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What's new in 2007? > Maldives, Nepal & Guam!
Jan 2007 -- China: Haikou, Sanya
Feb 2007 -- Thailand: Chiangmai
Mar 2007 -- China: Beijing, Dalian, Tianjin
Apr 2007 -- Japan: Tokyo; China: Qingdao, Wuhan, Yichang, Chongqing, Yangtze River Cruise
May 2007 -- China: Chengde, Urumqi, Turpan, Kashgar, Lanzhou, Xining, Qinghaihu
Jun 2007 -- China: Datong, Luoyang, Zhengzhou, Yinchuan, Shanghai
Jul 2007 -- China: Beijing, Guilin, Yangshuo, Xinping, Mudanjiang, Yanji, Shanghai
Aug 2007 -- Maldives: Male, Full Moon Island; Singapore
Sep 2007 -- Nepal: Kathmandu, Bhaktur, Mt. Everest
Oct 2007 -- Guam; China: Chengdu, Guiyang
Nov 2007 -- Indonesia: Bali; Singapore; U.S.A.: Orlando
Dec 2007 -- Japan: Tokyo
Feb 2007 -- Thailand: Chiangmai
Mar 2007 -- China: Beijing, Dalian, Tianjin
Apr 2007 -- Japan: Tokyo; China: Qingdao, Wuhan, Yichang, Chongqing, Yangtze River Cruise
May 2007 -- China: Chengde, Urumqi, Turpan, Kashgar, Lanzhou, Xining, Qinghaihu
Jun 2007 -- China: Datong, Luoyang, Zhengzhou, Yinchuan, Shanghai
Jul 2007 -- China: Beijing, Guilin, Yangshuo, Xinping, Mudanjiang, Yanji, Shanghai
Aug 2007 -- Maldives: Male, Full Moon Island; Singapore
Sep 2007 -- Nepal: Kathmandu, Bhaktur, Mt. Everest
Oct 2007 -- Guam; China: Chengdu, Guiyang
Nov 2007 -- Indonesia: Bali; Singapore; U.S.A.: Orlando
Dec 2007 -- Japan: Tokyo
January
Sometimes, life is just a series of coincidences, accidents, or fate if you so choose to call it.
Whatever it is, it is certainly a series of choices one made, be it conscious, subconscious or unconscious.
What is important though is that one of my choices led me here early this year. & it might be a choice that will eventually see me settling down here in my old age! God knows, it's still some way to that stage of life... so, one shall not speculate on something so far fetched.
Let us talk about something that is in the history then (since the future is still in the future & today is almost over as I'm writing this). Today is 8 months later. It is August now. & since this very trip, I had been to 14 other provinces! That implies another 2 more provinces & I'd have been to all the provinces in China! Isn't that a feat? History is in the making (yes, again :)).
If you've read my 2006 & 2005 travels, you'd have known all the high hopes & "accomplishments" I've documented over the last 5 years or so. All in all, never in my life would I have imagined having traveled to so many places & countries in the entire world. Almost a hundred countries, more than 500 cities or even close to 1000 of them. I have simply lost count! It is now a hassle to go through pictures trying to remember where these places are! No, no, don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, I'm thankful, truly!
I sometimes wonder if I'd live to old age. & my gut feel tells me I won't.
Hence, all these blabbing online. One day these shall be my biography :); my gift to the world for anyone who cares to read.
Now, let's get back to Hainan Island. It is what Chinese calls "China's Hawaii". It is a place rich northerners venture & even settle down in during the winterly chilly months. It is a place for relaxation. I found Hainan Island to be surprisingly pleasant & reminiscent of my childhood days. It is a place where fruits are abundant, & I mean on the trees, not in the supermarkets. Where I remembered my cousins climbing mango trees at the backyard of my grandpa's house & tried to steal fruits! It is a place where I rediscovered childhood, you may say. Visiting fruit plantations here is a tourist attraction, a must-see. A good place to bring children, imho. A great place to relax with the many hot springs that can be found on this island. Yes, there is also a dormant volcano here. & for those who love seafood, it is THE place!
Will I be back? You bet!!!!!!!!
February
Another visit to Thailand. The purpose? The best massage offered in the world, of course! Thailand, esp. Chiangmai, serves as a great short getaway from the hustle & bustle of the ever-changing cities surrounding it, be it Bangkok, Tokyo, Shanghai or Singapore. A long weekend is best spent in this country with its vibrant & varieties of activities.
I've been to Thailand countless times. 2nd time to Chiangmai. 1st time to Lamphun. Chiangmai is compact & a lot more palatable than Bangkok. Its laid back lifestyle & cooler weather offer reprieve for many travelers from around S. E. Asia. The smooth traffic also means one can do a lot more & enjoy walks around the city & discover its charm. People here, as with people in other parts of Thailand, are friendly & always seen sporting a big smile. I wonder how they do it!?!
March
On March 1 this year, I took leave from work and moved to Beiing for continuing education in UIBE (University of International Business & Economics) for the purpose of brushing up my Mandarin (Putonghua). For the 4 1/2 months stay in Beijing, I traveled to a great many cities in North East China.
Tianjin is a neighboring city of Beijing. A mere 60 mins by train. Yet, it feels miles apart from the ancient city of Beijing. Tianjin being a port as well as one of the first entry point to China by foreigners as well as having been somewhat "colonised" by the Europeans, it bodes a European look & feel to it. I spent a mere 12 hours or so in Tianjin so I can't possibly say I'd have an accurate impression of this city. However, what I saw, mostly architectural delights, was enough to warrant another visit in the future. For those who will venture as far as Beijing, I highly recommend you to make a short trip to Tianjin. It's worth the time & effort.
Dalian is another port of China. It is a relative new city, at least that's the way it felt & one can see that from the city planning & layout. Dalian has some awesome seafood, including a favorite of mine, the abalone. In Dalian, one ought to feast like the king or you'd have made a wasted trip! People here are friendly & open too.
However, I urge you to be ultra careful of the drivers, esp. taxi drivers! They are one crazy bunch who poses not only danger to themselves but all pedestrians!!!
April
Planning for a trip to Japan for the sole purpose of the cherry blossom festival viewing is not entirely an easy thing. With global warming, it is harder to predict the exact timing of this festival (coupled with the short lifespan of the sakura, it's a formidable task!).
There had been a couple of hit & miss in recent years. My good friend Atsuko in Tokyo had the pleasure of telling me so. Alas, I still went regardless. It is after all a major event in Japan & also my life to see the beauty of these fragile & yet enticing sighting of the blossom. Sometimes, I was lucky & was ewarded with memories to bring home with. Even on this trip, I saw things I had not although I had been to Japan (as well as Tokyo) for more than 2 dozen times! That's what Japan means to me; continual revival & new discoveries with each passing year. That's also been one major reasons why I love this country & frequented it more often than any countries in the world (although China & United States are tagging closely behind now).
On this recent trip, I'd like to share with you the greeneries of this major city in the world. Even though it's populated with millions of people in a tiny area, the residents in this city are blessed with parks tendered by some caring gardeners & everyone has the chance to enjoy some peace & tranquility amidst the hustle & bustle of the city. That I think is a very nice thing to have in life and what makes this city special :-)
May
This month I spent the majority of my time in the wild wild west of China. Provinces I've never been to, starting with Xinjiang. The western most city of China is Kashi (Kashgar) and it was here that I found out how 'european' the landscapes of China can be. Snow capped mountains stretch from Tianshan towards the borders of Pakistan. The highway lined with mountain tops of varying sizes & shapes, lakes of different colors, absolutely magnificent landscapes. Just too beautiful to those who have lived in the eastern part of the country for an extended period of time.
Sometimes, life is just a series of coincidences, accidents, or fate if you so choose to call it.
Whatever it is, it is certainly a series of choices one made, be it conscious, subconscious or unconscious.
What is important though is that one of my choices led me here early this year. & it might be a choice that will eventually see me settling down here in my old age! God knows, it's still some way to that stage of life... so, one shall not speculate on something so far fetched.
Let us talk about something that is in the history then (since the future is still in the future & today is almost over as I'm writing this). Today is 8 months later. It is August now. & since this very trip, I had been to 14 other provinces! That implies another 2 more provinces & I'd have been to all the provinces in China! Isn't that a feat? History is in the making (yes, again :)).
If you've read my 2006 & 2005 travels, you'd have known all the high hopes & "accomplishments" I've documented over the last 5 years or so. All in all, never in my life would I have imagined having traveled to so many places & countries in the entire world. Almost a hundred countries, more than 500 cities or even close to 1000 of them. I have simply lost count! It is now a hassle to go through pictures trying to remember where these places are! No, no, don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, I'm thankful, truly!
I sometimes wonder if I'd live to old age. & my gut feel tells me I won't.
Hence, all these blabbing online. One day these shall be my biography :); my gift to the world for anyone who cares to read.
Now, let's get back to Hainan Island. It is what Chinese calls "China's Hawaii". It is a place rich northerners venture & even settle down in during the winterly chilly months. It is a place for relaxation. I found Hainan Island to be surprisingly pleasant & reminiscent of my childhood days. It is a place where fruits are abundant, & I mean on the trees, not in the supermarkets. Where I remembered my cousins climbing mango trees at the backyard of my grandpa's house & tried to steal fruits! It is a place where I rediscovered childhood, you may say. Visiting fruit plantations here is a tourist attraction, a must-see. A good place to bring children, imho. A great place to relax with the many hot springs that can be found on this island. Yes, there is also a dormant volcano here. & for those who love seafood, it is THE place!
Will I be back? You bet!!!!!!!!
February
Another visit to Thailand. The purpose? The best massage offered in the world, of course! Thailand, esp. Chiangmai, serves as a great short getaway from the hustle & bustle of the ever-changing cities surrounding it, be it Bangkok, Tokyo, Shanghai or Singapore. A long weekend is best spent in this country with its vibrant & varieties of activities.
I've been to Thailand countless times. 2nd time to Chiangmai. 1st time to Lamphun. Chiangmai is compact & a lot more palatable than Bangkok. Its laid back lifestyle & cooler weather offer reprieve for many travelers from around S. E. Asia. The smooth traffic also means one can do a lot more & enjoy walks around the city & discover its charm. People here, as with people in other parts of Thailand, are friendly & always seen sporting a big smile. I wonder how they do it!?!
March
On March 1 this year, I took leave from work and moved to Beiing for continuing education in UIBE (University of International Business & Economics) for the purpose of brushing up my Mandarin (Putonghua). For the 4 1/2 months stay in Beijing, I traveled to a great many cities in North East China.
Tianjin is a neighboring city of Beijing. A mere 60 mins by train. Yet, it feels miles apart from the ancient city of Beijing. Tianjin being a port as well as one of the first entry point to China by foreigners as well as having been somewhat "colonised" by the Europeans, it bodes a European look & feel to it. I spent a mere 12 hours or so in Tianjin so I can't possibly say I'd have an accurate impression of this city. However, what I saw, mostly architectural delights, was enough to warrant another visit in the future. For those who will venture as far as Beijing, I highly recommend you to make a short trip to Tianjin. It's worth the time & effort.
Dalian is another port of China. It is a relative new city, at least that's the way it felt & one can see that from the city planning & layout. Dalian has some awesome seafood, including a favorite of mine, the abalone. In Dalian, one ought to feast like the king or you'd have made a wasted trip! People here are friendly & open too.
However, I urge you to be ultra careful of the drivers, esp. taxi drivers! They are one crazy bunch who poses not only danger to themselves but all pedestrians!!!
April
Planning for a trip to Japan for the sole purpose of the cherry blossom festival viewing is not entirely an easy thing. With global warming, it is harder to predict the exact timing of this festival (coupled with the short lifespan of the sakura, it's a formidable task!).
There had been a couple of hit & miss in recent years. My good friend Atsuko in Tokyo had the pleasure of telling me so. Alas, I still went regardless. It is after all a major event in Japan & also my life to see the beauty of these fragile & yet enticing sighting of the blossom. Sometimes, I was lucky & was ewarded with memories to bring home with. Even on this trip, I saw things I had not although I had been to Japan (as well as Tokyo) for more than 2 dozen times! That's what Japan means to me; continual revival & new discoveries with each passing year. That's also been one major reasons why I love this country & frequented it more often than any countries in the world (although China & United States are tagging closely behind now).
On this recent trip, I'd like to share with you the greeneries of this major city in the world. Even though it's populated with millions of people in a tiny area, the residents in this city are blessed with parks tendered by some caring gardeners & everyone has the chance to enjoy some peace & tranquility amidst the hustle & bustle of the city. That I think is a very nice thing to have in life and what makes this city special :-)
May
This month I spent the majority of my time in the wild wild west of China. Provinces I've never been to, starting with Xinjiang. The western most city of China is Kashi (Kashgar) and it was here that I found out how 'european' the landscapes of China can be. Snow capped mountains stretch from Tianshan towards the borders of Pakistan. The highway lined with mountain tops of varying sizes & shapes, lakes of different colors, absolutely magnificent landscapes. Just too beautiful to those who have lived in the eastern part of the country for an extended period of time.
To be continued...
Trips: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 < Last trips | Next trips >
Trips: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 < Last trips | Next trips >