Planning for a trip to Xining - Tibet

Finally, we decided it is time to visit Tibet - one of the tourist spots in our bucket list.

We had wanted to visit Tibet pre-COVID. It had to be shelved because of COVID, and post-COVID visa restriction for travel to China.

To get into Tibet, we have to book a local tour (that caters for foreigners) -the tour agent will assist in application for permits to visit Tibet, and purchase of return train tickets between Xining to Lhasa.

We also planned for a day trip from Xining (to visit Qinghai).

There was some hiccups in the purchase of train tickets  - finally confirmed to have 4 tickets in one cubicle (soft-beded) for return trip from Lhasa to Xining on 8-4-2024; but the tickets from Xining to Lhasa are yet to be confirmed!

We got our medicines ready for the trip - specifically medicines (acetazolamide and dexamethasone) for prevention and treatment of altitude sickness.

Managed to book the day tour at Xining, and airport transfer to hotel on day of arrival.

Waiting eagerly for the commencement of the trip.

Payment for day trip for 4 pax

Booking of airport transfer to hotel

Payment for return train tickets for 4 pax

Another flight 又一次的飞行

Took an  early flight from Nibong Tebal to Singapore.

No, there is no flight delay this time. The boarding was as scheduled. 

Took breakfast at the Premium Lounge in the airport. It was surprisingly more crowded than usual. 

Mother suddenly developed fever this morning, just as I left our house in Nibong Tebal. Started her on ciprofloxacin for now, hopefully this will keep any infection under control. 

Air Asia flight this time round 

My previous nightmare with Firefly 

短短一个月，再一次飞回老家。这次是去扫墓。虽说孝顺父母，应在他们还健在的时刻。但当他们已往生后，也不能就这样遗忘了。

Flight delay

Started traveling after end of covid pandemic.

Somehow, there seems to be many flight delay or last minute cancellation. 

I had a misfortune of having my 7pm flight from Penang to Singapore cancelled, and I had to wait for next flight at 1am....tgis happened a few months ago. 

And today, the flight was delayed because the aircraft from Vietnam had not arrived yet.. 

Sigh... 

Discrepancy in scheduled and actual boarding time 

Row of vehicles lining up.... Not sure why? 

Mantis's first dental check up under GA 狗狗的洗牙记

Mantis has been with us for the past 4 months or so.

His teeth have a lot of tartar, and he has persistent nasal discharges from his left nostril. We tried antihistamine and 2 week course of antibiotic (Augmentin) - but this failed to solve the problem.

Apparently poor dental hygiene may also cause nasal discharge, hence, CJ have booked appointment for dental scaling/check up in April 24 (one month later). The procedure cost $800.

Then CK came back in between his hospital rotations, and managed to book an earlier appointment at another vet clinic. It was much cheaper, quoted as $400. Hmm... what a drastic difference!

Today is the big day. He was kept nil by mouth from midnight, and brought to the vet for his appointment around 1.30am. 

He was ready to be brought back home at 2pm or so.

Let's see if this helps to clear his nasal discharge.

我们家的“螳螂” （宠物狗的名字), 已经入住我们家将近四个月。它的牙垢很厚，洗刷不了。左鼻又常会有鼻涕溢出；它一打喷嚏，便会把丝丝粘稠的鼻涕喷到地板上，怎么抹也抹不完。

今天终于带它到兽医站去全麻洗牙。希望这能一了百了解决牙垢与流鼻涕的问题！

它其实蛮乖巧，不随意吠或咬东西。就只是太过文静，不主动去迎合他人。

节俭？ 吝啬？Thrifty or Stingy? (II)

自认是个量入为出的人，除非万不得已，不会出大手笔钱买贵重物品。

还没有就业时得依靠父母的金钱资助，更要节制开销，浪费较多的是电影戏票 ，衣着方面，能省则省！

成家立业后，支出最多的是住屋，汽车； 再后来是孩子们的大学学费，及历年的家庭旅游。

其他奢侈品，如高档手机，相机，电视等等，极少会去购买。往往的思前想后了好多回，才会下决定落款买下来。

比如最近小米推出一架具有高性能摄影的手机，价钱当然也不菲。我还是无法下定决心把它买下！（不是无法负担那费用，就是有点迟疑)。

最近新推出的高性能无反相机，非常吸引人；但我还是无法说服自己，把它拿下，因为其价格也不低。身为业余摄影者，付高昂价钱买高端相机，似乎并不划算！

这是节俭，还是吝啬？

I have always been careful when spending large amount of money on any purchase.

My big item purchases are on housing, car, child's education.

When it comes to purchase of "luxury" items such as handphone, TV, camera, I have to contemplate many times before committing to any purchase. (even though those purchases are within my budget).

Am I being thrify or stingy?

乘搭地铁的联想

身为一位拥车奴，往往出入都驾车。

但偶尔也会弃车去乘搭公共交通工具。

就如前天，我便把车留给靖捷，以方便他在中午时分，载送内人到机场去。

地铁站内的设计，蛮新颖有趣。

上下的梯级，给人一种志不合不相为谋，分道扬镳的感觉！

当我老了。。。As I age...

接下来（两个星期后）将会陆续飞返槟城度过清明节，然后隔一个星期后启程往西宁/西藏度假。

之前订购的机票，一波三折，新加坡飞往上海（浦东）的航班，以及从西宁飞往上海（浦东）的航班，皆被取消了。结果得往东方航空新加坡总公司办理更改机票的手续，所幸时间变动不大，除了回程稍微延迟六个小时之外 （导致靖捷可能得在抵达机场的一个小时后，便得上班去了）。

冠病疫情爆发后，这将是第二次在清明节时回老家祭拜老爸。突然惊觉自己也已经不在年青！目睹年迈的老妈，现在已经全身瘫痪，整天躺在床上，吞咽功能也有些失调，我应该乘着自个儿还能行动自如时，多多走动，多飞返老家探望老妈，及出外旅游。

西藏旅游，是我与老婆期待已久的行程。希望不会有高原反应！

I turned 60 years the past October.

Witnessing the sudden deterioration in my mother's health over the past 3 years (during COVID pandemic), it dawned on me that I am no longer young!

As my children are now financially independent, I should relax a bit, and enjoy life more!

Going to Tibet for a tour by end of the month. Hopefully, with the arrival of new budget airline to Japan, I may be able to fly to Japan for short tours more frequently.

Don't let your vision confined by the physical space... There are better views outside... Ventured out!!!

捕鱼"天堂"

 每个人都全神贯注的往河里的某一个角落望去，想必是某人成功捕捉到鱼了！

这个角落，是休闲捕鱼者的"天堂" -不少人在这里捕捉了体积蛮大的淡水鱼。

傍晚时分，往往会有不少人来这里钓鱼。

他人祭花，我们则献上橘子皮。。。不晓得它有什么用途？？？

闲逛 Leisure walk

沉静了好一段日子，终于“逼迫”自己该往外走走。

最近糊里糊涂的忙了几个星期，连续几个夜晚，再凌晨1-2点左右，被急诊部门呼唤去看看病者，导致睡眠受到冲击，隔天便提不起劲来。

乘着周六，家里没车 （靖捷驾车“护送”我家小狗到他女友家做客），我下班搭地铁回家并小睡一会后，在傍晚时分，穿了运动鞋，带上相机，往外闲逛去了。

还是步行与同样的运动走道，捕捉了以下的照片。

慢跑，悠哉闲哉的踩者铁马。。。

能在城市了塑造绿意盎然的景象，着实不易。。。

重重叠叠的形容天桥，乍看之下，有点复杂！

高楼民宅，自然避不开。

没有衣服点缀，就衬托不出人气。

最终还是需要柔和的绿意来养眼。

Time flies! It is already one month past Chinese New Year. 

Within this short period of time, I flew back to Nibong Tebal in the second half of CNY to visit my mother. Had a "shock" when I was charged RM 20 for a simple hair cut in local barber shop! (it used to be just RM 10 pre-COVID years). CY came back for 2nd time in the past 3 months - to attend her close friend's wedding, and to do eye surgery (intraocular lenses) for her short sightedness and astigmatism.

Busy catching up on work as well. Being called to attend to patients in Emergency Room at ghostly hours in the early morning (1-2am) for several nights the past week.

Finally, managed to drag myself for a leisure walk around my neighbourhood this evening.