Tashi Delek!!! From the Roof of the World!!!

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It's been a great 2 weeks... Adventure, passion, mysteries and a whole lot of keiyan-ness... Not forgetting to mention that I only showered 6 times... Although the sight-seeing could have been better (damn the avian flu at Samye), what's important is that there had been a brotherly awakening among the 5 of us. Sounds kinda wrong but heh... it's just you...


CHENGDU, A HOME AWAY FROM HOME

It all started in the capitol of Sichuan, a lovely smog-filled city of the famous 麻辣火锅... Or rather, it all started in Sim's Cozy Guesthouse (all thumbs up!!!), a budget hostel ran by a lovely couple with more-than-willing-to-help staff... A home away from home so much so that while we were struggling in the Tibetan highlands, we were always looking forward to returning...

Well, the first day was quite uneventful apart from the fact that we tried to find this restaurant (永发老面馆) recommeneded in one of the brochures. You know, since it's the start of the trip and we were feeling fresh and dashing, we decided to take up the map and venture into the city by foot. And It took us a better of 3 hours... It is far and what's more, the place changed it's name (永记汤圆面馆)... But that was undeniably, the first Tommy moment (and Wes the tri-athlete kept losing focus and got distracted by meat buns)...

We visited the Panda Base on the second morning and was marvelled by all the inactivity going on... Never knew a Panda could be so... lazy (for the lack of a better word). They would just sit around on their backs and wait for the attendants to throw them the bamboo shoots. And they would even settle for stripping the bamboo shoot itself (even when fresh leaves are close by) just so long they don't have to shift... I mean, just give them the TV and they'll be top-notch coach potatoes. And I really never understood how they got posters of the pandas in active poses all over the place. I guess they must have used motion sensing cameras... Somehow, it reminded me of this corny old Kit Kat advertisement where the panda would dance around when the tourist turned his back to have a Kit Kat... Lol...

Dinner was at this restaurant near our place and they served 麻辣火锅 in buffet style, where you get to pick from a wide assortment of sticks skewered with all kinds of food (each stick going at 0.10 rmb!). It's something like 乐乐串... Anyway, we had a 鸳鸯火锅 and the 麻辣 was damn powerful... Within a few minutes, our tongues lost all sense of taste and our lips were swelling as if they were sausages... Heh...

We went for a Sichuan opera show after that that was simply mesmerizing. And it was absolutely value for money (Sim has a discounted price of 90 rmb per person because he managed to cham shiong with the theatre... truly Singaporean). There were many varieties of performances such as Sichuan opera, an Erhu performance, 杂技, a puppet show and the highlight which was the Sichuan 变脸. The performers changed their masks so fast and so proficiently that it was like magic. Even the puppets could do it! Heh... Good thing we filmed the segment. Now we can slow down the playback frames and try to uncover their trade secrets...


LHASA, NOT SO MYSTICAL AFTER ALL

Aargghhhh!!!! The pain... Make the pain go away...

That's high altitude sickness for you. Your head will throb like it's going to explode and you cannot stay in a crowded enclosed space for too long because the air is so thin that everyone is competing for oxygen. Well, that might be stretching it a bit but it really felt like that... We had to stay in our room (Pentoc Guesthouse) to struggle with the pain... How tragic...

Yexin and I were the first to go and we concussed on the couch while the rest settled our itinerary with the travel agent. Then it was Jax who submitted. Wes and Stanley were the only ones who were ok... For now... At 3500m above sea level. Well, because of that, we couldn't do much but rest for the first day (and it only got dark at 9:00 pm!). Anyway, we went to have supper at this Snowland Restaurant and had cakes at half-price after 9:00 pm! Just like Secret Recipe, Tibetan style.

Damn those noisy buggers... When we finally fell asleep, the city decided to come alive. There were construction going on, people talking and singing and the irritating chime of the trishaw... What a headache.

Anyway, we visited the Potala Palace the next morning. Apart from the steep walk up (with the many breathless pants and heart palpitations), the place is magnificent. The architecture is very unique and the entire place is filled with religious chapels and stupas. It's a good thing we visited the place because we became more aware of what the Dalai Lama is all about since that was his winter palace. And thank goodness for public goods, we need not hire a guide to explain... Bloody leechers... I Love it...

Later in the afternoon, while the others (lazy bums) decided to take a nap, Jax and I decided to visit the Jokhang Temple, which was a five-minute walk away from our guesthouse. Unlike the Potala Palace, the temple was filled with Buddhist dieties and was dedicated to Shakyamuni, the present Buddha (it's interesting to know about other religions, it's called understanding). We even saw this tourist group donate gold dust to the temple, of which the monks used to touch up the face of one of the giant gold statues (and they got to take photos... otherwise it would be prohibited... those monks really know how to make a business). Too bad I got no photos... Then again, since it's a budget holiday, I'm also not to keen to splurge on gold dust...

We met up again after that to take a look at the Barkhor Street area, festering with both touts, who try every means to lure you to their stalls, and beggars, who probably work in organized syndicates (and as irritating as persistent MLM pushers). The stalls sold many items, from the religious to the pure fashion. They were prayer wheels, musical bowls and cowboy hats. We even managed to venture into the Muslim Quarters of the city, which had a totally different atmosphere. It was ike in another city apart from the fact that the people still looked the same (but with different clothes).

We whacked the cakes at Snowland Restaurant again for the second night and also had Momo, which is, in essence, Yak meat dumplings. Well, Yak meat tastes like beef to some but it felt more like lamb. Anyhow, it's still meat and to us carnivores, that's all that matters... Yumyum...

After spending 2 days in Lhasa, it's actually just like any other city and all the mystery shrouding Tibet is not that mystical after all... You know, before I went there I thought it would be like stepping into another dimension where everything is maintained in its pristine origins. I really didn't expect to see a fast food outlet... Oh well... But it is still a magnificent place that is absolutely religious.


SNOW!!!

We took a day-tour to Namtso Lake (纳木错) on the third day that we were at Lhasa. It is the tallest salt-water lake in the world and is gigantic (probably can fit a few of our little island nation) and pilgrims would spend up to 20 days to circle the holy lake once. And it isn't exactly a piece of cake with the cutting winds and the whopping altitude of 4718m above sea level. Hardy locals... Got to admire them...

Even before we reached the lake (a few hours ride), we were driven to a height of 5190m above sea level enroute and it was freakin' snowing!!! It was really spectacular to see the snow-capped peaks and all the white but it was even more marvellous to know that just a moment ago, the temperature was like Singapore's... I mean, variety of sceneries couldn't be better or more convenient in any other part of the world (and it is summer mind you).

At the lake, tents had been set up to handle the flow of tourists and there were shops, restaurants and a horse/yak riding service. There were also pool tables (apparently a national sport... there were everywhere). The view is awesome... You can see the blue waves crashing onto the rocky shores with the winds sending ripples across the lake's surface and the snow-capped mountains in the background that contrasts the cloudless blue sky. But it was bitterly cold. And at such a great height, everyone's hearts were pounding in their heads... except for Lama Stan, who had defied all laws of mountain sickness and became the pride of our group.

On our way back to Lhasa, as part of the tour, we were sent to a Tibetan medicine hall and a Tzi Bead (天珠) shop (at the Tibetab Museum). Well, I guess the tour guides have to earn whatever they can... But we did buy the Tzi Beads because the manager gave us student prices (from 200 rmb to 50 rmb!!!) on account that we reminded him of his son, who is a uni student in a foreign land... That was what we were told by the employees anyway...

Since it would be our last day in Lhasa (for the next few days), we again visited the Snowland Restaurant (Cakes! Cakes! Cakes!) and had Yak steaks this time... We were really worried about the trek we were about to commence so it was kind of a last good meal (potentially of our lives) sort of thing.


LAMAS, YAKS AND MOUNTAIN SICKNESS

Excitement was in the air as we set off for Ganden Monastery with Lhundup (our guide) and our cook. We were about to embark on the famous Ganden-Samye trek, where pilgrims roam... But before that, we got to tour the Ganden Monastery, a massive settlement built atop steep slopes (took us 20 minutes to go up by vehicle)... The monastery is central to the Gelukpa Sect of Tibetan Buddhism and the architecture and significance of the place is really something that we are not able to appreciate completely. But good thing the view is fantastic... It was a kind of consolation...

The highlight was when we decided to take the Lingkhor, or the Pilgrim's circuit, around the mountain that circles the monastery... It was basically a precarious walk along steep cliffs and narrow paths and we could fall into oblivion any minute. But the view was... Well, nothing can describe it...

Too bad in the end we did not take the trek because apparently, Samye had been hit by the avian flu on the very morning that we were about to begin the trek. So it's really a heng suay issue... Really pity the people who are already on the trek for 3 days because they probably have to turn back. Then again, I think those who have reached are far worse since they may have to be quarantined... God loves us...

The agency arranged for us to go on another trek, which they claimed to be the VIP trek. Didn't really know whether it was true or a scam to cover up compensation issues. It was dodgy at first since we were not even sure where we were heading but we were told it was the Shok-Zaxo trek (with the highest point at 4700m above sea level).

For the next 4 days, we were embraced by Mother Nature herself, scaling her tall peaks and trekking her low plains (sounds wrong but whatever). The wind was strong, it was cold and the sun was frying us to crisp but we prevailed in the thin air... And good thing the Yaks (and horses after 2 days) were there to carry our stuff or we would have taken more than a week. And the scenery is... again I am lost for words. But it was as if we could touch the sky and pick the stars... You'll definitely have to take a look at the photos...

Even though the air was thin and all of us, apart from Lama Stan, had throbbing headaches (even the great Yakety Yex did not escape), the fresh cool air was enough to dispel our woes... And thank goodness our cook is competent and always whip up good dinners at the end of the day. It was Shangbala (Paradise) although the nights were like eternity...

It was like a dream gone past when we finally reached the end of our trek. It was definitely a pity but absolutely a once-in-a-lifetime experience... We were burnt, tired and starving but filled with a sense of accoplishment and brotherhood. Even though there was a possibility that we have been cheated, we still enjoyed ourselves tremendously and the Tommy Rover score was at 80-60-30-1-0 (Jax-Wes-Yex-Ding-Stan).

We returned to Lhasa via mini-bus and it was a relief to be moving without lifting a limb... And incidentally, there is a Tibetan song with a catchy tune with lyrics that goes:

"Lau Du Dio... Lau Du Dio..."

How reminiscent...


THE BUS RIDE FROM HELL

Air ticket: 1600 rmb

Bus ticket: 500 rmb

Any sane person who wants to save money would have chosen the cheaper alternative and so that was what we did, even though it's 2 hrs vs 2 days (we had time to spare but no money). Then again, that same person must also have been very ignorant to have made that choice, as we found out soon enough as we made our way back to Chengdu...

The bus itself has the exterior of a coach but it looks like a storage rack on the inside. The seats (reclined to a 135 degree angle) were double-deckered and there isn't much space to stretch out our legs. We were also given an old blanket of unknown origins each to fight off the cold (no a/c). Well, try to picture the early 1900s when our ancestors took a boat to 南洋 and you're halfway there...

Surprisingly, the trip itself took us to many different types of scenery like snow-capped landscapes, rolling plains and even the vast desert but we were all too tired (not from the trek) to take any photos or appreciate the beauty of it all. If only humans could hibernate... Anyway, the bus drives day and night, stopping only for erratic meals at shops that makes a 黑店 seem mild in comparison. And it takes great effort to sleep but we did... Zzzz

Bus driver: 下车! (native Sichuan accent)

Bus driver: 吃饭! (native Sichuan accent)

Bus driver: 尿尿了! (native Sichuan accent)

That was what woke us up, like raw recruits, at midnight in the cold Tibetan air as the bus made its first meal stop... And it ain't for supper.

And it would not have been so bad if it isn't for the festering smoke, thanks to local communal efforts... When one of them wakes up and lights up, the rest follows and yet they don't have the decency to open the windows even when there's the 'no smoking' sign right at the front of the bus staring straight into them. There are the toilets in rural China too... Definitely not for the weak-hearted. In one of the cess pits, I even saw a maggot wriggling in the crap like a desert nomad welcoming the first spring rain. Gosh, it's disgusting... Wes couldn't even muster enough courage to enter and Jax had to hold his kaipo for 3 days! Speaking of which, the bus broke down a couple of times and had to undergo repair on the move at different towns. And when it was finally fixed, the bus had to top up water more than it needed diesel...

So we were delayed by more than half a day but it was still a damn good experience if you ask me... Really tested our mettle and resolve but we vowed never to take such a ride again unless we really really have no choice. Haha...


All in all, Our highland Tibetan adventures had been really an eye-opener and definitely worth the S$1.7k (after much haggling and hardships). Given another chance, I will definitely go back to finish what we left out. And there will be high altitude sickness all over again... Damn...

Off to the Mystical Land of Tibet

Well, the long-awaited adventure is about to begin!!! Will be flying to Chengdu tomorrow morning at 0740... Meaning to say I'll have to be at the airport at 0540!!! Arrgghh! The sleep... I need the sleep...

Anyway, I'll be gone for about 2 weeks and everything is still uncertain. I guess that's what making this trip even more exciting and appealing. But I'm sure going to miss home...

Take care one and all!!! And I love you dear!

Phoot Thai Mai Dai... Mai Kao Chai! Mai Kao Chai!

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I'm back!!!

The trip to Thailand with the Scouts was good fun and really interesting. It was my first time going on a trip with the troop and had the opportunity to mingle with the local Scout troop... Haha... Really memorable.

And especially since there were only Jax, Jiayang and myself, it was kei yan all the way. And Jax... I've got no comments, go and ask Jiayang and he'll tell you the same... Let's just say that he is THE tourist...

Rayong & Pattaya

We were welcomed by a warm reception at the Bangkok International Airport (Can you believe that they actually have a golf course right next to the airport runway? What were they thinking?) by the teachers and scouts from Rayongwittayakom School, a government school in Rayong that does frequent exchange programmes with Dunman High. It was quite cool because we were in uniform and they would put a garland of flowers over our heads once we were close enough, you know, like during the elections when the PAP candidates emerged victorious and move on stage.

The first stop was at a fruits orchard in Rayong. It was paradise... There were rambutans, durians, mangoesteens, mangos, drangon fruits and even grapes! We were allowed to endulge in this wide variety of fruity pleasures while we took a ride within the orchard on a tram... It was something like a safari, without the animals. For the first time in my life, I saw what a dragon fruit plant looks like... An overgrown cactus... Lol. We even stopped to pick rambutans off from the trees with this pole-cutter adapted particularly for clipping the rambutan stalks way up amongst the branches. We also had this fruit buffet where we could eat any amount we wanted. And there was also the durian... Goodness, thank God nobody fell ill after the first day.

After that, we proceeded to the School where we were welcomed once again with warm arms. The Thais are really nice people. So warm and friendly. Heh... We had some fun and games before we began the exchange frenzy where we exchanged scarves, woggles and badges with one another... Too bad for Jax and Jiayang... Haha... They had to give up their embroided scarves under sheer pressure *sucks thumb* And then there was this girl... Well, she kept wanting to take a photograph with me and being the shy person that I am, I agreed with some hesitation. She is not that bad looking though... And I should have gotten to know her better... Damn... Don't be jealous ok dear? I still love you lots! And thanks to Jax and Jiayang, I also managed to get a photo with her... Haha...

There was much reluctance to leave since everybody had so much fun and the presence of the universal bond that the Scout brotherhood (& sisterhood) shares with one another was overwhelming (and there was also the Rayong girl :P). But all good things have to come to an end and we left for Pattaya for our first night's stay.

Pattaya has a very seedy feel that is unsettling... Perhaps that's jumping to conclusions just after a very brief exploration at night. But it's kinda sad to see towering ang mohs with belly sizes that could rival a whale's holding the hands of petite skimpily-clad locals, trying to create a false impression of 'love'. You'll never imagine 'love' can be so cheap... Anyway, we didn't stay out too late because Jax was worried about the many 'Boyfriend' bars we saw along the way and he was not exactly dressed for the occassion... To put it simply, he could run a marathon in what he was wearing and that may draw unwanted attention.

Erawan Waterfall

Our next destination was the Erawan Waterfall located in Kanchanburi province and is a whopping 5-hour drive away from Pattaya. Good thing the coach was comfortable although the air-conditioning was a bit too mild. Or maybe Thailand is just too bright and shiny. I was perspiring through my pants, literally! The place is very much like Mount Ophir except that it's easier to climb and the tiers are much more beautiful... We didn't climb to the top because it was out of bounds but more importantly, the highest tier, the 7th, had this amazing waterfall that spanned the sky. And the water was great! Cool and absoultely refreshing in the freakin'ly hot weather. We had a great time soaking in the cool water and allowing the splashing crashes of water massage our tired bodies. And we also started a Tommy Rover competition (Jax was the first to slip on the slippery rocks and got stung by a weird insect, Jiayang sprained his thumb due to a fall and I whacked my toe into a rock and moss went under my toe nail... Ouch).

River Kwai Jungle Rafts

After that and for the next 2 days, we spent our time at the River Kwai Jungle Rafts floating chalet right on top of the River Kwai. It was a great place, a paradise hidden away from the hectic routines of civilisation, a bastion of the Mon culture where the traditions, arts and culture are preserved in their original form and a God-forsaken pit with thousands of irritating insects and no electtricity... Heh... There really wasn't any electricity and we used kerosene and hurricane lamps in the night and rattan fans to cool ourselves. But it was really cool to be floating on the currents. Just imagine... Lying on a hammock, gently swaying in the wind and hearing the subtle gushes of the river current as you stare into a star-filled night sky, attempting to fathom the vastness of the universe and thinking about how fragile life can be... It is wonderful.

The people at the Jungle Rafts were also very nice and they sure can cook well too! Every meal was satisfying and on the 2nd night, they even fried some insects for us to try! It just so happened that after a storm in the day, the area was filled with the flying ants that get very attracted to light and these insects were interrupting our dinner. So they placed a tray of water next to couple of hurricane lamps and the bugs just started crashing into one another near the light and fall into the water, never to come out again. I don't have to tell you what were their pitiful fates... But they sure tasted good (after much seasoning that is).

Over the next 2 days, we did some activities like night-trekking, visiting the Mon village, learning Thai cooking, Mon dancing and handicrafts but the more interersting activities were elephant riding, body floating and soccer with the locals.

Ah Lek.

That was the name of one of the gigantic beasts that resided in the Mon village. The elephants were tamed but still demanded respect and awe with their sheer presence. It also costs 400 Baht to ride one of them. It was really different riding an elephant since for one thing, you are very much higher above the ground and can see further across into the horizon. Jiayang and I shared one elephant (there was a seat secured to the elephant) while Jax had one all to himself. It's interesting that you can feel the elephant lumbering in its steps from side to side so you don't actually feel very safe but somehow, you'll convince yourself otherwise... It's quite a long drop down.

Then there was also body floating that we did after doing some community service in a nearby school upriver (planted trees and gave out sweets, toys and books... The children looked quite stunned but then again, maybe it's just us). It was, in essence, letting the current of the river push us along back to the floating chalet. The current was really strong, especially at the meanders and there were times that we had to fight against the current. That was no joke man... And depsite this, Jax still had to cling on to a piece of floating bamboo and bring it along for the ride. Well, it was in the end abandoned when we neared the chalet or we risked the prospect of floating all the way into Myanmar. The most tiring portion of the actvitity was right next to the chalet when we gave our final burst of energy and tried to catch a hold of the floating platforms while the current continued to drag us away. It was like in an action film where the star holds on to a moving train while his body dangles in mid-air, without all the water of course... It was pure good fun and we were absolutely shagadooded.

And there was also our soccer game with the Mon locals... The final score was 13-1 and that was after they bang zhui. Well, I've got nothing much to say other than the opponent strikers were all barefoot 7-year-olds. Well, nobody can really expect too much from us since being in a secluded village with no other forms of electrical entertainment, they have probably been kicking the ball since they were 3 or something for every single day. Tell them to compete with our boys in DOTA and we'll see who does the thrashing. Lol...

Apart from that, it was really boring and there was nothing much to do. In a way, it is as if we were short-changed for the trip. Anyway, because of that, we began to do some stupid things like filming many kei yan videos and taking many weird photos. I even almost finished the Zahir (A very nice book by the way)! We also spent every night at the Jungle Bar, trying out different cocktails and talking cock. But all in all, we had a very relaxing time at the chalet and we now know and appreciate the importance of electricity. Heh...

Bangkok

Woohoo!!! Hello civilisation! We left for Bangkok after our stay on the River Kwai and we visited the Death Railway enroute. It was a nostalgic personal experience since I visited the exact same location about a year and a half ago during the educational tour of my army training at Sai Yok. It's quite heartening to know that some things have not changed and memories are not detached from current reality. Anyway, it was at that place that we finally took a group photo with our tour guides, the nice Chinese speaking local who majors in Religion (Damn... we don't know his name) and Ah Best, the English speaking local who got into university because of his soccer skills (and he says he's Thailand's most handsome).

It was off to Bangkok from then on and after a long ride, we arrived at the Madarin Hotel which was not far away from the main shopping area in Bangkok. We went to the MBK Centre, a huge shopping complex (a mix of Suntec City and Far East Plaza) for dinner and some night shopping. Have I mentioned that food in Thailand is absoultely dirt cheap? Well, if I haven't, now you know and remember that. 285 Baht (~S$12) at a food court can get you a bowl of Seafood Tom Yum Soup, a plate of mussel omelette, a plate of pork knuckle rice, a plate of fried chicken rice, a plate of mixed vegetable and meat rice and 3 bottles of green tea. And all the food was restaurant standard! Amazing... We also endulged ourselves in a gigantic double scoop of Baskin Robbins ice cream later that night. You know, it sometimes baffles me why those working at ice cream parlours are always cheerful and bubbly young girls. I mean, even in Singapore, at the various Ben and Jerry's outlets, this uncanny fact remains true. Must be the ice cream...

Anyway, it began to pour and there was no way of walking back to the hotel, so we decided to take the train. All 32 of us... It was quite a cool experience but again, for those who are going to Thailand in the near future, it is actually cheaper to take a taxi in a group (there is the jam though). As it was the last night in Thailand, Jax, Jiayang and I decided to once again drink away our sorrows at the hotel bar. Heh... Jax had a Bloody Mary that tasted, well, damn bloody, to a point where you'll never want to touch tomato juice for the next few months...Jiayang had his Tom Collins and I had my Long Island Iced Tea... And there was a live band! Great times man... Great times...

The next morning was a curse covered in a blessing... We met this very helpful guy called Som, who happened to be on holiday in Bangkok (he works in the hotel line in Phuket) and seeing that we were tourists, he decided to help us and recommended us to take a boat cruise on the Chao Phraya River and its many canals since we could see a floating market, a snake farm and a couple of temples along the way. So, deciding that such a nice person won't do us much harm, we went to the Peninsula Pier and took the tour (600 Baht each!!!). To our utter amazement and disbelief, the floating market turned out to be a single boat, the snake farm had an entrance fee of 150 Baht and the journey took us 2 hours... By the time boat operator wanted to take us to the Temple of Dawn, we declined because we were out of time and out of breath. And to think that we were actually so bored that we slept part of the journey. However, we did witness the slumps of Bangkok and understood slightly how the city Thais experience their daily livelihood. But then... 600 Baht... AARRGGHH!!!

We went to the Big C Supercentre after that, which is their local version of Carrefour, to shop for some local products that we could take home. Like the pork floss rice crackers... Mmmm... Delicious. After that, we chanced upon this shopping arcade, like the one at Meridian Shopping Centre (along the start of Orchard Road, near PS), and got lost among the labyrinth of tourist-targeted stalls. And we also visited the famous Erawan (the 4-faced Buddha) Shrine, which was also within the locality.

We decided to take a taxi back to the hotel since the time to leave for the airport was drawing close. There was some communication problem since the taxi driver could not speak English. The conversation went like this:

Ding : Uncle, Mandarin Hotel.

Taxi Driver : Man-da-rin? Silom?

Ding : Ya... Silom...

Well, after a few jams and some uncertainty, the taxi driver pulled over beside a police officer and asked for directions.

Taxi Driver : Man-da-rin... Samyan... no Silom...

Ding : Oh... Ya... Samyan...

Jax : Orh... Ding... *accusingly*

Jiayang : Zzzz...

Well, I got mixed up with the station names since the previous night's adventure on the train tracks. Thank goodness the 2 places were not far away... Anyway, Jax, who was sitting in front, decided to brush up his Thai with the taxi driver (he has this map pamphlet that introduces a few Thai phrases) while Jiayang and I concussed in the backseat. After that, we were on our way to the airport.

That more or less concludes our (mis)adventures in Thailand and I really don't mind going back one day. A nice place with nice people... Not to mention pretty. As Jiayang had commented, there's a reason why the ang mohs come to Bangkok and not Singapore... Heh...

Anyway... What the title means is:

"Can't speak Thai... I don't know! I don't know!"