Music of 2009!

" If music be the food of love, play on. " - William Shakespeare

" Your love shines the way into paradise, so i offer my life as a sacrifice... " - I See You, Leona Lewis, Avatar

" And through it all, when you're tired and you stumble i will carry you home...
... You'll never be alone, when there are no more heroes. " - No More Heroes, Westlife

A year of great music! Listening to songs, i realize their significance in accompanying me through the times i felt lonely like sitting in a bus or plane or in uni; and while i multi-task like reading a book or completing an assignment. Due to the great music produced over the year, it was a challenge to pick the best out of the best. Special thanks to those who have helped me select their personal favourites. I believe music depends on the individual and that mood plays a role. Weighing in on the votes from those who have replied and my personal influence, this is the list!

Favourite Male is Ryan Tedder of One Republic. He is a true musician and possesses a unique voice, and has also helped in creating numerous great songs. Apart from the band songs like 'Secrets', 'All the Right Moves' and hit debut 'Apologize', 'Bleeding Love', 'Halo', 'Battlefield', 'Already Gone' and 'Shadows' owe thanks to him.

Favourite Female is Taylor Swift. No doubt. With 'Love Story' and 'You Belong With Me', she won the hearts of many.

Breakthrough Artiste is Lady Gaga. Previous years showed this category dominated by American Idol winners. Gaga broke the chain. She's incredible with 'Poker Face' and 'Paparazzi'. 'Just Dance' was a hit, along with 'Disco Stick', 'Nothing Else To Say' and 'Bad Romance'!

Perfect Comeback is Britney Spears. With high hopes, she'll continue to produce great songs and bring back the Britney we all once loved and admired. 'Three'!

Again, again, and again is Love Story, Taylor Swift. This is tough- it's between Taylor Swift and Gaga. Somehow, 'Love Story' got the pick because of its instrumental role in the song.

Favourite Collaboration is Come Home, One Republic and Sara B. A sensational duet! With great vocal and music arrangement, this became my favourite of the year!

Favourite Band is The Fray. Taking 'Favourite Forever' with 'How To Save A Life' two years ago, they are my favourite band this year. It's close- between The Fray, One Republic and BEP. 'Never Say Never' rules! Since 'HTSAL' reminds me of Grey's Anatomy, 'Never Say Never' will remind me of Transformers 2.

Favourite Movie Soundtrack is Time for Miracles, Adam Lambert, if not for the later release of Avatar's I See You by Leona Lewis. 'Time for Miracles' suits '2012' best and with lyrics that match equally to the movie!

Uniquely Weird is Down, Jay Sean and Lil W. I just don't get this song. You may like it, but it's just strange to me. It reminds me of Chicken Little, that's why.

Relive, revive and rejuvenated is Michael Jackson. He and all of his songs are in! A tremendous loss in the music industry, the King of Pop will always be remembered. 'Man in the Mirror'!

Unheard of is Believe, Elliot Yamin. The second runner-up has matured vocally!

Blast Concert is the Famine 30 Countdown. The atmosphere after starving for 30 hours with friends was simply amazing.

Favourite Inspirational is The Climb, Miley Cirus. Words that relate so close to our hearts, the Climb will be remembered.

Favourite Album is Where We Are, Westlife. All songs from this album amazes and can be a hit single! Westlife returns! Take a listen to 'How To Break A Heart', 'Where We Are', 'Shadows', 'Sounds of a Broken Heart', 'The Difference' and 'Reach Out'; and for ballads, try 'No More Heroes', 'Leaving', and 'As Love Is My Witness'. Their cover 'What About Now' is a good listen too. Lots of variety, lots of versatility. Voices that have matured and lyrics that inspires, Westlife continues to be one of my all-time favourite male bands!

Favourite Forever is Come Home, One Republic and Sara B. This song is selected because of its strong lyrical content and melody. One Republic seems to have become one of my favourite bands of all time.

You may not agree to my list but as i have said, it depends on the individual. If you have not listened to them, go YouTube and have a try. You'll understand why they're my favourites then. Westlife took Favourite Album of 2009 and they are just out and new. Some singles are not even released in Malaysia yet. Have a listen at my favourites.





wc09 plays the last key!

AVATAR & The Lovely Bones

" They've sent us a message... that they can take whatever they want. Well, we'll send them a message. That this... this is our land! " - Jake Sully (Sam Worthington)

" Everything is backwards now, like out there is the true world and in here is the dream. " - Jake Sully in Avatar.

" Don't worry, Susie; he has a nice life. He's trapped in a perfect world. " - The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold

I was in a dilemma of whether to watch in 2D or pay more to watch in 3D. Then, i realized that it is about 160 minutes, which means that i have to put a specially designed glasses on top of my prescribed glasses for that long period of time. Hence, i decided to go for the 2D along with my family. After watching it, Avatar has to be the best movie of 2009, even topping Transformers 2 despite my strong connections to the robots in disguise. Avatar is a beautiful movie; it is more than just an action piece by James C but a splendid adventure of the main characters.

Throughout the movie, i got goosebumps. Some parts reminded me of Narnia: Prince Caspian. The training session looked much like Eragon. The tragic scenes brought back Titanic into the film. The chanting of spells felt like Pirates of the Carribean. Explosives as great as the Transformers. Scripts that were so close to making me tear up in the cinema like 2012 and visual effects that were as spectacular as those in Finding Nemo. The funny thing was, despite the many familiarities, the movie pulled out to be breathtaking by adapting the best of them. It was original nonetheless.

The storyline was somehow predictable but nevertheless amazing. It was about an ex-marine, Jake Sully who joined the Avatar world in Pandora after the death of his twin brother. At first, he was entangled between science and greed. Soon, he discovered that the life of an Avatar was more than what he wants and longed to live with them. Complications began to arise when he decided to break free from the entanglement and followed the latter- to fight for the rights of the people in Pandora he had became accustomed to and even making the ultimate sacrifice. Like Titanic, this movie took time to develop. While doing so, sit back and enjoy its colourful world with on and off suspenseful moments.

The Avatar!

Sam W brought Jake S come to life. Sam W is the Avatar. Well done!

Discovering and adapting in the world of an Avatar.

Romance bloomed. Apart from its amazing adventure, this movie brought other elements like romance into the movie.

A spectacular ending to a beautiful movie! After much development came the most anticipated part- the fight back! Photos are from RottenTomatoes.

The imdb.com rated Avatar 8.9 out of 10, placing this movie at the 22nd spot among other movies ever made. It is the highest rated movie from the year 2009. I definitely agree to the numbers. Since this movie is further nominated for awards, i personally think that Avatar deserves to win and be among the best movies ever made in history! It is artistic, original and breathtaking. Well done to the casts and crew of Avatar! Now, it's even more difficult to find another movie that will top this beautiful show. Go watch it in the cinema while it is still on- and a nice way to end 2009.

The Lovely Bones movie is tipped for awards next year and it was adapted from a novel. I'm not sure if it was the best move to read the novel before watching the show; but still, i bought the book and had completed reading it. To date, it is the book that had traveled the most, following me to GC, SP and finally in Melaka.

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold makes its way into my bookshelf.

The story began on an intriguing tone. The first two lines captured my attention and made me want to read more. It was about a girl named Susie Salmon, like the fish, and she was murdered one night. This story was not about investigating who the murderer was because Susie narrated her story and revealed the murderer before the case was solved by the police. Instead, it revolved around the life of Susie Salmon and her family, on how they cope with her death and whether they could move on in life. Apart from the struggle her family faced, Susie explored the heaven she now lived in and watches her family from above.

At times, the story touches the heart. Although it was long and progressive, it has its moments. The characters in the book are well developed, making the emotion true to life. It is not easy to cope with the death of someone you love and worse still, you can never forget them. It's haunting, nonetheless. The story fast-forwarded a few years later where her sister, Lindsey and friend, Ruth could be what she had missed out. But it was Jack and Buckley in the story that i felt the most. Jack was Susie's father and he couldn't accept her death and tried to search for her murderer who was his own neighbour. Buckley was Susie's little brother, innocent and amiable. He was young when the death happened and so he had to slowly accept his sister's death.

The ending was nice. Everything fell into place, but only after a tragedy occurred. You'll know why its entitled The Lovely Bones then, which to me is an interesting title. I really hope the movie will be as good as the book. The trailer looks good already and now, all i can do is to wait for it to be released.

wc09 favours the Avatar and waits for the Bones.

Merry X'mas !!!

" Joy to the world. "

This is the third installment to my Christmas posts since i entered the blogosphere three years ago. It is a tradition that i wish to continue. Going around places this Christmas, i took photographs of the decorations that they have put up to celebrate this joyous season. I expected more from certain places in Australia but may be i was a little too early. Nonetheless, the decorations are sure to mesmerize.

Christmas tree and me in Radisson Resort, GC.

While shopping in Harbour Town, GC.


Night strolling in Surfers Paradise, GC.

A random shot at a shop in GC. The shop created a cottage-feel that extends to the tree.

This has to be one of the best decorations this year- The Pavilion KL. I wasn't able to witness the decorations at night with lights, but during the day, it looks just as beautiful as it can get.

Sunway Pyramid is magnifique.

Jusco Wangsa Maju's tree. No much variation to the previous year though.

In Swiss-Inn SP. The Santa reacts to sound and sings!

The lovely tree in my aunt's home.

It was my first time visiting the Portuguese Settlement in Melaka and i am far from contentment after admiring their beautiful homes lit with Christmas light.

In awe. I think they actually compete amongst themselves.

This house allowed visitors to enter their home and get closer. See the Santa at the chimney?

Snowman greets at the entrance of the house.

Nice...

Sometimes, simplicity works best.

Starry...

More and more lights!

Red tree near Portuguese Square.

KLCC finally came up with something different. No longer the huge Christmas tree. Splendid Ginger bread man and candies!

Save the best for last. This is real tree, placed to perfection with the Christmas gifts at its foot.

Last night, i had a Christmas celebration with my aunts, uncle and cousins. It's so nice to get together, what more for this occasion. After the scrumptious dinner and some carolling came the most exciting part- the exchanging of gifts. This year, i got a tie and a book. My cousin also made cupcakes for all of us. Thank you!

Like previous years, i have been watching a lot of Christmas shows. Some simply touches you at heart.

Christmas is the season of giving, but what is the greatest gift of all? wc09 wishes you...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Golden Gold Coast Experience 2

" Hollywood on the Gold Coast " - WB Movie World tag line

" There is a child in every man. There is, and always will be. "

Since we were there during the Summer, we were lucky that the weather was co-operating with our schedule; though it was hot, it was windy throughout the day. Another thing about visiting Australia is that we did not have to face any language difficulty. English is widely spoken in Australia and asking people for directions became a task not too difficult to handle.


Movieworld
Arguably the best theme park for us in the Gold Coast. It was crowded with people on the day we were there. Queuing in line for rides took about an hour, which somehow frustrates me as waiting in line for the ride had forced me to compromise and skipped the other shows on that day. Nonetheless, it was worth the wait. As this was from the Warner Bros, i anticipated my meet with the Batman and some Looney Tune characters like Bugs Bunny and Tweety Bird- i had grown up and remain fond of them.

This was the Bat-mobile used in the movie.

Daffy Duck led by example.

Lucky to capture a photograph with the Flash and Green Lantern- part of the Justice League.

At the entrance of the Hollywood Stunt Driver show- my personal favourite in the park.


A short video from the show. Enjoy. The end was the best, filled with crazy stunts and explosions that wowed me!

Superman Escape is a MUST ride if you dare! It falls almost vertical and you have to tighten your grip as it moves at magnificent speed. This took an hour wait but it's worth it. Lethal Weapon was thrilling too as it flips you upside down. Don't underestimate the Scooby Doo ride- it's a fun surprise for all. Batwing Spaceshot was under maintenance that day- i wanted to ride on that. Nevertheless, the rides were simply awesome!

Don't miss the All Star Parade at 3.30 pm. It's the chance to catch all of your favourite WB characters!

Movieworld is a MUST go if you are in Gold Coast. My recommendations are the Superman Escape, Lethal Weapon, Scooby Doo, Shrek 4D rides, and the Hollywood Stunt Driver show with the All Star Parade. My visit to the Movieworld only elevated my interest toward the WB characters- Batman is my favourite while the Looney Tune characters will always be my childhood companion.


Surfers' Paradise
Many attractions are centralized in this area. Apart from its white sandy beaches, this place also offers lots and lots of shopping. On Wednesday night while we were there, we experienced the night market and to be frank, the atmosphere is totally different back home. At night, there were street shows too- musicians and magicians alike.

Ambled around Surfers' Paradise at night.

Running along the crystal clear water while enjoying the breaking of the waves.

Basking in the relaxation.

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
Here brings you close to nature; and close encounters with the adorable creatures. It was not as crowded as the other parks that we went, which was a relief. There were shows and presentations to catch for in this place.

This is imagination...

And this is reality... After the show, they allowed us to get closer to the animals presented- possum and baby snake. The presenter clearly stated that we are allowed to choose only one animal to get closer to, as if you have touched the possum, the snake may assume you as their food. I battled the odds and disobeyed the rule, looking at the snake's head every time it got closer to my right hand- i used my right hand to touch the possum before this shot.

Visiting Australia without kangaroos and koala bears equates not visiting Australia at all. Nothing beats the feeling of watching the kangaroos hopping together. Watch the short video i managed to capture.



Later in the day, there was the aboriginal dance and culture show. It was an entertaining watch.

Ending the trip to the wildlife sanctuary with the lorikeets' feeding. I adore these birds, colourful and unique. I was lucky enough as many birds came to my plate, and even to my head, as on that day, we were not so lucky to have many wild lorikeets flying around. Patience is essential for the birds to come, and a little stir of technique.

CWS was a nice visit as i enjoy being around and close to nature. Apart from the lorikeets, possum, snake and kangaroos, i challenged myself to lift a baby crocodile and got near an eagle- the feeling was amazing!


Kirra and Coolongatta Beach
According to the many websites i surfed, these beaches are more popular to surfers as the waves are better. They are located in the southern most part of Queensland.

Jump shot!

Point Danger
The view from this location is breathtaking! It is on a higher ground and you can see not only the cities from here but the waves coming in. The more interesting fact is that we can be on both places at once, without splitting ourselves into 2.

Hiking up the slope to witness the panoramic view was a sure reward! The horizon was clear beauty and the waves crashing into the rocks was a sight to behold.

This was what i meant- my right foot is standing on the New South Wales while my left foot is stepping the Queensland ground. 2 places at once.

Point Danger is a distant drive from the place we stayed in but it was worth the visit. The satisfaction achieved from the visit outweighs the journey back and forth.


Glow Worm Cave
Located at the Cedar Creek Estate, approximately an hour drive from where we stayed. These worms are unique and one-of-a-kind. They glow in the dark and this cave is specially built to protect these worms. The tour began with an introductory about these little worms before we were given a 'star' to enter the cave. By observation, these worms are tiny and silk-like shaped. The glow comes from their back. Despite its size, we managed to observe one wiggling through the silk web it produced. The admission fee was reasonable but it was rather far in, the hinterland.

In the man-made cave for the worms.

Harbour Town Shopping Centre
This place is a one-stop shopping destination. It boasts shopping, shopping and more shopping. The things were cheap, if i am an Australian, but the fact that with currency conversion, i replaced the items i wanted back on the rack. Nonetheless, i managed to buy some things there.

The Harbour Town visit marked our final destination in Gold Coast. Heavy-hearted, we had to pack our belongings and prepared to fly back home. The vacation was truly a golden experience! I am grateful to my parents and hereby thank them for the trip. They have realized one of my many must-visit places in the world and if given a chance, i will want to visit Gold Coast again.

My last dinner in Gold Coast- grilled snapper.


wc09 & Gold Coast.

Golden Gold Coast Experience 1

" Imagine... "

Six is the exact number of days i spent in Gold Coast, Australia. Six wonderful days. Hence, i have decided to split this vacation post into two parts and i hope you do enjoy them just as much as i did. As the navigator for the trip, i now have the map around Gold Coast in my mind and as the itinerary planner, i am ecstatic everything followed as planned and lived the trip with no regrets!

Gold Coast is located in Queensland, the eastern part of Australia. It is to the south of Queensland; below of which will be the New South Wales. It is two hours ahead of us here in Malaysia, simply put, if it's 10 am there, it's only 8 am here. It was Summer while we were there. From the LCCT airport, it took us 8 tiresome hours to reach our destination. Upon arrival at the Gold Coast Airport, we got to the car rental booth which i had pre-booked online to collect our car. Credits must be awarded to Australian road users. Malaysians are simply lethal on the road compared to them. Off, here we go!

Trust me, it'll get more exciting than this!

Radisson Resort Gold Coast
I have never experienced any hotel service better than here. This is the best hitherto! The receptionist, Paul, was helpful and friendly; the concierge assisted us in getting the tickets; a management trainee directed us to our rooms. Their warm and cordial welcome was definitely a nice way to begin our exciting vacation.

Pacific Fair Shopping Centre
Recommended by many websites for their abundance of shopping, this place is large. Often, i see myself before a map of the place. Although it was large, there was nothing much we bought except food for our breakfast the next day.

Aquaduck
This was interesting and surely one-of-a-kind. Like a duck, this bus traveled on land and later floated on the water. In the Aquaduck, a lady tour guide explained the whereabouts of the places, mainly the Surfers' Paradise area. This gave us a glimpse to our next 5 days in Gold Coast. However, the fee to ride on one is rather costly.

With the Aquaduck crew.

On land...

On water...

Infinity
Is a light maestro! Endless excitement filled us when we entered the maze made of mirrors and marveled at its superb light effects. We had to wiggle our way out through trap doors, walk pass the bottomless bridge and bounced around. This is a must-do when you are in Surfers' Paradise! Worth the price!

At the entrance of the maze.

Playing around with the lights.

Carrara Market
This market opens on weekends only. You can get lots of fresh fruits from here, that's for sure!

Peaches. Sweet peaches.

Dreamworld
The Big 6 thrill rides were what i looked forward to most. They were the rides that many people dare not even dare to look. Unfortunately, the Wipeout was closed on the day i was there and i managed to complete the other 5 only: the Claw, Cyclone, the Giant Drop, Motocoaster, and the Tower of Terror. If you dare, ride these as they are the more thrilling ones that will leave with you an impact and you'll walk away feeling somehow delighted and satisfied.

The Claw swings you like a pendulum, and rotates you while you are swung above.

The Giant Drop lifts you up 119 metres high before falling down! I screamed until i reached a point where there was no voice coming out.

Along with the Giant Drop is the Tower of Terror which blasts you away at a speed of 100 mph! That's super fast for a ride!

Pointing towards the two thrill rides.

Dreamworld is divided into several sections. At each section, there will be rides and attractions to go for. If you go to Dreamworld, you MUST enter the AVPX, a new attraction in the Dreamworld. We were given a laser gun and divided into two teams: human and infected human. Our mission is to see who survives and scores the higher point. How i wish we have one like this in Malaysia!

The tiger behaviour presentation in the Tiger Island.

Tiger leaping from platform to platform.

I like the setting of the Dreamworld.

Caught the Rugrats mascot around the park.

Bidding farewell to the park.

Dreamworld is a place worth going. Whether or not you enjoy rides, the place will fascinate you and you'll be entertained. My recommendations are the Big 6- if you dare, and the AVPX.

Seaworld
In the itinerary, this park was the most appealing to me. May be because it was my passion for marine animals and my enthusiasm for these magnificent creatures. The sea lion show and the dolphin show are a MUST-watch when you visit Seaworld. The sea lion show was hilarious and creative, yet the message was sent across. The dolphin show was splendid and entertaining, with amazing heights reached by their jump from the water. Even the rides: Bermuda Triangle, Viking Flume and Jet Rescue (Corkscrew was closed on that day) were awesome. The effects were stunning!

Waiting in line to enter.

The awesome sea lion show.

In the Polar Bear shore.

Jump and dive! Way to go!

Trying to touch the rays in the pool.

Big Bird statue in the Sesame Street sections. This park is also divided into several sections.

Jet Rescue caught me by surprise of its speed. I didn't expect this to be fast. Can you spot me? Go for this if you're looking for a thrilling experience in Seaworld.

Patting a statue of a dolphin. Background is the pirate ship, in the making, for a Pirate Unleashed show coming soon in Seaworld.

Seaworld was definitely not a let down. I am glad and truly appreciate the work done by the Seaworld personnel to maintain, preserve and conserve marine animals. There will always be a place in my heart for these creatures. My recommendations are the sea lion and dolphin shows, the Bermuda Triangle and the Jet Rescue. Also, take a tour around the underwater tunnel and get closer to some marine creatures.

More is yet to come, i can assure you that! wc09 will begin constructing the second part...