It seemed surreal that I just bought the tickets last Sunday and hopped into the plane and train two days later. Surreal but real!
I wanted to take the train all the way from Kuala Lumpur to Chiang Mai, but due to the year end season, certain routes didn’t match my time and plan.
Left with not many choices, I had to fly to Bangkok and took the train to Chiang Mai.
Traveled from Suvarnabhumi Airport via Airport Link Rail to Makkassan station, changing to MRT to Hua Lamphong Station.
Highlights of the day:
There is a public shower in Hua Lamphong Train Station for TB20 (about RM2). How cool is that! Nothing luxuries but for locals and travelers alike, it is very convenient and refreshing!
Delicious pork egg congee at the stall next to the train entrance for TB30. Portion a tad too small but delicious.
The second class upper sleeper berth train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai was good, cheap, clean and comfortable. Although I would reckon a 6 footer might find the lower berth much more comfortable with bigger space. Only downside, it turned pretty cold as we ventured through the night.
Seats by day.
Sleeper berth by night.
There are places to keep your bags below the seats, but I just wanna keep my bag closed to me since I have my lappy and external hard disk in it. Plus there’s still plenty of room for me to sleep. For a 5’5″ lady.
For a 14 hours trip, I think it’s one heck of a good deal, plus saving a night’s stay at the hotel.
I’ve quoted before in my previous entries, on a good quote from a friend.
Those who learn about life on reflection or imitation are the wise people. Another way of learning is through the bitter experiences yourself. The unwise way, if unavoidable, but the best learning.
The above video is about Steve Jobs, giving his commencement in Stanford University in 2005.
There was three highlights that he touched on, which, I would like to reflect on.
1) Connecting the dots – on dropping out of college
“… You can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards. So, you have to trust that somehow the dots will connect your future. You have to trust in something. Your guts, destiny, life, karma; whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road, will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even if it lead you off the well worn path, and that would all make the difference…”
2) Love and lost – on losing and reunited with Apple
“… The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything…”
“… Sometimes, life gonna hit you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith…”
“…. The only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work and the only way to do great work is to love what you do…”
“… If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking and don’t settled…. Keep looking. Don’t settled…”
3) Death – when he was diagnosed with cancer
“… Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything – all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart…”
I felt strongly compelled to write this when I heard what he was saying.
Another true story that I read, quoted from Professor Morrie in ‘Tuesdays With Morrie’, gave a lot of insightful quotes.
“Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live.”
Do we need to have to face death tomorrow, only to start regretting not living our life the best before or today? If we can accept the fact that we’re going to die anytime, even tomorrow, then we’ll learn how to live. Life is so fragile because it is not our call to decide WHEN we want to die. Someone up there will do that decision, not when you feel like it, but when He feels like it. We have no authority on that. Absolutely none.
