Hello, I blog!

My new favourite song. I first heard it when I was in New Zealand and subsequently, the song just stuck. Beautiful tune at the chorus and lyrics that make loads of sense. It’s now spinning on repeat in my iPod and I doubt I’d ever get sick of it.

I hope you guys like it too.

Music video for Tinie Tempah’s “Written in the Stars”, uploaded by parlophone on Youtube.

Written in the Stars – Tinie Tempah (feat. Eric Turner)
Oh, written in the stars, a million miles away
A message to the main, oh
Seasons come and go, but I will never change
And I’m on my way

Lets go, yeah, you’re listening now
They say they ain’t heard nothing like this in a while
That’s why they play my song on so many different dials
Cause I got more hits than a disciplined child
When they see me everybody brrrrraps, brrrrrraps
Man I’m like a young gun fully black Barrack
I cried tear drops over the massive attack
I only make hits like I work with a racket and bat
Look at my jacket and hat
So damn berserk, so down to earth
I’m bringing gravity back
Adopted by the major, I want my family back
People work hard just to get all their salary taxed
Look I’m just a writer from the ghetto like Malory Blackman
(Where the hell’s all the sanity at? Damn.)
I used to be the kid that no one cared about
That’s why you have to keep screaming till they hear you out

Oh, written in the stars, a million miles away
A message to the main, oh
Seasons come and go, but I will never change
And I’m on my way

Yeah, I needed a change
When we ate we never took because we needed a change
I needed a break
For a sec’ I even gave up believing and praying
I even done the legal stuff and was leaded astray
They said that money is the root to the evilest ways
But have you ever been so hungry that it keeps you awake
Mate, now my hunger would leave them amazed
Great, it feels like a long time coming
Since the day I thought of that cunning plan
One day I had a dream I tried to chase it
But I wasn’t going nowhere, running round
I knew that maybe someday I would understand
Trying to turn a tenner to a hundred grand
Everyone’s a kid that no-one cares about
You just got to keep screaming until they hear you out

Another one of his songs that appealed to me is “Invincible”, recorded in partnership with Kelly Rowland – which initially led me to believe that Tinie Tempah may end up becoming one of the very few singers/rappers whose entire repertoire of songs will appeal to me. Turned out he didn’t. Other than “Invincible” and “Written in the Stars” (as of end-December 2010), nothing else appealed.

For now, I am utterly in love with “Written in the Stars”. Excuse me while I head back to listening to this song on repeat.

(This is a backdated entry written offline, and published when I – finally – had wireless access.)

The weather here in New Zealand is much, much colder than expected. I found myself horrendously unprepared, and considering how my fellow trip counterparts shivering along with me, so was everyone else.

The temperature dipped to 10 degrees Celsius today. And during the trip thus far, I have never experienced the outdoor temperature rising to anything above 18 degrees.

And it’s supposed to be summer.

Having such cold summers can be quite awesome, though. It is the complete antithesis of Singapore’s hot and humid climate. A welcome change. But only provided if we were prepared with the appropriate thermal wear. (For us equator-dwelling folk, anything below 23 degrees warrants a jacket and below 17 degrees, two. Hurhur.)

Presently, I’m in Christchurch. The weather has cleared up considerably and the blue skies seem to be returning. However, the city is rather messy at the moment due to a strong earthquake (aftershock) that struck the area a couple of days ago.

Danger, keep out.

Several streets were cordoned off, with buildings and businesses shut down due to unstable structures.

An entire row of shops being cordoned off for inspection.

In addition to the earthquake, some freak weather system had hit the whole of New Zealand over the weekend and caused flooding in several areas. Part of the highway we were traveling on was flooded in mid-calf deep water, causing a massive traffic jam that left us stranded for close to forty-five minutes. The weather had also left us stranded indoors for close to two days.

Ah well, let’s call it a case of bad luck. At least, we are all safe and sound.