#singapore walking tour 2020

[tripcabinet]

Preserving Heritage: Singapore’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites Unveiled

Introduction:

Singapore, often celebrated for its contemporary skyline and revolutionary city planning. Is also home to cultural treasures that have earned the prestigious designation of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These websites, carefully preserved amidst the metropolis’s cutting-edge panorama, inform memories of Singapore’s wealthy history, diversity. And the seamless integration of way of life and modernity. Join us on a virtual adventure as we discover the UNESCO World Heritage Sites that grace the Lion City, more suitable through the extraordinary experiences of Trip Cabinet’s curated Singapore tour package.

1. Singapore Botanic Gardens: A Green Oasis in the City

Historical Roots: Singapore Botanic Gardens, an oasis of beauty built in 1859. Recognized as the city’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, the gardens boast a rich history of botanical research and conservation Visitors can wander through the National Orchid Garden, and its impressive collection of over 1,000 orchid species.

Biodiversity Haven: Beyond its historic significance, the Botanic Gardens are a haven for biodiversity. With Trip Cabinet’s expertly crafted tours, delve into the complex ecosystems, serene lakes, and themed gardens that make this website a living testament to Singapore’s dedication to preserving its herbal background.

2. Historic District of Old Town Singapore: Where Past Meets Present

Chinatown, Kampong Glam, and Little India: Singapore’s vibrant cultural fabric is on full display at the Singapore Historic District in Old Town. Chinatown, Kampong Glam, and Little India represent the multicultural roots of the city. Walk through narrow streets decorated with vibrant shophouses, mosques, churches, and colonial buildings.

3. Singapore’s Botanic Gardens: Culinary Heritage of Hawker Centres

Hawker Culture Recognized: In 2020, UNESCO officially recognized Singapore’s hawker culture as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. Hot spots, a hallmark of Singapore’s culinary scene, offer a variety of delicious dishes that reflect the city’s cultural influences.

Trip Cabinet’s Culinary Tours: Start your culinary journey with specially designed Trip Cabinet tours. Enjoy local favorites from Hainanese chicken rice to laksa. Gain insight into the culinary heritage and stories behind each dish, and make your visit to Singapore outlets a truly immersive experience.

Practical Tips for Exploring UNESCO Sites with Trip Cabinet:

Guided Tours: Choose a guided tour offered by the Travel Agency to enhance your understanding of the historical and cultural significance of each UNESCO site.

Culinary Experiences: Don’t miss Trip Cabinet’s culinary tour to taste the diverse flavors of Singapore’s hawker culture.

Cultural Workshops: Engage in cultural trip arranged by using Trip Cabinet to benefit hands-on enjoyment and a deeper appreciation of Singapore’s history.

Conclusion:

Singapore’s UNESCO World Heritage sites are more than just historical sites. They are living proof of the city’s commitment to preserving its rich heritage. These destinations come alive through Trip Cabinet’s curated tours. Offering immersive experiences that bridge the gap between past and present. Embark on a journey with a tour cabin to discover the soul of Singhagar, explore the historic district, or indulge in culinary delights at various stalls. Each place tells a unique story that makes up Singapore’s vibrant mosaic of cultural heritage great Celebrated with honor, and where Each UNESCO site is an integral part of your unique Singapore experience.

#SingaporeHeritage #UNESCOSG #TripCabinetTours #CulturalExploration #DiscoverSGHeritage #UNESCOWorldHeritage #TripCabinetAdventures #HistoricalSingapore #CulturalImmersionSG

[jodievdw]

Three dudes, a drag king and a nonbinary disaster walk into a bar...

Rockhampton comedy news! So stoked to be supporting Anna Brennan, her drag alter-ego Bruce Highway, Shayne Hunter, Kody Maverick and Max Leishman at the Berserker Tavern on Wed Dec 6:

Catch the cream of the QLD comedy scene with this December's Christmas Comedy Gala. The perfect 18+ night out to celebrate the silly season.

Bring your workmates, your mum...whoever. There'll be drinks flowing, jokes cracking and a grown-up version of the 12 Days of Christmas song. 

Three male comedians and a drag king walk into a bar....what happens? Come along and find out. 

Headliner Shayne Hunter has been crushing onstage for over a decade. In 2010 he was selected for the prestigious Melbourne International Comedy Festival Comedy Zone. He has toured every capital city in Australia, plus South East Asia, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar and Thailand as part of Magners International Comedy Festival. In 2020 Shayne started producing his own original, wild and fast paced show Crowd Control, where eight comedians compete against each other to see who can do the funniest crowd interaction. This birthed Shayne's reputation as one of the best crowd work comedians on the circuit.

Check Shayne out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G36UuNXOrw

Host Anna Brennan and her Drag King alter ego Bruce Hwy have been telling their raw and anecdotal brand of storytelling onstage for ten years. Anna has produced and performed at hundreds of comedy shows; including a ten performance run of her solo show Tinderella at this year's Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

"She's supremely likeable, with a flair for the physically comic flourish. When she's in full flight Brennan is a wonder to behold." Kate Mulqueen- ARTShub. 

Bruce Hwy is on a mission to smash negative bogan stereotypes. He's the loose yet lovable mate we've all got, and feel the need to warn our posh friends about. Bruce Hwy hit the standup scene in April this year and has just launched his debut parody song Marshamallows in the Fire:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AyCuOY6Uxs

Kody Maverick is a fresh, friendly face on the comedy circuit who had the privilege of performing at this year's Melbourne International Comedy Festival. He was raised by a single mum and will be your sister's new favourite comic in no time. 

Max Leishman is an emerging talent who gets away with a lot onstage because audience's can't help but like him. He came runner-up in the 2022 Sunshine Coast Comedy Festival's Laughable competition and is definitely one to watch.

#Rockhampton #live comedy #an actual in person gig #bush comedian

[twnenglish]

Himanshu Laul: Know How Rayna Tours’ Managing Director Tide The Company Over Difficult Times

The managing director of Rayna Tours and Travels, Himanshu Laul, has provided the ideal role model for individuals looking to boost their business' profitability and expansion via organic marketing strategies. Yet for him, things didn't come easily or immediately. See how this young, entrepreneurial businessman defied prejudices to support the validity of his business principles and ideals in this post.

Himanshu Laul: Know How Rayna Tours’ Managing Director Tide The Company Over Difficult Times

EARLY LIFE

Himanshu was born in 1988 and reared in Delhi, where he attended Summer Fields School for his formal education. After earning his BArch in architecture from the prestigious IIT (Indian Institute of Technology), Roorkee in 2011, he didn't wait to launch his career by going the traditional route and working in an organisation. Instead, he pursued his passion and opened Kuzart Lane, an art café, in Delhi, the capital of India, a year later, in 2012. Afterwards, he worked as the CEO of the Dubai-based Laully DMCC.

WALKING INTO RAYNA TOURS AND TRAVELS

He joined Rayna Tours and Trips (https://www.raynatours.com/) as a result of his lifelong relationship with Manoj Tulsani, Rayna Tours’ CEO and co-founder, whom he regards as a mentor and an inspiration. As the epidemic began in 2020, Himanshu joined the business at one of its most difficult points.

According to him, "We were in discussions to open a London branch for Rayna Tours & Trips when the epidemic struck. So I started working as the Director of Business Development at the corporate office in Dubai. He began serving as the company's Managing Director two years later, in 2022. At that time, together with Manoj Tulsani and Yasser Noman, the organization's executive chairman and a seasoned professional in the travel and hospitality sectors, he has been an indispensable member of the management team for the firm.

ABOUT RAYNA TOURS AND TRAVELS

One of the top destination management firms in the United Arab Emirates is Rayna Tours and Travels. It has locations all around the world, having a significant presence in countries like India, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, etc. The company's aim is to assist its clients travel better without fuss, with dedicated divisions to organise and execute every little aspect of leisure or business travel. Manoj Tulsani and Kamlesh Ramchandani started it in 2006 as a little travel store at the Flora Grand Hotel in Dubai.

It is currently a multi-industry, award-winning travel management firm that serves both B2C and B2B clients and aids small travel companies in expanding their operations through creative solutions. Two years in a row, in 2020 and 2021, it received the Travelers' Choice Awards, one of TripAdvisor's top honours. The business has also won other prestigious honours, such as the Best Partner Award for Dubai Parks and Resorts (2017) and the Best B2B Travel Portal and Best Destination Management Company awards from the 2018 Arabian Travel Awards.

DEVELOPING THE BUSINESS WITH A DISTINCT CONCEPT AND CREATIVE PASSION

Himanshu is a person who is concerned about how a firm should grow. He argues that aggressive, ineffective marketing tactics will not aid in translating a company's purpose or success. The trick, in his words, is to always stimulate corporate development without losing its genuine essence or purpose, even if it may serve your short-term aims. He defends the importance of approaches that naturally connect with the intended audience by using information that is more educational and entertaining than strongly persuading or advertising.

"It is, in my opinion, the best method to increase brand recognition and build enduring relationships with customers. Also, there is greater engagement because it enables our viewers to get in touch with our brand directly. The goal is to concentrate on creating a strong community that is buzzing with enthusiasm about our forthcoming promotions and the introduction of new goods and services." In reality, Himanshu is primarily recognised with reorienting Rayna Tours’ marketing visions in a significant and resourceful manner, particularly during the most challenging and challenging periods.

And we couldn't agree more. With millions of devoted friends and followers on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, LinkedIn, etc, Rayna Tours & Trips has carved out a position for itself on the social media scene.

Read This Full ARTICLE, Click Here

#himanshu laul #young enterprising businessman #best partner award for dubai parks and resorts #best b2b travel portal

[orebic-travel]

SINGAPORE WALKING TOUR 4K PART ONE

SINGAPORE WALKING TOUR 4K PART ONE

HELLO EVERYONE, I TRAVELLED MORE THAN 66 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD AND COUNTING ,MY AIM IS TO VISIT ALL 193 COUNTRIES …

View On WordPress

#free walking tour #freewalkingtour #singapore #singapore 4k #singapore city #singapore free walking tour #singapore marina bay #singapore marina bay hotel #singapore marina bay sands #singapore marina bay sands hotel #singapore walk #singapore walker #singapore walking tour #singapore walking tour 2020 #singapore walking tour 4k #singapore walking tour night #singapore walkthrough #singaporefreetour #singaporewalkingtour4k #singaporewalks #travel the world #walking tour

[vivisextion]

I first saw Slipknot at age 14.

No one knows how I managed it. I'm not sure I even remember. These days, you have to be 16 or 18 to get into Standing areas. I do know I had to buy tickets on the phone, back in the old days (2005, that is). A singular ticket, too - none of my friends, not even the classmate who had gone with me to see Linkin Park the year before, was that into Slipknot.

But I HAD to see them. This was the Subliminal Verses tour cycle, and Vol. 3 was my first and favourite Slipknot album, even to this day. It's the reliable old warm blanket for my soul whenever I need it. It's on right now, as I write this.

My memory isn't that good, but luckily I unearthed a livejournal (livejournal!) diary entry about the event I made the next day.

August 16, 2005. I went right after school. I went to a very conservative Anglican secondary school, too. I tried not to get caught in the bathroom, as I coloured my nails black with permanent marker (I know, don't laugh) and changed into my standard metalhead baby outfit - Slipknot band shirt, black cargo shorts, and my pride and joy: steel-toe boots I somehow managed to cajole my parents into letting me own.

I caught the bus to the open-air war memorial park where the gig was going to be. I got there at 4pm, 4 hours early. A couple other maggots were already hanging around. I found myself surrounded by tombstones, and I read them all. It was the middle of the Hungry Ghost Festival, too - a very fitting time for Slipknot to pay a visit to this godforsaken hellhole of a small town I lived in. (Especially given the paranormal circumstances surrounding the making of Vol. 3.)

While I wandered around the venue (no security or sound guys were around at all), I spotted two white vans pull up to the stage, in the middle of a clearing. It was them! I spotted Joey and missed him by a hair's breadth. I was quickly ushered behind the stone archway entrance by security then.

(Funnily enough, while walking around, I got mistaken for Joey more than once. I am the same height as him, had the same long black hair, same pale skin, and was wearing almost exactly what he had been. One person claimed from behind, I was a dead ringer, apart from when I turned around, and they realised I was Chinese.)

It was soundcheck time. A sound guy testing the mics would say random things, like "testing one two three two one.... fudge fudge, I like fudge...." The band even did Purity, so us earlybirds were given a rare treat, and we screamed along from the entrance, and drummed our fists on the sides of nearby porta-potties. I hope no one was in there at the time. Whenever we got a glance of any of them, we'd scream and cheer. Finally they left again, but were soon to return.

This was the first time I'd been a part of the metal community. I was barely allowed internet in those days. But here, random strangers were friendly, striking up conversations like they'd been friends for years. Two big guys, called Trevor and Ted, looked out for me the entire gig after, keeping other big dudes from crushing me too much (I'm 5'3, remember). Other people commented on me being so baby, because I was only 14, and said they would take care of me.

When we were finally let in, right after the usher cut the rope, I ran in, screamed "WOOOHOOO!" along with a few friends I'd made. I only briefly stopped to receive this RoadRunner Records compilation CD from a roadie, then resumed running like a madman screaming and dashing into the VIP cage.

I was right up against the barricade - the first time I would ever be at a gig. People from assorted magazines and press took photos of us, and I think I got my photo taken about 10 times at least.

(This is how I got in trouble with my parents the next day. My photo had ended up in a local paper - you can see examples of that here. They had no idea what I'd been to see the night before, and were horrified when they saw what Slipknot looked like.)

We saw Sid filming us from the stage with a camcorder and screamed at him. We saw Jim and screamed at him too, and he flashed the victory sign back at us. I remember Metallica playing at the time, another one of my favourite bands.

The concert was a brutal religious experience I will never forget. People with their arms outstretched, crying and screaming out loud, moving like the devil possessed them.

The new friends around me made sure I was alright after every song! There were huge guys fainting behind us who had to get carried out, but I endured, a tiny 14 year old child. We got a family speech as per tradition, of course. "Are you guys out there all looking out for each other? We're all one big family, and we gotta look out for each other." What Corey said held true - strangers hugged, shook hands, talked, and made friends. I was heartened by how close-knit the maggot community was. It really did feel like a family, and it's felt like that ever since.

Of course, I did my first Jump The Fuck Up. It is possibly the most euphoria I've ever experienced all at one go. (Later, in 2020, I was extremely disappointed that I didn't get to do it again in London.)

They did the death masks for Vermilion, and I remember Chris helping Sid fix his mask and shirt when they'd changed back. Sid hung out near Clown's drums for most of the time too, and hugged him from behind and just latched on at one point. It was pretty adorable.

Fun fact: The version of Eyeless you hear on the 9.0 Live album is from Singapore, as is Eeyore. There are very few photos and videos from the crowd of this gig, because in 2005, very few people had camera phones. The crowd at the Slipknot gig in 2020 was a sea of arms with phones, filming the gig rather than experiencing it. Yes, I'm going to be that cranky old geezer who complains about the good old days.

Joey as usual, was fucking amazing and never failed. However, due to the fact that I was right up front, only his tiny head was visible behind his vast drum set, I couldn't see him the entire gig.

Amazingly, the government told Slipknot they were not allowed to do obscene gestures, curse, vomit (possibly due to the decomposing crow pre-show ritual), simulate humping on objects, throw faeces, or jump off stage (looking at you, Sid). I don't think our totalitarian government knew who they were dealing with, because watch what happens next.

Near the end of the gig, Corey tells the crowd “your government has given us a laundry list of things we aren’t allowed to do, your government has told us we are not allowed to swear”. Crowd goes “BOOOOOOOOO” and Corey goes “BUT WE DON’T GIVE A FUCK!!” And they launch into Surfacing, the last song. Everyone riots. Best night of my life.

You can find the setlist from that gig here. It had everything I wanted and more.

This story later got immortalised when Kerrang asked maggots for gig stories, for an article which came out in 2020. I had forgotten entirely, until people began messaging me to tell me, and one friend sent me a scan of it!

On the way out, I managed to get a shirt. I remember calling my best friend at the time, and got everyone at the merch booth to go "IF YOU'RE 555 THEN I'M 666" for her. This shirt has since been lost to the landfill, because my Christian mother took it upon herself to dispose of it the first opportunity she got. Needless to say, our relationship is not very good.

After that, I even managed to get that Roadrunner compilation album they were giving out signed. The band was staying at the Carlton. Unfortunately, Joey wasn't there, neither was Clown, and Mick was swarmed by guitar nerds so, 6/9 it is. It is a great regret of mine that I'll never have anything signed by him, nor will I ever get to see him perform ever again.

The next day, I went to school, my head swimming. Yes, I went to see Slipknot ON A SCHOOL NIGHT. I was a giant bruise, from my ribs and my chest, to my hips and knees, from being slammed into the barricade like a screen door in a hurricane. Most of all, my sore, headbanged-out neck could barely hold my head up. Classmates thought I had been in a fight. I was torn between battle-scarred exhaustion and hyperactive ranting about the most amazing gig of my short life (it still is, to this day). When teachers spoke to me, I wanted to reply, "Fuck trigonometry! I've just seen SLIPKNOT. Do you not understand that my world is different? Do you not understand that *I* am now different?"

My country was a small, conservative town that Slipknot had graced with their unholy presence. Corey Taylor once said that where he grew up in Iowa had a way of making a 16 year old boy feel like a 36 year old man (or something to that effect). I felt that in my weary bones as a teenager, being from a place just like that. Years later, Watain would run into worse trouble, and wouldn't even be allowed to perform. The Christian stranglehold is stronger than ever. It was a good thing that back then Slipknot had the element of surprise, striking serpent-fast and choking this society by the neck for a too-brief time, before they departed.

After that, my desire to play the drums only grew like a weed. Joey Jordison had, has, and will always inspire me as a drummer, and seeing the beast live (or what little I could spy behind the massive riser) had only spurred me on. I had always been a noisemaker, be it driving my parents mad with chopsticks on pots and pans, or driving my teachers mad with pencils on my desk. But of course, my parents wouldn't have any of it. I'd have to wait a good 14 more years before I'd be able to afford lessons and later, a kit of my own. Better late than never, right?

There will never be enough words to describe the impact Joey has had on my life. And it isn't just Slipknot, either. I could write another essay on his time with the Murderdolls and its influence on my own gender-non-conforming ways. Suffice to say, my wardrobe doesn't look too dissimilar to his during the early Dead in Hollywood days.

I told my boss I could not come into work today. I was grieving. I said that my music teacher died, as I didn't think she'd understand the magnitude of my loss. In a way, it's true. And I am not the only one Joey has nudged on the path to being a musician, that much is certain. To the rest of us, I wish strength and love for you in this difficult time. The best way to honour Joey, who truly loved music, both the creation and appreciation of it, is to pass that gift on. Teach it to someone. He is the reason I picked up the sticks in the first place, and one day, they'll be handed on, the heavy metal baton for the next generation.

And finally: remember that the ones we have lost are never truly gone.

Vinnie

P.S. See if you can spot me in the crowd photos in this post!

#Joey Jordison #Slipknot #Murderdolls

[lebritneeey]

Second Chance (3/??)

inspired by don’t wanna cry, lie again and second life & a little idea from reply 1997 and 1988.

genre: romance. fluff, angst, love rivals etc lmao

pairing: y/n x ??? (svt)

a/n: hi guys! so my imagination started running after listening to dwc, lie again and second life on repeat lmao. i’ve always love reading angsty fics and so i came up with this series based on these three songs! disclaimer!! if there’s any similarity with other fics, it is coincidental, everything written here is based on my idea! no to plagiarism!! also, pics and gifs here are NOT mine! hope you guys enjoy this series i might be posting this on aff too so don’t be alarm if you come across it on aff! enjoy!

SERIES MASTERLIST

What if you could get a second chance at love? What if it was the wrong time but the right person all along? Would you take it? This second chance? 

Meet y/n, a 25 year old girl who had to revisit the city she once loved, Seoul. It was a city filled with both good and bad memories for her. When she left, she swore never to return. But here she is, back in Seoul, hoping to not run into a certain old flame that might reopen old wounds and remind her of how broken hearted she was back then.

chapter 2 | chapter 3 | chapter 4

chapter 3: she’s back?

nov 2020, seoul, 1:39pm (KST)

Y/n’s eyes widened as she froze. Choyi and Hana gasped as they stared at the three familiar faces in front of them. 

Seventeen Dino, Mingyu and Jeonghan were picking up their coffee orders for the rest of the group. 

“Oh! Noona!” Dino and Mingyu chimed as they greeted her excitedly. They turned to Hana and Choyi, waving at them as well. 

Jeonghan’s eyes was fixated on Y/n, his gaze turning soft. 

“Hi, Y/n.. long time no see.” 

////

The members sat down with the girls as they waited for their orders. Jeonghan took a seat opposite Y/n who anxiously drank her coffee while silence filled the air. 

“..long time no see noonas!” Dino broke the silence. Mingyu joined in, “yeah, it’s been a few years!” Hana broke into a smile, nodding. “Yes, it’s been a while.. Heard Seventeen has been getting first place recently! Congratulations!” Choyi agreed, “This year is really you guys’ year! Congrats!” 

While the four of them chatted away, Jeonghan constantly fixed his gaze onto Y/n. He gently asked, “how have you been?” Y/n looked up from her drink as she forced a smile. “I’m.. good. You?” 

Jeonghan chuckled, “well you know, busy as always. We’re preparing for our upcoming tour.” Y/n nodded, taking a sip of her drink again. 

“You still looked the same from the last time I saw you. Beautiful always.” Y/n blinked in surprise, cheeks turning slightly red at the statement. She said nothing and continued looking at her coffee. Silence filled the air once more. 

////

“Ah, lunch time is over, we gotta go now.” Hana said as the girls stood up to leave. “Aw, that’s sad. But we had fun catching up noona!” Dino chirped as he waved them goodbye with Mingyu beside him doing the same. Just as Y/n was about to follow them out, Jeonghan gently grabbed her wrist. “Y/n!” She turned and stared at him, brows raising. 

He let go and rubbed his neck awkwardly. “Um.. how long are you going to be in Korea for? We should all catch up soon, the rest of the guys missed you and they would be delighted to see you again.” 

Y/n pursed her lips together, hesitating. “If I’m free.” She gave the three guys a small smile before leaving the cafe. 

Jeonghan sighed as he watched her leave. Damn it, I never thought I would miss her this much. 

////

“Hyung.. should we tell the rest that we saw y/n again?” Dino asked in their van. The three were on the way back to the company with their coffee orders in their hands. 

“I don’t know.. We need to prepare for the tour soon, y/n’s return might affect some of them.” Jeonghan rubbed his face, feeling a tad stressed. 

“I think we should tell them. What if they bumped into y/n on the streets again like today?” Mingyu chipped in. “Aigoo hyung, Seoul isn’t that small you know.” Dino shooked his head as he replied Mingyu who pouted and continued texting on his phone. 

Jeonghan stared outside the window as he sighed once more. If fate allows it, then we will all meet again. He thought as the car ride continued in silence all the way back to the company. 

////

Flashback to march 2017, 3:53pm, PLEDIS building

Choyi, Hana and Y/n looked around in awe as they walked around the building of PLEDIS Entertainment, home to Seventeen, NU’EST and After School. Hana’s boyfriend had invited the girls over for lunch as he’s busy helping SVT prepare for their album comeback.

“Never in my life would I expect myself to be in freaking PLEDIS building where it’s the home to Seventeen!!!!!” Choyi whispered excitedly as she did a little dance while they were finding the practice room that Joohyeon was in. “Please calm down Choyi or else we’re gonna get kicked out for disturbance!” Hana shooked her head, Y/n chuckled as she follow the pair behind.

“Room 3.. room 3.. ah here it is,” Hana pointed at the practice room they found. The girls peeked through the windows.

Seventeen members were in formation while Joohyeon was in front showing them what seemed to be a choreography for their next title song. “Can’t believe I’m getting the very first look at the upcoming comeback dance..” Choyi sighed with pleasure as she fixated her eyes through the window panels.

“Okay, let’s take ten boys!” Joohyeon announced as he spotted Choyi’s face planted against the window. He walked over to the door and welcomed the girls. “Hi oppa” Hana gave him a hug while Y/n and Choyi waved at the members.

“Oh, hello, nice to see you all again!” Dokyeom waved as the rest of the members followed suit while they grabbed some towels and water bottles.

“Sorry to disturb but we brought some lunch for all of you!” Hana announced as Joohyeon took the bags she was carrying. “YES WE HAVE FREE FOOOOOD” Dino and Hosni jumped up and down pumping their fists with excitement. Y/n beamed, feeling a little surprised by their energy even after what seemed like hours of dance practice.

Jun ran up to Y/n after seeing her with two big bags of lunchboxes, “here let me help you with that!” Y/n gave him an appreciative smile and thanked him. “We didn’t speak much backstage that day but nice to meet you, I’m Jun! Are you a Korean by the way?”

Y/n shooked her head, “I’m from Singapore.” Jun nodded, mouth forming an ‘o’. “Wow but your Korean is good! Wait.. so does this mean you can speak chinese?”

“Yup, 我可以说中文 (I can speak chinese)“ Jun got even more excited and started conversing in chinese with Y/n as they sat down on the floor with the others as they took out the lunchboxes.

“Are.. those two speaking in Chinese?” Seungcheol asked The8 as he glanced at the pair. The8 looked over and nodded, “Y/n’s from Singapore I think so she’s able to speak chinese if I’m not wrong”

Seungcheol tilted his head as he watched Y/n laughing at something Jun was saying. Wonder what they’re talking about that is so funny.. He pouted slightly as he started eating.

“Yah Jihoon ah, where’s your Polaroid camera! This calls for some fun picture taking!” Jeonghan asked. Woozi walked over to his bag and took out the camera. Y/n noticed the Polaroid model, “oh is that the latest model?” Woozi turned to her and nodded. Y/n stood up and walked over looking at it. “Can I see it? I’ve been saving up for one cause my previous polaroid broke!” Woozi handed his camera over with a small smile.

Y/n clapped her hands enthusiastically as she gently held the camera. “Can I test it out?” Woozi chuckled as he gave her the go ahead. What Y/n did next was unexpected to the boy — she pointed the camera in front of him and snapped a pic, “say cheese!” Woozi stared blankly at the camera with surprised as he frozed. Did she just.. took a picture of me? Suddenly?

When the polaroid picture started developing, Y/n giggled as she showed Woozi. “What’s with the blank look!” Woozi stared at Y/n, feeling captivated by her adorable action. He blushed as he rubbed his neck sheepishly, “I was just surprised that’s all..” Y/n grinned as she return the camera to him. “I think I’ll get this model, thank you Jihoon!” Woozi blushed even more as she calls him by his actual name.

“Hyung, I can help us take a few pics!” Mingyu walked over, taking the camera from the flustered boy. “Woah, why are your ears so red?” Woozi shooked his head and passed the camera to Mingyu before returning to his food, “nothing, here ya go. Don’t drop it or else I’ll come after you.”

Mingyu sighed as he went around taking pictures of the entire gang. “Say kimchi everyone!!!!”

///

Nov 2020, choyi’s apartment, 4:19pm (KST)

Y/n dropped her bag onto the sofa as she plopped on it. Choyi walked to the fridge to get a bottle of soju. Y/n looked on quizzedly, “isn’t it a bit too early for alcohol?”

Choyi took two soju glasses and sat on the sofa beside Y/n. “it’s for you.” Y/n raised an eyebrow, looking at the soju, “for what?”

“In case you wanna talk about what happened out there just now?” Choyi poured the soju into the glasses and handed one to Y/n, who took it begrudgingly. “There’s no need for any talk Cho.”

“It’s been what.. two years? I just thought seeing them might you know, sparked some past memories again” Choyi shrugs as she downs her glass. “I’m okay. It’s in the past and I’ve moved on. Really, I’m fine Cho” Y/n gave a tight smile as she refilled her glass.

“Besides, I won’t be staying in Korea for long anyway. I’m just here for work and work only, after which I’m gonna head home.” Y/n took a shot of soju as she let the bitterness taste linger around her throat hoping she would let it distract her from the heavy feeling around her chest.

“... Do you still have his number saved?” Y/n blinked a few times at Choyi’s question. She would be lying if she say she has already deleted them. The truth is, she still has it. After all these years, she still has it saved onto her phone, she just couldn’t bear to delete it. All she did was renamed it to “Ignore” just in case he calls again, but he never did.

“… nope I deleted it the day I left.” Silence filled the air as Y/n took another shot of her drink.

“You know.. the guys were shocked and sad when they heard you left without saying goodbye” Choyi added as she refilled their glasses.

“I heard.. that he was upset too” Choyi continued a she took a shot.

Y/n paused as she reached for her glass. He was upset? What right did he have to be upset?

#seventeen scenarios #seventeen #svt #seventeenxreader #kpop scenarios #svt scenarios #seventeen angst #kpop fluff #kpop imagines #seventeen fluff #svt and reader #seventeen and reader #y/n imagines #y/n x seventeen #y/n x svt #scoups #jeonghan #joshua #jun #wonwoo #woozi #hoshi #the8 #seungkwan #vernon #mingyu #dokyeom #dino

[stularsen]

THE HURRICANE vs THE CORONAVIRUS (part one) 

That time we planned a once in a lifetime hurricane world tour for March 2020..

I’m currently on a plane for the first time in six months. It feels strange to not have been in the air for this longer than usual period of time but also strangely normal to find myself once again on a flight surrounded by complete strangers. The main difference now is that everyone seems even more in their own worlds than before. Maybe this is because we have replaced invisible masks with real ones and we now happily hide behind these physical barriers, to protect us and others from the virus that stopped the world from moving almost entirely. 

The last time I was on a flight was back in March 2020 as the planet was beginning to understand just how serious the situation was becoming. Unfortunately for me, I had planned a once in a lifetime tour for this exact period of time.. The Hurricane Tour. It was an adventure I had been dreaming up for many years and planning for many months. The idea was simple enough, to travel around the earth in one month, playing eleven shows in eleven different countries, experiencing different cultures and meeting different people all along the way. We would start in Australia on the first day of March and then visit Japan, India, Botswana, Turkey, Germany, England, Canada, USA and Mexico before eventually finishing in Argentina on the last day of March. 

The lead-up to this crazy tour wasn’t particularly smooth and it was looking like it might be a kind of storm before the calm scenario. One week before we were due to begin, I landed back in Australia from a few months away only to find my precious guitar had been split right down the middle during the flight and my passport had somehow been damaged and needed to be replaced urgently. At the same time Jarrad Seng (the man behind the photos and videos) was having some major laptop issues and needed to find a decent replacement in the last remaining days before we set off on this epic journey. Through some minor miracles and generous support from friends and strangers and also a tour manager who refuses to ever say the word ‘impossible’ (thank you Thomas!) we began this absolutely insane tour where we would quickly learn that we would need to rely on more miracles and friends and strangers to help solve some pretty interesting problems every single day throughout the tour. 

The first show was in AUSTRALIA and somehow everything went pretty much to plan. A very jet-lagged Tim Hart (album producer as well as band member and support act for the night) had flown back from London the day before to then drive out west and play one of the best shows I have ever seen him play (while his newborn son watched with us from backstage). My slightly nervous and always teary mother joined me on stage for a little song. My dream of playing a show at Empire Theatre in Toowoomba had finally come true with 500 of the loveliest people to share the moment together. It was a truly special evening with lots of family in attendance as well as old friends from so many places and work colleagues from the bank days. Perhaps the most special person in the crowd for me was Bob Cook, the man who taught me to play guitar when I was a very shy 14yr old kid, to whom I am forever grateful. What a night! It seemed like the storm before the calm scenario had played out and we were about to have the smoothest and most incredible tour of our lives! In reality though, it would turn out to be the exact opposite and what we had just experienced was actually the calm and the greatest storm I’ve ever witnessed was fast approaching.

Thomas, Jarrad and I were up early the next morning and off to Brisbane Airport where we should have been boarding a flight for Tokyo, but a few days earlier we had been notified that due to the virus situation we would not be able to play the show in Japan and would potentially be putting the rest of the tour at risk if we even entered the country. So we somehow managed to change our flights very last minute and head to SINGAPORE instead, but without a show to play. We decided to put the word out and see if anyone knew anybody who might be able to help. It was truly incredible to receive so many messages and comments from people who desperately wanted to help us find a place to play. It didn’t take too long before the team at Timbre X @ The Substation came to the rescue and let us bring in a few people and play a few songs on their outdoor stage before Supersonic helped everyone dance the night away. Show number two, somehow completed. 

INDIA is next on the list and it’s looking like everything is maybe going to happen as planned.. until we are waiting to board the flight to Mumbai. I hear my name called over the speaker at the airport in Singapore. An upgrade to business class perhaps? Oh how nice that would be. But no, there was a problem with my visa not being recognised with my new emergency passport and they would not allow me to board the flight.. we pleaded with them to see what they could do while I scrambled to contact people in India at 5am local time to try and amend the visa. It was beginning to feel impossible. If I missed this flight there was a chance there would be a knock-on effect and the rest of my flights for the month could be cancelled. With no other viable option, we decided it might be best for Jarrad and Thomas to board the flight for India and for me to wait in Singapore to try and fix the problem and hopefully get on a flight later that day. But just as we were saying goodbye to each other I heard my name called again and we were told that they had heard back from the flight captain and he had overturned the decision and I would now be allowed to fly?? A medium sized miracle! We celebrated and quickly disappeared feeling both jubilation and disbelief. Surely now is where good things start to happen.. 

Of course not.. We landed in India to an email notifying us that our show had been cancelled, with very little explanation. We pleaded with them to reverse their decision but it wasn’t looking hopeful, so we put the word out to the people, again. Very soon we had been saved, again, this time by the wonderful people at Veranda Bandra who rearranged their schedule to fit us in super last minute. It was crazy to play a show in India and have people singing along to my songs, it just didn’t feel real, but it was happening right in front of me. Our time in Mumbai was so short but so incredible and we made fast friends with some amazing people. But onwards now to our next destination, the most random location of the tour but also maybe the smoothest show of the tour.. 

We arrived in BOTSWANA after a long day of travel via Ethiopia and Zimbabwe to the warmest of welcomes. Local musician and Stu Larsen fan, OneSpared, was there to greet us. We had connected a while back when OneSpared (Thuso) had covered one of my songs and I couldn’t believe that someone so far away was not only a fan of my music but was also singing my songs. When the idea for this tour started to become a reality, I contacted Thuso to see what he thought about playing a show together in Gaborone. He said we should do it, so we did. We turned up. The crowd turned up. It was magical and so full of love and energy. Finishing the show at The No1 Ladies Coffee House by singing Whisky & Blankets unplugged with the entire crowd singing and dancing was maybe the highlight of the tour for me, it still feels so surreal when I think about that moment. 

With things starting to feel a little smoother, we felt like we were maybe going to be okay in the next days. But when we turn up at the airport to fly to TURKEY we’re told our flight is no longer departing. At this point, we don’t really react. We are so used to being hit with bad news every day. We are in a good frame of mind for finding solutions and after some fast talking and a little bit of confusion, a few minutes later we have another option sorted. We arrive in Istanbul to more bad news, the venue is unsure if we can go ahead with the show due to the worsening and frightening virus situation. It’s now the 11th of March and things are getting serious with the virus, but we want to push ahead while we can and play another show if we can, so we agree to keep the numbers low, the windows open and provide masks and hand sanitiser for the crowd and thankfully Cem at Norm Coffee agreed to let the show go ahead under these conditions. It was a very intimate show with a percentage of the crowd consisting of local cats, an actual dream situation for me :) 

After the show, I could see a slightly worried Thomas, he seemed to be rushing to get us all packed up and out the door and back to the apartment.. but why..? Because, he told me as we walked away from the venue, not only our flight, but all flights for the next morning were apparently cancelled. We would spend the next hours trying to work out if there was another way to somehow make the journey from Istanbul to Munich without spending too much time or money or if we would be stranded in Turkey for the coming days/weeks/months. Nothing seemed to make sense so we did what we knew best, we kept moving forward. We had been told that the flight had been cancelled and that the airlines were stopping all flights instantly and that we should not go to the airport the next morning, but every time we searched our flight number it showed that it hadn’t been cancelled and was still on schedule…? We decided to wake up early and make our way to the airport to see what would happen. We didn’t know what we would find when we arrived, but it was eerily quiet and by some miracle our flight was one of only a few flights still operating while the airline and airport finished shutting everything down. 

We were so relieved to be able to fly to GERMANY but landed in Munich knowing that the sold out show at Folks! Club was probably going to be cancelled and that it was getting close to game over for the three of us. We searched for an alternate option for the show but we realised that bringing people together was just not the right thing to do anymore. We were starting to understand just how big this virus situation was becoming. We had to accept this and cancel the show and decided to replace it with a livestream instead. We found a friend with a beautiful living room where I played a few songs and shared the experience with a handful of friends and a wider audience online. It was hard to accept that we maybe had to stop this once in a lifetime dream tour which had been unfortunately planned for the exact same month that a global pandemic took hold of the planet, but more and more it was becoming clear that this was the likely outcome. 

Waking up in Munich the morning after the little livestream we were told that our next flight had been cancelled, but we managed to be put on another flight which took us to our seventh destination. We arrived in ENGLAND and of course one last thing went wrong. None of our luggage turned up. No suitcases, no guitar, nothing. We waited and waited and waited and waited. We were hoping that for some reason it would just turn up, even after everyone else had collected their belongings and left the airport. Our luggage didn’t arrive and it kind of felt right for things to be this way after somehow surviving the challenges of the previous weeks. We started to make our way towards the ‘lost luggage’ counter to see what we could do but along the way we saw some lonely but familiar suitcases and a guitar sitting beside a completely different luggage belt. We three idiots had been waiting in the wrong place the whole time. Call it exhaustion, call it stupidity, call it what you want, we don’t mind, we were just thankful to not have actually lost our luggage that day in London. 

From here, things moved quickly, we made the decision to cancel the sold out London show and we knew we then had to cancel the remaining shows for CANADA (sold out), USA, MEXICO (sold out) and ARGENTINA (sold out). We announced one final live stream from a little cafe in London called Hotshoe 333 where we would officially call it a day. It was a weird feeling, we didn’t want the tour to end, but it simply had to. It was not possible nor sensible to continue. The Coronavirus had well and truly overpowered the Hurricane. Thomas, Jarrad and I said goodbye the next morning and we headed our separate ways.. which is when things started to get really interesting… 

Check out the new video for Hurricane - https://youtu.be/xttiOK-0CCE

#stu larsen #hurricane #coronavirus #world tour #march 2020 #jarrad seng #thomas stein

[goldstarnation]

FEBRUARY 2020 GOLD STAR MEDIA SCHEDULES & REVIEW

Members may earn 3 points each (up to 6 points) for writing, by the end of March 7 KST:

A solo para of 400+ words based on their monthly schedule (does not count toward your monthly total).

A thread of six posts (three per participant, including the starter) based on their monthly schedule.

Threads do not have to take place directly during an important date listed on the schedule, but must be related to what the muse is mentioned to be doing in the paragraph explaining their schedule/the company’s schedule for the month and/or their thoughts on the mentioned activities or lack thereof.

These schedules may be updated throughout the month if new information needs to be added.

Reminder: January schedule posts are due by the end of February 7 KST.

Overall Company

The company building spent a month free of Christmas decorations before the building was adorned in tasteful pinks and reds to celebrate Valentine’s Day — not that the idols are allowed to celebrate the holiday in the halls of the company building, of course. Most of the company artists are holding tours or fan meetings or traveling overseas this month, so the decorations might as well be more for the illusion of effort than any real attempt to raise company morale. There isn’t much to be said for news and events from the higher-ups this month again, though.

Important dates:

N/A

Gold Star Soloist 1

By the first half of the month, the tracklist for her mini-album is officially locked in and she’ll finish up recording what she needs to by the end of the month. “Love Poem” has been chosen to be released in March before her album comes out in May. It won’t get a music video, but Gold Star knows she doesn’t need one to be met with success. She’ll need to shoot the photo book for her album this month, as some of the images will serve as teasers for “Love Poem”.

Important dates:

February 20: Love Poem teaser image photo and photobook shoot.

Gold Star Soloist 2

Her Korean tour begins at the very end of the month (see January schedule for special stages). This means long hours in the dance practice studio and, as the concert nears, at the venue. Tickets have already gone on sale, but on the first of the month, she’ll go into a photo shoot for concept photos for the tour that will be used in further advertising and announcements regarding the tour.

Important dates:

February 1: National tour concept photo shoot.

February 29: I AM : RE-BORN tour concert at Incheon Culture & Arts Center in Incheon, South Korea.

Gold Star Soloist 3

Gold Star has set a comeback date for him in April. As had grown increasingly likely in discussions with the company, the single, “Love Die Young” will be entirely English to prelude his upcoming all-English album. It’ll be the first song he officially records off of his album, but it’s been chosen for what Gold Star hopes to be crossover appeal in Western markets while still, hopefully, staying within a marketable sound for the South Korean market so that he doesn’t isolate his domestic fans completely.

Important dates:

N/A

Silhouette

Silhouette takes off for their four date Japan tour mid-month and they’ll be in Japan for around a week, from the evening of the 15th to the morning of the 22nd. Before they leave, they’ll be given the demo guide of their next Japanese single “Bad Girl For You”, which they’ll need to be ready to record once they’re back in Seoul in the final week of the month. The MV won’t be shot until next month, but the members will go in to make sure their outfits for the music video are flattering at the end of the month.

Important dates:

February 16: Silhouette 2020 Winter Live Tour -TROUBLE- concert at Zepp Namba Osaka in Osaka, Japan.

February 17: Silhouette 2020 Winter Live Tour -TROUBLE- concert at Zepp Nagoya in Nagoya, Japan. 

February 19: Silhouette 2020 Winter Live Tour -TROUBLE- concert at Zepp Fukuoka in Fukuoka, Japan. 

February 21: Silhouette 2020 Winter Live Tour -TROUBLE- concert at Zepp Tokyo in Tokyo, Japan. 

February 28: Japanese single MV outfit fittings.

Aria

As they gear up for a fan meeting next month, Aria will need to attend fittings as well as shoots for the poster and some VCRs that will be used during the fan meeting itself. It hasn’t been long since fans have seen them, but it won’t make their audience any less expectant for a good show, so at the end of the month, they’ll begin having days of rehearsal in earnest to prepare for the dates next month.

Important dates:

February 5: Fan meeting poster photo shoot.

February 15: Fan meeting stage out fittings (examples: 1, 2, 3, 4.)

February 20: Fan meeting VCRs 1 & 2 shoot.

Origin

On the eleventh, the members will be on set all day to shoot a CF for Indonesian e-commerce brand Tokopedia and three days later, they’ll be on set to shoot a CF for Formula E racing. Following that, Gold Star has granted the members a two week vacation, something that serves as an incredibly rare opportunity for them to travel and rest (granted, with manager supervision) if they’d like, or focus on their individual activities. Their vacation comes to an end so that they can attend another awards show at the end of the month. Gold Star have let them skip some of the minor awards shows, but they need Origin in the good graces of news outlets like the hosts of this one, so they aren’t done with awards shows yet.

Important dates:

February 11: Tokopedia CF filming.

February 14: Formula E CF filming.

February 15-28: Vacation period.

February 29: Performance at The Fact Music Awards at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea (also attending: WISH, Alien, 7ROPHY, Fuse).

Impulse

After their extended Seollal break, the Impulse members are back in action for the Oceania leg of their tour. There are only two dates, so they’ll only be in Australia from the 12th to the 17th before returning to Seoul. Next month, the members get the opportunity to hold a seven-show fan fest in Bangkok where each show will highlight one member who gets to give a solo song or dance cover of their choice for that performance, so the members are expected to be practicing their chosen solo covers this month ahead of that.

Important dates:

February 13: Keep Spinning World Tour concert at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia.

February 16: Keep Spinning World Tour concert at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia.

Fuse

As recently designated Swiss tourism ambassadors, the members are off to Switzerland for ten days where they’ll film a series of promotional videos around the country called “Walk, Ride, Fly With Fuse”. They are working, but they’ll get some time in between to explore for themselves too in hopes the trip will leave enough of an impression on the members for some free promotion later on. They’ll have some time to recuperate from the trip once they get back before another awards show at the end of the month.

Important dates:

February 8-February 17: Trip to Switzerland and promotional video shoot.

February 29: Performance at The Fact Music Awards at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea (also attending: WISH, Alien, 7ROPHY, Origin).

Element

Element finishes off their North America tour mid-month with a short trip to the US and even get to spend Valentine’s Day with their fans in Atlanta (extra fan service toward fans for the holiday is expected). Once they return to Seoul in the second half of the month, it’s time for them to record their comeback single. A mini-documentary will be filmed for their YouTube channel that shows the lead up to their comeback to show fans the process behind preparing for comeback ( — if there’s the slightest chance it shows Element working hard enough that fans will be less annoyed with Element’s recent rate of one comeback per year, that would be a bonus).

Important dates:

February 13: 4lement in North America Tour concert at Patio Theater in Chicago, IL, USA.

February 14: 4lement in North America Tour concert at Buckhead Theatre in Atlanta, GA, USA.

Femme Fatale

Femme Fatale’s first world tour continues! That means their video diary reality series does as well with a few new episodes in Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia. During their time in between, they’re continuing to prepare for their comeback with fittings and learning the choreography. They have a shoot for next month’s issue of Marie Claire Korea as well. Next month will be busy with overseas travel and preparations for their comeback and Coachella performance, so management recommends they get all the rest they can between this month’s schedules to prepare.

Important dates:

February 1: Femme Fatale In Your Area World Tour concert at Asia-World Arena in Hong Kong.

February 6: Marie Claire Korea March Issue photo shoot.

February 8: Femme Fatale In Your Area World Tour concert at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, Philippines.

February 17: Comeback MV and stage outfit fittings.

February 21: Femme Fatale In Your Area World Tour concert at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore.

February 29: Femme Fatale In Your Area World Tour concert at Malawati Indoor Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

#fmdschedule #queued post

[awesomeshefalimulye-blog]

5 best international destinations to visit post COVID – 19

The COVID – 19 pandemic has devastated humanity as never before. With multiple countries under strict lockdowns or restricted movements. It has caused a severe blow to the economics of many countries. Multiple businesses and industries worldwide have been badly affected (though some continue to prosper even through this pandemic). One of the worst hit is of course the tourism industry comprising of airlines, hotels and other hospitality related services such as transporters, embassies and visa related services, restaurants and many other ancillary service partners. Having said that tourism is resilient and will bounce back for sure just as it did post the SARS in 2013. The biggest question is what will one’s travel itinerary in the future look like and which regions in the world will be safe to travel in the future? Some of the factors which will perhaps determine this will be – proximity to home, airline capacity, especially to bring back home in case of any eventuality, destinations which were less impacted and/or have better health facilities and also insurance covers.

I am listing down some international destinations that maybe explored post COVID – 19 taking into account multiple factors that work in favour of these destinations. For those who are ‘travellers’ and are looking at continuing to travel once airline services resume and it is safer to travel, here goes –

Country                 Total cases        Active Cases         Deaths

New Zealand           1499                   45                         21

Taiwan                     440                     35                          7

Vietnam                   324                     61                          0

Thailand                  3031                  118                         56

Hong Kong             1056                    27                          4   

 New Zealand:

As on date New Zealand has reported 1499 active COVID – 19 cases with around 21 deaths and 93% of the infected cases have recovered successfully. New Zealand has a definite advantage over many other countries. Constituting 268,000 kms of total land area and a population of approximately 48 lakhs spread out between the North and South Island and any neighbouring inhabited island – It is not a large country and is fairly sparsely populated and yet has the comforts of being a developed country.

Ø  Known for its surreal natural beauty, few destinations can boast of so many natural wonders and experiences packed into such a small area. Snow capped peaks, rain forests, coastal glaciers, large geothermal areas in Rotorua with bubbling mud ponds and hissing streams – New Zealand has it all. Queenstown is a hotspot for adrenaline filled sports such as white-water rafting, luging, jet boat riding, skydiving, hiking, mountain biking, heli hiking, bungy jumping at the Bloukrons Bridge (one of the highest bungy jumps in the world)– the list of outdoor activities is endless.

Ø  With options of self - drive vacations as well as seat in coach holidays, one can find a wide variety of accommodations ranging from budget to luxury as well as quaint bed and breakfasts.

Ø  For the sports lovers, the cricket season in New Zealand will start from July with matches with West Indies followed by ICC T20 on Oct which could be something to plan for. Oct onwards is a good time to travel to New Zealand right through till the beginning of March, to experience summer in New Zealand.

Ø  With simplified e visa processes, correct documentation and timely application of visas, obtaining the New Zealand visa can be a breeze.  

Ø  Well connected with multiple airlines such as Singapore Airlines, Malaysian Airlines, Thai Airways, Air New Zealand and Emirates as well as low cost airlines such as Jet Star, it is a destination which can combined with a stopover in a South East Asian hub as well.

Ø  Considering the size of the country and its population, social distancing should not be a challenge when travelling through New Zealand.  

Ø  New Zealand has around 40 public hospitals spread across the country in cities and larger towns. Both public as well as private health care in the country is excellent.

Ø  All the major insurance companies offer multiple type of travel insurance products for New Zealand and are expected to offer products inclusive of COVID -19.

Ø  Best time to visit: September to November (Spring) with temperatures averaging between 13 – 20 degrees, December to February (Summer) with temperatures averaging between 19 – 25 degrees

 Taiwan:

Considering its geographical (not to mention lack of political) proximity to China, Taiwan has done an exemplary job of managing COVID 19 and its implications. While relatively unknown. Taiwan offers wondrous vistas, lively traditions and cultures. This year in 2020. Taiwan celebrates ‘the year of mountain tourism’.

Ø  Shaped like a leaf, the island covers 36,000 square kms with 23 million people living in it. Though not a very large country and while it is fairly densely populated, its immediate action and advanced deployment, sufficient availability of PPE for medical personnel and effective use of technology has helped the country tremendously in successfully handling this global pandemic far more effectively than most other countries.

Ø  Some of the popular ways of discovering Taiwan are trekking in the magnificence of the cliffs at Taroko Gorge; taking a ride on the Alishan Forest Railway and experiencing the breathtaking sunrise and sea of clouds; hiking up to the summit of Northeast Asia's highest peak, Yu Mountain (Yushan). You can also soak up the sun in Kending (Kenting), Asia's version of Hawaii; stand at the edge of Sun Moon Lake; wander through the East Rift Valley; or visit the offshore islands of Kinmen and Penghu – overall a lot of fun family activities after being confined to our homes for so long.

Ø  For true shoppers at heart, Taipei offers many night markets where you can combine a very satisfying shopping tour with a street food tour and try some amazing local fare and even a unique shrimp fishing experience.

Ø  You can enjoy a cycle tour near Sun Moon Lake as well a sample local wines and tea made from pure spring water.

Ø  Well connected with many airlines’ ex India such as Thai Airways, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Airlines and low-cost airlines like Air Asia, connectivity is easily possible from many Indian cities though fares are a little towards the expensive side.

Ø  Taiwan has emerged as a hotspot for medical tourism with sophisticated medical technology, well-trained medical professionals, strategic geographical location, stress-free VISA process and most importantly affordable cost-effective quality treatment. With a wide range of government and private hospitals spread across the country, makes it an ideal destination to travel to even as we wait for a vaccine for COVID – 19.

Ø  Popular among both business and leisure travellers, Indian nationals can now travel to Taiwan with a free visa, which can be applied online, thus simplifying visa processes.

Ø  Best time to visit Taiwan: November or the first half of April. The weather is cooler in November while in April you will get to see nature in its full bloom.

 Vietnam:

Vietnam has been another interesting statistic in so far as battling Coronavirus is concerned. With only 288 cases and no deaths till date, inspite of a relatively weak healthcare system and a low budget for combating the virus, Vietnam is a case study in how this virus can be beaten against all odds.  Effective 23rd April 2020, Vietnamese government has lifted social isolation rules and allowed opening of many non- essential services including restaurants. Domestic flights have resumed operations as well. Though Vietnam has limited and not necessarily international level medical facilities, I have still continued to include the same in my list on account of close proximity to India especially for those on a relative budget and looking for a short break. Vietnam boasts a variety of experiences for families as well as couples and can be an expensive luxury holiday or a relatively basic holiday if looking for a budget one, though airfares can be a little bit of a deterrent sometimes even if booked well in advance

Ø  Vietnam follows a very simple, inexpensive online e visa process for Indians, which is not complex and does not need to be planned weeks in advance.

Ø  One of the most underrated destinations in Asia, Vietnam is popular for its amazingly beautiful beaches some of them relatively unexplored, national parks, historical monuments and bustling nightlife. Cities as vibrant as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh , overnight on a junk boat at the dazzling UNESCO World Heritage site of Halong Bay, hiking through Cat Ba Island, visiting and staying with locals in some of the most spectacular rural villages in North of Vietnam, visit the world’s largest cave in Pho Nha National Park, enjoy relaxing cycling expeditions in Hue or Ninh Binh as you walk around or drive past karst peaks and sail pas Tam Coc’s rice fields, meet up with local tribes in Sapa or find romance in its love market, see the recently opened Golden Hands Bridge in Da Nang and enjoy its French flavours or head on a food trail in one of the cities in Vietnam – the list of experiences is endless.

Ø  Combining a trip to neighbouring Cambodia is also a wonderful option as you will get to see the massive and most important archaeological site in South East Asia – Angkor Wat temples.

Ø  The best medical care in Vietnam is in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, though most medical concerns can be treated competently in many smaller towns and cities. ... SOS International has clinics in Vung Tau, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City, providing good but expensive outpatient medical care

Ø  All major insurance companies offer multiple products that cover Vietnam.

Ø  The best time to visit Vietnam is during December through February when temperatures are milder and rain is minimal. Vietnam's long, narrow shape means that the three primary regions (north, central, and south) experience different types of seasons and weather events throughout the year.

 Thailand:

Thailand is perhaps the most ‘been there, done that’ destination in this list. Nonetheless I am including the same as I feel that the destination has great potential on account of a lot of unexplored experiences it has to offer.

Ø  Fantastic connectivity PAN India with option of more expensive full service carriers as well as budget LCC carries combined with amazingly tourist friendly and well organised seat in coach as well as private service and a wide range of accommodation options, gives one a wider price range to choose from depending on budget.

Ø  Apart from the pristine, dreamy beaches, ancient monasteries and coral reefs, food trails that are a treat for your taste buds, adventurous water sports, historical sites  and of course a flourishing night life– there is still a lot undiscovered by many Indian travellers.

Ø  Bangkok, the capital, in central Thailand, is regarded as a modern hub of various cultures, faiths and experiences. Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai to the north cater to those looking the quiet countryside and to spend time in the wild. Down south, beach destinations such as Phuket, Krabi and Koh Samui and island resorts in Khao Sok or Koh Yao Yai and many others, offer some of the best tropical experiences by the sea. On the western end, the Hua Hin region is popular for resorts where one can relax luxuriously. Finally, towards the east, Ubon Ratchathani is a spiritual and historical escape where one can immersively learn about Buddhist and Thai culture.

Ø  Generally speaking, the standard of medical care in Thailand is good. Thailand has world class international standard hospitals in the larger urban centres, with reasonably good medical facility in rural Thailand.  

Ø  Normally I do recommend Thailand as a year- round destination as the countryside is stunningly beautiful in the monsoons and though it rains, it will not disrupt your plans largely. Having said that if you are looking for a perfect weather to travel in, then November through till April is a dry season with temperatures ranging from 29 degrees to 34 degrees.

Ø  Before the COVID- 19 pandemic, Thailand was offering free e visa on arrival. Butan update is awaited on the same from the Thailand embassy. The process of obtaining visa before departure is fairly hassle free and does not take more than 3- 4 working days under ordinary circumstances.

 Hong Kong:

Considering its proximity and accessibility to China, this is another country that has done a remarkable job of managing the pandemic. One of the 1st countries to be hit by the same, Hong Kong is today one of the most ‘almost COVID – 19 free’ countries on the list. What makes this remarkable further is that the city-state has achieved this without the kind of de facto police-state curfew that India has resorted to. While people did work from home and some of the theme parks as well as attractions are closed to avoid community transmission, eventually restaurants opened, people continued to go to parks and favourite hiking routes but nearly everyone wears a mask and maintain social distancing.

Ø  Bustling streets, mouth-watering authentic cuisines, nature reserves and teetering tower blocks, old world markets amidst neon jungles, diversity in its various contradictions - Hong Kong is by far one of the most dynamic, overwhelming city I have ever has the opportunity to visit, A great pick for a family destination, Hong Kong offers a wide range of attractions for all age groups combined with all the privileges and comforts one can enjoy in any well-developed country. Apart from child friendly attractions such as Ocean Park and Disneyland, this multi culture destination also hosts many world class sports events especially rugby and horse racing.  

Ø  It is only an hour’s ferry ride from Macau, a mecca for those interested in casinos and night life and Las Vegas style hotels on ‘The Strip’ with internationally acclaimed shows. Just perfect for those who cannot make it to Las Vegas as yet!

Ø  Hong Kong is extremely well connected to many major airports in India. The airfares as well as hotels are a little on the higher side and I would recommend booking the same early.  

Ø  Critically, Hong Kong has one of the world’s best public healthcare systems, experienced at dealing with challenges such as the avian flu in 1997 to the H1N1 in 2009. 

Ø  Once again, an all year-round destination, the best time to visit Hong Kong is from October till April. For those who enjoy cultural experiences and local festivals and food, I would recommend considering a trip to Hong Kong in January & February though.

 COVID – 19 is not yet a thing of the past globally nor is it an issue we can ignore, So it is time we start working around it and figuring out solutions to stay safe when travelling. Airlines, hoteliers, transporters – everyone involved in the business of hospitality are figuring out solutions in terms of contactless travel, regular sanitisation, norms of social distancing and many other issues which are likely to come up once all of them are allowed to operate as usual. There is definitely a new ‘normal’ that we all need to adjust to while travelling in the future. In a business where human touch and conversation is all about hospitality, be it on land or in air, we may be looking at reduced human touch just to be able to stay safe and travel. So be it then!

#stay safe #stay healthy

[motherofadamsfamily]

Nepal 2020 Kathmandu

Day 1 Kathmandu 07-08 Mar

Stupas, thought-provoking religion, monkeys, relics, delicious food and beautiful faces...what a day! 

The first three words that come to mind are mayhem, mayhem and mayhem.....

Three words came to mind when I first saw Kathmandu – mayhem, mayhem and mayhem!!

The traffic is chaotic, the roadworks are never-ending in streets that are too narrow to take two cars passing at times, and hordes of people meander through this craziness with never a thought for their livelihood – I love it!

It took us nearly 24 hours of travelling to get here, leaving home at 5 am, and a 4 hour transit in Singapore. By the time we were collected by our guide Mark (Markenday) and the driver Dip (Dipendra), we were stuffed. I was put in my place gently by Mark when I tried to greet him with a handshake. He advised that not only do Buddhists prefer the respectful greeting of ‘Namaste’ with hands held prayer-like in front of you, but that given the concerns with this current Covid-19 global health scare, it was also the safer option. Oops – should have thought of that!

We didn’t take too much notice of our hotel arrival, other than our room was cold and tiny. BUT – the water was steaming hot for my much-wanted shower, and the bed was comfortable for when I passed out.

The morning brought an adjustment of thought. The air-conditioner had warmed the room wonderfully, and the room is cozy in its’ simplicity. See what a good nights’ sleep can do?

Mark collected us for a full day of sightseeing – Kathmandu houses 4 UNESCO World Heritage sites. Our first stop was the Swoyambhunath stupa, which is located at the top of a hilltop, overlooking the Kathmandu valley.

 The crowd was immense, with the local vendors blending with those that came to pay their respects, and people just living their everyday lives. The view was a little sad – the population of Nepal is 30 million, and Kathmandu is apparently 22nd in the world for air pollution. A thick haze hung over the city, marring the view somewhat. But the mountains beyond the valley are quite beautiful.

Mark began explaining the intricacies of the Buddhist faith. He is very knowledgeable – I’m a little overwhelmed by the massive load of information he provided. Here are some facts I can remember –

·         There 3 types of religious centres – 1. Pagodas, the most popular, followed by 2. Shikaras, which look a little phallic in their shape, and 3. Stupas, large, bell-shaped constructions

·         “The Face” – otherwise known as “Buddha Eyes”, is a common sight throughout Nepal, and has spiritual connotation – The Third Eye (dot on the forehead) indicates the Buddhist wish and aim for enlightenment and wisdom

- The Compassionate Eyes, suggesting one should look upon all with compassion and empathy

- The nose (looks like a number ‘1’) points to the ground, advising you should remain grounded and true, while striving for this enlightenment

- There are no ears (meaning to not to listen to evil/negative comments from others), nor a mouth (do not speak negative/evil words)

·         There are 5 depictions of Buddha, placed facing the 4 point of the compass, plus a 5th – the “White Buddha” which is generally invisible, as it faces skywards, and represents discussion and devotion

- Blue- faces East, with the left hand on knee, and right hand pointing to the ground – “stay grounded within your belief”

- Yellow – faces South, hand down, palm out – “show charity to others”

- Green – faces West, palm up in greeting – “give blessings to all”

Red – faces North – palms in lap, meditative – “maintain meditation to to remain centred”

The snakes over Buddha’s head, contrary to popular belief, symbolize protection, not danger

Our second stop was Patan Durbar Square, site of the ancient royal palace where the Mallar Kings of the Lalitpur region lived. It is a centre of both Hindu (81% of population) and Buddhist (9%)  temples – the main two faiths of Nepal. Of the three main Pagodas, two were destroyed in the earthquake of 2015, and have since been rebuilt.

We wandered through the throng, admiring the dexterity and attention to detail in the architecture, some of which date back thousands of years.

During our travel, we came across a family of women and girls, all dressed in fabulous finery. They were embarking on a sort of ‘coming out’ ceremony for the little ones – sort of like our debutantes. They were absolutely adorable, and only too happy to pose for ‘happy snaps’ with us.

The traffic to the Boudhnath Stupa was absolute bedlam, and we remained at a standstill for ages – apparently that’s just the norm at this time of day, according to Mark.

We finally arrived at the Stupa – the second largest in the world (the largest being Borobudur Temple in Jogjakarta). The unusual thing though, is that there isn’t an entrance. So, you have this massive structure, but no access inside to worship! Odd to me, but the Buddhist masses were happy to stroll clockwise, spinning the multitude of prayer wheels and chanting mantras as they walked

We had lunch at a rooftop restaurant, which afforded us a great view of the distant snow-capped mountain range, as well as the enormous Stupa before us. Mark said we were lucky, as they are usually shrouded in clouds. Lunch was delish – we shared Momos (the Nepali version of dumplings) and a ‘Dhal Bhat’, or mixed platter of Nepali delicacies. Yes, we’ve finally absorbed the fact we are in Nepal!

After lunch, we visited an art centre, watching the artists as the painted mandalas – intrinsic in the Buddhist practice of meditation. The various levels of the mandala were explained to us – absolutely fascinating. Apparently only the ‘Masters’ can draw the mandalas, and the students can only paint them, until they become more experienced in the ways of Buddhism. One mandala had figures so intricate and tiny – we discovered that the ‘Master’ who painted this one used a single-hair paint brush! It can take them up to three months to complete a Mandala, depending on the complexity of the figures.

We also learned during our stroll that agriculture is the main form of employment here, and the most popular crops are – rice, wheat, corn, millet, vegetables and mustard. The greatest exports are ginger, tea and coffee.

Our last stop for the day was a Hindu cremation ghat (river-landing stairs) at the Pashupatinath Temple, on the banks of the sacred Bagmati River. Hindus apparently come here to reside for the last few weeks of their life, and are cremated upon passing, on the riverbank. Their remains are then washed in to the river, which flows to meet the sacred river Ganges. It’s believed that if you die here, you will be reborn as a human, regardless of the karma you left behind.

It’s quite calming, to see the faith of these people, as they lovingly prepare their family member for ‘the final journey’. To them, death is simply the natural progression of life. As Buddha said, “life is just the space between birth and death” – it helps move the fear of, and stigma surrounding talking about, death.

We were exhausted by the end of this strenuous day of sightseeing. We didn’t realise exactly HOW much we had walked during our touring, but once we stopped – oh, my!! We stayed in the hotel for a light dinner, as we couldn’t be bothered walking any further. We hit the sack pretty early, as we’re up before dawn tomorrow, for our flight over Everest. Get keen, people!

#nepal #kathmandu #stupa #travel

[getzdestinationstouandtravels]

Explorers spots to visit in Singapore in 2020

Singapore is the most outstanding city-state of the Malaysia. It offers gigantic strip malls, luxurious lodgings, nightlife, fish and more for Singapore the movement business. It is an inactive spot for nightlife and has some great occasions around. There various celebrated vacationer spots to visit in Singapore with your family. On the off chance that you're organizing where to visit your next objective, must visit Singapore objective. You'll positively love this spot in the wake of going there. Book your dazzling Singapore Tour Packages today!

Gardens by the Bay

Gardens by the Bay is among an outstanding spot of the Singapore. It will in general be disregarded from the Marina Bay Sands Observation Deck. It will be an extraordinary experience to have with your family. It is moreover an unprecedented spot to experience quality with your loved ones to see visiting. Make sure to click some extraordinary pictures of interest places. Without a doubt, even the spot ends up being all the all the more engaging at the nightfall time with shimmering brilliant lights.

S.E.A Aquarium

S.E.A Aquarium is an acclaimed voyager spot to visit in Singapore. It is the shocking creation of mankind. The Aquarium offers houses to more than 1,000 sorts of marine life. It joins hammerhead sharks, bottlenose dolphins, and stingrays. Spreads total around 49 living spaces and mutiple, 00,000 land and water proficient animals that most interest for explorers. You can even play with starfish and various activities experience like hopping and sea walking.

Peranakan Museum

Peranakan Island is the on a very basic level South Asian mutt systems. The presentation lobby contains three social orders including Malay, Chinese and Indian. It contains without a doubt the greatest arrangements of the previous mutt of heritage and culture. It was worked in the multi year by Chinese sellers. You can see the three stories with each house obvious relics that are related to Peranakans. Experience here exhibition visits that will take you through the traditional Peranakan's for 12 – day. The visit is open in different lingos, for instance, Japanese, Mandarin, English, and French. Visitors are furthermore allowed to book their private visit for a social event with 20 people or more.

Merlion Park

This is the centerpiece of the Singapore. It is a half lion and half mermaid and the standard component of this city – state. This body addresses the old-fashioned business of Singapore calculating and the head addresses the Singapore name Singapura. The Singapore name implies 'The Lion City'. The waterfront park is orchestrated in the right-point of convergence of the city. This spot is perfect for the survey of Marina Bay. The Statue has a height of 8.6 m and around 70 tons in weight. This is the perfect spot for visitors to take pictures here.

Singapore is a mind boggling world class country for style and originator wears. It offers mind boggling immense malls for shopping to visitors. Here you can buy everything from enhancements, classy diamonds, lavish sacks and travel bags, stamped pieces of clothing, and even unobtrusive plan wearing.

Singapore Flyer

Singapore Flyer is another best voyager place for couples in Singapore. It is the most imperative world's goliath discernment wheel. This spot see the Indonesia Spice Islands and Malaysian Johor Strait

#getzdestinations #travel #traveling #traveler #instatravel #singapore #singaporetour #travelgram #travelblog #blogger #travelblogger

[n-jamil]

Creative Experiences: Refuse

In my previous post, I shared about my main learning of being increasingly aware of the presence of art or when experiencing art in general. The past 2 weeks of lessons have then introduced me to the tool kit on the ‘How’ – how can I reflect to deepen my understanding, how can I analyse my audience experience in the presence of art. 

The arts to be experienced, rather than merely gazed at

With the arts main purpose to be experienced, technology can be an aid that helps facilitate one to directly ‘inhabit’ into the arts. Audio-visual components like light and sound can help enable this experience (Hoe, 2022a). 

This segways into Week 6’s visit to Refuse by The Observatory. Commissioned by Singapore Art Museum (SAM), Refuse is an inter-media exhibition about music, mushrooms and decomposition by a Singapore-based experimental band called The Observatory. My group and I were fortunate to have Yuen Chee Wai, one of the members of the Observatory to patiently walk us through the exhibition.

Circularity

The primary idea that stood out the most in my mind during the arts experience was the circularity of the whole exhibition – it was astounding. As the artist-guided tour went on, I found myself reeled in (impressed over and over again, just when I thought it could not get any better) by the depth of every art installation, the amount of intentional thought and meaning embedded throughout the exhibition. I definitely resonated with the art experience through amplified energy of increasing enthusiasm and feeling invited to learn more about it (Hoe, 2022b). Circularity was achieved through various key aspects,

Inspiration – The exhibition focuses on waste materials; things that people do not perceive as valuable and often take for granted. In this case, felled trees and fungi are the central muse to the exhibition. With the purpose of refusing things together, the exhibition aims to create something more from the unwanted.

Ideology – From the inspiration above, the Observatory used fungi as a non-human collaborator as it essentially composes while decomposing. The idea of a non-human as a collaborator was definitely very new to me. It was my first time witnessing an artist equally crediting a non-human collaborator and highlighting its significant contribution to the central theme of the exhibition. And I truly loved it.

“We need to rethink certain concepts and lose this anthropomorphic lens on nature or trees, in order to understand what they really do.”

When sharing about how we (as humans) need to recalibrate our work and understanding, Yuen drove home the intended ideology of the exhibition whereby humans should lose this anthropomorphic lens on nature or trees. He threw out the thought of: What if fungi have always been making sounds? We just don’t know of it and are perhaps now merely facilitating it. This also aligns with the use of a non-human collaborator and The Observatory’s band ideology of attempting the unattempted (Ho, 2020).

Self-sufficient Circuit – The exhibition finessed recycling and decomposing within each art installation, or even across various installations. It forms a circuit that becomes a self-sustaining ecosystem, directly powering energy from one to another. This energy can be converted into various energies like light and sound. I also particularly like how Yuen perceives these circuits as playlists, controlling these movements themselves.

The Unseen & Unwanted

Apart from being highly visual in nature, Refuse was an art experience generally reflective of the politics of everyday life (Hoe, 2022b). With reference to the exhibition’s inspiration earlier, Refuse draws attention to the irony – while we pride ourselves for being a Garden City, trees are being axed for the reasons of manicure, safety and development. Hence, the exhibition proposes that we find ourselves on the forest floor, seeking resilience in the singular mushroom that survives and thrives. Refuse brings forth the symbolic value of shedding light on the unseen and unwanted, and giving it the credit it deserves. Refuse spotlights the fungi as the focal point of this exhibition – usually overlooked but is everywhere, where its spores are invisible yet vital to human life. Most importantly, it perpetuates a universe of destruction and regeneration; rot and beauty; of life force and ephemerality (Tang, 2021).

Audience Experience

It was my first time at SAM as well as experiencing an artist-guided tour. It was truly enriching, understanding the artistic process that drove the entire exhibition. This allowed me to appreciate each individual installation and the entire exhibition as a whole on a much deeper level. The artist-guided tour helped me contextualise my meaning-making of the art experience. However, keeping in mind that the arts experience is co-produced by the audience, I do acknowledge that this is only achieved with my own inner experience and subjective state (Hoe, 2022a).

During the tour, I also reflected back on my first impressions. While I recognised the central theme of the exhibition and how it was used to convert other forms of energy, I was unable to interpret much. The absence of installation descriptions made it difficult for me to understand the exhibition (referencing the conventional layout of an exhibition). While I am fortunate to have an artist-guided tour, I initially felt it was such a shame that without the installation descriptions, the general public is unable to fully understand or appreciate Refuse in its entirety. I wished that there was a map or a recommended sequential route for the art experience, that would help the audience connect the dots easier.

However at the end of the tour, Yuen mentioned that the setup was intentional for the art experience. In terms of way finding, it is constructed in such a way that there is no particular route for one to best appreciate it.

“I want you to imagine yourself walking through a forest or jungle, and in that way we became our own mixer of sound.”

The intended use of multimedial channels based on audiences’ sense-making allows one to decide to focus on anything or any sound (Hoe, 2022b). The artist wanted to keep it open-ended; for one to get lost in the experience, walking towards installations when it slowly unravels.

Creative Production in Singapore

In the beginning of the tour, Yuen shared about the inspiration for Refuse when both SAM and the Observatory were going through numerous counter proposals. He underlined their refusal of composition; the expectation to write and compose tied to their music identity. They insisted on not being fit in a mould, and doing what they do in the best way they know how. This then became one of their main inspirations for the exhibition.

At their core, the Observatory takes on the main ideology of openly trying, experimenting and allowing room for failure when it comes to their art. According to them, it allows them to deliver interesting and adventurous projects; it is a lot more exciting to play when there is a space to change or evolve  (Ho, 2020). As per Hindle (2019), “What looks like a failure is often just the beginning of something else, often something more interesting.” And this clearly holds true and comes through their work for Refuse. For instance, its installation on mushrooms growing on the guitar using mycelium, was based on trial and error where they had to figure out the conditions to make the wooden guitar suitable for growth. Installations were built and changed as it progressed, even based on failure. This aligns to the exhibition’s focus of relinquishing control to a non-human collaborator.

Time – Having said that, Yuen shared that time was the main challenge of the artistic and creative production of Refuse. With a timeframe of 2-3 months and most installations being the first of its kind, all experiments were a gamble due to uncertainty. As much as they were open to explore the unknown as they unravel, the Observatory needed to keep the exhibition date in check and consider if their deliverables are ready by then since it is a commissioned exhibition by SAM. Hence, it was a limitation that resulted in some compromises of the eventual outcome, where experiments were curbed to ensure enough time for mushroom sprouting and for installations to be prepared on time.

Stakeholders – Compromises were also made due to the limitations of stakeholders like SAM, as its commissioner and the public as its audience. For instance, SAM finalises the decision for certain details like the type of wood used, including its size and structure for the exhibition, together with certain positioning of the exhibition. In terms of audience, while artists create art for themselves, the audience are still a main consideration for the art experience. Thus, the art should be accessible to the masses accordingly.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed Refuse for all it was – all its intended and unintended perfection. Hindle (2019) sums it up best, “We should not dictate the means or outcome of an artist’s vision. We are here to support.”

References

Hindle, P. (2019, July 2). Why artists should be allowed to fail. Artsy. https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-artists-allowed-fail 

Ho, K. (2020, October 13). The observatory is alive: Deciphering the unleashed chaos of its current iteration. Life In Arpeggio. https://www.lifeinarpeggio.com/blog/the-observatory-interview-haino-keiji-authority-is-alive-local-experimental-bands-singapore

Hoe, S.F. (2022a, February 9). Block One: Pathways | ACM001 Session Four: Creative Text to Creative Programming - Making Meaning as An Audience in the Singapore Art World [Powerpoint Slides].

Hoe, S.F. (2022b, February 12). Block Two: Practices | ACM001 Session Five: Understanding the Conditions of Creativity in Singapore - From Cultural Value to Cultural Industries [Powerpoint Slides].

Tang, F.K. (2021, November). The Observatory Refuse [Exhibition Catalogue]. Singapore.

[toptooladvisor-blog]

Two new MRT lines by 2020

They will run through estates in north and east; North-South and East-West lines will also be extended by 2015

By Maria Almenoar

TWO new underground MRT lines will be built by 2020 - one from Woodlands to Marina Bay via Thomson, and the other from Changi to Marina Bay via Marine Parade.

The 27km Thomson line will run through Sin Ming and Kim Seng, while the Eastern Region Line (ERL) will slice through Siglap and Tanjong Rhu. All are neighbourhoods not served by the MRT now.

The two new lines add 48km of rail and possibly 30 new stations.

In addition, extensions will be made to the East-West and North-South lines by 2015.

The East-West line will stretch 14km out to Tuas with an above-ground track, while the North-South line will be extended underground to Marina South.

These four additions, together with the lines now being built, will extend the rail network from the current 138km of track to 278km.

RELATED LINKS

The tab: $20 billion. This is over and above the $20 billion already committed for the Circle Line, the Downtown Line and the Boon Lay extension.

When completed, cross-city trips will be faster; commuters will have a train stop within 400m, or five minutes' walking distance, said Transport Minister Raymond Lim yesterday.

He was delivering Part Two of his three-part policy speech on improvements to Singapore's land transport system.

He first unveiled a slew of changes to the bus system last week, and will wrap it up next week with what is in store for other road users.

With the Thomson Line in operation, commuters in Sin Ming, for example, will shave 20 minutes off their current 45-minute trip to the city; those in Marine Parade will get to Marina Bay on the ERL in 20 minutes - almost as fast as by car, said Mr Lim.

The extensions to the existing East-West and North-South lines will also shorten commuting time.

Take, for example, a commuter who lives in Clementi and works in Tuas. To get to work now, he will have to take a train from Clementi to Boon Lay, from where it will take him another 35 minutes by bus to his destination. With the extension of the East-West line to Tuas, he will save 20 minutes.

Mr Lim, who toured the Kim Chuan train depot yesterday, said: 'Commuters can look forward to new extensions or stages of new lines opening almost every other year until 2020.'

The next milestone will be marked in the middle of next year, when Stage 3 of the Circle Line opens - a year ahead of schedule - to connect areas such as Lorong Chuan and Bartley.

But commuters will experience improvements from next month, when 93 train trips will be added every week during the rush hours to ease crowding and cut waiting times.

Down the road, new trains will be bought and work done on the two oldest tracks so they can carry 15 per cent more passengers.

As with bus routes, the Government will also open up the rail market to competition. Contracts to run rail services will be 10 to 15 years long, down from 30.

To enhance the commuter's experience, more covered linkways and overhead bridges will be built in the next two years; the elderly and disabled will have full access to buses and improved access to MRT stations. A six-month trial to allow foldable bicycles on trains will also be carried out.

As for taxi commuters, a centralised call booking centre will be set up by July.

Mr Lim gave the assurance that fares will continue to be regulated by the Public Transport Council, and help will be given to those who cannot afford to pay.

[creativinn]

Light to Night Festival 2022 returns to Civic District with new interactive art experiences from now till Feb 3 - Mothership.SG - News from Singapore, Asia and around the world

Light to Night Festival returns with more festival locations from Jan. 14 to Feb. 3, 2022.

The visual arts festival offers over 60 engaging and multi-sensory experiences in its continued “phy-gital” format that is held both outdoors and indoors, over an extended run time of three weeks.

This year’s theme “New Ways of Seeing, Thinking and Being” inspires visitors to engage with the world from new perspectives and states of mind, especially to better understand the “new normal”.

Whether you’re an art enthusiast or just looking for somewhere fun to hang out with your loved ones at any time of the day, here are five highlights you can check out at this year’s festival.

1. Arts Skins on Monuments

Image by National Gallery Singapore.

The colourful light projections illuminating the façade of iconic landmarks is a returning favourite of the festival.

Switched on from 7:30pm to midnight, daily, during the festival period, it’s hard to miss them when you walk around the Civic District.

Refractioned by Metamo Industries with Benedict & Palmer

This year’s display on National Gallery Singapore’s façade blends photographs of HDB facades with iconic Singaporean architecture that were captured during the circuit breaker period in 2020.

Image by National Gallery Singapore.

Image by National Gallery Singapore.

Image by National Gallery Singapore.

Besides National Gallery Singapore, other landmarks that sport light projections are:

The artworks were created by Nanyang Polytechnic’s School of Design & Media students, under the Art Skins on Monuments Mentorship Programme.

The Arts House. Image by National Gallery Singapore.

ACM. Image by National Gallery Singapore.

Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall. Image by National Gallery Singapore.

In addition, drop by National Gallery Singapore’s Rotunda Library & Archive, which showcases a light projection.

Titled Into Multiplicities by Jo Ho & Intriguant, it sheds light on how different types of archival materials are collected and interpreted.

Image by National Gallery Singapore.

2. Flight by LiteWerkz

Over at the Padang, one of two new art installations is Flight.

Image by National Gallery Singapore.

Inspired by the flight of birds, this responsive installation encourages introspection and self-discovery.

Image by National Gallery Singapore.

Image by National Gallery Singapore.

Flight responds to Bluetooth signals from your mobile device to generate “a symphony of light and colour” to reorientate your perception of space.

Image by National Gallery Singapore.

3. Fragment of a Shoreline by Spatial Anatomy and Akai Chew with OFTRT

Fragment of a Shoreline is the other installation at the Padang that offers a contrasting experience to Flight.

Image by National Gallery Singapore.

It aims to remind visitors about the history of the Padang while encouraging them to consider the present.

The multisensory installation features a reconstructed shoreline from the 1800s which visitors can sit at, prompting them to reflect on their individual experiences.

4. Move For?ward (Unseen: Inside Out)

Light to Night continues to highlight diverse voices in society through new interactive experiences.

Image by National Gallery Singapore.

Supported by Unseen Art Initiatives, a volunteer-led inclusive arts platform, Move For?ward (Unseen: Inside Out) is one of such examples.

The art installation features the collaborative process of gathering and representing the stories of 12 individuals from the visually impaired community.

Image by National Gallery Singapore.

Located at National Gallery Singapore’s Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium Foyer, visitors can immerse themselves in an audio tour of the installation while navigating through a web of strings.

Image by National Gallery Singapore.

5. Visions by Acute Art

Visions is a cutting-edge interactive outdoor augmented reality (AR) art exhibition.

Image by National Gallery Singapore.

It marks Light to Night Festival’s inaugural collaboration with leading AR art production studio Acute Art.

Visions comprises several AR artworks from leading global artists, including KAWS, Cao Fei, and Olafur Eliasson.

For the first time, Acute Art is featuring a Singaporean artist in its international roster—Ho Tzu Nyen, whose commission is titled “Language”.

His AR artwork aims to shed light on the multi-layered nature of history through an interplay of projected anime and virtual reality embodiments.

Image by National Gallery Singapore.

Visitors can unlock these experiences along National Gallery Singapore’s façade with the Civic District as the backdrop, enabling them to view this space in a new light.

Additionally, explore the AR artworks in 360° with accompanying soundscapes in the day as well as at night.

Other programmes at the festival include Art x Social on Saturdays and Sundays, a festival village featuring local craft shops, an aura photo booth and more, as well as Kolektif Takeover, featuring programmes by youth for youth, taking place on Fridays and Saturdays.

Free Admission to National Gallery Singapore

Admission to National Gallery Singapore is free for all on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday during Light to Night Festival.

The Gallery’s admission hours also have been extended to 10pm on those days.

Click here to find out more about the other programmes at the Light to Night Festival 2022.

You can also check out their Instagram @lightonightsg and Facebook pages for updates.

Writing this sponsored article by Light to Night Festival has given the writer ideas on how to light up her boring nights.

Top image by National Gallery Singapore.

This content was originally published here.

[architectnews]

67EM-House, Singapore Residence

67EM-House, Singapore East Coast Residence, Luxury South East Asia Real Estate, Architecture Photos

67EM-House in Singapore

6 Jan 2022

Architecture: ONG&ONG

Location: East Coast of Singapore, South East Asia

Photos by the architects studio

67EM-House

Nestled at the heart of Singapore’s first conservation area, 67EM-House is a Straits Chinese terraced house built in the 1920s. In the tradition of such homes, the front door is usually kept open for ventilation, but privacy is ensured with a full-height screen and a sculpture placed as a visual focal point just inside the doorway.

67EM-House comprises two volumes – a main building and rear extension – linked by a walkway and a glass bridge across a double-storey airwell with a dramatic green wall. In the evenings, the garden and airwell feature dramatic uplighting, turning the house into a lush yet intimate resort within the city centre.

Aside from the public areas of the house on ground level, the main building also holds the master bedroom and a junior en suite, with a mini gym tucked high in the topmost attic area. The rear extension comprises bedrooms, stairs and lift, and more storage.

The second floor features a private sanctuary cum music room where the homeowners spend much of their time. From there, a spiral staircase leads up to a mezzanine level. The high, sloping ceilings with exposed rafters give a loft-like airiness that is further enhanced when the blinds covering a large skylight is drawn back, flooding the space with light and turning the room into a conservatory of sorts.

67EM-House in Singapore, South East Asia – Building Information

Architecture: ONG&ONG Client: Private Typology: Dwelling Key Principals: Ashvinkumar KantilalArchitecture Completion: 2020

Photography: ONG&ONG

67EM-House, Singapore Residence images / information received 060122 from ONG&ONG

Location: East Coast area of Singapore, South East Asia

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[pains-of-lgbtq-in-sg]

2 Oct 2021, 06:23

As a kid, before I knew who I was, I used to hear others talk about Gay Rights. And it confused me why gays had to have rights, when we don’t go around talking about heterosexual rights. And each time I would be no closer to a conclusion and would shelf that thought away again until the next time it popped up uninvited.

I was just who I was. A kid. A regular kid. A regular kid who enjoyed sports and being in shirts and pants because then no one would keep hounding me to sit with my legs “closed.” I hated the long hair my mother wanted me to keep. It made me warm in humid Singapore, was always messy, and was a chore to dry after each shower. From every practical standpoint, skirts and long hair made no sense to me. My mother was a girly-girl, who wanted her girls to learn the piano, dress in skirts and have long ponytails. Sadly, other than the piano, I was a huge disappointment to her.

I had always been an old soul in a young body. Everything had to make practical sense or I would have a hard time accepting it. Growing up, school was hard for an old soul like me. Kids everywhere seemed childish, and my best friends were books, which could help me escape reality, even if just for a while.

When I got older, I was happy to join the workforce, where I thought I’d be around mature adults, and my world would start to make more sense to me. Boy, was I in for a shocker. I had not realized that common sense was not common, basic courtesy was not basic, and ownership and accountability were not owned by many. I also learned that ethics and integrity counted for nothing when you were in sales and in the Insurance industry dominated by ruthless managers. After 6 years watching those honest fall, and those merciless soar, I dragged my sorry ass back to school, hoping and praying grad school would be different.

That’s where I met her. I remember that first day of introductions, when she sat at my 2 o’clock. I remember her introducing herself from country ABC and having hobbies in culinary and photography. I remember our class having to walk to the library for a school tour after, and me sidling up to her side as the lights turned red where we waiting to cross the road. I oh-so-casually looked at the birds on the tree above, the old guy taking a smoke just a distance away, and then finally, just nonchalantly turned to her and said, “Hi, so you’re into photography too? What’s your favorite camera?”

And that was the start of our last 4 sweet years together. During school breaks that 1st year, we took trips to Bangkok and Australia, and school took us to more trips in U.S., Switzerland, and Italy. We were young, and everything was rosy. We took budget planes for just 2 to 3 days out of Singapore on a whim, and did budget road trips for weeks, just booking the following nights’ accommodation as we went along. We visited her family in country ABC and took them on their first road trips to different states, and those improved her parents’ estranged relationship as well. At that time, we made do, living out of her tiny common room rental for 850 a month, in a small condo unit shared by (officially) 5 other housemates. 2 guys were in the master bedroom, a girl in a similar common room, a guy in the bomb shelter and a girl in the kitchen storeroom (where the last two had no windows and therefore, kept their doors open every night). I was her regular “secret” guest, and the neighboring room always had her boyfriend over.

That place was a nightmare. The room was tiny, fitted with a queen bed, a 0.4m x 1m wide study desk, a simple foldable IKEA chair, and a narrow (1.5m high) two panel wardrobe. With all the furniture against the 4 walls of the room, there was only a 0.5m walkway between the door and bed, and bed and wardrobe + study desk. (Think how you couldn’t even pull the chair all the way out to sit at the desk!) Luckily, she only brought one suitcase with her, and that had nowhere else to go except to be balanced precariously on top of the flimsy wardrobe held up by duct tape. There were tiny bugs constantly on the headboard of the bed, the walls, and the sides of the wardrobe, and squishing them only left small dots of red on the wood and paint.

After school ended, we both found basic jobs in the financial sector, earning basic salaries (3k each) that were barely enough to cover rent and the 50 grand of study debts. We lived simple lives on her culinary skills and moved out to a slightly bigger place (with no bugs!) as soon as the previous rental contract ended. Deciding on a small studio in the far areas of Western Singapore was hard when we only had a budget of about $1500 for rental. Fortunately for us, heaven smiled down on us during our search. I will never forget the moment we signed on the line to rent that new place, and the pure elation on her face mirrored my emotions the first day we wheeled her luggage through the door. We were both so overwhelmed that we just stood in the middle of the completely unfurnished unit, just turning around and around to look at the “huge” space we now had. The landlord was kind enough to provide us the keys 7 days before New Year’s Day, and we enjoyed our first homecooked Christmas dinner there. Just 400 square feet of luxurious blessing (including our very own bathroom).

2018 to 2019, we were happy. As happy as can be. If Singapore allowed, I would have married that girl, and made her my wife. I knew that I wanted her around, through thick and thin, bugs and all, for as long as I could. But because we couldn’t, we tried to apply for PR for her. Twice. And failed twice. Despite everything, we were happy. She enjoyed her work and colleagues, and I had a job I enjoyed, in a decent company, with great colleagues and a great leader. Everyday, time seemed to fly by as I get so engrossed in picking up new experiences and knowledge at work. And at the end of each day, I was happiest, running to catch the bus that would take me the few short stops to her office, and we would head home together.

2020, the world went crazy. When Covid-19 started, nobody took it seriously. When they finally did, it was too late. Singapore being small, seemed to put its economy before citizens’ health, and pretty soon, we saw new policies introduced so fast and furious, it was hard to keep up. Racism escalated real fast as fear grew. Everyone’s primal survival instinct kicked in, took over, and overwhelmed. We saw hoarding like never before, where previous proud displays of extravagance in the form of luxury goods, were replaced by flaunting of overstocked pantries of unnecessarily excessive daily necessities. Households storing shelves of toilet paper and rice, splashed out on social media, instigated herd mentality, and created dangerous vicious cycles. It was at this time that our rental contract was due for renewal, and because of travel restrictions, we saw a larger than usual demand for rental property. We saw increased negative correlation between our salaries and expenses but still, we were thankful for just having each other.

Unfortunately, fate reared its cruel head, giving us first-hand experience of Murphy’s law. Her father was diagnosed with cancer towards the end of the year, and that was the start of the end of the improving relationship between her parents. Both our companies also underwent major restructuring that year. Coincidently, both companies started offshoring parts of operation to neighboring country XYZ. And it seemed ridiculous then, because the number of Covid-19 cases in that country was heading north at breakneck speed. Every single day, more than half of both of our offshore teams were on medical, hospital or compassionate leave. Work was not getting completed, and to make things worse, both offshore teams seemed to have the same zero accountability and pride in their work. Every day was a mental torture to engage them in their finger-pointing, others-blaming games, even when evidence of their negligence was staring at them point-blank in the face.

Having a slightly better command of English than her, I took it in my stride facing these “Taichi experts.” But when my boss (that I had a huge respect for) lost his job due to the restructuring (and workplace politics), I started looking out. I was fortunate enough to be able to land another opportunity and left.

Her job was harder hit. Her team now had to rely on the offshore team to finish the daily BAU wok before Singapore team could check and sign off. I remember when she first joined, she was trained for a month before she caught up with the daily deadlines and managed to complete the day’s checks by 5pm daily. Somehow, their XYZ offshore team were still exceeding all deadlines by a wide margin (with massive amounts of repeated errors, which they would then trigger new blame games), causing the Singapore Team to finish their checks (and “fights”) and call it an end mostly after 10pm.

While barely keeping her sanity at work, watching her constantly forcing a smile to comfort her mother, who was struggling with a self-centered patient exploiting his illness, I saw the bags under her eyes gain prominence over the months. We tried desperately to find a new suitable job for her, as her initial Singapore team of almost 30 (mostly seniors with more than 10 years’ experience) dwindled to the last 5 of them. During this time, her mouth struggled to maintain its curve upwards, and it was heart-wrenching to witness the glimmer of hope fade from her eyes. I knew she missed her mother, as Covid-19 prevented us from traveling back to see her. I knew she was not enjoying her “new” role at work, working with the XYZ team. But my hands were tied. I begged everyone and anyone I knew to look out for any suitable job willing to consider a foreigner. It was a losing battle.

After 8 months, she started applying outside of Singapore as well, thinking to leave it to fate. Shortly, a call from ABC country offered her an interview. Things went fast, and in a few short weeks, they were extending an offer, with one condition, that being she was to board the first available plane back after completing her notice period.

I was crushed. I knew I couldn’t make her choose me (and continuing working with XYZ team), but suddenly I felt like I had been told I have just one more month to live. My life, as I knew it, was ending in just 4 very short weeks. We both knew her current job in its current form, was destroying her mental health, and I couldn’t bear to keep her here like that.

After the initial roller coaster of emotions calmed down, we strategized, trying to accommodate all the local places we had always talked about visiting, with the packing and shipping of her stuff.

Today marks the 33rd day she is not by my side, and all this time, I have been trying not to be cynical when considering the factors that contributed to our current situation. Days and nights blur into one, as I try tirelessly to find myself a job in country ABC, hoping against hope that we may soon reunite.