Random Thoughts on a New Year Eve

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AkiraSabine has had enough. She wants to move on. She doesn't know her future. Many things flashes through her mind every single second. She can't concentrate, she can't differentiate reality from mere thoughts.
She can't give her all, she doesn't know her next step, she felt she's abandoned in a dungeon,
no one's seeing, no one's's hearing and no one giving a thought.

She wants to put a stop to the present but she doesn't know what then?
She thinks she's had enough but a small voice is telling her, NO! not now.
She thinks life's not treating her well now, and she wants to leave, no one's listening,
no one's understanding, no one's emphatizing, but everyone's talking.
People says that's complaining but hell no.. she wasn't complaining.
who the hell they think they are to judge her?

but she thinks again, If she makes the move now..
" That would mean she's weak,if she were to walk away now
That would mean she's not strong, if she just give it all up that easily
That would mean she's not matured enough to cope , if she were to turn her back
That would mean she's a complete failure, if she couldn't live with barriers."

She's weak... NO!.... She's too pampered... NO!.. She's not a good asset ..Hell, NO!

Hell, couldn't she not relate those thoughts to herself.
So long, she thinks life shouldn't need to be this way..
So long, she believes there's a better opportunity should she chose another direction
So long, she thinks God has a better plan for her (she's a free thinker, by the way)
so long, she thinks work doesnt'need to affect her personal life, her physical & mental health, her personal quiet time, her personal stand, her beliefs, her carefree character.


Sometimes, she thinks, although many work for money, there are also many who work due to
ego. They push themselves in order to compete with colleagues. It's not just for the bigger
bigger paycheque, it's for the compliments and status. Even without a bigger paycheque, the feeling of being more knowledgeable, more capable and valuable to the organization outdoes
the money. She thinks she's one of them considerieng now that she's thinking "What would the rest think of me when I give it all up right when things are kicking off?"

If so, no wonder companies doesn't need booster for employee efficiency.
If so, no wonder companies increase their profits year after year.
If so, no wonder employees work day and night without qualms as they have every support for
company's mission and vision.

To her, is life worth sacrificing for the vision of a non-living body?
To her, is it worth being a good employee or a strayed opportunity seeker?
To her, there's something that fits every personality out there rather than impressing slaving for the bigger paycheque when there's already established policy to the increment.

Does it ever concern you that people will take you as weak when you quit?

I might reveal my plans in one of the coming posts. Stay tuned....

Oh, it's 12 am Malaysian time now!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010, GUYS!!!

May this year filled with laughter, abundance and accomplishments to both Akira and you guys!

Why HK Dramas Draw Flashbacks?

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The bamboo building a.k.a Bank of China Building.

The IFC oftenly featured in HK TVB - The Gem Of Life

They claim this as the longest outdoor escalator. It's meant to commute public who stays up this steep slope. The SOHO is up here too.

If you choose to walk up the slope instead....

While trekking around the peak...

Every morning in Aberdeen....

Cruises...

From inside the cable car at Ocean Park....

Where else!

OK, this is not a mere picture entry.

It was November '09...

AkiraSabine just watched several episodes of TVB's Heart Of Greed. Automatically, the memory of 2 months ago came flashing back as they show the views of HK. She saw snippets of views at Victoria Harbour, view from Victoria Peak and Tsim Tsa Chui. Earlier, when she watched The Gem Of Life, she constantly saw snippets of the IFC, the escalator at MidLevels, Lan Kwai Fong, the piers, the MTR stations, the trams, the taxis, buses and mini buses.

All these sights brought her back to her visit 2 months ago. The sights of the luxury cruises cruising across the harbour especially, which she caught sight from the peak, trhe harbour and from where she did her hiking. The people around her who all spoke Cantonese unlike where she came from with a mixture of languages, the busy streets, the high rises, the nice soft bakeries.

On her only Sunday in HK, the streets got crowded. For a moment, AS was confused if she was in a neighbouring South East Asian country or HK. People came and picnic as early as 8 o'clock in the morning at pavements and parks. People swarmed into departmental stores like bees. People occupying the public sports amenities with their own skin of people.

All in all, it's been a pleasant up close experience in HK. All the while, HK only appears on TV to AS that she's could not still believe she's landed and explored the country by herself. It was as nice as she expected it to be!

What 10 things this Malaysian Realized About HK?

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1. The coins come in various thickness and shapes.

While using the public phone, I snapped.


2. Hongkies like to soak under the hot sun at the beach

"Happening beach!", I snapped


3. Hong Kong does have nice beautiful hiking trails.

"WOW!", I snapped


4. Hong kong is all about sky scrapers and water and this Malaysian is awestruck

While enjoying my light lunch to this sound and sight, I snapped


5. Food serving in HK Char Chan Teng is LARGE and the locals actually have no problem cleaning the plate.

While sitting next to him, I 'hehehe' snapped


6. At these Char Chan Teng, I found out it's a good opportunity to mingle and eat side by side with locals.

While sitting facing him, I snapped the surrounding


7. When you say Kowloon Ma Tau (Kowloon Harbour), it is not the one which you earlier arrived at from HK Island by Star Ferry.

While I found myself lost, I still snapped


8. When I said I wanted to get down at Ad - Mi - Ral - Ty stop, neither the bus drivers nor locals understood me. When I
showed the chinese name of it, they said "Ohh, Ad-Mel-Ty Zham (I see, Ad-Mel-Ty Stop)."

After laying my butt, I snapped...


9. On Sundays, the Chinese Metropolitan city turned into a multicultural street carnival.

From the pedestrian bridge, I snapped..


10. It is OK to trespass the high rise from malls & restaurants to banks and office buildings to get to the MTR / bus station at the basement.
Is this how law of average works to increase exposure and public awareness of your business?

While waiting for the mercy of vehicles, I snapped..

The Loy Krathong Festival, what's that?

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***Backdated to Nov 2nd, 2009***

It's been a few days of carnival like atmosphere across the street from my apartment.I know it's the Loy Krathong Festival season and being here on and off for sometime, I know that no festivals in Thailand will go unnoticed. Having said that, evenings for the past few days have been filled with ear-deafening fireworks. Open air stage-performance in the evening on the other hand could go on till 2 a.m in the morning.

"This is crazy, how can I sleep?!" I cried as if they could hear me. Even with blankets over my head I could clearly hear every single word they sang. "Sad, sad the door to the balcony was still throbbing in resonance."

"Do you see the difference with both options?"

I don't see anything right now with the office notebook. Apparently, I've a message saying I haven't got the latest Flash Player Installed. Thus, I'd really love to hear from you if the 2 videos in this post are working properly.

On Mon..

Me : Aik (surprised expression), we haven't checked that, and it's already on the truck.

Contractor : Oh, today.. everyone is rushing. They want to go back by 4pm. There's a festival today. You heard of Loy Krathong?

ME : Yes, yea.. Loy Krathong. I know coz there seems to be a party across
from my apartment with blasting performance and fireworks until 2 am.

Contractor : Yea.. it's a pretty big festival. People light up decorative flower made of banana leave, you know banana leave? ..and
let it drift in the water.

ME : Which river?

Contractor : Everywhere with water.

That went my conversation with a 'Farang' having lived in Bangkok for the past 10 years.


There's a reason I was here at this moment. God wanted me to experience this festival. *smile* So.. why not?

The children just set the flower off into the water.

Here's how the festival's seen, heard, smelled, felt and tasted...

Will AkiraSabine ever be a good tennis player?

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She likes playing tennis. However, sad to say she hasn't been playing a lot lately due to business trips. Normally, she'd go back to uni to sweat it all out during the weekends. AkiraSabine's trying to improve her basics, which are the forehand and backhand strokes. It's also essential to coordinate her body to hit the ball hard and yet able to control the height of the returns. Many times, the ball would fly over the wall in search for freedom. Someday, AS wishes she could get herself a coach to teach her. She doesn't like playing a game just for the sake of leisure or relaxation. AS loves to play it well. She considers herself playing badminton quite well and it's no fun playing with beginners or so-so players. Like wise, good tennis players would look for competitive opponents to play with instead of AS. This all the more makes AS wanna be a pro soon! That day will surely come!!!

Do you have the same desire to excel in the sports just like AS?

Do you feel the awe whenever you watch professional players in action?

Do you often envy how effortlessly the pros get before the balls and hit it wherever they want it to land?

Do you often go into slow motion videos to scrutinize how the body-mind coordination works to hit it right?

Do you often find it hard looking away from how good the branded sports attires look on the the toned athletic figures?

Do you often wish you could damage a racquet one after another as your mood drives you?

AS still has a long way to go as her playing buddy now is a wall.

On a Sunday morning at 8am.




One of the day looked to be special - there was a carnival-like atmosphere on the other side.

HOT! and it's time for me to go

When there's a crowd, there's earning.

The tennis courts turned futsal field for a day.

How HK Shows Off Its Assets

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HK is a sky-scraper country. That's for sure. These buildings are always shared in the TVB dramas we watch. During my recent trip, I came to know those are the finance buildings, and that HK is a finance hub, neither an industrial nor an agricultural country. The building which resembles the bamboo plant is actually The Bank Of China Tower.

The Hongkies(also known as Hong Kongers) are very proud of their sky-scrapers that they actually organizes day tours focusing on the architecture on the buildings. The architect would explain the reasons of the achitecture style of each significant buildng around Central at Hong Kong Island. Even their Museum of History tells how HK has emerged from villages to sky-scrapers as well as land reclamation taken place around the coast.

Museum Display

Thus in order to show off the country's pride, they developed the Victoria Peak. Visitors get to go up in a tram and there they have a chance to be higher than the buildings. Besides the sky-scrapers, they could enjoy the sights of ferries and Chinese Junks drifting at the harbour. Kowloon which is located across the harbour and beyond(mainland China) is also part of the sights enjoyed. It was simply amazing I didn't want to leave especially in the evening as the breeze set in and the buildings litted up.

Awed by the peak view

HK is a country which made me feel the importance of water transportation particularly to office workers. Back home, it's just car and sometimes buses and komuter trains. In HK, besides the MTR and buses, day to day life relies on the Star Ferry to get across the Victoria Harbour. The busy harbour and number of ferries told me it's an important transportation for the Kowloon - HK Island route. Besides from the top, if you were in HK, you may also want to enjoy the high rise from the harbour. To add to this, HK tourism has thought up neon light shows at the Harbour every 8pm for 15 minutes(I missed it). There is also a Chinese Junk ride ( Duk LIng ride) offering tourist a view round the coast of HK island. Check out Robert Liu's snapshots here for pictures of his experience on Duk Ling.

Harbour view during the day

Would you like to be a Thai Monk?

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It was 6am in the morning as I went downstairs to buy stuffs. Surprisingly, there seemed to be more people than usual near the entrance to my apartment. "You guys're here to receive me?" I couldn't help wondering as I stepped out with dignity. To my dismay, they just walked pass me engrossed with things on hand. How sad.. These green shirts ( yea, neither the supporters of the red nor yellow shirts) were putting up a couch and a coffee table which I was not sure came from where at the pavement.

Fifteen minutes later as I returned to the same spot, a Buddhist monk was seen sitting on it.







That's how high the position of a monk in the Thai society. Even older ladies came near upon seeing the monk to donate and worship. People say the Thais has the highest respect for their King, and secondly the monks, as they are closest to God. (this last phrase is what I reckon myself).

What happened to HOME?

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It's been weeks and I finally returned home, to my family. Back to the comfort of home, to be among family members, to talk, to sulk, to rant, to listen, to eat, to comment and to gossip. To my surprise as I stepped out of car, I found a pile of sand in the garden and strangers around.

"Mom? Mom?" I called out. *Silence*

Mom normally sits at the living room or in the kitchen but she was nowhere around today. *barking sound* The dogs were rolling gleefully at the sand dune.

"Moooaammm?? Where are you???" Still no sound.


"Since when my project work follows me home?" I wondered. Construction at work and now my home too?? No... Why must I see dust everywhere I go?

"Mom?"

"You up here?"

"Hellooo?"

"Ello?"





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3 months

Finally last week, the next day after returning from a 3 weeks' working trip to Bangkok.

From originally yellowish white??

Wow, I'm living in Disneyland!

Non-Baking Days

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Yo, I miss baking! Everyone seems to be baking and proudly posting pics of their masterpiece at FB. I miss baking!! I like baking!! I like savouring my masterpiece!! But haha! I don't bake well. No, it should be others haven't learnt how to appreciate my food. What's wrong with reducing the butter and sugar. I have neither see the texture difference in anyway nor do I see any difference to the taste. What's wrong with the sponge cake or the chiffon cake I baked? The coffee taste was so tempting though the cake didn't rise as high as commercial's. What's wrong with the bread I baked? It was proofed just right though not as soft and aromatic. No matter what, I miss baking!!! I wanna bake!

After searching high and low, at last I spotted my oven at the living room

Me : There, what are you doing right here in the living room?!
Oven : What do you think, huh?
Me : And what happened to you?? Where have you been playing?
Oven : What do you think huh, master? I should be the one asking!!

Fan+book+table: Don't you care bout us? We're just as dusty!!!

Next: What actually happened?

Prev: Inspiration from a Casual Chat in the Plane

Casual Chat in the Plane

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Just returned from a working trip to Bangkok today after spending 3 weeks there. This time I sat among a group of loud people which just couldn't sit still at their seats in the airbus. These people even went around taking pictures. "Hey kid, sit down please!! You're not even the size of the kid to think the slim air steward can pass around you!" I just felt like saying. There were several time the flash hit me when they took pics of the 2 ladies next to me. What the....

The air steward just took away my trash and I continued to look down. "He said you're very good, read a lot." I looked up surprised with the English words among the loudness of Thai. I was having with me the 'Go Travel' mag as well as The Star and Bangkok Daily.

A little casual chat led me to know she's a frequent traveller to KL with the group. The lady sitting next to her was her mom and they're on the way to their PJ office. "You know FusionExcel?" She asked holding out her pendant. Yes, I do. Why not? I've been seeing demo of this from my very own bro and everywhere he goes he spread the news as if Jesus was born yesterday. It seems like it works miracle curing intricate long term diseases, repairing body systems with their enegized water, reduce radiation effect from heavy cellphone users, etc.

So, this Khun Rattana was telling, it's an opportunity to make big bugs, sorry bucks. Pointing to a guy in front of me,"That guy, now he earns THB 20 mil a month. He used to earn THB5mil but that one not good, Fusion Excel is the best business opportunity. Good system *smile*, good product *smile*, can help people *smile*, very good *smile, smile smile*." "You should try"

Maybe, maybe it's good. Else I wouldn't have listen to your business plans on how by extending your downline, you earn so and so. What am I talking? Isn't this a get rich scam? No? What is it then? But, there're so many out there speaking about this. Fusion Excel Ambassadors include Yuan YuFang, Malik Noor and Shalin Zulkifli. Don't you want a way out from your current life? Don't you want flexibility? Flexibility for what's currently in mind like fellow blogger Haan and Jack are doing. Don't you want a supportive working environment? Don't you want $$$?

Bridging The Asian Giants

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Whenever I'm up here in Bangkok, I have the access to Channel News Asia (CNA) on TV in the comfort of the serviced apartment. It's a total opposite to home whereby over here I get 24 hrs news updates with a press on the remote. For example just a few days, ago I got to know about the train derailment at Hua Hin, Thailand and Stephen Gately's demissal 2 days back. I checked if somebody has shouted it out at FB about him but nope, there wasn't. How updated I was! *vanity sets in*

During the weekends especially, CNA also features Japan Travel Series as well as Food Hunting Series at Taiwan or Korea. What engages me as well is this series called 'Bridging The Asian Giants'. Every episode features an Indian expat in China as well as a Chinese expat in India. It never fails to fascinate me how an Indian blends into a total opposite culture even though he obviously stands out among the local from his outlook. The expats were either single or married with family staying in China with them or they'd gotten themselves a Chinese wife. It's just so cool listening to them speaking Mandarin and even Cantonese so well. Most of them has an established business in China and has been proudly calling China their home. The series also shared scenes of his gatherings with his in laws. One of the previous episode I watched was saying the Indian daughter never could stay long whenever they returned to India for holidays as she missed her school and friends in China so much.

I'm not sure if you notice it. Apparently, China in terms of people, they are fair, yea, but when the shooting shifted to India, everthing looks gloomy(just my honest opinion). They were trying to give a feel of the sights of India before drifting to the storyline but somehow to me, I can immediately take the hint that we're now in India even before they say it. Even before an Indian comes into the scene. It could be a cultural or preference of the Indian for dark colours, I guess, especially in house furnitures, paints as well as the interior and lighting of shops. The same goes, it also never failed to impress me on the Indian influence reflected on the Chinese expats. When they spoke, they shook their heads. Yes, they looked every bit a Chinese but they spoke English with heavy Tamil slang. As they spoke, they shook their head and gestured with their hands the way the Indians do. One of them I watched the other day was a business lady running a Chinese restaurant in India. Besides that, she also ran a saloon and the Indian locals liked her magic fingers on their hair very much. They called here 'Auntie'. "I come to Auntie every once a month. She cut very nice hair. We all here call her Auntie." How cool that sounds! The way this 'Auntie' spoke of the friendly Indians she's known for years, her home in India, her familiarity of the Indian way of doing things, way of life, her proficiency in Tamil as she went about with her daily activities in the market and shop really is so cool. People are going around blending into each others' community very well. It's not just in Malaysia where your older generations have been here and living together before you were born. It's a mainland Chinese, an individual, that is, having settled down in a country totally different to hers and staying there for years. Having had good Indian friends myself haven't made me openly acceptable to this idea at this moment. Thus, I really salute her!

Another Chinese expat teaches in a Chinese school in India. This school's mainly attended by the young Chinese children in India. Other times, this Chinese expat also gave Mandarin lessons to Indian adults wishing to venture into China. It seems that everyone wants to learn Mandarin and my Mandarin reading and wriitng skills is just a 'half pail of water' (pan tong shui). It means I don't know it well.

Thai Crop Hairstyle

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It seems that my earlier post featuring the Thai crop hairstyle is among the most visited post. I'm not sure if my sketch was good enough on illustrating my point. Anyhow here you go, shot when I was hanging out at the mall earlier this evening.

I'm not sure if they call it cropped hairstyle in English coz it's just my term for it due to the cluster of hair in the middle, where it's longer than the side and back part.

Another example here. I presume it's a school requirement on hairstyles, or to be exact hair length among primary and secondary school kids?

The father will kill me if he caught me stealthily taking their pics, not once but twice. Sorry, I just want to feature the hairstyle. "Pee.. seah jai mak mak ka. "

Pee - addressing someone senior
seah jai - sorry
mak mak - a lot, a lot
ka - polite ending for females speakers in Thai conversation

Blog's Not Abandoned

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I can't think of anything to write here anymore!! What's happening! I'm resuming reading others but I just can't get myself started to talk something interesting. I wonder if one should talk spontaneously or write only when there's something worth writing. Think that depends on the nature of your blog. Some blogs are meant as diaries(just like this single post) and some talk on niche subjects. Anyhow, I direct this under my 'Living' Label.

Just let me take a break but I promise I'll return. Too much time spent following others at FB. lolz. I'm arriving near my limit on my FOC Flickr photos storage. What do I do? New account? Anything gonna happen to my published pics? I'm not sure, thus gotta find out.

Beware, It's a Rant!

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Just a thought. How many times have I thought I would feel this lonely? Never!! How many times mom warned me if I were to continue being so reserved, you'll end up living a lonely life. Her words never strike me a bit. I'm not lonely.. I say it again I'm not. I feel lonely when and only when I'm helpless. Normal times, I can frankly tell you I'm not.I'm surrounded by people everywhere I go be it in a restaurant, shopping mall, places I wander, and even now here at McD. see.. I'm not lonely.. right? Or yeah, I'm not alone right? I feel lonely not because I have no one to spend time with or to talk to it's just that I don't wish to talk... I find it energy zapping trying to talk and paying attention to what the opposite party says.. It takes lots of my energy to do that.... seriously speaking .. I don't know why I am just not at ease doing this and the first thing I'd just like after a long day is leave me alone with my thoughts.. I don't wanna talk and don't make me keep eye contact and force my qi to interprete what you say, worse ask for affirmation from me.. Things like you get what i mean? Are you following me? Now.. I'm lonely.. and lost.. No, did I say I'm lonely? No, I'm not lonely... I'm just being lonely at this moment and just this second.. Deep inside, I don't wish a face to face meet up, (who should it be?) or call a person to talk to.. even thinking about feels like putting load on my shoulder. I wish to listen .. and feel my surrounding with all my senses.. and just blabbing here.. This is why I have you my blog.. Though I did not start you for this reason..but to share my interests... I've pics of my recent wanders I should be sharing.. I have pics of my tennis outing I should be sharing .. I have pics of current ruins in my room I would like to show but I'm just too lazy.. let me rant once a while at least.. Thanks

Wifi Hotspots for Cheapskates

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Airports

What's in an airport without WiFi signals? This is the bare minimum to provide for business class travellers and of course you should not forget about budget travellers who wishes to pass their time connecting with the world while reading up and planning for their next destination.

Shopping mails

Yes, I've observed shopping malls going into this trend providing free Wifi both in KL (Sunway Pyramid and Bangkok (Rangsit Future Park Mall). Unfortunately, I wasn't handy with my netbook to try the signal.

Chic Cafes/ Restaurants

These comprise of cafes like Starbucks, Secret Recipes, Sushi King, Coffee Bean and the mushroomings less pricey Kopitiams, Station 1, Old Town White Coffee and the likes.

Fast Food restaurants

Well, besides exploring the 24 hours eating markets, the big bro like KFC and McD have now evolved into providing free Wifi. McD is also providing daily newpapers for the reading of it's customers as well as Plasma TVs airing ESPN or Star Sports channels. You'll see school teenagers making McD as their lepak places though it has already started during my time but the younger guys now are equipped with their Wifi enabled gadgets sitting for hours with homeworks and books occupying the tables(studing, so to say). I've also been to Kenny Rogers Roasters (KRR) and Korean BBQ Chicken and they too didn not fail me on free Wifi.

Office

Which office doesn't come with one, right? So, instead of joining the office rush hours and get stucked in the traffic jam under the hot sun, why not stay put in the office? Did I ask you to work? Hell no, who would at this time, lets go surfing as the traffic eases itself up.

Home

Oh yea, my home, I've successfully detected Wifi at my living from from some places nearby(who else if not neighbours, hehee).

Chinese Mamaks

Yes, my lateest discovery. Apparently, the Wifi they provide here is not even a crappy one, I haven't got any disconnections which I experienced at Old Town or McD and it's fairly speedy here, too. Oh yes. I love this discovery!! I'm sitting at the open air with my drinks. The giant TV is at an inclination 15 metres in front of me. I'm listening to A-mei singing and at the same time updating my long abandoned blog. kekeekkhe.. I'm loving it!! But, hey.. why am I feeling itchy??!! The hell to the mozzies, it's Moses Chan & coffee houses on TV now.

Muay Thai - The Thai Boxing

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Backdated post - I’ve got another trip up to Thailand. Yes! Yayyay! Thus, I’m thinking if I should do some discovering in this trip. I’m looking to try something different. Initially, I was thinking of relaxing at one of the islands but the best island are cropped at the southern province of Thailand. The better way to make my way there would be by taking the domestic flight. Else, I would have to endure 6 hours of bus trip. I would like the idea if time weren’t a constrant.

Actually, I don’t really go because I miss the islands so much but because I haven’t experienced islands in Thailand. However, islands and beaches appear to be almost the same to me unless I’m into scuba diving. Not much could be done if one is not looking to immerse in water activities and soaking up the sun.


I get to know this Chok Chai Farm in Pak Chong, Korat which is really nice. It’s a cattle farm open for tour visits. Not sure if I would like it, but milking cow sound interesting and new. “You want milk, you’ve gotta get it DIY, eh” Along with that, we’ll see how the farm is run and how the cows are being guarded by a dog. I don’t like visit farms but why does this appeal to me, coz it’s my line of work? I suspect so. And no, I don’t milk cow for a living nor do I run a cow farm. Back to this farm, there’s a ice cream making workshop and straight from the farm steak and dairy servings. The Chok Chai Steakhouse Chain may not be familiar to you but a local favourites for quality thick slab of juicy beef steak.


Other than that, maybe I could drop in at the Epimai Historical Park and the water park. It seem to worth a visit based on my research online. “What else which I can get myself involved?” I began thinking... Then, something stroke me, why not try out Muay Thai. I’ll sign up for a full day trainng of this. The constant knee and leg kick will definitely tone my big fat thighs and pectoral.


Then, one fine Sunday I finally stepped into the local Muay Thai Institute where I stayed. It was pretty quiet. No one could be seen. The only person was in the air-conditioned office with his focus on the Sunday boxing matinee show on TV. “Hi, I’m here to attend a one-day Muay Thai Training ^_^,” I introduced.






At 1.30pm, the students came in one by one… by one and by one. They jogged around and they jumped on the used tyres as they loosened and warmed themselves up. Then, it was followed by some air punches and kicks to improve their poses and body coordination. I joined them but specially trained by an uncle who seemed to take pride in his past achievements. He shared with me stories of his past championships and how he had progressed. Well, I would be disrespectful to show my disinterest but that only encouraged him to carry on and on.

Muay Thai is indeed more dangerous than boxing. Firstly, it’s boxing without Personal Protective Equipment or PPE. The boxers are not protected with head and body gears. Secondly, kicking is not just a fault but spices up the so called Thai Boxing. If you can’t give an instantaneous reflex defense by lifting your knees, you’ve got to prepare to get bruises on you waist down. My one day lesson gave me some insights on the essential attacks on Muay Thai which uses the head, elbows, punches, kicks, knees to hit the weak spot of a human body.



This looks like a budding Muay Thai boxer. The next Somchit maybe, to bring back another Olympic boxing gold medal for Thailand.


Oh ya, there are gender differences when stepping into the boxing ring. I refer it as a discrimination to the fairer sex. Ladies will have to crawl beneath the lowest band while guys are free to just step in as they like. Before every challenge, the boxers will need to do some kinda procedural dance opening which looks to me more like a kinda worshipping. I heard that TV in Germany airs soccer in the weekends matinees but over here in Thailand, they air their live Muay Thai fights right from stadiums during the weekend









Spot the poser!!!

Food Journal in BKK

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I'm thinking this is a better picture of the Thai salad I previously blogged about. Here, you can see the ingredients that make up the flavourful salad. Hopefully, you don't skip the chilli padis or what they call 'paprik' in Thai. Phet mak mak na.











Only remember to take a snap half way through...
This is what I have at my office canteen in BKK.

Chinese style stir-fried vege, spicy Thai fish chuck salad, BBQ or was that fried pork slice




My never to be missed Ma Phraw (coconut) with fish and another variant of Thai salad.




Hi fish!



Onion+tomato+green vege+squid salad





Glass noodle salad with prawn and sliced frankfurters.



This is definitely no Thai food. The oh so comforting soup the way I like it with smooth Jap tofu, Shitakemushrooms, Inoki mushrooms, glass noodle, gingkos, green veges and fish fillets.



That's salmon chunks!!!