'Lang bi lang ki si lang..'
This is a hokkien phrase that my mum use a lot.
Basically it means literally 'people compare people will only make people die of anger...'
Life has not been great since I got back.
Work problems lah what else...
Anyway, I try to keep reminding myself when the going gets tough of the poor people in India.
I tell myself...'You are lucky. You have shelter. You have a job that pays for your food and bills....You are damn freaking lucky.'
I know it is not just me with problems.
WE all have our own problems.
When you compare yourself with the less fortunate, you become complacent.
When you compare with the more fortunate, you feel like a loser.
We can never win when we make comparisons.
We should stop comparing.
Stop envying and start living.
The only Enemy we have is ourselves.
PS - Having said that life is not great. It actually could be worse. Because many many good things have happened since I got back (we just need one bad thing to make us forget all the good ones.)
God's little blessings...
I met up with my cousins over the Easter weekend. It was an amazing feeling to see everyone.
I finally made it to Tate Modern! It is inspiring to know that you have to be mental to be a genius.
I was feeling really really super upset on Wed when Grace texted me to say she is in Birm on Thurs. Felt like God knew I needed a friend and sent Grace to Birm.
I had like a most amazing FREE meal at The Bank yesterday. I don't normally eat chocolate or finish my dessert after a 2 course meal but the chocolate fondant was so good I finished it in like 3minutes!
So life is not great but it is not that bad, really...
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Our Story
What we think of someone is just a 'story' we made up in our heads about that someone...
What someone thinks about you is just another 'story' they made up in their heads about you...
Impressions...judgements...biasness...are all but 'stories' people make in their heads.
We cannot change the story in other people's heads..
But we can change the stories in our head.
Instead of creating bad stories of others, we can actually create good stories about others.
All it takes is one bad thing to create a really bad story.
Just like all it takes is one 'difficult' person to make your life miserable at work.
At the end of the day what really matters is the story we want to create for ourselves.
What someone thinks about you is just another 'story' they made up in their heads about you...
Impressions...judgements...biasness...are all but 'stories' people make in their heads.
We cannot change the story in other people's heads..
But we can change the stories in our head.
Instead of creating bad stories of others, we can actually create good stories about others.
All it takes is one bad thing to create a really bad story.
Just like all it takes is one 'difficult' person to make your life miserable at work.
At the end of the day what really matters is the story we want to create for ourselves.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
The Great Northern India Escape
Prologue
I will try to keep the narrative of this entry short and let the photos speak for itself.
A big thank you to my little bro and his friends for having me tag along in their Indian Adventures. It has been a very humbling and rich experience.
Unforgettable...
Chapter 1 - The Rajasthan Desserts
After a very much delayed flight from Zurich, the flight from Delhi to Jodhpur was delayed as well!!! Felt like I would never get to Jodhpur.
Finally I did arrive at The Blue City in the end where the adventure began...
I love this chair so much. I wish I could put in my Pocket and bring it home.
At Mehrangarh Fort..
Ommelette shop recommended by Lonely Planet book. (which was the 'bible' of the trip and everyone in The Entourage had a copy of the book except me)
I personally thought it was over rated but it was good enough to feed us hungry people.
Jaiselmer..
Our adventures in the Rajasthan dessert..
Brokeback pose..
My camel Maya..
The camel ride was actually quite uncomfy. Probably more so for the boys. I still can't believe I have been into the dessert and rode on a camel!
Meeting a fellow Korean tourist dressed up like Ali Baba. He was absolutely hillarious.
Camping in the dessert...
The chefs..
Enjoying the 'small' happiness of life (quote from Sing Cher)- dessert food.
The dessert was hot but not as hot as I thought it would be.
It was amazing to sleep beneath the stars and wake up to the sunrise in the dessert.
The dessert gave me a very empty lonely feeling. Perhaps it wasn't the dessert. It was me, especially after reading The Alchemist.
I read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho during my wait for my much delayed flight from Birm-Zurich-Munich-Delhi-Jodhpur. Felt like a appropriate book to read as I was going to visit the Rajasthan desserts. It is a book about finding one's destiny. I think it is one of those books that is definitely a must read and I would definitely love to read it again and again. I wish I knew my 'destiny'. How many of us actually know what our destiny in this life is? Perhaps destiny is just a human creation to comfort or motivate oneself? But one thing is for certain nothing is impossible in life if we put our heart and mind into it. I think at the end of the day we create our own destiny and God guides us through it.
Chapter 2 - Undying Love of Shah Jahan
The Taj Mahal
The Entourage (missing Nadia, Eric and moi)
India is such a rich country. Rich in culture and history. It used to be one of the greatest civilisation in the world. It is heart wrenching to have been there and witness the extreme poverty of many of its people. Children and women begging in the streets. Homeless people sleeping in the streets. The disparity between the rich and the poor is probably one of the biggest in the world. They say poverty there is because it is such a huge country with a huge population. It is the poverty trap where the poor with no means to birth control have more children whom they could not afford to support. As India's IT success have led to the birth of many rich young Indians, the rich in India become richer and the poor becomes poorer. And the evil cycle continues...is there hope for the poor in India?
Chapter 3 - Amritsar and Attari
The Sikh Golden Temple.
I love the Golden Temple. There is something very serene just sitting by the man made holy lake that was said to cure lepers.
Delish Punjabi food.
The most delish fish briyani at Krystal Restaurant.
With Sing Cher at the Indian-Pakistan border - Attari...
We went there to watch the soldiers from each country try to outdo each other in their marching. Felt like going to watch a concert. There were lots of people cheering and dancing. Something like this can only happen in India where you have to expect the unexpected.
I have known Sing Cher since I was 6. She is my oldest friend. It is amazing to see Northern India with this a good friend who is one of the most determined person I know who never stopped chasing her dreams and living her life to make her dreams come true! You go girl!
Chapter 4 - Further North We Go
I have always dreamt of visiting the Himalayans. Going to Dharamsala and seeing the Himalayan mountains with my own eyes is like a dream come true. It was a bumpy bus and jeep ride to get there but definitely worth it. I like Mc Leod Ganj. The people there are lovely. It is a nice change from the hustle and bustle of the bigger cities.
Dharamsala
Happy Smiley monk with prayer wheels.
Hearty Tibetan meal.
Momos (Tibetan dumplings)
Tibetan Mi Hun Kueh!
One of the highlights of trip to Mc Leod Ganj (especially for the boys) is going to Lung Ta (vegetarian Japanese restaurant).
It felt great to taste Japanese food 3000 plus feet above sea level.
The boys were smitten by the cute daughter of Lung Ta.
Yummy Cakes
The Peaceful Tibetan March..
I don't know who is right or wrong in the Tibetan issue because there is always 2 sides to a coin. But I did shed a tear after visiting the Tibetan museum at Mc Leod Ganj. I do feel sorry for the Tibetan people and angry at some of the persecuted ones. Let's pray that the unrest in Tibet will cease and a resolution can be made between the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government.
Chapter 5 - Skiing in India
Manali is a place where the locals go for their honeymoons. Just like how mum and dad went to Genting for their honeymoon.
Tibetan Steam boat
Went skiing at Solang.
Skiing is hard. I find the ski really heavy. Maybe I should get lighter ones next time I do it. I felt really stupid as I still can't do it right and I told the instructor and he said we are all good at different things. He is such a sweetie.
Chapter 6 - Back to Delhi
Shimla was the last Northern town we stopped before going back to Delhi. It felt like Cameron Highlands. It was really clean there compared to the other Indian cities. The buildings there were very British as this town used to be a summer retreat for the British expats and also the maharajas. Like Manali, it is a local honeymoon destination.
Took the scenic train from Shimla to Kalka.
The last train I took in India was an air condition(AC) train from Kalka to Delhi.
My first AC train in India! For the past few weeks we have been travelling in non AC train.
Everyone's face lit up in the AC train! Food was served in the train as well. Felt almost like in an airplane. The little things in life that you appreciate loads when you are in India.
Some pics in my final stop of this trip - Delhi:
At Karim's - the highly recommended restaurant in Delhi! This is a family business whose ancestors cooked for the royal family in India. There was much anticipation and expectation since we have heard so much about it.
The food received mix reviews from the entourage.
I thought it was average and a wee bit too oily. It reminded me of the curry rendang served at Malay weddings in Malaysia and I have tasted better ones. But I still think it is worth going if you are in Delhi and judge the food for yourself.
Jama Masjed and Delhi fort.
A tribute to the Strong Rickshaw Drivers of India.
The Indian government is planning to ban Rickshaws in India. On our last day, some of us saw how a rickshaw driver was stopped and abused by the police. His rickshaw tyre was punctured. Poor man, he was only earning an honest livelihood. If the plans to ban rickshaws were to go ahead, so many would lose their jobs and worsen the poverty problem in India.
Delhi is probably my least favourite of all the places I have been. Maybe it was because it was the last stop and I was feeling a sense of lost that the much looked forward trip has came to an end.
Epilogue
Going to India felt like time had stopped and I was transported back in time into a whole new different world. India turned out to be much much more chaotic that I imagined it to be.
I was in absolutely shocked by the traffic when I first arrive. The frequency of the use of horn in India. The constant beeping in the busy streets. People just cut through roads like it belongs to their grandfather. And I was absolutely fascinated by the sight of a camel on the busy roads!
India is a very colourful city.
Everything there is so cheap but when you are in India you have to learn the India way of shopping. Bargaining is a way of life in India. You have to always always reduce the asking price by half, and never look too interested even when you see something you really like.If all else fails pretend to walk away and almost always the shop keeper will call you back and give you a pretty good deal.
I didn't shop that much in India because I felt bad about spending money after seeing so many of these people living in poverty.I have a post it note in my head to donate some money to the Mother Theresa charity.
I was moneyless throughout the India trip as I transfered some money into my brother's Indian bank for the trip. So whenever I had to ask my bro for money, I will ask myself if I really need to buy that something and if I really truly needed to buy that something. Very often the answer is no. It is almost always a want, not a need but it is hard sometimes not to succumb to the temptation of getting something we want especially if we can easily afford it.
India makes you appreciate a lot of things you have in life.
You learn to be thankful of the little happiness in life that you are blessed with.
It makes you want to do more with your life.
Goodbye India. Till next time..
Namaste.
I will try to keep the narrative of this entry short and let the photos speak for itself.
A big thank you to my little bro and his friends for having me tag along in their Indian Adventures. It has been a very humbling and rich experience.
Unforgettable...
Chapter 1 - The Rajasthan Desserts
After a very much delayed flight from Zurich, the flight from Delhi to Jodhpur was delayed as well!!! Felt like I would never get to Jodhpur.
Finally I did arrive at The Blue City in the end where the adventure began...
I love this chair so much. I wish I could put in my Pocket and bring it home.
At Mehrangarh Fort..
Ommelette shop recommended by Lonely Planet book. (which was the 'bible' of the trip and everyone in The Entourage had a copy of the book except me)
I personally thought it was over rated but it was good enough to feed us hungry people.
Jaiselmer..
Our adventures in the Rajasthan dessert..
Brokeback pose..
My camel Maya..
The camel ride was actually quite uncomfy. Probably more so for the boys. I still can't believe I have been into the dessert and rode on a camel!
Meeting a fellow Korean tourist dressed up like Ali Baba. He was absolutely hillarious.
Camping in the dessert...
The chefs..
Enjoying the 'small' happiness of life (quote from Sing Cher)- dessert food.
The dessert was hot but not as hot as I thought it would be.
It was amazing to sleep beneath the stars and wake up to the sunrise in the dessert.
The dessert gave me a very empty lonely feeling. Perhaps it wasn't the dessert. It was me, especially after reading The Alchemist.
I read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho during my wait for my much delayed flight from Birm-Zurich-Munich-Delhi-Jodhpur. Felt like a appropriate book to read as I was going to visit the Rajasthan desserts. It is a book about finding one's destiny. I think it is one of those books that is definitely a must read and I would definitely love to read it again and again. I wish I knew my 'destiny'. How many of us actually know what our destiny in this life is? Perhaps destiny is just a human creation to comfort or motivate oneself? But one thing is for certain nothing is impossible in life if we put our heart and mind into it. I think at the end of the day we create our own destiny and God guides us through it.
Chapter 2 - Undying Love of Shah Jahan
The Taj Mahal
The Entourage (missing Nadia, Eric and moi)
India is such a rich country. Rich in culture and history. It used to be one of the greatest civilisation in the world. It is heart wrenching to have been there and witness the extreme poverty of many of its people. Children and women begging in the streets. Homeless people sleeping in the streets. The disparity between the rich and the poor is probably one of the biggest in the world. They say poverty there is because it is such a huge country with a huge population. It is the poverty trap where the poor with no means to birth control have more children whom they could not afford to support. As India's IT success have led to the birth of many rich young Indians, the rich in India become richer and the poor becomes poorer. And the evil cycle continues...is there hope for the poor in India?
Chapter 3 - Amritsar and Attari
The Sikh Golden Temple.
I love the Golden Temple. There is something very serene just sitting by the man made holy lake that was said to cure lepers.
Delish Punjabi food.
The most delish fish briyani at Krystal Restaurant.
With Sing Cher at the Indian-Pakistan border - Attari...
We went there to watch the soldiers from each country try to outdo each other in their marching. Felt like going to watch a concert. There were lots of people cheering and dancing. Something like this can only happen in India where you have to expect the unexpected.
I have known Sing Cher since I was 6. She is my oldest friend. It is amazing to see Northern India with this a good friend who is one of the most determined person I know who never stopped chasing her dreams and living her life to make her dreams come true! You go girl!
Chapter 4 - Further North We Go
I have always dreamt of visiting the Himalayans. Going to Dharamsala and seeing the Himalayan mountains with my own eyes is like a dream come true. It was a bumpy bus and jeep ride to get there but definitely worth it. I like Mc Leod Ganj. The people there are lovely. It is a nice change from the hustle and bustle of the bigger cities.
Dharamsala
Happy Smiley monk with prayer wheels.
Hearty Tibetan meal.
Momos (Tibetan dumplings)
Tibetan Mi Hun Kueh!
One of the highlights of trip to Mc Leod Ganj (especially for the boys) is going to Lung Ta (vegetarian Japanese restaurant).
It felt great to taste Japanese food 3000 plus feet above sea level.
The boys were smitten by the cute daughter of Lung Ta.
Yummy Cakes
The Peaceful Tibetan March..
I don't know who is right or wrong in the Tibetan issue because there is always 2 sides to a coin. But I did shed a tear after visiting the Tibetan museum at Mc Leod Ganj. I do feel sorry for the Tibetan people and angry at some of the persecuted ones. Let's pray that the unrest in Tibet will cease and a resolution can be made between the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government.
Chapter 5 - Skiing in India
Manali is a place where the locals go for their honeymoons. Just like how mum and dad went to Genting for their honeymoon.
Tibetan Steam boat
Went skiing at Solang.
Skiing is hard. I find the ski really heavy. Maybe I should get lighter ones next time I do it. I felt really stupid as I still can't do it right and I told the instructor and he said we are all good at different things. He is such a sweetie.
Chapter 6 - Back to Delhi
Shimla was the last Northern town we stopped before going back to Delhi. It felt like Cameron Highlands. It was really clean there compared to the other Indian cities. The buildings there were very British as this town used to be a summer retreat for the British expats and also the maharajas. Like Manali, it is a local honeymoon destination.
Took the scenic train from Shimla to Kalka.
The last train I took in India was an air condition(AC) train from Kalka to Delhi.
My first AC train in India! For the past few weeks we have been travelling in non AC train.
Everyone's face lit up in the AC train! Food was served in the train as well. Felt almost like in an airplane. The little things in life that you appreciate loads when you are in India.
Some pics in my final stop of this trip - Delhi:
At Karim's - the highly recommended restaurant in Delhi! This is a family business whose ancestors cooked for the royal family in India. There was much anticipation and expectation since we have heard so much about it.
The food received mix reviews from the entourage.
I thought it was average and a wee bit too oily. It reminded me of the curry rendang served at Malay weddings in Malaysia and I have tasted better ones. But I still think it is worth going if you are in Delhi and judge the food for yourself.
Jama Masjed and Delhi fort.
A tribute to the Strong Rickshaw Drivers of India.
The Indian government is planning to ban Rickshaws in India. On our last day, some of us saw how a rickshaw driver was stopped and abused by the police. His rickshaw tyre was punctured. Poor man, he was only earning an honest livelihood. If the plans to ban rickshaws were to go ahead, so many would lose their jobs and worsen the poverty problem in India.
Delhi is probably my least favourite of all the places I have been. Maybe it was because it was the last stop and I was feeling a sense of lost that the much looked forward trip has came to an end.
Epilogue
Going to India felt like time had stopped and I was transported back in time into a whole new different world. India turned out to be much much more chaotic that I imagined it to be.
I was in absolutely shocked by the traffic when I first arrive. The frequency of the use of horn in India. The constant beeping in the busy streets. People just cut through roads like it belongs to their grandfather. And I was absolutely fascinated by the sight of a camel on the busy roads!
India is a very colourful city.
Everything there is so cheap but when you are in India you have to learn the India way of shopping. Bargaining is a way of life in India. You have to always always reduce the asking price by half, and never look too interested even when you see something you really like.If all else fails pretend to walk away and almost always the shop keeper will call you back and give you a pretty good deal.
I didn't shop that much in India because I felt bad about spending money after seeing so many of these people living in poverty.I have a post it note in my head to donate some money to the Mother Theresa charity.
I was moneyless throughout the India trip as I transfered some money into my brother's Indian bank for the trip. So whenever I had to ask my bro for money, I will ask myself if I really need to buy that something and if I really truly needed to buy that something. Very often the answer is no. It is almost always a want, not a need but it is hard sometimes not to succumb to the temptation of getting something we want especially if we can easily afford it.
India makes you appreciate a lot of things you have in life.
You learn to be thankful of the little happiness in life that you are blessed with.
It makes you want to do more with your life.
Goodbye India. Till next time..
Namaste.
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