.::YiNgXi's Boulevard Of Broken Dreams::.

Before I start,I would like to remind fellow friends reading this that this is a homework blog,so this post might be boring.Thanks.Some information before you read:1SING Dollar is equivalent to 10000Dong(Vietnam Currency).
HOLIDAY RECOUNT-MY VACTION IN VIETNAM
On 21st December 2007,my family and I left Singapore for Vietnam and would be back in Singapore on 25th December.I was so excited as it was my first time in Vietnam,but little did I know that my skin disease would pop out back right at me during the trip.My cousin's family(father's side) would also be following us on the tour.
After a short 2-hour airplane ride,we touched down and arrived at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City,still called Sigon by many locals.Then,we immediately embarked on the tour,where we went staright to the Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Saigon Post Office.Following which,as it was already in the late afternoon,we made our way to the nearby War Museum.There,we had our lunch,and proceeded to the tour around the camp,instructed by the tour guide.
At about 6p.m in Vietnam(7p.m in Singapore;1 Hour difference),we finally checked into New World Hotel in the middle of Ho Chi Minh City.Then,after we unloaded our luggage, we went for a walk in Ho Chi Minh City,where we had our dinner,and went back to our hotel to call it a day.
The next day at 7a.m, we had our breakfast in the lobby of the hotel,before we left Ho Chi Minh City with our luggage for Cu Chi Tunnels.Here, we had the opportunity to witness how rice paper is made and to explore the amazing labyrinth of tunnels used by the guerrillas during the Vietnam War.I even got a rare chance,for a 13-year old boy,to shoot a MC-16!(which was a gun used during the war).
We then had lunch at Ben Nay Restaurant,a famous restaurant with really good food,and it was located at the bank of a river.We then proceeded,in a coach,to Vung Tau,a well-known coastal resort some 125km southeast from Ho Chi Minh City,so,on the way, I listened to my mp3.In the evening,we enjoyed fresh seafood in a local restaurant and a round cape drive along the seaside with sightseeing by dawn.We then went to a dog-race,where we played fun bets on 8 various dogs,but lost at least $1o worth of singapore money.
However,I accidentally forgot that I was allergic to seafood, and because of the recent dinner,my skin disease came back during the night,and it was so bad,it even grew on my head,among my hair.But,there was no way my family was going to immediately send me back to Singapore to see a Chinese doctor.It would have to wait.I spent the night scratching and scratching and wasn't even able to sleep a wink in the hotel near the seaside.
The next day,my parents noticed my rash,and immediately put the medicine(moisturizer) on my skin.After this holiday was over,I found that it wasn't just because i ate seafood.It was partly due to the bad and unhealthy air,and ESPECIALLY the hot weather which which triggered my rashes.That morning,after a quick breakfast,we proceeded to the nearby beach,where we took pictures of the beautiful scenery.
Then,we packed our luggage,and visited The Jesus Monument,which had approximately 1,960 steps and took me 1hour to climb.However,the view up on the Monument's shoulder was breath-taking.The view included the whole of the peninsula,and even the sea.We then continued on with our tour to the Whale Temple and the Thien Hau Temple of Five Races,where we took ALOT of pictures of the uncountable Buddha Statues.
We then traveled 125km back to Ho Chi Minh City after enjoying a local lunch in Vung Tau. Upon our arrival in Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City,the most well-known market in Ho Chi Minh City,we shopped there,where i bought a new pair of Converse shoes and a pair of Nike shirt and pants.Then we checked into the first hotel,New World Hotel,but in a different room,and spent the night there.
After breakfast at our hotel,we took a full day trip to the watery world of Mekong Delta,just some hours by road from Ho Chi Minh City.On arrival,we boarded a motorized boat for a journey to Cai Be Floating Market.We saw how river life goes on,trading between merchant ships and local farmers.We walked through the village streets and watched locals making manioc chips.We then cruised through secluded canals where we stopped at a local house of the area to enjoy seasonal fruits and lunch,before the boat took us back to the Mighty Mekong River,following which we cruised to other islands for walking,to visit beautiful orchards.
Back to Ho Chi Minh City,already in the evening,we dined at one of the city's good local restaurant,where we bid farewell to the tour guide as he had to return to his hometown due to his grandmother's recent death(how sad),and,as being traditional Chinese, we gave him condolence money for his grandmother's death.We then went into Sherington Saigon, a hotel known for its beverages.We took a elevator up to the 23rd floor,and,as I was not eligible yet,could only drink fruit punch,but nevertheless,it was still good.We then walked back to New World Hotel,before packing our luggages for tomorrow's return to Singapore.
The next morning,after having breakfast at our hotel and leisured about freely in Ben Thanh market.At 2pm, the driver fetched us to Tan Son Nhat International Airport for our departure flight at 6pm(Vietnam).
After the short 2-hour airplane ride back to Singapore, we immediately went home straight by a taxi,eager to be back in our dearly missed 'Home Sweet Home' ,but not before biding farewell to my cousin's family.
Thanks For Reading! .:: THE END::.
Posted by WoShiYiNqXi
Tuesday, January 12, 2008


My Skin Problem(Please Mark Under 'A Difficulty You Faced)
Here we go,all over again.I will not deny it,I am scared.My skin problem(eczema),has been with me ever since I was four.Till today,whenever it's my birthday,my only wish is to be rid of this dreadful disease.I am now writing this post,before I am about to re-do something that will pain me,but will heal me.
As I type, my skin smarts,already so pain left alone,but even more if scratched.Even though I have had this problem for a long time time,I only complain when it is in a REALLY horrible state,like now.It has spread all over my legs,arms,body and even onto my toes and fingers.I am surprised to be able to type.What am I so scared of,you may ask.People who do not have my problem will never know,as they will never have the experience.
My fear is in the bathroom.It lies in a bucket,still,alongside some three or four towels.I went to see a Chinese doctor a few weeks ago, and he gave me a three week supple of horrible bitter chinese medicine to drink.Not only that,but he recommended a solution,that might not help or help,but wouldn't harm me.
It was the chinese medicine that lay in the bucket that scared me.The doctor told my parents to soak the towels in the chinese liquid medince and wrap it about my infected skin and leave me for twenty minutes.The thought might seem simple,but actions speak louder than words.As soon as the towel gets in contact with my wounded skin,I let out a silentless groan,one that only I can hear.The trick is that with contact with my skin,the chinese medicine will have some sort of effect,and possibly heal me.
My skin smarts immediately upon contact,but I do not complain.My parents have spent,approximately,over a thousand dollars to try and find a way to cure me.Now,each time I do this treatment,it costs them at least fifty dollars.During this treatment,I have to seek help from my father,who has to use a cup,containing the medicine,and pour it over my head a few times.It gets into my eyes,nose,mouth and stings me.But what hurts the most is on the outside,on my skin.
The pain,simple put,is indescribable as it pains to kingdom come.I put up with it for twenty mintues,and my night is partially free.After this treatment,my kind-hearted mother will then apply medicine onto my infected areas,before applying a last coat of moisturizer to make my skin not itchy over the night.I have been doing these for two or three weeks already.Normally my mother would just apple the medicine,but now she has another job:cooking the medicine.
I have written this entry under 'A Difficulty I Face',and I would like to specially thank my parents for helping me in my quest to get rid of my long time arch-enemy.Thanks for reading,as I will end off here,before undergoing the treatment now.
.::THE END::.
Posted By WoShiYiNqXi
Wednesday,16 January,2008


What A Nice Day It Turned Out To Be(Please Mark Under'Something That Happened In School)
Before I start,I would like to say that 'Physical' did not really take place in school,but 'Chemistry' did,so I hope that you would not penalize me for that.
As usual school started normally and ended normally.However, I wised it had not ended.I dreaded the 5km run for badminton physical after school at East Coast Park.What's more,the day before,I had not been able to print out the mind map which was due that day for DnT,so I had to finish it after school.
Turns out I took too long to finish my mindmap,because when I got down to the canteen,every other single badminton member was there already.I took a quick lunch(even though I was going for running soon?What was I thinking?),and headed off to East Coast Park.
Once we reached ECP by going through the underpass,our coach spoiled our day at a breezy yet sunny ECP.He told us we were going to run 10km.Imagine our faces and complaints!However,we knew it was all for our own good,so,without hesitation,we started,already trudging our boots from the beginning.
After a thousand metres or so,we started to slack(walk).Luckily for us,our coach was still at the bicycle shop trying to rent a bike,but he was having communicating problems with the manager.After walking for 2km,we started to jog again,seeing as our coach had caught up with us.The faster runners of us sprinted on,and only me and a few others were left behind.
Usually,I was not such a slow runner.However,as I mentioned in my last post,my skin disease had outbroken,and so,my doctor had advised me not to run so much out in the hot sun.So I thought if I ran slower,I would sweat less,thus reducing the worsening on my skin.When we had reached the 5km point,we were to turn back.When I was at about 4km,the faster others passed us.
I decided to catch up,but even with my momentarily sprinting,it was of to no avail.After slacking(walking)for 4km,we saw the finishes in front.I was afraid our coach would scold us for walking the whole way,so we started to sprint.However,a sharp pain in my calf stopped me in my tracks,and I let our a howl.
I quickly dropped to the ground and straightened my left leg.I had a cram,and it hurt ever so much.Lucky for me,my friend immediately pushed my foot opposite the direction my leg was facing,so the pain reduced...reduced...until it was all gone.Thank lord(and Jun Hua,Thanks!) for that.
Then,we started walking to the drinks stall.After a long 10km run,it was obvious we were all dying due to the lack of water.As much as I knew it would hurt me,I drank a large cup of fruit punch,followed by a cup of hot milo with the money my friends lent me.(Thanks,Kevin!)Within minutes,my stomach felt so bloated.
We then continued our walk back to school.When we reached back school,some immediately went home,but Darren and Richard(my friends)stayed back with me to finish a few of our homework.Knowing that Darren was a chemistry whiz in constructing formulas,I requested him to go through some chemistry worksheets which I had failed.
Being a kind-hearted boy,he immediately accepted.Not only did he go through with me the worksheets,but coached me all the way right back to the basics.(Thanks,Darren!)I took a long while to digest it in,as I hated chemistry.But because this 'tuition' was by a friend and it was free,I decided to bear with it for a day.
Not only did his and my efforts paid off,I even gained the confidence to construct chemical formulas.At the end of the day,I had mastered the basics and could even tackle a few of the hard problems.Darren made chemistry look so easy,he also made it look easy for me.
As I sat on the bus going home,I thought about how this whole thing that happened in school(and at ECP).It made me think about the friends that helped me,may it be lending me money,helping me with homework,or helping me when I was in pain.I realized that friends were invaluable,and that you could always gain one,but never lose one if he/she is indeed devoted to you,and you devoted to him/her.
I thought about next year,the possibility of losing all my friends,including Darren and others.I brushed it off with the thought of making new friends next year,but I will never stop hoping that my best friends and I would get in the same class next year.
Thanks for reading,Madam Ow and others.These 3 blog posts have made me realize that blogs are not a waste of time.They help me to write freely when I have forgotten a few things in my personal recounts,and let me reflect on stuff.This will be the last 'homework blog',but I'll continue posting more posts about me.Thanks!
Posted By WoShiYiNqXI
Saturday 19 January 2008