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The Overwhelming Trip, Part 2

25 Apr

Day Two began with our visit to the Phoenix Ancient Town. The girls decided to do the photoshoot in Miao costumes, and I couldn’t opt out! It was quite an overwhelming experience for me, but I survived. After that session, we explored the vibrant night lights of the town, went on a boat cruise, and enjoyed some delicious street food.

On the third day, we visited a Miao Village. Although the walk was not too draining, it was the beginning of more challenging walks and paths. The steps and distances we covered increased daily as the terrain became more difficult. Having strong knees is essential when visiting China, especially if you plan on visiting all the natural parks. Another challenge is the public toilets, which are the squat type.

Miao Village

By the fourth day, the feeling of being overwhelmed kicked in. The crowds, the queues, the waits, and the walking! Our guide took 15 minutes to purchase the cable car tickets for Tianmen Mountain, and we then stood in line for almost two hours for the ride. It was the start of many long queues and waits. Such situations bring out the worst in a person or persons. There were some uncouth individuals—older women, mind you, and not young adults—who hopped over the barriers to cut in line without any shame. We could only look in disbelief.

Tianmen Mountain

From the cable car—at quite a distance—we could see the large hole known as Heaven’s Gate, or Tianmen Cave. It’s a natural archway formed by a cave that runs through the Mountain. And below the cable car, the 99 Bends road was a breathtaking sight. I was more impressed by the road than the gap in the Mountain, to be honest.

Spectacular!

After all that time and effort going up, it’s time to come down! The 999 steps await us. Dang, it’s a long way down. I kept my focus, looking at the steps going down, as I didn’t want any mishap to happen. I’m proud to say I took 18 minutes. What a day.

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The Overwhelming Trip

25 Apr

It was supposed to be an epic trip, postponed from last November until this April. But I’m still trying to find the appropriate words to describe the Zhangjiajie and Changsha trip, which has been overwhelming.

What better way to kick off a trip than a beer and char kueh teow past midnight at the Premier Lounge before boarding! We departed from KLIA on Saturday at 3.00 a.m. Unfortunately, our seats were not the best, being a row in front of the emergency exits, which meant they couldn’t recline. Sigh. Luckily, the five-hour flight was still bearable.

Upon arrival, everything went smoothly, and we boarded our private bus for just the six of us, along with our English-speaking guide. The bus ride was scary as the weather was quite extreme, with wind gusts up to 42km/h. I could feel the bus swaying on the highway! We stopped once to allow the driver to rest, and we had our first meal in China: a simple spread of rice, mui choy with pork, stir-fried potatoes, and some fried donuts.

Gusty wind made the bus sway on the highway!

The first attraction was Liuye Lake in Changde City, northwest of Hunan Province; it was strange. It was supposed to be a tourist resort, but hardly anybody in sight— it felt like a ghost town! We wondered whether we were in China, a country known for its crowds. Here we were, at an attraction without visitors. We then proceeded to another attraction, which I can’t recall the name of, but there were plenty of people, shops, and street vendors.

Liuye Lake
Cute little cooking stations to test your cooking skills!

We spent our first night at the Zeyun Hotel in Changde City and checked out the next day to head to the next attraction and hotel.

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Back from the Travels

22 Apr

I’m struggling to find the right words to describe my recent trip to China, especially my visits to Changsha and Zhangjiajie. The best word to summarize the experience is “overwhelming” of the natural scenery, vast crowds, and buildings with their vibrant night colors, be it the city or the villages.

I need a little time to collect my thoughts and fully process everything before I can articulate everything. Arriving home at the ungodly hour of 4:15 a.m. hasn’t helped either, and it has only aggravated an unsuspecting sore throat.

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Time to Travel Again!

11 Apr

It has been a while since I had an entry on Friday. There used to be so much to share, but life has become predictable and unexciting lately, leaving me with little to write about. However, this is changing because it is time to travel again!

My all-girls trip is finally happening. My high school friends and I were supposed to travel together in November, but with unforeseen circumstances and issues some of us had, we all agreed to postpone our trip to China until this year. The girls are the same friends I traveled with to Bali in 2022.

The excitement has been building this week, and I am packed and ready to go! We are meeting up at KLIA tonight for our wee-hour flight on Saturday to kick off the busy nine-day itinerary. I may be unable to update daily, but I’ll have plenty of pictures and stories to write about afterward.

Looking forward to the adventure ahead! Whee!

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Another Long Holiday

2 Apr

I’ve lost track of the days during this Hari Raya festive holiday as my weekend and weekday seem to have merged into one long stretch. As a result, my activity schedule has become quite disorganized. Throw in a lunch get-together with friends that stretches into teatime – it’s no wonder I’ve lost track of time!

Recently, my golf game has not been going well, so I’ve decided to cut back on playing to focus on recovering my mental strength before I tackle the sport again. In the meantime, I’ve been playing more pickleball!

My usual twice or thrice-a-week golf has been reduced to once a week, while my pickleball has increased to twice a week. I find that the latter sport is less of a mental challenge. Although I’m still new at it, I’m making progress. The two-hour pickleball session can be tiring but not as draining as a round of golf that lasts four hours or more.

Golf has always posed a mental challenge for me to play better. And at times, I worry that I may aggravate an old injury or acquire a new one. Unfortunately, it has not been as enjoyable for me lately. I’m surprised I’ve reached this point with a sport I’ve enjoyed all these years. Perhaps the long holiday or my disorganized schedule is contributing to these feelings? Or simply, I’m just overthinking things!

P/S I have really lost track of time! This post is out on a Wednesday instead of the usual Tuesday. Eeeks.

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Up and Down Again

11 Mar

Lately, my golf game has not been the best. I have to confess the games played in Vietnam were underwhelming, especially putting. Then again, the erratic putting was due to using a new and different putter. I have to elaborate on this next time.

However, I was not too bothered by my performance. After all, the trip was more about enjoying the company, the sights, the food, and the weather. As an afterthought, if the weather during the three games had been more comfortable and not that cold, would the results have been different? Oh well, that’s golf for you—filled with ‘what ifs’ and ‘could haves’ and ‘should haves’ thereafter.

Subconsciously, I was careful not to aggravate my tennis elbow, so the shots I took were more cautious or held back. It’s interesting to note the cold weather may have helped prevent further flare-ups, so I am grateful for this!

However, upon returning to hot and humid conditions, I couldn’t strike the ball well for the few games I played. It was as if I didn’t know how to play golf anymore! What is happening? Sigh.

I hope I can fix my problem soon; otherwise, any upcoming game will be more down than up!

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Ha Long and Hanoi 2025, Part 2

25 Feb

On the third day of our trip to Vietnam, we left Ha Long for Hanoi. The difference is immediate in terms of scenery and traffic. Hanoi was more congested, with more buildings, vehicles, and people. It was cold when the bus pulled up to our next hotel, within the Old Quarter.

After checking in, we went in search of food before wandering the streets to do some shopping. There were some good bargains, but I was selective and did not want to buy for the sake of buying, you know? It was my second trip to Hanoi after all – in the end, I bought two bags of aromatic coffee beans for my indulgence.

My new coffee beans
Street vendors, excellent Vietnamese restaurant, and pho by the road

The third golf game was, by far, the toughest. It was cold and misty, drizzling, and wet. Hilltop Valley Golf Club is not for the faint of heart. The low visibility made it hard to see where the ball flew. Despite the challenges, I was lucky to lose only two balls, unlike a few others, who lost a range from five to ten balls for their round! Dang.

Teeing uphill into the abyss and pray!

My putting was terrible throughout the three days, though. So bad, I have no words to describe. I can only kick myself in the butt for bringing a new, untested putter for this trip! Duh. What was I thinking? But I try not to let the putting mar my overall experience. My flightmates were fun, and it was good company.

Generally, golfing in Hanoi can be very enjoyable if the weather is cool and stays that way. It borders on discomfort when the temperature dips a little, making it hard to grip the golf clubs. Sigh, we are not used to such conditions.

Nevertheless, food is always the bright spot! Vietnamese food is very flavorful but not too extreme in its flavors or oily. Besides the food, Vietnamese coffee is the next best thing! I find myself drinking more coffee than my usual intake.

The famed Train Street, Hanoi beer, and a magnificent-looking black cockerel posing for photos

Now that this trip is done and checked off the bucket list, would I consider returning to these two places again? Of course! There are some more attractions that we missed out on because it was a golf trip above all. So long, Ha Long and Hanoi, we enjoyed ourselves despite the cold weather, but I’m sure we will be back.

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Ha Long and Hanoi 2025

21 Feb

It was a trip mooted last year, and it felt like forever for the day to arrive. When it finally did, the five-day golf trip to Vietnam came and flew by quickly! It was our first golfing trip for 2025, and yes, I was excited.

At the beginning of the year, I took some time off from golf to allow my tennis elbow to recover. I had to if I wanted to enjoy the golf trip pain-free. The self-imposed break worked out well because we had all the Chinese New Year celebrations during this time.

Golfing in Ha Long and Hanoi this time was quite an experience. It was cold, quite cold, and super cold during the three games we played, two being in Ha Long and one in Hanoi.

Last year, when we were in Hanoi for golf, it wasn’t that cold compared to this time. And the last time I wore three layers of clothing for golf to keep warm was back in 2019 when we were in Oregon! Goodness, that’s quite a while back.

Ha Long was beautiful and serene. It felt very laid-back and untouched. The golf course, Tuan Chau Golf Club, was relatively flat in its terrain. But there was a lot of water surrounding the course, being an island, after all.

The first meal upon arrival in Hanoi

The second course was more challenging, FLC Halong Golf Club. Up in the hills, the terrain was a challenge to walk in and out. Both courses did not allow the golf buggies into the fairways. So, you can imagine the toll on the knees if the ball landed far away from the buggy track.

The weather was cool but misty, or rather, hazy, spoiling the scenery of Ha Long Bay beyond the signature Par 3 hole. No amount of attempts or the best smartphone could capture the natural beauty in the hazy condition. Sigh.

Top: Tuan Chau; Bottom: FLC Halong

Weather aside, there were some highlights from the trip. Our group enjoyed a sumptuous lunch on a cruise on the bay, followed by a short trek into the Ha Long Cave. Again, the pictures taken do not do justice to the beauty of this natural wonder.

In the blink of an eye, two rounds of golf in Ha Long were under the belt, along with a few phở meals and plenty of beer. We bid farewell to Ha Long and left for Hanoi for the rest of our stay in Vietnam.

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Chinese New Year 2025

4 Feb

Kong Hei Fatt Choy! Wishing everyone a very Happy and Prosperous New Year. A week has passed going into the Year of the Snake, and I have lost track of time! All we do is eat and eat. Burp.

The Reunion Dinner was a gastronomic feast, with so much food on the table for our hot pot dinner. I think we all experienced a food coma after that meal! Hahahaha.

Toasting over the Yee Sang, our Reunion Dinner spread, and irresistible CNY cookies!

Chinese New Year is all about celebrating and merry-making with relatives and friends. And, of course, there’s the food—especially the New Year cookies and snacks. These delectable treats are dangerous and irresistible. Every choice is a must-try, can you imagine? How do we resist? Although they are only available once a year, the waistline is always in danger of being tempted by them!

We have eight days left for the Chinese New Year celebration, and I’m looking forward to the Chap Goh Meh dinner finale soon!

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Reunion Dinner 2025

28 Jan

Today is Chinese New Year’s Eve and the Reunion Dinner night. This year, we will have our Reunion Dinner at home because of circumstances. In other words, we did not return to hubby’s hometown and avoided driving a long and arduous journey. Phew. Nor did we gather at my sibling’s place for this auspicious celebration.

Nonetheless, the Reunion Dinner, here or otherwise, is a time to be thankful for our family’s unity and bond. As both girls are now grown, I am most thankful they can be with us to usher in the Year of the Wood Snake together!

We count our blessings and would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous Year ahead. Gong Xi Fa Cai / Kong Hey Fatt Choy / Kiong Hee Huat Chye!

This year, we added this festive decor besides the customary New Year red cloth at the main entrance to the house.

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