Travel hacking

I just have to put this website here. An aggregate of information about travel hacking for people in the US!!

http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-tips/travel-hacking-guide/



Websites to check:
http://www.kayak.com/
- an aggregator, but seems to be have its own flight bookings nowadays.
http://www.cheapoair.com/
- i have flown more times than i can count using this.

http://www.vayama.com/
- keeps telling me the flight cannot be found.

http://www.mobissimo.com/search_airfare.php
http://www.momondo.com/
- directs to another travel agent - geekfare.com - which has very mixed and polarized reviews.

http://www.skyscanner.com/
http://www.travelocity.com/
http://www.expedia.com/
http://www.orbitz.com/

DMV = pain in the a**

Second time I was turned away from DMV but the three and a half times I have been. Please do not ask me about the half time.

Just for record purposes, and for those of you intending to come to US for studies or work or are here but haven't tasted DMV yet, the following documents are required at DMV:

Primary ID documents (more like a package)
1) Passport with correct VISA
2) with I94
(one of THE most important things to identify you as a LEGAL resident in the US, an entry card from the Homeland Security, you must write this when you are on the plane flying here...)

3) I20
(official University acceptance, issued by the International Office)

4) University International Office letter, preferably with an embossed seal, or any form of identification that you are working/studying here and signed in a color other than black (haha, this is from G. She had this incident when she was sent back because the letter was signed in black and the DMV person thought it was photocopied *faint* and she had L signed in RED LOLX)

5)  Social security denial letter, evidently from the Social Security Office, stating that even though you were denied number, it does not mean you are ineligible for it; the SSO people also lambasted DMV...

6) A letter postmarked, meaning it has to be from the US post office; the letter that was sent to your place by the bank with your debit/credit card doesn't count but surprisingly, the bank statements count. And the DMV peeps actually found that sending postcards/letters to yourself seemed more credible than a mail sent from the bank with your debit/credit card in it.

Secondary form of ID (to further verify you are REALLY you *pinch yourself*)
7) Transcript. Since you will probably just arrive in US, the school will not have a transcript for you or if you are working, you won't have one anyway. I didn't bring mine from NUS. But thankfully it will be in English anyway, otherwise, you would need a LOCAL VERIFIED US translator (UK, where English originated from or Australian not allowed apparently) to convert the transcript language to English.

So, well please be prepared to be sent back a few times.

And to complete this record, something not related to DMV, but the US immigration has imposed a new ruling when I flew from Singapore. Some online electronic system for travel authorization. Even for countries like Singapore, under the Visa Waiver Program. Now even when you travel to the US for a short period of time, you will still need this since it will give you a number that they will verify. A Very trivial, but sure scared the shit out of me when I was at T3. Nobody told me anything about that until this.

I thought German bureacracy was bad....

Taipei Part II

Yes, we spent some 3 days in Taipei before we fly back to Singapore.

Taipei really has quite some places to visit! Plus, the food's really good... Thankfully, we missed the 寒流! That very day we left, it came... It was so cold!! And guess what, I actually saw E with her bf and friends with luggage, while we came back from Ximending. My dear was incidentally telling about hostels in Ximending.

And we think, we saw G's ex-bf, isn't it dear?

Anyway... here's some pics I left out on Taipei part I...

北投露天温泉！After showers...
this is a famous place in 九份... 找你找得好辛苦!
九份，滂沱大雨之后的潇潇细雨
难忘的九份之旅...

Ok here's the real Taipei Part II!!

小美，XL阿姨最小的狗狗。。太冷了它一直在发抖。。 LOLX
她的新发型！！Kawaii ne!
小米也！（2 out of 5 dogs)
XL 最疼的。。。狗狗-宝宝！
西门町戒烟行动！！OMG！！
中正纪念堂, 自由广场
ＨＥＬＬＯ　KITTY RESTAURANT！！
Princess XL。。。 in her royal toilet LOLX... Yes, this is INSIDE the girls' toilet but only the girls' toilet... The guys' pathetic HA...
WHo's this?!?!
I like Taiwan! LOLX

Taiwan Trip - 清境农场

I think this place is worth an entire entry of it... My dear and I loved it very much, cos it additionally reminds her of Europe, but to me, it's simply because it's just having both of us alone. This is, imo, the real getaway.

But it really is. High up in the mountains of Taiwan, you can easily imagine the breathtaking scenaries and romantic settings and since it's 农场, you wouldn't miss the sheep and cows and lambs and sheepdogs...

But since it's high up in the mountains, took us 4 hours to go from Kao Hsiung there: took a 客运 (long-dist bus) to 浦里, where we change bus up.

Pictures speak a thousand words:
Scenary when we were travelling up on the bus. Check out the hues of the skies, she loves that color.
Another one when we were travelling up at twilight. Has the feeling you are looking at a 山水画 (other than the fact that it's a tad blur), especially with the houses at the side, like villages.
Shopping mall in the clouds!
Now this is the real farmstead..
A lovely sight...

赶羊秀

Guess who's that being whipped?!
Cute lambs, oooooo...
Benediction from the skies above...
Check out the sheep!
It wouldn't be XL without jumping poses LOLX!
This part of the trip holds dear to the heart because it is more than just beautiful scenaries and interesting stories. More importantly, it's a journey both of us took together. Feels like a huge step forward.

I think my dear would agree with me on that.

Taiwan trip Part I and II

Because my dear has chided me for neglecting my blog and that she wants to read some blogs, I decided to add this photo-filled entry, with my enjoyable Taiwan trip. 'Enjoyable' is simply an understatement...

Love the feeling of travelling, cos there is no pressure. Just 2 persons, holding hands and going on adventure =P LOLX.

Anyway, presenting to you my Taiwan trip; the photos are tip of the iceberg:

Taipei 1
-- We spent the first 4 days in Taipei for the fireworks at 101!


Taipei 101 during New Year's eve; with her bro and bro's gf
Call me a glutton, but Taiwanese food is what I love =P
Check out the new costume LOLX

风大雨大的渔人码头

3 days in warm KAoHsiung:
My maiden 高铁 trip is to 高雄!
This is winter wear in balmy 高雄. Suck that!
in front of Confucious Temple; I just love taking photos of her =P
Our 护身mascot 小敦也！
西子湾
Caught eating again! The 夜市in Taiwan are superb! This is the infamous 高雄六合夜市!
OMG!! We caught that!!

...TO BE CONTINUED...

Some lost time...

The coming of my first paycheck sort of marks my first month at my institute already. It's like.. so fast! I am yet truly amazed at how blessed my life is: integration into the environment was smooth, it's like what one of my colleagues say "I thought you were from another lab because you looked so at home here; no culture shock, nothing!" The initial transition period probably lasted less than a week. I am really really glad my colleagues were nice people, even a smile or a nod suffice.

Work was starting to pile once my upper left. I am thankful my dearest came back and everything's just as where we left off, actually even more. I am just grateful that whenever I need a getaway from work at the end of the day, she is the balm of my heart and soul. =)

The big gathering at K was another big highlight! Bon voyage SW! And it has really been a long time since we all came together, albeit CW couldn't make it.

79 gathering last week was cool too! Although only 7 turned up, I thought it was a good catchup! WJ looked ever so chirpy, E, though sick so radiant and all, TC looks the same haha, the same ueber yet humble person whom I admire during JC, SJ, a bit subdued I felt, but vivacious nonetheless, ZY turned FAIRER (OMG!) haha, YJ same reserved person... All looked and felt the same, but with an additional sense of fatigue, that probably discerns us from our more bubbly and naive selves years back.. Hope to catch up with people at TC's wedding definitely :P
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

(L to R) K, T and I

Pink cab!
Victory Monument - near where our condo is
ZH and my room; look at the sparkling floor!!
Chinatown at night!
(L to R) KM, YY, T and K - guava chewing
This little boy followed from streets back!! Well cos he wanted some cash.. which our generous ZH gave..
Bird's nest soup - YY immersing in her dreams..

Bangkok trip must definitely be one of the nicest trips, all because we have T and K with us!! I am really glad we met years back, cos they are still the T and K I knew back then: vivacious, ever so willing to help, ever so playful and ever so terrific people... Thip got us 2 rooms, which are actually CONDOS!! I thought it would be hostels lo... But they are condos!! OMG!! Damn nice!

Multi-coloured taxis are everywhere!! There are even pink ones!! Took specially for XL to see haha :P

First day in Bangkok, T and K brought us on a FOOD TOUR!!! Chinatown's food is terrific!! ANd the watermelon juice, oh manz, I melted in that.. qooooooo....

Ok some randoms...

Did you know Thais like sugar in their fishball noodles?!?!?