Already in Melbourne for a few days. Orientation of Monash start 9 days later. I'm always staying in my home in Melb, which is near my university. It's boring here. Victoria (which capital is Melbourne) doesnt have a lot of tourists spots for me to visit. The only spot that I like in Victoria province is the Penguin Parade in Philip Island, 1.5 hour of driving from the city of Melbourne. http://www.penguins.org.au/

Some of the penguins come back from the South Ocean to the Bass Strait (u may call it bass ocean) in Philip Island. They settle in Philip Island because it's at the very south of Victoria, by the way, almost the southeastern corner of Australia. At 6:00, my uncle's family (who live in Australia) and I were at the stand near the beach in the Penguins Parade, facing at the Bass Strait. By the time, I knew that the penguins were fully fed, and on their way back. Of course, we were fully fed, too, with the northwesterly wind there.(We still hadnt had our meal.....). I was cold and hungry, just wanting the penguins to come asap.

Finally, at 7pm, the first troop of 5 penguins appeared, following the 2nd, 3rd.........The penguins there looked small. cute. cool. Swaying left and right. They were not as big as what I noticed in the Antartica. Very small and not fat. (not as fat as Ms Tsoi) They walked onto the beach, passed the 2 sides of the stand, and reached their caves around the bushes. Some people were leaving the stand, and tried to see them more clearly around the bushes.  

Every of them were looking for their target. Some, who had their burrows near the beach, reach their targeted home faster than the others. (They won't enter those burrows not belonging to them.) I noticed one penguin, whose burrow was far away from the beach. I tried to follow him. He was squeaking while walking, or say wandering among the bushes. Where did he live? Still wandering among the bushes, lonely. HE reached a path, at the edge of a small hill. He walked further and further. A burrow was near him, people were saying 'why dont you enter'. He ignored everyone, walking walking and walking. Finally, he climbed up the small hill. Targeted? Not yet. A few seconds later, he climbed out of the hole, walked down the hill, and go further. He looked tired. Then, he climbed up the hill again. 10 seconds later, I couldnt see him again. Bingo! He reached his destiny finally! I was so happy when I leave.

Why did I follow him? Why was I happy? Because he resembles me a lot. Life is a lot more compliated for somebody. Some are lucky ones, but some arent. Some reached their destiny faster, and some are slower. An old schoolmate of mine (studying in Monash now) and I were both 19. I will soon be taking Year 1, and he is now in year 2, since I have taken an extra year in HK and an extra f---ing A-Level exam in HK. I thought I was stupid before and felt unhappy. Now I was better. Hopefully, after 3 years, I hope both of us can say 'Bingo!'

I have just been back from Shandong. For the province, I have been to Jinan (ÀÙ«n), Qingdao («C®q). They are two different places. The former, you can learn about Chinese culture. The latter, you can learn about Western culture.

Qingdao(«C®q) 1

        Qingdao is famous for 2 aspects. One is its building style. Another is beer.

        Beer. My tour visited the beer factory in Qingdao a few days ago. I have learnt about how beers are produced---the procedures, the machines, the materials, etc. After the tutor, I was asked to have a glass of beer. At first, I thought it was not my business.

        'But wait. I'm now 18. Why not?' Then I made up my decision. I had my first cup, the first cup of my life, and I noted the date, 7/9/2006. I tried a little. UGH! So bitter! The first idea appeared in my mind was 'to give up'. Then, I looked at my companions, they all drank without complaints. Even the two of them, who are younger that I am, had finished the beer. I'd better finish t. Even though it was bitter, I felt the water was clear, and tasty.   

      I didn't know why I had the feeling, but it made me finished the glass of beer. Then, the tourist guide told me that the water to make the beer is taken from Lao Shan. (åc¤s) In Chinese we say, ¤J¤s¬u¤ô²M¡A¥X¤s¬u¤ô«U. That's why I had the feeling that the water was good. Before I left, I had another half cup. After a while, I momentarily felt lost and a bit dizzy. My stomach was burning. I grabbed hold of a chair and  took a deep breath, and I felt alright after a while. 

       After the visit, we had lunch. I saw many of my teammates vasodilated.   They seemed to be sick. Sick of the beer of course. Just when the waiter wanted to open a bottle of the beer, all of them said, 'no thanks'. And, I looked at myself at a mirror. 'No face change.' I always look pale.

       That's my 1 1/2 cup. I won't drink a lot in future. First, because of its bitter taste. Why don't I drink Coca Cola? Second, beacuse it's harmful. My father is a victim for wine. He is now bald, and have some heart disease, because he drank a lot when he was young. I won't drink beer, until I am forced to do so.

        Oh yes, my father. I was wondering, did my father have a 'wine resistant gene'? Had it passed on to me?

Maybe my ¨g¤H±ß°O is too crazy.