BIOMENG341: Bioinstrumentation

The 7 Hallmarks of a Spectacularly Disastrous Paper

1. Temporal surge of pseudo-confidence
During the first 10 minutes, you skim through the questions and pleasantly discover that you have successfully spotted a number of questions. You beam with pride (internally) as you mentally calculate all the marks you can grab, albeit rather inaccurately.

2. "Time management"
Even before you've laid your pen on the paper, you start contemplating how early you want to leave the examination room.

3. After-exams Plans
Of course, if you're leaving early, you need to plan where you can go and walk-walk (eg. Queen Street) after examinations.

4. Lack of sleep
Finally, as you begin pouring ink onto the paper, you begin to realize your body is screaming out for more sleep despite the double dose of caffeine and vitamin C. It doesn't help that the reality of your true incompetence is starting to sink in.

5. Verbal diarrhoea on known questions
As if to make up for the multitudinous questions that you have skipped, you decide unwisely to "invest" more time and effort than warranted into questions that you (think you) know.

6. Panic
As time oozes surreptitiously out of the window, the pressure button is officially switched on. Like trapped in a timeless dimension, you are soon enlightened by that dreaded white wall clock that you have less than 30 minutes left even though you still have almost an hour's worth of questions.

As you attempt to quicken your pace, you tragically find out that you've "rationed" the toughest questions for the last.

7. Sense of despair
Like entering a battlefield naked with only a Kleenex tissue as your weapon of choice, you decide that you are better off waving that piece of tissue, than trying to smother your opponents.

JIALAK. SI LIAO LAH.

The South, Duo

29th August 2007: Christchurch/Queenstown
It was another long haul bus journey as we headed southwards towards the largest town in Central Otago, Queenstown.

Along the way, we stopped by Lake Tekapo, "the largest of three roughly parallel lakes running north-south along the northern edge of the Mackenzie Basin in the South Island of New Zealand".

After a really unsatisfying lunch of soup (with tonnes of pepper) and bread, we quickly left the horrid cafe to snap a few photos of the lake outside before the bus left.

Lake Tekapo looked like... a lake.

Church of the Good Shepherd (taken from afar)

I was positively irritated that we weren't able to dwell around the area to at least enjoy the scenery. Expectedly, the NUSsers were roughly the last to aboard the bus.

After another over 4 hours of bus ride, we reached the heart of Queenstown. Butt-aching and stomach growling... As recommended by the bus driver, we headed to Wakatipu Tavern for our dinner.

Gourmet pizza = $7.00
Add beer = $10!

Although I ended up ordering a shot of Jägermeister out of pure curiosity.
Basking in the warmth of a fireplace in winter... What more could we ask for?

30th August 2007: Queenstown

Hippo Lodge

Yup, this was home for us for the next few days.

While I concede that the name "Hippo Lodge" sounds rather cute, the journey uphill to the hostel was certainly no joke.

Killer slope

Coupled with killer stairs

If you were to slip and fall off, death would definitely be a swift yet messy episode as your body tumbles down the long flight of stairs and then met followed by the steep... *censored*

Why am I writing such morbid stuff?!

Anyway, back on track... It was a wonderful bright morning on 30th of August for some touristy gondola (aka cable car ride) up Bob's Peak.
Okay, the view in the gondola wasn't groundbreaking, but it wouldn't be too nice if it really did break some ground.

Next up was 3 rounds along the two circuits (beginners and advanced) on the luge.
Yup, Sentosa also has its own luge but nothing could beat the mountainous picturesque view from up here.

The chairlift up the slope

Before taking the gondola down, it was snap snap snap for more postcard pictures.

Next event installed: Nomad Safari's 4 Wheel Drive (4WD) Macetown Tour where we would be exploring New Zealand's gold mining history of on a jeep

Our Starting Point

Conquering the ranges along the one way road allowed us to enjoy great views of the mountains.

Willows and more willows...

Rose Hip

Sitting on the 4WD was certainly an eye opener. Couple the amazing skills of the driver with a damn powerful jeep, we were able to cross almost any terrain, even shallow rivers!
Unofficially sneaking in a Lord of the Rings scene into the tour, can you guess which scene this is?
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Flight of the Ford

Arwen: Im Arwen. Telin le thaed. Lasto beth nîn, tolo dan na ngalad. [Translation]: Frodo, I am Arwen. I come to help you. Hear my voice, come back to the light.

Merry: Who is she?

Arwen: Frodo...

Sam: She's an elf...

Arwen: He's fading. He's not going to last. We must get him to my father.

Arwen: I've been looking for you for two days.

Merry: Where are you taking him?

Arwen: There are five wraiths behind you. Where the other four are, I do not know...

Aragorn: Dartho guin Beriain. Rych le ad tolthathon. Stay with the Hobbits. I will send horses for you.

Arwen: Hon mabathon. Rochon ellint im. I will take him. I am the faster rider.

Aragorn: Andelu i ven. The road is very dangerous.

Pippin: What are they saying?

Arwen: Frodo fîr. Ae athradon i hir, tur gwaith nîn beriatha hon. Frodo is dying. If I get across the river, the power of my people will protect him. I do not fear them.

Aragorn: Be iest lîn. According to your wish.| Ride hard! Don't look back!

Arwen: Noro lim, Asfaloth! Noro lim! Run fast, Asfaloth! Run fast!

Sam: What are you doin'? Those wraiths are still out there!

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Nazgûl: Give us the Hafling, she-elf.

Arwen: If you want him, come and claim him!

[Nazgûl begin to cross]

Arwen:

Nin o Chithaeglir, lasto beth daer:

Rimmo nin Bruinen dan in Ulaer!

Nin o Chithaeglir, lasto beth daer:

Rimmo nin Bruinen dan in Ulaer!

Waters of the Misty Mountains, listen to the great word: Flow, waters of Loudwater, against the Ringwraiths!

Before we know it, we were back in the waters, rocking back and forth violently as the 4WD navigated through the river.

Well, things were much less glamorous at the back seat.
After some really bumpy ride, we finally reached the neglected Macetown.

Macetown is a gold rush ghost town originating from the late 1800s. Macetown is situated 40km from Queenstown and 20km up the Arrow Gorge from Arrowtown. The history of New Zealand's early European settlement began in remote places like this. What remains is authentic, from the actual houses the settlers lived in, to the machinery and implements left behind when Macetown was abandoned.

The last remaining evidence of the town's existence: Macetown Bake House
5 minutes walk away, we were treated to a snack of ginger cookies, fruit cake and tea in front of some rather breathtaking scenery.
The last part of the tour involved gold panning.
And naively, I thought it was time to make a killing!

Professional panning at work

But nahhh... Despite freezing my hands after attempting to sieve out some gold nuggets, I was left with a pathetic speck of gold dust, or at least that was what the guide tried to convince me that thing was. Hmmmm...
Quite frankly, I didn't find the tour was worth every penny. The journey on the 4WD was a tat too long and I was actually falling asleep despite the bumpy ride. But nonetheless, it was different experience.

Alpine Supermarket

One of those random pictures I took of Queenstown, but I thought the name for the supermarket was really apt.

31st August 2007: Queenstown
After adventure on the lowlands, it was back to the mountains top!

At over 1500m above ground, Coronet Peak is one of the more popular ski fields, with its close proximity to Queenstown.

Queuing up for the correct skis

The gross slope and steps to conquer which is rather daunting for beginners who can't even balance properly on their lead-heavy boots...
Under a inspirational irritating coach, Mark, we actually manage to move around quite a bit in our skis despite the ever so frequent gale-magnitude winds.

The Magic Carpet

The magic carpet was installed along the beginners slope where it would bring you from the bottom to the top, so you wouldn't have the tremendous task of ice trekking every time you skied down.

Without hand rails or any support, I officially declared the whole equipment as unsafe and unfit for human use. This was evidenced when I was "blew" off balance out of the magic carpet by a sudden gust of wind. Okay, the wind was not entirely at fault even though it did cause me to lose my balance. So I deliberately threw myself to the right so I would be able to land on the soft snow.

It was ridiculously embarrassing as other skiers (including children!) riding up voiced their concerns as I laid sprawled ungainly in the soft white snow. Thank God no one manage to capture it on camera. *phew*
I really wanted to go onto the chairlift but our amateurish one-day-old-skills would mean that it was impossible to ski down the steep slope without risking breaking our backs. We continued under the verbal abuse from Mark.
Oh, and did I mention the cafe there was well-overpriced and served utterly underwhelming food?
They were lucky to be blessed with a million dollar view though.
I looked horrendous in the disgusting oversized red jacket that they handed to me, so I've wisely refrained from posting any pictures that included me inside.

After a tiringly rewarding day, in spite of the generous dose of snide remarks from Mark, we ended the day with a burger meal. And not just any lame boring burger from your typical fast food restaurant, but FERGBURGER.

Yep, they are have seriously serve serious burgers.

It was a mad house in the kitchen as orders were pouring non-stop from the counter. But if you notice, one cook still had time to pose for a picture.

They call this Mr. Big Stuff.

Crumbed Squid with Ferg's unique wasabi mayonnaise

The menu states that Mr. Big Stuff is made up of "Half a pound of prime NZ beef topped with melted edam cheese, American streaky bacon & bbq sauce, lettuce, tomato, red onion & aioli". What in the world made me think I could finish that alone?!
Overate and... *burrrrrp*

1st September 2007: Queenstown
The livelihood of Queenstown seemed to be solely supported by the tourist industry but I absolutely love it.

The Last Parting Shot

The South, Uno

Blogging to me is like a vicious cycle. The more things I have about to blog, the less time I have to actually sit down in front of my laptop. Multiply that by a few weeks and you get me writing about my trip to the South Island only now...

27th August 2007: Auckland/Christchurch
Gate 20 at Auckland International Airport, the first step we took to get out of the insipid city.

Base Backpackers Christchurch, our home for 3 nights

28th August 2007: Christchurch
After an uneventful night exploring the hostel and experimenting the horrid shower heads, our day started on a cold morning note. *shiver*

Along Armagh (sounds like Ah Ma) Street, we ate our breakfast at Copenhagen Bakery, an award winning bakery specializing in Danish pastries.

The wonderous array of pastries and pies

Spoilt for choice, I settled on a rather expensive award-winning pie which contained asparagus and some other stuff, of which I can't remember. :p But it tasted absolutely excellent.
Leaving the warmth of the bakery behind, we started on a walk around the city. At 9AM in the morning, there certainly wasn't many people around.

Christ Church at the Cathedral Square

Christchurch Art Gallery

A surreal walk in the park

The Quintessential Fountain

The serene Avon River

Caught by Yan Choo, in the act of terrorizing the little ducklings along Avon River...
There were multitudinous varieties of flowers surviving in the wintery conditions, but none had a name that sounded as sinister as...

DARKNESS

My version of pseudo artistic shot

Tree hugging freaks

The tree hugging technique soon evolved to an Indian inspired dance move.
Ever had a bad hair day?
This tree is probably the perfect paragon of bad hair.

Misery loves company, so here's the elder sibling of the above.

The Peace Bell...

which ceased to look peaceful with a giant pine cone meditating on it, courtesy of Grace.

The one-legged duck that was hopping around

As the morning mist slowly gave way to sunshine, we made our way to the cultural centre of Christchurch, The Arts Centre. (Super duh name...)

A quick chronology of the site
1873 University of Canterbury founded
1877 Clock Tower and classrooms opened
1878 Christchurch Girls' High School
1881 Christchurch Boys' High School
1882 Great Hall
1887 School of Engineering founded now houses Southern Ballet
1888 Classics Block added to Great Hall
1896 Biological Lab (Observatory)
1908 Boys' High Gym, now Academy Cinema
1910 Chemistry Building
1916 - 1917 Library built and quadrangles formed
1917 West (Hight) Block, currently University Theatre and Residential
1923 Last major building, Engineering extension
1926 Boys' High moves to new site
1929 Students Association
1952 First TV broadcast in new Zealand on site
1953 Fire in Little Theatre destroys part of Old Boys' High interior
1974 University of Canterbury completes move to Ilam. Arts Centre of Christchurch Inc established
1976 Court Theatre moves onsite into the old Engineering Extension
1978 The Arts Centre officially takes over ownership of the site to manage change from University to cultural centre

Old Chemistry Building

For a moment, I was vaguely convinced that I had been transported to the world of Harry Potter.
I have no idea what that silhouette was supposed to mean, but it looked cool hanging in mid air.
To continue our cultural theme, we headed to the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna O Waiwhetu for a free guided tour around the museum. Unfortunately, cameras were not allowed in the galleries.
But that did not prevent me from sneaking a few boh liao shots.
It was the exhibition "Handboek: Ans Westra Photographs" which really captivated me. Ans Westra.

Best known for her portrayal of Maori social, cultural and political life, this photographic journey captured by Ans Westra is a challenging and revealing record of the growth of our nation over nearly half a century of change.

The comfortable conformity of late 1940s and 1950s New Zealand was forever changed with the post-war arrival of European migrants and the urban shift of Maori. It was a time when Maori and Pakeha had to interact widely for the first time. As a society, New Zealand and its citizens were far from prepared to accommodate the difficulties accompanying such a challenge to their homogenous cultural, social and institutional frameworks.

Ans Westra's arrival in New Zealand in 1957 coincided with that shift, and her life-long record of photographs show how the resultant changes and tensions have continued to characterise our nation’s social and cultural evolution.

Handboek comprises a gallery of Ans Westra's most revealing and challenging documentary images, taking us on a remarkable photographic journey of the growth of a nation.

Pity I couldn't stay there longer without having the unappreciative rest annoying me to leave the place.

We were soon back at Cathedral Square where I pondered upon Christchurch's Christ Church while eating my bratwurst mash potato meal.This is the first time in my life witnessing a building not only having toilets, but as a toilet.
Next up installed was a generous shot of sugar to our bloodstream.

The Fudge Cottage

The secrets for the sweet tooth was revealed in the fudge cottage tour around the fudge kitchen.

A sickly sweet entrance to the kitchen in the basement.

The surprisingly smaller than I thought kitchen.

We manage to witness the step by step process on how they produce Bailey's fudge.
Of course, the highlight was probably the "free flow" of fudge in a variety of different flavours.
Initially, flavours such as Macadamia Nut Fudge really stood out. But by the time we came to the fourth or so tasting, the sickeningly sweet feeling started to take a toll on us.
*yuck*

After an overdose of caramel and sugars and chocolate and sugars and more sugars, we trudged to Regent Street, between Armagh and Gloucester Streets.

Interesting architecture but too small to make an impact. You can view the whole street through this link: New Regent Street

Notice the teddy bears trying to escape...

Perpetually negative 6 chairs

By 5pm, we were officially bored and took a piss at Picasso Bathroom Cafe. Apparently, the cafe was spawned off from Taiwan. I vaguely remembered watching the Taiwanese cafe on the news in Singapore.

Constipated!

By nightfall, we were desperate to explore the nightlife of Christchurch, without bursting the budget.
Sadly, after 2 failed attempts to find jazz/blues bar with live performance, we cozied ourselves in a Belgium (I think...) Bar. Of course, Danny was the man that night...
... because he ordered a cup of hot chocolate in the bar.

The highlight for me was a disturbingly green photo I took along the streets of Christchurch.
Is it me or do you notice something at the windows?