Watch out this space for Mich Odyssey's update soon!

The journey is over.
One last destination to go.
To the Land of Smiles. 
Nothing much but just massage to ease off all the strains - physically & mentally.
The other thing is shopping to replace clothes that i repeatedly wore for the past 6 mths.
And lastly a holiday for Ah Pek.

I am contented.
I am back.

Are you ready to kepoh the juice of my travels?
=)

Coming soon!

Anticipating my flight home...

Seriously... it was really a long day at the IGI airport - New Delhi.
Securities at the airport was such a PITA (PAIN IN THE ASS!) in view of their past of terrorist attacks.
Too much till i don't seem to understand the terrorist attack reason anymore.
I was so happy to see Air Asia staffs that i moved over to sit near them..
Psychologically felt i am very close to home! LOLS~

Didn't loiter around New Delhi city. Its so polluted and everywhere is under construction to make way for CG.
Don't think they can make it for CG.

Goodbye India! 

Taj Mahal, India

Everything of symmetry.
Took this corny pics on behalf of wongsm.
Haihz... really corny... and hot in the morning..

lost weight?

hmmmm judge for yourself.
i oni know my pants can nearly be swoon off my butt without unbuttoning.

Me & Durga didi

Me & Vinod pappu

 

 

 

 

 

look at his curled moustache!

Very windy @ narharharh fort, jaipur

With our guide for the day - Ganesh

raksha bandhan celebration

Since the first day i arrived, i felt so comfortable staying in
Pushkar at this milkman guesthouse.
Within 12days and i am accepted as part of their family.
Today the whole of india celebrates the Raksha Bandhan festival.
The meaning behind the exchange of rakhis is so strong that applying a
bindi with rice on the forehead of durga's eldest sister meant i am
her sister now.

Though i am leaving tomorrow, i hope to keep in touch with this family
which is now part of my family.
:)

makan time!!!

bangles galore!

am attracted to bangles! Bot 6 sets but my guesthouse peeps says i
paid too much for it.
Oh what the heck! I'm sure its still cheaper as compared to prices back home.
Yes?

of cough syrup and TLC from Milkman Guesthouse

Finally got cough syrup....urgh!
Been coughing for a week now.

Don't have much appetite today.
Told the GH owner and he cooked a combi meal for me.
Some chips, rice, salad, spinach and stir fry vegetables.
Came with a candle in the middle.
They turn off all lights in the communal room to serve me my meal.
I guess hoping that my appetite is better.
Its a really extra mile effort that i truly appreciate but din manage
to finish it coz was too full.

I think i will get better staying here.
Perhaps i will stay here more than a week or till my cough cured.

My first henna

arang

kenot see how arang i become...

heheheheheh

 

taken in my coffin like sleeper bus and @ the desert.

Dilemma

Seriously scared the hell out of my soul right now.
I should have listened to friends back home to have a travel companion in India.
Its a huge challenge to do this country alone.
I'm not sure if i could go on alone but its such a waste to stop now since i know i won't be traveling much after this.

Oh My Buddha! Oh My Shiva! Oh My God!

Show me light!

City of Joy...

I woke up in the middle of  the night 2 nights before to answer nature's call.
Having read Shantaram, i took a peek out the window to the road.
Indeed, there are people sleeping on the pavement by the road.
Some of them i recognize as the rickshaw people.

I could pick up traces of their humble place at night during the day time at some locations.
Yet, life goes on for them. Its a hard knock life for them.

The shops... is all so small n tiny.
Yet, they make full use of it to every inch of it.

Eating at traveler cafe is really expensive compared to normal local standard.
I end up having my meals by the friendly roadside stall.
Its so much more delicious.
The stall may look like a ramshackle shack but they maintain quite hygienic surrounding.
Even if its not, just close one eye!

Spits.. its everywhere. Its their culture.
With paan n what nots.. its just normal for them.
Just take it as a training of your reflexes. hahahaha

Stares.... neverending of them. Its still fine with me.
I stared back at them n smile.. :)

Metro (subway) - its only 4 - 8 Rupees depending on the zones that you traveled.

Woo hooo! Cheap cheap~!

Moving to Gaya tonight by train and then will continue by rickshaw to Bodhgaya.
Can't wait to experience the much connected Indian Railways.

Mother Teresa: We trust in one another by accepting each other as we are.

That was on that small lil' board with daily quotations by Mother Teresa.
It hits me. How true is it?
Is that what love is all about?

I think i'm getting it today. No more awkwardness in the ladies hall.
Its like... you got the move going.

And then i realized how many of us volunteers have pass through the hall.
The residents were quite helpful to point out what you could do.
It was kinda hilarious at some point.

By choice they are not pathetic if they can help it.
Some of them are well enough that they just need little help from you.
Even some who can't seem to stand up and walk, will crawl themselves to the bathroom to answer mother nature's call.

Dignity still settles within them, no matter what state they are in.
I salute them...

Nirmal Hriday Khaligat

We arrived at khaligat at 2.35pm by cab from the Tourist Railway Office in town.
Practically walked all the way from Sudder street to Fairlie place.
Am not sure how far is that but it seems quite long.
Maybe i am just too busy savoring the many different sights of Calcutta.
So many things to see.. i wish i could stay there for an afternoon and just simply digest every single thing.
My lack of vocabulary just makes it difficult to describe it.

Spent 2hours inquiring about our onwards train tickets, we skipped lunch.
So we went for food searching given that we still have tiny lil' bit of time.
We got lots of touts from locals trying to guide us to the famous Kali Temple next to Nirmal Hriday Khaligat.
This place is like a slum.. there doesn't seem to be any proper restaurant around.
Lucky i got some arrowroot biscuits last night. And so we snacked by the road waiting for time to report in.

As we went in to the building, silence befall the hall.
The facade look so classic. Yet, the smell of antiseptic greets me well.
I guess its a must yeah? 
On the left hall is for Male and right hall for Female.
We first have to wash our hands and put on an apron.
The guys that been volunteering for a few days went to work straight.
Being the new arrivals, we were clueless on what to do and sitting idly just kills our senses.
So, we went to the female hall and talked to people.
Its weird at first because its chicken and duck talk.
That was really awkward.

As time goes by, that seems to be a good thing to do. Regardless... its about being there.
I often smile and shake my head a bit when i seriously don't have a clue of what they are saying. That seems to be working fine.
Subsequently, the sister came down and sort of brief us on what to do and all went fine.
The centre seems to be a little bit overwhelmed with volunteers but we somehow manage to find 'something' to do.

Its not easy. Seriously. Its not.
Trying to communicate with them more effectively, i tried the many different hindi/tamil that i know.
The best was when i told Sangeeta: "Kuch kuch Hota hai" - Sharukh Khan..
AND WOW! she start singing the song and i hummed along..
It was really great..

There's medication and dinner to be served in the afternoon and also helping some of them to do some exercise.
Its hard to describe. At some point while massaging Asha's arm, i started to hum the songs that i know.
Somehow, i don't know why my eyes welled up with tears.
But its not good to be so. So forced my tears back and continue humming Asha to sleep.

If only time permits for me to volunteer at other centres..

Have yet to visit Mother's House, tomb and room...

The different spectrum of life

So.. i was back in KL for 24hrs and off to fly off to Calcutta (Kolkata). Had loaded up on all my favorite food (McChicken, pisang goreng, cempedak goreng, yong tau foo, nasi lemak, nasi briyani and goodies from Japan), let mum have a glimpse of my very tanned self and got sent off to Calcutta by my lovely cousin and sista.
Long Q to check in as AirAsia have it system maintenance. I'm not sure why but my guts told me there is a possibility of flight being delayed.
True enough, after waiting in futile for boarding call, they announced that flight delayed till 2.55pm (actual flight  - 2.30pm).
Greaaattt... gonna arrived India in the early evening. Not really keen on it. Dun wanna be a victim of touts in a new country.

With all the travelers that i met and have their fare share of experience in India. I think, i am well prepared. Also the book - Shantaram, help me loads. Thank you friends!

Nevertheless, i am still excited and scared at the same time.

But i am very lucky to have met 3 other travelers on board. We were heading to the backpacker street - Sudder Street and that gave us a very good hand at bargaining for a taxi to town.



First official day in India.
Well, i never thought i will surrender myself and volunteer at Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity. Just go with the flow....So i went with my Irish and Hong Kie friend to the briefing.
I start tomorrow doing the afternoon shifts from 3pm-5.30pm till Sunday.
I chose to care for the destitute s in Khalighat.
Its a new challenge. I will embrace this lifetime experience.

Walking through the streets towards Mother's house, i devoured myself with the life of Indians here.
Have you seen those rickshaw man? They practically pull you around town BAREFOOT!
Its not the best transport to take but there's still business. Some would pull 3 adults in one rickshaw.


Then again its not the rickshaw that we saw on TV. They have big round wheels. Big as in the height slightly above my waist! So you could see the passengers sat so high up there.
I would love to have a view atop that rickshaw.

Communal water taps (those that ceased to appear in developed country) gawked at me.
Brotherhood bathing in the public with their dothi. I so wanted to take a picture but its rude isn't it?
The small jam packed alleys and more smaller than ever a shop next to the staircase still is a business to the locals.
All space upfront is of many different shops fighting for your attention.
Buses.... they are colorful and creative. Emergency door became emergency gate and driver door is still driver door. Fascinating...
Am not sure if i could get this all in. Its so amazing!

Bought my first dozen of bangles! ITS RAD!

Can't wait for tomorrow. To balance up my Karma.

An excerpt i stumble upon during my bisy body self.

For a minute, i thought of the person who put this up.
Then again, its all history and i will not let it affect my holiday.
I won't deny that its not part of Mich Odyssey.
Nevertheless, the unpublished posts deleted, the stories not told and not to be mentioned ever again. The truth will one day triumphs all.
Life goes on for me.
Life, in fact, is bitter-sweet isn't it?
That's why i love dark chocolate.

Till my next posts... i hope i could pen down all my experience volunteering here in Calcutta under Mother Teresa's vocation.. .

DSLR sickness...

I've contemplate very much to whether bring my EOS400D on my odyssey.
Here's the thing. I only got basic lens.
Even if i would've bought a semi-professional lens, i think i would be
obssessed with taking a great picture.
And thus it brings no values or any exciting stories to home.
It would be wiser to bring if i have master the skill of the DSLR.
Such is the case for that 'Asian-skin' guy who sat beside me at the
Thanh Long theatre.
We are there for the ever famous Vietnamese water puppet show.
Throughout the show, all i can hear is 'click-click-click' beside me.
I seriously wanted to ask him to sit back and relax.
He's obsessed with getting a clear shot.
Every shot/shots he took, he would review n check its sharpness.
At some point he irritates me but in the end i just laughed it off.
He's getting good picture but didn't get to enjoy or appreciate the
art and performance of it.
I don't care. I enjoyed the show.
I think they are brilliant!
You should go! USD3 for 1hr show - worth it!

thoughts

so i didn't fell off bike even with the crazy moto traffic in vietnam.
Guess what?

I sprained my ankle at the flood drain by the side of a curb.
My right ankle.
Old wound resurface.
It feels like double the pain now.

Well, i managed.
I managed to still walk through the crazy traffic in Hanoi.
I had stares from local with a face that translates: what the hell
happened to you?

I must thank my own smart self to check in to a hotel whose owner is a
retired doctor.
Gave me some ointment and perhaps a treatment tomorrow.

Well... Money to spend since i can't be limping to India can't I?

No worries, I will survive.

changes

change one of the small trinket box to this one for sista...
I like it... Do u?

From Vietnam with love

gifts for my besties - Hung Hing Mui since i'm changing flight in KL
for Calcutta.
:)

hope u gals love it!

India!!!

Got this fake lonely planet for 150k VND = SGD10 = USD8 in the old
quarters of Hanoi.

INDIA here i come!!!!!!!

trial and tribulations...

it was 6:30am when i board the bus from ninh binh to haiphong.
2.5hrs of journey with the hope that i could get a ferry/hydrofoil to
catba island.
Time of departure was not listed.
I know i paid too much to the hotel to get me to haiphong but what the heck!
Its too early to kick start with xe om (moto) to the bus station.
That never happen.
I signed up for it. I go with the flow.
Thats what my travelling is about anyway.
I gave myself 6mths to be back from my odyssey.

A hitch bus on the way to mong cai (viet-chinese border town), a
change of bus to the original haiphong bound bus and a xe om, i arrive
haiphone ferry terminal.

Bought hydrofoil ticket for 200k vnd and departing at 11am for CatBa island.
G
ives me some time to have pho and manage some reading on Shantaram.

oh well.. The hydrofoil was on time and i arrived CatBa island 5 min past 12.
Based on the guide book map, its a small town.
Before the hydrofoil docked, i sighted many mini hotels.
Yay! In my heart as i have many different choices.
I walked and survey around town for about 15min and decided to check
on one hotel for rates to get an idea.
Unfortunately i was informed its full house.

I thought to myself that there's so many choices...
I will have lunch and the search for a place to stay the night.

Went to greet this austrian guy outside The Noble House, asking him
which hotel he's staying and how much is he paying for the room.
I got a best of luck wish from him coz he arrived on Wednesday and
already had a hard time looking for a place to stay for a week. All
hotels in CatBa are booked out since its the viet school holidays!
OMG! I seriously can't believe it!
The guy is staying in a room at a local house - homestay and the rate
is 300k VND per nite!
That's USD15 per nite!
No way!
Its too much compared to the rates in Saigon and Hanoi.
After some conversation, the guy went off to do some rock climbing nearby.
I sat for a while and decided to look for a room.

Seriously... The are all BOOKED OUT!
Even if the have a room, the rate is starting at USD20 per nite and i
even got offered up to USD50!
After 2 hrs of searching and met more foreign tourist, i decided to go
back to Hanoi.

At not so great waterfront rate of USD35/nite,
WTF! I'm not paying that amount for a crappy room.
For the same value in Saigon, i could get a decent room with jacuzzi bathtub!

So i took the 3.15pm bus-boat-bus-bus-moto back to hanoi.
By the time i arrived North Hotel, Hanoi, its already 10pm.
Sweaty, smelly and starving.

I don't really hate vietnam.
Just don't like dealing with vietnamese when money is what the are after.
Afterall, we are tourist.

I like to say hi to the normal viet people.
No money involve. They are genuinely nice to you.

It was a day on public transport yesterday but i'm glad i made the decision.
catBa is not the place to go at this time.
Perhaps i will do Sapa instead.

Heard some good experience.
Its about the same amount of a night of junk boat stay but seems better.

Will have to source out soon.

corridor

Stranded at The Citadel in Hue.
One of those corridors linking palaces while waiting the rain to stop

Modernisation

if only tha building doesn't exist
the sunset horizon would be so beautiful, awe inspiring and
magnificent over the perfume river of hue....
Sigh.... Is that why we seldom notice the beauty of mother nature in
kl or singapore?
It was nice but not fantastic because of blockages...

Taken by the Perfume riverfront, hue, vietnam

From Chiang Khong, Thailand to Luang Phabang, Laos

10 apr 2010
Am out of Laos and crossed over to cambodia. Not sure if i've enjoyed Laos entirely but am sure that i am grateful for the people i've met and traveled together.
We started off from chiang kang, thai n took a slightly more than 1min long tail boat ride over the mekong river to Laos.
I still remember that moment - 2 country overlooking each other n just separated by the mekong river. I was so excited coz it's Mich's odyssey second country!
We stayed a night in Huay Xai - the town of which the Laos checkpoint is, there's nothing much but we managed. Nevertheless, we met this lovely American couple - Richard & Melissa with a group of retirees from Australia.
It soon became some sort of a fate to have meet up Richard and Melissa again in between our trips.
Its just amazing to have a glimpse of a new country after spending 3 weeks in Thailand. The language is similar so is their culture. I can't grasp the idea clearly but the 1st wk tt i'm in Lao, i felt like being ripped off from the local. Seriously, the kips r like rupiah! You can be a millionaire but then the money flow away like the mekong river.
I travelled over to Lao with Diane & Brege. Diane of whom i've met in the minibus from pai to chiang rai. And brege of whom we've met @ the akha hilltribe homestay.
Huay xai is not a friendly town to chk in to but the locals depends on tourists/backpackers to earn more. By this, the falang always pay more than locals. Its never fails to amaze me and at times i hated it.
From Huay Xai, i went off to Luang Phabang via the slow boat with brege. The initial plan is to do 1day slowboat & the other half journey by bus. However, after reading on LP, its just seems too much of a hassle. Thus, i decided to do the slow boat all the way to Luang Phabang.
We were the first 2 to chk in to the boat but a group of koreans got the upper hand to choose their seats. We got to know Andy from Belgium from the slowboat ride. I think my instincts go well coz we refused to buy cushions that the locals kept touting us to buy for the very uncomfortable boat ride.
Being early have its advantages, there's limited cushions available in the boat - FOC! More luck is when we had the whole bench to ourselves. Seriously,... The benches? Worst than our school canteen bench! 
I'm a monkey. I don't sit still. To do that 2 days - sitting still n practically without any entertainment except some small chat, the non stop waving @ locals and the scenery....is a challenge to myself!
Its not all lovey and happy ride though, the sight of forest burning just gives you the heartache.Nevertheless, am curious to know how they control the fire coz the burnt area is just weird. The nearest that i could describe is like a man balding slowly. The mediteranean balding pattern. Ha!ha!
Also, we could see how low is the water level @ this moment with all the water markings on the rocks along the river. Thats what they really mean by the DRY season! Seriously!
Its a blessing in disguise to take the slow boat as it was stopped previously due to the low water level. Some travellers felt dissapointed and even some are so devastated. We got our slow boat just a day after they resumed service!
We docked off @ Pak Beng for the night. Its another small town that shows not much of the Lao culture. Here is where i tried my first Lao Lao (Lao whisky). It tastes like very strong tequila - NEAT!
Pak Beng got me so frantic coz my M1 mobile refuse to hook on to any network and my Lao mobile is helpless as well. I was so worried that family & friend back home is worried bout my safety. Used my humble Nokia E72 to search network till the battery drained out but to no avail. They don't even have internet connection here! So ulu is the place that i didn't really expected it to be! The highlight of Pak Beng is that we had a very delicious indian food (i am deprived of something close to home for about a month and that makes my day!) and meeting up with Melissa & Richard and the Ozzies group at the same restaurant! By now, i think you could really imagine how small is both Huay Xai & Pak Beng or rather is it that travellers seem to have the same route? :) Both are equally correct! 
Well, we manage to arrive Luang Phabang on the second evening! Not without any souvenir though.... I was so excited to see Richard & Melissa getting off from their luxurious boat that i stuck half my body out from the boat window to wave at them and then, just then one stupid bed bug from the curtain crawled to my hand and became a permanent resident of my body for next couple of days.... The rest is all an itchy,frantic and scared-the-hell-out-of-Brege history. :)
Instead of sharing a room with Brege & Andy, i am once again sleeping alone with my itchy bites.....
We did a bicycle tour around Luang Phabang. Its a beautiful ride with those colonial french building. I know i missed out on Pak Ou cave (with thousands of Buddha images inside) and the smoke from the forest fire just make it difficult to see sunset from Phou Si temple (yes, its literally pronounced as 'pussy'. Obscene but its a temple!) But that gives me a reason to go back! Hehehehe....
Just as i thought i will not be seeing Melissa & Richard, i saw them chilling out at a cafe on our last night in Luang Phabang. Fateful coincidence... :)
I part off with Brege & Andy to head off to Bolaven Plateau and they heading off to Vang Vieng... So long friends!

This is the White Temple (Wat Rong Khun) in Chiang Rai

Reached Chiang Rai from Pai around 11am on the 20 March 2010.
I have 4 hours to explore Chiang Rai as me & my new friend - Diane decided to overnight at the Akhahilltribe Homestay instead of checking in to a guesthouse in town.
I have to really thank Diane to introduce me such amazing temple.

A feast for your eyes. I am not kidding.
THIS IS A TEMPLE! 
CLick ME for more info...

From Pai to Laos

My last update was in Pai where i laze my day away @ the internet cafe to upload pics to my blog.
Unfortunately, Laos connection is quite bad n a bit priocey @ the outskirt!
Thus my next updates gonna be loads!
Hopefully connection is better in Cambodia n rates is cheap!

Currently am in the South of Laos - Sipandon lazing the hot humid day away in a hammock!

heheheheheh... i wish i could spend sometime to update my blog.
Current internet connection is 24000kip/hour!!! OMG!!!

Aku Cinta Pai!

Beautiful small town. All within walking distance (except if u wan to go the waterfall). Pai peeps are a bunch of artistic ppl~!

*Spotted: postcard pushcart stall.

To Family, To Friends, To LURVE & To Me~!

Flintstones?!

I am a Pai-list! So so so so so so tempted to get a I LOVE PAI tee.... hahahahha 

 Arte de Cafe~!

Taking time to admire the beautiful & peaceful Pai over a cuppa...

Lights... 

If only we are back to the old days... even with global warming.. the teak wood seems to be cooling... i am like a kampung girl... hahahah 

toilet break? 

Thai old style coffee... distinct taste from our normal coffee...worth A try..

Interesting recipe...

My location.. circa there la.. :) 

Even - Odd NO ENTRY

Tempted to get a small tiny tattoo behind my ear to mark my gap year.. =)

Yeah! Let Wok with Tee! Cool cooking class with booze (Thai whisky with coke) served!! Where can u get that ??!!! AT LET'S WOK WITH TEE IN PAI!!!

no COCKtail but HENtail @ Tee Bar! 

Baby chicks coming soon~!

Red ants salad... only those from the mango tree and its a seasonal delight! 

Nope.. i don't dare to stomach that! Its with eggs and the queen and what nots! 

My little bungalow for 150Baht/nite!

Hibiscus boomz! @ the garden of Mr Jan's Guesthouse~

i miss Chateau....

colourful Pai!

Pai-Creatives...

Pai Post - Booze and party everynite!

Pai walking street @ nite...

Definitely sLoW LiVinG in PaI! iLike!iLovePai!

c:L:a:S:s:i:C

Policeman musician... :)

Pai Suay NOT Pai Seh!

one of the Intenet Cafe joint!

Everybody is ALMOST FAMOUS in Pai!

Dare to take the challenge? Have a seat!

Invite your friends!

Mojito is good is Pai!

Luminious wall of booze?












These pictures does not really paint how wonderful Pai is actually... u gotta be here to experience it!
AKU CINTA PAI!