My Summer vacation- thoughts...

The VACATION…..

June 24, 2006…. The day has arrived…. We woke up at 4ish in the morning… not merely to start the day… but to embark on one of the most eagerly anticipated vacation… my first REAL vacation here.

Abt 7am, we took the flight… headed for LAS VEGAS!!

Aim was to get to this place outside Grand Canyon on the same day. I think it’s called Williams. The weather was hot….. almost in the 40s (degree Celsius)…

On the way there, we went to Hoover Dam…. Pretty neat place for a dam… it was actually at the dividing line between Nevada (where Vegas is in) and Arizona (where Grand Canyon is in).

When we got to Williams, or the place around Williams… we realized that it was like a dead town…. No one around for miles and miles… and in fact… we missed the hostel that we are suppose to go to… and went abt 10-15 miles too far. When we turned back….

Murphy’s Law… the only place that we didnt make a reservation... was fully booked.

thank God, we found anyone not too far off, and not much more expensive too.

(continued this part of the post 2 weeks later.)

I took a break from writing partly due to work, mainly due to lazy.

If you want a full narration of where we went, what time we did things, and what exactly we did, Tim the dodo (link on the side), has done an excellent job. Photos? Same place.. Tim the great…

I thought it’s easier to share my thoughts on these places that I have been to:

1) Grand Canyon

I haven’t lived long, but Grand Canyon must be one of the Grandest (as the name suggest) thing/place that I have ever seenWe took a quick peep on our shuttle bus, but it was only when we stood right in front of it… we felt the full “impact” of the Canyon. The “in your face” feeling was certainly something extremely breathtaking (literally). We were like “WAH!” when we saw the Canyon… . Like what I found many to concur, no one picture or many words can do enough justice to describe how majestic, how brilliant God has shaped this place.

We basically did a hike down to the bottom of the Canyon. What’s the big deal, you might ask. Nothing, it just took us almost 12 hours (with 3 hrs break in-between) to make it down to the bottom. We had to do it with a bagful of food, a load of tent, and the weight of our inexperience. It normally takes abt 4-6 hours for “normal” pple. We struggled, we toiled, we laboured, we suffered, we ached, we (at one stage) kinda regret…. But no one complained, there was always this spirit of togetherness throughout the trip. And especially when we stopped for a rest, there was always things to talk about, positive things to say… (bar some not so positive comments on Tim)…

To be honest, I wouldn’t have wanted to do this tough and torturous trip with anyone else….. I was happy despite all the “hardship”.

The upward journey was much easier. There could be several reasons… we are mentally better prepared, the route was easier, we had more time (not that we wanted to take more time than others). We were able to have more fun, take more photos…

One good thing about such journeys… the view is always good… the feeling is great too… with Canyon all around you… I love it! I re-discovered the “nature” part of me. Cant wait to go back again.

The rest… to come..

Photos from our Summer Vacation Part 3

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2104277990

Great photos from Tim... the great...

(beware who reads your blog... becareful what you say about them.)

Tulsa Bao

No no… I am not missing the Tau Sa Bao in Singapore… I am just trying to be farnie, but making up some other names with the name of the city that I am in.

It’s my first business trip out of town since I got to Houston. Not the most exciting trip by any standard, but a different experience nevertheless. Staying in the hotel, waking up to a rental car, easy access to the swimming pool and the gymnasium without having to worry about the lack of towels…

This is a fairly small city, of supposedly 600,000 people. Still, it has most basic amenities: lotsa hotels, shopping centers, eateries, highways… etc. One interesting thing to note is that it seemed to be a predominantly white city. I almost do not see any blacks, Asians or Hispanics around.

Besides the cultural make-up, I think it is the American City that I have vision before I got to Houston. It is similar to Naperville, where I was, one year ago.

Overall, it has been a pleasant experience, which was made better by my short shopping exploits. I managed to get 2 polo t-shirts for a RELATIVELY cheaper price.

Do I think I will get back here on my own? Hmm… NO!

As what my manager said…. “Who goes to Oklahoma?” (With all due respect)

How hard it is to leave someone behind

Sometimes you get a good week; sometimes you get a bad one.

Last week was not the best we have had so far. Things were not going as well as we have hoped.

I feel that at times like this, when we are most Vulnerable, when we are Simply down, I should be with that someone close.

But it was not meant to be. I had to travel ona job for the first time since i came.

I never have been so Reluctant to leave that Some one behind (think Europe, Vietnam, Taiwan and Chicago).......

This time, I was not ready to leave. I wanted to be there, i wanted to be the ear that is listening, i wanted to be that mouth that is offering solutions, I wanted to be that comforting arm, assuring voice, calming presence.... I just wanted to be everything that I can be.... Everything that she wants me to be……

Since it did not turn out to be what I have wished, I tried to spend the last moments with her, before leaving with a heavy heart.

All i could do is to promise…. I will be back as soon I can be… dearie..

Photos from our Summer Vacation

From tim's camera... inferior, nevertheless still something.

Album one:

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2104290506&code=23180020&mode=invite&DCMP=isc-email-AlbumInvite

Album two:

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2104287335&code=23152558&mode=invite&DCMP=isc-email-AlbumInvite

Dont be appalled by the lack of quality... you pple are spoilt by me... haha..

I am Singaporean... my version

Inspired by Mr Brown... this is my version

I am a Singaporean

I lived in the United States for 6 months now, and miss home all the time… despite having shorter work hours, earning more, having a car to drive… I would rather be at home…

I speak decent English, hence the Americans can understand me, but they can tell that I am a foreigner from my accent.

I miss Laksa, Char Kuay Teow, and Hokkien Mee.

I used to meet up with friends to la kopi and watch soccer on weekends.

I think movie tickets are expensive, but I bought them as there aren’t many other things to do.

I used to go to JB for seafood and some cheap shopping one every few months.

I went to a neighborhood school, and managed to complete a certain level of education.

I lived in a HDB flat all my life, and learnt to like it.

I took LRT in Singapore because they stopped the bus service in my neighbourhood which was running effectively.

I served the Army for 2 years 4 months, but never regretted that. Never blamed the government despite the tears and the time that it took… and agreed that it was necessary

When I meet someone new here, I tell them I am from Singapore, not from China… and I am proud of it…

simply because… I am a Singaporean.

I am Singaporean

I was reading Rockson's post... his first in two months.

And once again... it's a great post.

If you are a Singaporean... with not just the Singapore passport... but with the Singaporean heartbeat... hear Mr Bown's "I am Singaporean" http://www.mrbrown.com/blog/2006/07/browncast_i_am_.html

If u dont mind slightly less polite languages... you can read rockson too
http://rockson.blogspot.com/

Support them....

A note to my love

Was reading a couple's blog. Saw a love poem written from the boy friend... so i got motivated and went to search for one nice one... so I could dedicate it to my love...

Please know that I didnt write this... but with time... I am sure i can... nevertheless... this truly reflects my heartbeat....

Enjoy....

I once had a heart
and it was true,
but now it's gone
from me to you.

so take care of it
as I have done
because now you have two
and I have none.

It's been a while since we are together. I hope my love for my love will carry on.... burning as fiercely as it has always been.

Pray for me...