Wassup Nat?

What I think I do - Part 2

2012-02-17T01:27:00.000+07:00

Here is one that represents the work I do - animal charities.

What I think I do?

2012-02-15T01:26:00.001+07:00

There has been a wave of "What I think I do" posts on Facebook lately. There's been a nice one for doctors, which kinda can be applied to vets a bit. But not quite, so I created one!

Here you go, enjoy!

2011 in review

2012-01-11T23:39:00.001+07:00

What? Its 2012 already? ... what have I achieved in 2011?

1. Time off from work

Its been my fourth year at work in Bangkok, and also one of the most exhausting time. So I decided that I needed a break to get refreshed and took a 6 month sabbatical from work. It has been good times - mostly spent it with family and friends back home, some travelling, and mostly relaxing. It definitely has been the break I needed to get rid of the exhaustion. But had it refreshed my motivation for work? Remains to be seen...

2. Travelled to 8 different countries

Although with the sabbatical from work, there was still a lot of travel during work (and some during break). This year it includes 3 new countries too - Italy, Ghana and New Zealand!

Places I have been in 2011:

Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Rome and Turin, Italy (part work, part holiday)
Accra, Ghana (only work though)
Cebu, Philippines
Taipei and Green Island, Taiwan (holiday)
Singapore (meet friends)
All over New Zealand (major holiday!)
Jakarta and Borobudur, Indonesia

And I've learnt that I might be too old now for true backpacking. Better just stick to budget hotels.

3. Loss interest in hobbies

Well, not an achievement, but a significant change in the year. I think I've lost my motivation for photography or blogging. New equipment, software, joining new groups, etc, just didn't do it for me. But that said, no matter how depressed one gets, there's always someone worse off. Don't worry, I'm still me :)

4. Bungee jumping!

Oh, did this while in New Zealand. It was really terrifying at first, but of course I had to do it! And I plunged into the water below too. This should really be on everyone's bucket list. Would I do it again? You bet! If only it wasn't so expensive to go jump off a bridge.

Lets hope for a brighter 2012! Perhaps a more drastic change? Hmm...

Heli-hike on Franz Josef Glacier

2011-11-17T03:09:00.001+07:00

One of the fantastic experience in New Zealand is Heli-hiking up on the glacier. Franz Josef glacier is located on the West Coast of South Island in New Zealand. It is situated within the rainforest climate of New Zealand, which means it gets quite a lot of rain over the years. But these rain actually help make the glaciers.

The glaciers itself is beautiful and much more expansive and huge than any photos can show. It is constantly moving, which is why you can hear cracks, falling ice and even small waterfalls from the melted ice.

A Heli-hike involves taking a helicopter up the the top of the glacier and then a guide brings you to climb around the glaciers, exploring the nooks and crannies of formed ice caves.

Even though sitting in a helicopter and looking down, it the glacier still looks small until you see another helicopter flying around, then you'll get an idea of how massive it really is.

I'm not sure if you're allowed on the glaciers on your own, but having a guide is really the only safe (and sane) choice. With experience, they know which areas are safe to step on without having any ice fall on you, or falling into the crevice of melted ice. Trust me, its worth it.

A guide will also explain the different landscapes around the glaciers and show you things you'd never expect. Like a small stream of melted ice.

Or the best thing on the glaciers, going through an ice cave! The pressure from the formation of the glacier produces this nice blue tinge (which turns white after exposure to the sun). So, finding a blue ice cave that you can slide through is amazing!

If you ever go that way, I'd definitely recommend a hike over the glacier (either Franz Josef or Fox Glacier, both should be equally good, but also depends on your luck with the weather!). The helicopter ride is a bonus, where you get to experience the massiveness of the glaciers and take in the entire glacier.

Pretty cool forest

2011-10-20T02:03:00.001+07:00

Some forests in New Zealand are pine forests. These pine trees are not native to the country, but was brought in by early European settlers to replant the area so it would 'look better'. Some of these pines grew so well that it became pests and a danger to the native plants and wildlife.

Anyway, regardless, it is still pretty cool to walk through a pine forests, especially when the lower areas are covered with some kind of fluffy algae (or moss) and made the atmosphere look somewhat greenish.

Peace Pole in New Zealand

2011-09-26T15:09:00.000+07:00

Remember sometime back when I posted about "Peace Poles"? Well, this time I've unexpectedly come across yet another Peace Pole.

This Peace Pole is situated in front of the YHA in Tongariro National Park, New Zealand. It is definitely an amazing place for a Peace Pole, very scenic with the mountain range in the background and definitely a very peaceful place to be!

Where else will I find my next Peace Pole?

Mountains in the morning

2011-09-20T18:34:00.000+07:00

I am loving Kaikoura, New Zealand so far. Imagine waking up in the morning and finding this view outside your room each day!

Seals!

2011-09-18T18:17:00.000+07:00

There's so much wildlife in Kaikoura, New Zealand. Walking around the coast, you'll bump into a colony of fur seals. And they smell too.

Whales!

2011-09-15T18:08:00.001+07:00

Finally the weather is nice enough on Kaikoura, New Zealand to go on a whale watching tour. The sea was still rough, but it was so worth it to see these majestic giant creatures (even if you only see the top of their head, and tail)

Rotorua

2011-09-13T10:08:00.000+07:00

Rotorua is a town in New Zealand's north Island that is famous for its thermal grounds. There are lots of hot springs here and lots of places with thermal activities. A walk around the park, and you can see lots of steam (stinky though), some boiling water, lots of gas escaping and sometimes even what looks like boiling mud. There is a small place where the temperature is right for soaking tired legs.

For more information, visit their website:http://www.rotoruanz.com/

Lady Knox Geyser

2011-09-10T09:16:00.002+07:00

There is a geyser called Lady Knox that goes off at about 10.15am daily near to Rotorua, New Zealand.

This attraction is part of the "thermal wonderland" of Wai-O-Tapu. It normally costs NZD 32 for the admission. However, since the geyser is outside the rest of the park, you can watch it for FREE if you know where to find it (just ask around, its about 2km away).

This geyser would normally erupt once every few days, but a staff from the park help set it off by adding some detergent into it (eco-friendly detergent, apparently).

It doesn't erupt immediately after adding detergent. It still took about 10 minutes before water shoots out and mixes with the cold air to have lots of steam surrounding it. But it was pretty cool anyway. The other place you can see geysers is in the US.

Super Loo in New Zealand

2011-09-08T16:05:00.001+07:00

Travelling across New Zealand you'll take in all the scenery. Beautiful mountains, lakes, forests, hills and animals. And then it confuses you when they throw this into the middle of the town!

A little bit of Kiwiland

2011-09-03T18:45:00.001+07:00

The silver fern, symbol of NZ

Beitou, Taiwan Hotsprings

2011-08-23T00:11:00.005+07:00

Beitou, Taiwan is just north of Taipei, about 1 hour in the MRT from downtown (TWD 35, or just RM3.50). This area is known for its hot springs. Even the air stinks of sulphur sometimes.

You can opt to go visit the outdoor hot springs, which is normally full of local people, or you could enjoy one of the many spas at the area.

Most hotels here also provide hot spring water directly into your bathtub!

So, if you're too lazy to climb up the hill to an outdoor hot spring, or don't want to face the crowds there, you can still relax and enjoy the springs right in your own hotel room.

Cutting Creativity

2011-08-12T01:07:00.002+07:00

One must have a lot of talent to create a masterpiece so quickly with just a pair of scissors. This woman cuts silhouettes of her customers on the spot in Taipei, Taiwan.

The final piece!

Taiwan's Night Market

2011-08-06T22:52:00.002+07:00

Taiwan is famous for its night market. Here's a picture of Ximending right in the centre of the city!

Dawg

2011-08-04T04:48:00.002+07:00

Just a picture of a dog here. Enjoy

Photo taken at SPCA Selangor

Night Market

2011-07-31T04:35:00.002+07:00

Here's a photo taken at the pasar malam (night market) in Kinrara, Puchong.

Bangkok by Night

2011-07-29T01:38:00.003+07:00

Here's some photos of Bangkok by night. Taken from Lebua Hotel. That river is the Chao Phraya river.

Just Migrated

2011-05-24T13:03:00.004+07:00

I just migrated to a Mac and I'm having a hard time finding for the right software to use to update my blogs. I previously used Microsoft Live Writer, which was fantastic, but of course they wont make it run on a Mac. Took it for granted how easy it was to write a post or publish a photo. Argghh!

Looks like I have to blog online now (which I hate, cos it all goes wonky and layout just doesn't work properly). Or else I might think of another migration... to another server. Any suggestions?

Remembering those who fell in Kanchanaburi

2011-02-23T00:00:00.002+07:00

A recent trip to Kanchanaburi was for a workshop, but we had time off one evening to go to the museum, the cemetery and the popular bridge (i.e. bridge over the River Kwai – also a movie).
During World War II, the Japanese invaded South East Asia and brought many POWs to Kanchanaburi to build a railroad that joins Thailand to Myanmar.

The museum had a lot of information on the building of this bridge and train line. Also a lot of focus on the sufferings of British, Australian and Dutch POWs (and a few Canadians and New Zealanders). In a smaller corner of this museum, they had the statistics of the actual number of POWs – guess what, most of those are from Malaysia! There was about 180,000 Asian POWs (most from Malaysia!) and more than half of those died in Kanchanaburi (as compared to 60,000 POWs from western countries, and about 15% died).
Anyway, this is still a very moving place to be.

At last, a small monument to remember at least the Chinese that fell on this place.

Happy Chinese New Year!

2011-02-06T01:58:00.001+07:00

Its the year of the rabbit – so Happy New Year all!

Beauty in Nature

2011-01-23T23:51:00.002+07:00

I went to Taman Negara some time ago. Besides looking for animals or doing the canopy walk, there are many more things around us that are naturally beautiful. One only has to open up your eyes and learn to see it.
Here are some pictures. Enjoy!

2010 in review

2011-01-11T03:04:00.006+07:00

2010 has been a tough year with lots of incidents and challenges, but hey, it will only make me stronger. Lets see what I’ve done so far last year…

1. Working and living in a foreign country for the third year

Can’t believe it has already been 3 years. Time zipped by so fast, yet still feels surreal living in Bangkok. Heck, my Thai is still as basic as the next tourist.

However, a lot of work has been piling up and I’ve finally felt the real meaning of ‘burnt out’ (those close to me can tell the difference). I need a long break and time to reflect on my work-life balance. And the changes within the organisation in the last year does not help, as change is unsettling and we still cant see the end of the tunnel.

2. Travelled to 10 countries (if you count Taiwan and China as separate)

As you’ve probably noticed (if you’re one of the few returning readers) that I’ve left the list of my travels on the right hand side of my blog. These are the places I’ve travelled to in 2010, including 2 new countries - Laos and Taiwan (er, Taiwan counted?).

Here’s the summary:

Singapore
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Koh Tao and Koh Phangan, Thailand (holiday)
Kathmandu, Nepal
Luang Prabang and Vientiane, Laos (holiday)
Tai Chung and Taipei, Taiwan
Shihezi in Xinjiang, China (beautiful)
London, UK
Manila and Cebu, Philippines
Bali, Indonesia

Conclusion: Xinjiang is normally off the tourist trail, but its a really beautiful place. Would like to take the time and holiday here sometime (would be good for photography too). Taiwan is also a nice place to go to, it is cheaper than I thought but at the same time very civilised.

I need to take more holidays.

3. Delivered my Dad’s eulogy

Yes, it is not something someone looks forward to, but I’m glad I have gathered my strength to deliver this. He is my hero and I needed to tell everyone what a great person he was (not that it needs mentioning to those that have met him before).

It was such a sudden and unexpected thing and accepting it is the hardest part. And I don’t know how long it would take me to trust any doctors in government hospitals (namely, Serdang Hospital) again.

Better to die a hero than live like a vegetable. (gloomy, I know). I miss you, Dad.

The other thing that this incident did was that I’m now responsible for my family and our home. While filling out forms, the section of “head of household” has taken me aback and woke me up. Someone has to step up to the plate now.

It also makes you realise how important family is. Luckily extended family is not far away. Thank you, famiLee :)

4. Blogged and photographed?

Well, due to hectic workload, being burnt out from work and the incident (above), blogging has taken a back seat. I realised that I’ve blogged less than half compared to previous 2 years.

My photography has also drastically slowed down in 2010, even though I still love it in my heart and occasionally read up about it in magazines and books. I need more motivation and find myself wondering where it went.

Lets see if these will pick up again in 2011.

5. Own property and a business

Yeap, I’m a home owner and a business partner. I’ve always wanted to go into these, but you can also say that the incident with my Dad has made me push myself more. So far so good, lets see where this year will take me with these.

Overall summary: lots of ups and downs (mostly downs) in 2010. Its been a tough tough year, and here’s hoping 2011 is better.

Happy new year!

Dragonfly

2010-12-21T02:42:00.002+07:00

Dragonflies are everywhere, especially near bodies of water – a pond, lake or river. Take a trip on one of Bangkok’s floating market and you’ll come across lots of dragonflies.
They’re one of the hardest to photograph because they move so fast and so small that you actually would do better with a macro lens. But with some help of the crop tool and after a million photos, I finally got a nice one. (well, could do better with the composition, but happy that this turned out pretty sharp).
Here it is.

Guess this contraption

2010-11-22T03:09:00.003+07:00

Guess what this contraption is?

Post your answers in the comments section (click on footprints left behind). And the winner will receive a postcard from me!

I C Drugs

2010-11-08T23:11:00.002+07:00

The name of a pharmacy in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Mooncake Festival

2010-10-24T00:43:00.002+07:00

Mooncake festival, or what is better known as the mid-autumn festival, was on 22nd September this year. It is traditionally the harvest festival in China, but also celebrated by many Chinese descendents overseas. Read more about it in the link provided.

It is a time to eat mooncakes (hence the name of the f estival). The classical mooncake is one made of lotus paste, but now I’m surprised by the many varieties out there in the market, including the popular durian version in Thailand. The traditional ones are becoming rare! And I miss my mum’s homemade ones too.

It is also a time to hang lanterns. A popular thing with kids. While I was young, I remember playing with paper lanterns and some cartoonish ones made with wires and coloured plastic paper. Also a time to play with candles – an excuse to play with fire. These days, lanterns come in so many varieties including battery operated ones!

When lighting lanterns, be careful not to cause fires!

But above all, it is an excuse to get together with family and friends.

Greenwich Meridian (0°)

2010-09-06T01:31:00.003+07:00

Greenwich meridian is the start of how we calculate longitude. It may not sound important, but without that we won’t have time or your GPS would not work. This Greenwich is in London and I went there for a visit last month.

Its cool to see where the line begins. It’s marked on the floor (unfortunately there’s a stupid long queue just to take pictures of yourself standing on the line).

Anyway, its still a nice visit as there’s the planetarium, the nice view and nice cool buildings too.

And you can touch the oldest thing on earth!

I’m in Xinjiang, China

2010-08-21T23:42:00.002+07:00

It’s weird that just a few days ago I was enjoying myself on Perhentian Island and driving along the coastal road on the East coast of Peninsula Malaysia. Then I ended up here in Xinjiang province of China, the area that is most remote from any seas or ocean! What next?
Oh, by the way, there’s still no way to get to Facebook or Blogger in China (have tried proxy – but didn’t work!). So, I don’t know if this will get posted. Hope so.

Day trip to Malacca

2010-08-04T02:09:00.002+07:00

Malacca (or Melaka in Malay) is a nice place for a day trip. And, of course, as a Malaysia, we travel for food!
First stop, chicken rice balls. There’s always a long line here.

But it was worth it. The place was cool, food was good – even though there weren’t enough “balls”.

After that, some chendol with gula melaka… mmm… what else is better on a hot hot day?

At that time is the ‘chung’ festival too – so the nyonya kind is available.

Then you probably see trishaws quite extravagantly decorated (and some with very loud music too) everywhere!

Then you have the creative ones who actually sell advertising space (think of the apprentice!). Smart move.

Wassup meets VatSop!

2010-07-28T00:55:00.000+07:00

Finally found a Wat for this blog… meet temple Vat Sop!!

Visit it in Luang Prabang, Laos. :)

Warning, no photos!

2010-07-26T00:54:00.001+07:00

A warning sign outside a temple in Laos. Its more than just a sign, look what they threaten visitors with!

That Dam!

2010-07-24T00:53:00.000+07:00

There’s a thing called “That Dam” in Laos. I kid you not.

Its a stupa of some sort. “That” means stupa, so its literally called a “Dam stupa”! Anyway, its not a remarkable monument. In fact its just a small roundabout.

Is it day, is it night?

2010-07-22T00:53:00.001+07:00

There’s something I like about this picture. First time really trying to play with camera settings to make the afternoon sun look very dark :)

5-star hospital

2010-06-28T01:36:00.001+07:00

Medical tourism is a big thing in Bangkok. So, you get a lot of posh hospitals around. Bangkok Hospital is one of them.

A fountain greets you when you arrive at the hospital. And you go straight to the International reception where they speak all sorts of language. And there’s even special section that caters for foreigners – like the whole Japanese section (even the TV is playing Japanese shows).

Bell boys help you to carry your luggage.

If you don’t have enough cash, don’t worry, ATMs are available everywhere.

Cafeteria never looked so good.

And if you don’t like cafeteria food, no worries. There’s Starbucks.

Its so big, you may need a tour to see the place.

And if you’re still bored, there’s always other things – museums, art gallery, or even live entertainment!

And if that doesn’t suit you, maybe you can do some exercise and count how many calories you’ve burnt.

Wonderful waterfall in Laos

2010-06-05T01:41:00.001+07:00

When you go to Laos, particularly at Luang Prabang, you must go to the Kouang Si waterfalls. It would take some bargaining with the tuk-tuk driver, but its well worth spending half a day there particularly on a very hot day. Ok, I don’t have to say anything more, the pictures will convince you better.

Cool eh?

Work work work

2010-05-11T23:44:00.001+07:00

I am browsing through the photos taken during the 10-day trip to Kathmandu, Nepal last month. Took 430 photos altogether. Only now I just realised that they’re all work-related photos!

I wanted to take at least some photos with the new lens (uh huh – ultra wide lens), but didn’t have time. Or maybe I just didn’t put in effort to go out. Its been so long since I just take photos that I like (and actually have time to process them). Maybe that is why this blog is slowing down too. Haven’t even been downloading, sorting and filing photos too.

Gotta start doing it sometime… maybe next week.

Here’s a work-related photo from Nepal. Animals, of course.

Not rice fields

2010-05-02T03:02:00.000+07:00

Living in Malaysia, you can see rice fields everywhere (maybe not much these days though). So you take it for granted when you go somewhere else and see fields of green. Automatically you think its rice. But then you realise there’s something different about it.

Its wheat! (in Nepal)

Donkeys in Kathmandu

2010-04-30T02:55:00.001+07:00

Donkeys are so cute.

And curious

But in Kathmandu, they’re used for work. They work here at the brick kilns.

Many donkeys suffer by having to carry heavy loads each day and being beaten by the donkey carers (who are mostly very young kids, who belong in school anyway).

But at least there are some people working for these donkeys.

Donkey treatment by car light, looked on by kids.

And abandoned donkeys have somewhere to go.

More information available from Animal Nepal.

Wat Po

2010-04-05T01:13:00.001+07:00

If you enter into Wat Po, there’s a little counter where you can donate money and write your name/wish/message on a tile that they would use for renovating this temple.

You write it down with pencil that they provide on the table.

But then, you walk a little bit, around the tree, and you see this guy doing this…

Uh huh! He’s washing the tiles so that they can use it again! Seesh, at least take some effort to hide it somewhere further away from the table lah. But that aside, Wat Po is still worth visiting.

My little room in the new house

2010-03-25T23:57:00.001+07:00

My family moved into our new house in January (yes, that’s the house beside the “hutan simpanan kekal” – hah!). Parents of course took the master bedroom. My brother joined 2 rooms for himself (one of it is for his toys – boys will be boys).

The room they left me must be like an afterthought, “what shall we do with this tiny room? Oh, right, we can let her stay here”. Even the storeroom is bigger!

Anyway, its cheaper to furnish a small room. And since I may not be there too often, I’ll dedicate it to the cats.

Cat platforms for them. To save space, my stuff hangs below.

View from the mirror.

Platform leads to above the door, where they can have a snug snooze.

The sofabed, where they can perch on and watch the world go by outside the window.

Unfortunately, handsome boy Kobe has went out of the house and has not returned since. Its been just over 3 weeks now. If anyone sees him, tell him to come home. We (and the dogs) miss you.

Red Shirt rally around Bangkok

2010-03-20T14:46:00.001+07:00

The red shirts are doing a rally around Bangkok today.

Map taken from here.

Part of the route passes by near where I live. Rallies in Thailand are normally peaceful (even attended by kids). So, I thought this would be an interesting event to watch and photograph.

There are still many supporters of the red shirts. People rushing to the streets, dressed in red or carrying a red handkerchief to wave to the passing rally.

People of all ages were at the rally. Its sort of like a family outing. Even foreigners and dogs joined.

The train station had to close temporarily.

Police were around, of course.

Some people even take advantage of this to make some money.

More photos of the rally:

But, though it is a lot of people, just go back one alley and things feel normal again.

Life goes on in Bangkok

2010-03-14T23:42:00.002+07:00

You hear rumours of the gathering. People warning you to be careful, even stock up on food, just in case. They say that 1 million people will gather. Rumours of violence.
However, life goes on as usual. You get up on Sunday, the day of the red-shirt protests, and nothing feels unusual. News reports from 10,000 to 150,000 supporters have gathered together in protests. It is mostly a peaceful protest. Heck, I even went and watched a movie (Food, Inc – go watch if you want to know about the conspiracy behind food).
Anyway, lets hope nothing else happens. We shall see what happens tomorrow afternoon, when the deadline that they supposedly give the current prime minister to dissolve parliament.
What is true “democracy” anyway?

Changes in KL after 2 years

2010-03-01T16:39:00.001+07:00

Its been 2 years since I started working in Bangkok. Being back in KL after that time, even when I’m back every few months, there are certain changes that I noticed.

In an earlier trip back home, while queuing up at the duty free in the airport (LCCT), the lady behind me produced this stack of money to pay. At first I thought she was trying to pay in Chinese Yuan. But after a close look, what do you know, we now have new RM 50 notes!

Other things I noticed is that there are lots of developments in the outskirts areas. New shopping malls, new housing estates, new high-rises, new highways. So many new ‘happening’ places that I have not heard before. Even familiar places becomes a bit alien. Imagine me telling people, “yes, I know that place”, but after further details I realise I know none of the new landmarks, buildings or roads (except for “Bali” – apparently that reference is still used even if that place has been burnt down 10 years ago). The city is growing - where did all these extra people come from?!?!

Road rage is definitely more prominent than ever. It is becoming a norm that people describe incidences of violence on the road and how drivers try to pull over other drivers to give them a piece of their mind. I always say that Malaysians have split personality while driving (me included), even the most docile person will turn into a foul swearing monster behind the wheel. Nothing much is being done to upgrade our public transport, so more and more people are forced to drive their cars, even with the escalating price of petrol. And KL is definitely more jam than ever (and I forget how stressful it is until I am stuck in one!). Is it really surprising that there is road rage?

More people are speaking English – Malay, Chinese, Indians – more people in KL are just speaking better English these days.

Inflation is horrible. All prices go up. I realise a simple lunch costing more than RM 5 is normal these days (before I left, RM 5 was a bit extravagant). While in Bangkok the prices remain about the same despite the global economic crisis, simple lunch there still costs not more than RM 3. Our currency is being devalued, but does your salary remain the same?? Another thing, I know that the 1 sen coin has been discontinued, but I was surprised when nobody now cares to return your 5 sen change anymore. What is happening to the value of the Ringgit?

Politics – ah, how to summarise this? After the GE 08, each time I read the news its like one of those HK drama series. You never know how the plot twists and you’re always looking forward to the next episode to know what happened. At least people are now more questioning.

Anyway, I’m now back in the land where the switches are terbalik.

Left side is on, right side is off. Confusing huh? (I still am after 2 years!)

Rooftop is closed

2010-02-22T16:46:00.000+07:00

Back in 2008, my office building management always leaves the rooftop doors open. So, once a while we will sneak up there to take a break from mundane work. Our building is 22 storeys and one of the highest around this area, so we do get quite a good view from up there.

But nowadays its always locked. I guess it must be due to the silly things we did up there…

Thaipusam @ Batu Caves

2010-02-20T16:43:00.000+07:00

Timing is right and I find myself in KL again in time for Thaipusam this year. So this year I actually pulled myself outta bed before 5am and went to Batu Caves again (still late, as some of my friends were there from 3.30am!).

What’s different this time? Well, firstly the crowds climbing up were not as crowded, so I managed to actually get up to the caves this time.

Not too crowded at 5am…

Inside the caves…

And the queue coming down from the caves…

And I also noticed a few more details this time round.

Instead of the normal oranges and apples, I saw coconuts hanging on hooks this time. Also saw people carrying chains around themselves. And I also noticed people actually rolling up to the base of the stairs…

Who them proceeded to crawl up the stairs, and finally walk into the temple at the caves.

And finally, I leave you with my favourite pic of the day.

Haircut anyone?

Wii for Mom & Dad

2010-02-18T16:31:00.001+07:00

My bro and I got Wii for Mom & Dad as presents for Christmas (and birthday).

Tiger also wants some of the action.

After opening… they’re still clueless what it is…

Until they tried it out!

But heck, they’d still rather watch those Chinese shows on Astro. So, I might as well play with it when I have the chance :)

May Peace Prevail on Earth

2010-01-08T03:29:00.001+07:00

I saw this in front of a church in Tanzania. I took this picture because I thought some words in Swahili was quite similar to Malay (see if you can figure it out below).

And then I went to Nepal, and saw this same signpost again!

Something mysterious going on here. What is this peace pole? A quick search on the internet, and I found the World Peace Prayer Society and their Peace Pole Project. Now I must go looking for it when I travel ;)

2009 in review

2010-01-05T03:09:00.001+07:00

Time passes by so quickly. Before you know it, another year has gone by. What have I achieved in 2009?

1. Working and living in a foreign country for the second year

Wow – cant believe its been 2 years already. Feels surreal to tell people I’ve been living in Bangkok for 2 years now. Also, one of the oldest expat in office now (many have left). But, I still cant speak Thai – although…

2. Learn a foreign language

Yeap – I enrolled in a beginner Thai class. Now I can tell people that I’m not Thai! However, still a long way to go before I could carry a conversation.

3. Blogged

Yeah, I can’t believe I managed to keep this blog alive. Although I’ve been pretty quiet the last few months, especially in December. OK – I’ve gotta continue and update more frequently about life overseas. Oh yeah, I think I earned about $4 this year from Google ads (hahaha).

4. More responsibility in the job

Uh huh – I’ve got promoted from ‘officer’ to ‘manager’ level (feels like I’ve ‘grown up’). And the role comes with a lot of responsibilities. I’m already feeling a bit overwhelmed now, especially towards the end of the year – if anyone has noticed, I’m barely in Bangkok or have any time on my own! And this blog and my photography is the first to be affected. But the learning curve for me has spiked. I’m now managing several projects on my own, conducting workshops on my own and deciding on how I spend my own budget even. And of course, arranging my own time – yeah, lots of flexibility in this job. I think I’m starting to get a hang of this job – although I wish I had more time for myself.

5. Travelled to 9 different countries

Excluding Thailand and Malaysia, of course. This also includes 2 new countries (Tanzania and Philippines) and several new places. Some places are already becoming quite similar, its blurring together already. I’m starting a new column on the right - “Where have I been in 2010?” – so I don’t lose track!

Here’s the list of travels in 2009:

Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Jaipur and Jodhpur, India (Jodhpur twice)
Chiang Mai, Thailand (twice)
Koh Samet, Thailand (holiday)
Dar Es Salaam and Zanzibar, Tanzania
London, UK
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Kathmandu and Pokhara, Nepal (part holiday)
Hanoi, Vietnam
Beijing, China
Cebu and Bohol, Philippines (part holiday)
Shanghai, China

Conclusion: India is still the most sucky place to go. Philippines is surprisingly very nice. And everyone should do a safari in Africa at least once in their lifetime (and don’t skimp on getting a good guide – it does make a lot of difference).

Oh, and I must add that I managed to stay in Bangkok for an entire month (of June) – which is a big feat by itself!

6. Did paragliding!

Its so cool, everyone should do it. And its not as scary as it seems.

7. Upgraded my camera

Bought a new camera and sold off the old one. Although most picture taking experience is still the same – so therefore, its always the photographer, not the camera that makes a good photo. Also managed to join several microstock agencies and sold a couple of photos (I think I earned like $3 so far). Now, I just gotta take and upload more photos. However, due to hectic schedule, my photography enthusiasm is a little down towards the end of the year (yeah, I’m blaming everything on my workload). Gotta find a way to pick it up again this year. Hmm… would having a Macbook help?

Well, in summary: 2008 brought me lots of new experiences. 2009 gave me a chance to refine those experiences. Lets see what 2010 brings…

Happy 2010!

Little Water Town around Shanghai

2009-12-15T00:30:00.001+07:00

Consider this post a little ‘filler’ for the emptiness lately.

Nearby Shanghai (about 1 hour away) is a cute little ‘water town’ called Zhujiajiao (I think that’s where I went). Its basically houses build along the river, with lots of boats around and nice little bridges across the river. The pic here is a typical scene in the water towns. More to come later on…

When Asians take over

2009-11-20T01:15:00.000+07:00

The artist’s rendition of a new World Trade Tower in New York. Notice something only Asians do when posing for photos? (yeah, I’m trying hard not to do it too often!)

Modern art in Beijing, China?

2009-11-18T01:13:00.000+07:00

Being daring with modern art?

Dolphin watching in the Philippines

2009-11-16T00:41:00.000+07:00

One of the nice things you can do while in the Philippines is to go dolphin watching (provided not too many boats/tourists are out there). But you’ll have to wake up really early (5.30am!) for this opportunity. That’s sunrise time.

After about 20 minutes out on the boat, we spotted a group of dolphins!! It was really nice to see them swimming freely and playing around. They were jumping out of the water, and doing some stunts even (show off!). They followed our boat for sometime, then just swam away.

Chocolate Hills in Philippines

2009-11-14T00:32:00.000+07:00

In Bohol, Philippines, one of the more popular tourist sights is the Chocolate Hills. It is about 30 mins drive from the city to the viewpoint. So you climb up one hill to have a fantastic view of the hills (which turns more brown in the dryer months).

One of the funny thing you can do on this viewpoint is jump right in front of a large screen of the hills. Wonder why nobody does it in front of the real hills???

Plus, why need to climb all the way up here just to jump in front of a screen?

Contradictions

2009-11-11T00:13:00.000+07:00

While in Bohol, Philippines, I took the chance to see around the island. At one point, I jumped on this boat ride up the river. This was the sign on the boat.

But then, sometime later, the boat kind of went to the side towards this little shed by the river. It stopped here for a while, so we can see kids dance and collect donations…

Why do they always contradict themselves?

Prayer Room

2009-11-08T00:10:00.001+07:00

Was in a hotel in the Philippines, and imagine my surprise when I saw this sign.

How thoughtful, I thought. In a country where most are Christians, there’s a Muslim prayer room for guests at the hotel.

So I followed the sign to have a look. This was what I saw.

A prayer room for Christians!! (of course!)

How frustrating!

2009-10-18T23:09:00.001+07:00

Its so weird. I have no access to Facebook, Twitter, and my blog (Blogger) from China. Its like being cut off from the rest of the world!

I wrote the last post through Windows Live Writer. When I clicked on “publish”, it returned with an error message. So I thought that I couldn’t connect to Blogger. Mana tau, I got comments on that post (hope I got it published). So, it must have went through somehow. How frustrating it is not to be able to see your own blog!! arggh!

Anyway, small updates: Beijing is quite cold, and the strong winds will chill you to your bones! The good thing with the winds is that it blows the pollution away, and you get clear skies for a day. The next day, the smog is back and you barely see the sun. However, it was much better than the last time I came in March 08. Can’t imagine what it was like before!!

Ok – leave you with a pic of a free range chicken farm in Beijing.

Arrival in Beijing

2009-10-17T23:24:00.001+07:00

Wah… new airport! Its so massive. A long long walk from the plane to the exit. Although the massive size, it wasn’t planned out so properly. There were definitely some bottle neck at some parts, e.g. when getting down the plane, everyone bottleneck on this narrow escalator (the only way in). But security was quite high, can check people so many times (especially for H1N1 – they were really paranoid).

The first restaurant you see greeting you at the airport – KFC. You expecting something else?

After another bottleneck to use the lift to the taxi stand, there’s a long line for taxis! And it comes in groups. Your batch of taxi comes, you rush to the taxi with all your bags and move on!

Oh, there’s also no connection to Facebook, Twitter or Blogger! (hope this goes through, and if it does, I cant see it to verify anything!)

p.s. I also need a t-shirt that says “I’m MALAYSIAN. I’m not Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Nepalese, Thai… etc”

Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

2009-10-17T00:16:00.000+07:00

There’s a place in Bangkok, often overlooked by tourists, called the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC). Last year, the place was relatively empty, but now it is attracting more visitors, mostly locals. Its pretty cool to see such vibrant art scene here in the city. How’s it like in KL these days?

Its just opposite MBK mall. So you can stop by here if you get tired of shopping (haha – I know some of you wont get tired of that!) or just stop by here half an hour before you begin. Its cool, and its free.

Spirally insides

Modern art – egg trays that suppose to represent ‘fire’ – go figure

Tribute to the King

There’s also outdoor art (see MBK in the background!)

Break dancing in Bangkok

2009-10-13T00:07:00.001+07:00

Its nice to see healthy competition in Bangkok. Groups of youngsters are always practicing their break dancing skills on the BTS walkways. And now they get a chance to show off their talents. There was a competition right in front of the Siam Discovery centre, where the teams square off with each other. Enough said, here’s the pictures!

Feeling uninspired

2009-10-06T00:17:00.001+07:00

Lately I’ve been feeling rather uninspired. Not only to blog, but also to go out to take photographs (besides those for work). Having overwhelming work does not help either. My last set of photos seem to be way back in July (during Nepal trip)!!

Any ideas on how to gain back some motivation to go out and shoot some nice pictures?

H1N1 getting too much hype

2009-09-26T17:47:00.001+07:00

Thailand is hit quite bad with the latest swine flu (oops, suppose to say AH1N1 flu). The latest news is that 160 people has already succumbed fatally to this disease.

Just the word “global pandemic” has caused fear into so many people. Weird trends start to pop up…

Not only do everyday people try to wear the mask all the time (unsuccessfully, as sooner or later they partially pull it down to expose their nose to they can breathe better), but “fashion” masks are now the new trend.

The better way to actually prevent the disease is to avoid touching your face, and washing hands more frequently (wash for at least 30 seconds with soap). Hand sanitizers are being sold out everywhere. And many places, posh shopping malls included, provides free hand sanitizers.

Now you know things are getting out of hand, when every other commercial enterprise just want to get into this trend…

Airlines giving antiseptic towelettes!

Oh, by the way – here’s a story of an infection despite all the mask wearing (note how this story is just a small sub-story). Read more about the effect of the mask here. Remember, masks are more important when YOU are sick to prevent your germs spreading! What is more scary, is the NORMAL flu going around killing 250 x more people than swine flu. Beware!

Vertigo

2009-09-15T03:55:00.001+07:00

Does this make you feel queasy?

No, your eyes has not gone wonky. The glass is made to be tilted. This is served up at one of the highest rooftop bars in Bangkok (63rd floor!). That’s why this place is called “Vertigo”.

Come only if you’re not afraid of heights. The sunset here is magnificent! Take a cab to the Banyan Tree hotel and see it for yourself. One of the must-see places in Bangkok.

Things that make you go HUH?

2009-08-30T21:25:00.000+07:00

Huh?? Anyone knows what they’re trying to make here?

Climbing up to World Peace Pagoda in Nepal

2009-08-28T21:16:00.001+07:00

Notice how the “easy way” is scratched off…

The route up…

There it is! Aahh… should have taken my helicopter…

Hmm… was a cloudy day (rainy season mah)

And finally you can see the nice view of Pokhara and the lakeside from up here. Too bad it was cloudy, otherwise you can see snow-capped mountains in the background! For clear skies, don’t come during rainy season (May – Aug)

Photographing lotus flowers is easy

2009-08-25T23:11:00.001+07:00

My tip is – don’t put the flower right in the centre of your frame and watch your background (should be as clear/simple as possible).

Will look good always!

Worldwide Photowalk in Bangkok

2009-08-17T22:31:00.001+07:00

On July 18th, it was the Worldwide Photowalk. There was a few groups in Bangkok, and quite a number of them filled up fast. I managed to join the group in Chinatown. About 50 people, led by a leader, walked around a set route in Chinatown and snapping photos along the way.

The leader would then select the best photo of the group. No, that is not mine. I have a long way to go. But anyway, enjoy some of the shots I got.

Moving house

2009-08-09T18:39:00.001+07:00

Family is gonna move house soon, but only 5 mins away from the current one. Dad currently busy managing the renovations.

Mom + Dad gonna take the master bedroom with a huge closet (walk in closet?). Bro’s gonna have 2 rooms combined to have more space for his toys. Me? I’m gonna be given the smallest room (also will be the “guestroom”), measuring 9x10 feet! Room colour looks iffy… maybe I can help make it better when I’m back.

Or maybe the cats will be happier to have it.

ATM charges are a rip off in Thailand!

2009-08-03T23:21:00.001+07:00

Lately (since about April) all the ATMs in Bangkok will charge a stupidly high fee for each withdrawal. They’ll charge you THB 150 – and that’s on top of your own bank charges!! So imagine having to pay something like THB 250 per each transaction. You better make full use of each withdrawal and draw out the maximum of THB 20,000 (but you still pay 1.25% extra) each time, and only if necessary.

So please bring more cash into Thailand next time!

And tips for Malaysians – the best exchange rate you can get from here is from K-bank (the rest has really horrible exchange, and a lot of difference too). Calculate from here if you get a better rate in Thailand or Malaysia.

Paragliding in Pokhara, Nepal

2009-07-25T14:23:00.001+07:00

Paragliding seem to be very popular in Pokhara. This is mainly because you can sail around the mountains of Annapurna, which has some of the highest peaks in the world.

It normally costs USD 100 for 30 minutes flight, but I got a 10% discount due to low season. It was monsoon season, so the area was pretty cloudy. The mountain was hiding behind thick clouds for most of the ride.

So they will drive you up the Sarangkot hills for take off. This is also a popular hiking spot to view the mountains.

Birds flying in the air. Which is usually a good sign, because they use the thermals to glide around – which is used by the paragliders to float upwards.

The getting ready and just before take off is the most scary part of the whole thing (like the feeling just before hopping onto a roller coaster).

They strap stuff on you (apparently, its your “chair”). Then the guide says “when I say walk, you walk. When I say run, you run. Don’t sit before we take off”. When its time, he says “walk” and “run” and you’re trying to do as he says, but the sail pulls you in so many directions all at once. Before you know it, you’re hurling yourself off the cliff!!

The sights are fantastic. You float over Pokhara city and the lake, some countryside with paddy fields, and of course, with the mountains in the background (or just a glimpse through the clouds).

My feet in the air!

My pretty sail.

Some part can be a bit nauseating, especially when your guide brings you round and round or worse – doing some aerial stunts/acrobat! If you’re queasy, be sure to warn them before hand! But before you know it, time is up. Then you move towards the landing spot, just beside the lake.

Your guide will tell you how to land. Apparently, there are 2 ways – you can land on your feet or land on your bum (which was what I did, apparently not enough wind or something).

The whole paragliding experience was worth it! And you even got a certificate after flying. Best time to go is after the monsoon season (September onwards) when the sky is clear and you get nice mountain views. But book early!

Namaste in Nepal!

2009-07-21T23:43:00.001+07:00

Namaste! Here are some random sneak preview of Nepal

Farewell, my camera!

2009-07-13T23:59:00.001+07:00

My camera of 2.5 years is finally sold. So many good times, so much memories, so many photos … farewell!

So sad – had to swipe the photo from Ken Rockwell, I don’t even have a photo of my baby…

For those who look down on it (just because its the lowest speck DSLR, and the cheapest too), all I can say is that good photographs depend on the photographer, not the camera. The D40 is small but equally powerful to give you amazing shots, and even though its 6 megapixels, its still enough to print large prints (like magazine covers!). Its a damn good camera. Hope its new owner enjoys it as much as I do.

Anyway, this week I’ll get a new camera – the Nikon D90!

Welcome home, Nat

2009-07-06T00:01:00.001+07:00

What a welcome I had. On the plane before landing the pilot says “SELAMAT PULANG KE TANAH AIR” (Welcome home to your homeland). Aww, feeling warm and fuzzy already…

Then, when I reached home. Not even 5 minutes later (only enough time to put my luggage on the chair), we had a POWER CUT!!

Not only that, the days after that, we had a WATER CUT!!

It had been a long long time before we had any such cuts. Maybe I brought it home???

Wat Pho

2009-07-01T00:22:00.001+07:00

The last time (and first time) I went in here was back in 2007 (as though that was long ago). That time I only had a short time and had to rush to the airport right after. So I saw the reclining Buddha, was satisfied, and went back home.

So I though, I’ve already seen it, what else is there to see? So this time when I went there, I just went in for the sake of seeing it again. But this time, I realised that the Buddha is just 10% of the massive place!

This inside is huge! And its sort of similar to Wat Phra Kaew in the Grand Palace (which you had to pay THB 350), with much much less crowd. This costs only THB 50 per entry, what a steal!

Lots of Buddha statues there… largest collection of Buddha images, according to my Lonely Planet guidebook.

And for some strange reason… plenty of Chinese-influenced statues!

Amphawa Floating Market

2009-06-28T02:53:00.001+07:00

Went to the floating market – at last.

Took a taxi from Bangkok (900 baht return). It was about 2 hours away. Unfortunately, he actually went to one of the touts that has a boat tour going on, which charged THB 1500 for a 1.5 hour trip, and it not even to our choice market (he said it was not open yet). He brought us to another market, Damnoen Saduak, which was actually closed and inactive in the afternoon (amazingly, he forgotten this fact!).

The boat ride was quite nice though.

Then, later the taxi driver brought us to the market. Now, that’s nice, though it was really packed at that time.

I recommend this market if you’re interested in a floating market. Firstly, not many tourists here so you dont get the usual touts. There are some boat rides available, and cheaper too (bout THB 600). But only one thing, you’d have to be able to withstand some horrible singing as there are several open-air river-side karaoke!

Smile, UR in Zanzibar!

2009-06-20T01:04:00.001+07:00

First time I see a welcome greeting at the airport that’s so informal. The person who planted the plants must only know how to spell through txt. Lucky no space for a smiley face :)

A crab on a safari?

2009-06-11T22:41:00.001+07:00

Our guide (cum driver) was taking us around the safari when suddenly he swerved to the side of the road and stopped. Then he looked out the window… what do you know, a crab!

Who’d expect to see a crab on an African safari!?

Apparently they live around the puddles that form in the safari. But they can withstand long time without water too. So, be careful while driving around, you might just accidentally squish one.

Bangkok Shopping Centre - MBK

2009-06-07T03:45:00.001+07:00

Just a bit of a random short post.

This is a pic of MBK or MahBoonKrong.

What’s available inside? Cheap clothing, bags, shoes, underwear (for the ladies), lots of MOBILE PHONES, some camera stuff, some DVDs and some other random stuff. All fake/mass produced stuff, don’t seek for designer stuff here. Can bargain? Yes, of course (if they don’t reduce the price, then ask for more freebies).

How to get there? Take the BTS (Sky Train) to ‘National Stadium’ stop. Entrance directly into the building. Alternatively, you can walk from Siam Paragon (10 mins).

Food? Recommend on 5th floor – the food court called “The Fifth”. Nice stuff, price range is medium (about THB 300-400 per meal).

Why this is cool? Its massive. Beats trying to bargain for stuff on the streets (they have mostly the same stuff). And the food.

Spice tour on Zanzibar

2009-06-06T00:33:00.000+07:00

Zanzibar was once grew a lot of spices to support its economy – mainly cloves. But now that the economy turned to tourism, they’ve made “Spice Tours”.

So in the tour they bring you around some plantations to see the different spices and fruits. Being in a tropical climate, most of the spices and fruits are similar to the ones you can find in the backyards of Malaysia.

See fruits like jackfruit, starfruit and even the durian. Spices like cloves, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, lemon grass, nutmeg and vanilla. However, there are some local fruits too like the elephant apple (fruit not edible, but can be used for hair gel instead), golden mango (which taste kinda like a ripe and sweet ..err.. that little green thing which I cant remember the name).

Best fruit on Zanzibar

2009-06-05T00:00:00.000+07:00

Yes, they have the durian! It was brought over from southeast Asia long time ago during the slave trade days. And now the locals eat it too. Though you still don’t get that nice smell like you can find on the streets of KL.

Tanzania safe?

2009-06-03T23:55:00.001+07:00

This is a sign posted up at the YWCA in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.

In Dar Es Salaam, it did felt a bit unsafe to stay out too late at night. And there were lots of people who would greet you with the standard greeting (usually “Mambo” or “Jambo”) and they would wait for your greeting back (reply with “Poa” or “Jambo” - respectively"). Even when you get tired of saying it, they will try to teach you to say it again and again. Mostly it felt like a passing-by type greeting, and no intention behind it.

I also went to Kariakoo in Dar Es Salaam, supposedly Africa’s largest covered market, though you’d be disappointed coming from Asia or Thailand (Chatuchak much much bigger). There was nothing much there, and it basically didn’t feel safe there. I heard a lot of them shouting “Cina! Cina!”. And although I was very careful with my belongings and camera (didn’t dare take it out to snap some pics), someone still manage to try and grab my gold chain. He managed to snap it, but his stubby fingers didn’t manage to grab it. Scarily, he just stood there and stared at me while I was wondering what happened and walked away. It was broad daylight and crowded!

However, that said, the other parts of Tanzania felt safe – in Zanzibar or Mikumi. Though you’d still hear the Mambo Jambo everywhere, and some hassles as usual in touristy places. And oh, most people don’t like their pictures taken too. But you can feel that many of them were genuinely friendly.

Malaysia in Tanzania

2009-05-31T00:31:00.000+07:00

Malaysia would be the last thing you’d expect to see on the other continent. However, walking through the lanes of Stone Town in Zanzibar, you might bump into this…

What’s the truck carrying??? Boxes of oil…

Closer look… its palm oil…

From Malaysia! (aahh… effects of globalisation)

Zanzibar graffiti

2009-05-30T00:25:00.000+07:00

Who’s the “bad face gangster”?!

Tanzanian Geckos

2009-05-29T00:14:00.001+07:00

Tanzania is so cool, even the cicak there also so colourful.

Isn't always a perfect picture for wildlife

2009-05-28T01:11:00.000+07:00

Here you are in the safari enjoying the perfect picture.

Until you look closely, and realise life in the wild ain’t so perfect after all.

Getting attacked by lions is not fun. Run faster next time!

How to spot a lion in a safari

2009-05-27T01:27:00.001+07:00

First… look for footprints…

Then look for groups of animals that are on high alert…

See how the animals below are looking in one direction

Then search in the direction they are looking at…
See if you can spot anything or any movement in the grass.

See anything?? Look closely…

Ah hah!

Then get your driver to go off the road and get face-to-face with a lion!

Best ad for Kilimanjaro Beer

2009-05-27T01:01:00.001+07:00

“We’re moving mountains!” on the truck for Kilimanjaro Beer! Cracks me up…

For those who don’t know – Kilimanjaro is also Africa’s tallest mountain. Hah – get it? Get it!?

Zebras on your Desktop?

2009-05-25T00:54:00.001+07:00

I have zebras on my desktop (wallpaper). Do you?

Click on pic to download for your wallpaper. Enjoy!

Safari in Tanzania, first sightings!

2009-05-18T03:13:00.001+07:00

Went to Mikumi National Park in Tanzania, which is only about a 4-hour drive from Dar Es Salaam (the capital). It is much less crowded than the popular Serengeti at the north. (Our guide says you don’t spot for animals there, you just need to watch out for the cars/people, and there will be animals – takes the fun out of a safari).

Anyway, after just entering through the main entrance of the park, we spotted animals! Was so excited. So, out comes the binoculars and this was what I saw:

Giraffes!!! Yes, right in the centre are 2 giraffes. Can you see it? This shot above was taken with my longest zoon lens. Let me magnify it for you:

TA DAA!! Giraffes!! Yeah, now we’re in a safari!!

Then we drove around in the safari… and 1 hour later:

Giraffes were everywhere!! And we got pretty close to some of them

I’m in Tanzania!

2009-05-05T01:24:00.001+07:00

Took the very long flight via Doha to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. If you calculate it right, it should be about 24 hrs of travelling, including an excruciating 7 hour wait at Doha airport for the next connecting flight. It was between 3 to 10am Thai time (or something like that) – which was sleeping time, but of course, how could anyone sleep on uncomfortable airport chairs. And there was no free wifi too, what a shame.

Anyway, I finally arrived in Dar Es Salaam, and walked around the hostel area. There’s also the beach! And everyone was very nice. So far, so good. :)

Visiting around Bangkok

2009-04-30T01:36:00.001+07:00

The last 3 weeks was so hectic for me. Didn’t have time to blog even. So, I’m just leaving you with some pictures taken when VK came for visit over the long Songkran holidays.

Went to Koh Samet – which was only about 4 hours away from Bangkok. It was a nice relaxing place with some fire twirlers at night.

Then we visited the Grand Palace and the colourful Wat Phra Kaew.

And climbed up the steep Wat Arun, just across the river from the palace.

Non-Thai pickpocket gangs

2009-04-23T01:33:00.001+07:00

Thai people don’t steal. Really. This sign at Wat Pho (very famous reclining Buddha temple) says it all. -- Monks don’t lie, right?

Update: No more Songkran

2009-04-16T22:47:00.001+07:00

Kena tipu’ed. Though they said Songkran celebrations is extended till Friday at Khao San, its a lie!! Went to Khao San today afternoon, and its as dry as a bone! Stalls are re-opening selling all sort of knick knacks – clothes, wigs, fake driving licences, etc. (Imagine the embarrassment of carrying a loaded weapon around)

Meanwhile, for a chronology of events for the last few days in Bangkok, click here.

Update: Peace restored, Songkran is back with a vengeance!

2009-04-16T01:39:00.001+07:00

Some people were injured, few died. The US has condemned the violence. The army came and cornered the protestors. The red shirts has called off the protest. Several leaders were arrested, Thaksin’s passport has been revoked. Government help the red shirts to go home. Normalcy returns. Shopping malls reopen.

But more importantly, Songkran is back!! And with a vengeance! Well, imagine 2 whole days of having to withheld any celebration, of course the next day it all bursts out. Now Khao San will party on till Friday.

Bangkok state of emergency update

2009-04-14T07:59:00.001+07:00

On Monday, the army came in (and they’re on the side of the current government). They manage to clear up a lot of places where the protestors are, although with some horrible clashes.

Thai people always have their eyes on the news, no matter where they are.

Anyway, this is too much for me, I cant enjoy simple peace and go out to nice places – so I’m heading to the BEACH! yey! On the way to Koh Samet now.

Red shirts + Yellow shirts = Holiday

2009-04-13T02:56:00.001+07:00

Last Thursday the Red Shirts (pro-Thaksin party) blocked some of the main roads, especially for the public buses, and created a massive traffic jam all around Bangkok. Rumours spread that they wanted to take over the public trains too. It got pretty bad towards the night, that the prime minister declared Friday a public holiday.

Then the protestors moved to Pattaya, where the ASEAN summit was due to be held. In the end the summit was cancelled, and then the protestors moved back to Bangkok.

On Sunday they were back in Bangkok, and due to the more unruly protestors, a state of emergency was declared… again.

Where was I during that time? Out celebrating Songkran! Yep, life carries on as normal – it was church in the morning (hey, it was Easter after all), and then to Khao San Road for Songkran (cos Silom was quiet). I reached home about 6, and then found out that the state of emergency was declared (it was all over CNN too).

Pictures taken from The Nation.

I saw MOM in Chiang Mai!

2009-04-05T19:12:00.001+07:00

Mom at one of the entrance to a temple. And don’t think that there’s DAD on the other side…

MOM occupies both sides…

Bees and Poppy Flower

2009-03-30T23:28:00.001+07:00

I wonder if bees can get addicted to opium?

Pic taken in Chiang Mai, where the old hill tribe thrived in cultivating opium (don’t even think about it now, its illegal!). They probably earn by selling it to KL and Singapore a century ago.

Lights Out!

2009-03-29T01:32:00.001+07:00

Saturday, 28th March 2009, 8.30pm, Earth Hour. Its the call for support of our planet, Earth, by switching off your lights.

What did I do? I was in Chiang Mai, and I went out to the night bazaar. Hotel room lights were off, of course. (ok, fine, so I didn’t really do much, but its the thought that counts).

What did YOU do?