If only it was as cool as "Destination Unknown" sounded. Honestly, I found it very third-world. It stank all day round. The environment was so dirty, even our hotel rooms were dirty.
Tanjung Pinang became my home for 2 weeks in June while filming the current-airing kid's drama, Stranded. This is a story about a bunch of kids being stranded on a mysterious island after their boat capsized during a thunderstorm. I play their 19-year-old camp counsellor, Huimin.
The braids did take 10 years off my age, no? :p
Now that I'm reminded of our hotel, boy... Was it bad! Sadly, we had to make do with the circumstances and regard the hotel as our haven. Because it came down to this - we either recuperate in our rooms after a long day's shoot under the sun on a third-world deserted island, or we sleep on the boat and in between scenes.
Hygiene was seriously lacking at this place, so I'm all the more proud we survived!
I was told not to expect a 5-star hotel, but what I wasn't told was that the hotel didn't even have ONE star to begin with. Hence, I travelled with no toiletries except my toothbrush. *pats myself on the back*
The only toiletries provided were toilet rolls and these bottles of green soap liquid. "Kryptonite", a fellow actor called it. When he found out I was using Kryptonite to shower because no one briefed me about the hotel's "conditions", he said I had "testicular fortitude". Hahaha! That was when I found out no one else used that ugly green goo besides me!
Luckily that happened only one the first day. Poor hair, poor skin... little did I know this was just the beginning!
Since I'm on the topic of showering, don't you hate how water runs cold halfway while you are enjoying a warm shower? Yep! That happened E.V.E.R.Y.T.I.M.E. Even after the technicians "fixed" it.
Anywhere that could have dust had dust. Our sinks, mirrors, toilet bowls... Anywhere that could have stains had stains. Bedsheets, toilet bowls, sinks, blankets, bathroom floor. Anywhere that could have rust had rust. Yes, our shower head included! I'm just glad I didn't find algae on mine!
The Internet connection was consistent with the hotel's image. 'Nuff said. I also heard that the hotel owner switches it off when he leaves work and switches it back on only when he comes in, so after 10/11pm, it was impossible for us to connect with the rest of the world.
Our towels and laundry sometimes came back damp and warm, as though the hotel's dryer broke down halfway. Sometimes, I don't get towels because they "ran out of towels". The staff even took the liberty to write our room numbers on our clothes! Now I keep seeing "114" on my t-shirts, bras, panties, shorts! -.- Some of my socks went missing too. I believe that's because they found no space to write my room number on them without making it look too obvious. -.-
The flask for boiling water looked like it was older than me. All of us just resorted to drinking the mineral water from the production room for the whole time we were there.
You know what's the icing on the cake? Don't mean to sound cliche, but the hotel was very spooky. Go see what some of my co-actors have to say about it...
You would think I came back to Singapore happier than I did as compared to every single one of my other trips. Damn straight I did! But what you don't know is that I also went through this whole experience way happier than I thought!
Because of them. :)
Let me introduce the main cast of Stranded and my beloved new-found friends! It's funny how we are all of different ages, but we clicked so well!
Jermaine Leong. She's half my age!
Shelia Tan. Super talented, hardworking girl.
Shawn Tok, our superstar.
Jeremy Chui, the most endearing one of all!
Sebastian Sim, our big brother.
We missed each other so much after returning to Singapore. Hahaha! I guess that was our only regret for returning. We were tight. So tight that Jermaine and I took a dump in the woods together. Filming in a third-world setting did have its perks after all! :)
Follow me on Facebook where I will be posting our behind-the-scenes photos! Stranded airs every Sunday on channel 8 at 11pm.
Imma rule the world with my big glasses and backpack!
Catch the latest ep on xinmsn where I played a very nerdy Huimin again! :p
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