On the way back from the Sungai Merab area, where the PLUS highway intersects with the ELITE highway right by the exit to Universiti Putra Malaysia, the traffic slowed down considerably. This was strange because I’ve never experienced a traffic jam of this magnitude before at this particular location. Which leads me to believe something’s up front. [[image:toppledtruck00.jpg:Highway blues:center:0]] The road curves downward before climbing back up, and I lost sight of the road before me. [[image:toppledtruck01.jpg:Closer:center:0]] Then finally, TA-DAAHH! [[image:toppledtruck02.jpg:On its side:center:0]] But don’t worry. The drivers were fine although they looked a bit dazed crouching on the far side of the wreck, waiting for assistance to arrive.
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A New Baby For Hanim and Awie
Young Aisyah has a new brother! Abdul Qayyum bin Mohd Zawawi was born to Hanim and Awie at 0715 hours on the 22nd of April. We went a-visiting the newborn and his family and took a photo. Irfan tried to wink at the camera and he’s almost got the wink down pat. Almost.
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Writing From The Phone
Out of the most futuristic, science fiction type devices to enjoy a boost in technological development and application is Alex Bell’s baby: the telephone. This post is bought to you from my mobile phone.
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A Night Out In The City…
… and the city is known as Tehran. Last week I spent a better part of a week (for work purposes) in Iran. The first photo of the entry two days ago showed Azadi Tower of Tehran, close to Mehrabad Airport, which now only handles domestic flights. Tehran was a bustling city, there were plenty of Peugeot cars as well as their national Khodro cars. It seemed to me that it’s actually safer in Tehran than in Kuala Lumpur. I saw plenty of young women walking alone, presumably back from work with their briefcases, at night. I wouldn’t walk alone at some places in KL’s inner city. There were many malls in the city much like the ones in central KL, selling everything from Gucci to Versace. Families with infants and preschoolers walk the streets at night to have dinner at the many fast food outlets there. Everyone was friendly, […]
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Where Have I Been?
The last week or so, I have been on a trip. Any guesses as to where? It’s in the Middle East, populated by friendly folk, and the food is fantastic. Here are four photos all laid out to be more clues to the location. Stay tuned for the answer as well as more photos.
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Movie Standees Get More Creati- HOLY CRAP THE FEDORA!
So here we have a crate. There’s a fedora and a whip hanging on its top corners. And it’s apparently the property of one Dr. Jones. Suitcase looks like it’s been to places like Cairo, Berlin and Venice. Will adventure have that name again this May 22nd? I really, really hope so.
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And now it’s Yope’s turn!
February 1st, the day that Wilayah Persekutuan gets off, Hisham graced us with his presence thirty-five years ago. (Well, I wasn’t there at the time) Happy Birthday, bro! May you be happy and healthy always. You’ve been the best brother anyone could ever ask for, and thanks for being there for us. Love yas. *p.s. – I know the entry says February 2nd, but it is STILL February 1st over here, k? 🙂
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Oh, For the Thirty-Third Time!
Happy Birthday Missus Renstrom. You’ve made it this far, now keep swimming another 33 years and more to get your prize at the end. Which according to Sree is a pair of Eastern European leather shoes on sale. Also, Happy 36th Anniversary Atok and Opah Irfan! Ain, Irfan and I thank you for your love and support all these years.
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The Last Time…
… I saw my phone was when I powered it down before getting on the flight at Gate 316, Stuttgart Airport. So long, faithful communication device. That ought to teach me to bring my mobile phone with me everywhere. What?
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The Mercedes-Benz Museum
After the second day of training, we were all brought on a bus through the cold but sunny afternoon weather from our training centre out near Hausen to the city of Stuttgart where we came upon this futuristic looking building: The Mercedes-Benz Museum. The entrance door of the museum greeted us like some Federation building of the 23rd century. After paying for the tickets you have to take the awesome looking lift there which will transport you to the top floor. From there you will have to slowly walk down the building which is engineered in a double helix structure on the outer walls, taking you past some fantastic Mercedes-Benz vehicles from old to new. There are also pictures on the wall that show famous historical events pertaining to the era of the cars featured. From 1895 is the Benz Omnibus. It only goes up to 12mph so I have […]
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Kehren Sie Nach Deutschland Zurück
It was a cold Sunday morning when we arrived in Germany. It wasn’t as cold as it was two Februaries ago when snow surrounded Munich airport, but it was chilly enough for a bunch of Malaysians. But instead of staying over at Tiefenbronn (which was close by) I was given a room at Hotel-Gasthof Hirsch. And no, I can’t speak, read or write in German. The title came about after a quick visit to an free online translator website. Here I am freezing my butt off on a Sunday afternoon, when the town seemed as if it was totally deserted. I wish Kuala Lumpur would be like this every Sunday morning: The Hirsch is a series of three buildings. The middle and the main building (where reception and the restaurant is situated) is where the sign hangs with the figure of the hart. The balcony is connected to Sudriman’s room. […]
Continue readingFirst a Book Review, Then a Painful Yelp
Here is a blog entry in two parts. The first is a review of a book. The second relates a tale that happens the day after the book had been finished. But first, I will complain that my car’s transmission, when engaged, will squeal like a dog but only for a second. Now on with the blog entry. A Collection of Four Tales, Each Attributed to a Season of a Year [[image:seasons01.jpg:Different Seasons by Stephen King:left:0]]Stephen King might write what critics consider the fast food of literature, as documented in the opening paragraph of this essay by Marylaine Block. Why settle for a Big Mac when you can savour cuisine? But Stephen King undeniably serves a very tasty Big Mac. I have experienced two tales told in Different Seasons before, but as movies instead of the written word. I have seen the adaptation of Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption […]
Continue readingThe Smell of Blood, Finally Realised
Long have I read in books where the author describes of the scent of fresh blood, especially in crime novels where a gruesome murder had taken place, or a horror novel where some unfortunate soul gets his or her skin flayed for whatever reason. Long have I also thought (each time I read such thins) that I know not the scent of fresh blood. Perhaps it was because I rarely visit places where gruesome murders, or supernatural flayings, or accidents in blood banks occur. Recently, during Aidiladha (Happy belated Aidiladha everyone) we went back to Pasir Mas where as it was normal during the celebration, many bulls and cows were slaughtered for food to be given to family, friends and the less fortunate. So there I was at the yard of Ain’s uncle’s home in the neighbouring village of Lati. We were there a couple of hours late, so we […]
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Two Jabs and Electrically Cauterized at the Crotch
Two days before I got back from Langkawi, I was feeling a slight pain at my upper inner thigh. There was a small growth chilling out there, minding its own business thus far until my excessive brisk walks during the exhibition caused it to be chafed. There was also a slight bleeding to it probably because the thighs sliding as I walk caused a bit of a tear where the not-so-little growth attached to the skin. Several days after returning, on the advise of my colleague, I went to see the doctor to treat the pain. Perhaps the doctor would have some sort of salve or lotion to ease the pain. Or perhaps he would put an adhesive patch over it to avoid further physical trauma to the growth as it (maybe, I thought) heals itself. No such luck. What happened next was… well, you can read the transcript of […]
Continue readingUpdate on Travels
Vin and I just got home from a month-long trip home to Malaysia, with a short side trip to Australia. And we’re staying home now, for a while. So I figure I should first do a little update on the map of countries that I’ve visited. I’ve been to 11 now (up from 8 in 2006): create your own visited country map or check our Venice travel guide The 11 countries are: Malaysia, US, Canada, UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and Australia. My percentage has gone up from 3% to 4% in a year. Woohooo! I think if I hit Russia, China and Brazil, this map will really fill up quick! 😉 In the meantime, we have also visited some new states. Last year I had 27 states listed. This year, I have now been to 32 states (62%)! create your own personalized map of […]
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Time To Get To Work. Oh, and Photos!
Let’s take advantage of the free wifi some more and post new pictures of work. Just like other entries of business trip photos on this blog, there are lots of exhibition booths and models of aircrafts. There are real full-sized aircrafts in the premises but I didn’t take any photos of them. Also, there is an aerobatic display outside which is quite loud and makes it hard for us to work inside the hall. I must be working at exhibitions too long already. Everywhere I turn I meet people I know. The booth below is ours. The 5-sided display stand with the spotlights in front was Shide’s idea. The graphic design on each of the five sides were done by me in .ai format. In the space of about 7 hours, then emailed to the booth construction people to be turned into stickers. Too bad the didn’t put it on […]
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