The Land of Smiles Once Again

It's already Xmas, and it has been more than 1 month since I last updated my blog. Wow, time really flies. It's not that I was lazy... I just didn't have the mood to. (Actually, yeah, I was kind of lazy...) I don't know how many people still read this blog, but I'll still update anyway. I think it's sort of... meaningful(?).

And before that, let me wish everyone a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.

Let me start with my Thailand trip in December. I just came back this Tuesday morning from the Land of Smiles. Basically I went there for 3 country friendly tournament, but the results were not really satisfactory. This is my second time participating in this tournament if I'm not wrong, and the last time I got champion. And this time, I was aiming to get it again, and I had some sort of confidence. However, I didn't manage to do it... Anyway, here's what happened...

17th December Thursday

The competition started on the 18th, and we went to Bangkok one day earlier. This time it was Singapore airlines, so the flight was much more comfortable. Again it took us 2 hours to get there. Those in the Singapore team include me, Karen, Munyi, Shi Hao, James, Zhixiong, Genial and Hansiong. Mr Poh and Mr Chua came along with us. Actually I wanted to spend the time on the plane to relax, but James and Shi Hao had a very nice Life and Death book, so I spent the time doing questions on the books. 

When we reached Tara Park it was already quite late, but we were not ready to sleep yet. Immediately all the guys went out to the 7-Eleven to buy food and miscellaneous stuff. While myself, being lazy to walk, just stayed inside the room to browse through the database. When they came back, I told Genial that this database is very good, and asked him whether he could give me. He said by right he will need to charge people for the database, but if I got champion for this compy he would give me. I said, why not, I've got nothing to lose. Well, in the end, I failed to meet that requirement...

Anyway, we were still not ready to sleep! After taking a shower, James, Hansiong, me and Genial gathered in James' room to play cards, which were apparently bought in 7-Eleven. At first we were playing Tai Tee (Big 2), but Genial suggested we play bridge. I agreed, but the problem was James and Hansiong didn't know how to play bridge. So we tried to teach them how to play. Shi Hao joined in also, acting as the advisor for James and Hansiong. They were all smart people, and learnt the rules quite fast. (Well, maybe it took them some time...) Very soon the bids were getting higher and higher, with Hansiong bidding until 10 no trump (lol, classic =D). It was a fun night with all of us laughing away. In the end we slept at 2 plus am.

18th December Friday

The competition only starts in the evening, so basically we had nothing much to do during the day. The staff there told us that breakfast is at 7 am, so we all woke up before that and gathered in the hall. However, we waited until around 7.30 am before the staff came out and said breakfast is ready... To think I actually woke up so early. Usually I don't even wake up before noon, you know. But luckily the breakfast was good enough to ease our anger. After breakfast all those who stayed up late the previous night went back to sleep...

Woke up again at around 11 am. All of us including Mr Poh and Mr Chua went to this place called Health Land nearby to get a full body thai massage. Yes, the very same massage that I had the last time I came, just that it was done in a different branch, and that time it was done at night. Maybe because this time I was really tired, and the TV was also not switched on, so I fell alseep. What I didn't expect was not I didn't even realise the massage lady was turning my body over! I didn't feel a thing! When I woke up the lady had left already, and I felt as though I had skipped the whole part. But Shi Hao, who was having the massage beside me, said he saw me flipping over. What a weird experience...

After the massage was shopping time. We went to the Central Plaza nearby and shopped until 4 plus pm. Had lunch at a restaurant which was meant more for Chinese people. There were a lot of interesting dishes there, such as Gyoza Samurai and The Bomb... I tried the Yellow Curry with Rice, and it tasted quite nice. Apparently all the dishes were spicy to some extent, and Munyi couldn't take it. 

For the shopping, I didn't buy anything much except for Luffy's strawhat. Zhixiong bought one also. We are comrades indeed, haha. Suddenly there were 2 Luffy's in the Singapore team. Shi Hao bought 2 shirts, and it was almost time to leave already.

Went back to Tara Part for the opening ceremony. All the usual faces were there, including Ms Vantanee and Mr Shi. Some professors whom I saw during the last competition joined this time as well. And the strongest player from Thailand was undoubtly Mod, or Apidet Jirasophin. If I'm not wrong, he got quite a high ranking in the Asian U-Go Tournament, and I didn't get a chance to play him that time. This time, I would definitely get a chance. But I didn't expect the chance to come so fast... I actually met him in the first round! If it's not fate, then it must have been pre-arranged... I can say that this game will almost decide who will be the champion... I wasn't really mentally prepared... But it's ok, as the next day we will be playing 4 games, so it'll be better to play him while I'm in a good condition. I started our game with that thought in mind. 

The game was progressing quite smoothly, and even though I didn't make the best moves, I was still leading. But maybe because it was too smooth, I always had the thought that I was leading, and when I realised that I may lose it was already too late. This shows my judgement problem, and it was a weakness on my part. In the end I could do nothing to salvage the situation, and watched as the game ended with me losing by 8.5 points. That's a huge loss... I didn't expect to lose by so much... I was too careless in the middle game. The feeling was like my whole purpose of going there was denied...

Well, what's done cannot be undone. Since I lost 1 game, it's almost impossible for me to get champion already. Therefore the rest of the games didn't really matter to me anymore, and I could play with a more relaxed mind. That night I also slept quite late, playing cards, watching James, Zhixiong, Shihao and Suzanne from malaysia play pair go and eating cup noodles. 

19th December Saturday

This day was a busy day. We had to play 4 games and after that there's still closing ceremony. For that day, I wasn't prepared to lose, but I wasn't prepared to win either. (Sounds chim, huh.) It was more of the "anything lah" attitude. I had a hard time for some of the games, but luckily still managed to win all 4. Some of my team mates also did quite well, but on the overall, we still lost to Malaysia and Thailand. Hence in the end Singapore got Group 3rd, Malaysia 2nd and Thailand 1st. What a big difference from the 1st time I joined this comp...

Anyway, this was just a friendly tournament, so the results didn't really matter. What matters is that we had a wonderful time playing Go together, and having a great chance to come to this wonderful place. As for my Go skills, all I need to do is to train more! 

After the closing ceremony there was a teaching game conducted by Mr Shi. From the Singapore team me and James played. Actually I wasn't really serious in this game also, and in the lost by a lot. But it was nice to see other people trying their best to beat the teacher. Once again, that night concluded with us playing bridge.

20th December Sunday

This day is the day we toured around Pattaya. We left Bangkok quite early with all our luggage, and reached the hotel in Pattaya called Zign at around 10 plus am. It was a very beautiful hotel which was just near the sea, and from my room you can get a very nice view of the beach and the sea. The swimming pool was also very beautiful, so beautiful that we even played bridge beside it. I also went to swim together with Shi Hao and Genial, and walked along the beach after that. What a nice way to spend a holiday.

We also went to this place called the Floating Market, where many of the things were sold on boats and the whole place was filled with water. Had traditional chinese dumplings for lunch, and walked around the place. Too bad we didn't get a chance to ride on the boats. At night, we went to a restaurant along the beach to have dinner. The sunset was very beautiful, and having a dinner while hearing the sound of sea waves is so romantic. If I had a girlfriend I would definitely bring her there. The dinner was also very yummy with lots of sea food, some which I never even see before. Poor Zhixiong who couldn't take seafood... Haha.

After dinner we went to watch a show called Tiffany's show. It was performed by "Thai girls", who were... not really girls. I don't think there were any real girls on stage. Nevertheless their beautiful costumes and the elaborate set-ups still earned our applause. After the show James and Shi Hao even went to take photo with 2 of the "girls".

Went back to hotel after that, and once again it was bridge time. It was kind of a waste to sleep, especially when you know that you'll be leaving the next day...

21st December Monday

I wanted to wake up for breakfast. In fact I did wake up at 8 am. However after that I went back to sleep, and when I woke up again it was too late for breakfast already... Both me and Hansiong missed the breakfast, which was hyped to be very very delicious. Indeed, I shouldn't have missed any meal in such a nice hotel...

We played bridge until 11 plus am, before we packed our luggage and checked out of the hotel. We had our lunch at this MK restaurant, and the food was steamboat. Strangely they just used boiling water and didn't put any base inside, but well it was still quite nice. At one moment there was music and the waiters and waitresses started dancing along the music. It was so funny.

Went to shop at this Outlet Mall after that. We were all separated, and I bought a Jeans and 3 shirts. At around 4 plus pm, we proceeded to the air port.

At the air port we bid farewell to Ms Vantanee and Mr Shi. After that we checked in and did our last shopping inside the airport. Actually there was nothing much to buy, because most of the stuff were branded... I only bought some tibits. In the end I was still left with a few thousand bahts...

This time, I could really relax on the flight. I watched a movie called "Accident" because it looked quite good, but in the end it proved to be a lousy show... I could have spent my time watching a better movie. But well, the graphic is not so good anyway.

22nd December Tuesday

Reached Changi Airport at 12.30 am. Back to Singapore.

All and all, this trip was very fun and enjoyable. The food was nice, the people were nice, the accomodation was nice, and the scenary was nice. We also spent many fun nights playing bridge and eating potato chips. The only regret I have is the game... Maybe if I had done better in the first game, our results could have been better. I had disappointed Singapore once again... Hopefully, next time, I will be able to do a better job. And next year, let us clinch the Group Champion!