To Irena

Hello cuz...
i know i'd have u by the dog picture. Its so cute, only a little bigger than my palm, i hope it doesn't become someone else's meal.

I took all those pictures, did a bit of editing/cropping. The scenery is damn beautiful, the people are interesting also. I used a panasonic digi cam, but i'm looking to buy a good one do u have recommendations?

Anyway, good luck with ur tennis lessons. It's been 2 months since my last game cos summer was too unbearable to play. The weather in SH is about 20 degrees now, perfect for a sweatless game...

Ella

Our Journey to the West....

Les and I were holidaying in the Yunnan Province (Lijiang and Shangrila) this october golden week. Lijiang and Shangrila are the few remaining places in China where the minority groups still thrive, by minority i mean non-han, the remainders of the genghis khan clan... The air is fresh, scenery untainted, and the place is thick with culture. U can call it the utopia of china.

Here's a collection of our favourites...

Lijiang

Shangrila

taking shopping to new heights...

i have developed a new craze... the POLYVORE application on facebook is THE BEST toy for those with a passion for fashion. You literally window shop online, save the items u like and put the clothes together on an editor...

I've created 2 sets for myself over the last 2 days... things i would wear.

This is my maxi dress collection... It's hard to carry off a maxi dress in china cos u look like u're going to a formal event at 8am in the morning.





This 2nd set is my weekend working outfit... Purple is kinda my fav colour for the season.

Dun sweat the small stuff...

I take those words from Sheryl Crow- cancer survivor, broke up with world famous Tour De France champion Lance armstrong, mother of a newly adopted baby... Everything that happens in your life has the potential to change you, change your perspective. It can be an event, an incident, a lesson, an accident... But having said that, epiphanies only occur if u think and reflect about what happened, what could be different or bettered.

Today... I learnt not to sweat over the small stuff. I'm not going to dwell on why i learnt this today, but i'll tell you the benefits of doing so. It releases you, it makes you think about what is really important and what is unnecessary. It puts you in the right place mentally.

Try this exercise once... Tomorrow, ignore one thing that pisses you off. Make an effort to not think about it, let it not affect you and say to yourself, DUN SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF. When u've successfully done that, ask yourself these questions...

1) What happened there? What did u observe?
2) How do you feel? How did letting go make u feel, and make people around you feel?
3) What did you learn?

I'm actually curious if this will affect anybody, tell me if it did.

Crazy celebs update part 4

Amy Winehouse gives a new meaning to "Big Head", it's called "two heads".

She makes great music, unique voice, but i think she's the queen of overdo. The hair is too big, the eyeliner is too thick, she has 5 too many tattoos, and her weight loss is just incredibly scary. She must eat like 1 burger and puke 3 out.

One Night in Beijing, 我留下需多情

I've been to Peking for business a few times now, and none of them were ever really fruitful from a leisure point of view. Yesterday, I managed to get out, admire abit of Beijing night scenery, and also do some shopping at the silk market.

Silk Market is like the cheap shopping place in Beijing, and its extremely orderly and clean, its about 4 stories high, selling everything from bags/shoes/clothes to ski attire and sunglasses.
(Silk market pictures…)

Actually only 20 minutes of shopping cos it was closing time. People here are rushing out of the silk market…

Beijing’s weather is about high tens to low twenties, so it was perfect. I decided to walk all the way back to the hotel, covering about what seemed like at least 4km. Just me, my camera, and my 3.5 inch heels.


Twins Mall. It’s like petronas, but only 20 floors high. Its where the Apple Beijing office is located.

This is one of my favourite sites in beijing. The main streets are lined with these lamp posts with speakers in them. I assume used to make announcements of the play the national anthem during flag raising or lowering ceremonies.


The picture is a little dark, but this is the Beijing Friendship Store. There are friendship stores all over China selling foreign goods, its apparently set up to establish external relations through import of foreign products. I’ve never been to the one in Shanghai yet, but I probably will soon.


Nice light installation. Beijing is much more scenic than shanghai at night….

Little motor cart… I’ve never sat in one before but lester has. The passenger sits behind facing the back. Its like bajai in Indonesia, or maybe some of you can identify with Fred Flinstone’s car better.





Walked pass a highway... it is a wonderful sight. The govt has launched new driving policy to stem the pollution problem, even number plates and odd number plates are alternate driving days... The air in BJ does seem much fresher now.





I think this trip has somehow made me love beijing a little more, not more than shanghai but i can see what's the deal with this place. Its got plenty of space, and that uniquely chinese charm that Shanghai doesn't have. Maybe someday we'll live there...

BJ to SH airplane log

If you're reading this, it means that I've safely landed in Shanghai, survived through all the airport mess, reached home in one piece and plugged in my computer.

Im 'sure its all over the news, Shanghai is currently experiencing the fiercest typhoon in a decade (they call her Wipha). Yesterday, offices closed at 5pm, roads are closed, people living in the coastal areas have been evacuated… And I missed all the action because I had been sent to Beijing yesterday morning.

Right at this moment, I'm on a plane back to Shanghai, racing against time before Wipha hits Shanghai full force. I know when I land safely and reach home in about 2 hrs, I'll realize that I've over dramatized the stress I've been going through since yesterday afternoon. There's nothing like traveling long distances (from home to airport to hotel to airport to home) thinking about zilch except whether u can make it home, and the obstacles before that… It's already bad enough trying to flag down a cab when it rains, let alone a typhoon with thousands of people in exodus.

I'm wolfing down the pathetic airplane food for 2 reasons, I've been starving in Beijing cos I didn't have time for breakfast while rushing to the airport the moment I found out I had a small window to fly, and also in case of a LOST scenario, I don't want to be the first voted off the island just cos I don't eat airplane food.

Post landing:
I made it. The last 20 minutes of plane ride was bumpy but landing was smooth. Thank god.

Its about 750PM right now, no wind, no rain, no wipha in SH.

******************************************************

Letter to IRENA…
Medical support in china is bad even for the locals. They get put on drip even for the slightest flu cos they don’t believe in western medication like anti-biotics!! In JKT at least there is a clinic system…

Anyway, I’m so glad you enjoyed shanghai. I truly enjoyed your company, its always nice to have familiar faces come visit, especially one who knows the Tandjung family so well so there’s loads to talk about, AND someone who has a passion for good bargains as much as I do.

I bought more stuff from STAR place after u left. I found this gorgeous jeweled jacket that is so cheap, u have no idea how much premium we’ve been paying for branded clothes, or far east plaza clothes even. I hope u've been wearing ur new spoils, take pictures to show me!

I suggest u drop by Shanghai more often to visit this cousin of yours, so I can bring you to more shopping places, go eat nice things.