Day 16 (29/09, Wed)

COCA-COLA FACTORY HERE WE COME!!!

Finally! Visiting Coca-Cola factory! I have been really excited about this excursion!

So yes, as I was saying, we visited the Coca-Cola factory at 湖北 province today.

Group E :)

Besides the common drinks we see sold in Singapore, Coca-Cola factory produces more than 1600 kinds of beverages. From this trip, I come to know that we are missing out on a lot of beverages The Coca Cola Company offers! Beverages such as the Fanta range and Lemon flavoured Coca Cola are just some of the many many beverages that Singapore do not have. BOO HOO!

Oh well, at least my wish came true today. WE ALL HAD A FREE BOTTLE OF COCA-COLA TO TASTE!!!



YEAH!!! FREE COKE!! :)

Through this excursion of ours, we were told many facts about The Coca-Cola Company we never knew. Take for example that Coca-Cola was invented in 1887, did you even know that?

Check out the production line below:




Step 1: the bottles are sterilised and washed with water

 



Step 2: the bottles are filled with the correct beverage

 


Step 3: After filling, the bottles are capped





Step 4: the bottles are removed of any water droplets found on them

 


Step 5: the bottles are ready for packaging

 

After our little excursion, we headed back to school for our 1^st ever OIE presentation. We were supposed to come up with 3 differences and 1 similarity we have observed between China and Singapore since we have set foot on beautiful Wuhan. Through every group’s presentation, I knew more about other differences and similarities between China and Singapore that I have not discovered.

REFLECTION

While looking at the process of how the beverages were manufactured at the factory, I notice that the workers are always on the ball in reassuring the high quality control of the whole production line. Whenever an empty bottle gets jammed along the production line, the workers never fail to solve the problem almost instantaneously. I have to admit that I doubted China’s ability in their quality control skills prior to this excursion. However, I was proven wrong by their excellent display of work. GOOD JOB GUYS! THANK YOU FOR PRODUCING THE TASTY COCA COLA WE DRINK EVERYTIME!

Day 15 (28/09 Tue)

DEAR SHEILA IS SICK. GET WELL SOON!

We had our 1^st excursion to Wuhan Iron & Steel Company (WISCO) in the morning today!

We had to arrive early at 8am today to collect our safety helmets that have to be worn at all times while in the factory to keep our head from knocking against the low ceilings.

everyone busy sterilising the helmet that has to be worn at all times later on

It sure was an eye opener seeing how iron was manufactured right before our eyes.

Check out the process below:

Step 1: Scrap pieces of iron are put into the oven to be heated till molten state

Step 2: After melting the iron, they travel to the next station to be cooled down to a desired temperature

Step 3: the cooled down iron is being pressed into thinner sheets



Step 4: After pressing into thinner sheet, the iron




Step 5: the iron sheet is further pressed into thinner sheet and again cooled to a temperature suitable for rolling



Step 6: this machine is in charge of rolling the iron sheet.



Final Product. This picture shows workers cutting the iron sheets into smaller pieces for delivery for usage



Group E!



Well, we will be having our 2^nd excursion tomorrow morning. We will be going to the Coca-Cola Company factory! YES!!! Hopefully we can have a FREE CAN OF COCA-COLA each to drink. Haha! SUPER EXCITED!!

REFLECTION

Well, Miss Hock posted us this question today: Why is Singapore so clean as compared to China?

One of the many reasons could be due to the fact the Singapore’s land area is very small as compared to China’s. Furthermore, we have the monetary resource to hire much needed help to keep our country clean and green. Thus, it is easier for us to control and maintain the cleanliness of our country.

One of the best efforts Singapore has made in cleaning up our country was the Singapore River. In the past due to rapid urbanization and expanding trade, the Singapore River was such a filthy river that no one would ever imagine it to be a pub street today. After the then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s ambitious goal in cleaning up the river, the major project was finally completed and it’s also one of the famous tourist attractions today. Even though it took so long to complete, the project did complete and the continuous effort of the government and especially the much appreciated workers who worked so hard to clean up the river was very commendable.

Day 14 (27/09, Mon)

HAPPY 19^TH BIRTHDAY ZHEN ZHAO!

Yup! It’s our dear friend's birthday today, and he’s the same age as me!

It was a mundane day today: going to classes, sending our clothes to the laundry and nothing else.

Morning’s OIE class was all about Chinese Philosophy. Ms Grace introduced to us famous quotes by some famous Chinese philosophers like 孔子 and 孟子. Though these quotes were supposed to be famous, I am embarrassed to say that I find none of them familiar. An interesting thing Ms Grace told us was that when she was young, all of them were supposed to study all these Chinese Philosophies as part of their curriculum. IMPRESSIVE! I think I would have fainted from all these studying.

However, the day didn’t end off so boring after all!

We celebrated Zhen Zhao’s birthday at the Greenery Café beside the supermarket that is behind the campus.

the Greenery Cafe

All of us arrived promptly at 5.30pm in waiting for the arrival if the birthday boy.

Fooling around before the birthday boy arrived

Finally at around 6 plus, the birthday boy arrived!

the Birthday Boy arrived!

Cutting his creamy birthday cake

A closer look at the cake :)

Michelle and I shared a Lovers’ Meal together. It was highly recommended by those who went the previous time. Indeed it was really yummy! We ate till our tummies were bloated. How full! Check out the wonderful meal below:

Appetiser: Salad

Beef Steak, YUM YUM!

Fried Fish Fillet with Rice

Mushroom Soup

Bacon Cream Soup

Dessert!

Group E with the birthday boy

Present Presentation Time!

Agnes, YiXian and Joanna took their precious time off in search of the perfect presents or Diyanah whose birthday passed last week and also for Zhen Zhao. I really like their presents! How I wish I could have it for myself.

That was how the day ended: with a blast!

REFLECTION

Thinking back at what Ms Grace said where elementary school students are taught the Chinese Philosophies about the way of life, one can see that the people of China emphasise a lot on bringing up a child well from young. This is something very commendable as it is not common in Singapore that we are taught such philosophies from young. I feel that Singaporean children seem very spoilt as modern parents fail to instill the right principles in their children from young.

Therefore, I feel that this is a very good way in bringing a child up well: by teaching them the correct principles from young.

Day 11 to 13 (24/09, 25/09, 26/09 Fri, Sat, Sun)

Cruise Trip Day 1 (24/09, Fri)

Hey All!

I’m back from the 3 day cruise trip to the 3 Gorges Dam! Follow me as I fill you in with all the exciting findings I have discovered thoughout my trip!

START!

After our lunch, we were ready to start our 4.5 hours long bus journey to the depot at 宜昌 (yi2 chang1)city to board the cruise! Excited To The Max!!! :)

All ready to set off!

One observation I have made when we got to 宜昌 city was that the buildings and residential areas over there are very different from that of 武汉’s. Buildings and residential areas over at宜昌 city are much more modern and commercial looking as compared to武汉.  Well, I do not know exactly why is this the case. I guess I just have to ask the local students about it!

Very nice looking residential areas 1

Very nice looking residential areas 2

We stopped over at a nice restaurant for dinner before heading to the depot to board the cruise. Coincidentally, we meet 2 groups of fellow Ngee Ann students who were also in 武汉 for overseas programme ECE & FMS there for dinner too!

Our Dinner Place where we met 2 other groups of fellow Ngee Ann students

Dinner Buddies :)

Our Sumptuous Dinner

After our wonderful dinner, we arrived shortly at depot to board our ferry! YES!

Arriving at the depot to board the ferry



Group E group photo 1



Well, the rooms look nice, don’t you think so?



the room Agnes and I spent the 2 nights together



Group E group photo 2

Group E's Girls' Power!

Group E group photo with Miss Hock!

Now, the highlight of the day has arrived: Going through the Ship Locks! It was a once in a lifetime experience and I was super duper excited about it! Adding on to that, I have studied in the module Introduction to Freight Forwarding (IFF) about such ship locks, therefore seeing it in real life is very significant to me.

the 1st Ship Lock



Going in!



Getting really close!

Well, that was how Day 1 of the cruise trip ended. Stay tuned for Day 2!

REFLECTION

Thinking about the modern and commercialised building in武汉city, one can’t help but think that even though武汉 and武汉 are in the same province of 湖北, location of places can result in very different architectural structures.

Going though the ship locks were a priceless experience I had as I got to see in real life the things I have studied. Nothing beats experiencing things in real life.

Cruise Trip Day 2 (25/09, Sat)

Updates on the cruise trip continue here!

We started the day off by going into the 2^nd ship lock. It was a much bigger one as compared to the first and it could fit 2 large cruises!

2nd Ship Lock

the cruise that was together with us at the ship lock

A group photo really really early in the morning. YAWN...

Our breakfast on board was made extra delicious with fried rice, noodles and milk prepared especially for us. The other passengers on board did not enjoy the same privilege as us.

THANKS TOUR AGENCY!

After our breakfast, we were greeted by the 1^st attraction: 神女溪. The place got its name from a stone statue that was trough many years of weathering, formed to look like a statue of a lady. Check the photo out!

the statue of the lady. Do you see it? The extremely small figure

We later got out of the cruise and transferred to a smaller boat to get a closer look. Being a Geography student in Secondary 3 and 4, I couldn’t help but stood amazed at the wonderful layers of rocks that were formed there over the years.

Ticket, Check!

the boat that took us to for a closer look

the wonderful layers of rock

After finishing our tour there, we got back onto the cruise to enjoy the lunch that was prepared for us. 

our lunch that was already set on the table when we arrived at the dining area

Not long later, we arrived at the 2^nd place of attraction: 白帝城, a temple that has since been preserved to become a tourists’ attraction. To get to the temple, we had to again get off the cruise, walk to the bus bay to the site and walk a long distance before reaching the close to 400 steps stairway to get to the final destination. it sure was a very long journey and I was really tired out from climbing the stairs. How am I able to pass my 2.4km run for my NAPFA test this November?

our 2nd place of attraction: 白帝城

the start of the 400 steps torture! :(

Yes! Finally reaching the peak!

REFLECTION

As stated earlier, having learnt Pure Geography in Secondary School, I leant to appreciate how rocks and the natural landscapes were formed. To others, all these landscape might look the same to them, but to me, it really was an eye opener to have a firsthand experience in how these landforms were created. In school, we could only rely on textbooks to learn about them.

Therefore, even though the trip was tiring, I had no regrets as I got to see something that Singapore does not have.

Cruise Trip Day 3 (26/09, Sun)

Our last day on the cruise started really really early at @ 6.30am for breakfast. YAWN….

After breakfast, we left the cruise ship onto our last place of attraction: the 3 Gorges Dam Visitors’ Centre, 三峡大坝旅游区. We again saw one of the 2 groups of fellow Ngee Ann students whom we say 2 days ago. There at the visitors’ centre, we learnt that the building cost of the 3 Gorges Dam was really expensive, approximately RMB 20 billion dollars. It will take about 9 years to complete and will be completed by 2012.

 

After the visit, we headed back to 宜昌 city for lunch at a posh looking restaurant! Coincidentally, there was an uncle celebrating his 70^th birthday there. HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNCLE!

Lunch at the posh looking restauat!

We then headed back to 武汉 to end our 3 day trip. On the expressway on the way back, there was an accident that obstructed the traffic. We were delayed for about 20-30mins. In the end, it was a lorry loaded with vegetables that overturned. The road was scattered with vegetables that fell off. What a waste! Wel, I hope no one was hurt in this accident!

the lorry loaded with vegetables that was overturned

What a tiring 3 day cruise trip. I just want to sleep now. Good night!

REFLECTION

As we are in such a big country like China, when we were delayed due to a traffic accident, I initially thought that we had to wait for hours before the police acme to divert the traffic and got the situation under control. I applaud the police in this country for their high efficiency to arrive at the accident scene so quickly and got things under control soon after.

GOOD JOB POLICE!