5 Things to Do and Visit in Phuket

These 5 places to visit in Phuket are definitely not the only places/things to see in Phuket. They just make up some of what we managed in out short and sweet trip to Phuket - made even sweeter by our tour guide Ellie.

Fantasea, Phuket - This is a MUST MUST watch show - showing the history of Thailan with some incredible dramatics, theatre, amazing acrobatics, magic, etc. Watch out for the moment when all the livestock run across the stage! The fairground (the setting for the show) and its atmosphere make it really a 2-in-1 outing.

Phi Phi Islands - The coves, the emerald water, the snorkeling experience - wow. Includes the pristine beaches including the famous Maya Beach where the Leonardo di Caprio starrer, The Beach, was shot. Our trip included an additional attraction(???) of a hair raising speed boat ride! The trip is definitely not to be missed even if you can do without the speed boat ride...

Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island - James Bond island was made famous in the movie "The Man With The Golden Gun". The famous table top island forms a must backdrop for "I visted Phuket" snaps. The trip to James Bond Island is through the Phang Nga Bay. There was a stop to explore the rock formations and the mangrove islands by a canoe (thankfully steered by local experts). The stop at a floating Moslem fishing village for lunch completed the amazing day.

Floating Fishing Village

Simon Cabaret - If you have been to Thailand and not taken in a Lady boy show - you really have missed one amazing event in life. The Simon Cabaret is a classy muical extravaganza with a difference. the performers are all transvestites. Though looking at the exquisite ladies performing - one is hard pressed to believe it.

Phuket Island Tour and Patong Beach - many people dont prefer the Patong beach because of the crowd. Thats the many reason - the bustling beach is so attractive. A great place to just relax with a massage as one takes in the sights, sounds and smell of Phuket.

Oh there are a great many other places to visit in Phuket. But I did say i will talk about just 5 of them!

Holiday Bingeing Vs Holiday Diets

Every fitness site I have come across in the past few days seems to be concentrating on advise to keep the holidays calories down. Blogs like "How to have a calorie free holiday" or "holiday diets" to tips on "Holiday Eating Do's and Don'ts" are rampant online these days.

Why?

I mean I have been at it throughout the year, swimming, gymming, dieting, running...cant you just leave me alone these last few days of the year? Starting the new year, I know I will have to go at it again - so just sh$$#@ off.

So what have I had these last few days?

Plates of Biriyani (ummmm)
Cuttack Chaat (an awesome mix)
Samosas
Gujrati Mixture (funnily, a speciality of Cuttack)
Dahibara Aloodam
Gupchup
Avada
and loads of true oriya home cooked food like bhaja, khatta, mahura, santula

Who cares about the scales?

Unfortunately like all good things in life this culinary extravagance has to come to an end soon - when I leave home after the kids holidays:-( ...and back to checking where the scales tip...

James Bond Island Phuket

The famous table top rock at the James Bond Island, phuket, where Man With the Golden Gun was picturised.

Running a 10 km Race

I am preparing to run a race the coming Sunday. So many doubts and questions arise. I started hitting the gym seriously just a couple of months back. I was just a lazy lounging mom - before deciding to do something about my fitness. After roughly 7-8 weeks of gymming intermittently - I really do not know whether I am fit enough to do a 10 km - 10 kms of carrying my considerable body weight early in the morning with thousands of determined runners at a jogging pace.

Today I have been surfing for last minute preparations. I had some rough idea of starving myself the next 2-3 days to get my body weight down an extra kg or two - so as to run better. That seems to be a no no. All advise seem to suggest to eat proper (and not to think about weight now). The best I have run so far has been 3 odd kms on the treadmill at a stretch. That seemed to me an achievement last week! 10 kms? Will I cramp up mid stretch and an ambulance need be called. I am truly getting nervous! My calf and knee muscles also protest when I put in a bit of extra effort. At forty - and 15 - 16 kgs overweight - with flat feet - what else did I expect???

The best advise I found online was to run from telephone pole to pole and walk the next. Maybe I can cover the distance then. Walk, run, whatever - I want to finish the race, provided my knee, legs hold out.

So a week more of anticipation and nervousness. Wishing myself all the best! Will post update if I overcome my nervousness and get to the starting line.

PS - I still can't believe it! I completed 10 kms in 1 hr 25 mins odd and felt I had some to spare too!!! The couple of months of gymming and burning calories seems to have helped build stamina! As also the bootcamps!

All in all Adidas King of the Roads 2011 was an awesome run. The route was great and smooth with just the right gradient to make it interesting. The road was choc a bloc with colours befitting the theme. The pink, orange, yellow, blue Adidas vests all pounding away together made it really beautiful. Cant wait for my next run. Yoo Hoo!

A Few Malay Words You Will Need At The Grocer

Here are some common Bahasa Malaya words one needs to know when one goes shopping at the grocer.

Refined Wheat Flour - Tepung Gandum
Sugar - Gula
Salt - Garam
Rice Powder - Tepung Beras
Egg - Telur
Fish - Ikan
Chicken - Ayam
Milk - Susu
Coconut Milk - Santan
Banana - Pisang
Water - Air (pronounced a-eer)
Pepper - Lada
Chilli - Cili (C in Bahasa is pronounced as "Ch")
Bun Kosong - Plain Bun
Limah Ais - Ice Lemon drink
Tea - Teh
Tea with milk - Teh Tarik
Coffee - Kopi


If you are looking at local fruits be sure to buy "rambutan" and taste some Durian. Durian is a jackfruit like fruit that has got a distinctive odour and is an acquired taste. You can start with the peeled pieces available at the supermarket. Rambutan has a prickly cover and and a sweet sweet interior. Logan, Mangosteen and Dragon fruits are some other tropical fruits plentily available.

(Disclaimer - I am writing this blog as I learn Bahasa Melayu from what I see and hear. There are bound to be mistakes. Please leave a comment if you find any. I am trying to doublecheck what I write)

Ten Common Malaysian Greetings

Here are ten Malaysian phrases that is part of one's everyday life here. It mostly includes greetings to people.

Selamat Datang - Welcome - This is very common on sign posts as you enter a city or the country. the Malaysians are very hospitable and I know you will feel truly welcomed!

Terima Kasih - Thank You

Apa Khabar? - What is the news?

Sila Masuk - Please Come In

Jumpa Lagi - See You Again - You again encounter this phrase on the road.

Selamat Pagi - Good Morning

Maafkan Saya - Excuse Me; Beg Your Pardon

Dari Mana? - Where Are You From?; From where?

Khabar Baik - I am fine

Apa Nama Anda? Nama Kau Apa? - What is Your Name? The answer to which will be "Nama Saya Mamamia" - or my name is Mamamia.


I am really new to this language as I stay at Little India and have very little occasion to converse in Bahasa. So Maafkan Saya and please correct me anywhere you feel necessary!

Analyse Your Dreams

I just came across a very interesting website. The site www.dreamforth.com is a free online dreams analysis website. How does it work?

Dream Dictionary - The site has a dream dictionary where you find different terms and objects alphabetically and you can find what it means to dream of them.

Otherwise enter your dream and click interpret to find out what it implies.

Suppose you have dreamed of the sea. Find out what it means here at Dreamforth.com

http://www.dreamforth.com/search.php?query=sea&type=dreams&page=1

Don't know if it works or not or how much of the subconscious one gets to understand from the interpretation. Often one wakes up from a ridiculous dream and wonders what it could really mean. This dictionary might help! In my opinion, its quite a lot of fun - if you dont take it seriously!

My dreams are mostly long and protracted - nothing as simple as, for eg, a rose or the sea or goats - how does one interpret them? Maybe there are other sites out there.

Fifteen Malaysian Words for The Road

Here are some Malaysian words you will definitely encounter when travelling by road in the country. You will need to know them if you are self driving.

Tunai - If you are at the toll gates and dont have a "Touch and Go" or Smart Tag - better proceed to the counter which says "Tunai" meaning Cash.

Lebuhraya - Means a highway.

Pusat Bandar - City Center

Jalan - Road

Awas - Beware

Kecemasan - Emergency

Simpang - Junction

Selatan - South

Utara - North

jalan ditutup - Road Closed

Berhenti = Stop

Keluar - Exit

Masuk - Entry

Hentian Sebelah - Roadside stop or next stop

persimpangan - Intersection or "next exit" signs

Hope this helps!

Top 5 Reasons to Watch Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

Zingdagi Na Miliegi Dobara is Zoya Akhtar revisiting Dil Chahta Hai – though in an entirely different setting. If a tribute to Dil Chahta Hai was to be shot – ZNMD would fit the bill.

1 – Farhan Akhtar does an amazing job as the down to earth, irreverent, don’t give a damn guy. He is one of the main reasons the movie was so likeable. He excels in dancing and singing too as a huge bonus!

2 - The bonding between the characters – a lot has been said about this bonding. The times the trio spent on the set as “friends” comes across in the movie. None of the scenes seemed forced – even the emotionally heavy scenes come out naturally. Hrithik, Farhan and Abhay complement each other perfectly. Hrithik doesn’t get the heavy star treatment – and that makes all the difference. Katrina Kaif’s presence doesn’t let it be a tedious all-male show!

3 - The Spain road scene – Just traveling through a foreign locale, not just along the tulip route, adds a separate dimension. The movie travels through the narrow winding roads of small Spanish towns, from the beach to the mountains. It covers the colorful tomatina festival too with a “Bollywoodish” song!

4 - The Music – Whether it is the tomatina song “Ik Junoon”, Dil Dhadakne Do or the “Senorita” sung by Hrithik, Farhan and Abhay – the songs vibe with youthful energy. Shankar Ehsaan Loy with lyricist Papa Javed Akthar have ensured that the album will not soon be forgotten.

5. The entire package – Director Zoya Akhtar must be credited with making a sensible fast paced, lovable movie that is not just a soppy romance. The various nuances and layers to the funny dialogues add an extra dimension to this road movie. There are some straight adrenaline pumping scenes like a free fall from an aircraft, deep sea diving or a terrifying running with the bulls at the climax. However the fun and adventure is inter weaved into an emotional roller coaster as the trio face their fears and find out what they want from life while getting in touch with themselves. All as they negotiate the narrow roads of Spain.

Verdict – Must watch

10 Bahasa Melayu Malaysian Words

If you are a new visitor to Malaysia - there are some words you are likely to encounter frequently. Here are some words and their english meanings.

Buka - Open

24 Jam - 24 Hours

Keluar - Exit

Masuk - Entry

Makaanan - Food

Jawatan Kosong - Job Vacancy

Pintu - Door

Perempuan - male

Lelaki - Female

Tandas - Toilet