End of International Conference

Tree planting session today!

Today saw the end of the international conference but we still have another 1.5 days left in this city. Slept at 6am this morning doing a video for the presentation at today's concluding keynote address.

Haven't had the opportunity to upload photos due to lack of internet access but hopefully soon.

Either way, check out the photos from the 5th day in my Haikou flickr set.

Photos from Day 4

Meeting Attorney Tony Oposa from Philippines and many other famous names on Day 4! I also finally found Prof Wong and said hi. :)

Check out the photos from the 4th day in my Haikou flickr set.

Photos from Day 2

A barbeque roadside stall where we got our supper last night. It's amzing the kind of thing we find on the menu - from mantou (buns) to brinjals! They barbeque the brinjal till they become soft inside, cut open in, mash it up, add sauce and serve!

Check out the photos from Day 2 on my Haikou Flickr Set.

Photos from Day 1

Uncle selling jian bing on the street. Scolded me for taking photo of him. *sigh* Divas!

Check out the photos from Day 1 on my Haikou Flickr Set.

Sneaking in a post

I am in the middle of attending a talk during the forum but unfortunately I have to be rude and multitask since this is the ONLY place since I have arrived in China that gave freely accessible wireless signals!

In short, I'M FINALLY ONLINE!

It feels good to be connected online.

Since we arrived, it's been busy busy busy, seeing, eating and meeting people.



It's been really hazy here and there's an incredible bridge called the Century Bridge which I have yet to be able to catch a good picture of. It's the biggest bridge in the province of Hainan.

The first night, we went to a xinjiang restaurant. We missed the dance by just a few minutes but it's amazing that I ate for the first time, mutton that has no smell! In fact it is really delicious and I'm totally hooked on the xinjiang mutton "satay"! I can see why my dad favours it too. heh. The taste is really strong at first but it is addictive.



We also visited the Hainan University and it has a beautiful lake in it, named after Su Dong Po (the poet and of "Dongpo meat" fame). I always thought that Su Dongpo was from Suzhou but apparently he is more famous in Hainan where he was relegated to when he was sent to exile here in this "frontier" island. We actually chatted up a girl in rollerblades selling books by the lake for her granddad. She's really pretty and cute.



I am brushing up my chinese and nowadays speak japanese just for fun. Although of course I am limited to the few vocabulary "dozo", "jiotomate", "arigato" and what not. *hotoni*? lol hai! Playing translator is fun but as usual, these forums just make my multilinguistic yearnings grow. I wish I learnt Korean already. I must say, they are very friendly people. We have lots of fun with the Japanese and Korean delegates.



What is most amazing at this forum is that all the youth delegates speak excellent English. Whether they are from Vietnam, Korean, Japan or China! It's so fun! So much easier to learn, communicate and get to know each other when communications is with ease. Of course the china folks think I speak really good Chinese. Muhahaha my ancestors will be proud of me. *grin*




Yesterday, on the 2nd night here, we had a very interesting dinner which is sort of a steamboat except things are cooked already and simply heated up like a hot pot in the middle of the table. Chicken served with fried rice with pickled vegetables. Wow! I love the rice. On the other hand, what is amazing is that the shop only use dishes that comes in prepacked conditions. We were shocked but apparently it's the latest in catering cleaning services! They return the used dishes to the company and buy new ones from the company after they sterilize the used ones and vaccum pack it. What is just as interesting is that the shop only has 2 things on the menu. Frog legs and Chicken. Oddest part is that both says 'chicken' because frogs = "field chicken" and it seems as if they only sell chicken.

Anyways, today we will be here at the congress for the whole day. First day attending a ceremony 'live' in a People's Assembly Hall in China. It's really exciting. It even came with the little headsets you see on TV.

Right now, Prof Chou from NUS is about to come give us a talk so I'm gonna finish off now. My grumbling stomach doesn't allow further coherent thought. Will post the photos next!

Airport Blogging Ritual

It's 5.15am and here I am standing at an extremely crowded budget terminal airport. It's definitely more crowded than the last 2 times I have been here. Unbelievable that people would come here for such early flights but I see that Cebu Air has gotten themselves settled in here as well. I wonder if that is a factor for the crowd.

Still, the monkey was later than the rest in arriving at the airport since from experience, I know that the counter and boarding time would be pretty late. Well I did wake up just 2 hours before flight departs but when I arrive, we straight away jumped to an empty line and boarding time for the 6.10am flight, as expected, was 5.40am. Yes, 1 hour to burn at the waiting area. Got my lip balm and some hichew for the pressure later while the rest endulge in some breakfast.

A friend hypothesized that it's probably the destination that explains the holiday crowd. Oh well, either way, I feel uneasy when my luggage was whisked out of my back and unto the check-in belt. Sigh. A feeling of unease settles over me. There's nothing I can do now but pray that my unlocked bag sees itself safely to Haikou, China.

Yep, received lots of usual warning and precautions from my parents and even from soembody at work. Should be jolly :)

I have nice accomodating traveling companions and I will check back in China when I arrived. Hopefully there's internet access.

Bon voyage to me!

For the next 1 week

I will be at Haikou, Hainan Island at the Southern seas of China from 10 Dec to 16 Dec for the PEMSEA East Asian Seas Youth Forum that coincides with the congress that happens simultaneously.



Did a bit of google search and was surprised that Haikou is literally just a small tip of the island, at the mouth of the Nandu river, the longest river in Hainan. Of course the name Haikou means the gateway to the sea.



Unbelievably, I still don't know where I will be staying on the island since accomodation is sponsored and arranged. But I do know that we will be spending much time in the People's assembly hall and possibly at the Hainan University where we get free breakfast. Yes, free breakfast at the university. Odd as that sounds but I am merely inferring from the fact that the itinerary says free breakfast as CIRD and that is the China Institute for Reform and Development, which is located at the Hainan University. Bizarre but I almost anticipate it. haha It would be nice to check out another university. Considering that I have now made a habit of collecting memorabilias from various universities around the world that I visit.



The only venue that I am sure we will be visiting is the congress venue which is the People's assembly hall. It was easy to identify it being by the coast and with a unique circular structure! Looks really modern. The exhibition hall is just right beside it and if I am not wrong, the exhibition panels by the youth participants will be over there. The Singapore contingent will be bringing several items of our own too!

Less than a day away from my departure and I haven't even pack yet! Think I better get crackin'. Will be updating more from China hopefully if I can manage to find internet access or even some free time! We will probably be working hard and playing hard. Not to worry, plenty of photos will return home with me as usual. Look forward to it!

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Latest @ 9 Dec:
Just received email that I will be staying at CIRD afterall. Must be a hostel. On another matter, I am bunking with an Indonesian delegate! Ah hah! I can now put my malay to good use *grin* cakap melayu ya?

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Update @ 10 Dec, 12:23AM:
Just found out that CIRD does stand for the institute for reform and development but the place where I will be staying at is not the same institution! The CIRD we will be put up at is a YMCA equivalent of a youth hostel in Haikou. By golly it's getting confusing. I guess I'll just have to wait till I arrive in order to know what the place really is! flight is in less than 6 hours. So exciting!