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 ...

Aloha !

An awesome place that you should visit :)

Inviting beaches. Cool people. Great weather. Rich polynesian culture.

My recommendations (just to name a few....)

1. Waikiki Beach - Great for surfing or even if you want to just take a walk. Try to join the folks for a traditional hula dance in the evening by the beach. All photos will turn out great even if you are a terrible photgrapher like me :)

2. USS Arizona Memorial/ Pearl Harbour - Really touching. The memorial is built across the breadth of the remains of Arizona and you will be able to see the sunken battleship from the bridge. You will definitely meet families of those who lost their lives serving the nation.

3. Atlantis Submarine - You must try the submarine. Submarine goes down 100 feet where you will see marine life amongst the sunken ships and structures. Its a deep experience.

4. Hanauma Bay - Hanauma means Curved Bay. If my memory didn fail me. Its actually a crater formed after many volcanic explosions. It is a great for snorkeling but usually crowded.

5. Polynesian Cultural Center - A lively place full of vibrant colours. You can visit the various mini-islands representing the 7 different polynesian cultures. Catch the canoe pageants (simply breathtaking) and the show with dinner served.

6. Summit of Diamond Head - A manageable hike (0.7 mile). When you reach the summit, you will be well rewarded with a breathtaking panaromic view and a certificate of completion.

7. Waikele Premium Outlets - A must go... to get the best deals but it is pretty far from the waikiki area . There are lots of shopping outlets in Waikiki itself too

Unbelievable but true, I saw this "car" parked at one of the lots... wonder if it is just a static display...

5 things I miss most about being a child

1. Dining with my family (remember pushing the vegetables to my sis when my dad was not looking as we were not allowed to leave anything on our plates)

2. Lying on my mum's lap whenever I am depressed (Now, I have to compete with my niece n nephew n I lose all the time).

3. Riding pillion on my dad's motorbike (Now he refuses...maybe cos I am much heavier now)

4. Playing with the other children in the neighbourhood (and of course doing all the notty stuff)

5. Going to school (Minus the exams n getting parents to sign the report card/book)

Cambodia - Siam Reap

Cambodia is one of my personal favourites when it comes to travelling. I spent less than a week in Siam Reap (where the Angkor Wat Temples are) but I am looking forward to my next visit to the nice cosy town where I could just spend hours sitting in a cafe by the paved streets with a nice chilled cocktail and watch the world go by.




Things you should do:


1. Visit the temples (Of course...) - Be mentally and physically prepared for lots of climbing. You will overcome your fear of heights after climbing up and down a couple of temples. Steps up the temple are steep, narrow and worn out. But the temples are lovely and the architecture is awesome. You will be amazed how they built these temples in a century where there were no cranes and all that sophisticated machinery.

2. Spend time with the locals especially the children - They are entrepreneurial at a young age and they sure know how to win your heart. They are simply adorable and love to chat with you. They will ask you for your name and the country you are from and tell you what is the capital of that country. They speak in English fluently and expect to hear the same set of questions. Sometimes you wonder if they teach "Speaking to Tourists" as a module in school.


3. Visit The Blue Pumpkin Cafe - Decorated in simple white, I just love the long sofas at the side of the walls. A cool hangout for the young at heart to have some ice-cream, sip your smoothie and stretch your legs after all that climbing. U deserve the treat. Believe me.


4. Have at least one meal at the "Dead Fish" - Choose a table just next to the live crocodiles (yes. they keep them inside the restaurant) and watch them... watching you eat... with their jaws wide open.





5. Visit the Landmine Museum - A personal collection of landmines. I have never seen this many mines stashed everywhere. When you see signs that read "Danger. Mines.", trust me, you wouldn dare to step into that area. I do not know if the signs within the museum premises were meant to be a joke but I didn want to leave my limbs behind.






6. Visit a new eatery every meal - Lots of restaurants especially french cuisine. The ambience inside the restaurants is just warm and welcoming. Food is generally is scrumptious. So go for it! Watch out for the ice cubes though. The ice blocks are carried from one place to another in bicycles and trucks in the open. Could cause upset tummies.

So if you do choose to visit Cambodia, go free and easy and take your time to walk down the streets. Have Fun!!

Mount Kinabalu

My first trekking adventure....

Can't believe I actually agreed to follow my friends on this trip. It was one prolonged torturous climb - One steep slope leading to yet another. There were times when I had to go on all fours. Fortunately no leeches nor snakes...Yeeks!

I recall my first night camping in container bunk with no heater (Believe the temperature dropped to zero!!!). Heat pads and warm clothing was all I had and I remember all curled up in bed, completely frozen including my brains and limbs (Lesson Learnt: Plan early and secure the heated rooms) ...

More surprises or rather challenges were waiting for us the next day.... Started the day at 2am. The air was really thin and we could hardly take more than ten steps without stopping for a breather. Finally reached the peak after hours of crawling. But...the effort was really worth it when I reached the Low's peak (4092m above sea level). The view was just simply magnificant and a sense of achievement just clouds your mind making you forget the hardship n pain.... Till u look down n u feel your legs go limp n wobbly...

Glad that I made it to the peak. Will I do it again??...maybe.. just to have the feeling of being on top of the world, looking down on Mother Nature's creations :)

Past Life

Exactly one year since I got my hypnotherapist certification a year back. Took up the course more for interest and to help people around me. I will always remember my first client (during training) cos it really freaked me out...

My client was generally an uptight person and she was afraid of the dark. Whenever she finds herself in the dark, her heart tightens and she finds it really difficult to breathe and she wanted to be free from this feeling. So we (Me and my buddy) brought her down into hypnosis to get into the root of the problem, intensified the feeling of being alone in the dark, afraid and next thing we knew, she went into her past life... She was a small girl, all alone and in the dark, in the middle of the sea. She recalled that the water was cold and her limbs started to freeze, and her heart tightened. Couple of seconds later, she was floating in the sea, dead...By then, I was completely devastated and was close to tears. That explained her fear for darkness and the emotions she experienced in this life. My trainer performed proper ascension and strengthened her. When she woke up, she took a while to recover from the shock but we could see that she was a completely changed person. A much light hearted and happier individual knowing that everything that had happened was in the past and she had to be strong. I still have chills running down my spine whenever I think of the lady. What an experience.... and I was glad that I was able to help her :)

Hi Hi

I am extremely pleased with myself for creating this blog...finally :) Hope to share some of my adventures and thoughts through this blog...


Stay tuned ....