Asian Invasion Pt 1 London.

Sorry for the late post everyone!!

London was really hectic and now that Im in Sweden,I've finally got abit of time on my own. Just hanging at Yukay's place writing this blog.



I almost forgot how many people I actually know who have moved to London!?!? I still didn't manage to catch up with most of them!!! Coz my schedule was pretty packed in already. Sorry guys!!

Anyways,arrived in London and straight into London and took the underground to Victoria Station where our friend was staying. After dumping the bags it was straight to Marks & Spencers for some good old Crumpets!!! Not sure if we can get them in Singapore but Crumpets and Butter ROCK!! (Note: Do Not Eat If Trying To Lose Weight!!!)

Mmhhmmmm crumpets with butter!!

So with Crumpets began the week of unhealthy eating,lotsa sight seeing and catching up with people over lunches and dinners and lunches and dinners!!! Even though I eat LOADSSSS, there's only so much food my tummy can take before I start putting on weight and I turn into the size of a house!! But here is a compilation of some the yummy stuff that I managed to squeeze into my belly anyways!! (Not all at one sitting!!!)

(Left to Right) Jacket Potatoes with Chilli Con Carne,Jamaincan Jerk Chicken at Camden Market,Afternoon Tea at the very POSH Fortnum & Mason.

Even tho I was busy trying to catch up with people and busy stuffing my face I managed to do some sightseeing and to test out my new Nikon camera!! =) Last time I was in London was 7 years ago so I wanted to check out the sights again to refresh my memory,so first up was Buckingham Palace coz I was only around the corner from it,I was lucky enough to catch the Changing Of Guards Ceremony. Boy was it busy!!

After that walked down all and caught Big Ben and managed to go down the river on a river cruise sorta thing to London Bridge. The Architechture of all these old buildings and everything is just sooo beautiful it's pretty amazing when you think that most of these places were probably built with not alot of modern technology. I gotta say it's bloody impressive!!

London is a really cool city. I do like it but at times I think the prices for alot of stuff can get really ridiculous. We were on the bus which was unfortunately out of our ZONE and we had to pay cash and it was literally like 4 stops and it cost us £2!!! Thats SGD$6!!! And we had to take a cab one night coz we were out late at bars catching up with friends and it cost us £20!!! Yikkkeeess!!!

Well the main reason I was in London was actually for Becky's brothers wedding and it took place in at an old Scottish sorta club. It was a beautiful day which made the event even better...as many of you would know a Beautiful day is a very RARE thing in London!!! Bride and Groom both looked Stunnning!!!! I like going to weddings,it makes you think about who would you ask to be your "Best Man" and what would you say in your speech....it was pretty touching as it was very nice to hear of friends speak so well of each other coz they've been through thick and thin together and for a son to talk about his family and his new family to be openly to all his loved ones. Trust me it's not an easy task...!!

There were quite a number of things that happened while I was there too. We hit the Pubs to catch Man Utd playT Chelsea in the UEFA Cup final and Man Utd won on Penalties. I was neutral so wasn't really bothered by who won. Also Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton fought Juan Lazcano in his hometown in Manchester and winning him on points for the IBO Light Welterweight Title. I had friends who went to the fights and said it was an amazing event. So the city of Manchester was in party mode!!

Anyways there are hundred of pictures that I took and I think if I tried to add them all and write about them,I'm gonna be here all week trying to blog!! I'll try to blog abit more about London and some other friends that I caught up with and also an interview I did with mymuaythai.com and also abit on KO Gym home to David Pacquette.

Weather is beautiful in Stockholm so Im gonna go out and make the most of it!!

LaterZ

Leaving On A Jet Plane (With A Brand New Nikon 520!!)

Hey there,

Right so Im in the midst of a last minute packing for my 3 weeks in Europe!! So am in a real state of panic!! If I had packed earlier...I would have been naked all week in Singapore!! It's hard to pack for Europe coz you never know what the weather is like!?!? One day it could be bloody cold...and the next day sunny...or it could be bloody both in one day!!! I always end up feeling like I've left out stuff or I've over packed!!....Bahhhhhhhh hate packing!!....

On a chirpier note!! The lovely people over at Nikon have decided that they are gonna sponsor me and my my blog a camera to take along with me for my Asian Invasion of Europe. Making sure that I have lotsa cool photographs of all my memorable moments so that I can update all you lovely people who check my blog!! So hopefully I will get some good pictures in and I can find time to update my blog as often as I can whilst Im over there!! Check out the super cool Nikon Coolpix S520!!! Cant wait to get this baby firing!!!

Anyways I will try as much to keep this blog as Muay Thai related as possible so I'll try and check out some of the gyms in Europe while Im around there and update my blog as often as I can. Might actually catch good old David Pacquette whilst Im there.

Ok off to check my luggage for the last time before I hop on a taxi and then well not really a (private) jet plane....Im not THAT famous yet!!!

LaterZ

Zig Zach's Asian Invasion Of Europe!!

Hey guys,

right its been a busy busy week for me.....Work,meetings,interviews,interviews and MORE interviews!! Crazy!! Becareful what you wish for...I used to say I never get the recognition for what I've done for Muay Thai in Singapore a few years ago......and NOW!! Interviews after interviews!!..Sheesh!! Now am just waiting for my other wish to come true,which is to have a few million dollars miraculously fall on to my lap and I'm sorted!! =)

Right as you've read the title. I'm gonna be doing my Asian Invasion tour of Europe next week!! Im going off to London,Stockholm and Amsterdam!! I think it's a well deserved holiday?... I am in serious need of a break.....Have been working and training so hard the last few months and am feeling rather burnt out.... I need to get hungry to train and fight again,so figured a trip to Europe would be just nice!! Especially since it's been 7 years since I visited Europe!! Everytime that I've wanted to go over to visit my family I've had fights and just too much work to deal with so this time I spoke to promoters and there isn't a fight lined up for me til end of June or early July so I thought I'd better make the most of my time off now.

Off to London for a week first,to attend a wedding and catching up with some good friends who are now living and working there. Then it's off to Stockholm,Sweden for a week....a little more on that in abit as I think that will be the main HIGHLIGHT of my trip....then to end off my trip I'll be heading over to Amsterdam/Eindhoven for a week to visit my family there. I can't wait!!!!

So last weeks blog,I left off at The Contender and K-1 Max Grand Prix. The first series will take place on the 31st of May in Stockholm. And I will be staying with my main man Yukay from the Contender and I will be attending "Rumble Of The Kings 2008" as a VIP guest!!! =) Muahahah eat your hearts out!!!! I've known of the event for quite awhile now and Ive seen some of the previous events that Sweden has held and it is seriously one of,if not THE best venue to fight at. The LINE UP is looking amazing!!! With some of the top fighters battling it out for WMC World Titles and also the chance to make it to The Contender Asia 2 and also a shot at K-1 Max Japan Final 16.

K-1 Scandinavia Poster.

The Contender boys Bruce McFie,Yukay,Yodsaenklai and Dzahabar will be fighting that night in the 8 man Contender Asia Grand Prix,so it's gonna be great to see them and hang out with all of them again after the fights.

I know that you see JWP on the poster.....He was supposed to fight Ole Laursen for the WMC Super Middle Weight World Title but Ive heard that JWP has had to pull out recently as his dad is seriously ill and he has chosen to spend time with his father. JWP's wife also just gave birth to their 2nd Child. Im not sure if they have revealed the replacement for JWP so I dont wanna ruin it for the organisers, but from what I've heard all I can say is he's a short hard hitting fighter from K-1Max.

Yodsaenklai is fighting Levin Artem. You might be wondering What?...Who?.....(Sounds like the same reaction I got when I was listed on The Contender Asia Final 16)...I've seen Levin Artem fight before in Thailand and he is very very talented and amazing to watch,having said all that Yodsaenklai is a machine and is on a roll at the moment so it'll be an interesting one to watch!!

Another fight worth a mention is Nong Toom Fairtex (Yes THE Beautiful Boxer) vs Pernilla Johansson (Swe). I've heard that Nong Toom is back in the ring but of course fighting women now. She is always a good name to have on the fight card coz she still pulls in the crowd. Love to watch her do her Wai Kru where she puts make up on,it is pretty cool.

So yeah counting down the days to my Asian Invasion of Europe!! Am looking forward to some unhealthy food and cool weather in Europe!!

Right to end things off I'm gonna introduce you to a new fighter to everyone. He has been training in Angie Parr's tummy for 9 months now,punching and kicking away!!! He finally arrived at 1.30am on the 2nd of May 2008,kicking,screaming and raring to go!!! Weighing in at the offical weight of 8.85lbs.Introducing...

Jesse James Parr!!!!!

LaterZ

Hi my name is _______ and Im addicted to Contender Asia!!!!

What has The Contender Asia done to us?!?!...Sheeeeeeeeesh!!! I can't believe I actually MISS a T.V Show!!! I mean....I wasn't even excited about...Survivor,Lost,Prison Break or Heroes???!!! (Maybe abit forDesperate Housewifes....? Eva Longoria!!!!) Maybe I liked The Contender Asia ...coz I WAS IN IT??! haha well for the first 7 Episodes at least?!? But Im pretty sure that when Season 2 is out Im gonna be finding myself infront of a TV watching the show intensively again!!

I think everyone is prolly going through the same Withdrawal Symptoms as me right now!! Seems like there are two types of Contender Asia addicts. One is the "Weds T.C.A Addict" and the other is the "Thurs T.C.A Addict"!!

So since last night was the first Weds night that there wasn't The Contender Asia?!?! I was home at 8pm....and I was just so BORED.....Didnt know what to do!!! See since Jan 16th when it first aired....The usual Weds night routine for me was that I'd finish my personal training client by about 8pm, jump in a taxi to my friends place where some of them would be setting up the dvd recorder and some others would be preparing dinner and snacks. Then I'd quickly go get a shower and then I'd plant myself onto the sofa where for the next hour we'd all have dinner and watch the show. (And occasionally we'd still be on the sofa for the repeat telecast at midnight!?!?...Sad huh?....) But for weeks we've been doing that, and yesterday for the first time.......I was at home after my client and I was just sitting on the computer absolutely bored out of my mind and looking for things to kill time!!....Ipretty sure quite a few people who live in Asia and have access to AXN would have suffered the same sorta symptoms last night?!?!? Or maybe it was just ME?????

Then there's the "Thursday T.C.A addict"which are those who dont live in asia and have no access to AXN. Well the "Thurs T.C.A addict" are people who spend HOURS on a Thursday on the internet (barely a day after it aired) searching the Martial Arts forums like K-1fans, Sherdog, Kakutogi, Axkickboing, Contenderasiafans and even on The Contender Asia Facebook Group, searching for the megaupload links or torrents to download the episodes!!!! Its pretty crazy,today alone I've already gotten so many msgs and emails saying..."Oh man....I dont know what to do now on Thursdays....I usually spend hours on the forums and torrent sites searching for links to get the latest episodes!!!! What do I do now???"....uhhhmmm I don't know???....Sadly even tho I have access to AXN and live in Asia I am also a "Thurs T.C.A addict"!!! Coz I download them and watch it on my computer as I do my blog about each episodes.

Basically we're all addicted to The Contender Asia!!! I hope Season 2 is gonna get started on soon!!! But as far as I know,the selection for fighters in Season 2 will be a Contender Super 8 Men Grand Prix,that will take place in a few different countries. The winner of each Grand Prix will have a chance to be part of Season 2 AND K-1Max Final 16 in Japan.

I will blog abit more about it in the next couple of days as some of us from Season 1 will be fighting in the Super 8s so it's gonna be awesome!!!! So check back again soon! In the meantime,lpease let me know what you guys are doing to rid yourself of boredom on Weds nights now!!!

LaterZ