创富特训 - 艾莫主讲

参加了这次的创富特训使我受益良多. 在财务界的种种领悟当中，我更会正确地料理财务，对待金钱及使用金钱. 它是一个规划的概念，是一个智慧的投资，一个在你正确管理收支差额后产生源源不断的财富循环的一种方法. 艾莫老师是一个著名的国际讲师, 在互动成功学方面非常特出. 他是我生命中的导师, 是我门一生中的卓越楷模.

身在曹营心在汉 - A Drifting Mind

Hong Kong, Guang Zhou Recuperative Trip (3 Nov 06 to 7 Nov 06)

Itenary At A Glance:

3 Nov 06
Ø Flight at 0800 hrs, Changi International Airport.
Ø Arrived at HK International Airport, Cleared Customs around 1200 hrs.
Ø Went for lunch near Jordon, Kowloon.
Ø Proceed for treatment at 王世民医生’s place at Wan Chai at 1500 hrs
Ø Went to QL’s office for a while
Ø Proceed to 白云大厦to settle baggage and accommodation
Ø Met QL at 1900 hrs for shopping.
Ø Back to hotel

4 Nov 06
Ø Left 白云大厦 at 0950 hrs.
Ø Went for 2nd treatment at王世民医生’s place at 1030 hrs.
Ø Went to 红勘 railway station on board train at 1325 hrs.
Ø Arrived at 广州东站 at 1515 hrs, passing by 东莞.
Ø Checked into our hotel, 日航酒店, accompanied by QL and another friend.
Ø Chatted at the Hotel’s Restaurant till 1800 hrs
Ø Buffet dinner at Hotel Landmark Canton
Ø Back to hotel.
Ø Watched a DVD entitled “我爱你”

5 Nov 06
Ø Reveille 0800 hrs
Ø Breakfast at Hotel’s Garden restaurant, 17th storey
Ø Took a cab to fetch QL
Ø Proceed to 良师父’s house at 跑马地.
Ø Chatted and lunched at his place.
Ø Treatment
Ø Left at 1410 hours, proceed to 天河广场 to shop
Ø Left at approximately 1600 hrs towards 北京路 for shopping
Ø Dinner at 福如菜馆.
Ø Went down to 珠江 for a cruise, lasting from 2030 hrs to 2200 hrs.
Ø Back to hotel.

6 Nov 06
Ø Reveille 0900 hrs.
Ø Went to红勘 railway station for breakfast, and to purchase tickets.
Ø Proceed to 良师父’s house at 跑马地.
Ø Chatted and lunched at his place
Ø Treatment
Ø Left at around 1400 hrs towards北京路 for another round of shopping.
Ø Dinner at “真功夫” restaurant at 1830 hrs
Ø Back to hotel 1930 hrs
Ø Watched a DVD entitled “A 计划”.

7 Nov 06
Ø Reveille 0630 hrs, Morning Call.
Ø Breakfast at Hotel’s Garden Restaurant at 17th storey.
Ø Proceed to 良师父’s house at 跑马地 at 0820 hrs
Ø Proceed to广州东站 at 0945 hrs, accompanied by良师父 and wife.
Ø Board the train to红勘 railway station, passing by 深圳 (1055 hrs to 1245 hrs)
Ø Board bus A21 from 红勘 railway station to HK International Airport.
Ø Checked in at 1500 hrs, consumed lunch at Burger King.
Ø Board Flight CX 711 at 1535 hrs. Flight departed 1625 hrs.
Ø Arrived at Changi International Airport at 1955.
Ø Back home 2030 hrs.

Journal:

It was indeed a welcome change for me when I touched down HK. The feeling is just different. When I reached Kowloon, I was taken aback by the hectic, fast paced lifestyle that the locals lived. Streets, roads, alleys were all bustling with activity. Very urbanized, but not losing its traditional local flavour and atmosphere. Rural-Urban integration I guess. As with Singapore, skyscrapers are ubiquitous. The standard of living is very high, much higher than Singapore I would say. Most citizens live in one to 2 room flats, which you may think is very unfortunate. An absolute misconception. Those flats aren’t cheap either. They can cost up to 200k to300k! Equivalent to our 5 room flats! Now about the streets. Colourful neon lights enliven the streets aisle. Shops, restaurants selling a myriad of necessities spring up on both sides of the streets, attracting business. Its really so happening down HK that one would really be missing out a lot in practically a few hours. That was the vivid impression I had on my first visit first day in HK. The phrase “马路如虎口” comes alive in China generally. Cars there have equal rights as pedestrians. There is no such thing as pedestrians have the way. When u cross a road, u’d better look and see carefully. However, if u are the conservative type and always act so cautiously,i.e. you would ensure that a vehicle is at a comfortable distance away before you cross, I can politely tell u that u would not be able to make it to the other side of the road. You have to literally FIGHT for the chance to have the right of way. Drivers there aren’t that courteous to u. Even though there was a red light, I remembered vividly that a motorcyclist sped so close to me, as if reluctant to halt. I had thought he had lost control of his bike. I took a forward leap! Whew.. Can imagine what happened if I stroll? Probably I wouldn’t be writing here….

Food there is cheap, and irresistible. I’d patronized the 云吞面 stall as introduced by my dad’s friend, QL. Wow, not to boast, but its really distinct and mouthwatering. Especially the side dishes like the green leafy 菜心 which are so munchy sweet. You would never ever taste it in Singapore. It is due to the climate over there such that the vegetables grown taste sweet. Customers filled the small little eating house, always reaching saturated equilibrium. There is an unending flow of customers. Waitresses streaming customers in and out, clearing dishes at lightning speeds with their dexterous hands. There isn’t the luxury of enjoying a table all by your self. All customers are mingled together. That’s how popular it is. Well there are other eateries also like the 澳洲牛奶公司 which enjoy the same popularity. The Fish Porridge I’ve eaten at one of the stalls is renowned over 40 odd years with unfaltering reputation. That was also a gratifying experience. Overall, the food there is simply luscious and tempting. Simply heavenly.

Shopping. I’ve been to Jordon, Mong Kok to shop in Hong Kong. It was also another eye catching experience. The term “Shopping Paradise” is an understatement man. Its just divine! One whole long street all selling handphones, cameras, ipods, mp3, mp4s and what nots! You can call it a digital empire. Really cheap as compared to other places! In Guangzhou, I shopped at 天河广场 and 北京路. Also equally superb in its variety and quantity. I would say clothes in Guangzhou are slightly cheaper than in HK. Well, its really very different shopping here in China. There is never an end. You can spend 3 full days walking continuosly and still find more shops to come. 天河广场 alone can keep you preoccupied for one whole day. It’s a very organized gigantic shopping mall. Different levels are for different stuff. So u don’t really have to walk too far away to check on different prices. Business thrive on competition. So u would really have to exercise some prudent bargaining and comparison. But that’s what customers desire for, not? Cheap quality goods. Abundance in store at HK GZ man!

High Standard of Living. Why do I say it? Lets just compare the life of a taxi driver in HK as compared to Singapore. In Singapore, taxi drivers would have to pay for daily rentals and fuel prices. In HK, taxi drivers have to purchase their own taxis. And mind u, they cost a bomb! 3.67 million HK Dollars (700plus thousand SGD) for one taxi! If u had that amount of money in Singapore, how many houses can u get? And yet locals in HK decide to work as a taxi driver and pay back slowly in a decade or two by installments. We see it as a huge risk and liability, but they recognize it as a fact of life. A matter of making a living. How can we compare? Even their flats cost much more than ours! The amount they earn is probably much more in terms of magnitude because their currency is smaller, but think about it, the cost of their goods are also much larger in magnitudes. It is really a hard life there.

Just some hard facts:
In Singapore, taxi charges S$2.50 per ride as initial charge, rising S$0.10 every succession
In Hong King, taxi charges 15 HK Dollars (~3 SGD) per ride as initial charge, rising 1.4 HK Dollars (~0.28 SGD) per succession
In Guangzhou, taxi charges 7 RMB (~1.4 SGD) per ride as initial charge, rising 1 RMB (~0.20 SGD) per succession.

And of course! Treatment. That’s the main reason for my departure to HK and GZ.
To seek treatment for my Prolapsed Intervertebral Discs (PID). At HK, treatment at王世民医生’s place was quite ok I would say. Little improvement. Same at GZ at 良师父’s place. I understand that its not a day or two that I can completely exterminate this annoying injury I sustained over a period of time, so it also warrants a significant healing period. 良师父 has prescribed me medication and instructed me to practice some qigong everyday. I will try my best to follow his orders. Optimism is the most powerful weapon one ought to possess. I guess I must be ready to excel in this psychological warfare. I must never give up. Nil Sine Labore.

This trip has really broadened my realization of the world. There are many things we cannot afford to take for granted. There are a lot of commitments which we ought to devote wholeheartedly. There are much more for us to appreciate. In diversity there is truthful realization of one’s aspirations. I’m not sure if I have gone too far off tangent, but if u do not understand just take it that I’m spouting greek.

I have a strange feeling now. I can’t be pulled back to reality. My body is in Singapore, but my soul is still in China. I didn’t feel foreign at all in HK and China. It was just home to me. But coming back to Singapore, its as if I had a dream, a sweet dream. I hate being awoken.

I want to go home. Can someone tell me where is it?