Category: Travels

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Travels

Foggy weather seems to go with travel

We left a cold and foggy UK in the morning of the 23rd December 2007, for the warmer climate of Malaysia, and our home in Bukit Mertajam, on the Malaysian Peninsular near the Island of Penang.

In the heavy fog at Heathrow Airport, we were slowly bused out the waiting aircraft. For some reason, MAS (Malaysian Air System) had not allocated enough buses to take the full load of passengers for the Jumbo jet, which delayed our take-off for two hours. At least we took off, unlike my trip to Gaziantep. (click to read).

Despite all my flying, sleep on and aircraft I find is difficult to achieve, I sleep in bouts, but in a sitting position, it does not give a truly refreshing sleep, so I watch about three films on the 11 hour flight.

As we departed London two hours late. so we arrived in Kuala Lumpur’s KLIA airport two hours late. It amazes me that flying all those miles or kilometres, they can predict to the virtual minute the landing time. Why can’t we get this right on public transport, trains and buses, in our major cities? There seems always to be an excuse for the late arrival on every journey of London’s Southwest Trains, wrong sort of snow, leaves on the track, broken rail, person taken ill or under the train.

We had half an hour on landing to cross between KLIA airport’s International Arrivals terminal, get through passport control, to the Domestic Terminal.

With such ease, about twenty people of the London flight were gathered like sheep on disembarking the plane, and herded via the connecting AirTrain, and with five minutes to spare we were sitting on the Penang flight.

My eyes were heavy with sleep, my head was spinning with lack of sleep, but there was no time to get some shut-eye on the 45 minute flight. Just time to eat the complimentary peanuts and Milo drink. I love Milo made by Nestle, a malt chocolate drink I remember my Grandmother giving me as a very young boy. Oh great taste and memories.

We picked-up our rental car from Bob Rent a car, a local company that always gives a good service, with pleasant staff, who were waiting at arrivals to see me through the rental agreements and hand me the keys. Oh, the air conditioning of the car, it was so hot and humid, I needed it, as I find the climate a little too much sometimes, especially having just arrive from London’s freezing zero degrees.

A short drive later, and we arrived at our Malaysian home. All that I needed to do, was to make the bed, put the air con on, and sleep.

My home in Desa Palma, Bukit Mertajam, Malaysia

It was now the 24th December, Christmas Eve, and I had left Santa Claus, presents, decorations, roast turkey and Christmas Pudding far behind me in the UK. This year I will celebrate Malayasian style.

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Travels

Hampton Court

One of the advantages of having visitors, is that you have to show them the local sights.

So it was yesterday.

Moon, Mee Len’s brother, was arriving from Malaysia at London’s’ Heathrow airport, and I had volunteered to pick him up to take him to his other sister’s and bother-in-law’s, Mee Chee and Joe’s house in Leatherhead, so that the family will be celebrating Christmas together.

Moons’ wife and two girls were dropped off at our home, and Mee Len wanted to take them to the home of Henry VIII, Hampton Court, which is only a couple of miles from here, as we had a few hours to waste prior to the flight arriving.

Rear view of Hampton Court
Rear view of Hampton Court


Hampton Court is a place I have been to many times, sometimes we will walk along the river Thames, from Kingston upon Thames town center, sometimes we catch the ferry. (see a video of the river and Kingston, click here).

Every time I go, I see something different, learn something new. It is like taking courses. I do not know how many courses I have attended and assisted on with Richard Bandler, hearing his stories, seeing his work time an ime again, each time I go I learn something new. Perhaps it is George Miller’s 7 +/-2 (click to read), of how much the brain takes in at any one time.

We joined a tour given my actors dressed in the style of Henry VIII’s time, acting as if they were there at the time. They told us history I did not know about, showed us things I had never seen on previous visits.

The attendants, overseeing Hampton Court, took timeout to explain aspects of the building as we walked through our tour, making the experience one not to be forgotten.

As I wondered around, my mind was racing, as some of my work, my stories are based on previous experiences at Hampton Court. The description of a walled garden in Win Wenger’s Image Streaming with the crunching of the pebbles beneath my feet, the edged lawns, trees and fountains. The rooms of my hypnotic CD, The Castle (see above in the side panel), with the rooms and stairs, are in Hampton Court.

crunching of the pebbles, the edged lawns, trees and fountains at Hampton Court
crunching of the pebbles, the edged lawns, trees and fountains

Relatives from Malaysia who had never been in temperatures lower than 20 degrees
Relatives from Malaysia who had never been in temperatures lower than 20 degrees find the UK cold.


It is surprising how much we will realise what is missing from our understanding of the world, when we revisit our experiences.

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Eating Out Travels

Fish n Chips

Good British Food, Fish n Chips
Good British Food, Fish n Chips


Not good for you I am told, deep fat fried food, but Cod and Chips, with mushy peas, and with an idea on health, some salad, plus a cup of tea. All that was missing was a piece of bread and butter.

It has been well over a year since I sat down for a traditional Fish n Chip meal. Yes I am watching my diet, but once in a while it does the soul good to indulge in what we love. I had the excuse to partake in one of my favourite meals. Some of my relatives from Malaysia on their first trip to a cold climate that we have in the UK at the moment, needed in my view to experience the local traditional cuisine, especially as they were eating only Chinese food. (see blog, Culture. Eating Chinese Style) In any case, if I have to suffer in Malaysia only eating their food, it is pay back time. He He.


Real Fish n Chip meals. OK, the girls had a meat pie and a chicken burger.
Real Fish n Chip meals. OK, the girls had a meat pie and a chicken burger.

Wrapped up against the cold in Kingston upon Thames.

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Culture Travels

Culture is changing fast in the UK.

I have been writing a little about culture, especially when I heard a participant say on a recent course,  “this is *?&$£: culture, and it will not change.”

After taking some of my relatives on a small walk after our meal in London’s China Town into Piccadilly Circus, then up Regent Street to Oxford Circus and Oxford Street, I was wondering what is happening to the British traditional Christmas celebrations, our cultural heritage, it is changing.

For a start the traditional street lights put up for Christmas lacked the festive message. They had nothing to do with what Christmas stands for, the tradition, OK the religious meaning, not even a Santa Clause and his reindeer.

In London’s Regent Street, the lights were just clusters of balls hung in the middle of the street changing colour. Perhaps they are one company’s identity or logo. Pathetic.

Xmas London Regent Street lights
Regent Street Xmas lights
In Oxford Street the street lights were not much better. Sorry about the blurred picture, I was shaking with cold.

Xmas London Oxford Street lights
Oxford Street Xmas lightsAt least the traditional Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square was there with some Carol-Singers, singing to the onlookers. The Christmas tree is a tradition, where the people of Oslo, Norway, send a tree to be placed in Trafalgar Square every year as a thank you for the effort of the British people in the Second World War to their country.

Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree

Trafalgar Square Xmas Tree

In Kingston upon Thames (20/12/2007) the lights were more festive, and this town is very multicultural, being a major shopping center for the area. If they can do it, why not Central London?

Christmas lights in Kingston upon Thames
Christmas lights in Kingston upon Thames

Britain is becoming too PC, too politically correct, as the UK is being settled by peoples from many nations of the world, for fear of upsetting these people, with other traditions, other cultures, other religions.

The tradition of holding the nativity play in the UK primary schools, where the young children would act the birth of Christ, has in some schools been dropped, withdrawn, as it may upset some of the minority of other faiths that have settled in the UK.

There was the case of a large worldwide media company having to cancel the traditional Christmas Party, usually held by organisations at this time of year, because two (2) people object to the word “Christmas” being used, even though there were I believe nearly 3,000 other staff who had no objection to the word.

The Christmas cards we send to our friends, some years ago would have said “Happy Christmas”. Now we read “Seasons Greetings”.

The culture and traditions of the British people is changing as is should do as more and more people settle in the UK, bringing their culture and traditions into the melting pot of life.

But I do think that these new people, incomers, should be more tolerant to others beliefs and culture of the countries they settle into, and those people who are trying to be politically correct go and visit certain countries in the Middle East, etc and witness their holidays.

But such is life, we have to just accept change or we will get upset, beat ourselves up, and complain.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE.
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Eating Out Travels

Culture. Eating Chinese Style

Some of the family from Malaysia is visiting the UK for the first time.

It was the first time they had experienced the pomp of the British culture, the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, and many more sights and sounds. (see previous entry for pictures, click here).

It was the first time they had experienced real cold when outside walking, “0” degrees Centigrade, as one said, smoke came out of the mouth. The poor things were wrapped-up so much, they could hardly move. Malaysia is permanently hot in the “30”‘s, and is very very humid.

We went for a meal in London’s China Town. Why after traveling all this way were they taken for a Chinese meal, and not for a typical British meal?

typical Chinese family meal

A typical Chinese meal table layout with all the food in the centre.

That got me thinking. What is a typical British meal. Where could I take them for such a meal, and I struggled to find an answer. There are Chinese, Italian, French, Indian, Bangladesh, Japanese, Turkish Kebab, Greek, American style steak houses, hamburger restaurants. But what about British, English, Scottish, Welsh or Irish?

OK we have Fish n Chips, but where are the restaurants? They are far and few between. I could only think of a few, and some of these are perhaps not the standard I would take people to for a special meal.

Where are the roast beef and Yorkshire Pud restaurants?

As I have described in previous blogs, and talked about in my trainings, food in a typical Chinese restaurant is served in the center of the table, and diners will help themselves one mouthfull at a time from the serving tray.

 

Eating Chinese Style
Eating Chinese Style

A typical Chinese meal table layout with all the food in the centre.

In a few days I will be off to Malaysia, swopping places with the family visiting the UK. There I[will be eating only Malaysian food, as there are no British restaurants for me to visit. Oh Poo Poo. I better find one here in Kingston upon Thames for them to try and me to enjoy before I leave.

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Travels

Back in the UK

Today I find myself back in Norbiton in Kingston upon Thames in the UK, and it is very cold.

Being in Turkey for such a long time, I have missed the build up for Christmas, and it has come as quite a shock to realise that it is so near and I have done nothing to prepare myself.

Part of Christmas is that we send cards to friends, relatives and people we know, and I do not think I have time now, so if you do not get a card, Happy Christamas and a Happy New Year.

For my Muslim friends, Happy Eid or in Turkey Happy Bayrami.

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Culture NLP Travels

Culture. It changes.

On occasions in my training courses I am told, “this is *?&$£: culture, and it will not change”.

What is culture? I think it is beliefs, the way we are raised as children, and the influences of our parents, peers, the media, religion and the governments, but on a grand scale, that is as a country, a city, a town, a street, a family, where those beliefs and way of life are shared and lived.

I was born into a proud family, both on my father’s and mother’s side, not a rich family, but one that worked and saved hard for the future. We had high morals, respecting our elders and those less off than us. My family wanted the best they could afford, without begging, borrowing, or taking credit from banks.

Travel was a major adventure, even to go 15 miles would be planned for days. We stayed in our local community, it was the culture of our family and locality.

It was after I started college education and my computing career that I started to travel further and further from the nest, and experienced different communities, working practices and ways of living and working. My cultural behaviours and beliefs were changing.

Phillip Holt wearing thobebiggest difference in beliefs and culture happened when I went to work in the Islamic country of Saudi Arabia, where a woman had no rights, could not drive, could not be with man unless they were married or family. There were no clubs, pubs, theaters or cinemas, no entertainment. Religion was restricted to Islam and no other. Their dress was completely different than that of the British, with their headdress and white thobe. It was their culture that I had to fit into, and I did for nearly six years, although I did not wear their dress style.

My travel for work and holidays to different countries continued to the far corners of the world, China to Peru. Cultures and beliefs being completely different, country to country, and region to region within those countries. My biggest cultural exposure was marrying Mee Len, a Chinese Malaysian.

The more I travel the more I see cultures beginning to change and to merge, where beliefs are beginning to become similar, but not the same.

Simple things like food. Every country or region has its’ specialties. But food is food, it is the way we prepare it, cook it, the ingredients combined to make it, the presentation and the way we eat it. Lamb is lamb, chicken is chicken, beef is beef and rice is rice.

The emergence of outlets such as Starbucks, Gloria Jeans, MacDonnell’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, kebabs, Indian and Chinese restaurants, in virtually every town in the world is changing the way we eat, for good or bad. These food outlets would not exist if the local people did not want them or eat in them.

The culture of preparing and eating at home, going for convenience food, is changing the culture of communities.

Television, radio, newsprint and the internet is introducing culture and beliefs of one community to another, and the young of the community want what they see, they want the food, they want the fashion.

Retail outlets like Zara, M&S, Carafour, Tesco, Walmart, sell the same products in their shops in London, Singapore, Ankara New York or Madrid, and the purchasing public buy it, changing the dress culture.

We are becoming one in the affluent and younger people, it is the older of us that hold on to the old dress, styles or culture.

The culture of travel is changing as we become more affluent, we buy more cars, we use public transport rather than walking, we tend to travel further from our homes to work, and take convenience food for lunch and snacks.

As we travel further to work and to study, the family structure changes. The family culture is breaking down. This is happening not only in 1st world counties but in 3rd world too, as people seeks work to support their family and changing life styles.

We are loosing cultural differences, and it is happening more quickly day by day. I am sorry to say nothing will stop it, culture has never been static, like language, it is always modifying to the influences of the environment, the community, and our knowledge as they change.

For those who do not like this change or loosing their culture, they can become entrenched in their beliefs of the old ways, and can become very aggressive in their views, often going to extremes to display the culture they believe in, with their dress and behaviour.

We should celebrate our cultural differences and keep them, but we should respect other peoples and communities beliefs and cultures.

We will never stop cultural change.

Click to read next blog about culture.

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NLP Travels

Culture

My travels take me to many places around the world, and these places and people have many customs and beliefs. These customs and beliefs will range from behaviours, dress, food, and politics to religion. The latter two I keep away from.

My problem is that as I visit and give more trainings in these far places (click to see countries I visit), I am introduced to even more culture, and as I forget what country or region I am in, I can make big mistakes.

Simple things like hand movements, simple words, touching, looking, how I eat food, drink, or blow my nose, can cause offense. And, I do not intentionally.

OK, there are times when I intentionally shock my participants with what I do. It is done for a purpose, but that is another matter.

Simple things like blowing my nose. In Turkey it should never be done whilst eating at the dining table. The trouble is I did not know this until recent times. How often have I eaten a spicy meal, hot chillies, that make my nose run, it is not that I have a cold, but my nose really runs, and how often have I blown my nose? I cannot have it dripping can I?

Sorry people who have taken me for a meal and I did wrong.

In China or Malaysia, South East Asia, they eat noodles, which can be called spaghetti in Italy and the rest of the world, as far as I am concerned they are one of the same. In China, they scoop the noodles into the mouth, and the excess is bitten off and is allowed to fall to back onto the plate. In Italy it should all be placed into the mouth whole, none should be dropped back onto the plate.

Sorry Donatella, when I ate like a Chinaman at your friend’s restaurant in upmarket Rome.

In some countries it is rude to show the souls of the feet, that is one reason when people sit on the floor they place their feet beneath them like in a yoga position. My knees do not bend that way or that much. I have tried, but it seems I am not built to do that.

Sorry, I suppose I should have some replacement knees.

The classic sign to indicate to stop is to place the flat of the hand towards the person you wish to stop. Most police forces use it to stop traffic. But then it can be a rude sign to some cultures. Another sign to say stop is to run an outstretched hand across the neck, to cut or finish. In Italy this is a bad sign used by the Mafia.

Sorry people in Italy.

I Muslim counties, cultures or beliefs, it is sometimes not done for a man to touch or shake a womans hand, one of the most natural ways of meeting someone, thus we have the NLP Handshake Interrupt exercise. (click to see).

In some cultures, it is not the done thing to show any form of affection or gratitude, for example the kissing of cheeks we see in Mainland Europe or the Middle East. It is certainly not done by the British, but I have gotten used to it.

Sorry those of you in the Chinese community, especially the family in Malaysia and Bing, my brother-in-law.

Perhaps the answer could be that we all wear a big sign around our necks, which states and says what is acceptable to us and what is not. It would then be easy for me not to cause offense to others by my words and action, and for others not to upset me, like jumping the queue. (click to read).

But then, people who have been on my courses can cope with culture differences, they may not like the differences, but now they can accept them and smile.

To the rest of you. Sorry in advance.

Can you let me know of differences in culture and beliefs you know of, by posting a comment below so I can be prepared?

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Travels

A day of being in the fog and queuing.

Continuing from my entry A fog bound Gaziantep, Turkey earlier today, at 19:00 hours I am still traveling.

I arrived at Gaziantep airport this morning at 9:30am and waited for two hours in the airport departures, hearing various announcements, all in Turkish, well it is Turkey what should I expected , and race around trying to get translations, only to find out at 1pm that all flights had been canceled because of the fog or mist.

What do I do now?

Keep calm, put a smile on my face and happiness in my heart, and place my attention at Hara, Fred, Antonio, Mustapha, Siri Parla, be strong, because I knew there would be a scrum, a fight to get to the re ticketing desk, and sure enough, there was.

The British are famous for a number of things, not being able to speak another language other than English, fish and chips, and queuing.

If there are more than two people standing behind each other, the British will join the queue, they may not know what they are waiting for, but they join the queue.

Now, if anyone jumps the queue, gets out of line, pushes in, they will be in trouble. The best place to see this in action is on the “Drain”, London’s Bank underground line. It has only two stations, Waterloo and The Bank. It is very civilised, every one lines up correctly, and there is no pushing or shoving.

But that is London, in other countries there is no queuing system, first come first served, get in there first.

The trouble is I am British. I can be first in the queue and before I know it I am last, somehow, I do not know how, in an airport, the whole flight is in front of me, I can be first off the plane, get to passport control, but still be last threw.

And so it proved to be today, even though I did my best to stay in front, I was one of the last to be sorted out. The only thing for me to do was to get a flight from Adana, and Turkish Airways would not get me there, I would have to make my own way, or catch the next days flight.

The harassed Turkish Airlines check in clerk, did her best, but would not answer my questions as to how I was going to get to Adana, but she said I had a 19:00 hr flight. OK, smile, keep strong, I found a coach going to Adana airport, a three hour journey, and I thought for free. No way, once I was captured on the coach, on its’ journey, I had to pay 15 Turkish Lira. No problem, it will not break the bank.

With nothing to do, I looked at the re routing documents, written in Turkish, Oh Poo Poo, my flight is due to take off at 22:15 hrs, that means a 23:30 hours arrival In Istanbul’s Ataturk airport, then, a trip into the center of Istanbul to my hotel.

What a long day. I could be eating a great meal in Istanbul with friends.

I think I need a holiday. Who say travel is glamorous?

Perhaps Turkish Airlines should compensate me? I doubt it, not even a drink was offered, great customer service, good job I have access to the CIP lounge to write this blog.

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Travels

A fog bound Gaziantep, Turkey

I have two hours to wait in a fog bound airport in Gaziantep in the South of Turkey, or that is what they say. All announcements are made in Turkish and I have no idea what they are saying. That is the problem of not speaking any languages other than English.

It has been an enjoyable time here working with many people here in this beautiful city, I have learned much more about the Turkish culture and eating habits, which I will add in later blogs perhaps.

It has been a hard six day training time, working long hours often 12 hours a day, with 3 courses, but the participants have made it worth while. Some have been a challenge to help go through a new learning process, new ideas, and a style which is unique to me in delivery of training.

Last night we finished a business coaching course organised by Gap Consultancy for Superfilm, part of the Sanko Holding group of companies. Working with so many , personalities, beliefs and behaviours kept me on my toes, but with the help of Mehpare who translated for me, I am sure we achieved a great outcome.

Thank you Superfilm and Sanko for allowing me to be with you, I look forward being back in January 2008 for more courses.