White Flag

I am listening to my favorite song by Dido on my Ipod while typing this blog. It is raining outside - a cold night in summer. For the past few days , i have been suffering from severe depression due to unknown reason. Maybe the tiredness accumulated for more than a year has found an outlet suddenly after my resignation. My urge to go back to my home has never been stronger and i just cannot wait for a day more to get out of here. Enough is enough. Money really cannot buy happiness, but dun get me wrong, i am not working as a prostitute.

I have told myself many years back i will be all right if I have to stay single for this life. But if a partner comes along it will be a bonus from the Man above. I got one now and i just want to spend my after work hours with him everyday, cause i am craving for intimacy, even if it is just watching tv together. I think i have turned into a hopeless little man who wants to stick like a plaster onto my partner. I am no longer the lone ranger who lives out of a suitcase. It is my wish that i can return to a home with him one day, and i very much want to settle down both mentally to a person and physically to a place like an old dog.

Piggy celebrated his 36th yo birthday last Sunday, while i was not around. I promised my mum this year that i will keep her company next year on mother's day and her birthday. I think i should do the same to piggy and if possible to my old friends. I am really sorry that i have to leave them for my own career. I think this trip to China and Hongkong is an eye opener. I do not regret it but i doubt i want to leave my loved ones again as my mum's eyes will become wet everytime i leave the gate of my house to the airport and it breaks my heart, although many years ago somebody had forecasted that i will have to leave my homeland to earn a living which is a better thing for me. I think it is a curse, 'cos being alone in a foreign land is never a good feeling especially when one becomes older (like me). China is not Malaysia or Singapore and it can never replace my home. Even if returning to Singapore or Malaysia means lower pay and less cash to spend, i should be contented as i just want a simple and peaceful life. I am really really tired now.

Darby

The first typhoon of 2007

It is signal 1 for the typhoon alert today. Plastic bags and papers are flying high in the sky. The sky is dark at 4 pm. We are experiencing the first typhoon of the year. It is much belated than last year.

In China , weather is a major concern of everyone. It varies from day to day and affects everyone. It could be as high as 35 deg C like today and the next day may be a stormy day, not to mention winter days where you just want to beg for it to be over soon. I have begun to serve my 1 month notice starting from today, what a coincidence too.

I have learnt many things in this year and come to know that ppl can be very selfish , no matter how good he is to you outwardly. It is sad to find out that these ppl are mostly Malaysians from KL and Penang. Among all nationality and origins , I find most of the KL colleagues here are cunning. They are born as takers and not givers. And some Penang colleagues are similar and good at exploiting their subordinates. Kedah ppl are very honest, generous and down to earth. I am the only Johorean. I consider myself not smart enough to be cunning but i am not sorry for that, for i value humanity. Hongkee colleagues are smart usually, but they are very radical , one group is good at Taiji , another group is down to earth and creative when it comes to work. I make more good friends with Hongkees than with Malaysians, and i like them better. There are very few singaporeans here and they are ppl whom i already knew. They do not play politics and usually are givers in friendship in ways that they can afford. Filipinos are surprisingly very street smart, usually a taiji master, but they do not harm you too. Thai ppl are good and lovely as always. China ppl if they are from the northen part are usually very generous , decisive and good co-workers. But if they are from the southern part , they are just wasting everyone's time in the company but get their monies at the end of the month, yes , they are that lousy.

Darby

Tsham Shui Poo

I went to hongkong last weekend to do my banking and shopping as usual, within these two days i actually combed through Tsham Shui Poo (TSP), the small town, twice ! i rediscovered many new things that i did not notice in the past when i was there. I found the wholesale streets for kids wear , mens wear and ladies cheongsam boutique selling at low price. Of course it is well known for cheap computer and electronics stuffs , long and boring stalls like Womens Street at Mongkok. In fact , TSP is the place for local Hongkee to get their clothings / necessities / electronics / computer gadgets. And it is most known for women clothings wholesale business to everyone.

Mongkok and Wanchai is among the more expensive locations to get your stuffs, which usually only tourists will go there for shopping. I would say we can give Womens Street at Mongkok a miss as it is not really cheap and uninteresting compared to our shopping in Singapore or Malaysia , we just go there for the atmosphere. But for shoes , of course there is only one place to go , Po Ha Kai at Mongkok, ( Shoes Street ). Hundred of shops for your eyes along the streets.

In Hongkong , one shoud only shop for clothings at Tshim Sha Tsui (TST), at Gransville road it is full of outlet stores ( where piggy has dumped hundreds bucks like a tycoon ), Uniqlo at Miramar Hotel ( also at TST ) is highly recommended as unique Japanese fashion are brought in with cheap prices, Silvercord center is holding Dmop and IT which is the fav of many Hongkong stars. Good quality at reasonable prices ( Around 60~100 HKD ) , with lots of variety, this is shopping at TST.

The next places to go will be TSP , it is similar to Mongkok but at lower cost. One should go there for low budget clothings but not sacrificing the quality, you can get Korean/ Jap fashion at below 50 HKD ( 10 SGD ) . I bought many pencil thin ties for piggy and myself, and it just cost me 10 HKD for each. A rainbow color singlet for piggy too , at 49 HKD. I have also bought mum some ladies wear at her order, else she will refuse to cook for me when i am home. Choices are not too many for man , as limited menswear shops available ( about 30 shophouses ) compared to hundreds of ladies wear shophouses, but it is concentrated and at a lower cost definitely, most of the time you can find the stuffs you want at low price and with good surprise.

Books are not the fav of Hongkee besides comics, therefore do not think much about getting the books you want here in HK.

When it comes to eating , i am totally an outsider, as i only ask for the minimum , clean / healthy / taste all right will do. I guess it is a waste , as HK has lots of good eating places , as i am alone most of the time, i will only go to Chinese Fast Foods link such as De Coral / Fairwood/ Hai Huang Porridge. They are serving big portion of set meal with drinks and soup, it can cost you from 30 HKD to 50 HKD, i always choose Curry Beef at Fairwood as the curry itself is the closest to what we can get in Singapore. One thing to note is Hongkong does have many good Chinese restaurant like Yong Kee Roast Goose , Liang Xiang Lou Tea House, Hong Xin Dim Sum... You will eat till you drop.

So much for today, and hope whoever is going to HK will benefit from it.

Darby