Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Friday, June 12, 2015

Sunday, February 01, 2015

Travel: London, Paris, Brussel, Amsterdam (Oct'14)

http://boon-europe-2014.blogspot.sg/

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Article: Harvard Psychologist Explains Why Buying Experiences Makes People Happier Than Buying Things

http://www.businessinsider.sg/dan-gilbert-buy-experiences-not-things-2014-10/#.VGiWrfmUe58

We make two kinds of purchases.

We buy things: clothes, cars, and home goods.

We buy experiences: meals, vacations, and movies.

Research shows that experiences are the much better buy — if you’re looking to maximize the happiness for your dollars.

In one study of over a thousand Americans, people were asked to think about a material and experiential purchase they made with the hope of increasing their happiness.

When they thought on which one made them happier, 57% of them said that the experiential buy gave them more happiness. Only 34% of respondents said material purchases make them happier.

In a paper, Harvard psychologist and “Stumbling on Happiness” author Daniel Gilbert said that it has to do with the way we relate to objects versus events. We adapt to things quickly, but we get to anticipate and remember events.

“After devoting days to selecting the perfect hardwood floor to install in a new condo,”Gilbert and his coauthors say, “homebuyers find their once beloved Brazilian cherry floors quickly become nothing more than the unnoticed ground beneath their feet.”

But “in contrast,” the authors continue, “their memory of seeing a baby cheetah at dawn on an African safari continues to provide delight.”

There’s another reason why experiential buys — like a weekly cooking class — make for better investments in your personal enjoyment.

When you buy experiences, you get to see a change happen in your environment and in yourself.

“Whereas cherry floorboards generally have the same size, shape, and color on the last day of the year as they did on the first,” the authors say, “each session of a year-long cooking class is different from the one before.”

Lastly, Gilbert argues that buying experiences makes us happy because we turn them into a part of our identities. If you take three weeks to explore Nepal, your treks around the Himalayas will become a part of who you think you are.

+++

This article resonated with me deeply.

The biggest expenditure in my life so far is traveling.

It has been one of the best investments in my life too.

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” ― Mark Twain

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” ― Mark Twain

(Taken in 2009 - Everest Base Camp Trek, Nepal)

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Travel: Aug 2014 - Bangkok (Work Trip)

Singapore Changi Airport

I have never spent time exploring the airport even though I used it very often. Since I have sometime, I decided to explore and I was pleasantly surprised to see Sunflower Garden, Free movie theater, a butterfly garden, a free video arcade area....

Singapore Changi Airport is really one of the best airports in the world.

It also shows that if you want to do something well, it is possible despite being a small country.

Grand Hyatt Hotel, Bangkok

One of the perks of business travelling is staying in nice hotel without paying for it. The main downside is that you are so overwhelmed with work that you can't enjoy it fully.

For instance, I arrived at the hotel around 9pm. Initially, I wanted to explore the city but I had to do some urgent work, which I completed at 11.30pm. I took a shower and went to sleep at around 1am, and I had a full day of meetings the following 2 days.

Grand Hyatt Hotel

View from the room

Rooftop bar with a good view of Bangkok City

- free flow of wine and food.

Another perk of attending conference. =)

After wine and food, it's time for a good massage.

I was so tired after a full day of work, that I was half asleep.

Overall, I really enjoyed work trip to Bangkok. Due to my job nature (investment research), I get to meet business owners and top executives. I get to understand the current situation and issues facing Thailand. And also, I get to enjoy a lot of good things like nice hotel and nice food (plus drinks).

However, deep down inside, I always tell myself that "enjoy it while it last".

I am aware of the Impermanence of Life, that both good and bad things don't last. So do not need to be too attached to good experiences (enjoy it, but understand that it won't last).

After some time, the utilities derived from these pleasures decreases. It is not sustainable, and that's the nature of sensory pleasures.

After a few days of good food, I had a simple vegetarian noodle by the street. I paid only 40 Baht (S$1.60, US$1.30) for this noodle and a 500ml of mineral water.

Frankly, I quite enjoyed this noodle.

Rod Fai Market

http://www.bangkok.com/shopping-market/rot-fai-market.htm

Vintage Flea Market

This place is quite far from Bangkok City (at least 1 hour to commute). I really like the vintage feeling and the big space of this place. This is something that is definitely missing in Singapore. It is a wonderful place to chill out as well.

Vintage Car

(For a moment, I thought I went back to Havana)

Old School deco

Bright Colours

Flea Market at night

It's so nice to drive a van and display your vintage collections.

Street Food!!

I ordered a small portion of fishballs (20Baht - S$0.80, US$0.60).

Since I was traveling alone, I asked the street vendor to give me half portion (as I could not finish it). When I gave her 20 Baht, she insisted on only taking 10 Baht from me. I told her it's okay, but she insisted on returning 10 Baht (S$0.40, US$0.30) to me. I mean it is really nice to meet good people along the way.

During the whole trip, 9 out of 10 cab drivers tried to cheat my money by taking the long route. I am okay as long as they did not go overboard. But there was this driver that drove me 45mins in the wrong direction, and when I confronted him, he just told me that he doesn't speak english. One of those few rare moments when I shouted at someone.

Soi Cowboy

One of the famous red-light districts in Bangkok.

I decided to go for a drink in one of the go-go bars. The drink is actually quite cheap around 150Baht (S$6, US$5). Initially, I refused to have ladies accompanying me, but later I relented , they are so persistent and business was not really good.

I had a nice chat with the mama-san as well as the young girl. It is not surprising, she came from the rural region of Thailand, her parents are farmers (but they were only employees and the farmland does not belong to them), she has a younger brother whom she is supporting. Life is tough, she worked 7 days a week (no rest!!) and she gotta entertain guests as well as do bikini dance on the stage. She did not enjoy her work and Bangkok, and always looked forward to go home in the village.

I got some comfort knowing that she could refuse going out with client. She told me (with pride) that she won't go out with old and fat customers. She only goes out with handsome young man. Hahaha...

The job of these girls are really tough. They had to be skimpily dressed and soliciting for business in the middle of the street. The amount of rejection is a lot. If you think that your sales job is tough, theirs are even tougher. Some of the people on the street are rude to them.

Normally, when I walked along red-light district I would avoid these ladies soliciting for business. Actually, they are just like anyone of us trying to make a living.

I always learn not to judge.

Each of them have their own story.

Given a choice, no one would choose this profession.

I hope that they will be careful.

Elephant Tower

25 great skyscrapers: icons of construction by CNN

http://www.cnn.com.sg/2013/08/06/travel/25-great-skyscrapers/index.html

Bangkok Forensic Museum

http://www.bangkok.com/magazine/forensic-museum.htm

http://www.bangkokpost.com/multimedia/vdo/thailand/429008/siriraj-medical-museum-educational-entertaining-and-eviscerating

Not for the faint hearted. Surprised to see lotsa conjoined twins (not as rare as I thought), baby with one eye, lotsa human bodies specimen including a few whole body specimens.

There are so many specimens, and at times, I saw them as objects and forgot that it belonged to someone who was once alive like us.

Have been praying silently for those deceased.

I am also grateful to be who I am.

Authentic Thai Food

http://www.baan-khanitha.com/venues.php

Recommended by a friend.

Not too bad, but the free appetizer (the one of the left) is really good.

Overall, this is a good trip. Lotsa learning and new experiences. =)

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Travel: Jul 2014 - Phi Phi Islands (Thailand)

The Beach

I always wanted to visit Phi Phi Islands ever since I watched the movie - The Beach starring Leonardo Dicaprio (he looked so young back then). Ever since I was an undergraduate, I was imagining myself backpacking in Thailand, and wondering into unknown places in the midst of the monsoon rain. There was this excitement of exploring new places and getting lost.

When I was an undergraduate, a good friend) told me that her friend (an exchange student from Europe) said that Phi Phi Islands was the best beach, he ever visited. Hence, the urge to visit Phi Phi Islands was seeded more than a decade ago.

I am amazed that it took me more than 10 years to visit Phi Phi Islands. I have traveled to so many exotic places around the world, yet I kinda took it for granted. (I went Phuket before with friends, unfortunately, my friends weren't so keen to explore the islands. I also went Krabi before with colleagues, but I did not make it Phi Phi Islands too.)

I decided to travel to Phi Phi Islands alone.

DAY 1

Quip Bed & Breakfast

Interesting B&B in Phuket Town

Love the freedom of traveling alone in my slippers and a small backpack.

DAY 2

Boat Ride to Phi Phi Islands

(Ko Phi Phi Don on the left, and Ko Phi Phi Leh on the right).

Ko Phi Phi Leh, the Maya Bay is the location where The Beach is filmed.

It is a national park and staying overnight is not allowed.

Congested Ko Phi Phi Don- Ton Sai Bay

I was mentally prepared to see this, but I being a tourist is a contributor to the pollution of this beautiful island. It is noisy and smell of exhaust fume etc... Feeling abit disappointed.

Lotsa boats for tourists

A reminder of the devastating tsunami in 2004.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake_and_tsunami

Loh Dalum Bay

The other bay of Ko Phi Phi Don which is not as crowded.

Loh Dalum Bay

Book a tour with Maya Bay Sleep aboard.

http://www.mayabaytours.com/

Phi Phi Leh

The Sleepaboard Boat

Jump off from the top of the roof.

It was pretty scary initially, but was quite fun.

Snorkelling

Not fantastic visibility, as the weather condition was not good.

A small boat dropped us off near a cliff, and we had to make our way to the cliff. It was raining and the water was quite choppy. Tough to keep our balance in the water. And I felt like a illegal refugee, which was quite fun.

Climb over a small cliff, and if you fall, it would be quite nasty with so many sharp edges. I wasn't expecting this.

Maya Bay =)

It was pouring heavily, but I was elated.

Finally, I got here and there wasn't a lot of tourists.

Thanks to the bad weather.

Dipped myself in the warm seawater.

Enjoying the view and the rain!

Maya Bay

Shelter that we spent a night (due to bad weather, our operator decided that we should stay in the island instead of the boat. Apparently, it is a common occurrence.) I was glad to spend one night in Ko Phi Phi Leh Island, even though overnight stay is not allowed.

It was raining heavily, and we were quite cold in the shelter. The feeling of being cold, dirty and wet felt like the experience of the reality show - Survivor. The only difference is that we have good operator that took care of the food and entertainment at night. The basic living condition is fine for me, in exchange, we get to see Maya Bay without tourists!

One American tourist was whining about how miserable she felt, and that she was paying good money for such a bad experience. I tried to keep her spirits up telling her that it is an interesting experience.

Another highlight of the trip was to see blue luminous Plankton at midnight. Even though I only saw a few blue luminous Plankton, it is quite an amazing experience to hold the plankton on my finger.

The world is quite amazing! =)

DAY 3

Morning at Maya Bay (without hordes of tourist)

Managed to do a short meditation - no mosquito and sandfly.

Listening to "Pure Shore" by All Saints.

"I'm moving

I'm coming

Can you hear, what I hear

It's calling you my dear

Out of reach

(Take me to my beach)

I can hear it, calling you

I'm coming not drowning

Swimming closer to you

(Take me to my beach)"

Panorama View of Maya Bay

(I swam across toward another small beach on the top left corner.

It is good to be a swimmer!)

In the late morning, we went back to Ko Phi Phi Don.

Street View - Ko Phi Phi Don Island.

While it is touristy, I kinda like it for the variety of restaurants and massage parlours - creature comforts.

My Hotel (The Beacha Club) with the beach infront.

Love the location of this hotel.

I just need to walk out of my hotel room and go for a swim in the sea.

Raining Heavily at the Viewpoint.

Lotsa partying along the beach

Fire acrobat display along the beach

DAY 4

Panorama view of Koh Phi Phi Don.

Spent more than 1.5 hours looking at this. (That's the good thing about solo traveling, I can do things at my own pace). It is definitely one of the most beautiful islands I ever visited (even though it is very touristy).

Enjoying the moment.

Lying down on the boulder.

Feeling the wind beneath my feet.

Listening to the Buddhist Music/Chant "Om Mani Padme Hum".

Looking beyond the boundless sea.

Feeling insignificant

Feeling grateful.

While I was 1.5 hours on the rock, people were constantly moving. They visit the vista point for 5 mins and left.

Where are they going?

Do they know where they are heading?

Is there other places nice than this place?

Beautiful Phi Phi Island.

On my last few days of my life, I will think about my life and be glad that I have seen so many beautiful places, and this is one of them.

Don't be sad, be grateful.

After Phi Phi Islands, I headed back to Phuket to catch my flight, before that I went to the Tiger Kingdom (after much struggle). On one hand, I think it is unethical to visit Tiger Kingdom to see captive tigers. On the other hand, I am very keen to touch the majestic tigers.

In the end, my desire to touch the tigers overwhelmed me. However, during my visit, I asked alot of questions to the staffs and the reply I gotten wasn't satisfactory.

http://www.tigerkingdom.com/Phuket.html

Small tigers

Large Tigers (less than 3 years old)

Another tourist touching this majestic animal

Caged.

Their fate beyond 3 years old is unknown. Apparently, the tigers would get territorial and aggressive beyond 3 years old, so no interaction is allowed with human beings and they would be fighting a lot among themselves. =(