1st week solo travelling at Chiang Mai

 Last year I did came to Chiang Mai for the 1st time for a month. I like the weather Nov - Feb in Chiang Mai as it get comfortably cool after evening. Therefore I went back in Jan 2026. This time I will be travelling alone up to 2 months visa free in Thailand. 

7kg bag for 3 months travel

Jackie is not with me as she had found a new full time job. After trying out 2 years travelling and remote working with me, she find its better if she can still stock some saving up for another 3 years. This time round as she undergo training with me, frugal man system so she will be able to save up quite quickly. 

I came here already 3 days, I went back to W2 hostel and catch shrimp and fishing at Ping River. This time I am able to show you my first lured fish of my life. Caught a snakehead on a gold spoon lure.

First lured fish sankehead on pen rod using spoon

Then I revisited Chiang Mai, Fishing pond which is super cheap, 100b whole day if you bring your own rod. But since the catfish is pretty big, I rent the rod, bait, fishing pass for whole day for only 300b. It is the cheapest fishing pond in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Chao Phraya Catfish caught at Chiang Mai fishing pond 

First Sunday in Chiang Mai I know where I suppose to go. Nong Ho Flea market was the biggest second hand market in Chiang Mai. I am surprise that the vintage Japanese bike is still available after 1 months. Before that he quoted 1,200b but this time round, I tried a couple of bike and found his bike not in the most good condition, I was about to walk away from his 800b price discounted. He called me back and said he can sell me at 600b. I counter offer 500b and he agreed!!!. End up he doesn't have change so I paid 560b instead. Giving some tips for the uncle. I think he still got a earning as the bike was put there for sometime now. Cashflow is King. For me I got it at a steal I think. Althought its full steel bike which is heavy and somemore is single geared with some cranking sound when peddling. But for $23 SGD, I just can park the bike everywhere.

Japanese old bike with basket and back rack, dynamo light included but not working

To note, some only bikes with gears are at ranges from 1,500b to 2,500b. Although they are quite nice to ride, but I am still a sucker for vintage item :) 

Heading to our host village in Kamikawa

Today we are moving to Kamikawa a small rural village to meet our new host. We mentioned that we gonna to work exchange for him to get to stay in Japan for us to experience the authentic Japan culture. I didn’t know for sure if it is a hostel, a cafe or a farm. Let go over there then we decide. 

Today we met another traveler from China Guang Zhuo named Joesph and he smoke a pipe and basically go travelling alone with his wife and son’s approval. We spoke to him and as usual the tone is very similar to Shen Ge. They are Chinese that want to run away from China. (Pro USA). We had a lunch at soba shop before we part way. Joseph agrees with us with the Japan’s product quality and he told us that product bought in Japan can be sold at a profit back in China. I believe I can do a 中古店 in Singapore. See. I told you I am a hogger. 

Afternoon, after he left we walked along the Motomachi street as we heading toward the train station to travel to our new host place. Along the way, we stumbled into a Japanese 中古店 where they sold used branded clothes mainly the winter 冲锋衣和羽绒服. You know I had put off many things when Jackie asked me to buy one in Uniqlo and the other logos park one. Cause my player had planned to make me find this instead. A Columbia titantium down jacket that is going for $35. Which met all my requirements and the jacket is highly adjustable via tightening strip. So I immediately placed my order. So you see. You are only looking at the price because you are not seeing the value. Jackie got herself a brown Uniqlo down with hoody. 

Along the way special mention another purchase which is the Japanese “standard” shop which priced between $1 to $10. Super great product and we bought a reuseable pocketable bag. Very small it is like a zippo lighter and can use to hand carry or sling. 

Then we took 1.5hrs to reach niino station. We thought that there will be food mart for sure as it is an mrt. I am so wrong. This station connects us to a village with old Japanese house and there are no amenities around. Nearest Lawson is 20mins walk away. Oh my god. The weather is 4 degrees and luckily we still have our newly bought down jacket. We met up with Hannah from Germany and took us to our host house and then we are surprised that the house have no host other than volunteers. Host will not be back for the whole week and he left the house to the volunteers. 

It was so cold inside and the only heater is the small heated table and then the toilet seat. Other place all cold as fuck. The bathroom is mechanical pump and we had to boil water and pour it in. Whao. That was really new for us. We skid bath and went to bed with 3 thick blanket. Tomorrow will update you with the work we do at the house. 

Went shopping in Kobe centre

Lunch at a soba place which looks different by picture

Today wake up early to have home made breakfast below the hostel. It is mayo egg with butter bread which we bought at family mart yesterday at a discount. We had decided to do shopping at Kobe today. So we doing our walk to Motomchi and then to Montbell at the city centre.

I thought Kobe is much quite like nothing to do. But I was wrong. It was still a good retail area just not as crowded as Osaka. At Motomochi street we saw a couple of hand made leather shop, we went in to research on new ideas. And Jackie bought a pink leather for $8. Leather hide isn’t expensive in Kobe. Which I could have the ability to communicate with the owner which only speak Japanese. 

Weather had drop to 10 to 6 degree for the day. It was too cold and clothes start to feel cold to touch like a fridge. No choice have to go to Montbell to see what choice we had to bring temperatures up. End up in saw a last piece of the widely popular pocketable sling bag. As it was the last black (medium) piece. I took it and pay it. Waste money again. 

Kobe city centre has lots of branded that is isolated in a whole building one. Near Daimaru. All the sport brand, like north face, patongonia are too expensive to buy. Although their cutting is really nice. We are looking for something like a 羽绒服. Then we headed over to Uniqlo to see. 

The heat tech is something I like to buy but the fitting isn’t the nicest. Also wanted to buy the lightweight down jacket at a discount of $49 but I feel women’s cutting and the feature is better. Still thinking if I should buy the logo park (counterfeit) or not. As tomorrow we need to go mountain to do volunteer already. End up I brought a green cargo pant just to add layer for my bottom. 

Today night was funny. We went to a fried chicken rice store to eat. And we find $11 a meal is too expensive for us to eat 2 set. Therefore we try to order a large set and share a rice or order extra rice if they allow. Then the waitress knew that we are sharing. So she place 6 piece chicken into 2 set and gave us each 1 more extra chicken. With 2 rice / soup / prickles. So end up we had 2 set of small fried chicken bento at the price of a large set. Very kind owner and stuff. We eat till a last drop and left a good google review. 

My christmas present a mont blanc iphone sleeve

Bad news. My 400k credit limit increase had not been approved, but bank only give up to 240k for mdm cheong. Now she had been sourcing alternative term loan at other bank. Pending their approval, she will only consider taking with me if other bank reject her. And she cannot confirm that she will be taking with me by this month :(

WTF!!! I had already put all my eggs in this basket. My loan till mid month is still $0. If i piew this loan i will miss comm this month. Also mean losing my virgin away... Furthermore i brought the prada briefcase already with the comm of this deal on credit. GG...

No mood to fight this week liao. I jitao ab jurong east and go shopping again. Brought home my dinner to eat while watching my china programme again. 

Visit mont blanc to see my iphone 5 sleeve cover and got convinced by jonathan to buy it on the spot. He say damn chio matching my prada wallet. I guess i am addicted to branded and i can't accept non branded goods even if i find them practically useful. Style and practicality is inverse proportion. Just like i saw one really nice wallet and coin purse from pierre cardin at $89. I rather spend it on mont blanc sleeve which cost me whooping $300. Then they ask me if it was a christmas present and do i need it to be wrapped. I reckon i will not be receiveing any christmas present this year so i thought, why not buy present for myself.

And then i go back home and go through the motion of unwrapping the present assuming i do not know what is inside. Wah!!! A mont blanc sleeve. Thanks Gary. Muack muack, love you. Okie i am crazy. I think its the same as you spending money to buy for someone and the person buy you the present of the same value like gife exchange but i got to choose what gift i want :p

One series of subtle black leathers good and image you signing OTP with cilent. And not forgetting the briefcase opens up as a A4 size folder and signing off with my Balengiaca pen. 

Looking at it, i immediately found that the lighter is like a little out of place. So i went around to get a lighter. What brand shall i go for? Yes ST Dupont!!!! Bring my father's era back can. 

This well know lighter brand with the signature "diang" sound. You can make no mistake it is a dupont lighter from miles away. A lot of dso are copying style like some of the top popular and most copied things are, mont blanc diamond pen, prada bag, rad russel purple laced shoes, hermes signature belt and bangles, tag heuer watch, ray ban spec and the signature uncut hairstyle. I mean drop by any citibank dso booth and you see they almost all carrying the same signature goods. Out of the hundred plus dso, no one ever used any dupont lighter yet. I want to coin the dupont lighter style and let all other dso follow suit. And the price of whooping $1400 for a dupont classic lighter, dso will be dying to buy one cause they had too much money to anyhow spend. I think i shall go for 12 months interest free package as i do not earn like them. I shall get dupont as my valentine gift, another excuse of my to buy myself gift. 

This tie pin and cufflinks are so my style and i had targeted it for my .... Chinese new year gift. Wahahaha. I think ask lathivan get me this. Ciaos

Impulse purchase Kia

I had so much to blog right now. Don't know what is the best way to list down. My Sembcorp renovation project almost done. I would want to dedicate one time good blog post for that.

BUYINCASE had been set up and running, would like to write that as well.

However today, I like to brag about my new impulse purchase. I brought an OPC car, yeah! I have been thrifty for too long, i should have pamper myself a little. People ask me the reason to buy a car, simply say its to motivate me to thrive to earn more and pay for my liabilities.

Sharp 940sh, BB flip 8220, N8 Belle

There is risk in doing everything. Business investment or decision but its all about risk management. I love my new risk, exotic mobile collection. Iys like my life is on the line, a signal loss will lock up the Jap phone.

  
 

Sharp 940sh release in dec 2010. Totally killed N8 split second. Unforunately, media is locked down, gonna go unlock it by experts. Will this be an investment?

Finally hacked my N8 with Belle after a long thought. So unlock N8 to its full potential and I ask, is N8 xenon flash really worth me going this long a way? I thought no. N82 still ultimate and N8 still hasn't manage to replace my N82. Still love it.
 

Someone gave this Jap phone to me.



So now i am a official flip phone fanboy.

Now BB flip 8220. Finally I see some remarkable flips. With 3.5mm thats awesome, surprise to find stereo speaker loud and crisp, its almost the N95 level 85% as loud. Built in Wifi a big
Plus and music playback is Dr Dreably good. Remarkable. I hate its suretype keypad, its battery life and its camera. Or it lags too.

Ernest and I smelling fishy. Can we pull off??? Ciao night.

Olympus E-PL micro 4/3 pros over DSLR (sample shot)

Are we all getting tired with how DSLR present itself aesthetically? Its 2011 and people going crazy over DSLR everywhere. Luckily, the new Micro 4/3 comes to put ends to our misery. What we are looking is the Single Lens performance with retro looks and compact sizes. 

Micro 4/3 has many companies come together with standard lens that you can interchange in-between. It's open ecosystem ensure that even if you are Olympus, you are still enable to mount Panasonic, Lumix, Kodak etc 4/3 lens to it. For canon fanboy, do not be disappointed. There are also adapter rings for your to mount your favorite canon lens up. Nice~~

E-PL 1 in build censor shift right into its body, so you don't have to rely solely on expensive lens with Image Stabilization to get your blurriness picture. You will ensure crystal clear picture (3 stops) with any Tom Dick Harry lens. Mount the most peculiar lens up, the possibilities now are endless. Okie lah, bounded by your imagination. :) 

Anyway, this is only a preliminary introduction. Hit the sample picture that we took on day 1. 

p/s: We are camera noob....  

My mobile transcation log

3gs black -450 +580 = +130
N8 black -789 + 750 = -49
3gs white -600
W995 -90 + 160 = +70
N86 -270
N8 -550



-- Post From My iPhone

My little N8 Image explained

I am so sick, totally down with a stomach flu. Blame it on the Korean cold noodle I ate last Sunday. This lesson taught me not to act like one "cum some hamnida", no everyone can take their food cold/raw. That's a reason why people invented fire with a flint and a stone. Brighter note, I can take a long 5 day break to rejuvenate myself. Of course, people around me are worried, irritated by my poor health and losing concentration at study. The poor person who is worrying about me, I am sorry to have caused all the negativity. And thanks for chanting "Ah Mi Tou Fu" to hui xiang for me :)

The culprit for my stomach Flu "Korean cold noodle"

Recently we were into beading animal. We spent many hours of time and concentration to do the animal, everyone we put in our heart and soul. There why they are so live like. They are so alive that they BITE. Only the first one we did, sort of failed. We classified it as premature birth, and born with mild deformation. Poor seal... But as we became more experienced, the kitten, piggie, snowman and twitter bird are strong and healthy.





Whao, very long since I last updated. So long that Liping came for 6 weeks attachment at JI and now it was already 4 weeks into her new semester. Time really flies. Life moving on, still hunting aimlessly. When the one day that my life is finally orientated?

Dax & CLP (the intern)

Zhen Hao & Zhen Zi (the operation engineer)

When can you define a couple's honey moon period over? When both forgot about their anniversary.

Bought and Sold N8: Few days

Sembcorp shares jump from $3.7 (sold off rate) to $4.9: Few months

Me and Liping lovingly together: Few years and still counting.........

"Love doesn't really kick into the picture until the honey-moon period is over. There where people becaeme rational. And also the time to judge whether is it true love. Because true love will withstand the test of time." - Limbe say eh -_^

p/s: Picture above this line are not taken with Nokie N8, those below are.

Oh ya Some N8 photo sample:

Macro ModeLandscape mode
Portrait modeNight mode

I can't be bother to upload "flash in complete darkness" mode. You can very well expect crystal clear, noiseless, motion stopping high speed shutter image. Sharp, crisp and well exposured image from Nokia N8, it should well deserve a ISO 9001 engraved on its anodised high scratch resistance aluminium body.

1. Good xenon logarithm for even distributed shot.
2. Wide angle lens to fit more into the frame.
3. 1/1.83 sensor size (bigger than most of the standard Pt&Shoot Cam) for noise control
4. Carl Zeiss lens for maximum quality output.
5. Real Mechanical shutter for instant focus even under low light (0.5sec).

This is GODLY.. This is CRAZZZYYYYY!!!!!!! WAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH

My birthday celebration, 2010

I am one year older today. So ytd went celebrate with CLP at Wisma. Went Porter international to get my present, end up getting a sling bag instead of a waist pouch. And probably that will be my best present of my life, i love it so much. Muackzz.





Shortly after we went to the side and stumble upon Swendson, went in to indulge ourself with some ice cream. Since its my birthday to speak, i guess we could be a bit generous on the spending. We were really engross in watching Andy lau's MV and end of the meal, we just walked out without paying for the ice cream. Funny thing was when we walk pass the manager, he still thanks us for having our meal there while I just replied with a "welcome". Opppsss!!!!!!



Walking out for our dinner below wisma at the live band resturant, I couldn't remember the name thou, but that was the classist resturant i wanted to dine in for a long time. Accomplished! And yes, we did remember to pay for the dinner. :) thanks again for my dear who paid for it. She insisted to pay of course.






Thanks all buds who wish my happy birthday on my FB. Thanks, you all had made me felt important. It a very general gesture I know, but it meant a lot.

-- Post From My iPhone

My Okley glasses

Okley Tumbler series... AO lens, multi coat and ultra thin.

Brought $230 where RRP is $460.