UK, the last and foremost;

31st July - Thursday
Early wake at 5.30am, eee. Left to the JKF airport, terminal 7. Luckily we flew British Airlines because American Airlines were having this huge baggage crisis.
No problem with the guitar on board the plane (phew). Airplane was pretty empty, which was good for our well being.
Watched half of Semi-Pro but got fed up, then watched the whole of The Other Boleyn Girl - not bad. Flight lasted 7 hours and we arrived UK time - 9pm. Rented out a car (Heartz this time, not Avis!) - a ford Mondeo. What a piggish car. Drove to Swindon-traffic. Ate at this service station for a late bizarre dinner. Checked in at Travelodge, spacious place.

1st August - Friday
Woke up at 10, went to Highworth for brunch, some butteries..heh, but nice tea :)
Then drove to Shrivenham to meet Mike Springs and get the keys to our Swindon house.
Mum’s been bothered by an old friend continuously. The friend’s sooooooooooo excited.
Got to the house, an okay condition despite it’s history (furniture burnings by the infamous Lamb) and is a temporarily live-able place. Went out shopping for some basic house necessities. Carpet change as well as a bed at a bed mall called ~Dreams. Bed salesman was the most unique salesman ever. Named Ben Sperring and he kept throwing free stuff in our faces to buy the bed, it was hilarious, and the stuck coffee mug to the table made me laugh.
Back home, dropped off the bought stuff-vacuum, grass cutter so an so forth.
Dinner was at an Indian Restaurant called Jewel In The Crown, not bad, but wayyy over staffed. We had waiters coming ‘round every 5 minutes asking us if everything was alright.

2nd August - Saturday
Woke up, left at 10 to Argos to buy MORE necessities such as a kettle..
Then drove to Sainsbury’s cafe for brunch, had a full English B’fast....omgzz - dad’s idea.
At the house we got the bed delivered, I vacuumed the living room and then fell asleep on the couch. After that we went to Asda to buy food stuff. At home, I helped pick up the grass my dad was cutting, as well as trimming hedges and brushing in protruding stones.
Ate cup noodles as a snack due to my amazing hard work, wow.
Dinner - fish ‘n’ chips.

3rd August - Sunday
11am wake. Left to the house and made lunch - spaghetti carbonara. Got really sleepy (typically) so I had a huge nap. Once I awoke from my slumber, I helped pick up some cut grass to put in bags. Not a very exciting day..
For dinner, went to a Thai restaurant, pretty hot. I’ve been hay feverish the past few days so my nose was ...runny!

4th August - Monday
Woke up 11am, feeling real sick. Went to the town centre of Swindon for my parents to get Brisith mobile numbers. I finally got myself a proper jacket yay. Got a Subway sandwich, not as nice as Singapores’. The cheese was strange. Went home and then ate again, of course, a vegetarian lasagna!
Another huge nap until 6pm, oops.. Got up and more food shopping. Dinner was at a Chinese restaurant--westernised...heh...

5th August - Tuesday
Woke up, checked out of the hotel, Went to the house for the carpet man to come, had lunch - fish on toast. Left for a long drive up North to Scotland. Stopped at Kendal (north of England) for a check-in at travelodge again. Dinner at another Indian Restaurant and it wasn’t so good.

6th August - Wednesday
Left travelodge and continued up North. Crossed the border and had lunch at Harwick, with me trying to get in tune with the Scottish accent again. My accent must be sooo mixed up - America, England and now Scotland?!
In the car it was KT, Keane and Arcade Fire accompanying me.
We arrived at 6pm - hello’s to my grandmother etc - chit-chat.
Dinner was......Salmon and Potatoes, yay! Interesting conversations.

7th August - Thursday
A chilled day. I ate, played guitar, got some tunes and then ate dinner - lasagna.
Yup yup...and oh, British television is much more interesting I must say.

8th August - Friday
ALL DAY OLYMPIC OPENING, YEA!
4.5 hours of me watching the opening, I’m insane and strange, I know I know. From 1pm UK time all the way 4.30pm. I did NOT move from that chair, my lunch was there and I had enough water so I was good to go.
I’ll write about the opening.
Dinner - fried vegetable and rice, yay.

9th August - Saturday
Late wake.
For the evening, we went to visit Hannah, Andrew, Keith and Leslie at their house. Had some interestingly entertaining moments, especially concerning the music category. Showed our holiday pictures and touched on important worldly topics such as cutting down on food and energy. But nothing did beat the strange, though unique antics of my Uncle’s passionate enthusiasm on music. It did frustrate the rest of the family, but I must say it was a spectacular sight that only the mention of my influential artists that started him off!
Dinner was spaghetti.

10th August - Sunday
Off to the town of Keith, a place up north of Aberdeen. We went to the cemetery there where a lot of my relatives’ graves reside. Such as great aunt’s, great grandparents, and of course my lovely grandfather’s plaque is there. Took a few pictures of them.
After that we visited a lady called Anne who is my dad’s cousin, meaning my second cousin. She’s in her 60’s and she’s a lovely woman, especially with her husband in hospital with Alzheimer’s disease, she’s very sweet.
After that we drove down back South but through the coastal road where we went through little villages. Had a coffee at.........?
Then headed back down to Aberdeen. Got a takeaway at a popular fish ‘n’ chips place and ate home.
Watched a strange documentary on models of hand, legs and....other incriminating things. ^^

11th August - Monday
In terms of family relations, not the best of days.
Went to town, got school shoes, had lunch..a revolting lunch for sure. We then went to the car dealer - Arnold Clark to finish off car dealings. Dad’s got a Ford Focus Estate.. :|? Some shopping at Tesco’s. Returned home, did some musical play.
Dinner was Salmon and salad.
Interesting documentary, Bill Bryson on littering.

12th August - Tuesday
Last day in Scotland,
messed about, guitar, ate.
Dinner was..I don’t wanna mention, I didn’t like it :( it made me sad.

13th August - Wednesday
On the way down south.
Long drive, watched Beatles movies on my iPod.
Arrived at Crewe and checked into Travelodge. Had internet for one night and so my dad was able to change my airplane seat from the window to the aisle..YES. good good.
Dinner was......SERIOUSLY hot Indian curry, the hottest you can get, ahaha. oh well.

14th August - Thursday
Got up early - 8am. Headed down the highway back to Swindon. Got there 12.30 pm and got the delivery dudes to deliver our boxes all the way from Singapore. All 40 of them. It easily filled up the house, it’s box-land, a box-maze, box-mania!
Normally spent the day unpacking cutlery and crockery, half of it was broken...so much for “Interport: The Professional Movers - Delivering with care...Worldwide” - I’m unconvinced.
Also went to Argos, to buy an air bed that you have inflate to with a foot pump, it’s so happening!
No internet, and in the 21st century, it’s tough to do anything without it.
“For full details log on to www...” ahhh, everywhere, it’s everywhere.
Dinner was curry with rice.

15th August - Friday
Woke up at 10 from my air bed! Yes I was flying, just came from France! XD
Had tea, cornflakes, interesting discoveries, etc etc.
Lunch was soup and toast.
Parents went out shopping, I stayed home and was able to nick internet for about an hour, ahhhh not long enough.
Dinner was curry with noodles.

16th August - Saturday
Late wake, lazed about. Went to the Swindon recycling centre. Very interesting! Then went to Tesco’s to buy some food. Purchased a carpet for the living room.
Dinner was Ginger and Chicken w/rice.

17th August- Sunday
Late wake at 11, and got ready to visit old friends in Wootten Basset. Mum’s friend Dang and her husband Trevor. As well as my old childhood friends Daniel and Bo! It was such a blast from the past to see them, it really was. But it was a great feeling and everyone was really nice. We had a late lunch there and got up to speed on things, etc etc. This day was really worth something for sure.
Got home around 6.30, had dinner and watched Little Miss Sunshine. Love that movie as always :]

18th August - Monday
My last full day here. It’s emotionally complicated for me, but I still believe it is for the better. Watched Olympics, read some of my dad’s comics. Talked a lot. All things we’d once take for granted, today it seemed a tiny bit more important.
I got phone calls from my Grandmother as well as Dang and Daniel, all saying safe trip, etc etc.
My mind is foggy and sad but hopeful. To be a good human being in this world is to accept change. So I will accept it, and thrive in it. I will admit to mistakes but still envision a world I’d love to love. I will understand that not all things are simple, yet it’s not as difficult as people make it out to be. To live in whatever way I choose, yes, I chose this. I made this choice. I will always have doubts and ‘what if’s, but in the end I’ll make the most of it. I truly truly will.
Today’s also the end of my holiday. And what a ride it’s been. I couldn’t ask for anything more eclectic. Coming across 3 different continents/cultures. Asia-Thailand, North America and Europse-UK. And I couldn’t have asked for anything more than to have spent this last real holiday with my parents. Our bizarre antics and conversations, it’s special. It is what makes one person stand out from the next. We would never in God’s name, consider ourseleves normal, but in a world far from that word, I’m glad. Of course, this holiday was not perfect, we still miss Brownie like crazy and we did have our fair share of disagreements. But no one intended anything to be perfect. How together could a perfect world hold?
So I leave today with a sense of sadness, the end to a routine, no matter how small and subtle. The end to these first 16 years of my life living with my parents. The triumphs and tyrannies, it all added up to something I could never ever regret or forget. And of course, I would not ask for anything better. Never.

Thailand 2008; 38 degrees of distress!

Summer Holiday 2008

This is my Thailand holiday, lasted for around 2 weeks in July, and I took note of each day on that day.

Stay tuned for..
USA!! :)

2nd July-Wednesday
This is the day where I left Soo Chow Way..forever! Away from the trouble and neighbours who prefer to give people a living nightmare instead of making their lives something more that’s worth living. Is it the fall of civilisation? Maybe!
Left to Castle Green Condo, where my mum’s friend let us stay until it was time to leave to the Airport.
I took an MRT to the Bugis library to drop off a book with Naz and then I then returned to Castle Green, well at least tried. The guard gave me a hard time, asking for my NRIC number, which I don’t have anyway. And I stood there for 5 minutes arguing (yes I actually lost my temper!) with him until I gave up and called my dad. My mum’s friend came down to tell him off, hehe :]
Went on Tiger Airways and ate Tom Yam noodles and watched an episode of Buffy!
Arrived at Na Tia’s (my aunt’s) house around 9, got internet set up! Wireless!! Ate noodle soup!- yum.
Watched Cloverfield..= ridiculously bad movie.


3rd July-Thursday
Woke up pretty late, walked to the market and Tesco express to purchase the ‘undying love products of food’. (lol that’d be a cool song title).
Ate at a Noodle soup place, set on a boat on the river. The specialty is Boat Noodle soup!! Lol-the irony.
Arrived home and chilled. Dinner was Green Curry with noodles. We watched What Happens In Vegas. Consistently brainless entertainment, no mind-boggling puzzles.

4th July-Friday
Woke up, got ready to go to Future Park Mall. Bought new Scholl shoes, FINALLY. Other ones fell apart, haha. Dad bought No Country For Old Men which we watched. Pretty interesting movie with morally hidden meanings, but slow moving. Green Curry with rice this time for dinner.

5th July-Saturday
Stayed home all day and ate whatever there was hehe. Na Tia (my aunt) arrived from Hong Kong at 4.30 just when me and Dad were spying in her car. Perfect timing.
We all talked a lot. Nothing big, except for the big dinner! :D
Watched some cheesy and seriously old film on Thai TV, about some woman possessed. Gave me the ultimate LOLs.


6th July-Sunday
Woke up and headed on a road trip, towards Udon Thani.
Drove to Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) and checked in at the Sima Thani hotel. Took a tuk-tuk to the night bizarre and walked for ages trying to find a restaurant to eat at. It seems business isn’t doing so well. Walked back to the night bizarre and....my dad bought a mp3 cd filled with 180 club hits. I nearly died of the cheesiness and the strange song titles.

7th July-Monday
Perfect timing! I wore yellow on a Monday :)
Most Thai’s wear yellow on Monday to pay homage to the King.
Checked out early and drove and stopped off at Wat Pahnom Roong (a temple). Its design was similar to Angkor Wat, it had some history to do with Cambodia and the Brahmins. Quite nice place. After the walk, we had some more noodle soup right outside the temple. The lady there also said business isn’t doing so well either. World recession is comin’ on, comin’ on on on. (too much club hits being played in the car)
Drove to Ubon Ratchathani and checked in at the Tohsang Hotel at around 6pm. No internet, roar. Took ages for dinner, finally went to a place called Smiles = :D


8th July-Tuesday
Checked out of the hotel and drove to Nahkon Panom. The journey was scarily quiet..not many cars on the road, price of oil is high for sure!! Everyone’s off complaining about it. We ate lunch at Mukdahan, a town 100 km away from Nahkon Panom. The weather was..wet. Wet season you see.
Found a franchise that sells coffee called “Cafe Amazon” and they are found at every PPT petrol station. They have nice cafe lattes!! :)
We arrived at the Nahkon Panom Riverview Hotel at around 5pm. Had wireless but truly slow. Ate at a nice riverview restaurant. YUMMY :D

9th July-Wednesday
Woke up around 9. Parents complained of noisy hotel neighbours last night. I slept through the whole commotion, gahaha.
We left at 10.30am and headed off to Udon Thani! - where my grandmother and cousin live. :)
Did many stops, mainly either 7/11 snack stops or shopping stop at Tescos to buy stuff for dinner. I fell asleep in the car most of the way through it (while my dad was still going through those 180 club hits he bought). We rented out a Toyota Yaris in Bangkok when we arrived you see, and well it’s a pretty compact car. Found myself having to bend my legs to sleep, and when I wake up, I can never feel them - pins and needles! AHHH. BUT, it’s a very clean car, uses as little petrol as possible. So the pained legs are worth it!
Arrived at Udon Thani at around 4pm-lots of greetings, etc etc.
Grandmother has a new puppy, fully black and is apparently half Labrador! She’s only a few months old and she’s really sweet. She didn’t have a name so all my saved up mediocrity has been used just for this moment... I named her....JOLLY :D Christmas cheer everyone!


10th July-Thursday
Woke up at around 9.30 am today. Everyone typically up before me. My cousin went to school, and me and my parents had to get down to some important business.
The night before, my dad stumbled on a fact that he needs a USA visa as well. So this has put my whole USA holiday on hold! AHHH.
My dad applied for a VISA today and now we have to wait and see, how long it will take before he can get it. :|
maybe we have to go on holiday to Scotland before USA first. Or maybe the US is is is is...CANCELLED :| oh the agony, we’ll have to wait and see.....

11th July-Friday
Right, well we went back to the internet cafe, to change air flight dates as well as plan what to do. It costs SO much to change flights and stuff and a lot of the flights were fully booked. So...my dad tried his best and came up with...ditching Seattle (Washington) and ditching out Oregon :( . Leaving us with California and New York. We’ve lost 4 planned US days, so.. we’ll be leaving to San Francisco on the 18th and leaving New York to London still on the 31st. It shortens our US holiday to 12 days instead of the original 16 days. It was the only thing my dad could do I’m afraid, but we did agree that 4 states was kind of overdoing it. Now we have 2 states, which should be enough. Plus it’s still including my highly anticipated New York City. Though this is assuming that my dad is issued his VISA on time before next Friday. Hopefully so..

12th July-Saturday
Left Udon Thani early, said bye-etc. Boring day, lots of driving, etc. Arrived in Bangkok at around 4pm. So it was a 6 hour drive!!! AHH. crazy stuff.
I had an awful headache the whole day as well, kinda spoiled any kind of fun I could have fabricated. XD

13th July-Sunday
Wow, another boring day. I was stuck home on the computer doing nothing. Parents went out...was my dad’s VISA day. But he gots it, 2-3 days to be issused.

14th July-Monday
Hmm, today I was stuck with my Lonely Planet Guide reading on New York City, since it’s my job to plan the 5 days there, woo. Watched Bobby the movie at night, pretty sad, touching story actually, despite it's low Metacritic review.

15th July-Tuesday
Stayed home, searching up some new albums and artists such as Duffy, and Death Cab’s new album which I’ve been late in getting into. So far, it seems prominently better than the previous album Plans which had a problem with repetitiveness. These days have been so boring, just waiting for my US trip.

16th july-Wednesday
My parents went to get the visa, yay! Now America is definitely on.
Went out with everyone for dinner, including my aunt’s friend. The place was a STEAKHOUSE, ahh, you don’t know how hard it was for me to find something non-beef and non-pork on that menu. Luckily, I found a chicken spaghetti!

17th july- Thursday
My last day in Thailand.
Woke up and got ready to head to the airport to drop off the car, then head to an airport hotel. You won’t believe the amount of crap my dad got due to a scratch on the car, though it was there before we took the car in. They tried to charge my dad money but my dad refused and told them he’s gonna complain to the big boys XD lol. The company surprisingly...is AVIS.
Anyways, after that commotion we checked into the Thong Tha Resort, which is still in construction! Only 5 months old! XD

Next in 2 weeks, USA.