Pic of the Month

Pic of the Month

Sunday, 22 July 2007

华语可以嗎?

宊然有點想用华文写,虽然是有點麻煩。最近我与㈠个曾今对我来说是个非常重要的人又䒴了點接触,给了我㈠些感触。很久沒有近距离,好似已把以前所有事忘了。但其实并非如此。虽不是象以前那种感覚,但足以譲我明白曾经蠋成的伤痛的确相当堔。也许那可說是我感情路線里的轉捩點,对我过后的人生多少有點影响。自少淸䠂自己要和需要的是什么。当然难免有回忆,也想粸宊然有點想用华文写,虽然是有點麻煩。最近我与㈠个曾今对我来说是个非常重要的人又䒴了點接触,给了我㈠些感触。很久沒有近距离,好似已把以前所有事忘了。但其实并非如此。虽不是象以前那种感覚,但足以譲我明白曾经蠋成的伤痛的确相当堔。也许那可說是我感情路線里的轉捩點,对我过后的人生多少有點影响。自少淸䠂自己要和需要的是什么。当然难免有回忆,也想起从前很多事,从前那种莫明奇妙的感覚。。。但往事也只是过去,想了也就算了。惑許人,身为感情的动物,总是最记得令他最痛苦的事。想了之后,虽然痛中有點甜之味,但也譲人更珍惜眼前拥有的。

Saturday, 21 July 2007

2007 2007

Okay so I cheated a little, it's already 21 July, not 2007 2007 anymore. But for the record, the intention was to blog on this day, just didn't get a chance to do it. It has been one of the busiest day ever. Spent too much time on the post-accident paperwork, while making sure the adults in the family didn't and wouldn't get to know about it. It's tough work and a huge pain in the ass. Then went for the friendly basketball thing in the early evening. Wasn't much of a game but I guess it's a pretty good workout. Followed by Yisi's birthday party at Butter - even though I was already tired. She's one of my best friends though so I must go. Besides, she's easily wasted and I want to make sure she's okay. Now this partying wasn't all that fun. But the fun part was getting reacquainted to my old basketball mates with whom I wasn't and am not very close to. But being around them, and chatting cordially with some of them made me feel pretty good - like I was back in my early Secondary school years when we were still good friends and great teammates...I'm sure we won't be keeping in touch, but at least the next time we see one another, it won't be as awkward...One of my greatest regret of the night was saying hi to Mark Zee and speaking to him (I got to know him during the basketball game). In my opinion, he's one of the biggest poseurs I know, and I'm not a fan at all. But I still spoke to him and said bye because I'm such a nice person. Bullshit. Now this I regret. Anyway, more to be said but as it is my mom is nagging me to go to bed as I have to be up in 3 hours for my golf game. Goodnight now...

Tuesday, 10 July 2007

the secret phuket getaway

Alas, we've just returned from our 4-day-3-nights' trip to Phuket. It's been quite a challenge to plan this trip, since I've had to do it ala secret agent zaza (arthur will know this), telling everyone else that i'm actually heading to bangkok, reason being that we are not allowed to travel together (yet). Yes, so I have conservative parents, what to do? Anyway, thanks to my immaculate planning (perasaan), we managed to not only travel within budget, but also experience the best of Phuket. And norm, being his navigator I'm-from-the-army self, prided himself on knowing the roads and travelling routes from Patong to Kamala, by the end of the third day.
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thursday, 5 July 2007

We arrived at Phuket International Airport on the early hours of the morning, together with other beach-seekers clad in mismatched tanks and bottoms and lazy slippers. I on the other hand, had made sure I looked completely matching yet relaxed, and of course made up and refreshed. Yes yes, blame it on my vanity. I admit it. Our customs' queueing line had looked promising but damn it, must they be so thorough? After a painful waiting time with norm fidgeting so much that I was on the brink of insanity, we finally got down to getting our luggages and heading to our resort in a chartered taxi (500 baht).

I've always known that resorts tend to look way better in pictures than they actually are in reality. But I didn't expect the difference to be so great! On our way towards Kamala Beach where our resort was located, I saw a bunch of familiar-sounding resorts which I've considered while doing my research on phuket.com, which looked nothing like they did in the online pictures! Talk about online deception. I wonder if this is also a common technique used on online dating sites hehe. Keeping my fingers crossed, I held my breath as we approached the narrow street leading to Aquamarine and as the cabbie annouced that we have reached our destination, I was pleasantly relieved to find our resort okay - just a tad smaller than I expected, but otherwise, quite within my initial expectation. After our early check-in, and norm's insistence on our change of room from a lower to a higher floor (good call!), we finally settled in for a much needed rest. But it wasn't long after we settled in that he decided that the sun was calling for our attention. Weather was so great (read: blardy hot and sunny) that we just had to hit the swimming pool for a dip and a tan. Thanks to that 2 whole hours under the sun, I've successfully embarked on my tanning project in time for the dance competition in august.



The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent leisurely exploring the Patong area where the hustle and bustle takes place. It's a touristy place indeed, with permanent and makeshift stalls sprouting everywhere, each owner touting their wares to the passing tourists. And believe me, tourists STICK OUT. I was tempted to buy a t-shirt that shouted: "NO I DON'T WANT A FUCKIN' TUK TUK, SUIT, OR MASSAGE THANK YOU VERY MUCH." but changed my mind. All these impulse buys are usually the ones which end up at the back of my closet, adding on to my magic well of neverending clothes, no matter how intensely and frequently I spring clean my closet every month. Sad to say, we spen a whole lot of time in the JUNGCEYLON mall, since it's air-conditioned, and even bought our groceries from...CARREFOUR. Talk about wanting to live the Thai-way while in Thailand. But hey, whatever works okay, at least we had a good time.

Initially I really wanted to watch the authentic MUAY THAY kickboxing fight at the Bangla Boxing Stadium. But it was freakin' expensive (tourist price no less) that I changed my mind. Nevertheless, we were quite entertained by the advertising truck featuring the boxers faux-boxing on top of the open-top truck, while the commentator incessantly chanted, "Tonight, tonight. Bangla Stadium. Thai Boxing. Best of the best." (Ask norm for a comedic impersonation). We heard it so much, it was ringing in our heads. And of course norm found it extremely amusing to continuously annoy me with his repeatd impersonation of the commentator.



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friday, 6 July 2007

Woke up just in time for breakfast, which for me consisted of 2 croissants and coffee and tiny (I mean tiny) bits of dodgy-looking pad-thai/kway teow. For norm however, it was platefuls of bacon, bacon, and more bacon. Such a healthy runner I'm dating. Once again, we spent the day at the Patong area, honing my bargaining skills as we shopped around for cheap clothing. Norm got himself a beer-tank, while I got myself a flowy pants he liked, and a tank top for my glady. Nothing much to buy really, unless you're prepared to overspend on badly-made clothing you'll wear once - not because you're 'atas' but because it has gone out of shape upon a single wash. Spent the afternoon chilling at a coffee shop, having a leisurely late lunch and talking about nothing in particular.

While planning for our activity in the night time, I insisted that we check out FANTASEA - this popular theme park that received rave reviews from tourists and websites alike. It was the winner of some Thai tourism award and I was really keen on witnessing the supposedly LAS VEGAS calibre performance. Norm was hesitant and almost resistant. But of course I got my way. And boy, did we make the right choice to go! It was an excellent performance, combining cabaret, thai-style comedy, magic tricks, musical (singing and dancing), acting, and acrobatics. They also involved animals in the perfomances, with obedient elephants doing tricks (my favourite part was how they clung on one another's tail whenever they walked in a line or in a circle); chickens running across the stage (how the hell did they train them to do that?!), and sheep jumping over obstacles. There was also mock-fighting, well-rehearsed and frighteningly realistic, and the elaborate use of water feature, pyrotechnics, smoke machine, and a variety of other sound and visual effects. Too bad we all had to surrender our cameras so no picture could be taken *sob*! But I'm sure we'll remember this in time to come.

One regret we had was going to the FANTASEA site much later than we could have, such that we did not have enough time to visit all they had to offer. In addition to the performance, the place is an actual shopping bazaar where they showcase items characteristic of Thailand. One of the stores we spent a long time in was the magic photo shop where we could take pictures of ourselves as Thai prince and princesses. So we did!



Prince Norman - I told him that he really looked like a Sumatran prince ala Sang Nila Utama...except with braces.



Ain't I a pretty princess?! Ciaileeee perasaan gitu.

We had a fun time but were totally grossed out by the common powder puff and lipliner brush used on every face. Eeeyucks!
I scrubbed my face and lips raw at the end of the night.

It was a long night and we returned to the resort bushed but exhilarated. Just look at our closing picture - which also happens to be my favourite picture of us.


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saturday, 7 July 2007

Today is our trip to Phi Phi Island and the Maya Bay. We've signed up for this on the fly and had no idea what we were getting into. The day started with us being late for the pick-up time and greeted by a black-faced driver screaming at us for being 10 minutes later than the scheduled pick-up. Okay this was my fault. It turned out that we had to pick up a bunch of other people from the nearby and not-so-nearby resorts before we headed to the pier. Almost fainted on the journey in a cramped and stuffy minivan with a jerky driver. What a prick! When we finally arrived at the pier, we were subjected to a round of more waiting - for all the other vans to arrive so we may all be sorted into groups - lunch and no lunch this and that. A painful wait and two cans of overpriced coke later, we finally got onto the speedboat and set off towards our first stop of the day - Kai Island, which translated to "Egg Island" But just as we were embarking the boat, the sky, which was nice and blue just a moment before, suddenly darkened and it started to rain down really heavily on us. But the Thais were not about to let this small obstacle change their pre-arranged schedule. We went ahead on the trip anyway, rain and all. Fifteen minutes later, we arrived on the island, drenched and wondering what the hell we were expected to do in this heavy rain. So there we were, all tourists cramped up under a makeshift tentage, huddled like refugees, waiting for the rain to cease.



Still managed to pull a happy face after the rough ride.

Luckily the sun started coming out and we could proceed with the initial plan of snorkelling and feeding little hungry fishes with bread smelling so good I was tempted to eat them myself. Too bad we don't have any picture justifying our stay here as it was too cumbersome to take pictures, feed the fish, and stay warm all at the same time. But here's a look of the area we were in.





Once we were done feeding fishes and enjoying what little sun the rainy island could offer, we set off towards Phi Phi Don. This next ride proved to be the most challenging and devastating one. We had to endure constant rain and salt water splashing on our faces for the whole 50 minutes, while we were freezing with cold. And to top it all off, my poor beautiful, and expensive bag that had not expected to be subjected to such hazards, was ruined! *sobs* It was way too horrible. But we didn't complain and still managed to have a fun time upon reaching the island.





Norm the awak kapal - such a monkey!



We then proceeded to view the monkeys on Phi Phi Island - this was quite boring so I shan't elaborate, and then headed to Maya Bay. Here I must mention our fellow boat-riders, some of whom were pain in the asses. First of all, they couldn't stand the rocky boat ride, which was still okay. But they couldn't stop complaining about how horrible it was, and how terrible it was that the Thais did not know how to manage the awful situation. Then they were split on their decision on whether to continue the trip or to head back to Phuket. Come on guys, make up your minds! To top it off, this particular Ang-Mo-Pai chinese girl could not stop complaining all the way, even on our way back to the resort later on, while her Aussie boyfriend kept calm and clammed (henpecked) all this time. Poor guy. Such an annoying person! I took the opportunity to tell norm how fortunate he was that I am nothing like the girl. Ha!

Maya Bay was stunning! It wasn't a very big place, with the stretch of sandy beach being just a narrow strip of land facing the sea. But it was so clean, and pebble-free that all you could feel below your feet was the soft white sand and streaming gentle waves. It was a beautiful beautiful place and we took a short video to help us relive this memory in future.



So drama mama



My favourite pic of myself!





After another rocky ride home (one-hour), accompanied by crying teenage girls clad in life-jackets and complaining girl with the quiet boyfriend, we finally reached Phuket island, in one piece. I even managed to fall asleep on the boat despite the rough ride, imagine that. Ended the evening with Seafood dinner at Patong. Once again, we were completely exhausted. I had a horrible sleep that night, resulting in a backache that wouldn't stop bothering me *ouch*

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sunday, 8 July 2007

Our last day at Phuket, as we were scheduled for the evening flight on this date. Started the day with another leisurely breakfast. Yet more bacon for norm and more croissants for moi, after which we headed for our scheduled 2-hour Thai massage. If you ask me, this whole massage thing is absolutely overrated. Either that or my muscles are already numbed from excessive dancing, for I hardly felt anything after the massage AT ALL. Norm felt otherwise however, claiming that the massage did him good. Ah well, at least that makes one of us.

Packed all our luggage and left them at the concierge. Since we had lots of time left, we headed back to Patong AGAIN, to do some last minute shopping. Managed to finally buy the 2 tank tops I coveted, and Norm's jersey at a pretty good price YOOHOO! And again, spent the rest of the day walking through the small streets and the stretch of bars, and chilled out at Jungceylon with our drinks. Found this wonderful foodcourt beneath the mall where they served a variety of Thai delicacy at dirt-cheap prices. We had our fill of 2 entrees for norm, and one for me, and a dessert each, all for less than nine dollars. Norm was visibly excited - the deprived boy. So kesian. I must take him for more such meals when we go back to Indo next time. Finally it was time to head to the airport, accompanied by a small drizzle. 6 green dim sum and a cup of coffee later, we boarded the plane for home. And all this time norm kept chanting, "I don't want to go home. It's been so fun. I don't want to go home." Take that and multiply nby 2 hours, and you get the idea.

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People say that when a couple go on a trip together, they either come back stronger or split up soon after. We're lucky we are not the latter. Sure we got into several disagreements over the most menial matters while we were there. And there were times when we had this ominous, uncomfortable silences that prelude most quarrels. But we always managed to resolve them, and came back much stronger. Not just a fun trip, but also a test of whether we could co-exist in a common space, when we are made to be together 24/7. Can we, he asked. Looks promising, I said.