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| Monday, 23-Jan-2006 00:00 |
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Trip to Pakistan
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| Monday, 12-Sep-2005 00:00 |
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Last day in USA :(
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September 12, 2005
Our last day in USA.
Our flight was at night thank god. With the extent of airport security checks they do, need to allocate more time at the airport.
Finally I get a full day sans tennis.
Went to Ground Zero again as the day before was Sept 11 (the day of the US Open final). Now the site was filled with flowers and tributes from loved ones.
I've been up to the top of the World Trade Centre ('Top of The World' they called it) and it was surreal looking at the massive hole now. Not much work has been done but the rebuilding plan looks great. The NYC-NJ station is still there and spent much of the day shopping at Century 21 store opposite the station.
Also went for a walk along the Brooklyn Bridge. Bad timing tho cos it was bloody hot! It was mid September and I can't believe how hot it still is!! In England, Sept would be gloomy, grey and cold!
When I checked in for my flight, was suprised to find out that we can't lock our bags unless we used locks approved by them. If we locked our bags, they have the right to open our bags.
WTF??? I mean, if our bags are unlocked, anyone from baggage dept can slip in bombs. Go figure.
I seriously had a problem with unlocking my bags so asked if I could get my bag scanned and declared inspected. Told them I didn't trust the Malaysian luggage handlers (which is pretty true actually hehe). So our bags got scanned and labelled with a sticker. They wrote something on our tickets and as expected, once we got inside we were stopped, so called 'randomly selected to be inspected'. They even checked my cellphone and camera. Sheesh!!
Upon arrival in Kuala Lumpur, my brother's bag's lock thingy was ripped out! I bet they saw that the bag was locked and got excited  Didn't bother to check that there was a sticker saying that the bag has been inspected I guess. Luckily my bag was spared. Supposed they saw the sticker before opening my bag.
So the moral of the story is.... when going to USA, don't bring expensive luggage bags!
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| Sunday, 11-Sep-2005 00:00 |
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US Open 2005 Final
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Cleveland to NYC.
This was a change of plans. Was supposed to go straight to Boston from Cleveland (via NYC) but scrapped that when I heard that Agassi def Ginepri in the semi final!
Unbelievable! Andre’s just amazing!!! Thought he’d be dead tired after the Blake 5 setter and whaddaya know – a spot in the US Open FINAL against Federer. No way was I gonna miss Agassi in a Slam final! Even if we all know who’s going to win 
Arrived in NYC at 7am and finding cheap hostels/motels in NYC at last minute was impossible! Settled for 'Quality Inn' at Queens and it was bloody expensive considering the location. But we had no choice and I was hungry and in a hurry to get final tickets.
The cheapest and 2nd cheapest tickets were sold out so I forked up quite a bit. ‘For Andre’ I kept saying to myself and ‘Just swipe it before I change my mind!’ to the ticket guy
We all know who won (dang that guy!) but honest to God, at one point in the match, Andre made believers out us all - he gave us hope that he could do it.
Down by a set, he won the 2nd set and in the 3rd set he actually broke Roger!
Then, a slip of concentration and Roger broke back to level it. Aaarghhhhhhhh!!!!!!! It went to a tiebreak which Roger won and it went downhill from there onwards. Sigh...
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| Friday, 9-Sep-2005 00:00 |
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Orlando - Themepark Galore
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With Princess Addie :)
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With Cyclops & Storm (who looks like she needs to go on a diet)
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The Hulk Ride - which made me think of Bana :sigh:
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Back on the road again! Port St Lucie to Orlando.
Only have a day at Orlando so we all split up to do what we really wanted to do. Juan, Ian and Jud went to Kennedy Space Center while mom, Aunt Ida, Candace and Addie went to Disneywalk or whatever it's called hehe... I went to Universal's newly opened Islands of Adventures (IoA). Practise before the big coasters at Cedar Point for me
I stayed in Orlando for 7 days before and it rained EVERY DAY and so it did again Luckily for me there were only light drizzles at IoA towards the end of my visit but it was spitting the whole day at Cape Canaveral where Juan, Ian and Jud were. They still had a good time, of course.
The coasters at IoA aren't really that scary but it's a fun place to visit. I still prefer the twin park, Universal Studios. Went on a few new rides and on some old favourites again. One of the new attractions was Fear Factor at Universal Studios! Good fun. Wished it was as disgusting as what we saw on tv though!
Ian, Jud, Candace and Addie left for Port St Lucie at the end of the night while Aunt Ida, me, mom and Juan stayed at the Mariott thanks to Jud's corporate rate discount. Dang what a great hotel hehe.. sure beats the Best Westerns, Motel 8's etc
Next day we left early morning for Orlando airport... Me and Juan to Cleveland, mom and Aunt Ida to Kentucky. The tv showed F1 at Spa that morning btw! Didn't see much though cos it was raining.
From Cleveland, me and Juan split up. I was off to Sandusky, home of Cedar Point coaster themepark (the best in the world!!) while Juan headed for Buffalo (he wanted to see Niagara Falls which I've already been to).
The other time I went to Cedar Point, my friends drove me there from Pittsburgh. Arriving by bus was pretty scary! Sandusky's Greyhound station was basically a small store near a main road. Luckily there were Cedar Point workers who was in my bus. They gave me taxi numbers to call to get me to my motel.
Cedar Point is definitely the best there is when it comes to coasters and I;ve been waiting for years to come back again. Ironically, once I got there, my heart was actually thinking about the US Open semifinal between Agassi and Ginepri instead. Wanted to watch it badly!!!
Felt even worse when signs were posted that Cedar Point's top attraction, the Dragster was closed for maintenance!! Aarghhhhh!!! There was the 2nd top attraction... but.... it's not as scary! Hmmphhhh....
I have missed so many tennis matches while on the road I suppose I was having withdrawal symptoms
It probably kicked in after watching the amazing quarter final between Agassi and Blake.
p/s: I have no idea what was I doing in the picture taken with Storm and Cyclops
p/p/s : Wore a Fear Factor top I bought at Universal from Cleveland to Sandusky and so many people kept asking me if I was in Fear Factor!  Had to change busses in Cleveland on my way back to NYC the next day and a Greyhound officer said hi then said "I remember you. Fear Factor right?" Amazing!
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| Thursday, 8-Sep-2005 00:00 |
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Miami Everglades & South Beach
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Addie, Grandma and 'Doggie' at the Miami RV Park
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Addie and 'Doggie'
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Upon arrival at South Beach
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From Key West we drove up to the Everglades RV Park. There we came across the most good natured dog which Addie felt in love with and named 'Doggie'  This dog followed us (and Addie) everywhere.
Later we found out from the camp owner that the dog actually has no owner. It found its way to the campground after Hurricane Katrina. Poor dog lost its owner, no wonder it was so quiet! Most probably feeling sad and missing its master. No wonder it was following us all over.
Luckily we escaped Katrina. When it hit land at Miami we were in NYC. Now that we're at Florida, Katrina moved its course to New Orleans. The effects of Katrina were clearly visible at the campground. The pool and playground is still closed and filled with debri. Fences bent and avocados everywhere on the ground. On the tv it was Katrina 24/7, I honestly didn't know what was happening in the other parts of the world! And boy, did I miss the US Open tennis!
After a night's rest at the campground we pushed off for Miami Beach. Dang, the place is beautiful! Loved Key West and South Beach Miami was just as great. Totally different vibe tho hehe.
After South Beach we drove back to Port St Lucie for some R&R. Plus I wanna catch up on the tennis!
Especially as Agassi was playing the night match. And boy, what a match!!
The Blake-Agassi quarter final is one that will be remembered for quite some time, oh yeah... Both didn't play well at the same time from start to finish, but it was the most tension filled match of the 2005 US Open. Blake was 2 sets up and it all appeared lost for Andre for Blake was just too good! Just couldn’t believe the shots that were coming of the dude’s racquet!!
Candace and I didn’t give up on Andre though. Deep down we believed that Andre could do it and we were willing him to do it!! Oh our poor hearts...
And Andre got the 3rd set!!! We were just so happy – at least he got a set out of Blake right?
But of course we dared to hope for more!
Andre won the 4th set and I couldn’t even sit down at the start of the 5th set
Andre won the match and for him to win against a young guy at his age, considering how physically brutal the game has become is just awesome. The stuff of legends.
As an Andre fan, this is as good as he gets at this stage in his career.
We didn’t get to see the guy play a lot this year - he skipped Roland Garros and Wimbledon, didn’t really play the hard court tournaments too much but still managed to win one tournament, and was runner up to Nadal at a Masters Series event.
And then, a final spot at the US Open!! Amazing results.
I feel so lucky I chose to come in 2005 and I feel ready to let Andre go… ok, maybe not… but the closure is being gradually established.
Sigh, I shall miss you when you’re gone Andre!
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| Wednesday, 7-Sep-2005 00:00 |
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Port St Lucie -> Key West
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Roadtrip!!
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| Tuesday, 6-Sep-2005 00:00 |
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NYC -> Washington DC
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Rushed for the 1:30am Greyhound bus to Washington DC after the Muller-Roddick match. Huge upset obviously
Arrived in DC around 6am. Chucked our bags at the left luggage off we went.
Obviously the security's tightened since I was last here. No food and no drinks allowed inside The Washington Monument and The Capitol. Certain areas I previously visited in the Capitol is now off limits. Unfortunately for Juan (his first time at DC), the White House was off limits too. Heard that one needs a letter from their congressman to enter, hence I presume that pretty much limits it to American citizens only.
DC was as hot as I remembered it from my previous trip. Last time I was here was on 4th of July - freaking hot! I certainly didnt expect it to be as hot in Sept! Bloody hell, the hike from the WWII Memorial up to Lincoln Memorial was a killer!! I forgot how huge DC was as the last time I was here I had friends who drove me around. I wasn't walking no more in the hot sun so we had no choice but to pay for one of the expensive Trolleys.
Managed to squeeze in Arlington Cemetary (beautiful) to see JFK's grave but no time to go to Pentagon sadly. Had to make do with viewing it from Arlington Cemetary. Had to catch our night bus to Fort Pierce, Florida. A 20++ hours bus ride, woohoo!!
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| Monday, 5-Sep-2005 00:00 |
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More Tennis
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Andre has always been popular but in America, whoah.... Impossible to catch him up close! Especially as I only bought tix for two full days cos then I'm hitting the road.
I have no close ups of Andre to show for but I'm not too bother as I've already got his signature and close up pics from Wimbledon. Just to see Andre again in the flesh is just enough 
To my amazement, Andre is very popular among the young kids. It just makes me so happy that they can appreciate the talent of a player much much older than them. I was annoyed I couldn't get close to Andre because of all these kids tho
A most grave disappoinment for me awaited though. Heard that merde! Marat withdrew due to injury!! Looks like I'll have to try catch him at the Thailand Open in Bangkok in 3 weeks time... if he will recover in time of course -- most unlikely... Dang it, I already bought tickets!
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| Sunday, 4-Sep-2005 00:00 |
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US Open 2005
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The Open's catch phrase this year... "Have You Seen Andy's Mojo?"
All I can say is... 'I saw it coming'. Of all the taglines to choose from?! Andy's not been doing too well recently so to put all their eggs on one basket (ie Andy Roddick) when there's a great human interest story in Andre 'The Legend' Agassi is just sacrilege!! Sigh...
And whaddaya know, my instincts were spot on. The slogan will backfire big time. Andy's Mojo INDEED left him - in the first round no less.
Oh the irony of it all... You go Muller!! I was probably the only one supporting the guy in the cold windy shell shocked Arthur Ashe stadium that night. Muahahahahhahahahahahaaaaaa.....
And to add salt to the injury, the Mojo ads were STILL being aired on tv! D'oh!!
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| Saturday, 3-Sep-2005 00:00 |
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Rafael Nadal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Sunday, 28 August 2005
A day to remember... the day I first laid eyes on Rafael Nadal in the flesh.
It was my first day at the Open. Play starts the day after and the practice courts were packed with players practising.
The first court I walked into was the one he happened to be playing in and I couldn't believe my luck. Honestly, didn't recognise him at first cos he looked different in real life.. ie even better!!
This kid is so freaking hot I stood tranfixed for quite some time watching him. Was so used to seeing him in baggy shirts and long capri pants that the tight spandex top and knee length shorts were just too much for my heart! All that I managed to muster to my mom was a whispery "Handsomenya....."
 He signed my cap!! That is now my 2nd most precious tennis memento after Andre's signature on my Wimbledon ticket stub.
My equally smitten mom also endeavoured to get the Spanish lad's signature to my utter amazement. She actually went up to Toni Nadal at the player's lounge entrance to ask for Rafa's signature -- and she got it!! I should've followed her cos there was no one at that area and asked for a picture with Rafa but I guess I was just too awestruck. I shall get that picture one day, oh yeah...
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