Memories of Annapurna, Nepal!

These photos really bring back sweet memories. I was digging into my files in my computer and saw these few precious shots. These were taken when I was backpacking through India and Nepal. The 2 guys were my guides up the mountains. The one in green shirt was the paid guide, and the one in blue followed us because he was sort-of on leave because February was a low season. So, he came along just to accompany us. How I came to use a guide in Pokkhara? I was checking the rates of entrance fees, trekking fees and etc at the police station. I found the rates for foreigners especially high (there are rates for locals and foreigners). And the payment for such fees are for a 3-day pass to a 7-day pass or more. So, you kinda pay for every step you take. Moreover, I have heard so many stories about going on the same Tourist Trail, like the Annapurna Range Walk, the Tea Trek, the Everest Trek and many more. Most of the stories were about kids asking for alms, pulling the tourists trousers for more pens, for more food, for more money and for more of everything. The food served at the treks are mostly Continental breakfast or Western menu for lunches and dinners. Imagine trekking in the pristine enclave of the Annapurna range and the Everest, you get warm milk, omelette, toast, sausage and coffee. It is ok, of course, but I thought I will prefer something more authentic, more of what the villagers will have. So, I sat under a big tree, in front of the police station, thinking what am I suppose to do? Do I forgo the trek and just stay in Pokkhara for 2 days and head to Kathmandu after that? As I was planning of what to do in my head, there came this young man in green. He began to chat with me and told me that he is a certified guide and he showed me his official card. I listened while he went on about his experience binging people up the mountains and how his clients/trekkers loved the sceneries and how everyone enjoyed themselves. When he finished, I told him my reservation about the treks, and the amount of money I need to pay if I go on the treks for a week. He was a great listener and he got what I meant. Immediately he told me about this Royal Trek which is the other side of the mountain range and it is not open to Tourists yet. He said the government was looking at possibilities of doing the Royal Trek with "farm stay" with the locals in the mountains. He asked me if I was interested? I asked him how much will be his fees including all meals and accommodation? He mentioned a price and I jumped at the thought of staying with the villagers, that will be cool.

So, I re-packed my rucksack for a 5-day ration, left the rest at his house in Pokkhara. He told me that his friend is also coming along and they will share a bed if need be. I agreed and there we went for an adventure I did not plan but turned out to be the most memorable of all my time in Nepal. There will be some other photos to show you the trek I had been, I am sure you will be in awe by the beauty of the villages and the villagers. All throughout the trek, I met with the most beautiful people who have not seen a tourist, let alone a Chinese. They were so kind as some invited me for tea and some invited me for dinner too.

Throughout my journey in India and Nepal, I had a really tough stomach. I drank mostly from the mountain spring where the villagers get their water and from the food stalls, I don't remember I bought any bottled water. We were at places that are 7,000 ft above sea level. Tough climb, we spent like 2 days hiking to reach our destination - which was my guide's house in the mountains and met up with his family members. Cute-eh?? What an adventure.

I think I made this trip about 10 years ago. Will I do it again? Sure, but this time, it will be in another place, another adventure. This is truly Nepal at its best!!

Switch On Your Inner Light

I was watching TV this morning before I left my apartment. While Oprah Winfrey was on TV, I was in my kitchen cutting and blending my fruits & vegetables for breakfast. And over the commercial break, I heard an advertisement ending its run with this caption "Switch On Your Inner Light". Wow! this is powerful, since I am on the computer, I just type this caption in first. Will write more later.

Oh! since I am on this, let me share with you another one : "Hope spreads faster than cancer."

Will write more later.

Have a fantastic and blessed day ahead!!

Trying out my mobile blogging

Wow, what a tool. I can blog using my cellphone. Now i can go anywhere and blog fr wherever i am.

Write it, Blog it and Move On!

"You are here to enable the divine purpose of the universe to unfold. That is how important you are!" Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now

Many friends who had accessed my blog told me that I wrote very well, my English is excellent, I can express so well and all the powerful remarks. I certainly love every bit of the accolades and praise. Thank you, guys and gals!!

What I always say in return is this : "YOU can do it too."

Why most of my friends are not building their blogs (or some have started putting some pages up but not sharing, why? why keep the blog to yourself??), these are the few reasons I often heard :

• the words I use - are they politically correct or not?
• whether or not my grammar is good,
• my English may not be good enough....
• don't know who will read my blog
• will anyone read or not?
• I am not good enough
• I want to make sure no mistake than I publish
• don't know what to write, nothing to share
• no stories to tell.......

Let me share with you this, I don't hold a degree in story-writing, neither was JK Rowling.
I don't have a master degree in English Language, neither was Eckhart Tolle.
I am not trying to outsmart or be in any one's shoes, neither was Picasso.

I am just being myself, writing about subjects I knew straight from my heart, telling you as it is.
Because I believe that only YOU can be YOU.
What you share is going to inspire a million people. Think about it, if you are married, at least you had inspired that one girl to be your wife or that one boy to be your husband. Truly, there are at least one million people around YOUR world who is waiting to fall into your arms, and so lucky she got you and you got him. See??

So, who reads what, is not within my control.
What I can control is only my Thoughts!! not yours, not hers, not his either.

Put it this way - "if Picasso had only painted like Van Gogh, he would not have towered the artistic genius of our times." I don't know where I got this statement but I used it before.

So, you are the Picasso, because the brush (keyboard) is in your hands.
Just do it, because your story will touch someone somewhere sometime, where you least expect it. (sounds like a TV docu-series, which one?)

To all my friends who had started blogging, treat it like writing your journal. Spam and let everyone see you shine. You never know what lies in front, it may be a singing contract? a wedding ring? a project? But one thing I am so sure, You will definitely find joy in writing.

How do I know?
I just did!

Just a Thought away!!

"You cannot teach a man anything, you can only help him to find it within himself." Galileo

I was given the opportunity to talk to 2 groups of students. 1st group was Form 1 (13 years old) to Form 3 (15 years old) students. Another group was Form 3 (15 years old) to Form 5 (17 years old) students.

They were attending a 2-day course on Money Talk. This is a great program where the Trainers work with the students to get them to understand the financial mechanism in the market now. Topics range from housing loan to credit card bills, from commodity to forex, from unit trust to share market and many other financial instruments. The 2-day was indeed a great eye-opener for the young adults - well, at least they will know how their hand-phones come about. They don't just fall from the sky.

I was asked to talk on health. Because the Event Manager felt that with all the money we can make, we need a healthy body and a sound mind to be able to enjoy what we earn. Fair enough!! So, there I was touching on the topic called "SEED". It is a 3-hour talk covering subjects as per the acronym SEED :

S Sleep well - have enough rest so that the immune system can repair
E Exercise regularly - at least have brisks walk to get more oxygen into our lungs
E Emotional stability - be joyful all the time, practise meditation and choose peace
D Diet - what we eat, eat us!!

I showed the students a VCD on "Our Immune system at War" and we demonstrated the way we blend fruits & vegetables, and also the students get to participate in the making of fresh fruits & vegetables salad - and get to taste them too!!

While I covered topics like that, and since the whole 2-day was on attaining financial freedom, I sort-of open and close my talk with an understanding of how I lead my life right now. I told them that this may be the first time they hear someone sharing with them this kind of consciousness, but take it at face value, it may hit a note at one point of their life.

I said : "Need not look for a job - let jobs look for you!!"
I quoted Sai Baba, who said "Love All Serve All"

It just merely means,
Love my boss, Serve my boss
Love my patients, Serve my patients
Love my clients, Serve my clients
Love my customers, Serve my customers
Love my accounts, Serve my accounts
Love my engineering, Serve my projects

If I cannot love my customers and serve my customers, then I am dragging my days, it is not my passion, the big question is, "why am I still staying in that job/work?"

How many of us still teach our children to go out and work?
If everything stems from a Thought, then why not change the Thought.
It is also easy to teach our children to go out and Serve!!!! isn't it?

Why I said so? because at my Talk with the students, I asked them a question:
"What comes into your mind when I mention the word Retirement?"
Their answers were astounding and should shake the juice out of us all. There were 3 that I remembered, the children responded : "Old", "White hair" and "Not working".

These are young adults ranging from 13 to 17 years old. All they have been observing were that : old, white hair and not working at retirement??!!

Now, if everything starts from a Thought, I already know where these young adults are heading towards - retiring at 56 years old being old, white hair and not working. And that is in their belief system. Is this your belief system too?

I told the students : "Look at me, I am retired, do I look like that?"

Well, well, we have a lot of Thoughts to consciously work at.
And it is so simple -- it is just a Thought away!!

A little adventure at the sounternmost part of Tasmania

Hi Friends, found a new website to upload my photos. Cool, isn't it?

I am back in Kuala Lumpur. When I was travelling and staying in backpackers hostels, I met with so many people from all over the world. The question most of us will ask is "Where are you from?" But the person will sometime answer by posing another question, "You mean which part of Australia?" or "Do you mean my country?" Answers are long too. Some will say, "I am Dutch but I moved to Australia 10 years ago........" some will say, "I am American, but I came from Fiji Island, that was the my last stop before I arrived in Australia."

Various answers and it is complicating because backpackers come from so many different background and they travel like 3 months, 10 months to over 1 year. And throughout their travel, they could have flown in from Africa, from Hong Kong, from Singapore. Sadly, only one I met who told me she has stopped in Malaysia and loved the beaches.

One guy from Utah asked a somewhat appropriate question, "Where do you call home?" Aha, I thought this is getting somewhere closer to a straight answer. Yeah, where do I call home? To me, it is Malaysia. But then I thought, home is where my heart is. When that question was posed to me, my heart was in Craddle Mountain National Park - well, live in the present-ma!!

Just being funny. Anyway, I had a wonderful time in Australia. I went from KL-Melbourne-Tasmania-Brisbane-KL. I walked and trekked so much over the 2 weeks that when I was having my last 1 day in Hobart, and 2 full days in Brisbane before I board the flight home, I hardly wanted to walk anymore. I just spent my time at the shopping mall street at book shops, browse and read the books then have fantastic meals at fine-dining restaurants. Then I went to a Theatre in Brisbane, the first time I watch a full ballet performance, the show was "Don Quixote".

Like I have said before, I travelled without a itinerary. I don't know that I will board the Spirit of Tasmania (Ferry) to cross the Bass Strait into Devonport, Tasmania. I don't know where I will be going or where to stay especially in Tasmania. I just went with the flow of things. I found out a lot about the public transport and the places to visit in Tasmania when I was on board the Ferry. It left Port Melbourne in St Kilda at 8pm and arrived in Devonport, Tasmania at 7am. It is a astounding 11 hours boat ride crossing the Bass Strait. So, what to do with 11 hours? That was where I started to read the travel brochures and books.

So, there I was taking the bus to Cockle Creek, since it is the southernmost beachside escapade, I thought I just take a ride there on Tassielink (busses that ply the routes in Tasmania, bought a 10-day pass for 7-day travel at AUD172). I boarded the bus in Hobart towards Cockle Creek and taking the same bus back to Hobart on the same day. On the way, the bus stopped at Geeveston for ongoing passengers to change bus to Cockle Creek. While it made the stop, I looked around Geeveston and loved it. Because there is a very lovely country-cowboy-style bakery where there are oven-crisp pies and aromatic coffees - yummy!!

Since the bus is already leaving, I only managed to pick up a hot and freshly baked beef pie to eat on the way. About 22km afterwards, the driver stopped at Dover to pick up more passengers. Then the driver asked me if I am going to Cockle Creek, because he saw I wasn't with my rucksack and camping equipment. He told me that there is nothing in Cockle Creek, all people go there to camp, swim and fish, then just walk around the perimeter of the beach. So, why am I going there? I said, oh my, since it is like that, I might as well turn back to Geeveston and enjoy myself with the town because it is situated in the middle of a forest reserve. I prefer forest to seaside, if I have a choice, although I trek and I also do diving.

Immediately I decided to alight at Dover and see how I can get back to Geeveston. The bus driver dropped me at a rest area near the waters (see photo above), and I walked the fringe of the sea until I came to a field. And that's all about Dover!? Yes, that's all.

Then, there came a lovely lady in blue T-shirt, probably just came back from her morning walk. I approached her to ask for direction. While we chat, I asked if she knows how I can get back to Geeveston (I can't even pronounce this town correctly, I said Jee-ves-ton, she wondered what I was muttering). She said she is going there too after she picked up her papers from Dover's market shop. She can give me a lift if I wanted to go. We can meet at the town's shop. I said I will walk to the town first and if we meet, I will hop into her car.

And right on, we met afterwards. She introduced me her husband, Bill, and her name is Glenda. Glenda said that they are also going to Tahune Airwalk, which is 29 km turn off from Geeveston. Asked if I am interested to join them or would I just wanted to stay in Geeveston? I said I have time until 4pm before the getting on the bus to go back to Hobart. That is about 4 hours away.

Tahune Airwalk in a place I read in the brochure. It is situated in a forest reserve and no public transport there. It has never crossed my mind to go there anyway. But you see, God's plan is better than my plan. Since, I am open to everything, I just went along. And it turned out to be a fantastic discovery especially on the Airwalk (entrance is AUD17). Also, I made great friends - Bill and Glenda.

Bill, 80+ and Glenda 70+, still travels widely. They are the first couple I met who had been up the summit of Mount Sinai, Egypt. They had been to Peru too. So, when we were talking about the exhilarating and marvellous climb to Mount Sinai, Glenda mentioned about the blessed sunset over the sacred mountain and she said I must be having a very blessed life after trekking to Mount Sinai. And I said, "Yeah, I am so blessed, you see, I met Bill and you - out of nowhere!!" And we laughed................

I must say, it is really God's plan to have met Bill and Glenda. Thanks for the lovely ride. And thank you Bill for the cappuccino and Glenda for the apple. It was definitely a fun-fulfilling day!! Have a healthy and all the great travelling years!!

Musings from Strahan, Tasmania

It is Lunar New Year 2007 - the year of the Golden Pig, the 1st day, and I am in Strahan, a beach village in western Tasmania. This morning I received lots of Lunar New Year greetings from Malaysia (what great technology brings in the form of sms, hurray!!), being in a foreign land backpacking alone, it is so sweet and so warm to receive these. Thanks guys!!

I am in Melbourne since 9th Feb, travelling to the west of Melbourne and then I took the Spirit of Tasmania (Ferry) across Bass Strait into Devonport, Tasmania. Will be travelling extensively in Tasmania for about 10 days, then fly from Hobart to Brisbane. Then, spend some time in Brisbane and take a flight home from there.

The pictures above are just a glimpse of what I had done so far.

The top pic : I am cooking dinner in a Backpackers Hostel in Melbourne. Hehehe, just feel like having some Indomie (40 cents) and a muffin (AUD4.50). Ate some good hefty meals the first few days in Melbourne, so that night got to have something simple. Oh yes, all hostels are equipped with all kitchen stuff, from electrical stove to microwave, from cutleries to utensils, and fridge to stuff your food packs too. I did not get foods like other backpackers do, because I choose to eat out most of the time. In Cradle Mountain National Park, however, because it is not a village so there are not many restaurants there (there are 2 or 3 5-star spa resorts up in the Cradle Mountain National Park but they are situated so far away), I got no choice but to cook my own meals.

The middle pic : I trek to the top of a peak (got to find the name of the peak later, can't pronounce it well, it is some kind of aborignal name) in Grampians National Park. I love the little town called Halls Gap which is nestled in the midst of the National Park. The day I arrived, there was a Jazz Festival, small little village, hardly 50 families, but because of the Festival, it drew in more than 5000 people camping, and most drove in theri caravan, they sing, they set up tents and the mood was really swinging. The next day was back to normal, and normal means just the rustling of the leaves, blue skies, whisperings of birds and wallabies and kangaroos hopping in the treks. So, I stayed 2 nights in Halls Gap and loved it, loved it!

The bottom pic : This is Cradle Mountain in Cradle Mountain National Park, Tasmania. One of the very much publicised National Park in Tasmania. The day I did the trek, it was bit cloudy but the weather was cool and crisp, very good for trekking. I trek round the Dove Lake trail which is about 2 hours. But I hike up further to almost the saddle in the middle of the mountain, so I took my time (anyway, I got lots of time, daylight hours until 9pm here in Australia) and walked slowly while I enjoy every bit of it. So, I think it took me more than 3 hours. It is beautiful. The treks are all well laid and constructed. All the trails are either plank walks or stones-paved, so everyone can do it. There are lots of people whom I met along the way who are way over 60 years old. It is pristine and it is nature at its best. I must say this though, in Tasmania, because their natural reserve is so well taken care of, the treks are made easy (or I should say, constructed...... and re-constructed) to allow even the wheel-chair bound "hikers" to have their fair share of the nature trails (not all, but a some shorter nearer treks). Great-ah!!!

It is an experince you will talk about for years to come!!

I am now in Strahan, a beach front village in West Tasmania. Also a small little village (please note that when I say small village, it is really small small small), but they have the best catch from the sea. Last night for my own "reunion dinner", I had Ocean Trout (fresh Salmon) grilled just right to maintain its sweetness and tangy-ness. I had a bowl of garden salad, all for AUD 27. Great deal!! I love foods, so I will go for fine dining whenever I feel like it, especially in a town near the beach.

Oh yes, I had a Tasmanian famous scallop pie too - oh......it was creamy, soft and very tangy, sort of sour-cream type that melts in your mouth and slithe through all your senses-kinda-taste!!?

OK, got to go now. Will be taking a bus to Hobart today. Well, since the bus will be passing by and dropping passengers at Lake St Clair National Park, I may just hop off there too, for a night. Then go to Hobart the next day. Well, never know, I have no itinerary, so I go as I like and since time is not an issue here, I am not rushing anyway.

Ciao!!

Windsor, Canada

This is Windsor, in Ontario Canada. According to the website : "Although Canada takes up the entire area of North America north of the United States, Windsor is actually south of Detroit because of how it wraps around. There are two main arteries get you across the Detroit River and into Canada. The Ambassador Bridge goes over the water and is the longest international suspension bridge in the world. If you prefer, you can travel under the Detroit River through the Windsor Tunnel."

One of the days when Peter and I were there in February 2006, it was a blizzard. We were staying at our lovely sister, Teri's house. The next morning, we went out and this was what I saw when I open the door. It was so white, so beautiful. That day, we had the most enjoyable trip to Point Pelee to have dinner with another of our sister, Linda, who lives there. "Just over 50 km (30 miles) south-east of Windsor, Ontario, lies the most southern point on the Canadian mainland – Point Pelee National Park of Canada. This tiny green oasis is internationally known for its spring and fall migration of birds and its stunning autumn monarch butterfly migration. "

Peter and I made the trip with Teri at the wheels and Sue too. It was about an hour and a half to Linda's, so we stopped by at some lovely spots to have a cup of coffee from Tim Hortons, it is like Starbucks in America. Aromatic coffee and crunchy cookies. It was warm inside Tim Hortons with piping hot coffee, while outside temperature dropped to zero.

It was fantastic!! Thanks to Teri and Sue. We talked so much, it was a more "talking trip" then a walking trip. We enjoyed the sweetness of the company very much!!

How we made this trip?

We had a very good ticketing agent who has been handling my travel tickets for years. All my ticketing arrangment, I did it all through Ching Ching. She is very responsible and responsive to all my requests. I only need to tell her my travel needs, she will check the best price for me and sometimes even arrange the ground tour too. I usually buy only air tickets, because I so used to go to a country and let everything unfold as I relax and let things happen. I remember I paid only RM1,600 to Cairo, RM1,600 to Johannesburg, I paid less than RM2,000 to Los Angeles, I paid about RM1,600 to New Delhi and out from Kathmandu. Most of these prices were before the airlines implemented the fuel surcharge. Nevertheless, I traveled to New York in Feb 2005 with 5 nights 5-star hotel stay (Marriot and Sheraton), and include land tour to Philadelphia, Boston, Washington DC, Niagara Falls and Hershey's Chocolate Factory (I felt like re-living Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - so chocolate-high!!). No meals, not even breakfast. And all these, including MAS flight to New York - for less than RM5,800.00.

So, Peter and I finished our tour at Buffalo, after having a chill-to-the-bone experience at Niagara Falls, because it was so cold. We boarded a bus from Buffalo (American border) over to the Canadian side. The Greyhound bus took about 7 hours or more to get to Windsor, Ontario after we change at Toronto. So, the ride was smooth. And we met Teri at Windsor's bus station.

And then, all the 4 days there with friends coming over to chat and hugs, and where Peter cooked up a Chinese meal for everyone, we went shopping for Chinese foodstuff and all the laughing and talking, oh....that was truly magical!!

Hampi, India

Wow! I am so excited, I am going to Puttaparti, India again in January 2007. This time we will be spending more days in Hampi. It is an ancient site, written on a website : "Hampi the 14th century capital city of the Vijayanagara Empire lies in the Deccan heartland,in the state of Karnataka. Hampi is situated at 74 kms from the city Bellary and 13 km from Hospet city in Karnataka. The ruins of Vijayanagar Empire in and around the village of Hampi are spread over an area of more than 26 sq kms. They are one of the most fascinating historical sites in Southern India. The best time to visit Hampi is from October to March." This is also the site where Jackie Chan filmed his movie "The Myth", remember the place where there was a commotion when the famous levitation Yogi fell off the roof of the temple when Jackie and his sidekick accidentally destroyed a levitated sarchophagus. Yeah, that is the ancient site you see in the pics above.

And I am going there right in the middle of the best months. The photos above were the ones I took when I was there in Jan 2006. I love the sites. Especially the temples, they are awesome.

There were lots of spiritual revelation for me. There were experiences from the deeper sense of my being. It brings me to realise more about Love and what it compasses!!

Great feelings!! Check it out when you next want to visit India. It is worth the journey!!

On the highest lake in the world - Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca, when I first read about this lake in my geography book about 30 years ago, deep inside me I wanted to know - how can a lake be the highest in the world? How could a lake that high in the mountains contain water? Where does the water go? I grew up knowing that there is such a lake that is the highest in the world.

"It is reputed to be the highest navigable lake in the world (about 3810 m/12,500 ft above sea level), extending from southeastern Peru to western Bolivia. The lake is 196 km (122 mi) long with an average width of 56 km (35 mi). The lake has waves, testament to its size and not surprising the waters are cold. At that altitude and fed from snow-clad Andes the lake does not invite swimming. It is the remnant of an ancient inland sea and the blue waters make a beautiful contrast to the parched altiplano." - got this from a website.

We get to Lake Titicaca from "the Peruvian side from Puno, the capital of Peru's altiplano which is the folkloric center of Peru and gateway to Lake Titicaca."

The 4-cylinder boat took more than 4 hours to get to a floating island where there are villagers who build their houses (like those teepee in the pictures) on the dried straws. Will show you guys more pictures of these amazing islanders later.

(To be continued.........)

Feel wealthy in Monte Carlo, Monaco

I think this is the smallest country I had put my foot onto. So small, I don't even know I had gone into that country. This is the Principality of Manaco.

Yah, you might want to say Lichtenstein, but I was in Lichtenstein too and I didn't feel the glamour what Monaco can offer. The beauty, the rich, the glam, the studded stones, the wealth....all are here in Monaco, more fondly known as Monte Carlo.

It is said to be The Charms of the Riviera.

Monte Carlo is on the Riviera between Provence and Italy, very close to Nice and Cannes where the rich and famous Hollywood and the world filmstars convene annually for the Cannes Film Festival. We went to the medieval village of St. Paul de Vence, and was told that Sean Connery bought a mansion and he lived there too. Well, stories tour guides tell when they want the world's attention (ooops......but she said don't tell, Sean Connery wants it to be a secret (uhh??!!)

This is true, though, Princess Grace (Kelly) and her daughter were killed while driving on the Riviera through the winding slopes, that was many years ago.

We did not stay too long in Monte Carlo, most activities centred around the world famous casino or else will be just shopping for world famous branded goods and apparels.

I must say it was an eye-opener for me as to what wealth and wealthy look and feel like. So, I am very rich already, hehehe!!

Touch A Life - Feed The Poor project in Melaka, Malaysia

"Listen carefully : Your family of origin does not know how to get you to your North Star. They didn't when you were little, they don't now, and they never will........People whose families were accepting and supportive have to face the fact that familial love can't take them all the way towards their right lives." Martha Beck Finding Your Own North Star : How to Claim the Life You Were Meant to Live

Touch A Life project was mooted by Mavis (she is the one on far left in the above group photo where all ladies touch each others fingers, a symbolic gestures to show "touch a life"). She is a piano teacher. She loves music. For many years, however, she has this inspiration to cook for the poor. One day, she just decided to give up her present vocation and went in search of that little voice that calls her everyday to "feed the poor" - giving up her love for music to follow her own North Star. She heeds the calling and went straight to Indonesia. She went to a small village someone near Yogjakarta, knowing no one, no place to stay and nothing in her hand, just holding strong and faithful to that warm loving little voice in her heart, she started to befriend the villagers. She found a place to cook and with a little money she bought the veges and rice, started cooking, and amazingly, people turn up to collect packet food from her. At the recent volcano eruption that devastated the village, Mavis was there cooking for the survivors.
For one year, she goes back and forth from Melaka, a city famed of its historic heritage in Malaysia. Well, as what Paulo Coelho wrote in his book The Alchemist : "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."
With no money, no friends there, no place to stay, no knowledge where to start, Mavis performs love miracles by bringing so much hope for the people who need food.
As one thing leads to another, a group of friends got together and got a house in Melaka and starts this project home-base. Project launched on 3 Nov 2006 (Friday). They will serve the poor on Tuesdays and Fridays starting 12 noon to 2.00pm. All are welcome and please bring people whom you know who are poor and need foods.
Mavis picked up an Indian man from the street and brought him to the house. He ate happily throughout.

Would you like to help?

Meals will be served at:
Where: No.11, Jalan Taming Sari Mata Kucing Dalam,Malacca
When: Tuesdays & Fridays
Time: 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm

Touch A Life welcomes, with much gratitude, contributions of vegetables, eggs,fruits, provisions and cash.

If you would like to volunteer your love, time and energy, there are many ways to do this.
You could :
* Collect and transport vegetables from thewholesale market.
* Prepare the vegetables for cooking.
* Cook.
* Clear up after the serving period.
* Clean the premises.
* Be a Welcomer who creates a safe, loving anduplifting space for the people who come.

This is the whole point of TouchALife. TAL is beyond food.
To volunteer, please contact :
Mavis Ching : H/P +6 012-6799 086

For contribution in cash :

Mavis Account No. at Hong Leong Bank (Melaka Branch, Jln Ong Kim Wee) is :

026-50-44249-4.

Cheques can be made out to : Mavis Ching Siew Geok

Freshly Baked Hot Scones & Strawberry Pie

I noticed there are many friends who login to this blogsite from other countries. So, it makes good sense to use this blog to introduce to our foreign friends some of the lovely things we get in Malaysia. I love to eat, so naturally, I will go to places to look for good food. One of the good times I look forward to when I am at a hill resort, especially at Cameron Highlands and Fraser's Hill (2 of the 3 popularly visited highland resorts in the country) is the time for Tea. I will find myself indulging in the most quintessential practice of the traditional English afternoon tea-culture. There are only 2 places I know (unless you can share with me other places or restaurants) in Cameron that serve afternoon tea with freshly baked hot scones - one is at The Bala's Holiday Chalet and the other is at The Olde Smokehouse. That day when I was at The Bala's Holiday Chalet, I just can't resist trying out their strawberry pie topped with ice-cream. The scones are as tasty as ever, because it is steaming hot, when the butter is applied on it, it just melts. I smooth it with whipped cream and home-made strawberry jam, wow, the moment I put it in my mouth, it warms up. Try them out when you are there the next time, the hot scones are definitely a tongue warmer, especially so when you savour them with hot tea during a downpour (it was raining cats and dogs then), and you look out from a Tudor-style cottage window, surround yourself with a well pruned garden filled with lavendar and roses, all dripping wet in the sensual cool mountain rain. Sit back and let the senses reach out to the feel of warm winter afternoons.

Fresh greens from Cameron Highlands

You are looking at green tomatoes, English gourd and Japanese cucumber. Holding in my hands are also some vegetable shoots that look like asparagus, softer but as crunchy. English gourd and the vegetable shoots are grown wild, so we just picked them from the side of the roads. The bush-like growth at the back of me is the English gourd plant. It looks like a kind of vine, the gourd ripen in abundance the time I was there. So, the kids got a basketfull of English gourd for me. The farmer then gave us Japanese cucumber, cherry tomatoes and spring onions which they planted. Loads of them. I brought them home and use them as fruits and vegetables smoothies for breakfast. Oh! by the way, this is at the cool mountain retreat in Malaysia, the place is called Cameron Highlands. It is a holiday destination for the locals and tourists too. Usually it is packed during holidays. So, advisable for tourists to come by during weekdays. The resort stay and the hotel rates are much lower then. You get pretty good service at restaurants and shops. There are a few wonderful eateries, especially scones and English tea. Cameron Highlands with its highest peak, Gunung Brinchang, stands at 6,600 feet above sea level. It is famed for its tea plantations. If you have tasted Boh Tea, it comes from here. Now, there is a new road leading up to Cameron from Simpang Pulai. This new road is less winding, 2-lanes, dual carriage and less steep compared to the road from Tapah. It is a comparatively shorter distance to Cameron by using the new road. If you are using North South Highway (one of the best highways in the world at 800 over km in length that stretches from Singapore right to Thailand), exit at Simpang Pulai. There are well laid road signs leading you there. When you take this road, you will enter into Kampung Rajah first. While for the old road, you will reach Tanah Rata instead.

Have a feast in Passion Road

Malaysia is a food-haven country. We have foods cooked in Malay style, Chinese style, Indian style and many more. Because of our diverse culture from our lovely multi-racial country, we have lots of fusion restaurants all over Malaysia. Not only are we able to enjoy sumptuous spread of foods cooked in multi-spiced, multi-savoury and multi-style to tempt Malaysian's multi-tastebuds, we have buffet tables stretched to several meters long to put so many varieties of food on it. I travelled so much and meeting with so many people from different countries, when I tell them about our meters-long buffet tables with so many types and varieties of foods to choose from at only USD20, you should see the look of disbelief. They have not seen such things, so how to form an image? So, here will be some photos to show and more to come.
For people in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, I would like to recommend this very illuminating and passionate restaurant called, what else? - Passion Road. As the name suggests, the people in Passion Road are really passionate about the things they do.

This is a bungalow house netled in the quiet vicinity of a class-of-its-own neighbourhood. It is like Mysteria Lane in Desperate Housewives, so into their own doing yet everyone knows where it is.

Passion Road (the name doesn't even sound like a restaurant, so chic yet so juice up with passion!!) only caters to group function. They are only open for private functions throughout the year. No individual can walk in and dine there at will. You got to get a group of at least 15 people to get a booking. And bookings are done very early in the year, especially during weekends. The dates are often full. Weeknights are a better bet. But do call early to book. Anyway, friends like me prefer to be told that I am invited at least 2 months ahead, ahem!!
Food is selected based on a few menus. So, you can go through with Billy, the maitre'd, to tailor-make a menu that will suit your guest list. That includes wines, other beverages and the best thing I like is that, you can even suggest the decor and color you prefer for the function. And oh yes, even the selection of flowers and the types you want- phew, what a love-affair for perfection!!
The food is heaven. You see in the pics above, we had Burmese Laksa (sour and a little spicy fish broth with condiments and eat with rice noodles - Burmese style), Paku-Pakis tuna salad (one type of veg shoots something like asparagus but it curls like a shy caterpillar - Malay style) uhh....and many more mouth watering dishes and desserts.
The decor is passionately charming. Just marvel at the glasswares and the flowers, it puts you in the mood to dine in the most elegant style possible.
Well, just like to eat at beautiful places because life is to be savoured at the best eateries in town (and anywhere in the world.)
Check out Passion Road.

Collage my pictures

I am trying a new photo software, and found that the collage effect is so refreshing. So, just to show everyone some of my photos taken while I was trekking close to Annapurna Range of mountains in Nepal. It was in the month of February, still very cold. The sceneries were breathtaking. I stayed with the local farmers while on my way up the range. No foreigners have been here because I was actually following my guide to him home at 7000 feet above sea level. On the way, I met with so many locals who showed me their houses, and invited me to tea and some even invited me to have dinner with them. The higher I go, the more remote the houses. Until when I reach my guide's house, I have to stay on top of a buffalo shack. Will show you guys more of my adventure later. In the meantime, this is a photo story. Let me know how you like my photo collage. Leave a comment here. 

Musee d'Orsay, Paris

I have been to Paris probably 4 times, all for leisure. I have never travelled to other countries for work, it is always to enjoy myself, drinking in the culture of a country and basking in the warmth of the seasonal sun. But my memories always linger around Champs Elysees, how I walked the streets in winter and in spring. Watching people walk pass. Ejoying how Parisians talk and nibble at their desserts, sipping their coffee while they throw their head to the back and laugh heartily, finger their hair and sweep their muffler, tip their cigarette and pick up the glass of wine, swing their heads to wink their designer's earpiece, then cross their model-slim legs and lay back to bask in the sun - all at the sidewalk tiffany cafe. Hmmmm.....how wonderful life is!!

I once saw the author of the book "French Women Don't Get Fat", Mireille Guiliano on Oprah. She said French women have a very profound way to look at foods. What I learnt is something like this : we look at food as cholesterol, calories and fats. French women look at foods as pleasure, happiness and joy. So, the whole way of eating has been transformed to an "event of joy", of "pleasure", of "fun". It is like having an NLP on foods. No wonder we get fat, because what we think about, manifest. Think about it, isn't it a better way to look at food. Instead of being told over and over again that such food is cholesterol-high, calories-high and fats-aplenty, it is really NLP to "eat in" pleasure, joy and happiness. That makes eating so much more enjoyable!!

Even walking in an 18th century train station gave me so much pleasure to enjoy the art pieces displayed. The pictures above show Musee d'Orsay, a modern day museum displaying artworks by masters such as Vincent Van Gogh, Monet and the rest. This was a train station built sometime in 1939, then in 1977, it was officially decided to turn it into an art museum. It was open to the public on 9 Dec 1986.

Hot Stone Massage - Ayurvedic style

"In the process of getting some distance between yourself and your work, and relaxing into that space, you are inviting divine intervention into your activity. " Dr Wayne Dyer

It was 3.00pm, a very chirpy Wednesday afternoon in Kuala Lumpur. Most of my friends are at work trying to hit datelines and presurised under a capable but demanding boss.

Since everyone is busy, I just thought I will have a massage. Someone told me about this wonderful Ayurveda healing centre amidst the hip-joints of Bangsar where some bungalows facing Jalan Maarof are now being turned into beautifully interior-decorated shops. And there stand out a posh Ayurveda healing centre called Samkkya.

I took this photo with the COO of Samkkya, Mr Jeyathevan. Samkkya has probably the best therapists from Sounthern India (Bangalore to be exact) where they do all sorts of Ayurveda healing like Ayurveda massage, Yoga-Pranayama Therapy, Banana Leaf Bath and many more very exotic names to call.

I went in for the Hot Stone Massage. It is not like those normal spa hot stone treatment where they just place hot stones on the body. The well-trained and very experienced therapist used the hot stones, hold them in his hands and rub your pressure points with them. The heat from the stones made it a very therapeutic and relaxing experience for me. This is the first time I slept during a massage. I don't sleep, because I want to always enjoy the Touch, every moment of the flesh and muscles being pampered and caressed is a pristine and primal feeling of the love-seeking soul. So nice and with the hot stones, so warm and cuddly!! For the first time, I fell asleep.

Enjoy it, check them out at Samkkya.

Les Miserables, London

I think I have watched Les Miserable 3 times in London. One of my favourite past times in London is to hang around Leicester Square until late evening to shop and get half price ticket to Theater Shows. That is one of the reasons why I keep going back to London. The experience of watching actors on stage performing their role is very captivating. The stage designs are phenomenal, somewhat awestruck most of the time. You will understand why shows like this can run for 14 years with more than 200 performances in a year. Don't watch it, experience it, you will fall for the characters and plot. I love it!!

Charing Cross - books haven, London

Here, in the middle of Charing Cross, London, you will find big bookstores such as Foyles and across the street, Borders. Walk down the street, you will find rows and rows of bookshops offering all sorts of books. I usually will spend the whole day here. Walk down another road, turn the corner and you come to Soho and Leicester Square. But weather in London is very unpredictable. You see it is blue sky now, half an hour later, it drizzles. So, bringing umbrella with you wherever you go during winter is safest deal. Most times, felt so cold, my fingers numbed, so, there is another reason why I run into a bookshop - heater!!