龙在江湖。。。

to all my frenz in the dragon(boat) world...all the best for the regatta at bedok reservoir on 1 and 2 july...are you ready??? paddles UP!!!

i haf got mail again...

from AIG...a S$600 cheque...wow!!!....in payment for the claim for the flight delay at Lukla aiport, Nepal and the theft at Laos border....it was a pleasant surpise...reallie...thot my claims would be unsuccessful as i filed them very late, 4 months after i returned home....jus when i needed money, it came....ahhhh.......thanks AIG!!!

i haf got mail!!!!

postcard from england...thanks to kanglin
gift from china...thanks to 小强
so touched by the thoughfulness

more team fotos...

the women in nanning race....also with us are the drummer and coxswain from guangxi ethnic university and left rower from beihua university...

and the mens...

 

China Dragonboat Race...some photos of the team...

 

life after "death"....

sean said that 我真是傻人有傻福。。。confirms that i am 傻人!!! sean told that now that i was given a second chance to live...i must “好好作人”。。。
liping says no more swimming in the river for me...
henry called me to scold me, "silly ass, anyhow swim in the river!!!"he was angry!!!...silly ass....
xinhui said that i sent a pain down her spine...
i went to 四马路temple to pray the next day after i touched down singapore...
i did not tell mother that i almost drowned in the river...

and i must live life such that if i die the next min...i would haf no regrets...

被救上岸后。。。

被救上岸后。。。小强与我。。。我肚子有好多水哦。。。在我们身后就是玉龙河。。。咱们的宝贵生命差点就被这条河夺走了。。。还好有当地人相助。。。我们有了重生的机会。。。没有后悔下去河里游泳。。。因为这件意外再次提醒了我。。。生命有多么多么的短暂。。。而我也在阳朔结识了生死之交。。。真是难得。。。

~ life's reallie short...make it reallie sweet...

they saved our lives...谢谢。。。

the local chinese whom saved our lives!!!!!

the boatmen from “兴隆码头”whom saved us...next time go yangshuo must rent bamboo raft from them...may their business prosper!!!

if not for the local chinese whom came to our rescue swiftly....tink we would have drowned in the river....the locals are actuallie boatmen from “兴隆码头”。。。the locals had told siew lan that we cannot swim in that river....but we already went down to swim....cannot swim in the river as last few days it was raining a lot in yangshuo and the water level had raised much....and because of that the boatmen all parked their bamboo rafts at the jetty and did not go pick passengers as there were too much water in the river for bamboo rafting....that's why they can be around to save us....if not, no one can come to our rescue.... 船夫们。。。村民们的救命之恩。。。我有无限感激。。。

one of them told QQ that someone had drowned in that river before....that someone whom drowned had very good water sense....

QQ told that he had a reallie hard time swimming across the other bank...and he wanted to tell us not to go down...but before he could tell us about it...we were already down in the river...he got a shock of his life when he saw us getting sucked to the bridge...but he was still in the river swimming....when he got to the other bank...he quickly ran up to the bridge and called for help...for him..no time to catch his breathe...

tink siew lan was scared stiff...when i was underneath...underwater...she said, “如果我有事，怎么跟我妈妈交待???"....i am sorry to have made her so worried!!!!she said she thot of jumping down to help us....but then jump down oso no use....cos would also get stucked....glad that she did not jump down.....

i also came to know that xiaoqiang dived underwater to search for me when i submerged...but he could not find me...he told that he felt me brushed against his leg...when he reached out to grab me, he could not catch me...then he took a deep breathe and dive under to look for me....but still could not find me....and instead he kanna tossed as if he was in a washing machine...he described, “水好像洗衣机般”。。。我们这次没死，我们说好以后要重游此地。。。

救我的人也包括sean。。。想再见见他。。。拼命游上来。。。
sean跟我说过。。。当我最需要帮忙时。。。最能帮到我的人就是我旁边的人。。。果然。。。
这句话我从没忘过。。。而每次意外都让我更紧记这句话。。。。

阳朔玉龙河历险记。。。吓篇。。。

i was being sucked and trapped under the bridge...both of us were trying to stay afloat...we were stucked there...could neither swim out or climb up....i was not holding on to xiaoqiang anymore...i saw siew lan on top of the bridge...i did not call for help but xiaoqiang did...xiaoqiang was more panicky than i was...i remained cool..though i was drowning anytime!!!...siew lan noticed that we were in danger...tink she shouted, “快点上来！！很危险！！！”but we were stucked and could not get out of the dangerous situation....i did not reply to siew lan cos wanna save all my breathe and energy i had left....trying to stay afloat as long as i could...i submerged for awhile..whole head and body went under water but i managed to emerge....before i could catch a huge breath....suddenly and very fast i was sucked under water again...felt i got pulled under and i dun haf control over it...it happened very fast...my hand brushed against xiaoqiang's leg when i was sinking....but i could not hold on to him neither could he grab hold of me....i was sinking really fast....i opened my eyes to look wat's underneath...no bottom one!!!.....i could not touch the ground...i was tinking to myself...i was going to die already...if i keep sinking...i am going to die deep in the river....but i was still very conscious and alert...water did not get to my brain yet....then suddenly i thot to myself...“不是吧，难道就这样死了？？不会吧？？”was i not going to see sean ever again???i thot of sean....thot that if i die...i would never see him again....and i dun wan that to happen...i wanted to see him again...i am not going to just sink and die...so i tilted my head upwards...my eyes neber close a wink....i haf to use googles when swimming in the pool but not this time...dunnoe why....i still get to see some light from above though the water is a bit murky (not like milo but like horlicks).....visibility not too good....i quickly swim upwards...using my arms only...my head looking upwards all the time....i could see more light...as i swam...i was tinking...i wanna see sean again....that gave more energy i guess.....it took me at least 5 strokes before i surfaced again!!!!!....at last i surfaced!!!!i am alive!!! neber die!!!!

and all these while underwater i held my breathe...i was very calm throughout...my heart beat did not increase....and i know very well what i was doing and what to do....though it was my first time drowning!!!...very glad that i did not panic at all.....i did not blow any bubbles cos i still had enough breathe to last me underwater...i kept my mouth tightly closed and did not drink any water...luckily i had enough breathe to last....tink diving lessons helps....i learnt to tilt my head when i surface.....learnt to blow bubbles slowly during pool sessions and the drills....though i dun need to blow bubbles yet.....if i had panicked....tink i would die faster before i knew it.....

when i surfaced...i saw xiaoqiang....glad that he's okie...i saw many people on the bridge too....they were the locals and they were holding on to bamboos reaching out to us....those long sturdy ones which they used to steer the bamboo rafts....so many bamboos for me to hold on...i chose the nearest one and held on to it...and the villagers oso threw me a life vest...i jus put over my head...din tie the life vest properly...so complicated....if i let go of the bamboo to tie the life vest properly tink i would go underwater again....initially both my hands held on to one bamboo...and waited the villagers to pull me up...they signalled to me their right side of the bridge....as if they gonna move me to the right bank with the bamboo....but tink quite impossible...cos half of my body was still in the water...a lot of water resistance...the villagers kept telling me when i was in the water, “放心,不要紧张,不要紧张。”。。。i replied, “好！！好！！”and signalled to them "ok" sign using my right hand...though i very scared i lose grip and fall into the water again...i tried holding on to 2 bamboo poles...diversify...but then tink not as secure as holding on to one bamboo...so i changed...so many patterns...hahhaa...i oso attempted to climb up the bamboo pole on my own...but cannot...never do weights not enough strength....so i gave up climbing up on my own..in case i fell and drown..i waited patiently for the villagers to rescue me...at the same time ensuring them that i am okie....the villagers were very smart...they found a rope and very fast they used the rope to tie a bowline...and threw to me....my head and body went thru the rope..until the rope is on my waist...still holding on to the bamboo....and they pulled the rope to pull me up...slowly and steadily...i held on to the bamboo to help them pull me up...they must have used a lot of strength!!!!i am not light!!!!...for xiaoqiang...he is rock climber...no need assistance...he climbed up on his own using the bamboos like spiderman....and both of us were rescued!!!!.....we were alive!!!!

when i was up...there were a lot of pple in front of me...quite overwhelming...i needed to hug someone!!! but i did not hug the locals cos they all men!!!...i called for siew lan...siew lan...cos i tink she would the most worried person...and she appeared from behind the locals... crying...i hugged her and told her, “我没死..."siew lan scared til she cried and kept repeating,"我看到你沉下去，吓死我了！！！”i replied...“放心。。我没事。。。我没死。。。不要哭。。。”but tink at that moment she was still traumatised to stop crying...

i saw xiaoqiang too...he appeared from behind too....tink his eyes a bit teary...but i never say to him, "dun cry"...he stretched out his arms to hug me....i pat him....啊。。还好我们没死...实在太幸运了！！！

i dunnoe why...may be the so-close-to-death incident did not sink in to me yet...i was still able to laugh and joked right after i was rescued...QQ was amazed that i dun seem affected or traumatised....i kept telling them...i am full...drank a lot of water....i was reallie full with river water...a few cups of horlicks???....

world without strangers...

 

阳朔玉龙河历险记。。。Part I

after our claypot lunch...we rode our electric motorbikes to yulong river...QQ and xiaoqiang brought us there to swim in the river....the scenery at yulong river is beautiful...better scenery as compared to the cruise along Li Jiang....so siew lan was busy snapping away...
all looked calm and peaceful...before we went down to swim...while on the bridge, xiaoqiang asked if i can swim...i told him, "i can swim, but i can only save myself."

QQ was the first to jump into the river...we did not realize that he had a hard time swimming from one bank across to the other bank of the river...asked siew lan if she was going down..she told that she would go down later...she had not taken enough photos....

so i went down to the river from the platform as above, xiaoqiang followed me...i remembered the water was very cold...though i am fully clothed...it was still very cold...tink i need wet suit...hahahaha....anyway i tried to swim across to the other bank...away from the bridge too...

however i could not swim much distance...tink i was in the middle of the 2 banks and i realised no matter how i swim...i could not move forward...instead i was being dragged backwards towards the bridge!!!xiaoqiang...was further from the bridge than me...seeing being sucked towards the bridge...he shouted, “快！快点游过来！！！”i replied, “我游不过去！”i was still afloat and tink i drank a gulp of water while replying to him...xiaoqiang seeing that i was unable to swim over, swam towards me and pulled my hand...to pull me towards him but tink i did not move much...instead he was much nearer to the bridge now....i held onto his shoulder for a while...and when both of us were not swimming...we were sucked very quickly towards the bridge...seeing that the situation was not right...xiaoqiang panicked and shouted for help...i did not shout for help...i was trying to stay afloat and also dun wanna pull xiaoqiang down...tried to tread water with xiaoqiang right next to me...drank a few more gulps of water...was thinking if i m going to drink more water til my lungs get drowned..who would be able to do CPR for me???...and wat if i m unconscious...who can do CPR to retrieve me???i must stopped drinking water to stay alive!!!

i am removing my braces todae...not...

aiya....supposed to remove my braces this morning...but still not ready...need to wear rubber band...may be next visit can removed???...so i get to see my orthodontist again...and also choose colours for the studs....chose brazil colours this time...green and yellow....

与死亡插身而过。。。

玉龙河历险记之前。。。忙着照相。。。

电的单车。。。玉龙河。。。

砂锅饭后，我们四位租了两辆用电操作的单车。。。骑到村里较少车的路后。。。小强让我式式驾电的单车。。。但我的方向感有点差劲喔。。。歪来歪去的。。。还好没跌进别人的菜园或小沟里。。。我们骑到了玉龙河。。。就是要在玉龙河游泳的。。。我们骑到了河的对岸。。。然后把电的单车停在河岸边。。。准备跳进玉龙河游泳了。。。

攀岩后。。。砂锅饭。。。

攀岩后。。。我想才下午两点。。。还有时间去租电的单车。。。没玩过。。。想式式看。。。小强offered to be our guide to bring us around the village...he asked QQ along and they said that we can swim in 玉龙河。。。大伙都饿了。。。QQ recommended us to try claypot rice...we chose the vegetables and meat as ingredients ourselves....initially i thot what i chose would be thrown inside the claypot and cook together with the rice....but i was wrong....they actually fried the ingredients which i had chosen in a separate dish....and in the claypot there is onli rice....so in the end, we had 4 huge plate of vegetables and meat....but still it was yummy!!!all for 19 yuan....and dessert after lunch was a peach!!!i felt like i was monkey god..... 

毫无技术的攀爬。。。我都是用力的。。。哈哈。。。

已有好久好久没rockclimb了。。。之前 rockclimb 也只是ad hoc 的。。。所以我觉得我爬得一点美感也没有。。。只要可以爬上去就是了。。。不管形象了啦。。。不过我们还是玩得廷开心。。。

小强与QQ。。。

我们就搭公交车到攀岩的地点。。。还好天气好没下雨。。。真是难得。。。。我们得走过一条积了水的路才能到岩石角下。。。还好我们都穿着拖鞋喔。。。小强带了他的好友QQ一起去攀岩。。。小强是在越南出世的华人。。。两三岁就来到中国。。。而QQ是山东人。。家在烟台。。。他们俩都是为了攀岩而来到阳朔的。。。。

攀岩在阳朔。。。

that night when i went back to the room...siew lan was watching the memoirs of a geisha dvd which i bought earlier in the day...asked her if she's keen to go rockclimbing the next day...but she was not too ken then...so i thot is okie...dun wanna force...i m okie to go alone...i would like to rock climb in yangshuo though it has been ages since i last rock climbed...next morning i woke up early at 7am to pack my bag as we r supposed to check out that day...asked siew lan again if she's keen to go to rock climb...surprisingly...she said "去咯！！！”。。。i was so happy!!!够爽快!!!i like!!!....so i went to call the guy and arranged to go for rock climbing at 9.30am...and he gave us a further discount...rmb 120 each person...

we had a quick breakfast and off we go to a cliff opposite the butterfly museum to rock climb...

some sights in yangshuo...xijie...

 

阳朔。。。让我毕生难忘的地方。。。

read the straits times this morning...on home page 1 reads singaporean dies in car accident in canada...tragic end to work-holiday trip...ohh my...reminds me so much of wat happened on 8 june 2006...i almost died too....

i was in china for some dragonboat races...and after the dragonboat races...the rest of the rowers returned to singapore...except for siew lan and me who extended our stay in china for a few more days...

we reached yangshuo in guangxi province, china on 6 june 2006...yangshuo is a backpacker's heaven with nice guesthouses and ang moh pubs and cafes...for pple to lay back and do nothing over a cup of coffee....yangshuo is like a smaller version of lijiang old town....however each has its own 特色。。。

the next day in yangshuo we did not do much as it was raining the whole day..we stayed in a guesthouse with a nice balcony but then it was so rainy that we did not make use of our balcony...we hung our clothes on the balcony to dry in the end we had to wash the clothes again cos clothes got more wet after the rain...grrr.....

on that day....i decided to go on separate ways with siew lan....as i would like to travel alone for a day...to haf some time on my own...still miss travelling alone at times...it was very therapeutic!!!....thanks to siew lan for understanding that...reallie appreciate it...went to run some errands like gg to the post office and burning my fotos into CD...that rainy afternoon...i spent more than 1 hr in the dvd shop choosing dvds and music cds...in the end i spent RMB210 on 18 dvds and 4 music CDs....my race cash prize gone!!!....met up with siew lan at night for pizza dinner...and after that siew lan went back to watch tv...while i went for a walk in west street...found this cafe which has a boulder wall inside..interesting....but i did not ask much...cos the owner does not seem friendly...walked out and went to the spiderman climbing shop opposite...on rockclimbing...i was drawn to the fotos on the wall actuallie...no intention to rock climb...but this guy came to talk to me and said that i looked like that i am a very good climber...which is bullshit...i din say bullshit lahh...but i told him that i dunnoe how to climb...he asked if i m keen to rock climb in yangshuo...rockclimbing in yangshuo is new to me....din know that rockclimbing is a very popular sport in yangshuo...but i told him that i would be leaving yangshuo the next day...may not have time to climb...but he told that i can go for the half day 4hrs session in the morning...for RMB180...he gave me his contact no...and secretly told me that if his frenz and him bring me to climb...and not thru the spiderman shop i need not pay so much...i pay only rmb150...he told me that he would ask his frenz if he would be free tmlo and lemme know later...he asked for my guesthouse and said that he would come and look for me to confirm with me after he knocked off work at 11pm... i did not commit to go for climbing there and then..cos tinking of asking siew lan along too...he did come to look for me at 11plus that night but i still did not commit to go rockclimbing...told him that i would call him tmlo morning if i am gg...this guy is called 小强。。。

大难不死，必有后福???