Last week, on top of the special Madonna BODYJAM®, Fitness First had our Halloween-themed classes all over the gyms, and I was involved in Spooky Combat on Friday at FF Menara John Hancock with fatboy's favourite BODYCOMBAT® instructor.
Trick or treat?
Earlier I did BODYPUMP®... so had to rush to the locker to change a to put up some make up after class. Calvin came in early and got his "thang" done- some more got gloves a gym member lend him. I just put on my clothes and went to the studio to put some colours on my face.
Your instructors for the night...
We took turns to teach the class in the dark with just the neon lights on. So, it was kinda hard to look at how the members were doing. The worst thing was actually halfway through the 2nd track- no thanks to my sweat-the make up went into my eyes and for a moment I had to close my eyes to teach. Fortunately didn't hit anyone by mistake...
The warm up
The jab front knee to the groin is a painful thing...
It was interesting and different doing BODYCOMBAT® in the dark...
And here's a clip of the Madonna BODYJAM® at FF Wisma Consplant Subang, with the member in white winning the best Madonna look: (sorry, I promise next year I will buy a better camera...)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Will be driving back to Penang tonight to add to the island's traffic woes for the holidays. Will be back on the blogsphere probably next week. To everyone, Happy Deepavali and Selamat Hari Raya, maaf zahir dan batin, and happy holidays! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guess who's coming for dinner? ... ... ... ...
Actually fatboy didn't come for dinner, but he invited my gf and I to his place for dinner with his friends. Apparently he's cooking baking...
We were there by around 8pm and were greeted by Mrs. fatboy his better half,Bee Lian. We were quite early because most of the guests had not arrived yet, while the chef was still busy in the kitchen.
Anyhow while we got to know the fellow early birds, we were served with fajita and some biscuits. Slowly, the rest of the guest came and in no time, the place was filled with hungry people. Interesting enough, a few people actually know me through fatboy's blog...
Dinner was served soon enough, and fatboy & wife were playing the perfect hosts, walking around, talking to the guests.
The fellowship during the dinner
Why his blog is fatboybakes....
More food...
Food was plentiful.. unfortunately, I couldn't take much after munching too much fajitas(totally loved it!). But honest, I really enjoyed the meal... so much that I accidentally bit my lower lip while eating.
Calvin, a fellow instructor, was there too. While I was eating, I could hear fatboy introducing "My favourite BODYCOMBAT instructor" to everyone there. At the point, I felt a bit jealous and I really wanted to tumbuk fatboy on the face and leave but remembered that he's the host and the food was just too good to forego Too bad he had to leave early before the game started.
Fatboy with his favourite BC instructor.... and me.
I thought the main meal was good enough but there was dessert! Ice-cream and cake, just the perfect combination to make you fat to end the dinner.
unholy indulgence
45% F-A-T!!!
After dinner, we went to the other room to play this game called Articulate! which was really fun. I had never played the game before but it was addictive. I felt kinda sad when the game ended(which fatboy's team won) coz it was already 12am ++. Most of us got to wake up early for church. Poor fatboy was left with almost a jug full of mojito to finish by himself...
It was a fun-filled Saturday evening, with great food, wonderful new friends made, and cool hosts. I fell sick the next day with a sore throat- probabbly talked too much when I should've just rested my mouth after teaching 4 classes within 24 hours. In the end, was it worth it?
I've just signed up with Maxis 3G, thanks to Walls for giving 3G mobile phones to the losers finalists of the Love in Tune contest. We are not in the pictures because at that moment, we were still in Bangkok.
Initially we wanted to sell the phone, but nobody wanted it. Heck, I even used www.lelong.com.my but it wasn't successful. So, we decided to use the phones instead.
Anyhow, yesterday we went to change our SIM card and this is the phone- Motorola V975.
clamshell... I hate clamshells!
In all honesty, neither of us would ever buy a Motorola again after numerous bad experience, some more we are more not into clamshell mobile phones. But free phone, never mind lah...
This is an entry-level 3G phone which has all the necessary features but none too impressive. The camera is quite good for a VGA camera phone and you can record video/audio with it too apparently. So far I've not done much with besides downloading some MP3 ringtones and video conferencing with my gf. Kinda bulky & heavy but then again, it's supposed to be packed with 3G features.
So to my friends, if you're on Maxis 3G as well, please let me know so that we can have cool video conferencing!
I took this with my cheapskate digicam when Paul was practising for his BODYATTACK® track presentation. You'll also hear me giving my 2-sen advice on his physical execution. Sorry that I turned the camera sideway...
On the first day of the BODYATTACK® we were asked the question, "What is you goal for this training?"
My answer: To walk out of the gym on my two feet.
Yeah, I managed to achieve my goal... barely. I had calf muscle pain on day 1 and day 2 I got additional pain from my knees and ankles. After a hearty dinner at my favourite mamak restaurant at Seksyen 14, I went back to my home for this.
Foot massage to the rescue!
The shop is Perubatan Rawatan Tradisional Khang Lik and it's just outside my place in Bandar Menjalara. I first went to try their 40 min foot massage on last Friday which was quite good. This time, however, I wasn't going to settle for 40 min and I asked for the 1 hour treatment.
Soaking my feet
This shop is different from the others I've tried when it comes to soaking my feet. This shop uses chinese herbs in their hot water which gives the feet a nice chinese medicine smell(not that I sniff my feet, but the smell strong even after the massage). The others I've been to normally use plain hot water only. Anyhow, soaking in hot water for about 10 minutes really felt good after 2 days of abuse training.
Suddenly I feel like Kenny Sia(minus the hairy legs) with this photo blog...
Oooh... that feels good! Harder please...
I was kinda pleased to get the same guy who massages me last Friday. Personally I like guys prefer to get my massage from a guy because am a masochist. No offence to the ladies, but I like to get stronger massage. Take a look at the guy's arm, small but darn powerful to give pleasure! I almost fell asleep... Even though at times it was painful but it was a pleasurable pain, if you get what I mean.
The 1 hour massage was definitely better than the 40 min one. On top of that, the 1 hour one costs RM10 more only. The guy massage the feet, ankles, calves, knees, basically everything that hurts. Wonderful....
I paid RM40 for the one hour treatment, the 40 min massage is RM30. Besides that, they also provide 1-hour traditional thai massage for RM55. The ladies there speak thai with the guy. so I think the massage coming from real thai peeps should be good, though I have not tried it yet. Will probably try it next time and let you know. Currently, they are offering 10+1, 1 free session for every 10 session completed(probably others are doing it too).
Anyhow, if you stay nearby and you're keen on foot massage, the place is:
Perubatan Rawatan Tradisional Khang Lik, 27, Jln 3/62D, Medan Putra Business Centre, Bandar Sri Menjalara, Off Jln Damansara, 52200 KL 03-62726995
I couldn't sleep well and I woke up at about 6am but I lazed around the bed till it was about 7am on Tuesday. Then I drove to my office which is quite near Fitness First Menara Axis and got my colleague's hubby to drop me there(just wanna save money on parking). By the time I reach there, most of the trainees were already there. Everyone looked so fresh and excited, which was a total different scenario at the end of Day 1.
One is married with child, one attached, and one available... guess which is which?
There were 21 trainees and our trainer was Kirsty Robbie from Melbourne(I think). We started with the usual registration before we did the master class, which turned out to be the most tiring workout I've ever experience! It's like a train that slowly increases its momentum and moves all the way to the end without stop. At the end of the class, I was wondering to myself what I had got myself into!!
To cut the story short, we were allocated a track each to present the next day and the first day of training was spent between listening to Kirsty's "lecture" and doing physical execution. At the end of the day, there was a fitness test which required us to run to and fro across the room till we drop dead, push ups, sit-up etc. It was a darn tiring Day 1...
I made the mistake of wearing a cross trainer for the trainng. Actually, towards the end of the master class I felt as if my feet weighed 10kg and I was rather lucky not to develope blisters. Other that that, I also had calf muscle pain that connected to the hamstrings, thus the back of my knees were in pain as well. Pain or no pain, I had to endure it and went back for Day 2.
Today's training started with our presentations. We were divided into 3 groups and at any time there would be 3 people presenting the same track. I was nervous because I was the first to present. Didn't really screw up much but I thought I could've done a better job had I been more composed. The muscle aches were not helping too...
We all got our respective feedback and stuff. Next was the BODYATTACK® Challenge. Dunno how to describe it but it was a crazy thing I hope not to go through again. Then again, if I want to be superfit, I should do this on a regulas basis.(Now, just to find the time between my day job and gym job...) Anyhow, it was after that during lunch that I discovered blisters on both knees due to doing repeated push ups on my knees(lesson learnt: thou shalt always do push ups on your toes).
Afternoon was more of Kirsty's lecture before we had some time to get ready for our final torture presentation.
Some were practising, some were just watching...
The final preparation for the final perspiration
The final presentation and assessment came and went. The good news is nobody failed the training. The "not-so-good" news is this is just the beginning of a new journey for all the instructors who took the training.
For FF gym members, watch out for BODYATTACK®, coming your way in November!!!
Yup,... in less than 24 hours' time, I will be going for the BODYATTACK® training. How am I feeling now? A bit excited and a bit "sian"...
Excited because it's finally here, "sian" because aiyor, another tiring training to attend. Then again, this time the training will be a bit different as most, if not all, of the trainees will be fellow instructors I see on a regular basis- previous trainings were mostly people I have never met before(some of them, who have since became instuctors too).
Anyhow, tonight I'm taking the night off instead of teaching at Fitness First Menara Summit. Ping and Alexander are covering RPM® for me(it's a halloween theme RPM® tonight) while Jackson is taking my BODYPUMP® class. Speaking of Ping, this girl is something. Don't let her appearance fool you- If you attend her BODYBALANCE® class, she's such an angel there. Even outside the class she is very gentle by nature.... But the moment you put her on a bike, she turns into this crazy mean she-devil who will drive you to your death can really push you hard in the class.
Anyhow, turning the attention back to me. Today's break will allow me to recover since I had a crazy BODYCOMBAT® with the FF Cheras Leisure Mall members yesterday. There wasn't any newcomer in the class so I did a "press play and go" class- I was not stopping for breaks in between tracks but members could take a quick sip on their own and come back. At the end I only stopped after track 5 for 10 secs(I followed the clock) and press the play button again. Most of the members actually stayed on with me all the way. Feedback from members? Challenging but fun to do actually... Probably can't do that too often or newcomers will be scared away.
On another note, I will be going back to Penang during the Raya break. It will be a chance to spend time with mom and some friends there. Also, I will be recording my BODYPUMP® class there for certification. I am already a certified instructor in BODYCOMBAT® and RPM® and it is important that I get the certification in BODYPUMP® because I will be paid more I am committed to improve and maintain the Les Mills group exercise standard.
I was telling my gf yesterday my major concern going to bed tonight is not whether I pass the training. Instead, it's the basic issue I struggle with every morning- whether I will wake up on time or not. The scariest thing to happen is to actually overslept for the training. Not that it has happened to me before in any of the previous trainings but it's a phobia I have since I missed the 2002 Starwalk. I was so pumped up for my first ever competition, I packed everything, planned my breakfast and stuff... and ended up waking up at 6.45am, the registration time. *sigh*
Alright, lunch time now... I will probably not blog for the next 2 days. Even if I do, it will be in the evening since I finish my training at 5.30pm. Well, wish me luck!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I mentioned that I wasn't going to do any more blogging today but this really can't wait. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Old lady: Besok cuti tak? (is there a holiday tomorrow?)
Guy: Tak tahu... (Dunno...)
Old lady: Badawi punya bini mati... (Badawi's wife passed away...)
Guy: Ya-lah, kalau cuti syiok lah! (Yes, if got holiday then syiok-lah!)
I came out of the mini-mart of the petrol station disgusted. Here we have the demise of Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's "No. 1 Supporter" and all some people could think of is getting a long weekend. Well, some states like Selangor and Penang are have a holiday tomorrow anyway because of Nuzul Al-Quran but that is not the point. The point is, some people need to take a good look at themselves.
To these people, don't you have any sense of compassion or sadness? What kind of a human are you? A woman who had been battling cancer for 4 years just passed away. Pak Lah just lost his wife of 40 years. Kamaluddin and Nori just lost their mother.
I was ICQ-ing with Danny about this and this is what he said:
"I realise we are really insensitive and selfish beings... everytime got disaster.... GOT HOLIDAY AH? got death... GOT HOLIDAY AH???"
True, we may not have known Datin Seri Endon or Dato' Seri Abdullah personally but that doesn't mean we have to behave like jerks about it. I heard someone even joked that he skipped class the night before to mourn for her, and that I am appalled. To that person, would you joked about that if that person is your friend's mom?
Put yourself in this situation. Imagine your loved one just passed away and everyone is asking you "Are you going to declare a holiday?" Does anyone care at all? Are we Malaysians in short supply of holidays? If we don't care about her demise, why should we care if it's a holiday or not?
This reminds me of 21st Nov 2001. When the previous The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Marhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah passed away, the government declared 21st Nov(or 22nd I'm not too sure) a holiday. I was working at Gurney Plaza in Penang then and I saw my fellow Malaysians taking advantage of my King's demise to do more shopping!! The place was packed and business for the retailers was excellent that day. I suspect probably the shopping complexes in the Klang Valley must have had a wonderful day too.
What is the purpose of declaring a holiday? The government does it out of respect for whoever just passed away and by going shopping and having fun on that day, we are making a mockery out of this.
I really wonder if the term "caring Malaysians" is a fallacy. Then again, they do CARE about getting an additional off day...
For those with questions on the tongkat ali or kacip fatimah I mentioned on Tuesday, please note that I am neither a doctor nor a pharmacist. I am just a user of the product and thus, I am unable to answer some of the questions you posed. However, if you still want to give it a try, I can get them for you. I have spoken to my brother and the retail price in the market is actually RM110(30 capsules) but he had sold it to me at cost(take look at the picture. I don't think he is able to sell it cheaper to other people because he could be in trouble(with the distributor) if he does that.
note the price printed on the side of the box is Rm110
Anyhow, I will be getting a packet of tongkat ali and kacip fatimah each for 2 people when I go back to Penang during the Raya. Anyone else who wants it, please email me at mee_goreng@yahoo.com, okay?
I was halfway typing this when I heard of Datin Seri Endon Mahmood's demise. My condolence to the Prime Minister and her family. No more blogging for today after this sad news...
To answer a certain fatboy,"No, you don't really need to put '®' after each mention of BODYCOMBAT®,BODYPUMP®..." At least that's what I think. You definitely don't have to use the programme colour as well- I'm just having fun with colours... Besides, it makes me look more professional.
By conducting a scientific study, the experts find that BODYATTACK® is by far the most active of Les Mills programmes. Do take a visit to read the entire article, ya?
Anyhow, after 3 days on Eurycoma Longifolia, I'm pleased to report that I am feeling great in my classes. Yesterday during BODYCOMBAT®, I tried to do as many songs as possible without taking a break. I only stopped after track 3 and track 5 because I wanted to demo the jump kick and back kick. Other than that, it was quite a "press play and go" session. After that, I changed attire and went for RPM® and it was another explosive session. So far so good as I prepare for next week's training...
This Friday 21 Oct is a Selangor state holiday, so I will be resting at home(or may go for foot reflexology session near home in Bandar Menjalara). However, I still have a BODYPUMP® class in the evening at Fitness First Menara John Hancock but two holiday classes scheduled for Fitness First The Curve have been cancelled... it's a normal working day for the gym. Anyhow I'm not complaining. I had earlier asked Riyo for classes in mid-September(yes, I'm THAT kiasu) without the knowledge of the BODYATTACK® training.
2 more weeks and Ramadhan is over... can't wait to balik kampung!! The traffic on the federal highway has been horrendous since the beginning of the fasting month- the jam starts early and last Monday I was almost late for my BODYPUMP® class at Fitness First Menara Summit- going to Summit has always been a challenge for me because normally if I leave office on time, I will normally arrive 15 mins before class(last Monday I reached the gym with only 5 minutes to spare). I feel the least stress with FF Menara Axis(Tuesday) because it's only 10 mins' jog from my office- should anything happen, I will still be able to make it. The other places I teach on weekdays are FF Damansara Uptown(Wed), FF Wisma Consplant opposite Subang Parade(Thu) and FF Menara John Hancock and the traffic are more manageable even during this month. The problem with going to Menara Summit is you have to go through both the federal highway jam AND the Persiaran Kewajipan jam.
Aiyoh, it's raining somemore now... but should be ok to reach Damansara Uptown for class at 6.30pm.
Last Sunday, I had the unfortunate opportunity to catch Daniel's Mimpi on one of the radio stations... nice studio work, Sony BMG!! He sounded much better with whatever voice-editing technology you used in the studio and I'm sure hundreds of hours of singing the same song in the studio again and again probably helped too!
Apparently his single is out today.... wow, such great news for his fans right before Deepa Raya! I'm sure nobody will be surprised if he can manage to sell 1.2 million copies- after all, 1.2 million votes can't be wrong.
Best wishes to Daniel and the local music industry!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Today's entry may sound like I'm advertising but it's not. I don't get a sen from this and I have to fork out my money to buy this product- I'm recommending it because I find it good. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OK, for the next 1 week, I'm gonna work harder in preparation for the up coming BODYATTACK®, training. Nevertheless, I realise that that probably won't be enough to get me physically fit and strong enough. So, I've to resort to traditional assistance in the form of Eurycoma Longifolia.
Eurycoma Longifolia is known as Cay Ba Binh in Vietnam, Pasak Bumi in Indonesia... and in Malaysia, Ali's walking stick. Now before you laugh it off, this is a serious blog. I am not making anything up whatsoever... so, yeah, I'm taking Tongkat Ali.
For far too long Tongkat Ali is thought as just an aphrodisiac BUT its indications is far beyond that. Its benefits actually include:
So which one am I taking? It's Orgacare UNIK PLUS I.
This is a new packaging
Looks like a cigeratte packing eh? well, there's nothing unhealthy about it. In fact, this is one potent Tongkat Ali product. There are 30 capsules in a box and the recommended intake is 1-2 capsules, 2 times a day. So far the most I've taken is 2 capsules once daily. Actually it has been quite a while since I last took this as this is no cheap stuff like the ones you find at Watsons, Guardian, or any pharmacies.
Why did I take it in the first place?
It was my eldest bro(not OCD bro- the other one) who first informed me about this product early this year. He was selling this, which he said, was highly potent for health-related problems(besides the obvious reason some men are taking it for). Apparently this product had been getting more than "thumbs up" from the guys who bought it.
The feedback from men with health(incl. sexual) issues had been encouraging but he wondered the effect on a fit person. So he asked if I wanted to give it a go. At that moment, I was still having pain on my left shoulder which had been bothering me for almost 18 months. So I'd figured that I could try it and see if it can help me be even stronger in my classes AND help me with my shoulder.
30 capsule in a box
So I bought a box from him in March. He advised that I should take it 30-40 minutes before breakfast for it to be more effective. I followed his advice and for the first few days, I felt more pain on my left side of my back or trapezius area. My bro had warned me that initially any part of the body that had circulation problem would experience pain. So, I had to endure a few days of discomfort early in the morning before the pain subsided in the afternoon.
However, after a few days, I realised that my left shoudler didn't hurt anymore! I could go ahead with my push-ups without pain-I had been feeling pain most of the time when I did push-up in my BODYCOMBAT® classes. I was even on Celebrex® when I was attending the BODYCOMBAT® training back in March 2004. I had tried acupuncture, traditional massage with the sifu, consult an orthopaedic surgeon and a chiropractitioner but none of them worked.... but by taking the capsules, all the pain was gone!
Anyhow, I subsequently noticed that I had more stamina at the gym, especially when a couple of times I was doing back-to-back RPM® classes.My performance was better then before and I didn't feel sleepy in the afternoon after lunch too.
Of course since my shoulder problem was taken care of, I stopped using it because it's pretty pricey compared to the ones in the market(about 3 times the price). But as I think of the BODYATTACK® training, I just know that I need help. So, I bought another pack from my bro and I started taking the capsules this Monday. I will take one capsule daily till Sunday, and a day before the training I will increase the dosage to 2 capsules in the morning.
Anyhow guys, if you're reading this and you have health issues(not necessary of the bedroom-kind) that I have mentioned, maybe you wanna give it a try. This product is marketed by Mineway and the product research is a joint-effort between a couple of Australian scientists and the analytical lab of Universiti Putra Malaysia- apparently they are using a different method to extract its essence. Taking from the company website on why their product is different from others in the market,
"Unfortunately the contents in the Eurycoma longifolia such as SOD (superoxide dismutase), an anti-oxidant enzyme, organic acid lactone, minerals and amino acids are destroyed during the conventional chemical and mechanical processing and improper storage of the product"
The price is RM110 per box of 30 capsules. If you wanna buy, you can find a list of stockists on the website. Alternatively, you can email me at mee_goreng@yahoo.com and I can give you my bro's contact number. For the ladies, the company also has Orgacare Kacip Fatimah which I have not tried before(and don't expect me to try it!).
If you're a gym-goer in Klang Valley, probably you would've heard of BodyAttack® . The good news is after years of talking about it, Fitness First has decided to bring in BodyAttack to compliment the other Les Mills classes.
What is BODYATTACK®?
"BODYATTACK® is a cardiovascular interval training program that combines high intensity aerobics, strength and stabilisation exercises." -Les Mills International
"BODYATTACK® is hard driving music combined with a cardio blast of jumping, kicking and running. No surprises, just simple athletic moves that encourage you to work hard and challenge you to a greater level of fitness. BODYATTACK® can be as intense as you want it to be. The more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it....BODYATTACK® is not for the faint of heart " -Sportivo Fitness®
"BODYATTACK® makes you puff, and sweat as it causes your heart rate to soar.... BODYATTACK® is for people who like to push themselves and accept a physical challenge. If you have a family history of heart disease, high blood pressure or other health conditions, or if you are under medication or have an injury then you should discuss the suitability of BODYATTACK® with a doctor or qualified personal trainer." -Les Mills New Zealand
In other words, BODYATTACK® is the mother of all workouts. With a tagline like "Everything else is just a warmup", this is the one that REALLY push you beyond your limits. What you do in this workout is you use your whole being and move to the beat of the music. There are times you need to jump, run, squat, and even do push-ups and crunch. For the fitness fanatics, this is one that has been missing in your lives.
Gee... sounds scary. Why should I do BODYATTACK® ?
• BODYATTACK® is great for anyone who wants to add cross training and variety to their workouts.
• BODYATTACK® is great for anyone looking for a simple, athletic and highly effective fitness class.
• BODYATTACK® is great for anyone who wants to experience a rocket-fueled concoction of music and moves! Time flies by when you’re having fun!
• It is a fast and effective way to increase fitness levels.
The first instructor training was held a month ago at another gym but the next one will be held at Fitness First Wisma SPK on 25th and 26th Oct, and I'm on it! This will definitely be my last Les Mills instructor training(sorry Tracy and Jacq, I will leave BODYJAM® to both of you- my gf said I danced as if I was fighting during the Nike Tribe Challenge final) and focus on the four programmes I have. Goodness, I'm already excited just thinking of it!
For those who aspire to become an instructor, perhaps this would be a good time for me to share a bit on what is expected of a trainee.
First and foremost,you must be FIT! Going into a training without being physically fit is the last thing anyone should do, because during the training you will have to go through hours of challenging workout- we're not talking about just do one class and then you sit down and listen to the lectures. Yes, there are times you get to sit down and listen to the trainer, but more often you are required to be hands-on as you practice your techniques and the choreography.
Second thing, of course is you must be FAMILAR WITH THE PROGRAMME you're going for. Therefore, it is good that you attend as many classes as possible of the programme you want to be trained in. It will help your body to get use to the workout and also work on your technique before the training- don't ever be shy about asking an instructor for assistance when in doubt.
Why did I mention the preparation for a training? Well, here lies my 2 problems.
1) I don't know if I'm fit enough for the BODYATTACK® training.
2) I've never done BODYATTACK® before.
From what I've observed on video, it doesn't look that hard techniquely but it is physically quite demanding, even more than RPM®. I've asked Eric Ting of Fitness First Cheras Leisure Mall how he prepared for it(He went for the first training last month and passed), and he said, "Just go there and do lor..."
Good advice eh?
Some of the moves resemble BODYSTEP®, so I guess Eric has a slight advantage since he is a BODYSTEP® instructor. Looks like I'll need to push myself harder when I teach RPM® and BODYCOMBAT® to get ready physically. As for the technique part, let's just hope my time spent in BODYSTEP® classes 2 years ago helps.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Update: Check out this blog- kinda sad things like this can happen still. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the tradition of Simon talks, I present The Top 10 Things Observed In Bangkok.
1. Signs are literally translated from Thai to English
2. Bangkok is 7-11 territory
3. They have BBQ bananas(take a guess where this stall is situated)
4. Thai coconuts are cheaper and taste better than our locals (Sorry no pics... too indulged in drinking/eating them!)
5. KFC has changed it's corporate colour...?
6. Thai kickboxing is much cooler and more exciting than western boxing
7. Chervolet Optra is the preferred choice as police cars
(sorry, crappy digicam!)
8. Thai people use santan in almost everything (honestly we got a bit sick and bored with santan-rich food by the last day)
9. The Thai government should think about cleaning up Maenam Chao Phraya
10. Tourists who do not know how to relax during holidays
My apologies for not completing my entry on my Bangkok trip- sort of got carried away with my pants and the Nike Tribes Challenge over the last 2 days.
The last day of Bangkok was pretty much free and easy- We didn't have anywhere else to go but to do some last minute shopping. We checked out from the hostel and went to Central World Plaza to get a pair of jogging shoes for gf's dad at 990 baht(her dad later checked the price here in KL was RM199 so it was a steal!). Then, we headed back to Mah Boon Krong Centre to get my pants for BodyCombat. Gf ended up getting a pair of pants herself(similiar material and design minus the extra bigger right side) and also a pink bag she had been searching for.
Since we were carrying our luggage with us, we just stay around MBK and had our meals there. Our departure time was 8.30pm and we wanted to save some money, so we decided to take the bus to the airport. Somehow we got assistance from the information counter to go so Siam Centre, which was opposite MBK Centre. However,when we asked the information counter there we were told we should take bus No.29 from MBK centre since the bus to the airport only stopped at Siam Centre on an hourly basis. So imagining us moving around from one shopping centre to another with our bags... we got a bit tired and decided maybe we should just take the cab from MBK Centre. At the end, we rested at KFC and had our late lunch while we wait for the right time to take the taxi.
Interesting enough, after our meal, I caught a glimpse of bus No.29 passing MBK Centre(The KFC outlet was situated at the entrance of the centre)we made a last minute decision to take the bus after all. Besides, it was definitely a whole lot cheaper than taking the taxi, some more the roads in Bangkok is perpetually jammed and we had no idea how much the taxi would cost us.
The journey took us about 30-40 minutes and there was a friendly guy who sat beside me and told me when to get off the bus(one thing I noticed in Bangkok is you meet a lot of friendly and helpful Thais). The journey is not that pleasant since it's long and the bus condition resembled the public buses in Penang. But at least it got the job done and we reached the airport at about 6pm.
Since we were early, we walked around till the counter opened for us to check in. Once we got our tickets, we were surprised that there was a notice reminding us to pay "the Airport service charge" of 500 baht per person. We thought it was odd that we had to pay extra on our own since we normally pay the airport tax when we buy the tickets. Anyhow, apparently this is not how it is done in Bangkok, and fortunately we didn't finish our baht at MBK Centre.
We still had plenty of time left before the gate opened and we went to Burger King for early dinner. As a holiday destination, Bangkok is not a muslim-friendly place- everywhere is non-halal food. Even KFC has no halal certification, and only a couple of food courts has muslim food. Anyway, food at Burger King still tastes better than McDonald's(at least that's my view).
Anyhow, while we were eating, I noticed something very familiar. 2 young caucasians ordered their food at the counter and walked toward us. They looked like there were wearing some sort of school uniform,, each carrying a bag and wearing a name tag on the pockets of their shirts... YES, the MoronsMormons are in Bangkok too!!
the one on the right looked kinda leng chai....
Anyhow, if you don't know who or what Mormons are, they are also known as Church of Jesus Christ of the latter-day Saints. As far as their are concerned, all "mainstream" chistianity teachings are wrong and their are the only true church. They have some weird beliefs and practices, like Jesus was marrried to the 2 Marys(there are 2 other Marys in the Bible besides His mother) and Martha and had children. In fact, the highest authority in Mormonism is not the Bible, but the Book of Mormon, supposedly given to the church founder Joseph Smith by the angel Moroni(why would an angel give himself a name that sounds like "moron"?). For more info on them, click here.
Back to the Bangkok trip. So we had our dinner and eventually it was time to fly off...
Thank you Bangkok...
The flight was delayed for about 30 mins and we arrived late at 12am in KLIA. It was fortunate that we could still get our was to Putrajaya via KL Transit and took our taxi back to gf's home.
All in all, it was my first trip out of Malaysia since 2001 and it was a nice break from work. We'll be looking at doing a0nnual holiday tripx together from now on. The planned trip for 2006 at the moment is Shanghai. Why Shanghai, you may ask... well, my sister works there so we can get free accomodation and(maybe)food. Another plus point is, of course, I get got work out at Fitness First Plaza 66 Shanghai!(I'm beyond help, I know...)
Saturday night was the night everyone wasing eagerly anticipating... final of the Nike Tribes Challenge. After my RPM class at Fitness First Wisma SPK, gf and I went to Tesco to buy some titbits to eat while watching the final at Fitness First Menara Axis.
Tranquility before the war...Check out the stage area!
Your judges(seated L-R), Dave Nuku, Tracy Minnoch-Nuku, and Gary Tan(of Nike Malaysia)
The competition was held OUTSIDE the gym and the place was packed by the time we reached there at about 6.15pm. The first challenge was BodyStep and warm up was led by FF's BodyStep head teacher Suaimi Husin.
"Oh wait, I think I need to pee...."
Let's get it started... HOT!
What a great way to kickstart the challenge! After the warm up tracks were done, it was time to do business! The tribes, led by their respective instructors, took turns to present their tracks and the members off the stage were having a ball with the tribes.
Apparently this tribe started with a Maori Haka, but I missed it because I went to the loo...
Yup, some were pretty creative with their tirbe costumes...
I have to admit, I wasn't paying much attention to the BodyStep challenge since I was more into BodyCombat and I wanted to support Terence, Renee and Penang's tribe led by Celia(All of us trained together and I had always got a nice feel with them). However, even from the inside I could hear the members shouting their lungs out throughout the class.
The gym member who blogs decided to drop by to attend the BodyCombat challenge, by the way. It was his first time visiting the Menara Axis gym and so, my gf and I played sales consultants and took him around the gym to see the main studio, the cycling studio and the body & mind studio(special studio BodyBalance, Pilate, Yoga, etc). It was so touching that he also had the opportunity to introduce himself PROPERLY to Jacq... truly a Kodak moment(If only I had a camera then!).
wet, wet, wet...
Towards the end of the BodyStep challenge, the dreaded thing happened- it started raining!! Though it rained only for a while, the floor was too wet and slippery for the BodyCombat challenge. So the organisers decided to have the challenge in the main studio. The unfortunate thing was the studio is less than a quarter the size of the open space outside. So we had to do "shifts"; the first group of members would start the class and after 3 tracks, they would leave the studio and let the second group to come in, and so forth. The idea somewhat curbed the enthusiasm of the members but that was the only solution to the rain.
Earlier, some of the tribes were spotted discussing whether to call a bomoh to do stop the rain...
the Penang BodyCombat tribe
Nevertheless, the show must go on and after about 20 mins' delay, BodyCombat Challenge is on! Leng lui did the warm up and passed the stage to the tribes to work the crowd.
Kesian the people watching from the outside....
I was helping a participant with the video camera and boy, the room was oozing with body odour energy! I've never seen instructor and members alike worked so hard before! The power and energy was so overwhelming, I regretted for not bringing my workout clothes with me...
Insert your own caption here...
By the time BodyCombat challenge was over, the organisers had managed to get the ground mopped dry and immediately BodyJam Melissa got the crowd moving with a simple dance routine. And judging from the people there, I think nobody left since BodyStep-in fact I think more people came later to dance their way into the night!
It's party time!
If you were driving on the Federal Highway, you would have been able to see the disco light and even hear people screaming to the music. My hands and legs cannot tahan anymore and decided to join in the workout as well.
The Penang BodyJam tribe in action
About 1 hour later, I was soaking wet with sweat- it was absolutely fantastic to end the Tribes Challenge! Finally, it came to the moment everyone was waiting for- RESULTS!!
The top 3 BodyStep Challenge tribes
The top 3 BodyJam Challenge tribes
Sorry, since I don't do BodyJam and BodyStep, I do not know most of the instructors' names so I shall not attempt to name the winners and embarassed myself. However for BodyCombat, the 3rd place was won by Wai Hoong's tribe(Night Wings I think) while Terence's tribe("something-something" Troopers- sorry, didn't catch the name) while the 1st place went to Renee's aptly named Hooligans(they really looked like hooligans especially after they took off their top halfway through their presentation).
It was a crazy night.... so crazy that after dropping off my gf, I only realised that we had not take dinner yet and it was already 11pm. We didn't even munch on our titbits till after the results. It was a fanstastic weekend and it was sure one heck of a time for the members who were there. Kudos to the tribes who took their time off to practise together and got everything right for the members off stage. Thanks to Nike for sponsoring this wonderful event- let's do it again...I WANNA WIN TOO!!!
Finally from all the Fitness First group-x instructors and the coordinators...
"Shades wore his unique pant(sic) lar. Quite special though...."
"Shades' pant(sic) ah, er, right black and left white lar, from far look like skirt, aiya, I don't know how to describe ler...."
"Heard that he was wearing a long black martial art pant(sic), written some chinese words on it, like 'half skirt half pant', right?! That's cool:) Did he looks(sic) smart?"
"On Thursday, at Consplant 2, shades also wore his famous "half skirt half pant", but this time it was right red (with Chinese word "zen"), left white. He also wore Muay Thai arm tie on his left hand. It was kind of interest, but also strange... "
This is the pants in question (thanks to an unnamed FF Cheras Leisure Mall member for holding it)
Definitely odd-looking pants eh? The right side is bigger then the left, but that's what makes the pants beautiful when worn. Just fold the extra and tie it up, and you'll get this:
Almost like a half-hakama The moment I saw it in Bangkok, I knew I just had to get it for BodyCombat! So I got 2 pairs- another one is red/black.
I know, it's a lousy pose
Besides that, I also bought 2 of these:
What do you call it?
Normally Muay Thai boxers wear one on each arm but I bought 2 of different colours(the other is red and black, just to match my other "half skirt half pants")
If only I had gone to Bangkok earlier before the launch, the pants would have been perfect for the warrior-themed BodyCombat 25 launch... but then, I would probably have to import more than 10 pairs for the other instructors.
Anyone going to Bangkok and you like what you see, you can get it at at Mah Boon Krong Centre for 199 baht. Otherwise, you can try bargaining at Suan Lum Night Bazaar and see if you can get it cheaper.
Last Saturday was the final of the Nike Tribes Challenge at Fitness First Menara Axis and my gf and I were there to be part of the fun. As we were walking to the locker room(I had wanted to bomb the toilet) I was overjoyed to see him.
Budin is back!
Budin was my inspiration to become a BodyCombat/BodyPump instructor. When I first joined FF in Penang, he was my favourite instructor. Very friendly and helpful with the members, it was always to pleasant experience attending his classes.
Now he's back from his Masters studies in Australia, I'm looking forward to opportunities to teach with him!
OK, I've got the pictures from gf for the 2nd day of our holidays...
We decided to go sightseeing on our 2nd day. The funny thing was neither of were really that keen to go sightseeing, but we had to take some pictures to satisfy friends who would expect us to come back with some sightseeing pictures.
Again, it was back to the Thong Lo station and the Skytrain took us to the National Stadium station- it was the nearest station to Jim Thompson's museum and the Grand Palace. After realising none of us was keen to visit the silk museum, we went to the Grand Palace, with the wonderful assistance of the ticket counter lady at the station. I had wanted to ask roughly how much it would cost to take a taxi to the Grand Palace but she gave a piece of paper with instruction on how to get there instead. We could either take the bus or use the taxi. The instruction also told us how much to pay for the taxi. We were impressed!
Anyhow, we had wanted to take the taxi but the tut-tut guy offered to get us a tut-tut for 10 baht each. However, we would need to go to a jewellery shop to look-see look-see. The guy said that if we looked around for 10 mins, the jewellery shop would give the driver petrol coupon. So being cheapskate helpful Malaysians, we agreed and went for a tour of the jewellery shop.
The moment I went in, I started the counter on my watch. We looked and pretend to be interested(at least I was, coz I think gf was more into it). We also went upstairs to look at the tailor shop but everything was so expensive we didn't find anything we liked. So we got back to the tut-tut and went to the Grand Palace.
There's some renovation happening currently
When we reached the Grand Palace, we were told that I could not go in because I was wearig a singlet and shorts. Fortunately, the Thai tourism authority knows better: they provide FREE rental of shirts and pants for tourists- you just have to put down a cash deposit or your IC. So happily we went in to start taking pictures for our friends.
Right outside the palace
I think this is where the emerald buddha is placed
Me outside a temple
The paintings on the wall tells a story...
Basically there are a few rules to follow when you are at the Grand Palace.
Anyhow, we walked around looking at the temples the Grand Palace. After about 1 hour later, we took a break at one of rest house and had our first thai coconuts.... WOW!
Done with the temple, we wanted to go to Mah Boon Krong Centre to do some shopping and we got ourlselves another tut-tut. This time the guy said that he would take to see a big buddha at a temple and go to jewellery shop to get petrol coupon- It was a mistake as we later found out.
Anyhow, we did see a huge buddha statue.
Luang Pho To
According to the information given, Luang Pho To is has miraculous power to bless everyone... but please take note what to bring as offering though: 1) A head of the fish of the mackerel kind 2) A boiled egg 3) A lei of flowers
Not to sound offensive to buddhists but why fish of the mackerel kind? I'm curious since monks don't eat meat. I would appreciate if someone can enlighten me on this.
From the temple we went to another shop to look around and by then we were pretty tired. The weather was hot and we had been outside for a long time. The driver said he would take us to the last place to get his petrol coupon. So we complied again and went to a chinese jewellery shop.
The only nice thing was we were given a bottle of water each upon arrival. We did our walking for about 15-20 minutes and walked out. We got on the tut-tut and the driver asked where we were heading. Apparently the guy who made the arrangement for us did not specify to the driver we were heading to Mah Boon Krong centre and his tut-tut is not allowed to go there by law. He said that we had to take a taxi there istead. Feeling cheated, we still had to pay him 20 baht. Oh well, I told my gf at least we get 2 bottles of water from the jewellery shop.
We finally got a taxi and the driver said it would cost about 650 baht using the meter, depending on traffic. My gf had a quick nap in the taxi while I struggled to stay awake- I didn't want to end up in another screw-up place again.
We finally made it to Mah Boon Krong Centre at around 650 baht(boy the taxi driver is good!) and had lunch there at McD. Then we went shopping for a while. It was another 2 hours I think before we had our break. From there we merely walked back to the National Stadium station which was right in front of the shopping centre. If anyone wants to do cheap shopping, let me re-emphasise that all you need are MBK Centre and the Suan Lum Night Bazaar.
From MBK centre we went to Patphong night market(note: yesterday's entry was incorrect as after FF we walked around the city centre before heading back to celebrate my birthday- sorry, age is catching up!) and did a little bit more shopping.
We were ever more tired on our 2nd day because of so much walking around under the sun.
I had planned for this visit to Fitness First in Thailand way back in July. After getting help from BTS Talk forum, I found that the Landmark Plaza branch was the nearest to where we were staying. Since we took it easy with Chinatown earlier, we still had energy for BodyCombat there.
Ok, before you say that I'm obsessed with gym stuff, allow me to clarify. Yes, I am obsessed with gym stuff, but this has nothing to do with my obsession. You see, I still need to work out even when I am on holiday. This is because if I don't, I'm gonna be in trouble when I return to work at FF. So I dd what I could and incorporated the workout into my holidays- besides, I thought it would be cool to see how the blokes teach Body Combat in the land of Muay Thai.
The moment the lift opened on the 4th floor, this was what greeted me.
Fitness First in any language... is still Fitness First
My gf and I had obtained our FF international Passport so that we could use the facilities overseas. So you see, it's good to belong to an international gym:) If you are a FF member, please remember to get this booklet from the front desk of the gym before you go overseas, ya... Don't ever leave Malaysia without it!
We were there at about 5pm and I was disappointed that I'd got the BodyCombat scheduled wrong and the class was at 7.15pm and not 6.15pm. The great thing is though BodyJam was starting at 5.15pm and there's an RPM with a kwai lo master trainer, Carla(dunno her last name). Carla used to present RPM and BodyCombat in KL during the quarterly workshops with Ben Tang of Singapore. My gf decided to join the BodyJam while I was still thinking whether to wait till 7.15pm for BC or go ahead with RPM instead. Later gf reminded me that the main purpose of my visit was to workout and stay fit so it should not matter which class I go to, even if I was in a BodyCombat attire. Sometimes when you are undecided in life, it's good to have a partner who can paint a clearer picture for you- RPM, here I come!
roomy...
Anyway, back in the locker room, I was pleased to find the same spacious lockers. I could be wrong, but I think Fitness First has one of the biggest lockers around. I remember last time I was teaching in another centre and I had to stuff my bag into the tiny locker which was less than half the size of what FF has... Some more I had to buy a padlock for it!
Anyhow, while waiting for Carla's class, I did some weights and walked around the gym. The juice bar area was kinda nice. The only thing is they didn't serve 100-plus, but they got one of fav soft drinks, the green tutti-fruitti one.
spacious and clean...
their VCD library
My gf finished her class at about 6.15pm. It's confirmed, they teach in English at Fitness First Thailand! The BodyJam class was taught by a lady named Joy. I later saw her wearing the personal trainer uniform- so she is a PT and instructor, like some of the folks here in KL, eg. Ben, Sue, Serana, Kannan(our resident Iron Man- all the best in the Hawaii challenge!), etc.
So I went for Carla's class. Outside the studio, she spotted me in my BodyCombat attire and I think I looked familiar to her. We chatted a bit and she told me that she's doing the old songs- I was kinda hoping she would do the new release since I hadn't learnt it yet and I was supposed to teach it on Sunday. Apparently they were doing similar launches like Malaysia the following week.
The class was nice, though I find it odd that I was the only guy in the first row- all the blokes were in the last 2 rows. Carla was superb as usual and I really took the opportunity to observe and copy how she led the class- she's a bit different from the quarterly where I think she was harder on us instructors. I had the most fun RPM class since I started teaching it. Members may not realise this but somehow, it's different when you don't have to worry about what song is next, what riding position to use, how fast you should be cycling, or what to say and just keep cycling. Man, I really need to reduce my RPM classes and start attending others'...
After the class, I spoke to her again and was kinda sad to find out that she would not be coming to KL again for the Dec quarterly. I think most of us miss seeing her especially in BodyCombat with Ben. Looks like Alani will be back for RPM, BodyCombat, and BodyPump again.
Gf was already done bathing when I came out of the class. So I took a quick shower and we left the place around 8pm.
FF promo
We went to the Patphong night market after that but gf did most of the shopping this time. We also bought some souvenirs for our friends and colleagues(speaking of which, I still haven't given to my colleagues because I keep forgetting to bring them to work). The area is actually a small road, sandwiched between pubs that featured ladies doing their thing with poles on stage. Unless you're into those things, it's better to go Suan Lum Night Bazaar in Lumphini with more variety.
We didn't stay long because we were done buying, so we headed home for dinner at the Pizza Company in Thong Lo to celebrate my birthday. Great Pizza with free soft drink refils available... I would definitely support them should they decide to venture here.
Sorry, but we used my gf's camera to take some of the pictures on Day 2. So, I will get the pictures from her first before I blog it. In the mean time, we have Day 3 to explore...
After another tiring Day 2, we decided to take it easy with the third day and we decided to go to Maenam Chao Phraya. It was quite easy- just take the Skytrain from Thong Lo to Saphan Taksin. But the moment we reached there we were disappointed with what we got.
very muddy...
To be honest, I have never encounted dirtier river than this. We were thinking of just going elsewhere, like Chinatown and perhaps visit the temple of the Dawn(Wat Arun). Then, we realised that we had to take the ferry to those places. No choice then...
note the colour of the ferry is similar to the colour of the water
There's actually a guide sitting in front telling the tourists the piers and places of interest they could go. One thing you have to applaud the Thai authorities is how much effort they put into making Thailand tourist-friendly. It's very convenenient for tourist to seek assistance where they go. Even at the Skytrain station, we could get help from the counter on how to go to the Grand Palace on our 2nd day. And here, whenever we pass by a building or stop by a pier, the guide will give us information on the building or where we could go from the pier.
One of the former palaces
Wat Arun from the ferry
We got off at one pier near Wat Arun and walked around the place. We didn't take the small boat across the river to the temple because after 1 day of visiting the Grand Palace(with so many temples inside) the day before, I wasn't that keen to go in anymore. So we just took picture from afar.
Wat Arun, Temple of the Dawn
From there we took the ferry again and went to Chinatown. Chinatown is full of chinese(what else?) but all speak Thai. Gf tried to look for her bag but couldn't find one that suited her. I finally got myself a pair of EVA sandles at 100 baht(I threw away my old ones right before we left KL because they were infested with ants-don't ask how). Around Chinatown, there are more chinese-influenced temples as opposed the thai ones around Bangkok.
me in little China...
After walking about for around an hour, we decided that we had walked enough and went back to the hostel. The nearest station was the MRT Hua Lumphong station and with the assistance of the traffic policemen and an elderly man, we managed to find it to go back.
BY the time we got out of the hostel it was already 3 plus and we went straight for the skytrain at Thong Lo. It's another 15 mins before we reached the station.
Reminds me of our Putra LRT..
At almost 4pm, Bangkok is still very hot and humid. It's great to see that they place a security guard on every station- it makse you feel safe using the transport system here. The guard also helps in directing traffic when the train stops at the station. If the train door is closing and you're a couple of meters away running towards it, the guard will blow his whistle and stop you.
I find the people more civilised- they wait for passengers to get off the train first.
We got off at Chit Lom station and went to Central World Plaza, formerly know as the World Trade Centre. Crossing the bridge to the plaza gave us the chance to see Bangkok infamous traffic jam. It's amazing that at any time of the day the road is filled with vehicles, mostly Toyatas if I may add.
Makes Klang valley jam look like kacang putih
Central World Plaza is currently under renovation, and the scheduled date of completion is June 2006- just in time for World Cup in Germany(non-related, just a thought as I'm typing this). Didn't do much shopping but we found a sports shop selling cheap shoes- gf's dad wanted a pair of shoes. Since it's Day 1 and we were going to Lumphini later on, we decided to come back on our last day to buy it.
After walking for about an hour, we took the Skytrain to Sala Daeng and hopped on the MRT to Lumphini.
Outside Lumphini Park
Another shot outside Lumphini Park- the structure on the lef t is the Skytrain tracks
We were rather early for muay thai actually. On the way to the stadium we could see people from the boxing camps wearing bright red or blue jackets with thai words written at the back, giving out papers to the spectators. We got one as well and were told that there were about 10 matches tonight, and the main event would probably start around 8plus. Since it was only about 6pm, we decided to go to Suan Lum Night Bazaar first.
Walking around the market
Going to the Suan Lum Night Bazaar was planned in the very beginning since I read about Gina's visit, and we were not disappointed. The place is quite huge and you can definitely get a lot of things there- way better that going to Patphong market. After walking about, I bought a singlet and 2 Muay Thai accessories for my BodyCombat class. It was around 7pm when we went back to the boxing stadium. We bought the cheapest ticket we could get at 1000 baht each.
Sorry, I took a few shots of the matches with my gf's camera so I can't show you for the time being. Anyhow we stayed there for 3 matches and then went out to makan since the main event was the 5th match.
The thing about eating in Bangkok is you don't quite know what you will be eating unless you ask the hawker. We look around and some food stall outside were selling some nice food but mostly were pork. We're more of chicken lovers so we looked around but couldn't find a stall with chicken- seems like pork is the main diet of Thais. Eventually we settled for BBQ beef sticks just to temporarily tahan our hunger. The beef sticks were fantastic!
I have no idea why he put on his funny face
We later went to a muay thai shop and I bought another top before we went back into the stadium to watch the main event. One of the boxer was really in the mood to dance. He danced from one corner to another while the other boxer simply stopped at one. So everyone was waiting for this guy to dance and show his respect to the opponents, the trainers, the spectators who came to bet, and of course tourists like me. I thought his dancing skill was fantastic though.
Too bad his boxing skill wasn't as good.
The matches weren't too violent- in fact most of the matches were not that brutal until the last 2 rounds(there are 5 rounds in every match) when the kicks came flying from everywhere. The spectators were really into the matches too, shouting and cheering with every punch/kick executed.
After the main event was over, we went back to the bazaar to look around. By then it was around 9 plus and our feet were getting tired. After we got OCD bro's wallet we went back to Thong Lo and had our dinner there by the road. Then, we walked back to our hostel and a good rest.
Pretty tired for a first day of holidays. Oh well,... at least we get to watch a real muay thai match "live".
1 week ago exactly I was on my way to Bangkok with my gf for a 4 day break, and boy it was wonderful.We actually had to wake up at about 5.30am to catch the Transit to KLIA- gf's dad was kind enough to give us a ride there. Since I already checked the time of the train, we reached the station moments before the transit arrived. By the time we reached KLIA, it was around 6.40am... just the right time to check in.
We had our breakfast at Burger King and walked around the airport till the departure at 8.30am. The flight took about 2 hours 5 minutes and I think most of the passengers, including gf, took the opportunity to catch up with their sleep. I tried but I couldn't sleep... so I did the next best thing.
"zzzzzzz...."
At about 9.30am local time, we landed safely at the Bangkok International Airport. The moment we entered the airport building, I could smell some thai fragance in the building.
We went straight to immigration get our passports chopped and there was a notice on the pillar.
Obviously there's an error on the notice.... And obviously this guy couldn't care less.
Anyhow, clearing the immigration was a breeze and we went out to take the Airport bus to Big John's Hostel. One thing good about this kwai lo hostel is we were advised on how to get to the place without spending a bomb. The bus is only 100 baht per person and it dropped us right in front of the hostel. However, the weather was much hotter than KL.
Finally, no more hiding my gf's face... By the time we reached the hostel, it was already 11.30am. We were given our room which was rather small- the bed covered 3 quarter of the room. Then again, can't really expect much from a hostel anyway...
Big John sells loads of pies too
The entrance
I We were quite hungry by then so we decided to go out to look for food. But being new to the area we felt a bit lost walking around, and the hot weather didn't help at all. We later changed our mind and ate at the hostel instead and went back to the room to sleep. We would get up later around 2-3pm when it is much cooler to move around.
All good things must come to an end and I'm back in the office. Don't really have the mood to do much today. I think I shall wait a couple of days before I blog about my holidays.
In the mean time, here something you might see if you happen to be in Bandar Menjalara Business Centre in Kepong...
On one side of the road you see this:
If you think it's weird someone would name a restaurant Bird, look what's opposite:
