This year I think it is the 10th year (if my memory serves me correctly) one of the most watched sporting event in the world is held in Malaysia - The Malaysian Formula One or F1 for short.
In the previous years, F1 races starts at about 2pm and the 56 laps of race will finish by about 4pm. However, due to the hot weather in Malaysia, this year the organizer tries to be beat the heat by changing the race time from 2pm to 4pm so that the track is cooler. Well, think of it, isn't it a good move to change the timing just to reduce the heat of the race? The driver feels cooler, the car V12 engines runs cooler, hence higher speed can be achieved, the race track tarmac is cooler, hence, the tyres sticks less, everything is positive.
However, this had another negative implication. They did not foresee the weather in Malaysia which rains comes mostly in the evening. This is exactly what happen yesterday evening. The five red lights on the starting grid went off at approx 4pm Malaysian time which marks the start of the race, then by about half way thru, when the drivers were at the 20 odd laps, the rain started to pour and it got so heavy until one of the driver quoted saying ... “What a crazy race, it really was, especially in the final couple of laps.....It wasn’t like it was rivers, it was a lake. (Jenson Button, The Star Newspaper 6th April 2009). The race was called off at the 31st lap as the rain was too heavy and the track became too dangerous to continue racing.
I wonder how would the F1 fans whom bought the tickets will feel. Pay a few hundred bucks and only watch slightly more than half of the race. I wonder if the organiser refund for the tickets. Its not fair right? I pay for the full ticket price, expecting to see the cars speeds by me for 56 times, then ended up, I see them for only 31 times. Even if they don't refund the tickets, by just giving a F1 shirt to everyone I think they should be happy. Mind you, on Saturday, there is a kinda promotional event in the KLCC, there, the F1 shirts were for sale, each shirt cost about RM450. No, I typed them correctly and you read them right, RM450 each!!! I wonder if the material of the shirt is similar to those F1 drivers wear which is fire retardant... hmm???
The reason I am writing this is because, sitting down in the office here at 2pm, the rain is again pouring heavily outside and it reminds me of the race yesterday.
Anyhow, the F1 fever in Malaysia had again came and went, champion teams celebrated, not so fortunate team pack up and look forward for the race in China next round, hopefully with a kinder weather and better luck and fans got their fair share of looking at the cars speed across them one seconds, then standing still another minute waiting for the rain to stop.
Well, that's F1 in Malaysia..... please drive carefully during the raining season. Happy motoring!!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Mobile Phones
Nowadays when you walk out to the street you will see almost everyone will have mobile phone, be it red, white, silver, grey, small, big, hugh, bulky etc.
The evolution of the mobile phone technology have been by leaps and bounds over the years from what I still can remember mobile phone the size of a car battery and weighs nearly 5 to 8 kg to now the size of the palm which weighs about 80 to 100 grams and with even more functions and memory capabilities then ever before.
Also thanks to the competition between the teleco providers, the rates of phone calls have been so much cheaper compare to about 10 years ago. I still remember my first pre-paid phone, each calls will cost me 60 cents, now its merely 10 cents.
Now, coming back the main idea. The reason I post this write up is because, nowadays we see mobile phone as an essential part of items we bring along everywhere we go. Before the time of mobile phones, when we leave home, we only have our wallets / handbags and the house keys. However, ever since mobile phones came to the market, we feel really uncomfortable leaving home without it and the moment we realize that it was left at home, no matter how many miles we have travelled, for sure we will turn around to pick it up.
For example this morning, one of my colleague accidentally left his mobile phone at home which he did not realize until he loggin to the system to start his day. Without even any hesitations, he quickly went down to his car and drove back home to take the phone and only coming back about an hour later to start his day in the office.
That leaves me thinking, is mobile phone nowadays so vital? Since he is already in the office, he can be reached via his office number right? Even if he needed to make calls, he can use the office phone which is readily available. Why can't we live without a phone by our side of a few hours?
Then only I came to realize, nowadays, with mobile phone's great phone number memories, with some up to 1,000 names and numbers holding capacity, we have lost our ability to remember phone numbers. We rely so much on the phone's memory to contact our family, friends and business associates. We will hardly write the number down anywhere, but just rely on the phone remember our number for us.
Even at times, even we know the person we wanted to contact is at the comfort of his / her house and in the house there is a fixed line, we still call his / her mobile number. We never bother to try to contact this person thru his / her fixed line anymore. Perhaps we forget the feeling of someone answering the calls and telling us the person is not in.
I have even heard of people addressing his / her friend(s) with their mobile phone number's last 4 digits... e.g. ".... the 4878 fellow always late one lar. BTW, where's 9879 guy? also still not here yet or aeroplane already?" Have this phone number evolve so erratically that we don't even remember our friends by the names anymore?
Most of the phones nowadays will even have calendar dates that you can set in important dates e.g. your gf's birthday, anniversaries, valentine's day etc so that we do not get into trouble when the dates arrives. There is even this feature that the phone can send you a reminder alarm a few days before the actual date so that you can have time to get your gifts ready.
Mobile phone have successfully evolve from once use to be a means of communications to some essentials that we can't fell comfortable to leave home without it.
The evolution of the mobile phone technology have been by leaps and bounds over the years from what I still can remember mobile phone the size of a car battery and weighs nearly 5 to 8 kg to now the size of the palm which weighs about 80 to 100 grams and with even more functions and memory capabilities then ever before.
Also thanks to the competition between the teleco providers, the rates of phone calls have been so much cheaper compare to about 10 years ago. I still remember my first pre-paid phone, each calls will cost me 60 cents, now its merely 10 cents.
Now, coming back the main idea. The reason I post this write up is because, nowadays we see mobile phone as an essential part of items we bring along everywhere we go. Before the time of mobile phones, when we leave home, we only have our wallets / handbags and the house keys. However, ever since mobile phones came to the market, we feel really uncomfortable leaving home without it and the moment we realize that it was left at home, no matter how many miles we have travelled, for sure we will turn around to pick it up.
For example this morning, one of my colleague accidentally left his mobile phone at home which he did not realize until he loggin to the system to start his day. Without even any hesitations, he quickly went down to his car and drove back home to take the phone and only coming back about an hour later to start his day in the office.
That leaves me thinking, is mobile phone nowadays so vital? Since he is already in the office, he can be reached via his office number right? Even if he needed to make calls, he can use the office phone which is readily available. Why can't we live without a phone by our side of a few hours?
Then only I came to realize, nowadays, with mobile phone's great phone number memories, with some up to 1,000 names and numbers holding capacity, we have lost our ability to remember phone numbers. We rely so much on the phone's memory to contact our family, friends and business associates. We will hardly write the number down anywhere, but just rely on the phone remember our number for us.
Even at times, even we know the person we wanted to contact is at the comfort of his / her house and in the house there is a fixed line, we still call his / her mobile number. We never bother to try to contact this person thru his / her fixed line anymore. Perhaps we forget the feeling of someone answering the calls and telling us the person is not in.
I have even heard of people addressing his / her friend(s) with their mobile phone number's last 4 digits... e.g. ".... the 4878 fellow always late one lar. BTW, where's 9879 guy? also still not here yet or aeroplane already?" Have this phone number evolve so erratically that we don't even remember our friends by the names anymore?
Most of the phones nowadays will even have calendar dates that you can set in important dates e.g. your gf's birthday, anniversaries, valentine's day etc so that we do not get into trouble when the dates arrives. There is even this feature that the phone can send you a reminder alarm a few days before the actual date so that you can have time to get your gifts ready.
Mobile phone have successfully evolve from once use to be a means of communications to some essentials that we can't fell comfortable to leave home without it.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Breakfast
I hear many people says breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Well, perhaps medically they can proof that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
Since I was young, I don't have the habit of taking breakfast. In fact, since school days, breakfast as I know it is just a glass of milk every morning and off to school. The best is when my mom is on her vacation leave and she will prepare for me an egg sandwich which I will have it at home and bring to school too. However, normally, only during school holidays when my Grandma baby sit me, I will have breakfast. This went on until I reach college and still at that time, breakfast to me is just a glass of milk.
Perhaps because both my parents are working parents and when I was in school, they were also busy getting ready for work, therefore, breakfast is just a simple glass of milk for me, coffee for my parents and I seldom see my brother drink anything in the morning.
Only when I went to the UK for my further studies, I started to develop the habit of taking breakfast every morning. As you know, the weather in the UK is mostly cold, when you wake up every morning, you will find you stomach is hungry and you can't survive any longer without food. This habit sticks with me until I came back into the working world.
When I first started work, again, I normally skip breakfast. Maybe because the atmosphere here is different. When I started working, to me breakfast is just a cuppa coffee / tea in the coffee shop next to my old office. Well, that is the only thing you will get in the morning there anyway. No other stalls is ready to sell food at 0730am. The stalls there serves lunch only.
I don't remember when I started to have the habit to taking breakfast again. But, nowadays every morning, my mom will prepare a bowl of oats for me. Just plain oats and I will mix it with cold milk from the fridge when I am ready to eat them. I can't really remember when I started to have oats for breakfast, but eventually, it became a habit until the point that even on weekends I also have them for breakfast.
However, at times, when my mom buys bread on the day before, I will break the chain of having oats. This morning, I had my egg sandwich. It is just simple fried eggs and chili sauce squeeze between two slice of bread. The smell reminds me of my younger days where fresh fried eggs and bread for breakfast. The feeling of warm egg yolks flow down the throat, wash down by a glass of warm coffee. The feeling is really nice. Its nostalgic.
Well, I think this perhaps this morning is rainy out there, its cold and dark, so whatever is warm tastes really nice. Anyway, this is just the feeling I this morning after a satisfying meal of breakfast.
To all out there, enjoy your breakfast.....
Since I was young, I don't have the habit of taking breakfast. In fact, since school days, breakfast as I know it is just a glass of milk every morning and off to school. The best is when my mom is on her vacation leave and she will prepare for me an egg sandwich which I will have it at home and bring to school too. However, normally, only during school holidays when my Grandma baby sit me, I will have breakfast. This went on until I reach college and still at that time, breakfast to me is just a glass of milk.
Perhaps because both my parents are working parents and when I was in school, they were also busy getting ready for work, therefore, breakfast is just a simple glass of milk for me, coffee for my parents and I seldom see my brother drink anything in the morning.
Only when I went to the UK for my further studies, I started to develop the habit of taking breakfast every morning. As you know, the weather in the UK is mostly cold, when you wake up every morning, you will find you stomach is hungry and you can't survive any longer without food. This habit sticks with me until I came back into the working world.
When I first started work, again, I normally skip breakfast. Maybe because the atmosphere here is different. When I started working, to me breakfast is just a cuppa coffee / tea in the coffee shop next to my old office. Well, that is the only thing you will get in the morning there anyway. No other stalls is ready to sell food at 0730am. The stalls there serves lunch only.
I don't remember when I started to have the habit to taking breakfast again. But, nowadays every morning, my mom will prepare a bowl of oats for me. Just plain oats and I will mix it with cold milk from the fridge when I am ready to eat them. I can't really remember when I started to have oats for breakfast, but eventually, it became a habit until the point that even on weekends I also have them for breakfast.
However, at times, when my mom buys bread on the day before, I will break the chain of having oats. This morning, I had my egg sandwich. It is just simple fried eggs and chili sauce squeeze between two slice of bread. The smell reminds me of my younger days where fresh fried eggs and bread for breakfast. The feeling of warm egg yolks flow down the throat, wash down by a glass of warm coffee. The feeling is really nice. Its nostalgic.
Well, I think this perhaps this morning is rainy out there, its cold and dark, so whatever is warm tastes really nice. Anyway, this is just the feeling I this morning after a satisfying meal of breakfast.
To all out there, enjoy your breakfast.....
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Finding a HOME
This topic just strikes me earlier today. Over the weekend, my gf and me went to a lawyer office to sign our Sales and Purchase Agreement for our new house.
We have been looking for a HOME for some time already. In fact, I am the one who intended to buy a new house as age is fast catching up with me and in a few more years, I can no longer afford to get a loan for 30 years span, therefore, I took the initiative to look for a house. I seek the kind agreement with my gf as I know eventually the house will be OUR HOME.
The whole process started back in early October last year as we both intended to buy a 2.5 storey house. We negotiated a deal with the owner and both parties had agree on the final price. The whole process went on reasonably smooth initially, however, the owner then came up with unreasonable demand.
He told me that he will only want to sell the house after he had found another house, which no one knows when. Then, I call off the deal as I think it is not fair for us to wait for unknown timeline. Therefore, we decided to continue our search.
Then, another bad news had came along the way. In November, my dad passed away. During the bereavement period, all the house looking process came to a halt. I put everything on the shelf again.
After about 2 months and having finalizing and sorting out my dad's matter, by chance, one fine Saturday morning, while I was driving home after our weekly groceries shopping, I came across this big advertisement board on a road and happen that I read it in detail.
The advertisement had been there for a long time already. I think it had been there for more than one year but it did not catch my eyes all these while until that Saturday morning. I took the turn and went to see the sample model house together with my mom. We both saw the sample house and like it. Then, I went to enquire about the selling status and the house buying process again started.
My gf and me both too our time to detail the purchase, from choosing the right unit to finalizing the details with the developer. When I first started to enquire from the developer, the offer at that time was selling price minus three thousand. Then, my gf and me decided that due to the current economic situation, we both want to take a step back to hold the purchase for the time being. The buying and decision process is not as easy. Initially we wanted the unit no. 50.
However, due to my uncle's due diligence, he had noted that in the front of that row there are toilets. Again, we both went and accessed the situation and found that it is not an ideal choice already, even though the unit is not directly facing the toilets, but there is kinda a shed by the side of the house. My gf have a safety and privacy concern which I was also in agreement with her. After that we opted for another unit a bit down the same road no. 82A. It is ironic that there is such believe that the number 4 is not a good. However, to both of us, it is just a sequential number after 1, 2 and 3. How to say it is not good?? That is the reason this unit have not been sold. So both of us decided that we will not adhere to the number believe and proceed to view the unit in more detail.
Then, I took my chance to initiate talks with the developer and a few weeks ago, the developer came out with another better offer. All stamp duties for the MOT is free. That will cost me easily eight thousand. Good thing I adhere to my gf's opinion and waited. Now we enjoy even better savings. So two Saturdays ago, we both went to the developer to place our booking for the house we wanted and last weekend we signed the agreement.
As you might have noticed, the whole article uses the word "us" / "we". For me, buying a house is different from buying a "HOME". In buying a "HOME" we seek each other's opinion and decides for the best option.
It is always a joint decision and it is something that belongs to "us" together. There should not be any one man veto power. In this decision, both have to respect each other's opinion and views. It is a joint effort to build a HOME. I wanted to create a space we both can agree and proud to call it our HOME. Not that I wanted to be the provider, but I want us to share the effort and responsibility to build our future.
This is just the first small step for the long journey forward. Lets enjoy this journey...
We have been looking for a HOME for some time already. In fact, I am the one who intended to buy a new house as age is fast catching up with me and in a few more years, I can no longer afford to get a loan for 30 years span, therefore, I took the initiative to look for a house. I seek the kind agreement with my gf as I know eventually the house will be OUR HOME.
The whole process started back in early October last year as we both intended to buy a 2.5 storey house. We negotiated a deal with the owner and both parties had agree on the final price. The whole process went on reasonably smooth initially, however, the owner then came up with unreasonable demand.
He told me that he will only want to sell the house after he had found another house, which no one knows when. Then, I call off the deal as I think it is not fair for us to wait for unknown timeline. Therefore, we decided to continue our search.
Then, another bad news had came along the way. In November, my dad passed away. During the bereavement period, all the house looking process came to a halt. I put everything on the shelf again.
After about 2 months and having finalizing and sorting out my dad's matter, by chance, one fine Saturday morning, while I was driving home after our weekly groceries shopping, I came across this big advertisement board on a road and happen that I read it in detail.
The advertisement had been there for a long time already. I think it had been there for more than one year but it did not catch my eyes all these while until that Saturday morning. I took the turn and went to see the sample model house together with my mom. We both saw the sample house and like it. Then, I went to enquire about the selling status and the house buying process again started.
My gf and me both too our time to detail the purchase, from choosing the right unit to finalizing the details with the developer. When I first started to enquire from the developer, the offer at that time was selling price minus three thousand. Then, my gf and me decided that due to the current economic situation, we both want to take a step back to hold the purchase for the time being. The buying and decision process is not as easy. Initially we wanted the unit no. 50.
However, due to my uncle's due diligence, he had noted that in the front of that row there are toilets. Again, we both went and accessed the situation and found that it is not an ideal choice already, even though the unit is not directly facing the toilets, but there is kinda a shed by the side of the house. My gf have a safety and privacy concern which I was also in agreement with her. After that we opted for another unit a bit down the same road no. 82A. It is ironic that there is such believe that the number 4 is not a good. However, to both of us, it is just a sequential number after 1, 2 and 3. How to say it is not good?? That is the reason this unit have not been sold. So both of us decided that we will not adhere to the number believe and proceed to view the unit in more detail.
Then, I took my chance to initiate talks with the developer and a few weeks ago, the developer came out with another better offer. All stamp duties for the MOT is free. That will cost me easily eight thousand. Good thing I adhere to my gf's opinion and waited. Now we enjoy even better savings. So two Saturdays ago, we both went to the developer to place our booking for the house we wanted and last weekend we signed the agreement.
As you might have noticed, the whole article uses the word "us" / "we". For me, buying a house is different from buying a "HOME". In buying a "HOME" we seek each other's opinion and decides for the best option.
It is always a joint decision and it is something that belongs to "us" together. There should not be any one man veto power. In this decision, both have to respect each other's opinion and views. It is a joint effort to build a HOME. I wanted to create a space we both can agree and proud to call it our HOME. Not that I wanted to be the provider, but I want us to share the effort and responsibility to build our future.
This is just the first small step for the long journey forward. Lets enjoy this journey...
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Working Software
It had been quite sometime since I last updated my blog. For the last week or so, I have been in a training for 2 new software that my company is launching for our use.
Last week, we were introduced to an accounting software which is so powerful, it can track the progress of the project from the very beginning to all the vendor status to their payment status to the customer's payment status. However, being an American company and due to user licensing issues, the company house the server with this software in the US server.
Therefore, the access is very slow and for the fact that we are approx 12 hours ahead of the US, when we started working in the Pacific, it is still in the night in the US, therefore, if we were to stumble upon some issues that we needed backup, we have no choice but to wait for the US to response to it some 12 hours later.
The advantage of having this software is for the Top Management to view all the progress and activities for all the project the team here in Pacific is executing with a click of the mouse. All real time, online update.
Then, yesterday again we are introduced to another new software which is so powerful, it can simulate the running of a water treatment plant, from a conventional raw water to high end ultra pure water with all the processes in-build to it.
All the user need to do is to select the equipments listed in the pre-set table and connect the equipments together, the software is able to calculate and predict the final water output quality at every point of the way.
It seems that the software took about 10 men years, i.e. either 10 working men for 1 year or 1 working man for 10 years time to complete and until yesterday, it had became so powerful that the predicted water output quality in the software is about plus or minus 5% of the actual real plant.
Now the software had also developed to be able to simulate a whole power station - turbine, cooling towers, boilers, air emission etc. All the functions that you need to build a power plant and its facilities. However, as my division is mainly focused on water, we are only taught to use the water process side of it.
With this software, even those who do not know how to use any CAD drawing software can easily produces a Process and Instrumentation Diagram for customer with reasonable accuracy and not worry of making process mistakes as the software is so intelligent that it will give warning if you couple the wrong equipments together.
So, engineers out there, please be aware of the development of software's out there. It will greatly reduce your workload but, of course it will come with a hefty price tag with it.
Last week, we were introduced to an accounting software which is so powerful, it can track the progress of the project from the very beginning to all the vendor status to their payment status to the customer's payment status. However, being an American company and due to user licensing issues, the company house the server with this software in the US server.
Therefore, the access is very slow and for the fact that we are approx 12 hours ahead of the US, when we started working in the Pacific, it is still in the night in the US, therefore, if we were to stumble upon some issues that we needed backup, we have no choice but to wait for the US to response to it some 12 hours later.
The advantage of having this software is for the Top Management to view all the progress and activities for all the project the team here in Pacific is executing with a click of the mouse. All real time, online update.
Then, yesterday again we are introduced to another new software which is so powerful, it can simulate the running of a water treatment plant, from a conventional raw water to high end ultra pure water with all the processes in-build to it.
All the user need to do is to select the equipments listed in the pre-set table and connect the equipments together, the software is able to calculate and predict the final water output quality at every point of the way.
It seems that the software took about 10 men years, i.e. either 10 working men for 1 year or 1 working man for 10 years time to complete and until yesterday, it had became so powerful that the predicted water output quality in the software is about plus or minus 5% of the actual real plant.
Now the software had also developed to be able to simulate a whole power station - turbine, cooling towers, boilers, air emission etc. All the functions that you need to build a power plant and its facilities. However, as my division is mainly focused on water, we are only taught to use the water process side of it.
With this software, even those who do not know how to use any CAD drawing software can easily produces a Process and Instrumentation Diagram for customer with reasonable accuracy and not worry of making process mistakes as the software is so intelligent that it will give warning if you couple the wrong equipments together.
So, engineers out there, please be aware of the development of software's out there. It will greatly reduce your workload but, of course it will come with a hefty price tag with it.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Volunteer Work
Last Sunday, my gf and me went for a voluntary work organized by Tzu Chi joint together with UNHCR - United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees.
This is the first time I had been a volunteer. The work that Tzu Chi is providing here is of basic health care and dental care. There were approx. 50 volunteer who was working together in groups.
The process starts with a group of volunteer maintaining order and line up and giving queue number for the patients, then they will proceed to the next process of registering them where their name, ID number, where they stay, their martial status, their country of origin etc is recorded in a form and keyed into a database. For those who had came before, they would already have a database, then their record will be taken out from the file. For those first time visit, new registration will be given. Of course these patient do not speak much of English, so among the volunteers, there were translators helping out to translate. Most of them are from Myanmar aka Burma.
Then, they proceeded to the pre-check stations, where their blood pressure, weight and height is recorded before proceeding to see the General Practitioner. As for those who were there to seek dental treatment, they will proceed straight to see the dentist. After their consultations, they were given one set of dress / shirt / skirt that were donated and collected by other volunteer groups.
I was amaze to see how organize the whole process went. All senior volunteers knew their respective stations and the process. The whole activity went on smooth. In all, I think just for the half day there were approximate 150 patients came and went. The activity started at approx 0800 and ended at about 1130am.
After finishing all the works, we were given a vegetarian lunch box which was good to sooth our hunger. Although the food is really simple, it was tasty and add on the feeling of having helped the patients really put a smile on everyone face.
It was a great feeling to volunteer there. It made me realize how lucky I am to be able to stay in a country which is stable and we can earn a living and need not to become refugees like the people there. They were really pitiful. Some of them were young kids and there were even newly born babies that have to wait for once a month to see the doctors for their progress checkups.
Even though this is the first time of me being a volunteer, I think I will continue to do it as long as I could and get even more active in it. It made me feel like just a few hours of my time on a weekend will be able to significantly improve the quality of life of the needy which really made me felt good.
So, to all of you out there, if you came to know any volunteer groups, do try to volunteer yourself once. I am sure you will feel satisfied that a small token from you will be able to help lots of people live better.
This is the first time I had been a volunteer. The work that Tzu Chi is providing here is of basic health care and dental care. There were approx. 50 volunteer who was working together in groups.
The process starts with a group of volunteer maintaining order and line up and giving queue number for the patients, then they will proceed to the next process of registering them where their name, ID number, where they stay, their martial status, their country of origin etc is recorded in a form and keyed into a database. For those who had came before, they would already have a database, then their record will be taken out from the file. For those first time visit, new registration will be given. Of course these patient do not speak much of English, so among the volunteers, there were translators helping out to translate. Most of them are from Myanmar aka Burma.
Then, they proceeded to the pre-check stations, where their blood pressure, weight and height is recorded before proceeding to see the General Practitioner. As for those who were there to seek dental treatment, they will proceed straight to see the dentist. After their consultations, they were given one set of dress / shirt / skirt that were donated and collected by other volunteer groups.
I was amaze to see how organize the whole process went. All senior volunteers knew their respective stations and the process. The whole activity went on smooth. In all, I think just for the half day there were approximate 150 patients came and went. The activity started at approx 0800 and ended at about 1130am.
After finishing all the works, we were given a vegetarian lunch box which was good to sooth our hunger. Although the food is really simple, it was tasty and add on the feeling of having helped the patients really put a smile on everyone face.
It was a great feeling to volunteer there. It made me realize how lucky I am to be able to stay in a country which is stable and we can earn a living and need not to become refugees like the people there. They were really pitiful. Some of them were young kids and there were even newly born babies that have to wait for once a month to see the doctors for their progress checkups.
Even though this is the first time of me being a volunteer, I think I will continue to do it as long as I could and get even more active in it. It made me feel like just a few hours of my time on a weekend will be able to significantly improve the quality of life of the needy which really made me felt good.
So, to all of you out there, if you came to know any volunteer groups, do try to volunteer yourself once. I am sure you will feel satisfied that a small token from you will be able to help lots of people live better.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Demanding travelling
Today is really impressive. I started my day as usual in the office by 0830am, then started to arrange a ticket to Manila. I finally manage to get a ticket from KL - Brunei, Brunei - Manila. Just touch down a few moments ago.
Normally, my travel is very well planned. However, for some critical reason, I have to travel urgently this time. I left the office with e-ticket from the travel agent, unfortunately, the agent quoted a wrong date. Instead of today's date which is 2ND of March 2009, the travel agent had booked for me for tomorrow's date - 3rd March 2009!!! Good thing I had forwarded the itinerary to my counterpart in the Philippines office and the secretary realised this mistake and called me back. Luckily the agents were helpful enough to change the dates using the same booking number to today's travelling and now, here I am sitting in the hotel in Alabang, Manila, Philippines writing this blog.
Today is the very first time I touch down in Brunei. They have a pretty small airport with only 8 or 9 departure gates (if I remember correctly). Just scrolling around for 10 minutes, you have basically covered all the shops available in the waiting area. Nothing impressive or fancy. Brunei traders widely accept Singapore Dollars as their exchange rates are the same. I bought a bottle of mineral water with SGD2 for a 500ml. WOW.. so expensive. It is equivalent to RM5.40 already. I think this is one of the most expensive bottle of water I ever drank.
Anyway, my trip here this time will be a demanding one and hopefully it will be fruitful. I had also made appointment to meet up with my customer early tomorrow morning in the MOST EXPENSIVE HOTEL IN BORACAY for breakfast at 0800. Just in-case you do not know where is Boracay, just google it and you should know it is a place with one of the BEST beach in the WORLD!! Don't believe me, try it.... just type "Boracay, Philippines".
OK, need to hit my bed now, early start tomorrow morning. Need to wake up at 0230 to catch a flight at 0530 for an hour flight to site.
So, to all of you out there, travelling across multiple countries can be planned in about 30 minutes of telephone conversation with the travel agent and before the date changes for the day, you will find yourself in a totally different country already... so Happy Travelling..
Normally, my travel is very well planned. However, for some critical reason, I have to travel urgently this time. I left the office with e-ticket from the travel agent, unfortunately, the agent quoted a wrong date. Instead of today's date which is 2ND of March 2009, the travel agent had booked for me for tomorrow's date - 3rd March 2009!!! Good thing I had forwarded the itinerary to my counterpart in the Philippines office and the secretary realised this mistake and called me back. Luckily the agents were helpful enough to change the dates using the same booking number to today's travelling and now, here I am sitting in the hotel in Alabang, Manila, Philippines writing this blog.
Today is the very first time I touch down in Brunei. They have a pretty small airport with only 8 or 9 departure gates (if I remember correctly). Just scrolling around for 10 minutes, you have basically covered all the shops available in the waiting area. Nothing impressive or fancy. Brunei traders widely accept Singapore Dollars as their exchange rates are the same. I bought a bottle of mineral water with SGD2 for a 500ml. WOW.. so expensive. It is equivalent to RM5.40 already. I think this is one of the most expensive bottle of water I ever drank.
Anyway, my trip here this time will be a demanding one and hopefully it will be fruitful. I had also made appointment to meet up with my customer early tomorrow morning in the MOST EXPENSIVE HOTEL IN BORACAY for breakfast at 0800. Just in-case you do not know where is Boracay, just google it and you should know it is a place with one of the BEST beach in the WORLD!! Don't believe me, try it.... just type "Boracay, Philippines".
OK, need to hit my bed now, early start tomorrow morning. Need to wake up at 0230 to catch a flight at 0530 for an hour flight to site.
So, to all of you out there, travelling across multiple countries can be planned in about 30 minutes of telephone conversation with the travel agent and before the date changes for the day, you will find yourself in a totally different country already... so Happy Travelling..
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