Little Wing by Jimi Hendrix

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

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...

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.

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

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)

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

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...