Note: All photos are in thumbnails, click them to retrieve the full size photos (1280 * 960).

Before I start the story, I list down the names of NUS ACM ICPC team members for 2003:

Coordinator: Dr Tan Sun Teck (didn't go with us to Japan/Taiwan. He is the coordinator behind the scene)
Coach: Mr Zhu Wenbin (ACM ICPC World Finalist 2000, he has a strong algorithm skill especially in DP and has a lot of experiences in this field)

NUS-SOC Team A:
1. Zhang Kaicheng (ACM ICPC World Finalist 2002. My former team mate in Asia Regional, Singapore 2001. He trained much harder than me and last year he managed to reach World Final with NUS strongest team. This year, he is team A leader.)
2. Guo Yunsong (ACM ICPC World Finalist 2002. He is only a third year undergraduate student but possess programming skill far better than undergraduate level.)
3. Dai Bing Tian (Strong in mathematics related problem.)

NUS-SOC Team B:
1. Steven Halim (me..., has one experience in Asia Regional contest, Singapore site 2001. Never won any major programming competition though...)
2. Teng Junbin (Singaporean, got Bronze medal at IOI 1997, South Africa when he was still in secondary school)
3. Zhang Zhiyong, Melvin (Singaporean, has a strong programming background too)
Reserve: Zhou Junyu

Day 1, (31 Oct 2003)

I call this day as 'traveling' day, from Singapore to Aizu (or more exactly, Koriyama city, find out the details below)...

I wake up very early in the morning (5.30am to be precise) and took taxi to go to Changi Airport. Zhu Wenbin (coach) and Melvin (team mate) are already there. The rest of the team arrive soon afterwards.

From left to right: Zhu Wenbin (coach), Melvin (teammate) + family, Junbin (teammate) + family.

This is the one and only team photo. From left to right: Steven,Melvin,Junyu,Kaicheng,Bing Tian,Wenbin,Yunsong, & Junbin.

Some people said that taking photos during the flight is not allowed... Hm... If I'm not mistaken, the forbidden electronic stuff are those which transmitting something and can interference the airplane navigation system... Anyway, I take a picture of Changi Airport from sky and Malaysia from sky... Actually, this is the first time I travel to the north side of equator.

We have to transit at Chiang Kai Sek Airport (Taipei, Taiwan). We didn't go out from the airport since we didn't have Taiwan visa. Anyway, I can write this on my personal history book: I've stepped my foot in Taiwan, Taiwan airport :p.... hehe....

As soon as we arrive in Tokyo Narita Airport, we have to rush to buy JR East train pass (JR = Japan Rail, Japan biggest rail company, far bigger than Singapore MRT). Unfortunately we didn't manage to catch the only Shinkansen train that will allow us to reach Aizu in time (it's 20:50 and the train departs at 20:51, there is no way we can dash in to the platform within one minute).

This is the famous Shinkansen "bullet train", it's fast, comfortable, precise arrival timing, and sooooo expensive -_-'''. Japan rail system is acknowledged as the most complex

We arrive at Koriyama Station at 23.00, too late for us to catch the last train to Aizu (the place we supposed to stay that night...), sigh... since all of us didn't want to spend 5000 Yen/person to find a hotel, we decide to stay outside Koriyama Station until the first train arrive next day (5.50am).

The weather in Japan is very cold (at least for me) ~ 15-20 degrees Celcius, and the air is very (very) dry... I'm always thirsty there and Japan businessmen know this, therefore you can find Vending machines like the one in the photos in almost every corner of the street...

First food in Japan... Yoshinoya Beef Bowl :p..., You can find this in Singapore too actually...

We spend the night (12.00am to 5.30am) outside Koriyama Station... Some of us playing cards, reading books, telling stories (Hey, the story telling game is interesting..... Maybe I will play this game again to kill time if I stuck in a train station again in the future...)

Day 2, (1 Nov 2003)

Arrive at Aizu

Sleep from 8-11 because we didn't (or more precisely, we can't) sleep last night

Practice session, 'testing the judge'

Java Challenge "Snake & Rabbit", Interesting competition, but our snake stuck -_-'

Reception dinner

Last minute briefing

Sleep

Day 3, (2 Nov 2003)

Contest day

Our team (NUS-SOC team B) solve 3 out of 8, I didn't manage to solve a problem

Got honorable mention, the experience is more important anyway...,

Sight seeing at Aizu, Tsurugujo Castle, anyway, that blue balloon is Melvin's not mine...

Awards dinner & closing ceremony

Walking around Aizu downtown at night...

Me in kimono

Day 4, (3 Nov 2003)

Move to Tokyo, we find a hotel (Hotel Green Capital) near Ueno station

Me & Kaicheng with Tokyo Station terminal in the background

Sightseeing at Tokyo Edo-Jo castle

Return to hotel

Sight seeing @ Ginza

Day 5, (4 Nov 2003)

Wake up in the morning, go to base of Mountain Fuji, can't go up, no bus....,

So we go around lake Kawaguchi and visit one small mountain around Mt Fuji

Back to Tokyo, visit Shinjuku: Takasihmaya Times Square, Isetan, then short trip to Shibuya district, take some photos, and then go back to Ueno (hotel).

Sony Playstation and Sony Aibo... click the picture to see how expensive this intelligent dog is.

But soon afterwards, some of us go for another tour to Tokyo Tower...

It's an expensive sight seeing :p, but it's nice to go up there...

Drinks @ Japan, this photo is taken on my final day of Japan trip.

Day 6, (5 Nov 2003)

Wake up in the morning, go to Ueno station and take train to Narita Airport, almost late because of unforeseen circumstances....., 3 hours flight to Taipei, 4 hours flight to Changi.... end of Japan trip for NUS team B.

@ Tokyo Narita Airport departure hall