I really really wished the scientists came up with "Mute" drugs. I'd feed all the Chinese there. N then, for once, I'd have peace of mind.
Microphone & sound system will never sell in China. They are the mic & woofers.
And really, sometimes, I really wonder what make their bones so strong. The way they bang through people to walk through. It makes me angry.
Crowd control is ok in Beijing. With so many police & army personnels in e city center, it's extremely safe. But the discipline somehow stop short there. When we went to Chengde, 4 out of 6 taxis we took refused to go by meter. One hawker shout an impossible price when saw my enthusiasm for the sweet potato he was selling.
WE were immediately reminded of all the con men & con women of China when encountering this. Being a foreign tourist & taken advantage off like that, we felt disgusted.
It's really sad. Because, however unsafe Spain can be, we can get information. However stuck up Italians are, we can get information. However it is in everywhere else, we can get information.
I would not allow people to stand up for China in this case for being the 3rd world country.
Msia has information brochurs, even in no-star hotel.
Angkor Wat, Cambodia, made effort to learn English enough to reply tourists & recommend somebody when there weren't
printed information/public service.
Cambodia is, by United Nation standard, an under-developed country.
When we stayed in hostels in Spain & Austria, there were brochures easily available.
Forbidden City & displays in other famous sights like Heavenly Temple & Summer Palaces, were dusty, hence viewing can be difficult & unpleasant. I always fell sick(plus my relatives) after a Beijing trip. Thank goodness for that knowledge, I was packed with "Boost Immune" supplement.
Shopping at e bargain market was even more disappointing. They threw me out of the store when I gave THEIR impossible price. I was already so turned off when they gave an impossible price. It is meant for bargain but they were too much. And I actually know how all of their standard prices. I've shopped there so many times. BUt Beijing this time, is so infested by tourists, and what's worst? Caucasian.
When we went to Silk Market. The population of the caucasian is 95% of the shoppers there, I was very very turned off. We weren't welcomed cos we were not Blonde & BLue-eyed.
Talking about price. A sweat wool cardigan's opened price was 535yuan. After disc(speical Chinese rate) is 435yuan. !!!!! That is S$80++. Can get in London Oxford St for that price.
It's really a turn off. Because I just got a woolen gloves in Chengde for 3yuan. 3YUAN! (It really was wool. I wore it. I knew it. I have many many gloves). I really did not want to spend 1/2an hour bargaining half my soul out for something that's poor quality when I could get it at the same bargain with quality in US or wherever.
And one luggage was quoted at 1350yuan. Best price is 525. That's more than S$100. I can get Lojel in Sg, free small cabin bag.
When I asked for a price of 150(medium size), the sales lady threw me out. Thinking that I'd be sorry. Next to me, a caucasian pair asked 300 for e big size bag. I screamed back at her. She backed off. Looks like that was the culture. My hubby threaten to complain to authority. I told him. I don't threaten. I do it. If I said i'd complain, I do it. I don't threaten. That is not my style. That is my lousy customers style.
Looks like I don't sound disappointed. I was very very very disappointed.
China is a place you need to book tour from home. Which I never like.
It is not tourist friendly.
IT IS NOT ready for Olympics.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Beijing is Not Olympic-Ready
My recent trip to Beijing with my hubby... I shall say... Not Enjoyable. We didn't have that great after-trip feeling, don't have that feeling that we would want to go back there again(except for the fruits).
I have to say, it is quite disappointed. I complained to my cousin that now I wished I was not born a chinese.
Well.. of course, that's out of the context.
Although my hubby can speak & understand Mandarin very well, Beijingers couldn't care to make themselves understood. Mandarin is their mother tongue. It is a dialect of language they treat as their town language and they have spoken it their lifetime. They are not careful about it. This, in turn, unfortunately cause a great diffivulty for my husband to understand them. They slur their pronunciation (I thought I misheard them or just plainly have very poor understanding of Mandarin, which I do), making themselves very very unclear.
They are not patient when you asked them to repeat. For some, they shouted/spoke louder when you asked "Ni chiang se mor?"(Wat did you say?). And if you know Chinese nationals.. when they speak at their regular voice, it's already very deafening.
The most disappointing part was: Beijing is not tourist friendly. Apparently, they have a bit of this mentality: You have got to be poor to not join a tour group from your own country.
We stayed in a 3star hotel in an absolutely fantastic location. Right in the middle of old town, it's jus minutes away from everything.
Unfortunately, they seem to believe that 3star hotel does not need to provide anything. There is no proper Concierge counter. When staffs are asked of tour information, THEY WERE NOT SURE OF ALMOST EVERYTHING.
And not only that, one staff was particularly rude to a guest. Luckily, we were Chinese & able to speak a bit of mandarin, he was rude to the caucasian but a bit better on us.
Both the airport & bus terminals... No. The Airport, the bus terminal & the train station have no tour information at all. No brochurs, no counter, nobody to provide these information. Worse was, there were hustlers for tours & drivers everywhere that it's worse than deafening. I thought I was really used to all that since I've encounter KLIA, Bali & Thailand markets, but in Beijing, it was like that everywhere!!!
Forbidden City, Heavenly Temple, Great Wall, outside hotel, Bus terminal, all e rest of e famous sights are all full with rude & physical hustlers. We looked Chinese, they walked with us, selling themselves to us. No matter how we said no. They pull us physically & talked to us until we must lie that we had either went there or I rudely brushed them off with "DO U HAVE ENGLISH?" with a strong American/Brit accent. I dislike doing that. It's not me. But I had to do it. N I had to do it many times!
When we went to train station to find information & buy tickets for our 2day excursion to Chengde, my hubby was rudely turned away. Naturally we couldn't understand their system. They used terms that aren't used in this side of the world (actually my hubby is well read, he understand HK & Taiwan media no problem). When seeking clarification, they shouted back at him.
The public is so huge & uncontrollable. THey are very rude. They pushed their way through to walk through. So much so that, the stations all hired unnecessary guards to control the crowds just so they'd queue. Simple & basic like that. Barriers had to arranged long & far before entry into train stations.
There is really no brochur & although there is a computer terminal with information, it didn't telly with the information given by the officers at the counters. Most of the time, we were turned away. Major information counter directed us to counter 108 to buy (night) ticket for Chengde, but we walked round the whole station.
There is no counter 108.
Came the day we supposed to go to Great Wall. We were still clueless about the transportation. Travel guides had no information about it either. He read about 5 different travel guides, both mandarin & English.
Instead, we were swindled by this lady in the public bus uniform jacket. We were told there is no such thing as public bus to go to Badaling, Great Wall. It all had to be tour.
We, being experienced traveler, hate tour groups. I especially hate Chinese ones. They don't speak English & yak yak yak yak all the way in Mandarin, non-stop. I simply don't understand why they had so much to chatter when the information given is probably only 3lines long in English.
We wanted to see both Ming(dynasty) tombs & Great Wall on the same day. They were both about the same direction. However, the tour group did not want to go there, hence bullshit about the tomb being very superstitious (a lady dropped dead at the area, or a kid cried non-stop for days post-trip). AS usual, they took us to 2 stores for shopping. And some rundown place called "Old Beijing" which is not the real Old Beijing.
The tour guide did try to be nice to me, knowing that we aren't Chinese. But I frankly was so turned off by how the thing was turned out.
She talked from the moment the bus started the journey to the time to the time we reached Great Wall, and all the way to the both stores & to the old Beijing. That's 5hours trip of her talking!!!! O yes, she talked on the mic. AND, she'd stopped short to go wake all those who fell asleep while she giving her speech.
No, it's not a joke. My hubby laughed at this. I was pissed. I was tired. I wanted to sleep.
Ok, here's the greatest irony. When we finished the trip, we saw the counter that is legally & publicly the Beijing tour groups booth opposite the bus terminal.
That morning, we happened to get off at the wrong side of the bus terminal(out of the subway).
Fine. Recover from that. It happens. We look forward to another trip perhaps. Our Ming tomb excursion wasted & burned. WE went in to look for information. It was 7pm. It was closed.
There were posters of the tour trips information. THey have destinations, they have price. They don't have the timing.
We came back the next day only to find out almost all the trips depart at 7am. As usual, there were hustlers outside. I should have bring ear plugs.
I have to say, it is quite disappointed. I complained to my cousin that now I wished I was not born a chinese.
Well.. of course, that's out of the context.
Although my hubby can speak & understand Mandarin very well, Beijingers couldn't care to make themselves understood. Mandarin is their mother tongue. It is a dialect of language they treat as their town language and they have spoken it their lifetime. They are not careful about it. This, in turn, unfortunately cause a great diffivulty for my husband to understand them. They slur their pronunciation (I thought I misheard them or just plainly have very poor understanding of Mandarin, which I do), making themselves very very unclear.
They are not patient when you asked them to repeat. For some, they shouted/spoke louder when you asked "Ni chiang se mor?"(Wat did you say?). And if you know Chinese nationals.. when they speak at their regular voice, it's already very deafening.
The most disappointing part was: Beijing is not tourist friendly. Apparently, they have a bit of this mentality: You have got to be poor to not join a tour group from your own country.
We stayed in a 3star hotel in an absolutely fantastic location. Right in the middle of old town, it's jus minutes away from everything.
Unfortunately, they seem to believe that 3star hotel does not need to provide anything. There is no proper Concierge counter. When staffs are asked of tour information, THEY WERE NOT SURE OF ALMOST EVERYTHING.
And not only that, one staff was particularly rude to a guest. Luckily, we were Chinese & able to speak a bit of mandarin, he was rude to the caucasian but a bit better on us.
Both the airport & bus terminals... No. The Airport, the bus terminal & the train station have no tour information at all. No brochurs, no counter, nobody to provide these information. Worse was, there were hustlers for tours & drivers everywhere that it's worse than deafening. I thought I was really used to all that since I've encounter KLIA, Bali & Thailand markets, but in Beijing, it was like that everywhere!!!
Forbidden City, Heavenly Temple, Great Wall, outside hotel, Bus terminal, all e rest of e famous sights are all full with rude & physical hustlers. We looked Chinese, they walked with us, selling themselves to us. No matter how we said no. They pull us physically & talked to us until we must lie that we had either went there or I rudely brushed them off with "DO U HAVE ENGLISH?" with a strong American/Brit accent. I dislike doing that. It's not me. But I had to do it. N I had to do it many times!
When we went to train station to find information & buy tickets for our 2day excursion to Chengde, my hubby was rudely turned away. Naturally we couldn't understand their system. They used terms that aren't used in this side of the world (actually my hubby is well read, he understand HK & Taiwan media no problem). When seeking clarification, they shouted back at him.
The public is so huge & uncontrollable. THey are very rude. They pushed their way through to walk through. So much so that, the stations all hired unnecessary guards to control the crowds just so they'd queue. Simple & basic like that. Barriers had to arranged long & far before entry into train stations.
There is really no brochur & although there is a computer terminal with information, it didn't telly with the information given by the officers at the counters. Most of the time, we were turned away. Major information counter directed us to counter 108 to buy (night) ticket for Chengde, but we walked round the whole station.
There is no counter 108.
Came the day we supposed to go to Great Wall. We were still clueless about the transportation. Travel guides had no information about it either. He read about 5 different travel guides, both mandarin & English.
Instead, we were swindled by this lady in the public bus uniform jacket. We were told there is no such thing as public bus to go to Badaling, Great Wall. It all had to be tour.
We, being experienced traveler, hate tour groups. I especially hate Chinese ones. They don't speak English & yak yak yak yak all the way in Mandarin, non-stop. I simply don't understand why they had so much to chatter when the information given is probably only 3lines long in English.
We wanted to see both Ming(dynasty) tombs & Great Wall on the same day. They were both about the same direction. However, the tour group did not want to go there, hence bullshit about the tomb being very superstitious (a lady dropped dead at the area, or a kid cried non-stop for days post-trip). AS usual, they took us to 2 stores for shopping. And some rundown place called "Old Beijing" which is not the real Old Beijing.
The tour guide did try to be nice to me, knowing that we aren't Chinese. But I frankly was so turned off by how the thing was turned out.
She talked from the moment the bus started the journey to the time to the time we reached Great Wall, and all the way to the both stores & to the old Beijing. That's 5hours trip of her talking!!!! O yes, she talked on the mic. AND, she'd stopped short to go wake all those who fell asleep while she giving her speech.
No, it's not a joke. My hubby laughed at this. I was pissed. I was tired. I wanted to sleep.
Ok, here's the greatest irony. When we finished the trip, we saw the counter that is legally & publicly the Beijing tour groups booth opposite the bus terminal.
That morning, we happened to get off at the wrong side of the bus terminal(out of the subway).
Fine. Recover from that. It happens. We look forward to another trip perhaps. Our Ming tomb excursion wasted & burned. WE went in to look for information. It was 7pm. It was closed.
There were posters of the tour trips information. THey have destinations, they have price. They don't have the timing.
We came back the next day only to find out almost all the trips depart at 7am. As usual, there were hustlers outside. I should have bring ear plugs.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Rich, poor & show off
I’ve just came back from a whole week stay in my home town with some constant trips to the city.
Disappointed I am, but this trip truly reminded me what I am in for if I were to move back to Msia for good. It was the very same reason I left home, the very reason that gave the joy to be out of it.
People really judged us(my husband & I) based on your appearance {judge a book by its cover?}, based on where I lived, what I wore & what I have. Apparently best behaviour isn’t good enough. I needed to know how to flaunt my assets & cash.
I have missed home for so many years. Now I am not sure.
On my job of almost 10years, I have served many.
I have met & served the people of 1st world countries, 3rd world countries & under-developed countries.
Some ‘1st world country’ behaved like 3rd world. Some 3rd world do have e grace of better than 1st world. Under-developed sometimes are the most gracious; without all the pretentions & hypocritic behaviour.
I have also MET & SERVED rich & famous, filthy rich, newly striked it rich, richer (who basically are just relatively richer than the people they know), on the rise(people who are climbing the ladder), middle class, affordables & poor people.
I have seen all sorts of attitudes & behaviours.
Some of them impressed me, some disgusted me.
My benefit: I get to choose who I want to be like, how I want to behave.
There is a chinese saying:
Comparing & competing amongst yourselves have no end.
You’re only digging your own grave.
An uncle once told me:
The greatest competition is yourself.
Not the neighbour or the top student in your class or that guy with the Sports BMW.
Some people live lavish lifestyles. Some want to show off. Some just want to survive.
I just want to live my life.
Happy & comfortable.
Hopefully the world allows me.
Disappointed I am, but this trip truly reminded me what I am in for if I were to move back to Msia for good. It was the very same reason I left home, the very reason that gave the joy to be out of it.
People really judged us(my husband & I) based on your appearance {judge a book by its cover?}, based on where I lived, what I wore & what I have. Apparently best behaviour isn’t good enough. I needed to know how to flaunt my assets & cash.
I have missed home for so many years. Now I am not sure.
On my job of almost 10years, I have served many.
I have met & served the people of 1st world countries, 3rd world countries & under-developed countries.
Some ‘1st world country’ behaved like 3rd world. Some 3rd world do have e grace of better than 1st world. Under-developed sometimes are the most gracious; without all the pretentions & hypocritic behaviour.
I have also MET & SERVED rich & famous, filthy rich, newly striked it rich, richer (who basically are just relatively richer than the people they know), on the rise(people who are climbing the ladder), middle class, affordables & poor people.
I have seen all sorts of attitudes & behaviours.
Some of them impressed me, some disgusted me.
My benefit: I get to choose who I want to be like, how I want to behave.
There is a chinese saying:
Comparing & competing amongst yourselves have no end.
You’re only digging your own grave.
An uncle once told me:
The greatest competition is yourself.
Not the neighbour or the top student in your class or that guy with the Sports BMW.
Some people live lavish lifestyles. Some want to show off. Some just want to survive.
I just want to live my life.
Happy & comfortable.
Hopefully the world allows me.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Learning Cantonese & Cooking
Asked my husband how to say Pumpkin in Cantonese:
"Nam kua"
And yesterday I kept talking about Winter Melon:
"Tong kua"
He brought up the topic and realized that there is no such thing as "Pat kua".
I looked up to him; my eyes blanked.
He explained:
East South West North : Tong Nam Sai Pat
There is "Tong Kua" (Winter Melon)
"Nam Kua" (Pumpkin)
"Sai Kua" (Watermelon)
but there is no Pat Kua.
"Nam kua"
And yesterday I kept talking about Winter Melon:
"Tong kua"
He brought up the topic and realized that there is no such thing as "Pat kua".
I looked up to him; my eyes blanked.
He explained:
East South West North : Tong Nam Sai Pat
There is "Tong Kua" (Winter Melon)
"Nam Kua" (Pumpkin)
"Sai Kua" (Watermelon)
but there is no Pat Kua.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Paintball in Jo-burg
Man, I did not know what is Paintball. When my colleague invited us go play paintball, I heard 'Pinball'.
And I questioned, "Pinball could be played psysically??"
Well, an ignorant bimbo like me seriously never heard of or seen Paintball. Moreover, I never really excel in sports, so I've decided long ago that I'm not good & won't get active anymore.
So it turned out to be an outdoor game. I don't mind. I like outdoor. Been couped up in room too much these days.
But I did not know until the day we went for it.
And miss bimbo here wore white as snow skinny jeans with 2-inch high heels. Seriously I didn't bring any other clothes or shoes. I've been to Johannesburg numerous times, but never do outdoor activity. How would I know...
We had our fun. Shooting & posing for fierce pictures. Acting like refugees, prisoner of war & terrorist.
It was funny. Even all the rest of the South African looked at us & grinned. The staff included.
1st round: We had one life. Once shot, you're dead. Raise hand in sign of surrender.
We heck care
2nd round: We had three lives. Shot 3times, you're dead.
The shields were big cushions. 1st all of us got good cover at triangle cushion. But had to move ahead to attack. Moved ahead to cillinder cushion.
Bad choice. Got attacked from left & right. It's too small for cover.
Somebody shot my leg. Big ball of blue ink splashed my white jeans on the left leg.
Damn! They had to shoot my jeans!
Ahh.. What a bother! I chose to go there. Play to the max!
3rd round: Then I realized each 'war field' has a name. This one's Kuwait. THe shields were 'hill' for covers & triangle of tins.
Someone got hit at the neck. We tried to help her though can't see where it hit with all the paint. Our worry was if it hit the limph point.
At few times, girls were hit on the head & paint splashed through the hair & the mask disable us from clear vision.
4th round: The -=+;' River. There is a tent in the middle. And in the tent there is a blue flag. Each team goes to each extreme end of the field. When whistle blow, go for the flag and bring back to base.
Prrrrrrriiiiiiiittttttttttttt!!!!!!!!!!
We ran as quickly as we could. Just ran forward. The was a tiny river (or longkang) to cross. My team guy ran straight & grabbed the flag. Within one minute, the game was over. He brought it back to base.
Change side.
Prrrrrriiiiittttttttttttttt!!!!!!!!
Again, our team ran as quick. My other team boy fell. But he fell so gracefully he continue to crawl belly down. He managed to get up quick & ran for the flag. By this time, the opponent guy got it. But we shot him. He dropped it. My guy grabbed it. Ran back to base. We won again.
When the guy fell, they all thought he was ducking for cover to avoid the 'bullets'. hehe...
The power of national service training.
We decided to rest awhile before the next round.
Most of us are gasping because Johannesburg is so high in altitude (I was told that it's about 4000feet above sea level!!). I was already gasping in the 1st round after running just 5steps!
Well.. Obviously my asmathic background does not help.
5th round: The Baghdad.
Unlimited lives. Shoot until bullets finish or surrender. The shields are L-shaped walls.
I was shot at the leg! Again! And this time it was at a very close range. About 5meters. It was excruciating painful. I couldnt' move for awhile. I was holding my calf in pain when a guy ran into my cover. We both point our rifle at each other & found that we are team members. That was a close call. With such close range, if any of us hit, I could not begin to imagine the injury.
I surrendered not long after that. My rifle is empty.
At times we surrendered because our rifles was stucked.
The winner was a girl from my team. Hip hip hurray!!!!!!!
Man.. The last one was a yellow paint. The staff, looked my mighty white jeans, told me to immediately soak my jeans in water. Otherwise the colour might stay. The paint is actually water based.
So I did. Squeeky clean white.
But the yellow paint did not come off. It was not their paintball. It was probably personal paintballs that those locals brought. We kept picking paintballs from ground, hoping to load our rifles more.
This is a bad one.
I rubbed with Dynamo. And soaked in Vanish. Ok. Can do.
Thankfully it's still a good white.
Paintball.. My 1st experience.
Thank you guys, for all the fun!
And I questioned, "Pinball could be played psysically??"
Well, an ignorant bimbo like me seriously never heard of or seen Paintball. Moreover, I never really excel in sports, so I've decided long ago that I'm not good & won't get active anymore.
So it turned out to be an outdoor game. I don't mind. I like outdoor. Been couped up in room too much these days.
But I did not know until the day we went for it.
And miss bimbo here wore white as snow skinny jeans with 2-inch high heels. Seriously I didn't bring any other clothes or shoes. I've been to Johannesburg numerous times, but never do outdoor activity. How would I know...
We had our fun. Shooting & posing for fierce pictures. Acting like refugees, prisoner of war & terrorist.
It was funny. Even all the rest of the South African looked at us & grinned. The staff included.
1st round: We had one life. Once shot, you're dead. Raise hand in sign of surrender.
We heck care
2nd round: We had three lives. Shot 3times, you're dead.
The shields were big cushions. 1st all of us got good cover at triangle cushion. But had to move ahead to attack. Moved ahead to cillinder cushion.
Bad choice. Got attacked from left & right. It's too small for cover.
Somebody shot my leg. Big ball of blue ink splashed my white jeans on the left leg.
Damn! They had to shoot my jeans!
Ahh.. What a bother! I chose to go there. Play to the max!
3rd round: Then I realized each 'war field' has a name. This one's Kuwait. THe shields were 'hill' for covers & triangle of tins.
Someone got hit at the neck. We tried to help her though can't see where it hit with all the paint. Our worry was if it hit the limph point.
At few times, girls were hit on the head & paint splashed through the hair & the mask disable us from clear vision.
4th round: The -=+;' River. There is a tent in the middle. And in the tent there is a blue flag. Each team goes to each extreme end of the field. When whistle blow, go for the flag and bring back to base.
Prrrrrrriiiiiiiittttttttttttt!!!!!!!!!!
We ran as quickly as we could. Just ran forward. The was a tiny river (or longkang) to cross. My team guy ran straight & grabbed the flag. Within one minute, the game was over. He brought it back to base.
Change side.
Prrrrrriiiiittttttttttttttt!!!!!!!!
Again, our team ran as quick. My other team boy fell. But he fell so gracefully he continue to crawl belly down. He managed to get up quick & ran for the flag. By this time, the opponent guy got it. But we shot him. He dropped it. My guy grabbed it. Ran back to base. We won again.
When the guy fell, they all thought he was ducking for cover to avoid the 'bullets'. hehe...
The power of national service training.
We decided to rest awhile before the next round.
Most of us are gasping because Johannesburg is so high in altitude (I was told that it's about 4000feet above sea level!!). I was already gasping in the 1st round after running just 5steps!
Well.. Obviously my asmathic background does not help.
5th round: The Baghdad.
Unlimited lives. Shoot until bullets finish or surrender. The shields are L-shaped walls.
I was shot at the leg! Again! And this time it was at a very close range. About 5meters. It was excruciating painful. I couldnt' move for awhile. I was holding my calf in pain when a guy ran into my cover. We both point our rifle at each other & found that we are team members. That was a close call. With such close range, if any of us hit, I could not begin to imagine the injury.
I surrendered not long after that. My rifle is empty.
At times we surrendered because our rifles was stucked.
The winner was a girl from my team. Hip hip hurray!!!!!!!
Man.. The last one was a yellow paint. The staff, looked my mighty white jeans, told me to immediately soak my jeans in water. Otherwise the colour might stay. The paint is actually water based.
So I did. Squeeky clean white.
But the yellow paint did not come off. It was not their paintball. It was probably personal paintballs that those locals brought. We kept picking paintballs from ground, hoping to load our rifles more.
This is a bad one.
I rubbed with Dynamo. And soaked in Vanish. Ok. Can do.
Thankfully it's still a good white.
Paintball.. My 1st experience.
Thank you guys, for all the fun!
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Cotton wool over the City of Johannesburg
I have just landed in Johannesburg, South Africa. The land of safari.
Unfortunately it is very very cold. We arrived into the morning of 1degree centigrade. It was indeed surprising for me. For I normally encounter JOhannesburg with heat & sun. It's still sunny & bright as usual. But the chill & dry climate really got into my throat. We all look like we smoke cigar whenever we breathed.
My surprise today is:
It was so foggy in the city when we arrived at 0610hrs. Bright & sunny but I was so shocked when I looked outside the window. I thought what I saw was the ocean/sea! But look closely it is actually the fog covering the city. We could only make out from the 4 factory chimneys! (Well, surely nobody can possibly place factory with chimneys in the sead?!)
We thought (or kinda hope for diversion. More $$$. Chance of 2 1/2times wage. hehe) there will be either circulating or diversion. It looks really impossible to land. When pilot announced 'Crew to stations', I thought they're just hoping for the better.
I could feel for the captain-in-training pilot. It would have been a tremendous pressure of test & decision.
So we sat quietly on our seat. Constantly looking outside. It really look like cotton wool covering the city. In my sleepy mind, disgusting thought like moth covers came across my mind.
Nearing landing, I really didn't think that they're serious about landing in that condition. In my opinion, or rather, my vision; the visibility is less than 100m. In fact to really see things clearly, it's actually a visibility of about less than 50m.
Now I really understand what the www.yahoo.com/weather's visibility is for. Not for me land airplane-lah of course,
but for possible drivers too.
We did land.
Not only we landed, it was incredible. Smooth & extremely safe, I wanted to clap. I was kinda disappointed that nobody did. Because European normally do.
Everything went extremely well.
Never have I felt this kind of pride for the pilots that SIA trained.
What looked like the most dangerous turned into the safest ride.
We praised the pilot for the landing. But the humble guy accredited to auto-pilot.
Auto-pilot or manual, the plane needs a man.
We had a great team that did that today.
Thank you for the safe flight.
Unfortunately it is very very cold. We arrived into the morning of 1degree centigrade. It was indeed surprising for me. For I normally encounter JOhannesburg with heat & sun. It's still sunny & bright as usual. But the chill & dry climate really got into my throat. We all look like we smoke cigar whenever we breathed.
My surprise today is:
It was so foggy in the city when we arrived at 0610hrs. Bright & sunny but I was so shocked when I looked outside the window. I thought what I saw was the ocean/sea! But look closely it is actually the fog covering the city. We could only make out from the 4 factory chimneys! (Well, surely nobody can possibly place factory with chimneys in the sead?!)
We thought (or kinda hope for diversion. More $$$. Chance of 2 1/2times wage. hehe) there will be either circulating or diversion. It looks really impossible to land. When pilot announced 'Crew to stations', I thought they're just hoping for the better.
I could feel for the captain-in-training pilot. It would have been a tremendous pressure of test & decision.
So we sat quietly on our seat. Constantly looking outside. It really look like cotton wool covering the city. In my sleepy mind, disgusting thought like moth covers came across my mind.
Nearing landing, I really didn't think that they're serious about landing in that condition. In my opinion, or rather, my vision; the visibility is less than 100m. In fact to really see things clearly, it's actually a visibility of about less than 50m.
Now I really understand what the www.yahoo.com/weather's visibility is for. Not for me land airplane-lah of course,
but for possible drivers too.
We did land.
Not only we landed, it was incredible. Smooth & extremely safe, I wanted to clap. I was kinda disappointed that nobody did. Because European normally do.
Everything went extremely well.
Never have I felt this kind of pride for the pilots that SIA trained.
What looked like the most dangerous turned into the safest ride.
We praised the pilot for the landing. But the humble guy accredited to auto-pilot.
Auto-pilot or manual, the plane needs a man.
We had a great team that did that today.
Thank you for the safe flight.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Out of Sight
HBO kept showing Out of Sight this month.
I consider this movie one of the sexiest movies of my time.
That was George Clooney & Jennifer Lopez at their best. Not that they don't look good now.
They definitely still do.
George Clooney is still on top of the list for Sexiest Man while Jennifer Lopez, who finally decided to keep her profile extremely low, is still on top for best-dressed celebrity. That goes to say that she looks hell best in whatever she wear.
But boy.. don't they look young in that movie.
Ahh... how time passed.
I think these two celebrities look awfully good now.
I think my prime was at when I was 24. I'm 29 now. I understand that I'm beginning to look quite haggard after all those hard work suffering from late nights, jet lags & physical strain.
All I could do is hide beneath great make-up, nice clothes bought from overseas & branded bags. All to hide my flaws.
Not that I do that deliberately.
People compliment me that I look better now. But I do kinda feel otherwise.
I'm aging & I'm getting tired.
I'm not unhappy, but neither am I truly joyful.
Life has treated me both good & bad.
But whatever it is, I do hope that I look good like how Jennifer Lopez can maintain hers in years to come. Or decades to come.
Without all those cost of $$$$ for botox, facials, skincare, spa... etc.
Hopefully regular products are sufficient.
hehe...
I consider this movie one of the sexiest movies of my time.
That was George Clooney & Jennifer Lopez at their best. Not that they don't look good now.
They definitely still do.
George Clooney is still on top of the list for Sexiest Man while Jennifer Lopez, who finally decided to keep her profile extremely low, is still on top for best-dressed celebrity. That goes to say that she looks hell best in whatever she wear.
But boy.. don't they look young in that movie.
Ahh... how time passed.
I think these two celebrities look awfully good now.
I think my prime was at when I was 24. I'm 29 now. I understand that I'm beginning to look quite haggard after all those hard work suffering from late nights, jet lags & physical strain.
All I could do is hide beneath great make-up, nice clothes bought from overseas & branded bags. All to hide my flaws.
Not that I do that deliberately.
People compliment me that I look better now. But I do kinda feel otherwise.
I'm aging & I'm getting tired.
I'm not unhappy, but neither am I truly joyful.
Life has treated me both good & bad.
But whatever it is, I do hope that I look good like how Jennifer Lopez can maintain hers in years to come. Or decades to come.
Without all those cost of $$$$ for botox, facials, skincare, spa... etc.
Hopefully regular products are sufficient.
hehe...
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