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Ling's BlogA book of memory... |
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11/9/2009 Free Hugs - Share the LoveI have always wanted to join the FreeHugs Campaign (http://www.freehugscampaign.org/) just to go out there, hug people you know, hug people you don't know, hug animals, hug light posts, hug anything you like. As long as it puts a smile on your face/other ppl's face and make ppl's day a little better and sweeter.. then the mission is accompished.
This past Sunday, November 8, 2009 (yesterday), a group of CS ppl met up in Union Square and gave out free hugs (this happens quite frequently, once a month or so). I was a little bit late as I was eating (yep.. eating.. ughh.. food.. !) and shopping the whole morning.. I printed out signs saying "Free Hug" with a smily face.. and just started giving out hugs to anyone who wants them... I think I probably gave out close to 100 hugs and was praised as an awesome hugger.. (not to brag or anything.. but i am a pro hugger.. hehe)..
It was super fun.. most people loved the idea while some were suspicious thinking that there is either a catch or that we are trying to pass out Swine Flu.. all and all.. many said that it is such a sweet thing to do and made their day.. yay.. I will totally do this again.. so next time u see me or another else holding a free hug sign.. don't worry.. there's no catch.. just a awesome warm and tight bear hug hoping to put a smile on ur face..
  SHARE THE LOVE! SPREAD THE WORD! HUG HUG HUG!
10/11/2009 I am Alive! and promise to UpdateiIt has been almost a month since I got back and started my life in the world..
The mini trip around the world was amazing.. and definitely too too tooo tooo short.. i took tons of pictures and will definitely update soon
:) Ling 6/17/2009 RTW - June 2 to 4 Los Angeles Cost
The best part of the day was mingling with the locals. Next to the Union Station, there is a park, I am not sure if they do music gatherings every day, but I was lucky that they did on the evening of June 2. At first, there was only one lady dancing (the lady on the left of the pic).. She was definitely having fun.. I wanted to joined but was hesitating.. I get a bit of afraid to be the minority.. but then I figure.. what the hell.. it is not like anyone knows me here.. and besides.. the whole point of my trip is to have fun.. so this time.. without hesitation.. i jumped in and started dancing... song after song.. a few more people joined and I also dragged a random observers to the dance floor with me.. the music was great.. my dance was okay.. but it was a blast!!!!   June 3 On the second day, I took the metro (definitely not as efficient and extensive as NYC subway) to Hollywood... visit the tourist parts of hollywood blvd.. sunset blvd.. looked the huge Hollywood sign (no pic because I got lazy)... jumped on random buses.. got lost.. changed a bus.. got more lost.. somehow found my way to Venice Beach and had a chill walk across the sand... The best part of the day is meeting an old Mexican grandpa who spoke only Spanish.. I was lost and waiting for a bus that would be going to the reverse direction.... had a body language conversation with the grandpa where I tried to tell him that I am waiting for the express bus (one goes chuuuuuuuuuuu.., not the local one where it goes chuuu.. chuu.. chuuu....).. somehow he understood me.. that was priceless!   At the evening, Joe took me out to a few local bars.. one known for whisky.. forgot what it is call.. but it is in downtown LA around Art District.. they make once lovely modernized Whisky cocktail.. creamy looking.. yumm.. but expensive.. Then we went to another local bar which used to be a hangout spot for local cops.. pretty interesting environment... Overall.. LA is so familar but yet so different.. Oh.. one thing I forgot is that.. I witnessed one of the biggest fire in my life on the nigh of June 2.. not far from Joe's place is a industrial building.. somehow a fire started.. and it expanded quite rapidly.. i think fire departments from all of LA came.. it was pretty crazy... the building was 2 stories but the fire went up to about 7 stories high.. luckily no one was in that (i think).. and the fire department was able to put the fire off pretty quickly! Pilot Travel is so "gila babi (malay for crazy pig aka f**king") addicting! Ever since my study in London and traveling through Western Europe and Egypt.. I have been dreaming every other night about my next big adventure... The plan has changed quite a bit from southeast asia, africa to southeast asia, middle east and eastern europe.. reason - Africa is too expensive as I would need to go on a organied tour instead of backpack on my own.. All of the plans actually did not get finalized till about a week before I am suppose to leave... I booked the first leg of the trip a month ago from JFK to LAX to NAR to SIN.. but the rest were just scramble marks on paper and bookmarks on my mozilla firefox bookmark.. However.. once you are set or somewhat set about your route.. the actual booking takes less than an hour thanks to the lovely amazingness of the technology! Most of people around me would never think of doing a RTW... perhaps they might have imagined or thought of.. but only a few would actually do it.. Afterall, it is not a common American culture.. and definitely less common in the Chinese culture... On the other hand.. my buddies from travelling would all join me in a blink of an eye if they have time or $$$.. One thing I know for sure is that once I start to work and surrender to the real world of 9 to 6+.. I would not have the time to do a long trip.. the most consecutive break I would get is probably a week.. a month would be a dream.. 3 month would be like hitting a lottery unless I quit or get fire which neither I intend or wish to happen.. Anyhow.. back to planning this trip.. Instead of buying a RTW plane ticket.. I brought each individually from local airlines.. it ends up being about $1500 cheaper.. so you really need to dig around.. AirAsia is great for Southeast Asia.. As for packing.. roughly pack all your stuff about a month ahead.. set them aside.. revisit them and repack at least 3 days before your departure (i did it 6 hours before my departure.. bad idea).. the rule of thumb is - only take about 1/3 of what you initiatlly packed.. if you ever ask yourself whether u should bring it.. then don't! Just think about carrying it around day for day for months or even a year for those longer RTW... Logistics and Documents - passport copies.. call your credit card companies... get an Capital One.. write up a rough iterinary and give it to someone you trust... get Visas for countries that might require you to get Visas before arriving (i.e India)... get pepper spray (for girls or maybe guys).. My packing list
 This is a pic of my empty backpack! -------------------------------------------- June 2 Morning As I mentioned, I was stupid and end up packing the night before my flight.. so I did not sleep... and instead.. stayed up to pack the whole night.. when 6 o clock come by.. i barely finish packing.. and had to quickly say goodbye to my parents before rushing to catch the bus.. it was a rough start as I did not properly said goodbye to them.. My parents don't really support my trip as I am traveling alone and they do not see why I would want to visit the different countries.. they figured I have done enough with my Euro trip... It is a Chinese thing.. if others don't do it.. why are you doing it... I think they are just really worried about my solo trip... and it is quite costly.. even thou I am not asking them for $$$.. my brother would be sponsoring me a bit.. haha.. For those other stubborn parents out there.. support your kids.. it is okay to show concern but don't discourage them.. All I have to say is that my kids in the future would be so lucky to have a mom like me.. hahahahhahahahah... 5/28/2009 I graduated! Officially an Adult! Well at least in about 3 months Last Thursday, May 21, 2009. I walked across the the Graduation stage to receive my bachelor of science in Business and Technology with a minor in Economics, and a master of science in Global Innovation Management. Four years of hard work lead to this moment, 5 second of walk, greetings from friends and family.  (Christy and I.. BFF) There's a mix of feeling upon graduation - sadness, excitement, fear, maturing, and proudness. I was sad to graduate because I am saying good bye to a lot of friends and people I have met in the past. We are going to different directions, and to be completely honest, only a few of us would remain in contact. Excitement for a new era of my life - the real adult life. Fear for future as school life is over. Maturing as I have go from someone who is still depended on parents to someone who is getting ready to carry my own weight. Proudness for what I have accomplished over the years! Ughh.. College life, it is definitely the golden four years of my life thus far. So my plans going forward. Well, I choose to start work in September so I have three months of vacation for my mini three month RTW. So.. yeye.. my last three months before becoming a real adult.. hehe. As for traveling, the original plan included 18 days in HK for the China Synergy Program, but it got cancel because of the SWINE FLU. Seriously, I know it is serious but out of all the people in the world.. a minimal number of people actually has it. What are the chances? And.. cancelling a program that is planned months in advances.. with candidates moving their summer plans in order to to attend.. it is quite devastating.. Looking at the bright side, I guess I have more time to do my own traveling even thou I have to pay myself. lol.. So.. here's the plan with only the first 3 stops set. Leaving June 2 to LAX... Then June 4 to Tokyo then june 9 to Singapore.. that's the set plan so far.. and the tentative ones or go with the flow ones include overlanding malaysia, thailand, cambodia, vietnam, laos, visitng Bali, India, Dubai, overlanding jordan to israel heading to Turkey and maybe a few more countries then back home.. its pretty aggressive but I want to see as much as I can in three months because I know once I start work.. i won't have that much chances left.. I will try to blog about my journey on the way.. so keep in tact! oh.. btw.. for those who are interested... I did not win the video competition.. :( but thanks to those who supported me.. |
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