A very unlikely place to relax

When I say petrol station, what would conjure up in your mind? Simply a place to pump petrol, get that occasional magazine or cigarette pack and go?

Well, I found this quaint 'little' petrol station that conjures up the most unlikely feelings in me. First of all, they sell "premium Australian beef and mushroom pie" and they have got Old Chang Kee stuff. YUM! Plus, they have a small corner with bar stools and table, overlooking the ever-busy main road.

I never imagined that I could ever find solace and quietude in a mere petrol station, but I did. The flavour of the beef pie brings back memories of Mrs Mac's pies from Australia (except that it is even better) and downing it with Starbucks Frappucino after, just makes my day. I know, I know, I am not supposed to like Starbucks and it is a lot more expensive than the Pokka canned coffee, but it sure tastes good. I'll remind myself that it is a little luxury that I can only drink once in a while.

Old Chang Kee does not open till later in the morning, but it is good in that way for then, I do not have to stop myself from the temptation. Too much fried food will make me grow so fat.

It is really a quiet little place to rest and relax without being disturbed. It is situated somewhere along Dunearn Road so if you really have the time, do have a little hunt for it. I wonder how many such petrol stations do exist here in "the little red dot".

Good luck!

Sex and the city

There are happy things and not so happy things that happened today.

Happy things first: Went to watch Sex and the City with friend. Man! The show is realy long: 2.5 hours! I wanted to die trying to control my pee! Although I never did really like Carrie Bradshaw, I felt I had to watch this movie. After all, I had free movie vouchers to go watch! So why not?

Find the things that the 'girls' were talking about and the issues that they were facing were a little cliche or maybe, I am too jaded to feel the feeling of love.

We had a fulfilling dinner at Shokudo while people-watching. Nice to hang out with girl friend like that. A bonus for us was when a lone Aussie sat almost next to our table and dined alone. Pure eye candy.

The funny part was when we were parting to go home. I wanted to head for the bus stop when my girl friend reminded me that I actually drove today. Hahaha! Silly me.

When are they going to 'ketchup'?

Tsk, tsk, tsk!

Whatever happened to good 'ol ketchup???

From goodness knows when, the fast food chains stopped giving out tomato ketchup packets. That was fine, for they still used to ask you whether you wanted ketchup or not.

I also remember the times when the staff of Japanese fast food chain MOS Burger used to ask whether we wanted chilli or ketchup and STILL gave chilli after I specifically said ketchup. They even circle the appropriate sauce on their order chit. Sometimes I wonder why they bother even asking.

Lately though, KFC in particular, has stopped asking and stopped giving ketchup. The first incident was when we ordered home delivery that Saturday when I met up with old friends. They just assumed that everyone took chilli and gave us tonnes of chilli packets. Thank goodness for kids as they luurve ketchup and had a ready bottle at home. Kekeke....in fact, I almost finished the girl's bottle and her mum 'threatened' for me to repay one.

Then I went to KFC with my colleague on Wednesday again, as I did not have enough of the Original Recipe chicken (we ordered some hot and spicy for the gathering). Server did not ask me whether I wanted ketchup or not and I ended up with 7, 7 packets of chilli for a 2-piece meal! I found that quite ridiculous. Either that or that particular chilli company was paying them lots for free advertising.

In any case, it is a lost cause on me as I am NOT a sweet chilli lover. I am definitely a ketchup person. I guess I should be contented for in Australia, each packet of anything that you take (I think other than ketchup) would cost you $0.20.

It does not make sense if they tell me that they are trying to cut cost or conserve usage etc, etc, because they are literally raining chilli packets on people!

Don't even get me started on their portions either, for it has totally shrunk and eating it has become unsatisfactory. It's the sort of feeling you get when the food goes down and feels like it has only filled up one teeny weeny corner of your stomach. The feeling that you are full and yet not full.

I requested for breast meat, but one came up to be wings. OK, there was a little breast meat there but weird me does not particularly like wings...that much.

Well, I will just have to remind myself not to eat so much of KFC anymore, lest I want to feel hungry faster.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie...

I was trying to look for this washing machine jingle that I saw in Australia in the 1990s, but couldn't find it. Look what I found instead?



This song is like national anthem to me (you can boo me all you want) and it brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it.

And I also found this:


I remember most of these ads and I had fun watching them again :)

Migrate NOW!

Dad is asking me to apply for Australian PR again. He knows that I want to go over quite badly. Actually, I did. Now, I am not too sure, but I could also plan in such a way that I go over to study speech therapy or something. That would do too.

I still think that Oz is a beautiful place even though I did experience discrimination during my studies there, some yonks back. Tell me, who doesn't discriminate? To say that one does not discriminate at all is bull crap.

Anyhow, I am going to try. I am going to see if I can get it and even though I may be leaving a bunch of people that I love behind, I will still go for it. Who knows? I may find the man of my life there? Hahaha! No, that is the least on my mind now. Yesterday, while driving in the car, it really dawned on me that I should love myself first. For once, I should be selfish and think ME first.

All this time I have been telling myself that but I have never really done it consciously. I have not really gone out there and done things and told myself, "Yeah! That is done for me! Because I liked it and enjoyed it!"

Therefore now, I am going to make a bigger effort to do so. I will not do the things that I do not want to do. At least I will try.