About Me

I have done a lot of things in my life and have also worked in many different jobs to make a living and to experience life. This blog is just some of my musings, sometimes funny, sometimes inspirational, sometimes sad, sometimes angry, sometimes simple but all the time, it's just me.

Friday, October 31, 2008

Going to The Court

Yes, my case is on again. I will be going to The Court and my case will go on for about three and a half months or so.

So, come mid Nov, I'll be flying off to where the world court is, well a suburb of it anyways.

I am quite glad that it happened and I guess I am just letting things be and come along.

I will of course miss wifey a whole bunch. I am glad that she will get a chance to come spend Christmas with me.

I will miss my lil boy Al E Baba a lot and he will not have a chance to spend Christmas with me but he will have his grand-daddy, my pops to spend 3 weeks or so with.

I will miss my friends.

I will miss some activities/events and amongst this I will miss Bu Bu's bibi's birthday, I will miss Adishree's wedding and birthday as well, I will miss Anjali @ Mack's birthday as well.

I will miss my team and honestly my boss as well.

Although I will miss, I would like to say that I am looking forward to this, I am happy, I think that it is a great opportunity and it will just make me cherish what I already have and make me look forward to where I am going.

I will be back, a better man ... a little cliche, so be it.

Send wifey to love me
I need to rest in her arms
Keep me safe from harm
In pouring rain

Give me endless summer
Lord I fear the cold
Feel I'm getting old
Before my time

Lord I'm doing all I can
To be a better man

Go easy on my conscience
cause its not my fault
I know I've been taught
To take the blame

Rest assured my angels
Will catch my tears

Lord Im doing all I can
To be a better man

Once you've found that lover
Youre homeward bound
Love is all around
Love is all around


Take care and be well.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Insomnia



10:30pm - Going to bed and knocked off quite fast
1:00am - some dream wakes me up
1:30am - still awake trying to sleep
1:40am - thirsty, go out for some water
1:50am - still thirsty, get some more water
2:00am - Al E is awake due to me, so put him back to sleep.
2:30am - lying in bed, trying to sleep.
3:00am - still awake, tossing and turning.
3:30am - psycho rooster starts to crow.
4:00am - tossing, turning, trying to sleep.
4:30am - go to the toilet and another drink of water.
5:00am - finally feel sleepy, going to get some zzzzzzzzzzzzz.
5:45am - alarm rings, time to get up, hit the snooze.
5:55am - another snooze.
6:05am - Okay, I am up.
6:40am - friend picks me up to go to work.

Insomnia, used to have problems sleeping but not in a long time.

I am tossing around
Static rising from blanket
Noise from the street
Street lamp flickers
Throat is dry
Feels like Tom Waits
The a/c is spewing hot air
I am barely clothed
Sweating and tossing
Thinking and turning
Drinking and gulping
Al E is barking
Trying to fall asleep
But I lie awake
Next to wifey
and her warmth
Insomnia, Insomniac
Insomniacs Insomnia
Tired and eyes are heavy
Finally fall in slumber
But the alarm rings
And yet another day begins
Insomnia, Insomniac
Insomniacs Insomnia

Take care and be well.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

On again, off again, on again ....

And just as the sun sets
Just as we will forget these precious moments when another day is through
And just as the moon knows
It cannot always glow through every evening
Some days you will find me sleeping
Cause I’m on again and off again
I never told you I never will
Cause I’m on again and off again
If I can’t hold you somebody will
Love is like the ocean forever in motion forever changing never twice the same
You may miss me one day
You may wish you hadn’t stayed
You may forget me
You may never let me go
Cause it’s on again and off again
I never told you I never will
Cause it’s on again and off again
If I can’t hold you somebody will
On again and off again
I never told you I never will
Cause I’m on again and off again
If I can’t hold you somebody will



It is finally on again, and I am on again too ....

Take care and be well.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

The piano's been drinking & the carpet needs a haircut

My office laptop hard disk drive crashed - barely 3 months have I had it.

I think I would have lost quite a bit of data, although back-ups were done, a minimum of 2-3 weeks of data is surely gone.

Furthermore, my email PST files I believe were saved locally.

It was working fine in Kuala Lumpur until Saturday afternoon. But when I turned it on in Miri on Sunday, it was kaput.




The piano has been drinking, my necktie is asleep
And the combo went back to New York, the jukebox has to take a leak
And the carpet needs a haircut, and the spotlight looks like a prison break
And the telephone's out of cigarettes, and the balcony is on the make
And the piano has been drinking, the piano has been drinking...

And the menus are all freezing, and the light man's blind in one eye
And he can't see out of the other
And the piano-tuner's got a hearing aid, and he showed up with his mother
And the piano has been drinking, the piano has been drinking
As the bouncer is a Sumo wrestler cream-puff casper milktoast
And the owner is a mental midget with the I.Q. of a fence post
'Cause the piano has been drinking, the piano has been drinking...

And you can't find your waitress with a Geiger counter
And she hates you and your friends and you just can't get served without her
And the box-office is drooling, and the bar stools are on fire
And the newspapers were fooling, and the ash-trays have retired
'Cause the piano has been drinking, the piano has been drinking
The piano has been drinking, not me, not me, not me, not me, not me


Thomas Alan Waits (born 7 December 1949) is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car." With this trademark growl, his incorporation of pre-rock styles such as blues, jazz, and vaudeville, and experimental tendencies verging on industrial music, Waits has built up a distinctive musical persona.

B commented, He has a way of reaching in to my scrawny rib-cage with his dirty, motor-oil stained fist, wrapping it around my heart, yanking it out, shaking it in front of my gawking eyes, splattering me with my own blood and screaming at me " THIS IS YOU, THIS IS YOU B, TAKE A LONG, LONG HARD LOOK...THIS IS YOU."

I have now listened to 6 of Tom Wait albums and concur, Waits has a way of reaching into my soul, my heart, my mind - all in a good way, allowing me to take a good long look at myself and allowing me to move on.

In all seriousness, it's the piano that's been drinking, not me although I do need a drink soon!
Arghhhhhhhhhhhh!
Take care and be well.

Monday, October 27, 2008

Diwali or Deepavalli?

Deepavalli or Diwali - makes no difference, same thing, different terms, festival of lights, triumph of good over evil.

However, Diwali does not exist in Sarawak, only state that it does not exist.

It exists in all other states (including Sabah) as well as Federal Territories but not Sarawak.

In Miri, the malls have already started on their Christmas decorations.

Anyway, not making any arguments here nor looking for a debate.

As I am here, I will work on Diwali as well as the Gujarati New Year Day. But celebrate I will, in my own little way.

And just to give you a small glimpse of Diwali, I embed 2 Diwali YouTube videos here to get some spirit of the festival.

Happy Diwali everyone, may your life be filled with light always.

I hope for Diwali that my life will be filled with divine light for me to find some inner peace within myself, to be happy and calm in everything that I do no matter how bad or frustrating it may be to do it. To give only love and feel only love for others and myself.





Take care and be well.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Would you like chicken or chicken?

Only in Malaysia and only in Malaysian Airlines.

I had to take a double take.

When I was going to KL a few days ago, the meal was served and the stewaredess went around asking, "Would you like chicken with tomato rice or chicken with butter rice?"

Wow, 2 options, chicken or chicken!

On my way back today, the stewardess went around asking, "Our option today is chicken with spagetti or chicken with rice, what would you like?"

Hmmmmmm, let me think about that for a while. I just can't decide, should I have chicken or maybe I will have chicken!!!!

Lucky for me I am vegetarian and always book special meals in advance.

Chicken or chicken? No thanks, I'll have my vege meal .... does that come with vege chicken as well?

Take care and be well.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Keep Your Head

The Ting Tings - no not the ones in Shell, yes there is Teresa, William and Molly and many Tings in Shell but no, the Ting Tings are not them.

The Ting Tings are an English indie pop band, consisting of two members: Jules De Martino (drums, guitar, vocals) and Katie White (vocals, guitar, bass drum).

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!


by Rudyard Kippling (1895)

The Ting Tings Keep Your Head (2008)


Take care and be well.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Coffee and Cigarettes with B

Thanks B for the coffee and cigarettes (well you had the cigarettes) and the rawa thosai and roti telur. But mainly thanks for the talk and just being there.

You are truly a friend in need and friend indeed and thanks for sharing.

(BTW, Coffee and Cigarettes is a 2003 independent film directed by Jim Jarmusch. The film consists of eleven short stories which share coffee and cigarettes as a common thread. One of it, Somewhere in California, Filmed in 1993 as the short Coffee and Cigarettes - Somewhere in California segment, musicians Iggy Pop and Tom Waits smoke cigarettes to celebrate that they quit smoking, drink some coffee and have an awkward conversation. Tom tells Iggy that in reality he's a doctor. Then Iggy tells Tom that he knows of an industrial-style drummer with a "hard, banging" sound that Tom should check out. Waits gets slightly aggravated and asks Iggy if he thinks his records suck. If you want to view it, check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6Mw6b1T50U)

What better song to dedicate to you than this, something we discussed as you dropped me off:-



Take care and be well.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Who is my bridge over troubled water?

When I am down and out,
When tears are in my eyes,
Who will confort me, who will be my bridge?

Wifey is there
Listening, Caring, Concerned, Bothered
In my pursuit of Happyness
in my pursuit of Honor

Sometimes there are rapids
Sometimes there are waterfalls
Sometimes there a tidal waves
But always
There is a way
Another light shines through
I find another way

Sometimes, I need another bridge, because sometimes wifey needs a bridge.

I guess I can depend on my friends, my true friends in Miri ... thanks. Just lay yourself down cause I need a bridge.

I will always be your bridge.

Take care and be well.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Kay El Kay El - I am just so tired

6:50pm Decide to take a drive home in Bangsar from Millennium Hotel, Bukit Bintang
7:00pm Get to my car and drive out of parking
7:30pm Arrive a distance of about 200 meters - on the road, in front of the hotel!!!
8:00pm Arrive somewhere behind Maybank HQ
8:30pm Arrive near the old railway station
9:00pm Arrive home in Bangsar Baru

2 hours on the road, after whole day of not having eaten and just drinking water, then reaching home to eat dinner with dad.

Reach home, and no dad.

He comes in about 15 minutes later, quite tipsy and slobbering his words.

Not that I mind my dad going out with his friends, I do it time and again but I never renegade on a promise unless it is a matter of life and death.

After having not eaten all day, after having a busy day, after being bloody hungry and having a headache, after driving for 2 hours in the bloody jam, I ate dinner alone some crappy food.

Reason I say crappy is that it was just not that good and I had diarrhea immediately after that

Came in from Miri yesterday. No taxi in airport but many many hustlers offering taxi service.

I really am beginning to dislike KL as a city, every time I come here, I get sick physically as well as just sick of this place.

It has a lot to offer as a city and overall is a nice place but the traffic, the snatch thieves, the illegal trades are just increasing and the police nor the government are bothered about this.

New York, Mumbai, Sydney, Chicago all have their jams but they have a good public transportation system. When in New York, I never once took a taxi, similar to the other cities I mentioned.

Working in city center would just mean working much longer hours, like coming to work early before the jams and leaving office late to avoid the jams. By the time you get home, you have to make significant effort to be nice.

I sms'd my wifey, I will never in my life work in KL city center, never, ever. The golden triangle is off limits for my choice of work.

I feel sorry and sympathetic for those who have to work in the city center, wifey did for years and quite a number of my friends do and seems like Mack will be working in the city center next year.

Take care and be well.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Pick the Brain

Had Face to Face and one on one sessions with my team members.

I think I need to set this as a regular thing - maybe once every 6 to 8 weeks.

It is important to pick their brains, see what is going on, what is happening.

Also starting to think about how to motivate a team, how to motivate people.

I have quite a mature team but motivation is needed.

I believe, as my boss does, that money is not motivating, it can be demotivating.

So, need to find creative and successful motivation methods.

Doing things within my means.

Did some research on the Internet - there are more joke site on motivation than real sites. Sigh!

It is sometimes the subtle things that require the most effort.

Communication, Honesty and Integrity - it has to start from there.

Now, the question lies, how do I motivate myself?

Take care and be well.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Weekend on a Scooter

Yeah!

Ahhhhhhhhhh...

Allright, crew! It's weeeeeeeekeeeeeeeeeend!!!

Yes!

We're not the monkeys, but we've got the key!

I'm the fast chatter - no one's better than me!

Yeeeah!

So many things to do...

Let's start with

1. Browse the Internet while watching the rain fall and the sun shining on the calm blue waters.

2. Play with Al E Baba.

3. Write my blog.

4. Make breakfast.

5. Meditate to calm the storm that has been brewing in my mind.

6. Make a list of things to do this weekend.

7. Prioritize and do things that can be done rather quickly.

8. Feel a sense of achievement for what has been achieved.

9. Spend some time, really good time with wifey.



Over and out!

Take care and be well.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Bu Bu at Ho Ho Ho for HaHa ppy Birthday

Bu Bu's aka Buang's birthday today.

Not many people around this week and less so this evening, furthermore, Bu Bu being a family oriented person would have some family thingy in the evening.

So, how best to celebrate a birthday in daytime. Told Buang that would take him out for lunch. Worse case, just him and me cause his girl was also expected to be away.

Anyway, to keep it short. 8 friends, simple lunch at Mr Ho's, chocolate fondue, chocolate cheese cake and a nice enough birthday lunch.

Thanks for making it special - anak Laing, Ah Boon, Add and Angin, Mack, Ser and me. Of course Bu Bu as well.

Went to Buang's house in the evening - nice gathering of people, great fun with family and friends, I am now truly a half-Kayan of the long lost Pitem Mi clan, my name is Lejo Pitem.

Finally met Anderson Kallang, the infamous photographer - now can add him in Facebook.

Have a great day, wishing you many more happy years in your life and don't be too much of a andyhead yah.

Take care and be well.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

The answer to the riddle

Had to make some tough decisions
and get the answer to the riddle.

I got two strong arms
Blessings of Babylon
With time to carry on and try
For sins and false alarms
So to the brave
Wise men say

Near a tree by a river
There's a hole in the ground
Where an old man of Aran
Goes around and around
And his mind is a beacon
In the veil of the night
For a strange kind of fashion
There's a wrong and a right

Near a tree by a river
There's a hole in the ground
Where an old man of Aran
Goes around and around
And his mind is a beacon
In the veil of the night
For a strange kind of fashion
There's a wrong and a right
But he'll never
Never fight over you

I got plans for us
Nights in the scullery
And days instead of me
I only know what to discuss
Of for anything but light
Wise men fighting over you

It's not me you see
Pieces of valentine
With just a song of mine
To keep from burning history
Seasons of gasoline and gold

Wise men fold
Near a tree by a river
There's a hole in the ground
Where an old man of Aran
Goes around and around
And his mind is a beacon
In the veil of the night
For a strange kind of fashion
There's a wrong and a right
But he'll never
Never fight over you

I got time to kill
Sly looks in corridors
Without a plan of yours
A blackbird sings on bluebird hill
Thanks to the calling of the wild

Wise men's child

Luak Bay, Rijswijk, KL, SG, Miri.....

The answer to the riddle is not 42, but just a simple Yes.

Take care and be well.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

KKK (Not Ku Klux Klan)

Kupps Killed a K9.

A good friend of mine was driving back and a dog suddenly came out of nowhere and his car hit the K9.

The description was that the dog flew like a Frisbee spinning in the air, likely dead.

The other passenger in the car likely due to the shock cursed all the curse words she has in her vocabulary.

Kupps too was in some level of shock.

Both of them felt pity for the dog.

There was some damage on the car bumper and even some fur on it. No blood and other parts of the organs though.

Funny that most people felt pity for the dog, sometimes to a level more than the driver.

Told him, accidents happen. I am truly glad that both the driver and passenger are not injured in any ways and the damage to the car was not to significant more cosmetic.

While I joke with him about now having eaten dog meat as well as running a dog over and that I am going to keep Al E far away from him, I am truly grateful that they are safe.

As for suicidal dogs and cats, well I don't know why they suddenly run out on the road.

I once hit a deer in USA and the deer rolled over the roof, got up, looked at me like WTF, why the hell did you hit me, stupid humans .... and walked away.

In this situations, I honestly rather have the dog dead than anything more serious happen to my close friends.

Drive carefully, be alert, and if you accidentally hit something, know that it was not your fault or intentional. Accidents happen.

Take care and be well.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

To move or not to move

That is the decision I have to make in the next few weeks.

Pros and cons of moving and staying.

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.

I shall take Descartes advice and divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it.

Resolve it I shall and my family and friends advice, opinions and listening ear I will seek.

Take care and be well.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Dream within a dream

Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream:
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All_ that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.
I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep
While I weep--while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?

Edgar Alan Poe - 1849

Take care and be well.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

In a world gone mad

In a world gone mad
It is hard to think right
Work seems my only escape
Doing the dishes, washing the clothes
Bathing the dog are just another escape
A world gone mad.

In a world gone mad
Things are just so bad
Companies fail and banks foreclose
Wars are started that never end
So much violence, hate and spite
A world gone mad.

In a world gone mad
Politicians care about their own position
Women and children raped and murdered
People laugh at a snatch thief victim
Snatch thieves and pickpockets everywhere
Whores and pimps run the street
A world gone mad.

In a world gone mad
Money money money
Ain't so funny anymore
Cause love peace and happiness no longer
Money makes the world go around
Even banks become the Chetiyars and Ah Longs
A world gone mad

In a world gone mad
The only resolve is to look within yourself
Find the peace and love within you
And share this intimacy with others
Heal the pain and the wounds
Give a hug or a smile
Say good morning and hello, how are you
And a mad world would not be so bad

Take care and be well.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Robbed - The final curtain

Did not feel like going to the store room to check what the thieves stole.

Just felt fed up and like it would make no difference except for being hurt to just look inside.

Finally, I remembered something else that I had put inside.

So, I opened the door, today.

And true to my beliefs, I am more hurt.

Total loss is more than I envisioned while I was away.

I lost 3 valuable gifts, my golf set which was a present from my dad and wifey for birthday, my wife's golf set which was my gift to her, my mountain bike which was a gift to me from dad and wifey again, the landlords old tele, some bags and stuff belonging to my ex neighbours buddy, some small boxes filled with old curtains and a travelling bag.

In terms of value of my personal stuff, just the 2 golf sets and mountain bike was worth 6k. But they were gifts and are truly invaluable because of the memories.

Do not know how much all the other stuff is worth.

And guess what? Well, keep guessing!

Take care and be well.

PS. Previous post is invisible, if you did not realize, just highlight over and check it out.

No comments, No entry??

There is a post here, it is just invisible.


Sometimes we all wish that we disappeared, or how would it be if we did not exist.


Everyone wonders.


Everyone hurts some times.


I wonder, I hurt, I feel the pain.


Everyone says they will not change anything in their lives.


I would, somethings.


But I have no regrets. What is done is done.


Live goes on. Some regrets, but mostly have lead a good happy life.


Living life with honor? Maybe not yet, but I hope to.


Invisible post.

Take care and be well.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Comfortably Numb

Hello,
Is there anybody in there
Just nod if you can hear me
Is there anyone at home
Come on now
I hear you're feeling down
I can ease your pain
And get you on your feet again
Relax
I'll need some information first
Just the basic facts
Can you show me where it hurts

There is no pain, you are receding
A distant ship smoke on the horizon
You are coming through in waves
Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying
When I was a child I had a fever
My hands felt just like two balloons
Now I've got that feeling once again
I can't explain, you would not understand
This is not how I am
I have become comfortably numb

O.K.
Just a little pin prick
There'll be no more aaaaaaaah!
But you may feel a little sick
Can you stand up?
I do believe it's working, good
That'll keep you going through the show
Come on it's time to go.

There is no pain you are receding
A distant ship smoke on the horizon
You are only coming through in waves
Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying
When I was a child
I caught a fleeting glimpse
Out of the corner of my eye
I turned to look but it was gone
I cannot put my finger on it now
The child is grown
The dream is gone
And I have become
Comfortably numb.

(song by Pink Floyd)

Can someone ease my pain?

Take care and be well.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Marvin the Paranoid Android



Am I paranoid?

par·a·noid
–adjective 1. of, like, or suffering from paranoia.
–noun 2. a person suffering from paranoia.

Am I an android?

an·droid
–noun an automaton in the form of a human being.

I am comfortably numb.

Take care and be well.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Unconditional Love

Al E

Forgiving
Comforting
Caring
Playful
Running
Jumping
Living
Providing
Sharing
Giving

Unconditional Love.

When I am really down and nearly out, and wifey is in KL, when tears are in my eyes and my heart feels the pain, Al E, my boy, is there - unconditional love.

Twenty days in the kennel but as soon as I go there, AL E, my boy, immediately recognises me, recognises my smell, recognises my voice and is all over slobering all over my face. No tantrums, no where the hell were you, no barking, no biting - just unconditional love.

Check out WIkipedia entry on unconditional love at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconditional_love

And so it goes ...

Someone mentioned they felt bankrupt.

I wondered, "Bankrupt, what does it mean?"

Sometimes we all feel bankrupt.

And so it goes, and so it goes ...

Bankrupt
–noun
1. Law. a person who upon his or her own petition or that of his or her creditors is adjudged insolvent by a court and whose property is administered for and divided among his or her creditors under a bankruptcy law.
2. any insolvent debtor; a person unable to satisfy any just claims made upon him or her.
3. a person who is lacking in a particular thing or quality: a moral bankrupt.
–adjective 4. Law. subject to or under legal process because of insolvency; insolvent.
5. at the end of one's resources; lacking (usually fol. by of or in): bankrupt of compassion; bankrupt in good manners.
6. pertaining to bankrupts or bankruptcy.

–verb (used with object)
7. to make bankrupt: His embezzlement bankrupted the company.

—Synonyms
destitute, impoverished.

And so it goes and so it goes and so will you soon I suppose.

Take care and be well.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Road to perdition

Just got back to Miri Resort City.

Thanks Buang for picking me up at the airport - flight was delayed by more than 30 minutes, so, arrival plus immigration plus bag - I was out around 10pm ++.

Had to drive to Wheels to pick up my house keys and drove back alone to my house here.

Reached home total darkness, absolutely no lights while house around me were illuminated.

Another attempt? I wondered.

Drudged up the stairs carefully with only the light of my phone.

While opening the door, I could have sworn I heard some movement in the house.

Dare I go in - in total darkness, unaware of what was beyond the door?

Heart beating faster, wife on the line, a silent prayer and the key goes in the keyhole.

Then I hear it.

A bark, Al E's bark!

How could it be?

He is for sure not in the house.

The spirit of Al E welcomed me home.

While it was in total darkness, I relaxed a bit.

Lighted some candles, tried to check the fuse and called the landlord who lives nearby.

He figured out one of the fuse was out, 95% of the lights are back on and the house is illuminated.

Cook some Maggi dinner, eat it with some root beer, speak to my lovely wife and off to sleep.

Tomorrow is yet another day, another day in Miri, sometimes seems like my road to perdition.

I will be back to work, Al E will be back home, some company at least until wife come over.

I miss him dearly, I am certain he does too.

Take care and be well.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Back to Kuala Lumpur

So many things to do, where do I start?

Why do I ave more than 200 emails in less than 3 weeks especially when people know I am away?

Why are there so many things to do?

How am I going to carry more than 30kgs of stuff back to Miri on Air Asia?

How is Al E boy?

How long is Pappa going to be in India?

Why have I only slept 4 hours in the last 36 hours?

Do I have jet lag?

So many things, so little time.

Do it do it do it do it do it ....

Arghhhhhhhhhhh . . . I need a holiday. But wait, didn't I just come back from one?

Take care and be well.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Al-Qāhirah, Masr

Al-Qāhirah or Cairo - last few days

Day 10
Arrived from Aswan to Cairo on an early flight. This is Egypt, my I arrived at around 8:15am and my bag arrived in the next flight . . . this is Al-Qāhirah, Masr.

Anyway, quite fed-up, angry and disappointed especially when I call Egypt Air to find out my original flight has not been cancelled. That will be a different story all together.

Went on the the Internet to see whether I could change my flight to an earlier flight and even called the airlines via an international call but to no avail, I am stuck here.

Supposed to go out later with our guide and wife but cancelled and just ate at the restaurant in the hotel.

Did not do much and just some R&R at the hotel.

Day 11
We did our own thing. We went into town. Went to Nile Hilton. Then spend quite sometime in Khan El Khalili.

Later, we spend some time with the guide and wife - this time my treat. We opened fast in a restaurant called Felfela. After the dinner, the guide dropped us off to the hotel so that he could do his prayers.

Then he and his wife picked us up again at 10pm. We went to Khan El Khalili again and tried to do some shopping but could not get everything we wanted.

We then sat in Al Fishawi cafe which is a cafe that goes back more than 300 years in a market that goes back more than 600 years.

We got back to our hotel at 3am. Nice fun night.

Day 12
The tour company decided to throw in some freebies due to their screw-ups.

We did out last minute shopping to Funky Brothers, Khan El Kalili and then waited in NIle Hilton.

I am beginning to really like Khan El Khalili - Egypts very own Chinatown or Petaling Street but started in 1382 - yes 626 years ago and still existing.

Tour company picked us up a little late due to unbelievable traffic jams.

Went for a fantastic Fellucca ride on the Nile by sunset. Fellucca's are sail boats that are designed similar to the times of Pharoahs.

After the ride, went up to Cairo tower and saw Cairo by night. Similar to KL tower and as nice.

AFter that, went on a Nile river dinner cruise with all the entertainment including Belly dancing.

Yes, I belly danced, the dancer pulled me and I did some of my moves.

Dinner was bad but it was a nice fun night overall.

Day 13
Got up late and spent some time with our guide and his wife again.

They picked us up after 12 and then we went to Funky Brothers for just a while and then went to the Citadel which is an area that was created by Salah al-Din and then refurbished by Mohamad Ali (not the boxer).

It was a hot hot day, so, we decided to go to a airconditioned mall called Twin Stars - it is twice the size of KLCC Suria.

For break of fast, we went to eat Koushary at Al Tharir again. This time I made sure not to add the hot hot chili oil that got me in trouble the last time.

After dinner, we went for ice cream in a typical Egyptian place.

And after ice cream, we had Egyptian tea and I caved in. I had Sheesha with Apple flavour. I actually liked smoking the Sheesha - quite mild and interesting flavor.

After which we decided to call it a night.

Day 14
An easy day, got up late, enjoyed the morning in the hotel and then took the noon free bus to the city. Had a simple lunch at the Nile Hilton again then went for a walk by the Nile.

We walked all the way to Hyatt hotel and then called our regular Hani "Alonso" in his 27 year old Renault to send us back to our hotel to pack out bags.

Called room service for dinner and just packed the bags.

Day 15
Up at 6am, breakfast, the off to the aiport at 9:3am.

Total bag weight for 2 bags = 53kgs. Total overweight charge = A big smile and a Eid Mubarak wish.

Somehow, really looking forward to get back home.

Take care and be well.