and of course, the mountains n the lakes.... must go switzerland.... awesome....
fatum seems more 'jungle-trained'? ha... but the wildlife in canada really sounds so cool! i have neber seen a bear (except that polar bear in singapore zoo) before!! the name of the place u r staying in canada sounds very 'chim' to me, where is it? will it b cheap to backpack there one day? -
I like to think I'm more "sea-trained" ...Originally posted by sacredspirits:wow... wanda, u do seem to b veteran backpacker.... western europe.... yeah.... expensive... the travelling n accommodation.... and the food.... mayb only cheap thing is the beer... .... ha.... but u will love it i think..... the architecture and the history... the arts n the culture... and of course, the mountains n the lakes.... must go switzerland.... awesome....
fatum seems more 'jungle-trained'? ha... but the wildlife in canada really sounds so cool! i have neber seen a bear (except that polar bear in singapore zoo) before!! the name of the place u r staying in canada sounds very 'chim' to me, where is it? will it b cheap to backpack there one day? ... I like diving more than I do hiking
I'm in the prairies ... outside of the city it's just oceans and oceans of grasslands (okie, they are all wheat and canola fields now ) ... I don't think Canada is a place to backpack though ... more of a roadtrip kind of place ... and hitch-hiking is illegal btw ... -
Fatum: you sure you don't want me to send you bak kwa? No need pai seh lah. Treat it as my ang pow to you lah.
Hey, your friend who came over to shop a few weekends ago, how? Made a bundle sweep?
Next time, you come with him mah. Then, we can meet up but since you have friends here, I guess you know where to shop too eh? Talk about food, no S'poreans will be oblivious. -
aiyah ... really paiseh lah ...Originally posted by littlestream:Fatum: you sure you don't want me to send you bak kwa? No need pai seh lah. Treat it as my ang pow to you lah.
Hey, your friend who came over to shop a few weekends ago, how? Made a bundle sweep?
Next time, you come with him mah. Then, we can meet up but since you have friends here, I guess you know where to shop too eh? Talk about food, no S'poreans will be oblivious.
I'm not intending to celebrate this CNY also lah ... bad time-table this year ... mid-terms all around this period ...
but I'll definitely be going over to TO something later this year ... there's a friend from poly who's going to graduate from UT this year also and I'm going over to visit her ... where are you exactly in the GTA ? ... I'll be driving over, hopefully my "lau pok gai" can hack it ...
we got 0 degrees today ... clear deep blue sky to the horizon today ... so the pavements are like ice-skating rinks now ... -
who is sending bak kwa? i want i want~
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For the benefit of the metric-challenged (i.e., yours truly!Originally posted by Fatum:we got 0 degrees today ... clear deep blue sky to the horizon today ... so the pavements are like ice-skating rinks now ... ), please indicate the unit of measurement in all future temperature references. -
oops ... heee ...Originally posted by Meia Gisborn:For the benefit of the metric-challenged (i.e., yours truly! ), please indicate the unit of measurement in all future temperature references.
forgot that MG's in a country where they do things their own way ...
It's celcius .... still ... 0 F would be like, what ? ... -18, 19 ? ...
still would be an average winter day in saskatchewan ... -
Originally posted by Fatum:oops ... heee ...
forgot that MG's in a country where they do things their own way ...
It's celcius .... still ... 0 F would be like, what ? ... -18, 19 ? ...
still would be an average winter day in saskatchewan ...
Do you ppl have to like, soak yourselves in moisturiser and creams everyday to keep your skin intact?
A few days in Boston's winter (considered mild by Saskatchewan's standards) years' ago and my skin was cracking up .... *ouch* -
0°C would be equal to 32°F. Assuming there's no wind, that's considered t-shirt and jeans weather here.Originally posted by Fatum:oops ... heee ...
forgot that MG's in a country where they do things their own way ...
It's celcius .... still ... 0 F would be like, what ? ... -18, 19 ? ...
still would be an average winter day in saskatchewan ... 
But the ice on the ground would still be a problem, as you found out the hard way a few weeks back! Has your ankle fully healed?