每次去阿德萊德，感覺它都像一個假的城市。
藍天白雲，綠草如茵，但了無人煙。

 

我漫無目的在街上走啊走，見到一對在超市買完日用品的韓國留學生，一人一邊一起提著重重的購物袋。

突然很羨慕有機會到外國留學的人。有些經驗，永遠都在特定的年歲做才有某種效果。正如中學生談戀愛，當時沒有就永遠找不回來了。

 

去外國的Milonga，其中一個最好玩的部分是尋找舉行的地點。

在網上查了星加坡當晚的Milonga，跟著指示坐地鐵，然後亂走一通。誤闖星加坡有名的公共房屋區，怎麼都找不到舞會地點。放棄走路，改坐的士。到達地址，空無一人，連音樂聲也沒有。

抱著必勝的決心，跳上另外一部的士，開往另外一個舞會地址。這次有運，找到了！

Milonga at Up studio!

小小的房間內，大家都在努力地用身體溝通，這就是探戈。

令我最印象深刻的是，星加坡男生跳完每首歌之後，總會很有意識地慢慢把我從一只腳的重心放回中間的重心。

就是這小小的習慣，讓我非常有被照顧的感覺。

謝謝你們，總是把我放回去我最舒適的地方。

 

生命中會遇到一些好人，一些壞人。
被壞人嚇壞了，昏睡了幾天，想起來就想吐。遇到壞人後卻會見到你身邊的好人是多麼的窩心。
姐姐的憤怒，小旋的緊張，阿陞的陪伴。
從北角零晨三點飛的回天水圍的路上，我好像長大了一點。

長大是一個可怕的過程。

我一直都不捨得死貓結婚，就是覺得結婚不是太配合她的性格。當然最後，還是開開心心的去她的婚禮。超愛她Vintage的主題，The Pawn的古舊建築加上死貓的復古婚紗，真是非常“死貓”。賓客都盡力配合Vintage的主題，現在已經很難找到這樣好玩的婚禮。雖然死貓爛了聲，還是讓陳生伴奏唱了一首“我的心裡只有你沒有他”。不知為何，她的爛聲讓我聽了特別感動。

難得再見到以前CP的同事們，好像是很久以前的事了。

當然，我又充當了接花球的角色，在場沒幾個單身的吧！

 

 

 

 

The toughest part of Auckland flight is the jet lag. 5 hours ahead of Hong Kong meaning that you could not sleep at night as it is too early for you in your clock. Instead you will be sleeping in the morning until afternoon. However, our pick up time is always in the morning. When you are ready to sleep, you are called for the flight.

If you do not drive, you cannot really get anywhere except walking in the city. I believe New Zealand will be a destination which I will go when I am much older. No rush, I am just resting here and do whatever I can.

By staying at the hotel underneath the sky tower and knowing that it is free for crew to go up, there is no reason for me not to go there for a view. 

View of Auckland from Sky Tower

There are things we feel so familiar with, but it is very different when you look at it from different angles.

Not sure how many people know that I have very serious problem with height. Putting my feet on top on this transparency glass took me a long time. However, once I look down through my camera, my fear was gone. Kam used to tell me that he felt the same when he was holding his camera and shooting at the top of Tsing Ma Bridge. Now, I understand it finally.

I do not usually think there are things that I will never do in my life, except this- jumping off from a building, a bridge or a plane.
Unless one day I would like to commit suicide,however, I am quite sure I would be fainted before I jump off.

I checked that there will be a Milonga held at a restaurant along the seaside which was within my walking distance. So, I headed there around 9pm. 

On the way to Cafe Limon, I crossed a road with this advertisement on.
Sometimes, we have to talk to ourselves this way, isn't it?

 

Cafe Limon Milonga on Wed night

So excited to find the place and confirm that there will be Milonga later on that night. I sat down and had something to eat. Waiting for the tango dancers to come.

It was a cozy and small cafe in front of the sea. The sea breeze was great and people were very nice.
I was very impressed with the manner of those men in Auckland. After dancing with the first man and he found that I was a visitor from Hong Kong, he then introduced me to all the men in the Milonga. So, people said hi and we started to chat. They all invited me to dance one by one. It is not only about dancing that make me happy, it is more about being welcomed by the community.

I had a great night dancing with all of you. Thank you!!!

It was a very tough flight, doing a 5 days pattern Hong Kong-Bangkok-Karachi-Bangkok-Hong Kong. However, flying with my lovely classmate Don made my life much easier. I was packed with activities in Bangkok either with him or by myself. It was a nice stay.

26th Nov

After operating Bangkok flight more than 10 times, I finally got a Sunday morning in Bangkok and got a chance for Chautuchak weekend market. It was a huge market with tons of items. I was not very impressed with the market as I was always lost inside. Most items in the shops are very similar, not so fun to shop there. However, I still prefer this market than the boring shopping mall.

After walking in Chatuchak, I headed back to hotel and took a nap. The flight from Bangkok to Karachi on that night was really crazy. Passengers fought for overhead locker during boarding. So, they are offloaded.  Not the baggage, I mean the passengers.

 

27 Nov

It was a midnight turnaround from Bangkok to Karachi back to Bangkok. I was terribly tired. Got some sleep at the hotel, then met Don and his friends for dinner. Powat and M are Don's close Thai friends and they are both very funny to talk to. I learned so much about some specific aspects from them and get to know some Thai culture too. What a pity it cannot be shared here.

Powat

M and Don

 

28 Nov

My adventure day alone again! Got a whole day in Bangkok, so I decided to explore the Grand Palace and the area around it. I have read some information about this old district in the past, so I had my targets and most of them were completed on that day. I had a long walking and sweating day, but I was happy to see some old neighborhood in Bangkok.

One thing quite special is that Bangkok was still in the flood at that time. So, I could see people doing business and hanging out in the park on the water. Of course it was sad to see that and it indicated how hard is the life during natural disaster.

My big surprise from this trip is to find Phra Athit Road and my favorite spot in Bangkok- Phra Sumen Fort. DO NOT MISS IT when you come to Bangkok. It is not a famous fort but definitely a nice one with a little park at the back and nice cafe in the front. Most importantly, I love this fort, it is just beautiful.  

My first stop is an old restaurant with 57 years history of its Hainan chicken rice. The owner's grandfather was a worker from Hainan to Thailand. He then opened this restaurant selling almost exclusively Hainan chicken rice.
I did not think it was amazingly delicious, however I really love the old charm of the restaurant. The very plain and simple design of the restaurant make me feel like eating a home cook meal.

Mongkol Chai
314 Samsen Road, Phranakorn, Banglamphu, Bangkok
Opening hours: 7am-1:30pm

After finishing my breakfast, I told the owner that I would like to go to the Grand Palace. He instructed me to take a bus there. So, I had my first bus experience in Bangkok. It was exciting. The only problem was that I did not know how to pay and no one seemed to pay for the bus.
I asked a young girl where to get off and she showed me the way with very clear instructions.

I got off from the bus and slowly walked to Grand Palace. It was very hot, but I got a beautiful sunny sky.

Grand Palace
Opening hours: 10:30am-4:30pm
Dress code: You have to cover your legs and upper arm with your clothing, no sandals

Grand Palace is no doubt a very impressive complex of building in different styles, including Thai, Western, Indian, etc. It was home of Thai King for 150 years. Although the Thai King no longer live here, it is still the symbol of the King's family. The Grand Palace also included the Wat Phra Kaew, which is one of the most important temple in Thailand.

I joined a free English tour which operated at 10am, 10:30am, 1:30pm and 2:00pm everyday. It gave a great introduction of the history and stories on the wall in the Palace. Highly recommend this tour as a start of the visit.

Can you imagine how many tourists were there?

The wall painting all carries stories of this monkey which protect the Queen.

Wat Phra Kaew

I love this one most

What a fun group

The expensive entrance fee is for maintenance like this, I hope

It is the time to explore the old neighborhood after visiting the Grand Palace. This part of Bangkok has no BTS (their Metro), so it was not developed as fast as other parts. I got to see a lot of interesting stores and local life there.

 

The flood was still there when I visited, so I saw people like them doing business in the water.

I was following the map and tried to get to Phra Sumen Fort. In the mid-way, I passed a university and even talked to some university students in the campus.

Phra Athit Road and Phra Sumen Fort

Along Phra Athit Road, there are many Prince Palaces and Noblemen Houses. I tried to get in some of these houses or Palaces, but they are all for private use now. UNICEF is set up here too. 

I like it this way, no reason

At the end of Phra Athit Road, it is the Phra Sumen Fort.

Phra Sumen Fort

It was one of 14 forts that was constructed in the reign of King Rama I and 12 of them were demolished. When Bangkok was established as the new capital, forts were built to cover the Chao Phraya River. The defensive rings of canals protected the old city to the east. The fort has two levels of battlements where cannons are deployed and an observation tower. It covers the bend of the Chao Phraya River at the northern end of Rattanakosin Island. The old cannons are still in place.

I really like the old black dirt on the white fort. It told the age and the long history of it.

The grey bird is well hidden here

The Santichaiprakarn Park lies between the old fort and the river. It is a place for the locals to relax.
A large part of the park was covered by the flood water as it was right at the river bank. People were somehow still enjoying it in their own ways.

Interesting how these 2 kids were sitting on the bench like no flood was there.

I have heard that there are a lot of nice music pub and bar in front of the fort. I was there too early, so I instead picked a very nice cafe for a coffee and cake.
The Gingerbread House got a perfect view of the fort and it got a nice atmosphere for a lazy afternoon.

The Gingerbread House

 

Phra Athit Road is just 2 streets away from the most famous street in Bangkok- Khao San Road. So I quickly walked there before taking the ferry back.

The shop was building this to stop the flood water getting in the shop

Khao San Road
Full of hostels, internet cafes, stores, everything you can name basically- A backpacker paradise. Kind of messy and annoying though.

Then I walked to the ferry pier of Chaophraya Express Boat to get to the BTS station. I waited for a long time but the sunset was amazingly beautiful.

It was a much better experience to take the boat than the taxi in Bangkok. At least, no traffic jam.

I took the boat to Marine Dept stop and walked to Hua Lamphong Metro station. From there, I took the metro back to my hotel.

A perfect day in Bangkok. Good night!

 

 

 

 

I saw how you started, how you disbanded, how you got back together and finally disbanded AGAIN!

I will always miss you- Swing.
Thank you for the good music and creativity you brought all these years.

Goodbye and hope to see you again soon.

小旋：幾時同你慶祝生日？
W: 今年不想慶祝了，所以打算自己去四川過生日。
小旋：其實不是想慶祝，想找個理由出來聚下姐！

謝謝你們，每年都同我聚下！

點解何友要站得那麼遠呢？

從四川趕回香港參加第二屆香港探戈節，說真的，很失望。

上課的時候很多男生都只跟自己的舞伴練習，讓很多女生坐在一旁，學了但沒機會試。只有非常有風度的幾位會主動跟別的女生練習，我可是很欣賞。
晚上舞會的選址都很奇怪，舞廳把兩邊的舞者像大海般隔開，所以根本難以知道有哪些舞者在舞會上。

只有在西港城舉行的那個舞會才比較好玩，而且場地也很美。

西港城Milonga

由於上課地點全都在柴灣，而且舞會都是三更半夜才完結，對於住在天水圍的我來說實在太遠，所以要暫住Thyne和Connie的家。
十分感謝她們仗義收留，她們兩個真是大好人！！

Left to Right: Connie, Winky, Thyne

 

Day 1- 香港－成都
Day 2- 成都－九寨溝
Day 3- 九寨溝
Day 4- 九寨溝
Day 5- 九寨溝－黃龍－松潘
Day 6- 松潘－牟尼溝
Day 7- 牟尼溝－松潘－汶川
Day 8- 汶川－日隆鎮
Day 9- 日隆鎮－四故娘山長坪溝
Day 10- 日隆鎮－四故娘山雙橋溝
Day 11- 日隆鎮－丹巴
Day 12- 丹巴－成都
Day 13- 成都－香港

 

奇遇處處的四川之旅

 

在成都的唯一一個晚上，竟然可以跟Emily (中學同學)，Sue (大學同學) 和她們的同事吃火鍋，而她們也就只留那麼一晚上。

 

在九寨溝的旅舍，遇上也是獨自旅遊的香港人，詳細的跟我說兩天的九寨溝怎麼玩，怎麼走，幾點去哪個湖可以拍到好照片，還給我藏寨旅舍的名片，讓我好好計劃自己的旅程。

 

從松潘騎馬去二道海，下起大雪。到景區發現只有我一個，因為下面的路維修，只有走山路的馬兒能來。所以，我自己一個在下雪的二道海走著，工作人員怕危險，陪我走著。他們說了二道海的傳說和他們的經歷，我們說說笑笑走了兩小時。

 

到日隆鎮（四故娘山）的車上遇見好心的小伙子。幫我找旅館，找馬兒，帶我去網巴。最後送我到旅館門口，給我一把𠝹刀：怎麼說都是一個女孩子在外面跑，以備不時之需吧！

 

日隆鎮下了一晚的雪，起床出門到處都被白雪蓋著。我帶著相機到處拍照，有禮貌的台灣遊客們（5人包團）也在拍雪景，對我點頭打招呼。我發現早餐店沒有開，便問他們可否一起吃早餐，我另外付自己一份。吃早餐時他們一直在說航空界的事，我便讓他們知道我是空服員。怎知道他們就是我公司在台灣的Engineer!!!!在四故娘山遇到台灣的同事有點太巧了吧！我們都很興奮，他們堅持讓我搬到他們的旅舍，還說可以帶我去丹巴（我很想去，但沒有公車，所以我本來自己去不了）。就這樣我隨他們去了丹巴一天。現在每次過境台灣，我都會看看他們是否當值，在飛機小聚一會兒。

 

去雙橋溝當天遊人只有我，景區的車老不開。我等了很久就跟他們說：我不等了，我自己走進去吧。他們說：你走不進去的，昨天雪很大，路不好走。我一臉不悅，他們就開了一輛車開我進去。一個司機，一個景區導遊就這樣陪著我。 導遊說了很多四故娘山的傳說，由於只有我一個，我可以隨時下車拍照，我想走棧道的時候他們就在另一端的終點等我，我們打雪戰，我還請他們吃了一頓午餐。當天的雙橋溝漂亮得難以形容。

 

旅程總是充滿驚喜，我真是很感恩呢！

 

九寨溝的生日快樂

 

如果有神，九寨溝就是他設計的主題公園。

沿著同三條小溪而形成大大小小的湖，竟然有千變萬化的顏色和主題。這一刻處處盆景，多走幾步就是無盡的蘆葦海。五花海是一隻藍色的孔雀平躺在湖上，熊貓海有一道道深淺不一的橫線。珍珠灘水點像珍珠跳動，鏡湖平靜如鏡，天鵝海滿滿水草，五彩池水比藍寶石更美。聽說火花海在晨㬢初照時，湖面會因陽光折射的作用，水面似有火花燃燒。還有樹正瀑布，珍珠灘瀑布，諾日朗瀑布和其它大大小小的瀑布，形態不一，氣勢非凡。而這一切一切，偏偏就集中在幾條小溪，讓我們可以用雙腿把它走完。

 

這是個難以置信的主題公園，因為它都是自然而成的。而在這些神奇之水之上，是紅的，黃的，紫的，綠的秋葉秋樹。除了Autumn wonderland，我實在想不出更好的形容詞。而我，就在這個秋天的主題公園過我的生日。還有比這更好的禮物嗎？

 

預計以外的汶川

 

從沒想過要到汶川倒車。地震後，很多路被封，我在香港查不到公車的路線，所以打算去哪裡都到成都倒車。後來在松潘聽馬夫說起可以到汶川倒車去小金，不用走回頭路。所以改變行程，到汶川留了一晚。汶川完全是一個重建的城市，新房子到處都是，有些還有花園。參觀了免費的汶川博物館，隨便在街上走走買點補給，街上的人都生活得很好似的。但最神奇的是，有很多樓房還在重建當中，那些旅遊點就已經搞得有聲有色。我想嘔！

 

在我們身邊到處都是英雄

 

我在四故娘山長坪溝騎馬，看見一塊刻著汶川大地震滾落石的大石。
我問我的馬夫：大地震時你在哪裡？安全嗎？
馬夫：我在這裡，震得利害。第二天我出發去汶川。
我：去汶川？你有家人在那邊？沒路怎麼去？汶川很遠呢！
馬夫：我去當義工，找活人。公路不通，我們翻過這座山走路去。我和幾個在山裡長大的朋友一起日夜兼程的走過去。在山上一直有餘震。

我把這故事跟我那批巧遇的台灣同事說了，他們說他們的響導因為是登山專家，所以大地震時期專上山救人。而這個響導，就跟我坐一起吃著飯。

我們身邊總是很多這些低調的英雄。危難過後，重歸生活。當馬夫的當馬夫，當響導的當響導。靜靜的在我們旁邊。

 

 

中國式的“禁止”

 

在很多年之前，為了保護九寨溝，景區內的藏寨一律不容許遊客留宿。所以所有酒店和青年旅舍都在九寨溝景區外的村子裡。但我一早打聽到其實背包客是可以偷偷住在藏寨裡的。到達九寨溝外的那個晚上，我遇到香港來的張先生，他教我如何走到他住的那個藏民家。第二天早上，我坐第一班車進景區就去找。他們果然為我安排房間，並提醒我要五點前回來：有時候，客人晚了，就被工作人員跟其他的旅客一起因為景區關門而趕走。

我乖乖的在五點前回到藏民家，他們已經做好飯菜給客人吃。那時我才發現大概有十多個人住在這藏民家，有台灣的，大陸的，還有我這個香港人。

第二天早上，我走出“家門”，就有工作人員在門外守候，要求我補車票。我把準備好的錢交給他。他問我打算去哪裡，我說去鏡海。他說他這輛車是專給這些補票的人用的，因為我們出門都比寨外的人早，沒車。期間，他的對話機一直在說他們同事在哪裡哪裡找到那些逃票的人。

我問他，你們明明知道有遊客在這裡偷住，但為了我們，你們大天光出來抓人補票，還特意找輛車送我們去玩，這是什麼道理？

他說禁止藏民搞民宿的不是他們，是另外一個機關。他們關心的，是遊客有沒有因此而逃了景區票和車票。所以，他們只要求我們補票。即然票補了，就有責任給我們安排車。其他的，並不是他們管的範圍。他還說，有些客人為了逃票，四點多就從藏寨走出來藏在樹林裡受冷，也給他們發現過。

這就是中國式的“禁止”，我大開眼界。當天我還跟這工作人員有說有笑，因為等不到其他人出來，他就開車先帶我到鏡海，再回藏寨等那些遲起的遊客。

 

用照片問路

 

跟巧遇的台灣同事去了丹巴一天。在中路藏寨吃完午飯，我們各自活動一小時。我到處跑拍拍漂亮的藏寨。但後來發現每座建築物和每條路看起來都一樣。我迷路了。問路的時候也不知道怎麼說，因為我們的車就是停在某家民居外面，難以形容。我靜下來想辦法，想起沿途下來拍的照片。對我來說一模一樣的樓房，對本地人來說一定有差別。我把相機遞給他們看，他們從照片發現我是從山的另一邊走過來的。

 

兩個旅遊的忠告

 

1. 請不要再聽那些玩九寨溝一天就夠的廢話。一天玩完的是全程坐景區巴士Hop on Hop off拍拍照的方法。要是你這樣玩，是完全浪費了九寨溝。其實景區裡所有景點都有棧道連接，全程平路，安靜漂亮，遊人少於馬路邊幾倍。唯有走棧道，你才真正認識到九寨溝的美，聽到秋天的聲音。而且有些景色只有走棧道的才看到。我第一次在馬路邊看熊貓海，完全不明白熊貓在哪裡。直到走在棧道上，才看見那一道道的深淺橫線。我用了兩天時間，走了九寨溝八成的棧道（是從早上六點走到下午五點）， 很多漂亮的小景都在棧道旁， 非常享受。
2. 請不要再聽那些去了九寨溝就不用去黃龍的廢話。他們根本是不一樣的景色。由於海拔不同，九寨溝秋意正濃，黃龍已經踏入冬天。我到黃龍當天下著小雪。那奇特壯觀的梯狀彩池群和世界罕見的鈣華景觀是九寨溝沒有的，絕對值得一看。

 

去旅行，別人給的資料和意見雖然重要，但每個人都有自己的審美觀，不要因為別人一句話而影響自己的行程安排，免得後悔。