Tie loose SH ends

I have a business trip back to SH this November and I have some stuff to settle back there. My phone number, internet accounts etc has to be terminated I guess,  it should be one my last trips back there, not going to visit SH any time soon unless its a business trip.

Anyway I won't be with my current job for long. I'm sending out resumes and going towards the direction that I have aimed instead of dwelling in this industry. Please show me some guiding light. 

I'm back to my routine life, just like in SH and running out of things to do at home. I don't wanna face a screen after doing it for 8 hours at work.

Comics, tick
Packing, tick
Catching up shows, tick
Exercising, tick
Baking weekend, tick
What's next?
Japanese book left in SH, Ukulele left in SH, golf probably?

Gotta plan for my xmas/end of year break too.

sore body

Last week I did squats with my old weights and a few days after that I could not walk properly.

My body had been sore since I started my working out schedule - weights on 1,3,5, running and arm training on 2,4. Saturday is pool day, tanning and swimming in the noon and Sunday is recovery and indulgence day.

My diet had been regular, less carbs and I'm actually considering to buy protein powder to gain more muscle mass and fill my stomach when I'm hungry... hm....

Just a random note, I chanced upon this video of the new Apple Mac pro.

This is why Apple products is so awesome... from an engineering perspective.

Be careful what you wish for

Because once you get it, karma is going to ram into your ass so hard that you can't even remember your own name

First work out

On Saturday, I went for a swim the first time in a year. Oh gosh the water, the sun and the swimming- super missed it, and I was so energetic the whole day. Water has healing properties.

And while swimming I realised I am super super fair. I seriously need the sun! I need to photosynthesize.

I also checked out the golf course that I'm thinking of signing up for, a little bit expensive

So I baked 2 cakes on the same day, one failed attempt because I missed out some ingredients. Ha. then Sunday was out with the gang for Pear's bdae.

Today I worked out the first time in a long time too, I really missed my free weights below my table. Haha and now my whole body is feeling sore. My movements are weird, but its a great feeling that my muscles are developing. I hope it will be more shiok tomorrow.

Chengdu, Siguniang Mountain, Jiuzhaigou

With 1k savings a month, I could put that money to good use and travel around!

I desperately needed a break from work because I haven't taken any leave this year and this holiday came just right on time. I had one of the most beautiful and amazing trip in Si Gu Niang Mountain and Jiu Zhai Gou in the western part of China. Panda city they call it.

First day was spent exploring Chengdu and their famous panda center and baby pandas were so CUTE!
I had to buy some groceries and food to support myself for the 10hr bus ride the next day to Siguniang Mountain.

A 10hr bus ride sounds long but in fact we had a short break every 2.5 hours so it seems a little better. We had to pay for the worst washrooms ever. We had to take a mini-van to our hotel/hostel in the evening and had dinner. The accommodation was quite average, just that their toilets do not have seats and they use bed heaters instead of air conditioning.

The entire place was almost at an altitude of 4km, so I had a little bit of altitude sickness whenever I moved too much and a constant headache and sometimes out of breath. 

3 full days of 8 hour hikes, 10 + 5 hours one way of bus rides and a lot of snow capped mountains.

Eagle peaks at Shuang Qiao valley

looks like New Zealand

Yak skeleton

Chang Ping Valley

We hiked instead of taking the horse rides and I was surprised that there weren't much people at this beautiful place. The whole place is so wonderful I wanted to sit down and admire the scenery the whole day but then the shuttle bus down the mountain would have ended. There's always a price for beauty. Tranquility was short-lived.

Note to self: Never travel with a social media whore because he will just ignore what's in front of him and just edit his pictures in instagram/facebook/tweet just to show off or get attention. Just like when you are dehydrated and want a sip of water from his waterbottle in his bag right beside him, he will ask you to wait while he edits his picture or whatsapp his friends or instagram/facebook/tweet.

The hostel we stayed at was wonderful. Newly opened, great wifi, great food, clean toilets and rooms, it was much better than the one at Chengdu. It was cold but they have bed heaters. They even helped us booked a 5hr car ride back to Chengdu! Much faster but more rocky roads but the scenery was also very nice.

Back in Chengdu, after grocery shopping and spending a night, 10 hr to Jiuzhaigou again...

The place we stayed were also very nice and this time they had a toilet bowl instead of squatting hole. The whole place is very much commercialized with mountains of people everywhere. We were the first to enter the park in the morning and it was freezing! It was a very nice place nevertheless and now I understand why its a touring place for old folks.

Nuorilang falls at Jiu Zhai Valley

Multi-coloured pond

Spending my holidays in Autumn is definitely worth it, especially when the colours of nature are dancing in the background while the climate is suitable for a fashion parade. An escape from the city life and living closer to nature, breathing in fresh air with a hint of pine scent, it felt like Yosemite National Park. I'm looking forward to more nature places to visit during fall. 

Presenting.... Four Sisters Mountain

I love travelling in autumn!