Balik Kampung

I can't believe I am in lab right now, while the truth is my flight to Hong Kong is only a day away. Scribbling facts and arguments about sustainable energy and filling out form in Japanese (yes, in kanji mind you) is the last thing I could ever imagine to do before heading south to a warmer climate. Geez. I should start reading fiction, lazying around or at least packing some stuffs! But now the real picture is my home in total mess, and I'm still here getting my kanji writing right.

Stop babbling and it'll make you an old fart.

So, updates? Well, a lot actually. I learned how to ski, went to my French buddy's housewarming party and tonnes of karaoke meets. Don't let me start with other thing because its all academic, and I am not really sure you delighted to read that.

Oh, and I failed my JLPT. As expected. I remember walking out from the exam hall with dizzy head figuring how to read long Japanese articles and essays as my Kanji illiteracy still slows down my reading. And true indeed, my vocab and reading comprehension marks are the lowest. Listening is the only savior (thanks to frequent Japanese conversation and ridiculous Japanese TV show), but when the other two papers suck, nothing can be done anymore. So here I am, repeating the paper this July, hoping soon I can read Japanese essay as fast as I could (Mr. Haruki Murakami, help me!)

Can't wait to backpack in Hong Kong! Despite my tight budget and financial constraint (hmm, that's the trait of backpackers I reckon? We're the under-privileged people who eager to explore the world :p), I am so gonna explore the sight of Cantopop and Hong Kong movie background. I used to be a big fan (and still do, just not as frequent) of TVB dramas back then (all thanks to my mom who is a drama craze of all genre, and now the gene is inherited to her only son). And of course not surprisingly, I do listen to Cantonese songs from Hong Kong, from Sam Hui mellow, feel good romantic song to newer act like soul kid Khalil Fong (well his songs are in Mandarin, but he is based in Hong Kong anyway).

Oh I'm listening to it right now. Just to get the feel. Call me silly folks.

The weather report shows Hong Kong will be rainy this week long. Not a good sign for backpackers like me who initially plan to walk around town and discover narrow streets and alleys. I should pack my see through umbrella (which I believe only available in Japan, seriously I never seen it been sold anywhere else! If my fact is true, Japan should consider patent it to be national trademark :p)

Toodles, people. See you in a more humid and warmer environment in few days time.

Resume.

No. It's not suppose to be read as resume as in curriculum vitae, but as resume or continue.

First. It is hard to resist all the laziness feeling during winter since coldness will only help you gain some fat due to excess in sleeping and eating activity (unfortunately the theory does not work for me).

Second. The pilates class in my campus ended yesterday and the next session will only started next spring semester. Since the class basically just cater the needs for general attendees without considering the level of each student, it can be said that it's pretty basic and refreshing. Nonetheless, some of the movement did hurt my abs muscle.

Third. Am also done with JLPT Level 2. Don't wanna talk more about it since I didn't read the question properly (due to my slow kanji reading :p). I'm pretty much sure that I will fail it, but hey yeah, I still believe in lady luck and hope some miracle will still exist next February (when the result is announced).

Fourth. This week I've become a proud owner of Karrimor Flyer 55L backpack.


Now I'm ready to hit the road for backpacking! Backpacking plan so far:

1. Hong Kong stopover for 3 days this coming February! I know it's a bad timing since my travel date will coincide with Chinese New Year celebration, but I hope the festive season would do me some cheer moments (looking forward to the spectacular fireworks and pyrotechnics show). Any supportive advice for Hong Kong would be much appreciated.

2. Istanbul! This city always in my travel list and there is no way I'm gonna skipped Istanbul in my whole lifetime! Hopefully the plan with Dolly next coming Golden Week goes well.

3. Snowboard trip to Nagano. One of my lab friends, Nishiiri hails from Nagano, famous for its mountainous area and ski (Nagano once hosted Winter Olympics) and hope I can go there this coming January!

4. North Japan summer backpack trip. Initial plan is Tokyo-Sendai-Hakodate-Sapporo-Furano-Akita-Tokyo. Options so far is Seishun 18 Kippu or Hokkaido Pass. Really wanna try hitchhiking in Hokkaido (heard it's pretty popular there, but dunno whether I have enough guts to show my thumb and stop the stranger's car for a lift, somehow it feels scary yet exciting)

Anybody here is a member of Hostel International? or Japan Youth Hostel? Wanna apply for their membership card, but dunno how it gonna benefit my trip plan.

Fifth. Drooling over Docomo Smart Series phone. But still wanna keep my Softbank number and iPhone. Geez, temptations people!

Sixth. Going to reactivate Flickr and start using hatena.

Till the next post people.

Ada Apa Dengan Nagoya?

(picture taken from flickr@sinkdd)
Summer will be leaving us soon, goodbye heat, and welcome coldness. Welcome chilly wind, welcome melancholy.

And I will be leaving Tokyo tomorrow, to one place called Nagoya/名古屋. Interesting fact about Nagoya:

1. Stuck between Tokyo and Osaka, it is one of the most populous area in Japan after Tokyo-Yokohama and Osaka-Kobe region.
2. I have been informed that it is also one of the area where girl is said to be uglier than other part in Japan (日本三大ブス), the other two includes girl from Sendai/仙台 and Mito/水戸. No pun intended anyway. So, where have all the beautiful girls gone? They are all said to be concentrated in Akita/秋田, Kyoto/京都 (the reason why it is famous for geishas maybe?) and Ishikawa/石川, three areas called 日本三大美人 in Japanese. Boys, now you know the place of interest to visit when you're in Japan.
3. Contrary to the above fact (if I can call it a fact), the cost for wedding ceremony in Nagoya is the the most expensive in Japan. A contradictory statement I reckon. Uglier girl costs you more money in Japan. Again folks, no pun intended. I'm just making a conclusion based on the pool of information I received from local friend.
4. Home to one of the largest automotive industry in the world, Toyota. Nagoya also base to many manufacturing company in Japan, instead of textile image for Malaysian. Oh, Nagoya also the birthplace of pachinko, the Japanese version of pinball.

Welcoming autumn, I am expecting beautiful yellowish leaves on ground, more attractive wool sweaters and cardigans and also a pair of Timberland boot. More on fashion talk, UNIQLO, the Japanese version of Gap is going chic with their recent collaboration with Jil Sanders, in a project called +J UNIQLO.

And Armani Xchange watches and shades are super attractive. Not within my current budget anyhow, I should stop dreaming and read more books.

Off to Nagoya people. I'll be reading Miyuki Miyabe's All She Was Worth and Murakami Haruki's Norwegian Wood and listening to Arashi's One Love, With You I'm Born Again by Mariah Carey and John Legend, Yuzu's new single, Niji and my favourite Kobukuro's pieces, Niji/虹 and Toki no Ashioto/時の足音 along the journey. At least as a replacement to food I cannot consume during Ramadhan. The travelogue will be posted after the journey.

Sawasdee Bangkok - Pattaya 2008

Me and my fellow friends has been planning to go backpacking to Thailand since God knows when. And the dream has been materialized last October, finally. So here is my Bangkok-Pattaya report, based on my observations, comments and experiences throughout the trip.

We made it from Bangkok on 24th October and managed to come back in one piece on 27th October. Apart from unstable political situation in Thailand (especially in Bangkok), we came in to conclusion that the trip must be go on since the flight ticket cannot be rerouted and refunded.

Contrary to popular belief, there's more to discover in Thailand than a-go-go bars, prostitution and fucking elephant.

For example:

1. Horrendous traffic problem in the heart of Bangkok

2.Awesome and tasty street delicacies, from sweets to deep fried bugs.

3. Convenience stores and ATM bank are everywhere.

4. Soothing and relaxing body massage.

5. Stuff in pink.

6. Forget the tuk-tuk. Opt for the huge and spacey Skytrain. Enjoy yourself with cool commercial break every now and then.

7. Surprisingly efficient transportation, for example inter-city bus service.

8. The jeep is the national car.

9. The most fabulous dessert on earth, Mango with sticky rice.

10. Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya Weekend Night Foam party. Rocks.

11. The train station name that is actually pronounced in a different way. Thai is a tonal language, don't expect you know the right way to pronounce anything unless you heard the local says it first (example: Ratchadamri and Nana Station).

12. Awesome cafe in the middle of heated and cramped Chatuchak Sunday Market. They have this Latin and cozy ambient with to die for deco.

13. Thai coconut drink in street stall. A must in hot and boiling day.

14. Muslim food stall in clock tower of Chatuchak Sunday Market. Definitely a must try, especially for Muslim travellers like me who always very strict in the food rule. Try the chicken briyani, infamous tomyam, and roasted beef slice. Yummy. I even drooling when writing this.

15. If you're traveling backpacking way and very careful about hygiene issues, go Lub D. They're the coolest hangout pad for backpackers ever existed on this Earth.

16. Shopping, shopping, shopping. Higher end crowd, go Ratchaprasong area, where Siam Paragon, MBK, and Siam Centre located. It is almost impossible to finish loitering around this area in one day.

17. Muslim Prayer Room is actually available in Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok. And surprisingly it is more comfortable and huge compared to the one in Kuala Lumpur. Ironic, it is.

18. I didn't have enough spare time to go to Jim Thompson house, which is near to my place of stay in Bangkok, but if you do have spare time, do not forget to visit the famous house of Thai silk.

19. Soi Patpong, Silom and Thaniya area. A bit dodgy image since it is the red light district of Bangkok, but believe me they are surprisingly safe. Go Patpong if you're into a-go-go girls, Silom for gay crowd and Thaniya is for Japanese crowd. It is the mini Shinjuku of Bangkok.

20. If you stay in Lub D, relax yourself in the lounge area, with LCD flat TV and collections of DVD. And yes, its time to mingle with fellow smelly backpackers.

21. Don't waste your time doing boutique hopping from Dolce & Gabbana to Louis Vuitton if you looks like someone who just came back from night market (flip-flops, straw hat, shorts etc.) because the staff is not as friendly as the one in KL and Tokyo.

22. Go buy Thai Silk Boxers with Chinese character prints. They're fucking good.

23. And go buy the funky unisex underwear in Chatuchak Sunday Market. They're available in different colors and funky Paul Smith kinda like design. And they're so cheap you feel like buying a dozens for your relative back home.

There's so much to tell about this great city. But what I missed the most is the people. Everything about Thai, the sweet people, funny-sounded but polite language, awesome food and great warm welcome is something we do not normally find in Malaysia, but I believe we're not that far. Maybe better at certain aspect.