the journey begins... Angkor - Singha - Lao

my fight was at 9.40am; dragged my excited yet lazy ass up, got ready, concluded some final details, fine tuning my backpack and i am off to Phnom Penh International Airport. i guess the feud between the Thais and the Khmers are still raging, hence the "passport checker" asking me WHY am i going to Thailand... "holiday", i answered... hmmm... skeptical.... flying on Asia's Boutique Airlines; Bangkok Airways was not what i expected... i could say that it was good... not a budget airlines for sure, food was serve and just as i munched down my last bite of the Thai salad, the cockpit dude announced that we will be descending in any moment. yes, the flight only took an hour max, and here i am in Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok! woo hoo!

Sawadi-kap

pink is in!

BANGKOK - yes, im excited and all... embarrass to say this but... shhh... its my first time in BKK... hahah! yes, you can imagine my excitement... i hope... anyway... got out of immigration, collected my backpack, went to the money changer, got myself a bus ticket to Hualamphong Railway Station and i was sitting and waiting for 20 minutes before the bus arrived. there was only 5 of us in the bus... which was great! haha! arrived at the Railway Station and was approached straightaway by touts; "you got train ticket, sir?", "you can keep your luggage here" (whilst pointing at a shady old shophouse across the street). "NO THANK YOU..." with a smile of course. 

i think they are in the wrong field... Realtors cum Designers? 

Singha... reprazent!

dropped off my backpack at the Railway Station's luggage center and noticed tonnes of luggages and backpacks scattered from the room all the way to the main entrance of the station! ok, i might have exaggerated, but seriously, they were everywhere! mine was comfortably snugged with other backpacks behind the counter. *phew* 

aint hot here, boy!

it was noon... hungry and had little time to move around BKK. decided to take the underground MRT to Si Lom, 2 stations away and turned to McD's right away when it stood in front of me.... how RUDE! had lunch there, and strolled across the cross junction to a monument... some dude standing coolly under the blazing sun... neway, got some photos and walked myself to the BTS, Bangkok's SkyTrain. station was called Sala Daeng... took it and headed to Saphan Taksin station, where the Central Pier, Sathorn Taksin is located. 

the plan was to take the Chao Phraya Express Boat down the Chao Phraya River (of course) to anywhere i would like. took the one price for all day... 150baht... regretted... the furthest destination is priced at 11baht one way... sigh... anyway... the boat ride was not bad, where you get to see Bangkok's mega structures... including a train on water! 

spot the lady washing her clothes...

choo choo boat

Wang Lang... heard they sell guns here... ;)

Wat Arun, one of Thailand's oldest temples is perched close to the riverside and its stunning. though i didnt go into it, from afar, it looks amazing. as the boat spears through the waters of the Chao Phraya, villages can be seen washing their clothes, doing their routine as visitors look with amazement. my first stop was Wang Lang, not too sure why but heck, im going down. they had a little market by the river and also food stalls along the roadsides. just a typical day in Bangkok i guess as the locals stroll past me as i stood there snapping away my camera. didnt really wanna walk far from the pier, i strolled down the road and made a u-turn before reaching the main road. i wasnt equipped with a map, so thats the reason for me to turn back anyway. grabbed an Iced Coffee from a stall and it was Kopi Tarik! gracefully Tarik right before me; priced at 25baht. back to the boat, i got off at Tha Thien.

Wat Arun

again, a small market is based near the pier. as i was walking, i was approached by a local. as we talked, he claimed to be the "manager" of the market by the pier. so i was, ok, cool. first he thought i was Thai, then as we chatted, he recommended me this attraction... not known by many. it was a Wat... Wat Rajapradit. a temple where they filmed The King & I... according to him. how true is this, i really dont know. tried Googling bout it but it seemed to be a normal Wat, a very very very old Wat. since 1864 mind you. since i wasnt interested in going too far, i thanked him for the info and went along. next i was at Wat Pho, another beautiful Wat. the statues resembles Buddhism thoroughly, statues that looked like those in China... for real! statues of Gods guarding the gates, etc... for a moment i thought i was in China! again, i didnt pay any the entrance fee to enter the actual Halls of the temple, was just hanging around the garden and surroundings. the Grand Palace is actually situated next to Wat Pho but the visiting times were at 3.30pm and i was too late. so, its back to the pier for me.

right? you feel like you're in China right!?!?

as i feast my eyes to the beautiful surroundings through the boat, i came to a halt at Central Pier, Sathorn Taksin. off i went, hanging around the pier, loitering like bums. as i walked to the SkyTrain, i noticed a garden, sort of like a park where peeps just lay back and hang out. and so i did... relaxed myself, snapped some photos and back on the train. it was more like a big, interesting U-turn from Hualamphong Railway Station. back at Sala Daeng, i had dinner at a local noodle shop. also found a shopping center with a supermarket in it to get some snacks and breakfast whilst in the train. 

arrived at Hualamphong Railway Station at around 6.30pm, i walked towards the attendant and asked about my train to Nong Khai. train leaves at 8.00pm and i was early, but i got a rude awakening when the attendant said i have 20 minutes to board the train before it leaves! oh blardy hell; rushed to the luggage storage, got my backpack, walked as fast as i could to the platform... and i stopped. where the hell is the sign that states the coach number! approached another attendant and lucky me, it was right in front of me. got up the train, found my seat and dropped all i had. yes, i was sweating like a pig! as i waited and waited... damn train didnt move an inch after 20 minutes. then another 30 minutes... and finally it moved at 8.15pm! oh come on!!! damn attendant... screwing up my slow walks. yes, i was cheated by a local. thankfully it was only TIME.... :D

platform number 3

to my relieve....

so much for sniffer dogs... Oi falang... no smoking!

honestly, i was being paranoid if i was on the right train. the whole time actually... i asked a worker in the train where he was preparing the bunks, he has no idea what i was saying. FINE! got off the train and saw a signage outside the train that says "Bangkok - Nong Khai". relieved! got up the train, that worker that was preparing the bunks, was changing to another uniform... he was actually a train attendant! can you believe it...! how can he not know what i said, at least there was a Thai word in it... NONG KHAI. so, paranoia dissolve as the train started rolling...

now you dont...

now you see it!

Hualamphong Railway Station

as i slept through the journey to Nong Khai, the bunk wasnt that bad after all. it was comfy, has a mattress, blanket and a pillow. i didnt believe myself, after sleeping for almost 10 hours, i was awaken by the sight of the early morning sunrise. it was fantastic, just looking at the sun rising from the horizon, a sight that i am not able to experience in life, simply because waking up early for sunrise just dont seemed to be in the agenda. as the sun rises, silhouettes of trees and the green grass just pleases my eyes, and soul. it was fantastic, dreamy yet realistic.

wonderful sunrise plus the cool mists...

NONG KHAI - a tuk tuk to the Thai border would normally cost 30baht, but since i was alone, it costs me 40baht. it was relatively easy to go into Laos by land, through Nong Khai and the infamous Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge. after immigration, get a mini bus at a cost of 15baht. once at the Laos border, go to the immigration counter and get a Arrival & Departure Card. it cant be found anywhere and only in the office. fill it up and you are good to go. the funny yet stupid thing is, this immigration officer held my passport, flipped the pages, looks at my face; and asked me, "you Philipine?"... to my horror, i managed to blurt out, "No, Malaysia". what was she thinking?!! she then started flipping some papers hanging in front of her and then i was thrown a question... or maybe a statement... not too sure from her tone of voice... "no visa". and i coughed up "No". *chop* *chop* thank you! noob... :D

and here i am... in LAOS. and there he was... my good old, high school mate, Horace; looking at me with a huge smile...

angkor beer - singha beer - beer lao - angkor beer

here i am again, just had dinner...baked myself a "microwavable-dining-extravaganza" dinner experience. well, it layman terms, its just a Au Gratin, 100% real potatoes with CHEESE. love them cheese! hah! it was not bad actually... great meal... of course with my trustworthy Angkor Beer.

cant help myself being stared my neighbour's 3 feet by 3 feet photo frame of their 2 children right in front of me, slightly a half storey higher than me, those 4 bulging eyes are kinda freaky. just waiting for them to close those curtains.

well, let me translate the title for you... Cambodia - Thailand - Laos - Cambodia. basically, these beers are the country's very own produce respectively. out of all, i would prefer Beer Lao. has more kick in it! haha. yes, i will be heading to Bangkok tomorrow morning and have practically half a day before my train to Laos leaves. after doing my homework on Bangkok, who would have thought that half a day can actually tell a story. well, in my case, a travel story. of course you have to wait till i have gone and left the city.... so, hang on there alright! the express train at night from Hualamphong Railway Station in Bangkok is very well known to backpackers and travelers from all over. its a much cheaper way to travel around Indo-China or South East Asia compare to the Boeings and Airbus'. a sleeper bunker is what i have for almost 12 hours and i better get comfortable fast, or risk having a sleepless night and reaching Laos like a Zombie.

Horace, my old high school mate will be meeting up with me at the Laos immigration... i sure do remember the old days of having him being bullied by a bunch of us as he was a newbie; came in Form 4... well now, he is working in Vientiane and happily married. its gonna be my first time seeing him after... lets see... 10 freaking years! damnnnn! tour guide would be the latest job for him as he will be bringing me around town... before heading off myself to Vang Vieng.

also known as VV (to me and a few others)... VV offers fantastic sceneries and their eco-tourism is fantastic! caving, tubing, cycling and hiking is the main attraction here in VV and i am up for it. planning to go for a 1-day cycling + hiking tour... 6 hours of cycling and an hour of hiking, if im not mistaken. its gonna be tiring, but my fingers will be happily snapping my Minolta DSLR.

right after VV would be back to Vientiane... where my journey will come to an end when i leave Vientiane International Airport. its gonna be a 6-day holiday for me... and im gonna make full use of it. rest assured i am! :D

if you are wondering, wow... long holiday you lucky bugger!... well, yea... Cambodia will be having the Chun Benh Holiday, similar to Malaysia's Hungry Ghost Festival and Ching Meng where we would go back to our hometown to pay our respects to our fore-fathers and loved ones that passed away. since Buddhism is the main religion in Cambodia, it would be a 3-day public holiday. and because of this, our roadshow will be close for 5 days as the public will still be away 1 day before and after Chun Benh. wait, that makes an extra day... yes, you counted correctly... on the day i arrived, it would be back to work. simple as that! hah!

remember i once said that Phnom Penh is SEA's version of Chicago... and nevertheless provide much shocking scenes... well yes, i did mention about horses, elephants and pigs roaming on the streets and roadsides... but the new animal in the family would be the COW! oh yes, bullock-carts can be seen throughout the outskirts of Phnom Penh, specifically on Street 271... where i live. did i mention that Street 271 circulates Phnom Penh? well, if i didnt, then.. wallaah! there you go; learned another new thing. potteries made out of clay are seen tied and hanging on the carts as two cows pulls it along the road. these potteries are for sale and not like our "roti-man" in Malaysia, hailing them down would be much easier. heck, you can even have a cigarette and when you do finish it, the cows would just be 20 meters away. 

i started on Malaysia's roti-man and i should continue... the roti-man is normally on motorcycles and some would be on bicycles... so, i hoped i explain what i meant by "you can even have a cigarette... and the cows would just be 20 meters away"... :D

feels kinda nice getting away from Phnom Penh for a while. the hustle and bustle of this city, and work of course is getting to me... a holiday would be great, and thats what i got! hooray!!

out of topic... BlackBerry anyone? would love to get one... my client, Hello is offering BlackBerry phones and i might just get a discount! hahaha. how bout back in Malaysia, Maxis, Celcom or DiGi? any Berries out there to share with me?

since 3 weeks ago, i have finished watching Sex & The City and Prison Break Season 1... bare in mind that i only get to watch it at night, during dinner... as i work 7-days a week! love these shows... Sex & The City just opens up your mind about relationships and Prison Break is so damn "kan-cheong". damn... no problem watching it over and over again, i tell you! now im on episode blabla bla on Sex & The City Season 2... and its getting interesting. LOL! 

did you know that it is pretty difficult to type Sex & The City on the QWERTY keyboard? try it... S e x & T h e C i t y...

ohhh, enough of blabbering. i gotta pack me stuffs now. till i blog again... maybe from Thailand... or even Laos (would be easier if i have a BlackBerry ;D)...

G O O D B Y E ! !

Comedy Channel, Aussie

was chatting we me old uni mate that just graduated from Swinburne in Australia... and this is what he had to tell and show... enjoy!

Comedy Channel Ident from Derek on Vimeo.

cute in it? uni projects are great when you can work with established companies in the country. did i say that it was chosen to be aired for screening for the channel? oh hell yea... hahaha. this TV identity is pretty cute...  hope u liked it.

cheerio!

i should have...

well, i should have started blogging when i came to Cambodia like 3 months ago. well, yea, its really boring here in Phnom Penh, especially when its at night, and you dont have a car to go out. since the first day i arrived in Phnom Penh, i was kinda excited... you know, new country, new environment, new adventures. now, almost 3 months have passed... and here i am again... working my ass off in a foreign country.

Phnom Penh is full of surprises, letting it be a 3rd world country and all... culture shock would be the exact phrase when one comes to this Windy City, the asian version of Chicago's Windy City. winds here are strong, strong enough to tear open metal, uprooting tents from the ground and so forth. when you start thinking about the wind, you might just feel its a damn cool city... but when you are here and realised that the streets are often dusty and dirty, then you will feel that the wind isnt what you wanted all this while. after inhaling carbon monoxide, dust and dirt, you would just want to stay at home or ride in a 4-wheeler.

once, i was on a motorbike to Kandal province, i saw a huge ass pig and kids playing with it. i can assume that its their pet... a pig, and soon to be dinner i guess. not only pigs, but an elephant as well. this elephant was walking home... on one of Phnom Penh's busiest street, Norodom Blvd. its harmless... just using the road like all other tax payers... this elephant can be spotted at Wat Phnom, one of Phnom Penh's must see tourist attractions. i read somewhere that La Croisette, an international restaurant sponsors this elephant, maintenance wise of course. aide from pigs and elephants, you will also see horses, with carriages... not for humans but for goods and stuffs. a cowboy town you might say... with full of surprises.

so far to date, i have visited almost all the tourist spots in Phnom Penh, except Toul Sleng Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields. here is a round-up:

National Museum

architecture is fantastic. exhibits are mainly from Angkor Wat... statues, figurines and so on. the garden in the museum brings serenity to one. many barangs (foreigners) would just sit back and relax with a book.

Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda

costs me USD6.25... expensive? hell yea! the area is just awesome. the main buildings are masterpieces. try not to be so obvious with your mouth ajar when looking at these magnificent buildings. then, there is the odd one out, Napoleon Bonaparte III's colonial looking mansion... built when he "dropped" by at Cambodia. the Silver Pagoda looks ordinary, but inside, is where the magic is. although the silver flooring are covered with carpets, take a look around the royal items, mainly made of gold. astounding. if you were to asked me is it worth the USD6.25, i would say, yes? its alright... quite worth it.

Wat Phnom

this is the place where Phnom Penh got its name. Wat Phnom means a temple/pagoda named Phnom. and there was this lady named Lady Penh, who stayed up there waiting for her love of her life... that never did appear. rumour has it that if you are attached with somebody, and one of you were to visit the temple... the result is a divorce/split/breakup... by the way, Wat Phnom is located at the highest point in Phnom Penh, about 2 storeys high...

Russian Market (Psar Toul Tompoung)

claustrophobic? think again of going... this is the place filled with EVERYTHING you can imagine. books, DVDs, souvenirs, clothes, food, accessories, jewelry, motor spare parts, etc... the best coffee in Phnom Penh is here as well. check out this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g293940-d638459-r33027359-Russian_Market-Phnom_Penh.html

Central Market (Psar Thmei)

currently, the main building is under massive renovations. therefore, the stalls are all grouped up in a huge area. just like Russian Market, everything can be found here. not as dark and claustrophobic as the Russian... there are more space to breath but it is still hot. try not to go both markets in the middle of the day, the afternoon sun can be really piercing! markets are normally open in the morning (7am) and closes late evening (6pm).

Independence Monument

just another photography is the phrase for it. best be on foot, walk around the monument and take photos from all directions. the monument is the exact replica of Angkor Wat's main temple entrance. 

Psars (Markets)

O'Russey, Olympic, Night... these 3 markets are also popular amongst the locals and barangs. a typical market that sells everything too... but maybe not motorbike spare parts. Night Market is located along Sisowath Quay (Riverside) have a walk through it and get back on "Barang Land" (sisowath quay).

Wats (Temples/Pagodas)

Wat Ounalom is the HQ of the Buddhist patriarchate and is still standing, surviving the Khmer Rouge empire attacks. there are many other Wats in Phnom Penh, and they are all mostly open to the public. they might look just like any other Wats but the architecture is what you look for.

Art Street (Street 240)

landmark for many artsy fartsy items, from shirts to metals... mainly sculptured and made by locals. there is a bakery named The Shop. check it out... lovely breakfast they got.

Girly Bars (Street 104)

yes, they have these here as well. under strict laws recently, many of the bars have toned down their business. dancing on the bar counter, stripping in the shower (no nudity) all these have been banned and bars here have just alcohol.... and tonnes of GRO. take your pick... or let them come after you.

here's the link to my photo site... enjoy! <Flickr>

Phnom Penh is full of surprises... not a city to live at for 1 year... but a city to live at for 1 week! then get out of Phnom Penh and head down to Siem Reap, Sihanoukville and other provinces.

rest assured that i will be updating on Phnom Penh pretty often from now on... Or Kun!

CHEERIO! :D

 

personal milestone

... i think!

hasnt been having transport for the past 3 days and i managed to find my way to work. amazingly, one can still survive without a car in the Klang Valley... with a braveheart! well, the first and second day was pretty ok... had my colleague to pick me up from Mid Valley as we car-pooled to work. the first day was kinda a late call. my mum was supposed to pick me up at home but she overslept and i had to find my way to work myself. managed to get my colleague and i rushed to Mid Valley by cab. the fare was pretty reasonable as the cabbie hit the meter button. not often do i get this but hey! i was lucky! cost me RM10.30 from home... though it was supposed to be RM11.30 but the cabbie didnt have change of RM4. lucky me again.

well, the second day was quite amazing... as i was thrown out of the train! not literally but... here it goes. train was packed and we 'sardines' we gasping for air when the opportunity comes. then, people started to leave the train in a particular station and i had to give way for them. just as soon as they left the train and i looked back... those waiting to get in have all barge themselves in. wtf? i was stucked... left outside... and left to wait for the next train. sad but true. thankfully the next train was pretty empty and i managed to get myself to Mid Valley. 

as for the third day... as in today. my reliable and kind colleague wasnt feeling to well and was on MC. so, it was up to me to get my lazy arse to work. verdict... i decided to take the BUS! walked to the bus stop outside me house and took the bus to Sunway Pyramid. cost RM2. from Pyramid,  i took another bus to Kelana Jaya LRT Station. cost = RM1. note: my house to Pyramid is only 5 minutes by car. Pyramid to the LRT station is almost half an hour. importantly, the tickets that you purchase is only once and you can travel on any bus of the same fare for a million times if you want the whole day. not bad eh. back to the journey, from the LRT station i took a bus to 1 Utama that initially cost RM2 (paid before hand so it was free). from 1 Utama, i was contemplating on taking the cab or just walk to Centrepoint. decided! WALK! took me almost 20 minutes to get to my office! certainly one helluva morning walk for me.

in the end, i reached office around 10.20am... and at least i know now how long it takes to get to office from home by public transportation... 2 hours +-!!

what a good start to a wonderful Friday morning!

Lunar New Year

celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year is always exciting... to me of course. well, this time i am in Singapore... my dad's side. arrived in JB around 6am... (yes we took the train). ate 'puri' at a nearby mamak for breakfast before setting foot for the new CIQ complex. it looks nice and all from the outside but the walk from the main road to the customs itself took almost 15 minutes! used almost 5 escalators before landing ourselves at the automated gates for the Malaysian passports. the complex is huge... loads of counters. already feeling tired from the train ride, whereby i only slept for 5 hours... on and off actually... the bunk was pretty narrow but at least it fit my 5'7" frame. sleeping upstairs was a challenge... and if im not mistaken, it is more expensive. curtains have to be closed cause the corridor lights are on throughout the whole journey. it also surprise me that the train was quiet... and majority of the people were actually sleeping! well, i guess the bunk berths do serve their purpose to everybody.

after walking upwards from the main road in the CIQ... now we walk downwards... but only one flight of escalators and we are at the bus stops. it was easy... cost RM1 to Kranji MRT before taking the train directly to Lakeside MRT. walked toward the condominium and Uncle Freddie was waiting for us (he doesnt have sixth sense but we called him at the MRT station).

after resting and having some breakfast... dad and i headed down to Chinatown... as usual, using the MRT. it was very convenient... stopped at Outram Park and walked towards Chinatown. it wasnt that far, maybe around 10 mins of walking before we reached the main area. honestly, i dont remember going to Chinatown for as often as i have been in Singapore. funny!

well, it was an eye opener and a wonderful experience walking through Singapore's Chinatown. it was pretty huge, at least bigger than the one in Perth! there were at least 4 different roads that sold practically anything you want! from food to electronics and stuffs that you will buy and look at it for a month before it rots and spoils. in the same location were a buddhist temple and also an indian temple. foreigners were galore (and we were one of them)... looking at stuffs, trying them out and finally purchasing it. bargaining is a must... and i guess these foreigners are smart enough these days... overall, it was fun and exciting and ending the trip with a munchy lunch at a local Sarawak dry mee stall. it was not bad actually... just a little pricy... SGD10 per person; one bowl of noodles and a drink.

we headed to Chinese Garden & the Japanese Garden soon after and decided to walk home after going through both gardens. it was great... Chinese Garden was really beautiful, very Emperor-like feeling with statues of their great masters and idols. the pagoda was great as well, aside from climbing up almost 5 floors to the top. quite a spectacular view i might add. the whole concept of this garden was pretty similar to the one in Beijing; the Summer Palace. they had the boat there as well, whereby in Beijing is the marble built boat just for the emperor.

the Japanese Garden was not far-off from the Chinese Garden. with loads of bonsai plants for show, it is very typical Japanese. architecture was so Jap that made you really feel like a Jap in the older buildings right there in Japan. didnt really complete the whole place as we were getting tired and my feet was soaring from my brand new Lacoste shoes. first time wearing it after i bought it; and it was not a brilliant idea to wear it to the extreme kind.

overall, photographers and nature enthusiast will certainly love the Chinese and Japanese garden. even heard that many photographers flock to the Gardens in the morning to capture birds of all sorts. fantastic place for all of all ages. dont forget to bookmark it!

Reunion dinner on the eve of the Lunar New Year was mouth watering! we had steamboat at one table and a grill on the other table. simple; buffet style. my nieces were playing masak-masak... literally... for REAL! haha. they were actually cooking (grilling) prawns, beef and sausages for the adults. lovely in it? haha. half way through... the induction cooker used to boil the steamboat gave in... smoke started to blowout and it can be assumed that the cooker has a blown engine! and there we go... going back old school style, the stove! ahha. funny but true! stuffed ourselves like hungry people that havent eaten for a decade... and majority of everything were finished! yes... hungry people on the loose!

and that is how the night ended... after a healthy and weight-gaining dinner... we relax and chilled in front of the tv... watching Kung Fu Hustle and also some mahjong show that i watched before. whilst watching, the massage chair was the way to go! haha. oh yes... my back really needed that rubbing!

until i continue my next Chinese New Year adventure...

Have a OX-spicious New Year
HAPPY NIU YEAR

niu is ox in mandarin btw...

BELATED NEW YEAR TO YA'LL

heya! firstly, apologies for not updating me blog... was pretty busy the last few weeks. loads of stuffs and activities going on. secondly... HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009!! so long 2008, so soon 2009! well, its the new year... and we would normally talk about resolutions and future plannings. as for me, i dont really know what is in-store for me this Year of the Ox, but as usual, im a happy go lucky person and therefore, whatever comes around... i will be there. lol.

New Year's eve celebration was fantastic for me... spent quality time with me better half and had loads of fun enjoying the fireworks in-stored at KLCC. with a bottle of wine with us, we sat by the pool half past 11 and sipped out wine till the new year clocks! Maxis Tower's digital clock was the target time and when it struck (or turned) 12 (midnight), lights lit up from everywhere and the fireworks came just after. it was spectacular! personally, Impiana Hotel is the best spot to enjoy the spectacular fireworks. best view in town! my recommendations of course. hehe.

enjoy the pictures...

for more pictures, please visit my Flickr site. thank you!
< My Flickr >

WELCOME TO THE YEAR OF THE OX