2009-05-17 Cusco
Sorry, not pictures for Machu Picchu yet. I like doing things in chronicle order...
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
Peru Trip
Back from my trip for a week now. Back in the work force for a week. Have been kept very busy with work and church and last night was the beginning of ultimate season.
Trip was great. Definitely recommand to anyone who are interested. But if u ask me if I would go again, the answer is quite definitely "No". It's something that you would do once in ur lifetime but never again. Frankly, it was quite a bit of suffering to walk up and down those mountains. Legs were so sore after all those walking. But if anyone's interested in doing that, let me know and I can give you a ton of tips to help you make it thru.
I still couldn't believe that I walked 4 days with my huge backpack on my back. There're other tour company out there that they carry ur stuff for you everyday so you only need to carry your little day pack. But I was glad that we went with a company where we carried our stuff sleeping bags and stuff. Besides being a vacation, it was also a personal physical challenge. Now, I can proudly tell people that I've done the Scared Inca trail and I carried my own stuff. (but really, carrying my own stuff does not include tent and food cos the porters of the company carries them. But still, I did carry all my personal stuff and my backpack was quite full.)
I think that the trail itself was difficult enough even at sea level with lots of stairs. It was even harder when the altitude was AT LEAST 3km most of the time (highest point was 4.2km above sea level), the air was so thin that it was hard to get enough oxygen. Walking a few stairs and we were already huffing and panting. Adding the huge pack on our backs, it was very tough, especially bcos I have also decided to haul my camera with extra lens and making sure that I have enough battery power, my pack was at least 8-10lb heavier than what it should be. But it wasn't even a question whether I should bring my camera or not cos I'm going to Machu Picchu man. How can I not bring my camera??
The trek was tough but it was worth it. Met some fun ppl in our group. Got to see the Inca ruins along the way that lazy ppl who took the train directly to Macchu Picchu won't be able to see. It was awesome.
Our tour guy was great. And he's funny, too. I'm glad that he was our guide. :)
Almost all the people in our group is from US. 有時候，真的難免覺得那些美國人真的很低能．其中一個人話全界的城市之中，美國的城市是最好的．真係想嘔．自大狂．
跟住有人又成日開飯既時候 complain ｄ野食，佢話想食 pizza 同漢堡包，係咪低能架？我地食既野都係 d porter 煮既，都不知幾地道，我就覺得好好食．佢呀，食都未食，一見到就話好掛住 pizza，其他有ｄ人就成日話想飲 starbucks, short short 哋架，出去旅遊唔食當地野都有既？揀飲擇食！人哋 porter 煮埋你食都咁多投訴，五行欠打．
我都有掛住 city 既野，就係我張床，四日三晚，係露營，it gets really cold at night up in the mountains. My sleeping bag is a little too short for me. In order to cover myself up, I had to sleep in the form of a 蝦米．But in order to do that, I had to sleep on my side and sleeping on my side wasn't the best way to sleep in a tent cos the ground was too hard. So I didn't sleep too comfortably but still... it wasn't too bad. I didn't complain about it.
Even though our tour company let us carry our own stuff. We do have an option to hire an extra porter to carry things for us, either the whole time or just on the 2nd day (the most physically challenged day where we had to walk 5 hours of stairs to go up to the highest point of the trek). I was honestly quite tempted to get a porter on the 2nd day. Glad I didn't and glad that I survived.
So two of the people in our group hired a porter for the whole trip (while a few hired only on the 2nd day) and we learned at the end of the trip that the porter is a 62 yr old man. And they were laughing at themselves and said that it was really shameful that they paid a 62 yr old man to carry their things (the two of them are about 26, 27 years old). That was so true and so funny.
It was also really funny that we spent more time getting drunk in a village near Machu Picchu than in Machu Picchu. We had to wait for our 6pm train to go back to where we started in the little village. Nobody had enough energy to leave the little restaurant and walk around the little village. Not that much to see there anyway cos it's all souvenir shops. Well... 詹占 and I went out for a quick look cos we were hunting souvenir for 詹占's mom.
Remembering that last day's morning was crazy. In order to see the sun rise at Machu, we had to wake up at 4am to pack our stuff and had breakfast and wait at the gate (the government does not allow anyone to start walking on the trail before 5:30am) in order to be one of the first ones to arrive at Machu. My first time to hike in the dark. And we were all going rather quick despite the fact that we were mostly broken and sore everywhere. And the annoying UK ppl who were walking ultra slowing and blocking everybody. And the virtually vertical stairs near the end while everybody had to get down to "climb" with both legs and hands. (probably can do without hands if u don't have a huge backpack on u so that u don't feel like u are falling backwards but I won't try anyway. It's some serious stairs.)
And then finally reaching Machu. Took a lot of pictures of the same thing. Just to make sure that I do at least get a few gd ones. (I suspect that they all looks the same though! haha... haven't got time to _really_ look at them yet. Quick scan told me that they look ok. Post-sible. Just have to get them organized) Machu Picchu was great. Very 壯觀, especially u look from afar up from the "sun gate". It was awesome. I was so glad that I did hike the trail in order to see Machu Picchu from that distance. Our tour guide said that we totally lucked out on the weather cos it was very clear (got really hot in the afternoon though). He said that the area is normally very very foggy. His group last week didn't get the see Machu Picchu at all from the distance cos the whole thing was just covered by fog. Thanks God for the nice weather!!
And then by the time we actually got there, there were a ton of tourist already. Well... it wasn't too bad cos Machu Picchu is such a big site that you don't really feel _that_ cramped compared to the Ocean Park in HK.
Also did some little tours in Cusco. Pictures will tell the rest of the tale (when I eventually got them all uploaded :P).
Great trek, combination of physical challenge and tourism. Loving it!
Trip was great. Definitely recommand to anyone who are interested. But if u ask me if I would go again, the answer is quite definitely "No". It's something that you would do once in ur lifetime but never again. Frankly, it was quite a bit of suffering to walk up and down those mountains. Legs were so sore after all those walking. But if anyone's interested in doing that, let me know and I can give you a ton of tips to help you make it thru.
I still couldn't believe that I walked 4 days with my huge backpack on my back. There're other tour company out there that they carry ur stuff for you everyday so you only need to carry your little day pack. But I was glad that we went with a company where we carried our stuff sleeping bags and stuff. Besides being a vacation, it was also a personal physical challenge. Now, I can proudly tell people that I've done the Scared Inca trail and I carried my own stuff. (but really, carrying my own stuff does not include tent and food cos the porters of the company carries them. But still, I did carry all my personal stuff and my backpack was quite full.)
I think that the trail itself was difficult enough even at sea level with lots of stairs. It was even harder when the altitude was AT LEAST 3km most of the time (highest point was 4.2km above sea level), the air was so thin that it was hard to get enough oxygen. Walking a few stairs and we were already huffing and panting. Adding the huge pack on our backs, it was very tough, especially bcos I have also decided to haul my camera with extra lens and making sure that I have enough battery power, my pack was at least 8-10lb heavier than what it should be. But it wasn't even a question whether I should bring my camera or not cos I'm going to Machu Picchu man. How can I not bring my camera??
The trek was tough but it was worth it. Met some fun ppl in our group. Got to see the Inca ruins along the way that lazy ppl who took the train directly to Macchu Picchu won't be able to see. It was awesome.
Our tour guy was great. And he's funny, too. I'm glad that he was our guide. :)
Almost all the people in our group is from US. 有時候，真的難免覺得那些美國人真的很低能．其中一個人話全界的城市之中，美國的城市是最好的．真係想嘔．自大狂．
跟住有人又成日開飯既時候 complain ｄ野食，佢話想食 pizza 同漢堡包，係咪低能架？我地食既野都係 d porter 煮既，都不知幾地道，我就覺得好好食．佢呀，食都未食，一見到就話好掛住 pizza，其他有ｄ人就成日話想飲 starbucks, short short 哋架，出去旅遊唔食當地野都有既？揀飲擇食！人哋 porter 煮埋你食都咁多投訴，五行欠打．
我都有掛住 city 既野，就係我張床，四日三晚，係露營，it gets really cold at night up in the mountains. My sleeping bag is a little too short for me. In order to cover myself up, I had to sleep in the form of a 蝦米．But in order to do that, I had to sleep on my side and sleeping on my side wasn't the best way to sleep in a tent cos the ground was too hard. So I didn't sleep too comfortably but still... it wasn't too bad. I didn't complain about it.
Even though our tour company let us carry our own stuff. We do have an option to hire an extra porter to carry things for us, either the whole time or just on the 2nd day (the most physically challenged day where we had to walk 5 hours of stairs to go up to the highest point of the trek). I was honestly quite tempted to get a porter on the 2nd day. Glad I didn't and glad that I survived.
So two of the people in our group hired a porter for the whole trip (while a few hired only on the 2nd day) and we learned at the end of the trip that the porter is a 62 yr old man. And they were laughing at themselves and said that it was really shameful that they paid a 62 yr old man to carry their things (the two of them are about 26, 27 years old). That was so true and so funny.
It was also really funny that we spent more time getting drunk in a village near Machu Picchu than in Machu Picchu. We had to wait for our 6pm train to go back to where we started in the little village. Nobody had enough energy to leave the little restaurant and walk around the little village. Not that much to see there anyway cos it's all souvenir shops. Well... 詹占 and I went out for a quick look cos we were hunting souvenir for 詹占's mom.
Remembering that last day's morning was crazy. In order to see the sun rise at Machu, we had to wake up at 4am to pack our stuff and had breakfast and wait at the gate (the government does not allow anyone to start walking on the trail before 5:30am) in order to be one of the first ones to arrive at Machu. My first time to hike in the dark. And we were all going rather quick despite the fact that we were mostly broken and sore everywhere. And the annoying UK ppl who were walking ultra slowing and blocking everybody. And the virtually vertical stairs near the end while everybody had to get down to "climb" with both legs and hands. (probably can do without hands if u don't have a huge backpack on u so that u don't feel like u are falling backwards but I won't try anyway. It's some serious stairs.)
And then finally reaching Machu. Took a lot of pictures of the same thing. Just to make sure that I do at least get a few gd ones. (I suspect that they all looks the same though! haha... haven't got time to _really_ look at them yet. Quick scan told me that they look ok. Post-sible. Just have to get them organized) Machu Picchu was great. Very 壯觀, especially u look from afar up from the "sun gate". It was awesome. I was so glad that I did hike the trail in order to see Machu Picchu from that distance. Our tour guide said that we totally lucked out on the weather cos it was very clear (got really hot in the afternoon though). He said that the area is normally very very foggy. His group last week didn't get the see Machu Picchu at all from the distance cos the whole thing was just covered by fog. Thanks God for the nice weather!!
And then by the time we actually got there, there were a ton of tourist already. Well... it wasn't too bad cos Machu Picchu is such a big site that you don't really feel _that_ cramped compared to the Ocean Park in HK.
Also did some little tours in Cusco. Pictures will tell the rest of the tale (when I eventually got them all uploaded :P).
Great trek, combination of physical challenge and tourism. Loving it!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Album Update
Back from my trip. Safe and sound. Just exhausted from days and days of hiking. Finally went to one of my dream destination Machu Picchu. Maybe I'll talk a bit more about the trip in another post. For now, let me just say that it's a great adventure and although there were a lot suffering but it's all worth it.
Trying to download the pictures onto my computer. Will upload them once I get them organized. Let me upload some random backyard pictures for now. :)
Thursday, May 14, 2009
是機會，還是誤會？
我公司識得睇中文既人都應該唔知道我個 blog 既存在，所以都唔怕講。
咁佢就叫我 send resume 俾佢同 answer some questions over email. 我上網 check 左佢哋個 website to make sure that it's legitimate，睇落去真係幾 legi 咁我就 send 啦，just to see what this will lead me to. 雖然我懷疑未必真係有公司對我有興趣，而係間獵頭公司想 enlarge their pool of candidate so that when a company is requesting a certain kind of ppl, they will just go to their pool and pick out the person that could be suitable. 雖然係咁，但我都難免覺得自己既 importance 突然擴大左幾十倍，有點沾沾自喜，被人挖角既感覺．
當然，轉唔轉公司，其實我既 ultimate goal 都係政府工，我ｄ咁既懶人，真係唔係好適合係 commercial 拼命，但都係時候轉吓環境，反正我都萌生去意萌左好耐．加上都係唔好沾沾自喜得太緊要，因為可能人哋真係 only wanted to expand the pool, 所以係唔係都叫人 send resume.
咁 anyway, 我上個星期就真係 send 左俾佢，跟住都無乜野，雖然我當然成日都希望有消息啦，但同時又要話俾自己知唔好太大期望，費鬼事失望．
上個星期二，佢真係又 contact 我，話咁啱真係有公司想請一個可能啱我既職位，嘩，我真係覺得自己中左頭奬，咁火速咁幫我安排左下個星期一 interview, 當然啦，只係 interview, 人家無話要請我，但都夠我開心咗成晚．
星期一 in 左一次，都ｏｋ啦，feel a little bit like an idiot just like any other interviews that I've done. 跟住個獵前尋日打黎叫我 second in, 因為我星期五會去 vacation 一個星期既關係，所以即刻約左今日，真係好快手．
今次見多一個人，係其中一個 associate, 都算幾大粒啦，haha... 佢哋話現時已經 narrow down 到我同另一個人，但另一個人未約到幾時 second, 所以我去 trip 之前都應該唔會知道結果．
轉個頭獵頭打電話黎，話佢哋都幾 impressed, 所以而家我同另一個人之爭就係間公司想將來既方向喺點，因為我既 skill set 同一般去 in 呢個位既人有少少唔同（其實咪就係因為我唔係讀呢行囉，d skill 雜過雜草，講得好聽就係 diverse, 唔好聽就係唔夠專），anyway, 已經唔到我去控制。
但係就算佢請我，我都係有d心大心細，無錯，係想轉工想左幾耐，而家個機會由個天度跌落黎，仲唔上等幾時？但呢間公司喺屋肥囉，仲遠過襪氏，in 我嗰個人話就算你搭 GO, 都仲要轉巴士，而d巴士係超爆密，走左既話就一定大遲到，佢都係 recommand 我揸車，但咁樣好違返我環保既宗旨。我有諗過夏天搭 GO, 然後踩車返公司（只係大約８公里，唔算遠），但冬天就真係可能要日日揸車，雖然我其實係鐘意揸車既，但都總係覺得又洒油錢又唔環保，真係好難受。
不過如果佢話請我，我應該會接受，話哂我都喺而家間公司做左足足三年，都係時候轉吓環境，雖則話公司將會合併（唔怕話埋你哋知），但合併咗會喺點大家都唔係好知，可能更加衰都未定，近排大粒同二粒越俾越多野我做但時間我就係得咁多，大粒前兩個月仲夠膽死話我 "not working hard enough", 真係 bear 一聲，勁谷氣。
Potential 公司聽落去好似幾好咁，好肯 invest 落d員工身上，呢一方面係我而家呢間公司無得比既地方，potential 公司又有 benefit, 雖則話合併左之後我都會有，但始終，我受夠了。雖然我知道，同好友相比，我己經超幸福，因為公司人際關係簡單，我哋既 common enemy 就係大粒，冇人會奉承佢。但係真係時候轉吓個大運。加上呢半年以來，每當公司d野真係多到超肺既時候，我既胃痛情形越多越嚴重，需要到我放定胃藥喺公司，真係好唔健康，當然，可能新既公司都係一樣，可能仲衰，但踏一雙腳出去試吓水先囉，唔啱咪再轉囉。
另一樣好困擾既係屋肥咁死遠，以我近排返教會既密度黎計，一個喺東一個喺西，一定趕唔切。究竟呢個係上帝既安排，還是魔鬼既詭計？
聽日就出發去旅行lu, 好興奮，一如以往，每次放假之前梗係做到你扒街為止，今次都唔例外，但今次我就真係做唔哂d野，因為星期一同星期三既上晝都去咗面試，哈哈，真係搏炒！
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Burnt the Hell out of Myself
For got to mentioned in my last post about my recent life. I burnt the hell out of myself two weeks ago. Basically, I pour about half a litre of _boiling_ water on myself in the office.
I didn't thought that it was too bad although it hurts like hell. But everyone I know told me that I should have gone to the hospital. Two days after the incident, the wound looked worse than ever, I guess I should have gone to the hospital.
Bascially, when it first happened, pretty much the whole front of my right shin was red and swollen. But then it subsided rather quickly so I thought that it wasn't so bad. I was more worried about my left foot that day cos the huge blister bursted. But as I said, two days later, my right shin has gotten way worse. When I first burnt myself, I didn't know that I've also burnt my little finger. As the days goes on, I wonder how come my finger was hurting and finally I realized that it was also burnt with a little blister.
I didn't thought that it was too bad although it hurts like hell. But everyone I know told me that I should have gone to the hospital. Two days after the incident, the wound looked worse than ever, I guess I should have gone to the hospital.
Bascially, when it first happened, pretty much the whole front of my right shin was red and swollen. But then it subsided rather quickly so I thought that it wasn't so bad. I was more worried about my left foot that day cos the huge blister bursted. But as I said, two days later, my right shin has gotten way worse. When I first burnt myself, I didn't know that I've also burnt my little finger. As the days goes on, I wonder how come my finger was hurting and finally I realized that it was also burnt with a little blister.
I did burn myself up pretty gd this time. My parents,詹占 and my pastor all said that how come I'm so careless. I know, I am very prone to accident somehow. Cracked my elbow bone last summer, hurt my wrist snowboarding this last winter, plus countless physical injuries that I've had over the years. But really, I have been quite gd this time la. The kettle I have been using in the office for over 2 years now and this is the first accident that has ever happened. Does it not mean that I am using it very carefully or what?
Well... a lot of those water also went onto a computer that sits on the floor, right underneath where I boiled the water. It's a piece of poop anyway. No one's using it. So, to this day, no one has noticed that I've 送咗佢一程。
A frd of mine told me that I should have reported it to the office manager cos it happened in the office so I should file I report on work injury. Hrm... I don't think so. First, although it happened in the office, it has nothing to do with work. The water, I was just boiling it to make some coffee for myself. Second, how can I report the incident without telling ppl that I also poured boiling water all over that poor computer?
I called 詹占 that day to pick me up from the office to go home after work cos there's no way I could cycle home with the huge bursted blister on top of my foot. He didn't pick up the phone so I left a msg. 詹占 told me after that he's getting really scared of listening to my messages. Last summer, he was out of town for a few days and all he got was something like this:
"I fell off my bike and I broke my elbow this morning but it's ok. I went to the hospital and got a cast. I thought that I'd let u know but don't worry. I'm ok."
And this time he got:
"Hopefully, u haven't left home yet. Cos it would be nice if u drive to work today so that you can pick me up after work cos I just poured boiling water all over myself and my foot is having a huge blister now. I don't think I can cycle home but if you've already left and didn't take the car, don't worry about it. I can probably walk to the bus stop and go home that way."
I wonder maybe 5 years later, he's going to get a call from me telling him that I just had a heart attack and fainted on the street but it's now ok cos I've obviously survived it.
Today is exactly two weeks from the incident. All the wounds are finally healing, instead of getting worse like the first few days. My finger is actually all healed now. My foot and shin are getting there. I'm glad that the way it goes, they should all be healed by the time I leave for my trip next Friday.
Below are the pictures that I've taken to add to my record of physical injury. View discretion advised: these pictures could potentially gross out some individuals. If you don't think you want to spoil ur appetite, please stop reading now. I mean, now.
Can't really see the burnt on my finger.
This was taken on the first day. Doesn't look too bad.
This was taken two days after the burnt. There were two blisters in the pictures. The rest of the red area formed another blister a few days after that. Doesn't look too bad in this small picture.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
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