the tour

Mobile blogging. That's the only way to do it for me. Today is globe trotting day. 3 countries in about 7 hours. No, it's not one of those wussy transit flights where you don't actually leave the airport. Heck, the whole of Singapore is one massive airport :) I also have a "please cut my line” pasted behind my back today. It all begun early in the morning. And I thought my country law men are doing me justice. I was at the gate to the immigration, and this Malay cop was giving some Chinese national a hard time over oversized hand luggage. "That looks fine" Maybe he's just Chinese, and If it were an Ang Moh carrying that bag, the cop will just let him through. But i held that though back for a while, and let the cop process the guys. That helped to build up quite a queue at the line. Then it came my turn, and suddenly this Caucasian guy cuts me abruptly and VIOLA! the local cop attended to him first! I was stunned and I said " Hey I was here first". to the cop who obviously ignored me and let the angmos in first. Then i read out his name. Andarin or something like that. He looked at me straight in the eye, and i gave a disappointed head shake and joined the other line.


Part 2 of cut my queue.
Singapore immigration. I was in line and there was a small gap between the guy in front of me and myself. And suddenly, this Bangladeshi guy conveniently cuts my line, parking comfortably in front of me. OK la. I didn't wanna put in my 2 cents worth of telling this kinda pple off. But seriously people.. We must be courteous. Why cut other's line? Just wait lah.. the plane is not going to leave without you. Ok it will, which is what almost happened to me today.


The plane that nearly got away
Terminal 2 of Changi serves major carriers (SQ, MH) and terminal 1 is for smaller carriers, aka budget airlines. I flew to Hat Yai on Tiger Airways, which i though was Thai Girl airways (fat hopes) This is my first budget carrier trip in Singapore. After paying 185 SGD for excess baggage, I decided to tour this terminal a bit. Found a nice sushi bar with lovely sushi ........ I shall not describe food. Too much details.


To be continued. Flight Thai-Girl Airways is calling....


A few days later....


I am glad I am going back. That's 4 countries in 8 days. Offshore was interesting. Was given skeptical cold welcome but a hero's return. It's not funny when you asked if you can swim back to Songkhla. Slept in the chopper. Yes I know, I know.. How can I sleep in a chopper.. But everyone else was sleeping. It was a Russian made. I think it's at least 20 years old. But Thai ingenuity, paint and cheap labor made it look all good. How do I know it's 20 years old? easy. from the gooffy hairstyle of the safety video played at least 4 times. Twice in English and Thai. We had ear plugs then.


The chopper ride took about 1 hour. First thing in my mind when I saw the barge was. Oh my. that's a big boat. True enough, It's big. It's fun walking up and down the decks, walking by the 2 galleys, One for expats and the other for locals. Guess which galley has an ice cream maker?


Total trip was4 days. 2 on and 2 offshore. Total Thai massage was 2hours x 2.
Cost of Thai massage: 240baht for 2 hours(thats not even 10 US dollars, people!!!)
Having your back massaged by a Thai girl in the vicinity of your own room : +30baht
Able to watch Cold Mountain while getting a massage: Free
Able to keep you dick in your pants while she massages the near sensitive area while smiling: Priceless
Church keeps trouble at bay. For every temptation, there's God to keep you steadfast.
Now, doesn't that sound like a credit card advert?



Got back onshore. "work is done" I thought, Back to KL. That wasn't on my boss' mind. So I took a flight from Hat Yai to Singapore and 5 hours later I found myself on a flight to Jakarta. Flight was good. Met this sweet but happening Vietnamese girl who works for a major tooth paste company. Had dinner with my new found friend, and she thought me how to say "Hom Vet Long". Which is "oh baby, that feels so good" in Vietnamese. That was a joke, mind you. hom vet long is the egg with an embryo inside it. Which is a delicacy ONLY in Vietnam(Thank God).BUT recently, I hear they have the same sick eggs in the Philiphines, it's called BELUT. Eww. The name is enough to irk me of it. So I guess bird flu is the chicken's revenge for people eating their un hatched semi developed young. Cruelty in it's best definition. Just like abortion. Cruelty is also, staying up intil 1am after getting only 4 hours of sleep on the previous day, knowing that you have to work the following day.


Jakarta is like what you see on TV. The gaps of poverty and wealth is extreme. You can see jobless guitar wielding shirtless men on the street while the car showroom displays Hummers and Ferraris. I liked my hotel. It's a Marriott!!. what's there not to like in a Marriott?? Lack of entertainment I'ld say. No in house bar, just a big big bed with fluffy fluffy pillows. Makes you wanna sleep the whole day and watch Jakarta go by from the 23rd floor.



At the present time, I am..
enjoying my cold caramel macchiato
digesting my spinach quiche
waiting for my flight
wondering who Radja is in Indonesia ( Some band who had a function at Hard Rock Jakarta)*****
feeling cold
turning a deaf ear to the people around me( except for flight announcements)
understood that 10,000 rupiah is 1usd
getting my ass off to board the plane.



That’s it. This is getting to long. I’ll blog bout my Dubai trip, when I have the time. Cheerios people.