US

[chialc88]

Good morning Value buddies.
What a fantastic day.

Certainly, you had read about my first trip (driving) in US.
It was a business trip to IBM - Research Triangle Park, North Carolina: here

If you had not read about my story, then a quick revision:
Link

---

Another business trip and
I touched down in Loveland.
Small jet plane, equally small airport.

This time I was given a Ford Mondeo.
Big size and sure look powerful.

Driving from Loveland to Fort Collins is very easy.
Go north on I-25 for 10 miles and left turn to my hotel.
Easy, easy.

The weather is nice.
Cooling with bright sun shine. 

---

I-25 is no good.
Many big trucks.
Speeding like mad.
Closing fast behind me.

I had to give way by steering into the faster lane 
aka middle lane of this 3 lanes highway.

Luckily, not so many cars, just many big monster trucks.

I saw my exit sign pointing to the right.
Roger.
Slow down, slow down.
Get ready to steer out of of the highway.
It's a gentle spur, slopping up to my right.

My speedometer read 60.
I make a turn and all hell break loose.

My car tyre was screaming...squeaky.
Not skidding. 
I'm holding steady,
and Ford tyre is holding steady too.

The whole world became slow motion.
Everything played out frame by frame.

My foot was already standing by on the break.
I applied my break gently.
Very gently as if I had all the time in the world to play.

I'm in 100% control.
Squeaky sound continue and my Ford gently moving up the slope.


Gently applying my break, 
and my Ford gently moving up the slope...
and the squeaky sound disappeared.

Bright sunshine and I'm on my way to Fort Collins.

No sweat!
Yet another day in our busy life.

Love Compassion

[opmi]

Don't dare to drive in US too. My wife more gung ho. She drove most
of the time. Also try to compensate by getting a big car.

[chialc88]

Hi opmi,
Well done!
Let your wife do most of the driving also can.

P.S. after I checked into my hotel, 
I think and think why this Ford Mondeo is so lousy?
So unstable.
Then I realised that this is America and
60 is actually 100km/h. 

Luckily, I am driving a Ford Mondeo.


So, next time when you're driving in a new country,
take a closer look at its dashboard.

ok?

Love Compassion

[weijian]

hi chialc88, u probably shouldnt a shock at how "little" u need to pump at the gas station now i reckon :p

[Porkbelly]

Be very alert to your driving speed wherever in the world.


I have driven in UK, Ireland, Poland, Romania, USA & Canada
South Africa, Germany, Italy, France, Demark, Australia & NZ

Besides local driving customs, speed will be the one thing
to pay very close attention.
Slow down when driving near urban areas, I mean really slow down!
As slow as 10kmh or less especially after driving on highways.
Children, elderly folks, drunks, addicts, not so clear traffic lights,
farm vehicles, animals.. can suddenly appear as you try to navigate
towards your destination. Slow down.


Dont spoil your journey with an accident... slow down.
And yes, get a higher cc vehicle with low profile.
The higher cc will give you the power to get out of tight situations
quickly. The low profile helps to keep the vehicle steady in windy, mountain areas
and from passing 18 wheelers... with snow!

Singapore driving is very rushed.. bring that with you and you will get into trouble.
I dont drive in Singapore though.. gave up the car more than 18 years ago. Not worth.

Thanks ChiaLc... always enjoy your rambles across the world..!

[chialc88]

Good morning value buddies,
What a beautiful day...
bright sunshine with birds chirping everywhere.

 

One of the most favourite things that we do in US is to visit the factory outlet.
We like to buy things for family members back home.
for colleagues, for friends, uncle, aunty etc.

When I was at LoveLand Factory outlet next to highway,
I could see a long stretch of mountain range.
Long,  long stretch like a pencil lying on the flat land.
Too bright.
I put my hand like a sun shade over my forehead.
I look again.
On top of the mountain range, 
on it's ridge line, 
is a long long white belt.

If only I could reach the foot of the mountain range,
I'll be a happy man.

---

After shopping, I look out for the white belt on top of the mountain range.
It's calling me.
LC, come, come.
LC, you must come.

Ok, got it!

I ramp on my Ford Mondeo and charge towards the mountain.

Wow...
Although the mountain looks very far from loveland outlet,
I reached it's foot hill in less than an hour.

Ok, let's push on!
Let's go!

Along the city main street and out towards the mountain.
And, then suddenly, my Ford die on the road.

Steady, steady.
I switch off the engine and shift the gear from "D" into "P" position.
Ignition, zoom, zoom.
Looks normal and feel like normal too.

Let's go again.

After climbing for about 500m, 
no luck, my Ford die again.

Excuse me! 
This is a Ford Mondeo, ok.
Not one of those mini mini car.

Disappointed. 
What a shame.

I'm preparing to drive back to Fort Collins.
... and then suddenly, a thought come into my mind.

 
I put on a brave heart.
Never say die, always say try.
Let me try out this new idea.
And, of course, I drive all the way up the Rocky Mountain and back to hotel safe and sound.
Dear value buddies,
want to guess what happen? 
{coffee/tea on me if you guess correctly.}


Love Compassion

[chialc88]

one week later...

my Japanese colleague wanted to go shopping with me.
(yes, I'm not always alone...   )

where-else?
outlet mall law.

sama sama.
after loaded up with all stuffs (for friends and relatives back home mah),

i pointed out to the white "pencil" lying in the horizon...

it's late because Japanese brought so much stuffs (than me).
and we got to chiong...

half way up, more Elks.
further up and at a pit stop, we saw a group of Beavers.
what the....
why Beaver near the top of a mountain?

further up, at the peak is really amazing.

a few cars, erh more like 4 wheel drives or trucks...
pointing at the west...
near the cliff...
overlook...
... the valley...
...... which is not the main character...
............
..................
....................... the sunset
......................................... .... the sun
...................................................... the brilliantly lit cloud
..................................................................... crimson red spreading across the skies...

People
i suppose
two by two
...... wrap tightly in blankets
........... sat on top of their hood
.................in front of them, a tripod
.....................facing the crimson sky

door opened and a sub-zero degree gush of cold air...
penetrated my shorts and T-shirt (I'm not mad, its the de-facto outfit for summer!)

my incredibly romantic Japanese colleague leap out
leaving me behind (alone again).



The homeless man was a ex-marine.
Out from the service, he went to college.
Learn everything on music.
Tried to work for a while and then become homeless.

Why did he become homeless?

---

Like any stock market, Singapore SGX is no different.

If had invested here for more than a few years,
then you sure got stuck with many bad stocks.

Most people can not run-away from owning one or two bad S-Chip.
There are simply so many of them got suspended.

BAL was extremely hot stocks at it's hay day.
Again, many people would have brought into one way or another.

Once our darling of Oil and Gas, says KepCorp and SembCorp.
Look at them now.
Most investors will dump them sooner or later (after seeing no sign of oil price recovery)

Telco is a flop.
Many investors profited from our 3 telcos.
Most still stay above their buying price.
But getting very concern about the rotting share price.
(looking out aggressively for alternatives)

Blue chips (famous) also cannot be spared too.
Look at SQ, SPH, Comfort and our once favourite star Sing Post.

What's going on?

Why suddenly everything just turn upside down?

Is it the economy?

or what?

   for a million dollar, what are you doing now?