Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Continuing My Sick Journey

After alighting from the airplane, will be on such travelator (initially put walkalator but corrected by my colleague) to the Dubai arrival hall to exit the airport. Long way to walk. It took me almost 10 long minutes to get out from the airport from the moment I took this photo.

As I stepped out of the airport, goodness me, it was really hot out there at 4am plus. The sweater like shirt was suddenly too thick. Anyway, I need to sweat for the sake of my fever.

Took a shuttle bus provided by the transit hotel, Millenium Airport Hotel. The bus only moved on when it was full, in a way to maximise the trip. So, if you were the first one to board, you'll wait till its full. This is the actual scenario. But when you ask the hotel representative at the arrivals hall, that man would say the shuttle bus service is every ten minutes.

Registered at the reception and got this guy who attended to me who seems to be in a constipated mood. He doesn't smile and won't look at you when he was talking to you or when I was replying. I knew it was 4am plus. But that doesn't mean you can show your tiredness. What about me? Sick but still holding on as best as I could.

Got a coupon for my light refreshment and ordered the tuna sandwich. Beverage was up to you to take - fresh milk and fresh orange were my drinks.
The restaurant was empty at that time even though it was opened for 24 hours.

They assigned me a room which took me ages to reach. Almost at the end of the hotel building on the 3rd floor. Was the hotel that packed till I was assigned this room?

With my fever still lingering around my head, it was really a big effort. The moment I saw the bed, it was nothing else in my mind.









Woke up at 10.30am and thought of going down to the same cafe for my breakfast but was late. The buffet breakfast has ended at 10.30am. They said that I could order the sandwiches again. Yucks!

Ordered chicken sandwich this. Had to eat something to fill stomach so that I could take my medicine. While having my breakfast, saw this picture in the newspaper showing the proposed development around the world's tallest building, Burj Dubai.

It's going to be a huge development.



This is the hotel reception where most Emirates Airlines' passengers will stay during their transit.










The little guidebooks to various places around Dubai city. For once, I didn't go out for a walk in the city due to my fever. Was trying to recover as much as possible for my connecting flight.












Stayed put in hotel room till 12noon before checking out at 12.20pm and took their shuttle bus service back to airport. This time I have read my flight's timing properly.

Finally, realised that I was getting back to normal.
Tags: Dubai, Dubai Airport, Millenium Airport Hotel, Emirates Airlines, Tuna Sandwich, Chicken Sandwich, Shuttle Bus, Burj Dubai

Learn Chinese Fast for Olympics

Learn Chinese in 5 minutes (you MUST read them aloud)

English - (Chinese in bracket)
That's not right! - (Sum Ting Wong)

Are you harbouring a fugitive? - (Hu Yu Hai Ding)

See me ASAP - (Kum Hia Nao)

Small Horse - (Tai Ni Po Ni)

Did you go to the beach? - (Wai Yu So Tan)

I think you need a face lift! - (Chin Tu Fat)

It's very dark in here! - (Wai So Dim)

I thought you were on a diet! - (Wai Yu Mun Ching)

This is a tow away zone! - (No Pah King)

Our meeting is scheduled for next week! - (Wai Yu Kum Nao)

Staying out of sight - (Lei Ying Lo)

He's cleanng his automobile - (Wa Shing Ka)
Tags: Chinese, English, Learning Chinese, Funny, Humour

Business Trip to Sudan

On Sunday noon, I have felt not right with my body. Sensing something really wrong. By late afternoon, fever set in then subsided. It attacked again around 8pm and went on and on and on till I reach Dubai (for transit).

At 10pm, my mind was so confused. The thought of not taking the trip came across my mind. My mind was so clouded with the pain in the head till I didn't realise that my flight was at 12.55am on early Monday morning. I thought I read 1.55am.

Furthermore, I only called the taxi to come to my condo at 11pm. Great. Reached the airport and was a bit surprised that the Emirates check-in counter was quite empty and by the time I wanted to request for an aisle seat, the person at the counter said it could be negative. Wow, so many had checked in and wanted aisle seat at the same time? But he made some efforts and found an aisle seat at last. Phew! Long legs ......... seated at the centre. That would have killed me.

As he passed me the boarding pass and tell me to proceed to check-in now, I realised that I was totally wrong on my flight's timing. That too I went down to Level 3 the KLIA airport to see a doctor just to grab whatever is necessary.

Having high fever and plane's living at 12.55am. At 12.20am, I'm still at the main airport building. Walked real fast to the mini-train to board my plane at the satellite building. By the time I reach the gate, plenty of people are still lining up to get in. At that point of time, my legs wanted to give way. All I want was just to sit down.

More tomorrow ..........................
Tags: Fever, KLIA

Sunday, July 27, 2008

New Toll Payment Gadget

Malaysians may have to fork out more money for a new toll system in Malayisa. The success of the current system for the Smart Tag has spurred the Works Ministry to come out with better ideas to produce a much improved gadget.

I wonder whether the owners of the current Smart Tag (I'm one off them) will get to exchange and/or top up with additional money to obtain the latest gadget (which is under trial run at the moment).

I got my Smart Tag at RM100 during a promotion previously (as shown in pic). Initially it was being retailed at RM200. The current gadget are being used by many many many road users (ain't this a waste of money for common citizens). Not only that for users would be wasting money but the government will have to install additional electronic stuff at all toll plazas to accommodate another new toll system. Not replacing, mind you!

They mentioned that road users could also purchase this new unit and the current Smart Tag could still be used. This new unit's plus point - could record payment at high speed. What high speed? It won't miss recording a motor vehicle's new gadget even if the car was travelling at 100km per hour. That is total madness.

Imagine driving towards the toll plaza at 100km per hour and squeeze into the tight toll lane. Lorries and buses would be crashing through all the toll plazas in Malaysia with that speed.
Tags: Smart Tag, Toll System, Works Ministry

Sorry, Wrong Number!

'Hello? 'Hi, honey. This is Daddy. Is Mommy near the phone?
'No Daddy. She's upstairs in the bedroom with Uncle Paul.
After a brief pause, Daddy says, 'But honey, you haven't got an Uncle Paul.
'Oh yes I do, and he's upstairs in the room with Mommy, right now.

Brief Pause.
'Uh, okay then, this is what I want you to do.
Put the phone down on the table, run upstairs and knock on the bedroom door and shout to Mommy that Daddy's car just pulled into the driveway.'
'Okay Daddy, just a minute.'

A few minutes later the little girl comes back to the phone.
'I did it Daddy'
'And what happened honey?'
'Well, Mommy got all scared, jumped out of bed with no clothes on and ran around screaming.
Then she tripped over the rug, hit her head on the dresser and now she isn't moving at all!'

'Oh my God!!! What about your Uncle Paul?'
'He jumped out of the bed with no clothes on, too.
He was all scared and he jumped out of the back window and into the swimming pool.

But I guess he didn't know that you took out the water last week clean it. He hit the bottom of the pool and I think he's dead.'

***Long Pause***

***Longer Pause***

***Even Longer Pause***

Then Daddy says, 'Swimming pool?

'Is this 486-5731?'

'No, this is 486-5713....

'SORRY WRONG NUMBER !'
Tags: Wrong Number, Jokes, Funny, Humour, Tragedy

Friday, July 25, 2008

Extreme Way of Parking

A Mini Cooper being hanged on the side of Sapura Auto Sdn Bhd's building along Jalan Tun Razak. Saw the car being dangle up and being 'nailed' to the war. How? Beats me.

Sapura Auto Sdn Bhd is one of the authorised distributors for BMWs and Mini Coopers. Have seen many models being displayed at their place.









This is really one way of attracting people's attention but this was done at the side of the building. People passing by along Jalan Tun Razak right in front of it may not notice it at all.

Drivers on the opposite side of the road may get themselves into an accident by trying to read the words itself.









And the side of this building is facing an empty lot where I park my car. Maybe they were trying to entice me into getting one of the Mini Cooper for myself.

One of this toy will cost you between RM150,000 to RM200,000 a piece.

Each day, I have to walk pass their building looking at my dream cars ........... what a torturing feeling, so near yet so faaaaaaaaaaaar.

Ahhhhhhhh boss, if you reading this blog post, do remember my salary adjustment. Adjust higher. Thank you!

Tags: Mini Cooper, Car, Sapura Auto Sdn Bhd, Car Advertisement, Jalan Tun Razak

Can You Take the Hottest Curry?


Personally, I could take those tiny weeny chilli padi. Depends on what kind of food I'm having, the type off chilli varies too.

I still remembered one incident while I was in Sudan. A Malay colleague who is a good prepared and cook our dinner (for a number of guys in the house) and he put in the hottest kind of spices and chillies he could find on that night.

Reason why he did that was to make me and another chinese colleague, Kenneth, suffer. Both of us could literally eat up all kinds of chillies and he was so sure that we will cry that night. When his friend mee came out and I took a spoonful, I could feel my stomach burning instantly the moment the fried mee made its way down my body system. Same goes for Kenneth. To his surprise we went for our second helping. Not that it was not spicy or hot but hunger took over .... hehehe.

Even the cook himself ate one plate only. And now, let's see what the rest of the housemates have to say:-
"What are you trying to do?"
"Are you mad?"
"Can you eat what you have cooked?"

Those were strong remarks, with anger but not hatred. Finally, our cook revealed that he wanted to make the two chinese guys to suffer but in the end, the rest of the housemates didn't even eat much. That night itself, a few of them cooked instant noodles for supper...... LOL!

I could say that my chilli intake level is really high and I want to try the world's hottest curry found in Westminster of London. Apparently, this cook by the name of Vivek Singh had cooked something up that could be deemed as the hottest curry.

An executive chef with The Cinnamon Club where he prepared a lamb-based dish that has been named Bollywood Burner. The fiercest, hottest, spiciest and burning dish for all to try.

The how hot is hot level is measured via the Scoville Scale. In that dish, a kind of pepper that contributed to the high burning level in the Bollywood Burner had a Scoville reading of 855,000. I don't know how high is that but a six figure thingy should be at the top of the scale.

But when I found out that those food tasters who were in the restaurants comprise mainly British citizens (not migrants who got citizenship), I felt that the food tasting session was a waste of time.

Come on man ........ Mr. Vivek Singh, bring that dish to Malaysia and we could tell whether the Scoville measurement scale is fit to be used. For your info, our tongues could tell the difference. My Malay or Indian friends had been taking curry since young. Am sure many would volunteer to verify whether it's the world's hottest curry.

Reading: World's hottest curry title claimed by Bollywood Burner - Telegraph
Tags: The Cinnamon Club, Hottest Curry, Vivek Singh, Bollywood Burner, Guinness World Records, Great Smith Street, Westminster, London, Scoville Scale, Hot, Spicy

Pattaya International Fireworks Festival

Pattaya is definitely firing up its presence internationally. Covid19 has hit many nations really hard and Pattaya wasn't exempted from ...