Zsup~!

I got my new camera today.

Why?

Because one of my home digital camera's totally sucked, due to the fact that its a technological relic, from more than 6 years ago, a Nikon which had a kit SD card of 256mb memory. The other camera I had access to was a newer Olympus, which had a kit XD card of 512mb (not much newer huh), however it belonged to my dad and it was a company camera and he forgot to bring his charger home. Plus XD cards are very expensive.

Hence, I obtained permission to source for a new family camera. :D

My conditions:

1. Weatherproof : Shockproof, Waterproof minimum.
2. Uses SD cards
3. Cheap? (The definition of cheap is hard to determine in this case)

I went to Suntec Harvey Norman during one of my days out buying other stuff to take a peek and found what I eventually acquired (secret). Which was when I really wanted to compare with the other models available locally.

I looked up the net with vigour as I wanted to know the choices available to me.
The most useful site I got was: http://www.cacreeks.com/cameras.htm (which will become outdated in a couple of years)

 It listed all the recent models of weatherproof cameras, their specs for comparison and prices. Several specs were of importance to me, the memory card, the image quality, and price.

I then went out once again to take a peek at other competing companies, Courts and Best Denki. Courts didn't have what I wanted, and Best Denki offered me the Olympus Tough series, and the Canon D10 (which I immediately rejected as it was a total asthetic failure)

1. Weatherproof : Shockproof, Waterproof minimum.
2. Uses SD cards
3. Cheap? (The definition of cheap is hard to determine in this case)

Weatherproofness was important to me, as my family would use it in rather extreme situations, and the added shock protection was key as it provided some security in the event of drops.

So when push came to shove, I was decided against the Olympus and bled SGD 485 for the........

The problem:
1. I have a Japan Visa that is valid for 90 days stay
2. I have a Air ticket that requires me to stay for 91 days

1 & 2 conflicts


FYI this is the Immigration Procedures Guidebook

I appreciate good design inovation, and am willing to fork out $$ to buy the merchandise even if it is  overpriced in its category.

If I'm looking to buy something,
The item is valued by (in order)
1) innovative
2) practical, or potentially practical
3) aesthetic (as good looking as possible)
4) unbias reviews


Now the review of my new purchase

Vibram Five Fingers KSO Trek



At first look, it failed 3.

But by being unique, it demands me to find
out more.







Water resistant, check
Trains calf muscle, check
Increased agility, check
Good static and dynamic grip on most surfaces, check
Kangaroo leather, check
Weather proof, check

It passed 1 and 2 with high score.

Retail Price tag: S$249
Now it demands even more consideration before purchase

 Detailed Review By birthdayshoes.com

Conversation starter, check
Positive reviews everywhere, check

Are there cheaper sources that can arrive in time? No

Decision: buy

ps. I'll post actual usage experience while I'm in japan~
pps. Bonus parts from other reviews

As far as the kangaroo leather is concerned most will find it a welcome addition to the KSO Trek line. Not only is the leather buttery smooth, feeling great on your feet (The footbed is also leather), it is water-resistant (Not waterproof but the kangaroo leather does not hold water), breathes better than the synthetic material found in other VFFs. It's also intended to be durable enough to prevent snags and tears. I've not experienced any snags or tears nor have I seen any from users to date, so the stronger leather material does seem to make the Treks more durable for hard conditions.

FAQ: 
Price?
$125 USD if you buy it in US or 249SGD in Singapore

Where to buy them in singapore??

1. Outdoor Life, Velocity Novena Square, #02-60. Tel: 62554814
2. Feder Sports, Peninsular Plaza, #02-59. Tel: 63360492
3. Isetan Scotts, Level 3, Sports Department, located at Shaw House
4. 
   
   
   Takashimaya Shopping Centre, Level 4, Sports Department 

CARE AND CLEANING ??
Vibram FiveFingers are machine washable. Use gentle, warm water cycle with liquid or powdered detergent. Hang to air dry. Make sure to keep the KSO Trek, Performa, and Moc away from direct sunlight or heat source while drying.


Weight?
KSO Trek 6.7 oz each, 13.4 oz. a pair


Company Website?
http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/indexNA.cfm

Other questions?
Post them under comments

Right. It pretty much took me the entire time between the previous post and
this one to figure out how to do a nice blogpost with photos via mail from my iPhone. I wanted more than just one photo per post, that was my crime T.T

The solution turns out to be eM@il sender... great app!

So back to the important stuff. we volunteered to take this shirt on all our activities coming up, so you guys'll be seeing lots of it. It's gonna keep half our bodies smelling nice while the other half suffers what reek there will be.

first impressions:
The shirt is super comfy, seriously. I'd wear it even without the chemical treatment.

Also hoping for a healthy colour range eventually... white isn't really my colour of choice for traipsing around in all terrains and weather conditions. We shall see what happens on the trip.

Not going to sweat it out at home - what kind of test would *that* make anyway? More to come! :)

I think every traveller who has ever done his or her own trip gets these. No matter how much you've prepared or how long you've dreamed, when it comes down to the last few days (7, from today), unless a planner is supremely egotistical or doesn't care where the money goes, the doubts will raise their ugly head and whack your nerves a good one.

Total budget, 5k. 3 months in one of the costliest places in the world to take a holiday. Also one of the most culturally intriguing countries in the world, with a spread of gorgeous delights that tantalise anyone with any basic interest in life.

A trip that, when mentioned, has gotten 99% of the people hearing about it to say "No way", "Impossible", "Can't be done".

Mind you, the 99% feel so strongly about it that of the 4 people who actually believe it might be possible, 3 are going on the trip and can't actually afford to feel otherwise, and the last was supposed to go but had other commitments. Basically, everybody else thinks we're mad. It's a cool idea, but mad.

I feel like I'm some kind of extraordinary cutting edge scientist, rather than a person who just wants to travel cheap. Of course, with my innate stubbornness resilience, I simply said, "We'll see about that." The three of us who're going, simply accept that even if our budget dies on us, humans are designed such that we can't just make up our mind to lie down and die, so we'll still make it through somehow.

The team was selected by yours truly. I believe in their resourcefulness, and trust them to see it through. As a team of just three, each with our own specialisations, I appreciate every person's unique abilities and intelligence. We're not really crazy. We're in fact learning, testing our limits at every step to see what we are capable of, when it comes down to it.

Still, today I find myself doubting if we really can. The visa troubles are barely ended, and already we are planning how to stay in no man's land one night at the airport, to make it past the 90 day visa restriction. I will point out at this stage that being Singaporean is tremendously beneficial - I have no need to do such a thing. Yet I would, for my trip mates are not of the same nationality as I, and at least one will suffer severe bias on this trip - something I've been led to believe from the difficulty I've had in finding ANYONE to help him out with the visa requirements. Disappointing, that.

Of my trip mates, one keeps wondering aloud if the whole thing was just a bad idea (and I tell him, not really, but it shakes me inside... I don't think I can hold it up alone...) and the other is in a meditational state of preparation - quite in his own zone (though I have faith, because he's survived his own trips so far).

It's going to be some crazy stuff, the next three months. And the only sponsorship we're getting so far is an experimental t-shirt for 2 of us (more on that in a future post). Donations to defray costs of trip and expand the budget are, by the way, very welcome... even if it's 10cts. >.<

Dying has always been easy. It's living that's hard. But I'd rather live it up and be there, wherever I want to be, than hole up and resign myself to boredom, ennui and Facebook.

So I guess my MSN name got onto some spam list, as the recent encounter with 'sharlene' proved.

Mx says:
Who are you?
sharlene says:
hows it going
Mx says:
I'm doing fine, who are you?
sharlene says:
i'm 21/f your a male right?
Mx says:
Yes, do I know you?
sharlene says:
nice, I just got off work and finally got some time to relax which site did i msg you from again?
Mx says:
Is this the online version of a cold reading? Because normally you need to rely on facial expressions.
sharlene says:
I know a way we can chat and have a better time.. do you cam?
Mx says:
I'm having a good enough time without the exchange of personal images.
sharlene says:
i don't do yahoo cam or any other cam because i have been recorded before... But i do know one site you can watch me on cam, that assures me no one records...
Mx says:
That's fantastic, you couldn't be much more of a bot if you tried to. So, have you ever killed a hooker before?
sharlene says:
Ok, now you really lost me?? bot???
Mx says:
Ah, recognition! So, I can say things which elicit a response. Maybe there is a human behind this facade after all.
sharlene says:
I mean... Do you want to see me on my cam?
Mx says:
Sure, which link are u giving me?
sharlene says:
check me out at [URL REMOVED] accept the invite on the page baby
Mx says:
Tell me, what was it like losing your integrity?
sharlene says:
sweet, fill out the info ur info.. i can not wait for you to see me baby let me find something nice to wear
Mx says:
One time I watched a man die.
sharlene says:
its the sites policy to ensure no minors get access to the site, so they might ask for CC to verify your age babe.
Mx says:
It was kind of uneventful. He just closed his eyes, his hand slid off of the bullet wound, and then he stopped breathing.
sharlene says:
What color Panties do you think i should wear? i might have you favorite color here somewhere...
Mx says:
It was all just so disorienting, one minute there was a person with hopes and dreams, just wanting to go home to his family, the next minute it was just some . . . shell.
sharlene says:
Your such a good boy, i'm gonna show you what good boys deserve.. you can tell me to do anything you want me too!
Mx says:
What I want is to have my innocence back, I want to never have been to war.
sharlene says:
Ok let me know when you get in so I can invite you directly to my cam.
Mx says:
The only place I'm in is hell. It haunts my nightmares, every night I wake up in a cold sweat.
sharlene says:
u have to enter a cc, atm, or debit card so they can tell your of age, thats the ony way to see me sweety :-(
Mx says:
Aside from the hell of having murdered a man in cold blood in a forgein country, don't teens have credit cards now? And I had a debit card when I was like 12, a damn decade ago.
sharlene says:
k you in yet babe??
Mx says:
Tell me, do you ever think of killing yourself?
sharlene says:
k
Mx says:
'k?' I don't see how that is a response.
sharlene says:
hows it going
Mx says:
AHhhh and now it loops.
sharlene says:
i'm 21/f your a male right?
Mx says:
HOW DO YOU KNOW~!!@
sharlene says:
Accept the invite, if you need the link again its [URL AGAIN]
Mx says:
nice, I just got off work and finally got some time to relax which site did i msg you from again?
sharlene says:
nice, I just got off work and finally got some time to relax which site did i msg you from again?
Mx says:
I know a way we can chat and have a better time.. do you cam?
sharlene says:
I know a way we can chat and have a better time.. do you cam?
Mx says:
i don't do yahoo cam or any other cam because i have been recorded before... But i do know one site you can watch me on cam, that assures me no one records...
Mx says:
Ah, this is decending into madness.
sharlene says:
i don't do yahoo cam or any other cam because i have been recorded before... But i do know one site you can watch me on cam, that assures me no one records...
Mx says:
Goodbye sharlene, and thanks for being so predictable it's funny.

13/2/2009 morning @10am

I'm going to Japan on 1 March 2010.

I have been looking forward to it since 2008.

And I found out in 2009 that I had to apply for a Visa. So along with MX we looked up what we needed. So for PR's here's whats required:
1) Passport
2) Flight itinerary
3) Employment cert/Student letter from institute of education
4) Bank statements (Not required if employed)
5) Copy of I/C

Or so they said that all thats required was the above. (Which I will indulge in complaint later in the post)

TRIP 1

So we went down in December 2009, and mind you this embassy was in the arse end of Nassim Road and attempted to apply for our Visa. To which we were told not to apply for it because the Visa only had 3 months validity which meant that if our flight on 1 March 2010 was delayed we were screwed (Which I felt was rather good information) and also we found out how much dislike the Japanese had for people holding a PRC passport. Apparently MX also had to fill up his DAILY ITINERARY which equated to 90 days of what-he-will-be-doing/staying. Terrible stuff to find out, because we did not intend to book our hotels or any sort of facilities until we were in Japan and he HAD to submit confirmations for lodging. So that ended our day at the embassy, with NIL result and and expected return at a later date.

2 months passed and we decided it was timely to return to our QUEST FOR JAPAN VISA. Equipped with our flight itinerary, hotel bookings, daily itinerary for MX, we felt fully equipped for the QUEST. Which started out well, the counter staff accepted our papers and ticked ticked away at the forms. ALAS our QUEST had a unexpected twist that is expected in all suspense thrillers! We were told we had to submit another flight itinerary as our stay duration was >90 days.

F*CKING @&^&*$#^@&^F*CKING @&^&*$#^@&^F*CKING @&^&*$#^@&^F*CKING @&^&*$#^@&^$&^3. THEY DIDN'T SAY ANY SUCH THING ON THEIR WEBSITE. AND WE BOOKED THE FREAKING TICKET ALREADY.
amp;^3. THEY DIDN'T SAY ANY SUCH THING ON THEIR WEBSITE. AND WE BOOKED THE FREAKING TICKET ALREADY.
amp;^3. THEY DIDN'T SAY ANY SUCH THING ON THEIR WEBSITE. AND WE BOOKED THE FREAKING TICKET ALREADY.

So we were faced with a couple of options.
1: Change all 3 flight dates, which amounted to $130 X 3 + unknown amounts of taxes.
2: Check if we could be placed on waiting list so that we could submit an itinerary without having to pay.

Obviously I attempted to secure the 2nd option because it was cheaper, and promptly failed because according to the travel agency "waiting list is closed for the flights". A WTF moment.

Then I tried asking whether we could move our return date 1 day earlier. And Reply was "No available seats for 30 May 2010". So I tried to ask whether we could move our departure 1 day later, reply was "No available seats for 02 March 2010."

That was about when I started having fits, seizures, and seeing psychedelic colors. I asked the ultimate question, "So when are the earliest available seats for Departure or the Latest available seats for return?"

.
.
.
.
.
.
.

"No seats available for May"

.
.
.
.
.
.

"No available seats for April"

.
.
.
.
.
.
.

"No available seats for March"

I nearly died. Figuratively speaking of course.

We finally figured a way around this thing though, after some scouring of forums, email me if you need assistance on this. :D

So we emailed our new flight itineraries to the embassy and thought "Cool, settled, we'll be getting our shiny golden ticket to Japan this friday."

Our day was not to be, when I received an email asking this:

"Why is your employment status blank? If you are unemployed you have to WRITE A LETTER TO EXPLAIN why, and submit bank statements. Also my office wants to know what are your plans after returning from Japan."

Anyone has any clue why an embassy would wanna know about my private life?

And here begins my splash of irritation.

Firstly, the embassy website did not state a need for an explanation for the lack of employment. FROM THE WEBSITE:

CERTIFICATION OF EMPLOYMENT / STUDENT REGISTRATION (Original)
A foreigner currently working in Singapore must produce a certification of employment from the employer. Employment contracts should not be submitted unless the foreigner is in the midst of switching jobs. If the foreigner is a student (including Permanent Residents and Dependent Pass holders) currently studying in Singapore, a certification of student registration from the educational institution is required. For those who are self-employed and have a registered business in Singapore, please provide a photocopy of the Business Registration Profile from ACRA (Note: This is NOT the Business Registration Certificate). Foreigners who are neither employed nor studying may ignore this requirement. However, foreigners who are Singapore Permanent Residents (PR), please see further remarks under 'UPDATED BANK PASSBOOK or BANK STATEMENTS. <= See Bold GREEN Text UPDATED BANK PASSBOOK or BANK STATEMENTS (Photocopy)
A foreigner entering Japan for NON-OFFICIAL reasons (e.g. sightseeing) must submit their bank passbook(s) or bank statements of PERSONAL savings accounts showing the latest 1-month banking transactions. Internet-banking statements may be accepted on the condition that the account holder's name and account number are reflected on the same page. Otherwise, an official bank document carrying the account holder's name and account number must be submitted as proof of account ownership. Company/corporate accounts, insurance policies, investment accounts and accounts with credit facilities are not accepted.

Note: With effect from 1 April 2008, Singapore PRs are exempted from submitting personal bank statements if they can produce a valid Certification of Employment. However, the Embassy reserves the rights to request for it and other additional documents such as salary slips whenever it deems necessary. <= SEE GREEN TEXT I conclude that the processing officer was a right asshole. Because as you see according to the website all I had to submit were my bank statements as I was unemployed, and at no point of text did I read that I had to explain my lack of employment. Also, they asked about my future plans after I return from Japan. What's this? The ICA? The Interpol? The CIA? Some Secret Services? Why the heck would the embassy be interested in what I do after I return from Japan?!?! (If anyone has had a similar question posed to them by the embassy please do tell me because I have not seen anyone with a similar experience) I have no idea how these questions are relevant to the processing of my VISA. In fact I understand that MOST Malaysians who are Singapore PR's do not have even an MILLIMETER of difficulty when applying for the Visa, I read the application as a form of formality as there is no cost involved, and the website stated this: In the case of Malaysia, Peru and Colombia, it is recommended to obtain visa. What? So I don't actually need one?

So I emailed them asking an explanation as to why such information is needed as it is not stated under their requirements for Visa. And this was the reply I received:

Anyway, I have requested the ALL hotel bookings from your friend too. After your explanation letter, both you and your friend's applications will be put on pending til he has sent me the hotel reservations. As you are going over to Japan for a max of 90 days, my officer in charge has the right to ask for more documents before she decides to approve your visa application.I will inform you and your friend again if we need more documents.

Once again I conclude that the processing officer is a right asshole.

So I faxed in my letter stating 3 points.
1) I am unemployed because I have no time between my ORD and my trip to get one.
2) I am unemployed because I do not see the need for employment as I am financially capable of supporting myself with my funds.
3) I am coming back to study and I matriculate in August 2010 so it will not be affected by my trip

*Yes Mr./Ms. Right Asshole I actually planned my funds and studies properly so they won't affect my trip and vice versa.*

Also I concluded that the Japanese are REALLY REALLY wary of PRC tourists. Hence the extra 10 pages of papers that MX had to submit. Also I figured that they are really wary of people who travel WITH PRC tourists. Its a kind of correlation I guess. Not that I approve of it. Which is why they held back my VISA application along with MX's.

With that they replied that they would FINALLY^#@$@# get back to me once I can collect my Visa. With weird vibes gone and just a whole shitload of irritation directed at the embassy, I can safely say this is a GOOD LEARNING EXPERIENCE.


_____________________________________________________

"screw. they ask why i am unemployed. =.= apparently need explanation letter. this is starting to feel like an interogation." - Me, 03 Feb 2010, upon reading the email asking for an explanation on my employment status.