Balance

Finally I found time to write my accounts of my trip and 30
of my colleagues on a company trip to Chiang Mai. There were some ups and downs
but in the end, everyone had a good time. I’ve also added some of the pics in the album.

Day 1 Morning - KL

Woke up early today and took the LRT straight to office. We
were supposed to gather in the office before going to KLIA in a bus. I reached
the office at about 9. After mingling around and waited for everyone to arrive,
we set out for KLIA. In the bus, the boss took down a list of alcohol to buy and
to be taken to Chiang Mai. To my surprise, we listed down 27 bottles of red wines,
white wines, Chivas’, Jack Daniels, Bombay Sapphire and Tequilas! I was given
the responsibility to watch over the alcohol and keep track of our alcohol
usage. I didn’t know that was necessary, but at the end of the trip, I knew why
…

The airport was a freaky time. We went to the Duty Free shop
and checkout all the alcohol which were in the list. While the boss and I were
at the cashier, the others were already going into the boarding area. Then the
worse thing occurred, the stupid machine could not register my boss’ credit card.
By then most of the people were already in the plane and it was announcing our names.
Fortunately the problem was settled and we made it into the plane, but not
without a sounding by the airport management people.

Day 1 Afternoon - Bangkok

And hour or so later we touched down at Bangkok International Airport.
The Airport was so large that we took quite a while to get to the domestic gate
for the plane to Chiang Mai. According to schedule, we had 1 hour waiting time
before the next flight to Chiang Mai, but time seemed to fly by so fast that
before we knew it, it was already time to board the plane to Chiang Mai.

Day 1 Evening/Nite - Chiang Mai

Damn my ears still had a hard time adjusting to the pressure
change in flights. It really felt like they were going to burst. Another hour
of flight, we reached Chiang Mai International Airport.
It was evening when we arrived. We were greeted by a local guide, Vitara (or
something like that).We were also introduced to the bus which we will be
travelling in, a double-decker tour bus. I guess they must have catered for
bigger tours than ours. A short ride to Sheraton, Chiang Mai. A quick check-in
and off we are out again to have our dinner.
Our first meal in Chiang Mai is at a grand palace-looking
restaurant. They served traditional Northern Thailand’s
dishes and even have some dance and acrobatic performance. Food were served in
small plates on a large round tray with spicy gravy and sauces in the middle of
the tray.
Later we went to Chiang Mai’s Nite Bazaar. It’s like Petaling Street without the DVD peddlars back home. Most of
the stuff sold were clothes, some sourvenir shops, fake watches, jewelry, and
one in a few shops you will find a stall selling something else. The first nite
we went to the stalls by the road side. On the third nite, we went deeper into
bazaar itself. The bazaar is like our Pasar Seni without the roof. Many art and
specialty shops, each selling unique stuff such as handcrafted bags, t-shirts,
decorations, etc. I found a shop which sells sort of Chiang Mai’s designer
t-shirt. They had about 25 designs and the shop print the t-shirts themselves.
The first thing which caught my eye was the design of a rooster with some Thai
characters on it. Too bad they ran out of stock on that design.

Day 2 Morning - Outskirts of Chiang Mai

On the second day, we went to Mae Teng Elephant Camp. There,
we got a chance to ride the elephant and bullock-cart. The elephant I rode on
was quite a fuzzy elephant. My elephant ride also include a baby elephant
walking along with us. The baby elephant is quite a nuisance and mischievous
one. It walked on the left of the elephant for a few minutes, then shift to the
right side, then after a few minutes shift back to the left side. At one point it
became rebellious and stayed behind us only to be pushed forward by the
elephant behind us. The ride itself is like taking lessons from a new
"L" license driver who step on the gas paddle strongly and let it go
all the way, and step strongly again. The jerking motion is far greater than
that. For only 20 baht, i bought a comb of bananas and some sugarcanes to be
fed to the elephants. The elephants never stop eating! No wonder there’s so
much elephant dung on the ground…
The bullock-cart ride was not much of a new excitement, but
it was quite a bumpy ride. Next there was an elephant show. The elephants were
cool! Performing simultaneous stunts and there were also a few ‘expert’
footballing elephants as well. Later some of us enjoy some coffee while the
others took a river ride downstream.
Next we proceeded to a restaurant at a valley in the hilly
northern part of Chiang Mai. Once there, we were greeted with the beautiful greens
of nature and waterfall. The restaurant is situated on the valley next to a
waterfall. We can hear the rushes of the water as we had our lunch.
More local dishes and wine for us. Later, we proceeded
downhill back to the city to have a feel of the Thai full body massage. It was
a relaxing massage to soothe the aching muscles from running up and down the
office everyday. Certainly worth the effort. By the way, no cute Thai babes in
the massage parlour though. About 10 guys can fit into a massage room (females
are in a different room). The parlour is a decent one, not those misconcepted
’service’ massage parlour.

Day 2 Night - Chiang Mai City

After that, we returned to the hotel, showered and went to
dinner at a riverside restaurant. They had this giant fish about 1 meter in
length (which I think is a tuna) on display in the iced fish section. Dinner was
quite normal but was spiced up with ‘yum sengs’. 2 Tequilas and a Chivas were
finished in that short session.With everyone ‘high’ on alcohol, next stop is a
club. Apparently this club is owned by a friend of Boss.
It was like a war zone in the club. We, 30 people from Kuala Lumpur were drinking and dancing like there was no
tomorrow. Strangely, the other patrons were still quite politely at their
tables. No doubt, we had some ‘casualties’ from the dinner. I, among the few
collapse after about an hour. My weakness, when I’m drunk I felt too tired and
KO. When I woke up, the guys were still dancing and drinking. But not for
long… After another hour or so, one by one were helped out to the open area.
A few collapsed immediately, a few kept on vomiting. And
some were even holding on helping the others until they themselves cant take it
any longer and became sober themselves. Me? After I woke up, i had regain my
senses and seemed like I wasn’t drunk at all. It was only 1am, but we were mostly down, and the Thais inside had only
just started to enjoy themselves. Seems like we had more than we should have during
the dinner. Fortunately we got assistance from Boss’ friends to send us all back
to the hotel.

Day 3 Morning - Chiang Mai City

The next morning we had breakfast at the hotel restaurant
and each of us share the hilarious night we had last night. Some of them were
too drunk to even remember what had happened. Then they went to the pool and
played water polo. Too bad I can’t swim, else I would be joining them as well.
Before we know it, it’s lunch time. Off we went to a restaurant by the name of
Goodview Pub & Restaurant. Another round of enjoyable meal and this meal is
even special with the presence of a three-member band playing. They were
fantastic, they such nice English songs and are so talented. The girl
especially played a mini "zheng", had such a sweet voice and is sooo
cute. Me and my friends were so mesmerized by her that we returned to see her
performance later that night.
After lunch, we shopped some more souvenirs before touring
the city. Chiang Mai is actually a fortress-like city with walls and moat surrounding
the ‘old city’. Sort of like the English castles we read in stories such as
Robin Hood or King Arthur. The tour guide explained that Chiang Mai is actually
700 years old, even older than Bangkok. The city walls were left as it was these
days, but it has been open to erosion and weather conditions after all these
years.

Day 3 Night - Chiang Mai City

In the evening, we set of again to another picturesque view
of Chiang Mai. This time it is at the Chiang Mai Water Reservoir Restaurant. It
is situated on a hilltop overlooking the entire city.
After the dinner, we returned to the night bazaar for last
minute shopping before proceeding to Goodview for music and drinks. Initially
we wanted to see the girl sing again. But the entire 2 hour we were there, she
only sang two songs. However, the other bands were not too bad either. It’s still
worth being there.

Day 4 - Chiang Mai-Bangkok-Kuala Lumpur

The next morning, it is time to pack up and check out of the
hotel. Well, we were kind of early for our flight to avoid the mess on the
first day. We had like 2 hours in Chiang Mai Airport’s
waiting hall chit chatting, playing games, sleeping, picture sessions etc.
Another hour of flight to Bangkok.
Then came the long 3 hour wait for 8pm flight. Thankfully, they had
McDonald’s and more shops in the Bangkok Airport, else we would be
bored
like hell. Most of us finished off our last Bahts before boarding the
flight
back to KLIA. I dropped my last few Bahts in a donation box in the
airport. We
reached home at about 11pm.
Fortunately,
I was still able to catch the KLIA Transit before midnight.

And that was the end of a relaxing and punishing trip to
Chiang Mai. The next morning, everyone arrived at work on time.

I have not been writing or pasting entries for the past two weeks coz I’m kinda busy since the start of October. Just some short updates:

• had more job responsibilities to handle now until I take the last train back home almost everyday.
• just got back from a 4-day company trip to Chiang Mai. Enjoyable and fun. Will add pics when I finish copying 2Gb of pics from collegues. Crazy Party, Fine Dining. Cun girl …
• my brother is going to move back to KL when he starts working managing Malaysia’s largest cybercafe at Berjaya Times Square!(no joke!)
• had 30 episodes of TV series downloaded but yet to watch … :(   Download 2 everyday, but only manage to watch half everyday before falling asleep.
• looking forward to watching A Sound of Thunder, Corpse Bride and Andy Lau and Charlene Choi movie.

Today I came across a billboard with a beautiful poem while in the LRT. And so i google for it when i got home. It is "If" by Rudyard Kipling. Just thought of sharing it with you.

If
If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you

But make allowance for their doubting too,

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,

And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream–and not make dreams your master,

If you can think–and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breath a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings–nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much,

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

And–which is more–you’ll be a Man, my son!

 

–Rudyard Kipling

"I Would not Quit" He Said

One day I decided to quit…
I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality…
I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.
"God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"

His answer surprised me…

"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"
"Yes", I replied.
"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them.
I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.

In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.
"In the third year, there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit.
In the fourth year, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed.  "I would not quit." He said.
"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth.

Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant…
But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.

I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."
He said to me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots"

"I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you."
"Don’t compare yourself to others." He said. "The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet, they both make the forest beautiful."

"Your time will come", God said to me. "You will rise high!"
"How high should I rise?" I asked.
"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.
"As high as it can?" I questioned.
"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."
I left the forest and bring back this story.

P/s :- Dear friend, life is indeed full of challenges and maybe in one of the end, we might think to quite our journey. Thru this story, we learn that when we are struggling, our foundation is becoming more strong and it will prepare us for
the challenges ahead.