Amritsar

After this trip, I hereby pronounce myself a spoilt individual of an ultra comfortable, civilised society, whom will not survive outside of it for long.
Shame on me >.<"

Simple things like clear, odourless running water, toilet paper, clean public toilets, electricity etc etc, we've taken for granted.

This is how fortunate we are as Singaporeans.
Being there, i feel rich already.

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I was the only chinese girl on this flight and was damn worried noone would go out, so i brought quite a bit of dry stores and magazines to last me the 2 days, in case i'm really left stranded in the hotel!

Fortunately, i didn't have to worry cos seems like Amritsar's a pretty rare flight, as some of them with so many yrs of flying is the first time there too.

The 4 first timers to Amritsar, including myself. On the way to the change of guards parade at the border.


Their roman-like hats were much of an amusement to us!


The Pakistani side of the viewing gallery for the change of guard parade.


The gate at the border. Beyond which is Pakistan.


Look at the crowd! Doesn't it feels like a national day parade? LOL...


The people just love to dance. With all the Joo-lee Joo-lee influence, i've start to find Punjabi music adorable!


A few of the viewers would taken turns to snatch the flags, run to the gate and wave it fervently at the other side, as if challenging the other party. Vice versa for the Pakistanis.

Heard that the parade used to be pretty violent and antagonistic when the political situations bewteen the 2 countries were hostile.



Our guides cum tanslator from the hotel.

They are damn nice towards us lor... Could feel that the hotel value our business =9

The fence separating India and Pakistan.

According to Captain, the lights that runs along this border is soooo visible, that they could see it when flying across the continent at 30 plus thousands feet. *WOW*

Then we went like, "they rather spent so much $ to light up the border than to help poor people?!?!?!?"

Hiak....

Back to the hotel to Bang-Jio before heading out again to the Golden temple.
Having to cover my hair before entering the temple.









While Q-ing to get into the holy temple in the centre of the pool.

Super crowded cos it's their new year: Vaisakhi day.
Ya and we happened to be there. =9

Spot the sleeping birds on the tree.

Still couldn't believe it, they look unreal!

A pic with the station manager.

This is a first for many of us cos the SM actually hangs out with the crew! And also because it's the company that makes a difference, it is his 8th time to the temple! Haha...

The crew then decided to try the road-side sweet soda water. Making in the process.


The guide Simram bought this ultra sweet fried pretzels for us from them. It was the sweeeeeetest thing i've ever had in my life. Liquid sugar was practically oozing out when you take a bite.


Shopping for mangos the next day!

I decided to make my mum happy by getting a few. Cos she was naggingly persuading me before i left for the flight to get the oh-so-famous Indian mangos back.


Wild boars roaming the streets!

Really felt like magic-clawing them =9
If you play Maple Story, you'll get what i meant.

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This trip had been fun. A refreshing experience indeed. Something different from what i usually see in other cultured and beautiful cities.

It was the people that makes the difference. Especially S, his zest and passion for travelling is really influencial. "Been there, done that" is never in his dictionary, cos there's simply too much to say you've completed everything. There's always something new.

Thus, ~Keep Discovering~

Italia - Roma

Perhaps it was the nature of my job, i totally have no idea when's a holiday nowadays. Therefore, i happily took my own sweet time to get ready before just hailing for a cab, thinking that Thursday night shouldn't have a problem.

It was after a long half hr wait and calling a cab then i realised it was the eve of Easter and the start of a long weekend. On top of it all, ECP was having a "massive jam" the sign board reads.
Great........ Like the cab driver says "I guess it is not your day" >.<" But nice guy he is, as he really tried his best to sped for me all the way to the airport.

I spent half an hour waiting to get on a cab and almost 45 mins to get to the airport. When i arrived, it was 5 mins to reporting, i almost died of heart attack. Not such a great start to meet my new set of colleagues.

Finally reached Italia.
Rome-ing on the first day =9



Colosseum.



That's rome on the first day, where the rich and famous are. Very tourist oriented place.

There were so many options for the second day: Vatican City, Pisa Leaning Tower and Nepales. But due to it being Easter, Vatican city doesn't sound so good afterall, and the unknown status of whether Pisa tower is under renovation anot, drove me towards the last option, i.e. Nepales.



Thus, the next day we chiong out, took a speed train and headed down to this Volcanic coastal area call Nepales, or Napoli.

There, it is a totally different side of Italy. Graffiti everywhere in the slums-like city. Those rugged looking, ruffled hair, spotting aviator shades and thick side-burns, mafia-look-a-like guys on the streets constantly makes me feel very uneasy.

Anyway our final destination was to this place off the shores of Napoli: Capri Island.
It was was recommended by a FO who had travelled widely during his uni days somewhere in Europe.

Capri Island to the Italianos, is like sentosa to us, except that it is more scenic and much bigger. The tourist season is starting to pick up. Although the weather is still chilly and wanting to show off their bikinis is not possible yet, the ships are already ferrying herds of tourists there.

I've never heard of this paradise island from any Asians, unlike how Phuket is widely known to the Causasians. Most of the Asian tourists we met there are mostly Japanese and Taiwanese.







Breath-taking ya? Looks like Athens rite? Although i haven been there Heh~


Map of the Island.


The Capri Centro. So many tourist right?




And what truely amazed me, was that you'll find a little Milan on this island!
The walking street in Capri Centro, from Prada and Salvatore Ferragamo to their local brands. If not for the mountainous backdrop, you will find yourself forgetting momentarily that you're on Capri island!


I really don't mind going back again in sometime to come, when the beauty of the island beckons again. =)


Back in Roma. The heavily graffitised trains in Italy.


Till the next time i get to Rome-ing again =9
But the rough flight is not something i look forward to. I guess i won't be so lucky again like this time round.