Winnie's Whereabouts

Christmas 2008 - cycling & camerons

2009-07-30T01:49:00.004+08:00

Photos of a trip up north, 2days of cycling fr ipoh(malaysia) to betong(thailand) & a short gateway to cameron highlands.

Sydney June 2008 (Sydney & Sunnataram)

2008-10-13T01:04:00.004+08:00

Date: Sat 7June - Mon 16June
Itinerary: 7-9June (Free & easy, Sunnataram forest monastery -2 nites),
10-15June (Dalai Lama's teachings)

Sydney & Sunnataram

With miles redemption on star-alliance, i got a free return ticket via Singapore airlines to sydney. Over in sydney,i bunked in at my aunt's place, and was pampered with fresh fruits and fresh eggs in the mornings. The resident hen actually lays eggs, n i got to eat some of her eggs..wow.

I made a trip to sunnataram forest monastery (this is my second trip), and was re-acquainted once more with the beautiful place by the cliff of bushforest. Phramana and Sayadaw, and Kim were so busy working on new activities and ideas for the Gratitude Pagoda. i soaked in the good country air, and in-between helped with chopping (veg) and washing in the kitchen. One day, we saw such a beautiful sunrise right out of the kitchen window, and Carmen(a visitor/volunteer) commented e kitchen has one of the best views from the building. It was such a brilliant red, she had initially thought it was a forest fire!

Sydney June 2008 (HH Dalai Lama's Teachings)

2008-10-12T23:55:00.006+08:00

Date: Sat 7June - Mon 16June
Itinerary: 7-9June (Free & easy, Sunnataram forest monastery -2 nites),
10-15June (Dalai Lama's teachings)

HH Dalai Lama's Australia Teachings, Dome@ Olympic Park

HH Dalai Lama's teachings was for 5 days, with a Chenrezig initiation on the morning of the 5th day.
The Teachings were commentaries on "The Stages of Meditation" a 9th century classical text by Kamalashila. The contents were philosphically in-depth. As a balance, there was also a large amout of time for Q&A, often questions were related to our daily lives. HH answers are typically very spontaneous, practical and humourous. The event was extremely well organised, with a quick and efficient security checks. At the teachings i attended in india in 2007, it typically takes security 1-2hours to clear, but at Sydney, it was a matter of minutes. My reckon, best practises gleaned from organising the olympics in 2000 and well-provided infrastructure.

Australians love the Dalai Lama, and with such a warm welcome and genuine enthusiasm to learn, HH would very likely visit and teach in Sydney again.

Stanford: Burghers of Calais

2008-09-29T01:18:00.005+08:00

SF Writeup

2008-09-29T00:24:00.006+08:00

23-31may: San francisco

Sunnyvale & Stanford
===============
Breakfast at Google(yumm.. choice of fresh fruit juices), the space is amazing. Rhandeev mentioned that its been designed to attract & retain the best talents, & also allow for creative discussions. Spaces were created so that folks could meet along the corridor, find a cosy corner that was private for discussion, yet with a certain level of openess/transparency. The colors were google, bright and cheery.
There was also a massage spa area, laundry room, gym & swim-pool.

Stanford is gorgeous. A very active & enthusiastic volunteer (junior undergrad) took a group of us on a walking campus tour. I am amazed by the energy. Its a very creative place, and has nurtured some great minds.... at the same time, probably some rather arrogant & immatured fellas too. Overall, it strikes as a place of great historical significance, brilliant minds and creative energies.
The rocks of most of the campus are unique. A railway tycoon (Harvard), was one of the main benefactors, and made a line/railtrack specially to a local quary for the rocks, and afterwards removed the track.
The cathedral is amazing too! Its impossible to describe, one has to sit and just absorb the silence and magnificence from within.

I also spent some hours playing with Amiya, Shyan's 2year gal. I am told, Amiya asks about "Auntie Winnie" even today (almost 4 month's since). This toddler sure has a good memory ;)

San francisco & greengulch farm

2008-06-17T09:55:00.004+08:00

More writeup & photos coming up soon.. abt my 4day stint at a zen organic farm 30min drive fr sf :)

Green Gulch =========
I was at GreenGulch for 3 nights, as 50%-guest and 50%-volunteer scheme. Green Gulch is an organic farm built around a zen community, right by Muir beach. Muir woods, a famous conservation grove of giant red wood trees is just 15min drive away. Its a beautiful place, and lots of work is put to make it that way. Herbs, vegetables, flowers, guesthouse and a zen community coexist. Every morning.. i think its abt 5am, there is meditation! This is followed by a short community work, such as cleaning the zendo or temple hall, rearranging the pillows etc. There is a beautiful concept of keeping to time - when the bell goes, everyone stops what they are doing, and finishes there. A bow-out happens, and its time for breakfast. The Guest retreatant program includes compulsory meditation, helping out in the kitchen after breakfast, and/or other allocations such as gardening, guesthouse housekeeping. After lunch, its free n easy for this program, at which i spent the time visiting the beach, muir woods and reading.

Learnings:
* Stop when e bell rings :) . There's a beautiful discipline to this practise.
* Eco-friendly detergents work very well.. Guesthouse is kept very clean & fresh using just vinegar and baking soda. No chemical detergents are used.
* Generosity. A very nice lady named Paula offered to drive me from SF to Greengulch. It seemed way too much to accept. But she said this: just think of it like a buddha giving another buddha a ride :) ! That was so beautiful, and reflects e zen attitude that buddha nature is right there, and we have enlightenment right in our hands, right in e moment. So i accepted.

Nashville musicstreet

2008-05-22T15:12:00.004+08:00

It was comfortably warm in nashville, n broadway street has many little cafes & pubs with musicians who play for tips & a chance to be talent spotted.
My new friend, Kevin was a music enthusiast, & we had fun checking out bluegrass music, folksy upbeat with an irish influence. See e photo of e taps in e bars too, at least 20-30taps of fresh beer!
i also met a musician playing on e sidewalk, didnt take any photos of Jerrywager, but definitely enjoyed his music & company. Jerry looks a bit like Mike Jagger..

Continental Cleveland to Nashville

2008-05-22T14:58:00.010+08:00

Clouds on a plane ride..

Cleveland : cathedral fr my window

2008-05-22T14:28:00.003+08:00

There's a spire of a church fr my window (on e 5th flr), n its so beautiful to see e sun light touch upon e tips of e pinacle in e morning.

Look at e clock for e times in e photos :)

1. first rays (with special effects fr flash, reflection)

2. morning rays afterwards

3. in e evening, before sundown

*see e mini-false windows on near e top of e church spire.. cute & it blends in so well with the design.

Cleveland downtown

2008-05-19T03:31:00.002+08:00

Red Robin

2008-05-17T13:08:00.004+08:00

Lunch venue today, Red Robin - gourmet burgers..
The strawberry lemonade(with real strawberries) is e best! Free refils, i had it last year & this year too.

US May14-31

2008-05-15T20:22:00.002+08:00

Hallo folks, i will be away e 2nd half of May.. yesterday e officer at immigration said,

"Welcome to America!" ;)

Mulu rainforest n limestone caves 2007

2008-05-13T08:20:00.005+08:00

Date: Thur 20dec - Sun 23dec

Expenditure: ~S$600/person

Tokyo big lantern temple

2008-05-13T08:12:00.002+08:00

Tokyo seagulls & waterways

2008-05-12T13:09:00.008+08:00

Pics from a river cruise from Hinode pier to Akakusa temple..

Tokyo Jan-2008

2008-05-11T01:25:00.006+08:00

Tokyo : Fri 18jan - Mon 21jan (4-days)
Airtic: Mileage points
Expenditure: ~S$1000/person (accomodation, food, souveniers, misc)

My impression of tokyo, megapolis of highrise of glass & grays/browns in various shades. It seems to be a place of salary men & smart dressed women, a place mostly for work where e population live outside tokyo.

Finally, i see someone wearing red ! Otherwise, a half day of walking e city n underground trains on e weekday, i really stand out among e black n navy suits!

The food is fabulous (i like jap food!). There is a grace & care in pretty packaging & little personal gestures of ettiquete. Things are eXpensive! A bowl of e cheapest self-service- buttonpress order ramen costs like S$8. After 3 days, tell me its S$8/ramen, i go... so cheap ah! ;)

Weekends, e city is transformed with e vibes of shoppers ! Things are more colorful, and punk culture strutts along e sidewalk of e shopping street & in a meeting point.

There is also a cultural side to tokyo, Temples, Fish auction market, Sumo-wrestling, Specialty shops selling tea & local delicacies, Sushi shops. There is a hightech fun side, e myraid coin-vending machines, e electrical gadget street (akihabara) and a sporty side, baseball pitches in every corner of e city. And also a ...weird side to japan, maid's cafe, love hotels, hmm.

The weather was chilly (average 4-8degC in e day) and we took the train a lot.

Photos:
1. 1st time on a jap train
2. tokyo skyline fr hotel
3. alleyway at nite

(more photos coming up.. )

Almost didnt make it to tokyo..

2008-04-23T00:52:00.008+08:00

Oops, i had assumed that a visa wasn't required. On departure date, 530am at United counter, Changi.. e staff informed a visa was mandatory, n without one there was 99.9% chance of getting deported!
Not only that, i would have to pay for security escort & deportation charges!!

Well... here i am in e wee early hours at e Airport, will just take a chance.

"Sorry maam, we cannot allow you to board e plane". The counter crew made a few calls & said.. nope, no boarding. Now.. trying to plead my way through, in all e midst of hopelessness somehow surprisingly after a few minutes & calls, they said OK! Ooh... can u imagine that ;) ! (tho e guy was saying.. well, fr our experience, it is almost certain deportation)

And it was a breeze at Tokyo Narita, took an extra 30min, some questions from a very courteous immigration, and i was in TOKYO!

Where's Winnie... sumo ah! ? ;)

2008-01-25T01:48:00.000+08:00

Cyling excursion (fri 23nov - sun 25nov 2007)

2008-01-17T01:04:00.000+08:00

Backlog'd on posts.. e cycling trip seems like a light yr ago !

Up F'Hill by Mtb wif a grp of 5 on bicycles n a support-van :) . The selangor river dam on e way up was a highlight. It was a 5-6hr climb on nice tarmac, n we arrived at e top at abt 3pm. The rest of e time was R&R in e misty coolness.

A duo guitarists happen'd making a guest performance at e shahzan inn, where a guitar camp (by e msian guitar society) was being held. The music was fabulous.. live, by 2 talented angmohs up on a remote msian hill-resort!

Photos: 1. taking a banana break ;)
2. Colin's van, best support vehicle
3. Wild berries by roadside.. ymm edible?

Where's Winnie ? :)

2007-11-27T13:58:00.000+08:00

Date of photo: sat, 24nov 2007

Udon Thani - Oct 2007

2007-11-27T01:05:00.000+08:00

Oct escapade, to Wat Baan Taad at Udon Thani

Wat Baan Taad is e forest monastery of a well-known monk, Acariya Mahaboowa who is 93yrs old.
2years ago, i had read a Book (Ven A.Mun, a Spiritual Biography) which gave an account of the life & practise of his teacher, a forest monk. I really wanted to visit the author, & so here i was in October!

Date: 13(sat) - 16(tue) October
Weblink: http://www.luangta.or.th/english/index.html

Highlights of e trip:

* Vivid indigo skies at e break of dawn.. while heading towards Tigerair by e runway.

* Encounter with a small group of sporeans (this was surprising, as i had been enquiring in buddhist circles in spore pre-trip but did not find anyone who has been here b4.. yet come across sporeans first thing on arrival!)

* "Kare", my accomodation for e few days.. a simple wooden platform abt 2x2m (Just pillars, no walls.. but there was mozzie net, straw mat, blanket & a pillow) - First time i've come across this, it was quite a surprise

* My host, Santi & friends (Nong, Nok), Siaklow(Francis) & e little brown curly furred poodle (Yongkee aka Porkfloss)

* Helping out with e chopping & preparation of food in e woman's quarters

* Encounter with Luangta A. Mahaboowa... on an evening walk, holding a sweet & looking up at e trees.

* The myraid animals foraging in e compound - squirrels (even white ones!), tortises, mousedeer, snake, little warblers (bird), kampong chickens(cockerel, hen, chicks), peacocks.

* Pindapat (alms round) : A procession of barefoot monks with alms bowls & long line of people making offering just outside the compounds of Baan Taad. There is so much that helpers & 4x4-trucks are needed during collection. Such a spectacle.. at 7am in e morning!

* Breakfast time in e Sala, where e monks make blessings & eat and visitors have a wonderful picnic too, sharing plenty of food.

* Glorious thai food.. so yummy!

* One meal per day rule (which i was surprised that i could quite easily do at Wat Baan Taad!)

* Fun Dynamism at Wat Baan Taad: After Breakfast, Dharma Sharing, Q&A & Announcements all in Thai language, a bunch of Pet dogs come lolling & playing on e Stage!

* Spaniels, bulldogs, pugs, pekinese, dalmations, mix-breeds are much beloved at e Wat!

* Than Martin ( e western monk) & e sprinkling of western ideas/interpretation of buddhism

* Simply the practise of "Budho, Budho, Budho", a cultivation of awareness, concentration & inspiration to e innate light within e heart.

* Boowa means Lotus, a parting gift from e taxi driver while passing by a water-channel of lotus !

Well, frankly.. e trip was a mix of experiences, uncertainties pre-trip, the blessings (indigo skies & meeting A Mahaboowa, e Baantaad experience), aches sleeping on a hard platform, hunger pangs fr 1meal/day, facing boredom / feeling of un-achieving (when we r accustomed to being busy in e city... to do "nothing" except observe e breathe, takes so much effort.. ironically! ;)

I m very glad i made e Trip nevertheless!

PHOTOS - India dehradun & dharamasala Sep2007

2007-11-22T01:02:00.000+08:00

The pics.. finally... Enjoy :) !

Link : http://www.flickr.com/gp/50157912@N00/3ay830

India Highlights

2007-10-23T00:37:00.000+08:00

Highlights of e trip:

* A very fun time at the Kagyu college, delicious banana shake by Khenpo & wonderful friendship of Lama Thinley.
* Blessings by HH Sakya Trinzin, during a chance meeting at e Sakya temple, DehraDun.
* Amazing sounding whistle (like a songbird) by a bus-boy towards the sharastra springs.
* Navdanya farm visit- natural place filled with e presence of birds, small creatures n even fireflies!
* Blessings & teachings by HH Dalailama
* Blessings by HH Karmapa, Tashijong, Tenzinpalmo, Yogi, & meeting of a Sporean nun.
* Splendour of Taragath Palace, oh wow.. that was a much appreciated treat, this place is so regal & pretty.
* Camaraderie of a wonderful BL/TS group, especially on e 12hr Dhr-Delhi bus.
* Chonnor house dinners
* Early morning cuppas at a cafe-place(visited b4 by RichardGere) before e teachings
* Catching up with friends in Delhi - D, JL, Gary!
* The Spice Route restaurant at e Imperial, it feels like being whisked into an absolutely exclusive & heavenly realm

The awful -
Bus-ride fr DD - Dharamsala, got a rash while trying to move a dusty bag.. eeuggh!
Primitive bureaucracy. For a lost airtic, it took multiple trips to e police stn, 2 advocate offices, airline office, airline hq.. a big effort n lots of waiting time to get a simple ticket replacement. Heat/dust of delhi & swindlers in e streets

*Thankfully, there was a lit. froggy beanie to keep me company .. ^ribbit^

India (summary 28aug - 9sep07)

2007-09-23T12:58:00.001+08:00

Again, i m reminded of india being e land of extremes.
And i will plan to visit india again :)

This recent visit was for a 3-days teachings by HH Dalailama for e ppl of s.e. asia (by a Spore organiser). That's e main-dish, i thought, n e added side-dish would be a visit to Dehra Dun.

Of course, it turned out that e visit to dehradun was so interesting.. & a highlight in my memory.

My dad was coming to the HHDL teachings, n we met as plan'd in Dharamsala on 1sep.

Here's e dates:

28 aug: Delhi
29-31aug: Dehradun (Kagyu college, Navdanya organic farm, Stupa/Big Buddha/Sakya temple)
1-6sep: Mcleod ganj, Dhramsala (HH Dalailama teachings)
7-8sep: Pelampur (Tashijong, DGL nunnery, Taragath palace)
9sep: Delhi

Expenditure:
==========
Airtic ~ S$730, Dalailama event/registration ~ S$150
Guesthse, meals, coach ~ S$320, India visa (incl trip to kl for appln) ~ S$250
Total basic = S$1450
Gifts, Dana(donations), Misc = S$250

GRAND TOTAL = ~S$1600
~~

India writeup.. akan datang

2007-09-18T00:44:00.000+08:00

Hallo Friends,

i've been running abt, have yet to post pics & accounts of e india trip :)

Will get them up soon.

Meanwhile, here's one of my fav pics! (a group of little tibetan monks in sch who so candidly posed for e camera at e window of their classroom... till e teacher came by, looking very strict.. oops haha!)

Eco challenge video & pics

2007-08-12T12:52:00.000+08:00

Video clip by Mingo :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1QS950ytQ4

Race Report (Ling's .. lots of pics)

http://lingthemerciless.blogspot.com/2007/08/penang-eco-challenge-2007.html

Penang eco challenge

2007-08-12T10:49:00.000+08:00

Cabaran eKo !

A weekend of adventure with a bunch of wacky n brave friends! Ming, Ken, Ling, Teckwee & i took e bus. Nik, Pling, Wayne, Angela, Becks drove up by car. The thing abt adv activities, we also had to bring along our bikes n gear (harness, slings, crabs, helmets..). After 10 hours of travelling, our barang2 n us arrived in Penang!
i supposed e arrangements were an adventure in itself ;)

Organisers : Kotrt - knights of e round table!
Our team : Slackers ! (hehe.. how apt!...but again, we finished!)

Race Report (Winnie's version)
Start of e morning, we awoke to pouring rain. Thats quite a damper! cold, wet n no poncho. So, we made raincoats of garbage bags n rode to e start (abt 7km cycle).
The flag-off was in slight drizzle, e first stage was a climb up a durian hill of riding n pushing. Superb downhills with plenty of switchbacks afterthat. Angela was just a breathe behind me n rode all e scary bits. i rode 90%. More wonderful trails.

Ming, fit n full of energy zipped ahead to take vids n photos.

Next point, we got on to a self-made raft of poles n string to paddle around 2 buoys. Battling e current n turning into salt-bake under e sun, we paddled for 1+ hour with excruitingly slow progress. The sea bubbles, e rock looked e same location, and any slack, e raft would be pushed back. Teams were getting bailed out by e rescue boat, .. "hey team, not getting anywhere la, how abt e rescue boat? Lets go e rest of e checkpoints leh." "No la. As long as we e able bodied, dont give up', quipped my team mate. Argghhh... n we r not moving!
Suddenly, a school of dolphins appeared, arches n tail flips! Wow, morale booster. We tried a different raft-propulsion tactic, i jumped into e sea n tried pushing e raft, team mates paddled like crazy n we made it! Even beat a team along e way, sweet success.

Poor Angela was seasick, n we had a long way of trekking along e coastal boulders, forest n thorn gardens. She finally sat down at a durian plantaion, surrounded by durian n said, this is e ultimate. ;) (esp for someone with aversion to durian!) We took it real slow.
Then at e first waterfall traverse, the marshall told us e next checkpoint was e big waterfall abseil. Little chance of making it for e cut off time.
Rocket booster for Angela, n she now took off like e wind, with Ming & i running behind.. haha! Poor me, nearly bonked ah. (just kidding, Ming!)
By a turn of luck, we came upon a lost Nik & Wayne. All of us made it to e waterfall.

Now e Waterfall, Highlight of the day! Gushing pure clear water, n a exciting walk straight down e rockwall. From my vantage, it looked like a 90% verticaldrop into whitewater, as i slowly let e rope through. The water gushed everywhere, couldnt see much, all i felt was e water n e rock under my feet, an adrenalin charger. As i came out, i had been swept to e side n Angela was fast decending on e 2nd line just above. Luckily she heard my shout n paused, while i scrambled to e correct side. i landed safely at e base of e waterfall, n waited to see e other guys descent. Photo moments in e pool & an easy trail back to kem bina.

Cut-off time now, event over or so i thought. We ran into e organisers, who offered to keep e checkpoints open for us, e final team. Arghh... n from e very determined expressions on Ming & Angela's faces.. finish la. Not after commando crawls, biking for another 45min, peeling coconuts n dragging team-member on a palm leaf.. haha(guess who got to seat on e leaf). Finishers!

All muddy, aching, hungry. We had a bit of makan, chatted with e vips, chatted with e other teams n attended e ceremony. Ling's team got First, fabulous!
We also heard about Rebecca & another participant who went to hospital for reactions to bee & jelly-fish stings, there was someone who crashed at e downhill n needed stiches, there was someone who fainted from seasickness. Ah, a memorable exchange of incidents n adventures.

Fri (27/7) : Spore-JB-Penang (eta sat 5am)
Sat(28/7): Pre-race equipments/skills check & Sunset dinner
Sun(29/7): Adventure! Back Penang-JB-Spore. (eta mon 10am)
Total expediture/ pax: ~S$70 (rm40 racefee, rm30 misc, s$35van)

--

Weekend escapade : Cameron highlands

2007-07-01T21:42:00.001+08:00

Location : Ipoh & Cameron highlands, Malaysia
Date: Fri-Sun, 22-24june 07

A 1300km road trip in all, 3 ppl (JL, WR & i) in Yaris. The car performed well, with no problems on the mountain roads.

Day1:
A 7hr drive to ipoh, n a dip in e tambun hotspring.

The hotspring is piped in from a nearby source, to the premises. The hotpool was nicely done up n there was quite a crowd of locals. Surprisingly, the water did not smell of sulphur, we wondered if it was filtered.
Not enough time for Sunway Tambun waterpark, we had a glimpse of it, not so big, but in natural limestone surroundings. There is a chillout restaurant-bar with live music right there too.

Night, my uncle & wife brought us for the famous Ipoh "Kai-see Nga Choi Horfun" (aka flat rice noodles with chicken & beansprout). The noodles were very smooth & delicious.
This was followed by a trip to taste White Coffee in Greentown, the most hip area in Ipoh.
My uncle is such a cheerful & generous character, my friends had a happy time with him too!

Day2 :
A drive up cameron highlands, with stopover at Lata-iskandar waterfall. What a refreshingly cool dip!
The journey to our accomodation, was an adventure! It was deep in the tea plantation, up a windy track up a hill. We had bbq dinner, and night-walk (joined a church group of 4 families). It was funny, the folks made praises to the lord and songs up on a remote tea hill :)
The stars were twinkling, & a half-moon shone from above.

Day3 :
Early morning, we drove out to Raju's strawberry farm and visited a market. We loaded up on lots of fresh flowers! Along the way down, we stopped for kampung durians, steam corn, and medicinal herbs.

The drive home was long, we arrived Singapore 10pm !

A few notes:
* BEDBUG Mns dorm - JL & WR encountered the bite of bedbugs. Oops, better bring sleeping sheets & lots of lavender oil next time.
* MNS chalets have superb views. Basic with shower & cooking stove. For nature lovers.
* Most interesting thing i came across : Learnt from my uncle how lian-gao (sticky pudding) is made, takes 14-26hours of steaming & charcoal refuel, where white sugar is transformed to a red-brown color. HMMM, Alchemistry! A piece of lian-gao sells for Rm2-3 only.

Each person
=========
Petrol: S$25 (RM55)
Engine oil: S$25
Expenditure : S$110 (~RM240 for accomodation, food, misc, a little shopping)
Accm @ heritage ipoh=rm90/pax, @cameron mns-dorm=rm10/pax)

Total: S$160

--

Philadelphia

2007-06-18T22:51:00.000+08:00

Its over a mth that i returned fr Philly, here's e parts i remember most :

* Conference at Downtown Marriot.

* Ol' style BnB hse that i stayed :) . Belle Vista. A pink room with lots of hunting potraits n depression era furniture.. which my cleveland host was laughing so hearing abt it. But then, the Bn B was in the No.1 voted neighbourhood in Philly. And indeed, it was a homely n wonderful street.
Also, i met 3 sporeans at the BnB, such a coincidence. We had some pasta eat-in dinners together!

* Wholefoods - huge supermart selling everything organic n wholesome! i went Gaga !!

* Philly cheesesteak

* Wonderful Guide at the Independence Hall! Wonderful dulcimer musician at the Visitor's centre.

* ROdin's 'Gates of Hell' at e Rodin Museum.. an experience to see. Pictures n mini-replicas don't do justice.

* Poor Homeless folks.
3 i recall vividly, 1-a crying man, which i later saw the same exact expression in Rodin's sculptures. 2- a homeless man with the Greenest eyes 3- a teary woman outside the marriot, relating her story to a symphathetic business visitor to the city.

Philly & Cleveland..

2007-05-07T17:44:00.000+08:00

Hallo friends,

Well, well.. i do get to travel, on biz trip this time :)

A week in Cleveland for work, wonderful hosts, weather was mostly great (sunny!). Some highlights of the trip:

Baseball Game at Cleveland Stadium !
Cleveland Indians vs Toronto Blue Jays.. that was fun. Russ, Ray, Norm & I were nicely set up in a Suite Balcony and didnt have to dodge the rain. Each homerun for the Hometeam, fireworks would burst into the sky! Atmosphere & Bigscreens were Good! Full of hotdogs, souveniers, mascots & colorful fans.

Tour of 2 industrial facilities :
A Plant that makes Jaguar V6 engines ! A large Centre of Laboratories which Supports a group of Power Plants (state of the art technology!)

Food, food & food!
Bonefish, Red robins, Winking lizard, Cheesecake Factory, Rubys, Sushi..

In Philly this week, got a day's worth of walking the city, how i wish for a bicycle. :) More updates coming up, stay tuned!

Weekend away: Thailand

2007-03-25T22:44:00.000+08:00

Location : thailand
Date: Fri-Sun, 16-18mar 07

A relaxing trip back to nature, it was a much needed rest ! I had little expectations, my only wish was to have catch up on sleep in peaceful & pristine surroundings. The plc provided simple, beautiful & decent accomodation amongst green trees. My bathroom was cleverly designed, such that it was partially open yet retained privicy. My bed looked out of a stretch of glass panes, into a valley & the hills across. There was a stream nearby, nooks to read & soothe the mind. Food was delicious thai vegetarian, eat-as much as i pleased! :)
1st day : Zzzzz
2nd day : i picked up a book on sufism n could hardly put it down afterwards!

Airtic ~S$200 (return)
Everything else ~ S$120 (lodging, food, transport, airport-tax)
Total = S$320

March-07 Update

2007-03-11T23:15:00.000+08:00

Dear Friends,

Just a note to inform you that i am no longer in the Travel 'Sabbatical'.

Instead, i have leapt or rather 'been hurled' back to e A full time committed Job (since Dec-06). The next updates will be of short trips of weekend gateways & moments of annual leave. ;)

I intend to take a weekend out each month, to refresh e mind. hehe.. so there'll still be e little bursts of "nature" & fresh space.

~~

Lamphun Experience - New pagoda

2007-02-28T00:44:00.000+08:00

A few pics of e pagoda :

Chiangmai experience - You Sabai

2007-02-19T21:23:00.000+08:00

Duration: 1 day (29-30jan)
Place: Yousabai (& a short visit to Pun2 & Baanthai)
Location: Northern thailand,~60km fr chiangmai
Activities/Highlights: Chatting with eco-organic folks, Overnite@ little earthern dwelling, Plastering wall, Yummy thai veg. homecooked food.

An interest in eco-community & a slight turn of fate brought me to You Sabai.

Perched on a little hill, it has a main hangout sala /eating area, a decent bathroom-cum-toilet, a few adobe(earthern) huts, & an 'eagles' roost!

There is also a 2nd showerroom in progress - i helped to plaster a small segment of e walls :)

The place is owned & run by a young thai couple, Krite & Dao who used to operate a guesthouse in chiangmai. Both are jovial, welcoming & speak english. They built a lot of the stuff themselves, and planted banana trees & a small veg. patch. The place is set up as an organic-food cooking school, and the 1st batch of students was due to arrive 1st week of Feb.

Advice & support comes from neighbours (1) Punpun, experts in adobe dwelling constructions & natural/organic cultivation (2) Baan Thai (3) Volunteers & visitors

I enjoyed the novelty of staying in an earthern dwelling (yup, all to myself ) & would love to learn to build my own. One of my dreams is to build my own home & Bed !

The food was vegetarian, and fabulously flavoured with spices & Dao's creativity.

I learnt more about organic farming over conversations with Andy & Michel. And had fun chatting with Sharhar, Vishall (i hope e spelling's right) & ...oops (forgot e name), a very nice korean-australian gal who had been at Yousabai since 1-2 weeks earlier. Andy used to farm organic pineapples, ginger & papaya for 30years in hawaii, Michel is the resident expert in composting & manages the Pun2 seedbank.

Some interesting things:

* Andy pointed out a field of corn, & from the color/ type of green, commented that it uses nitrate fertilizers! Golly.
* Cultivating EM bacteria is easy, its just a natural process. Just get some good micro-organisms, grow them at favourable temp/ humidity conditions. And the stuff that is made is also good for intestinal flora(healthy probiotics), samething. Hmm.. ;)
* You Sabai - means to be well, happy, relaxed, comfortable, at-ease

Main takeaways:
* there is an alternative & viable way of life which is responsible & beautiful, an alternative to the urban city way, which tends to be unsustainable & stressful.

(Hmm.. somemore that i heard, & need verification)
* organic farming productivity =/exceeds Conventional Chemical Farming, with know-how and genuine understanding & care for the land.
* Cost of organic food can be equal/less than conventional.
* Pests are attracted to weak plants, & nitrogen overdosed plants. Healthy plants have lower risk of a pest attack. Law of e jungle, e weak is prey'd/ pest'd.

Well, there's much much more to good cultivation, its both a science & an art.

This trip, I got in touch with nature & learnt a little.

Links :
http://tribes.tribe.net/baanthai
www.punpunthailand.org

Extract from a writeup by Baanthai:
".. hopefully it provides a joyful example of another way of living that not only provides all a person needs and more, but in a way that is fun, and aids in the appreciation of life, family, food, and all that is. For the planet? Well, we won't be: watching T.V., shopping at Wal-Mart, eating at McDonalds, or getting road-rage. We will be stewarding our land in a way that leaves it healthier than we found it."

--

Chiangmai experience - Royal Flower Fest

2007-02-15T01:04:00.000+08:00

The rose of e north.. that's chiangmai.

28jan (sun) : Royal flora Fest
The flora fest was open 1nov06-31jan07, located abt 30min from the downtown chiangmai.
This is one amazing showcase, not only of flowers n exotic plants, but of the royal projects which teach & help the masses with their livehood & environment.

Highly interactive, eductional & inspiring - I am very very impressed.

I only had abt 4 hrs at e fest (& visited just 20% of all e exhibits), 1hr was queing for tram-tics.

A few new things that i came across:

* Ventiver grass a.k.a LivingWall (Antidote to soil erosion) - Hardy grass that in 18mths, roots grow to 3m in e soil! i wonder if this grass can grow well on e landslide slopes of spore?

* Mangrove tree
that if you placed your ear on e trunk, you could hear e sound of water absorption in spurts of clicks. wow, got to try it out at e ubin mangroove.

* Jatropha Crucas
An alternative to palm oil. Potential Biodiesel in R&D phase, 2kg can produce 0.5kg oil, 1.5kg residue.
There was a hands-on exhibit (engine model using biodiesel, oil presses, fruit in various stages, jatropha in e gardens) at the toyota booth.

* 1million mangroove project (yes, the local-ppl replanted 1 million!)

* Boddhi Tree - Tiers of leaves on a big metallic boddhi tree. Visitors could make a donation, write a wish upon a copper leaf & attach to e tree.

All these alternative stuff attracted me more that e flowers, i hardly noticed the blooms :)

http://www.royalfloraexpo.com/
http://www.greenculturesg.com/articles/jan07/jan07_royal_flora_ratchaphruek.htm

more abt e You-Sabai organic experience, mudhouse stayover in e next post..
~~

February 2007 Travel Stint

2007-01-28T01:43:00.000+08:00

Dear friends,

I will be away in Northern Thailand over 5 days, 28jan-2feb .

The itinerary, as expected adventurous n a tad unusual... 1 day visit to e Royal flower expo, 1 day to an alternative community-organic farm-earthen dwelling researchers, 2 days Monastery! (1 'unaccounted' day is for travelling time n Chill out Spa).

I'll share in e next post on e experiences ! :-)

~~

Jaipur & Delhi Deepavali

2007-01-28T01:40:00.000+08:00

i will just 'choope' this slot for e out-standing scoop on jaipur n e rest of e india experience. ;)
Cny coming, plan to update b4 e yr is up!
--

PHOTOS - India cycling 2006

2006-11-21T23:58:00.000+08:00

Moments of e grind & fun captured by an enthusiatic cyclist-photographer along e ride.. and more: http://www.pbase.com/exseven/mtbhimachal2006

(Thanks Adam, for consenting to share these beautiful shots here)

The Himalayas and Desert

2006-11-05T19:42:00.000+08:00

Hallo !

October passed by in india & nepal, here's an account of the trip:

3-9oct
Shimla - Jalori Cycling
It was an organisational disaster this year.. nuff said. The whole spore contingent of 12 ppl pulled out on day 6/9. The last straw was Rina's crash and knee injury. HASPA didnt seem to even feel much apologetic or repentant about the whole turnout of events, unfortunately.

Despite all this, there were wonderful moments too, it is impossible not to be touched by the fresh sunlight, apple orchards and mountains. What i enjoyed most :
* Visit and blessings at the Bimakali temple.
* Gorgeous views of the kuulu valley
Adventures :
* The raging bull which pawed and charged at the riders. (apparently a competitor from the army had hurled his bike at the bull and broken his horn. The bull became aggressive towards the next cyclists.) When i got to the bull, he had already calmed down, and looked so sad, i almost gave him a pat!
* Sightings of leopards by one jeep
* Dogs ! Ling/Becks got threatened, Adam was bitten and had to go for rabies injections. Ouch!
* Drunks ! Village drunks who jumped on a competitor's bike and took off for 400m (downhill) !
* Protector ! A dog from jalori pass accompanied Ruth & I on a 8km forest trek. Along the way, i had to 'rescue' him from other territorial sherpard mutts!
* Crashes : 1x head cut(sticthes), 1 concussion, 1 fell of drop & hung on to 1storey high tree while shouting for help(hehe, in Chi's camera), 1 took hands off handle and whacked into tree, falling 20ft at edge, a couple of crashes on the downhills. Thats all that i know, some more cases which i probably missed. As for me, my speed was too slow, no chance for any spectacular crash :)
* Remotest meadow camp! We were jeeped though some of mentionably very rocky rough terrain, followed by a 2km hike on a wet drizzly dark trail to the campsite where dinner was finally ready at 11pm. The sun revealed the most gorgeous views the next morning.
* Bike damages ! Nik's record no. of flats, Smokinbabe's massive chainsuck and 2pairs damaged pedals, Steve's broken rear-d hanger..
* Mystery! Marking which were changed & pointed the 'wrong' direction, which led to the best cyclist getting lost in the forest, and missing out on a podium finish.
* 3 Tonner ! It was amazing how the army truck navigated the narrow and windy roads, first time i experienced sitting in one such vehicle too.
* Bear sighting! At Bijli mahadev (last day, which quite a few cyclists saw)

On Day7 (10oct), the rest of the spore group left for Manali. I stayed 2nites at a quiet guesthouse near Jalori pass before rejoining the group at Manali. The rest of the Spore group left manali on 12Oct night.

10-12Oct, Guesthouse near Jalori.

12-17Oct Manali (Rest time at this bustling highland town)
Here was the closing and 'prize' ceremony for the cycling event, and I also got a bit of time to catch up with friends. There was a plan to ride by motorbike up rohtang but was cancelled due to the rain. Eventually, a few of us(DJ, Adam, Norbert, Aayush & I) went on a daytrip by jeep to rohtang and beyond. It was a place of much snow and rugged landscape, and at some parts, lots of tourists.
We (Chirag, Aayush & I) also made a trip to old manali which is the old part of town. Marijuana bushes grow in profusion by the roadside. However, we were more interested in dodging cow dung, buying colorful sew-on patches, the korean food!
One of the sunny days, I visited Raju's home(traditional century old house in a nearby village), and got to ruffle a1mth old calf and puppy.
Irvinder from Snowland was a great help during my stay in manali, providing information and wonderful hospitality.

17Oct night, Adam, Norbert and I took the nite coach to Delhi.

>> More on travels in next update..

18Oct
Delhi

19-21
Jaipur

21-23Oct
Delhi

23-26Oct
Nepal

27Oct
Spore

October 2006 Travels

2006-10-03T04:46:00.000+08:00

Dear friends,

Nemaste !

I will be away in india & nepal for ~3weeks , for cycling, backpacking & visiting!

3-14oct : shimla-manali cycling
15-18oct : tbd , hopefully a manali-leh roadtrip (dependant on weather)
19-23oct : travels with Sharon & friends
23-26oct : Kathmandu
27oct : Arrive Singapore

Until 13oct, i will be quite uncontactable.. basically cranking up & whizzing down mountains. During this time, will check sms once a day. From 14oct onwards, i will have some access to the internet and email.

~~

Australia - melbourne n its vicinity

2006-10-03T04:21:00.000+08:00

There's plenty of ways to get from sydney to melbourne, i opted for the rail and its worth the journey! Countryside scenery in comfortable carriages.. it is abt aus100 oneway.

Melbourne is compact, and well connected by a network of trams. There is a vibrant student culture, and one of the best places i found was the victoria state library where there's free n fast internet in a classical building. At the hostel, it costs like aus5 for 30min.
Food is expensive. The city is cultural & arty.
Every 20steps or so, i could almost be accurate to say i spot hear a spore-msian accent !

I had a chance to meet up with friends, AK, HB, AF :) , as well as Barry who is building his own house up in the mountains.

Explorations over 2 weekends :
Great ocean road - rugged coast n rock, sprayed by ocean mist !
Dandenong range - Gorgeous bush forest, and also a very noteworthy william ricketts sanctuary.
The Prom - Outjut peninsula near philips isle, isles inlets n funny names.
The Great Stupa - initial foundation works at bendigo, beautiful exhibits

I spent a bomb on natural toiletries, australia has such a commendable and inspiring range of formulations! Afterall, (i heard.. yet to verify) it takes 50kg of raw material and100L of water to produce 100ml of essential oil, i guess quality does come at a price.

~~

Australia - monastery visit

2006-09-18T11:49:00.000+08:00

Hallo !

Here's a gist of my 2 weeks in a monastery in oz-land :)

I arrived in sydney, and just the next day took a train to a forest monastery about 2 hours away.
It was winter season, and i was anticipating fog & rain.. similar to british weather. What a surprise when i got to the mountains, it was chilly.. but sunny! And the parrots were out, e peacock & even wombat were frolicking!
The Monastery is situated on the edge of a bush forest and overlooks Kangaroo valley. There is a project in progress to build a pagoda, which will house many relics of the buddha & holy beings.

At Sunnataram monastery, e ladies dormitory was a comfortable converted farm shed(shaped like a log cake) which had pine panels, brilliant blue doubledecks & a fireplace. There were also numerous kutis, most of which had no electricity but plenty of privacy.

It was a lovely 2 weeks. A typical day:
Wake up : 5am
Chanting & morning meditation: 530-7am
Breakfast & washup: 7-830am
RR : 830-930
Pagoda construction: 930-4pm (lunch 1130-130)
Chanting & meditation: 730-9pm

Over one of the weekends, there was a big group of students from the university on retreat. That was fun! We had lots of company, and a big campfire with dharma talk & round-fire discussions.

There was regular dharma talk on wednesday nights, which was well attended by local residents of that area.

Two fellow singaporean friends whom i went on the tibet trip were also there at the same period, so i had plenty of 'local' company. The sangha was friendly and very fun, i recall with fondness the monks and nuns at the monastery.
What i learnt :
* Observing the worthy conduct of the abbot, and his interaction with folks, very inspiring and a lesson in itself.

* The explaination of the suttara in layman's terms, the 'fire discourse' and 'manggala sutra'. It could have hardly been explained any better!

* Mixing cement, grouting cracks, making a straight line mark using thread, using a pneumatic powered scraper to remove stray cement ~ simple construction work ! heheh.. didnt get to learn drive the forklift though.

* Advanced my meditation by a teeny little bit, just being able to count 2 more breathes.

* How to chop wood with an axe (takes me ages though) and get a fire going in the fireplace.

* Unfounded fear is very real.. i am reminded of it each time walking alone in the dark, even if to the toilet just 5min from the dorm! ;)

* Wonderful cooking is a matter of simple creativity, human warmth & familiarity with e kitchen! (i still didnt learn to cook, but got to eat lots of superb thai vegetarian)

* The meaning of Blessings.

More on melbourne travels .. in the next post.

Travels in July 2006

2006-07-02T01:18:00.000+08:00

Dear friends,

I will be in australia 6-30july, sydney n melbourne areas!

I will be doing a short retreat & volunteering in a monastery off sydney & then travelling to melbourne to visit friends, sightsee (the great ocean road!)..

6july : sydney
7-20july: monastery (may not be checking mobile or emails during this time)
21-29july: on-e-road and melbourne

Will be back to spore 30july, and intown for most part of august.

~~

Endau rompin weekend (10-11june)

2006-07-01T18:19:00.000+08:00

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Group size : 7 (Stanley, Sophia, Bernie, Ramesh, Seetha, Ting2, Me)
Season : Aiya, just missed e durians. August would be ideal fruit season!
Cost : Approx S$120/pax (all inclusive: 1nite chalet accm, transport, meals, activities)
Activities: Easy waterrafting, orangasli village visit, longboat ride, trek to tasik biru.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Endau rompin is great as a weekend getaway fr singapore. The forest is 200million years old, pristine and beautiful.

One highlight of endau rompin (fr peta) is Tasik Biru (aka Blue Lagoon). This is a fresh pool of water, in the most gorgeous blue. The water is as good as it looks!
Just 10min from tasik biru is a scenic confluence of 3 rivers, and the place is teeming with schools of fish!
According to the park ranger, just slightly further upstream, the water has been tested to be the cleanest / purest in malaysia!

Also nearby is a medicinal spring, believed by the orang asli (local native folk) to have healing powers.

The trek to Tasik biru is rather relaxing & easy, first a 30min boat ride from park HQ, followed by 1.5hr of gentle trails. Only beware of leaches ;)

One interesting account at the orang asli village, that peacocks have a peculiar trait of neatness. The peacock cannot bear to see any rubbish or twig out of place in its grazing field or forest path. Using its neck (not its beak!), it would remove the object to 'neaten' its place. To hunt peacock, the orang asli locate the path of the peacock and place sharp blades into the ground, and gets peacock dinner! I wonder how true... havent found anything on a quick websearch.

Thailand retreat (17-25apr)

2006-06-18T15:39:00.000+08:00

Photos : (1) Lotus (2) Mainhall (where an ordination ceremony was happening) (3) Middlehall (where we did afternoon meditation) (4) Monks on alms round, about 7am (5) Breakfast preparations (6) Our guardian dog (7) Makan time (8) Middlehall, sitting pose (9) My kuti room (small hut) (10) Forest path leading to kuti
* Thanks MengHaw for some of these photos!

I had e opportunity to visit a forest monastery, n spent a week in all peacefulness ! well... apart fr e many mozzies n giant geckos !

This was certainly a wonderful chance to observe e way of e forest monks, who practised with e same simplicity of monks during e buddha's time.
Two main things i noticed, e alms rounds, e renouncement of material possessions, & e emphasis on meditation.

Well... meditation for a beginner like me, even e most basic .. just counting the breath was pretty much elusive. The monastery is a very condusive place, plenty of greens and little distractions.
No great meditation insights but noticed my eyes felt so relaxed.

The group was total 5, with 3 experienced meditators. Sophia n i were newbies, a bit lost about what exactly to do, & spent time trying trying.. n also listening to dharma audio cd.

The chief monk was very kind, and obliged us a couple of Q&A sessions, we didnt quite have any high level questions for him ;) . A helpful western monk would help us with translations (since the ajahn spoke thai). This place is most suited for someone who is an already an experienced meditator.

Food & Alms..
A bit more about the alms culture, this tradition is a very mutual arrangement with the surrounding villagers, lay people who find joy & generosity in supporting the monk community. Each day, the monks take their bowl and walk on alms round, and would eat anyfood that is placed inside. One meal a day, for only reason of sustainance.
It was very interesting to see alms round, the simplicity & grace of it.

On the weekends, it is very festive. Many lay people visit with families, bringing lots of home cooked specialties, local thai cuisine. Cars of folks from bangkok and other villagers arrive in the mornings, sometimes to visit their children or relatives who are novices or monks. It is like a huge picnic ground :)
We foreign visitors also got to enjoy the hospitality & generosity of the local thais !

My takeaways, "Annica, Dukkha, Annata".. Samathi, Panna..
The nature of most worldly things, can be observed as such - change, pain, non-self, and it is through awareness & inner wisdom that these phenomena can be truly understood & overcome.
Oh gosh, everything seems painful, but when i see the serene golden faces of buddha & his 2 key disciples in the hall, they are happy and i have hope :)

Thailand Koh Samet (25-29apr)

2006-06-18T15:20:00.000+08:00

The two of us, Sophia & I took a couple of days detour to see chantaburi & koh samet.

It was not the right season for chantaburi, so we missed both the waterfalls (dry season, low water) and fruit season.

We spent the 3days in kohsamet instead.
Highlights of the stay :

A tumble from a modified 'kap' motorbike.. that was quite nasty. Luckily 2 travellers came to our rescue, one had a quad-bike & rescued Sophia ;) . She got a safe ride back to e chalet. The accident toll was lots of scraps & cuts on both of us, and a sprained ankle on me. Luckily no broken bones.
The next day, i took the bike out and rode the whole length on e isle, and thought it was quite a blessing we fell on e smaller slope.. there were some even more nasty steep sandy parts of road further down !

There was muay thai lessons (thai boxing) by the beach, i could only look enviously nursing an injured ankle.

That night, we met 2 aussies and had nice dinner at Jeps. They we excited abt fire-twirler down the beach, and seeing e next night's show.. i totally agree it was spectacular !

Koh samet beach, we can't help but notice many 'thai women' soliciting westerners. And so many pacts, and their antics on the beachfront. On the ferry back, there was this woman who kept feeding potato chips and then squeezing the pimple for her client ! Yuks..

All in all, i think a conservative isle on malaysia is a more condusive environment for families & 'no nonsense travellers' to relax.
Haha.. but we would miss the good thai food and affordable beachside massage.. well well.

Travel plans for 2006 (update)

2006-04-10T23:20:00.000+08:00

Dear friends,

If you r wondering where i am, i'm in singapore. Yup, been here since jan!

There's some adjustments to my travel plans..
Next destination:
Thailand 17apr-29apr :-)

Note1- i will be quite un-contactable during my stay in thailand (in rural area).
Note2 - Change of mobile number since march, from the previous no.92371176. (email me for new no. if you do not yet have it)

~~

PHOTOS - java march 06

2006-03-15T14:04:00.000+08:00

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2108372850&code=21122552&mode=invite&DCMP=isc-email-AlbumInvite

Java impressions

2006-03-05T02:37:00.000+08:00

Jakarta nasi padang, Borobudor & Mt Bromo !

The javanese are pleasant, soft-spoken folks, i wonder why e notoriety of riots & unrest in java.

I just got back from a 1week trip, Jakarta & Borobudor with parents & Mt Bromo on my own.
Here's a few pics for starters :)

Pic1 : padang food, a large spread is served at e table, pay only for items eaten.
Pic2: Mt Bromo surroundings, "moonscape like".
Pic3: Beautiful pinto horse at Mt Bromo

Pic4: At borobudor, e largest buddhist monument in java & e world.

Travels for 2006

2006-02-22T16:00:00.000+08:00

Hallo friends, this is e route :

Feb 23 - Mar 2 : Indonesia (jakarta, borobudor, mt bromo)
Mar 5-7 : KL
Mid Mar -May3: New zealand

(tentative)
June : San francisco
July : KL & Indochina
Sep/Oct: N.india

End of 2006, travels over, back to work ;)

PHOTOS - Kopan & kathmandu valley

2006-02-19T14:35:00.000+08:00

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2109083084&amp;amp;code=20797813&mode=invite&DCMP=isc-email-AlbumInvite

PHOTOS - India Cycling

2006-02-13T23:53:00.000+08:00

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2109378267&code=20719494&mode=invite&DCMP=isc-email-AlbumInvite

Enjoy!

Nepal, Kopan

2006-01-05T18:58:00.000+08:00

While others went to e land of himalayan snowmountains, for e famous annapurna circuit, for everest base camp or perhaps in search of e mystic Yeti.. I went there to sit in a gompa :)

Nepal itinerary
--------------
14nov-20dec Kopan buddhist course & retreat
20-22dec Bouddha & Thamel
23-25dec Pokhara
28/29dec Delhi

KOPAN

Kopan is a tibetan monastery, set high in the hills above the kathmandu valley. Its a near 30min taxi ride from the intl airport & 3km from the famous Bouddha stupa.

Every year, Kopan conducts an annual one month buddhism-&-meditation course in November. The subject of study is the Lamrim, also know as 'stages of e path' (to enlightenment).

This nov 2005 intake, over 200 participants from over 20 countries came to Kopan. There were 7 other ppl fr singapore, whom i did not know before kopan, but got to become friends with over e 1month! Jokingly, a congregation of a mini UN (united nations) !

The day starts at 530am & ends at 10pm.

After the 2nd week, we took the 8 precepts, which included one-meal-a-day rule. We had one BIG lunch a day, & plenty of tea in between. That was a bit difficult initially, but my mind & digestive system soon adapted. I realised it is actually possible & acceptable(healthwise) to just have one meal a day. It 'saves' time of eating & washing up.

For every session, there is a volunteer bell-ringer, to galvanise everyone to e sessions. Basically, the bell-ringer would set off at 10min to each session, making a loop passing by the dorms, cafe, dining & gompas as a time keeper. I was bell-ringer for two days, & it was fun! It was a thrill feeling the solidity of the metal in my hand, & creating the powerfully clear ringing sounds!

Photos - Ven. George, the course leader
- Chenrizig fountain by e stupa

.. More updates tomorrow

Off to Nepal..

2005-11-14T05:50:00.000+08:00

I've long wondered what really was meditation, i'll get to learn & practise for a month! Imagine it will be hardwork for a newbie initially, when e mind is uncontrollably ruly & spinal muscles not accustomed to sitting upright for hours.

I don't really know what to expect, except there'll be plenty of opportunity to consult e high practitioner monks/lamas, meet other participants, & receive a good introduction to e basics of buddhism.
Of course, also the experience of meditating for one month!

Nepal : 14nov - 26dec (26-28dec, stopover in delhi), limited access to email & mobile during this time. Back to spore 29dec! :)

India photos

2005-11-12T03:25:00.000+08:00

Himachal cycling (more photos will be posted.. soon)

India

2005-11-12T01:48:00.000+08:00

Toilet paper is a very precious & necessary travel item in india :)
It doesnt come cheap too, 30-50rupees for one roll at e side stall (~average S$1.70 or US$1)

I had no problems with e food during this trip, lucky 3weeks!

My India Itinerary
-------------------
8days cycling among mountains of Shimla-Manali
Dharamsala
Amritsar
Delhi

India is also a splash of colors! And sounds.. "BLOW HORN" sign is painted on e back of almost every other vehicle. And there's plenty of horning! The 2 rules of e road are: never look back and Big Brother rules(Trucks>Cars>horse>auto tuktuk>cycle rickshaw>cow) :)

The CYCLING was fantabulous! 8days of self-propelled pedalling, thru some very beautiful mountains & pine forests. The company was great & i made new friends! It is by far e longest that i've riden - up so high that e eagles soared below, & superdownhills that usually demanded absolute concentration to keep fr crashing off a cliff! Locals cheered for us, with apples, smiles & nemastes.

The shimla-kuulu area has One very special sight, - e night lights of e village houses on the hills become part of e many stars in e canvas of e dark skies.

It also happended to be the Dusherra, a big festival in the town of kuulu. That was fun, drums, fairground & very big colorful crowds.

AMRITSAR
The fabled golden temple of amritsar. The most holy shrine of e sikhs, the domes are of pure gold-leaves, & the 24hr-canteen dishes up 10,000 chapatis a day. Volunteers serve in e canteen & kitchens(clangs of ss thalli/ metallic dishes abound), Wardens tend the guest-dormitories, Guards patrol the grounds in yellow robes & turban, holding a long spear! Holy music flows from the golden shrine. And the Holy Book(Guru Granth Sahib) is put to bed every night & brought back to e shrine every morning.
It is very beautiful in Day & Night, perhaps even more at night.

DHARAMSALA
The home of the Dalai Lama. I didnt see 'his holiness' but saw many thangkas whilst shopping for a shambala (tibetan god of wealth; he holds a mongoose in his left hand, which vomits out precious jewels when pinched by e god).
The best cheese koftas that i had ever tasted are at Malabar restaurant in mcleod-ganj.
There are also a number of beggars without fingers (just stumps) on the streets, which i gave some food to, and I learnt to appreciate & be grateful for my good fingers.

DELHI
Places visited - Humayun's tomb ( a mughal architectural marvel, similar of style to e taj mahal) & the Bahai Lotus Temple, Janpath Market, Macdonalds.
McDonald's india has the best vegetarian burgers, I am impressed!
The traffic is also a snarl, & i moved around a lot in autorickshaw(tuktuk). Had the chance to stayover at a friend's home in upper-middle suburban part of delhi. The neighbourhood is comfortable, with citibank, pizzahut, gym round the corner.
The bomb happended a few days after i left delhi, its sad that terrorists would harm the city.

+++++++++++++++

Now, what is it about india ? I have heard abt how ppl hate india initially & then just fall in love with e place. And its a bit true.
What started out as worry & apprehension turned into slow wonder & an appreciation of some things that in life that i had not slowed down to feel.
In e cities especially, almost everyone is out to con a lost foreign tourist. But its funny, for instead of feeling anger (well, frustration does exist), i started to try to see e better side of e person & situation. Its a tough world, everyone has a different background, & despite their darker sides, have a kindness & human touch.

In e villages of himachal, e openess & simple sincerity of the folks are just it. In e tough bits of e climbs, in those moments of physical tiredness & aches, its e wide mountains, e eagles, e roadside smiles (sometimes they dont smile, but if u do first, its almost a gurantee return of a wider smile!), e mischievious kids, e company of another cyclist that makes you love the ride. Riding into camp, the vege-fritter snacks & hotwater shower tents definitely help!

Himachal mountainbike link: www.mtbhimachal.com

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Tibet

2005-10-02T11:58:00.000+08:00

Dear friends,
Tashi Delek! I've just spent 1.5mths in china & tibet.

Sichuan : 2weeks
China, on my own at Chengdu & Mt Siguniang. Later on, joined spore grp of 5 to Mt Emei.

Tibet: 1month
We(grp of 7fr spore) travelled via jeep from Lhasa to Mt Kailash(in remote west tibet), distance of xxxxkm on mostly gravel road. Highlights was Mt Kailash (aka Kang Rinpoche), doing a 52km circumbulation of the mountain & crossing Drolma La Pass at 5650m above sealevel.

Experienced e infamous tibetan toilets, went with no shower for a week, followed a vegetarian diet for almost a month (wasnt much nutritous as e tibetan cook was more adept at meat dishes).
But we got inky starry nights, powdery sprinkling of snow, huge expanses of earth & rock, glints of golden barley fields, mystic monasteries, blessings & butter tea, crinkly faces & smiles of nomads that one could never come across anywhere else (& may not come across for that much longer).

Photos are of south face of mt kailash, & my tent on one snowy day! :)

I am off to india for 3weeks, 4-26oct. So... not very reachable till after 26oct. Wish me luck!! (i am very curious abt india, after hearing so much abt e plc!)

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HALLO!

2005-07-28T23:25:00.000+08:00

Dear friends,

Its almost end july, & i'll be starting out on travel proper in 3weeks time.

Plenty of stuff that needs attention now, .. ad-hoc work for my dad's co., preparation for travel to tibet & spiiti, springcleaning, time with family/friends.

Next destinations :
Tibet & Sichuan : 16aug-26sep
Himalaya india : 01Oct - 26Oct
Nepal Katmandu : 12Nov - 22Dec

Tibet & Sichuan
To e "Roof of e World". Overland by jeep & truck fr lhasa - mount kailash & lake manasarovar. Mount Kailash is e highlight for most of us (going in a grp of 7 fr singapore, mostly buddhist pigrims)
I wonder what e experience will be, even if not 'spiritual', i'm quite sure it'll be one heck of an walk at 4000m & up.. passing over e 5000+m dolma la!

In Sichuan (this is e connecting city between singapore & lhasa), we will be trekking up Mount Emei, & staying e nites in ancient temples. I am also hoping to do a horse trek to e surrounding area of e Siguniang (4 sisters peaks).

Himalayan India
Hoping to cycle in e spiiti valley, amidst apple, apricot farms!

Nepal Katmandu
This will be a month-long meditation -cum intro to dharma(buddhist enrichment) retreat.

In-between e Tibet, India & Nepal, I'll be back in Singapore. And will be grounded Jan/Feb-06, before another 3mths of travel to Oz & Nz. :)

I'll post as & when i can.. when internet is avail.

Tioman

2005-07-28T21:44:00.000+08:00

Whale shark sighting!LY & D saw one her 1st dive to labas! Amazing, ... all whislt i was doing my 1st refresher shore dive in very murky looking waters, where e most interesting marine life was a big puffer.Labas ~ wow,.. what a Place!Pulau Labas.. holds an immense attraction for me.It is a tiny isle surrounded by coral, & semi-strong waves were pounding about its barnacled circle of rocks. Much of it is rock, some whitened by e gunk of e many inhabitants - seagulls!What a wild, windswept, stark & beautiful plc.I climbed on, & explored a little, scrambling & hopping on e safer rocks.Nothing more that i could have asked for..According to Reeno, labas is 7.5km out in sea, & one of e dive guide/master says he kayaked tioman-labas in 2hrs monsoon conditions.i am inspired to Swim! (maybe 6-8hrs!)Beach Resort & TransfersA little bit on e resort life,.. many lunches & dinners in e 'restaurant' by e beach. And rounds of choh-tai-tee on 1st nite. And e many cats waiting under e table for scraps.Getting to Tioman was an unexpected adventure for me: No mersing bus at larkin, .. took e kota-tinggi express, joined 3 others on cab from kota-tinggi to mersing, got conned into a ferry instead of speedboat to tioman (& for rm$35). Finally arrived safe & sound, & the return trip was much faster in D's new 8-seater honda-oddessey.The Dive ShopTioman Reef, run by Reeno & his crew of lanky(1), native(2) divers.Reeno & his jap wife (Kimi?) & 2 kids lead a life out of e urban norm. The 2 boys jump into e diver's eqp washup pool, & play... lauging & guggling in malay! Maybe that's called alternative living..
Trip DATADates : SundayAM (17jul) - Tuesday PM (19jul)
Ppl : D, BF, CP, AL, LY, me. (AL, BF, CP are LY's buddies fr sec sch)
Money :Sin-Tioman : S$30(To kranji mrt ~ $2.50, Kranji-Larkin(via causeway-exp)~ $1.20, Bus Larkin-Kota tinggi ~$1.50/RM3.50, Taxi KT-Mersing ~$7/RM16, Ferry Tioman via Blue $17/RM35Package (Accomodation, Meals, 1short+2open dives, Transfers tioman-sin) = S$290Total = S$320

Endau Rompin

2005-07-12T01:00:00.000+08:00

Durian, durian & durians

BLD.. b'fast, lunch, dinner of o.o.o.a. (original organic orang asli) durians at ENDAU ROMPIN!

LY, Alias, myself & 2-rompin guides were at endau-rompin at a time of abundance, helping ourselves to e nerc durian trees (which dropped with a funny whiiish, thud at after dinner times) & Kg PETA Durians (fr e trees of e village).

==Recce trip==
Tue 5jul - Fri 8jul
Activity : Camped at K'marong, trekked to Tasik Biru, Upeh guling & B'sangkut waterfalls.
Total expenditure/pax (split bw 3) : rm230 + s$16 = s$120.

==Nitty grity==
Tue-Am : Train fr sin-kluang. (8.30am-10.30am)Oh, mann... i woke up late & nearly missed this one. Rushed to jb station & luckily, caught e train.Lunch & Transfer to Peta visitor centre. (11am - 2pm)It was a dusty, orange ride in.

Wed : Trek to Kuala Marong. Set camp.Explored Tasik Biru & Upeh-Guling waterfalls. The ikan selar are rm120/kg at e market, rm200+ at e restaurant table.

Thur : Trek to Buaya Sangkut waterfalls & Breakcamp back to Nerc.K'marong-B'sangkut =2.5hrB'sangkut-K'marong=2hrDissapointment as swimming was prohibited, & e guide was 'green' & did not bring us down trail to see e magnificent cascades. We did e waterfalls in good time.Din & Mat were really funny with their determination with e durians! :)

Fri : Kayak nerc-peta. Games & durians at orangasli village.Transfer out to Kluang. LY's friend, Daniel picked us on e way back fr kl. ETA 8pm (45min causeway jam)

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Zen Lunch & a slice of cucumber

2005-07-12T00:37:00.000+08:00

Tis i found to be most astonishing - to wash e dishes w just a cucumber slice & 1/2bowl hotwater.

i turned up at e retreat, totally new. Got a briefing & proceeded on to a few meals, using e same set of eating containers. Now i read, it is called Or-yo-ki.

The meal also includes a series of knocking, tinkling, hand-rubbing, palms together, bowing.
At cleaning of bowls , the hotwater is passed around saucer-bowl, all e while using cucumber as to wipe/'scrub'. Finally, part of liquid is drained while cucumber & rest of remaining liquid is drunk. The items r dried, & repositioned into e big white cloth, once zen-master gives the signal, it knotted back into place & ready for next meal.

Efficient, focused & earth(environment) conscious! a bit "unhygenic" though ^ ;) , imho.

==Trip statistics==
June-05
Location: Zen centre, Pengerang
Activity : zen retreat (2/7days)
Total expenditure : $50 + $8 + rm20 = S$68

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hi

2005-06-16T03:29:00.000+08:00

Garfield tracks ..