Old post: TG Experience – 20 Aug 2003

TG Experience – 20 August 2003

I am in Chiang Mai.

The city has not really changed much since the last time I was here. Well, maybe it has changed in many ways ‘physically’ (new shopping center, more high rise building and the public bus has come back!! Yeah!) but it still seems the same to me: a lazy town with mad song-taw drivers (public taxi) and the humidity that make me twist and turn in my bed all night long.

A couple of day ago, I was lying down on my sweaty back staring at the ceiling of my room while the fan was panning itself to the right and left at its own pace, I thought about the Greece trip. I could hardly believe that I actually have been to Greece and even more unreal to me that I am actually home…..

‘British Airway would like to announce the cancellation of BA…’

That panic moment at Athens Airport when my BA flight was canceled fifteen-minute before the boarding time. The confirmation by the official that the flight was REALLY canceled came 30 minutes later. The mop of the passengers was already gang up against the poor stewardess who probably didn’t know anything more than any of us: that the flight was canceled.

I decided not to join in with the mop, didn’t think that they would miss my participation either, also I didn’t think that my presence would turn the situation around. Looking about myself, I saw the familiar Thai int. airline logo blinking over the gate next to my ‘suppose to be’ boarding gate to Heathrow. A quick thought flash though my mind, and before any hesitation pop up, I decided to act on it.

‘I supposed to be catching TG 911 tonight from Heathrow to Bangkok but…’ ‘Can I join this flight?’. The TG ground staffs looked at me as if I was a con man, trying to bluff my way though. However, they decided to believe me. The lady (there were two staffs- him and her) told me that there is a chance, if BA decided to pay for the cost incurred from the process. She walked with me over to the BA counter. Stopped, and turned around. The counter and the stewardess were now flooded with angry-passengers whose eyes shown that they just couldn’t wait to tear the counter down and hijack the plane to fly themselves back to Heathrow.

The lady at the TG counter told me that she ‘will try her best’. She walked back to her counter, pick up the phone, dial the number and spoke in Greece into the phone. She hanged up, dial some other numbers, and again murmur away in Greece. I couldn’t tell at all what chance am I stand of getting on that plane but I could tell by her the way she place her hand on to her head and the tone; that this wasn’t going to be easy. So I started chanting silently.

I chanted hard, am sure she could hear me: we were only few feet away.

10 minute passed, she hanged up the phone. Told me to go and pick up my bag at belt number 4. BA and TG agreed to endorse my ticket so that I could fly back to Bangkok straight from Athens. Less than an hour before the flight taken off so it was a time to run!

So Run I did; liked being chased by a mad dog. I was the first one to get to the belt. I was hoping that my bag would be there right away. But as usual: the moment you need it to be right on time it would be late. I waited at the front of convey belt gate biting my nail, looking at my watch, looking at the belt, chanting hard, looking at the belt again still no sign of my bags, big sigh, looking at my watch again, still hoping but already thinking about something that I shouldn’t: ‘what if I couldn’t make it…’ .

After 20 minutes of waiting which at that time seems eternity, my bags finally appeared, they moved slowly though the black rubber curtains that brush against it harshly. I picked them up, swing the rug sack onto my back and rush to the departure zone of the airport which seems to me then; a marathon away.

I arrived at the TG check in counter 20 min. before the boarding time, panting like a dog under summer sun. I surrendered my passport and ticket, swing the two bags on to the scale, so sure that that was it.. I was on  my way home.

But it didn’t end there, there was some problems with my ticket: a) it didn’t included Athens’ airport tax and b) it was student ticket. Sigh -_-‘ couldn’t you just let me go!!!

‘54C this way sir’ I have flown with THAI many times before but that flight was the whole new experience: Smooth as Silk. I already felt at home the moment the wheel lift off the ground. No one was sitting next to me, so time for light out. Good Night Athens, Sawadee Bangkok!!

^_^ Thanks to Liz and her family for everything. The trip was unforgettable!

It wouldn’t be half as good without you

Top

Day Three – Five: Trets

11.07.10

Long and busy day, felt somewhat tired.  Listening to lectures in German tired me out more than I thought. Learnt two interesting points: What is Victory? and What is Protection and how to see things from Buddha Eyes .(basically, how to perceive reality).

Victory simply means never giving up. The second point really made a chord for me.  When I determine to chant for something to happen and it doesn’t – does it mean failure or simply it is not good for my life?  (Who decided?)  - I can not know.  Pressing on with redetermination and move forward is the key.  Forward with Hope!  And perhaps one day I look back and it might make some sense of why things didn’t happen as I wished for.

Spanish won the world cup.  Good team with patient.  To bed at 1142.

12.07.10

1535hr Trust in myself is what I lacked at the moment.  The fickle of my mind lead me to distrust myself.  I do know  what is best for me yet I get moved by comment and superficial feeling.

Had an idea about a business - (omitted here for self beneficial reason :))

2240hr

Dinner was great, big table with many people bringing food to share like a family.  I would love my wedding to be like this!  Talked to T.  Great conversation about relationship and then spoke with A.  Felt the pain in his heart that he is going through.  I had felt like him – no joy and everything it’s a painful struggle.  Went for a walk with R. and K. Was a good walk. Picked up rosemary on the way.  Went to chant more with K.  Pain dwell up.  I know his painful feeling about his relationship because I went through and make so many mistakes with mine.  How many more mistake would I have to learn.

While I chanted, I felt like free fall dropping into the dark cave of no end.  I see the impermanent of things and it depressed me.  But at the end, I visualised a flower of hope in the darkness.

Do schedule for tomorrow and go to bed at 0100hr.

13.07.10

Such a heavy day. Did not sleep well.  Woke up 0545hr to chant.  Soka chief for today.  Only U. turned up for morning prayer.  But never mind.  Slowly build the team up and finished activity well at noon.  Really tired but I have to do Master of Ceremony (MC) with L. for the afternoon.  Struggle.  Tiredness overcome me and negative mood dwell.  Tried to go to bed after Daimoku.  Not so much better.  Shower and up.  A.  really helped and support.  Agitated still.  Anyway, I went to the young men singing rehearsal for the performance in the evening and felt better.  Although I know I was in my ‘littleselve’ mood.  Z. really supported me.  Went to prepare for the MC.  Felt better and can see that L. was struggle.  We were poor the first MC round. But muscled it together the 2nd and 3rd.  Joyfully ended.

Freedom means I can do what I want or I can do anything?

Culture festival in the evening was great.

Got a FB message from A.  Felt relieves.  The environment started to manifest what is in my heart.  To bed at 1230.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Day two: Nice to Tret – Carimari

0925 Waiting for Petra and Barbara at Nice train station. Fritz and Hannah left to explore the city. The heat was slowly rising and so the humidity and the crowds. By 0930 the station was heaving with people. Had a good deep sleep last night which left me a bit drownsy. After morning prayer, a random thought kicked in : What I thought to be may isn’t so.

1304 Moving at 150km/hr. After compromised the maze of Nice’s one way streets, we picked up the rented car and three other before filtered though the city toward the motorway. Completely exhausted from navigating, I nodded off as soon as we reached the motorway.
When I woke up, we were somewhere between Anthip and Marseille, I was disoriented. Motorway has a mystery power to typify the scenery along it, or perhaps it is the speed of which we travelled on it. It make the context of space and time in our memory seems irrelevant.  Try to find GPS charging cable in my day pack, not there. Did I forgot it at home, I hoped not.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

1340 Sitting on my bed, I felt the humid air in the room brushing against the cool air of the night.
The sound of Buddism chant echoed in distance. It had been a long day. German beat Uruguay to cling the 3rd place in the world cup. It was a good match, ended 3-2. Uruguay made German worked hard for it. I finally formed some sort of determination for this course – to engage with my goal and do my atmost to achieve it. There is a Japanese phase that describe the opposite of this and it called Carimari. Perhaps like the spanish sqiud ring, one dance around the goal and do the bear minimum and fail to achieve it. A perfect illustration of my last 6 mounts or at least the attitude I had. Sitting pretty on the fence, not deciding one way or the other. Painful reflection.

Day one: Vienna to Nice – Life is like a bamboo

Walked up toward the plane heading for Nice,France.  A thought flashed into my head – there is no way I could know what will happen in Life.  It’s like a bamboo that segmented into parts that are disconnected but yet part of the whole, the connection of where I was and where I am is logical now but unimaginable then.   what matter is now.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

1630 Arrived at YHA in Nice, hot and humid. The city is heaving with people. Very exciting. The design of the street is impressive. The YHA room is nice but small, about 8 square meter with 4 beds.

1950hr Laid down in a park near Lou castle, a 17th century castle that was once raised high above Nice but no longer existed today. Breath taking view over Nice city and the coastline. Felt somewhat lonely, a need for a companion, a friend or just someone to be with dwelled inside me. Laid down again, looked though the pictures I took earlier.
The sun is setting, the shadow of the trees on the grass elongated, the cool breeze from the sea took away the heat and humidity.  I stared right at the blue sky, birds were singing or perhaps calling each other to go home. I got up looked over toward the sea, a plane zoomed pass. Another arrival into the city, or leaving for somewhere. Life is constant changing but for the moment I am tired out.

1200am Back in the hostel. Ready to go to bed. Had a nice strolled around the city with Fritz and Hannah. Very relax. Had a nice ice cream. So many people on the street, it was unbelievable. Waked along the seaside. Had a good chat with Fritz and Hannah. Determined.

News cutting: Europe’s top cycling cities

Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Paris, London but no Vienna!?

From the Guardian: http://gu.com/p/2tft6

Mon Tour de France: Departure

Due to time constraint, I can’t complete the section kit and cloth now.  Will come back and post it later.

But I would share this, so that if you would like to follow me and know my whereabout, you could even look at the same view as I ride in panorama! – thank to Goggle map technology.

Here is my daily route:

Day 1: Aix – Tarason 94.0 km,

Day 2: Tarason – Avignon – Arles 80.1 km,

Day 3: Arles – Baux – Sain Remy – Arles 61.2 km

Day 4: Arles – Nimes 98.4 km

Day 5: Nimes – Aix 111.2 km

And to view the panorama picture you need to go to the site and follow this instruction:

Go to the website above where the overview of the route is shown

Click on the little man on the bottom left

And place him on the route, maybe a bit difficult as many blue route come up.  These are the road with available panorama view.

Then the new pop-up window will come out, Great isn’t it!  I used this same method to check the condition of the road before the trip.

See you on 20th July!! and Thank you for following.

Mon Tour de France: Preparation I

One more day left before leaving Vienna for France and 1 week before my cycling trip began.
not many day left (1) but I think I’m nearly prepared:

• Accomodation – booked
• Route – sorted
• Hired bike – sorted
• Guide for each city – printed but not read, that will be my airport in transit reading..

The excution can only be as good as the preparation, if not worst.  Because one can only prepare for the known problem, and known-unknown problem.  However it is the unknown-unknown problem that always get me.  Thing that I don’t know exist.  The best I could do is to narrow it down and dear Buddha – I always would try my best to.  I know too well how bad it can get when things go wrong and worst when I am alone.   To make it more challeng, the extension of my French goes as far as “Parlez-vous anglais ?”  How do I say, my bike is punture? Not a clue.

Acccomodation: Overnight stay in France is not cheap.  Normally range between 30-40 Euro.  Youth hostel are avialable but not widely spreadout.   Due to cost contraint, I decided to plan my route around accomodation and I manged to book all my accomodation in the Youth Hostels as listed below.

Aix: Auberge de Jeunesse	19 Euro
Tarascon: Tarascon, 31 Blvd Gambetta 13150 Tarascon (Bouches-du-Rhône)	13 Euro
Arles: 20 Avenue Foch 13200 Arles x 2 nights	17 Eurox2 = 32 Euro
Nimes: 257 Chemin de l’Aubergue de Jeunesse 30900 Nîmes	13.35 Euro
Nice: 3, rue Spitalieri 06000 Nice	23 Euro
Total	102 Euro + some booking fee

Bike:  I decided to hire a bike instead of bring my own from Vienna.  Although the cost over all is more, (70 Euro in total – 5 days, 10 Euro per day, plus 20 for safety kits and baggage compare with 40 Euro surcharge for a return flight bringing my bike with German Wing).  My Poco Rosso (that’s the day bike I used in Vienna)  is not fit enough to take the hammering of over 300km journey.   In addition, as his name suggest he is not on the light side either.  Check out aixpritvelo.com for more information on hiring.  They are pretty good, responsive and helpful over the email.  I will let you know if the bike they provide is on-par with their service.

Route: I use http://www.bikemap.net/ to plan my route.  It’s a lot better than google map as it checks the verticle climb out and draw route profile too.  I learned my expensive and painful lesson – last trip I planned the route without taking into account of the vertical profile and arrived a the base of the countless hills of Cornwall, totally unprepared.

The rough map of my tour route is as below.  I will post a detailed route out individually later.


View Larger Map

Mon tour de France: Pre-trip

I am going to France for a cycling trip.  The precise area is South of France or Provence.  I have been in the area a few times with my Buddhism group as we have a centre in Trets, a little town near Aix.  I had opportunity to visit Aix, Trets and Carssis.  I witnessed the sunrise and sunset over the Montagne Sainte-Victoire, a magnificent scene that inspired many artists including giants like Pablo Picasso and Vincent van Gogh.

but that wasn’t enough…

I want to see more, I want to know what is all the fuss about South of France that draw millions of tourist there, surely it can’t be only because it has and average of 330 days of sun per year?

And above all.  I want to see ‘her’.

I can’t remember the first time we met but it must have been somewhere in the UK some 10 years plus ago but I remembered clearly, the light colour of her dress and her lightly calming scent that has subdued me since that very first day.  I got to know her better and that she was also from an ‘Auslander’ like I was.  She was from France.

This trip is going to be a long one and again I am going alone.

Yes, alone again, and no I don’t want to go alone.  Having some sort of human contact called ‘friend’ is nice in any situations, especially when one riding in a middle of nowhere, and not-knowing-where one is.  My last cycling trip was Bristol-Land Ends in 2009 and that too was ridden alone.  I still remembered vividly how fearful I was when I got lost in a rural path somewhere between Taunton and Exmoor while the sun was slowly setting.  (Riding in the dark in a rural road has the same risk as riding bike on a fast speed rail track – you don’t know what coming behind you until it hit you).

What would happen if some unknown creature pop out from some cave and chase me…

Or if someone tries to steal my bike?

Anyway, why is it so hard to persuade people in my circle of friend to do a cycling tour?  Most people reacts with a big glowing eyes ‘ Wow, that sound really nice’ or something along that line that indicate their admiration to my proposal.  The conversation then went on for a while ‘where, what, when, how’ before a soft downcast rejection with something that means in short “Bike tour is not for me”.

Bike tour is the greatest invention since man learns how to put the two wheels together, for god sake!  And no you don’t have to be fit like Lance Armstrong to do it!!

Even he enjoys it!

I will take my further winching somewhere else.  Let’s talk about le tour!

Pictures credit (google.com)

Next: Preparation