Chiang Mai – Part 1

A couple of weeks ago I was treated to a 6D/5N trip to the Land of Smiles by Richard of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). It was a fantastic trip; I made new friends and in the process, got to know more about Northern Thailand, specifically Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. Hello CK, Ernie and Terence!

As a vacation spot, Thailand has never failed to impress. Thailand was already one of my most favourite places to go for a break before the trip. During the trip though, I saw much more than its famed shopping, night life, islands and massages – I saw authentic Thai culture, architectures, history, animals and people!

#1 – Welcome to Thailand.
welcome to thailand

We reached Chiang Mai via Bangkok on Thai Airways. Right after touching down, we were whisked off to Chiang Mai Zoo. It is the first and only zoo in Northern Thailand where visitors can enjoy the experience of being with various animals in their natural habitat.

#2 – Giraffes.
giraffes

There’s also a humongous freshwater aquarium housed in Chiang Mai Zoo. A humbler version of our KLCC’s Aquaria but no less interesting.

#3 – Fish!
Fish

Though the biggest highlight of the zoo must be the pandas! It’s my first time seeing a panda bear it had to greet me in the most unconventional way evarrr. Here’s a picture of daddy panda minding his own business…

#4 – Pooping panda
Pooping panda.

Basically, he was lying down with his arse over the edge and out went the stink nuggets.

You must be asking where mommy panda is? Since she’s just given birth, she had to be quarantined with the baby to prevent bacterial infections.

After daddy panda has relieved his bowel, he leisurely continued on munching bamboos.

#5 – Panda stocking it up for next round.
Panda stocking it up for next round.

Everyone around the world goes to Chiang Mai Zoo to see the pandas. They love them!

#6 – Notes for pandas.
Notes for pandas

There’s also a beautiful Siberian white tiger which reminded me of Charlie. Don’t ask me how.

#7 – Siberian white tiger.
Siberian white tiger

After Chiang Mai Zoo, we went to Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep, this is Chiang Mai’s most famous landmark and at 3,520 feet above sea level, it commands an exhilarating view of the city and its surroundings. You could scale a flight of 290 Naga-Flanked steps if you want, but I decided to take the tram instead :P

#7 – Tram to Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep
Tram to Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep

#8 – Or, if you’re in the mood for a little workout.
290 Naga steps

They’re right, the view was incredibly breathtaking!

#9 – View of Chiang Mai from Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep.
View of Chiang Mai from Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep.

#10 – The Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep
Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep

After that, we checked into our hotel at Le Meridien Chiang Mai, where I was a man for two nights.

#11 – Mr Low. Quite a pimpin’ name actually.
Mr. Low

#12 – The room.
the room

#13 – View from the bathroom.
Bathroom

#14 – Bathroom mugshot.
bathroom mugshot

Then it was a nice dinner at the hotel, followed by a superb massage at RarinJinda Spa.

#13 – On the way to dinner.
dinner

#14 – Prelude to an awesome massage.
Massage.

Till the next post, kap khun ka.

Blogging from Chiang Rai.

I’m now blogging from my hotel lobby in Chiang Rai. Just got back from a 2 hour traditional Thai massage which had managed to knead away the aches and pains from the previous massages I had been receiving daily. Yes life is pretty good.

Chiang Mai Zoo
In a tram at Chiang Mai Zoo.

I spent two days in Chiang Mai where I saw a couple of temples and the cutest elephants. Do you know that you pay to learn to become a frekin’ elephant whisperer?? Okay, I made that term up but you get my gist…you could pay to learn to command and communicate with elephants at this elephant sanctuary. More on that after I get home to my big and lovely laptop (my fingers are aching already from typing on the eeepc).


Elephants painted this, I kid you not. Going for 500 baht each.

Thailand is a much more animal friendly country than Malaysia, every stray that I’ve come across looked well fed and pretty happy. Though I was nearly driven to tears just a while ago seeing a couple of sad looking puppies being sold by the cages at the night market. Needless to say every animal that I’ve chanced upon reminds me of Charlie including a mean looking white Siberian tiger. So bite me, I miss my dog :P

Am going to the infamous Golden Triangle, the motherland of opium trade tomorrow and to have lunch by the Mekong River. Then will be in Bangkok the day after, And don’t know when will I blog again so take care!

I saw Oasis Live in Singapore 05 April 2009

Okay, the tummy has settled down a bit, so I can blog about Oasis now!

It.was.fucking.fantastic. I have no words to describe it. Maybe with loads of expletives I could paint about 1/5 of its awesomeness but why so much effort? You should have been there.

#1 – On the way to Singapore. KY, Amanda and me.
KY, Amanda and me

It was all worth it, the longass drive down to Singapore (stopping at Malacca for some delicious chicken rice balls and famous cendol gula melaka) and all the worrying about missing the concert. Well, we had expected to arrive Singapore around 3pm but managed to only reach the border at 6pm due to bad traffic and rain.

Btw, thanks Ah Horng and ST for driving!!!

Then, as fate we would have it, we realised we didn’t have the embark/disembark cards so we had to wait at some office for about an hour before we were good to go. After some mad telephone calls back and forth with a robot, we discovered that the ticket window closes at 8.30pm instead of 7pm (concert starts at 8pm) so we were calmer but still worried cause you never know shit might happen.

#2 – Cendol gula melaka.
Cendol Gula Melaka

Anyway, thanks to kickass Garmin, we arrived at Singapore Indoor Stadium at 7.45pm, redeemed our tickets and mad rushed to Subway for some finger lickin good Subway sandwiches with real pork bacon and all the trimmings. Then we entered concert ground.

#3 – Queuing up for tickets.
Q-ING
Me, KY, Amanda & Ah Horng.

#4 – Tickets!!!!
Oasis tickets

The air was electric…

Oasis came out promptly at 8.15pm and it was just pure adrenaline all the way. I screamed till my voice was almost gone. A couple of times though the crowd went so wild, I thought Amanda and I were going to be crushed to death or suffocate. I got so angry at one point I just started elbowing everyone around me.

#5 – Oasis emerging on stage.
Emerging Oasis.

There was a particular chap with a mohawk who was practically doing capoiera in the middle of the crowd and was annoying everyone around him. Suddenly one guy lifted the mohawk guy up. To his utter delight he kept pointing towards the stage, but he was bodysurfed right out of the crowd. After a while, the same mohawk chap managed to wriggle his way back to the same spot but this time, he was just dancing in his own personal spot. Ha ha ha. Talk about self moderating crowd :)

From this point on I’ll just let the pictures do the talking.

#6

#7 – [L-R] Gem Archer (guitar), Andy Bell (bass guitar), Chris Sharrock (drums), Jay ‘Gandalf’ Darlington (keyboard), Noel Gallagher (guitar), Liam Gallagher (vocal)

#8

#9 – Liam!!!! (and a glimpse of Noel)
Liam gallagher

Liam was such a badass. He was hanging the tambourine off his crotch while singing What’s the Story (Morning Glory). I couldn’t take clearer pictures of Noel because he was at the extreme right of the stage.

#10 – Liam again!!!
liam again

#11 – Us.
Us.

Towards the end of the concert, Liam stood at left of the stage, almost in front of me and he just…stood there. We were going crazyyyyy

#12 – THE badass.
Liam

And here are some videos of their most famous songs.

1. Wonderwall:

2. Awesome acoustic rendition of Don’t Look Back in Anger by Noel:

3. Champagne Supernova:

This is by far the best concert I’ve been too. I missed Jay Kay (damn VIP tickets urgh) but it’s really okay cause he will probably be back but Oasis is too emo to predict hehehehe.

p/s: Want to post videos..I took snippets of Don’t Look Back in Anger, Champagne Supernova and Wonderwall but Youtube is not loading -_-. Maybe later.

p/p/s: All pictures taken with my awesome Nokia N82.