Travel – Page 7 – Edmund Loh

Airsoft Shopping In Mongkok

Posted on March 5, 2013March 5, 2013 by Edmund

This is an experience never to be forgotten.

I had just realized one of my dreams through this trip, and that is to pit against other players in an airsoft game… overseas!

We’ve planned this since last year August and on 1st March 2013, a team of 15 of us Malaysians flew in and met up at the Hong Kong International Airport. While a majority of us are from mainland Malaysia, 1 flew in from the UK and another came from Indonesia.

I am beginning to think this is how Jackie Chan came up with the title for his Rush Hour movie. As soon as we arrived at our hotel at Kings de Nathan in Mongkok, we hustled to the first airsoft store: Redwolf Airsoft.

It was a few train stations away and while we had several hours before the store closes that day, time seemed to fly when we browsed through galleries after galleries of replica fire arms. 🙂

Just when I thought only women would spend several hours shopping in a Chanel, Burberry or LV store… guess I was wrong. 😛

I was lucky to secure my purchases in time before the store closes, but some of us needed to come back again the next day.

And our spending spree didn’t stop even on Day 2. We checked out the other stores like eHobby Asia and Shooter CB Gear, and so many other airsoft stores as they were lined up next to each other on the streets.

Talk about feeling like a kid in a candy store… wait, make that candy streets!

So that’s what we’ve been doing basically for the first 2 days in Hong Kong. It was a first time for some of us (including me) and problem is, I am a banana – I can’t speak Cantonese. I had to count on my friends to help me get around.

And good thing we brought our walkie talkies with us so we kept in touch with each other as we split up every now and then on the busy streets of Mongkok to buy our Airsoft gears.

All these in good preparation and anticipation for what’s to come… the battle against experienced Hong Kong airsoft players.

To be continued…

PHOTOS: The Italian Trip

Posted on December 4, 2012December 4, 2012 by Edmund

Photos taken from my Italy trip November 25 – December 3, 2012.

9 Days in Italy

Posted on December 4, 2012December 4, 2012 by Edmund

November 25 – December 3, 2012.

9 days well spent in Italy, and half a day in Switzerland! 🙂 I just got back and I’ve taken plenty of photos and videos from this wonderful trip! It’s a shame that I can only post so many on my blog – the rest of the photos will be made available on my Facebook profile later.

Here’s a summary on my vacation to Italy…

My friend Lilian invited me to join her in the 9 day tour to Italy year end so I signed up; I was busy clearing as much work as I could before the vacation. Amazing that I thought little about my online business, the renovation of the new house back home, nor did I read a single book while on holiday. I was totally mesmerized by the beauty of Italy!

We arrived in Milan on our first day here and the first place we visited is the famous 14th Century Duomo Cathedral.

Our tour leader is Damian Mok (Man on the right) He’s by far the best tour guide I have met! Unlike previous tour guides who are usually a local, Damian led the tour group of nearly 50 people (which is a massive group!) from beginning to end.

He’s obviously very experienced and led a colorful life; he entertained the group with a variety of impressive magic performances and wowed the audience with his jokes and stories.

Did I mention he’s multi-lingual as well? Majority of the group is Chinese-ed, me being one of the few ‘bananas’ but he spoke Mandarin, Cantonese and English and totally engaged 100% of the audience. A sure sign that he has plenty of experience on stage and talking to audience! I even learned a lot from him.

The next day, we boarded a private boat to San Marco Square in Venice. We also road the famous gondola. 🙂

Weather throughout Italy was chilled and rainy. Temperature was anywhere from 1 to 9 degrees Celcius!

Outside the square, we shopped for souvenirs and we singled out some stores that were selling them cheap 🙂

As far as exchange rate is concerned, it used to be 1 EUR = 4.76 MYR last year; now it’s 1 EUR = 3.99 MYR!

Good deal for me 🙂 Although it wasn’t nice of me to say that at the expense of the Europeans here. FYI just like most parts of Europe, things here are usually costly and at this time of writing, Italy is in bad economy shape.

Following day, we visited Rome! One of the two main highlights of the Italy trip! 🙂

We visited St. Peter’s Basilica (the biggest church in the world and throughout Christian history) and of course the famous Colosseum.

And the other main highlight?

The leaning tower of Pisa.

We also spent half a day in Switzerland to do some high-end shopping on our second last day here before going back to Malaysia. It’s more chilled and windy here but the view is nothing short of breathtaking!

All in all, it was a great vacation! Points to myself for evading the notorious pickpockets while in Italy 😛 Fortunately none of us fell victim to them. But then again, I come from a more dangerous country so that was nothing haha!

Some photos from this trip will be posted in another blog post, and the rest on my Facebook profile later. 🙂

Mauritian Martians

Posted on December 15, 2011August 8, 2012 by Edmund

November 24 – 29.

In between launching PLR Encyclopedia with my business partner Khai Ng and running house errands as a bachelor, I hastily packed my bags for Mauritius Island.

This is the first time I celebrated my birthday abroad, albeit for just a few days. Mauritius is 7 hours away from Malaysia by flight, and there are many more surrounding islands; I’d love to come back again. Mauritius sports a humble setting, boasting population of no more than 1.3 million people.

Surprisingly, I saw many Proton cars on the road; this is the first time I’ve seen so many Malaysian cars in another country! Didn’t feel like I left home.

People here speak Mauritian Creole, which is mostly of French language. Fortunately, people here speak English well even for a second language.

Reviewing back, a number of my travels is attending weddings. Just two weeks prior to this, I attended Padro and Vera‘s wedding in Jakarta, Indonesia. This time, I was to attend Jonathan Teng and Sharon‘s wedding.

It was a shame that Calvin Woon and Patricia Lin from Singapore couldn’t join me on the short notice; but we’ve been talking about it since early this year it would suck to back out on my promise right now. Besides, I heard Mauritius is a lovely island.

Got to admit I wasn’t as well prepared to come to Mauritius. Jonathan was the only person I know here but thankfully he, Sharon and their family have been very generous to me as a guest. The most generous treatment I’ve received ever, in fact!

After Jonathan and Sharon’s wedding and dinner reception, I was checked into Pearle Beach Hotel and hawt damn, it was super awesome! Not just because of the “all expenses paid” by Jon for coming, but really this is easily one of the most enjoyable hotels I’ve been to that I can remember.

The beach is enchanting too, rivals that of Bali in Indonesia.

It’s a shame that while I could afford my trip here from a few day’s worth of work, I actually had a whole year to find a date to come with me… and I didn’t do it.

I swear, when I come back to Mauritius I’m bringing a hot date with me. 😉

I didn’t take many photos this trip but I’m serious about coming back again… it’s a must, and I want to check out the nearby islands as well!