National Day Parade 2009

Stayed overnight at Grandma's house so that I can make my hair in the morning. Grandma's skills are way better than mine. It was the final show and I want to look great. Wanted to bun up with chopsticks but failed. Asked Grandma to plait my hair with red ribbons! It was National Day and I chose red because it's national colour.

Dad used Auntie Mui's car to drive me straight to Pek Kio CC. Reached there early. Good that there were others who were earlier than me. The rest starts strolling in later on. Finishing the last few postcards that I have prepared before the rest arrived, I started giving out when most of the people have reached. Half-way through the distributing of cards, I realised that I forgot to write the date. Oops.

We boarded the bus shortly after Anthony took our attendance and distributed the vouchers to us. As my gang of people boarded a little late, we have to stand. Some funny stuffs started here. Jiangda boarded the bus and asked me whether I wrote a postcard for him. He haven't got his as I was distributing half-way when we were told to board the bus. Felt like saying "no" but I didn't. I took the last seat left and searched for his card. Seeing what I wrote to him, he was complaining that it was very short! He said that I wrote a longer one for Chiawei and I even had one finger spacing in his postcard. Haha. Chiawei said asked me not to write in Chinese for him. I was blurred for a moment as I don't remember writing in Chinese. He then pointed to my name after I asked where is it. Dots.

Alighted at a point a little further than the usual alighting point. Didn't had the chance to take picture of the road sign. Oh well. We proceeded for the security checks. Intended to collect my milo before the check but was not able to due to the change in alighting point. Hmm. Shuting was stucked at the check for a moment due to a nail clipper. I don't see any harm in that small clipper.

We then proceeded to our area. I was so happy that there were goodie bags for us this time! There were a bag on each of the chairs. Items included honey stars, detergents, salon pas, prawn crackers and sweets. Like the honey stars and the salon pas. Putting down my bag and stuffs, I went to take Mr Bean soya milk. Yum yum. I then went to collect the cudgels with Ruiqi and Shuting. The new cudgel is nice.

Those whose costumes have problems went to queue up as usual. Nothing to do, my touring starts here. Went to collect Old Chang Kee and milo. Long queue. Glad that I managed to get what I want. Made a second trip too. Took ice cream and more Old Chang Kee. I am so happy that I got the fried prawns stick as that was what I aimed for one of the previous show and did not managed to get. Right out from the oven. Hot and nice. Going back, it was time to collect our helmets. I was so glad that we got to have new helmets! Not blurry and no weird smell. Good!

Roamed around the flyer and the Old Chang Kee and Milo area later on. I was so glad that I got to drink my fill when the second batch of milo arrived. No more long queues. I tried to study but can't managed to get anything into my brain. Exciteness and the hope to enjoy the last day of the show. Hoped to camwhore with Yaxin but we were out of ideas of what kind of pictures to take. Thank you Wenhui for helping me to keep two packets of Halls breezers for me. Cool creamy strawberry and tropical chill. Nice present.

Slacking at the flyer, we realised that there may be the uncapping ceremony. Cool! We went back for our dinner and came back after that. I ate two cups of mashed potatoes and did not touch the chickens. Hope to maintain being a vegetarian for the day. It was "Guanyin Dan". Kept the chickens for supper. So glad that it was drumstick and a part near the butt. Nice. Thanks Weiren for the second cup of mashed potatoes.

After eating, Yaxin, Xinfeng and I went to slack at flyer, waiting for the uncapping ceremony to commence. I thought that there was not going to have the ceremony there as there was the 3.2km city march past. I thought that it would take place at Suntec City and they would do the city march past to reach Marina Promenade. We had a bird's eye view of the ceremony. We went to view it from the second floor. Cool. Thanks Yaoteck for the help to call us when it was time to get changed. It feels so different to watch the ceremony from the top. Nice. I wonder how long had they been training to make the ceremony so smooth and nice. It's not easy to march so neatly. We quickly made our way back to change after receiving Yaoteck's call.

Had a quick change and went to look for Wushan for the extra tatoo that she had. Had already placed one on my right hand. It was a NDP09 merlion that Shuyan gave me while we were queueing up for security checks. Wushan helped me to put it on my left hand. Nice! I was really inexperienced in putting tatoos as it was my first time! Thank you Shuyan and Wushan! Though the tatoos were a little distorted, I was very happy!

Waiting a while at the small area outside our assembling area, we proceeded on to wait on the F1 track, the same portion as preview. Took videoes of the F-16 flypast again. Nice! It's quite relaxing to see the planes. We then proceeded on to the floating platform. Thanks to Yaxin for helping me to carry my helmet so that I can snap pictures throughout the walk.

Tried to snap some pictures but many turned out blurred. I wonder what happened to my phone. We waited at the green sector concourse before setting out for the backstage. Singing the songs as usual. Saw Gurmit Singh walking to the backstage with us. Too bad that I do not have the chance to take a picture with him. Anyway, we went a little early to the backstage. Saw Koh Cheng Mun and Kelvin Tan. Cosmetics put on by Koh cheng Mun sure was very thick. Shiny gown.

Walking towards the tent, I was so lucky to get to see a short moment of fireworks for the ending of chapter four. Nice. It was really a close "interaction" with the fireworks. Took a photo with some backstage people as requested by them before we proceeded to the stairs that leads to the backstage. Total exciteness at the backstage. Many were snapping pictures and shaking hands to wish each other good luck. And yes, we rocked on to Chapter five's music too. Did my last checks for the lights. We ran out once the door were opened. I did not run as my ankle was swollen. Walked briskly; or rather, small run.

Happy. Excited. It was national day. It was, the last show for NDP09. It was, the big day.

Though my ankle was in pain, I managed to finish all the moves. Forced myself to. My cudgel unbelievably broke into two after the "dian gun". Shocked. Tried to do the moves and fix it back at the same time. For a moment I lose my confidence and did one of the moves wrongly. A mistake that I have never made before. The cudgel wasn't able to be tighten no matter how I tried. Oh well. Not too bad that it was near the end of the routine alraedy. I was a little scared that my partner would hit my head if the cudgel gave way again.

The flag routine was alright. Used a little more force than usual. I have done my best to keep the spin with the beats. It annoyed me when my flag was collided with others' flags. It was not once, but a few times. I kept my hand raised for the last pose though I felt scared. The sparks were really near. Glad that the sparks went off before hitting me. Phew.

I quickly picked up the helmet and cudgel behind me. Tried to ran to take my helmet and cudgel. A boy came along and took it. Oh well. Tried to ran out of the platform but wasn't able to so I did a brisk walk. There was a sudden steeping of the slope that I have to do a heavier "landing". Pain. After leaving the platform, I was relieved and limped my way back to the small corridor under the blue sector.

We waited a while before proceeding to gate 6. I could feel everybody's enthusiasm. Took a cup of water from the water point. Drank a little before walking to gate 6. Took pictures of the small planes that were part of the decorations on the ceiling. Some ushers disturbed me. What I heard was a girl saying in a squeezy voice "you very bad leh". Turning around I saw a group of ushers walking beside me and laughed. That guy in blue shirt must have done something. Well, it was not a big issue as I managed to get the picture I wanted since Preview. That girl then proceeded to ask me what I worked as. Weird question. Finding her question weird and she somehow looked familiar, I asked whether she was an usher last year. Yes, she was. She found me familiar too. Mystery solved.

Waited at gate 6 for a moment before we made our exit. Did not manage to spot my primary school classmate. Oh well. We collected some part poppers while we were waiting. Took seven in total. After making sure that all of us had the poppers, Guangyao coach showed us how many he took; it was a pocketful! Haha.

Upon getting the cue, we made our exit. Singing the theme song as usual. Highed. Did not manage to get my favourite MA16 spot, I was glad that I at least got the front row. Easier for my auntie to look for me. I was blurred with what the person in-charge of our finale moves was doing. His tempo and rythms sure was weird. Took a peep at the fireworks at times from the side of my eyes. Promised William that I will be "good" as it's not nice to turn my head to see the fireworks.

I took the pledge with pride. I sang the national anthem with pride. I am simply proud to be a Singaporean. Finishing of the fireworks, I pulled two poppers. Pulled three more after the declaration of the party time! Pulled the sixth popper for the Martial House people after shouting "Martial House rocks!". Tried to pull the last one for the audience but the string broke without the stuffs popping out. Oh well.

Shaked along to the music. Had some fun while I was waiting for Auntie Mui to leave the gallery. Many were running around in a "too-too train". Martial House had our own "train" soon. It was an express train! So fast! We were like running than small jog. There was then the running in between the giant puppets. A post-NDP physical training? We stopped after one round. Wanted to stop even if the others doesn't too as my leg was really painful. Continued rocking to the music. Saw Wenhui alone so I grabbed her to take a picture with a giant puppet together. Asked a guy nearby to help. His skills were so great that I took the lower half body of the giant puppet. I wanted the head. Oh well. Thanked him anyway. Having a picture is better than none.

It was time for the montage specially made for us. Sat down and watched. Nice music and it was really a good job done. It would be nicer if more pictures of Martial House were put up. Some Dikir Barat people took our cudgels and kept knocking on the floor along with the music. Noisy. Oh well. Ignored them. I was really annoyed me when one of the cudgel flew and hit me. Why me?

I went off to call Auntie Mui after the montage was shown. The audience was almost cleared and there wasn't any phone calls from her. Called for some time and she did not pick up her phone. Called home to check with Auntie Peng. When Auntie Mui finally picked up her phone, I was totally disappointed when she told me that she left the promenade already. Glad that Nicholas called me a while later, cheering me up a little. He was along the Singapore River and hoped for a free ride. Haha!

The committe celebrated with champagne and cake. Performers were guided to leave group by group after the birthday song and the speech. Limped my way back to the F1 pit. Many performers left at the same time and there were times that I felt that I had lost the other Chapter 6 people.

Reaching the pit, I quickly changed out and get ready to follow the group back to Pek Kio CC. I stuffed everything into the plastic bag given instead of placing it nicely in the costume bag. Asked Guangyao whether I can bring back the helmet for souvenir. Took back after he said "okay". Quite a pity that it was not the helmet that I used. Well, it's alright as it's just a helmet.

Shuting took the bus back to Pek Kio CC too. I stared out of the window the way back to Pek Kio CC. The bus driver took a different route to avoid the traffic jam as instructed by Guangyao. Thanks Shuting for helping me to check the last row of seats.

Walked to my bus-stop together with Shuting, parting at the overhead bridge as usual. Managed to walk a little properly but it still hurts. Glad that my bus came once I reached there. It was so packed that I have to stand near the door. It was a little dramatic that I have to put the helmet and my bag of costume on the floor beside the bus driver to dig out my ez-link. Quite nice of the bus-driver to trust me, kept the bus moving and did not stare at me to dig out my card. It was so dramatic till I finally got myself a seat. I used so much strength to keep myself balanced when the bus made a long sharp turn at one point.

It was a relief after reaching home and unpacked my bag. NDP 2009 is over. No more hectic trainings. No more frustrations with the helmets. I want to thank everyone who have made this journey a memorable one for me.

NDP09 rocks!