US Trip memories 2005
25 trip memories……….with Ruth, August 2005

Minneapolis, Carson City, Lake Tahoe and Los Angeles

1. Who would ever anticipate that Ruth and I would be ever visiting Minneapolis for Anti Aging matter? I have thought that only cheese considers “aging” important until I arrived at Medgraphics’ office.
2. “White Bear”? Never heard about this city before. You know, that even in this Uncle’s Sam small city the food portion is really huge. After an excellent appetizer at the first dinner in US we were served a plate of pasta that could easily feeds a whole family of five in Singapore. No wonder that small size in US would be considered as too extraordinary….
3. Yeah, the steaks in White Bear…. they were huge too, 600 gram a piece [really for a bear whether it is white, brown or black]. I was really brave or hungry, I finished mine , only Ruth needed to “Ta Pau” for her room fridge, a matter of courtesy to the host……
4. Northwest’s Airline strike…! Wow, who knows that we were at the NWA’s HQ in Minnesota? Mentally I was well prepared to drive >4000 km to Carson City!
5. I still hate the taxi driver that “cheated” us by taking longer route to Minneapolis Airport for 20 dollar more….
6. …..and the lady at the airport counter that forced me to remove just another 20 gram s of goods from my luggage and the security guard that checked us for 20 minutes though I am not an “Arab” any longer……..
7. Hungry at plane? No way you can eat on most US’s domestic flights, just peanuts [not the “golden one” that Durai had in Singapore!]
8. Ever had a meeting at a sailing boot at Lake Tahoe? Never again….! Though it was just 4 to 5 knots fast, that boot can make a person “cry”………We had 3 times “man overboard”. One CD player gone down to the Lake with Diana Krall still singing….bluub…bluub…gone was she in the lake…..
9. The giant burger at “spa burger” at Lake Tahoe is unforgettable, the BBQ at Frank’s house was good, but the “Lamas” [not the Dalai...] were more important, just for Michelle…Yeah, there is ‘franky” as well this time, a new friend for Frank…. a naughty and fun loving dog like his master Frank…..
10. For sure, a meeting at high-powered boot makes more fun. Powered with 750 horsepower on the back, nobody will ever “cry”. Cruised at 60-to 70-km/h speeds on water we spent 6 hours at Lake Tahoe for “meeting” and looking at some of the most expensive home up to US 5 millions dollars. It was one of the most “memorable meeting” I had ever had in my whole career………I am sure it will not the last one…
11. Ever have problems with a female police at late night that had “PMS” symptoms? Huh, very scary…. experience. It costs US$ 150.00 to get know her by “speeding” in non-speeding” zone. She got me all wrong; my race was white, and I never knew that I had blue eyes, and I was as short as 5 foot as well. We were closed to suggest her to try our HerBalance!
12. In spite of tiredness, sleepiness, exhaustion, having a good and cheerful travel companion like Ruth makes a lot of different. This is especially important when you are driving through the desert in Nevada….
13. You know that I learned about Ruth more in two weeks trip than I knew her in two years time? For sure she can laugh a lot………..
14. I had learned in this trip the hard way that it does not pay to get discouraged. At times of challenge and controversy your mental strength counts the most….
15. Ruth is like growing up kid if you offer her an ice cream, even after a heavy meal! And “ Coldstone” seems to be the best tool…. to accomplish the job.
16. I had learned in this trip again that coaching a person is really a creative endeavour, an art, rather than a science that a book can ever teach you.
17. A good trip is a good memory. And a good memory comes with some good pastries, cakes and coffees together. The best were found in Mammoth Mountain few miles away from the “earth quake fault”, some 37 miles from Bishop in California.
18. To be honest, I was very anxious when I was negotiating and discussing many important matters at VRP’s office, till I learned that the anxiousness was not only befallen me, but my partners as well…So, I acted as though it were impossible to fail.
19. …so, beware of quitting too soon in any circumstances……It is really important to know whether the glass is half full or half empty. Ask Ruth; she had learned a good lesson on this trip how to negotiate.
20. The “hungry ghost” at play? We thought it was…the GPS navigation tool in our Volvo Cross Country played “naughty” games with us. We were led to an off track road at late midnight. Thinking the month of “the hungry ghost” Ru th started to pray for the right direction. And we “lost” our fruits in the car too thinking that the ghost had all of it…our offering!
21. …. and scary things happened at the same time as well. We had two nights the same room numbers, and we did not realize that our car plat number shown the same digit as well…Guess what, Ruth could not sleep after the “incident”!
22. Not only ghosts we had encountered. We had some scary races with some “speed devils” from Bishop to LA too.
23. Yeah, shopping at the “premium outlets” near to Palm Spring, where we had stayed overnight was an excitement that we will never forget. The forest fire at the mountain on the way to Palm Spring, and the hundreds of windmill on the way to Cabazon in the desert just rounded up our experience at this last stretch of long journey.
24. You know what I learned most, Ruth? The most rewarding things in our career life are often the ones that look like they cannot be accomplished. And I admit that not everyone can be great, but most of us can be better than we are! You had done a good job. Congrats!
25. Finally, do you know, Ruth, what is the most enjoyable long journey that I can wish for? It is a journey with a travel companion that is cheerful, willing to listen to some “rubbishes” I produce in order to beat the tiredness, sleepiness on a monotonous highway in US…. Thanks for making the trip meaningful!

Cheers......... Kie San
Looking forward for another trip soon


25 trip memories……….with Kiesan, August 2005

1. The last trip together with Mich & Ming, we hit elevated 7,000 feet. This time, we hit 8,900! My ears felt like popping every time I think of how high we are up there!
2. Kiesan isn’t a dessert man like Gwan Choon; until he saw my hot fudge choco cake with hot fudge oozing out from the cake & dripping with vanilla ice cream...
3. ...& the taxi driver that cheated us of $20 more was from Africa & a training medical doc waiting to get his license!
4. We reached Carson City by midnight. So hungry without dinner & Northwest only provides peanuts, we went to have “breakfast”: huge ham steak with eggs & breads & fries! Urgh….
5. Meeting in Frank’s boat? I didn’t cry; I screamed! Was it me, or was Frank enjoying it & tilted the boat even more???
6. Just for Michelle; Kiesan & my 1st mission when we reached Frank’s house, was to hunt for the lamas. Frankie led the way!
7. Whenever we can’t finish our food (which is almost 100% of the time), we will think of Wee Ming!
8. Judy missed her flight again…this time, a bird got trapped in the engine…the beautiful lady was once again delayed…
9. The “ang mohs” just don’t learn; they tried to beat Kiesan in telling the most grotesque story of animal body parts that humans consumed; until Kiesan beat them hands down with the story of the bull! Well done, Kiesan!
10. In & Out Burgers seems to be the only place that serves “regular sized burgers” (aka Mos Burger size)
11. Cold Stone’s “chocoholic” was great…..Kiesan had his “berry berry nice”...
12. When we saw the Chinese noodle soup place near Cold Stone, we thought of Wee Ming!
13. Sailing in a 750 horse-powered boat was a change…..no screaming this time! Lake Tahoe was a breath of fresh sea air compared to the previous high-tensioned meetings…
14. Anything that could go wrong went wrong during training at Frank’s clinic. Oxygen tank leaked. No backup for tank. O2 cell died; need to refresh & reset. Rescheduled unhappy customer for another test. Patient took BET products & kept gaining weight. Judy was 15 yrs older when she took her test there…
15. & we noticed the wild side of Dr Mitch.
16. & I deleted the “man in blue pic” after Michelle seen it.
17. Kiesan was all wrap up this time after Frank’s sailing day. Long sleeve shirt with a hip hop cap this time! & I got sunburnt…
18. Izzy’s Burger Spa, according to Frank, makes the best burger in Nevada! I agree!
19. The “bulldog lady” that terrify, terrorize & traumatize Kiesan, Mitchell & me? We all agree that her testosterone is way too high….she definitely need Her Balance cream…..but no way we gonna tell her that. The fine will be doubled!
20. You know Kiesan’s nickname in VRP Inc? “The Speed Devil”; even though he is hardly speeding!
21. Vagabond Inn was voted the worst place to sleep in @ Bishop! But after the “ghostly encounter”, we’ll take it anytime!
22. Best Western @ Palm Spring was voted most value for money!
23. Both places @ Bishop & Palm Spring; Kiesan & I have the same room number; 222 & 223. Weird…
24. Premium Outlets @ Cabazon was a nightmare….we spent 90 minutes there, & ½ the time was used up for walking! I don’t know how Gwan Choon can do it in 30 minutes…
25. Kiesan, I have learned so much from you! Thank you!

Cheers, Ruth