Rock ON! @ Hard Rock 190907

Hardrock

@ Melbourne CBD (VERVE)

501 Swanston Street

Melbourne Victoria 3000

Telephone: 03 8878 4178

Email: info@hardrock.com.au

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Like the idea of climbing in full view of the rush hour crowd? HardRock @ Verve is THE place for ya! Really love it when you're at the top of the wall, you look down and see pedestrians looking back at you, especially when they are waiting for the traffic light to turn green.
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We paid $28 if I remember correctly. That's the student rate. Non-students have to pay much more... $29 to be exact. (WHAT!? only $1 discount for students..) Price includes use of the wall for the WHOLE DAY, shoe rental and basic 'course'.. very fun!
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.Girls, Dion lives here.

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I was shocked see my ex-classmate, Shimei working here!

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NOT! But she really looks like Shimei, especially in person.

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The staff are very professional. All of us have to go thru' a basic belaying course and a mini proficiency test before we are 'certified' ready to climb. Ah Ma was basically struggling to belay me! That's me on the wall... up for the 4th time.

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Ah Ma... please.. when.. can i ever return to the ground.. cant hold.. on.. much.. longer..

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'This Ah boy ah.. so heavy!'

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We met our classmate, Adrian by coincidence!

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Ah Ma gives the high wall a go!

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Rachel looks on anxiously..
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as.. Dion makes it to the Top!

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Actually, as a belayer.. my eyes should be fixed on Dion's ass the whole time..
This is not safe! PLease do not learn from this pic (above).

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Yay we all had a go at the wall, except Haona, who was there to cheer us on (only).

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To THE top!
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Rachel's first attempt, belayed by Dion:
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She makes it!
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Pretty cool 'Action-Shot'..

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Had to LIE down on the floor to take this one.

Notice the sky getting darker outside...

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Rachel as she climbs the Endless stretch.

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By the time we were done and thoroughly exhausted.. it was nightfall.

All in a day's climb.

JJ Rating: 5/5 - Possibly the best rock climbing experience I ever had. The place is just so great, facilities are new and staff are so uber friendly. Great place for to lose your Rock climbing virginity here hehe..

National Day Celebration 2007 @Velour

NDP Celebration @ Velour

121, Flinders Lane

This event was organised by SSS (Singapore Students' Society). The plan is simple: All UOM (University of Melbourne) Singaporean students were to gather in the (rather) small club, Velour by 2000hrs to watch the Singapore NDP Live Telecast. Yay! Oh so we thought.. the Parade came to us in bits and pieces.. refreshing at a rate of 1fpm (one frame per MIN). We did manage to catch a glimpse of key personnel like MM Lee, SM Goh (with cool looking new specs) and PM Lee.

I met my friend from OCS - Artillery Institute... Daniel Choo! Such a coincidence. It was really a pleasant surprise. He is studying in Swinburne University of Technology [SWINBURNE], about 4 Train stops away from the city center. His friend, a UOM student brought him in.

He informed me of our mutual friend, LTA Joshua, who EXTENDED his ORD to remain in the NDP. He was the Officer giving the command for Artillery 21 gun salute. Unfortunately, we weren't able to catch his performance due to 'technical difficulties' with the streaming.

I also met my ex-polytechnic senior, Dion. Who is now doing foundation year to gain entry into Medicine. (Sorry, no pics of him).

My BFFs, Rachel with Bourbon Coke, Jasmine with..Cranberry Juice. Haona and Me, Vodka Sunrise.

These are our friends. Soi, Xenia?(hope I've got the name right) and Yiwen. We went to KOKO Black with Yiwen 2 weeks before. Soi and Xenia and Medical students *gasps*

As the party progressed, everyone totally ignored the NDP on TV. We had games like.. Best dressed couple. Theme of the day was: DIAMONDS and RUBIES. Everyone was to wear Red and White, with as much bling as possible. Obviously, non of us won as we came straight from school (wearing 'school clothes' see?).. Yes Mum, I've been studying!!

When we entered the club we were each given celebrity names, I'm Justin Timberlake hehe.. so throughout the party, we can approach any girl who is holding on to the name of our respective celebrity's girlfriend. (all girls will carry a corresponding celebrity female name). Thing is.. I don't really know who Justin Timberlake's girlfriend is so I didn't bother looking for his partner.

Our guest STAR: THE MERLION!

Evidently, I have no pics of the Merlion. But he left his 'signature' right there on the floor after the drinking game.. Eeww!!

A scene of the party, dance floor on right of pic.

As you can see, I'm the camera man. So I'm not in most of the pics. When I finally got my own pic taken....

All the girls wanna punch me in the face.

Do I look that bad?

The party was not too bad. After NDP we had MAMBO JUMBO. The club's standard was obviusly not as good as Zouk's. But their bar was pretty nice (looks like my Officer Mess in Khatib Camp haha) and their bartenders are VERY skilled. When you order a drink, they'll use many 'patterns' i.e. Pattern Zui Ga Badminton to impress you. Really gives you the 'WOW' factor!

JJ Rating: 3/5

No smoke machines, 'Mambo night' but very few of our fav Mambo Songs. Lighting was too bright (maybe cause of steps on the dance floor)? Sound quality was mediocre. Few people went up to dance stage. VERY impressive effort on the part of SSS Committee.