Lay down your golden hair

Refreshed. Rejuvenated. That is exactly how I feel now that I'm back from my annual trip to Thailand. It wasn't exactly a 'holiday' but I wouldn't've had it any other way.

Meeting new people, teaching people, learning from people...

ah... who wouldn't call that an experience?

To explain the exact details of my trip would be torturous, because not only were we there for 14 days, each and every day there was something done. Between the three camera's we (the service team, which I will eventually blog about) had taken over 1000+ photo's. You tell me how I plan on explaining everything.

So what I did do was make a basic write up on our day to day activities and choose my favorite photo's from the lot of the going-ons in Thailand.

Day 1: Arrival in Chiangmai - watched *jeng jeng jeng* G.I Joe

Day 2: Woke up at 4 a.m to catch the van up to Omkoi. Spent the night discussing our plans for the camp.

Day 3: Part 1 of the Setafire Camp (Day 1)

Day 4: Part 1 of the Setafire Camp (Day 2)

Day 5: Rest day - slept all day to recuperate energy

Day 6: Went to a primary school about 7 km away to teach the Std 5 & 6 's English

Day 7: Thailand celebrates Mother's day - school given holiday; conducted more English classes and played games with the kids at the institute

Day 8: Went to the same primary school as before and taught the same batch of kids English

Day 9: Painted the institute we stayed at; prepared for Part 2 of Setafire

Day 10: Part 2 of Setafire Camp (Day 1)

Day 11: Part 2 of Setafire Camp (Day 2); Aek's birthday so there was a cake fight :) oh joy.

Day 12: Rest day - slept all day again; camps really take the best out of everyone

Day 13: Left Omkoi for Chiangmai; spent the night shopping

Day 14: Gave Sears a makeover; watched a Hindi movie thanks to Neung

Day 15: Flew back to Malaysia

An obvious eventful trip once again.

Ta for now.

You gotta like the sound of that.

Nady

Back to the beginning

At last, the day has finally come. In exactly 24 hours I will be up in the sky watching the glorious clouds float on by as I drift off into la-la land reminiscing of my Thailand trip from last year. I'm so excited it's like a dream come true. To be able to spend time in my beloved Thailand is like a gift from the Gods. Not to mention I get to meet up with my bestie Sita, whom I haven't seen for over a friggin year now.

Stress will come upon me during my oh-so awaited trip but it'll be all worth it. To see the smiles on those faces upon our arrival in Omkoi gives me goosebumps. Because, for the first time, I know I'm doing the right thing.

On another note, if anyone had either read the papers lately, kept in tune on happenings on facebook or actually lived in the Alam Jaya, Mudun, Cuepacs region, you'd know that on Monday, 3 August 2009, Gary Leon Robert, a perimbun graduate, passed on. Not wanting to mention details of his passing, what I do want to mention is the few things I remember of him.

Gary was actually my neighbour (well, my cousin's neighbour but I practically lived in that house anyways) and I can't say I spoke to him much. But what I do know was that he was an avid badminton player. During the Thomas Cup season when I was a kid, everyone from the taman used to come out and play, and Gary had a wicked Smash. To add to that, I also remember his smile. Going to his memorial service last night, and gazing upon his body, I refuse to remember him that way.

He was humble, he was smart, he was athletic, and god was he good-looking.

He did not deserve to die. Not yet.



My condolences to Farah and your family. He will be dearly missed.





and to you my dear. Thank you again for a wonderful day. With you laughing at me as I danced as well as highlight the fact that I was 'sticky' really made me happy [as weird as that was]. Swimming with you and the others was the icing of the cake. I appreaciate you for coming over and seeing me before my trip.

You will always be on my mind sayang.

You gotta like the sound of that.

Nady