World class facilities but no class mentality

Have been occupied by many things lately and thus a period of no update. Started off with the new machine installation and commissioning in the factory, followed by the 5-day trip to KL, and not forgetting the numerous outstanding matters that remain outstanding after many months. Trying very hard to complete all those outstanding matters before the end of August, but time is just not on my side.

Met a few long time friends from uni days during the KL trip, and that turns up to be the best part of the trip. We had dinner at this restaurant in the Gardens serving excellent Taiwanese food. Also had a great time having dinner with a colleague of mine and lunch with Jason. Seldom have a chance to eat together in Kuching, but easily in KL.

Apart from the time meeting these few friends of mine, I would categorize the rest of the trip as “disappointed”. Baby not feeling well and having bad mood most of the time so that takes most of the fun away. Very disappointed with the “unfriendly” condition of the LRT and monorail stations. Travelers with baby strollers would understand my anger. Also very disappointed with the KTM station of KL Sentral. It’s dark, hot and way too crowded at times. KL Sentral has become very messy nowadays, as compared to a few years back. The behavior of the passengers is most regretted. The concept of allowing other passengers to get out of the train before boarding doesn’t apply here. Those wanted to board will push their way in while those wanted to get down would have no choice but push their way out. Elderly people and those with small children and baby would have no chance fighting for space. World class facilities but no class mentality. The presence of police officers at the train station is merely to blow their whistles to remind people not to overstep the yellow line when the train approaches, but they too are helpless in getting people to board and get down from the train accordingly.

But I do admit that there’s still very good passengers out there in KL. Very rare but exist. I was offered seat twice (only) during the many rides in LRT and monorail. Extremely rare.

Better not go on writing. Must think of something nice and positive before I go to sleep. Hi hi.

old friends

Met up with a few of my primary school classmates on Saturday night. These are the people that I met way back in 1984 during my first day in primary school. Some of us are still in contact, but some I’ve not met since last day of primary school.

It’s good to meet these friends again after all these years. Also glad to know that most of them are doing well in their respective career.

We’ve decided to have another meeting in August, and hopefully we’ll have more long lost friends turning up.

Another trip to Miri

Arrived in Miri early this morning for a three day working visit. Work has occupied all my time during the day but after sunset, I set aside works and try to make myself occupied with other things. The problem is there’s nothing much I can do.

Going for dinner in a while, but haven’t decided what & where to eat.

Have to decide what to do after dinner. My options:
• Walk around town and the two shopping complexes nearby the hotel.
• Surfing in the hotel lobby. Staying in a hotel with no WIFI in the room.
• Surfing in Coffee Bean.
• Watch TV in room. But will there be any interesting program to watch?

Whichever option I choose, I’ll still be growing mushroom at the same time.


Updates:
Just had dinner. There must be so much good food out there in Miri but I ended up having KFC’s dinner plate at Bintang Plaza. Went for a walk around town and the two shopping complexes, completing the course in less than one hour. Bought two packets of peanuts and three cans of beer to make myself occupied until I’m ready to sleep. Hope the three cans are enough to make me sleepy. Sometimes too little actually make me more awake.

Just realized that the room I’m staying this time is still within the hotel lobby’s WIFI range. I can surf in the room.  Sorry to the management of Coffee Bean coz they won’t be earning anything from me this time.

The TV programs are so boring too. “Saving Private Ryan” is on HBO now. But there’s something interesting early tomorrow morning. Germany is playing Turkey in the first semi final of Euro 2008. I’m expecting a Germany win.

Going to start keeping myself busy with peanuts and beer. Good night.

then and now...

While waiting to collect some documents from a government office yesterday morning, I saw a group of bank officers promoting their products and services. Then one of them, a young lady, walks towards me with all those product catalogues, and immediately I tried to avoid her and whatever product she wants to introduce to me.

Before I have time to turn away, this young lady called out my “funny“ Chinese name. How come this lady knows my Chinese name? A total stranger but she calls me by my Chinese name in full. She came nearer and politely asks if that’s my name. I asked her how come she knew my name, and shockingly she told me that she’s my classmate in kindy. But how come she can still remember me, I asked her. That’s 25 years ago. Do I still look the same? She told me I still look the same.

We chat for a while and finally I recalled that we were staying in the same area years ago. Her family and mine are neighborhood friends. But after kindy, we went to different schools and never meet ever since.

It’s a good thing to meet up long lost friends. But what she said got me thinking. I still look the same, 25 years ago and now.

Positive thinking: I still look as young, baby face and probably cute, just like 25 years ago.

Negative thinking: I’m already so “old” looking 25 years ago!!!

One thing I can be sure of, I have more hair on my head then. Ha ha ha….

"growing mushroom" in Bintulu again....

Another outing to Bintulu today. I have been to this small town a few times already, and most of the time, my official duties are completed around noon. But thanks to the very limited air services, I have to "grow mushroom" in Bintulu for around 5 hours or more before my flight back to Kuching. No difference today.

After my meeting, a colleague of mine from Miri dropped me off at Parkcity Mall, a modern shopping complex here. After checking out the food at the food court, I decided to have my lunch elsewhere and ended up at Marrybrown. Then I realized that it's a WIFI zone here. Lucky me. The number of mushrooms will be lesser this time. At least I can reply mails, read blogs and stuffs online. And now I'm blogging "live" from Bintulu's Marrybrown at Parkcity Mall.

Let me just describe my surrounding now. Though this is the most modern shopping complex here in Bintulu, the crowd is really scarce. Right in front of me a bunch of direct selling promoters hang around, approaching everyone passing by to take a look at their cooking pots, stove, water filter, etc., but most people will just try to walk pass as fast as possible to avoid them. But they spend most of their time sitting around talking to one another. Retail shopkeepers just sitting/standing in their respective shop chatting to fellow shopkeepers or looking around out of boredom. Wonder what's on their mind. Most of them must be thinking how long more before they can go home. One thing I'm very sure of now is that the shopkeepers easily outnumber the patrons here in the whole complex.

Just realized that some travelers are sitting a few tables behind me with their laptops on as well, and enjoying the free WIFI. I think I'll see these people again tonite at the airport. Looks like day-trip traveler like me.

Thought of calling two of my friends working here. One a teacher and the other one with Shell. But they too are busy people so better don't bother them. The one with Shell is surely busy with work, but the teacher is either having tuition class or sleeping. That's the only two things I normally hear her doing most of the time.

I'll continue observing my surrounding here and at the same time write a few memos and letters for work tomorrow.



Note: "growing mushroom" does not mean me planting mushroom. It's just another way of expressing the situation when someone is "stagnant" and having nothing to do. Like a piece of bread left on a table to rot/decompose.

Friday 13th...

Just realized that today is Friday 13th.....

Do you know what Friday 13th is all about? I have no idea too.

See what Wikipedia has for us here

I'm back in Kuching after a hectic 3-day outstation trip to Miri, Bintulu and Sibu. The 3 days passed by so quickly with meetings and discussions taking up lots of time, and the time spent on the road and in the air. Will be traveling to Bintulu again next Monday, but luckily it's just a day trip, going early in the morning and coming back in the evening.

Nothing interesting from this trip, except the journey from Miri to Bintulu. Passed by lots of long houses, and realized that long houses no longer look like the one we see in Cultural Village. Lots of the long houses I saw are made of brick and concrete, with Astro and satellite TV services, and 4WD pickups like mine parked outside. Where are the atap long houses?

Also passed by the Batu Niah National Park junction. I'm not sure the mountain I saw along the way is where the famous Gua Niah is located, but it sure looks so natural and interesting. How I wish to go to the cave. If I have the time, I would want to drive to the park and take a look.

Also passed by the junction to the Bakun hydro dam. But the dam is still very far from the junction. I don't think that place is accessible to us common people.

It's a normal sight to see vast deforestation along the "highway". Most of it are for palm oil plantation. I never know that Sarawak has so many palm oil plantations. Can use palm oil for our cars instead of petrol? hahaha....

Have to sleep now. Busy day in the office tomorrow.

z zz zzz zzzz zzzzz