mood FULL


Full of bananas

We are finally back in Bangkok, our last destination before zipping back to Singapore. For a while, before leaving again that is.

We've been eating SO MUCH fruits here. Fruits are so nice and dirt cheap here oh my goodness. Just yesterday, we bought a bunch of small bananas for 20 baht (about SGD$1). A few days ago on the train, keiko succumbed to a bag of rose apples for 25 baht. Pity that I can't post that photo of her looking so smug and contented with herself while hugging a bag of red fruits. It is so ridiculous I still laugh thinking about it.

Anyway, it is now 1130pm here and a while ago we were feeling bored. I repeat, bored, not hungry. But nonetheless we ventured out into the streets full of prowling street food vendors and a nice, brightly-lit 7-11 (can never go wrong with 7-11).

We came back with 2 big slices (and i mean BIG) of pineapples, watermelon, a grilled egg plant, a microwaved pack of sticky rice with BBQ pork, a can of curious-looking milk with white tea (couldn't help myself, the packaging looked so nice), a box of almond chocolate coated Pocky and a box of strawberry coated biscuit sticks.

Devoured all but the biscuits.

Hooray, i feel like shitting now. I wonder why!

Labels: mumble jumbles, South east Asia, travel

mood full


In Kanchanaburi

So far, our itineraries have undergone about 4 changes. We scrapped Pai and Soppong, gave the arduous Mae Hong Son bus journey a miss, overstayed in Sukhothai, and went to Ko Chang for a dismal 2D1N trip. And for the last leg of the trip before trudging back to dirty noisy smelly bangkok (with only Chatuchak as its saving grace), we found ourselves plonked on a 3rd class train choo choo-ing past paddy and corn fields, and finally in Kanchanaburi. It is a warm little historical town with WWII remnants like the death railway, the river Kwai, and is surrounded by picturesque fields of green and shaggy mountains. I love this place!

Tomorrow we are going on a day tour to Sai Yok waterfall, some hot spring, and also visit some historical place. Such an idyllic life. I like :)

Labels: South east Asia, travel

mood hot & sticky


I see Wats everywhere.

Today is our third day in Sukhothai. We took a 5 hour bus here from Chiang Mai. Apparently the only reason people visit this place is to see the old temple ruins in the Sukhothai Historical Park, which are supposed to be whoa marvelous. We originally intended to visit them yesterday. But alas, keiko had a bout of diarrhoea and was confined to bed, so yesterday I bummed around. Walked to the internet cafe, bought food, and idly browsed my Thailand Lonely Planet so many times that I even remembered the author's little biography writeup word for work. Almost, anyway. I was so nearly bored out of my wits.

Anyway, so we got to visit the historical park today. Frankly, I think it is a bit overrated. All the wats look the same to me. Oh well, at least now I know.

Tonight we are taking a 6-7 hour bus ride to Bangkok and then a 5 hour bus ride to Trat, after which we will then plonk ourselves on a ferry and head to Ko Chang.

The internet cafes here dont have a card reader, unlike those in Australia. So no photos!

Labels: South east Asia, travel

mood muscle ache


Chiang Mai Day 3 - Post trekking

Yesterday, while I was clumsily balancing myself on muddy rocks, it occurred to me that actually when I think about it, it seems almost preposterous and devoid of common sense, the fact that I always go chasing after terrains to ascend and descend. Maybe I am just silly, maybe I dont know any better. I, the one who hit the tracks an average of once in two months, the one who very possibly belongs to the extreme lower quartile of the fitness scale of the whole earth population. Whatever it is, my muscle aches now is telling me that I deserve it.

So I was thinking that maybe that's enough of up-and-down trekking for now. At least for the next *^%$ months.

That wasn't until John msn-ed me a while ago:

J: Felicia, I think I want to try going trekking. I am shopping for trekking boots. Lets go trekking in December!

F: Okay!

J: The rougher the terrain the better!

F: Wah mati...


Anyway, so we are back in Chiang Mai for another day before we bus-off to another obscure part of Thailand which is yet to be confirmed. Chiang Mai is a great city, very artsy fartsy, very laidback. Yesterday we came back from our 2D1N trekking tour, and me, with a huge collection of mosquito bites and a twisted ankle (again). It was an experience. We got to visit hill tribe villages, did a hell lot of walking, and fed and played with an elephant called chongpu. We also did water rafting, where our monkey ass guide attempted to pull each and every one of us into the water, and succeeded on me. And then we did bamboo rafting, which was more like a submarine, really, because it was half sinking and we were wet anyway so we just swam along with the raft, Titanic style. :D

Will update again soon when I can. To my worried family, I AM SAFE! And I can count from one to ten in Thai now!

Labels: South east Asia, travel

mood excited


The weirdest backpackers who do the most un-touristy things

I am now in a road side internet cafe, reporting live from Chiang Mai. It's been 3 days since we left Singapore and a myriad of weird and interesting things have happened. We spent the last 2 days in Chiang Dao, a small town north of Chiang Mai near the mountains and had such a LAZY time. The guest house where we stayed in had such a comfortable room and bed, and it being off-peak season, we were the only guests in the guest house. Mongkon, the owner, cooked FABULOUS meals, with homegrown rice. Homegrown rice which we couldn't bear to waste so we finished every. single. grain.

We basically spent the days walking around, getting stuck in rains, being the objects of humour and scrutiny by the passing hill tribes people in motor bikes while we walk around in transparent poncho, barefooted (on separate occasions) and basically looking like oddballs. We bought a jackfruit from a village boy and carried it around before being offered a ride on a motorbike (think 3 people with a 4 kilo jackfruit on a small scooter).

We did such WEIRD things. But all in the name of good fun :D

Tomorrow we are going a 3D2N tour to Mae Taeng area where we will visit hill tribe villages, waterfall, do bamboo rafting, and a lot of walking. I will live to tell the tale. Stay tuned.

Labels: South east Asia, travel

mood bummed


The secret is out.

Ok FINE. So there is was this secret trip I was planning - a surprise visit to Melbourne for who-else. But due to some unforeseen circumstances it is not a secret anymore, and I am still feeling quite sore about it. Bah. Oh well...

Anyway I got the free ticket from my dad, who got it through some business connection. Otherwise there is no way I could have afforded another trip. So yay! Visa, check. Seriously, travelling is a darn expensive hobby (have I said this before?).

So, my real itinerary for the next 2 months:

9 - 26 May : Thailand

3 - 12 June : Bali

12 June - 1 July : Melbourne

1-3 July : Bali (short transit)

3 July : Officially back in singapore


So yes. IT'S NOT A SECRET ANYMORE, everyone!

Labels: travel

mood confused


In Transit

I am now officially an unemployed graduate. And actually being rather pleased about it! Like what kko said, it gives me every reason to bum around doing shit. Yesterday I logged onto msn and my finger was about to click Appear Offline, like I usually do (oops), when it suddenly occurred to me, hey I'M NOT BUSY! No reason to act like I am. I have alllll the time in the world. So yesterday, for the first time in many years, I was actually Online.

Whew, beat that.

Anyway, this friday morning 6 am I leave for Thailand, where we will then gallivant around town in the daytime and then take a sleeper train to Chiangmai and on to Chiang Dao, yadda yadda. Be back in 17 days. So we catch the last bus tomorrow and camp out at the airport to wait for our flight. True blue cheapskate backpacker style. Won't be carrying a handphone.

You know, the good thing about travelling is that it's like taking a break from thinking. Which happens to be what I need at this moment.



Oh simple things, where have you gone..

Labels: mumble jumbles, school, travel

Irk.

When you feel that you can't be bothered to work things out anymore, you know that either it doesn't mean anything to you, or you are just PLAIN FREAKING LAZY.

Labels: mumble jumbles

mood mixed


The last 15 hours of a student

Ok so technically I am screwed, because I have a paper tomorrow at 1pm, and I have never before felt so unprepared, not in my whole student life. Admittedly I have been rather half-hearted at mugging, and I have the sneaky feeling that it being the VERY LAST EXAM of my life, is justification enough.

So actually, I shouldn't even be rambling away here. I should be buried deep in my books, or piling my notes up in a heap and laying my head on them so that maybe God will take pity and let diffusion take place. Into my brain, Go go go!

I can't help but feel just a tad sentimental. When I walked out of amk library this evening, it occurred to me that I will never again step into that place with the purposeful mind of a student. Or rather, attempt. Never again will I stand outside that place at 9.59 am on sunday morning while watching a stampede of overzealous students colonising the library the minute the door opens.

It is a rather wistful yet indifferent feeling.

Ok study!!!

Labels: mumble jumbles