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If you like adventure and are brave and tough Lake Maninjau in Sumatra is perfect for you. Here you can fish, climb mountains, walk in rice fields , hunt wild pigs and swim in the lake. Or just relax by the lake and forget all about your problems (for a while)

Also, it's a cheap place to stay and eat.

Students here go to school on motor-bikes. If you can ride a bike, you can rent one very cheaply but if you crash don't blame me, OK?

For my stories about Lake Maninjau go to http://footlooseinasia.blogspot.com

2:40 PM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it | MY ADVENTURES

March 28

Travel adventures

If you are interested in travel tales and tips, do visit my blog at http://footlooseinasia.blogspot.com

I have decided to devote this blog specially for my backpacking trips.

2:47 PM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it | Travel

December 31

Happy New Year friends

10:03 PM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it | NEWS

MOVING HOUSE IN 2009

ANNOUNCMENT

This blog and all its rot will move house to my new blog at rogerpoh.wordpress.com

The chat and all the other rot will continue in Wordpress. However, the photos and book list will still live on in Spaces. Thank you for your presence and responses in my Space.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

SEE YOU IN 2009!

12:39 AM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it | NEWS

December 30

AFF Suzuki Cup - 5 reasons why Vietnam are the champion

So we have come to the end of yet another AFF Asean Cup, now renamed Suzuki Cup, and the losing teams might be wondering how they lost the plot and why Vietnam became the eventual champion.

There are 5 reasons why Vietnam are the champion:

1. their never say die attitude

2. their superior fitness

3. their focus to win

4. the belief in themselves

5. their fantastic fans (equaled to one extra player)

Well done, Vietnam. I’m happy for you though I’m not a Vietnamese.

Meanwhile, news reports say that Singapore’s Lions captain is considering joining Vietnam’s V-league.

12:29 PM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it | SPORT

December 29

Lord of the Field

Finally after 10 long years, Vietnam is the new Asean football king.

Luckily Vietnam won if not I would have to jump into Mekong River or thrown into it.

Congratulations Vietnam!

Well done!

7:47 PM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it | SPORT

December 25

SHAME ON SINGAPORE

Who is to be held responsible for this sorry and shameful episode in the AFF Suzuki Cup tournament?

The local papers in Singapore have been highlighting the soccer violence between Singapore and Vietnamese fans during the second-leg of the semi-final at the National Stadium.

Shame on the Singapore fans who attacked and abused the Vietnamese fans.

The FA Singapore and AFF have been complacent. Whether it’s violence on the field (e.g. Myanmar goalie pushing the ref) or violence involving fans, the authorities have not been doing enough. Haven’t they learnt how other FAs dealt with soccer hooliganism?

I’d like to apologise to Vietnamese fans for this disrespectful and disgraceful conduct of Singapore fans. People must learn to lose graciously.

C’mon, it’s only a game, a regional game at that. There’s always another tournament, right?

My sympathy is with Vietnam. So, I’ll be cheering for them in the final. May Vietnam be the champion.

1:35 PM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it | SPORT

December 23

THE ART OF HAPPINESS

Are you a happy person all the time, some of the time or never happy at all? If your answer is all the time, then are a remarkable person. If you are happy only some of the time you're perfectly normal as there are ups and downs in life.

We all suffer from the blues occasionally but we often bounce back.

A common cause of unhappiness is our greed for fame, status, money and material goods.

According to the Dalai Lama in his book THE ART OF HAPPINESS, we must learn contentment. Apart from this, we should also stop comparing ourselves with others who are better off than us. However, if you compare yourself with people worse off than you, then you'll consider yourself lucky and thus you can be happy.

Happiness, says the Dalai Lama, is a state of mind and your attitude.

6:54 PM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it | CULTURE AND BELIEFS

December 21

Do you want to be happy?

H.H. the Dalai Lama

The basic thing is that everyone wants happiness, no one wants suffering. And happiness mainly comes from our own attitude, rather than from external factors. If your own mental attitude is correct, even if you remain in a hostile atmosphere, you feel happy.

2:01 AM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it | INSPIRATION

December 20

Tell me, do you eat cats and dogs?

It is said that the Chinese eat anything on four legs except a table. I know they eat dogs. I have seen the poor dogs imprisoned in small cages in Yunnan waiting for buyers to turn them into a feast, purportedly to keep them warm during the winter months.

So news that they now eat cats hardly surprised me. But what surprised me was a group of Chinese demonstrating against this cat-eating spree. Perhaps, it has something to do with the economic crunch as cats are rounded up in a number of Chinese cities and sent to Guangdong.

The Chinese constantly brag about their 5000 years of history. But what's the use of this boast if one behaves in an uncivilised manner?

Shame on those who eat cats and dogs. Shame!

If you have been to China you'll notice a marked absence of bird life. Even house lizards are an endangered species.

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TRAVELS (BACKPACKING)

COUNTRIES / PLACES


Satun, Thailand (Nov, 2008) A small Thai town close to the Malaysian border. Thai muslims form than 60% of the population. Friendly relaxed locals. Charming old buildings. Ringed by mountains so many attractions lie outside town.

Mui Ne, Nha Trang (Vietnam) Oct 2008 Mui Ne - a four-hour bus journey from Saigon. A fast developing quiet sea resort. Small beach. Nha Trang - 8 hours by bus from Saigon. Beautiful long sandy beach. Friendly locals. Modern- looking town with a laid back ambience. A hotel boom is evident.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia A UNESCO Heritage site. Only reason why people visit this remote part of Cambodia. Imposing ruins under restoration. Angkor is just one part of a huge complex of temples. Takes you days to cover all. 12 km to bike to Angkor

VIENGTIANE (LAOS) Capital of Laos (Land of Rivers and Mountains). Apart from a few beautiful temples, not much else to offer. Has its own Arc de Triomphe. Riverside teems with eateries. Watch the locals feasting by the River Mekong at night. Bicycles avaiable for rent.

LUANG PRABANG (LAOS) UNESCO Heritage city. Unfortunately, almost every buidling is either a hotel, guesthouse or restaurant. Historic temples. Mekong River bank perfect for a cool beer and dining. Activities on river another attraction. Bicycles available for rent.

VANGVIENG (LAOS) SEE PHOTO ALBUM Rustic and very laid back. Outdoor: biking, tubing (floating down the river on a round tube) Indoor: watching TV serial "Friends". I suspect westerners take drugs here. Good and cheap accomodation (US 5 to 6) See photos.

INDIA Calcutta, Dehli, Jaipur,

PAI (THAILAND) PAI (north western Thailand, near Brumese border) - booming small town for western backpackers and locals. Countryside, cheap living, hill tribes, Yunnanese community main attractions. Cheap motorbike rentals. See Photos

LAKE TOBA MEDAN (SUMATRA, INDONESIA) - used to be notorious as a cowboy town but has shed this image. Brastagi - hill resort, ccol in evenings but grim-looking. Christian Batak area. Lake Toba - largest lake in SE Asia. Tourism is dead here. See photos.

Movie list


TROPIC THUNDER (D) Touted as the comedy of the year, this movie starring Ben Stiller is a huge disappointment. If the director thinks giving the audience a earful of 4-letter words every second constitutes movie-making, he is sadly deranged. Less said the better for my blood pressure.

STAR WARS, THE BATTLE OF THE CLONES (E) I was conned by the title to watch what turned out to be a pure animation movie for kids! The only saving grace was that there weren't any kids around but other equally conned adults. You'll enjoy this movie if you have never outgrown your childhood.

MAMA MIA (C) A musical based on ABBA hit songs. Entertaining if you're an ABBA fan. Streep's performance saves the movie. The surpirise is the appearance of James Bond Bosman.

THE QUANTUM OF SOLACE (A+) The latest James Bond movie starring Daniel Craig as 007. Non-stop actioner with superman Bond emerging from every impossible situation without so much as a scratch. Never a dull moment. This is what movies are about really -escapism.Newsweek magazine picks Goldfinger as the best Bond movie ever and Sean Connery as the best James Bond. I agree.(Nov 08)

The Mummy: tomb of the dragon emperor (B) More of the same if you have seen the earlier Mummies. Echoes of Lord of the Ring. Only for those with nothing better to do like those on a Sabbatical. Aug 08

The Dark Knight (A) Watchable action flick but what is new? Watched it at Genting Highlands. Was shivering in the cold.Only thing memorable. Aug 08

The Incredible Hulk (D) Hulk and another clone Hulk battle it out. July 08

Guestbook

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: MY SPACE HAS MOVED TO http://rogerpoh.wordpress.com (general blog)

For travel blog go to http://footlooseinasia.blogspot.com

Add a comment

	auntie oscarwrote: hello uncle with a cat. thanks for dropping by my blog. I like your photos~! Vietnam ones specially. :-) Nov. 29
	legit matewrote: ah you use a nikon, well there lens are great the most important part eh! a few of the photo's on my space are from a nikon 6mill and a few more from a kodak 7mill, which i stood on LOL, hence i have the canon now, i see they're realising a 10 million canon ixus with the viewfinder. .........no idea if it'll be much better than ixus 7million. I did research this camera alot, it was well worth the money and ive noticed that everyone ive met with the ixus are always smiling Nov. 28
	legit matewrote: hello again , thanks for your comment's on my pic's, i got a cannon ixus70 it's a small a s pack cards but quick on the draw, never leaves my side now, not so good at low light though. still it beat the olympus 8million allweather camera easily. and yourself what are you using for all those fab' pic's Nov. 27
	trevorwrote: Nov. 26
	legit matewrote: Great pictures !, sure makes me want holiday there Nov. 26

Profile

ROGER

Occupation

Pirate of the Straits of Malacca

Interests

Reading biking trekking travels bird watching photography writing football tennis

I am interested in learning about the culture and lifestyle of people from other countries. Towards this end, I often backpack on my travels. I delight in interacting with the locals, and observing their way of life. I also enjoy learning languages of the countries I visit.

View profile details

Book list


	The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living by His Holiness the Dalai Lama The Dalai Lama dispenses his wisdom on how we can be happy. In a world wracked by wars, poverty and political instability learning how to be happy has become urgent.

Strong Fathers, Strong Daughthers by MEG MEEKER, M.D. With her extensive experience working with teens, author (a parent herself) is well-qualified to advise fathers on how to bring up daughters. A must read for all fathers before it's too late.

	Bhutan: Himalayan Mountain Kingdom (Odyssey Bhutan: Himalayan Mountain Kingdom) by Francoise Pommaret An interesting glimpse into the life, culture and traditions of Bhutan. Suggestions on cultural tours and trekking trips. Not a guide book per se.

	The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum Seen the movie but the book is better. A man is shot and falls overboard a boat and presumed drowned. Miraculously he survives but has lost much of his memory. No one needs to doubt Ludlum's ability as a superb story-teller.

	Sandstorm by James Rollins A powerful secret lies hidden in a lost city in the deserts of Arabia. The good guys and the bad guys fight it out to be first to grab it. Well-written. Structured like a movie. Good beach / long bus ride read but only for adventure junkies. (Nov 08)

	The Okinawa Diet Plan: Get Leaner, Live Longer, and Never Feel Hungry by Bradley J. Willcox The healtiiest and longest-lived people are reputedly those who reside on Okinawa, Japan. Book explains why and gives examples of recipes. Okinawans stay lean, and continue working even when they reach 100 years. What you think is a 60-year-old may be 100.

SOUTHEAST ASIA ON A SHOESTRING by LONELY PLANET This is the guidebook that triggered the wanderlust in me years back. Excellent travel guide for the backpacker who prefers to travel on a shoestring budget. A classic.

WORDPRESS FOR DUMMIES by LISA SABIN-WILSON Wordpress is a powerful software to help you launch into the world of blogging. It has proven very popular lately. Unlike Spaces which is more like a social community, Wordpress is a dedicated blogging platform.

	Blogging for Dummies (For Dummies) by Brad Hill An excellent book on the world of blogging and how to start. How to promote your blog will interest those who're already bloggers.Find out what is RSS, Blogistan and Adsense.

	Sahara by Clive Cussler Cussler is for adventure junkie if you haven't read him. Abe Lincoln escaped to Africa in a ship? A female aviator, in attempting a world record, crashed into the Sahara desert and her disappearance mystified the world. Kept me entertained at Lake Toba.

EXPRESSO WITH THE HEADHUNTERS by JOHN WASSNER An Aussie with a crave for "kopi" explores the jungles of Borneo, and is enthralled with its profound natural beauty. He stumbles and falls but his humour remains intact. In the view of the jungle dwellers, they don't own the jungles. The latter own them.

	The Middle East: 2000 Years of History from the Rise of Christianity to the Present Day by Bernard Lewis Relates the history of the middle east. Highly readable in clear prose. (Planning to travel to Middle East. Anyone interested ?)

	Is There an Afterlife?: A Comprehensive Overview of the Evidence by David Fontana This scholarly tome examines the evidence on the existence of an afterlife. Have an open mind if you're sceptical. History is replete with stories of long-held beliefs which were subsequently overturned.

	On Wings of Eagles by Ken Follett Americans working in Iran during the Shah of Iran crisis were imprisoned by the Iranians. The Green Berets were called in to mount a daring rescue attempt. A true account.