You've flown halfway around the world；you've sniffed out this place that nobody in Falongland or Thailand seems to have ever heard of；so what on earth is there to do here？You consider this question as you sink into an old wooden beach chair that holds you above the sand.

It was a long journey from Bangkok to Huaplee.By the time you found the bus station and got yourself sorted out，it took almost as long as the flight from Falongland.

    Huaplee is located just south of Hua Hin，about two hundred kilometres from Bangkok，down the west side of the Gulf of Thailand. Not many tourists find this place，and the ones that do wonder if finding it has been their purpose all along.

    There's an apparent laziness that surrounds you here.It's what this place offers，and it's free of charge.The small waves that tap the shoreline seem to slow everything down.You settle into your beach chair in preparation for a long rest.You sit there and watch the sea.

    It's early afternoon，so the cook comes out and asks what you'd like to eat this evening.Before long he's rushed off to the market to buy the ingredients for whatever it was that you ordered－every meal fresh and to order.No menu here.

    There is no poolside noise here but just that wonderfully warm，clear blue sea.There's no street noise.The only sounds are the murmurs of nature.

    For now you just count your blessings (福祉)，listing them in the sand with your toe (脚趾)．You don't have to worry about being late for work. You don't have to do anything.

    The beach to your right stretches off to the horizon (地平线)，slowly narrowing to nothingness only to reemerge again on your left，now steadily widening until it covers the chair beneath you.Sand to your left and sand to your right; it's unbroken，endless.No start，no end，just sand，sun，and peace.Step off it，and you re­enter the world of traffic，stress，work，and hurry.

    Normally you're the type who can't sit still for more than ten minutes，but you're on Huaplee Lazy Beach now and，in the right frame of mind，it stretches all the way around the world.

     “How could it take me so long to find it？” you wonder.

    Hey, ladies! It's summer again and it's time for a new you! No more make-up, no more pretending! Yes, that's right! It's time to stop making ourselves beautiful for the camera, and start posting confident pictures without all the make-up and extra tricks we add onto ourselves in the hope of appearing more attractive and beautiful. Because believe it or not, we already are!

    After we wash our face and go to bed, it is not so perfect. You know it the face we should confidently be showing to the world! Who cares if you have pimples（面痕）or your eyes look small, or if you have crow's feet? Guess what? Those are actually what make you such a beautifully grown woman. And any person who doesn't think so is just not as strong as you.

    Nowadays we tend to do anything and everything to make us look as young and perfect as possible. Yet the truth is, by doing this, we are actually making our true skin get worse and badly affected by all the junk we put on. We are making ourselves believe that by changing our appearance we will be more accepted and seem more attractive to other people. And yet, our final goal is to find that without all of the make-up. What kind of twisted（扭曲的）game are we really playing with ourselves?

    So I would like to make a suggestion for all women out there to give yourself a break at least this summer. Take a couple of pictures without all of that make-up on. You don't need it every single day, especially not this hot summer! You'll be surprised that the more confident you are about showing the real side of you, the more attractive you will be to everyone else.

    Yes, the saying, “Beauty comes from within” is an old one, definitely still holds some truth today. So be brave, carefree, and make-up free! Let the world see you for who you really are!

A

    “My wife of 24 years, Marie Roberts, was raised in New York City, worked in the fashion industry, and never got her hands dirty,” said Keith Roberts. “Then, nine years ago, I wanted to move to Florida and reconnect to my country life, but how would I inspire（激发）the same feeling in, well, a city woman? I brought her a two-month-old potbellied pig.”

    At first sight, Marie, then 46, was smitten. So soon she took in another abandoned（遗弃）pig. And thus began Sugarloaf Mountain Farm, her animal shelter in central Florida. With the couple's two children grown up, these animals would now be Marie's babies.

    The Farm now has 300 rescues, from alpacas to donkeys, each with its own story. “A gentleman had a litter of eight pigs, and all but one died,” says Marie. “She weighed one pound and suffered great pain. For three weeks straight, I fed that baby every hour, day and night, seldom sleeping.” Till now, Marie still gets five to ten requests a day to save animals and has to turn most down. “If she can't rescue the animal, she works with that person to find a solution,” Keith says. “She's not only saving animals; above all, she's giving their owners peace of mind.”

    “A woman called from her nursing home,” Marie remembers. “Her pigs would be abandoned if she couldn't find a suitable home. 'I only have a few months, and I need to know that they'll be safe,' she said.” So Marie drove three hours and got them. Soon after, Marie received a note from the woman's daughter. “Dear Marie,” she wrote. “My mom went peacefully, as she went knowing that they are forever loved. Thank you for being Mom's angel.”

    “She is a ball of energy,” Keith adds. “A few times she's gone so far in some situations, like when she locked herself in the chicken coop（鸡舍）. I found her sitting in it with ten chicks nestled in her lap.” That is exactly what you'd expect from a true mother hen.

Singapore's public transport system is one of the best in the world, so you should have no problem finding your way around like a local. There are three main forms of public transport that you would find in any major city here — trains, buses and taxis.

    TRAINS

    Trains run from 6: 00 am to midnight. Single trip tickets start at 80 cents. If you buy an EZ-Link card for $15, you can ride the trains and buses as you like. If you need more information, just call Transit Link at 1800 767 4333.

    BUSES

    There are several bus services in Singapore and fares start at 80 cents. Be sure always to ask the driver the cost of your ticket as he cannot give change.

    If you need help, just call Transit Link at 1800 767 4333.

    TAXIS

    There are three main taxi companies-City Cab, Comfort and Tibs. Booking can also be easy by calling the numbers listed above.

    RENTAL CARS

    Driving in Singapore is a pleasure and if you like to travel at your own pace, renting a car is a good choice. Renting takes away the hassle of getting to places around Singapore. Just sit back and enjoy the city. It also means you'll get to see a lot more that a train or a bus won't let you see.

    For car rental, call Avis at +65 6737 1668.

    Sit down, close your eyes and relax. Think about your childhood and the memories you created. What was your favorite childhood memory and what was your favorite as a child? Or what your favorite Christmas present or your favorite candy bar when growing up? Answers may come easily for some people but for others, it may take more time to think about.

    Mary Jo McCarthy of Pequot Lakes wants to help others document their childhood memories which could be treasured by current families and for generations to come. McCarthy, 64, a short story author and retired columnist (专栏作家) for the Lake Country Echo weekly newspaper, began hosting a writing seminar (研讨班) titled "A Time to Remember". The closes are limited to 12 people and are conducted in the nursery at Lutheran Church of the Cross in Nisswa and the registration fee is $25.

    McCarthy said what led her to start the writing seminars was writing others' biographies(传记). A retired businessman asked her to write his biography as a ghost writer. She said others from her church in Pequot Lakes had also asked her to write their biographies because they didn't know how to write them. She thought hosting a class to help people write their own biographies would be more beneficial to them.

    McCarthy said people had busy lifestyles those days and didn't have a chance to sit down and write down their memories that they might forget and never remember. She said writing down the memories would document the person's life, so other family members, especially future generations would be able to read about them.