One can book a 2 days 1 night trip to Halong Bay from Hanoi for as little as USD29 per person. Bus journey from Hanoi to Halong City (Hon Gai) takes 3 1/2 hours, passing Haiphong along the way. Once we reached the port at about 12pm, we were taken on board the boat and start cruising along Halong Bay. Lunch was taken on board the boat.
At 3pm, we were guided to visit one of the caves in Halong Bay. In this case, the Amazing Cave. Halong Bay is famous not only for its magnificent view and scenery, but also for its geological value of the numerous caves around the area.
After visiting the cave, one could opt to kayak around the blue and tranquil water of Halong Bay.
We stayed the night off the shore near the southern tip of Cat Ba Island after dinner and head back to Halong City the next morning.
Of many baguettes i sampled in Vietnam, the best one was undoubtedly be found in the city of Dalat, a cool hill-station retreat in the central highlands region of Vietnam.
This is due to the many bakery outlets that opened around the downtown area of Dalat. They sell impressive looking breads and cakes. In fact, Dalat is famous for its coffee and cakes.
I've compiled a list of bakeries that sell mouth-watering stuffed baguette (Banh Mi) that taste so good and not expensive at all. It costs only 5,000 VND (0.32 USD) each. They all located at the 3/2 Street (D 3 Thang 2) of Dalat.
My personal favorite is at Tiem Banh Lien Hoa (literally translate Lotus Bakery). Address : 19, 3/2 Street, Dalat. Telephone numbers 063-837303. Their baguettes are the best. Even local people queue up for them.
Banh Mi stall inside Lien Hoa
Tiem Banh Lien Hoa (Lotus Bakery)
Alternatively, one may try Hieu Banh Hoan Hy 2's. Address : 14, 3/2 Street, Dalat. Telephone numbers 063-830457.
Banh Mi stall inside Hoan Hy 2
Bami Kim Anh is the franchise looking Banh Mi outlet located the the corner (or junction) of 3/2 Street. They have variety of fillings that you could choose for your baguettes, i.e. eggs, chicken, beef, kebabs, etc.
Kim Anh's baguette
Bami Kim Anh
Hope you all have a pleasant stays in Dalat. With a cup of coffee and a baguette in hands, take a stroll around the Xuan Huong Lake. What a relaxing moment!
While i was on board a bus traveling from Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) to Dalat, the bus driver shown us this video during the journey that i found really funny and interesting. This is the parody of Madonna's Like A Virgin music video. It was produced and performed way back in year 1985 by Weird Al Yankovic.
For all doctor wannabes out there: this song is for your amusement only. Don't take it seriously.
Like A Surgeon Lyrics
I finally made it through med school Somehow I made it through I'm just an intern I still make a mistake or two
I was last in my class Barely passed at the institute Now I'm trying to avoid, yah I'm trying to avoid A malpractice suit
Hey, like a surgeon Cuttin' for the very first time Like a surgeon Organ transplants are my line
Better give me all your gauze nurse This patient's fading fast Complications have set in Don't know how long he'll last
Let me see, that I.V. Here we go - time to operate I'll pull his insides out, pull his insides out And see what he ate
Like a surgeon, hey Cuttin' for the very first time Like a surgeon Here's a waiver for you to sign
Woe, woe, woe
It's a fact - I'm a quack The disgrace of the A.M.A. 'Cause my patients die, yah my patients die Before they can pay
Like a surgeon, hey Cuttin' for the very first time Like a surgeon Got your kidneys on my mind
Like a surgeon, ooh like a surgeon When I reach inside With my scalpel, and my forceps, and retractors Oh oh, oh oh, woe, oh
Ooh baby, yah I can hear your heartbeat For the very last time
And this is Madonna's Like A Virgin music video. Just for your comparison...
Like A Virgin Lyrics
I made it through the wilderness Somehow I made it through Didn't know how lost I was Until I found you
I was beat Incomplete I'd been had I was sad and blue But you made me feel Yeah you made me feel Shiny and new
Like a virgin Touched for the very first time Like a virgin When your heart beats Next to mine
Gonna give you all my love boy My fear is fading fast Been saving it all for you 'Cause only love can last
You're so fine And you're mine Make me strong Yeah you make me bold Oh your love thawed out Yeah your love thawed out What was scared and cold
Like a virgin Touched for the very first time Like a virgin With your heartbeat Next to mine
Woah, woah, oh, woah You're so fine And you're mine I'll be yours 'Til the end of time 'Cause you made me feel Yeah you made me feel I've nothing to hide
Like a virgin, hey Touched for the very first time Like a virgin With your heartbeat Next to mine
Like a virgin, oooh Like a virgin Feels so good inside When you hold me And your heart beats And you love me
Oooh baby Can't you hear my heart beat For the very first time
OSK Investment Bank really knows how to pick the stock especially when comes to list call warrants (CW) of American stocks. After listed Google Inc.’s (Nasdaq: GOOG) CW (GOOGLE-C1) recently, on 11th December, it listed Apple Inc.’s (Nasdaq: AAPL) CW as APPLE-C1 (stock-code 0528C1) on the Bursa Malaysia.
Apple-C1 has the following characteristics which you should know:
Conversion / Exercise Price = USD171.50
Conversion / Exercise Ratio = 1200
Expiry Date = 3rd July 2008
IPO Price = RM0.11
You should notice the variable or the unknown fluctuation from the above items namely the exercise price that is denominated in US dollars. The US dollars had weaken since the last interest rate cut and if Ben Bernanke continues to cut the interest rate in the foreseeable future, you can expect the Malaysia Ringgit to strengthen further.
The exchange rate for USD to Ringgit was 1 USD to RM3.3120 as of Dec 13. This means the following:
Conversion / Exercise Price: USD171.50 x 3.3120 = RM568.01
Apple-C1 trading price as of 13th Dec 2007 (midday closing) = RM 0.115
Let’s exercise the CW: RM0.115 x 1200 = RM138
Add it to the Exercise Price: RM568.01 + RM138 = RM706.01
Now, let’s see the last stock price of Apple Inc. traded at Nasdaq on Dec 12. The share closed at USD190.86 per share which will translate into RM632.13 ($190.86 x 3.312). So you’re paying a premium of 11.69 percent or RM73.88 for the time value until 3rd July 2008. Now, let’s assume the premium of 11.69 percent and currency exchange rate will stay the same until the expiry date, although it’s very unlikely. It’s for computation sake.
If Apple Inc. climbs to USD200.86 (USD10 gain) you’ll have the following:
In Ringgit: USD200.86 x 3.312 = RM665.25
The total exercise price and ratio= RM743.02 (11.69% premium)
The un-exercise 1200 CWs: RM743.02 – RM568.01 = RM175.01
Each CW: RM175.01 / 1200 = RM0.146 (round to RM0.145 since you can only trade at 0.005 spread)
So, when the Apple Inc. stock jumps US$10 a share, your gain in CW is RM0.03 (around 26% gain). The underlying mother share of Apple Inc. only gain at around 5.24% (From USD190.86 to USD200.86). Of course the above illustration is based on the assumption that the premium and currency exchange rate remains static at the above figures.
Surely, one could probably make more money trading Call or Put Options directly from the U.S. stock markets mainly due to the volatility and one-to-one relationship between the stock and the options, i.e. no huge conversion ratio and exchange rate risk.
Also worth mentioning here, U.S. call and put options are automatically priced using Black-Scholes-Merton model, whereas the price of local structured CW like Apple-C1 are based on demand and supply of the CW.
Finally, the exam is over. At the mean time, i wish to at least finish reading some of the books that have been long overdue. Some of them are:
1) The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb 2) The Age of Turbulence by Alan Greenspan 3) Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne 4) The World Is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman 5) Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
1. Make a decision today and get started -- To do something or stop doing something. Self-discipline is the ability to make yourself do what you should do when you should do it whether you feel like it or not.
2. Develop CLEAR goals and objectives -- You can get everything you want but you must pay the price in full and in advance. Write down your goals and set a deadline. Make a list of everything you can think of to achieve your goals. Organize the list into a plan and take action towards your plan. Do something every single day that move you in the direction of your goals.
3. Plan everyday in advance -- 6P(Prior proper planning prevent poor performance). Make a list. From master list to monthly list to daily list. Always work from your list.
4. Use the ABCDE method to set priority -- Never do a B item when there is A item left undone. D(Delegate to others) E(Eliminate).
5. Separate the urgent from the important -- Urgent and important, important but not urgent (like seeking knowledge), urgent but not important, not urgent not important (useless activity).
6. Use The Law of Force Efficiency -- What is the most valuable use of my time right now?
7. Apply the 80/20 Rule -- Identify the top 20% of your tasks.
8. Work at your energy peak -- Proper eating, proper exercise and proper rest.
9. Practice single-handling of key task.
10. Eat live frog -- First thing to do in the morning.
11. Organize your workplace -- Keep your desk clean. T.R.A.F. (Toss/Refer/Action/File).
12. Use travel time productively -- During car journey and flight.
13. Get better at your key task -- Determine the one skill that will help you the most in your life and your income.
14. Work in real time -- Bias for action. Need for speed.
15. Re-engineer your work -- Reduce 30% of the steps needed in your work initially. Use your creativity. Streamlining.
16. Reinvent yourself each year.
17. Practice zero-base thinking continuously -- What you won't do knowing what you now know you won't get into again if you have to do it over.
18. Set clear posteriority - Discontinue something that you are now doing that are no longer as valuable as they were when you first started on them.
19. Keep your life in balance -- Happy relationship with people.
20. Plan every project carefully.
21. Be intensely action-oriented -- Constant motion.
