Roadtrip - Arizona, Utah and Nevada

Hi,

I'm back with a new travel journal entry. It was my first roadtrip with my favourite travel mate. The best so far!

Before I start, a few words of my travel mate, Jean Tan. Both of us are basically easy going folks (basically folks who just book a flight and accomodation and decide what to do when we reach the destination) and not natural planners but given that we are going on a roadtrip, she moved out of her comfort zone and spent many nights charting out the path, booking the Chevy, hotels and briefing me on the do's and donts on the road as I have never driven on the right side. She was an excellent travel partner and I must put on record this roadtrip would not have been possible without her. I am definitely looking forward to many more trips with her :)

Here's the map showing the journey planned and completed as planned! We covered approximately 1500 miles in a week (planned - but our mileage showed about 2000 miles as we made a few detours for various reasons including changing to a different rental car as our tyres were more worn out than us :))

Our first stop was the Grand Canyon! Travelling to the Grand Canyon was my dream ever since I first saw the movie on Grand Canyon in Omnimax Theatre 2 decades ago. I can hardly describe the feeling when I had my first view of the Grand Canyon. The vastness and the structures of the Canyon was mind blowing.

My Jean Tan insisted that I should move my butt and make our way to the watchtower. I reluntantly dragged myself back to the car and made our way to the tower. The tower was under construction but fortunately it was still accessible. The colorado river was visible from the Watch Tower and it was such a beauty.

After a good 3 - 4 hours absorbing the beauty of the Grand Canyon, we hopped back into our car and made our way to Moab where we were eager to see what the city had to offer. On the way, we were rearded with many other wonderful scenaries such as the Mexican Hat. We had to stop by the roadside and snap the many majestic structures that we passed. And thus, reaching the hotel around midnight :P

After a good night's rest at Motel 6, we set off to the Arches National Park. There were many "Arches" that we wanted to see but as hours of trekking was involved for each of the arches, we had to choose what we wanted to see. We decided on the Balanced Rock, Delicate Arch, Landscape Arch and the Double O Arch. The easiest trail was the balanced rock. It was a short 15 mins walk from the parking area. The balance rock was an amazing sight where a huge rock stood balanced on a narrower structure. We wondered what would happen to these structures in years to come due to the harsh weather.

We had to trek up for about 2 hours to see the delicate arch. Frequently, we had to face our fear for heights as we walked along narrow paths on top of cliffs. Tip: Wear a good pair of trekking shoes with a good grip !! Along the way we were encouraged by fellow trekkers and the excellent scenaries. We reached the top of the cliff and we were welcomed by the magnificant delicate arch. The challenge was not over. We had to walk around a downsloping funnel ike structure to reach the foot of the arch. With our legs wobbling in fear, we forced a smile when a trekker helped to snap a shot for us! The arch was a architectural miracle. We sat there watching the arch and daring young trekkers walking down the funnel.

The sun was setting. We had time for just one more arch - The landscape arch. That was a short hike but we were not short changed with what we saw. The landscape arch was one arch no trekker should miss. Positioned hgh above the grounds, you will be able to see the landscape arch welcoming its guests with a wide smile.

We just could not stop tho the sun was setting..we continued the path to see the Double O Arch. The signboard read "Primitive path". We didn think much of it (i.e. under estimated the challenge). What was waiting for us was a complicated structure of boulders steeply sloped. Getting up there was relatively easier. Once we got up there, looking down was like looking at the gates of death. The view of the Double O arch pacifed us just for a while til we came back to reality. We had to get back down. Holding on to the boulders i.e. our life, we carefully and slowly inched our way down. One wrong step and we can kiss goodbye to life..It was a trembling experience tho.

To Be Continued .....

The Terrific 30s

Crossing to the 30s have not been easy. Apart from my slowing metabolism, one question keeps bothering me. What have I achieved in my life thus far?

And automatically a checklist appears right in front (Typical planner Mode) ...Ting!

First on the list...A good degree and an MBA (Check), Second...a career that I am enjoying despite the long hours (Check), Third..My own home (Check) ...not exactly mine mine but I am one of the joint owners of our first family landed property..Our dream home and our gift to our parents (YAY!YAY!)

So what's left?? Damn...hate the unchecked items....

1) PHD...Put on hold til I can find a reputable part time PhD program as I will never ever quit my job to study full time..

2) Holidays to Everywhere - Left many more including Africa, Mt Everest, NZ, Skiing trip to Switz and Japan....I still have time for that unless I am suddenly diagnosed with a terminal illness (then I will just have all the hols back to back..see I got it all planned :))

3) My own family.. to love and live for..I always wanted a wonderful family of my own and I bet that's what my parents, siblings n friends want for me as well..But it take two hands to clap..have not found the other hand..so marriage shelved for the moment or mebbe for good..

But one tiny thought keeps coming back. Why wait for that one hand when there are so many little hands waiting to be held... yes..Adopting a little one.. or the little one adopting me rather.. I believe I can be a great Mum or the Best Mom!! This little dream is not just a dream but my achievement and the meaning of my life... I am not making this decision so that I can check off one more item or to show off but I feel that the little one is the missing gem in my life right now.. and I am even prepared to postpone or forego the other two undone tasks for this angel..

I know I'm gonna have a tough time convincing Mum n Dad..but I have to do this.. for my selfish reasons, to make my life complete and of course more challenging and thus meaningful..

Wish me all the best guys... I need all the support and well wishes :)

Beautiful Bali

Bali is a perfect blend of culture, beauty and kindness. Here's some tips if you wish to visit Bali one day...

Places to visit

BEACHES - Make sure you have a feel of the white sand on the east coast and the black sand beaches (due to volcanic eruptions) on the west coast. Kuta beach and Sanur beach to name a couple.

There are lots of water activities activities too such as surfing, jetski, para-sailing, flying inflatable beds attached to speed boats (dun know what they call it...).

VOLCANOES - There are several active volcanoes in Bali. I had an awesome view of Batur volcano from a restaurant overlooking the volcano while enjoying a balinese lunch. I wish I was prepared to hike up one of the more friendly and manageable volcanoes..

BALINESE HOME - Do set aside some time to visit a balinese home. Their homes are kindda nice n cosy huts with grass roofs. A typical balinese house will house several huts including a temple within their premises. The one we visited also had a house on stilts to house the rice and a pig's pen..Oink Oink :)

SHOPPING - Bali is very tourist-y. Many shopping centres, villages and villages of handicrafts, rows and rows of family shops, flea markets (called up markets) and factory outlets but mostly selling the same stuff...anything from silver, intricate scupltures to branded stuff like polo and roxy.

PERFORMANCES - They have evening perfomances all around Bali. I went for a Kechak dance performance inspired by Hindu epic "Ramayana" in a temple situated on top of a cliff (think its called monkey temple). It was an open air amphitheatre and there was a chanting 'choir' of men who provide the 'chak-a-chak-a-chak' noise. Beautiful sunset and performance but watch out for the monkeys as the scan you for valuable items (such as jewellery and reading glasses) to barter trade for food..

TEMPLES - Visit a couple of temples to get a feel of the culture and the architecture. The temples are mainly for the 3 Hindu Gods- The Creator, Destroyer and Preserver. Do wear modestly. If not,fret not,they will have sarongs and sashes for visitors and you are expected to donate a nominal sum when you return the sarongs. Do not be conned by shopkeepers who insist that you have to buy a sarong as you are not allowed to wear shorts to the temples. The temples will loan the sarongs to you.

Other Travel Tips

BARGAINING - If you are not a good bargainer like me, forget about bargaining and just pop into fixed price shops in shopping centres. All other shops require you to bargain. Just as a guide, start bargaining from 30% of the initial price. Our guide told us that if you reach 50%, it is a win win situation. ANything lower, you gain..

TRAVEL AGENT - One of our family friends recommended Bali Mardy Adventure Tour. Mr Mardy has a team of 8 staff and they are very very professional and affordable. They charge according to the distance travelled. They provide MPVs and a professional driver cum tour guide. The highest we paid was US$45 for one day and the total tour came to US$140 for 5 days which we felt was extrememly reasonable. Contact details in case u wish to engage his tour services:

I Wayan Mardana (Mardy)

Mobile: 08123912108 or 7425110

Email: mardana45@hotmail.com

Are U Ready, Arsenal?

What is the Time, Mr Wolf?

Junior Soccer School Tryouts

Dental Phobia

I was on my way to Alexendra Hospital on Monday and was feeling extremely nervous. My palms were sweaty andy legs were a little shaky. I was cursing myself for not taking care of my teeth and munching on all the chocolates and sweet stuff. I should have listened to Mum and Dad...and the dentist..

I was going for tooth extraction surgery @ AH..... Several images flashed across my mind as I rode in the bus to AH... A dentist laughing at me hysterically while bring the big drill towards my face...and in another a rather unapproachable looking dentist scolding me for not opening my mouth wide enough for him to force a drill, a plier and his hand inside to pull out my poor tooth. Ahhh...Stop! Stop! ..

I tried to divert myself from those thoughts by plugging in my iPod, watching people rushing to work and fiddling with the contents of my bag..didn help..SO I started wondering why I was fearing visits to the dentist (why the fuss over pulling out a tooth).. My mind raced to the time when I was in Primary 1. Everytime, someone knocks on the classroom door holding a B5 sized white card, all of us in the class would start praying hoping that his/her name was not on the card. For it was the dentist who would have sent her last victim to call for the next one.. and yes, I have been quite "lucky" to be the chosen one on several occasions.

On such lucky moments, I would drag myself slowly and nervously down to the dental room...I hated the dentist. She hardly smiled at least not to me. In fact, she had this perpetual displeased look on her face. While updating some records manually, the dentist would command me to lie down on the chair that seemed like the electric chair (even now...). She would then swing the chair around, pick up her weapons from the shiny tray and starts to knock and poke my gums and teeth. Throughout the what seems like a really long ordeal, the dentist would be reprimanding me in a muffled tone (thanks to her mask) for not keeping the teeth clean.. I must tell you that I do keep my teeth clean but probably not up to her ISO 18000 standard.. Once the corrective maintenance is completed, she pulls out a big plastic-ky jaw set and asks me to demonstrate how I would brush my teeth and starts lecturing a second time on how I should brush my teeth. Finally, the session is over and she hands you the next victim's card.

With the discomfort and the taste of blood tingling in my mouth, I would take the card, unwillingly thank her and walk out. The moment I leave the room I would feel so relieved that I do not have to face her for the next 6 months unless she accidentally pulls out my card earlier(which also happened..).

Now I understood why I feared dentists even after all these years. My childhood experiences influenced my thoughts all these years and created an irreversible negative fearful image of dentists. This time, I braved myself thinking of people who had to undergo major surgeries and diverted my attention to beautiful memories as the dentist extracted my tooth. I would be lying if I said I wasn afraid at all but it was not that bad... I am so proud of myself to have survived the terrifying 30 mins and I reported to work the very next day despite given 3 days MC :)

2 more wisdom teeth to go... hopefully never or at least a few years later..

Pain in the .....

Hi Hi.

Wanted to share with you some simple tips to get rid of the usual aches and pains. I learnt them from my parents and believe me..they do work miraculously. Hope you find the tips useful especially if u hate taking medication or do not wish to make your rich doctor richer....

I must qualify that these are for normal pains and aches not associated with other diseases and should not be tried when you are under another medication. So here goes...

Toothaches (Decay/ Wisdom Tooth)
Take a few cloves (say 5 or 6), poke a needle through the stem and heat the cloves over a flame. Remove from the pin when the clove blackens and fattens a little. Once you have done this for all, place the cloves over the decayed area and bite into them. Leave the cloves there for a couple of hours and when the juice from the cloves sinks in, you’ll feel better.

You may need to do this a couple of times and the toothache will go away for a few days at least till you see your dentist. This is only an interim solution. So, please consult your dentist for a permanent solution

Sore Throat/ Flu/ Cold (Beginning Stage)
Take one small shallot, peel off the skin and eat it before you head to bed!!! Make sure you chew well and swallow it. Drink a glass of warm water mixed with a spoon with honey. You will feel much much better the next day. Shallots are super effective in killing germs... Take a mint or two in the morning to get rid of the smell.

You could also eat it everyday to reduce the chances of coming down with flu or cold..

Sore Throat

Take one teaspoon of honey and mix with black pepper and heat it over a small flame. Once it is heated up, slowly sip it and your throat will thank you for it. But dun take it too frequently as pepper is heaty..

Gastric Pain/ Feeling of Tummy Bloated (Mild)
Take about 3 to 4 pieces from one garlic. Skewer them (with the skin) and heat them over fire till the skin starts to blacken (the skin may catch fire, so dun panic..just blow off the fire). Remove the skin and eat them. Drink a glass of warm milk and the pain should subside...

This post is dedicated to my 2 babies

Dearest Dharani and Bharath,

This post is dedicated to both of you. Both of you loved birthdays more than anything else and we always sang the birthday song at least twice - for each one of you though your birthdays were months apart...

I really hope that both of you will be best of friends and siblings forever. Be the pillar of strength and encouragement for each other even when you have your own circle of friends. Nobody cares for you more than family.

Finally..Hope you guys had lotsa fun growing up...as much as we had, watching you grow !!!

Yours lovingly,

Chitti.

My Latest Favourite :)

Check out my new car...hehe..ya like real :)
Love the separated single seater concept... Awesome ya?

Euthanasia

Euthanasia has been a widely debated topic but I just wanted to pen my thoughts...

Euthanasia, in my opinion, should be allowed under certain circumstances. For example, patients in their advanced stages of cancer who have to go through unbearable pain both physically and mentally should be given an option to end their lives... that is if the end is known and medicine is just merely keeping them alive for another couple of days or weeks and prolonging the agony.

On the other hand, if a medical breakthrough is in the pipeline or there is a slightest chance of survival (i.e. in coma), euthanasia should not be an option at all. Life is precious not just to the patient but also to his/ her loved ones.

I also agree that the procedures and final decision should be agreed unanimously by medical practioners, patient and family.

This is just my humble view and I was just putting myself in the shoes of a patient... but I do understand that it would be tough to agree to mercy killing if you are family and you would be hoping for miracles as I would too..

Do share your views too....

Afternote: I just read an article on Switzerland being a haven for suicide or death tourism...I was taken by surprise. Do check out the two organisations in Switz who are suicide assisted groups and how they do it - Exit and Dignitas.

Some references if you are keen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assisted_suicide
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dignitas_(euthanasia_group)

My Humble Car Collection

Exhibited proudly (and safely...) in my new office :)

Ferrari Collection - 2 collections, 13 cars in all. The 2008 Collection comes with the engine sounds...Awesome yes?

Random Collection - Includes Viper, Integra, Merc and Celica

Last but definitely not the least my 2 robocars - Lamborghini Murciélago and Toyota Supra...

My Last Journey

Okie. This is gonna sound morbid..But I have always wanted to document this.

Bro JJ, You have to ensure that the following are done when I'm gone... Else, I will come after you!

When I die

1) Please DO NOT bring my body back home. I want to go straight from the mortuary to the crematorium.



2) I want a funky looking coffin (must have blue, silver and black colours). It can be an eco coffin not because i am environmentally friendly but because it looks different.

3) The coffin must be covered completely. I want everyone to remember the cheerful me and not the DEAD and LIFELESS me..

4) Dun allow any of the oldies to hug my parents or siblings and cry (in fact, the right word is wail)... No crying! (if la...)

5) Please remember...I do not owe anyone any money. I am a loan free person :)

I like this mode of transport for my last journey but dun think its available here...so I will save u the trouble...normal means will suffice.

COOL FAQs

Some interesting questions and cool answers…

1. Are all eggs laid fertilised?

A rooster is not required for a hen to lay eggs (i.e. not all eggs laid are fertilised). But a rooster is required for the eggs to be fertilised. An egg won't hatch into a baby chick unless the rooster mates with the hen.

2. Why are the clock hands in ads mostly in the 10 past 10 (or 10 to 2) position?

There are many reasons including:
- The position of the hands resemble a smile
- The hands frame the company’s logo
- It’s a creative standard industry (whatever that means…)
- It’s the time Abraham Lincoln was shot (there are reports that that’s not true and y would anyone want to use the timing for ads??)

3. There are many types of phobias. Is there a phobia of oneself?

Yes. Its called Autophobia- Fear of being alone or of oneself. The word is derived from the Greek words autos ("self") and phobos ("fear").

4. Can consumption of chicken cause headaches?

Headaches can be triggered by allergy amongst others..and some people are allergic to food such as chicken, chocolates, liver, strong cheese, milk and milk products.

5. Why are there shooting stars?

A "falling star" or a "shooting star" has nothing at all to do with a star! These amazing streaks of light you can sometimes see in the night sky are caused by tiny bits of dust and rock called meteoroids falling into the Earth's atmosphere and burning up. The short-lived trail of light the burning meteoroid produces is called a meteor. Meteors are commonly called falling stars or shooting stars. If any part of the meteoroid survives burning up and actually hits the Earth, that remaining bit is then called a meteorite) – From NASA website


6. On a statue of a war hero, does the position of the horse's legs explain how the rider died?

Not verified and many claim that its a myth, nonetheless...here it goes

All 4 legs on the ground - the rider participated in the battle, and the rider was neither killed nor wounded during the battle.

Only 3 (and one of the legs is in the air) - The rider was wounded during the battle

Only 2 (and two of the legs are in the air) - The rider was killed or mortally wounded during the battle.

7. How does the word "television" come about?

The word "Tele" comes from Greek, meaning distant, and "Vision" is from Latin, which means seeing.

Perfect Holiday

What will be your ideal holiday? These are mine.... in no particular order

1. 2 weeks in New Zealand, self drive with 2-3 travel mates - one who can read maps perfectly and the other who drives well

2. 2 weeks in Switerland all by myself - 1 week to learn skiing and venturing out on my own, and 1 week to ski, ski and more ski :)

3. 2 weeks in Africa preferably with a friend - Safari at its best and to spend the rest with the locals..

4. 2 weeks exploring Spain and Italy with a D-SLR capturing the best moments

5. 1 week in South India with my cousins, nieces and nephews roaming in the village :)

6. 3 days in Cambodia chatting away with the little ones

7. 1 week in Kashmir (which my parents will never allow me to go)

8. 3 weeks @ The Himalayas

9. 10 days in Japan spending my time pigging out

10. 2 weeks to an exotic place - Could be Mauritius, Maldives or, Costa Rica

Lessons on Women - Part 1

Lesson No 1: Do not praise one woman in front/to another (Even if it is about your Mother, sister, gal next door, colleague...its a no no)

Lesson No 2: Women do not want to hear the truth or your frank opinion though they insist you say it(when it is negative)

Lesson No 3: What she tells you may not exactly be what she is thinking or she means......like when she says "Its ok"... Its HARDLY OK... Body Language is the key.

Part 2 on the way....

Incest and revenge continues.....

Check out the book "Flowers in the Attic" by V.C Andrews. Its really worth reading.

The story is about 4 children who are locked up in a room in their grandparents house for 3 years after their father's sudden death. They live each day hoping that their grandfather (who is unaware of their existance) dies and their mother inherits all his assets...so that they can finally be free.

Just some juicy stuff from the book to whet your appetite....

- The children discovers that their father was their mother's half uncle, which is why the grandfather chased them out of his house and did not want to include his daughter in his will.

- The grandmother abuses the children verbally and physically and calls them the "Devil's Spawn"

- The mother loses interest in her children and enjoys her new life filled with luxury.

- The elder siblings starts to develop sexual feelings for each other which is understandable given that were passing through "that experimental phase in life" and the situation they were in

- The elder children are responsible and cares for and teaches the twins.

- The saddest part comes when the grandmother and mother tries to get rid of the children by lacing the suger coated doughnuts with arsenic and one of the twins dies.....(sobs)

This is only the first book. Andrew's continues the story of the children in his 3 other books. The incest continues and the thoughts of revenge intensifies in his second book "Petals on the Wind". at the same time, the elder siblings follow their dreams... to be a doctor and a prima ballerina.

So do check it out...

I have two more books to go...

You can read more about the book in wikipedia.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowers_in_the_attic

Gokz Log House

Built from scratch using wood panels and ice cream sticks (ran out of wood panels)... thought the DIY package had pre-cut pieces and I had to just glue them together ... but the box came with just different types of wood panels and rods and instructions written in Japanese. Lots of measuring, sawing and blisters involved...

Quite a challenge.... nonetheless enjoyed building it :)

Presenting to you - Gokz Log House

Pagani Zonda F Roadstar

I am not exactly a car fanatic... but this exotic machine caught my attention. This beauty has a nice masculine look with curves at the right places...I fell in love with it instantly...Love at the first sight :)

Pagani produces only 25 of these beauties every year and I believe it costs about $1.8m.

Vital Statistics

- 0-200 km/h in 9.8 secs (instants later the 300 km/h mark can also be exceeded – all topless)

- 7.3-litre AMG-tuned Mercedes-Benz V12 engine producing 650bhp and 780Nm

- Weight Distribution: 46% front and 54% rear

Currently ranked No 1 in Gokz Dream Cars Chart..

Adventures in LA

1. Got lost on my first day in LA... sob sob... Had an ice cream float @ Denny's for dinner (at 12 midnight) while trying to read the map... can't believe I walked from 9pm to 2am...


2. Went for a spin in a cool black Porsche with the top down.... An unforgettable experience. Thanks to a new found fren (",)


3. Enjoyed shopping @ Disney Downtown and watching the kids walking out from the bear workshop looking extremely pleased with their "self-designed"bears (latest accessories for teddy bears - roller skates...)

4. Met a cute, brilliant, 3 - year old Mexican girl who kept me entertained on my way to LAX. She spoke and sang so beautifully in Mexican that the one hour journey in the stuffy shuttle service didn bother me at all.

5. Met the real Uncle of "Phoebe" from the show "Friends". Interesting personality who was trying very hard to to convince me to get married to some rich men in Toronto... had a tough time running away from him.

Overall, the 2 days stay in Anaheim was great though I didn visit any of the known attractions...

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Best of Albuquerque...

Read from one of their official websites that Albuquerque is known for its balloon festival attracting more than 700 balloonists and hundreds of thousands of spectators to Albuquerque every October. The weather in Albuquerque makes it a suitable place for hot air ballooning...

Albuquerque lies 5000 feet above sea level (i think) and has a desert climate. I enjoyed the strong winds the best. Gives you a sense of freedom and happiness :>

Some of the photos taken during my stay there.... Visited the Old Town and the Sandia Casino...heard Sandia Peak and the mountains are nice but I didn have enuf time to get around..

Simple Pleasures in Life

Latest Toy


Just got this cool mini phone from Thailand (Thanks Da Jie!)

Weighs just 64g and looks just like a portable small MP3 player.

Comes with most of the functionalities including MP3 player, FM tuner, mini SD card slot etc. No camera or video capabilities though... great for those who are banned from carrying camera phones into their office premises yet desires to maintain the cool n hip image :P

No complains so far other than spending 30 minutes trying to figure out how to switch the language from Thai to English. Thanks to online translation services.

Next Toy: Digital SLR ??? Hee hee ...