Stargazing in US - Dec 2021

Last year’s stargazing  🔭 day in the freezing cold winters. 

I got my DSLR n correct lens n tripod all ready but it was so so so cold + the strong wind 💨. I couldn’t do any set-up as I think my camera will freeze in the cold. My hands and fingers will freeze until someone invents a warm but sensitive to the touch gloves. 

I experimented with my new iPhone 13Pro. I must admit the phone is marvellous. Most of these pictures posted here are unedited unless otherwise stated. 

Let’s start with the last stargazing in JTNP, which we wouldn’t have gone if we all returned home on schedule. So count our blessings. 

31st Dec 

*edited to bring out more stars*

It’s only 6.13pm but we had to make our way back to hotel. We can’t help but stopped along the way to look at the dark sky again coz the moment we head back to Palm Springs, visibility will be low. 

A ranger drive by and stopped to check if we’re alright. Maybe we pulled off at a wrong spot? Or maybe there are wild animals around? 😅 We can’t help but to lay our eyes on the huge masterpiece. This is our last chance to stargaze. Nevertheless he was very friendly with us, I mean I could pick up conversation with him and chat about the stars and this beautiful national park we've been twice already, but I think he needs to get to do his other duties. 

One's feelings is changed the moment we have that darkness all around us and only thrown to marvel the creation of the universe.

How many more days will we be stuck in US? Maybe can we go Death Valley? 😉 I miss DVNP! 

Our position 33.8734° N, 115.9010° W

I really miss the dark sky 🥰. How many times have I repeated this sentence? 

I took some pictures in Grand Canyon but I think my hands were shaking from the cold that my pictures turned out a little blurry. I was not able to get any pictures without the trees, not sure why. All I wanted to do is to snap and run back into the room. I really wonder how some people can stay out so many hours in the cold stargazing and snapping pictures.  

On 13th Dec, the day we arrived in GC. Mr Moon was up and I wondered if I can get any pictures. I’m so glad that even if the sky wasn’t that pitch dark 伸手不见五指, I did manage some shots

The lodge is at 36.0542° N, 112.1199° W

Taurus, that obvious V shape was spotted and immediately I looked up to find the 7 sisters. 

14th Dec - was cloudy. Tho I kept opening the door a few times to check but left disappointed after so many attempts. Moreover weather forecast says there’s going to be a snowstorm in the night. If I apply my geography knowledge, a sudden snowstorm means there’s way too much “droplets” evaporated days before = cloud cover. 

We are not guaranteed clear nights all the time. But I must admit I am disappointed, I don’t live here! If out of 365 days in a year, I still have many days and chances of stargazing I wouldn’t be so disappointed. 

15th Dec 

15th Dec - taken on the day we drove from GC to Page. After a stop in the supermarket, near Page’s City Hall, I just had to look up into the sky even though there were streetlights around us. 

Nearer to the building are Jupiter and Saturn. And the other bright star (to the top right of this photo) is Altair. 

Che-che’s driving lessons timeline 2021 - 2022

13th April (Tue)

Induction - $free

16th April (Fri)

Eye-test 

20th May (Thu)

BTT

Lesson commences @ $42/hr

1. 28th May 10am ($122 - inc $80 registration fee)
2. 3rd June 8pm
3. 12th June 3pm 
4. 21st June 10am
5. 24th June 4pm

FTT
25th June (Fri) 10.30am 

Lesson on-going
     6. 1st July 7pm
     7. 7th July 4pm
     8. 9th July 10am

SWITCH ACCOUNT TO PRIVATE APPT
9th July 12pm

Circuit is so quiet. Comfort Delgro closed from 15th July to 29th July due to cases reported. I should take picture of the back where there were countable cars. I'm thankful she's under private tutelage so she's not affected. It's a good thing I rushed to book her FTT on the day she passed her BTT, otherwise she might be one of those affected by the disruption.     

Lesson on-going

     9.  20th July 2pm

Mr Lim told her to book the simulator trainings. We're totally lost in the procedures. Was there such a thing in my time? She has to clear all 3 and all her practical lessons before she can go for her driving test. And when she made the bookings the next day (21st - Wed), she told me the earliest slot is only in November! My God! She chose 26th Nov and crammed all 3 into one day, as she would be in Uni by then   

Interesting that it also helps you analyse your mistakes and best thing is you don't get injured when you get into an accident. This made me realise that one will need more than 6 months before getting a licence if she's on private tutelage and longer if one learns from school. I can't remember how long it took me to get my licence as I learnt driving on my off days, probably it took me longer + I passed at second attempt. 

    10. 22nd July 5pm

    11. 25th July 4pm 

    12. 29th July 9am

    13. 31st July 1pm

    14. 1st Aug 3pm

    15. 11th Aug 5pm 

     16.  13th Aug 5pm 

     17.  11th Sep 4pm. 1st Circuit 

     18. 23rd Sep 8pm. Circuit 

     19. 28th Sep 8pm. circuit 

     20. 9th Oct 4pm. circuit 

     21. 6th Nov 11am 

     22. 24th Nov 

Did x3 simulator on 26th Nov 

Practiced 3x in the hotel carpark, although it’s left hand drive.

She told Mr Lim to cancel her test date which is end of Jan as we didn’t know when we would be back. Apparently he didn’t which is also good coz our 7th day post arrival would long be over by then. She requested to go for few more lessons. Thankfully Mr Lim was able to accommodate her, when he had an empty slot or last minute cancellation from other students he would approach che-che first. 

      23. 20th Jan 6pm (circuit. Was informed circuit price increase to $82)

      24. 22nd Jan 8am

      25. 23rd Jan 7am

      26. 24th Jan 8am. Followed by test at 9.15am

                    AND SHE PASSED!!

1st Jan 2022

First day of the new year and we are all stuck here in LA. An unexpected thing happened, che-che was tested positive during our PCR screening for pre-flight departure on 26th Dec (results came back on 27th, the day we were to depart for home). 

While all the rest of the world are so strict with their quarantine of affected people, the US has this laxed attitude. Which is no wonder the number of infection are soaring high. We were left on our own accord. No help; no calls from California county as what SIA ground staff said we would be. I can’t imagine what would happen to those who are stuck with limited monetary expenses. Of course we can get consular help from our embassy but we didn’t approach ours as they can’t offer much help for us, they can’t fly us out even with a positive case. 

This holiday is an extended one. We got out from our room late for lunch and return early and have cooked dinner in the room. Although I brought the travel cookpot along, we basically used it for simple boiling water; cooking instant noodles; warming soup etc..it was nothing fanciful like my SQ ala-squat days where we could churn out fried rice and dishes from the handy cookpot. 

Things just have to happen this way. Really have no idea how the 🦠 got to che-che when we were all so careful. I mean, I don’t mean to start denying or start blaming anyone or anything, if it’s fated that we get it here then too bad. We need to look at things in positive manner. But just can’t help but feel a sense of bewilderment on how it can only affect 1 person and not all of us. 

Mrs Hau is informed of the current situation. Tutors informed to delay the commencement of lessons as we really have no idea when we will be back. Worst come to worst, we will do Zoom in LA. Somebody will just need to be awake at ungodly hours while we all snore in bed for her class lessons. At 4pm here in LA it would be 8am the next day in SIN. If lil’ one has her tuition at 7pm in SIN on a Monday it would be 3am on Monday in LA. 

So when does the girl sleep? Let me work out a quick conversion :

SIN TIMING (US TIMING) - SIN 16hrs ahead                       

Mon 10pm - Tue 6.30am 💤 [her usual bedtome] (Mon 6am - 2.30pm)

When school 🏫 starts from eg.

Mon 8am - 2.30pm (Sun 4pm - 10.30pm) 

Tuitions that starts at 5pm SIN time on a Monday would mean her tuition would start at 1am on a Monday. 

Imagine her needing to study on a Sunday. Miserable! 

And on a daily basis where I need to iron our undergarments and socks dry at around 6-7pm LA time, it would be 10-11am the next day. I’d definitely need to hide in one corner if she’s doing live lessons. 

Covid Situation here : No ART kits

Can you believe this country, wanting or claiming to be a super house economy? Has no ART kits in the pharmacies (which they claim is OOS), while Singapore has more than enough. But on the hindsight, the covid tests here are free and there are small stations smacked right by the roadside for people to do their walk-ins. One only needs to wait for the results which will take 24-48hrs. 

Covid Situation here : No masks

No masks for sale? (I found some masks for sale in the Asian mall after that) So whatever had happened to the tagline “Make America Great Again”? Basic stuffs like this is not easily found. 

Covid Situation here : No control. No quarantine aka 没有政府

A country so big but no control, that’s how some positive cases can be walking around and spread to the others including to che-che. While I understand that every state has their own constitutional Govt or whatever governmental rule, it should be a time to not divide their political group whether they are republicans or democratics. The President should set the rules and every states every county follows, but no… some people who thinks so highly of themselves don’t believe in science and medical reports just want to rebel for the sake of rebelling. And people who thinks they have the liberal rights to think and act what they want so it’s definitely harder for them to listen unlike the asians who are technically more obedient.

Covid Situation here : Right from the start things were done wrong.

A country so big but always so critical of others, they didn’t look at themselves. They thought they handled the situation well but no. On the other hand, the other powerhouse China handled their situation well right from the start with closing borders, lockdown. 

https://www.cnn.com/travel/amp/china-travel-covid-19/index.html

Covid Situation here : A backward approach

Vaccination cards can be forged. A country so big but yet is backwards in their technology? Things still done on paper? 真的开玩笑。

Even Europe has the Trace together app, and scan to go in before restaurants.here? None at all, strangely the only time they checked for vaccination status was the day we couldn’t fly out at Yoshinoya and few days later at Elmers.

But then again, do you think the people will allow their tracks to be traced? 

Wrong place to be stuck?

Perhaps this is a wrong place to be stuck? 

As what W said a friend of hers is stuck in Germany but they were chauffeured to a facility and accommodation n meals are provided free. 

Here? Dream on. They don’t have time and probably resources to trace anyone. So the positive note is that we are not confined to our room, we can be out and about driving infact to other National Parks for stay which nobody will know and check. So you can see how easily 🦠can move from one place to 🦠 another. Anyway, we need to be out coz we need to get lunch. There’s no Grab food, no food delivery here tho there’s a Denny’s just right next to our hotel. 

Aiyoh…we pray hard for clearance soon

That’s what we can do for now, to quickly get clearance.