Far Away From Home

This is some kind of travel you should try! Only in Chinese…

轉載自 http://fiveten-msg.xanga.com (大概中國裡的人看不到原貼了) ：

旅行的意義

每當拖著小小行李箱，走進最愛的機場，心情自然輕鬆和開朗。還未出發，感覺已經到了 外地，神遊四方。彷彿有飛機劃過的長空顯得特別開闊，藍天格外可愛自由。為什麼會有人不喜歡旅行呢？能夠放下日常生活的種種瑣碎，在飛機起飛的一剎，無可 抵擋的離心力把不如意和煩惱都扯到地面，摔個粉碎。

Ah ha! The least awry eyes must have noticed a big change in this website. At last, I gave my day to remake my site with more simplistic outlines. Now mainly in black and white, and the nightscape of Macau from heights is gone.

New feature is here! You might have noticed the “Chinese” ( now “中文” ), “English” and “Random” ( now “Try Other Language” ) button above. Yes yes. I am writing in English and Chinese and one other language. You can click “Chinese” or “English” at the bottom to see if there is Chinese or English version of the articles. But most importantly, I am now experimenting my other newly acquired language skills - Spanish, German and my old Japanese. For my Xian trip, we got Spanish!

From now on, I will write predominantly on travel and Shanghai local life stuffs. I am no full-time traveller like these people as Christine Gilbert and Nomadic Matt , but there is certainly something to learn from their attitude. =)

我經常跟其他人說：去旅行，十之八九定當要自遊行。

無他無他。最近跟著公司的小便宜，舉辦了一個提高士氣的活動，有幸再嘗三日兩夜的西安旅行團之樂。公司雖早有大裁員的行動，但嘗算有人性，沒有把這一筆錢抽走。

旅行團總是能給一個地方素造另一印象。雖然我這次到了西安，但只僅僅是一個旅客會見到的西安，並不是本地人看到的西安。

我公司的合約旅行團，有責任保證那些神檯級老闆不會受苦，務求他們有賓至如歸的感覺。當然，有錢人回歸豈是我這些 平凡人的房子，當然是酒店沒五星也有四星的服務，東西有多西式就有多西式，中式就勉強添一點。早餐，在中國西安，就是吃這種西式自助餐，但都有提供中國炒 粉炒飯等。

食。把你送去本地人不去的的本地特色小食店，給你按排一個外貌絕對和你聽過的特色小食一樣的餸菜但通常極度難食 後，更是貴得過份。更難堪的是，其中兩次的午餐，居然有人不停在我後面向我推銷一些貴價爛產品，讓我吃都吃得不安樂，雖則錢是公司付，但我們不是吃免費午 餐的吧？如果想投訴食物不正宗又不能，因為這些又貴又豪華又多旅客的AAAA級國家指定食店是「所有旅客都會到」的。AAAA級國家指定食店呀！還要是 AAAA級，是你舌頭有問題而已。

Come on! 難道聞名全國世界的特色小食，居然是這麼不能放進口？

雖說是逃離現實，旅行團總是根本性地和這個目的作對，因為看景點總是要走馬觀花。雖然我對那堆兵馬俑或華清池沒有 甚麼興趣或大㕍塔沒甚麼興趣，但總不至於希望被牽著聽導遊背頌歴史，之後只剩一點時間走走動動而已。我還是很想在西安圍牆踩單車走一回，但時間不夠，只好 中途折返。離大隊又沒車送我到機場，唉？

佣金一詞，當然少不了，導遊一定努力把你一部份的時間留給你慢慢選購那些兵馬俑製品、黑玉翡翠和名畫雕刻等等，更是坦言「你多買，我多賺。謝謝！」，就是說你們付錢去旅行，但還是不夠！請多買點貴價物品好讓我有回佣才可。

當然，我還沒有說到少了的本地探路之樂、以及坊間對話及小食之趣。

若果你是付錢的人，除了像北韓強迫性有導遊，你有甚麼理由要去給多點錢去減少旅遊樂趣？

每一個地方都有一個「未去過這裡即未到過此地」，而今站的西安就是「未去過兵馬俑即未去過陜西」。當然，兵馬俑的數條坑是重要，但是既然經過，就順道去看一下以前楊貴紀用過的破爛洗手間：「華清池」。

百忙之際，老細刮來一筆錢給本人既小隊遊埠。就這樣，小隊一團人就由上海飛往西安。今次行程完全是旅行團包辦，感覺是「非同凡響」！今次是我去過在中國裡頭最西的地方。

這裡就是兵馬俑了，下面的一個個人就是響當當的兵馬俑了，日積月累，顏色都沒有了。

「嘩！」的一聲，是我以為應該這樣的反應，但看完後，我就沒有感覺特別震憾，但總算看過了。似乎於我而言沒有太大吸引力，反而想起為甚麼這麼多人對著一個暴君又不停的捐錢，才是奇怪。而且，對於一個愛讀書的我，他當年焚書坑儒，若果我有一枝槍，又見到秦始皇，肯定「做低」佢。真是到此一遊。

楊玉環的洗手間 「華清池」就好看多了，雖然外頭的建築都是後來建造的假物，但總算讓人看到以前的浴室是何等先進。

鄧鄧鄧鄧！有請，華清池的主池，以前楊貴紀的浴缸也。

不要和自己家裡的浴室來對比，因為我就是這樣突然覺得好像是付錢來看破浴室而己，看上去和超平超假露天浴室無異，超級掃興。當然，平心而論，雖則石頭造而已，但當時來說已經是很先進的了，有簡單的水壓設計，又有專人服侍，我自己的都沒有這麼先進。算是不錯了吧！

看完後，是不是覺得家裡的浴室還不錯呢？

—

做低 - 把一個人拿下來，即殺死他。

「做」一部 ATM（自動櫃員機），並唔係「造」一部 ATM。若果你以為做一部人肉 ATM 係好難，我可以話你聽，你大錯特錯喇。尤其係當你身份係一位「老外」，即係我地叫既「鬼佬」，你想唔做一部 ATM 都幾難。

好多港澳人，一見到啲鬼佬，對佢地特別客氣，非常之慇勤，主動且笑容滿面，往往自動黏埋佢地度，以為神仙下凡，識法術幫人一樣，好崇洋架。

中國生意人，一見到啲老外，對佢地特別客氣，非常之慇勤，主動且笑容滿面，往往自動黏埋佢地度，認為財神下凡，識法術派錢一樣，比我地更更更更加崇洋！

今日，我就同一位老外去驗證一下。話說一位唔咸唔淡既普通話澳門人，同一位純正白種美國有錢外貌上年紀人仕，一齊走到藥房度：

店員：「What do you want?」

唔好話中國唔國際化，平民都識講英文！好明顯有錢係唔係我，所以佢開口就講英文喇。

老外：「Ask her what is the cost of Viagra.」
我：「偉哥多少塊錢呢？」
店員：「1200塊30片。」
我：「Viagra is 1200 for 30。」
老外：「Umm, 4 times the price in the States. How about Cialis?」
我：「那這瓶多少塊錢？」
店員：「600塊10片。」
我：「Cialis is 600 for 10.」

我地走時，店員不忘敬業樂業既精神：

店員：「We can be cheaper! What do you need?」

呢啲例子，中國裡頭多不勝數。最後，老外又再補多句：

「You know why I am treated this way often? Precisely I’m white, and I like being an ATM.」

做有錢人，人人都想，最少都想做一日有錢人，正如我地有「一日皇帝」既豪華享受。若果你生為中國人又身在中國，短期內又無機會去別國旅遊，但又想試下做 ATM，大可放心，只要你衣著光鮮，搵返一大堆乞依，你都可以一嘗做有錢人既滋味架！

(攝於 威尼斯 約下午四時日落)

相信人人各有所好，但世界之大，真係只有單單一樣野令你滿足？去見識一下，可能會有意外驚喜。若果後生時就已經將自己同世界封鎖，好滿足自己既見識眼界、所見所聞，到以後太多負擔時，要再去旅行或者都唔係咁易，旅遊時當地遇上的風土人情，可能會比你很多新看法。我講既野不僅僅限於旅行，包活人生一切的。

1. 去旅行不一定要很多錢。除非你餐餐大魚大肉，無五六星級酒店不歡，其實好多地方，尤其不是旅遊熱點或者郊遊旺季，可以比你想像中便宜好多。去下泰國陽光與海灘，或者馬來西亞潛水，點都比去阿拉斯加睇極光便宜。而且，年輕人有更大的容忍度，唔一定日日都要豪華享受。我話用好多錢，誰不知比我年長的人聽到之後，都滴汗表示：「咁叫好多錢？」，並進一步證實真係我當初想法無錯。

2. 過兩三個月後，一切都是值得的。當初我去歐洲，以我驚人赤貧的儲蓄，預算案令我一額汗。但係，同朋友去旅行呢種難忘經驗，越係年紀大，越係可遇不可求。當然，我月薪少，但回埠後，數週以來，節衣宿食，負債平分，一切又回復正常。

3. 做自己想做的事。不只是去旅行，趁著自己仲無咩負擔時，應該去做自己想做的事，免得三十歲就埋怨多多。寧願三十幾歲時同人好自豪好開心地講我自己做過乜，好過三十幾歲時同人講我好遺憾好多野都未做。

4. 應用就用。為慳錢而無啖好食，呢啲令你自己日常效率以及心境有負面影響既慳錢行為，實在係對自己長遠來講無好處。記住，開元節流，得個慳字係唔得既。對於有助開拓你未來的事，就要開多點長線投資，為自己作聰明人打算。若果你想去旅行，分分鐘你會得到錢都買唔到既野。

順帶一提，兩位旅伴都準備要結婚，似乎要再做電燈膽都好難喇，所以我真係好珍惜呢趟旅程。同埋呢，我今次去歐洲，傻下傻下同啲西班牙老人家同的士佬傾計，幾人比佢教來教去，正常學咗西班牙話，返到來我再自修個半月左右，經已可以用字典去睇維基百科喇！多謝西班牙老人家同的士佬，難為佢地講好多野我得個估字。

出去見識下，你就發現原來世界唔只係得你 facebook 上面既朋友仔，呢個世界仲有好多人同物。

喇喇喇，復活節 來緊喇，家陣計劃仲來得切架。

2009 Annual Letter From Bill Gate - Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

My first time taking note of a Charity organization.

10 million children dying is still 10 million too many. Each death is a tragedy.

10 million children dying each year, without reaching adulthood. That you seeing this, as an adult, if that’s your children, what are you thinking?

The intensity reminds me of my time at Microsoft, when we were competing with other companies to make the best database or word processor. However, in this case the competitor is a virus and all of humanity is on the same team, wanting to work together to defeat the virus.

After you read the above, it is so sad to read this :

Most of those that were not already large donors have increased significantly since the European Union and G-8 made new commitments in 2005. The current Italian government stands out because it is not only falling short on the increases but is actually cutting its aid budget.

My impression with Italy is actually quite bad, now Gates is asserting my perspective. I hope for counterexamples.

It is interesting how often the impact of climate change is illustrated by talking about the problems the polar bears will face rather than the much greater number of poor people who will die unless significant investments are made to help them.

This is so true of above. Why?

Lo and Behold! I am still alive. I have had a great month, and covered a lot of places. I would like to share about my trip but a lot of my writings are left in a notepad in London. Hopefully, it is coming back to me by the end of February. Jeez… After they came back, I will be typing them here.

Yep, I am coming back to life again.

Photo by Daniel Arndt

On the last day of 2008, I was in Interlaken, Switzerland, a very small village that I circled it in about an hour by walking. Yes, it is much smaller than Macau, and it is not even a town.

Interlaken is a very small place, and a very slow place. If I am correct, there is only one supermarket in the village and you can memorize the streets on day one. Everything is slow and is completely against my biological clock pace.

On the countdown day, as you might have guessed, there is no equivalence of the crowd in Macau Tower or Leal Senado’s Square here, but only a score of musicians and a horde of townsfolk. They do not get any celebrities or show stages. There was some small scale fireworks display ( that I missed ), but nothing more. The countdown is simple enough - each in a bar or cafe screaming “Happy New Year” to each other, and then came a dozen of drinks which they treat as water. Compared to what I have had in Macau, it was shockingly plain.

It has been ages for me citizens to find rest in a slow paced place, and now I have realized I can only live in places as fast as Hong Kong, or faster.

如無意外，我應該喺瑞士雪山或者山腳，不過九成都無電腦用架喇。返來再講下遊旅除夕夜係點過！

新年快樂呀各位！

(呢個係自動留言)