Trip to Chicago

So nice of my godson's parents (Lyn and Seng) to arrange to take me to Chicago. At first I was worried of the long journey by coach cos my legs will swell but the parents kept assuring me that they will stop every 2 hours for us to go for a pee and stretch ourselves. Tickets all booked and paid............no turning back.

Took Lyn days to finish buying and packing the stuff for the trip. The food items are more than our luggage. There were fruits, cakes, sweets, peanuts, kuachi, biscuits, 20 boxes of cup mee and 3 tubs of 5 lit water. But it was smart thinking and worth in spite of all the carrying off and on the bus.

Been in NY the whole week, there was no rain but on the morning of our trip, it rained. So we had to call for a cab. Good thing cos 3 of us had to carry about 7 bags (big and small) excluding our handbags. And carrying it up the subway station is no joke....errrrr for me. Altho both of them are ever so nice to hand me the lightest of the whole lot.

When I first went into the bus, I slipped and hit my leg against the foot rest. It was very painful (imagine my bone against the steel bar) and a pc of flesh actually came off. I only get to put a plaster after I reach the hotel.

I sat in the middle section of the bus and the bus stinks with urine smell. Obviously I was not the only one who smell it. I sounded to the tourist guide, John and he said that he would do something about it. Anyway, he did not get rid of the smell and I suppose we all got use to the smell after a while.

The journey started of with John telling us where we will stop to pee and stretch. I was not able to understand him properly cos he could not speak english well. So for two hours, there was complete silence in the bus where most of us were sleeping cos we woke up really early. Our first stop was 'The Frog City' . We all had to line up, switch off all out mobile phones to pass through the security check at the entrance. When I went in I thought we were going into a court house. Then John show us a picture of a big frog on the floor. It was made of tiles and guarded by a lady guard. That was what we all lined up through strict security for.

I am glad we went by coach otherwise we will not be able to see all the towns in between New York and Chicago. I remembered Ohio, Detriot, Cleveland, Illinois, Indiana, Toledo, Pittsburgh, Michigan. Might have miss some in between cos I was sleeping most of the way. Went to Holland and German Village too. Went to see Henry Ford Museum - Vintage Cars Exhibit. Beautiful. All the old vehicles - from bicycles to planes. Then we went to see the new porch cars. Oh! and Christmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth..............my goodness the place is soooooooooooooo big and they sell only x'mas decorative items and there must be trillions of them. We were there for about and hour but I hardly had enough time to go through 3 rows of the deco items. Sad to say tho, 99% of the things are made in China.

Went for a cruise just round and round the same spot and had dinner on board. I only had salad cos most of the food is not to my liking. ( I do not take lamb or steak or anything cooked in cheese). Had lunch in china town in Chicago. The best lunch or meal for the whole trip ......... well for me. Most of the lunches are either Macdonald or Kfc. We were told that we'd probably have that again for dinner so while at china town, we bought some roast duck and ribs. Stoped by a rest area for dinner and we had ours in the park. Then when we reach the hotel, we had cup mee.

The best place we went was a park in Chicago. There was a large group of people there doing exercises and we all followed including John. It was fun.

On the way back there was more fun in the coach cos we all started telling jokes and singing songs. We were all more relaxed with each other and all of us were having so much fun. I think that should be the way to start the journey. But then everybody was so shy. The journey back seem so much shorter.

On the whole, I am glad I went for the trip. Tks again to Lyn and Seng ko.

Rain

Went to The Big Apple (New York) for 2 weeks to visit my godson Jason and family. Not very familiar with the parents. Just had a few dinners with them for the past few years. The whole family are very hospitable. Will elaborate more in my next post. Must tell this joke before I forget.

Jason's parents took me for a trip by bus to Chicago. It wud have been a very long and boring trip if he did not sit next to me and tell me jokes. And this is one of them.

He told me when he first came to the states about 20 years ago, he went to china town and it was raining. He heard a chinese woman shouting - 'Ti Li Ta La' - Ti LiTa La'. He thought that she was shouting to everyone that it is raining but as he approach nearer to her, he noticed that she had a lot of umbrellas with her and still shouting 'Ti Li Ta La' - Ti Li Ta La'. He stood there for a while and still wondering why she is shouting those words. AND found out later when someone went to buy am unbrella and paid the woman - THREE DOLLARS.

New/Future Home

Today I got a surprise from my daughter. She told me that my husband has bought me a new home or shall I say a future home.

I have got mixed feelings over this. Don't know how to explain it but it sure spoils my day as I will be thinking about it all the time.

He has bought a place for eternal rest at the Shah Alam area. It is not cheap cost RM25k each. Don't know if this is planning for us or for the sake of the kids?

UL just told me not to think about my age and I was telling myself to let go and feel young and so on but how la when u get some news like this? Kinda depressing. Sigh!!!!!!!!!!!

Greetings from New York

Hello! greetings from New York. Reached JPK airport on the 30.7.08 at 10.30am, an hour early. My godson's parents came to pick me and we went by train and got lost cos the particular train do not go to the station they came from. I think we went off and on the train for about an hour. It was their first time by train too. So I decided to ask and finally got the correct train. What a joke!!!

There is 3 steep flight of stairs to reach the streets. When I reach the top I was already breathless. Had to stop a little while. We finally got back to their home on the 3rd floor. The weather was so unkind to me. It was sooooooo hot. I felt to sticky cos there was totally no air at all.

Lyn, godson's mom cook and we had dinner at 4.00pm cos they were thinking of taking me to some nice night spots. With the heat and my swollen leg, I just did not feel like going out at all. So we did not go out but just chit chat at home.

I fell asleep while waiting for my godson to come home. He came back at almost 12.00am after his shower, he came to my bedside and talk to me. He was very tired too but he refuse to go back to bed. Anyway, I had to chase him out cos I was very tired myself.

I really slept like a baby and Thank God they had the aircon on. They have the whole family planning to take me to places and shopping. Will tell more soon.