Phew! It's the final day of our holiday. Time sure flies when you're having fun.
Breakfast as usual at the hotel. We had arranged for late checkout with the hotel at 100 Baht per hour. As our flight is at 9pm, it would make sense to have some place to rest. Airport transfer will be picking us up at 6pm so we had plenty of time to spend.
After breakfast, we returned the motorbike. Never rode it once after the fall :)
Took the 10am shuttle and asked the hotel driver to drop us off at the Patong hospital since it's along the way to Patong beach. He's kind enough also to pick us up at 12pm when he's coming back from Patong beach back to the hotel.
At the hospital, we were kinda lost as to where we were supposed to register ourselves to have our dressings changed. So we headed straight to the emergency room. They told us to register out in the front counter. When we reached the front counter, we handed them our appointment cards.
Suddenly a tourist police appeared next to me. A mat salleh lady. She asked if we needed any help. I told her that we're here to have our dressings changed. She proceeded to explain that the registration counter will issue us a ticket number. We're to take the ticket number and our hospital card and wait at the yellow chairs. They will call out our name or number in turn.
Whoa! Colour coded chairs. Yellow for those waiting to have dressings changed, white for those waiting for medicine and dark blue for those waiting to see a doctor. Talk about being organised.
So we got our number and waited at the yellow chairs. About 10 minutes passed and we were called in.
Gosh! They scrubbed the wounds again with a sponge. The pain was intolerable. There was no mercy in there! So once again we were bandaged up.
After having our dressings changed, we proceeded to the insurance department. Unfortunately our insurance didn't provide us with cashless basis cover. So we would have to settle the payment with the hospital and submit a claim back in KL. Which was not too bad. Total cost for the 2 days was about 1000 Baht. So we paid the bill and waited for the hotel shuttle to arrive.
Got back to the hotel and lazed around a bit. Started feeling hungry and decided to walk out for some lunch. Plus we needed another hairwash. We were to keep the bandages dry. So out we went and walked around nearby the hotel. Found a little shop selling mixed rice. Decided to try it out. Not too bad. Quite similar to chinese mixed rice we find in KL but with a hint of Thai. If I remember correctly, it costs us 100 Baht.
After lunch we decided to head to the salon for a hairwash. 100 Baht for men and 150 Baht for women. We negotiated for some discount and got 200 Baht for both of us. Yay!
It's very strange but all the Thai girls in Phuket have straight hair. I have curls. But after the wash, the hairdresser pulled it so straight. I came out looking like I have straight hair. Haha! But no complains.
Back to the hotel and started packing. Nothing much to pack since we didn't buy a lot this time. Not like Bali.. Hehe...
More lazing around waiting for 6pm to come. Short nap and movie repeats on HBO.
6pm and it's time to go. The airport transfer took almost an hour to reach the airport. When we reached the airport we proceeded to check in to our flights. We were a tad too early but they were nice enough to let us check in after taking a look at our bandages... Haha..
Plus we were told that we'll be able to board the flight right after Xpress Boarding passengers. Yay! We get priority boarding as well.
Dinner was at Burger King. Expensive. And nothing to shout about. Burger King is the same everywhere.
The flight took off a little early and we arrived 15 mins ahead of time. Back home!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Adventures While On Vacation In Phuket - Day 4
This will be the most adventurous day of the entire trip and a real eye opener.
It all started with us talking about renting a motorbike to go round instead of depending on the hotel shuttle. That would give us more flexible timing especially if we wanted to stay out late in the night having drinks. So after breakfast, we decided to head on downstairs just at the hotel entrance where there were several shops. One of them provided motorbike rental service. For 200 Baht, you get a motorbike for 24 hours. Gas not included. But heck, gas is cheaper in Phuket than in KL.
So we paid for the bike and off we went to Patong. It was my first time on a motorbike and it was exhilarating. Ok. I can hear snickers among some of you. Yes, I led a very protected childhood. No bicycles and motorbikes. I held on tight and we managed a few turns very well.
Then, just as we were turning into Bangla Road, there was a small puddle of water at the intersection (it had rained the night before) and we couldn't avoid it. We did slow down to take the turn but unfortunately we still slipped and fell. And heroicly so right in front of 2 police officers who were on duty at that intersection. (Oh, I can just hear the snickers now!)
Now the sequence of events really served as an eye opener for us.
Both the police officers quickly rushed towards us (as we were in the middle of the intersection and there were cars coming turning into Bangla Road). One of them took a look at both of us and walked off. The other officer helped to push the motorbike to the side of the road. Now I was wondering where the other officer had walked off to. And momentarily he appeared with a jug of water for us to wash our wounds. I was amazed at the efficiency!
The officer with the jug of water took another look at both of us and told us that we had to go to the hospital. Washing on the road side ain't gonna help. They asked if we knew the way to the hospital. As we were both still in a bit of shock, we could recall passing by a hospital but had no idea how to get there. So one of them suggested that we ride our motorbike and while he led the way on his to the hospital.
Off we went to the hospital on our rented motorbike. The right side mirror was shattered in the fall. Other than that it was ok. It took quite a few turns before we arrived at the Patong Hospital as the roads were all one-way streets. Thanks to the policeman or we wouldn't have found our way there. When we arrived at the hospital, the officer made sure that we were both receiving treatment before he left.
In the Emergency Room, one of the attendants quickly started to ask questions like what happened, how long ago was the fall, what other injuries did we sustain and what allergies to medication did we have. Another started to clean my wound with cotton and antiseptic solution while another proceeded to take my blood pressure. While my BP was being measured, a nurse came with a sponge and started to scrub on my wound (like she was scrubbing the bottom of a dirty old pot). The pain was excruciating! It was pure madness.
After getting bandaged, the registration staff asked if we had insurance. Silly us forgot to purchase travel insurance this time round. But I do remember that I am covered. So I gave them the insurance card which I had and they contacted their Foreign Insurance staff. Can you imagine? They actually have a department setup specially to help foreigners with their insurance claims. And this is in a public hospital.
We were greeted by the insurance staff but she wasn't familiar with the insurance that I had. But anyhow, she told us that she'll try to contact their office in Bangkok and meanwhile we can just wait for our medication and return to the hotel. We asked about payment and they said that since we needed to come back the next day to change the dressings, we can always pay then if insurance wasn't going to cover the charges. I was thinking... how trusting? You'd never find this in Malaysia. No payment, don't even think of stepping out of the hospital grounds.
As we were waiting for our medication at the pharmacy, we noticed a sign that said, "If you wait more than 10 minutes, please contact our staff." Whoa! I am really amazed.
We were in and out of the hospital in under an hour. And that included waiting time for our medication and talking to the insurance department staff. Talk about efficiency!
After all that, I was pretty worn out even though it was barely past 11am. We rode our trusty ol' bike again. Passed a repair shop and stopped to ask how much would it cost to replace the side mirror. 180 Baht. Took it and had it replaced.
When we arrived back at the hotel, we quickly looked for the shop owner and told him what had happened. We were lucky that he wasn't too concerned about the damage to the motorbike but rather more towards our injuries. I had bruises and lacerations on my right arm. Steven had the same on his right arm but also on both his knees.
We decided to just rest in the hotel until we feel up to it to head on out again.
It was soon lunch time and we were hungry. So we took the 2pm shuttle out to Patong. No more motorbike rides for me.. haha
Lunch was again at Break Point. Had the usual tom yum koong and green curry. Still the best and cheapest here. Not forgetting the beer too!
Since it's already Day 4, I decided to get some shopping done. Souvenirs and xmas shopping... 2 in 1! I still had my eyes on the silk scarf so I went back to the stall that offered it for 150 Baht. Tried again to lower the price to 100 Baht but was unsuccessful. Shopped around inside for a short while and ended up buying t-shirts and stuff. Instead of spending just 150 Baht, I spent just over 1000 Baht. Haha....
Initially we were thinking of catching the 4pm shuttle back to the hotel to get some rest but we ended up shopping till 5pm. So we had to wait another hour before the shuttle came at 6pm. Decided to get a drink at KFC nearby while waiting and found out that KFC has delivery service. Wow!
Oh! Before that, we bumped into one of the pole dancers from the bar the night before and she / he recognised us. Or rather recognised Steven. Haha! We thought of just dropping by again before we left. After all, she / he was a fantastic pole dancer.
At 5 to 6pm, we waited for the hotel shuttle. It usually departs the hotel on time and will take 10 minutes to reach Bangla Road. It was 6.20pm and no sign of the shuttle. Luckily we had bought a local prepaid number and decided to call the hotel reception. Apparently the shuttle had gone out and returned to the hotel. No way! We had been standing there before 6pm. No shuttle had passed by.
After some arguing, the hotel decided to send their shuttle out to pick us up where we were. Phew! We weren't willing to hop on a ride on a tuk tuk as the prices have gone up terribly. It's 100 Baht per person. Crazy!
We decided to get KFC delivery for dinner that night. Was tired. Thought of getting some rest before heading out at 10pm to watch some pole dancing again. KFC dinner was ok. Reasonable prices.
At 9.30pm we had both dozed off and were in no shape to go out. Too much adventure for 1 day.
It all started with us talking about renting a motorbike to go round instead of depending on the hotel shuttle. That would give us more flexible timing especially if we wanted to stay out late in the night having drinks. So after breakfast, we decided to head on downstairs just at the hotel entrance where there were several shops. One of them provided motorbike rental service. For 200 Baht, you get a motorbike for 24 hours. Gas not included. But heck, gas is cheaper in Phuket than in KL.
So we paid for the bike and off we went to Patong. It was my first time on a motorbike and it was exhilarating. Ok. I can hear snickers among some of you. Yes, I led a very protected childhood. No bicycles and motorbikes. I held on tight and we managed a few turns very well.
Then, just as we were turning into Bangla Road, there was a small puddle of water at the intersection (it had rained the night before) and we couldn't avoid it. We did slow down to take the turn but unfortunately we still slipped and fell. And heroicly so right in front of 2 police officers who were on duty at that intersection. (Oh, I can just hear the snickers now!)
Now the sequence of events really served as an eye opener for us.
Both the police officers quickly rushed towards us (as we were in the middle of the intersection and there were cars coming turning into Bangla Road). One of them took a look at both of us and walked off. The other officer helped to push the motorbike to the side of the road. Now I was wondering where the other officer had walked off to. And momentarily he appeared with a jug of water for us to wash our wounds. I was amazed at the efficiency!
The officer with the jug of water took another look at both of us and told us that we had to go to the hospital. Washing on the road side ain't gonna help. They asked if we knew the way to the hospital. As we were both still in a bit of shock, we could recall passing by a hospital but had no idea how to get there. So one of them suggested that we ride our motorbike and while he led the way on his to the hospital.
Off we went to the hospital on our rented motorbike. The right side mirror was shattered in the fall. Other than that it was ok. It took quite a few turns before we arrived at the Patong Hospital as the roads were all one-way streets. Thanks to the policeman or we wouldn't have found our way there. When we arrived at the hospital, the officer made sure that we were both receiving treatment before he left.
In the Emergency Room, one of the attendants quickly started to ask questions like what happened, how long ago was the fall, what other injuries did we sustain and what allergies to medication did we have. Another started to clean my wound with cotton and antiseptic solution while another proceeded to take my blood pressure. While my BP was being measured, a nurse came with a sponge and started to scrub on my wound (like she was scrubbing the bottom of a dirty old pot). The pain was excruciating! It was pure madness.
After getting bandaged, the registration staff asked if we had insurance. Silly us forgot to purchase travel insurance this time round. But I do remember that I am covered. So I gave them the insurance card which I had and they contacted their Foreign Insurance staff. Can you imagine? They actually have a department setup specially to help foreigners with their insurance claims. And this is in a public hospital.
We were greeted by the insurance staff but she wasn't familiar with the insurance that I had. But anyhow, she told us that she'll try to contact their office in Bangkok and meanwhile we can just wait for our medication and return to the hotel. We asked about payment and they said that since we needed to come back the next day to change the dressings, we can always pay then if insurance wasn't going to cover the charges. I was thinking... how trusting? You'd never find this in Malaysia. No payment, don't even think of stepping out of the hospital grounds.
As we were waiting for our medication at the pharmacy, we noticed a sign that said, "If you wait more than 10 minutes, please contact our staff." Whoa! I am really amazed.
We were in and out of the hospital in under an hour. And that included waiting time for our medication and talking to the insurance department staff. Talk about efficiency!
After all that, I was pretty worn out even though it was barely past 11am. We rode our trusty ol' bike again. Passed a repair shop and stopped to ask how much would it cost to replace the side mirror. 180 Baht. Took it and had it replaced.
When we arrived back at the hotel, we quickly looked for the shop owner and told him what had happened. We were lucky that he wasn't too concerned about the damage to the motorbike but rather more towards our injuries. I had bruises and lacerations on my right arm. Steven had the same on his right arm but also on both his knees.
We decided to just rest in the hotel until we feel up to it to head on out again.
It was soon lunch time and we were hungry. So we took the 2pm shuttle out to Patong. No more motorbike rides for me.. haha
Lunch was again at Break Point. Had the usual tom yum koong and green curry. Still the best and cheapest here. Not forgetting the beer too!
Since it's already Day 4, I decided to get some shopping done. Souvenirs and xmas shopping... 2 in 1! I still had my eyes on the silk scarf so I went back to the stall that offered it for 150 Baht. Tried again to lower the price to 100 Baht but was unsuccessful. Shopped around inside for a short while and ended up buying t-shirts and stuff. Instead of spending just 150 Baht, I spent just over 1000 Baht. Haha....
Initially we were thinking of catching the 4pm shuttle back to the hotel to get some rest but we ended up shopping till 5pm. So we had to wait another hour before the shuttle came at 6pm. Decided to get a drink at KFC nearby while waiting and found out that KFC has delivery service. Wow!
Oh! Before that, we bumped into one of the pole dancers from the bar the night before and she / he recognised us. Or rather recognised Steven. Haha! We thought of just dropping by again before we left. After all, she / he was a fantastic pole dancer.
At 5 to 6pm, we waited for the hotel shuttle. It usually departs the hotel on time and will take 10 minutes to reach Bangla Road. It was 6.20pm and no sign of the shuttle. Luckily we had bought a local prepaid number and decided to call the hotel reception. Apparently the shuttle had gone out and returned to the hotel. No way! We had been standing there before 6pm. No shuttle had passed by.
After some arguing, the hotel decided to send their shuttle out to pick us up where we were. Phew! We weren't willing to hop on a ride on a tuk tuk as the prices have gone up terribly. It's 100 Baht per person. Crazy!
We decided to get KFC delivery for dinner that night. Was tired. Thought of getting some rest before heading out at 10pm to watch some pole dancing again. KFC dinner was ok. Reasonable prices.
At 9.30pm we had both dozed off and were in no shape to go out. Too much adventure for 1 day.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Adventures While On Vacation In Phuket - Day 3
Breakfast as usual at the hotel early in the morning. We had arranged for Laguna Resorts to pick us up at 10am for a tour of their resort. You know one of those arrangements where you spend 90 minutes of your time touring their resort and understanding their 'plans' and you get something for free? We had come across this at the airport when we arrived and they were giving out 2 Phuket Fantasea tickets inclusive of transfers. So we thought, why not? (You're going to think, cheapskate!) But hey, those tickets normally cost 1500 Baht per person and the transfer costs 300 Baht per person. So we saved 3600 Baht. That's a lot of money!
Pickup arrived punctually at 10am. There was another Swedish couple with their baby joining us from our hotel. They had come across this at JungCeylon Shopping Centre and were also interested in getting hold of those free tickets.
Laguna Resort is really beautiful. Sheraton is there. So is the exclusive Banyan Tree. One can move around to all the resorts there by boat or bus available free. So we spent our 90 minutes touring and having a consultant explain to us their "plan". But of course, they'll never be able to make us pay anything. All we want is the free tickets... haha
We got what we wanted and they let us off pretty easy. Our friends, the Swedish couple, was there for 5 hours! Amazing how they manage to tolerate all that nonsense.
By the time we arrived at Patong, it was past 2 pm. Head for lunch (again!) at Break Point. Ordered tom yum koong again. Hahaa.. When in Thailand, this is what I do. Tom yum koong whenever I can get my hands on them. Well, lunch was again an affordable affair (I wouldn't say cheap). Less than 400 Baht.
Walked around a bit after lunch. Did some window shopping. One thing I realised this time is that many of the traders seem to be foreigners and not Thai. Strange. Gotta investigate. These foreigners sell the same stuff and at higher prices.
I was interested in a silk scarf. A local trader offered it to me at 150 Baht (after a 50% discount). But stingy ol' me wanted it for 100 Baht. So I kept asking other stalls. One stall I came across, the trader (who happened to be Nepalese) gave me a starting price of 800 Baht. I asked for a discount and she lowered it to 500 Baht. I asked for more discount and offered 100 Baht. She said it wasn't even enough to buy stock. She offered a final price of 400 Baht. Since the price wasn't right, I walked away. As I was walking away, she said to me from my back, 100 Baht can't buy anything in Thailand nowadays. Sigh... The rudeness!
After some 'window shopping' , we took the 6pm shuttle back to the hotel to get some rest before the pickup arrived from Fantasea.
At 6.50pm, our van arrived to shuttle us to Phuket Fantasea. It was a boring ride. Nothing interesting along the way. But when we arrived at the main entrance, it felt like a whole new world was waiting for us. The lights and colours were just simply amazing! All the staff were dressed up in traditional Thai costumes.
I went on to the ticketing counter to collect our tickets and proceeded to enter the theme park. It is just awe-inspiring to be inside this Fantasea world. There were stalls selling all sorts of souvenir items, there were games stalls, there were food stalls. It was a fun fair at night.
The show started at 9pm in the Palace Of The Elephants Theatre. Everyone was required to deposit any sort of photo / film recording type of equipment at the counter before entering the theatre. We were wondering why and then we saw it. After depositing the cameras, videocams and camera phones, there were stalls where one can have their photo taken with girls dressed up in traditional costumes, elephants, baby tigers and so on. You pay and have your photo taken. At the end of the show, you can collect it at the exit counter.
When we entered the hall, it was huge! Rows and rows of seats. Our seats weren't too good. It was high up and on the right side of the hall. But since we didn't pay for it, we shouldn't be complaining at all.
The show started with a parade of elephants entering from the side of the hall and walking up on stage. It was a story about Kamala beach. Amazing show I would say but personally I'm not too keen on watching animals perform. Humans performing, yes, I will be interested. But definitely not animals. It's not their nature to be performing. It's unnatural. It's torturous to them. I always wonder why people force animals to train for shows and stunts when it's not in their nature to do those things. Sigh...
Anyway, after the show, we took the shuttle back to our hotel. It was late and we hadn't had dinner. With the light drizzle, we decided to just have dinner at the coffee house in the hotel. Expensive and nothing to shout about. Just get our tummies filled.
And that's Day 3 in Phuket.
Pickup arrived punctually at 10am. There was another Swedish couple with their baby joining us from our hotel. They had come across this at JungCeylon Shopping Centre and were also interested in getting hold of those free tickets.
Laguna Resort is really beautiful. Sheraton is there. So is the exclusive Banyan Tree. One can move around to all the resorts there by boat or bus available free. So we spent our 90 minutes touring and having a consultant explain to us their "plan". But of course, they'll never be able to make us pay anything. All we want is the free tickets... haha
We got what we wanted and they let us off pretty easy. Our friends, the Swedish couple, was there for 5 hours! Amazing how they manage to tolerate all that nonsense.
By the time we arrived at Patong, it was past 2 pm. Head for lunch (again!) at Break Point. Ordered tom yum koong again. Hahaa.. When in Thailand, this is what I do. Tom yum koong whenever I can get my hands on them. Well, lunch was again an affordable affair (I wouldn't say cheap). Less than 400 Baht.
Walked around a bit after lunch. Did some window shopping. One thing I realised this time is that many of the traders seem to be foreigners and not Thai. Strange. Gotta investigate. These foreigners sell the same stuff and at higher prices.
I was interested in a silk scarf. A local trader offered it to me at 150 Baht (after a 50% discount). But stingy ol' me wanted it for 100 Baht. So I kept asking other stalls. One stall I came across, the trader (who happened to be Nepalese) gave me a starting price of 800 Baht. I asked for a discount and she lowered it to 500 Baht. I asked for more discount and offered 100 Baht. She said it wasn't even enough to buy stock. She offered a final price of 400 Baht. Since the price wasn't right, I walked away. As I was walking away, she said to me from my back, 100 Baht can't buy anything in Thailand nowadays. Sigh... The rudeness!
After some 'window shopping' , we took the 6pm shuttle back to the hotel to get some rest before the pickup arrived from Fantasea.
At 6.50pm, our van arrived to shuttle us to Phuket Fantasea. It was a boring ride. Nothing interesting along the way. But when we arrived at the main entrance, it felt like a whole new world was waiting for us. The lights and colours were just simply amazing! All the staff were dressed up in traditional Thai costumes.
I went on to the ticketing counter to collect our tickets and proceeded to enter the theme park. It is just awe-inspiring to be inside this Fantasea world. There were stalls selling all sorts of souvenir items, there were games stalls, there were food stalls. It was a fun fair at night.
The show started at 9pm in the Palace Of The Elephants Theatre. Everyone was required to deposit any sort of photo / film recording type of equipment at the counter before entering the theatre. We were wondering why and then we saw it. After depositing the cameras, videocams and camera phones, there were stalls where one can have their photo taken with girls dressed up in traditional costumes, elephants, baby tigers and so on. You pay and have your photo taken. At the end of the show, you can collect it at the exit counter.
When we entered the hall, it was huge! Rows and rows of seats. Our seats weren't too good. It was high up and on the right side of the hall. But since we didn't pay for it, we shouldn't be complaining at all.
The show started with a parade of elephants entering from the side of the hall and walking up on stage. It was a story about Kamala beach. Amazing show I would say but personally I'm not too keen on watching animals perform. Humans performing, yes, I will be interested. But definitely not animals. It's not their nature to be performing. It's unnatural. It's torturous to them. I always wonder why people force animals to train for shows and stunts when it's not in their nature to do those things. Sigh...
Anyway, after the show, we took the shuttle back to our hotel. It was late and we hadn't had dinner. With the light drizzle, we decided to just have dinner at the coffee house in the hotel. Expensive and nothing to shout about. Just get our tummies filled.
And that's Day 3 in Phuket.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Adventures While On Vacation In Phuket - Day 2
Day 2 started with an early breakfast at the hotel. Nothing specific planned for the day. After breakfast, headed back to the room and watched 2 movies on HBO. I can't even remember what movies they were.. haha...
We took the 2pm shuttle to Patong coz we were hungry and needed food. This time we headed again to one of the lanes around the beach. We decided to head straight to the place that was packed with patrons the night before during dinner time. Prices were reasonable but quality of food was still much better at Break Point, the night before. Still less than 400 baht for 3 dishes and 2 drinks.
After our late lunch, walked around Patong area slowly exploring every nook and corner. Did some window shopping. And finally we decided to get a hairwash. No massage for us this time. Just a plain hairwash. 100 baht for men and 150 baht for women. Not too bad. Although it's cheaper in KL.
More walking around after our hairwash and we stumbled upon a bar that had a sign saying... A-Go-Go Boys. Hmm.. this is a first. All the other bars were a-go-go girls. But the show starts only at 11.40pm. Very specific timing. We probably wouldn't be able to catch the show since our hotel shuttle leaves Patong at 12am.
After all that walking, we decided to stop for dinner. Saw 2 stalls. The roast pork was tempting us. I decided to opt for noodles instead. Steven decided on roast pork rice. Ordered some pork satay too. There were so many choices, I asked the lady to put in crab meat, cuttlefish, deep fried prawns and I can't remember what else. The roast pork was just superb and we ordered another plate of it.. haha... Well dinner costs 120 baht if I remember correctly.
And then greedy ol' me saw a pancake stall. I have been missing the pancakes since my last trip to Phuket which was pre-tsunami. I couldn't resist and ordered a chocolate & banana pancake. It's basically roti canai wrapped with sliced banana and beaten egg. Then topped with chocolate sauce. Heavenly...
After my indulgence, we headed back to Bangla Road. Ready for some excitement. More shows to see ;) This time we headed to another bar. More interesting shows and a fantastic pole dancer.
By 12am, my eyes can barely open so we headed back to the hotel and called it a night.
We took the 2pm shuttle to Patong coz we were hungry and needed food. This time we headed again to one of the lanes around the beach. We decided to head straight to the place that was packed with patrons the night before during dinner time. Prices were reasonable but quality of food was still much better at Break Point, the night before. Still less than 400 baht for 3 dishes and 2 drinks.
After our late lunch, walked around Patong area slowly exploring every nook and corner. Did some window shopping. And finally we decided to get a hairwash. No massage for us this time. Just a plain hairwash. 100 baht for men and 150 baht for women. Not too bad. Although it's cheaper in KL.
More walking around after our hairwash and we stumbled upon a bar that had a sign saying... A-Go-Go Boys. Hmm.. this is a first. All the other bars were a-go-go girls. But the show starts only at 11.40pm. Very specific timing. We probably wouldn't be able to catch the show since our hotel shuttle leaves Patong at 12am.
After all that walking, we decided to stop for dinner. Saw 2 stalls. The roast pork was tempting us. I decided to opt for noodles instead. Steven decided on roast pork rice. Ordered some pork satay too. There were so many choices, I asked the lady to put in crab meat, cuttlefish, deep fried prawns and I can't remember what else. The roast pork was just superb and we ordered another plate of it.. haha... Well dinner costs 120 baht if I remember correctly.
And then greedy ol' me saw a pancake stall. I have been missing the pancakes since my last trip to Phuket which was pre-tsunami. I couldn't resist and ordered a chocolate & banana pancake. It's basically roti canai wrapped with sliced banana and beaten egg. Then topped with chocolate sauce. Heavenly...
After my indulgence, we headed back to Bangla Road. Ready for some excitement. More shows to see ;) This time we headed to another bar. More interesting shows and a fantastic pole dancer.
By 12am, my eyes can barely open so we headed back to the hotel and called it a night.
Adventures While On Vacation In Phuket - Day 1
My long awaited trip to Phuket finally came. Booked them AA tickets way back in Feb when they had the 5 sen promo. My round trip air ticket cost me less than RM200 per person which is a steal!
So the day came and I packed my bags and head along to the airport. Of course I got a good friend of mine to send us to the airport that morning. I woke him up really early (coz he's well known for being late) and it turned out that I woke up later :)
Anyway, check in at LCCT was smooth. Albeit feeling more like a bus terminal than an airport. But hey, who cares?! As long as I travel at the lowest cost possible, I'm not gonna care how the airport feels like.
Landed just after lunch. Still hungry even though I had my favourite turkey ham & cheese sandwich on the plane. Now what's the cheapest way to get to Patong area from the airport? The bus of course. Hopped onto a bus waiting outside the terminal and the fare was 85 baht per person all the way to Phuket town. I had asked the bus attendant to stop me somewhere I can catch the bus to Patong. She did stop the bus as we were approaching town and asked me to wait across the road. 5 minutes later a bus to Patong came along. The fare was only 25 baht per person.
Now the problem is from the main road, it was a 1km hike up the hill to the hotel where I was staying and with my luggage, I wasn't going to hike all the way up. This is vacation. Not a hiking trip. So we decided to stop for lunch first and then only think of a way to get to the hotel.
Lunch was at a noodle stall. Didn't catch the name of the shop but there was so much options there I just told the lady to put a bit of everything into my bowl. That cost us 115 baht in total which included a bottle of mineral water.
After lunch, we decided to buy a local prepaid card and called the hotel. Told them we were lost and couldn't find our way to the hotel and asked if they could pick us up. We had the noodle stall operator explain to the hotel staff exactly where we were. 5 minutes later a van arrived to pick us up.
Checked in at the hotel and discovered that the hotel wasn't so nice after all. But then again, free hotel stay, better not complain so much.
The hotel has a shuttle to Patong beach every 2 hours on a daily basis. So we decided to take the 6pm shuttle to walk around and have dinner.
The shuttle stopped us right at Bangla Road. Happening!
Walked around a bit all the while looking for a place to eat. Thai food a must of course. Nothing western for me, not in Thailand.
Finally we found this quaint little restaurant tucked in one of the alleys by the beach. It's Japanese owned and they had the cheapest beer in town. A small bottle of Chang beer costs only 25 baht and a large bottle costs 50 baht. We ordered tom yum koong, stir fried morning glory (make a guess what's morning glory), stir fried chicken with cashew nuts (koong poh kai ting) and green curry pork. I had a strawberry shake and Steven had a large Chang beer. Our dinner costs us just under 400 baht. That's a steal. 4 dishes and 2 drinks. Go check out my food blog for more yummy info.
After dinner, it was time to walk around again. The sky was dark and the street is coming alive. Suddenly we saw a lot of activities at one of the small lanes. Ooh... there were transvetites dressed up to the nines parading about. You can take a photo with them for 50 baht. No way am I going to pay that kind of money.
We bumped into touts who kept on inviting us for 'shows', if you know what I mean. No cover charge some more. Just order a beer for 120 baht. Interesting shows. For me it's a first. So it was an experience. Had heard all about it from others. Well, it sure was an eye opener for me. We went to another bar the following night. Caught more interesting shows :)
We caught the 10pm shuttle back to the hotel and decided to call it a night.
And so ends Day 1 of my vacation.
So the day came and I packed my bags and head along to the airport. Of course I got a good friend of mine to send us to the airport that morning. I woke him up really early (coz he's well known for being late) and it turned out that I woke up later :)
Anyway, check in at LCCT was smooth. Albeit feeling more like a bus terminal than an airport. But hey, who cares?! As long as I travel at the lowest cost possible, I'm not gonna care how the airport feels like.
Landed just after lunch. Still hungry even though I had my favourite turkey ham & cheese sandwich on the plane. Now what's the cheapest way to get to Patong area from the airport? The bus of course. Hopped onto a bus waiting outside the terminal and the fare was 85 baht per person all the way to Phuket town. I had asked the bus attendant to stop me somewhere I can catch the bus to Patong. She did stop the bus as we were approaching town and asked me to wait across the road. 5 minutes later a bus to Patong came along. The fare was only 25 baht per person.
Now the problem is from the main road, it was a 1km hike up the hill to the hotel where I was staying and with my luggage, I wasn't going to hike all the way up. This is vacation. Not a hiking trip. So we decided to stop for lunch first and then only think of a way to get to the hotel.
Lunch was at a noodle stall. Didn't catch the name of the shop but there was so much options there I just told the lady to put a bit of everything into my bowl. That cost us 115 baht in total which included a bottle of mineral water.
After lunch, we decided to buy a local prepaid card and called the hotel. Told them we were lost and couldn't find our way to the hotel and asked if they could pick us up. We had the noodle stall operator explain to the hotel staff exactly where we were. 5 minutes later a van arrived to pick us up.
Checked in at the hotel and discovered that the hotel wasn't so nice after all. But then again, free hotel stay, better not complain so much.
The hotel has a shuttle to Patong beach every 2 hours on a daily basis. So we decided to take the 6pm shuttle to walk around and have dinner.
The shuttle stopped us right at Bangla Road. Happening!
Walked around a bit all the while looking for a place to eat. Thai food a must of course. Nothing western for me, not in Thailand.
Finally we found this quaint little restaurant tucked in one of the alleys by the beach. It's Japanese owned and they had the cheapest beer in town. A small bottle of Chang beer costs only 25 baht and a large bottle costs 50 baht. We ordered tom yum koong, stir fried morning glory (make a guess what's morning glory), stir fried chicken with cashew nuts (koong poh kai ting) and green curry pork. I had a strawberry shake and Steven had a large Chang beer. Our dinner costs us just under 400 baht. That's a steal. 4 dishes and 2 drinks. Go check out my food blog for more yummy info.
After dinner, it was time to walk around again. The sky was dark and the street is coming alive. Suddenly we saw a lot of activities at one of the small lanes. Ooh... there were transvetites dressed up to the nines parading about. You can take a photo with them for 50 baht. No way am I going to pay that kind of money.
We bumped into touts who kept on inviting us for 'shows', if you know what I mean. No cover charge some more. Just order a beer for 120 baht. Interesting shows. For me it's a first. So it was an experience. Had heard all about it from others. Well, it sure was an eye opener for me. We went to another bar the following night. Caught more interesting shows :)
We caught the 10pm shuttle back to the hotel and decided to call it a night.
And so ends Day 1 of my vacation.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Cute Ultraman
Got this from Siew Says blog... Cannot resist putting it here ;)
Notice how the ultraman changes colour in sync with the music...
Notice how the ultraman changes colour in sync with the music...
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Bill Clinton in Malaysia
It was such an honour for me to be able to get tickets to Bill Clinton's lecture in conjunction with The Inaugural Sekhar Memorial Lecture at the Plenary Hall in KLCC. I have to add that I was privileged to score Special Guest tickets and was seated right behind the VIPs. The view was great!
The day started off with some makeup, which I usually reserve only for dinner parties, and dressing up. That caused a mad rush for me early in the morning. Worked half a day at the office and by 1.30pm I was heading to KLCC. Traffic was a bit heavy that day since it was a Friday and it was prayer time at the mosques.
Passes were to be collected between 2pm to 4pm and I was thinking that there might be a long queue. I mean, this is the Bill Clinton we're talking about. I'm sure my Special Guest passes are not that special. But boy was I in for a surprise.
There was a long queue, never seen such a queue before when I arrived. But I thought, maybe I'll just walk up to the front to see what's going on. And lo and behold, there was a Special Guest counter and there was nobody queuing there. Yay!
I got my pass and decided to head for lunch. It was only 2.15pm and doors didn't open till 5pm. So off I went to Spring Garden Restaurant. Newly renovated. I thought, why not give myself a treat. As usual, even the simplest dishes amaze me at Spring Garden.
At 5pm, proceeded back to the Plenary Hall where I was led about on a wild goose chase. There I am in my heels (which I'm totally not used to - another story for another day) and those ushers just kept directing me the wrong way. From the Ground floor, they said to go up to the 3rd floor. So took the lift up and tried to look for the entrance. Asked around and was told to go to the 1st floor. At the 1st floor, was told to go back up to the 3rd floor. This is when I started to get mad. I hate it when people can't give me proper directions and make me walk such distances in heels.
Finally found out that entrance is at 3rd floor down the stairs to enter the Plenary Hall at the 1st floor. Gosh! And that took like 4 different people to get it right.
Went in the hall and phew there were still good seats available. Quite up the front just behind the VIPs. Unobstructed view of the stage. Cool!
The event was supposed to start at 6pm so it was quite a long wait inside the hall. I wasn't going to move and get out for fear of losing my seats. They're my seats! Mine!
As usual, nothing ever starts on time in KL. So it wasn't a surprise that the event only started at 6.30pm. Wasn't all that bad. Wedding dinners start at least an hour later. So half an hour wait is quite good actually.
The event started off with Datuk Vinod Sekhar welcoming and introducing Former US President, Bill Clinton. What followed in the next 40 minutes when Bill took the stage was just awe inspiring. His articulation of his thoughts on what is happening around the world is just amazing. In fact, it's exactly my thoughts.
Why must there be war? Why must people fight? Why can't people just be more tolerant to differences? In the end, we're all humans after all and we're all dependent on each other. That's what global interdependence is all about.
Few points that I will always remember clearly during his lecture are:
1) Before coming to the lecture, he had the opportunity to visit the Bird Park. There were all kinds of birds all living harmoniously in the park. And they were all getting along just fine. At one point, there was a male peacock which spread it's tail to another bird. I can't remember of what species but it wasn't a peahen. Now if birds could do that, why can't we humans do that?
2) After visiting the bird park, he paid a visit to our Prime Minister and his Deputy in Putrajaya. On the way back to KLCC, traffic was heavy and a 35 minute journey became a 65 minute journey. Hence the delay in starting the lecture which he promptly apologised for. But then he said, for a country with so much traffic, your economy will do just fine in these trying times. Coming from a man who was responsible for the longest economic expansion in American history, it sure does mean something for us.
3) Personally I have been wondering for a long, long time why wars are raged onto others in the name of religion. Bear in mind I'm not a very religious person. But I just hate to see all the fighting going on for years and years. And when Bill told the audience about his wife's personal aide who happens to be a devout Muslim and has a best friend who's Jewish, it really showed me that it's all about tolerance. When you're far away in another land, it really doesn't matter who you are and what your beliefs are. All that matters is the connection that each of us has with one another. No matter who we are and what we believe in, we are the human race. Simple.
4) Good business. When asked about charity versus profits, it all boils down to good business, according to Bill. And it just makes so much sense. Take for example, The Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative with its goal to help being AIDS treatment to people all over the world. One of its biggest success is in brokering drug distribution agreements. Lower the cost, increase the volume. Result = same profit. Personally, I think the profit could be even more.
If only everyone could make the shift in their mindset about how interconnected we are with every other human being, life would actually be much simpler and happier.
After his lecture, Bill was presented with The BC Sekhar Medal for Transformational Leadership.
It was a very good day for me albeit I ended up with sore feet from the wild goose chase. But it was all well worth it.
The day started off with some makeup, which I usually reserve only for dinner parties, and dressing up. That caused a mad rush for me early in the morning. Worked half a day at the office and by 1.30pm I was heading to KLCC. Traffic was a bit heavy that day since it was a Friday and it was prayer time at the mosques.
Passes were to be collected between 2pm to 4pm and I was thinking that there might be a long queue. I mean, this is the Bill Clinton we're talking about. I'm sure my Special Guest passes are not that special. But boy was I in for a surprise.
There was a long queue, never seen such a queue before when I arrived. But I thought, maybe I'll just walk up to the front to see what's going on. And lo and behold, there was a Special Guest counter and there was nobody queuing there. Yay!
I got my pass and decided to head for lunch. It was only 2.15pm and doors didn't open till 5pm. So off I went to Spring Garden Restaurant. Newly renovated. I thought, why not give myself a treat. As usual, even the simplest dishes amaze me at Spring Garden.
At 5pm, proceeded back to the Plenary Hall where I was led about on a wild goose chase. There I am in my heels (which I'm totally not used to - another story for another day) and those ushers just kept directing me the wrong way. From the Ground floor, they said to go up to the 3rd floor. So took the lift up and tried to look for the entrance. Asked around and was told to go to the 1st floor. At the 1st floor, was told to go back up to the 3rd floor. This is when I started to get mad. I hate it when people can't give me proper directions and make me walk such distances in heels.
Finally found out that entrance is at 3rd floor down the stairs to enter the Plenary Hall at the 1st floor. Gosh! And that took like 4 different people to get it right.
Went in the hall and phew there were still good seats available. Quite up the front just behind the VIPs. Unobstructed view of the stage. Cool!
The event was supposed to start at 6pm so it was quite a long wait inside the hall. I wasn't going to move and get out for fear of losing my seats. They're my seats! Mine!
As usual, nothing ever starts on time in KL. So it wasn't a surprise that the event only started at 6.30pm. Wasn't all that bad. Wedding dinners start at least an hour later. So half an hour wait is quite good actually.
The event started off with Datuk Vinod Sekhar welcoming and introducing Former US President, Bill Clinton. What followed in the next 40 minutes when Bill took the stage was just awe inspiring. His articulation of his thoughts on what is happening around the world is just amazing. In fact, it's exactly my thoughts.
Why must there be war? Why must people fight? Why can't people just be more tolerant to differences? In the end, we're all humans after all and we're all dependent on each other. That's what global interdependence is all about.
Few points that I will always remember clearly during his lecture are:
1) Before coming to the lecture, he had the opportunity to visit the Bird Park. There were all kinds of birds all living harmoniously in the park. And they were all getting along just fine. At one point, there was a male peacock which spread it's tail to another bird. I can't remember of what species but it wasn't a peahen. Now if birds could do that, why can't we humans do that?
2) After visiting the bird park, he paid a visit to our Prime Minister and his Deputy in Putrajaya. On the way back to KLCC, traffic was heavy and a 35 minute journey became a 65 minute journey. Hence the delay in starting the lecture which he promptly apologised for. But then he said, for a country with so much traffic, your economy will do just fine in these trying times. Coming from a man who was responsible for the longest economic expansion in American history, it sure does mean something for us.
3) Personally I have been wondering for a long, long time why wars are raged onto others in the name of religion. Bear in mind I'm not a very religious person. But I just hate to see all the fighting going on for years and years. And when Bill told the audience about his wife's personal aide who happens to be a devout Muslim and has a best friend who's Jewish, it really showed me that it's all about tolerance. When you're far away in another land, it really doesn't matter who you are and what your beliefs are. All that matters is the connection that each of us has with one another. No matter who we are and what we believe in, we are the human race. Simple.
4) Good business. When asked about charity versus profits, it all boils down to good business, according to Bill. And it just makes so much sense. Take for example, The Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative with its goal to help being AIDS treatment to people all over the world. One of its biggest success is in brokering drug distribution agreements. Lower the cost, increase the volume. Result = same profit. Personally, I think the profit could be even more.
If only everyone could make the shift in their mindset about how interconnected we are with every other human being, life would actually be much simpler and happier.
After his lecture, Bill was presented with The BC Sekhar Medal for Transformational Leadership.
It was a very good day for me albeit I ended up with sore feet from the wild goose chase. But it was all well worth it.
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving is here! Although we don't celebrate it in Malaysia but I sure have lots of friends who are celebrating overseas. I am thankful for what I have in my life right now. It has been a long journey and life still goes on. I just want to say a very big
to everyone who has touched my lives, to my family and friends who have supported me through thick & thin.
Here's wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!
And in the spirit of being thankful, here's a game for all to enjoy!
to everyone who has touched my lives, to my family and friends who have supported me through thick & thin.
Here's wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!
And in the spirit of being thankful, here's a game for all to enjoy!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
The Greatest Lesson I Have Just Learnt - FLOW
I have just returned from the most amazing and awesome weekend in Bali. And no... it's not another holiday. It was EBS.
What is EBS?
It's Entrepreneur Business School.
Business school?
Yup. But it's not about business. It's not about the plan.
Most of you readers out there probably wouldn't understand what I'm going to be rambling about for remainder of this post but if you did... you'd know.
Over the weekend, I learnt a lot about people and connection and flow.
I never really thought about flow throughout the weekend during EBS. But then a thought occurred to me at the airport while waiting for my flight to return to KL.
Why is EBS always held in Bali?
I had been wondering why Roger chooses Bali as the venue. At first I thought, hmm... maybe because his family now lives in Bali. But then I thought again. There must be something more.
So, there I was wandering around the boarding gate area waiting for my flight and it suddenly occurred to me.
I know why EBS is held in Bali! It is a lesson that Roger hopes all EBS participants will learn from the people of Bali.
Just think about it. What is it about these simple people leading simple lives in Bali?
Bali is one of Indonesia's wealthest regions thanks largely to the tourism industry. It is paradise to some. Despite all the development on the island, the Balinese people have always been very grateful for what they have. Yes, they are proud of their achievements, but they did not have any ego in them. They were just grateful.
Then, in 2002, the Kuta area was bombed by militant Islamist. It shook the whole island. Every single person in Bali was affected in one way or another. I remember several years back when I made my first visit to Bali and I had a chat with the travel agent there. There wasn't a single tourist for at least 3 months right after the bombing. Not a single one.
Workers went for months without getting paid. People could hardly survive. They couldn't feed their families.
Yet, they persevered. They struggled. And throughout this struggle, they were never upset. They accepted that whatever happened, had happened for a reason. Now, there are also Muslims living on the island. Most of them came from the island of Java. It could have been easy enough for the Balinese people to take revenge as Muslims are a minority on the island of Bali. But yet they didn't. Instead, they worked together to rebuild the island.
Things were only starting to get better when again in 2005, another bomb was set off. Again by militant Islamists. The lives of all the people on the island was once again sent into turmoil. Yet, the people were not upset. They accepted again that what happened, had happened.
And at that moment, when that thought occurred to me, I knew the reason why EBS is held in Bali. The people of Bali are so in flow... What better place to learn about flow than in Bali...
And if all the participants of EBS could just learn this one lesson from the people of Bali, that would have been the most important lesson learnt.
What is EBS?
It's Entrepreneur Business School.
Business school?
Yup. But it's not about business. It's not about the plan.
Most of you readers out there probably wouldn't understand what I'm going to be rambling about for remainder of this post but if you did... you'd know.
Over the weekend, I learnt a lot about people and connection and flow.
I never really thought about flow throughout the weekend during EBS. But then a thought occurred to me at the airport while waiting for my flight to return to KL.
Why is EBS always held in Bali?
I had been wondering why Roger chooses Bali as the venue. At first I thought, hmm... maybe because his family now lives in Bali. But then I thought again. There must be something more.
So, there I was wandering around the boarding gate area waiting for my flight and it suddenly occurred to me.
I know why EBS is held in Bali! It is a lesson that Roger hopes all EBS participants will learn from the people of Bali.
Just think about it. What is it about these simple people leading simple lives in Bali?
Bali is one of Indonesia's wealthest regions thanks largely to the tourism industry. It is paradise to some. Despite all the development on the island, the Balinese people have always been very grateful for what they have. Yes, they are proud of their achievements, but they did not have any ego in them. They were just grateful.
Then, in 2002, the Kuta area was bombed by militant Islamist. It shook the whole island. Every single person in Bali was affected in one way or another. I remember several years back when I made my first visit to Bali and I had a chat with the travel agent there. There wasn't a single tourist for at least 3 months right after the bombing. Not a single one.
Workers went for months without getting paid. People could hardly survive. They couldn't feed their families.
Yet, they persevered. They struggled. And throughout this struggle, they were never upset. They accepted that whatever happened, had happened for a reason. Now, there are also Muslims living on the island. Most of them came from the island of Java. It could have been easy enough for the Balinese people to take revenge as Muslims are a minority on the island of Bali. But yet they didn't. Instead, they worked together to rebuild the island.
Things were only starting to get better when again in 2005, another bomb was set off. Again by militant Islamists. The lives of all the people on the island was once again sent into turmoil. Yet, the people were not upset. They accepted again that what happened, had happened.
And at that moment, when that thought occurred to me, I knew the reason why EBS is held in Bali. The people of Bali are so in flow... What better place to learn about flow than in Bali...
And if all the participants of EBS could just learn this one lesson from the people of Bali, that would have been the most important lesson learnt.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Malaysia. My Country, My Home
Malaysia... What can I say? My country, my home. Despite the recent developments in the country, I must say that Malaysia is still a beautiful country. A rich country.
Rich? You would ask. Yes. Rich.
Rich in culture.
Rich in colours.
Rich in food.
Rich in people.
Rich in resources.
Rich in destinations.
Rich in talent.
Rich in so many other things.
Now you may ask. Is Malaysia really that rich?
Why not? Here's why.
Rich in culture.
Over the years, different races have been living harmoniously under one 'roof'. Yes. Amazing but true. Our cultures have blended so well that the oh-so-famous Coffee Bean Ice Blended Coffee can't beat that.
We see the Malays giving green packets during Hari Raya. Notice something familiar? Red packets during Chinese New Year.
And when it's EPL season, you'll see people from all walks of life floodingthe mamak stalls to catch their favourite team in action on the big screen.
What about the ever famous batik cloth now fashionably made into cheongsam. It's totally fabulous!
Rich in colours.
Have you ever seen all the different traditional costumes of all the different races in Malaysia all put together? You'll be amazed at the colours on display.
And then there's the Annual Flora Fest held in Putrajaya. Oh! The colours are such a sight for sore eyes.
Rich in food.
Anyone ever tried going on a 'makan' trip anywhere in Malaysia? For the benefit of overseas readers, 'makan' means eat in Malay. The culinary delights you'll find here are of (g)astronomical proportions. I read in a magazine recently that for every hour of the day, you'll be able to find something to fulfill all your cravings.
From the ever so famous nasi lemak to bak kut teh to durian tarts to fish head curry to Portugese grilled fish to chocolate banana cake to asam laksa to char kueh teow to hokkien meehoon to grilled chicken wings to satay to banana leaf rice to roti canai to dim sum to otak-otak.
I have to stop here. My mouth is watering...
Rich in people.
Some might think that there are only three races in Malaysia. The Malays, the Chinese and the Indians. Many have forgotten about the Dayaks, the Kadazans, the Ibans, the Bidayuhs, the Melanau, the Minangkabaus, the orang asli. And just imagine, we all live happily under one 'roof', regardless of race and religion.
Rich in resources.
Has anyone ever pondered upon the fact that the people of Malaysia are one hell of a lucky bunch?
We are strategically located in a little circle within the Pacific Rim of Fire, free of volcanoes, earthquakes, typhoons and hurricanes. Our neighbour, Indonesia, isn't as lucky as us. They have volcanoes which are the most active of the Rim. And to think we are only separated by the Straits of Melaka.
And within this strategic location, we are blessed with petroleum and tin. We have soil so fertile that rubber and palm oil flourish in plantations. Not to mention the various types of fruits that we export to the Western countries.
Rich in destinations.
One will be amazed at the inbound tourists that flood the country year in year out. We have Americans, Europeans, Middle Easterns, Australians, Japanese, Koreans and even Singaporeans constantly arriving on our shores. But have you ever wondered why we have tourists from all over the world coming here year after year after year?
One thing I have to admit is our government does a really good job promoting Visit Malaysia Year. And it's really not that difficult a task to do.
We have some of the best island destinations in the world. From Pulau Pinang to Pulau Langkawi to Pulau Redang to Pulau Perhentian to Pulau Tioman and not to forget Pulau Sipadan, home to one of the best diving locations in the world.
And how can we forget our beloved Mount Kinabalu, tallest mountain in Malaysia. Home to the Rafflesia, the largest single flower in the world. Mount Kinabalu is also home to thirteen species of the insectivorous pitcher plants, the Kinabalu giant red leech, the Kinabalu giant earthworm and the Rhinocerous Hornbill.
Rich in talent.
The above said, we have yet more richness in us. And that is talent. One may not know but there are quite a number of Malaysians who are internationally renowned.
We have Jimmy Choo (shoe designer), Zang Toi (fashion designer), Melinda Looi (fashion designer), Nicole David (squash player), Lee Chong Wei (badminton player), Siti Nurhaliza (singer), the late Sudirman Arshad (singer), Sheila Majid (singer) and oh so many more.
I was born here. I grew up here. I studied here (although I did a twinning program). I work here.
My life is here. My Malaysia.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Quote Of The Day
There are two things to aim at in life; first to get what you want, and after that to enjoy it. Only the wisest of mankind has achieved the second. - Logan Pearsall Smith
Friday, April 18, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
