Long Way Round

Where is where?

2010-02-13T08:20:00.002+04:00

Last Sunday, I head down to South Mumbai for a brunch event at Indigo Restaurant, located in an alley just behind the fame Taj Hotel. Had good food, at least a day away from masala-inspired food and that bottle of champagne. Somehow, I don't feel I am in Mumbai, at least for that few hour.

In the evening, I head down to Kola Ghada Art Festival, somewhere in South Mumbai too. An event where all arts lover, took to the street to exhibit from the smallest of small to biggest of all. Well, there's a replica of Eiffel Tower there. I did enjoyed my time there, snapping pictures.

I am seeing more and more of this town. But the conclusion remains the same.

I feel trapped.

I have to go somewhere, but where?

There's always a moment in time, in one life, we are stuck when in fact we are not. We feel we are moving and in actuality, we are stagnant. We feel it is a dream, but everything seem real. We feel like winning, or losing for that matter, but in fact we are yet to leave the starting line. Sigh!

... let it be for now, and enjoy the smell of cuppa coffee.

Coldplay, Coffee and after Grey Goose

2010-02-13T08:11:00.002+04:00

Another fine Saturday morning.

Another day pass by, with nothingness.

Another memory flashing before my eyes.

I am supposed to head to the street, but feel kind of lazy, feel spiritless.
They say this Country is very much spiritual in all sense.
But it somehow make me spiritless.

Time, please pass by.

10 days to go and I am already dreaming of there.
Here is just an unfortunate event.

Now, from there on, where shall I head to?

to Rudy

2010-01-25T22:04:00.003+04:00

He's 31 and is heading to National Hearts Institute, to undergo bypass, something like a modification work is required since his engine is not running smoothly.

All i can lend is my support, from a distance. He has been a good friend to me, even though we both just met back in April 2009. I do pray that you'll get healthy bor...

You and me, we have unfinished plan... and we'll drink to that when I am back home.

You hang in there bor... It aint the End till it's End.

Old Year End 2009

2010-01-06T10:34:00.002+04:00

Year End 2009…

Frankly, I should’ve post this event first, before the New Year post right, but.. whaddaheck…

It was one chill night, me and my friend settle for dinner at Chilli’s at Hiranandani. Some 10 minute from where I stay at Nahar’s Amrith Shakti. I was there a bit early. An hour and a half early. So while waiting by the roadside and looking all all those people with happy faces, I decided to chill in front of a shop. Well actually, it is a liquor shop. World of Spirit is its name.

3 can of Strong Kingfisher and it is a tall can.. full pint. Strong means, 8% alcohol content. As much as Guinness Stout in KL. Dang! I miss good black beer. I’m a bit tipsy for dinner. But still managed to eat some nachos and a bottle of Foster.

And this cost INR4500… 72.5% Alcohol content.

Happy New Year 2010

2010-01-06T10:09:00.004+04:00

Happy New Year 2010…

I don’t really celebrate the New Year, left alone celebrating the 2009 year end. Particularly because I’m here, a place I don’t feel I belong to.
The start of the New Year, I went to this fish market. Well, actually it is just few rundown stall by the roadside selling fresh fishes and vegetables. But, it’s okay, can get most of the stuff I need. Owh yeah, most… as since now that I’ve been staying in Mumbai, I have to modify some of the recipe I used to cook when I was in KL. It’s still taste okay. One can’t be too choosy when one is in an alien place. (But, why the heck come n stay here in Mumbai… darn it!)

Bought some fishes, chicken and beef. And lunch was chicken tomyam.
Chicken… yes they sell very very very fresh chicken okay. It’s in fact alive! Pick which one you prefer, they weigh the chicken, they chop the neck and process it. Walla… there goes your chicken in a plastic bag.
And mind you, there’s no electronic or mechanical weigh machine here. They still rely on those old school counter-weight typed weigh machine.

This is some part of everyday life in Mumbai.
The part everyone sees on TV simply doesn’t exist. That’s just a dream.

And it is a nightmare for me…

Little Wing by Jimi Hendrix

2009-12-26T22:58:00.003+04:00

Christmas come and goes...
Sitting here, with couple bottle of beers,
I'm thinking...

Well she's walking through the clouds
With a circus mind that's running round
Butterflies and zebras
And moonbeams and fairy tales
That's all she ever thinks about
Riding with the wind.

When I'm sad, she comes to me
With a thousand smiles, she gives to me free
It's alright she says it's alright
Take anything you want from me,
Anything.

Fly on little wing,
Yeah yeah, yeah, little wing

The Nice side of Mumbai

2009-12-16T11:20:00.005+04:00

It is the capital of Maharashtra, India.

It is one of the East India Company outpost in the South Asia Continent. It has quite a number of colonial period building, with architecture heavily influenced by the Moorish design and British design. One of the building is Prince of Wales Museum at South Mumbai. It is now called Chhatrapi Shivaji Maharaj Sastu Sangrahalaya. Actually, most of old building bearing British-influenced name has been change to Chhatrapi Shivaji. He was, something like, William Wallace to The Scots (I think!).

Personally, I like it here, around this place. Well, not to say that I'm starting to like living here. From living in Mumbai point of view, for this category, this area of South Mumbai is quite clean. And since it is Sunday, there were less traffic.

Anyway, PoW Museum is a museum of ancient exhibits of India. Well, there are some from Japan too and cool painting from Da Vinci era. For foreigner, it cost INR300 per person for entrance, against INR25 for local. And since I had with me my trusty Nikon, I had to pay another INR200 on top of my ticket. So, it was kinda expensive, for a museum trip! It cost me Aus$10 to enter Australia Museum back in 2006. Once inside, I was amazed with all those carving of rock, of Hindu's God figurine, Buddha as such. There's one section, the art gallery, remind me of DaVinci Code the movie, with Madonna and Child and Saints drawing on the wall. They even have a portrait of President Lincoln. And to my amazed, Japanese porcelain is soooo fine. Being Malaysian, I'm used to Chinese's Ming Dinasty porcelain, but let me tell you this, the Japs really know how to craft their porcelain back then.

Next stop I visited was the Gateway of India, a behemoth monument facing the open sea. Nothing much here except to tonnes of people, Chhatrapati Shivaji statue, horse cart and the fame, Taj Mahal Hotel. The one attacked by terrorist back on 26th November 2008. It is still very much under repair and as most of Mumbai's landmark or building, entering it, one must pass through metal detector and guards.

Nice hotel... LV boutique is located here, but it's kinda expensive compare to Malaysia's price.

South Mumbai, at least a clean place (by Mumbai standard of course), such an eccentric place.But still, from my point of view, this country is an okay place to travel, but not for permanent "living-in" place. They have about 1.2billion citizens already.

So why am I here, again... I have no idea.

I see...

2009-12-07T14:02:00.000+04:00

150 years old railway station. What? That old? Apparently, yes, it’s that old, as mentioned by one of the local staff, as we passed by that particular building at Nariman Point, which is South of Mumbai. The architecture of most of the buildings there is influenced heavily on Moorish design and colonial period design. The railway station itself resembled the one we have in Kuala Lumpur, the old KTM station. This location, is where all the shopping centers are located. So he said. But, can’t verify the statement as I was there this afternoon for a meeting with the Client. Well yeah I can see some BMW passing by, shop selling Omega watch, Bottega Veneta boutique and such, but it is a part of Mumbai which is clean. Yup, clean…. The roadside is clean of rubbish. But, it is still hectic and havoc. Hey it’s Mumbai right. Perhaps one of the weekends I should venture into this area and do some photographing.

Anyway, while heading there, a journey of approximately 25km from Wadala, where my office is, I passed through some interesting landscape. It’s some sort of oil refinery. Interesting because, there are bullock-carts, pushing a big tank, presumably with oil inside. It might be a norm here, but where I came from, can’t see any bulls in town no more, except for those bullshitter!

Next was a sort of slum area, by the roadside. This area really can bring down tears… The way of life that these people practices. They stay in make-shift houses about 3meter high, made of whatever materials they can get or afford to buy, wood, cardboard, poly-sheet as roof and it’s a double storey house.

And I see dead people! Well, a dead person. Maybe its part of the local ceremony, the body was paraded, perhaps to the morgue or cemetery but what shocked me was, the body was place on a cart, pushed by someone and it’s just covered with white cloth! No coffin okay….. What a life!

For a week, I keep thinking, why the heck I accept this job in Mumbai. One need to be mentally strong to survive working or staying here.

Do I possess that kind of mental strength? God knows….

It pointed to Mumbai.

2009-12-04T14:23:00.000+04:00

I’m 3000 miles from home. On a land, being hectic and havoc is part of daily ritual for most of the millions who called this part of the world, home. Not me though. This is just another unfortunate journey of my life, without my Pornster.

Mumbai. India’s capital of entertainment industries, Bollywood. A place where one will have to redefine the meaning of Rock and Roll. Where lots of citizen lives in slum area, some even with cardboard as wall for their shelter. Were people do shit on the road! And I have no idea why the heck I accepted this job. It’ll a two year stint here, constructing Mumbai Monorail. To make matter worst, I’m now working in a Consultant company, an environment I never dreamt of joining, since my Industrial Training days way back in 1998 (I was attached to a Consultant firm back then, 5 months of constant boredom!). Anyway, here I am.

Routine. Wake up every morning, 45minute travel time from where I stay and where I work. Passing through some of the slum area, on a concrete road, which is very bumpy and not so nice view along the way. Work in an OKAY office at one of the Monorail proposed Depot/station named Wadala. Stay indoor for the rest of the day from 9am to 6pm. Lunch is provided, so can’t choose much, just eat whatever provided. Reach home everyday around 7.30pm. And basically, can’t go anywhere since there’s nowhere to go nearby where I stay. Suck big time.

Well, that’s just my opinion after 2 nights in Mumbai. Maybe my view of this place will change once I get to see the other part of Mumbai, the nice place where all the Bollywood star hail.

As for now, all I’m seeing is Berakwood.

New lease of life, Next point of direction

2009-11-30T07:55:00.003+04:00

Months of disappearance. Idea...scarcity. Mood...mellow. Spirit...do I have one?

After my last post on the Thailand trip, I was in the state of, well, how shall I put it nicely in a manner sentence... hmm, I was in the Milky Way. Yeah, that's about it, I'm lost. Having no direction, as like Captain Jack Sparrow without the compass. Anyhow, I did occupy myself with working as a greaser at a Bike Shop, helping my friend built his cool Ol'skool motorcycle.

One fine morning at a coffee shop, with the money left just enough for me to buy a cuppa coffee, I got a job interview, and i went for the interview, and I got the job! Yeah, after a hiatus period of nearing to se7en months! Anyhow, it's a job, again, as an Engineer, best part... I'll be based in Mumbai, perhaps for a year (which I hope will be less). Well, I'm still waiting for the Visa, and it might be here on my desk anytime now. And tomorrow, 1st December 09, I'll be heading to a mystical land, India.

So, for past few days, I was busy with meeting and hanging out with my close friends. Eat, ride, movie and chill... Gonna miss these good times. And I'm sure I gonna miss my Chipster, dearly...and both Jax and Gongon. Yes I'll be back again, but missing the rest of the year in your growing life is saddened. Given choice, I doesn't want to leave, again. The agony of living somewhere out there, when you know you belong right here. Choice, which I doesn't have for the moment, with accrued debts and no fund to start up anything. Choice... something I'll need if I were to seriously think about my next point of direction, due North doesn't seem fit me anymore. A detour I'm looking for. A new direction, heading towards Greaser's Haven/Grill, perhaps.

Gone but not Forgotten. Mohd Norif Paival, loosing most of your family members in one single capsized boat tragedy is something ... alas, no word can describe the pain and sorrow you and the survivor are feeling now. May their souls are now at a better place, up there. May their bodies, rest in peace. To you my friend, takziah.
(Mohd Norif Paival is my ex-colleague in UTM, who families were involved in capsized boat tragedy in Pulau Banggi, Kudat, Sabah on 27th November 09). Amen.

It's just a sad note.

KLBR09 Promo trip.. continuation (Part Two)

2009-10-01T09:04:00.003+04:00

After the fun hoooo haaa in Pattaya, we drove off to Bangkok, leaving our souls behind in Pattaya!

First night in Bangkok, upon arrival, we visiting R Infinity Bike Shop (I think that's the name) in LatPhrao, before checking into the hotel nearby. Nuthing much we managed to do that night, as Bangkok is too packed and none of us know how to go about in Bangkok. But we end up having dinner somewhere on Sukhumvit Road, where all Arab roam! (..and make me feel like I'm in Dubai again!)

Saturday in Bangkok. The promo tour continue its journey to Bangkok Harley Davidson, Big Twin Bangkok, Triumph Showroom and VS Speed (after a series of lost and found and lost again). next stop was Pan_Shovel Workshop (owned by Bandidos EastendsMC) where all the cool bikes are. Dare i said, so far, of all the bike I've seen, Pan_Shovel is the coolest (ol'skool rock!). We end the day promo by heading to Chatuchak, the biggest weekend market one can ever imagine! It's darn huge, I think the whole floor area of Midvalley and Garden will fit nicely there! One can basically buy all sort of thing here, be it pet, exotic animal, cloth, used stuffs, decoration, painting bla bla bla... But prior to that, we stopped by at L.A Choppers shop at JJ Mall. At Chatuchak, the task is to meet Captain Jack Sparrow and Dinosaurs MC. Later that night, we head to bro Ying of Ying Youngterk Tattoo shop (just nearby) and chilled before we all head to Rachada night market and later Sanam Luang (a park in front of King palace). At Rachada we all bumped into a bunch of reggae groupie and noticed that one of them is Roi Diew (a performer) and a couple of American Muscle for sale... at a night market!

Sunday was a relaxed day and I've decided not to get too tired for later evening trip back to Kuala Lumpur. And since Sunday is a rest day, none of the shop opened. But we still managed to find Thor's Custom and leave the poster at it's door. We head back to Chatuchak as we failed to locate Jack Sparrow yesterday. After everything is done, we left Bangkok town at about 6pm and it's heavy rain! 12am, we arrived at Chumphon for a quick breakfast.. a quick one which lasted for two hours. The next six hour trip to haadyai was a very tiring one, but we still managed to reached haadyai safe and sound, for a roti canai breakfast. And the next 6 hour, we spent driving on Malaysia's soil! Such a bliss to be back home.

Nine days in Thailand, it was a tiring fun trip. Tiring as we covered almost 4000km. Fun because of all us, cracked jokes all the time. And the true meaning of the trip is meeting local people, be it hippies, bikers, rastafarian, naked girls, everyday people and whatnot.. they all have one thing if common... peace and love.

Thanx Red Garage for the trip.

Thailand is really land of smile.

Kuala Lumpur Bike Rally 2009 - Promo Journey in Pattaya and Bangkok

2009-09-29T12:45:00.004+04:00

I was on a trip. More or less 4000km journey from Kuala Lumpur to Pattaya and fro. The journey took me across biking world in Thailand, meeting people and their rides. It is a journey to promote the upcoming Kuala Lumpur Bike Rally 2009 at Bukit Kiara Equestrian Club.

It all started on one fine morning, on 21st September 2009. Myself, with another three guys, Am of Red Garage, Atan Locklaq and Naz, driving up north heading to the border, on the second day of Eid. The journey started at about 8am from Lotus Jalan TAR, and we reached the border at about noon. Armed with lotsa poster, banners and magazines, we head to our first stop at Southern Big Bikes shop in Haadyai (well, actually second stop, as the place we stop was at Shell, Juru, Penang) to handout the poster and magazine (My Chopperz, issued by the KLBR09 organizer, Red Garage Malaysia). With sun is fast setting on the West horizon, we head out to next stop in Pattalung, reaching there at about 8pm. Numerous phone call were made, but to no avail. We were to meet one of the top local bike builder, but none of us know his number! Stopping by at local night market, Atan, approached one of the trader, who dressed up like a cowboy/biker and spot on, he know the guy we are looking for. After few phone call and with the help of two local chaps, we head out to Tew house of Tew Custom Bikes, in the middle of nowhere and in the dead of the night, only to wake him up in the middle of his sleep but still we were greeted with smile and joy. Tew is the guy who took back a meddle during 2008 Phuket Bike Week. Simple guy who offered us a place to sleep as it was midnight, but we settled for shower at his and continued our journey north. The thought that we were all though guys doesn't last that long, as everybody were tired and we stopped by at PTT (local petrol station) and rest for a couple oh hour.

The second day of the trip, started with a good chicken soup at a petrol station in Chumphon. Departed from Chumpon at about 9am, we reached Bangkok outskirt at about 3pm. Chumphon is basically a mid way stop-about if one where to travel from Bangkok to Haadyai, a journey of 1000km. We decided to head right away to Pattaya and find something to eat there, a decision which in my personal view, a very bad decision, as we reached Pattaya at about 5pm-ish. Everyone were hungry and it was lucky enough to find a good spot for a short meal, and it was a good meal. We reached Bung Jumeen house at about 6pm-ish and at last. Bung Jumeen is the President of Burapa MC and the hospitality given was second to none. The first night in Pattaya was a relax night. After having a chilled dinner with Bung Jumeen family at nearby grilled fish shop (chilled as it was raining, heavily, we relaxed at a table with a naked girl dancing on top of it!

On the three day, the promo team started works with visiting few bikes shop around town, namely Iron Horse, Hot Rod Custom, Brotherhood Cafe (thanx bro Nara), Shark Rider MC club house (thanx bro Vinnai) and somewhere at the A-go-go shop, owned by one of the biker. Everyone were dead tired and nothing happened that night.

The next day, the promo journey continued to visit East Coast Chopper, bro Tip workshop (local builder), Power Station Pattaya (Harley Davidson official dealer), another local workshop (i forgot the name but i think it's VS Motor) and end the promo work at bro Lek Carabao cafe. We then took some time off to fullfil bro Nara invitation to go shooting. Literally okay. Armed with one shotgun, a sniper rifle and two glock-lookalike, we head to Sattahip to his land and 'do some shooting'. Yup, we shot bottles. It was one in a lifetime experience. And trust me, after knowing the power the gun produced, I think I'm not suitable to be a robber or such a kind.

Friday was a chilled down day as we planned to head to Bangkok. We spent the whole day hanging out with Bung Jumeen at his place.

First half of the journey really amazed me, as the local bike builders I met, really do the bikes up from scratch, from a straight pipe which is later bend and whatnot to make a rolling chassis of a bike. Even though the garage is just a porch or backyard of a house, they all have the necessary machines and tools to build a bike. Regardsless of the shape of the bike produces, it is all a work of art.

Pattaya... a small town full of naked girls.

..end of part one...

Eid Mubarak

2009-09-16T10:25:00.003+04:00

Long weekend ahead. Malaysia will be celebrating the Eid somewhere on 20th/21st October 2009. Kuala Lumpur will, again, be a ghost town or Foreigner two starting from this weekend til the next. Most of the city folks will head back to the hometowns. Eid Mubarak to all my Muslim friends and Happy Holiday to Malaysian! But of course, to any of the readers out there on this planet called Earth, the wish is valid to you guys too.

As for me, initially, I planned to ride back to Kelantan, my hometown, stopping by at Kuala Terengganu along the way to celebrate Loy Krathong, which is a Thai celebration. But, current unavoidable situation has hampered the idea. So what I gonna do in this town?... This long holiday has no meaning to me as everyday is a holiday, now that I'm not working and doing nothing, literally.

Over a session of iftar at Studio Cafe the other day, I was unofficially invited to join the bandwagon heading to Haadyai and Pattaya to promote the upcoming Kuala Lumpur Bike Rally, which I replied 'yes' there and then. So, I'll be heading up North on the second day of Eid with a couple of friends, armed myself with my trustworthy Nikon. it'll be fun, I reckoned.

And to all my dearest friends and readers, do take extra care while you're on the road. Millions of cars and bikes gonna join the exodus out of town.

May God bless your journey, where ever you are heading.

Mini Me

2009-08-18T11:18:00.003+04:00

What will you feel, when you wake up, each morning and you are blurred... blur from knowing what's there in the future or blur from knowing what's there for you to achieve.

Pathetic right?

Anyhow, that's the best part of living a life, going through the up and down, stuck in the moment where you can't get out of it.

I've attended the Mini Gathering at Dataran Shah Alam last couple of week, as you can see, me and my Mini... (hahahahaha, how i wish it is MINE!). The car was first introduced in 1959 and are now celebrating it's 50th year in existence. Yup, 50 years and going strong. It doesn't simply die or fade away, if the owner really add 'spice' to it. The TLC it's supposed to receive.

I need to add spice to my life, that I know for sure.

What kind of spice, darn I'm not sure, just yet.

Rainy July

2009-07-28T18:11:00.002+04:00

I feel like it has been so damn long I've been idling. Idling... without any work and any proper stuffs to do. That's the fact of my life, not so miserable but the real one. It has been daunting task, you see, looking for job. And to make matter worst, I'm with my midlife crisis now (I think?!), I'm quite confuse if i should proceed be an Engineer. Or totally divert my career path to something really new.

aaaa Heck... misery love company, the more I think bout it... less fun life is.

Anyway, nowadays, I've hangout a lots with my close friends.. and sometimes, fake-close friend. Most of them are bikers, the Harley group of people. And thats what i do most, ride, eat, chill, ride and caught in the rain under the bridge!

The other day, last two weekend, myself and another 6 pals rode to Port Dickson, bout 120km from Kuala Lumpur. It was a chill ride, easy riding and good food by the beach. But on the way back, rain poured down heavily and we were all stucked under a bridge somewhere in Seremban, on the NSE Highway. That was the first time ever I stopped under a bridge due to rain. Hardly do that as it is kinda dangerous with fast cars zooming just few meters beside you. But the rain was heavy and it's instead dangerous to ride.

The time i rode to Kuantan, some 300km from Kuala Lumpur for Violent Storm Anniversary event, its rain 3 times at 3 different spots! Heavy rain, mind you. But I (we actually.. with another 2 bikers) didn't stop as there were less traffic on the road. What a ride..... lost my Arlen Ness tailight cover and damaged my Ipod Touch due to rain. Yeah, my bike vibrate too much causing the tail light cover to detached from its housing, somewhere on the East Coast Highway. I was chasing a 124 cubic inches harley at that time... that's 2000cc!

July was fun. Money is running dry but I still survived! Whoever having extra cash and doesn't seem to have any idea to do with it, please bank into my account... hahahha

I guess, for the moment, and since I've been gone from malaysia most part of 2007 to 2009, I just gonna enjoy riding hard and hangout with friends.

Ramly At War

2009-07-16T10:42:00.003+04:00

A short movie by a friend of mine... Julianne Block.. www.j-blockbuster.com

I'm officially a film-star! (self proclaimed of course).

With nuthing much to do with my career life, helping friends in this movie really a fun stuff! Hang out.... cheer.. beers... cheer... lost voice... muscle ache... and cool chinese-kungfu style-fighting scene.

Once the movie is 'premiered', I'll published it in my blog.

For now, google Ramly At War in youtube.com... for a short teaser.

Life can't never be bored when you're where you belong.

Heading South...

2009-06-22T11:24:00.002+04:00

I'm now at a junction where the light is switched off. Yes, it has been a bleak months in Malaysia. Was working without paid for couple of months and now, I've been terminated from the very same Company I've pledged my support to, upon completion of the project in Dubai. Stupid me to have stayed on and trusted such a human being being the Company.

Anyway, it is now time for me to continue my journey. I have been quite in silent mode for the past couple of months, since I came back from Dubai to again, reside in Kuala Lumpur. No part particular reason I shall state here, just simply LAZY. Actually, I've been busy, riding, meeting friends, visiting places and now... looking for job!

It may sound as simple as it may! 10years of experience under my belt, so should be darn easy for me to land a job. But, somehow, it is not as simple as it should sound! Time is bad, so all the people said. Economy is bad, as they keep on saying. Opportunities are there but it's limited. And the thought of attending interview... it's pretty daunting.

But heck, it is something I gotta face.

Any journey will have its bump. I had mind... as a matter of a fact, I'm facing the bump at the moment. And it seem to be quite a huge one.

This journey gonna be very interesting.. I said to myself. It has always been, am I right? This time, it really pushed me to the brink of... I was a bout to type in EXTINCTION but somehow I know, it sound too darn dramatic, eh?.. anyway... the situation I am in now, really testing me, be cool, the pressure, stress and whatnot! But again, without such a pressure, what's there in live? right? So i thought!.

Friends has been the most important part of my life these days. They are there for me, come hell or high water, well, not literally though. But, there are there.

So, it is time for me, to choose which route I should head to. I have a couple of months to survive on the funds or whatever I have left in me now. I have no time to waste anymore, which I clearly understand the pressure that I am facing now.

I know what I should do, now... but I don't know how.

I wish I met the Blind man. Teach me how to see!

Twisted Mind Twisted Number

2009-03-23T19:45:00.002+04:00

One fine Friday afternoon, I am at a bike gathering... Dubai Bike Week.

What is the different between 295 and 305? Try to answer it as if those number carry monetary value, in whatever currency you all see fit.

In my case, I was at one junction, do I purchased the one with Dh295 price tag? Or should I buy the one with Dh305 tag? Mathematically, those two number doesn't bring any significant different. But, psychologically number 2 is lower than number 3, hence YOUR mind will registered it as cheaper! I came a crossed this kind of situation a couple of time, at that front number really somehow determine should you or should you not buy the items. But, in reality, it doesn't really make much of a different. But the point is, marketeer must've known human weaknesses when it come to dealing with numbers. Most often than not, we've seen products priced at $2.99, $199... Why can't it be $3 or $200?

I think, most will agree if I say, $199 is still ONE HUNDRED plus plus... whereas $200 is a clear TWO HUNDRED!

Anyway, in my case, since that my mind was twisted at that moment in time, I end up leaving the shop empty handed. Sigh! No Ed Hardy tee...

But, on the other hand, I save $295 or so. Did i?

Reflective

2009-03-12T11:42:00.004+04:00

As you can see or notice, lately, I've been posting on my blog, some of the photos taken using my Nikon, which I bought mid of last month. An upgrade from my other camera, Canon G9 (a semi-auto/semi-manual good point-and-shoot digital camera). So, anywhere I go now, I'm carrying a slingbag, with my bulky toy in it.

Somehow it goes to show that, this is what I am into right now. Photography. But, still on the learning curve, the kindergarten of photography. It is a fun and healthy hobby, I would say.

I've tried to incorporate riding and photography, but somehow it is not that easy. You know, riding Harley with bulky sling bag can be a bit dangerous. Furthermore, it is rainy season in Kuala Lumpur. Maybe I ought to do it one day, travel the world on the bike and capture the moment through the lens. (not the world as in the whole wide World)

Therefore I Blog!

2009-03-07T09:14:00.004+04:00

Saturday morning, nothing much for me to do today.
Planned to go for a jog but my leg are still aching from yesterday beach day.

So I thought, why not introducing who I am...
So here am I.. the blogger, sipping a cuppa coffee at the White House Coffee House in Kota Bharu. Missing from the photo were two 'nasi lemak bungkus', one 'nasi lauk ikan' and one 'nasi dagang gulai ayam'. A breakfast for two.

Cheerio!

Wonderland in Terengganu

2009-03-06T09:56:00.002+04:00

Roadtrip.

East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Breakfast at White House Coffee House beside an old Castle in Kota Bharu. Lunch by the beach coast of Terengganu small village called Penarik, Wonderland at Taman Tamadun Islam (Islam Civilisation Garden) at Losong, superb satar beside Gerai Makcik Gemok 69. Dinner in Kota Damansara.

One whole day of marvellous trip!

East Coast is superb, tranquil and lovely food.
I kid you not!

Back in Dubai

2009-03-06T09:51:00.002+04:00

21days of riding in the rain, I am now back in Dubai. Hastily and hoping it gonna be a short stay of maximum one month.

Dang! Where is my vacation?

I am healthy now. And looking forward to celebrate my people new year in Phuket this April.

Forgotten

2009-02-20T12:36:00.002+04:00

It has been nearly 2 weeks I am back to my home. Bliss.

It has been nearly 2 weeks I am back on my bike. Bliss.

What is not bliss? Well, it has been nearly 2 weeks I am here in Malaysia and I'm still required to work as normal in Bukit Kemuning.

Dang! Where is my holiday? Finger crossed!

Anyway, my previous post, I was ranting bout my health, and lucky me, after a session of ultrasound scan and Docs rubbing my balls, I was given a green bill of health. Lucky me it is now a cysts as I've feared. But it is still there, so I think I'll go for another check-up.

Now that I have my bike with me, I want to sell my Waja. It is a 2002 1.8x Proton Waja bought for RM79,400 and could only fetch rm15,000.

Dang!

Should I sell it or just keep it. If I sell it, I still have my bike to move around. If I keep, well, I have a car and my bike...

Well... actually, if I keep it, I gonna have two cars. Wink! Wink!

Where is my white caldina?

I'm Flying...

2009-02-06T16:06:00.002+04:00

7th February 2009.

I'm heading back later tonight at 3am.
It's not part of my planned vacation.
Something is wrong with, deep inside my body.
Tuesday is the day.
Am I being haste?
You'll be haste when you know you are having something extraordinary inside your body.

Finger crossed!
Just hope for the best I can get and nothing is serious.
Anyhow, being in Malaysia again, nothing can beat that, I supposed.

Till the Doctor say I am Okay.... I am, for now, worried.

Wake Up And Smell The Coffee

2009-01-31T09:51:00.003+04:00

One fine Friday morning.. It's at Mugg & Bean Coffee at Uptown Mirdiff

Love is in the air at Al Ain, Aerobatic Show. Superb aerobatic by, don't know who, maybe the Red Baron from the UK

Those are the fighters involved in the Aerobatic formation.

Me with a Red Bull theme plane.

What a lovely sunny Friday evening. While I'm counting down to the ETD to KLIA, I am now content on doing whatever I can here in land of UAE.

Next in line...
1. Iron Maiden Concert 13th February 2009
2. Ski dive.. yet to know when. Maybe on Valentine day, so I can be the Angel falling from the sky (with a parachute of course).
3. Power boating off the Gulf.

I am just simply traaaalalalalallala llalala...

When I Wake Up... As I Put On My Makeup.....

2009-01-29T11:10:00.003+04:00

Foggy Dubai... en route to work.
While I am at my wheel.

OK OK... the title of this entry is a bit misleading... Not literally okay.

It's now reaching the end of January. Wow, time really flies eh... 29 days into 2009 already and nothing much I've achieved so far, except for spending thousand of Ringgit Malaysia on camera, its lenses, flash and whatnot. The rest, I am still here in Dubai, which I termed it as... I'm still stuck here! Yes my previous entry, I was counting down to 31st January, however, as expected, I still have a no-go from my CEO.

It is kind of tiring, you see. The project I'm involved in, the Dubai Metro, has been completed. But, the Contract is still opened! Final negotiation with Client is.. are really daunting. Negotiation after negotiations and still both parties stuck in a round-about! Middle of February is both parties target date for final settlement, if of course, amicable settlement can be reached.

Anyhow, March will be a full blown holiday for me.

I'll learned to be a good photographer! That is my next target, with good camera in hand and good tutor (wink! wink!), I know I can do it (and this remind me of Rob Sneider in most of Adam Sandler movies.... "You Can Do It!).

Two weeks are seem to be a very long duration, somehow...

I'm Lovin' It.. Am I?

2009-01-26T19:22:00.003+04:00

It's January the 26th...

Five days to go to the end of January. January the 31st.

Darn! How long is this going to take!
As if I'm counting down to the day I can happily leave this country and head back to mine.

But, alas, it is an 'as if'... I wish it is a true date for me to forward to.

No photo, no snow and no rains...
It's simply gloomy.

The Tale of Two Eggs

2009-01-25T09:42:00.003+04:00

Let me see, basically I have no apparent reason to post the picture above. It's taken using my Canon G9, and not my new Nikon D80, as it is still in Wan's possession. Anyway, as I entered to my 'empty' office, with nothing much to do, blogging seem to be the only thing I can do. Anyway, my rutins are as usual, switch on the laptop, gmail, facebook, online newspaper both Malaysia and UAE, forum and whatnot.

For past few days, two eggs are my daily breakfast menu. Why? Hmm.. maybe I feel that I'm sick. Maybe I feel that I've lost some energy... Mojo, perhaps? It's a good taste of half boiled raw eggs! With a glass of Nescafe.

I am still lost, here in Dubai. Well, the weather is good, 21degree Celsius, heck it even snow in Ras Al Khaimah yesterday, but my soul has left my humble body. I want to go home, be in Kota Damansara, but, ... there's always a but... I still can't do so. Dang!

Anyway, I'll be on a long holiday soon.
It can't rain all the time, I guess.

19:42...The Time Just Stood Still

2009-01-19T19:42:00.002+04:00

19th January 2009.

Mundane day today, the sky is gloomy. Its rain sometimes. And I wish it rain all the times. Sigh is the one word I can properly described the world I'm living in today. I've become the last Malaysian left here in Dubai by my Company, the one left to finish off whatever left-over task available. The one left to send the news to existing staffs that 'Your contract are expired!'. The one left to answer to all creditors on when they'll get their due payment.

Damn! Someone gotta do 'dirty' work, I supposed.

Anyway, Dubai Sale Festival started on 15th Jan, without much fanfare as expected, since Dubai's Ruler has denied any form of fireworks or celebration due to War in Gaza. I'm yet to do my part of shopping though, and seriously I doesn't has much thing to buy. The only thing on my mind is to get a confirmation on my Emirates flight ticket back to Kuala Lumpur.

For now, I'm hoping for end January departure date, but somehow it does look bleak. Finger crossed, and I'm a strong believer of good things comes to those who wait. So I am waiting, patiently.

"How Long Is This Going To Take!" ...(King Julien part 1)

I've been Tagged by Mira...

2009-01-11T11:37:00.002+04:00

Dang! Now I have to answer the following;

Directions: Once you’ve been tagged, you have to write a blog/Facebook note with 16 random things, facts, habits or goals about you. At the end choose 16 people to be tagged, listing their names and why you chose them. Don’t forget to leave them a comment or tag them in your note to read this.

1. Letme see, I have to write about 16 random things about me, thanx to Mira for tagging me along. Okay... 16... well, it is kinda hard to write something when you are asked to. Anyway, item number one, I'm 33 this year, not yet but 2009 is my 33th year living. But I know somehow I'm still stuck in a 25 years old body, except for some grey hair.

2. I don't smoke and not intended to start as I don't find any good reason for me to. But I do love vodka and wondering if I can stop drinking alcohol. Well, human being gotta drink like, we simple need H2O to get going. And it is in my name.. Sura mean alcohol.

3. I am a good person, very friendly and loving. And yes, I love to make love!

4. I own a small bike, in Malaysia but sad part, I'm stuck here in a wrong continent.

5. I am a big spender in a way, but not to myself, I tend to 'hias' my partner with nice stuffs. For me, I wear baju seluar bodo bodo je...

6. I love to cook and planning to open a Restaurant, which I think I'll name it Enjin. A restaurant with lotsa motorcycles engine as decoration. But again, will it make the place look like a bike workshop then? Well, it's a plan right, one can plan for anything. (but kinda cool, operate a restaurant... hmmm)

7. I am a male, and seriously, I intend to keep it that way!

8. ... I have to tone up my body or at least, keep it this way. As a start, I've join the gym last May. Next start, I really need to go to the gym at least once!

9. I like no. 3, cos it keep my stress level checked! Study does say sex is a good stress reliever.

10. I am at no. 10 and already crawling to think of any other point till I reach no. 16.

11. I am a coffee person. Like to brew my own coffee with my Dh130 coffee maker. Would love to have those RM6000 espresso maker!

12. If given a chance, I would love to add 3 inches to my height... HEIGHT okay.. not other length (so far no one complaint, so I am okay with it la)

13. If ever I have kids, they'll be of 2 boys and one girl. If I'm a single father, I prefer a daughter.

14. I belief in spending the money you earned. If you keep it in the bank, others will spend it for you. If you keep in under the bed for too long, the color will fade, worst still the figure 100 faded n looses one zero!

15. In 2009, I hoping that I can keep on earning 5-figure. Well, hope for the best la kan.

16. And yes, the last but not least... for 2009, all I want is to plan for next year resolution. The good thing bout having a resolution to start a new year is, to be in good mood in the first month of that year, to make sure the resolution is on the right track and to neglect it from second month onward til December.

At last! Done!
But sorry blog, I don't tag anyone here. Any reader shall be self-tag by reading this post. Bole ke?

The World Is A Vampire

2009-01-11T09:57:00.002+04:00

As I writing this entry, part of Gaza is under bombardment from Israel's rockets and whatnot. I pray the Lord that the war shall end.. amen!

Enter 2009, without and fanfare, no firework to usher in the new year. It is the year of the Ox, with economy trembling from Wall Street to Nikkei. Ironic, usually the Ox is the trademark of the share market bull. Perhaps there's different between and Ox and a Bull.

And as usual, at the start of a new year, people will speak of new year resolution. Hence the question... What is my new year resolution for 2009?

Erk.. I am choked, now that I'm asking myself bout my new year resolution, I basically didn't set any target or achievement for the year. Hmm maybe I should start sitting under the apple tree to get some wisdom, perhaps. Or maybe I should dig back from yesteryear and see what went wrong, perhaps. But one thing for sure, I want to be back in Kuala Lumpur! But can I?.. Finger cross.. Finger cross. Anyway, for sure I still have my job. And a one month vacation, probably the whole of February. And crossing my finger again. Darn! I think all my ten finger are crossed already! But yet, none of the above happened.... yet and just yet.

Anyway, before I can kick start my ride, I'm planning to end my stay in UAE by sky dive from 10000m. It'll be such an experience I reckoned.

Happy New Year....mmmooooooooooooooooo

When Mother Earth Speak..

2008-12-11T10:17:00.003+04:00

Recently, 5th December 2008 to be exact, landslide occurred at Bukit Antarabangsa in Kuala Lumpur. A lush township with houses, bungalow, apartment on top of a hill, facing Kuala Lumpur town. 4 was found dead and 1 Sri Lankan is still buried under the rubble. Few houses were badly damaged. This incident or better term it as tragedy, was due to rain and fragile or unstable soil condition... From certain point of view. From another school of thoughts, it is God will. Some quarters will say, the people who stayed there are at fault, knowing the hill is unstable yet living there. Another point the finger to the Government, Local Authorities bla bla bla. Frankly, and sadly, this is what we Malaysian good at, pointing finger. Instead of finding the best solution for a cure.

Anyway, I don't really know what's going on now at the ground zero, but from what I've read and gather, the people with the know-how predicting that by June 2009, there'll be another landslide. Actually, if we dig up the archive, way back in 1993 one whole block of apartment collapsed due to landslide, can't remember the name of the apartment. And few years after that sad tragedy, huge landslide occurred at the toe of tallest condominium there, The Antheneum. I mean, that area is not shy of damaging landslide, but yet people live there.

People do have a choice on to choose where they wanna live.

And again, as much as I'm sorry for the landslide victim in Bukit Antarabangsa, which i wish and hope all are safe n well.... It is 15th December 2008

I am 32 today.

REFLECTION

2008-11-24T16:25:00.004+04:00

I have nuthing much to say...

It's about dark reflection.

Or it is bright reflection.

You be the judge.

who wanna live forever?

2008-11-13T13:33:00.002+04:00

I'm at a junction of no turning back.
It is sort like a crisis, do I stay on here?

With current economic situation, it is just wise for me to stay on. Hmm no one knows what will happen to everyday people for the next two years. But indication is clear, the wealth is heading south. It is time to safe, save your money, save your family, save your life.

Well, at least I've downgraded my life, from driving a car to riding a bike...

smile smile smile..

in Exile

2008-10-17T09:15:00.004+04:00

Fever,
Flu,
Headache,
Love one left you,
Work pressure,

All these in one go, can break a man. It does break me (But guess that no one will bother, any more). Maybe I am not strong enough, but again, when you've placed as much effort as a person can imagine, and suddenly you're pushed to a conner with a marking on you forehead saying "I Don't Want You Any More", you do feel like your world is coming to an end. Yes everyone has their own reason in deciding next course of action, but am I not too good to be part of that decision?

As a matter of a fact, this year, I keep on breaking actually, rather continuously. I'm starting to accept the fact that I can make people happy for a moment of time, and when they are done with me, I will be left alone... in the air.

Frustration can sometimes help a man decide on what he want. Apparently, when you are breaking down, your sense of thinking doesn't really work. The result of this? An Exile.

Single seat, good performance. Money paid and just waiting for me to go back to KL and enjoy the ride. Since all the well planned holiday has been busted yesterday, this is one thing which can make me occupy the 12days stay in KL. Previous owner named it Sportster Exile. I shall name it Pornster. Well, I do have to learn how to ride again, as it was 4 years ago since the very last time I rode a big bike.

Anyway, it will be fun... I have to cheer myself up, am I?

AngeL with Broken Wing

2008-10-16T10:57:00.004+04:00

16th October 2008...
Twelve days from my ETD to KL.
I'm prepared to be with my AngeL.
I've planned what we gonna do.

And yet, luck is not on my side, as always.
She decided to move away from me.
It's for her own good, if I'm gone. Because, why should I be around, if she already in love with someone else. That guy should be better than me.

Anyway, as always... I'm the one who has been fucked.
2nd July 08, 16th Oct 08... all the dates with same event. Sigh!
And yes, life has to goes on.

In the arms of an angel
Fly away from here
From this dark cold hotel room
And the endlessness that you fear
You are pulled from the wreckage
Of your silent reverie
You’re in the arms of the angel
May you find some comfort there

This vacation. Hmm I might just cancel it, I think. Do I have any other reason to go for vacation?

Well... I'll be free as a bird then.

Sigh!

Thank you ... you.

In The Arm Of An AngeL

2008-10-14T12:36:00.003+04:00

14days to go..

I'll be flying on the jet plane again, heading East, to where I belong.
Excited! Can't describe much further. Excited!

My main aim... to spend time with you as much as I can. Yes I know, I was not there for the most of 2008.

My second aim... buy a bike.

..and it left me thinking, I am at the tail-end of this stay in Dubai, so what's next?... Accept the current standing offer in Dubai, or Bahrain. Heck! I want to go back to KL. But again, with current uncertainty shrouded the economy of the world, it might be hard to land a good job in KL. But anyway, my course of riding always change, depending on the situation and future incidents.

Talking bout incidences... I've become blunt towards other, and more content towards my own self. Which I think I should have done as such, long long time back. But I don't. Maybe my existence is to make you happy, I don't know.

Anyway, 12days in Malaysia. A short period of time and I have to fully plan what I want to do. I didn't visit my parent during the last vacation in June. So this time, my first activity is to fly back to Kota Bharu the very next day I'm in KL and spend the first weekend in Malaysia, with my parent in Terengganu and Kelantan. The rest will be KL. I've cancelled my Singapore or Bangkok plan as time is too short. I've cancelled by Redang plan as it is Monsoon season in November. I think it is best for me to lounge at my crib in Kota Damansara, considering I've paid rm13,000 mortgage payment this year and I've stayed there, so far for accumulative of 6 days! Part and parcel of working abroad I guess.

Oh yeah, third aim... the Angel.. well, actually... Angels. I have to plan to visit 4 Angels. Arghh time is, again, short....

But what shall I get for them eh?

Airis Delisha Story...

2008-10-02T14:23:00.002+04:00

Congratulation Ija...
I'm sorry to learn bout ur princess..

The following was taken from Lily Hashim facebook.. i do share her grievances.
When will a Malaysia Professional Quality be really a Professional Quality product?

Godspeed. Amen.

Poor baby Airis Delisha,

As announced the other day, my sister Liza has just had a beautiful baby girl. However, her baby hasn't been very healthy and has been admitted to the hospital again for Jaundice . Her condition is quite weak as her weight is decreasing down quickly.

Both baby and mom are having local treatment at Serdang Hosp. I wish for your kind prayers for little Airis Delisha to come back home safely.

I'm also concern about the quality held at the hospital. I was told that Serdang Hosp has lack of "this and that" in term of services and equipments providing not forgetting to mention that they have made some silly mistakes by advising my sister to deliver her baby quickly (at the same day she had her final routine check up) as her baby was too big, around 3.8kg. My sister was induced for 3times but has surrendered for a C-sec delivery as the induction procedures has made her too weak to have a normal delivery. At the end when the baby was born at only 2.5kg! At a very tiny weight with a minor Jaundice baby Airis was discharged from hosp without a proper advice and references as what a new mother usually needs.

Apart of all that happened on that day, I wonder why all of the nonsense happened again and again to every generation we have?
Where are the paperworks of every procedures put on the patient? Didn't they supposed to scan the and write down the final weight of the baby before deciding to induce? And why didn't they use proper gear to reduce the unnecessary pain on the patient , Why aren't there any pre and post natal education held? Why husbands weren't allowed to be with his wife helping the labour? Why husbands weren't informed about the labour procedurals and risks? Why leave everything to the wifes while we are trying hard to fight the pain! It's common sense that when we're sick we can't think properly and we are unstable to make any decision and for that respect practitioners that received great education in medics should also include husbands or at least one of family member to sit down with the patient while discussing the procedures that will or will not happen on the delivery day. Most importantly you must be honestly doing your work professionally as you dealing with humans for God sake! It;s about saving one's life!

It's upsetting to see all the silly mistakes and sarcasms still held esp at govt hospitals. We don't want a first class treatment, but just enough for the practitioners to at least respect and deliver their work as professional as possible. Like a mother always told her children to talk nicely, respect people around you, do not harm things and bla...bla...bla as all living creatures have feelings. Human to human communications should held in respect.

Because of all of these, people tend to spend tons of money for a private hosp. And it has becoming a trend that people prefer for a private hosp that they they believe to get proper services and equipment they needed. But how do you know it's gonna be good in private one if the mentality and behaviour has not been yet been improved? It should be realised by now that because it has becoming a trend in the community, therefore it is not healthy way of life. Having children demands so much preparation and where possible we do need to save money for so much things for them. But if every time we had to spend at least rm10,000 only for a trendy labour, guess how much we have wasted for 3-4x labours?

Public are increasing becoming more sophisticated by formal and informal education we just want a fair, organised, professional humanely treatment to everyone that is sick. No more carelessness, no more sarcasm and no more fairy tales or 'cerita atuk nenek' transmitted please... And to those in maternity ward in m;sia, 'please hand me my baby as gentle as your mother care for you for 9months'.

That's all I can say, No offence but it's happened and it's true and it needs a fullstops!

xxx
My prayer to my sister and her baby Airis always.

A Hangover

2008-09-21T09:57:00.002+04:00

I feel like... aaarrrghhhh....

I wanna write, I wanna write,
But I don't have the right idea.

I wanna ride, I wanna ride,
But I don't have the bike, just yet.

I'm right, I'm right,
But something I'm wrong,
And people do wronged me.

My right eye feel like it has been punched!
My eye ball seem to be reddish!

Sigh...

Should I just return to where I feel I have the sense of belonging?
But the question is....

WHERE?

Dizziness of the Winding Road

2008-09-07T09:23:00.002+04:00

I when back home yesterday, from a hectic day in office. Suddenly, it hit me, right smack in the middle of my mind, that I'm 32 this year (not exact, but will be soon in a couple of month, before the year end). And I'm here, which I term as nowhere, a place I called, neither here nor there. I think I'm one of the few (or maybe not that few) those who are unlucky. Unlucky to have a family, just yet. But the other kind, the kind who have a family already, term us, the lucky one. Lucky for still being a single. Anyway, as for me, I miss those time coming back to a home, having a kid waiting for me and my partner kissing my lip. Somehow when I speak of them, it sound more imaginary rather than real! But I do used to have kid, a baby Persian mixed Siamese cat, hmm well not so a baby, he was darn big. But manja like a baby.

Anyway, the point here is, at which point in your life, you should settle down? Prior to being 32, I used to think that by 30, I should've been married and starting a family. And most of my single-more-than-30-years-old friend, doesn't seem to care that much bout starting a family, anymore.

Can being a single be term as settling down too?

Well, as much as I wanna agree with all those who gonna say 'Relax, for a guy, your still young' yada yada yada.... Be in our shoe or shoes, then you'll know how young is young.

Will God send me an Angel? I am still hoping for it.

But rest assured, if I'm destined to be single, then I'll be the AngeL.

Just a rant.. I am soo need to have a cuppa latte.

It's time to ride on...

2008-09-06T10:13:00.003+04:00

My last post, mid of last month, I was frustrated as the bike I wanna buy, was a no deal! Anyway, it turn out to be 'the-start-of-everything'. Since then until now, there're a few of bikes was advertised. So now, I have few choices. But the one caught my eyes was the RM70,000 Harley Davidson FXDWG. Coolest. Coolness. Not so cool price tag though, darn-ness!

Anyway, it's still a no deal, period. I need to secure a loan from a bank or anyone to own it. Anyway, still working on it! And while I am still on this topic, now that I'm really set to buy a bike, I'm a bit confused with the way things are heading. I'm supposed to hear back to Malaysia by mid October, after completing the 18months contract period here in Dubai, but now it has been confirmed that my services are still needed here, hence I'm required to come back to Dubai after my October break. Hopefully it'll start on 6th October and end after 14days of hanging out with my girlfriend(s). Well, if I were to buy that RM70K bike, it is kinda okay for me to come back to Dubai and earn more money (as most of my saving will go to the bike, already). November I'll be in Dubai and My birthday, I'll be in Dubai, still. But hopefully, i can be with you in KL to celebrate New Year.

Anyway, my current company is trying to get a job in Bahrain. Dunno how does Bahrain look like, but it seem to be a small country, kinda quiet, I supposed, if compared to Dubai. But they host one leg of F1 every year. Go Figure! And the biking scene over there is kinda amazing too...

And... at the end of last week (yeah my week end on Thursday and start on Saturday, a bit confusing eh?), I was, unofficially offered an offer to work in Dubai with a Japanese company. SSSSShhhhhhhhh! Don't tell my Boss, just yet (Heck, this is a public blog anyway!). Anyway, it is just an UNOFFICIAL OFFER.

SO, there it goes, does my future hang in a balance? I doubt! I was fucked off a shitty love life, and I'm set to be back to KL as a biker, and seriously planning to get a Harley (I'm close to it, just need a right bike), or spend another year or two in this desert, either Bahrain or Dubai. Should I choose the later, no point of me buying a bike in KL, as I can buy it here. But it'll mean, riding in the night or during the winter only as one can't ride Harley in the summer, that'll COOK your balls! Choose to be in KL, will mean, if I get my bike, I'll definitely enjoy riding in my own country, with green scenery all over, but I'll definitely be out of fund!

I guess, it is correct, once you earn this much, it is kind difficult to return and work for less money. Damn you money! You are not everything, you are not the utmost important, but you are damn sure is SOMETHING!

So now, I am thinking...

I am frustated for time being

2008-08-16T16:01:00.004+04:00

Today, two of my bikers friend, on their Sportster, ride to Bangi to test drive a bike, an orange color sportster and after and hour or so, i received and sms from my buddy saying that current owner can't decide to sell the bike or not and will inform back tomorrow. Anyway thanx bro for sparing sometimes (valuable weekend time) to go and assist me to test the bike. Appreciate it a lot!

I mean, darn, i was so set to buy the bike. Eventhough i am in Dubai now and the bike is in Malaysia, but hey, i am going back soon rite? (am I?). Anyway, i just gonna keep my finger crosses, still, and keep on searching for a bike, suitable for me. Here's how the bike look like, (hope current owner won't get angry by posting this bike on my blog, anyway this is sort of free advertising!). Seem to be okay, i don't really know.

I think I'm a bit crazy, to agree on an expensive cash purchase, when i myself yet to view the item i'm buying. But... well what the heck!

Anyway, last week, i was upgraded... again. My only bro's wife gave birth to a baby boy. And my father name him Juttanakorn Nazlung Phongsawat. A half Thai, half Ibanese baby boy. Cute?

This is his second child, and after 4 year, i never even met the first child, which is Jessadaporn (something) Phongsawat.. And yes, i can't remember his exact name. Bad Uncle! Bad Uncle!

Wouldn't it be easier if my contract working here in Dubai is valid for another 2 or 3 years, so i can buy a bike here and ride here instead of Malaysia. But, riding here, hmmmm i won't have you to ride with me then. Darn!

...fallin' back again and will i stand tall?

2008-07-25T13:27:00.004+04:00

The journey here in Dubai is almost coming to an end, i hope. The sooner the better. An d i really do hope i can get put of here. But what will i do in Kuala Lumpur? Get a Harley and ride North? Get a car and go on roadtrip? One thing for sure, i do need a long vacation. I should. Maybe the whole November, i'll be out of Malaysia and travel the world!

Ewan and Charley has by now travelled to most part of the world, from Long Way Round the World to Long Way Down from John O'Groats to Cape Town. My journey, on the other hand, is very much stagnant. Each and everyday, i'm wishing that none of these had happened, but i'm a simple man who can't change the fate but doesn't live my life thru chance either.

Am i in midlife crisis already? I'm 32 for God sake. 32 and very much single without a family of my own.

It has been 9 years since my graduation and i'm still thinking, why am i an engineer? I don't even enjoy being one. I know i need something to spice up my life, and rest assured, it's not easy when you are in Dubai. I know i need to change my career and find something i love doine. Open up a cafe? Coffee house of my own? Hmmm... or perhaps a ranch full of bulls and whatsoever four legged!

Wishful thinking still...

Well, life is full of bum. I bet none of you guys living a life without any complication. Anyway, life is a journey with one end... dying. But it's pretty much doesn't really matter how it end, because the ending are the same for all. What matter most if how one live one life. The life you lead will determine what you are and will determine what you'll become... sad? happy? loveable? fuckable? joy?

Lets the journey countinue...

Why It's Always Me?

2008-07-18T13:07:00.002+04:00

16.07.2008

Talking about watching movie, that large popcorn or that dh30 per screening, make me recall some rather annoying habit in the cinema in Dubai. In any cases, in any scene, if it’s involved the hero or the good to triumph over the bad and evil, people here the cinemagoers they clap as if they're watching a live show. I mean, it's a movie anyway; it was made to be in such way. But anyway, any country has its own cinema culture I guessed. Another frustrated night yesterday, I surfed the net and confirmed that The Wanted is showing at 7pm, but to no avail there is no show except for 11.50pm, which is midnight. It pissed me off as i really want to eat that caramel popcorn and watch movie.

I'm so into popcorn or anything that popped!

Anyway, not to feel too much dejected, and yes I feel that way a lot lately, I head to Harvey Nichols thinking of buying a pair of jeans. But at dh2600, that torn blue PRPS jeans is too expensive. But the cuteness of Coach Scottie Dog phone lanyard caught my eyes. I'll give to you once I’m back in Malaysia, hopefully for good ;-).

17.07.2008

I really must go for a movie tonight, really need, NEED okay, to eat popcorn. Caramel. Wish can eat popcorn with you, naked on my couch. But of course, if i'm not too drunk from later Japanese dinner with a bottle of Sochu.

18.07.2008

Kiku, the food was delicious as ever and the Sochu with a piece of sour plum was really smooth. I was dead drunk and tired. Came back at 10pm last night and sleep right away. Really tired and the stiffness on my left side really… really… hmm how shall I say it eh…. Painful? Anyway, this is the second weekend I had this pain. Am I getting older? But I think, must be due to lack of sex, don’t you think so?

But of all these, popcorn is still on my mind and I’m heading to the cinema later today.

Masturbation.... DIY or Someone do it for you?

2008-07-14T11:30:00.003+04:00

Yes, if you can see it right, the figure on the above pics is 777, which is Dirham777, in equivalent to RM683.79. And yes that's a Dh1000 note to pay for the bill. And no, it's not a meal for 10 person, it was a meal for 2 person, fully grown adult! I was at Meat & Co steakhouse last night for dinner, with a friend of mine. Ordered a 250gram of Aussie wagyu beef for me-self and 300gm of New York strip black US Angus beef. These two items cost about Dh400. Plus the good smelling, good tasting Torres Azzure from Spain, make me feel mellow after the dinner. And we ordered starter, consists of some rib beef, salmon something, wild mushroom sandwich and grill prawn. And yes, after a gap of 20 years or so, i ate my first full size prawn. And i didn't vomit... hmm maybe i can eat prawn after all...

Anyway, it was a good dinner. And if just i have the money to bring Meat & Co to Malaysia... South African really know how to cook their beef! And brorewors.

By the way, yes i know, the title had nothing to do with what i've written above, but just wanna have something outrages that will catch readers attention. Hahahahhaa.. no pun intended anyway.

But really, which one you would prefer, D-I-Y or someone else do it onto you?

Why The Corn Popped?

2008-07-13T18:39:00.003+04:00

Dirham 30 per movie for Hancock. Dirham 25 for a bucket of large popcorn and a cuppa coke. I'm set for the movie at Mall of the Emirates last Thursday night. Since there's nothing much for me to do after a hectic week, I went for a movie screening with a friend of mine. And the smell of the popcorn, it really make me hungry. Well maybe for the fact that I didn't ate any lunch except for that whopper jr at 5pm. SO I said to myself.... 'That caramel flavored popcorn smell sooo irresistible' and I said to the barista...'One large caramel popcorn please'.. And man, it is so fucking big bucket! Well, anyway, I'm in Arab country, everything is big here.

Anyway, the movie was.. hmm well.. okay lar... But the popcorn was superb and well, i'm not that big mid-section, so I just stop half way of the bucket. Damn it was such a fucking lotsa popcorn!

With my stomach full of corn, fully popped, I head back home at midnite just to receive a call from my friend asking me out to a club, Chi at The Lodge. Grab my shoes and head to Chi. It was a night i spent Dh120 for a glass of Grey Goose vodka with slice of lime. Darn expensive, but taste good though. Well, actually I spent dh240, as I purchased 2 glass (Hahahahah to myself). Taste as good as the Ciroc I have at home or the Stolichnaya Elit I had before.

Friday was a lazy day as I woke up at 2pm to cook meehun goreng and stay at home watching dvd's. And since I'm soo bored, I set for another movie at the Mall. And this time, I have to make sure that it must be good, so i settled for Kungfu Panda. Jack Black really rock! But there goes my another dh30.

Why can't a movie cost dh10 and a bucket of popcorn is dh8?

Maybe You've Been Brainwashed

2008-07-10T16:50:00.002+04:00

Right, it's 50deg here, i think. Most of the time I'm here indoor, but still can feel the heat from the hot sun and from the work pressure. I'm here last year April as a Steelwork Manager and later Deputy Project Manager. And now, since last couple of weeks, since my Project Manager resign, I was entrusted with the work to manage the whole project. Darn a big responsibility, and darn a tough life for the next 3 months til the completion of the Dubai Metro Project for my Company. Anyway, it's a challenge.

Working with the Japanese really is a daunting day-to-day task. They really hungry for information and stand by the date given. Whereas for we Malaysian, well, a lil'bit of slack here and there is okay. Anyway, This is a challenge I'm taking, even it meant for me to stay back almost everyday till 11pm before i reach my apartment. And i have one person from Malaysia, calling me almost 30minit daily now, especially before my bedtime.

Of these busy-ness.... I'm bored of my personal life and what did I do? I get a new mobile phone. Was planning to wait for Sony Ericson Xperia X1 but since it wont be in the market til year end, I end up buying Sony Ericson P1i. So now, I can 'on' my Maxis phone line and send mms. Yeay to me.... It's a good phone, seriously. That's me with my new hair, in the toilet and with the new phone.

And the most important thing, since 2nd July 2008 (ironically, every 2nd July, since 2006, something bad happened to me), I'm moving on. Now is almost mid-July, frankly, can't wait till the last day of this project. Wanna go home and hit the road on a road trip North. Maybe Kl-Ko Samui....

Damn! I don't even have time to go snap photos!

Will I Be Okay?

2008-07-02T17:10:00.003+04:00

It's time to let you go.
It's time to say goodbye.

What if the person one love the most, cheated on you, again and again? What will one feel? Let say that, the person is the love of your life, wouldn't it will make you be in total agony of being in love? In love with someone who love another?

Well it's just a thought. But that thought does sprung out from a real event occured today evening here.

I'm here, half a world away from where I belong. From my life. So I can't blame my other half much if she need more love or sex. Girl's does has her own need right?

Anyway, with me, as i recalled, nuthing is great anymore, the love kinda fading, the sex kinda lame and the time spent kinda less, so I guess, all those add up to one matter... she's in love with another.

I'm shivering now... The news I just received really shake my very foundation. But deep inside me, i do sense that something is going on back at where i belong. But myself and i know, i can't stop her from doing what she really want in her purple and pinky life.

So here i go again.....

As an Angel, i really pity the guy who come to me and told bout those story. How could a girl, who he love for his whole life, do such a thing onto him... Fuck the girl/bitch. I told him, life has to go own... period.

Life's full of interruption and complication

2008-06-23T10:40:00.004+04:00

I'm back in Dubai....
And it's hot here, getting even hotter than hot.

It's something fishie.... in Pavillion KL. Everybody should try it, RM38 for 30minutes of non-stop tickling sensation feeling. It feel like, your partner is sucking your toe while having sex, heaven!

Actually, i don't really have any idea to type here, but for the sake of updating by blog, and filling the time while i'm on 5 minutes break from my hectic life.

This is the final 4months i gonna be here in Dubai, i think, unless something else is holding me back here...

... and in the morning I'll be gone away

2008-05-26T11:15:00.004+04:00

All my beg are packed, i'm ready to go.....
Actually i dont really have anything to write... scrolling through some folder and came across these two photos. I think i like it...

I need a holiday. I'm down with migraine since last Friday. Maybe no time to have lunch and such. Or maybe due to shifting to a new house, apartment actually. And yet to have the time to sort out the items in the new house. Anyway, i'll be in KL next week, wonderful! Eventhough a very short stay, it's still gonna be very the very wonderful.

Cheerio!

Life thru a lens

2008-05-17T17:22:00.003+04:00

I've been thinking all night long, what have i been doing lately, that i'm so busy and have no time for my blog? Well, i did do something currently, getting busy and crazy with my new lens, Canon G9. Living in Dubai, photography can be a 'cheap' pastime compare to others. Well not so cheap if one is planning to buy those DSLR with top of range lens. But anyway for me, the Canon G9 served and serving me good for time being, of course better than my previous Sony T100.

The G9 i'll say as a Compact digital camera you really need to get-to-know-her-first before you can understand her. It's not SLR camera and nor it's a compact digital. There are lotsa button, aperture setting, shutter speed, so on and so forth of the photography jargons. Anyway, since i got my pure virgin hand on her, it has been fun all along. Some of the pics taken has been uploaded to my Facebook link http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=21461&id=714883891&ref=mf

Here are some preview...

So do i have talent or what? But one draw back of having a complicated camera, i can only snap others and views, but where is my own pic?

Those pics shown are taken at and from Madinat Jumeirah Suoq. I wish i can snap more but when it's getting dark, it's not easy to snap good pics with my bare hand!

Let me take you far away, you'll like, a holiday....

Scorpion is coming to town, 22nd May 2008... tempted!

Arrrrgghhhh tempted... tempted... tempted...

Temptedddd!

2008-05-16T10:35:00.002+04:00

My turn to go on holiday has come, but do i have the time?

It has been almost 40days since my last post in this journey. Time, an item which i don't luxurily has now. It has been, work and sleep and no play. And it has been one and a half month since i enrolled and became a member of gym freak, Fitness First and that's the duration i am to go for any exercise, not even sex. Hmmm.... The malay's term it as 'makan, berak dan tido', simply translated as eat, shit and sleep. And that's just what i have been doing when i have 'free time'.

It has been a hard day at work. But not that i'm complaining as these shit with works, are what i've been asking for. Just to be busy and forget bout life, at least for a moment. But really, can anyone forget whatever events occured in the past? I doubt such a human being exist.

Anyway, the works i'm currently invovled are almost at the tail end of the progress and expected to complete circa October this year. Which spell as, i'll be out of contract after October, but anyway, i wouldn't care much as by then, i've achieved what i've planned for, period. Short term plan after that, just to go back and chill in KL as i've missed (by October), 2 years of fun life in KL. No place is better than home. Not that i have to crave for at my home, but to the least of it.... i have a place called home.

Arghh Friday comes... and shall go like any other day.

Why the heck i'm waiting for a day off when i'm not off to do anything, anything..

Anything bout you honey... :-)

Blood Is Thicker Compared To Four Year Ago

2008-03-30T17:23:00.003+04:00

I'm sad and i'm happy.

I met my brother today, Jon, at Dubai Airport. He was here for the past two months, working in Jebel Ali Free Trade Zone (Port area) but unfortunately he doesn't had the permission to go out from the port area. An today evening, he was flying back home and i managed to met him at 4pm, before he checked into the boarding lounge.

Hmm my bro... married to Ibanese girl way back in 2004. And now live in Miri, Sarawak, about 2hours by flight from KL. He has a kid, boy aged 3 (i think), named Jessadaporn Emzpua-Phongsawat (i think).

June 2004, that was the last time i met my bro. His wife at that time was pregnant, i think as i didn't met her when i was in Miri way back in 2004. So i think his son is already 3 years old.. or maybe 4. And everybody called him Jay and his full name sounded like what i've spelt but i does not know the correct spelling.

Am i a bad uncle? Hmm.. well i'm not to close to my bro anyway but he's my bro and he's blood! And since he chose to stay in Miri, which is kinda far from Peninsular Malaysia and Kelantan so we (me and my parent) doesn't met him often. As a matter of a fact, my parent met Jon back in 2006 when he came back for vacation, celebrating Thai new year. And unfortunately, i was not around at that time. And now, to matter worse, i'm now based in Dubai and he's now working all around the world, where his ship take him to.

So, i'm happy that i managed to meet my bro after a gap of four years and i'm sad because after four years, i only managed to meet him for 10-15minutes as he has a flight to catch. God's know when will i see him again.

And he's 5 years younger than me...

So bro, may your live happily ever after...

WHERE HAVE I BEEN?

2008-03-28T16:03:00.003+04:00

My my... i've been a bad blogger! The last post was end of last month, and a gap of one month, here's another post. I really need to disclipine myself in writting, but again, how can one write when the mind is.... floating?

Where have i been?

No where, except for that trip to Dibba-Khorfakkan-Fujairah-Masafi last weekend, and that'll Friday to all of you out there. And i've been to Abu Dhabi, yeay at last! Well not a plan trip, sort of like, feeling crazy and drive up to the capital of UAE one fine wednesday midnite.

And slept at 5am that nite (or morning) and woke up at 8am to go to work. And Dubai sky was blanketed with thick black smoke. Viewed from my house in Arabian Ranches, the smoke originated somewhere nearby my office. And i was thinking, shoot! Is Dubai been attacked? Get into the car and i tuned to Channel 4 and learnt that a suspected fireworks factory caught on fire early in the morning. The smoke was kinda awesome! Not the tragedy though.

You know, living in Dubai, make one craving for local food... local as in Malaysia local. Can't get one anymore, not when Noshi Noshi closed down last August. And with another indonesian food restaurant opened, somewhere on the main street of Al Karama, named Mutiara, it somehow cured the carving for food part, but not the craving to eat the Malaysian girls... hmm yummy! When for lunch at Mutiara... 6 of us and all i can say was, the food was pretty okay and i'll definitely go there again for lunch or dinner. But the damaged was DH406, ouch!

And today... weekend again and i'm here again on my bed.

hmmm i wanna go home, to you... but i know, you wont be there, not anymore.

a point to ponder

2008-02-26T02:24:00.003+04:00

"Sitting here wasted and wounded... at this old piano".

I'm early thirties, i'm here half a world away from my life, i'm wasting.

Wasting the moments to come, searching towards in the darkened room.

I need to turn on the light.

Just how...... To many things in the past, looming in my mind. It's 3am now. And i'm seeing in the dark, it's all blackened.

The desert do have something to offer

2008-02-23T10:59:00.004+04:00

The desert. Most people seem to think that the desert is hot. Well not the case for my desert trip last Friday on 15 Feb 08. It was a windy day and the sand was cool. With two Toyota Land Cruiser, and 12 of us, plus two guides, we travelled 65km to a desert at Lahbab. The safari itinerary was, to go for the sand dune bashing, photos snapping on the sand hill, quad bike riding, sand boarding, bbq under the sky and belly dancing.

It was a thrilling ride on the desert with the Pakistanis driver, it's like taking a roller coaster ride. The Bbq was okay.... and the belly dancing was, well... it was Russian, i think. But okay lar..

You know, in Malaysia, there's horse race every now and then at Sungai Besi Racecourse but i never had the chance to go and watch obe. Last nite, my colleague offered me the tickets to go for dinner at Nad Al Sheba. Little that i know, it's a dinner with horse race, from the grandstand with a full view of the course.

The race, well i don't really understand on who's who. And which horse is the best. Before the start of the race, i was given a card to fill in which horse will be the winner for the 7 races. The price money for correctly naming all 7 winner is DH20k. It's not gambling though, but something like a bonus for naming the correct winner. Hmmm sound like legal gambling eh? For the seven race, i selected the following horse's number as winner 2 1 2 6 4 3 6. The horse i picked won the race 2nd and 4th race, and after that, when i realised that in the event there're more than 1 winner who correctly name the winning horse, the price money will be equally distributed to everyone, up to 100 person.

So that's about it, no point to wait till the last race. After the 5th race, and losing, i head home. But it was a splendid nite. The horses are damn nice and i bet are damn expensive too.

I wanna ride horse.... with you, to the end of the rainbow.

Untitled

2008-02-04T14:38:00.000+04:00

Let me see, 10 days in Malaysia, so short that i couldn't managed to meet some of my friends. Well, some don't even bother to spare time and see me. Anyway, all in all.. i had good time. Short but good quality times.

I've cleaned and arranged all the stuffs in my house, well at least the basic one. Ironic is, when i was here in Dubai, my mind was set to do this and do that to the house. But when I'm there, the set mind simply freeze. Anyway, i love my new crib. Next agenda, house grill. Ordered and expected to install circa mid Feb. After that.. hmmm perhaps should get the kitchen set or new bedroom set.

Arrghh see, I'm here and I'm thinking of doing this and that again!

Well, i guess i miss staying in the new house.

Anyway, back to Dubai, to a chilled winter and since the sandstorm on the 1st February 08, the weather seem to be colder. And cool!

February..... Valentine Day. No one to hang out with, i guess.

:-(

Home

2008-01-12T08:55:00.000+04:00

"I'm going home, to a place where i belong"... Doughtry

It's 11th January today... a rainy day. It rained since yesterday. And kindly chilled! Make me feel lazy to wake up and go to work. Rain.. and particularly due to it's 3 days left for me before my flight back to Kuala Lumpur.

It's rainy season here in Dubai and it's muddy on the road. Dubai doesn't has any drainage system, so all the pouring water from the sky will clogged on the road, that plus the dust and sand, creating sort of mud.

Gloomy weather, 13degree to 18degree Celsius everyday.. hmm kinda love the coldness, but what matter most, I'll be heading home, soon and very soon.

Wonder, what shall i eat, first... kinda crave for lala...

And who can give me the lala treat...?

Finale...Grand Finale...Grandier Finale...Grandiest Finale

2008-01-02T17:24:00.000+04:00

31 December 2007...
The end on one long year. Long.. as there has been lots of events occured, pleaseant and unpleaseant, sweet and bittersweet, painful and grateful, so much that i'm really eager to usher in the new year.

The year 2008. What will it bring?

Stuck in Dubai for most of the celebrated public holiday in Malaysia... the 50th Independence Day, both Eid celebration, Labor Day, Christmas, and now New Year, i insist on going to Jumeirah Beach to witness the famed firework over Burj Al Arab. Arrived at the beach around 11ish pm, and get a nice spot but one thing slack was that, i didn't bring my tripod along. And capturing night mode imagines using just your hand... hmmm kinda frustrating. Anyway, when the clock stroked midnight, the gallow sound of drums indicating the new year has been ushered. And there goes the thundering raw of thousand of spectator voices. Happy New Year!

And the magical firework started..... for a strong 20minutes (i think). Managed to capture some of the show in camera mode and the rest were shot in video mode. Superb, finale and grand finale...

Well, everybody thought that the last bang was the grand finale... not till the second round of blast, even louder than the first, fired up to the sky. A grandier finale then previous moment.

The grandest.... well, two simultaneous blast, banging the dark sky, accompanied by laser display of ... well.. something.

It was the most extravagance firework i ever witness... shoot.. it were! The firework were blasted from two location, side by side, working simultaneously throughout the show. Hmm it was a great night, to be on the sandy beach with so many people, from i think, no less than 20 countries.

The draw back... traffic jam!

Anyway... it's 2008 now. What shall i expect of 2008? Well, i don't know, really. I'm over 30 now and still without a family. So maybe i ought to start a family. Or maybe it's just a maybe. Always hope for the best right?

Can't wait to be back again, in two weeks time. To a new place i shall call home.

of Life...

2007-12-22T00:34:00.000+04:00

Past midnite, early morning 22nd December 2007. Reading some friends blog and listening to the ipod. Hmm can't seem to close my eyes and enter the ya-ya wonderland. Suddenly it dawn to me, a year almost end and what has i accomplished in 2007. Nuthing much and I'm now wasting my time in Dubai.

I'm now 31 and will be 32 next year. Hmm i should be able to do the following:
1. Clear my debts in 4months time
2. Buy a new car (don't really need one, but just wanna get rid of Waja)
3. Maintain and decorate my new house
4. Buy a Harley here in Dubai
5. Vacation in Europe
6. Beaching in Maldives with my love one
7. Find a love one
8. And adopt a daughter.

Suddenly, the song played on my pod...

It's time to let you go
It's time to say goodbye
There's no more excuses
No more tears to cry
There's been so many changes
I was so confused
All along you were the one
All the time I never knew
I want you to be happy
You're my best friend
But it's so hard to let you go now
All that could have been
I'll always have the memories
She'll always have you
Fate has a way of changing
Just when you don't want it to

Throw away the chains
Let love fly away
Till love comes again
I'll be okay

Life passes so quickly
You gotta take the time
Or you'll miss what really matters
You'll miss all the signs
I've spent my life searching
For what was always there
Sometimes it will be too late
Sometimes it won't be fair

I won't give up
I won't give in
I can't recreate what just might have been
I know that my heart will find love again
Now is the time to begin

I can't hold on forever baby
I'll be okay

This song always make me cry...

Eid Mubarak ... But where's the water?

2007-12-21T22:47:00.000+04:00

Long weekend here in Dubai. 18th December, Arafat Day. 19th December, Eid. 20th December, 2nd day of Eid. 21st is Friday. 4 days for relaxation and plain relaxation.

But... where's the water? Where's the damn water? Woke up on the 18th morning just to realise that the tap is already dried. No water at all, except for the tap at the garage. Hmm, it's a bit of helter skelter you see. Water is the utmost important and such a neccessity that you don't mind to leave your day without electricity, but water? Hmm.. and why, oh why.. of all the days, the water chose to be dried on holiday?!

Anyway, on the first day without water, we all head to Jumeirah Beach and bathe and sunbathe. The beach was superb, clear warm water and we had our space. Blissful and total relaxation.

The second day... settled for shower in the pool at Terranova, Arabian Ranch. That's my housing area. A cluster of villas.

Third day, shower in the toilet at home with a long hose connected to the tap at the garage. At nite, pool again. Warm water with cool breeze. Really maketh your birdie shrinked!

The fourth day, pool again...

And really hope that there'll be no fifth day.

Total relaxation, at home with no plan of going anywhere but did settled for alfresco dining at home. On Tuesday night, bored of having rice and proper meal for dinner, i decided to buy some sweet potatoes and tapioca. Boiled it and prepare a dip made of grind coconut mixed with sugar and salt. Yummy! Remind me of Naili's. With some samosa fried and black coffee, the dinner was set at the balcony, under the star and cold breeze. It was that damn chilled... And yeah, there were candles light.

Since everyone doesn't really celebrate Eid here in Dubai, we suggested to have a BBQ party at home, which was later cancelled due to 'insufficient' water supply. But since all the stuffs for the BBQ has been purchased, i decided to go ahead with the party, but just for housemates. Grilled some chicken, mutton rib, sirloin steak and hotdog. Again, another alfresco dining on Wednesday night.

Snapped lotsa photos too.

The 3rd day of this long weekend end at Starbuck Jumeirah Road. Our favorite coffee place to be in for thursday night. Get to watch lotsa cars and bikes. And for the first time, seen a Bugatti Veyron on the road! Nice car.

The last day of the total relaxation days, end up at home doing nuthing other than swimming pool. And the dinner was something a little bit Malaysian. I prepared a type of burger, which really taste like Burger daging special... Malaysian roadside stall style! Splendid!

And here i am now, in my room alone. Yup, i get this room to myself now, alone. Yeay! Thinking of wut should i do when i'm back in KL this 15th January. Hmmm 10days, kinda short eh? Anyway, my main agenda this time is to get my house sorted out.

My new crib, hmm dunno if everything is still intact, or otherwise. It has been awhile since the last time my ex-colleague visited the house. I wish i can have someone constantly visiting my house and someone willing to sincerely help me to look after the house. Hmm draw back of being single and working abroad. Maybe i should just sell it off. Anyway, i'll be making a decision when i'm back next month.

This is sad as thinking bout the fate of my house and all my stuffs in it really make me worried. Hmm *sigh*

a nite at Hard Rock Cafe Dubai

2007-12-17T15:49:00.000+04:00

14th December 2007, after the trip back from Festival City, it was around 9pm and everyone already tired, so we decided to head home. So basically, nuthing much happened for the nite i was 30th 364days old.

The very next day, on 15th December, at night, after done cooking the rice vercimelli soup (Meehun sup la), some of my friend insist on having supper at Hard Rock. So to Hard Rock we go (or went...)! Arrived at HRC Dubai around 11ish pm, kinda easy to get a table. Just look at where we sat that nite! Anyway, had a good chocolate brownie with ice cream and a jug of Kilkenny beer. The band was entertaining!

The band... hmmm it is a culture at HRC Dubai, that anyone celebrating birthday, will be called up to the stage and will be asked to blow a candle... placed on top of whipped cream. So, this friend on mine, wrote something on a paper and passed it to the singer, can't recall what her name was. She's Aussie. Sweet girl with a good voice and antic. So she called me up to the stage, alongside 2 more guys.

And this was the result!

Was a good nite, at least there's something on my birthday night.

And i did get a kiss on my cheek! yeay! Well, from a stranger.

Now, two days has passed, and received an mms from a friend back in KL, wishing me "Happy Belated Birthday: U r old and Gersang.". And the mms contained picture of clam. LOL!

Porn 15:12

2007-12-15T08:59:00.000+04:00

Came back from a dream walk at Ikea at Dubai Festival City last nite around 9pm. (Sort of equivalent to Ikano Power Center in Malaysia). Watched Passion of The Christ on my ibook, while waiting for the clock to turn 12am.

00:00Hrs 15th December 2007, i'm officially 31. Well kinda turned 31 twice last nite. Malaysia is 4hours earlier, at 20:00hrs i recieved my first birthday song from KL. And the rest were at 00:00hrs... 01:00hrs. Can't really sleep last nite, but i do thanks all of you who stayed up late just to wish me happy birthday. I'm now a year older, a year wiser. Am i?

Celebration? Hmm lemme think, yesterday.... nuthing happen except for that bowl of fries at New York Fries and the hotdog, not as good as 1901 though. Stroll inside the dreamland for all new house owner... Ikea, imagining on how my new crib will be decorated. Tempted to buy a leather jacket, but again better safe the money for the Bose speaker or iPhone. Or just Bose? Hmm... think! think! Well, i guess that when you are far away from the person you love, you tend not to think much on celebrating your birthday. Somehow, this has become like just another day and date. Anyway, i should be happy and thankful that i'm healthy still, to date.

So now, what should i get myself for my birthday gift?

Bose?
Iphone?
Sony Ericsson P1?
LG Viewty KU990?
Harley Davidson Sportster?

Hmm.... somehow i think i just want to have you as my gift...

31 years of living

2007-12-14T12:11:00.000+04:00

14 December 2007... I'm here on this planet earth for 30 years and 364days. I'll be 31 tomorrow. And come 2008, i gonna be 32. Such a big figure i reckoned.

Since my last post, somewhere last month, i was a bit tied up with works. New scope of works. I was promoted to Deputy Project Manager effective 1st December 07. With new power, comes new responsibilities, or something like that. And all that while, i dawn to me that, i need a concept or theme for my blog. A theme of what i gonna write about. Hmm it's kinda hard to flesh out new idea and proceed from there, unless i'm fairly clear what my blog is about. And the problem is, even til now, i'm still blurred. But again, when i think deeply about the whole picture, my blog is about my journey. And in my journey, i doesn't know where its' end. Much ado about setting a theme.

My previous post, about friendship, draw lotsa comments among friends and anonymous. I wish to thank all who commented and read my blog.

Birthday plan? I'm asking myself. I'm here in Dubai, no one special to celebrate with, only my co-workers. Am i turning into a dull person? Anyway, i might end up having dinner in Hard Rock tonight and might be asked to step on the stage and blow the candle. Standard Hard Rock Dubai celebration. But guess most probably i'll be home, thingking bout what's next!

Yup, it crossed my mind a few times, in this life, we tend to fall and stand tall. But it's always about, What's Next?

What's Next? Couple of months back, i rigorously submit lotsa application online, to various organisation in Malaysia. Really having the urge to go back and work in KL and thinking that it's not worth all the sacrifice growing up here in this shitty country. Anyway, i'm promoted and circumstances had changed. No matter how suck life in Dubai, for my short term next step, i gonna stay here, well of course, unless i'm offered a better job anywhere else. Choosing a next step is never an easy task to be carried out. All the things happened in our past shall be the guidance or lesson learnt. But do we really look into the past when we're making plan for the future? Well i know i'm not one of those. For me, my next step is just a next step. What comes around, i take it as fate or chance. And in this journey, i'm still searching in the dark, to find my way to someone's heart. All i'm asking for is the stillness of heart. But somehow, post 30th year, i think i'm fated to keep searching in the dark.

As we tried to walk the next step, we somehow, without ever knowing, are walking down memory lanes, down into the path of histories.

And we all, humble HomoSapien, don't really adore own history, do we?

Dubai Motorshow 2007

2007-11-16T10:14:00.000+04:00

I was at the Dubai Motorshow 2007 yesterday from 2pm til 5pm at Dubai World Trade Center. Paid the Dh20 entrance fee and photo snapping session begins. The Motorshow is held every two year. For this year, the main reason why i want to visit the exhibition is the World Fastest Car in the world, the Shelby Super Cars (http://www.shelbysupercars.com) the Ultimate Aero which can zoom to max speed of 414kmh.

The rest or the marques were Mercedes Benx, with two SLR (one is the 722bhp version) and a nice CLK, Beemer with the Alpina version of 5 and 6 series, Volvo, Land Rover, Mini, Toyota, Honda, Seat, Lamborghini, the Prancing Horse, Lexus, Audi (nice R8), Dodge, GMC, Hummer, Chevrolet, Caddilac, Saab, Kawasaki, Suzuki, West Coast Custom and more or the to marques. The best view in my own opinion was to be able to see Bugatti Veyron from 1m away (and there're two of them). Such a super car.

I've been to numerous car show back in KL, but in KL visitor can only take photo with the cars, not in the cars. Here in Dubai, except for the super duper expensive car, visitor can happily pop open the door and enter the car. I can even sit inside and Aston Martin Vantage and that super duper nice CLK 6.3 AMG. Such a car!

The rest of the show, was about showing new model, loved the Lexus is300, the new Accord and nice c30 Volvo. Well, all in all, i did enjoy the show. I wanted to upload more photo with this post but somehow when i uploaded those two photos, instead of the photo, a wierd code appeared. Anyway, i've uploaded some photos taken yesterday at my photo page http://www.flickr.com/photos/aporn.

Some of the thing i can do in Dubai. Well living here, not that i can't view the car on the road, but at least for the sake of doing something in this boring part of the world, i tried to enjoy the show. And the best part, i get to snap lotsa photos.

I have a problem!

2007-11-14T15:55:00.000+04:00

I can't upload a photo for my blog profile.. how eh?

Anyone, help me!

Friendship Remains And Never Can End... can't it?

2007-11-12T17:59:00.000+04:00

Recently, i was at The Mall Of The Emirates, doing nothing but watching people. Nothing much, but i get to see people walking hand in hand, husband and wife, father and son, boyfriend and girlfriend, Pakistan man and Pakistan man, Arab man to Arab man, and it makes me wonder, people live happily because we all love another soul, love is indeed all around us, but why at this age, I'm still lack of love?

Back in KL, i do have a number of close friends. Friends who i can really rely on. And i do have a best friend, who is closed to me for years and still treat me like a piece of shit. And basically, i did managed to create categories of close friend. Friend who i can rely on when I'm sad. Friend who will help me when I'm in need of ... help. Friend who is satisfaction-guaranteed, enjoy to shower or breaking the glass. Friend who love to ask to to be the shopping companion, the travel partner. Friend who enjoy my style of cooking. Friend who enjoy me. All sort of friend. Well, i do have lotsa friend, maybe because I'm friendly but that doesn't stop some out there think that i'm a jerk.

Most of my close friend, are now married with or without children. So basically, that'll maketh me an uncle. I'm an uncle to Dania and Eddin, the 'product' created by my best friend, Ned and wife and Shida and hubby. Okay, before you are confused, both babies were created at different time and location. I've known Ned since 1994, 1st year in UTM, close to him and his family since then. And Shida, i'm close to her since 1997, met her in person in 1998. Travel to Europe together few years back, laid back on the beach together with her wearing that nice bikini (Okay!Okay! I bet Shida will be wondering, since when we traveled together? Ahaks... well something in blog, is created to spice up the storyline). Anyway, She's now happily married with a baby, The Little Giant, Eddin who gonna be 1 on 28th November 07. We are both shoulder to cry on for each other in times of sorrow. Ned, on the other hand, is my close friend, very close with this guy, i was his best man and close to his family. The bestest friend i used to have was Ija, really close to her, known her way back in 1999 and close to her family too. But now, she has moved on, and stay in Melawati.

Well, bottomline is, i always belief that what goes around will comes around. So, no matter how bad the deed were, i still as much possible, doesn't want to have any ill-feeling towards any living soul. Even the fat pig from Melawati. But if people doesn't want to be my friend for any particular reason, then i can't help much cos i don't think i'm able to make all soul happy. My ex-fiancee doesn't want to be my friend anymore because it's too painful for her. Aleen is a friend to me again, and i respect her, because i walked out on her before.

Truth is, I'm alone and lonely now. What goes around will comes around rite?, well, i know that no matter how hard i've tried to make people happy, i too did hurt people's heart and feeling. Anyhow, I'm now trying very hard to crawl the walk and try to stand tall again. In a month time, I'll add another number to my age and with grey hair appearing every now and then, I'm accepting all this as fate.

Am i depressed? Or stressed out? No one will knows. But I'm learning and preparing to face the new agenda of life, being 31 and single is not that bad. Or being 35 and without a family is okay... Well, at least i can be the coolest uncle of all! Am i rite, Dania? Eddin? Erina? Erica? Danny?

Haaaaa... at least i have you to text me everyday and remind me of good times and happy days.

Soo much of being an AngeL... the burden is killing me now...

Winter

2007-11-10T17:43:00.000+04:00

It's November now, and gradually the temperature is going down. It's more or less around 30 deg C in the day and maybe 23 or 24 deg C in the nite. It's winter season as the local called it. But it's still hot, well not that hot though.

And it has been one and a half month since i had the best sex of my life (hahahah how i wish!), well actually, since i was back in KL. The best time of my life, 5th Sept to 23rd Sept 07. And as of now, my spirit is still in KL, tucked between a girl legs hahahahahaha...

November in Dubai are activities month. There're Desert Rhythm Concert with Joss Stone and Kanye West as main guests, Justin Timberlake coming to town, Dubai AirShow 2007 with the Airbus A380 at the center stage (currently on-going), Dubai Auto Show 14th-18th Sept with 8 out of 10 fastest production sportscar will be on show, Stomp the musical show is coming to town too and so on and so forth. Kinda happening eh? Well, poor thing is, i doubt i will have the time to visit any of those, but i think Dubai Auto Show is a must! And it's around the corner only. Wouldn't want to miss the great car show and nice booties, would i?

Anyway, it has been really a while since i updated my blog. Not that i'm too busy, just feel a little bit dry up my brain. Maybe due to cough syrup, perhap. Or busy with my Facebook, which i eventually deactivated the account, just to make peoples happy. Well, i still have my blog, right? Cough, way back last year May till August, i was plagued with severe dry cough problem. To the extend that i can't perform in bed (once okay!) and was thinking that i might has Tuberculosis. But after a visit to Gleneagles at the end on August 07, the cough was cured. And now, since end October, i was cough till i feel like wanna blow my brain out of my head! And till today, i'm still cough, that dry cough. Changing of weather perhap... Anywa, now i'm back on cough syrup and honey. I wish i can have my honey for the cure...

Hmm i'm bored here and with the current things are going, i don't think i can go back to KL again, anytime soon (well my finger still crossed on this).

December... my birthday and sale festival! Yeay! Something to cure the depressed me.

When you're living without the 8 great sex moment

2007-10-29T20:25:00.000+04:00

Mundane life.... seem to be going on and on here.

It has been a while since my last post on my Journey.

Basically, nuthing much had happened since the last blog, or since holiday. I'm very much wanting to be on such a holiday again. Spending time with friends, and quality times with close friend.

I'm basically, rigorously applying for lotsa job, in KL. I just moved into my new apartment, well, my ex-staffs helped me with the shifting part last Saturday. And i really wanted to go back to KL and deco & reno the crib. Furthermore, i have no one who i can rely to on and off visit the apartment and check on my stuffs. My finger has to be crossed on this.... hopefully every things are okay.

And since the last few days, i was down with cold, and now cough. The kinda cough used to plague me last year, for three months. Scary and now, i dunno how serious it gonna be. My close friend asked me to buy bee-honey and ginger, which can help in soothing the throat. Darn it, i hate this condition... coughin, headache.... lack of sex...

Met a friend from KL last couple of weeks, Eddin's father. We had a good dinner at Tony Roma's. Luv the steak! I'm delighted when i have guest coming from Malaysia, make me feel close to HOME.

hmmm i'm in vain.

the result is 8 times of great sex...

2007-09-28T10:33:00.000+04:00

Hmm lemme see, it has been really a while since i posted something on my blog. The journey seem to halt but actually i was bz with preparing for a long journey home to Kuala Lumpur.

I was away from Dubai from 5th Sept til 23rd Sept, back to Kuala Lumpur and Kelantan. More or less 17days, kinda short trip though.

Being able to go back to Malaysia was an enlightenment! One major thing on my mind was to taste as much food as i can. Started with a simple teh tarik and fried maggie at favorite mamak, Devi's in Hartamas. And followed by the fried lala, fried cockles, grill fish, yong tau fu, and rojak buah at Hartamas Square, chicken rice at Chee Meng, those superb Thai dishes in Kelantan... pek sak kaeng som pla, yam mamuang, kai thod manau, sup tulang, perut lembu, and i'm drooling now. The beer seesion with my father's friends, getting drunk everyday. And yeah, the superbly done khau yam (nasi kerabu) and ayam kampung grill. I miss Malaysia the most for its food and delicacies.

But i think i miss the girls more than the food.... did i?

I guess for anyone who work abroad, food is a factor. And i wanna go home, be in KL again, cos i miss all the good food Kl got to offer and i miss the osyter... my favorite osyter!

Another thing dat i enjoyed being back was meeting friends. And lovely dania... but she dunno me anymore... waaaa why don't u recognised ur uncle daddy?

And yes, 2weeks is not enough for a holiday. Should've asked for 2 months... or better still, should've gone back for good.

Anyway, here i am again in Dubai, and dunno how long i'll stay here. Now i know, my life is in KL..

in reply to Miss EasyDent blog...

2007-08-17T11:48:00.000+04:00

I've heard of the news of the bus accident. Terrible news, saddened and it remind me of the highway occured some years back during Hari Raya holiday in Cegar Perah, Pahang. Two bus collided (i was on the same road passing the accident spot 45minute before the accident).

Why do these horrible accident occured? Our government and responsible Authorities will always blame the driver... classic case.

I've driven in Aussie, i've driven in Sri Lanka, in Singapore, in Thailand, in Dubai and of course in Malaysia. My roommate is French, originate from a province near to German Border, situated the fame no speed limit highway named Autobahn.

That highway system is so safe that a car can travel to wutever speed the driver want. And it's that safe.

Malaysia highway? Hmm well i was a frequent user of the PLUS highway, and it's in bad condition. Compare it to singapore highway (superb surface) and Dubai highway (no pothole!). And i'm too a frequent user of the trunk road connecting Kota Bharu and Kuala Lumpur, via Gua Musang, Kuala Lipis and Raub. Any of you used these road before will understand the state of our road. The driver really need to be good in handling the corner and chicane (and one hairpin-like corner in Merapoh). And these roads are dark, no light except for interchanges or town.

The attitude of a driver play a small but vital role in driving, but the more crucial aspect in safety is the machine we're driving and the tyre we're using and the condition of the road. All these factor are, no doubt, not within the driver's control while on the road.

The road.... i started driving since i was 15, and been driving for 16years already. In Malaysia, almost everyday i saw at least one pothole on the roads. On the highway, the surface of the pavement, too smooth (yes good for comfort), provide less grip and it's slippery when wet. And i really think the roads should be light up. Take Dubai for example, all road are as bright as in the day (okay, accident always happened here in Dubai sebab most of the driver is the bodoh nak mampus nyer type).

The machine... how many of us really car bout our car's tyre, suspension and breaking system? I think most will always go for cheaper price and ignore the quality. That's a factor which is within our control but will be out of control while we drive. Of course, good spareparts are expensive in Malaysia, since our salaries are sarcastic! And how many of the driver really car the bunga of the tayar?

The driver... Will you all agree if i said, none of the driver want to be involved in an accident? Before we hit the road, we always pray for safe journey. So all drivers want to be safe and doesn't want to be in an accident. Speed doesn't kill. Reckless driver, drunk driver, mobile phone user, changing cd, lit-up ciggy, one hand of stering wheel, and any other activities in a car will lead to loss concentration (even a second) and only then the accident might occur. But of course, these factors are not quantified, so it's easier to blame the speed. Take our driving school for example... all school use the super duper small kancil as training car, and all student are required to drive at 50kmh only ( i think) or maybe less.

The Government... yes there're aplenty campaign of safe driving and stuffs. But i belief our government should do more in tackling the road and machine issue. After all, we citizen elect the government.

As car technology progresses, drivers skills and attitudes too must developed. Don't be like drivers in Dubai.

Anyway, i doubt the accident count will go down ever. But to all reader, small thing we can do, be on our own campaign. Drive safely, respect others. If we can'r educate other people on safe driving, at least we can educate ourself..

Am i right?

24 days and counting...

2007-08-12T22:36:00.000+04:00

Today, 3pm, Etihad ticketing office in Downtown Dubai... I'm smiling.

In my palm, a piece of paper, so valuable it's priceless (err actually it cost me Dhs2530) and it'll determine my next destination.

The journey of The Motorcycles Diaries continue....

...and Leaving On A Jet Plane keep on singing in my head.

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go
I'm standin' here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye

But the dawn is breakin', it's early morn
The taxi's waitin', he's blowin' his horn
Already I'm so lonesome I could die

So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go

'Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane
I don't know when I'll be back again
Oh, babe, I hate to go

hhhhmmmmm ...

There's so many times I've let you down
So many times I've played around
I'll tell you now, they don't mean a thing

Every place I go, I think of you
Every song I sing, I sing for you
When I come back I'll wear your wedding ring

Now the time has come to leave you
One more time, oh, let me kiss you
And close your eyes and I'll be on my way

Dream about the days to come
When I won't have to leave alone
About the times that I won't have to say ...

And i'm counting the days, i'm planning for all those days.

11/9/07 - Collect my house key, a key for house number J1-19.

the meaning of 50 degree Celsius

2007-08-10T11:23:00.000+04:00

I'm looking at the mirror on the closet, and my mind is saying "Damn this guy is HOT!".

Yes indeed i am dat damn hot... who doesn't? 3 months of hard labor working under Dubai's summer sun. From June with temperature hovering around 40 degree C to August, temperature at noon is reaching 50 degree C. Even with the compulsory 3 hours lunch time from 12pm to 3pm, it's still hot to work at any other hours. And the condition, which keep on burning my, i think, fair skin and turning every exposed bit of myself into a tanned color. And yes, i'm hot..... and burning now.

August is indeed the hottest month here and the hottest news is that, my leave application has been approved. So guys, expect me to be in Malaysia from 7th September onward, but of course, if i managed to get the flight ticket.

And August too is the month my house is fully completed and i can collect the key already. So that's one of the main reason i'm going back early of September. Actually it's better for me to go back mid of a month (kan u kan?), but since September is Ramadhan, and October is Raya, i've chosen to go back earlier. Finger cross.... please Emirates, give me the ticket!

Day by day, i'm getting bored of being an Engineer... (why the heck i chose this profession??!), and i feel like owning an eating place or a coffee shop (a Thai kopitiam perhap...). Maybe i should think of this idea more seriously kan? Eating place in Kuala Lumpur, sure laku cos we Malaysia love to eat. Since i'm moving to Kota Damansara soon, will the idea of opening a coffee shop there will work? and generate profit?

Maybe i should try....

Something Fishy, fishee, fishey

2007-07-27T21:39:00.000+04:00

Friday the 27th of July 2007.

Woke up at 9am to the smell of nasi lemak. Yup, nasi lemak in dubai. Haven!
The rest of the day was like a gloomy day (well the sun still shine as bright though), dunno wut to do. Reading some blog on my bed. I worked for full 6 days, 12 to 15 hours a day and been waiting for an off day. But when the day really come.... nuthing happened. I guess my life is getting bored.

Anyway, with no plan and my French roommate is still snoring, i decided to follow one of my housemate, go to the fish market, to buy some fish, vege and fruit. After an hour walking on the wet floor, a place full of indian, we settled for ikan merah (for kari kepala ikan) and ikan pedang (i named it myself). Wonder? well ikan pedang is a fish look like ikan parang but thinner and less boney. Taste good deep fried. Especially if u renjis some sos ikan cap sotong and some sugar and water.. yummy! Some of you know this secret of the way i deep frying a fish.

Fish market situated hear to Gold Souq, an area around Naif Road, famous for textile, Indian and Pakistanis. Gold Souq is totally goldish! (is there such word?). Well, i'm not really into gold. Last time i bought them was for my engagement way back in 2005. Row and row of shops selling nuthing else but gold. The price, around Dhs82 per gram inclusive of handling charges for 22 karat gold, equivalent to grade 916. This area is i think as big as Masjid India area and all shops sell gold, hence the Gold Souq.

My weekend end at 9pm... very abrupt!

Oh yeah, i have with me 2kg of cherry... (damn it's hard to get cherry nowadays) i'll be bz with Cedric tonite... with Smirnoff and cranberry and apple juice.

Absofuckinglutely bliss!

That Grand Canyon Trip 2007

2007-07-23T21:02:00.000+04:00

The sight of mighty rock formation raise high above sea level, deep Canyon with a river flowing, cliff as high as KLCC Twin Tower faced with tonnes and tonnes of red rock and the whole area is a barren land. No sight of life form living except for some tuyuk, pok katok and pok kor. That were the scene greeted my friends and I when we first Arrived at the Grand Canyon on Friday.

Reality check, again... Well, the scene, which greeted me on Friday were more or less like what I’ve described just now, except for the place name is Al Ain. And it's not barren, there're plenty of life form there and dates, lots and lotsa dates... And Pakistanis too. Al Ain situated some 100km from Dubai, a town built by Sheikh Zayed some thousand of years back It’s located in the Emirates of Abu Dhabi. Hmm well, actually, maybe he built it somewhere in 1800s or 1900s, I don't know. Don't really dig into this country history that much. Thousand of years sound more dramatic for a story, don't you think? Anyway, I arrived there around 5pm and headed to Al Ain Oasis right away. Main reason of going there is to go to this particular Oasis. It's not a nomad community or Bedouin village but a dates farm. Not where you'll find your date but where you'll be eating the dates. Okay, not that kinda 'eat' okay, eat the date as in fruit. It's a big farm, some hundreds of acre I thing with a superb road system and full of Pakistanis. We bought a stack of date for dh10, freshly cut from the tree.

Upon exiting one of the farm exits, I came across two camels and a horse stable, which was full of shit. But since that was the first time I’m seeing a camel, couldn't help but to snap some pixies. Next to the small stable is a goat market. Goat market is a market where herdsmen’s sell goats, pretty obvious I think. Oh, anyway, the herdsmen’s are Pakistanis. There’re big goat and small goat, and some sheep. At least, that's what I called the entire goat. Smelly creature! My friend, who stayed in Sudan before and have some knowledge bout goat's family tree, told me that this is goat, that is garoof, that one is khibas, beside it is lamb and there rest is Pakistanis. We end up purchasing a brown color goat for dh300. So cute, but 10minute after that the goat end up dead! Slaughtered! Huar huar huar (please laugh in sinister mode, thank you).

Before we left Al Ain, we all when to a mountain called Jabeel Hafeet. Bout 1000m or more in height and the journey was like driving up to Genting, minus the cold weather and that superfast sentra taxi. It's a mountain with a hotel on top, minus the casino, of course. The view was splendid, I supposed, if there's no dust/haze of cloud. It does remind me of my trip to Mount Berinchang last February, driving up for a nice view but was greeted with cloud which pretty much covered the scene. The short trip ended around 8pm after we head down from the mountain and stopped at the mountain’s toe at Green Muqarrabah. A nice garden and river stream. Full of peoples. Didn't managed to snap any nice night view photo as I don't have the tripod with me, darn!

Anyway, tomorrow will be having goat for dinner, which is by now, appropriately called mutton. And sad thing is, I can't really eat mutton that much cos it make my blood doesn’t goes upstairs’ or goes up to much. Does this mean I’m having high blood pressure or low blood pressure symptom? But never had that problem when I eat the cow meat. Hmm hopefully not, or else I can't eat that juicy Korea meat anymore. Yummy So kalbe.

I traveled here and there but I’m getting nowhere. I just wanna go home.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aporn

When i'm Grey And Old...

2007-07-20T01:03:00.001+04:00

When I’m grey and old…

When you were young, time seem to be standstill and each moment passes by slowly. At the age of early thirty, I’m still single and very much available, even though I’m now started to accept the fate that I might be single. Have to get used to term alone and lonely. Anyway, as I sit here in my site office facing the mirror, running my fingers thru my hair (which are turning into red color) I noticed that among those nicely colored red hair, there’re grey hair, aplenty. Am I old? Nope, but I am growing older and living in Dubai for the past 3 months mean, no sex for quite some times. Well, books said sex could make one look younger and stuff like that. Hm where is my baby yum yum?

Here in Dubai, summer has maketh me a tanned person! Well I don’t really like being tanned, but some of my friends said I look better with tanned skin. Dunno, maybe they are right. After this year summer I think I’ll be a zebra, dark on the outside and fair on the inside… if you know wut I mean. Come summer, come cherry season and it’s considered as cheap, at Dh21 per kg. And the cherry taste dat damns good.

Last nite, while on the way back from Union Coop (a local supermarket) buying the cherry, there on the radio the deejay played Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton. Both my roommate, Cedric, and me were almost brought down to tears. Tear, thinking of our girlfriend in Malaysia. (As if I have one, but for me, at least I have peoples I love, period!). Each and everyday, both of us will be talking bout going back to Malaysia as we misses our life there. Yup, my friend is a French but falling in love with a Philippina living in Malaysia, and he love Malaysia so much. And I only can go back somewhere in November, and it has to be on 2nd week or 3rd week only… some of you will know why I choose 2nd and 3rd week.

My last blog post was on 3rd July 07 and I wrote something which made me feel sad, becos at the same date last year, I learnt of something which.. well never mind, nothing else matter, as I’m moving on.

Anyway, 3 months to go before I can go home to Malaysia and 3 months of total agony. By then I think I’ll grow grey hair like Mr. Fantastic.

1.05am, Friday morning, after a brief lepaking session at Jumeirah Beach, I’m here bout to go to sleep and dream of wonderful moments. Jumeirah Beach seems to be located in Cebu instead of Dubai….. Full of Phillipinos tonight.

Dubai Summer Surprises....

2007-07-02T20:12:00.000+04:00

Dubai Summer Surprises…..

Here I am again, writing my rants for you all, whoever you are, wherever you live and here in the hot desert in the Middle East, it’s fiesta time! Called Dubai Summer Surprises, with the mascot aptly named Modhesh (and I don’t even know what does it means). It more or less looks like Michelin’s mascot Birbendum.

DSS is a 2 months long festival, lined up by the Dubai Tourism to attract foreigners, especially from the cold West to come here and splurge the Dollar. While most of UAE nationals are heading out of town due to hot weather. Temperature is expected to rise to 50 degree C. Most of the flight tickets to Malaysia, for example, are fully booked till end August. So here I am, stuck in this part of the world and enjoying DSS. Till now, I still can’t figure out why does peoples from all corner of the world come here to Dubai, either to work, stay, vacation or whatever. I mean, this place is hot to an extend the normal tap water will burn your arse (well, you have to wash the shit after you shit right? And seriously, it does burnt your cute arse (or the front section) if you are not careful in handling the speed of the water). One thing good is that, you have hot water all day long, even at nite.

Enjoying DSS? Well, not quite, as I don’t really earn dat much to be able to spend my penny like the Mat Salleh does. But, for the past few days, I did get myself some things. Something like, two pair of Energie jeans, tables and lamp from Ikea, good wine in Hard Rock Café (again!), a pair of Geox shoe. And next in line will be that red hooded sweater hanging in Emporio Armani boutique. The damages.. Energie jeans, Dhs715 & Dhs650, IKEA stuffs Dhs300, wine and baby tee for Dania Dhs300, Geox shoe Dhs645 and the Armani sweat shirt will set me back Dhs650. Well, before I came here, I said it to myself, no more shopping for me at least for a year as I need to clear my debts and save some penny for my new house. But, life is sooooo darn bored here in Dubai and during summer, the only place I can visit are the shopping malls. Period!

Okay… reality checked! DSS, is also where most of the malls having part sale. Geox shoe for Dhs225, Energie jeans for Dhs215 & Dhs260, Ikea stuffs for Dhs200 and HRC bill, still stand at Dhs300 (Aged wine do come with a price!). Oh yeah, I’m not that crazy to buy a sweat shirt for Dhs650. The Emporio Armani sweatshirt is on 50% discount and the price is Dhs325. Hmmmm good bargain eh? Well, hopefully I won’t incur any further damages to my unstable financial status, so do I really need to buy that sweatshirt? Well, since today I felt cheated, I think tomorrow I’ll go n grab that sweatshirt.

Since I came back from Muscat, I’ve been looking for a medium to publish my pics but couldn’t come to a term. I used to upload all pics on flickr.com but too bad the webpage was block by the Government here. Was thinking on slide.com or photobucket.com. I’ve moved to a new villa, a gated community named Arabian Ranch, a smart villa with a touch screen on the wall, controlling the electrical switches in the house. The houses here are like ‘kotak’ (Fyda: no relation to ur anak sedara comel ok), like the houses on an Oasis. Shared a room with the French guy. It’s a nice house with 2000plus channel on the tube. I even have a Thai channel on the list and some interesting channel, 69 TV, Arab Sex TV, LiveArab, Hotsex yada yada yada and channel from Italy, Russia, France, all Arab countries. And 24hrs broadband Internet connection at home but without wireless connection (still working on it) and I can test my webcam after this. Yeah, bought it two weeks ago in Muscat but yet to have the chance to use it.

And for the past week, I’m learning to speak to the Pakistanis, Indian and Japanese, using sign language. Daunting task okay!. Yup, I have to handle two Engineers from the Client side who are Japanese and can’t speak English at all. But he respect the fact that I’m from Malaysia and the fact that I know Goku and Doraemon. And since I know a little bit of Japanese language, so making talking to both of them an interesting encounter. But with the Pakistan and Indian general workers who doesn’t know English, I bantai speak Melayu je….

3 months here and I’m still thinking why the heck I chose to work here (if I earn Dhs30k a month ok le). Malaysia is another 3 months away. I’m so eager to go back to Malaysia and meet you.

But, I have another offer in line… Working in Australia, which I’m really hoping that it will materialize. But, if it does, I hafta find a way to get out of Dubai. My return Etihad’s ticket is valid til November but all seats are fully booked till end August. Well, if I got the job, I have to go to another country, a diversion, in order to go back to Malaysia.

Hmm…. Maybe Venice.

Nice song on my pod, “No one know what’s it like to be mistreated, dishearten … behind the lies”… The wording are full of meaning applied to me currently as my Angel flew away with the pig.

Anyway, i've promised to upload some photos... go to http://www.friendster.com/aporn

And i hit the road again....

2007-06-21T22:22:00.000+04:00

The Sultanate of Oman

Thursday 14th June 07, 1600hrs, I head to the Sultanate of Oman for a nite, in order to renew my visa in UAE. Here, one is allowed to stay in UAE for maximum 60days and have to exit and re-enter to renew the visa. The nearest country is Oman, Qatar and Iran. Going to Iran or Qatar is kinda expensive since both countries are accessible only by air, from Dubai. So the best and cheapest choice is to go to Oman. So there I was, with a friend of mine, driving a 450km journey to Muscat, the capital of Oman. At about 1720hrs, we reached the border town of Hatta, a totally different landscape than the pathetic Dubai. Here life’s seem to be mellow, surrounded by rocky mounting akin to Grand Canyon on a smaller scale, with desert on my left and right. Stopped for last fuelling at a Shell petrol station and purchased the required Omani car’s insurance for Dh100 and headed straight to the immigration check point at the border. Got my passport out and got it stamped. Well as simple as it may sound, it took the officer some minutes to count from 1 to 60. Reason being, I entered UAE on 16th April 07, and was given a 30days visa but here, that 30days is automatically extended to 60days. So upon showing my passport to the officer, he has to count, by fingers and toes in order to determine if 14th June 07 is more than 60days or not. I mean, with a blink on an eye, everyone of you should noted that 14th June was less than 60days, counted from 16th April. Unless, of course if there’re 33days in May! Anyway, the journey was continued without any hassled, even at Oman border post. Paid my visa to enter Oman for Oman Riyal 6 (which is equivalent to Dh60) and without further a due, I proceeded to Muscat.

I was told that Oman has a totally different landscape and culture compared to Dubai. The first scene to greet me upon entering this Kingdom was rocky mountain (which remind me of Afghanistan… ok ok.. never been there but seen it in CNN) and when I reached the civilization, there’re trees along the highway… along the 400km journey to Muscat. The only green you’ll see in Dubai is newly grown grass with lotsa dung, from cow or camel along Sheikh Zayed Road. The first the town I passed thru was Sinas, made a 3 o’clock turn at the main roundabout, heading to Muscat. Next was Liwa, another big roundabout. Then come Sohar, and yes another roundabout. Then, forgotted the town name but remember very well the nice roundabout and a few dozen more before I reached As Seeb, with a sign ‘85km to Muscat’. Head straight to Muscat, passing Bawsher town and Ruwi and then at the last roundabout, at the Great Muttrah, make a right turn and head to center of Muscat. This country has soooo many roundabout I can tell you that.

At the last roundabout, I saw the sea.. the Arabian Sea. Parked my car near the Muttrah Souq and the Rolex on my wrist shown 2215pm. Was so delighted cause, Muscat is only 3km from Muttrah. And since there is something eccentric bout Muttrah, I decided to make a short walk along the Corniche and snap some photos. Nice street, calm sea view and majestic old castle on the rock. But since it was kinda late, the souq was closing, so missed the chance to make the stroll down the souq. After a quick bite and an orange juice, the journey continued and in less than 15minutes, I reached Muscat. Totally eccentric! Basically there’s nothing in Muscat except for some government offices, Minister of Finance building and Sultan Al Kaboos castle. Yup, that’s the name of the King, Sultan Al Kaboos. But Muscat is so classic and I like it. Around midnite, head back to town, about 15km from Muscat and the daunting task of searching for a place to bunked. Hotel is basically expensive, a 3star is OMR30, 4star at OMR76 and I settled for a cheap one without any star for OMR25, about RM250. Mahal giler okay! You can stay in Concorde in KL and have 3 glass of ‘the best the tarik in town’ at Melting Pot with that kinda price! Anyway, that nite, I was dead tired, slept til 11am the next morning.

Being a Malaysian and not really aware of local culture, I head back to Muttrah Corniche area. It was a bit quiet on Friday noon there. The shops, most are closed and the Souq was still sleeping. One of two handicraft shops selling silver product were opened but the price is pretty expensive. Was interested with one particular pendant, round shape, with nice carving in silver and gold plated, selling for OMR6. Hmmm if in Kelantan, KR6 is RM6, but since OMR6 is RM60, it was to expensive and the shop owner doesn’t seem to be interested in selling the pendant as there’re a couple of mat salleh there buying something. Opps… terforgot.. KR means Kelantan Riyal, the currency used in Kelantan, the French’s Speaking Republic East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia ☺.

With no place for lunch I head to Muscat for photo session and then to Sidab Street, another eccentric town 6km from Muscat. I was in an oasis! Cool weather, simply love the landscape there. Time to head home to Dubai! And since my stomach was a bit cranky, I head to the town area of as Seeb. Apparently, the whole of Muscat is made of few small town namely as Seeb, Bawsher, Great Muttrah and Muscat as the center. As Seeb is where all the shopping complex are and I went to a place called Markaz something something at 145pm…… and I was closed! A shopping complex the size of Llot 10, closed at noon. After getting something from M&S, I head to another center, named Muscat City Center and it was alive, at least with Carrefour. Carrefour is a big thing over here okay, so does in Dubai. Had my lunch at the foodcourt and I purchased me self a webcam! Yahoo…. I have a webcam now…. But I don’t have internet connection duh! Anyway, at about 1700hrs, I continue my journey heading back to Dubai and stopped by one or two nice roundabout.

Reaching the border around 2230hrs and head to Dubai straight away, as it was dark, no pitstop to snap photos. But while driving on Oman road, someone did snapped my pix… my car that is. The speed limit there is 120kmh, but since I’m driving at nite, I was thinking ‘wuddeheck! Try speed up to 140kmh la’ and I think twice I notice the flash light appeared from the speed camera. And to make matter worst, there’s hundred of the speed camera placed on the road… exactly on the road and not somewhere hidden. But I was kinda tired and wanted to go to my beloved bed as soon as possible. Anyway the Chevy Optra driven by me was a rented unit. Arrived home at midnite, after clocking 960km on the tripometer. What a journey eh? 960km in less than 48hrs.

Well, time is the essence and I don’t have much time in Oman, the Company should’ve given me a 4days 3nites paid trip instead in 2days and 1nite, so that I can explore more of Oman. Oman was totally different from Dubai. And the local I think if friendly Arab, and not like Dubai peoples. Full of poser and peoples from a country who drives anywhere but the correct lanes! And no one honking you any now or then, unlike Dubai, the car engine condition is second to the condition of the horn. The horn has to be tip top at all cost! Stupid eh? Well….. this is a stupeid kontree (well you hafta said it French lingua cos this is my French mate favorite phrase). All in all, Oman is a relax country, original country and not a state trying very hard to be something else. Making the trip to Oman, eventhough it was a brief one, an enjoyful trip. A country, is ‘travelable’ if the places are nice, the peoples are friendly and the foods are good. Oman might not have the kinda food I like (tomyam la, apa lagi!) but it is original and eccentric. Making my short stay there a fun trip.

Anyway, no good trip is like a trip back to home.

at last, it is a bit cold....

2007-06-08T13:51:00.000+04:00

The name Gonu, a cyclone hitting cost of Oman. The speed, approximately 210kmh to 260kmh, a Category 4. Nearing the class of Katrina which hit New Orlean year ago. UAE is neighbor to Oman, and Dubai is only 6hours drive to capital Muscat. If you look at the world map, UAE is a coastline state. So, for the past 3days, UAE has been placed of red-alert and every Goverment agencies has been warned of the behemoth wind heading towards the Gulf. Fujairah, one of the seven Emirates (UAE are made up of seven Emirates), situated on the North side, has been warned on sandstorm and incoming Gonu. Here in Dubai, the temperature has significantly droped, by average 5º Celsius and daily temperature was around 37º or 38º Celsius and it is damn windy.

The condition is a bit okay than the normal harsh humidity and hot sun. Well the sun is still hot, but since there's wind and a strong wind, it cooled the condition a bit. Anyway, since i'm here on a desert land (or sand), strong wind means, dust (made of sand particle) are flown at high velocity. It is not a nice scene for persons who works in an open area. Painful i tell u! But so far, the danger of Gonu which was warned by the Goverment doesn't seem to affect Dubai much. Thank God! And today, it is still windy, but the sky has cleared and no more cloud sighted. Meaning, the sun beam is now penetrated directly to the earth surface, as usual.

I'm due to go to Oman next Thursday, and knowing that the landscape in Oman is way nicer than Dubai, i hope everything are still intact and Gonu doesn't really damaged the land there.

For the past few days too, since Gonu strike the Gulf, me and my friends spent most of the time indoor, actually, in a club. A Phillipino club named Maharlika. Entrance fee is Dh25 (cheap!) and beer is Dh75 per pitcher and vodka cranberry is Dh70 per pitcher. Cheap vodka eh? Well, it is cheap, but with cheap drink, comes lotsa side effect. Me and Cedric ordered a pitcher of vodka cranberry (last Tuesday nite) and 2 pitcher of Heineken. Everything seem to be ok on that nite, i even drove back home at 3am. However, the next morning, my head was glued to the pillow. And i still have to wake up early and go to site. At site of Wednesday morning, i can't do anything accept for sitting and getting a grip! From 730am til 9am and after a bar of snicker, at last i feel that i'm on terra firma again. Only then i can do my work. So does Cedric. We both conclude that, no cheap vodka anymore and will settle for beer only, the next time we go to club. Wednesday was a good dinner nite out. When to TGIF with some friends and had a good juicy (did i mentioned juice? Arghhh, i miss juice) rib steak and sisha (I don't smoke, okay) at an opened air coffee shop by Sheikh Zayed Road.

And last nite, after woke up from an early sleep (around 9pm), the French guy enter my room as said (of course in French accent) "Wake up, lets go out", and it was 1130pm. So we head to Maharlika again (there's something about this French guy with Philippina's girl) and had 4pints of Heineken. No vodka last nite.

Well, it's not soo cold as in cold, but as per Dubai standard, at least something.

Why i hate Emirates and Etihad...

2007-06-04T22:12:00.000+04:00

Emirates Airlines and Etihad, both are based in United Arab Emirates. The former is based in Dubai and has long well known for its top of the class service while the later is UAE national carrier and based in Abu Dhabi, the Capital of UAE. No pun intended, but for now, i hate both... word and don't get me wrong, i admirer both fleet. Reason being, both remind me of aeroplane, and both remind me of a mode of transport so fast and efficient it can transport human from Dubai to KL in 7hrs 30minutes. One of the work site is based beside Emirates airport at Al Garhoud, and it is soooo painful (seriously!) to see peoples going in and out of the airport and seeing the plane taking off. Reasong being, i miss home... i miss Malaysia. I miss my life and i miss u. Indeed.

Being homesick (or am i sick and tired of Dubai?) in a desert will bring a whole new meaning for a person to love the mother land. Since day one i step my foot on UAE soil (it was more to concrete slab at Abu Dhabi Airport), i've been missing what i'd left behind in Kuala Lumpur. And staying here in UAE, for a person like me who enjoy cooking and Thai food, i really crave for good food. Again, no pun intended, there're lotsa restaurant over here selling good food, but anywhere you go, the same menu is on the list. Shawarma, kebab, beriani, mandi, that fresh kobis, bawang and carrot with lemon and gharoof... to all of you who doesn't speak Arabic, it's called Kambing in English and goat in Malay. For me, all this food, be it from Yemen, Iran, Afgan, Egypt, Arab, Lebanon or wherever Middle East, it all tasted the same, with lotsa whatsoever spices. I really need a good dose of tomyam at Lala Seafood or Nasi Daging/Lidah Merah in Kampung Baru. Or a meal of bubur nasi... with telur masin, ikan masin, kailan osyter sauce.. damn that's what we called Yummilicious! Please my friend, come November when i'm in Malaysia, please don't offer me a treat at Tarbush, Naab, beriani or roti.... I'll go to mamak for maggi goreng (Mira, please accompany me yeah). Speaking of maggi, basically for the past two months, maggi has been a routine meal in the afternoon, since it is too hot to drive out for lunch and it's basically easy to prepare the maggi in a cup for a quick meal. Do i loose my weight? hmm well i think so... But some part did stay as big as it should. Wink Wink!

Last weekend (that'll be friday), myself with some of the housemate when for eyes-cleansing ritual at Mall of the Emirates and Ibn Battuta Mall. Since it was too hot outside, it was only ideal to stay indoor and visit some malls. At nite around 10pm, all of us head to Eat & Drink for dinner. Chinese fried rice and Fried noodle. Eat & Drink is a eating place selling Lebanon food and some of Chinese dishes. The food was ok, and i always frequent this place. The price is kinda reasonable, a plate of Beef Noodle for Dh12, plus Roman Juice for Dh8, again Roman = pomegranate = delima = ruby. After dinner, we all when to a supermarket Union Co-op, to buy some fruits. Well i didn't buy anything though, since i was not in the mood at all the whole Friday, me and my French friend were busy tasting all the fruits placed on the racks... From grapes, apricot, cherry, strawberry but not the apple or watermelon la kan. And we end up buying just the grapes. Luckily no one caught us tasting those fruits. And belief me, a KG of grape is about Dh10 to Dh14, depending on the type and quality. A KG of apricot or peach is around Dh12. But a Kg of Rambutan and Mangosteen is selling at Dh27.90! I guess i wont be tasting tropical fruit for a while....

Sleepy eyes.. it's time to head home.... ops.. not! To head to the house.. I don't have a home here.

Am i Jaded or i'm just Cryin'?

2007-06-01T13:29:00.000+04:00

Last Tuesday, me and some friends went to Hard Rock Cafe for dinner. After KL, Singapore, Bangkok, Bali (both Hard Rock Hotel and Cafe), Sydney and Jakarta, i've visited the 7th HRC, which is here in Dubai. A nice restaurant, not like Kl, Bangkok, Jakarta or Singapore. The food was good, typical HRC dish. Had a nice taste Spain wine Torres, a Dh175 per bottle shared with the French guy. The house band was from OZ, they were ok. Basically, i had a whole load of fun time and was kinda pissed. A bottle of wine and 2pint of Heineken for 2 person....

The rest of the week... hmmm with summer kicked in already, nuthing much is happening. 43deg C is the minimum temperature in the day time and easily rose to 46 i reckoned.

And they said, June, July and August is the worst. Hmmm why i'm here in Dubai????

But on Thursday nite, 31st May 07 i had another whole lotta fun time during the Aerosmith gigs. About 10,000 peoples was there, more or less. The show kicked start at 2220pm and curtain closed at 0010am. Arrived at the Dubai Exiles Rugby Club around 7ish pm, had a plate of Beriani mutton for Dh8 and head to the entrance. Get myself tagged. Oh yeah, i went there with a friend name Remy. So, since we were there kinda early, about 3hours before the show, we head to a small field, by the entrance hall, get ourself a pint of Budweiser for Dh30 and 'lepak' on the field, counting the stars and 'kutuking' the already drunken Mat Salleh. There're row and row of Harley Davidson parked outside, and a promo by Harley too, Fatboy at Dh80k. Downpayment at Dh8k, installement for four years at Dh2.3k per month! Tempted!

Anyway, before i start with the story bout the show. Let me bring you all to a tiny attention. Aerosmith, a group of rocker, as old as me. They started our somewhere in the early 70's. Known them for ages but really get hooked to the song in 1994, The Big Ones album. And since then, i've been listening to their song, everynow and then.

Aerosmith concert in Dubai? An Arab land? You gotta be kidding me! Well, i was surprised myself when i walked into Virgin Superstore (the sell loads and loads of CDs), to notice that Aerosmith is coming to town. Without fruther a due, i grab myself the ticket, which was Dh195 for standing at open field. Standing in a cage underneath Steven Tyler's armpit was Dh995. Sitting at the back was Dh395. And standing in the second row was Dh295.

Remy and i enter the pit around 9ish and there're already load and loads of peoples, mostly Westerner. Some Indian, some Philippinos, maybe Malaysian and 1 or 2 Arab. In total, i think there're about 10k attendees, filling the field. The DeeJay played out tunes from the end 80's era and early 90's to the liking of most of the rockers, or aged rockers. Aerosmith bandmates, by now are around 60 years old. Old fart but good one. Peoples who turned up for the show last nite, the youngest i think was 5years old, the oldest around 60's and teenagers from high school. Peoples who wore high heels, dress, gothic.. hmm not really an Aerosmith items. But what i can sum was, peoples in Dubai is hungry for entertainment, any sort of Western entertainment. So, when there's a big and famous band put up a show, everyone will have to attend for the sake wanna be part of the events. Rest assured, of all the attendees last nite, only half were Aerosmith fan. The rest... teen girls n boys, peoples wanna have booze and party outdoor, peoples wanna be seen and poser. Yup, Dubai have a lot of posers. Someone who is hardly himself or herself and trying very damn hard to be someone else... or something else, as a matter of a fact!.

2220pm the first song kick start and i can't recall what song was it. Was kinda high on Bud. Followed by Jaded, Falling in Love in So Hard on the Knee, I don'w Wanna Miss a thing (remind me of Amargeddon 1998) which were song from today, and when good 'ol Steven sang Cryin' and showed Alicia Silverstone pics on the big screen, the crowd really when wild. That was the highest moment in Aerosmith era, the end 80's and early 90's. Then all 3 screen showed a canyon pics and cloud to the tune to riff guiter by Joe Perry, it was time for Livin' On the Edge. The closing end of the show, the band played sone from the 70's ie Sweet Emotione, Dream On etc which got the 50's and 60's year old lads and lasses to rocks! Closing was a show of belly dancing by a girl (damn hot body!) with Steven Tyler trying so damn hard to mimick her moves (hs body is not hot at all!). The show end at 0010am.

It was a good show, considering they're 60 years old and confidently and energetically put up a strong perfomance. Worth every penny spend for the tickets. The downside of being in at a gigs full of Mat Salleh, hmm peoples getting drunk over a pint of beer. But one good thing, they're just drunk and minding their own business. No ugly scene at all. And since it is a hot and stuffy nite, you have girls in mini skirt (damn mini okay! Just an inche from the pussie line!), girls in bikinis, guys without shirt, guys soaked and wet, everybody did had fun last nite.

Pity, they didn't sang AngeL.....

Am i driving on the right side?

2007-05-28T21:55:00.000+04:00

Living in Dubai, mean i'll be driving on the left of the car and on the right side of the road. Am i driving on the right side? No idea! In malaysia, i'm driving on the right side of the car and on the left side of the road. Confusing eh? Well the very first time i drove on Dubai road, it does confuse me a bit, not used to have the door on my left side. Used to have girl on my left side, doing something interesting while i'm driving.. wink! wink!

Anyway, driving experience here on a smooth road is wonderful... if you're driving alone on a 6lanes speedway. Max 120kmh limit with loads of fully functioning speed camera (speedtrap summon is around dh210! And no discount!). Well, that's wishful thinking. The mean speedway, the back bone on Dubai is called Sheikh Zayed Road and it's a behemoth 6lanes highway. Here you can see the speed demon driving on the most right side of the road. The Asian, driving on the middle lane. The everyday peoples driving on left lane, and then middle lane, and then right lane and then on the line between two lane and then suddenly hit the break, and honking every now and then. That's the worst of being on the road in Dubai. Majority peoples living here, are not as developed as the nation itself, in term of self-attitude. And this make everyday commuting on Dubai road is a hazardous exercise. That's one of the main reason i don't like it here. Friends said Dubai is nice place to stay, well indeed, but not quite. A nice place to stay, in my vocabs mean, the peoples and places are nice. Here, only the places are nice, but nice for the rich peoples. The peoples... hmmm sad. The weather.... sunny, only good for the laundry. Will i stay here in a long run? NOPE!

One thing appealed to my liking is the car. Well car over here are generally cheap as there're no form of tax. You get to but a Lamborghini Gallardo for Dh690k (in Msia i think around RM1.5mil or more), a Mini Cooper S at Dh100k, a Golf GTi at Dh110k, a Proton Waja 1.6 at Dh39k, a Harley Davidson V-Rod at Dh77k and so on and so forth. Kinda cheap eh? But one need to have a resident visa to buy one, and as for me, i'm still on travelling visa. And for Malaysian, every person are allowed to import in one vehicle per person, but proof has to be made to show that one has stayed in a Country for more than 6months and owned the vehicle for more than 6months (i think, Ma'am Rafidah will know better). Well, tempting, but one problem, all vehicle here are left hand drive and Malaysia road system are right hand drive.

So come to the question? Am i driving on the right side? I'm driving on the right in Malaysia, but is it right? And i'm driving on the left here, but am i wrong? The British, French and American will know how to answer best in this matter.

Story goes ways back in year before car was made known to mankind. Peoples ride horse and cart. In Britain, for dunno wutsoever reason, the Brits rode on the left side of the road. When they joist (dunno how to spell, the sport where two knights go up on each other arse on a horse with a long wooden pole), the hold the pole-thingy on the left hand and the right hand old the horse steering (wut's the thing on horse-neck called eh?), so when they design a car, the Brits decided to drive on the right. So, when they set on the conquest around the world, they spread the how and what they ride in Britain. As for French peoples, they are known to dislike their British neighbor. So to retaliate, they decide not to follow the Brits and ride on the left, instead of right hand. They too, spread around the world (at least to the world they used to conquer) the way people should ride. And when the Brits went to Northern America, they fought with the Yanks and the Yanks made allies with French, so they too don't want to follow the way the Brits ride. So there you go, some lesson in driving not thought at driving school. Luckily, most of the Nation in this world decided on driving on the left or on the right.

What if someone come up with and idea, that the driver of a vehicle should be sitting on the back? Well, in Malaysia, we already practise that method years and years ago, till today. Go to Penang and you'll see some of the trishaw are of such design. 'Driver' at the back, and passenger at the front.

Shhooott... that's a Chinese design....

Misery Need Company....

2007-05-25T20:41:00.000+04:00

Friday the 25th May 2007. A big day for someone on the other side of the globe and a gloomy day for me. I'm living in city where the sun shine almost 365days a year, but my day today was gloomed. I stay whole day in the room, doing nuthing but watching movies (pirated version of course!). Woke up at 11am and cook scramble egg with cheese and french fries and ate it as brunch with a French guy.

For the past week, i was stationed at work site near to Burj Dubai (or Dubai Tower) which will be the tallest building in the world. Rumour has it the height will reach 1000m. And it is that damn high! The weather everyday i think reached 45 degree Celsius, eventhough on the radio it always stay at 37deg C. The sun somehow did find a way to penetrate the spf50 sunblock i had on my skin and burnt my skin. Anyway, since i'm already here in Dubai, just have to learn to live with the heat. And everyday, i'm counting the day i'll be going back to my country, Malaysia. There's a saying "Eventhough it rain gold in people country, rain stone in your own country is way better" (I know, the word doesn't rhyme and the grammar's broken, but that's what we called direct translation from a Malay saying). Each day, i'm wanting to go home and be with my life, and each day peoples asked me, "Do you like Dubai?", i'll say, "naaaah.. i don't like it and nuthing here is good for me, Malaysia is way better". Frankly, till now, i can't think of a valid reason why people come and live here.

And when you are away from your country where you were brought up, you tend to lost contact with peoples you know. Well, not exactly lost contact, but for instant, most of my friends are married, or about to be married or busy with boyfriend, busy with their own life, busy shopping for boyfriend birthday present and yada yada yada.... but at certain extent, you do feel that you've lost everyone! That's when you'll feel damn lonely. And i did! I don't blame on this, as when i decided to leave Malaysia and go to any country, i was branded as a runaway. Sometimes, an email from home is the most item i look forward when i get online. Or an sms from close friend early in the morning (Dubai is minus 4hours from Malaysia, so whoever sent me sms at 8am, will somehow wake me up at 4am here, and my message ringtone is a cute laughter voice of Eddin and a mommy cat! Which cheer me up everytime i receive a message). A call from Malaysia, that's a wonderful feeling! But these are just my wanting. Well i do can call my friends and say hi, but it get too frustated when your effort to place the long distance call goes unanswer. And i was even charged a one minute charge (abour Dh2.50) as the voicemail start to get connected.

Anyway, as i've said, peoples back home have their own errand at hand, and i can't expect them to be available everytime i need someone to talk to. Tomorrow is a weekend anywhere else in the world but here. I'll be working tomorrow.. suck! And i bet, i'll be sitting at the site, watching the Indian worker do their things and me wondering of my own future. A future which i still can't see really clear. Kudos to all my friends who already has a family (or families) and whoever about to start one.

9.10pm now, and it's time to dine. Nuthing special but i think me n Cedric (the French guy) will be going to Mall of the Emirates to get something to eat... and clense our eyes!

..and the journey continue

2007-05-23T23:29:00.000+04:00

23rd May 2007. The first day i'm writting on this blog. I usually wrote my rants on Friendster.com but for no apparent reason, in UAE, it's difficult to view my own blog.

I've been here in Dubai since 16th April 07 and my first impression bout this city started to change. When i first step my foot in Abu Dhabi airport, i was amazed with the car passing thru at the arrival area. While accompanying this new stewardess-to-be, named Natasya from Malaysia for few minutes, i get to see there're at least 5 Porsche Cayenne past in front of me. And for the past months, the only thing which is nice to see here in Dubai is the cars. It's cheap here. No road tax whatsoever. And that makes the traffic here kinda pathetic. Dubai is a small city, and basically the whole world is living inside it. Name any nationality, and you can find it easily in Dubai, especially Indian, Phillippine, Pakistan and Arab. But where are the locals?

So far, i've been to Deira Old Souq and i like it. Doesn't really make me feel like i'm in UAE, but more to New Delhi. Bought my new Sony T100 there with a good bargain. I've been to Mall Of The Emirates, well basically i go to the MOE every week! I live in Umm Suqeim area, which is 20minutes jog to Burj Al Arab, so MOE is kinda near and they house Carrefour, a place to buy all the food for the Villa. I've been to Ibn Battuta Mall, nice mall. Will go there again in the near future, and this time will bring my T100. Where else? hmmm clubbing? Yet to go to any posh club in Dubai (and there're a lots! More than Malaysia) but been to a pub full of Phillippino's, beer is cheap, so i don't really care bout the crowd. Last weekend (that'll be thursday nite) i when to a pub in York Hotel at BurDubai. Full of prostitutes, Russian, African, Chinese. Had a few pints of Kilkenny and Guiness with an Indian friend. Was approach by a couple of young Russian lady, tempted (and with a free treat offered y my friend) but it's just me... sex for money or money for sex doesn't really my way.... just need the beer. Planned to go for dessert safari, maybe in a week or two and bought a ticket to watch Aerosmith on 31st May at Exile Rugby Club (yet to know where's the exact location though). I'll have to go to Oman next month to stamp my passport as i'm only allowed to stay for 60days in UAE.

There're some activities which are to my interest! Sky diving, which i plan to do it in December, perhap on 15 Dec (damn, there'll go DH1,100) and air ballon ride (damn again, another DH850) maybe in November (perhap on the 9th) and upon obtaining my working Visa, getting (buying) a Harley Davidson. Oh yeah, hop on the Big Bus Tour of Dubai, just to have a glimpse of places of interest here in Dubai. Lotsa plan, but i dunno if i do want to stay here for that long. Because, other than what i've mentioned and shopping, yup... shopping is great here and can't wait til coming Dubai Shopping Festival in December (i think), for me Dubai is not a good place to stay.

Things here are expensive, i think more than Singapore. Peoples here.. hmm well don't really want to comment bout that as most of the comments will be negative. And it is HOT! Today, the temperature in the noon i think is 45deg Celsius. It's burning my brain, but for the sake of earning some extra quids compare to working in Malaysia, well, just gotta be brave and bold. Anyhow, i'll give myself, say a year to get a good feel of Dubai since peoples say that the weather is nice during winter (snow in the desert?). After which i'll re-evaluate of where i wanna head next (australia is still one of the place though), or head back to Malaysia and rearrange my life.

My life, for the past couple of days or so, has more or less melted! Things happened back home in Kuala Lumpur, which not supposed to be of my concern, but it did. I guess i gotta pull all the strenght i could and push forward. Some might say, no matter how much you love a soul, you might be together to walk her on the field of barley. I left the Country, to run away from peoples and thing was going just fine, till it dawn to me that there's hill for me to climb. I wish God will send me an Angel. Far fetch, i know.

Hmm i miss Malaysia... the foods, the peoples, my friends, good vibes, my family and she (the most).