((little fat notebook))

The countdown

laelene Post in general blog，Tags: experiences, lorry, mac, marylin, mizu, panda, pictures, relationships, singapore, skim, starfish, travel, typea, work, zen

27 July 2009

It’s hard to believe I’ve been here for five months and even harder to believe I’m about to leave on Friday. Thankfully, there’s lots to do so I don’t have much time to mull over it all. On the one hand I’ve missed Panda for nearly 150 days and I can’t wait to see him, touch him again. It’s been too long of pretending I could touch him and feel him hug me through the webcam. On the other hand, the people here are amazing and have taken great care of me. Plus, I’m just getting around to exploring Singapore! It’s a pity it’s ending already, but I can’t help but look forward to who and what I have waiting for me back home.

As I’m down to my last three full days, I’m trying to squeeze everything in – a trip to Sentosa and a visit to the Flyer, one final event for C&S, and a last day in the office ending with a discussion with Starfish and a little dinner party. I probably won’t get more than a nap Thursday night as I finish up packing and nervously await my early departure time. I’ve still got to find time to go to the Night Safari (probably Wednesday after the event), since the rain today deterred me from going. I was absolutely exhausted and zonked out on the bus ride home anyway, so it’s better I didn’t go. Then there’s my final foot and back massage that I need to use up from my membership card. Maybe I’ll squeeze that in before the Night Safari.

Most importantly, I’ve got to tie up loose ends and say bye to the parents who have generously taken me in these past few months. I don’t really have time to take them out to dinner to show my appreciation, but what can I do? I hope I get inspired when I’m out tomorrow. I was pleased with the little gifts that I found for the people from the office – cuff links for Zen, Mizu, and Typea, and compact mirrors for Marylin and Starfish (plus a Love Spell spray for her, which is like a classic VS scent for the lady who loves that brand), who all have played a huge part in supporting me here. For the others who have been there for me and made the atmosphere enjoyable, I had adorable little elephant keychains. I had a lot of fun choosing the gifts, even if I was dead tired and my back was dying when I came across these treasures.

Each one has its significance to me (and may not be the most practical, but I was going for more meaningful…): for Zen, a pair of silver dragons because that just seems fitting for an influential man; for Mizu, a pair of gold electric guitars because he truly is a rock star (in so many ways); for Typea, a pair of blue and sea green golf clubs in their bags (or whatever it’s called) for his enjoyment of the game and the lifestyle it represents; for Marylin, a pink cover with a pretty peacock for her growing involvement in the beauty industry; and for Starfish, a cool blue cover with an elegant flower for her cool head and classiness as well as the spray I mentioned above because she loves VS. As for the elephants, I figured that Mac would want the purple one (actually why I bought that particular pack, though I liked it because I like purple too) and Lorry would appreciate the green one (a bit of an inside joke on that one, for all his Greenness). Skim was the only wild card, who could go for the pretty light blue one or the more royal blue one, or maybe even the bright white one.

Now I’m hoping I’ll just as much meaning in some items that I can present to Typea and Marylin’s parents prior to my departure. Both sets of parents were very generous in taking me in and really made it possible for me to stay here; I certainly couldn’t have afforded an apartment! Other than that and the final activities I will be participating in, I just need to pack and make sure that I don’t go over my weight limit. The moment I find I’m under, I’m going out to buy Mamee to stuff the rest of my bags with. I love those snacks and as of yet I have not found them in the states. And with that, I’ll be gone before I know it. Gosh, it’s creeping up already.

Internal internationalism

laelene Post in general blog，Tags: asian american, behavior, pictures

26 July 2009

I’ve noticed that I tend to make more Asian type noises when I’m in this part of the world. I’ve always done that whenever I’m speaking Chinese and occasionally with Asian friends when I’m speaking English, but now I find I’m doing it far more. It’s strange because I’m usually either in one mindset or another, but now there’s this mixing of speaking English but making more Chinese noises. This ranges from saying “wah” instead of “whoa,” “aiyah” instead of “ugh,” and “ah?!” instead of “huh?!” They’re subtle differences, but I notice them and I wonder if other people do too. Isn’t it interesting how different the sounds we make are? I guess that means that every language also has it own distinctive onomatopoeias to reflect the way they perceive the sounds that are made.

Additionally, I’ve been thinking in a British accent lately, which makes no sense to me since I’ve always sucked at pronouncing things the way they do. Of course, in my mind it all comes out right, but that still doesn’t explain why that happened to begin with. Perhaps I’m getting confused by all the British and Australian accents I’ve been surrounded by while traveling. It seems like everyone but Americans are out and about exploring the world, and now I sound like them too, in my mind. I’ve always switched between thinking in Chinese and English, but I must say this is the first time my English has taken on a new accent. o.O

I seem to be very confused internally.

The experience

laelene Post in general blog，Tags: business, experiences, food, future, los angeles, opinion, travel

25 July 2009

photo credit: Ocha-Neko on flickr

I wrote earlier how things are transitioning from a service market to an experience market. Consumers aren’t just looking for great service anymore, but want the entire experience from the first point of contact to the last to feel authentic to whatever it is supposed to be. I found this wonderfully true at the spa I chose in Phuket, where the website, building interior and exterior, and all their services combined for a wonderful sense of tranquility. That’s exactly how it should be and I’ll definitely go to them when I return someday.

As I was searching for a dim sum place to eat at in Hong Kong, I read about one place that apparently is one of the few restaurants that still served dim sum on carts that are pushed around. Of course that was the very one I chose, since dim sum just isn’t as fun when you order it off a menu. It was surprising to me that they’d be phasing this out, since it’s a great part of the experience and that’s what truly makes it unique. Without that, where is the fun? Restaurants would do well to keep that tradition alive, or else the dishes become nothing more than some appetizers on their menu.

Sadly, when I got to City Hall to locate the restaurant, I found it is under renovation, so I was redirected to a place called Jasmine in the La Jardine building nearby. It turned out to be one of those fancy places that I hardly frequent, offering bird’s nest and albacore or something like that. I don’t really care for high class food, but I was desperately hungry and wanted dim sum, so I went anyway. The food itself was tasty and they still served them in the bamboo containers, but it was so unceremonious it made me sad. No lady pushing a cart, touting her choices. No cutting the food in front of me or adding soy sauce and other last-minute touches. No sheet filling up with stamps to indicate the dishes I’d eaten. Just a waitress placing my orders on the table.

I can’t wait to go back to the dim sum place I eat at in Alhambra and have a nice hearty brunch with some friends. That’s another thing – eating dim sum alone is extremely boring! You can only order so many dishes before you don’t know what to do with yourself. It’s far better to have more people sharing the dishes so everyone can get a little taste of each yummy item. So I guess my craving for the dim sum experience will have to wait at least another week.

Oceanic wonders

laelene Post in general blog，Tags: animals, childhood, experiences, future, observation, passion, pictures, storytelling, travel, travel tales, work

24 July 2009

Right before I left Hong Kong, I went on a tour that took us searching for pink dolphins somewhere north of Lantau Island. Nobody is really sure why they’re pink, but they are undoubtedly so. When I first heard of them, I thought they’d be a mild pink or something like that, where the scientists who study them exclaim, “Look at how pink they are!” and the rest of us stare and wonder what in the world they’re talking about. Then, with just the right combination of sunlight and squinting, our eyes would play the right trick on us as the water made odd reflections and then – there! We’d see it.

That’s what I thought, anyway. Then I saw pictures and it was undeniable; these things are PINK. Like little girl playing hopscotch and blowing Bubble Yum gum pink. Like pink rose pink. Like how flamingos are neon pink, they are baby pink. Nothing like the “pink” tint of human skin or other such wannabes. So, I was really excited to go out to see some of these creatures for myself. I almost couldn’t get on a tour, but we managed to book me for a tour before I was due to leave (though I had to delay my intended departure time by a few hours).

photo credit: hkdolphinwatch.com

On the bus ride to the boat, one of our tour guides explained the sad state of affairs the dolphins and their natural habitat were in. They’re hoping to spread the word and make pink dolphins a national treasure, so the dwindling number of 150 or so can continue on strong. The future is not looking great for them, so they’re trying to raise awareness of the issue to be able to garner enough support to protect them. After all, where else do you get pink dolphins? As to why they’re pink, the main theory is that they live in murky waters and need less protection from UV rays. Babies are still born grey, then they go through a “spotty” period where they start to shed that for the pink until they finally become fully pink and indoctrinated into adulthood.

As we were told about the shoddy tagging and tracking efforts and about the whale that came to the Hong Kong Harbor awhile back, I thought that maybe I should have been a marine biologist. I would love to explore the things in the ocean and tag these pink wonders to track their population. I love being out on the ocean or near any body of water and I wouldn’t mind living on an island or in the mountains. However, I think that profession comes with the same type of down side that deterred me away from becoming a veterinarian – animal die frequently and in this case, much of it is because of human activity. So just as I couldn’t bear the thought of putting down someone’s pet, I don’t know if I’d be able to not get depressed at the conditions that some animals are living in now, or what their future holds. Oh well, I’ll just love them from afar and help out through volunteering and donations.

photo credit: sightseeingworld.com

The passion with which the tour guide spoke of the dolphins made me want to be a tour guide too. I would love to spend my days introducing travelers to that which I care about, whether it’s points of interest in a city, a unique experience, or a special animal. It’s also why I’d like to run a hostel – to welcome all the strangers who have come to my city to see what there is to offer. I think it’d be amazing to share what I love best with the myriad of tourists. I’d hope I’d be able to inspire them to enjoy it as much as I do too. I wonder if that type of job pays well. 😛

We arrived at the boat and were told that we could spot the dolphins’ fins bobbing in and out when they came up to breathe and that was how we’d find them. With a quick warning that some rubbish may look like it at first, so look for clear movement, we were off to search for them. For about three hours we were on the boat, enjoying the breeze and sun as they came and went, our eyes scanning the horizon, trying to pick out a fin emerging. All I saw was an expanse of white speckles that would come and go as mini waves would break in the choppy waters. I was so desperate to see one that I even thought I saw glimpses of pink that turned out to be a red warning flag, a shadow in the water, and other random things. My mind was happily playing tricks on me at every opportunity.

When we were first heading out, we were right around the area where the planes were coming in for landing at the airport. Distracted, I took pictures and videos of them as they roared overhead and came down for a smooth landing. By the time one plane landed, another was appearing from the clouds, making its descent. One by one the planes took turns coming in, like clockwork, as others left going in the other direction. I marveled at how many people and how much cargo I had just seen arriving in Hong Kong. It was the first time I’d ever spent some time watching the operations of an airport and it was pretty cool.

At one point when we were further out, I was sitting in front, staring down at the water when a little fish jumped out and quickly got overrun by the boat. I continued staring down and soon more came, jumping just ahead of the boat, then falling off to the sides to avoid being hit. Excited, I started to film and snap away, trying to get a good shot of these little flying fish. Maybe it was just my imagination, but they looked a lot like mini dolphins. I spent a long time observing them and noticed that when they are in groups, they all jump at more or less the same time in some sort of coordinated effort. They also really seemed to like jumping in front of the boat in the rushing water, but once they went off to the side, they seemed to resume swimming more. I guess they’re looking for the adrenaline rush!

Turns out I did manage one shot!

By and by the boat turned around and did what I dreaded most: headed back to shore. I sat there thinking to myself, “We better see them now and they better get freakin’ close!” Dismayed, I tried to enjoy the ride itself and the lull of relaxing on a boat. Suddenly I heard, “12 o’clock! 12 o’clock!!!” One of the tour guides had spotted something! Everyone rushed to the front and looked straight ahead at 12 o’clock and… there! A single pink dolphin emerged and went back down. This one came quite close to the boat, but unfortunately I missed a picture of her. Soon after, another was spotted at 9 o’clock and with her was an adolescent. I spent the most time with these two, getting some decent footage and cooing happily the whole time. More single ones were seen at 3 o’clock and back around 12 o’clock, but they were further away and disappeared much more quickly.

I so wanted to hop in the water, toxins and all, and go join them. I wondered if they’d come closer to explore if I had some body parts dangling in the water. Still, it was so rewarding to finally find them, after so many hours of searching. I had even begun to entertain the idea of how I could go on another trip (they offer a free retry if you don’t see any on your trip) – perhaps I could get an IOU that wouldn’t expire, so I could use it years down the line, or whenever I return. Thankfully, I didn’t have to worry about that in the end and we ended the trip on a happy note.

Tumblr

laelene Post in general blog，Tags: blogging

23 July 2009

I’d just like to quickly point out that I am going to put all the little stories that don’t quite fit blog status on my tumblr. I’ve stopped streaming my blog entries on there so it will purely be snippets of thoughts and experiences from now on.

The “foreign stamp”

laelene Post in general blog，Tags: childhood, experiences, memories, observation, travel

23 July 2009

How do people decide what language to start speaking to me in? I’m really curious because I get English about 80% of the time, Cantonese 15% of the time, and Mandarin 5% of the time. The only Mandarin I hear is from mainlanders who don’t know Cantonese and about 95% of the Cantonese I hear comes from average locals. However, nearly all of the service people I’ve run into have spoken to me in English before I ever open my mouth. This goes for ticketers, waiters and waitresses, and even the people selling their goods at the market. Basically anyone with extensive experience dealing with tourists can easily tell I have a Western background, pretty much immediately.

So the question is, how? I still can’t figure it out. Is it the way I dress? The way I walk? The way I… you know, I really can’t think of any other reasons. Whatever it is, I must have it blazing across my forehead, screaming something like: “I’m not really Asian!” The accuracy with which these people do it is pretty amazing at times. At first I thought that maybe it was just their general approach to strangers, but I was standing in line and the two girls in front of me each got a “xie xie” (thank you in Mandarin) whereas I got a “thank you” upon passing. Is it because my hair is not permed? (Those girls both had wavy-ish hair that is a light brown, much like so many others.) Then I thought maybe it was because I had my map out sometimes, but there are plenty of visitors from both Chinese and English-speaking areas, so that shouldn’t distinguish me.

I remember the same phenomenon happened when I went back to China as a kid. I was told that the way I held myself was different. I wonder if the same holds in Hong Kong, so many years later. Do I still walk with too much confidence? Is my skin still too tan? (I’m the palest I’ve been in the past decade!) What am I doing to exude this Western air?! It’s still a mystery to me, and maybe it always will be.

Copping out of a real entry

laelene Post in general blog，Tags: blogging, singapore, travel

22 July 2009

I apologize. The past two days have been brutal for me physically, as I rushed from place to place and now suffer from an achy back, dehydrated headache, bruised feet, and sheer exhaustion. So, I will not write a proper entry and will instead take this time to sleep earlier and rest my sore body. Unfortunately I’ve been getting late starts and there is much I want to do during the day, so by the time I’m ending the day, no massage parlours are open to take care of my weary muscles. It looks like I won’t have much time before I get back to Singapore, so I’ll just have to wait until next week. But hey, I’m exploring a lot!

Airports reimagined

laelene Post in general blog，Tags: future, idea, observation, opinion, pictures, storytelling, travel, travel tales

21 July 2009

Bangkok Airport: it's like a robot caterpillar.

It first occurred to me as the bus was pulling away from the airport in Bangkok that it made no sense why the departure gates are so nice and up top whereas the arrival gates are given basement levels and dungeon treatment. I was staring at its unique architecture and thinking of how high the ceilings in the departure area are, getting the bulk of the natural lighting. Then I thought about the grungy ground floor that I had just left, where everything was darker and grimier. It had never hit me before, but suddenly I wondered: is this the first impression that a country or city wants to give to visitors? Sure, I walked through some nice areas to get out of the airport, but in making departing so scenic an experience, are you trying to encourage people to leave? Besides, the people in departure have seen your city already; they hardly need to see highlights of it. Rather, it’s the people arriving who should get a glimpse of everything you have to offer.

So here’s how I envision it: people fly in from around the world to your airport, where they see some of the finest architecture you are capable of, preferably with some local flair or at least a memorable look and feel. They disembark and take an escalator up to the top floor, where sunlight flows in during the day and stars twinkle overhead at night. Along their walk they pass art that exemplifies what your city, your country is all about and get to see some mini models of cool buildings they’ll find, as well as some static scenes of what local life is or was like. Already they can smell the food your town has to offer and envision the bustle or peacefulness of your streets. Meanwhile, as they look around outside the terminal, they are offered beautiful views of the surrounding area, whether it’s the ocean water or city lights shining in the distance.

Wouldn’t you like to see a model of this temple greeting you instead of… nothing?

The anticipation builds as they approach immigration, where TVs depict highlights of what they can find after they set foot outside. As they wait in line, colorful images catch their attention and useful subtitling leave them scribbling notes on what amazing things they want to check out there. By the time they reach the immigration official, they are so engrossed in the videos that they hardly want to leave. Officials are dressed in native attire and all wear a smile on their face as they greet you. Though they take their roles seriously and carefully check your documents, they do so with a pleasant demeanor and welcome you to their city the moment you pass. If you don’t, they politely direct you to wherever you need to go to be checked out further. From there, they apologize for the inconvenience and allow you through or detain you because you really are a threat.

Carts are strategically placed beyond the immigration line so you’ll be prepared as soon as you get to the appropriate conveyor belt. You can watch as the luggage is loaded from the truck to the conveyor belt outside, then taken up to where you are standing. As you search for your belongings, you can distract yourself with spectacular views of planes taking off or landing, as well as enjoy the scenery and continue to watch those videos about the sights and sounds of the city they’re about to experience. The moment they have all their belongings and clear customs, they are greeted with a bright lobby complete with free maps, information on the special concessions available for tourists, and the typical money exchange, bank, ATMs, hotel/tour/taxi bookings, and information centers. For those being picked up, glass doors allow both sides to locate their parties upon approach, so they know exactly where to head to (rather than scanning the crowd trying to figure out where to go) as soon as they exit. For the others, signs clearly point the way to the various forms of transportation offered from the airport and ticketing stands are located near pick-up locations or along the way to getting to the bus, train, shuttle, or what have you.

They should have had this in arrival! I saw plenty of mini versions throughout Bangkok.

Small touches add a local flair to the decor, from things like the design of the door handles to the decorations spicing up the space. Murals show off the most popular attractions and display cases offer a preview of the cool things you can buy, do, or see. A few small stores offer items for sale, just in case a visitor doesn’t want to have to track down an item they like somewhere in the city. A couple of convenience stores and cafes allow a weary traveler to get a quick pick-me-up before the typically half-hour to hour drive to get into the city, or wherever their destination may be. If possible, the bank on site would stay open all night, in case flights came in late and people missed their chance to withdraw money (and couldn’t through an ATM). All ATMs would certainly be operating 24 hours a day.

As for the departure terminal, well, it would be below the arrivals and get less light. However, it would be brightly lit and decorated with the top attractions that visitors and locals alike should have seen, as a reminder of the beauty of the city they’re leaving. There would be messages all around inviting them to return soon and thanking them for stopping by. After checking in and going through security, they’d walk past all the duty free shops as we do now. Some restaurants would line the outer edge of the terminal with clear views of the runways. All the waiting areas for the gates would also offer a look towards the flights arriving and departing. When it comes time for boarding, stairs, escalators, ramps, and elevators would allow access to the floor where the ramp to the airplane is. Actually, some places function like this already (so what does their arrival terminal look like?).

This plan may not be practical, but it would be nice if they at least put more welcoming decorations in arrivals. This idea was reemphasized when I saw all the cool things they had in departures as I was leaving. I’m sure having a more inviting arrival terminal would make us all feel more welcome, whether we’re coming for the first time or coming home.

A ride on the wild side

laelene Post in general blog，Tags: adventure, animals, experiences, food, learning, pictures, storytelling, travel, travel tales

20 July 2009

Wow, what an amazing excursion I went on yesterday! Though it had a rocky start, it quickly picked up and turned out to be a great tour. The day began at 6, when I woke up to get ready to leave. It was surprisingly easy to wake up and I quickly got dressed, put my things away, and headed out to Khoasa(r)n Road, the street where lots of foreigners congregate. It was there that I had booked my trip just the day before and it was there that we were due to meet to head out. It’s about a 20-minute walk away, which felt good in the early morning.

khao san road where expats congregate in bangkok

Completely empty at that time.

I happily arrived ten minutes early and at seven, a lady came by to put stickers on us to indicate which sights each of us had signed up for. Upon seeing me and checking my itinerary, she shook her head and told me I couldn’t go to the Tiger Temple because I was wearing shorts. Apparently at a Buddhist temple, you’re not allowed to show your shoulders or knees (you’re also not allowed to wear red, orange, or bright pink, since that may aggravate the tigers). Shocked and frustrated, I asked if the van could drop me off at my hostel so I could run in to grab long pants to wear (it would only be a 5 minute detour as compared to the 40-minute round trip walk), but they refused. Well, at least I had chosen to wear a half-sleeve shirt that day and opted for dark colors rather than my red shirt.

So many servicemen…

Sadly, the service level in Thailand generally isn’t very high, so I was left angered that nobody warned me and now they didn’t care a bit that I couldn’t see the one thing that I had chosen that tour for. They nonchalantly told me to just buy a pair of pants, but I was low on cash and did not have a functioning ATM card with me to withdraw more. Plus, the shops and stalls weren’t even open yet. Thanks for the help – NOT! Desperate, I asked when the bus would arrive and was told 20 minutes, so I hired a taxi to take me on a quick back and forth that got me back in time for a decent price. This time I armed myself with two pairs of pants and a t-shirt, just in case. We didn’t even leave until 8, so I totally could have walked had I known! Oh well.

death bridge by JEATH museum in thailand

The bridge the POWs built with sweat and blood.

Once the journey got underway, I settled in for a nap and tried not to worry about whether or not open-toed shoes were allowed. I figured they should be okay, since the monks’ shoes have holes, but they also bare a shoulder, so I wasn’t sure. That was something I couldn’t help though; I had no close-toed shoes with me, so I was out of luck if they didn’t allow it. After a two-hour drive, I woke up to find we had arrived and the WWII cemetery for POWs. We got off for a brief stroll on the grounds, looking at some of the headstones. So many of those men were only my age when they died. 🙁 Next, we were then taken to to JEATH Museum and Death Bridge/Railway, where many of those men lost their lives. This whole time I had ignorantly thought that they just horribly mis-spelled death, but it actually stands for Japanese, English, American/Australian, Thai, and Holland(ese?), the nationalities of the soldiers who died working on the rails. I went around the museum and walked along the bridge in the time allotted, then returned to the van for the next leg of our journey.

Well, it turned out our next destination was lunch and they drove us out to a cute floating guesthouse, where some of the other people in our van would be staying for their two- or three-day tours. We all had a rice and vegetable lunch, then the one-dayers headed out on the river for our bamboo rafting. It was pretty amazing how many people we could fit on a little seating area that had a super thin layer of bamboo and none us understood why there were nine of us squeezed on one raft and only four on the other. However, we just went with it and had fun enjoying the flow of the current and the surprisingly strong waves that the motorboats made, rocking us even when they were on the other side of the river.

riding elephant in thailand as it stopped to urinate

He must have had a lot to drink!

Next up was elephant trekking, where we were taken two or three at a time sitting atop an elephant for a stroll in the brush. I was grouped together with a mother daughter pair from the Czech Republic and we gasped and giggled as our elephant, a thirty-year-old male named something like Soomhoop, headed off and sent us swaying with his footsteps. I took off my shoes to enjoy the texture of his skin and marvel at his bony ears and wiry body hair. We were high enough to see a pair of giant butterflies mating in the trees and at times it looked like some of the other groups were floating on the foliage. At one point, Soomhoop just started peeing out of nowhere and it was as powerful as a fire hose – thank goodness we were nowhere near that!

After that exciting ride, we were given a moment of relaxation at a waterfall. Though I had bought a swimsuit for the occasion, I didn’t have much time to dry off if I went for a swim, so I just waded and enjoyed the trickling water. There were a lot of families there laying on bamboo platforms or sheets, having picnics and otherwise lazing the day away. I can see how it’d be a really popular place for the locals to go on the weekends. I certainly wish there was something like near my house! Guess I’ll just have to settle for the pool instead.

The last stop of the day was the Tiger Temple, where Buddhist monks raised tigers on their monastery grounds. I threw on my gauchos over my shorts before heading in so I’d be properly covered. We all had to sign liability forms to waive the temple from responsibility for any injuries we may get and then we went in, ready for some special encounters. The first thing I did was go to Tiger Canyon, where a line was quickly forming for pictures with the adult tigers who were lounging there. We were led in one by one by a caretaker as another took pictures for us. Each person got to pet about six or seven tigers, from ones who were sleeping with their bellies up to ones who were sprawled on rocks tanning. You could tell these people were seasoned picture-takers from the bored way they’d snap photos for you. However, they were pretty good and got about three shots for each tiger, though some were blurry.

Following my turn, I took a small break sitting nearby, watching as others took their turns. There was an express line for anywhere from one to five people who could pay 1000 Baht per group to get in with no wait and be allowed to hold the tiger’s head in their lap. One day I’d like to do that, when I have more money to spare. I’d also like to find a white tiger to pet. I then made my way out of the canyon to find the baby tigers, who were out to play. I squatted just out of paw reach of one of them and took pictures as the monk handling him teased him with a branch of leaves. The monk invited me to take a picture with the cub after he had tired it out a bit and so I got some more shots.

As I was trying to head out, I was stopped because they were about to walk the tigers back from the canyon and I needed to stay out of the way. Two came along and one was tied to a tree nearby as an elder monk began to feed it milk from bottles. A line quickly formed as we were invited to take a picture with them before they closed for the day. I waited my turn for one last photo op and then had to weave around cattle as they were being fed for the day. On my way out I also came across horses, deer, wild boar, and even a camel! It was a bit smelly, but what a great time anyway. 🙂

All in all it was a fabulous day, though a bit rushed. Next time I’d want to try an overnight trip so I could have more time at each place. I’d also need an extra battery pack, since I barely made it through the day with the one I had.

For the sake of it

laelene Post in general blog，Tags: childhood, experiences, food, friends, future, goals, identity, journals, memories, passion, personality, pictures, singapore, writing

19 July 2009

photo credit: puttputtproductions.com

I was born in the Year of the Ox and the month of the Capricorn. Both are known to be stubborn creatures, which is something that I’ve most definitely inherited, for better or for worse. Many of the things I chose to do in my life have been out of pure stubbornness – first to be able to say that I did it and second just to be different. Of course, the more people try to get me to change my behavior, the more determined I get to stick to my principles, morals, and priorities. I think I like the satisfaction of claiming that I don’t do this or that or that I have done something for this long. Especially when it’s something most of the population would like to claim as well, I feel all the better about being able to stake my claim.

The three most prominent examples of this are what I will or will not ingest, my frequency of relocations and moves, and my persistence with my journal. For each, though it may not always make sense for me to stick to my guns so strictly, I do so to preserve the idea that it’s always been that way. I don’t like to compromise in any of these areas and it’s quite rare for me to do so, though I’ve been working on that lately, since some of what I do is truly unfounded or limiting. At the same time, certain aspects I don’t plan on ever changing and that can be seen as a good or bad thing. Ok, let me clarify what I mean by each of these examples then.

Lychee flavor!

First off are my peculiar food and drink preferences. As many know, I do not drink alcohol, coffee, or energy drinks. I also refuse to eat rubbery things like calamari, squid, and other such odd creatures. I stay away from burgers, steak, lobster, and caviar. I am especially strict with alcohol, also avoiding food cooked in it, chocolates with liqueur, and the like. Even fermented food is a big no-no in my books, though some of these things have been unavoidably tasted at least once. The more people try to pressure me to drink, the more resistant I am, even if it’s just a taste or small portion of wine. I often get the “you know that it can actually be good for you, right?” and pay no heed – the costs far outweigh the benefits in my eyes. I do, however, like to collect a few mini bottles here and there because they’re rather cute (plus, why would you ever drink it? They’re too pretty!).

However, last year I did become curious and exasperated enough to try some beer (at age 22) and it was just as nasty as I thought it’d be, plus some. So that experience only solidified my resolve to avoid alcohol. I’m sure people will now focus on how I didn’t try wine or something lighter, fruitier, or whatever. Perhaps one day I will sip some wine just to get them to leave me alone, but as of now I’ll just ignore their pleads that it can be good for my health. In fact, I cherish an article I read recently about how the link that people draw between moderate drinking and good health may not be a causal effect, but actually be discounting many other possible factors that affect people’s drinking. Even if there was solid proof, I’m not about to just follow suit. I can eat blueberries and pomegranates for antioxidants and have fish oil and avocados for cardiovascular health. No alcohol needed.

I avoid coffee and energy drinks for the caffeine, which I don’t want or need, plus coffee smells disgusting to me. I like to do things naturally and without artificial aids whenever possible, so if I’m tired I take a nap. If I’m pulling an all-nighter, I drink lots of water or tea. I don’t need these extreme stimulants to affect my body in strange ways.

As for rubbery things, I’m not a fan of having to overwork my jaw or swallow large chunks of food. The texture doesn’t appeal to me, so I stick to crab, shrimp, and scallops, which is seafood that I do like to eat. This is not for health reasons, so I did try these “dong dong” shells in Singapore, since it’s a local thing. Now, I’m not quite sure why I don’t like burgers – I think it stems from a gross one I saw in the cafeteria in my childhood. I’ve stayed away ever since, though I have broken that to have about five in the past 15 years.

This doesn’t look appetizing to me at all. photo credit: artvoice.com

Steak is just too thick for me and I hate how it usually comes at least somewhat pink. I don’t really like meat that much, unless it’s very thinly sliced. Lobster is something my mom and I have disagreed on for ages – she says I ate it as a kid and I refuse to believe that. The only time I recall having it was in a dip, where the chunks were minimal. I’m not interested in ever eating a full one. And caviar has the same problem that rubbery things have in that I don’t like the texture. I also stubbornly don’t like food that is high class and expensive (though it’s a coincidence that my taste buds prefer cheaper foods).

Secondly, I am persistent in my desire to move around because that’s how my life has always been. I like being able to say I’ve never lived in the same city for more than 3 and 1/2 years consecutively. I like having so many old homes and schools and jobs that I have to keep a list or else I’d forget. I’m not the type of person to stay put and I enjoy that. My friends are never really too surprised to hear of my escapades because I’m on the go far more than they usually are. If for that reason alone, I want to keep moving around and not settle quite yet. Of course, it also has to do with just being used to that lifestyle.

My most recent journal.

Finally, how many people can say they have kept a journal for 14 years? I want to be able to, but I’m at 13 now and a year behind in catching up on entries. Most people I tell say they tried to keep a journal, but that only lasted a week, a month, a year… I’ve yet to meet someone who’s managed for as long as I have. And if only for the sake of being able to say that I have, I want to continue with it, whether or not it may be worth my while. Ultimately I think it’ll be a great thing to draw from later on if I decide to write an autobiography (or if people want to look back on my life, though it’d certainly be a bit tedious – I’m already reaching 50 volumes and that’s A LOT of reading).

So you see, much of my motivations for these areas is because of my stubbornness to continue to do it like I always have (or at least since my childhood). Generally, people respect my choices and think it’s good that I don’t drink and don’t rely on coffee or energy drinks for a boost. They also think it’s crazy that I move so frequently, but respect my ability to do that as well. And of course, everyone wishes they were able to keep the journal they always meant to have. I like being the one who does. The one who is able to stay away from alcohol, coffee, and energy drinks. The one who doesn’t need or want to spend exorbitant amounts on steak, lobster, and caviar. The one who has lived everywhere. The one who has kept a journal for years. The one who can, who has, and who will.

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