My Driving Experience @ CDC Ubi

It's almost the end of 2014 and I have to say, one of the highlights this year for me was getting my driver's license (3A) back in October. It has always been a dream of mine since young to be able to drive a car but in all honesty, it's not as simple as you think. Hopefully this post will help you, aspiring drivers to gain some info/tips and have an idea of what to expect from this whole driving experience.

 

(The Beginning)

Firstly, before getting on the road, you would have to take the theory tests. Personally, both the basic and final theory tests are really easy to score. You don't really have to study much for it but it is extremely important to attend at least 2 e-trial tests as the questions are almost exactly similar to the actual test.

(Practice makes Perfect)

After passing your theory tests and getting your provisional driving license (PDL), you are now ready to hit the roads. At CDC, you can opt to be taught by a team or common pool. For team, you will be taught by the same group of instructors and will be using the same car for all your lessons. However, you have to pay an additional $5.35 for every lessons. For Common Pool, you will be taught by many different instructors and using a different car for every lesson, without any extra cost.

For me, I decided to have the Common Pool as I hope to gain more exposure from having many different instructors. Also, you will not be getting the same car for your test if you choose team so, I don't really see much point in paying that extra cost. In the end, the choice still depends on the individual. Some people may prefer team as by having the same group of instructors, they are able to know your strengths and weaknesses and guide you better.

(The Real Deal)
Now that your lessons are done, its finally time to take the practical test! The test day itself was the worse feeling ever as I felt so stressful. There was a lot of waiting and the anxiety was seriously not helping. Luck wasn't really on my side during the test as well.

On my first course turn for the directional change, I hit the kerb and I kept cursing myself, deep inside. It kinda ruin my motivation the whole time, but I just continued on and all seemed to go well. However, by the end of it when I was about to turn into school, a huge Coca-Cola truck was parked directly in front of the school on the two-way street (Seriously, of all places). It blocked almost the whole lane space, that I have no choice but to eat into the oncoming lane. It was pretty scary as I couldn't see the oncoming traffic because of the truck, so I just kept praying that I won't get into an accident. After much squeezing, I managed to get into the school and finish my test! I was not confident at all that I would pass but hey, guess what happened.......

I PASSED WITH 12 DEMERIT POINTS!! 

My tester said that my driving was overall steady. Thank Goodness! I'm so glad everything is over. One important tip to take away is to always be confident when you are driving during your test. I understand that it can be difficult especially, when you are feeling so stress out but you have to give your tester the impression that you are not afraid to drive. Whenever you make a mistake, move on from it and don't make it obvious to your tester that you realised you did something wrong.

Another important point is to have commitment. Make sure you are ready and have the time to attend your lessons consistently. Otherwise, there really is no point in spending so much on your driving when you are not fully committed to it. Always plan your lessons ahead and pre-book as much as you can. Even if you can't make it, no worries. You will get 19 free cancellations.

FAQ

How long does it take to complete your driving?

It took me around a total of 5 months including the waiting time. I registered in March but I had to wait for 2 months to take my basic theory test in May. After my BTT, I stopped for a month cus of my studies and started my final theory test and practical lessons in mid-July. I went for a total of 27 lessons and attend them for twice a week. If you can afford to go more often, you will definitely be able to complete it at an even shorter time.

How much does the fees cost you?

I'm not sure about the exact cost but I think it cost around S$2000 - S$2500 in total, depending on your progress.

Do you encounter any bad instructors?
I wouldn't say they are bad instructors but its just that their teaching styles are all very different. Some of them can be pretty hard on you while others just seem to not care and lets you drive without giving much feedback. However, out of the 27 lessons I've taken, probably only about 5 of them were with my less favourite instructors. Most of them are pretty good and fun as well.

Which is better? Private or School?
The reason I choose to go for school is that I don't know any good private instructors. I also liked how their lessons are structured and systematic. But of course, taking private has its own pros. Its a lot cheaper and faster to complete but I would recommend it only if you know a really good private instructor. So my answer would be, it depends.

When is a good time to book for my practical test?
Weekends are the best time to have your test as there is really not many cars on the road but its extremely hard to get, so I wouldn't hope too much on it. As for weekdays, the peak periods are usually lunch times around 12-2pm. I took my test at 2.45pm and I think its alright.

Even though I got my driver's license, I still prefer to be riding at the back seat of the car. Since I'm under probation for a year, I still feel a little self-conscious and have this fear of possibly hitting something when I'm driving. I hope with time, I am able drive more confidently.

If you have any further questions, feel free to drop a comment below and I will try my best to answer them. Wishing good luck and all the best for those who are currently working on their driving pursuits!

HERE'S TO WISHING EVERYONE......

 

AND......

(Photos by visualvib.es)

Relive the Backtracks (1)

There has always been talk about the most current hits by the most popular artistes. So, to change it up and give light on some hidden gems, I will be reviewing songs from the past that should be reborn today. This will be a recurring segment ; most likely I will be posting once a month or more depending on my mood. The songs picked are mostly underrated or just simply timeless.

Let's start off the first RTB post with Charlotte Church's Casualty of Love!

It was really hard to find this song. Whenever, I search the song on Google or Youtube, it pops up Jessie J's Casualty of Love. I mean c'mon! They were only a few videos on Youtube with the track on it and covers. At least, some people has got great taste in music. Still, its unbelievable that these videos had like less than 10,000 views. 

This song was from Charlotte's fifth studio album called Tissues and Issues which was recorded way back in 2005. What I really love most about it, is the catchy spanish guitar play which goes really well with Charlotte's sopranic voice. Gosh, her voice is so amazing and captivating especially hitting those high notes. I so wish I could sing like her. I'm not sure whether many may know or heard of her but she had her breakthrough at only 12 years old. She was really known back then in the late 90s for having a huge sopranic voice at such a young age. After her teenage years, I've never really heard from her since until this song came.

 I think the song deserves a lot more recognition than what it is having now which is.......

 practically having almost none. If you have not heard it yet, it's time to check out the track below: 

If you have any other suggestions for any songs that you think should be in RTB, do leave a comment below and I might just write about it. Have a great weekend ahead!

Big Hero 6 ft. Feast

[SPOILER ALERT] Before you read this, be aware that some content from this post may contain spoilers. 

 

(Photos by Google)

I am probably one of the last few people to watch this on the big screens before it ends. By the time you guys read this post, I believe most of you would have watch this movie already. Been really busy with school lately, but after watching the trailer and hearing so many positive reviews, I knew I must not miss it!

It was a joy watching Big Hero 6. Super funny and cute with a hint of some touching moments. Im absolutely in love with Baymax, cuteness overload! I feel that he is one of the more different and interesting characters Disney has made so far. Possibly, being the next most popular Disney character behind Frozen. 

However, I wasn't particularly crazy about the storyline. I was hoping for some real awesome fighting scenes and a more cooler villain. The ending also got me a little confused. How is it even possible that his healthcare chip just so happen to out of miracle appear in his hands? It is also shown that whenever his healthcare chip is removed, his evil chip will be activated but that didn't happen. I feel bad for the Baymax that was stuck and forgotten in the portal. Hiro went and made a new Baymax but it just wouldn't be the same. Seems like a desperate attempt for a happy ending.

Verdict: 4.1/5 

(Still, I do think it is worth watching. The comedy factor kinda made up for it. There was actually an extra part shown at the end credits but you have to wait for literally every credit to finish rolling which can take up to 5 minutes. It showed Fred accidentally opening a secret room in his family's mansion and finds superhero gear inside. Ooo mysterious eh? So, most likely there will be a sequel which I will definitely be looking forward to.)

A 6 minutes film was shown at the beginning of the movie called Feast. To be honest, I think that Feast was incredibly moving which undermined Big Hero 6 a little. It had a simple yet touching plot. I nearly cried by the end of it but I had to switch myself back to watching Big Hero 6. I didn't even know about it, so it was quite a pleasant surprise. For those who missed it or may not know about, here's a trailer for you guys to check it out!

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Unfriendly Skies

(Photos by Google)

I was watching television one day, when I chanced upon this really old episode of CSI from Season 1. I do watch CSI like almost every night but they were all quite recent episodes. So, it was really refreshing to see CSI, 14 years ago. Surprisingly, the main cast characters never seem to age and look the same as they are now.

The highlight of this episode would have to be ending. The CSIs were having a huge debate on whether the passengers actions of murdering the victim was justifiable and if put in the same situation, would they do it. Some say they would as their lives were threatened when the victim was at the emergency exit trying to open it. Thus, considered it as self-defense. Others say that it was the five feet between the exit and the aisles which made the difference between self-defense and murder. The victim was trying to get away but the passengers continued to attack him. 

Nevertheless, here's what Grissom has to say:

Gill Grissom: It's not about that. You all have different opinions but you've taken the same point of view. You've put yourself in the shoes of the passengers, but nobody's put themselves in the shoes of the victim. That's the point.
Sara Sidle: I'm sorry. What are you saying?
Gill Grissom: Nobody stopped to ask Candlewell if he was all right. They just assumed, because he was kicking the back of Nate's seat, that he was a jerk - because he was pushing his call button that he was bothering the Flight Attendant - because he was trying to get into the lavatory he was making a scene - because he was going back and forth up and down the aisles, he was posing a threat.
Catherine Willows: He was a threat.
Gill Grissom: No. He turned into a threat. It didn't have to be that way. People make assumptions. That's the problem. You just did. And I think these passengers made the wrong assumption and now this guy's dead.
Warrick Brown: Well, if that's your stance how could it have been prevented?
Gill Grissom: If just one person had stopped and taken the time to look at the guy, to listen to him, to figure out what was wrong with him it might not have happened. It took five people to kill him. It would've only taken one person to save his life.

This is so true! In our lives, we all do make our own assumptions of people everyday, when they act in a certain way. But we always have to remind ourselves to never judge a person without getting to know them first. There is always a reason why they do what they do. If we just keep relying on our assumption, there is a probability of us ending up hurting or even killing someone, which can be seen in the episode. I feel like this episode succeeded in getting that message across and the importance of it all. I really wanted to show a video of that scene but it was so hard to find it.

Anyways, for those who would like to catch up on the earlier seasons of CSI, you can watch it on Fox Asia Channel every weekday nights at 11.45pm (Singapore Time). I'm pretty sure they have many other timings as well. 

To end off, hopefully you guys manage to take away something meaningful from this post and apply it to your daily lives. Thanks for reading! 

Hello December!

(Photo by hobbitblog)

[REVIEW] Guardian Body Wax Strips

I’ve always wanted to try waxing so I decided to have it a go. Ive heard that waxing makes your hair grow faster, thicker and longer, which is why I wouldn’t dare. I have no idea whether that is true or not but I’m just so sick of having to shave. Either way, you won't know if you haven’t tried it. It might just work for you if not others.

            

Being my first-time, I was clueless as to which brands and types are good. So, I chose to take the safest and cheapest alternative which was to go for the store's house brand (Guardian). The Guardian Body Wax Strips cost around S$9.95 which was a lot cheaper to the more popular brands like Veet and Nair. It had 20 wax strips and 4 perfect finish wipes which was more than enough for me.

Its really easy to use and the steps are pretty much standard:

1. Ensure skin is clean and dry before use. Rub the wax strips between hands for 30 seconds.
2. Slowly peel the 2 strips apart and apply onto skin area
3. Smooth the strip in the same direction as the hair growth for approximately 10 seconds.
4. Hold the skin taut and quickly remove the wax strip against the direction of the hair growth
5. The same strips can be used several times until it loses grip; place the 2 wax strips together so that the wax surface meets
6. Gently remove any wax residue using the finish wipes

RESULTS:

I tried it on both my hands and feet and was really happy that it works! It got rid of most of the hair and felt smooth afterwards without any bums. However, when removing the strips, my skin felt extremely sticky. Even with the finish wipes, it only clears some of the sticky residue, so I would suggest waxing first before you have a shower.

After waxing, my skin started becoming really red and I thought I was having an allergic reaction or something. Fortunately, it began to subside after a while so don’t get too alarm when you realise that your skin colour has turned into a red tomato. I guess its pretty normal when waxing, but if it continues to become worse, make sure to consult a doctor. I find that the pain factor was bearable. For first-timers, try cutting the wax strips into smaller pieces or start off with smaller areas to get used to the pain.

Overall, would I buy this product again? 
Well, yes! At first, there is always the thought that house brands wouldn’t be as good and effective as the more popular brands. However, it proved me wrong. I am really satisfied with it and with the price, it adds an extra bonus.

So does it really last for 6 weeks?

Ive yet to know. I will edit this post again with an update to let you guys know. So stay tuned!

[Update (30/12/14): So its been a month now and I'm gonna give you guys an update after using this product. Sadly for me, it did not last up to 6 weeks. I could feel my hair starting to grow within 2 weeks. This could probably be different for others who have slower hair growth hormones. In addition, I think only about less than 20% of my hair were permanently removed. I might have to wax several times to get better results.]

The Start of Something New..

Hi there!

Yay its my first post and I'm super excited! I've always been procrastinating whether to start blogging due to my many failed attempts. But, I feel like now its a good time and yeah, finally I did it! 

So a little bit about me and my blog...

I'm Wizah (or you guys can call me Wiz) and I live in a beautiful sunny island called Singapore.

So why All Out and About?

There really isn't any special meaning towards my blog name but I guess it might describe my personality a bit. I love being outdoors especially around nature and travelling around the world is one of my biggest dreams. It just amazes me every time when I get to explore other cities and areas and sort of helps me escape reality for that moment. I will definitely share my journey with you guys whenever I get the chance to travel again and maybe talk about some of my past travels too!

Now back to the blog... I'm gonna try my best to post as often as I can, so do stay tuned and follow me ya!

Till next post. Ciao!