Dear Squads,
I guess you would have received Apai’s update on our Beijing Trip. What started as a ship ride from Port Kelang to Lumut, enjoying the Navy’s Hospitality, then on to Jakarta, to Bandung, to Padang, to the Indo Chinese States, to Perth has now gone to Beijing. There was a long and noisy discussion for the venue of our next Get Together. Noisy but interesting.
Everybody had their say – selling their favourite place. We eventually settled for Beijing. Our Chairman, Apai’s former stay in Bejing as the Defence Attache has nothing to do with the decision. Lets say ‘we would like to venture further’
I believe Apai’s Summary of our meeting with the agent’s representative on 26 Nov 09 has been read and comprehended. As stated, we have requested that Cindy, the agency’s sales rep come out with a more acceptable costings. The deliberations went as far as requesting her to look at the costs of our daily meals to save costs. A list of menu was also suggested. We went as far as that as long as we don’t go hungry it should be alright. But as long as there is ‘telor dadar’.
If I may have my say:
a. Beijing has always been on our minds. At least in mine. It is the capital of one of the great nation or soon to be great nation of the world. We have read about it which includes the Great Wall of China,
the Forbidden City,
the Tiananmen Square, the Yangtze Kiang, one of the world’s longest river, the world’s largest population and the discovery of the TerraCotta Army of the Qin Emperor, Shih Huang Ti in 1974
and then the construction of the Three Gorges Dam
and later still the Summer Olympics in August 2008 with its Bird’s Nest Stadium
and the National Aquatic Centre and its cube water bubble.
All these in China and most could be seen in Beijing.
b. We would be traveling with MAS. So, no more mee Maggie and mineral water or nasi lemak Pak Abbas. Our meals will be integrated into the air fares.
c. The costs, for now, would be RM 2590 per adult for a 6 day 4 nights stay. Our Chiangmai trip costs us RM 1,500 per person for 5 days and 3 nights. With an additional RM 1090 we would be traveling further and staying longer. And its Beijing, not really a cheap city. As stated by Apai, we would ‘negotiate' for a better price on this 10th Dec.
d. My air fare to Beijing last Nov, was RM 1,700. Going on this premise, we need to fork out another RM 890 for the costs of the rests. This include accommodation, transportation, meals and fees for the many tourists attractions we are visiting. Golf is not part of it though.
e. We have 6 months to ‘save’ though it depends on the schedule of payment which would also be discussed this 10 Dec.
During my trip there from 4th till 8th Nov 2009 I saw a big and sprawling city. Very orderly. Everything is big – of what I saw lah. It is generally clean – this for a city of 17 million people. The highways are big,
the cyclists have their own lanes, not much spitting seen. To a large extent, this transformation was due to organizing the Olympiad in 2008. In Nov of 2009, it was cold. We arrived with a -3 degree Celcius temperature. In June I believe it will be warmer or hotter.
The visits to the Great Wall was a real breath taking experience. We have only seen pictures, but this time it was for real.
You have to be there to realize the magnitude of it all. But I don’t suggest we climb all the steps to the top. It’ll be worst than our Karen Village visit in Chiangmai.
As a military man, it set me thinking on the the logistics and human resources required for such a construction. It set me thinking, if I were the invader how would I penetrate such an ‘impregnable fortress’ or would I suffer defeat in trying.
The Forbidden City is another sight to behold.
I can only describe it as walk, climb steps, see buildings, walk down steps, walk, walk up steps, see buldings and walk down steps. Continuously for about 1.5 kilometres. Tiring but interesting. The buildings as described by the Tour Guide are the Emperor’s Bedroom, the Emperor’s Office, the Emperor’s Court, the Queen’s Chamber, the Queen’s Court, the Concubines Buildings, the Childrens Rooms, the Library and the living quarters of the City’s residence. Even as I went through the motion of visiting the City, I also wonder at the management and structure of such a huge complex. And we are talking about a period of a few hundred years duration.
Another huge structure is the Summer Palace.
A summer retreat for the royal family. We didn’t get to the palace but its gardens and compound. Another wonder to view.
There is a lot more to see. But then it would be taking the thunder out of finding out for yourself.
So, let us all, agree to participate in our Annual Gathering in Beijing come 1st June 2010.And come for our discussion at Kelab Tasek Perdana DiRaja (Royal Lake Club) this 10 Dec at 1630 hrs.
Club 12/68 Forever
p.s. Do listen to the music in the Video Bar below.
Everybody had their say – selling their favourite place. We eventually settled for Beijing. Our Chairman, Apai’s former stay in Bejing as the Defence Attache has nothing to do with the decision. Lets say ‘we would like to venture further’
I believe Apai’s Summary of our meeting with the agent’s representative on 26 Nov 09 has been read and comprehended. As stated, we have requested that Cindy, the agency’s sales rep come out with a more acceptable costings. The deliberations went as far as requesting her to look at the costs of our daily meals to save costs. A list of menu was also suggested. We went as far as that as long as we don’t go hungry it should be alright. But as long as there is ‘telor dadar’.
If I may have my say:
a. Beijing has always been on our minds. At least in mine. It is the capital of one of the great nation or soon to be great nation of the world. We have read about it which includes the Great Wall of China,
the Forbidden City,
the Tiananmen Square, the Yangtze Kiang, one of the world’s longest river, the world’s largest population and the discovery of the TerraCotta Army of the Qin Emperor, Shih Huang Ti in 1974
and then the construction of the Three Gorges Dam
and later still the Summer Olympics in August 2008 with its Bird’s Nest Stadium
and the National Aquatic Centre and its cube water bubble.
All these in China and most could be seen in Beijing.b. We would be traveling with MAS. So, no more mee Maggie and mineral water or nasi lemak Pak Abbas. Our meals will be integrated into the air fares.
c. The costs, for now, would be RM 2590 per adult for a 6 day 4 nights stay. Our Chiangmai trip costs us RM 1,500 per person for 5 days and 3 nights. With an additional RM 1090 we would be traveling further and staying longer. And its Beijing, not really a cheap city. As stated by Apai, we would ‘negotiate' for a better price on this 10th Dec.
d. My air fare to Beijing last Nov, was RM 1,700. Going on this premise, we need to fork out another RM 890 for the costs of the rests. This include accommodation, transportation, meals and fees for the many tourists attractions we are visiting. Golf is not part of it though.
e. We have 6 months to ‘save’ though it depends on the schedule of payment which would also be discussed this 10 Dec.
During my trip there from 4th till 8th Nov 2009 I saw a big and sprawling city. Very orderly. Everything is big – of what I saw lah. It is generally clean – this for a city of 17 million people. The highways are big,
the cyclists have their own lanes, not much spitting seen. To a large extent, this transformation was due to organizing the Olympiad in 2008. In Nov of 2009, it was cold. We arrived with a -3 degree Celcius temperature. In June I believe it will be warmer or hotter.The visits to the Great Wall was a real breath taking experience. We have only seen pictures, but this time it was for real.
You have to be there to realize the magnitude of it all. But I don’t suggest we climb all the steps to the top. It’ll be worst than our Karen Village visit in Chiangmai.
As a military man, it set me thinking on the the logistics and human resources required for such a construction. It set me thinking, if I were the invader how would I penetrate such an ‘impregnable fortress’ or would I suffer defeat in trying.The Forbidden City is another sight to behold.
I can only describe it as walk, climb steps, see buildings, walk down steps, walk, walk up steps, see buldings and walk down steps. Continuously for about 1.5 kilometres. Tiring but interesting. The buildings as described by the Tour Guide are the Emperor’s Bedroom, the Emperor’s Office, the Emperor’s Court, the Queen’s Chamber, the Queen’s Court, the Concubines Buildings, the Childrens Rooms, the Library and the living quarters of the City’s residence. Even as I went through the motion of visiting the City, I also wonder at the management and structure of such a huge complex. And we are talking about a period of a few hundred years duration.Another huge structure is the Summer Palace.
A summer retreat for the royal family. We didn’t get to the palace but its gardens and compound. Another wonder to view.There is a lot more to see. But then it would be taking the thunder out of finding out for yourself.
So, let us all, agree to participate in our Annual Gathering in Beijing come 1st June 2010.And come for our discussion at Kelab Tasek Perdana DiRaja (Royal Lake Club) this 10 Dec at 1630 hrs.
Club 12/68 Forever
p.s. Do listen to the music in the Video Bar below.
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