Cycling day @ Taman Pertanian, Shah Alam

Very tiring, but it is a good way to destress!

心情

2010年，十二月的冬天。

原本以为不会再因工作而踏上冰山雪地的我，却再次地拍着胸口，飞往那壮观、美丽中带着残酷冷风的北京。

一个trip返来，心里有好多感想。

觉得人生像是一个无法预测的过程。明明编辑好的一本书，却不能翻一翻，瞧瞧里头内容写些什么。

又觉得，人有不同。有些人只要努力工作挣钱，就得过个十年二十年。有些人幸运地享受着喜欢做的事情。也有些人，以名利和社会地位为生活目标。少数人，以情义为重心，爱恨分明，不想违背原则，所以多年来还在原地踏步。

人对生活的定义也不同。没有共同的梦想和一致的步伐，两个人在一起是不是不会长久？

这一回，朋友们真的都结婚去了，留下我一人孤军作战。

飞与不飞，好像已经不是我的决定。

在可以安睡的几个夜里，梦里尽是失去的亲人、工作。

感恩。

Beautiful and historical China

I am back from China. The trip was a complete rush but we made it possible (managed to apply visa and prepare for flight) in less than 24 hours' time! First time in Beijing, except being overwhelmed by the weather, I love every other things to bits. Its architecture, the culture, the magnificent Forbidden City and the historical Tian'anmen Square. Unlike Beijing, Shanghai is just a warmer city full of hustle and bustle. But the night visit along the Bund was great. Photos below. Some of them are courtesy of Capt J. :)

Phnom Penh, Cambodia- A Learning Trip 柬埔寨学习之旅

Leaving behind my heavy workload, I embarked on a long-awaited journey to Cambodia. No luxurious aircraft, no deluxe hotel; All that I have are a backpack and a pair of canvas shoes. 卸下繁重的工作，背起了背包去流浪。没有豪华的飞机、更没有名贵的饭店；有的只是一个背包和一双帆布鞋，原来生活可以这么简单！

Pardon me for the pictures below- I have excluded the magnificient palace and sacred pagodas, fancy cuisines, and other sites of interest (I'm sure you can easily get these from the internet). 为求写实，我删去了一些美食及宏伟壮观的风景照（那些照片应该很容易在网上找到吧）。

 

Commuting to the hotel. It was raining all the way- the "cabin" was covered by some waterproof canvas but it did not stop the rain from coming in. P/S: This driver is a staff from the hotel- and according to him, he is only making USD40 a month! 在去饭店的路上。雨下得很大，车厢只用一层帆布围着。这名司机是饭店派来的，他告诉我他一个月的工钱只有40块美金！

 

Tuol Sleng (S-21) Museum. A high school that turned into a prison and torture chamber during the Khmer Rouge. During Pol Pot's genocidal rule (1975-1979), about 1-2 million people were starved to death, tortured, and killed. 30,000 people died in S-21. Tuol Sleng (S-21) 博物馆。这是一间于波尔布特的种族灭绝统治时期(1975-1979)被转用成监狱和刑场的高中。在这期间，约1至2亿人被迫饿死，受尽折磨和被杀害。其中三万人死于S-21。

 

 Some actual torture devices. 暴权统治遗留下的刑具。

If not because of the Khmer Rouge, Cambodia would have become a developing nation like us......  

如果没有那一段残暴的悲剧，今天的柬埔寨会不会像我们一样，也在顺利发展？

On the ferry to Koh Dach village. Ander chatting away with Sovann. Sovann is studying in a university while driving tuk-tuk part time. He wants to become a tuk-tuk driver after his studies. To many Cambodians, growing up and becoming a tuk-tuk driver (or a tour guide) is like a norm, it is a big job; A major source of income in their country. 在前往Koh Dach村庄的途中，Ander与Sovann聊了起来。Sovann目前于一所大学上课，同时兼差做tuk-tuk司机。完成学业后，他想当一名全职的tuk-tuk司机。对许多柬埔寨人来说，长大后能成为tuk-tuk司机或导游， 就是他们的梦想。

Does this picture bring you back to the 80's? 这张照片是否带你回到了80年代呢？

We were greeted by some villagers on a motor-bike. At first we thought they were friendly. After being greeted by a few villagers, we started to doubt if they are genuinely... 村民们纷纷骑着摩托车热情地向我们打招呼。原本以为这是他们表达友善的方式，怎知。。。

Then we looked back and here they are! All chasing behind us with their silk on the bike! Then we realized these people wanted to make money by selling their silk! 回头一看，不得了！后面跟来了好多摩托车！他们追着要我们购买做好的丝绸。

Joe, 15 years old. Joe, 15岁。

I will never forget the girl. Monica, 13 years old. While taking the pic, Ander was consistently reminding me how dirty the girl was. But I know, it is not her choice to be in this state... 我永远不会忘记的小女孩，Monica，13岁。摄此照时，Ander一直在提醒我这女孩有多脏。可是我却深深地感觉到，生处这样的环境，并不是她所能控制的。

Joe and the sister, Jane. Joe和姐姐Jane。

Poor children waiting to be fed... 嗷嗷待哺的孩子们。

Innocent boy and girl. 一脸的无邪、天真。

A bed, a curtain and a kitten. That's what they call a "home". 

一张床，一片帘子，还有一只小猫。这就是他们的“家”。

The monks. 小和尚。

Kang (15), So (16), and Oh (15), our Oudong tour-guides. (At this age, they are only standing at about 155-160cm.) They offered to guide us up to the hill top for exchange of some tips. Kang (15岁), So (16岁), 和Oh (15岁)，是陪伴我们上Oudong山的导游。（在这个年龄，他们只有155-160公分的高度。）为了赚许一些小费，他们常为游客们提供导游服务。

On the way back... it kept me thinking and thinking.... 回家的路上- 感触很深、很深。

The trip has opened my eyes to the life of a third-world country. Going deep into the countryside to meet their people is especially meaningful. I came back with a heavy heart- it left me wonder what and how I can contribute to their people; it has also taught me to be grateful of what I have.  这一趟让我对第三世界的生活大开眼界-尤其是走进偏远的村庄和人群接触。我带回了一颗沉重的心，一直在想如何能对他们做出贡献。

Be grateful of what we have, and live this life to the fullest! 珍惜当下，惜福，感恩！

Aloha, from the Rainbow State

This post came so, so late. But with oceans below, skies above; it is a guaranteed enjoyment. :)

Divine views, huh?

Delicious Hong Kong

Pictures speak a thousand words!

New York-- I've flown 40 hours in 5.5 days time!

Think our job is easy? Think again...

More often than not, we get a schedule pattern like this:

16/17 Jun 2345/0725: KUL/ICN (6 hrs 40 min)
18/19 Jun 1100/1340: ICN/JFK (13 hrs 40 min)
20/21 Jun 0050/0355: JFK/ICN (14 hrs 05 min)
22 Jun 1655/2220: ICN/KUL (6 hrs 25 min)

When I looked at it, I thought it is kind of amazing that I have easily flown more than 40 hours in just 5.5 days' time.

I have a total flight time of 65 hours this month-- thus making my New York trip, which pays 80% of my June salary, a significant one!

And tiring enough, we have merely stayed for 30 hrs in JFK! Put aside that the 14-hour flights have gifted us with new bruises, hand-cuts, and more dehydrated skin.

The Company has indeed trained us to be one of its kind-- the Superwoman.

Hanoi

Since a number of us have been assigned to join the recurrent training on the 11th this month, we have been assigned some mid haul flights to accommodate the time for ground training.

So here we go- Selwyn to Ho Chi Minh (Saigon), Swat to Cebu, Cheryl to Singapore and me, to Hanoi. (Note: These places are all very near to KL, BUT we are flying from Seoul instead. So they are all mid-haul for us, not short!)

Very excited, we left KL for Seoul, and then to our respective destinations.

Hanoi! It is said to be a humble, peaceful city with a high population, and a history of almost a thousand years. Oh well....

Here I saw people squating down to eat and carrying things above their shoulders, walking around for sales. Oh and I must mention the roaring motorbikes that woke me up in the morning!

I must admit that I did not enjoy the trip. Not because I was travelling alone. But the poverty. However, the people are friendly. 

Look at the photos. We are indeed, more than fortunate. :)

Weekend

Spent the weekend in Frankfurt- shopping, lazying around, people watching.

The street (Zeil, the busiest shopping street in Germany) was packed with people as there are great sales all around. Half of Zara and H&M are on 50% deduction, can you believe it!

There was also a traditional market in the centre of Zeil street. Here I spotted old and young folks drinking- in the middle of the day. (it was 12PM!) Drinking is just another habit of theirs, like drinking coffee. So envious of them! ;)

I made new german friends and they invited me to join them for drink. :P

Don't you like their life? Hmm... :)

Sydney

Boring day in Sydney.

Slept till 1PM today till someone knocked on my door again. I was cursing all the way. Why do I always get this in this hotel?

I woke up, had some expensive tim-tam biscuits that I bought yesterday, and spent some time surfing.

Later in the evening, I had thai food again, at the same restaurant I go everytime I come to Sydney.

Here's what I ate. Pad thai with lots of beansprouts in it, but I'm an easy eater so no complaints. :P

Oh and, I've got a new cut on my right thumb during the flight. Oouch.