Per, Mika, BC, me and Tian Yee at Viewpoint 

Better view of Phi Phi island beach. The water is so clear! SG sea sucks big time 

Taken on the beach of Phi Phi Island 

Great Fun in Phuket !!!

Went to Phuket with BC, Per, Mika and Tian Yee over last weekend. It was sort of like a graduation trip for me, since I dun have the money or company to go anywhere further. Anyway, this trip was fruitful, fun and farnie.

It was nightfall when we touched down at Phuket, so we went straight to the hotel. After checking in and received our room keys, we proceeded to take the lift to our rooms.
Farnie incident no. one: BC dropped his room key into the gap at the lift door…. (everyone got the WTF look on their face then, damned farnie).


(Official) Day 1
Hotel breakfast sucks. Went for a free city tour provided by the travel agent. Visited the local range, and had a go at the 0.22 rifle with scope. 10 shots at 650 Baht. Initially I thought the staff would teach us some technical handling stuff, but no, they simply took over everything, and all we had to do is just aim n pull the trigger. Din even get to cock the rifle. Sianz.

Went to the Wat Chalong Temple after that, nothing much to do there, just pray pray a bit.

Was supposed to go for elephant trekking, but most of the guys were against it, and i wasn’t too keen cos it was drizzling then, thus we moved on to the next destination.

BUNGY JUMPING !!
It wasn’t a damned beautiful place nor the shop was elaborately done up. Just a simple hut in the rurals and a crane to send us up to 50m to jump. BC couldn’t take the jump cos the body harness wasn’t available, so the rest of us just took the challenge.

To me, the most scary part of the jump wasn’t the moment I stood out on the launch pad, nor the moment I dived down, but it was the slow ascent to 50m. Had the “regret” feeling crawling in then.

But once I stood out on the launch pad and looked around and down, I din really feel any fear. The most exhilarating moment was when I just leapt off the launch pad into the head –down-first free fall. The feeling was out of this world. Damned shiok. (post the pics later when i get it)

After that, we went for a badly needed massage session. Bungy jumping wasn’t as easy as it seemed, and it was actually quite taxing on the respiratory system and muscles.

This is the first time I had a massage done by a real masseur. Had 1 hour of Thai massage followed by 1 hour of Oil massage. I always had the impression that Thai massage is very painful, but it seems like nothing much to me and Tian Yee. We actually thought that the masseur wasn’t using enough strength. BC, mika and Per actually felt that the Thai massage was painful. Maybe physically fitter people would find Thai massage easy on their muscles than most people. Tian yee and me thought the oil massage wasn’t really that good. Maybe we two should had went for a 2hr Thai massage instead.

We wanted to see the famed “Tiger Show” at night, but we took the recommendations of the tour guide and went to see the “Sexy and Erotic Top Model Show” instead. I actually found the show quite boring, just some “women” baring it all and moving around (I’m not sure if they are all real woman or not). It’s a real waste of money to me (800 Baht). It is just to make sure that we had a complete Thailand travel trip. I dun recommend those going to Thailand to go for tiger shows if they can help it.


Day 2
Went to the famous Phi Phi (pronounced as pee pee) island. It was a must go place for people visiting Phuket. Went snorkelling with the guys. Think it was a first for all the guys except me. I din have too much fun there. But its good for BC since he went down into the water with us.

Had some sun tanning on the beach on Phi Phi island after lunch. It was so damned hot and sunny, just the perfect setting for a perfect beach day. The only downside was that coconut wasn’t available from the shops by the beach.

After a short tanning period of about 1.5 hours, we went back to the boat for a ride back to Phuket.

Farnie incident 2: BC threw his towel to Per when we were on the boat, but Per missed it and the towel dropped into the seawater. (Towels were borrowed from our hotel, and has to be returned) Being a true singaporean in not wanting to pay penalty fines, I jumped into the water to ‘save’ the towel. Damned pai sei sia, the whole boat was watching me.

Night: I wanted to go diving on day 3, but it was a bit late when we went out to shop after dinner, so I thought of giving up the hope of diving, until we came across a booth offering day dive trips. Placed a 1000Baht deposit for 2 dives on day 3.

Day 3
The bus was supposed to pick me at 0730 for the dive trip, but after a few calls to the agent (cost me 120Baht to make 3 calls, WTF), it was established that the dive operator forgot to pick me and I had to go back to the booth to take my deposit back. So I ended up joining the rest of the guys for some beach action at the Patong Beach for the day.

Went surfing at the beach. We din use the American-styled surf boards where we had to stand on the board, instead, only those types that u used like a swimming aid was available. Anyway, it was pretty fun to surf at the beach, being washed quickly to the shore by the incoming waves.

After that, I went parasailing. Cost me 700 Baht for less than 5 minutes in the air. Pretty nice experience though. It was the closest I can get to skydiving for the moment. The view up there was great, but I couldn’t bring a camera up with me. just too bad.

Mika and I had rented a bike for the day. I just wanted to experience the kick of riding after so many years of layoff, as well as the kick of riding without helmet. Hahaha. Coaxed Tian yee to join in and get a feel of riding. (only mika, per and me have lic to ride)

Farnie incident 3: Tian yee was trying out the bike in the carpark outside our hotel, and almost lost control of the bike as he sped towards a shop. The lady in the shop was screaming and looked terrified when tian yee ‘flew’ towards her shop with a very loud throttle sound. (mika, per and me: super ROFL)


I really enjoyed myself on this trip with the guys. It was great fun and laughter all the way. If only we had more money and time at Phuket, then I could have went for diving, as well as white water rafting.

Well, till next time!!

Dedicated to my friend, Kowi

I had always liked this song, but I had never really bothered to figure out what the lyrics were talking about, until the day you are gone. May you fly with god speed to the your new home. Our platoon spirit will live on strong in our hearts, and you will always be in our memories.

I'm terribly sorry that I cannot see you off tomorrow. Hope you will understand my difficulties.

To everyone reading this, cherish your friends. Dun wait until they are gone then start to regret.

This is for you, Kowi.

Friends Are Friends Forever

Packing up the dreams God planted
In the fertile soil of you
I can't believe the hopes He's granted
Means a chapter of your life is through

But we'll keep you close as always
It won't even seem you've gone
'Cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong

And friends are friends forever
If the Lord's the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
'Cause the welcome will not end
Though it's hard to let you go
In the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime's not too long
To live as friends

And with the faith and love God's given
Springing from the hope we know
We will pray the joy you live in
Is the strength that now you show

We'll keep you close as always
It won't even seem you've gone
'Cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong

And friends are friends forever
If the Lord's the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
'Cause the welcome will not end
Though it's hard to let you go
In the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime's not too long
To live as friends

And friends are friends forever
If the Lord's the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
'Cause the welcome will not end
Though it's hard to let you go
In the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime's not too long
To live as friends

To live as friends

Though it's hard to let you go
In the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime's not too long
To live as friends

No a lifetime's not too long
To live as friends

So many things happened and so many things to do... Damned irritated

The Passing Away of a Great Friend

Attended the funeral wake of my platoon mate from OCS last night. A great guy with a bright future just gone like that.

His abundant energy and Ronaldinho-esque smile is always so infectious and have left a deep impression in everyone and anyone who knows him. He is one unique and special person that you would remember for the rest of your life even though you might have only know him for a day. His jovial ways and friendly demeanour will always perk everyone up when everyone is tired and the mood is heavy. I still can remember him singing his favourite song under the SAFTI tower...

He will be loved and remembered by every single life he has touched. May he Rest In Peace…

Motivation

Seeing the guys in hall playing dota almost every night makes me wonder:
"I dun understand why can they play every night when I myself can't even find enough time to study already?"

Tee Loong gave me the most simple answer:
"Because you are 2nd upper but they just want a pass."


While this may sound obvious to most, it gave me the motivation to strive on. Sometimes too many things happen around you and you lose your original directions. In midst of the confusion, sometimes someone just unintentionally gives you a nudge, and you can get going again on your journey.

Sometimes I just get too caught up in studies and forget what I want in the end, and then lose the motivation to go on. Now I remember what I want and will give my best in this final hurdle in NTU.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (Top Level = Self-Actualization)
I know I still have the chance of making it to 2nd upper. I will put in my best effort to make it happen. (I dunno what's the possibility, but heck, if I dun get it because of sloth on my part, I'll never be able to forgive myself)


Short Analogy:
In spring time, the bee is working hard to collect and store food for the next winter, yet he sees so many grasshoppers playing in the warmth of the lovely season. The playing grasshoppers made the bee ponder: why should i be working so hard? Everyone is playing.

The playing grasshoppers almost made the bee forget his task of preparing for the winter, and the bee was lost. Until one of the grasshoppers accidentally knocked into him and told him: " Wow, your bee colony will have no problems surviving the winter with that amount of food u collected".

The bee now remembers his original mission, and continues working away, just to be sure that his colony will be prepared when winter comes.


(author disclaimer: this is not a accurate reflection of what really happens in the insect world)