Australia Day 2016

The last time we were at Langley Park to celebrate Australia Day was in early 2011 shortly after Nathan's birth (Read here).

Nathan is now five and his sister Gracie is two and a half. To us, time truly moves at lightning speed!

Wedding at Lamont, Perth CBD

One of the reasons we decided to spend two weeks in Perth was to attend the wedding of my niece, Yvonne.

The wedding preparation started the night before with the hair combing ceremony for the bride, a tradition not practiced by my side of the family. This tradition was first introduced to me in 2007 during Eva's wedding (Read here).

Of course, tea ceremony is now standard practice adopted by all who profess to be Chinese. It is a good time for the couple to get to know the rest of the larger family and to collect some angpow!

Hair combing ceremony

Immediately after the short ceremony was over in Lamont, the scramble for ice lolly turned out to be great fun for kids and adults.

Patiently waiting to collect ice lolly

Getting ready for the wedding banquet

York, Western Australia

In our recent trip to Perth, we were fortunate to have a car at our disposal. With the car available for our driving pleasure and a GPS in hand, I just could not resist to explore some nearby towns not far from Perth city.

When I googled for possible sites which are within 100Km from Perth city, the name, York appeared. Further searches indicated that it is a very old town as far as WA is concerned. It was first settled in 1831.

York is recognized as the oldest inland town in WA. Many of the old buildings are now listed as heritage buildings dating back from 1850s to 1860s  reckoned as the Gold Rush Period.

With a few hours in York, we managed to see a few things: the Town Hall and the little Museum inside, St, Patrick Roman Catholic Church, the Suspension Bridge across Avon River, the Holy Trinity Anglican Church immediately after crossing the suspension bridge, the Motor Museum and the Sock Factory.

While these structures are nothing compared to those in UK, the efforts and contributions put in by convicts sent to York in the 80s to design and build some of these remarkable buildings are still commendable!

Town Hall

Town Hall and Museum

St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church

Holy Trinity Anglican Church

Suspension Bridge across Avon River

Some of the antic cars on display in York Motor Museum

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For our lunch, we had earlier chose Carriage Diner, mainly because of what we saw in the Tourists' Brochure - outdoor setting overlooking Avon River. However, by the time we walked to the place, we decided against eating there because of the lack of roof covering to shade off the strong sunlight. Finally, we opted for the Jules Shoppe.

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Hearing Aid

A participant of the Computer Camp 2015 who operates an audio clinic offered to provide hearing test for all campers for free. Many took the offer and I was one of them.

The test proved my suspicion all along -  that I am suffering from moderate hearing loss. Each ear suffers a different degree of loss with the left as being more serious.

The test also allowed me to learn and catch up with this technology in hearing aid. Indeed, the development has gone a long way. In the market, the choices range  from “Proton” grade to “Ferrari” grade as the audiologist keenly pointed out. I remember my dad who bought a pair of hearing aid but decided against wearing them. The reason – background noise was simply too loud.

I was offered to try the medium and the highest range of products. True to the claim, the background noise is indeed very much controlled and minimized for the high end version. Still, with the hearing aid put on, the world has suddenly become noisier. As the audiologist pointed out, it takes 4 to 6 months to get used to this change.

Still, I have yet to decide to become a hearing aid user. It is another decision that requires some serious thinking and contemplation. Ultimately, I don’t think I have a choice!

Atlantis Marine Theme Parks, Two Rocks 1988

When I discovered that “King Neptune” at Two Rocks was once the iconic figure of the now-defunct Atlantis Marine Park, something stirred in my mind. My brain, which had been in hibernation, suddenly clicked - and I realized I had been to Two Rocks, some 27 years ago!

It was in November 1988 when my young family visited Perth for the very first time. For that memorable trip, we invited my father-in-law from West Malaysia to join us. Back then, Atlantis was a lively attraction, drawing both locals and tourists alike for its marine-themed entertainment and atmosphere. It was a “happening” place - full of life, laughter, and crowds.

Sadly, the magic didn’t last. By 1990, barely two years after our visit, the park closed its doors due to financial difficulties - yet another of Alan Bond’s ambitious ventures that ended in disappointment. (Read here).

To be honest, if not for the few old photographs, I would hardly remember the details of that visit. But knowing now that the towering statue of King Neptune still stands - silent and weathered by time - brought back a wave of nostalgia for a joyful day once lived, and a place once full of dreams.

With Serene, Sam, Paul, Eva and Yvonne

Prisoner Sam being kept watch by little brother Paul

Paul's turn to be "locked up".

Live dolphin show was such a hit those days.

Tooth Implant and Taking Chances

One of my molars had to be extracted barely a year after it was metal-capped.

It all started last year when a corner of that molar broke off. With no choice but to seek immediate help, I turned to a private dentist. Although I had been diligently attending regular dental check-ups at government-run clinics for the past four years, the unfortunate reality is that public facilities fall glaringly short in handling emergencies. When it comes to urgent care, they simply lack the capacity for instant professional assessment and timely advice (Read here).

The private dentist - whom I’ve known since my university days - took one look at the broken tooth and almost instantly recommended a metal cap to salvage it. Trusting his expertise, I went along with his suggestion. And, for nearly a year, the tooth performed flawlessly. That is, until a few weeks ago.

It began with a sharp, searing pain every time I drank cool water. The discomfort escalated with icy drinks, becoming nearly unbearable.

On my return visit, the same dentist conducted a series of tests and took an X-ray. His conclusion: a hairline crack had likely developed deep in the tooth, and it was no longer salvageable. The only solution, he said, was to extract it and replace it with a dental implant. The cost? A staggering ten times the price of the original metal cap - a jaw-dropping expense, quite literally.

As he broke the news, I couldn’t help but question the decision made just a year ago. Should he have recommended extraction and an implant back then instead of the cap? In hindsight, it’s easy to wonder. But realistically, I would have resisted. There was no pain at the time, and no clear justification for removing the tooth. Even if he had warned me of potential problems within a year or two, I likely would’ve still chosen the cheaper, less invasive option. It’s the human tendency to take a chance when the odds seem in our favor. No one in their right mind would spend ten times more when a fraction of the cost might work just as well - at least for a while.

Sensing my hesitation, the dentist tried to reassure me with what sounded like classic salesman talk: “The money spent on the metal cap was still worth it - it gave you a functioning tooth for nearly a year!”

And so, my once-capped molar was extracted, and a metal socket implanted in preparation for the replacement. In another two months or so, no one will be able to tell that I ever lost a molar.

In the end, we live, we learn - and yes, we still believe and take chances.