At the 2011 International Workshop @ Sempurna Resort, Kuantan

The workshop kicked off exactly at 8.45 am on 25/3/11 with a brief opening speech by the Organizing Committee and introduction of Tony Kwong as the Instructor for the 3-day workshop. I was told that a total of 101 members registered for this workshop and it was a record turn out. From this number, half are from overseas, and almost all of them from various branches in Australia except one representing TTCS Sweden.

Tony started the workshop with the Foundation Exercises. All was well until the Don-Yu and Tor-yu part. At one point, Tony took the participants to a non-stop 250 repetitions of Don-Yu! Tony also provided ample demonstrations of the set in slow motion and the participants really learnt a lot from it. Two members, namely Helen Gaunt from Margaret River, Australia and Ruby from Kuantan, spoke about their recoveries from an auto accident and stroke respectively. Doctors have told Helen that she will walk with a limp but today there is no sign of it at all and she is putting more time on her Tai Chi. For Ruby, it is exactly a year when she first met Tony at last year's workshop. Today, she could raise her right hand and her legs are much stronger. The participants were also told that she can now drive a car and is instructing line dancing! Both of them are grateful to Tony for the help and guidance and for making the speedy recoveries.

On 26/3/11, after two days of training, it was time for some happy moments. To coincide with the workshop, TTCS Kuantan is celebrating its 15th Anniversary. Dato Alan Yong spoke about how it all got started for TTCS Kuantan. A lavish buffet dinner was served and members took turn to perform on stage. I could see happy faces all around me and it is truly a one big happy family together in celebration.

All good things must come to an end. It was time to say goodbye to all the participants, some of whom will be extending their stay by visiting the surrounding places of interest; and some will be heading straight home. It has been a wonderful two months for me in Malaysia. The food, the nice places of interest, great hospitality, sweet memories and most of all, the good people of TTCS Malaysia, thank you very much for taking care of me. I hope to be back in the near future. Leaving you with these words, TERIMA KASIH DAN JUMPA LAGI (thank you and see you again).

I am now in Kuantan

I have arrived at the Sempurna Resort, Kuantan and have the good fortune to meet a good number of the participants who came from far and near. Also, I am glad to inform that Tony Kwong has safely arrived at the resort at 7.30 pm, just in time for the Welcoming Dinner. Prior to coming to Kuantan, I went for a sight-seeing trip of Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Let me have this chance to introduce to you some of the interesting places. First, I went to KL Tower located at the Bukit Nenas or Pineapple Hill. At the Observation Level, I had a good view of KL and its surrounding suburb. At one of the windows, I could see the Petronas Twin Towers at close range and it was awesome. Then, I went to the Central Market which was built in 1888 and was initially a wet market before changing to a centre for local arts and craft. Here, I visited an art gallery-cum-antique house. Next stop was the Dataran Merdeka or Independence Square where one could see a contrast of the old and new buildings. Check the photo and you could see the old Court House on the foreground and the new high rise buildings at the background. To end the day, I went back to Kajang for TTC practice and thanked the members for taking good care of me for almost two months.

Tomorrow (25/3) is the first day of the Malaysian TTC International Workshop and a total of 101 participants will get together to work on their Tai Chi with Tony on centrestage. I am all ready for the workshop.

Looking at Twin Tower


At the Central Market


At the gallery


At Dataran Merdeka (Old and new)