Journey of a Dream

Ruins at the Ayutthaya temples - it's really steep

The Chiang Mai Night Safari

Sanpatong Waterfall
Twin jumbos

Ruins of the Ayutthaya temples. Ayutthaya was once the capital of Thailand

Thailand is simply amazing and definitely would go there again. This time, we only covered Chiangmai, Ayutthaya and Bangkok. We missed out on Phuket, Ko Phi Phi and some other islands but next time round, I would try to cover the others as well.

Contrary to what people have said, Thailand is not a dangerous place where you can be dropped dead by bombs any time or even if you don't, chances are you will kena kongtau when you look into someone's eyes. Again, the lesson here is not to simply listen to what people say but to find out for yourself.

Thai people are generally friendly and helpful and at times, they are angels to us. They would not hesitate to help us find direction and would even lead us to the place of destination. One thing I noticed is that Thai people love their King a lot, and later I found out the reason, especially when we visited the Royal Palace and Vimanmek Mansion in Bangkok. At one of the Museums, photographs taken by the King Himself were displayed and one couldn't be help to be awed by it. But it was just not the photographs alone that awed us all. King Bumiphol had been monarchy for 60 years and throughout His reign, He continuously took efforts to bring betterment to the Thai nation. His Consort, Queen Sirikit was very well respected too because in the younger days, She would listen to commoners and jot down the necessary notes. She was noted as one who revived the Thai silk industry of Thailand.

Sadly, our photographs at Bangkok are lost. In Bangkok, we went to the famous Catuchak Weekend Market, Central World Plaza and Suan Lam Night Bazaar. We spent one night each at Khao San Road and Sukhumvit Road. The Khao San road is also known as Backpackers' Haven where Mat Salleh hippies can have a drink and chill out at night. Sukhumvit Road is to the Thai what Jalan Sultan Ismail is to us.

This is great! When I came into this room, I fell in love with it immediately. Having travelled 6 hours by bus from Hoi An to Hue, I just want to soak myself in the bathtub and with only 8USD, we have the Internet facility right in our room. My friends and I are fast asleep... and after an hour, I woke up (but they are still sleeping so I take my chance to update myself with the many things I have missed).

Backpacking has been great so far, one of the things I would regret for not doing. We are making a U (for those who are geographically inclined) from Chiangmai - Ayutthaya - Bangkok - Siem (where Angkor Wat is located) - Phnom Penh - Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) - Nha Trang (fabulous azure blue beaches and islands) - Hoi An - Hue (where I am now) - Hanoi (the last stop before heading back home).

I thought somewhere close to a month was long enough, but most Mat Salleh backpackers we cross path with backpack months, some up to a year. That taught me one thing because in our Asian upbringing, we dare not venture into the unknown for the fear of this and that... Personally, I was worried about a lot of things - like safety.. worried about Thai bombings, bomohs, the list just go on and on. The moment I decided for this trip, I have well understood the risks and did a lot of pre - trip research though no amount of research would seem to be enough. The desire to explore was simply overwhelming and the trip is well worth!!

It's good to be able to move out. I will have a personal bathroom, get to see Oreo and Siew Lee more often.. But I will be deprived from internet for some time

This is what I did: Drove to Ikano, found my place at Starbucks and started my study marathon - from 2 - 8pm. Around 6, I was hungry and had a hotdog at Ikea. Went to Starbucks/ Borders, had my second shot of caffeine and sambung belajar. Plan to do that again some time this week. Maybe a lonely birthday, but a productive one at least. How would I have mood to celebrate when the next days my exams begin, not just one paper but two? I had pre - birthday celebrations though.

2 Weeks ago
My coursemates threw me a surprise celebration. I was surprised when the cake appeared, because who in the right mind would celebrate birthday 2 weeks in adavance? We did because we are a bunch of crazy chemists. I really appreciate their effort in the midst of preparing for exams.

A day later
Karen and Sam took me to Manhattan Fish Market for dinner after watching Meet The Robinsons. I bought Kampai for them, and gosh, Sam became the laughing stock of her dorm mates due to the redness of her face. I told it was to prepare her wedding. Coming back home, I felt like crying. It's a week 14 thing. It's not just week 14, but week 14 of the final semester. We've just started bonding with each other, but now we have come to an end of our uni life. I miss them lots.

Last Tuesday
The leaders of South Zone celebrated Angel's and my birthday with a cake. They gave me a very nice top. I love it. Apparently it was chosen by pastor.

Last Saturday
Family dinner at SS2. Bro asked me if I like a gift or cash for birthday. What do you say?

This Thursday
Cell group celebrated with a huge walnut cake and gave me RM 100 of Topshop shopping vouchers. Shappaholic strikes again!! (after exams OK). Sherene and Ally sang a song for me.. not gonna tell what they sang.

To those who wished and called me, I wanna say a big big thank you. Will upload pictures after exams.

When was the last time you had an "unrestrained impulse" to achieve something? Pat Mesiti asked in Dreamers Never Sleep. The answer is... a long long time. I remember it was STPM, I stayed at home every day and despite the gloom, disciplined myself to study with heavy eyebags and tears running on my cheeks. I was sad (I don't know why I even felt sad), a heavy cloud hung over me, yet I committed to daily devotion every single morning and never missed a cell meeting. I did not allow my emotions to take over me and looked forward to the prize not yet seen. When I didn't understand a thing, I would go the extra mile to read again and again and ask someone to teach me. Things like metallic bonds were not easy to understand, to see the crystal lattice as a sea of electrons that could conduct electricity.

Pat Mesiti says, " The inner rush, the inner push, the inner drive, whatever you want to call it... it is a sense of abandonment. Abandonment to the cause, to the price, to the finish line..."

I have come to the end of uni. It's the grand finale. I wished I have kept the unrestrained impulse but there is no time for regret. It's the final battle.

When I was a 12 year old kid, I did something amazing which I can't figure out how I did it. I read 150 books in that year alone; Sweet Valley, Sweet Dreams, Love Stories (the title of the series), Christopher Pike's and R.L. Stine's books, which meant I completed a book in every 2 - 3 days. Sure they were easy to read, the prints were big and the books were thin (except for a couple few which were thick), but I read them in the midst of chaotic situation at home and UPSR. I lived in a world of imagination and fantasy and it could be well said that I read more than I talked.

Later on, I grew out of Sweet Valley and ventured into some other topics besides the Wakefield twins. I started reading classics (Jane Austen, Louissa Alcott, Shakespeare and Charles Dickens), biographies and autobiographies (Abraham Lincoln, Lady D, Anne Frank, etc), books on astronomy, first aid, weather (of all things!) and history. I also started reading the Bible and other Christian titles. Then I began reading law fictions (as such by John Grisham).

Today, I am no longer the avid reader I used to be. I give excuses that I can no longer afford the time and effort. The other reason being people in uni don't read (Trust me, uni students only bury themselves in heaps of academic books). John Grisham has been replaced by Medicinal Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry and journal articles. Unread books keep stacking in my collection awaiting to be discovered and opened. Ps Pat said that we have to find ways to AFFORD it because good books will feed our mind.

I don't know why I wrote this but I just suddenly realized how much reading meant to me and how did I ever lose track of the thing I loved so much. Wait till exams are over in a month time and I'm gonna read, read and read in the cool breeze of Genting Highlands with a cuppa hot Cappucino in my hand.

It is the time of the year again that I am losing my sleep due to imsomnia. It's a sign that exams are coming soon. And when I tell people how serious it is, no one seems to believe me. I tried milk with honey, I tried push up for 30 times, I tried to read an article to make me go to sleep, but all of it did not help. My body is stiff and refuse to rest, my biological clock is rigid and refuse to listen to my instruction. It's only with Nickey and his wise counsel that I slept in peace last night. How about now and every night?