Shit, the last time I found any time to update was over 2 months ago, time has sure flown by since then. Trizon is still going ahead but all the workers have now been moved offsite and get transported in and out of the site every day by busses, no more accidents so far.

Tiger is doing well, sleeping lots…

I can’t exactly remember too many fascinating things that Anita and I have gotten up to lately which is why i’ve not updated and put anything here… We’ve just been working and saving for our trip back to Australia at Christmas, which is all booked and ready to go. We’ve gonna fly into Brisbane on the 12th of December and catch up some friends on a 3 day drive down to Sydney, will give us a chance to look at some property on the Gold Coast and see what’s out there for when we buy our house. We’ve got a few things to do for the wedding in Sydney and lots of catching up to be done with everyone too, plus a few family things and Christmas, we’re leaving Sydney on the 28th of December with hopefully a good deal of work done for the wedding next year…

Anita and I have been really busy with our work and trying to get things organised for the wedding (28th August 2011), we now have a venue, photographer, and celebrant organised, the invites and save the date cards have been partially designed too, Anita just needs to get onto getting her dress, and that’s most of the big stuff done. Hopefully we can sort most of it out this year cause there are going to be some major expenses next year…

Weather here as been really shit too, can’t remember the last string days we had of over 30+, been pretty unusually wet for this time of year, guess it beats winter!

We’ve just had a visit from Anita’s friends Mark and Laura who took some time out of their Thailand trip to come and say hi to us in Singapore. It was good to play tourist guide for a couple of days, and I managed to do a couple of things that I’d not done in Singapore, so that was pretty cool. We took them around the marina area mainly and checked out the Merlion, Clarke & Boat Quays as well as taking a riverboat trip along the Singapore River (first of the thing’s i’d never done). We then took them up to the new Sands Sky Park at the Marina Bay Sands hotel which has just opened, it’s a pretty awesome hotel and shopping complex, will have to head back soon and check out the casino… Anyway, here are some pics

Lastly, here are some pics I took of some Singapore Orchids that we had laying around the house the other day. I was testing a couple of things with some aperture settings and they turned out ok in the end.

And right out of the blocks we have the new clip from Empire Of The Sun which was made to celebrate the longest solar eclipse thus far in the 21st century. It’s one of the most eccentric clips i’ve seen in a while but I love it all the same. Another fantastic clip by the Josh & the crew at Mathematics.

Keeping with the EMI trend, the crew from The In Sound From Way Out have posted up a bunch of new Jamie T tracks from his upcoming album Kings & Queens (Out in September). The first single is Sticks n Stones, and I like what I hear so far, not as instant as Panic Prevention, but the album should be a cracker, wish I could catch him live again, that Candy’s Apartment show in ’07 was brilliant!

Pearl Jam have this week posted up The Fixer, the first single off their new album Backspacer and it’s a cracking tune! Eddie is back in full force, can’t wait for the end of September for their new album, I just wish I was somewhere where they will be touring as I don’t think Singapore will get a show somehow. Rumors are that its a Pearl Jam & Ben Harper tour…

But the one thing that i’m looking forward to the most is the Nine Inch Nails concert here in Singapore on August 10th at Fort Canning Park, I missed the Australian tour earlier on this year and was absolutely gutted, and with rumours going around about this possibly being their last world tour it’s gonna be a killer show at a really awesome outdoor venue! Only a few weeks to go now… But until then, there really have been some awesome albums out in the first 1/2 of the year, and here is a list of some of my faves so far this year.

• Sepultura – A-lex
• Mastodon – Crack The Sky
• Glassjaw – Everything You Ever Wanted
• Pearl Jam – Ten Reissue
• Propagandhi - Spupporting Caste
• Chimaira – The Infection
• Earth Crisis – To The Death
• Hatebreed – For The Lions
• NOFX – Coaster
• Mos Def – The Ecstatic
• Alexisonfire – Old Crows Young Cardinals
• Rancid – Let The Dominoes Fall
• Sonic Youth – The Eternal
• Placebo – Battle For The Sun
• Karnivool – Sound Awake
• August Burns Red – Constellations
• DevilDriver – Pray For Villains

If the first half of the year is anything to go by then 2009 is gonna be one to remember and those end of the year charts are going to be a little more difficult to fill in than the past couple of years.

Our Deluxe Seaview Room

After a 1 hour ferry trip, we arrived about 8pm and were greeted by friendly staff at the Bintan Lagoon Resort and whisked up to our Deluxe Seaview room, we were very impressed, it featured a nice King Sized bed, as well as a Queen sized day bed. We brought along a couple of 6 packs of beer and a bottle of Whiskey so started to get stuck into that after doing a quick tour of the hotel and sneaking in a quick jug of Bintang, and a couple of cocktails at the bar.

Looking Out To Sea From The Balcony

Looking Towards The Pool From The Balcony

We awoke about 6 to a massive storm and immediately my mind thought our holiday could have been ruined, but after catching a few more hours of sleep, we awoke to a beautiful day, had a quick look out the balcony and decided that we better hurry up and get downstairs to the restaurant for our buffet breakfast. Sausages, Eggs, Pancakes, Beef Bacon, Danishes … I could go on here, but we stuffed ourselves, headed back to get changed and spend the day at the pool.

The Pool

The Pool

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The pool was massive, complete with a nice in-pool bar, so come 11am, we waddled over and perched ourselves up for a couple of cold bevvies in the luxury of the pool. Nothing quite like relaxing in 32c weather in the pool with a beer or two. A bit of tanning and some lunch later, and we decided to head back upstairs out of the sun, rocked some 30 Rock on the laptop and a few more bevvies. We went out for tea at a nice grill restaurant by the beach, which included a nice salad bar and a selection of steak and seafood. Day 1 was over before we knew it, and I snored the night away.

Crystal Clear South China Sea

Across To The Golf Course

We woke up to get in early at the buffet breakfast and make the best of our last day. After brekkie we headed down to the beach, a vast difference to the water in Singapore, and even the beaches around Sydney, crystal clear, and the temperature was amazing. We booked ourselves a 90 minute deep tissue massage, packed up the room, and checked out. We caught a ride in a golf cart over to the spa, hopped into our little cloth undies and prepared to be relaxed. After a few snores and a very relaxing 1 1/2 hours we headed back to the pool for some late lunch and cocktails to spend the last of our cash and to have one last look around.

Lunch At The Pool

It was an amazing couple of days, but never lasted long enough, thankfully it’s only a short trip away, and no doubt we will be back soon. Off to plan the next holiday now …

I’m also missing out on checking out Rise Against later on this month, and have to sell my 2 tickets, so after Macca and Jacko turned them down, I’ve decided to eBay them to try and at least get some money back, or at least unload them to someone who will go to the show and have a killer time.

So, eBay’ers, please bid away, the auction starts at $0.99 for 2 tickets valued at over $130 dollars, looks like a bargain to me.

RISE AGAINST
w/ International Noise Conspiracy & 50 Lions
Hordern Pavilion, Sydney
Saturday, March 28th 2009

Bid away, please: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160319109033

It’s been a few weeks since my last decent post, and it’s cause my life has turned itself inside out and backwards, in the last couple of weeks I’ve said packed up and said goodbye to Sydney, put everything in storage with Anita’s fam, and shipped some of our most prized possessions to Singapore. We said goodbye to family and friends at Cabana Bar in St Leonards (thanks for everyone who turned up, it really meant a lot to Anita and I to have you all there, we just wish we had a little more time)

On Sunday night, we finished a mammoth week of cleaning, gave the place one final goodbye and drove out to Glenfield with one last carload of our goodies, was a pretty sad time, We really loved that place, it had some great memories, but onwards and upwards it was to be come Monday. We had a few loose ends to tie up, actually a LOT of loose ends it turned out on Monday morning, then we headed for Sydney Airport to board the A380 to come and start a new life in Singapore. Scary times… but we could finally relax sitting on the tarmac at Sydney Airport in our seats, realising that all we had now were the clothes sitting somewhere under us in the plane hold, my wit, and each other.

On The Tarmac

The flight was great, Neets watched a few movies, something to do with some pants getting loose on the town for the 2nd time, while I worked on a website for a client. 7 hours later and we were touching down at Terminal 3 at Changi, picking up our bags, and cruising back to Ulu Pandan with my folks in the intense humidity that is 11pm at night in Singapore. The next day we got up nice and early (damn time difference and body clock) and headed down to the pool for a swim to try and aclimitise ourselves with what would be our new life here in Singapore. It’s not going to be that hard sitting around the pool on weekends …

Anita chilling out by the pool

Neets is already making herself at home down at the pool, she spent a few too many hours there with Mum yesterday and came out a lighter shade of red than she had intended… I was at work, for my first day, not much rest in between, but it was nice to have one day to chill out with Neetles before the I was whisked away to start earning the big bucks.

Through the water

So, after 5 months I finally have a job, working for Rubicon Reserve Wines at Clarke Quay as an online specialist looking after about 5 websites at the moment, but with an increasing workload coming soon. I’m looking after overhauling and consulting on their current list of online assets, and then putting together a team to start expanding our brands throughout the region, exciting times ahead, but more on that when I know more, after all it is only day 2.

Waiting for the MRT

It hasn’t taken me too long to get back into the swing of things, Neets and I have got new mobile numbers, bank accounts, bus/train cards already without any real problems, so it’s off to a great start. Neetles has seen a squirrel, plenty of lizards and geckos, has had a drink out of a coconut and has indulged in some real asian food, and from all accounts she seems to be loving it, if only missing everyone back in .au, and me while i’m at work.

Care for a Bungy at lunchtime?

So that’s a small snapshot of what we have been up to for the last few days, settling in to our new life here in Singapore. Hopefully many more stories to come…

@ Sydney Aquarium

@ Sydney Aquarium

@ Sydney Aquarium

@ Sydney Aquarium

]]> http://blog.thekiwi.com/life/sydney-aquarium/feed/ 2 http://blog.thekiwi.com/life/happy-new-year/ http://blog.thekiwi.com/life/happy-new-year/#comments Thu, 01 Jan 2009 04:01:27 +0000 Shaan http://www.thekiwi.com/blog/2009/01/happy-new-year/

Happy New Year! May 2009 hold more for everyone than the last 6 months…

Happy New Year Sydney

Happy New Year Singapore

9pm Fireworks in Sydney

Reception at Palm Resort

Looking back down the fairway after a monster drive

Winners are grinners

The 18th green

]]> http://blog.thekiwi.com/featured/a-day-of-golf-in-malaysia/feed/ 0 http://blog.thekiwi.com/music/aria-nominees-announced/ http://blog.thekiwi.com/music/aria-nominees-announced/#comments Wed, 10 Sep 2008 05:47:58 +0000 Shaan http://www.thekiwi.com/blog/?p=158 Melbourne starlet Gabriella Cilmi and Sydney expat Sam Sparro will be the ones smiling today, following the announcement of the nominees for the 2008 ARIA Awards in Sydney this morning. Gabriella leads the pack with six nominations, while Sam has scored himself five nods.
Here’s the full list of who scored the noms;

Single of the Year
Faker – This Heart Attack
Gabriella Cilmi – Sweet About Me
Sam Sparro – Black and Gold
The Living End – White Noise
The Presets – My People

Album of the Year
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu – Gurrumul
Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson – Rattlin’ Bones
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
The Living End – White Noise
The Presets – Apocalypso

Highest Selling Single
Delta Goodrem – In This Life
Gabriella Cilmi – Sweet About Me
The Potbelleez – Don’t Hold Back
The Veronicas – Untouched
The Veronicas – Hook Me Up

Highest Selling Album
David Campbell – The Swing Sessions 2
Delta Goodrem – Delta
Guy Sebastian – The Memphis Album
The Veronicas – Hook Me Up
Tina Arena – Songs of Love and Loss

Best Group
Angus & Julia Stone – A Book Like This
Faker – Be The Twilight
Silverchair – If You Keep Losing Sleep
The Living End – White Noise
The Presets – Apocalypso

Best Male Artist
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu – Gurrumul
Nick Cave – Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
Paul Kelly – To Her Door (Live)
Pete Murray – Summer At Eureka
Sam Sparro – Sam Sparro

Best Female Artist
Clare Bowditch – The Moon Looked On
Gabriella Cilmi – Lessons To Be Learned
Holly Throsby – A Loud Call
Kylie Minogue – X
Missy Higgins – Peachy

Breakthrough Artist – Single
Angus & Julia Stone – The Beast
Gabriella Cilmi – Sweet About Me
Sam Sparro – Black and Gold
The Panics – Don’t Fight It
The Potbelleez – Don’t Hold Back

Breakthrough Artist – Album
Angus & Julia Stone – A Book Like This
Gabriella Cilmi – Lessons To Be Learned
Midnight Juggernauts – Dystopia
Operator Please – Yes Yes Vindictive
Sam Sparro – Sam Sparro

Best Pop Release
Gabriella Cilmi – Lessons To Be Learned
Kylie Minogue – X
Operator Please – Yes Yes Vindictive
Sam Sparro – Black and Gold
The Veronicas – Hook Me Up

Best Dance Release
Cut Copy – In Ghost Colours
Mobin Master – Show Me Love
Pnau – Pnau
The Potbelleez – Don’t Hold Back
The Presets – Apocalypso

Best Urban Release
A-Love – Ace Of Hearts
Bliss ‘n Eso – Flying Colours
Katalyst – What’s Happening
Muph & Plutonic – … And Then Tomorrow Came
Spit Syndicate – Towards The Light
The Herd – Summerland

Best Adult Contemporary Album
Clare Bowditch – The Moon Looked On
Jimmy Barnes – Out In the Blue
Katie Noonan – Skin
Robert Forster – The Evangelist
The Panics – Cruel Guards

Best Independent Release
Ben Lee – Ripe
British India – Thieves
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu – Gurrumul
Lior – Corner Of An Endless Road
Midnight Juggernauts – Dystopia

Best Blues and Roots Album
Angus & Julia Stone – A Book Like This
Jeff Lang – Half Seas Over
Mia Dyson – Struck Down
The Audreys – When The Flood Comes
The Waifs – Sun Dirt Water

Best Children’s Album
Hi-5 – Planet Earth (Deluxe Edition)
Jay Laga’aia – Come Dance And Sing
Justine Clarke – Songs To Make You Smile
The Fairies – Fairy Fun, Fun, Fun
The Wiggles – You Make Me Feel Like Dancing

Best Rock Album
Eddy Current Suppression Ring – Primary Colours
Faker – Be The Twilight
Gyroscope – Breed Obsession
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
The Living End – White Noise

Best Comedy Release
Akmal – Akmal Live and Uncensored
Matt Tilley – Gotcha Calls Three’s a Crowd
Merrick & Rosso – Live and Totally Wrong!
Shaun Micallef -The Expurgated Micallef Tonight: The Very Best of Shaun Micallef’s Short-Lived but Brilliant Tonight
The Umbilical Brothers – Don’t Explain

Best Country Album
Catherine Britt – Little WildFlower
Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson – Rattlin’ Bones
Melinda Schneider – Be Yourself
Sara Storer – Silver Skies
The McClymonts – Chaos and Bright Lights

Best Music DVD
Hilltop Hoods – City Of Light
Paul Kelly – Live Apples
Powderfinger/Silverchair – Across the Great Divide
The John Butler Trio – Live At Federation Square
Wolfmother – Please Experience Wolfmother

Meanwhile, the Artisan awards were handed out this morning, with the following winners announced;

Best Cover Art : Johnathan Zawada for The Presets – Apocalpyso
Best Video : Kris Moyes for The Presets – My People
Engineer Of The Year : Matt Lovell for Shihad – Beautiful Machine
Producer Of The Year : The Presets (Julian Hamilton & Kim Moyes) for The Presets – Apocalypso

The ARIA Awards 2008 ceremony will be held at Sydney’s Acer Arena on Sunday October 19, with the delayed telecast (including red carpet arrivals) on Network 10 from 8pm.

At least we have our trip to NZ to look forward to, off in a couple of weeks for just under 3 weeks. Thought it was about time I had a look around NZ, it’s been a few years since i’ve been back so it will be choice to see everyone again.

Plus, when we get back there will be new Heroes to watch, haha