The clock is ticking and it's now the final countdown for the business assignment in Manila. To be honest, I love this place better than last year. I am happy with the working environment here that I don't get pissed off in the office, at least not anymore :) I don't know why but I have a feeling that for my previous trip it wasn't like this.

And all these made my steps became so much heavier today. I learnt to move, but not move on! LOL! Guess what, a while ago, a colleague asked where am I going for dinner today and maybe we can dine together, I wanted to say "ahhh leave me alone, I don't like the feeling of leaving, don't make me cry", haha, well I don't cry easily but to be honest my heart just doesn't feel well when it comes to a farewell to friends that you don't know if you will see each other again in the future.

But I have to go home, thanks for all the great time here, I appreciate every moment spent with all these guys here. I sincerely wish everyone here is blessed everyday.

Hectic schedule is coming, the places that I will be at for the coming 3 weeks are: Manila -> Singapore -> Kuala Lumpur -> TaiPei -> HuaLien -> TaiChung -> TaiPei -> Kuala Lumpur -> Segamat -> Johor Bahru -> Kuala Lumpur

My life is all about travelling! It's time to put all these on hold and enjoy the moment staying back in Kuala Lumpur! And just because I have to be away that much, I realise that the best place in the world to go is home.

Labels: Career, Life, Memories, Thought, Trip

I think my blog is a bit messy, with a lot of stupid posts. This is definitely not my usual style, I used to have them in very structured way, no?

Well, I decided to do a lil bit of housekeeping work on the blog. Removed those stupid posts with only one picture and one word, yet mean nothing to the readers. Oh yea those pictures do mean something to me but people reading it may not understand it. So, I decided to move it to draft, just to keep it there as diary.

Life had been very tough, you know, I am a person that always strive for work & life balance, that never in my life I'd have thought of working continuously for the whole month until when I am bearing the house loan. It's going to take me 35 years to clear my debt, and I don't want it to be that long, so I am working hard to make more money and I wanna get it done in 15-20 years. Yes I know that's tough but I'll strive for that.

The forth quarter of every year seems to be the most miserable season for me. On top of working during weekends, look at this receipt below then you will know how many working hours for me per day! (ok it's not that bad lar, the receipt is showing the longest working day for me in 2010, hehe!)

It may not be the most expensive car park receipt I ever had, but it is one of the longest working day for me

Guess what, I got a Blackberry Torch 9800 from the project budget! Cool eh? Heh! It may look cool but may uglify my nights & weekends. Let's hope I don't have to standby too much with this cool gadget, just FB-ing with this cool gadget all time without needing to reply mails. Dream on, dream on, Steve Kwok, wake up now and be realistic!

I wish I still remember how fancy my Friday night used to be...

*Sigh* I am officially a slave of money now... :(

Labels: Career, Life, Technology, Thought

To a lots of Malaysians, basically how this Island, Boracay, got famous among us is thru the news about the wedding of a famous Malaysia songstress, Fish Leong Jing Ru.

The wedding of Tony Zhao & Fish Leong @ Boracay

Before I came to Philippines, I was told that this is a must-go tourist spot. Everyone looks like pretty excited talking about the white beach there. So, even though I know it is gonna be a boring trip to go alone, still I did it. Just for the sake of some memories in Philippines rather than all those stuck-at-home dull stories.

Boracay is an island of the Philippines located approximately 315 km (200 miles) south of Manila and 2 km off the northwest tip of the island of Panay in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. In 1990, it was voted by the BMW Tropical Beach Handbook as one of the best beaches in the world and again in 1996 by British publication TV Quick as the world's number one tropical beach. The island comprises the barangays of Manoc-Manoc, Balabag, and Yapak (3 of the 17 barangays which make up the municipality of Malay), and is under the administrative control of the Philippine Tourism Authority in coordination with the Provincial Government of Aklan. Boracay is divided into three stations, Station 2 is roughly in the center of the white beach, with Stations 1 and 3 respectively roughly midway to the north and south endpoints.

These are some very useful tourist maps, click to enlarge.

Map 1: Identify where are the three stations, and different beaches

Map 2: Detailed map including all the points of interest, hotels & resorts, bar & restaurants, etc

Initially I was supposed to fly with Cebu Pacific, which I booked online for 1D1N stay package in Boracay. But last minute I thought that it might be too short for a trip, but I wasn't allowed to make any change on the flight itinerary due to the terms and conditions for a tour package. I ended up booked another flight ticket with Philippine Airlines to depart a day earlier, and flew with its partner airline, Air Philippines. Basically, it is about an hour flight to the nearest domestic airport of the island, Caticlan Airport, also known as Godofredo P. Ramos Airport. The runway in this airport is very very short and only propeller planes can land there.

It was a Friday morning flight, thus I applied a day leave, as it may not be nice to charge one full day on a domestic flyback travel, and thanks to the assignment manager and line manager who approved it just few days before. Arriving in the noon, the weather in Boracay was just nice, neither too hot nor too cloudy.

Ahhhh... Before I forget, this is the core public transportation in Boracay, tricycle. Rides are inexpensive, usually about 50-100 pesos, and can be found almost everywhere along the main road. It might not be comfortable but it is convenient. :)

Tricycle

Tricycle

There was a tour guide from the tourism association who served me since I stepped out of the airport, this guy helped me to carry my luggage and guided me to the station 2 to look for a hotel for my first night stay. He is super nice and helpful, credits to the tourism association! We walked for around 15 minutes to visit a few hotels and ended up I picked Seabird Hotel as it offered a big room with reasonable price, and also it is located only a minute away from the white beach!

Seabird hotel @ Station 2

Seabird hotel @ Station 2

Seabird hotel @ Station 2

After check-in, I took a real short nap, follow by a real quick shower, then headed to the shopping mall named D'Mall to have my lunch. I was too hungry so I simply grab a quick lunch at a stall that selling BBQ chicken.

D'Mall

After that, I headed to the White Beach to enjoy sunbathing and photoshooting. Stepping on the white beach that many friends of mine are craving for, I must say I am so lucky. That's why even I knew it is gonna be boring to come alone but still I came, I just want to feel lucky! Hahahaha! I know, I am lame! :p

It wasn't too crowded as it is off peak season, since July is a supposed to be a rainy season. Again, lucky me, that there was only about an hour of light rain on the Friday evening throughout the entire trip! No typhoon, no tsunami, lucky me again! Hahaha, I am a bit insane now, so just ignore me.

I actually planned to go to Puka Beach in the afternoon, and then Mt Luho, but I was kinda tired after watching football games for a couple of nites, so in the end, I decided to call it off and move them to the second day. In the end, I did not make it happen also on the second day, no reason, just lazy to travel here and there by myself, somebody please tag me along. *sigh*

White Beach sneak peek

White Beach

White Beach

Willy's Rock

Along White Beach

Sand Castle

Steve Kwok in the castle

White Beach in the dusk

In the night, referring to the map, I was supposed to head to a restaurant recomemnded by Paolo, followed by some drinks in Hey Jude bar opposite the restaurant owned by his friend. Guess what, I walked for 20 minutes trying to find for the restaurant and bar without success, ended up a local resident told me that both the restaurant and bar were closed for renovation, PHEW! Where is the luck!?

And because I was too hungry so I simply picked a restaurant by the beach that serves local delights buffet dinner. It costed me about 500 pesos (RM35-40) for the meal. The dinner was not bad, especially the Adobo, freaking nice wuey!

After the dinner, I went bar hopping. I spared about 2 hours hopping among bars and found it was a really boring thing to do, when you're alone. So I decided to call it a day.

On the second day, I got myself transferred to the prebooked hotel at Station 1, the Crown Regency Hotel. Station 1 is where all the well known hotels located. But I still prefer the location of the previous hotel, lower class accomodation though.

Crown Regency Hotel @ Station 1

Crown Regency Hotel @ Station 1

In the morning, I walked around the beach, light shopping at D'Mall, and netsurfing at cybercafe. After lunch, I got a tricycle ride and headed to Crown Regency Hotel. Guess what, I was again given a room with 2 beds, 1 single and 1 queen size, exactly the same size with the one I stayed a nite earlier, no wonder the package came with much more expensive price than usual, now only I realised.

After check-in, I decided to follow the itinerary, to visit Balinghai Beach. I took another tricycle ride to the beach. You need to pay in order to get into the beach but then the entrance fee is consumable at the restaurant. Balinghai Beach is freaking small, I guess the pictures below can tell.

Welcome to Balinghai Beach

Balinghai Beach

Balinghai Beach

Balinghai Beach

Fish

Coral

Balinghai Beach

Balinghai Beach

Balinghai Beach

Balinghai Beach

Balinghai beach is located a bit far from the main road, so basically there is no way to get out other than walking for like half an hour to the main road. You can always talk to the receptionist to call for tricycle.

I went to a dinner at station 2, then headed back to the hotel. After shower, I quickly bumped in the blanket, was tired. I plan to wake up in the nite and go to a bar nearby to watch the Fifa World Cup game. In the end I woke up late and I felt uncomfortable to go out that late as the street was kinda dark. I ended up had a beer in the hotel room with some chips that I bought earlier in the convenience store.

The next morning I woke up early to check out as I have a flight at 11.30am. Got up at 7am. Have been really long time since I woke up that early to have breakfast. Finished the breakfast at 8.30am and proceeded to check-out from the hotel. I requested for a airport transfer because I am lazy to get into tricycle, get down, go to counter for ticket, then onboard the boat, then get into another tricycle, phew, that's simply too tiring. Crown Regency provided me a good service on airport transfer that they sent me to Caticlan in boat even I was the only passenger in the boat.

Airport transfer by Crown Regency Hotel

Airport transfer by Crown Regency Hotel

Airport transfer by Crown Regency Hotel

Airport transfer by Crown Regency Hotel

Airport transfer by Crown Regency Hotel

In the flight

Back in Manila

Boracay is definitely a nice place for a weekend trip with friends and family. In this trip, I learnt a lesson, will never travel to a beach alone anymore. The boredom kills!

Labels: Career, Memories, Trip

Annyeong haseyo, Seoul! (meaning "Hello, Seoul!")

First and foremost, I am gonna answer the question that a lots of people were asking, what made me travelled alone?

The answer is simple, because it was a free trip! When I said free trip, it does not barely means free and easy trip, but also free in monetary wise. To be more precise, the flight ticket was sponsored by the company as per the monthly flyback eligibility, and I had covered the rest of the trip expenses by myself, but luckily those were not that expensive.

Trip alone sounds really bad to me, never in my life I'd had thought of doing so. Some said it could be really boring, some said it could be pricy, and some said it could be interesting. So, how did I feel? It was AWESOME! Probably because it was my first experience, so I was really well prepared beforehand. I did so much researches online, from understanding the Korean culture to the North and South war history, from the public transportation conveniency to the budget accomodations, from the tourist maps to the google maps, from the food and beverage to the souvenirs, from the tourism spots to the shopping spots. One thing I wished I could had done better is to learn Korean language but apparently I didn't have enough time.

Also, it was my first time scheduling an itinerary by myself. All the travel plans before were done assisted by travel mates or the hosts. But for this trip, I have got nobody nobody to seek for advise. The only friend of mine who had travelled to Seoul is an airstewardess and she only recommended me some of the food and stuff to buy. So I "googled" really hard to get everything ready, I don't want my first trip alone plan to be spoilt due to the lack of preparation. And I am very proud to tell you now that it was a superb planning that I had done! A few spots were removed during the trip due to the tiredness but still everything looks good. =)

These are the photos shot on the very first day in Seoul:

Flying with Philippine Airlines

Touched down @ Incheon International Airport Arrival Hall

Transferring to Seoul in limo

Amiga Motel the budget stay at USD45 per day

Amiga Motel the budget stay at USD45 per day

Amiga Motel the budget stay at USD45 per day

I rented a mobile phone and bought a subway card

Subway routes in Seoul is too complex

My very first real Korean meal

Top Cloud in Chongno Tower

Top Cloud in Chongno Tower

Vodka Shot @ Top Cloud

Nightview from Top Cloud in Chongno Tower

Dongdaemun Shopping Mall

Dongdaemun

I declared the next day as a sightseeing day, or maybe palaces day. Here you go, the photos taken at various palaces:

Along the roadside towards Deoksugung Palace

Deoksugung Palace in the shot!

The entrance ticket

Deoksugung Palace

Deoksugung Palace

Deoksugung Palace

Deoksugung Palace

Deoksugung Palace

Deoksugung Palace

Deoksugung Palace

Deoksugung Palace

Deoksugung Palace

Deoksugung Palace

After visited Deoksugung Palace, I had a very strong determination to keep on visiting something else, despite of the pair of a little bit tired legs. I walked to the Gwanghwamun which is just 10 minutes walking distance away (I hope I am not mistaken, too much walking, too much subway trips, I don't remember exactly if I walked or took a subway train).

Gwanghwamun

Gwanghwamun

Earlier, I saw some pictures online that Cheonggye Stream is a nice place in the night, with its lighting. I happened to pass by this place that is just next to Gwanghwamun and guess what, it wasn't that nice under the daylight.

Cheonggye Stream in the afternoon

Cheonggye Stream in the night

Cheonggye Stream in the night

After that, I took a subway train to the next palace thats known as Gyeongbokgung Palace. Upon arrival at the subway station, I reviewed the itinerary that I planned earlier and noted that there is a small remarks beside stating to try out the rank #1 restaurant in Seoul on TripAdvisor.com website, named Tosokchon Restaurant, which serves best Samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) in Seoul! Guess what, I actually spent about 45 minutes walking here and there to figure out where is this restaurant despite having given a Seoul map, also with a sign board at the subway pointing the correct direction. Argh, sorry I ain't good in direction, something that I must admit.

Tosokchon restaurant the rank #1 restaurant in Seoul on TripAdvisor.com website

Long queue!

The best Samgyetang in the town! Highly recommended!

After lunch, I have got myself fully recharged. I had mayself continued the Palaces Trip by visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Gyeongbokgung Palace entrance ticket

Gyeongbokgung Palace

Korean lady @ Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeongbokgung Palace

After Gyeongbokgung Palace, my legs were already numb, too much walking for me! But I insisted to follow the planned itinerary, I don't want to miss out anything as I had removed quite a lot of places from the itinerary due to lacking of time. On the way to the subway station, I passed by a park, and there was a photo exhibition on the war of Korean Peninsula, insisting of the awareness of national security follows the incident happened on 26th March that a South Korean navy ship Cheonan sunk near the North Korean territory.

Outside Gyeongbokgung Palace

Random shot

National Security Awareness Exhibition

Cheonan navy ship that sunk in March 2010

Here you go, the pictures taken in the next palace, named Changdeokgung Palace.

Changdeokgung Palace entrance ticket

Changdeokgung Palace

Changdeokgung Palace

Changdeokgung Palace

Changdeokgung Palace

Changdeokgung Palace

Changdeokgung Palace

Changdeokgung Palace

Changdeokgung Palace

Changdeokgung Palace

Changdeokgung Palace

Changdeokgung Palace

It had been a really tiring day for me after visited so many tourist spots. To be more precise, it is after visited so many palaces! Haha!

In the night, I was supposed to go shopping in Myeongdong Night Market but I decided to first drop by Gwanghwamun to enjoy the Cheonggye Stream scene in the night, to snap some nice pictures. But guess what, I supposed I was a bit bad luck that nite. When I arrived Gwanghwamun, it started raining. Oh damn, I didn't bring umbrella! And also, where can I go in the rainy night? I was standing under a roof to plan the next destination. By then, I noticed a lot of Korean football fans in Korean national football team jersey were heading to the Gwanghwamun Square in umbrella, some in the raincoat. It reminded me of the Korean national football team was playing against Uruguay in Fifa World Cup 2010 at 10pm in the night! I was struggling, to go to do some shopping in fashion mall, or to wait for the rain to stop and join the crowd in Gwanghwamun Square? I ended up decided to stay and support Korea team with the crowd, having thought of that, I can visit fashion mall anytime whenever I am here in Seoul again, but for World Cup again, it's once in 4 years. You wouldn't want to believe that, I went into 7-11 to get myself a raincoat, and headed to Gwanghwamun Square for a crazy rainy football night, first time in my life!

The billboard

Korean football passion!

Korean football passion!

Korean football passion!

Korean football passion!

Korean football passion!

Poor Koreans heartbroken at the early of the game, when Suarez scored a goal in the 8th minute. First half, Uruguay was leading the game with 1 goal to nil. I called it a day during the half time of the game because I was really exhausted after so much walking on the long day.

I decided to do some shopping although it was supposed to be a sightseeing trip. It would be nice to relax a bit on shopping, phew, bear with me with this lame excuse, I just want to buy something meaningful from here as a memory of the trip.

In the morning, I headed to Namdaemun Market for a light shopping. The main motive was to find a money changer as I left about about 40000 Korean Won, which is approximately the value of 130 Malaysia Ringgit, which apparently is a bit risky to go out with so less cash. It was a Sunday, I was told by the hotel receptionist that it would be really tough to find a money changer on Sunday as majority of the business are closed. I was sweating, got no choice but to give it a try. Headed to Namdaemun and visited three currency exchange shops and guess what, all three were closed! Coincidentally there were 2 japanese ladies having the same problem that they asked me for direction after noticed the boss of the shop actually pointed me to another currency exchange shoip. We walked together towards the shop but it was closed down again. I was almost ready to give up and planned to spent everything on my credit card, luckily one of the japanese girl suggested to go to the information counter and guess what, right opposite of the information counter there is a currency exchange shop! Thanks to the japanese girls, now I realised that I was very rude that I didn't even ask for their names! But we did talked a bit such as where we from.

Namdaemun Market

Namdaemun Market

Another Korean meal

After the lunch, I headed to Myeongdong Market to continue the shopping tour. Guess what, Myeongdong is much more happening than Namdaemun! A lot of youngsters hangout there. But this is a heaven for the female shoppers as it is full of cosmestics and clothes. Nothing fancy to a male shopper like me, other than seeing a lot of fair and good looking korean ladies.

Koreans' dream in Fifa World Cup 2010

All the wishes didn't come true in the game last night

Myeongdong Market

Myeongdong Market

Myeongdong Market

Myeongdong Market

I thought this is Myeongdong Cathedral but apparently it is not

After that, I walked to Insadong that is about 10 minutes away, thanks to the tourism association guide who gave me the very accurate direction. They are in red colour shirt with a hat, which you can easily recognise them.

Insadong

Insadong

Insadong

Free Korean huggies @ Insadong

Insadong

After Insadong, I was really exhausted. But still, with the strong determination, I head to the last tourist spot on my itinerary, that is the Yeouido Hangang Park. I purposely leave it in the evening so that I will be able to catch the evening cruise which I will be able to enjoy the sunset and also night view, good timing, no? XD

Yeouido Hangang Park

Yeouido Hangang Park

Yeouido Hangang Park

Yeouido Hangang Park

Yeouido Hangang Park

Yeouido Hangang Park

Yeouido Hangang Park

Yeouido Hangang Park

Yeouido Hangang Park

Han River Cruise Tour

Han River Cruise Tour ticket

Having my KFC dinner while waiting for the cruise tour

Onboarding

Sunset view @ Han River Cruise Tour

Moonlight Rainbow Fountain along Banpo Bridge @ Han River Cruise Tour

Moonlight Rainbow Fountain along Banpo Bridge @ Han River Cruise Tour

Moonlight Rainbow Fountain along Banpo Bridge @ Han River Cruise Tour

It is gonna be nice to take a picture with your loved one in the middle of the heart

Han River Cruise Tour

Han River Cruise Tour

After the cruise trip, it was about 9pm. My determination told me to spend the last night to its max, to go for a drink somewhere, or midnight shopping, but my body won't let me. The original itinerary pointed me to Myeongdong for Nanta Theatre, but I was really tired that I wanted to go no where but the hotel for a good rest. I headed back to the hotel and quickly got a quick shower before jumping into the blanket.

The next morning, I got my stuff packed, check-out from the hotel, and left my luggage to the receptionist, headed to COEX Mall for a hypermarket shopping experience in Seoul. I bought some seasoned dried seaweed and instant noodles from Hyundai Department Store.

COEX Mall

Koreans like Fahrenheit the Taiwan boy group?

After the meal, I headed back to the hotel to get my luggage and took another limo ride to the airport, got ready to take-off.

Transfering to Incheon International Airport

Transfering to Incheon International Airport

I reckon this as an awesome trip, despite on the lonely experience to travel alone. I am sure I'd like to visit Seoul again in the future, but I will make it during cherry blossom season, which usually falls in April.

Annyong kashipshio! (meaning "Good bye!") I am gonna miss you a lot, Seoul!

Labels: Career, Memories, Trip