Freedom of speech, say NO to censorship !

Put Your Hands Up!

2011-12-31T23:18:00.000+08:00

I'm not going to write anything sentimental this time around. Just put your hands up and usher in the Year of the Dragon in style! We all know that it is going to be a real awesome year. Why ? Because it's the Year of the Dragon. It's OUR YEAR! Period!

Be happy and all the best! Happy New Year everyone ^^ Put your hands up... put your hands up!

Drive

2011-12-14T01:33:00.003+08:00

Not seeking for more time. Time isn't the answer. Drive is. Drive, have not had one in yonks. Such a stranger it is has become!

Transitions

2011-07-26T03:00:00.001+08:00

Transitions in life are usually marked by major events, birthdays, graduations, weddings;

But the greater transition often come out of smaller moments, when we stop and look at who we are, because each time we see how far we have come, we also see how far we still have to go.

In order to fully transform, we might need to free overselves of everything we've been holding on to, to send us on our new path, the right one.

But if at the end, you find the person you have become is not the person you want to be. You can always turn around and try again. And may be next time you'll get it right. May be you'll finally find yourself.

Bonne chance!

About to Strangle the Taxi Driver

2011-07-13T13:30:00.000+08:00

I really did take this picture myself. It was taken somewhere in Pratunam, near Big C/ISETAN Bangkok.

It was 34°C in Bangkok and i was running late on schedule. The original plan was to check-out at 1pm. However, it was already 1.05pm by the time i finished taking my shower. Very typical of me. Yeah, i know lol

Anyway, no worries. There was still plenty of time. My flight won't depart until 5.05pm (GMT +7) and Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport can be reached by the Airport Express Train in just 15 minutes. Check-out at Pullman Bangkok King Power Hotel was quick and the porter already got me a taxi by the time i settled my hotel bill.

The nightmare all began with this taxi driver in his late 30s, whom did not speak much English and kept on babbling in Thai. I told him to send me to Makkasan Airport Link Station. He kept asking me why i do not want to take the taxi directly to the airport but i told him i was in a rush and the Airport Express Train is more convenient for me, which i doubt he understands anything i was telling him. Anyway, he looked friendly just like most Thais.

The taxi meter in Bangkok starts at 35Baht, which is around RM3.55. By the time he reached Makkasan Station which he claimed to be the Makkasan Airport Link Station, the meter was only 47Baht, much to my surprise. Makkasan Airport Link Station is near to my hotel but not this near. Instead of Makkasan Airport Link Station, he sent me to a BTS Skytrain station somewhere in Makkasan area and this BTS Skytrain station's name is not even Makkasan. So, i told him again that i wanted to go to Makkasan Airport Link Station in a super nice tone but he insisted that this is it. I asked him where is the big building for town check-in then ? He paused for a second and suddenly decided to make a left-turn. Good. I seriously thought he knew where exactly to go at the time then. But God, was i wrong. He still didn't know the exact location of the station and kept circling around Makkasan area. Finally, he decided to stop near Ramada D'ma Hotel, a hotel i've stayed before during my last two trips to Bangkok (1998 & 2002) and ask a van driver for direction.

So, guess what ? He made a U-turn and drove back to the station which he claimed to be Makkasan Airport Link station earlier. I swear to God that i was going to strangle him already ! I told him again that this is not Makkasan Airport Link station. So, he opened up his car window and asked a tuk-tuk driver for direction. I couldn't understand what they were talking about but i think the tuk-tuk driver pointed him to the right direction. And again, he drove back to area which we made a brief stop just a few minutes ago and finally, we saw the big building and i told him, this is the one.

The nightmare did not stop here. The traffic on the main road is very bad and this taxi driver drove in the wrong direction and was trying to drive into a one-way lane. As soon as he realized his mistake, he just stopped his car there and told me to walk into the station because this is a one-way lane and his car cannot go in. Oh my effing God !!! Seriously dude, it was 34°C out there and i had three luggage with me. The Airport Express station is located on the 3rd floor and there is no lift service. Besides, it's still quite a distance to the station building. I wasn't smiling or talking nicely anymore at this time. Then, a hawker approached our taxi and told him this lane is for cars coming out from the station and he needs to drive a bit further up.

By the time i got into the station, it was already 1.55pm. I was running, hoping i'd get into the 2pm train and yes. I did and i was about to do a moonwalk dance then lol. A one-way ticket from Makkasan Airport Link Station to Suvarnabhumi Airport on the Airport Express Train only cost 150Baht (RM15.22). One can choose to take either the non-stop Airport Express train from Makkasan to Suvarnabhumi or the City Link train which makes multiple stops along the way and cost considerably less.

Anyway, Bangkok was so much fun. This was my sixth time in Thailand, third time in Bangkok. The hotel in Bangkok is so freaking cheap. The hotel i stayed in, which is Pullman Bangkok King Power is operated by the French hotel chain, Accor Group and the room is big and posh. I'm looking forward to coming back here again soon, like real soon.

I've posted more pictures from my Bangkok trip in my facebook. So do check it out.

Sang Kancil Dan Si Dugong

2011-04-13T09:22:00.009+08:00

Ladies and gentlemen, please remain seated with your seatbelt fastened until the plane has come to a complete stop at the gate. NOW WE ALL KNOW WHY !!!

Sang Kancil just landed and was on its way to its designated gate with around 66 people onboard whilst Si Dugong was taxiing to the runway. It was going to fly back to Paris. There were more than 500 people on Si Dugong.

A Surprise Face-to-face Encounter with Taylor Swift (Part IV)

2011-04-02T00:00:00.002+08:00

Langham Place (朗豪坊) in Mongkok (旺角). This picture is mainly to show you just how long the escalators are. Can't quite feel it ? See it again (below).

This picture was taken on the Fourth Floor and these escalators connect directly to the Ninth Floor

This picture was taken from the Ninth Floor. These escalators are definitely not for the acrophobics.

Starbucks on the Fourth Floor inside Langham Place. Though not much with a view due to all the tall buildings surrounding Langham Place, i do like the glass panel design and all. A good place for old friends to catch-up.

Causebay Bay in the morning. Also the first day i actually saw some sunlight since arriving here 3 days ago. All these pictures were taken outside of Times Square Shopping Centre. Did you notice anything familiar in the second picture ? It's Bee Cheng Hiang (美珍香).

Black pepper chicken rice set for just HKD49 (RM19.30) at Hong Kong Dai Pai Dong restaurant (香港大牌檔) consisted of a black pepper chicken rice set of course, a MSG free soup of the day, iced milk tea and a dessert. The black pepper chicken tasted very good.

This restaurant is located at the back of an alley, thus making it difficult for some to find it. Anyway, it is located in Jaffe Road in Causeway Bay.

Some kind of Japanese seafood soup noodles with milk. I paid HKD80 (RM31.44) for this in a food court at Festival Walk (又一城).

The best Seafood Cheese Baked Rice ever ! It is kind of expensive though. I paid HKD83 (RM32.62) for this and a glass of iced lemon tea at Tsui Wah Restaurant. Like most restaurants or cha4 chaan1 teng1 in Hong Kong, it is absolute jam-packed during lunch/dinner time. They have many outlets in Hong Kong. I think i've seen at least 8 different Tsui Wah outlets in Central/Causeway Bay/Kowloon/Tsim Sha Tsui alone.

To be continued ...

A Surprise Face-to-face Encounter with Taylor Swift (Part III)

2011-03-28T00:30:00.002+08:00

The International Finance Centre (branded as 2 IFC) in Central

Taken somewhere in Central near 2 IFC. A big DBS Bank (Development Bank of Singapore) billboard there.

A Neoclassical building with HKSAR and PRC flags. It used to be the old Supreme Court of Hong Kong. Behind it is the headquarters of HSBC (Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited), the de facto bank of HKSAR.

This is the main entrance of HSBC HQ located in 1 Queen's Road, Central. The main banking hall is located on the third floor which is accessible by the escalators. I was here to activate my ATM card. What ATM card ? Well, it's my HKD ATM card. I opened this account through HSBC Malaysia before coming to Hong Kong and i received my HSBC Hong Kong welcome pack along with its ATM card via DHL Express just a week before my actual trip to Hong Kong. And why do i need a HKD account ? Well, you need a local currency card to really feel like you're living here right ? I mean you can exploit the ATM as much as you like. Get HKD cash out from the machine anytime you like. Man ... i do fell like a Hongkonger. lol

See the bronze lion on the left ? There are two of them. One on the left and another one on the right. These two bronze lions are not just some statues, mind you. They are deemed as good feng-shui by this gigantic British Bank and they even have a name, Stephen and Stitt respectively.

Both of the lions were made back in 1935 and had traveled as far as Osaka during World War 2. They were shipped to Japan to be melted down but before this could happen, the World War 2 came to an abrupt end and both Stephen and Stitt survived. Both of them were found in a dockyard in Osaka by an American Sailor. Stephen has shrapnel scars in its left hindquarters resulted from the battle of Hong Kong (when Japanese came).

A DBS Bank branch in Jordan

A Citibank branch in Mongkok. Opposite it is the HSBC building (not in the picture). And Hang Seng Bank (belongs to HSBC - not in the picture either) building is located to the left of HSBC building. Why am i telling you this ? Well, it's to give you a sense that just how close all these big banks are located together. The banking industry in Hong Kong is so competitive that all the banks are literary handing out as much as HKD1,800 (RM707.40) of free cash to you just to open a bank account with them. Man ... only if banks in Malaysia are as generous ...

Hainanese Chicken Rice. It's the combo deal which i paid just HKD63 (RM24.80) inclusive of a plate of vegetables, soup of the day, an extra big bowl of rice, a plate of extra large chicken and a glass of iced milk tea. Don't let the photo to fool you. The portions were so big that i ate only half of these.

This restaurant is located somewhere in Tsim Sha Tsui. I do not remember its name. Actually, i was on my way to Harbour City but then, i was lost. I walked so far that i reached another MTR Station. I was hungry and tired and this restaurant looked good as it was absolutely jammed-packed. Well, when you're in a foreign country and know nothing about the city, it is safe to bet that a restaurant with many people must be serving good foods.

Causeway Bay (銅鑼灣) at night

Inside a very small Shanghainese restaurant located somewhere in Causeway Bay. That's a Shanghainese noodle soup and Shanghai Xiao Long Bao (上海小籠包). Can't remember how much i paid for these. Those foods in the top left are not mine. I was sharing the table with a couple.

The century old tram. Can you see the advertisement on it ? It's a Public Bank advertisement for Public Bank (Hong Kong).

More food pictures to be posted in the next update. Stay tuned !

To be continued ...

A Surprise Face-to-face Encounter with Taylor Swift (Part II)

2011-03-24T00:00:00.000+08:00

Hong Kong has a very comprehensive public transport system ranging from tram which has been operating since 1904, subways, LRT, high-speed train linking Hong Kong Station (also known as the Central Station - 中環), Kowloon Station, Tsing Yi Station and the airport, public air-conditioned buses as well as public taxis. Of all these, the tram is the cheapest whilst taxi is the most expensive. You only have to pay HK$2 (RM0.79) per tram ride regardless of the distance traveled whilst the starting meter fare for the red taxis in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon is HK$18 (RM7.07) and HK$1.50 (RM0.59) will be added to the base fare for every 200 meters traveled. Oh Mary !!!

Anyway, the subways (they call it MTR in Hong Kong) are cheap and very convenient. You can go to pretty much everywhere with their MTR and it is very punctual, just like Taipei and Singapore's. The train runs once every 3 minutes.

My collection of EPS Cards.

1. Octopus Card (Hong Kong)

2. EasyCard (Taipei)

3. Touch 'n Go (Kuala Lumpur)

4. ez-Link (Singapore)

Airport Express Train Ticket. I bought this ticket online for HKD171.00 (RM67.50) a week prior to my trip to Hong Kong. Did you know that credit cards issued in Malaysia have been flagged as high risk for fraud in Hong Kong ? Buying the ticket online was such a painful affair. My card kept being rejected for no apparent reason. After making 5 different calls to my card issuer, i was told that there is absolutely nothing wrong with my card and they couldn't see any attempted charges from Airport Express Hong Kong in my card's transaction history log. Disgruntled and frustrated, i lodged a complaint to Airport Express Hong Kong's credit card processing agent which is PayDollar. Their action was amazingly fast. I lodged the complaint through email and received a reply 20 minutes later. I was told that they will forward the case to Airport Express Hong Kong and someone will be in touch with me very soon.

Anyway, a lady from Airport Express Hong Kong called me a day later as promised. She kept apologizing and explained to me that they have blocked the use of Malaysia credit card to buy ticket online as Malaysia belongs to the "dangerous" region (her choice of word, by the way).

The high-speed train ride from Hong Kong International Airport to Hong Kong Station (also known as Central) took only 24 minutes with a brief stop at Tsing Yi Station (青衣) and Kowloon Station (九龍). Upon arriving at Hong Kong Station, i took the complimentary shuttle bus to my hotel provided by Airport Express.

Harbour Grand Hong Kong. It's a 5-star hotel located in Hong Kong Island near Fortress Hill, which i paid just US$107.64/night (RM343.91/night).

The lobby

keycard

It's a bit small but very common in any hotels in Hong Kong.

The alternative bed

A see through tempered glass separating the bedroom and bathroom. If you're the shy type, you can always close it using the electric curtain.

Toiletries

A small TV inside the toilet

The view towards the Kowloon Peninsula from 36th Floor

More pictures of the room

My first dinner in Hong Kong. It's 京都排骨. There were many whites eating at this place (Temple Street - 廟街). This dinner cost me HKD63 (RM24.76). Mind you i did not order drinks or any other foods.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

Tsunami Hit Sendai Airport : Rare View From Inside

2011-03-15T00:53:00.003+08:00

A rare video showing the moment when Tsunami hit Sendai Airport four days ago. As you can see in the video, there were still many people inside the terminal building then.

A Surprise Face-to-face Encounter with Taylor Swift (Part I)

2011-03-09T01:06:00.002+08:00

I did it again. Traveling alone, to a foreign soil, a country that i never stepped into. This is the first part of my 5 days 4 nights trip to Hong Kong last month. Just in case you are wondering, Hong Kong is awesome and the weather was great. There was no rain at all and it was colder in the morning and night due to the strong wind from north. The temperature was lingering around 14 - 17 degrees Celsius.

What do you need to prepare prior entering Hong Kong ? The Hong Kong Dollars of course. I exchanged all these at the money changer located on the Lower Ground Floor in Mid-Valley Megamall Kuala Lumpur at the rate of HK$100 = RM39.30.

Just like UK, Hong Kong Dollars are issued by commercial banks (with the exception of the HK$10 bill). Three banks are licensed to issue banknotes in Hong Kong namely HSBC, Standard Chartered and Bank of China (Hong Kong). HSBC logo is clearly visible in the bottom right of the banknotes posted above. Each banknote issued by different banks bear a different design (for the same currency denomination).

This is the HK$20 bill issued by Bank of China (Hong Kong). I have not come across any banknotes issued by Standard Chartered to date. The HK$10 is issued by the government of Hong Kong SAR itself and is made of Polymer just like the Aussie Dollars banknotes and our very own RM5 bill. Just so you know, all other Hong Kong Dollars banknotes (HK$20, HK$50, HK$100, HK$500 & HK$1000) are made of cotton fibre, thus do not fluoresce under ultraviolet light.

Airlines : Malaysia Airlines

Date : 20 Feb 2011

From : Kota Kinabalu

To : Hong Kong

Scheduled Flight Time : 2 hours 55 minutes

Actual Flight Time : 2 hours 40 minutes

Scheduled Time of Departure : 11:35am

Actual Time of Departure : 11.45am

Scheduled Time of Arrival : 2.30pm

Actual Time of Arrival : 2.25pm

Boarding pass and Enrich Card. I was assigned seat 14A but later changed to row 26 so i can have the whole row of 3 seats (26A/B/C) to myself :D

Did you know that Kota Kinabalu is much nearer to cities in North Asia compared to our capital, Kuala Lumpur ? Going to Hong Kong from Kota Kinabalu is like going to Kuala Lumpur as Hong Kong is like only 10 minutes further away by air compared to Kuala Lumpur.

Decent meals on this short-haul flight

- Prawn Salad

- Fish with noodles

- Chocolate Cake

- Bread (Butter & Orange Marmalade)

Bon Appétit

Our plane docked at the North Satellite Concourse. Beside our plane was this Dragonair's Airbus.

That's the plane that brought me to Hong Kong. Also in this picture - Dragonair, Royal Brunei and Garuda Indonesia.

Inside the shuttle bus that "ferried" us to the Main Terminal Building

The immigration clearance hall. Someone shouted "NO PHOTO NO PHOTO" in a heavy Chinese accent once i snapped this photo. Luckily she did not confiscate my digital camera. It once happened to my friend that they requested him to delete everything inside the camera ... Phew ... lucky me !

Try to find me inside the picture. I have got to be in there somewhere :D

Here is what happened. Once i cleared immigration and got my checked-in luggage back, i went to the tourist counter to get all the maps as well as some flyers that a tourist can definitely find useful. All of a sudden, there were people shouting outside like there is no tomorrow. I knew there could be some celebrities out there but i thought he/she/they could be some TVB actors. Anyway, being as curious as i was. I decided to go out and have a look. I couldn't see who he/she was at first. All i can see then was just the back of a few freaking tall bodyguards who can crush me to death with just one hand. So i just stood still behind the bodyguards and tried not to push into the crowds. And then she turned, oh yeah, now i know it's a she. She is Taylor Swift who just walked past me. I can get a much better picture than anyone else because she practically was just beside me. Anyway, it was already too late when i took my own camera out. A lesson learnt. Always get your camera ready in such situation.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

Escaping the Heat (Part V)

2011-02-27T22:01:00.001+08:00

It was time to wake up from the fantasy world i've been living in the past few days. I went to the Taipei Main Station at 6.02am (the first train) and transferred to the Taiwan High Speed Rail to the airport. The Taiwan High Speed Rail train will take me to Taoyuan Station which takes 20 minutes. I will then have to take a bus from Taoyuan Station to the airport. I paid TWD160 (RM17.20) for the Taiwan High Speed Rail ticket and TWD30 (RM3.23) for the bus ride from Taoyuan Station to the airport.

Taiwan High Speed Rail ticket (right) and bus ticket (left) from Taoyuan Station to Taoyuan Airport, Taipei

Inside the Taiwan High Speed Rail train

Taoyuan Airport Terminal 2. Taoyuan Airport was formerly called Chiang Kai-shek International Airport. The name was changed to its current name in 2006 to please Mainland China. Mind you it was merely 7.15am when i took these pictures. Terminal 2 was already jam-packed.

Flight informations display board

Flying Eva Air ... to Kota Kinabalu ... yeah !!!

One of these planes will take me back to Kota Kinabalu

Until the bloody red plane docked at Gate C2 ... and so i woke up from my dream. Eva Air is just the ground handling agent for Air Asia in Taiwan.

Park Taipei Hotel key card

EasyCard. Taipei's version of Touch 'n Go. It is so much better compared to our Touch 'n Go. TWD500 (RM53.75) to buy the card. TWD400 of usable credits and TWD100 of fully refundable deposit upon returning of the card in good condition.

THE END

Escaping the Heat (Part IV)

2011-02-19T21:30:00.000+08:00

Taipei 101

Outside of Taipei 101

Inside Taipei 101

Views from 89th Floor. Each adult ticket cost TWD400 (RM43). Too bad the outdoor observation deck was closed that day due to bad weather. Imagine standing outside of the building at 88th Floor. How cool is that ? ;P

My TWD200 (RM21.50) ice-cream. Sold at 89th Floor.

The 660 tonnes suspended tuned mass damper located between 88th - 92nd Floors. It is designed to withstand the typhoon winds and earthquake tremors.

My lunch at the Taipei 101 food court. Forgot what it's called already. All for TWD120 (RM12.90) only. Everything tasted nice except the 肉丸, or what the locals call "bak wan".

Shinkong Mitsukoshi (新光三越) Department Store. It is a Taiwanese-Japanese joint-venture department store in Taiwan. There are 4 buildings in this area, all connected by several bridges.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

Escaping the Heat (Part III)

2011-01-29T22:37:00.002+08:00

I went to the National Palace Museum on the third day by MRT/bus. I first arrived at the Dazhi MRT Station (大直) which is on the Wenshan-Neihu Line (文山内湖線). It means that i won't have to change train. I then took the B13 bus from a bus station which is a short walk away from Dazhi MRT Station (大直) which will take me directly to the National Palace Museum.

The National Palace Museum of The Republic of China. It houses hundreds of thousands of Chinese artifacts, artworks, personal items once belonged to the Chinese royalties and many other rare/historical items that were all brought to here from the Mainland China before the Nationalist Party of China (Kuomintang - 國民黨) retreated to Taiwan.

There were nearly a thousand people inside the museum when i got there. Anyway, It was already passed lunch time after spending close to 2 hours in there. I then made my way to the bus station located right outside the museum. I wanted to go to Ximending (西門町) and i waited about 15 minutes before the bus numbered 931 arrived that will take me to Ximending (西門町). There are like 3 buses that can take me to Ximending (西門町) but bus numbered 931 has the least stop. While on the way to Ximending (西門町), i realized just how different the road planning in Taiwan is. All the bus stations are all basically located in the middle of the road. No joke !

It took about half an hour to get here from the National Palace Museum

Ximending made me wonder if i'm in Taiwan or Japan as most restaurants here are Japanese restaurants. I walked through the whole Ximending area and there were like only 2 - 3 joints serving Chinese foods. Anyway, i decided to eat at a Japanese restaurant. Rumor has it that everything served there is fresh and reasonably priced.

This is the Japanese restaurant i am talking about. It is like a traditional Japanese restaurant and there is no menu card available. You have to order from the manila cards pasted to the wall.

Some of the foods displayed on the sushi belt. Mind you 90% of the foods on display are meant for display only. You have to tell the sushi chef which one you'd like to order and they will make a fresh one for you. There is no price written anywhere for the foods displayed on the sushi belt. Therefore, you won't know the price until you ask for the bill.

This is the Japanese bento box i ordered. I think it was Japanese stir-fried pork or something and it was so delicious. The miso soup is also very different from the one served in Malaysia and their version of miso soup is so nice unlike ours.

The Japanese scallops imported from Hokkaido. I ordered this because the guy seated next to me was eating it :D. Do not be duped by the picture. The scallops are the biggest i've ever seen.

So, guess how much did i pay for all the foods ? I paid TW$470 (RM50.53). It was my third day in Taipei and i did not have much cash left as i brought only US$150 (RM459). I was like what the @#$% when i saw the receipt. The Japanese bento box was very cheap. It is the Hokkaido scallop that was so expensive.

Japanese bento box (Japanese stir-fried pork) - TW$120 (RM12.90)
Hokkaido scallops - TW$350 (RM37.63)

Mind you that was the price for just two scallops. Luckily it was delicious or else i'd had to bang my head to the wall already.

By the way, when i arrived in Taiwan, i had only US$ and our own MYR. I was advised by a friend not to exchange TW$ in Malaysia as i will get a better rate in Taoyuan Airport, Taipei. So i bought US$150 at the Wawasan Sentosa Money Changer in Mid-Valley Megamall just 2 days before going to Taipei. I bought the US$ at the rate of US$1 = RM3.06 which was a catch.

Anyway, i bought the TW$ at the Mega International Commercial Bank money changer counter before clearing immigration in Taoyuan Airport Terminal 2. A decision i would soon regret. This was because Bank of Taiwan is offering a higher US$ rate and their counter is located on the departure floor. But still, the rate i got from Mega International Commercial Bank is still better than those i found in Malaysia.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

Escaping the Heat (Part II)

2011-01-28T23:00:00.000+08:00

These pictures were taken during the evening rush hour at one of Taipei's MRT stations. It is like this every working days between 4.30pm - 8.30pm.

Shilin Night Market. I came here every night to hunt for dinner.

Some of the foods i bought at Shilin Night Market. The cheese potato is so freaking nice (third picture).

TO BE CONTINUED ...

Escaping the Heat (Part I)

2011-01-12T23:31:00.007+08:00

I booked a ticket to Taipei last month and this is my first time going so far away from home alone. I was a bit sceptical to do this on my own at first but there is a first for everything and you are never going to know whether you like it or not until you've done it and boy, was i glad i did this.

Traveling alone in my opinion, can be so much fun. This is because you are responsible for yourself and you can do whatever you want, whenever you like. You can go out and come back to the hotel room anytime and go anywhere you want. It's like a total freedom and all focus on you.

Anyway, i am flying Air Asia directly from Kota Kinabalu. There are another two carriers you can choose to fly from Kota Kinabalu to Taipei namely Malaysia Airlines and Dragonair (via Hong Kong). Of all these three carriers, Malaysia Airlines is the most expensive and Dragonair is in the second spot. However, the timing of Dragonair's flights kind of suck and Air Asia is a few hundred bucks cheaper. Of course the sane choice would be to fly Air Asia. Besides, the timing of their flight suits me the best. It arrives into Taipei Taoyuan Airport at 9.30am and comes back to Kota Kinabalu at 9.55am. This gives me plenty of extra time to check out the city and to familiarize myself with their public transportation system.

So, i checked-in online for my flight the night before and went to the airport at 5am. I've pre-booked my seat when i purchased the ticket which is in the overwing emergency row that gives me plenty of extra legroom which i will definitely find very useful for the 3 hours 20 minutes flight to/from Taipei. Our flight departed on-time and we actually arrived at Taipei Taoyuan Airport at 9.05am, 25 minutes ahead of schedule which is great !

I took the Evergreen bus (part of the Eva Air Group) to Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT Station (忠孝復興) which cost me TWD150 (RM16.125). After that, i took the Metro Taipei MRT at Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT Station (忠孝復興) to Daan MRT Station (大安) which is on the Wenshan-Neihu Line (文山内湖線) and if you have the Easycard (Taipei's version of Touch n Go), you will have to pay only TWD12 (RM1.29). Otherwise, a single normal pay per ride ticket will cost you TWD20 (RM2.15). Knowing that i will depend a lot on Taipei's MRT and buses for the next couple of days, i decided to buy the Easycard. If you buy the Easycard at any Metro Taipei MRT Service counter, you will have to pay TWD500 (RM53.75). TWD100 (RM10.75) for card deposit and the other TWD400 (RM43) will be deducted accordingly as you use their services. The card deposit can be refunded to you if you return the card to them in good condition. However, they will charge you TWD20 (RM2.15) as processing fee which is a non-issue as the savings i will get from using this card is greater.

There was no problem finding my hotel. In fact, it is only 2 minutes walk away and one only needs to walk straight when coming out from the Daan MRT Station. Weather in Taipei is kind of bad now. Umbrella is a must whenever one goes outside as it has been raining day and night since i arrived here on Monday morning. The average temperature is only 9°C in these few days and there is a strong wind which makes it very cold. I did not bring any umbrella. So i had to buy one from a convenient store and i paid TWD200 (RM21.50) which in my opinion is way overpriced. The quality of the umbrella is just so-so. I later learned that the hotel will lend an umbrella to in-house guest upon request. So, there you go my TWD200 ...

The hotel i am staying at is called Park Taipei Hotel. This is a very new hotel and everything inside the room is flawless and all the staffs are sincere, friendly and polite. They are very prompt to attending your request too which is yet another extra point for this hotel.

This is my room. They provide a complimentary broadband service in all rooms. No wifi is available though. One must connect to the internet via ADSL and this ADSL wire is provided too in the room. Though is it not a high speed broadband runs on fibre optic, the download speed is like 10x faster than our Streamyx 1mbps package.

The sockets and ADSL are actually built into the desk ... how high-tech of them. Every new hotels should do the same. Exposed sockets are so last decade.

The clean and spacious bathroom

TO BE CONTINUED ...

It's that Time of the Year Again

2010-12-31T23:59:00.004+08:00

This is the time. The time that everyone takes a final look into the last 364 days. When it passes 23:59:59 tonight, we drop the last year into the silent limbo of the past. Let the dead past bury its own dead. Let it go, for it was imperfect, and thank God that it can go.

This is a celebration of the end of one chapter of our lives and the beginning of a new chapter. New Year promises fresh start and fill every heart with hopes and aspirations. New Year is the time to unfold new horizons and realize new dreams, to rediscover the strength and faith within you, to rejoice in simple pleasures and gear up for the new challenges.

Raise a toast to good times and welcome year 2011 with a huge blast. Here am i, wishing you and i eternal bliss and superb time ahead.

This post officially concludes the year 2010. HAPPY NEW YEAR !

A Short Break in Singapore 11/11/10 - 15/11/10 (Part III)

2010-12-31T00:51:00.003+08:00

My flight back to Kota Kinabalu was scheduled to depart at 8.50am. I left the hotel around 6am and arrived at the airport about 25 minutes later. Plenty of time for me to check out the Terminal 3.

A Singapore Airlines code-share flight, operated by Silk Air to Kota Kinabalu

The old style flight information display board

It was only 6.30am ...

There is even a gym in Terminal 2 ... How thoughtful of SATS

This is the MRT station inside Terminal 2. A one-way ride train ticket from here to Orchard Road only cost S$2 (only S$1.64 if you use EZ-Link or Nets Flashpay). If you take a regular city cab, it will cost you no less than S$22.

There are plenty of ATMs around ...

The first glimpse into the area after passing through immigration check. I didn't waste much time at the airport's departure hall. Instead, i cleared immigration early so i can explore the magnificent Terminal 3

There are a few skytrains linking Terminal 1, 2 & 3 in Changi

Look at the one of a kind ceiling design ... It allows plenty of natural lights into the terminal during daytime.

Interior of Terminal 3 after clearing immigration

The butterfly garden inside Terminal 3

There is a mini movie theatre inside Terminal 3. You do not not have to pay for it. It was showing Sherlock Holmes that morning.

There are plenty of such areas in Changi ...

It was time to board the aircraft ...

Boarding ...

Safety demonstration played via the drop-down LCD screens

Taxiing ... A full flight to Kota Kinabalu today ...

Meal service

My breakfast

A Short Break in Singapore 11/11/10 - 15/11/10 (Part II)

2010-12-13T16:03:00.000+08:00

I moved to the fancier and bigger Mandarin Orchard Hotel (previously known as Meritus Mandarin) which is much nearer to the MRT station on the second day. They were having a special weekend promotion and the room rate quoted to me was about the same as Concorde Hotel. Concorde Hotel is a 4-star hotel located near the end of Orchard Road and 5 minutes walk away from the nearest MRT whilst Mandarin Orchard Hotel is a 5-star hotel located in the middle of the bustling Orchard Road and only 2 minutes walk to Somerset MRT station. It's a no-brainer had i choose not move right ?

Hotel lobby located on the 5th floor. All check-ins and check-outs are to be done here.

This is the reception and bell boy counter located on Ground floor, the main entrance of the hotel in the Main Tower

The hotel main entrance in the Main Tower block

Spotted this two fancy cars outside the hotel main entrance

This hotel has two tower blocks (Main Tower & Orchard Wing), making a total 1051 tenantable rooms.

This hotel first opened its doors in 1971 and the design of its rooms have largely remained the same ever since. I stayed here for 4 nights back in early 2008 and the only difference i noticed in this room is the Philip LCD TV. They were still using a 21" box-type TV in 2008.

A separate bathtub and shower stall. Generally, everything is very well-maintained too.

You can see my hotel from here. It is still bearing the name "Meritus Mandarin".

Orchard Road at night

High tea

Last minute shopping on my last day in Singapore

To be continued !

A Short Break in Singapore 11/11/10 - 15/11/10 (Part I)

2010-12-12T12:49:00.003+08:00

This is the first part of my short trip to Singapore last month. I was flying Silk Air, the subsidiary of Singapore Airlines and my flight from Kota Kinabalu to Singapore was surprisingly full with more than half of those on board were Singapore Airlines transit passengers going to Europe, USA and Canada.

Silk Air girls

Look at the queue. Many Europeans and Americans travelling on this flight.

Chicken Pasta

The first view of Changi Terminal 2

Picture taken at Changi Terminal 2

Concorde Hotel Singapore. This is the hotel i stayed at on my first day in Singapore. I stayed here once before back in late 2005 and it was still known as Le Meridien then. Guess who is the owner of this hotel now ? The Sultan of Selangor family is. They bought the hotel over and renamed it Concorde Hotel. We have one Concorde Hotel in Kuala Lumpur near KLCC and yes, it is the same one. The design of their lowest category room, the Deluxe room has remained exactly the same as it was back when it was still called Le Meridien. This is a very old hotel and is showing its age already.

Despite being such an old property, the bathroom is clean and very well-maintained. Kudos to the hotel management !

To be continued !

In Under One Week

2010-12-10T16:06:00.012+08:00

Yes. That's right ! I watched some of the most publicized movies in the world in just one week. It is not that i have not done such a thing before. But to watch three most talked about movies in the world in under one week ? Yes. That's a first for me ! And do you know what the good thing was ? Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows actually did not disappoint this time around. The one shown last year was a complete utter disaster. I really could have slept inside the cinema ..

The three said movies are Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, The Social Network and The Chronicles of Narnia - The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Overall, i enjoyed all three movies but somehow i felt The Voyage of the Dawn Treader isn't anywhere as good as Prince Caspian. Something is just not right and the running time for the current installment of The Chronicles of Narnia is a lot shorter compared to its two predecessors too. I read on the internet that they are discussing about the possibility of making a fourth installment of The Chronicles of Narnia but somehow, i do not think this is going to happen. Besides, the Pevensie siblings will not appear in the next film, assume if it gets filmed. Not really a loss if they don't get the green light after all i suppose.

The Social Network is a different piece of work altogether. I watched its trailer on TV before and it looked a bit boring to me. God, was i wrong ? I am glad that i did go to watch the movie. This movie is about Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook. It is about money, creativity, friendship, betrayal etc. It is so good that if you haven't watched this movie, i strongly urge you to watch it. You won't be sorry.

The Past Few Days

2010-11-28T14:16:00.004+08:00

Over the past few days, i have been absolutely busy ...

- trying to secure a few tickets on Silk Air to Singapore from Kota Kinabalu in the next few weeks as most flights are already sold out due to the school holidays

- searching for a cheap but decent apartment in Singapore

- preparing all documents needed to open a bank account in Singapore

- making request to my credit card issuer bank to give me a temporary 100% increase of my credit card limit

- exploring the vast choices of broadband and fibre optic broadband packages offered by various telecommunication companies in Singapore

- looking up for informations on TV licensing fee in Singapore

- checking out for Singapore VISA extension requirements for extended family members

- digging up informations about Dr. KK Ong

- searching for informations on CABG and the mortality rate etc.

Ah Lai Losing His Virginity

2010-11-19T01:39:00.002+08:00

First of all, i am not talking about that virginity. I am talking about Ah Lai going to the casino for the very first time in his whole life. Yes, that's the virginity that i am talking about. Your mind strays to "that" when you first read the title of this particular post because you have a very corrupted mind.

So, i was in Singapore for 4 days last week and Singapore is still as great as it always has been. I only met Lai on my second day in Singapore. There was something important last Friday and he simply couldn't skip school. We didn't do much that day and we only met around 4.30pm and he had to leave for his school play at somewhere in Buona Vista an hour later. We then had a supper at ION Orchard Food Opera when he came back around 10.30pm. I was with Law Lee Hui the entire morning/afternoon that day, by the way.

Lai stayed with me on my second and third day in Singapore. For some reason which i do not know, Lai wanted to go to a temple in Bugis first before hitting the casino. Initially, our plan was just to check out what a casino actually looks like since neither of us have been to one. We didn't stick to our plan much longer though.

Marina Bay Sands is absolutely fantastic. The hotel is awesome and the design is one of a kind. Plenty of natural lights and we did what most guys do. We talked about what a magnificent piece of architecture it is and the cost of it blah blah blah ... The shopping mall is not as big as i pictured it though. Anyway, we went straight to the casino located on the ground floor. Had our passport checked before we were allowed to enter the casino premise.

Our first impression of the casino was wow ! Just as what we saw on the TV Series Las Vegas. However, there weren't many people that day. We only played the slot machine at Marina Bay Sands. I won S$16 from the slot machine initially with just S$2 initial bet. It didn't last long though. I kept losing then and i decided to cash out at S$10.05. After that, i continued to try my luck at other slot machines and i lost pretty much all the money i won earlier. At the end of the day, i made a profit of S$0.05 only ...

Lai was much luckier at first. He won more than S$25 with just S$2 initial bet. But then he lost all the money he won earlier and another S$7. He was very upset then and we decided to leave.

We had our lunch at Food Republic in VivoCity before going to the other casino, Resorts World Sentosa. I've been here the day before with Law Lee Hui but we did not go into the casino. It is kind of different here at Resorts World Sentosa. There were definitely more people in the casino here compared to Marina Bay Sands. Resorts World Sentosa has a different wow factor compared to Marina Bay Sands but either way, we are very impressed.

Ah Lai wanted to try his luck here again. The minimum initial bet for the slot machine at Resorts World Sentosa is much higher at S$10. This however, did not stop Lai from playing. And guess what ? He lost everything here too in less then 5 minutes.

Ah Lai was so upset and speechless. He was determined to recover his losses. People with gambling addiction problem always have this kind of thought in their minds haha ... He then tried his luck at the Blackjack table. Well, that day was his lucky day after all i guess. He even struck Blackjack four times. The minimum bet for each game is S$25, by the way. At the end of the day, he made a net profit of more than S$100. Not bad for a virgin haha ...

I will write more about my brief Singapore trip in the next few days. Pictures will also be posted then. Stay tuned !

The Huge Explosion

2010-11-04T20:00:00.002+08:00

When the news came in this morning around 11.45am (GMT +8) from Indonesia, all major news channels such as CNN, BBC, CNBC Asia, Bloomberg, Al Jazeera, Sky News and even Reuters reported that the Aussie plane carrying 459 people has crashed over the Batam Island, Indonesia which is located in the south of Singapore. But of course, this is not true.

The aircraft involved is the European made Airbus A380-800 which has 2 floors and this Qantas whalejet is powered by 4 Rolls-Royce engines. All 6 Airbus A380-800 including the one involved in this incident has been grounded indefinitely.

This plane originated from London-Heathrow and it stopped in Singapore for more than 1 hour for refueling before continuing its last leg of flight for the day to Sydney.

Part of the number 2 engine is gone

Part of the wing is damaged as well. Picture was taken by a fellow passenger as soon the the plane landed safely at Changi, Singapore.

A closer look at the damage on the left wing

Debris found in Indonesia

Pictures taken right after landing just now ...

This is the plane that involved in this incident

This is where the plane was when the explosion happened

Student Hostel Inside Singapore Nanyang Technological University

2010-11-02T21:39:00.004+08:00

I'll be in Singapore next week between 11th November 2010 (Thursday) - 15th November 2010 (Monday). Bought the ticket just about two weeks ago for RM620 round-trip in Economy Class on Silk Air. All this while, i have been thinking where to stay in Singapore and Ah Lai was generous enough to offer me to stay at his place inside his hostel at NTU. Anyway, below are the pictures he sent to me to convince me his place is clean and comfortable and absolutely nothing like the student hotel in local universities.

It does look pretty comfortable eh ? And the toilet looks surprisingly clean as well. His room is shared with a Singaporean and i was told that he will be around on Thursday and Sunday nights. Now that is a problem. It is very troublesome for me to move twice and i have finally decided that it is the best to just stay outside somewhere near the city centre.

As some of you already know, hotel accommodation in Singapore is expensive and it is even more expensive than hotels in London and Hong Kong. I can find a 4-star hotel in the bustling Causeway Bay Hong Kong for a mere RM250/night but this is impossible in Singapore. The cheapest 4-star hotel is sold for RM500/night in Orchard Road (our equivalent of Bukit Bintang). Can you believe it ? Argh !!!

Anyway, i'll be staying at Concorde Hotel which is located near the end of Orchard Road on the first day and the three remaining days at Mandarin Orchard Hotel which is located in the centre of Orchard Road (yahoo !!!). I have stayed at both hotels before and both are decent hotels. Will post the pictures up here after i return from my trip. I will also check out the casino at both Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa. Stay tuned !

Back to Kota Kinabalu

2010-10-27T22:26:00.003+08:00

From : Kuala Lumpur
To : Kota Kinabalu
Date : 25/9/2010
Airline : Malaysia Airlines
Flight No : MH64
Aircraft Type : Airbus A330-300
Gate : A10 or G10
Scheduled Time of Departure : 2115
Actual Time of Departure : 2130
Flight Time : 2 hours 30 minutes
Actual Flight Time : 2 hours 10 minutes

I'll be flying on MH64 today, a flight bound for Seoul, Incheon International Airport in South Korea with an hour transit at Kota Kinabalu International Airport. There are 5 Korean flight attendants on today's flight. At the end of year 2007, there were 30 Korean nationals working as flight attendant for Malaysia Airlines.

Our boarding passes for today's flight. Seats 23H and 23K for us.

That's the seat map of MAS European made Airbus A330-300.

The European made Airbus A330-300. It has a capacity of 294 with 44 seats in Golden Club Class and the remaining in Economy Class. This picture was taken at Beijing Capital Airport.

This is the Golden Club Class. Obviously no where quite as spacious as the Boeing 777-200ER. This picture was taken by someone else years ago. The Golden Club Class seat cover is red in color now.

Boarding commenced at 2100. This is the safety card for Airbus A330-300 and the shorter Airbus A330-200.

This picture was taken 15 minutes after boarding commenced. As you can see, it is going to be a full flight today. More than half of those onboard today are Koreans.

Drop-down LCD screen ...

Safety briefing ...

A very delicious entrée today. It's Garoupa fish.

Mom bought something from the in-flight duty free shopping ...

MAS did not bill us until 20 days later ... I was hoping the crew lost the receipt so we do not have to pay haha ...

This is the seat control located on the side of the armrest. While there is no individual screen on this plane, headphone will still be distributed on longer flights as you will need it to listen to the audio of the programs being played on the main screens and drop-down LCD screens. There are also a few radio channels featuring some of the top hits from Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Middle-east, USA, UK and India.

MH64 will cease flying to Kota Kinabalu from January next year after almost 20 years serving this route. Kota Kinabalu will get its own dedicated flight to the South Korean capital starting next year with 4 flights a week on the newly built Boeing 737-800. Presently, MAS is flying twice a week between Kota Kinabalu and Seoul.

Anyway, while the Boeing 737-800 is much smaller than the Airbus A330-300 currently deployed on this route, the newly built Boeing 737-800 will have individual screens in all seats featuring audio-video on demand (AVOD). So in a way, this is actually an upgrade.

From January next year, there will be a total of 10 flights a week from Kota Kinabalu to Seoul and vice-versa.

Malaysia Airlines - 4 weekly flights vv.
Korean Air - 2 weekly flights vv.
Asiana Airlines - 4 weekly flights

No wonder there are so many Koreans in Kota Kinabalu nowadays eh ? Asiana Airlines is the second largest full-service airline of the Republic of South Korea, by the way.

Upcoming trips :

28 October 2010 > MH81 to Kuala Lumpur
30 October 2010 > MH64 back to Kota Kinabalu
11 November 2010 > Silk Air MI391 to Singapore
15 November 2010 > Silk Air MI392 back to Kota Kinabalu

New Livery Revealed

2010-10-17T10:43:00.002+08:00

The new MAS livery is finally here. The current livery was introduced back in 1987. The newly built Boeing 737-800 which was delivered just 2 days ago is the first to spot this new livery and all of its planes will gradually be repainted into this new livery. Anyway, it is a little bland in my humble opinion and somehow the logo doesn't blend well with the new livery. They probably need a new and bigger stylised logo.

MAS will take delivery of two Boeing 737-800 featuring the Sky Interior from Boeing this year and both will be based in Kota Kinabalu International Airport for its non-stop international flights to North Asia and Perth in Australia.

Too much eurowhite but it just seems to be the trend these days ...

British Airways ... the livery is predominantly white too. The design of the tail logo is based on the Union Jack, which is the national flag of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This livery was adopted in 1997.

Yet another predominantly white livery

The current BA livery is quite nice if you look it from up-close but it doesn't beat its old livery which is the one shown above. This one is just classy and the coat of arms logo makes it even classier and British.

Anyway, white reflects on heat very well and it fades slower than most colors. A predominantly white livery also saves weight and labor expenses of painting. All these will translate into lower fuel burn and definitely will save some serious money in the long run. Not to mention that it is greener as well. After all, isn't green the way to go these days ?

This new livery is not the only new thing. Even the cabin design will be new as well. It will feature the Sky Interior from Boeing and MAS has ordered 35 of it. 20 out of these 35 will have personal screens installed in all seats and all will be registered as 9M-MX# series while the rest of the 15 aircraft will not be equipped with personal screen in Economy Class and will be registered as 9M-MS# series. MAS has also leased another 9 Boeing 737-800 from various sources with 7 already in service. The leased ones will all bear the registration 9M-ML# featuring the old cabin design with no personal screen equipped in both Golden Club Class and Economy Class.

20x Boeing 737-800 (9M-MX# series) - personal screens with AVOD in all seats
15x Boeing 737-800 (9M-MS# series) - drop-down LCD screens in Economy Class
9x Boeing 737-900 (9M-ML# series) - drop-down LCD screens in all classes

All these pictures are promotional pictures from Boeing. Cabin shot of MAS latest Boeing 737-800 is not yet available at the time of writing.

Above are the cabin shots of the Boeing 737-800 in old interior

The bloody M&M themed seats. I am sure many of you are well aware of this cabin design. Pictures were taken on MAS Boeing 737-400 aircraft. As you can see, the overhead locker design is different and the curvature of the ceiling is different as well.

Just in case you are wondering what is the difference between a Boeing 737-400 and Boeing 737-800, the former first entered market in 1988 and is no longer on sale while the latter formally entered service in 1998. The Boeing 737-800 is about three Economy Class seat rows longer than Boeing 737-800 and it can fly longer and more fuel efficient.

The Intimate Art of Touch and Happy Hour

2010-10-16T14:19:00.003+08:00

Some people might find these offensive due to the sexual references such as beach is said as if it was referring to bitch and the touch screen which is portrayed as a lady and how you must be gentle when touching it. Anyway, i personally think it is refreshingly funny and a commercial like no other. One thing for sure is that this video will never ever be broadcast on TV, not even in New Zealand.

To Kuala Lumpur With Hafiz Hashim

2010-10-14T20:23:00.004+08:00

From : Kota Kinabalu

To : Kuala Lumpur
Date : 23/9/2010
Airline : Malaysia Airlines

Flight No : MH81

Aircraft Type : Boeing B777-200ER

Gate : A5

Scheduled Time of Departure : 1930

Actual Time of Departure : 2037
Flight Time : 2 hours 30 minutes
Actual Flight Time : 2 hours 02 minutes

The beauty of living in Kota Kinabalu is the proximity of its international airport to downtown Kota Kinabalu. In order to cut down on waiting time at the airport, i decided to check-in several hours in advance and then only return to the airport just one hour before my plane is scheduled to leave.

Malaysia Airlines is not exactly a punctual airline. Since my plane today will be operating the Tokyo/Kota Kinabalu sector before reaching its final destination for the day which is Kuala Lumpur, i decided to check if the plane has left Tokyo online.

As you can see, so far so good. The flight is still right on scheduled.

Our boarding passes and the seating plan for the plane that will bring us to Kuala Lumpur later today. Seats 26J and 26K for me and my mom.

That is my ride today to Kuala Lumpur which will take 2 hours 30 minutes

This is another picture of the same type of aircraft that will take me to Kuala Lumpur later on. This picture was taken by someone else at Los Angeles International Airport.

Another Boeing 777-200ER picture. This was taken at Frankfurt Rhein-Main Airport.

The guy above in the red long sleeve t-shirt is Hafiz Hashim. I was way too coward to take his picture with him looking at my camera. Some people do not like people taking their pictures and i did not want to offend anyone. So this is the best solution i can come up with ... to snap his picture from behind. He just lost in the Japan Open the day before, if i am not mistaken and is now being shipped back to Malaysia along with his two other team mates. Lee Chong Wei and a few other national badminton players are still in Tokyo.

Anyway, we arrived at the airport at 6.30pm and boarding commenced at 7.10pm. Looks like we will be departing on-time today which i will soon be proved very wrong.

View of the cabin from my seat. Boarding is still in process.

The 6.5" screen. It is the exact same personal individual screen Malaysia Airlines has been using since year 1997. Whilst the screen has not changed, they did update the software of the system in 2005. The current software in use is Matsushita 3000 which works more or less like a DVD player where you are able to pause, play and fast-forward any programs on offered. This system is known as Audio Video On Demand (AVOD) in the airline industry.

This is the handset. You can pull it out so that it'd be easier for you to use it or when you want to play games. Yes, they do offer games but the games offered are kind of boring. The system used to have Nintendo Super Mario but not anymore. Not since the system update back in 2005.

The Malaysia Airlines in-flight entertainment system is available in a few different versions. This is the page where you check which system you're on if you are not sure about it.

This is the page where it teaches you how to use the telephone. You may make seat-to-seat call as well.

Temptations inflight shopping magazine, Going Places and Safety Information Pamphlet. They used to be a separate in-flight entertainment magazine as well last time.

Maklumat Keselamatan

Another cabin view

It is already 8pm now but we have not begun our pushback and the aircraft doors remain open and connected to the aerobridge.

Already 45 minutes behind schedule when they started playing the safety video but this is a good sign. It means we will finally be departing soon.

Cabin lights dimmed for take-off

That is the flight map displayed on the main screens as well as on your personal screen. After being held hostage inside the aircraft for more than an hour, we are finally out on the runway waiting for take-off.

Ahhh ... we have finally left Kota Kinabalu International Airport. We're at 5369ft above sea level now and have traveled only 14 miles thus far.

The outside air temperature is only 62 degrees fahrenheit and is still falling.

Heading west towards the town of Pekan in Pahang now

Took this picture from my personal screen. As you can see, it is already night time in most part of Asia.

There you go. From my in-seat personal screen too. This gives you a much clearer view of which part of the globe is already at night.

Just 1 hour 44 minutes to go

We're at 31997ft now and it will continue to climb until its cruising level which is 39000ft above sea level

It is freezing cold outside. You'll be dead in no time if you were outside.

It was raining heavily when we took off and the seat belt sign was only switched off approximately 25 minutes after airborne. Flight announcement on this flight is made in three different languages namely Bahasa Malaysia, English and Japanese. The Japanese announce is not pre-recorded one but made live by real Japanase flight attendants who work for Malaysia Airlines. Malaysia Airlines employed more than 80 Japanese flight attendants at the end of 2007. I am not too sure how many Japanese work Malaysia Airlines as flight attendant today.

The in-flight entertainment system is finally activated. Menu is available in either English or Bahasa Malaysia.

A lot of entertainment varieties. Moview on-demand showing some of the newest blockbusters from Hollywood, Bollywood, North Asia, Germany and France. There is also TV on-demand showing some short video clips, TV series such as Grey's Anatomy and White Collar etc.

All the movies shown on this screen is still quite new

Headphone is not distributed for this leg of flight. So i settled for Just For Laughs Gags because you do not actually need to listen to them to understand what is being portrayed.

This is what will be served on today's flight. A far cry from last time which a proper paper menu will be distributed to everyone. They only give a proper paper menu to passengers flying First and Business Class now.

Here you go. The proper paper menu i talked about. As mentioned, i am a regular on all those international flights transiting through Kota Kinabalu such as MH81 (from Tokyo), MH80 (to Tokyo), MH65 (from Seoul), MH65 (to Seoul), MH51 (from Osaka) and MH50 (to Osaka). The flights to/from Taipei (MH69/68) used to be operated using the twin-aisle 294-seat Airbus A330-300 and they did give out proper paper menu then. The flights to/from Taipei was downgauge to the current freakingly small Boeing 737-400 in 2003 due to SARS. They never went back to the Airbus A330-300 on the Taipei sector.

This is the Chicken Masak Merah served with Fried Rice. It tastes quite good despite what the picture might suggest. But still, the current meal served on Malaysia Airlines domestic flights nowadays is a far cry compared to what it was before May 2008. [see below]

This is exactly what Malaysia used to serve on all those international flights transiting through Kota Kinabalu. No joke ! On a real proper tray with metal knife/spoon/fork. On the pure domestic flights (flight coded MH2xxx), smaller tray was used. So now you can see how the standard at Malaysia Airlines has gone down the drain since the last two years.

This is the rear galley located just below the tail of the aircraft

Another Economy Class cabin view

This is the Business Class cabin which Malaysia Airlines calls "Golden Club Class". This type of seat was introduced back in 2005 and it goes fully flat when fully reclined (angled fully flat).

Another view of the Golden Club Class cabin on the Boeing 777-200ER

Yet another one ...

This is the cabin crew rest area which is located in the cargo hold area below doors 3L and 3R. There are a total 7 crew bunks in here and the stairs leading to this crew rest area is located behind seats 27F/27G/27H. This crew rest area is used only on long-haul flight.

This is the pilot crew rest area and it is different from the one shown before. This one is located behind the cockpit area near door 1L. There are only two beds in here.

So freaking messy ...

Diaper changing board

This picture is mainly to show you just how big this lavatory is. This is the one and only disabled friendly lavatory available on this aircraft and it is located in the Economy Class cabin behind seats 26J and 26K. Plenty of space inside.

Back to my seat. This is yet another perk for flying on an international flight operated by a twin-aisle aircraft such as the Airbus A330-300 or Boeing 777-200ER on the domestic sector. Everyone gets their own complimentary pillow and blanket. You do not have to request for one from the flight attendant. You'll find these on your seat during boarding.

We're almost there ...

6 minutes to go ...

Temperature has somehow gone back to normal again as the plane is descending

Picture taken after landing ...

The Kuala Lumpur-Kota Kinabalu-Tokyo-Kota Kinabalu-Kuala Lumpur has come a long way since its introduction in the early 90s. It used to be routed via Kuching too in its early days. A number of different aircraft types have been deployed on this route. The service started with ...

Boeing 747-200 (phased out in the 90s in favor of the newer, more fuel-efficient with a stretched upperdeck Boeing 747-400)

The McDonald Douglas DC-10-30. It was a hot selling tri-jet in its era. This type of plane has also involved in many major fatal accidents due to a serious design flaw.

And then the McDonald Douglas MD-11. Basically this is an update version of the McDonald Douglas DC-10 featuring a stretched fuselage, increased wingspan, incorporation of winglets, new engines and increased use of composite materials. It also features an all-digital glass cockpit eliminating the necessity of a flight engineer.

The European made Airbus A330-300 was deployed on this route in the late 90s until 2001. The American made Boeing 777-200ER has been used since then.

Anyway, MH81 and MH80 will cease operating into Kota Kinabalu after almost 20 years of service starting this November. Have been flying once a month on these two flights since mid-2002 until mid-2008. No kidding. Can't help myself but feeling a bit nostalgic hehe. The Japanese flight attendants will be missed for sure !

I Dumped RM119 Million at Marina Bay Sands

2010-10-13T10:00:00.005+08:00

This news certainly is ... you've got to be kidding me ! The most interesting part would be the guy that lost S$50 Million (RM119 Million approx) at the Singapore casino is a Sabahan and guess what ? He had fully settled his debt and did not even make a noise about it. So there you go, S$50 Million contributed to the Singaporean economy as if it was a mere S$50. Imagine if S$50 Million is instead given to those poor souls with serious illness ? What a huge difference he can make. Imagine if he gives me the money, you all can stop listening to me complaining about the expensive iPhone 4 already.

Marina Bay Sands Singapore

Can't Get My Mind Off You

2010-10-11T01:41:00.004+08:00

Argh ... think i caught the iPhone bug. Hand is getting itchy ... shoot !!! Played with Paul's iPhone 3GS a few months ago. It's the coolest gadget i've ever come across. Bet the iPhone 4 is even cooler ...

Don't be fooled by the advertisement above. You have to pay way more ... the real price is not exactly too hard to resist. But still ... my hand is itchy ... guess i'll have to see a dermatologist ... argh !!! I am poisoned !!!

放手

2010-09-16T21:07:00.002+08:00

众位好友中，有数位对人生情感比较执著。其实执著并非一件坏事。一般比较执著的人都是一些比较重感情、感性的人。话虽如此，有时候诺太过于执著只会坏事。久而久之，对彼此产生反感。做人嘛有时候就是要潇洒些。适当时要懂得放手。就当着帮帮自己，给与自己一个呼吸空间，找回自我。朋友，放手吧！

这首歌曲的名称其实不是 “放手”，而是 “爱不疚”。这首曲子从推出至今虽已两年之久，但是好歌就是不怕旧。在这送献给大家。

Unite Against Racism

2010-08-20T15:48:00.003+08:00

To all racists, if you cannot tolerate your own kind (in different colors), you are no different than low life creature ; Brand yourself as BINATANG !!!

Don't Judge Too Quickly

2010-08-05T15:09:00.002+08:00

Just focus starting from 0.57 minute till the end of the video clip. NEVER EVER JUDGE TOO QUICKLY !

Crossing The Border

2010-08-02T18:33:00.003+08:00

If you cross the North Korean border illegally

you will be forced into 12 years of hard labor

If you cross the Iranian border illegally

you will be detained indefinitely

If you cross the Afghan border illegally

you'll get shot

If you cross the Saudi Arabian border illegally

you will be jailed

If you cross the Chinese border illegally

people may never hear from you ever again

If you cross the Venezuelan border illegally

you will be branded as spy and jailed for life

If you cross the Cuban border illegally

you will be thrown into political jail to rot

If you cross the British border illegally

you will be arrested, sent to prison, prosecuted and then deported

However, if you're either an Indonesian or Filipino crossing the Malaysian border illegally, you will get :

- My PR (Malaysian permanent residency status)

- MyKad (if you are willing to fork out some money)

- A driving license (if you choose to have one)

- Voting rights

- Job reservation

- Special privilege to be legally recognized as Bumiputra

- Credit cards

- Subsidized rent or a loan to buy a house

- Free education

- Free healthcare

- Possible placement into local public higher education instutions

- Entitle for PTPTN

and a whole lot more. Malaysia, what a great country ! Malaysia really BOLEH ya !

Things You Shouldn't do Inside the Cinema

2010-07-20T00:24:00.007+08:00

Every time before a movie starts, there will always be a message telling you to switch off your cellphone so not to interrupt anyone inside the cinema watching the movie. However, most people do not actually switch off their cellphones. Instead, they just set their cellphones on silent mode. Alright, this will do too as long as there is no other sound when a movie is played other than sound from the movie itself or laughters from the audiences.

Anyway, here's the thing. Despite having set their cellphones on silent mode, there will always be some morons answering their cellphones whenever someone calls them. And this is not the only annoying incident i've encountered inside the cinema over and over again.

1. Cellphone

- As mentioned earlier, despite having set their cellphones on silent mode, there will always be morons answering their cellphones in the middle of the movie. May i ask you if you know why every time before a movie starts, there will always be a message asking you to switch off you cellphone ? So people won't hear your stupid or childish ringtone whenever a call or text is coming in ? Yeah, probably but that is not all. They are asking you to switch off your cellphone to prevent you from answering any calls at all so not to interrupt other people who paid for the movie tickets to enjoy a movie in tru-surround sound and not your not-so-beautiful voice. Instead of answering the phone, why can't you just send them a text to tell them that you'll return their calls later ?

2. Smartass Boyfriends

- Every time i go to watch a movie, there will always be these boyfriends who dream to become movie critics. They will talk so much, explain this and that to their girlfriends, telling their girlfriends this scene is stupid and so much more. Seriously dude, is your girlfriend a retard ? Because you sure make her looks like one.

3. Girls Who Talk Nonstop

- While they are many smartass boyfriends, there are just as many annoying girls who can't seem to keep their mouths shut too. They just talk and talk and talk. Sometimes it's about the movie and sometimes it could be other stuffs too totally unrelated to the movie. Oh my God, can someone please duct tape their mouths ?

4. Overly Done Expression

- Sex And The City 2 is rated SX18 because of the uncensored scenes such as the clearly visible woman's nipples and some other stuffs. The most annoying thing is that some girls made the sound "yerrr" or "aahhhh" whenever they see those things. Not too sure why is that but in my professional opinion, it's either they are having an orgasm or they are brain-damaged. Seriously, do you always make that kind of sounds whenever you are taking a shower ? That surely is a hell lot of orgasm in one day eh ?

¡Viva España!

2010-07-14T22:10:00.013+08:00

I was in KL last weekend and inside my hotel room, the television set in there has this Spanish television channel named TVE and they kept repeating the scene where the Spanish team scored a goal during the match with Germany. They also kept repeating the scene where Paul the octopus picked Spain over Netherlands for the last ever match. This surely caught my attention as i've heard and read a lot about this Paul the octopus.

So, believe it or not, i actually stayed awake until 2.30am (12 July 2010, GMT +8) just to see the match. Football is just not my cup of tea but i was really interested to know if Paul the octopus will indeed nail it for the 8th consecutive time. And of course, i was rooting for Spain during the whole duration of the match. Anyone would be stupid not too ... even the Dutch knew the Spaniards are the favorites. Robin van Persie admitted this during an interview a day before the match.

Anyway, i really did glue myself to the television from start till the whistle was blown signaling the end of FIFA 2010 around 4.45am (GMT +8). Never have i thought the match will go on for so long and it has started to become very boring that i no longer root for any particular team and all i wanted was either team just kick one ball in and voilà, the match ends and i can finally go to bed. Then all of a sudden, a ball was goaled in the last 4 minutes of the extra time. Even Queen Sofia was shocked because somehow, i guess everyone was really annoyed and bored already since it's been so long since the match started yet no one scores a ball until now. Yayyyyyyyy !!! Paul the octopus was right !!!

It was my first time watching the entire football match. Will i do it again ? Bet you i will ! It is actually quite a fun sport and i'll watch a football match over basketball any day !

By the way, aren't footballers supposed to be very tough ? Am i the only one who seems to think that they purposely fall down most of the time ? Because the screaming and facial expression they did were all over the top. That was just cheap ! I will go to Brazil to go for the FIFA 2014 and this is exactly what i'll be doing (see below).

And here you go, the man who made Reino de España proud, Andres Iniesta.

And below is the captain of the Spanish team, Iker Casillas who kissed her girlfriend right in front of live national television right after they won the game.

How the Hell Did He Do that ?

2010-07-12T19:47:00.004+08:00

It surely did catch everyone's attention passing by ... The guy in the video is a Dutch illusionist, Mr. Ramana. He was hired by Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij (KLM Royal Dutch Airlines) to demonstrate just how comfy the new Economy Comfort is ... but the thing is ... there wasn't even a chair.

This video was shot in Manchester Airport, UK.

Losing Your Virginity

2010-06-29T00:35:00.006+08:00

I've long been wondering if the stories of all the American high school TV series i've been watching in the last 10 years are in any way over-exaggerated. Yeah ... it's been that long and i guess i have finally found the answer to my curiosity. I understand that the answer we get here today may not apply to everyone in the West in general but i suppose the reality shouldn't be too far off.

This video clip i am about to show you guys was recorded from a Taiwanese talk show. So, where you may have seen the guy being interviewed in the video ? You probably have seen him in a few Taiwanese idol dramas and several Taiwainese talk shows on Astro. His name is Godfrey Tsao. His real Chinese name is 曹志翔 but he is using the stage name 高以翔 in Taiwan. He was born in Taiwan but migrated to Vancouver, Canada when he was 10-year-old. Malaysia is no stranger to him as he used to come to Malaysia a lot when he was young because his mother is a Malaysian. His father on the other hand, is a true Shanghainese, born and bred in the Mainland China (PRC).

Anyway, from what we've seen on tv is that most people in the West first encountered sex when they were still adolescents. So, how true is that ? Find out in the video clip below. The main point is between 0:30 - 1.30. After you've watched the video clip, please click on the "comment" of this post.

BKI-SIN-TPE-PVG-TPE-SIN-BKI

2010-06-27T20:53:00.006+08:00

KOTA KINABALU - SINGAPORE

Date : 1 September 2010

Flight No : MH637 (**transit in Kuching)

STD : 1000

STA : 1330

Class : Economy

A/C Type : 734

SINGAPORE - TAIPEI
Date : 6 September 2010

Flight No : BR226

STD : 1310

STA : 1745

Flying Hour : 4 hours 35 minutes

Class : Elite Class (Premium Economy)

A/C Type : 77W

TAIPEI - SHANGHAI

Date : 12 September 2010

Flight No : CI501

STD : 0905

STA : 1050

Flying Time : 1 hour 45 minutes

Class : Economy

A/C Type : 744

SHANGHAI - TAIPEI

Date : 18 September 2010

Flight No : CI502

STD : 1205

STA : 1350

Flying Time : 1 hour 45 minutes

Class : Economy

A/C Type : 744

TAIPEI - SINGAPORE

Date : 19 September 2010

Flight No : BR225

STD : 0740

STA : 1200

Flying Time : 4 hours 20 minutes

Class : Elite Class (Premium Economy)

A/C Type : 77W

SINGAPORE - KOTA KINABALU
Date : 20 September 2010

Flight No : MH639 (**transit in Kuching)

STD : 1335

STA : 1715

Class : Economy

A/C : 734

Black and White

2010-06-25T13:10:00.003+08:00

This song is best listened to with the volume of your headphone tuned to the absolute maximum. It has a real nice and meaningful lyrics. The name of the song is 《無賴正義》 sung by 趙又挺 (Mark Cao) and "Color Band".

It is the main opening theme song for the drama called "Black and White" 《痞子英雄》. I was never a fan of any of the Taiwanese idol drama series as i've always thought they can't act and everything is just so fake but this particular drama is unlike any other Taiwanese idol drama series. As a matter of fact, i don't even think this drama is produced by the same production company which usually uses all the new artists who are mostly better off just focus on their singing career instead of acting.

Anyway, here you go.

好胜 = 变态

2010-06-23T00:56:00.007+08:00

其實好勝跟本就是一種心理疾病。好聽點嘛就叫著心病。直接點嘛叫著變態。

這麽多位好友之中，沒一個是不好勝的。那當然我承認，我也不例外。什麽樣的人就跟什麽樣的人混在一塊兒。

好勝使一個人變得恐怖。好勝的行爲往往把一個人變得不擇手段。爲了更上一層樓，什麽都做得出來，甚至連親情也沒得談。人變得越來越沒體育精神，總是怕輸，甚至可抹黑事實，出賣友情。

我們擺脫得了好勝的行爲嗎？老實說，這不太可能了。畢竟大家都長大了，人越老越愛臉。加上世界沒往年那麽平凡，思想沒當初那麽單純，環境也不允許。我們離開童年實在太久了。

您成年的生活過得如何？您可還認識您自己嗎？不覺得這世界很虛僞嗎？

Migrating Soon

2010-06-17T20:20:00.003+08:00

Yes. I'll be migrating soon. And just so we're clear, i am talking about my blog.

I opened up another new blog approximately one and a half months ago. I've been trying out a few new layouts and background designs and still have not come across anything i fancy. Since i am no expert, it is going to take some time before the actual migration takes place. So, until everything is up and running, the new blog shall remain off-limits to the public.

Anyway, i just want to give you guys a heads up ... and also i because i want to trick you guys into believing that i'll be migrating to a new country soon when you guys see the post title ... haha !

IT'S A BOY !!!

2010-06-15T00:57:00.000+08:00

Jews vs Moslem

2010-05-26T01:33:00.003+08:00

I don't speak portuguese but i do get the message the producer tries to convey in the tv commercial below. The tv commercial below is made for the largest private bank in Brazil, Itáu Unibanco. It is by far the best tv commercial i've seen to date.

German Driver vs French Driver

2010-05-12T14:53:00.003+08:00

I can be a real good French driver !

CANCELED

2010-05-06T17:40:00.005+08:00

I hereby officially announce the cancellation of my 6-day trip to Singapore in May. And now begin the rants ...

This trip was planned way back in January 2009 but it was not until November 2009 that we finalized everything. Initially it was all talk with no concrete intention or plan to go but then, one morning in early November 2009, i received a call from Nyet Yung telling me that she is going to buy a ticket to Hong Kong for travel in June or July 2010. Apparently the annual Air Asia RM0 fare sales was back again !

Nyet Yung was planning to go there with a group of friends from her workplace and that includes our friend and now her ex-boss, Paul Chee. However, while we were having drinks at Starbucks Warisan Square that night, she received a bad news that the trip is cancelled. Then, all of a sudden, we just decided we wanted to go Singapore. We managed to get Corinne onboard. So basically we just have to buy the tickets now.

It's been a few days since the Air Asia's crazy sales started but we were lucky. We managed to secure the RM0 seats both ways. After adding up all the applicable taxes, luggage fees and meals, each of us had to pay only RM141.

But then ... someone selfish *ahmm* simply decided she doesn't want to go. Frustrated and disgruntled, i decided to carry on with my plan anyway. I've been checking the hotel room rate almost everyday since. Since it means that i will now be going alone instead, the expenses would be much higher than initially budgeted. I've had my second thoughts all this while but i really could use some vacation now, so i was pretty serious about doing it all alone.

It was part of my plan to meet up with Ah Lai, Law Lee Hui and someone while in Singapore. However, i got a call from her and she told me that she'll be coming to Kota Kinabalu instead on either 20th or 21st of May. It totally clashes with my outbound flight which is due to leave on the 20th. I guess she just did me a favor and now i really had no choice but to forgo the ticket to Singapore/Changi. At least i do not have to worry about where to stay or where to get the funding to fund my trip to Singapore anymore.

Anyway, it wasn't cool at all that someone simply back out from something he or she has already committed to. It's really irresponsible and selfish. You do not just abandon ship. That is not how we should live our lives.

Life

2010-04-29T22:40:00.004+08:00

There are places i remember

All my life, though some have changed

Some forever not for better

Some have gone and some remain

All these places have their moments

With families and friends i still can recall

Some are dead and some are living

I know i'll never lose affection

For people and things that went before

I know i'll often stop and think about them

Life ...

...

Spartacus : Blood and Sand

2010-04-26T01:15:00.004+08:00

This looks really good ! This really looks like HBO Channel material. 13 episodes have been produced to date and Starz (the tv producing this series) has also renewed the series for a second season. However, the lead actor, Andy Whitfield who plays Spartacus in this series was recently being diagnose with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHLs). It is a kind of blood cancer. So the second season is kind of in jeopardy now with its premiere date undecided.

Below is the trailer of Spartacus : Blood and Sand. The video is available in high-definition mode. Please click on the video twice. You'll be redirected (opens in a new window) to youtube site and make sure you select "720p". Hope you'll find this as interesting as i do.

Blockbuster Deals

2010-04-24T16:35:00.008+08:00

TM is having a promotion again. This time it's called "BLOCKBUSTER DEALS" and the installation fee (RM50) and one-time activation fee (RM80) are all waived ! Sounds good eh ?

I signed up for Streamyx 1Mbps sometime back in the second quarter of 2006 for RM99/month (inclusive of modem). Just a year later, i terminated it and signed up for a new one as the new package was a lot cheaper and it also came with a free modem for a mere RM77/month with a minimum subscription period of 24-month. The contract expired sometime in the first half of last year and i've been paying RM88/month (normal rate) since. My house fixed line is on the RM38/month Voice Deal package (this package had a different name then but it is now known as Voice Deal). So overall, i am actually paying no less than RM126/month to TM.

The combined packages i am currently subscribed to is no different than the BB DEAL 1Mbps which is priced at only RM110/month. I am now thinking to cancel all my current subscriptions so i can subscribe to the new, cheaper package. The new package also comes with a free WiFi modem which i think is a sweet deal. There is one problem though. My current computer doesn't have a WiFi card. Crap !

This gives me a perfect excuse to buy a laptop (a plan that i've put on hold for close to two years) as fast as humanly possible. I am seriously considering either an Acer or SONY VAIO. Am leaning more towards the latter though. Probably will get either a black or white one ... White resembles a MacBook but i think black is probably a lot classier, like an Armani suit. After all, what is the point of getting a fake MacBook anyway ? If it ain't no Apple then it ain't no Apple regardless of the similarities the two might share.

Ticking

2010-04-06T20:58:00.002+08:00

Tick-tock tick-tock

The time is running out fast

There is no room for error

It is now or never !

What's in My Wallet Version 2

2010-03-23T15:16:00.000+08:00

Here's what in my wallet as of March 2010. The first version which was posted in August last year is here.

I bought this wallet at Parkson Pavillion KL back in early December 2008 and only started using it in September last year. It is a Pierre Cardin wallet.

Financial cards shown above (left then right) :

HSBC VISA
HSBC MasterCard
HSBC Savings Account ATM Card
HSBC Checking Account ATM Card
Public Bank PLUS Savings Account ATM-cum-VISA Debit Card
AMBank Savings Account ATM Card

That's a censored picture of me with someone. Beneath the picture is my Federation of Malaysia identification card and driver's license (not shown above).

My membership cards :

Times Bookstores Privilege Card
Jaya Jusco J-Card
ISETAN of Japan Department Store (Malaysia branch) members card

Cash inside money slots :

2x RM1 bill
3x RM10 bill
1x USD1 bill
3x RM50 bill