Find Yourself - Brad Paisley



When you find yourself
In some far off place,
And it causes you
To rethink some things.
You start to sense
That slowly you're becoming someone else
And then you find yourself.

When you make new friends
In a brand new town,
And you start to think
About settling down.
The things that would have been lost on you
Are now clear as a bell.
And you find yourself
That's when you find yourself.

Well you go through life
So sure of where you're heading,
And you wind up lost
And it's the best thing that could happen.
Cause sometimes when you lose your way
It's really just as well.
Cause you find yourself;
That when you find yourself.

When you meet the one
You've been waiting for,
And she's everything
That you want and more.

You look at her
And you finally start
To live for someone else.
And then you find yourself;
That's when you find yourself.

We go though life
So sure of where we're heading,
And then we wind up lost
And it's the best thing that could happen.
Sometimes when you lose your way
It's really just as well.
Because you find yourself;
Yeah that's when you find yourself.


How many of us truly have the courage to lose ourselves?
Perhaps it's the only way we can find ourself.
Just like how we only learn to treasure
what we have before after we've lost it.

KL By KTM (4-6th Dec 2010)

We decided to travel to KL via the infamous KTM trains after viewing a travel program earlier in the year. And since I had never experienced riding the train, I figured this holiday presented a great opportunity to sweep the whole family along for some bonding time before the final curtain calls upon the majestic Tanjong Pagar train station.

Remnants of its colonial heritage

Stepping into the railway terminal is like a trip down memory lane for Ross's folks. Although the super long ride made his dad exclaim that Japan's bullet train was by far, speedier in relation to the KTM's slow crawl through the Malaysian states. Haha..! And to think he could remember he took that ride in his (much) younger days when he was able to trawl the oceans as a captain of a commercial vessel made us lift eyebrows as we witnessed the irony of how ingrained memories can surface despite the deterioration of neurons.

We officially stepped into Malaysian territory in the station. There are 2 quaint coffeeshops inside where you can find some really mean, crisp prata and overstuffed curry puffs with hand pulled tea.

This was where we lined up to cross onto the boarding gates. Note that the customs officer only takes a portion of your white card and DOES NOT stamp your passport. My heart skipped beats when I saw my unstamped passport and I almost ran back to the counter in fear of potential illegal immigrant status.

However, my fears were uncalled for. Apparently, that is the LEGAL way and on our way back, the customs officer came on board the train to manually check our passport and signed in our passports.

By far, this is the weirdest and most unique stamp I have in my passport!

Do note that the option for riding the train has its fair share of pros and cons though..

Pros:
1. Its cheap
Seniors and children pay only half price

2. It provides an alternative view of rural Malaysia

3. Snacks are sold inbetween every carriage
From Pringles to nasi lemak, the wide array of tidbits and junk to satisfy hungry patrons

4. Toilets are also inbetween every carriage

Though do note that points 2-4 are double edged swords.

No luxuries in this part of the train - economy
all the LCD played was re-runs of their own KTM commercial

Seats are 2-2 and half of the carriage faces front whilst the other half faces backwards. Views in reverse can be extremely nauseating for those prone to motion sickness and you are advised to ask other passengers to swop seats. Also notable was the fact that ALL the men that were supposed to sit beside me (as I was sitting alone) swopped seats with other women.

This can only mean 2 things:
1. The segregation of males and females in Malaysia is often upheld.
2. I am too chio for words thus Malaysian men find it a neccessity to maintain their distance as I may unwittingly unleash my womanly charms upon them.

My head strongly feels it is the former whilst my pride chooses the latter.

Cons:
1. Its damn slow and prone to mysterious delays
Our travelling time swelled to over 7 hours per trip. We boarded the train from SG to KL at 8am, only to reach around 4pm. It took us a mind-boggling 1 and a half hours just to cross into JB. Now that really sucks!

On our way back from KL, our ride was delayed by 30 minutes without any reason or announcement but since we had pretty much anticipated this, we used the time to hunt for food and magazines at KL Sentral.

2. The rural view of Malaysia
Apart from the busy expressways that you might find when riding the coach into Malaysia, the views from the train were really eye-opening. Most of the time, we passed by small towns, complete with traditionally built houses. Amidst this splattering of nice homes, there were also plentiful squatter attaps amongst heaps of litter and puddles of barren muddy patches that screamed orange alongside messy overgrown foliage.

If you are those that prefer oceanviews or a birds eye view then clearly the KTM is not for you.

3. Snacks on board are super overpriced
Like food aboard all vessels of travel, food options are super overpriced. A packet of nasi lemak/can of Pringles costs RM6 while a hot drink of coffee/tea sets you back RM3.

4. The Toilets are from HELL
While there was the convenience of having toilets around, the state of the restrooms were (to put it bluntly), fucking horrendous. The fucking toilets were dingy and small and the tap at the sink spits water in all directions with its nuclear pressure! Be warned. Toilets on board the trains are NOT for the faint hearted.

high rise buildings set amidst low rise shophouses

Upon reaching KL, we bought a taxi voucher from the counter to ferry us to our Hotel, Maytower Hotel (RM13 with surcharge) suggested by Ross's brother-in-law. Its located in a part known as Little India and boy, how true it stayed to its namesake.

found this grid of commercially shot pics of the hotel.
the rooms are SMALLER in real life!

The rooms were small but thankfully clean with a large LCD TV, ironing facilities, hairdryer and rainbath styled showerhead bathroom. Breakfast options were also adequate with an egg/omlette station, noodle station, porridge, choice of breads, cereals and a sprinkling of ready-to-eat dishes such as fried rice, sausages, hash browns, a salad bar and an array of tropical fruits that changes a little every day.

On the first evening, we explored the surroundings and headed to Sogo where we were bombarded with crazy sales! Homegrown brands like Padini, Vinnci, Seed and international brands like Guess bags, etc were screaming 50-70% discounts! Ross bought a box set of 2 Bum equipment boxers for RM11 (thats like blardy SGD5)!

On the 2nd day, we travelled down to Bukit Bintang for more shopping!

I snagged a pale beige chiffon blouse complete with a pleated bib detail and the most delightful tie at a 50% discount at RM79 (SGD30+) over in Lot 10. Then we walked over to Sungei Wang where more potential bargains beckoned. Though due to his dad's meal timings, we could not afford to shop there and went took the train to Times Square to have lunch. However, I managed to buy Etude House's BB compact at a 30% discount and paid RM46 (SGD20+) instead of SGD45 in Singapore! And some more chiffon blouses at RM25 each!

Crazy bargains!

Ross bought touristy KL magnets for 2 at RM8 (SGD3+), Padini shirts for RM59 (SGD30+) while Rick swept jeans at RM27 (SGD13), RM35 (SGD 16) and shirts at RM49-59 (SGD25-30), all of which were at 50% off!

What steals...!!

Food options over in Times Square was abundant and varied to meet all budgets. We had our lunch in the 2nd floor corner next to the small Watsons and paid just over RM100 for a meal for 6 together with main courses, desserts and drinks.

After sending his mum and dad back to the hotel to rest, we continued to wander around the surrounding markets where Ross bought some track pants and turkish sweets from the local supermarket.

We were then ferried over to Bangi, a 45 minute ride away from the city of Kl to visit their relatives. They have an 8 year old monkey, named Cocoa whom incidentally also has Diabetes. She was taken in by the husband and wife duo after her mother was shot dead by poachers in the tropical rainforests in Malaysia. Note that it is ILLEGAL to rear these exotic pets without a licence in Malaysia. Thankfully, Cocoa is legally under their stewardship.

Cocoa has spent her entire life in captivity and will not be able to fend for herself in the wild. She did not know how to peel bananas and had to be taught by her owners. Instead of trees and vines to climb, she has a man made gym built into her cage. She also does not possess the communication and adaptive talents found in wild monkeys so all the friends she has (besides her 'parents') are imported stuffed toys malued from rough play. I spotted at least 3 Russ bears littered around her cage. And although she gets the best medical aid her owners can afford, it cannot return her ailing sight.

Her cage is built at the side of the patio next to a Koi pond and fountain. Besides the school of Koi, the house also has a large population of stray cats taken in by the mistress of the house.

The cats are caged up at night because there have been several attacks on the roaming cats by packs of wild dogs. Thus these cats are only freed in the mornings when the owners are around and the packs are less daring.

While the husband is a retired architect, his wife still works as a director of a construction company in the city. And because they have no children, they love their pets as they would children. Cocoa even watches TV in the kitchen! Their house and car was bought with her comfort in mind. They had to get a corner unit so Cocoa's cage could be incorporated in the patio and an SUV bought to ferry her in her large transport cage.

Wow. Unbelievable.

Cocoa coaxed by a plum for some picture ops

However, no matter how luxurious a pet has it, I can't help but feel this twang of heartache for the loss of priceless freedom amidst their material gains.

What good is a guilded cage?

The ride back to KL was swift as their cousin drove through the silent streets of KL under the bright moonlight and shimmery KL twin towers near our hotel. We ended our night as the hours crept by and slumped into bed after the full day...

On our last day, we spent our time walking the nearby shopping centres to grab presents for their cousins while I stumbled onto some last minute bargains for scrapbooking obsession from a wholesale craft shop! Blings, satin flowers and ribbons at ridiculous prices!!

I could have died in the shop smiling!

While I will most likely NEVER travel to KL by train again, this truly was an unforgettable experience to walk away and learn from. At the very least, I can safely say, 'I did it!' through a smile that can flood my memories I share with the people I love and hold dear.

My Own

On the 10th of Nov 2010; 1215hrs, I reached a milestone in my life. After what appears to be eons, I can finally afford a home on my own. Bought with my blood, sweat and tears, I finally experience the powerful sense of accomplishment that comes attached with being able to independently possess my own little niche in Singapore.

Located in the border of Sengkang, Rivervale's simple and colourful design sits alongside Tampines Expressway and is served by Rumbia and Bakau LRT just 2 stops shy from Sengkang Bus Interchange and NEL station. Rivervale Mall is within walking distance and there are plenty of food options nearby. The busy neighbourhood means it decreases the risk of walking through quiet, eerie lanes so I hope safety issues are tackled.

There are also many schools nearby which means there sure will be enhanced transport options so all the better for us. And the myriad of religious places of worship will definately open our eyes to the ceremonies in multi-ethnic Singapore. Thankfully, the places of worship nearby remain relatively quiet throughout the year as informed by Ross so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Punggol flanks one side of the estate whereas the other side nestles a large park where I forsee myself cycling in the sunset during my days off. Serangoon reservior meanders on the estate towards Punggol and I'm hoping that the park has food kiosks, treetop bridges or maybe even a prawning pond?!

Well, I can dream can't I?!

Despite its 99 lease, it is my biggest investment thus far and after a slew of unsuccesful BTO results, we had pretty much given up of getting lucky this year. I had initially begged God for success in balloting for a unit in Punggol 21 as it was situated near the NEL station or a unit over in Queenstown. However, I guess he must have foreseen the hefty pricetags that came with those premium units so He slipped me this offer.

Although I must say that He really had me by my hair when I was issued with a Q number 3Xs the number of allocated units and a distant selection appointment date. We had then hoped to capture a unit over in Fernvale Foliage as I was smitten by its overall design and wide open spaces. Not to mention its proximity to Jln Kayu where Prata royalty stays open 24/7 (minus Deepavali/Hari Raya).

Alas, Prata and I had our destinies cut short as I witnessed every single unit in Fernvale get sucked dry. So, impatiently I chewed on my nails and piled my hopes into grabbing a unit in Rivervale instead.

So off I went, chewing my nails and pulling out my hair from their roots as the days wore on and we tracked the dwindling units left for selection. Ross and his sister was frantic to research the best units available. This morphed into somewhat like a PhD thesis with his sister's office co-workers joining in the hunt for the best-unblocked-private-no afternoon sun-no expressway facing-fengshui worthy floor & unit number when it hit our turn to make a selection.

It wasn't easy to choose a unit with a reasonable amount of privacy in this dense estate but we managed by God's grace to secure a corner unit on a mid floor with all the must-have criteria sworn by his lovely sister's office folks. It is a pity we could not get a higher level, though the one we managed to get is on a super auspiscious floor!

I will roll oranges when we move in!!

We bought the optional components, which included the doors and tiles for the flat. I have yet to decide on how to renovate MY OWN (swoons) flat but if its going to be all earth tones I may just gag and aspirate on my own vomitus.

The floorplan

A model of the floorplan

The estate is due to be completed in 3-4 years but there is talk that the contractor will be able to finish the job earlier. Whatever the case, given the financial strain that loom over the horizon, there will be a good amount of lifestyle changes that need to be put in place, For one, I may just very well need to only shop in Malaysia!

Maybe it's best if I don't have enough to eat so I can lose some weight!

So next year will be may well be my swansong from far flung expeditions. Hohoho.. although there seems to be a train of options beckoning..! I pray money will sort itself out and life remains blissful in the face of adversity!

Korea - Day 1 & 2 (SG->Seoul->Jeju)

This late entry is a combination of innate procrastination, a dysfunctional laptop and a whirlwind lifestyle that seems to have been solidly attached to my previously mundane life!

Anyway….

Korea was fucking AWESOME…!!

The night before my flight, I had to complete a scrap project for a colleague that had resigned. The ward had planned a farewell party to send her off on her last day and so, I stayed up pretty much into the wee hours of the morning cutting and pasting like the shoe maker's elves on steriods to finish the scrap before flying off to Korea.

By morning, my eyeballs felt as though they had been stung by bees!

Finished..!!
The ward staff took polaroids on the day of the event and pasted it in the blank space because they wanted to 'fill in' the gap. Hai.. can't anyone comprehend my artistic vision?

To keep in line with her cooking prowess, the ward decided to make her an apron so I thought it would be cute to incorporate that element into her scrap design. Cute eh?! I made the apron from scrap bits of paper and ribbon which coincides with her actual gift!

The next morning, I dragged myself to attend some conference at the hospital. And, as always, only my subconscious mind took notes. I met Aini there and we ended up yapping from start to finish. Thankfully, they provided pdf notes for the lectures so I was able to churn a pseudo authentic (what an oxymoron!) report. Heehee..

After which, I flew home to get changed for my flight at 8pm. Heeeeeeeeeeectic..!

Unfortunately, Asiana’s seats felt super cramped..! Their 3-4-3 arrangement seemed narrower then other planes and left me with a body ache that could only come with only economy class. Besides their staple beef Bibimbap (which I ate to and fro), meals were truly nothing to shout about. No dessert either!! Sad...!!!

Bibimbap set..!
Comes with a tube of hot pepper paste that you squeeze out and mix with the rice.

Entertainment wise, the console offered a large, clear screen and was pimped out with many Korean titles! Heehee.. And the flight offered the usual toothbrushes, blankets, eye covers, combs… etc.

Incheon Airport..!

After arriving in Seoul’s Incheon International Airport, we eyeballed the other tour mates. Our eclectic tour group consisted of a total of:

1. A pair of Hobbits
one always wore shorts. Yes, shorts in the 10 over degree weather! The other hobbit bordered slightly more onto normalcy. Sane her ,wore pants.

2. A pair of OLs
Short for office ladies. 1 was this wannabe fashionista whom incindentally always wore HEELS to the great outdoors and carried her neverfull as if it were gold. She also didn't thank Kristabel when she helped open the door so the claws came out and we went on a bitch fest with her as our main staple! Hohoho.

3. Husband and wife combo which was christened Yang Guo and Xiao Long Nu by the tour guide. The man had a terribly distracting squint while the woman was Kristabel 30 years down the road. Plus or minus an uncle with a squint.

4. The four of us. Normal, beautiful and super chirpy people.

Hoho. This is MY blog. My opinion is and will be the ONLY opinion here.

We were then hauled off to have breakfast in a shop near the airport. The udon soup was fantastic! With free flow crunchy Kimchi readily available!

Super yummy, chewy udon soup!

The others were not as keen to eat, nobody except the 4 of us devoured the kimchi! I mean, hello, we’re in Korea! You’re supposed to eat Kimchi..!! Alas, this was to be the start of a truck load of eyeballing and bitching that was to pepper our conversations throughout the trip!

Then we went to Wolmido dock for the seagull cruise. Well, facts first.

Fact 1: The dock is damn smelly.
Fact 2: This is NO cruise. More like a ferry.

The whole ferry trip lasts about 20 minutes. On board, the tour guide bought a large pack of prawn crackers to feed the seagulls. If you dare, you can hold the cracker really between your finger and the seagull may just come bite it away! We tried that, but those birds probably had their danger radar on that day, because I would have tried to grab them! Hohoho..! Needless to say, besides the enthusiastic, beautiful and smart 4 of us, the others slinked into the resting area to….. sulk.

There's a little snack shop in the resting area of the ferry and the owner has a really, really, really noisy dog!

Next, we went to Dragon Hill Spa! Yes, the same Jimjilbang Quan Yi Feng went to on Sheng Qian Wang (king of thrift)!

Entering Dragon Hill Spa!

After buying an entrance ticket (inclusive in our package), you will be given a rubber bracelet with an embedded chip to tap your purchases whilst inside and a set of clothes. Shoes are placed in lockers on the 1st floor. After which, you proceed inside and choose the floor to change according to your gender (5th floor for females).

Wendy at the shoe lockers!

Facts first: Jimjilbang culture is an extreme shock to non nursing personnel.

Once the lift door opens, prepare to be bombarded with mass porn. Everyone walks around naked. Be it with perky boobs or nipples that threaten to graze the floor, young or old, fat or slender… 99% of the people are naked, though nobody bothers to look at each other. And the sickening thing is that we could not find a single woman with cellulite or stretch marks!

CHEE BYE!

We met the other tour members exiting as we were going up the lift. Clearly, the pallor and dilated pupils broadcasted their trauma. Still, we decided to give it a go.

Heck, when in Korea, do as would the Koreans!! There are toilets you can change in so one can easily change modestly upstairs.

Morons!

More Morons!

If you are comfortable with your own nudity (and that of others), you can soak in one of the tubs available AFTER you shower. It is a cardinal rule to scrub yourself clean BEFORE entering anything shared.

We took the lift back downstairs to explore the available saunas. Basically, Dragon Hill offers 2 types : Hot & Cold Rooms. Hot rooms has extreme heat and arecovered in jade, pine etc, while the cold room saw temperatures dip to single digits.

There is an open area on the 1st floor where one can watch TV, get some snacks and even have a manicure. All of which you can charge to your account via your electronic bracelet of course! Wifi is also avaible in certain areas on the first floor and the girls just went wild updating their FBs.

Besides the changing rooms and sleeping rooms (just a room full of mats), the other areas in the Spa are unisex. Therefore, be warned..! You may get to see some ‘action’ between couples. Read: Hugging/movement under towels/lying too close and pretending to sleep.

Not exactly conservative family entertainment!

There is a small family style restaurant in the basement providing moderately priced Korean fare. The food was amazing! I had the beef bibimbap (W8000, approx SGD10), LH had the cold noodles while Wendy and Kristabel had kimchi stew or something. Delicious!

Opp Deoksu Palace

Next, we headed to Deoksugong, a small palace where we walked around the grounds, admiring the lovely scenery. At certain intervals, the main entrance will come alive as actors re-enact certain rituals, like the changing of guards ceremony. Guests even have a chance to don the Hanbok for some photo opps. Although I tried in earnest to listen to the broadcast, which I believe was translated into something that sounded remotely like English, the accent was so thick I gave up and just took photos. Hohoho.

Fight Club..!!

The tour then brought us to a casino. I cant even remember what the casino is called (7 luck casino?) but I recall the guide saying that it is run by the Government and foreigners are given W5000 (SGD6) to play. But the catch is that the voucher can ONLY be played on the Big-Small table and you have to win at least 3Xs before you can cash in the chips.

Lessons learnt:
Nothing in this world is free. And Greed is often used as a ploy in business.

I didn't gamble. Gambling is wrong (in my books at least). Well, nobody played except Yang Guo and Xiao Long Nu. Our guide placed bets on our behalf and managed to triple the money which was pooled into money to buy a meal towards the end of the tour. I was bordering delirium by this time and everyone was asking when we could just check in! Ok, I digress. Back to my day...

Next, we were dragged to Namsangol Hanok Village. Yes, the tour never seems to end! The village consists of many Hanoks or traditional houses, showcasing how people used to live in the past. There are areas where you can participate in traditional games, craft projects or buy souvenirs. If you’re lucky, like the enthusiastic 4, you may even witness a wedding!

A real Wedding..! The bride looks like Chermie..!

Look...!! Dragon Ballz..!! wahahaha...
The strange things I see while overseas..!

More sights around Namsangol =)

For dinner, we were brought to a seriously secluded restuarant for Ginseng chicken. The meal was alright, I much rathered the side dishes! Heehee.. and as usual, the other women in the flock didn't seem to enjoy their meals very much.

Ginseng chicken

We were then dragged to Gimpo Airport awaiting our flight to Jeju via Asiana Air. We ate at Lotteria, Korea’s answer to MacD, where they have gorgeous shaker fries and the most delightful cheese sticks!

Super yummy...!!

It was around 9pm by the time we reached Jeju. We finally checked in to Jeju’s Hanwha Resort near 10pm.

The quiet resort is made up of blocks of serviced apartments. Our room 375, was ondol styled, meaning it comes with traditional heated flooring. There are two rooms, one empty (though the unit comes with extra foldaway mattresses and pillows in the cupboards), one queen sized bed, one bathroom and a kitchenette attached to the main living room.

The living room

Living room offers a sofa, TV, an air con unit and a door you can open to a balcony. Our room was situated on the first floor so we kept it closed. Else, you can use it to hang your laundry?!

Fact: The large windows in the main living room may cause someone undressing in the living room to mistakenly think nobody can see them. Oh gawd, why am I always sooo HENG??! I am soooo thankful that my professional training has equipped me with strong eyeballs and a brain that can repel such a flurry of information.

The kitchen comes well equipped with cutlery, fridge and cooking utensils like a kettle, rice cooker and a stove! And boy did we make good use of it..!!

The room has a decent queen sized bed, while the bathroom was comfortably clean.

There are loads of extra mattresses in the cupboard so you can be like me and sleep as how Koreans would sleep! Yes, you guessed it... I slept on the toasty floor!!

We ended the day by rushing over to the supermarket for some late night supper before calling it a (good) night!