Tag Archives: Travel

Just a little something we got from Singgahsana, Kuching.

The Rainforest post will be coming up soon, but for now …

something to stir your travel senses.

Makes you just want to take off again, unplanned, isn’t it?

However these days, the $ is king.

As I have recently learned, putting aside $ for travels in advance renders you

effectively … broke now. Freelancing is perfect for scheduling flexibility but a pain

in the uknowwhere for upfront & necessary moolah.

Also, not being single anymore, while great, means quite something else

while travelling (as a couple). You kind of are unable to bunk on friends’ sofas

etc here, there & everywhere. So do that kind of travelling while you are

all free and easy. Couch surfing is fun.

Ah, pros & cons, bumblebees. Pros and cons.

xo

It was exactly four years ago that I went to the Rainforest World Music Festival

in Kuching. I can say that with absolute precision because I remember

us watching some matches there. It was so fun that I danced almost a year’s

worth of dancing. Every night. I must lower my expectations this time around,

because well, they say the festival gets more commercial and expensive as the

years go by, but whatever it is I will relish the time in Sarawak.

I always do!

This time around the bookings and all were made a lonnnnggggg time ago, and even

if I am definitely not prepared to go (and feeling guilty as well), I will go today and

hope to dance a little more.

And even though some people might be calling me to say Eh WOMAN TAKE
THAT PICTURE DOWN,

I shall show you how some friends of mine ended up watching the World Cup

at the end of the Rainforest Festival four years ago.

Bromance + World Cup = Blissful Sleep

I swear there was an arm flung around that body but somehow I don’t have that

shot.

The wonderful Zehan was supposed to come along (boo hoo) but I am sure I’ll

have fun with her lovely twin Alia as well.

Okay I am supposed to pick her up within the hour OOops. Good bye and have a

good weekend, bumblebees!

xo

.

.

PS- Speaking of the World Cup, Matahari Books has this cool project

where writers have a go at covering the WC matches, and I was invited

to do the Holland-Uruguay match, so if you fancy a bit of futbol(ish)

writing, see here.

For my close friends, do have a read and try to guess who is who, tapi

not aloud lah ya ;)

xo

On a day like today
How could one
be anything but happy?
The sun on the grass
The squeeze of the hands
The surprise boat ride
under the mighty bridge

On a day like today
How could one
be anything but beaming?
The thought for friends
The pressing of sore feet
The random, delightful
chats with strangers

On a day like today
How could one
be anything but brand new?
The bittersweet embraces
The imminent goodbyes
Buttered by the whispers
that I am your girl.

I have heard what some say about New Yorkers – that

they are less friendly, more brash, etc etc.

But I really don’t see it that way at all.

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Weather was not too good the last two days but I was happy

to be out walking on the streets. Went out on my own to do

some personal research and meet up with my darling friend

Ana, who lives here now.

While walking along and around 6th Avenue, I got several cheery

hellos despite the gloomy day.

One guy just beamed from the side, did a slight wave and went

‘Hello!’

‘Hi!’ I said back.

Walked a bit further and came to a corner. Whipped out

my map because I wanted to check the name of the street

I needed. Barely a minute later this man with a baseball

cap stopped walking in front of me, backtracked and

went “You okay honey? You lost or something?”

“I’m just looking for Sullivan Street?”

And he proceeded to tell me where, and how.

“Thank you so much!”

“No problem at all sweetheart,” he said with a smile, walking away.

 

Five minutes later, walking on Sullivan Street, this Spanish (I think)

guy with moustache and cap on a bicycle rides by and goes

“Hi mami” with a smile. And not in a douchebag sort of way.

I thought to myself .. ‘Wow, in London I’d just getting grumpy

grunts right now.’ (Or no grunts at all) Hehe.

Walking out of the shop later, these girls in front of me,

who look like dancers, giggle about something

in unison.

Three of them have their hair tied up in buns.

All of us walk by this gorgeous woman wearing

Louboutins and patterned tights. She’s exquisitely dressed.

We all turn to look at her, admiring her beautiful shoes.

A while later, this cheerful man who seems to be humming the McDonald’s

“Pa da pa pa pa” tune says “Hey” as he passes me by.

“Hello,” I reply ever so happily.

I could really get used to this.

 

Maybe it was just a nice day. (Despite the weather)

Maybe it was also cause I was super smiley myself that day.

Maybe my cheeks were super pink and I looked like an

umbrella-carrying 10-yr-old

lost in New York or something.

 

Or maybe it was just good that way.

Just good.

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The views from the Empire State Building last night.

Spectacular sights. The winds were brutal though.

Totally recommended.

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Yeah, I really do.

After that we would traipse into a bar on West 3rd Street

located opposite the legendary Blue Note (line was too long,

couldn’t be arsed to queue). We then discovered the karaoke

lounge located inside it. Suffice to say, it turned out to be a pretty

good night. Never sang karaoke in public like that before,

but I was to do it thrice. And with some new NY friends.

NY less friendly?

You kidding me?

 

 

The sun’s shining today. And with that, it’s bye bye for now.

Time to hit the museums.

Travelling without learning new things is like drinking

Coke without the fizz.

A bit pointless, isn’t it?

I’m coming, Sunshine!

xo

We are on our last leg, not too long before we end in DC. The road trip portion where we had our own car is over, we returned that vehicle in Boston.

I am now on megabus, which has wifi. Brilliant. I see NYC in the distance. In the sunshine it gleams, so powerful and strong. I have always loved London and always will, those four years are part of my being … but this mighty city of New York is calling out strong.
It is thumping its chest, showing me its sinews, roaring I’m here girl, let me school you!

School me, New York, show me what dreams are made of.

Yes folks, I eat when I’m happy, and I’ve been a-pigging it out plenty.

Wolfed down an awesome serving of Southern (well, Nawlins) Fried Chicken

AND a beignet a few hours ago.

The lack of updates is basically because I don’t live my life

on the Internet. Lah.

But some pictures and points today, that I can do.

It’s been amazing so far, this lil road trip.

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With baby PJ in LA, before we headed out East.

Look at those eyes. She’s a mini Dakota Fanning, this beauty.

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Angie was in my last post, here are my other two roadtrip buddies -

Marc & Anis. How cute are they? ;)   These three have been

so wonderful. They have also been encouraging when it comes to

eating more, 

talking to men (ahem)

and indulging my murderous moods. 

 

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We have been driving a lot. But taking in all the gorgeous scenery,

and singing all kinds of songs on the way.

This is a sunset on the way from Phoenix,

Arizona, to Fort Stockton, Texas.
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In New Orleans. I’ve been so inspired by this city, truly. And to think

we were initially going to skip this one – I would have been devastated!

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Live jazz and blues at the Apple Barrel bar, a little delight (and

dubbed as Frenchmen Street’s best-kept secret!) that

kept our grateful attention after a night of some misses. Musical heaven,

totally recommended.
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This one deserves a posting or two all on its own.

A creation of the Make it Right project at the Lower 9th Ward in NO,

one of the worst affected areas. I’m all abuzz about what I’ve

been learning and thinking about Katrina, New Orleans, loyalty,

and love. Can’t wait to write about it.

Soon … soon enough :)

For now, it’s time to menghayati the travels to come.

 

Oh, random piece of info: I’m going to watch ‘Where the Wild

Things Are’ very soon! Yippeekayayyyy :)

Beyond excited because it seems like I’ve been waiting forever for

it to come out. I think I just may explode with joy

after watching it – and if you never hear from me again

it’s because I have died and gone blissfully to dreamyfilm heaven.

xo

 

 

 

PS-  Thank you so much for your e-mails, sweetness & suggestions,

you know who you are, and I’m most grateful. Will reply soon &

do give me your addresses – I’ll send postcards ;)

It’s a Sunday, and it’s the day I leave for my American

adventures.

Will be away for a good few weeks, and may pop in

here once in a while … but not too often, because 

saya percaya akan proses penghayatan pengembaraan

dengan sepenuhnya.

To smell the breeze, to touch the flowers, to fully engage

in conversations at the very moment and time.

 

It’s a Sunday, and I’ve been revisiting The Sundays recently

with much joy and daydreaming.

Harriet, your voice makes me think of fairies dancing in

the meadows. I miss your voice!

 

Here’s a song that’s had many reincarnations: The Rolling

Stones sang it first (the saddest), and Alicia Keys and Adam Levine

covered it (more soulful), and many many (no kidding) other artists

gave their own interpretations … but Harriet …

well Little Miss Dreamy’s version just makes you feel like throwing

your arms up in the sky, eyes closed, smiling.

And that’s the state of mind I leave you with today.

 

 

 

Have a good October folks.

Let’s do some living, before we die, indeed.

xo

I came back from Borneo on Saturday a little

depressed.

After a week of fresh air, the rainforests and some

truly beautiful people, somehow highways,

air conditioning and the Internet 

all feel a little bit alien right now. 

I know I’m going to get right back into it …

but maybe I don’t want to?

 

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With Penan children in Long Lamai, Sarawak. This picture was taken by

Langkau Fiction, whom I am now pleased and honored to call my friend.

 

More on this coming up.

xo

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There’s going to be loads of Joyce Mamasan’s pictures on this post, because

she was my muse on this trip to Saigon, Vietnam.

Muse, and only willing model, I guess ;)

 

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She arrived in Saigon a day earlier than me because well,
in not too many words, I f*cked up.
Anyhoo, I came, we did the little celebratory dance,
and went off to see the sites.
Walking the streets of Saigon is just a treat.
It was my first time in Vietnam, and I’m thrilled to tick off
another socialist state of my 5 socialist countries to visit.
Not that many left, just Laos and (gulp) North Korea.
Er, let’s just visit Laos and then just call it quits lah kan.
I’m looking for adventures but not of the solitary confinement
kind.

 

We stayed at this lovely little place called Miss Loi’s Guesthouse.
It’s really my kind of place, & it took a bit of research to find.

Well worth it though. Clean, cute (though a wee bit gaudy)
and cheap, and it’s in a not-so touristy area, yet close
enough to the spots you want to get to. Ace.

 

 

The first night, we plonked ourselves at the Saigon
Saigon Bar at the Caravelle Hotel, a historical establishment really,
because all the writers & reporters covering the Vietnam War used to
file their stories from this delightful little bar. (SMILE & SIGH)
On this night we breathed in the cool night air, listened to an
entertaining salsa band and stared at some very hot and sexy dancers.

Good fun.

 

The next day, we walked (and this is no exaggeration) around
District Three like we owned the entire area. LOL

At the Xa Loi Pagoda, the epicentre of the monks' rebellion in the 1960s

At the Xa Loi Pagoda, the epicentre of the monks' rebellion in the 1960s

 

 

Remember this iconic picture below?

The self-immolation of Thich Quang Duc photographed by Malcolm Browne

The self-immolation of Thich Quang Duc photographed by Malcolm Browne

 

I’ll always remember this photo from my childhood because
it was in my parents’ big TIME photography coffee book.
It was therefore a bit surreal for me to be standing there,
where Thich Quang Duc burned himself to death, his face
so peaceful, so zen despite the great flames engulfing him.

 

The memorial to Thich Quang Duc

The memorial to Thích Quảng Đức

 

This memorial dedicated to the revered monk is located at a busy intersection
near Xa Loi, where the self-immolation took place.

The thing is that this country is always talked about
in the Vietnam War context, but man has it been suffering
for quite a while pre and post VW. The battles and wars never did seem
to end, as we were to find out from our Cu Chi Tunnels guide Mr Binh
the next day.

What a colourful character, that man.

 

 

 

 

 

[To be continued in Tales from Vietnam ... ]