:: Chiang Mai ::

~ August 2009 (3days 2nights)

Visited Chiang Mai on company retreat - simply relazing..
No need to ponder over itinerary & budget. If it had been on my own budget, I would have been rather reluctant to pay for The Chedi :0

Chilled lime-water served & towel left at the side while I was swimming at the pool. Excellent service.

chess set at the lobby for your entertainment

lovely bread at brekkie

Great breakfast buffet spread. Accordingly to Ah Beng, they serve the best butter he has ever tasted.

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
This is at the top of Suthep Mountain, where a Chedi (also known as stupa or pagoda) sits in a rather small courtyard.
The courtyard building sits on a larger plaza containing several buildings as well as a lookout point, when weather permits, we could see all of Chiang Mai and the surrounding plain.We took a funicular cable-car to the top, and came down via a naga staircase of 309 steps.

Our first night’s dinner was the khan toke Dinner show.
'Khan toke’ refers to the small pedestal tray or low round table which is made of teak (or in some cases a bamboo and rattan combination) and is used as a dining table for special occasions.

We sat on the floor around the table where various dishes are served, and get entertained by displays of traditional Thai dancing, like ‘Fingernail Dance’ and the Circle Dance – where they invited our bosses to join in.

Pretty amusing.

Following daytrip include elephant trekking, water-buffalo cart-pulling & raft-drifting.
This is where I fell in love with these gentle giants. Despite their size, they are almost gracefully in their strides.
I’m not soo sure if we should support such performance – I can't imagine the training/pain they have to go through to perform for us.

^.^

:: D.U.T.S @ Batam cum Jen’s burfday ::

~ June 2011

I know this is super belated. U have to forgive me.
Betta late then never right? (:

This year we had our DUTS aka Drinking Under the Stars overseas for the very first time.
And we haven’t never travelled together before.
Can’t go too far due to work schedule, soo Batam here we come.

Sunset view @ the restaurant near the jetty

Harris Resort @ Batam

Pretty decent
Spa room @ Harris

We brought over a Sara Lee choc cake doubled up as birthday cake for Jen.. thinking we mite not be able to get at the resort.
Complete with decoration too.

Happy birthday gal!

Stay cheerful always..

Sun-tanning by the pond. Is it cute?A great getaway.. cheers
^.^

:: Nepal - Here I come ::

~ 30.10.09 - 10.11.09
8 days trek @ Langtang Valley + Kathmandu tour

We did a slightly less well known trek to Langtang Valley as Jel has already did ABC (Annapura base camp).
Langtang valley lies at the south of the Tibetan border, is sandwiched between the main Himalayan range to the north and a slightly lower range of snowy peaks to the south.

Trekking group: Jel, WP, Beng
Guide: Dambar & Porters: Sher Shing, Sa

Trek route:
- 8hrs public bus ride from Kathmandu to Syabru Besi (1462m)
- Slow descent from Syabru Besi to Basecamp at Kyanjing Gompa (3800m)
- Final destination – Tserko Ri (4983m)

We did not reach Tserko Ri, gave it a miss after considering that with our physique, we are not likely to make it back to basecamp before dark.

Instead we did a hike to the Yala Cheese Factory (4633m) nearby and the small lakes beyond Yala.
There is also a STOL airstrip at Chhaldang, a short distance east of Kyangjin.

Public bus to Syabru Besi. A bumpy & dusty road. The guys were amazed that the gals could sleep their way thru'out. We are pretty well-trained on such routes *read myanmar.

Route-markers along the trek

They are everywhere. Beware of yak's poo.

Always walk with your right on this 'mani' wall.

The inscription on the wall - Om Mani Padme Hum
Standard room of our lodgings - no lights or heater.Luckily we had our down sleeping bags. MUst-have!

Base-camp @ Kyanjing Gompa (3800m)

Surrounded by the mountains & glaciers.

On the way to the airstrip

Weaving for a living

Blooming in adversity

Why are these guys looking soo focused?

Ahh.. self-drawn chess game, during lunchbreak.

The locals.. old & young

And us (:

Trek back to Syabru Besi in 1 day. Knees were going to give way any moment..

:: Kathmandu ::

Boudhanath Stupa (or Bodnath Stupa) is the largest stupa in Nepal and the holiest Tibetan Buddhist temple outside Tibet.
Pashupatinath, or Pashupati, is a Hindu temple on the banks of the Bagmati River in Deopatan.
The temple is barred to non-Hindus, but a good view of the temple can be had from the opposite bank of the river.

Cremation is done along the banks, and ashes swept into the river.

One thing to note about trekking - Go with the right company.
u are with the group for 10odd days – trek, eat, sleep together.

No bathing for good 6 days coz it was simply too cold. Even brushing teeth & washing face can be brain-freezing.
There is nothing much to do after dark, and it gets dark pretty early. Lights out by 9pm.
Our rooms have no lights, only wooden beds with mattresses. The only warm, lit place is the communal area for dining.

Luckily Dambar and gang were wonderful. They entertained us with Nepalese and Hindu songs & dance, learnt our bridge games, and shared with us their culture and stories.
I believe many other travelers were envious of our lively nights.

This is THE place I must visit before I settle down, I told myself.

On hindsight, it is probably the trigger of something not meant to be.

^.^