I’ve heard mighty lots about Vodafone – often favorable – hence deciding to sign up with them.

After lots of research, KISS mobile is the only reliable telco carrier that offers a prepaid, no contract Blackberry Internet Service (BIS) enabled SIM card

They run on Vodafone cell towers and network too.

As most of you would already know, I have been in the city for 2 weeks upon arriving in Melbourne. That was where I had full bars of signal, running on 3G. Excellent reception!

I was so pleased with everything, as none of my emails, instant messaging nor social networking had been affected when I touched down in Australia.

Upon signing up, my SIM card came in the mail the very next day

Oh and just FYI, their customer service is brilliant.

Should you have any problems at all, all you gotta do is to write the enquiry on their website. When I wrote it, it’s actually amazing how the KISS care staff replies me so quickly and personally too.

So far, I’ve never had any issues with their customer interaction; as their friendly staff – namely Peter Griffin – has been extremely informative and helpful! 🙂

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

I also love the way they give me my itemized billing on my call/SMS/data charges so precisely 🙂

So you can actually find out where all your money goes to!

Even better, the method of recharging credit to your phone is so convenient.

I do it via credit card, but there are other options such as paypal, Bpay or even pay it in person at any Post Office.

My advice to any tourist/student/immigrant on Blackberry who plan to reside in Australia for a short period of time (less than a year), is to sign up with KISS mobile.

BUT

Yes, there is a big, big BUT in question.

ZOMG ZOMG what on earth is this!

I didn’t sign up with KISS mobile to have zero signal at my university campus and residence 🙁

If you reside ANYWHERE AWAY FROM THE CITY, please do not sign up with Vodafone, KISS mobile, Crazy Johns or any other carrier equivalent, running on Vodafone network.

I can definitely handle low reception, but NO RECEPTION is just too much!

Just need to yell this out loud and clear

DEAR VODAFONE,

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

IMPROVE YOUR

CELLULAR TRANSMISSION

AND COVERAGE AREAS!

It’s bad enough that my friends and I do not have a single trace of reception at all in most parts of Gippsland, but I can’t believe I have almost non-existent signals in Vermont, Blackburn, Berwick and its counterparts.

I was on the phone with my friends discussing our weekend plans and whaddya know? Call dropped.

I even made my best friend cry, because she thought I wasn’t replying her on Whatsapp anymore.

What a killjoy! Not cool guys, not cool.

Please, your establishment has impeccable customer service, benefits, call plans and everything else.

The only thing that will steer your customers away are your POOR TRANSMISSION 🙁

Comparatively, my friends on OPTUS or TELSTRA has full hi-speed 3G signals; while I am only down to nothing, or if I’m lucky, GSM and GPRS here in Churchill and edge (not EDGE, mind you) in Morwell and Traralgon.

Does this mean that customers will have to keep travelling to the city

just to get the mobile signals we deserve? 🙁

It sucks that I have to walk out of my residence and stand in a particular spot e.g under a specific tree, stick my hand out of the window in the carpark, walk around like a quantity surveyor to locate spots that Vodafone ACTUALLY has enough transmission to receive an SMS and so on.

Come on, it’s ridiculous doing this in the year 2011. Say, 1991 and I will understand the constrains of technology.

DO SOMETHING VODAFONE, PLEASE!

I IMPLORE YOU TO

Houmaigawd holy bejeebus it's freezing and the thick cashmere gloves that I'm wearing is not making it easy for me to type at all.

The heating system has just been turned on but the ice-cold wind wouldn't stop howling, and vapor fogged out from our mouths as we spoke to each other.

Throughout my stay in Melbourne so far, there was only 3 outta 11 days that had somewhat warm/sunny weather. The rest of the days was just blistering with gushes of cold wind and rain… you call this summer? 🙁

Anyway, I miss the city! Badly!

Driving past Melbourne city for the very 1st time

I spotted lotsa pretty sights and sounds all around me! The transport system is cool and buildings here look really colonial -a different architecture from Malaysia's altogether!
 

Take a look 🙂

People waiting for the tram – which arrives under 10 minutes flat!

Melbourne's General Post Office. It has restaurants and bars in it too! 😉
 

Funny/unique names!

Saw a railway track like, right across the middle of the road

Drove past the Flinders Street Station yay! Nice

Couldn't help taking a picture of this old man jaywalking the streets

It was so nice of Mr. and Mrs. Lee to take me for a drive into the city center just to lemme have my 1st sight of it on my 1st day in Melbourne. I lived with them for more than a week, they were so accommodating and made me feel so at home 🙂
 

So yeah, here I was for those 9 days of my stay. In a beautiful suburb, called Camberwell 🙂

Their humble abode, a very impressive double-storeyed brick house in my opinion!

I was pretty intrigued by their garage, hedges and gateless/fenceless neighbourhood.

In fact, almost every house has all of those.

Their neighbour, 2 Italian men! Hubba hubba!

And their suburbs are different from the one in Malaysia because the houses here are hardly terraced. It's like an entire house with a backyard and lawns which run throughout the sides. Back at my home country, those types would be considered a bungalow already.
 

But here, almost all landed properties are constructed as such.

My room! 🙂 Yes I know, the clothes, the mess and my huge red luggage

The view from my window when I wake up in the mornings 
 

When the Lee's ain't around at home, I pass my time blogging, jogging in Lynden Park (more of that soon!) and playing with Ruffey.

Who's Ruffey? As mentioned here , it is their pet dog, a Japanese Chin.
 

Ruffey here isn't a puppy anymore.
 

He's a 12 year old dog in human years, which makes him 84 years old in dog years!

Now, that's pretty old, ain't it?

I see him on the carpet every morning while eating my breakfast

We bond pretty well despite Mr. Lee telling me how grouchy and territorial it can get.

I honestly don't see Ruffey in that light at all. It's actually very friendly to me!

I've even taken Ruffey out for a walk at Lynden Park too.

Dinnertime was at Chadstone Shopping Center (fondly known as Chaddy) a popular mall in Malvern East.

I superloved that mall!  Totally reminded me of One Utama Shopping Center back at home.

Sorry, only took pictures of the food zone because I was too busy shopping to take pictures 😛

As a Malaysian, I couldn't help converting the prices I see here into Ringgit Malaysia (RM).

I multiply everything I see – according to the exchange rate – by 3 times.

The only way I reckon I can stop doing that is to get a part time job here… which I will. When I find one 😀
 

Omelette Sandwich | AUD$9.90

THAT'S 30 BUCKS IN RM FOR SOMETHING AS MEAGRE AS THIS! *faints*

Since it was my first meal out in Melbourne, I guess the figures hadn't really gotten to me yet.

So I bought some salad after that

Pumpkin Chick Pea Salad | AUD$5

THAT'S 15 RINGGIT FOR THIS TINY CONTAINER OF COLD BITES.

Good heavens, I can get some elaborate food in a swanky restaurant for RM45 back at home 🙁

Oh well. What am I to do? I only have 3 choices. Get a job, get used to this or get lost.

Mrs. Lee and I at Chaddy.
 

It was funny how after Sunday service (yes they brought me to church) at Clayton Church of Christ, my new mates and I decided to go to Chaddy. AGAIN, for me. LOL!

But hey, I didn't mind at all cos I actually fancy that place 😉

 Lunchtime/teatime woots! Heading towards Chaddy 😀

Camwhoring with Tim! 😉 We hopped into his car and he gave me a ride

As we had a BBQ early lunch already in church, Tim and I were still feeling quite full

But not Stuart! 😛 He ordered some huge Beef Steak

At Reactor in Chaddy 🙂

We got a complimentary basket of Garlic Bread wheee!

'Cos Stuart knew one of the staff who worked there

Tim and I munching on free Garlic Bread woohoo

After eating, Tim had to leave early. Stuart and I then walked around Chaddy and he showed me around!

This part of the mall reminded me of Pavillion/KLCC back at home.

Somehow lah! 😛 Gave me a feeling of home for a sec

Bought a couple of stuff and soon after, Stuart gave me a ride home

It was already 5pm! Didn't know we all spent so much time in the mall

Oh and did I mention that Stuart had this really awesome car? It's wicked! I like

Obsessive compulsive disorder and devil's code 666!

Nais

So that was my short adventure in the suburbs. The next day, Stuart took me to another suburb too, called Glen Waverly. More of that soon okie? Next post, I'll be heading downtown to Melbourne City alone! Exploring so many sights and sounds. 🙂

Join me, aight? See ya! 

Okie since today is the 14th day of Chinese New Year (we have altogether 15 days!), I reckon it's still somewhat relevant to share some more piccies of my CNY celebrations with thefockers and some homies whom I caught up with before my departure to Melbourne.

Happy Year of the Rabbit 2011 again to the fellow celebrators of CNY!
 

I hope you fellow Chinese folks enjoy tomorrow, which is 'Chap Goh Meh'  (15th and final day of the Lunar New Year). Legend has it that if young, unmarried ladies throw tangerines into the sea, their future spouse will be the one who pick it up. LOL

Perfect excuse to throw 'em oranges at people ey 😛 Whooops!
 

Taken with a plushie of 'Choy Sun Ye' (God of Prosperity)

Unbelievable as it may sound, one of the many  things I miss about Malaysia is our constant (but absurdly hot) sunny weather. We can head out from home wearing anything we want without a care in the world.
 

But ever since I've been here for the past 5 days, it's been freezing cold for half a day, freakishly hot for the next few hours with torrid sunlight and cool for the rest of the day.

Now I've no choice but to bring at least a jacket or cardigan – if not my coat – out with me

Yup, the weather here IS indeed as unpredictable as they say and as weird as it may sound, the question, "How's the weather today?" is actually something substantial to talk about.

Unlike back home in Malaysia, it is practically a joke if someone actually asks you that -__-"

I miss putting on my sunnies throughout the whole day and wearing a sundress out in Malaysia

Thankfully, I bought a long coat here to keep me warm already. It's made of cashmere & wool and I actually look very different in it! I like it very much as I somehow imagine myself as a Gossip Girl character trudging down the streets of Manhattan in the cold when I put it on 😛 😛

Okay, time to burst my bubble of fiction. Will show you piccies of it soon, ye?

P/S : shopping is lovely here!!!!

So yes, apart from missing the insanely tropical weather in Malaysia, I miss the food too.
 

No way in hell imma spend AUD $18.90 (RM57.60) on a plate of Wan Tan Mee, Nasi Lemak or Char Koay Teow! The prices of food is so hefty that I had to bleed from my nose paying for it

aaahhh. Malaysian Chinese food. Never thought I'd miss them all
 

Some of the Chinese New Year food I ate early this month!
 

Louuuuuuu Saaaaang!!

Steamed white pomphret fish and demonic-looking roasted piglet below
 

"U will have no sweet dreams if you eat me"
 

Which is why I usually cook my own simple meals now, microwave certain food, drink soup or eat a sandwich instead, healthier and more affordable! (here's to hoping it helps in my diet har har har 😛 :P)
 

So when in Ozzieland, I totally subscribe to my new-found principle:

"Eat like a pauper, shop like a Queen & party lika rockstaaar!"

But I love the fact that I'm brisk-walking more than usual now.

The nearest tram stop is about 8 minutes away from my doorstep and the closest railway which is the Hartwell train station, is 15 minutes away. Gone are the days where I can just hop into my car and speed off to where ever I intended to go, back in Malaysia.
 

Everything is different now.

But that's what adapting is all about.

Here are some more of the things I miss back in Malaysia, it is impossible to name all!
 

I miss…. my family
 

 whooops I think I just slayed my mom with fire

cousin Maddy 😀

camwhoring at the table with mom in the background
 

Mom joins! 🙂

Some of thefockers 🙂
 

More of thefockers
 

Even more of thefockers!
 

Happy birthday granny!!
 

 70 years old tomorrow 🙂 and she's having fun in Genting Highlands as we speak! $$$$
 

I miss…. home
 

In one of the busy but small town of Penang island… is where I call home!
 

I miss… my friends
 

Some of the homies!
 

On the way to Belissa Row to meet the rest of them

I miss… my dogs
 

Penny the silky terrier and Rocky the labrador-retriever

*tickles Penny*

 

Although I'm living with Ruffey, a Japanese Chin and occasionally Kiko, the pug mix (pics of them soon!) now, nothing compares to Penny and Rocky whom I've come home to for many years.
 

Everything's still abuzz… likened to a bright colourful whirlwind of excitement.

What can I say? It has only been 5 days.
 

I guess the dust hasn't settled yet when I'm out and about; bounding the city and the suburbs all the time.

And when it does, it's time to go home. 5 months will go by in a blink… I'm certain
 

G'dday 😀

Just so you know, I've not been killed in a bushfire or died of culture shock in Australia 😛

I've actually had so much fun for the past few days and I'm glad I've been adapting well, fit just like a shoe!
 

Ever since I stepped foot on Ozzieland, so much has been happening!

There were so many places to go, so many awesome people I've met, so many pictures I've taken, so many videos I've shot, so many things I've done, so many stuff I've bought 😀

So don't worry! I've got so much things to tell you about and to share with you dear readers 😀 😀
 

It's been a crazy ride so far and have I mentioned how freakin' cold it is? Yeah, it went down to 10 degrees celcius one night.

Tomorrow's the first day of orientation in Monash University, Clayton and I've gotta be up by 7am (4am | Malaysian time) and out the door by 8am… that's insane! LOL All because I wanted to take a morning walk and hop on a tram & Metro buses to get to the campus instead of having someone pick me up.

Silly I know, but ohwells… all for the experience!

I'll promise to update with more stuff tomorrow, aight? But if you wanna stay updated on lotsa pictures, exciting stuff I've done and places I've been so far, it's all up on my Twitter timeline!
 

See you there and goodnight peeps

P/S : I'm still not used to the time difference yet! 🙁 Been sleeping so late Australian time and waking up so early. I gotta get my biological clock going well before it messes up even more