Sapa trip video uploaded

Today I order from shoppe epoxy paint 300g. My plan is to paint my basketball with epoxy paint to make it slightly heavier and improvement of gripping. My lousy ball which was bought from Decathlon, the low end one had the skin all pealed off. I find it too light for my liking while I used other's ball and found them to be too heavy. Therefore I like to DIY to repair it with better grip. I tried finding it online to see if people had done this or not, couldn't find any so I like to try it myself. This time I tried buying something from Shoppe. Long time never do online shopping let start the ball rolling.

I returned my travelling bad to decathlon today as I like to get the green color version at JB. It is nicer and cheaper so why not.

I stumble upon TB challenger selling fan and they say they extended operation hours from 9:30pm to 10pm due to Christmas period. Aiks. All the Christmas shit I hate it. But I end up buying a 12' Toyomi Air Circulator. This is the first time I trying to buy these kind of metal fan. I didn't know they are a bit different than our convention plastic bladed fan. It was meant to circulate the air instead of getting a straight air breeze. A bit complicated. And I do not know how much of it is a marketing gimmick. Therefore although its slightly expensive over conventional fan, I decide to buy it to try it myself. 智商税

离婚有错吗？婚姻的本质是什么？

Today I come across this video that have a bit of the LLP relationship I am talking about. Marriage this old fashion thingies no longer work in this new era. Still 拾吓拾吓。From statistic POV already say so, further more still got percentage that is dragging one leh. Data never lie mah.

Okie enough of ranting.

My Sapa trip video up go and see if you like

Hai Phong is not attractive for me

Had stayed in Hai Phong for 2 days and changed hotel twice. Now we end up somewhere in a very wulu place just beside the Hung Vuong bridge. This studio cost us 320k per night, with kitchen, sofa, desk and my Favorite smart TV with youtube. However the location is not ideal as you have to cross back the bridge to have access to food and amenities. Therefore it is recommended to rent a bike. (We able to find one for 100k a day just beside the train station.)

Studio with smart TV for me to watch 大白话

Japanese style studio for 320k per night

My overview of Hai Phong is moderate and I recommend to stay like 3 days. It is not very suitable for nomad due to the cost is closer to Hanoi. Some con for me is:

• food is not easily accessible unless you are in town.
• A lot of commercial building and we have a walk a lot to find cafe
• Accommodation is on the high side as compare to Nha trang
• The road with a lot of turns and newly built highway which is optimised for truck instead of people for walking.
• Food is not as nice as Hanoi
• Fruit is not cut for you unlike Nha Trang

Specialist food in Hai Phong is Cha Nem Cua (Crab spring roll), Bun Ca Cay (spicy fish noodle) and banh my cay (thin banh mi with pate)

The only place i had enjoyed is a secret cafe hidden away from sight. A lot of student come here to Tu Lao. Cafe Den Da is 20k and taste very nice. The cafe decor with board game, toy machine and aquarium. We very much would like to do this theme in the future at Kulai if we able to get our place there.

I don’t see myself coming back in the future. Now still Dalat and Nha Trang.

Took train to Hai Phong

Today we are on our way to explore Hai Phong. 2 hours by train ride from Hanoi. Train ticket cost us 115k dong / person. Jackie looks for excited like a baby with grapes and green mango on train. Surprisingly that the train is air conditioned with power plug and toilet at each cabin. We are assigned cabin 14 and we had to walk quite a bit to our seat.

What is fun is the climbing up the train like immigrant like this. The train ride was not very fast and I believe is around 50km/hr. That why it will takes us 2 hours to reach Hai Phong which also take 2 hours if you are riding motorbike.

Tracy was kind enough to lend us her bike for free. Due to the bike is without insurance paper and mirror so it was not advisable for us to ride to Hai Phone on motorbike. We will have to temporary park our bike at MaI Bima Leathercraft shop while we are away for these week.

Yesterday night we brought Sandy and her 3 daughter to Hanoi to enjoy chicken feet. Jackie was damn enjoying the chicken wing as she say that the chicken is full of favour as it was breed on the top of the mountain somewhere in the north Vietnam. You can come here as we highly recommend it.

Sandy newly added 3rd baby 

We secretly gave Mai a surprise visit

Hanoi lodging is so high compared to Nha Trang. Usually we pay only 4 star hotel for $18 but in Hanoi central / Tay Ho we are only able to get $30 for 3 star hotel. 

Earlier this morning when I went down to eat and I saw the haze is so bad in Hanoi and I do a quick search on the air quality and realise it was 25x above world recommended level. OMG, extremely unhealthy and I think Hanoi will not be a good place for us to relocate. As this is the 3rd trip this year and I think i will not come back to Hanoi anytime soon. I personally now like Dalit and then follow up Nha Trang now.

From Airbnb at Yen Phu we check out and move to lahomestay hang dau. I see the picture so nice but price at only $15 on agoda. But when we check in then the owner tell us that the hotel is newly added in the agoda and they didn’t prepare the room for us. So our 3 days booking have to cut to 1 and I need to move out again tomorrow.

Today after checking in to hotel we decided to give Mai a surprise at her Bima leather company. She was a new friend we made when we was looking for leather tools during our first visit. We decide to drop by her office and give her a surprise. 

Today big news is that the China bull market suddenly pull back and a lot of 90s and 00s are taking up loans and brought into the market. They were heavily influenced by China influencer. However as these younger generation had not accumulated much assets and those 3rd party non bank lender will see a lot of default from these group of people. 躺平了. Now is really getting harder and harder for younger generation. The economic no longer make sense even for me.  

Got a haircut in Hanoi for $3.70

First thing is a good news. Jackie found my wallet below her bed. I lost my wallet just a couple of day ago. Inside have my revolut card and I replaced the card thot and I was afraid that the card may not arrive in time before I go Hanoi. End up that the replacement card came within 5 days :)

Second thing I wanna complain to you is that I am typing this blog using iPad Pro 9.7 with the Smart Keyboard. Many people complain that the Smart Keyboard was hard to type on but not for me. I able to match the same typing speed with my Logitech keyboard at home with around 45 words per minute.

Continue to hunt down for the best machine to bring over for travel. You know I have to balance between total weight as I only carry one bag under 7kg with all my belonging for at least 1 month travelling. Therefore I have these machine with me, MacBook Air 2017, iPad Pro 9.7 or iPad Mini 6. I still love using the mini due to the size, weight and portability. But I want to complain that I haven found a suitable portable keyboard to match the machine.

Lastly I want to update on my travel today. I believe today to be the 3rd day we reach Hanoi and 10 Oct is Vietnam Independence Day. We happen to go eat Ngan Mian and stumble into old quarter to see the nice decor as per picture of the day below. Today happen as we come across a nice chicken feet store and the boss Ah Peh treat us some feet and chicken meat. The chicken is very special and nice. I hope I can visit the store tomorrow and share the joy with you.

Hanoi 10/10 independent day in Hanoi

The Chinese word behind is to tell us we should keep learning our whole life

By the way, I did a hair cut for only $3.70 in Hanoi with one of the shop vendor.

Visit Hanoi 3rd time this year

First night at Hanoi, 26 Yen Phu

 Today we travel again to Hanoi. This is the 3rd time we go for one month travel in Hanoi within one year. I slowly like getting tired for Hanoi already. However, Jackie still like this place and promise that autumn is going to be nice then many of our friend say.

First night we didn’t book any hotel and only start finding one after 6pm. We end up choosing 3 days at Airbnb at 26 Yen Phu. The place is quite nice and we like it. All thing I need are there, warm shower, cold air con, balcony and TV with YouTube.. Somemore the price is reasonable considering that we are staying in Hanoi. $15SGD for one night. For 3nights + cleaning fee + platform fee, it cost us $64SGD for 3 night. Okie lah. 

Jon suppose to meet us here from Nha Trang but he has to leave the country to Thailand for couple of days to renew his visa. As a UK residence he is able to get 45 days visa free in Vietnam. Nice. We will be getting around to Ninh Binh these few days.

Once we landed at the airport, we took a grab car straight to Tay Ho Lake to find Mia coffee again. The cost for transport is 300k and the distance was 19km and rooks us 40mins. We met up with Tracy and she was slimmer since last time we met her at Ha Giang. Her cat also increase to 5 and she took out 2 small little kitten to play with us. She is so nice and she lend us her motorbike rent free. See this is good will goes around and comes around. Stay tune for the next few days for our activities. 

Got scammed in Vietnam on Hai San

This week second time I dream about Andy Lau. First is about him sponsoring coffee for $8.80 I ask if he is really endorsing on the product. Second time is when. Jackie and me walking in a tourist attraction I suddenly sing the song 我和我追逐的梦。I just fell asleep like a baby on the hotel sofa. We had been enjoying our one month travel in Nha Trang. This is like living the dream of working 4 hours work week on the nice beach sipping mojito. It must be the power of law of attraction. You are what your thoughts are.

Having Oc Zang with uncle and father

Tonight we went to eat hai san (seafood) again. After last night where we paid 460k/kg for the grouper fish which we choose the place as Jackie like to eat there. We felt we were scammed for the tourist price. Tonight we ask the same fish it was selling for 350k/kg. Although we got sold the tourist price. But on a brighter note without knowing the high price we would never to so sure of finding the cheap price. The reason why we will choose to eat at this place firmly is we felt we found the better price. 

I tend to have the ability to find reason to be happy even if I got scammed. Which is a very important attribute as I will be more resistance to adversity. Life is great. 

Speaking of scamming in Vietnam, I want to share that my Uncle got scammed for iphone repair in Vietnam. Uncle's iphone 11 got short circuited after it was splashed with seawater. The phone just kept restarting. He brought the phone to a shop near our hotel and was told that he will open up and help to dry the phone for a small fee of 50k ($3SGD). I was very skeptical why the shop owner was charging so little for the work of opening up the phone. I used to be selling and repair mobile phone back in the days and things like this was worth at least a repair fee of >$10 - $20 in SGD.

He opened up the screen and blow the phone with hair dryer, since I didn't want to sit there to wait so I went to away to buy fruit juice. You know end up the owner took the phone backstage and replaced his original screen with another used screen. I knew it when I ask Uncle to take back the old "spolit screen" which I observed is a China knock off screen. Kanna 狸猫换太子 liao. I saw the china sticker at the screen somemore is partially peeled off, this cannot be the original apple LCD.

Over the phone, Uncle ask if he should proceed with the repair cost of 2.2mil ($120). I didn't tell him about the scam, I just ask him to proceed with the repair since paying the money is the only way to solve the problem of turning on the phone again, the owner will disconnect and reckon the phone useless if Uncle dont' agree to the repair. 

Classic using low bait to entice you in the shop and disable your phone and say its spolit and provide you with "illusion" of choices of screen like grade A / original. Even worst they replaced the screen with an old "grab driver" phone LCD. I can tell cause there is burn mark of map navigation that is barely visible. The owner earned 2.2mil and replaced his fault LCD with Uncle working LCD. The LCD was not the issue to begin with since it was restarting loop showing apple logo all along which suggest that the LCD is not the issue in the short circuit issue.

However, the world is not ready to take the truth. People will do all they can or lie to themselve but to listen to the cold hard truth of the world. I must learn to 看破不说破。

Nha trang cloud chasing is disappointing

Social media create anxiety and disappointment

Last 2 day we went for clouding chasing at Dalat with Uncle and Father. I came to a realisation that social media had really bring people disappointment for no reason. Weather was bad hence we didn't get to see any cloud. However, we engaged Chi to drive us to the hill at 5am in the morning. Super tired.

I find that uncle is like a baby that we have to take care for them. This reminded me when I was 10 years old, Uncle and Father is the one whom brought me to Australia, Perth for holiday. That time I was a baby and they had to take care me, guide me, show me and entertain me. Now is my time to return the same favour.

Uncle like to ask for Wifi password at all location. This is due to he needs to consistently be on the phone doing his "work". Like taking picture before we eat, sorting out the photos and sent to each other and back up on google photo etc. He was like teenager like that so addicted to phone. Being exposed to social media like Facebook and google, so he had a expectation of how cloud chasing looks like. However in real life, it is just impossible to replicate the Instagram worthy picture, a lot of luck, timing and weather will play a role in having that best moments. Sometime we often forget that those nice photo could be the result of many days waiting or the google showing the most pretty photos of our searched results. Therefore to benchmark our experience to those photo is to call for disappointment for sure.

what google show you when you find "dalat cloud chasing"

actual what we see for cloud chasing

I shall not keep asking why, but how instead

 Today I watched a man talk a good show many learning point for me. 

王达峰-光哥知识论

All engineering problem even like iphone or airplane construction that seems like a complicated problem, they are all simple problem. As you reverse engineer you can find the source problem, doing the replacement to the problem you will solve the problem 100%. Therefore all things that can be isolated are simple problem. 

On the other hand, child raising and business are complex problems. Even if you follow all steps exactly you don’t get the same result. Example you narrow down to gene problem for child bringing or even the business steps are wrong you eventually cannot pin point the problem. (Many due to luck and natural selection reason) Therefore, if you keep digging into the why this issue have a problem, you sure to end up with more problems.

I have the issue of keep digging the why a problem happen. I tend to seek for a reason instead of how a problem should be solved. Not matter how you narrow down and pin point you can say it’s right or wrong. It’s just means that there is a possibility and you cannot prove that it is right and you can’t say it’s wrong either. 

不要执着的追究问题为什么是这样子，你是找不到答案的。一直在追究你一直看的是过去，你找的答案永远是可能但是你永远不知道因为你不能证实。一个爱追究的人往往培养的是会找借口的孩子或同事。”既然已经这样子了，我们因该怎么样解决问题呢？”一个爱追究的人只是想显得有权威和正确罢了。

Reach Dalat and plan to stay 2 nights

Red pill or blue pill

 Today uncle iPhone heat up repeatedly turning on and off. The phone got so hot that it’s too hot to touch. The phone die off after the battery went flat. 

Enjoying mud bath during island hopping

We went to a shop to repair and the men started to say he will open up the phone and dry for 50k ($3). It is so cheap and it almost felt like a trap. The men proceeded to open the phone fast and swiftly. I saw the workmanship apparently he is very skilled so I don’t know why he charge so cheaply for opening and drying for so little money. 

It’s too long so I went around to shop. Uncle called and say the men took the phone away as he say he need to PC to help to test the phone. Later the men return to show that the phone still couldn’t open and suggested him to change LCD with 3 kind of grade. Uncle ask me if he should proceed. Although I already felt it was a scam but I didn’t tell him as his objective is to repair the phone so that he can access his data in the phone. 

He decided to go for 2.2mil ($120) screen the highest quality. He didn’t take back the original LCD which I ask him to pick it up from the shop later he say he told it from the trash bin. The original LCD got 狸猫换太子. The men got a business, charged $120 for a grade A LCD and got himself an original iPhone LCD as spare parts. I knew because I was in this industry before. 

Question, if knowing the truth in this world hurts. Would you want to let ignorance people know about it? Red pill and blue pill which one would you choose. Letting people know, once it’s been seen it cannot be unseen. My experience is when I tell them the truth sometime people will be sad and say why this world is like this. They became very sad but unfortunately it is the truth. I started to ask myself if truth is really that important?

Dream about Andy Lau

 I had a dream of Andy Lau. He was doing a sponsor for in game 皮肤. I find it wasn’t worth it for the money. So I tried to ask him if a coffee is selling for $8.80 and ask him to be an ambassador will he take up the challenge. End of dream. 

10pm we are caught up in the hotel

I know it is kind of stupid dream but well, most dream are stupid anyway. Even in dream I was thinking that the coffee was expensive. That’s crazy which mean in real life I had been really been tied up with money. It’s not so much that I had not enough is just that I didn’t earn surplus so every amount is ensured that I do not overspend it. 

Uncle and father finally landed in Nha Trang, there is no direct flight coming from Singapore hence it took them 8 hours including transfer. 

Going out with them is very mental draining as they are very excited and kept talking and asking. So tiring. Like many 自说自话的总裁. Many opinions and question have to answer. Also they kind of like to do touristy stuff which I hated. Tmr we are heading to island hoping. Shag

Overeat in Nha Trang, getting fatter.

 I felt over eating this month. 

I had been working hard to play basketball everyday in SG and managed to reduce one KG. Furthermore, in Johor I had food poisoning from taking fried insect so I suppose to be thinner before I come Vietnam. So I took the thailand insect in KSL and end up in the hospital.

warded in class 3 ward in Johor hospital

But food in Vietnam and beer is too too cheap and as usual being greedy, I overeat a lot. Today we walk across the river and get over to Anrizon hotel and have shell and BBQ. At 10pm we are at the Nha Trang beach having beer and fruit and we saw a crab on the shore.

Tomorrow is me time day and I will go to paranoma hotel for swimming and gym. Good night blog.

Getting fatter in Nha Trang

Today was unlucky. We lost our hotel room card. After drinking Jackie lead me to track back all the way to the dessert place and back to the Pho place where we ate our dinner. Glad we found our keycard at the pho place. If not for her, I could have just given up and go back hotel to report lost. So today I clock >10,000 steps because of this. 

I realise I getting fatter after we reach Vietnam. Really strange, usually people slim down due to the food, I put on weight instead. I started to miss playing basketball alone in Singapore. That’s how I lose weight one. Today I went up to Prime New Hotel level 15 to do 8 small lap. I enjoyed it. I need to incorporate some exercise regime in my travelling plan. 

Found our hotel keycard

Next month we plan to move to Hanoi. Kind of want to go Taiwan or Japan to try instead. Since we getting to Hanoi which is a good place to cycle. Let plan to bring our Brompton. 

Read, exercise and love more. 

We stumble upon a good Pho Bo in Nha Trang

 

Having Kem Bo in Nha Trang

Today photo of the day at 10pm is eating dessert after dinner for Goat meat steamboat with Xavier. 

Today highlight of the day is that wonder around the town and stumble upon a Pho which was heavily reviewed 7000+ people go there and a lot of Korean, alomost full house for during lunch time. This place is a Pho Hanh Phuc. The Pho Cuon is very nice with the sweet sauce and the Pho Bo is served in a marble pot which ensure the temperature to keep hotter for a longer time.

Today I watch in the hotel the trump and harris debate and surprising to me that Harris had been hiding and prepare for very long. She felt very scripted and of course well prepared for the debate. I shall say she had performed better over her usual word salad but this performance is only good to prove her worth to her own base supporter. Since this is the first time she appeared online to answer question. However, the ABC news outlet moderator was heavily leaning to Harris by fact checking Trump only. If anything they should leave it to Harris to point out herself but not to beat Trump by 3 : 1. However I felt she still had not been speaking to the swing voter if any of her policy changes.

I felt asleep half way. Either way although I like Trump more, but if he is elected China will be very jialat which I don't want Hua Wei to be keep getting suppressed.

See hows the election goes...

Nice condotel and food around Anrizon hotel

 Today is the 2nd week. I rented the ebike for the second time in Nha Trang. 140k per day at motor4free. The service was fast as usual, got it in less than 10mins since I have the old record. 

Today we explored a new food for tea break banh beo, banh nam and banh hoi. The location is at Banh Beo Be Tu. Very cheap serve by local aunty, 3 dish for only 90k ($5.5SGD) in total only.

Then we went back to Anrizon side, north of the Nha Trang centre. Anrizon side is a condotel which we booked for 280k per night. Which is around $15 per night. The hotel is very clean and looks like a service apartment with daily room services. We reckon that we can stay here long term as per month rental work out to be only $450 SGD which most HDB room rental are able to cover with some positive cashflow. The cost of living is around 30% cheaper than Nha Trang centre. 

Anrizon condotel is 30% cheaper than Nha Trang Centre

iphone alarm to remind us to blog for the day

In case you don't know we are still 3rd day doing our daily blogging. You can find jackie's blog over here. 

For dinner we bring Xavier to eat Oc at Oc Zang 96 which is the local shell seafood which we recommend due to the cheap price for local. Cheap but good for of course which we had endorse for people who wants to come visit Nha Trang. 

Lastly, after dinner, we went to Anrizon hotel to drink the 1L Bia Tuoi a local beer brewed in Nha Trang. For the price of 29k for 1L. Like OMG. $1.80 SGD where can you find.

Wendy is like super impressed with Vietnam, she comment if not for us, she will never get to Vietnam in the first place. Let alone try "Street Food" or snail as she thinks it will be very unhygienic. Well we can definitely be a local tour guide or Vietnam ambassador.

To end the day, we throw a last final touch for supper. Our favorite Hu Tieu around anrizon. It cannot be found on google map as it is a night vendor like a pop up store which doesn't have any online presence. She operate just in front of bakeboy only after 10pm. I believe it is not legal to do business there? But damn, Xavier and Wendy was super impressed with our recommendation. 

If you stay around Anrizon, after 10pm at night, drop by bakeboy bakery, the vendor aunty is there. Don't forget to ask to have the pork rib. It is super tender. You will not miss it as the smell of radish pork soup linger at the vacinity.   

Our friend Xavier come visit at Nha Trang

 

Hosting Xavier and Wendy from Singapore

As spoken yesterday, we are supposed to blog on a daily basis and today we missed the 10pm blogging time again. Therefore we are supposed to take a picture regardless of what we are doing. Stop and reflect why today we are not on schedule again. 

Today, our friend Xavier and Wendy came over from Bali as they are just starting to enjoy their first trip after Xavier quit his full time job. 裸辞 and join Jackie to do their freelance SAP job. They are super impressed with Nha Trang Vietnam over Bali. They review is that out of their expectation they didn't expect Vietnam to be so clean, road so wide and not too much traffic. Food is very refreshing and cost of living is so low. They had express that they will return to do a long stay if they had the chance.

You see, that's why all my friend ask me why I keep returning to Vietnam. From my blog history you can tell that I am a long time Vietnam ambassador. I had been on and off staying in Vietnam for a period of 2 years. Been traveling south and north. Next stop we will plan for a Da Nang trip next year.

Today we also went to enjoy KTV in Nha Trang. Can sing Chinese song and 240k dong (~$15) per hour and 28k ($1.60) for 1 can of beer. Exchange rate is 100 SGD to 1,900,000 dong. That is super cheap. 

Enough for the ranting. Next week 4th Uncle and Father will fly to Nha Trang and meet us. So stay tuned we will post more of our Vietnam trip here.

Today is Monday hence is our "Me Time" day. We will spend one day away from each other and go experience Vietnam on our own. On track for our changes. Jiayou!!!

We coming back for blogging hopefully

 Finally, its time to come back and blog. 

Currently, Jackie and me is at Nha Trang for a one month getaway. For her is like a remote working for at a different country for her new freelancer job. For me is I am taking a semi retirement break (3 years) since my last job at RHB.

The reason why we are blogging is because we find that we are very lost at Nha Trang without much to do and she mentioned that if I were to be very focus at least on something I seem to be more appealing. As such since we enjoyed Nha Trang a lot and potentially we coming back for a 1 to 3 month short term rental here. We like to set up a good routine for our life. As such

Weekly outlook

Monday - "Me Time" day between 9am to 5pm where we are not allowed to disturb each other, we can work, go excerise, go play or go read book at cafe. Anything is fine but we have to spend time apart. 

Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday - This is our offical 4 days work week, where we suppose to work from 12noon to 4pm religiously. Hopefully we can do the dress up and show up at a cafe to work on her SAP.

Friday - TGIF, our dress down half day work day. Which we suppose to end work at 3pm to go for our date day, ranging for movie, dinner and couple discussion and weekly review.

Saturday - We shall reserve this day for event and meet up with other people and stranger community. This can be for leisure or work related. We shall mix some new blood in our systems.

Sunday - Will be our family day, this day is reserve for us only. We hope to adopt the Jew concept of strict no work day. To detox and what not.

On a daily basis

We like to add exercise and journaling into our daily activities. This is to I'mprove our physical health and mental health. 

We love to do the gratitude journal and daily blogging for appreciation and what not. We set 10pm to do blogging on a daily basis. In the event we cannot come online at 10pm for blogging then we have a take a picture of the day and do a description on that picture. For example:

Jackie is sick with flu and we brought pill at Nha Trang Centre.