Thursday, July 31, 2008
Here are some of the photos taken during Day 2 of the trip. We visited quite a few places! Non stop! From morning till night!
In the morning, we visited the Tribal Village (Ethno-ecoagricultural). The kids and villagers are definitely friendly! We were advised to bring some snacks, biscuits, chocolates, tidbits, lollipops or sweets upon visiting the tribal village.. I did! I brought from home... =)
So after taking photos with the kids and playing with them, "talking" to them - they have not mastered English - I "upah" them sweets... Some of my colleagues gave the M&M chocolates, APOLLO cake.. and etc etc. Heehe a colleague of mine made a joke in Malay.. "They must be saying this to themselves: Wow! We got lots of goodies.. Got candies, lollipops, sweets, chocolates, etc etc.. dun have to worry abt being hungry.." Hah.
After the visit, we headed of to the Mae Ping River cruise. U know Boat Quay here in SG? We often notice tourists in the boat didnt we? Well, these time round we were in the boat for a cruise! Haha... Then snap snap snap. One very cute photo taken while awaiting for Mae Ping River cruise.. Heehe.. will post it up here.. *naughty*
Lunch time in another Halal restaurant. A buffet! All the meat finished! Took a long time for them to top up food so wait longer.. As I was ALWAYS hungry, I just eat rice with vegetables.. NO meat.. I really didnt enjoy it.. coz I must have at least 1 meat in my meal...
After lunch, proceed to visit the Gems factory.. Very nice crystallic gems they have..Next visit: some of my colleagues said its like torturing.. but what I think is refreshing! (Ya lah.. Just coz I went to the gym.. so I dun think it was tiring... Winks)
We have to visit a cave.. and in order for us to get there, we have to climb up the slopes, upon reaching the destination, we have to climb up the stairs... after that we will see the door to the cave.. We went in and again, we have to climb down the steps... Just looking around the cave and know the history told by our Thai tour guides. It was very dark in the cave, took a few shots but deleted them as I cant see a thing!
Our final visit before dinner and then SHOPPING... is the San Khampang Hot Springs...
Enjoy the photos.. (Pssttt.. I took 165 photos in Day 2! =D Very the ghairah la! So for now total photos of Day 1 + Day 2 = 296!?!)
1) While waiting for the others...
WELCOME TO CENTARA DUANGTAWAN HOTEL
2) Tribal village:
a) need to go to toilet, anyone? go to "them". Hahaha.. Very "good" English..
b) the villagers / village / school /church
3) Our tour guides.... =) Abg Azman, Pat (Thai), Frances and Kim (Thai)
4) This is how u weave
5) MAE PING RIVER CRUISE
The cute photo I told u abt...
JCS, the GM saw a few of us snap a shot at the above photo.. she exclaimed with her hand around her waist, "why u all take the photo of the little boy ah ah?" I answered, "very cute la.."
Wanna see a sampan table?
6) Gem / crystal
7) While walking up and then coming downthe slopes, took some pictures..
8) Sankhampaeng Hot Springs
P/S: Will post up the links to my fotopages soon, aite?
To be continued with Chiang Mai - Day 3
Friday, July 25, 2008
Chiang Mai 2008 - 18 Jul to 20 Jul
Flight time was 850am (SG time). Journey was 2 hrs and 50 mins.. Arrive Chiang Mai International Airport at 1040 am (Thai time) which is 11.40am (SG time). Thailand is behind SG by 1 hr.
How do I feel boarding the plane? I mean taking off and landing... hehee..EXCITED... First time naik kapal terbang what... Heehe... Went to Pulau Karimun naik kapal laut.. Pergi Johor Bahru.. naik kereta la but Chiang Mai Thailand... naik kapal terbang - Singapore Airlines ok.. All expense paid trip.. two way tickets, hotel accomodation and breakfast, lunch and dinner all sponsored by the company: Ella Cheong Spruson & Ferguson.
Chiang Mai Thailand was ECSF 3rd country trip. First was Phuket Thailand in 2002, I think.. I was still studying for my diploma.. heehe... Second was Beijing China in 2006... Damn! I started to be in the workforce since 2004. If only in 2004, I started work at ECSF.. dpt pergi China... and climb up the steps at the Great Wall of China... Yes they visisted one of the seven wonders of the wall: THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA.. Grrr.... What luck..
So for the 3rd trip, it was Chiang Mai Thailand! Of coz I went for this despite my grandmother's "no". A few of my ex-colleagues from D & B were shocked that my grandmother finally allow me to go.. Hahahaha... I am turning 25 la I MUST SEE the WORLD!!
On Day 1, upon arrival at Chiang Mai International Airport, two coach buses took us for lunch at a halal restaurant: Jien Pao Restaurant and to a non-halal restaurant, which I have no idea what is the name.. hahaha...
After lunch, we headed to this temple.. In Thai language, temple is called Wat. So I believe we visited the Wat Phra Thai Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai's most famous landmark and most venerated treasure..the first Lanna-style pagoda constructed on a mountain. The temple considered as very holy establishment as its large glittering golden pagoda contains a holy relic of the Lord Buddha.
After visiting the temple, we headed to the hotel. We were accomodated to Centara Duangtawan Hotel, Room No. 6027. Love it man! The beds were comfy.. Took a nap for a while then headed off for dinner. After dinner... SHOPPING TIME!!!!!
Thats day 1.. To be continued for Day 2.. Enjoy the photos! (Psst, I took abt 128 photos in DAY 1 - SEMANGAT GILA kan.. tak leh angkat ah! Hahaaha.. Total photos: abt 344? heehee..)
I was sitted next to the window! Here's the proof:
I spotted something really cute found in the temple!
Friday, July 11, 2008
Its going to be 1 more week!
My 'first time-ever' boarding the aeroplane!!! Tak sia-sia I accepted the offer at ECSF! FYI in exactly 1 week's time, ECSF will be organising company retreat at Chiang Mai Thailand!
Huh? Excited? Of coz and so far Thailand's the 3rd country I had went to. 1st was Johor Msia.. ulang alik only not holiday, 2nd was Pulau Karimun Indonesia (Jin Tai Sec Sch Field Trip in the year 1999) and now Chiang Mai Thailand (ECSF Company Retreat). See... even though I have a grandmother who this cannot that cannot, I still can get to go. Yes, I admit. She didnt allow me to go to Indonesia too! But I cried.. hahaha.. Thats what I do.. If I cant get it, I will cry. As for the Thai trip, I cant cry! I am not a baby! No way.. so I persuade and persuade and she eventually said, 'up to u.' So since its 'up to me', I go la! *grin*
P/S: We took the ferry from Spore to Pulau Karimun, thats why I stated next week my first time ever stepping inside aeroplane.. Sounds pathetic.. Yeah, I know but I wouldnt want to be that pathetic always (as in, never ever travel by aeroplane before) so at age 25, for the first time, is a gd way to start off with.. *bigger grin*
Here's the catch... Must be there at Terminal 2 Row 10 by 630AM!! 630AM!!! Flight is 850AM but we have to be there 630AM!!! Flight is abt 1.5 hrs journey. My digital camera is already ready heehe to snap snap snap... Thai currency... hmm.. I changed SGD $101.30 for 2500 Baht.. I dun think its enuff.. I dont know how much things cost there.. I heard the elephant ride cost abt 600 baht per person. If I deduct that, I'll be left with 1900 baht to shop.. Hmm.. I think I need to change another $100 more.. what do u think?
Looking forward for the trip..
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
I received an email from the school.
The contents of the email read, "Dear Maria, This is to confirm that you have graduated and has been awarded SecondClass (Lower).Please find attached a scanned copy of your cert & transcript."
*How nice of them to scan the cert for me, I dont have to do it in future! Heeh*
I finally managed to graduate!!!! Wht a journey I have gone through as though I have to climb up and down mountains. There is a lot of dissapointment and cash in the cycle. But in the end all the energy and perseverence pay off. Thank god for answering all my prayers all this while.
After reading the above contents in my email, I was so eager to open the attachment to see it. The moment I opened it to look at my 'scanned' degree and the 'scanned' transcript, I just had a grin on my face that could not be wiped off. It was wonderful to see my name on the degree. I can hardly believe that this piece of paper is what I've been working hard for the past 3 and half years. All the sleepless nites doing my assignments and studying for exams and stressing out has all paid off...just for a piece of paper with my name on it. It might sound insignificant or shallow to some but after going through all the hard work only than you can really feel it. It wasnt easy to work and study at same time..
I am aware that many people have overseas degree but they never stepped foot onto the campus itself. One of them is me, heehee.. But I did make a promise (to myself) that one day, I will visit the University located in Cardiff, United Kingdom before I die. Well, if you obtain your overseas degree in Singapore, I am pretty sure you would like to go to the University that awards your degree. So, yeah.. I will one day INSYA-ALLAH.
Well, the degree the school sent me is a 'scanned' copy of it. I will get the original during the convocation cum graduation ceremony on 2 November 2008 in Singapore la..
Now I have obtained my degree (in November la - the original one!), I am going to apply to NIE..remember my entry 3 years ago (2005)? I am still going to apply to NIE..will NOT going to give up..if NIE still rejected my application despite with BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONS) IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION - MARKETING frm UNIVERSITY OF WALES, maybe I can approach the GM and updated her abt my qualifications and then she'll see what she can decide for me. As for now, I am happily doing my work well. Happy? Hmm..can say so lah but still my position is too low for a Bach degree holder.
Sighz.. Why I am always in this situation? 2 yrs ago, my position as a clerk in Donaldson was too low for a Diploma. I got so many burning hot questions from a few friends and their acquitances.. "How come you work as a clerk only but your qualification is Diploma? Dont you think its too high for this low job?" Now, I believe people will approach me and asked me an almost similar question: "How come you're a secretary despite having a Bach Degree?" *slaps forehead*
Before I end this entry, would like to share whats the contents of the cert, which has the University of Wales name and logo and sighz that's why I prefer to go there and study instead of doing it distant-learning.. The name of the private institution is stated in the cert itself :(
The contents in the cert reads, "It is hereby certified that MARIA BINTE SLAMAT of THAMES BUSINESS SCHOOL has been admitted to the degree of BACHELOR OF SCIENCE in BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (MARKETING) with SECOND CLASS HONOURS DIVISION 2 on 15 April 2008"
FYI, Second class honours division 2 is the same as second class honours (lower) and 15 April 2008 was the release of the exam results.
So, whats next after my Bach degree? As I'd stated..I would still want to apply NIE as a teacher. But if that fails, let's see can I pursue my Masters? Heehe.. Pls grandma, pls mum.. Both of you kept mentioning, "how to marry if still cant cook!" - thats why I never go cari my putera idaman! If the putera idaman knows I cant cook, dia lari sepuluh batu! So I might as well, study la... can? *grin*
P/S: 1) PUTRA IS OUT OF THE COMPETITION! PUTRA DIDNT MAKE IT TO THE FINALS OF ANUGERAH BAND! I COULDNT BELIEVE IT! PUTRA SHOULDNT BE OUT!
2) Spain beat Germany to win EURO 2008
3) Counting down to the Chiang Mai trip: 16 more days!
4) I am going for this Sunday's Jamiyah event. Reason: I WANNA SEE MY HADY!! I MISS HIM LA! And not forgetting.. Revalina will be there as well.. All 3 of them.. Winkz..