Survival in Dubai Airport

These pictures were taken about two weeks back when I was in transit at Dubai airport. Good thing I could rest in the Emirates Business Class Lounge at Terminal 3.

Once in it, it was to hunt down a good place to sit. Found a quiet spot. At 1.30am, every spot is a quiet spot.

On my right was a food counter, eat or drink all you can. This is one of the four food counters you can find around the lounge. A large lounge indeed. The main counter is where people will take their main meals such as lunch or dinner.

This one here mainly serves simple food e.g. snacks, fruits, titbits, drinks and ice-cream (stored in a small refrigerator located on right side of the counter).

And it is Haagen-Dazs ice-cream ........... eat all you can too.















There's a limit to the free ice-cream and the next best food found ...... all kinds of berries.

And the smoked salmon was fresh too.

After feeling my stomach, it's time to entertain myself since I can't sleep. Hopped over to the games corner.

There you go, a driver's seat with steering wheel all well placed for you to drive to your heart's satisfaction.

With three 42 inch monitors fronting you, what more can you ask for.





This machine was not easy to handle and I found that the steering control was so sensitive. A 1mm movement could trigger your car to move a lot on the track.













Once bored with the driving, I jumped onto the next game available. Xbox 360 it is. Football game, what else.

Picked Man Utd over many other teams and set it to a lower standard to get myself accustomed to the control gadget first.

Felt so nice in trashing many other teams, one of them is Liverpool.







The internet room was where I updated my facebook and blog at the same time.

Stayed at the lounge from 1.30am till around 9.30am while waiting for my connecting flight.

Ate, played games, surf internet, ate, played games, surf internet, ate (full breakfast too), played games, surf internet ......something like that till I left the lounge. Thanks to Emirates Airlines.
Tags: Emirates Business Class Lounge, Emirates Airlines, Haagen-Dazs, Xbox 360

Christmas Day Event

Yeah ...... it took me almost three weeks to blog about this because I just realised it.

One of the local hip-hip singer, Liang, was invited to perform in my church's Christmas service held at International Youth Centre at Bandar Tun Razak.

He's not only good in singing but a fantastic emcee too. I was there when he emceed at a few events.




He was fantastic with his songs. Belted few songs and he was able to get the crowd to participate as well. Incredible.

At the end of the service, many many people actually took pictures with him. He became a star amongst my church members.










Well attended Christmas service.

This blogpost should have more pictures but due to my involvement in the Christmas drama, I was too occupied with the preparations.

It was either this or that that was missing, not connected, not found, not the right one .... wow, really interesting.


This choir group, named the Praise International Choir, comprise of members from various countries. One of the countries is Malaysia and I'm sure Nigeria was represented. I wonder which African nation was represented too.

They have done exceptionally well way because of their hours spent practising their songs. Bravo!!

This is where I operated from on that day. Helped an Indonesian performance to play their songs via laptop ...... good thing I brought mine along otherwise another hiccup.

Mainly, my laptop was used to play the songs used for my drama entitled "1King". Yeah, I caught the fever of using the "1". Influenced by whom? I'm sure you know who.
Tags: Liang, Hip-Hop, Christmas Service, International Youth Centre,
Praise International Choir, 1King

Poor Telecommunication Infrastructure

At last I moved into my new home and almost got all boxes unpacked. Not that I didn't do put efforts into clearing the boxes but having hard time to decide where to put my stuff now. I have to remember where I have put my stuff now. I can tell you that it's not easy. Don't tell me that age is catching up.

Still searching for some household stuff here and there and frequent overseas travel took up my weekends where I could only muster enough time to source for stuff.

One of it is my internet connection. Of late, lots of work in office coupled with no internet connection has lessen my blogging activities.

And when I have time to do so, I took time to read some internet forums on respective internet service providers and enquired on the transfer of existing fixed telephone line to my new place.

Thanks to the Packet 1 advertisement, I have decided to 'cut' or 'potong' the Telekom Malaysia Berhad's fixed telephone line, TM net service and also the Streamyx service.

Not that I have subscribed for Packet 1's internet service but that advertisement was really catchy in a way.

Found out that P1 WIMAX wireless broadband does not cover my housing area. After 'cut' you are left with nothing. So much for their big time advertisement but their coverage is so so poor in my area.

As for Telekom Malaysia or TM, it's a total failure on their part for being unable to provide the service at my new home.

The talk of spending RM1.3 billion on High Speed Broadband in Malaysia does not cover my new home area.









Then they have the urge to advertise "If it's not Streamyx, it's not good enough".

That I know.

What happened? How come I couldn't get a line for my Streamyx?


A close friend of mine who moved into the new area applied for the transfer of the fixed line and Streamyx service. Shockingly, TM told her that they can't connect her at the new home. Reason given was there isn't enough subscribers for TM to connect us. Fantastic, just fantastic. Excellent! Bravo!

I tried too and TM said I have to wait. So, now what? No internet, no fixed line?

When I went to TM Point to cancel all my TM services, the officer told me that Streamyx is having a promotion now and why do I want to cancel. I told her that I'm cancelling because TM does not want to serve at my new home.

She asked whether I have tried applying for it and I told her my friend has already done so and was not entertained (yeah, entertained actually but to tell "Sorry, we can't help you"). I told her my house is part of a new phase of which only three occupants have moved in. She did mention that new housing development may face such difficulties.

You mean to say that with so much of technology investments, TM still can't do it or chose not to do it?

The officer that entertained my close friend, when she went to apply for the transfer, said that in order for her line to be connected TM need more applicants. What does that mean? It's not economical to connect one line?

Our houses are located on the same row of the earlier phase 2 (ours - phase 2A), sharing the same road, drainage, electricity. Phase 1 and Phase 2 owners are having TM lines already.

What's the problem after all? If TM has to wait for more applicants to apply I have to wait for the remaining owners / tenants to move in. By when? In this technology era, we are told to wait by the main internet service provider in Malaysia.

My close friend is already using DiGi wireless broadband service. The neighbours along Phase 2 do subscribe to Maxis wireless broadband too.

Let's say:-
If me and my friend decide to subscribe with other service providers, the next person from my phase 2A that goes to TM will still get the same reply ......... "When we get more applicants, we will inform you". This person will then opt for another service provider. The following person will do the same thing and will get the same response and so forth .......... when will the wheel end?

Not all houses may be occupied that soon as some are trying to dispose off the properties (maybe they are investors). If these houses are not occupied, there will be no applicant from that property then.

With people subscribing with other service providers, by the time TM thinks they have received lots of enquiries and start to call those earlier enquirers, we will tell TM that we don't need your Streamyx now because we have subscribed with other service providers.

In the end, who will lose out? It's TM!

This is what you call monopoly business. Never mind if they monopolised it but they still can't provide.

Reading: Investors put off by Malaysia’s high-cost, low-speed broadband - Malaysian Insider
Tags: Malaysia, Wireless Broadband, Fixed Line, Telekom Malaysia, Packet 1, P1 WIMAX, WIMAX, DiGi Wireless Broadband, Maxis Wireless Broadband

Grown Up Doggies

From little puppies way back in April 2009, our doggies have grown up a lot. Since most of us are not based in Sudan nowadays, we had to give it away to another Malaysian who is running a business there.

Once in a while, we will visit Leo ....... whose ears are always down.















Kujo will have one ear up only ........ that's how we differentiate them right from the first time.
Tags: Doggies, Puppies

Flight Back To KL

Tiring trip to Sudan. Arrived on Sunday, 27 Nov and now I'm on the way back to KL on 31 Dec. It's not like I'm going to Singapore but this is all the way to Sudan and back. Challenging indeed.

Thanks to Emirates for providing me the Gold Tier membership. This will allow me to access Business Class lounge whenever I travel with Emirates Airlines and having privilege lines for boarding or obtaining tickets. In Khartoum, access to Business Lounge not granted ..... sigh. The plane took off on time today, one of those rare occasions, at 8.10pm.

Arrived in Dubai around 12.20am and had to line up to obtain my connecting flight's ticket. Enquired from an airport staff on why I was not provided with hotel voucher. The man said you have to arrange with the Emirates office that issued the ticket ........ sigh ..... ten hours wait in the airport.

Next I went for shopping at the duty free area. Bought a few camels for decoration at the new house. Then went up to the Business Lounge at Terminal 3.

Upon reaching the lounge, I passed my ticket to a lady behind the counter. Somehow my ticket was printed with the word "Silver" denoting that I'm still a Silver Tier member and this lady told me to go to another lounge located at the faraway Terminal 1 basically reserved for Silver Tier members.

I told her to check again as I knew that I'm a Gold Tier member to which she mentioned that the ticket has informed stated clearly. She didn't even want to check but passed it on to her next colleague (a guy) who confirmed that I'm a Gold Tier member. Was it so cumbersome to check?

I thought I would be bored to death here in this lounge. To my surprise, they have xBox games - racing car in a replica car with 3 big screens, football and motorcycle race are there too. Food is plentiful.

It's close to 6am now and I'm shall to go for my nice breakfast.

Heard that my house is almost done now.
Tags: Gold Tier, Silver Tier, Emirates, Business Class Lounge, XBox

Frantic Life

I think this is the longest break I have taken from blogging, since 15 Dec 2009. Life in KL office was filled with tight schedules. Need to submit a number of assignments within short periods. It was way past 8pm daily. Once back home, it was more planning for the new house.

Left KL for Sudan on 11 Dec 2009 and this is the period that I don't mind being in Sudan. Reason is that winter has set in. When I inserted the quote of "Sudan winter has set in" in my msn chat, many friends queried me on that sentence.

Most friends were blur about the weather in Sudan and some asked what sort of winter am I having here. One friend even said "don't tell me there's snow in Sudan".

Let me clear this. Winter season doesn't snow here. And who says that it must snow during winter. Normal day time weather would be above 40 degree centigrade. Now, it's hovering around 32 to 35.

Night time reading on normal days would be around 30 plus. During winter season, it's 22 and below. You need a jacket on a windy night if you were having a drink at those opened cafe.

On 17 Dec 2009, I left Sudan for KL. Arrived at KL home around 4pm and straight off to new house.

On 19 Dec 2009, friends arrived around 9am plus to assist in the shifting to the new house. Was so busy with the shifting till I have forgotten to take any pictures. Many thanks to the friends and relatives that came to give a hand on that day itself.

My bro-in-law and sis-in-law came all the way from Malacca to lend a hand in cleaning the house. They did it from Thurs till Sat (the day I moved in). Just by saying thank you is not enough.

Come Sunday, 20 Dec 2009. Met up with the drama team to confirm the Christmas drama. My script came out quite late this time and caused all the last minute arrangements. Had a drama practise on Tues night to firm up the loose parts.

From 20 Dec 2009 till 26 Dec 2009, it was havoc at new house. Various suppliers are still coming in to intall this or that. A supplier's lorry hooked onto my new auto gate and broke it (left side of the gate). What to do? That poor guy is getting a pay cut for that. Cost of repair came up to RM550. Need further alignment on the left gate now.

Washing machine delivered to my house without being installed. How do you expect my family to use it then? And when the technician came, he said my water tap is different. The plumber, technician and me looked at each other. I called the supplier and gave them a good piece of my mind on that afternoon. Enough is enough.

Carpenter was slow in his work and it delayed the kitchen cabinets. Power sockets can't be installed at those areas and my fridge and water treatment system can't be switched on as well. One thing led to one another.

Some friends asked "Why did you move in then?". Good thing I moved in the week before as I was not expected to be in Sudan this weekend. Coming weekend would be the new year. Just need to finalise many stuff at the condo for the handover too.

On 26 Dec 2009, the night where I'm supposed to leave for Sudan, I was still purchasing some lightings for my house. This was not last minute but more of no time to do so.

On Wed afternoon (23 Dec), received a phone call from a colleague saying that I'm expected to be in Sudan on Sunday. What a week! Never mind, one thing at a time. Christmas came and all went by smoothly before some tension in the beginning of the service. The wire connection from the projector and two laptops couldn't fit in ...... my my.

Will blog again with a few pictures on Christmas Day.
Tags: Frantic Life

To Reduce Is To Increase

Many Malaysians are baffled by the government who flip flops with various actions. In order to reduce certain usages (of services or products) by the citizens of Malaysia, the government has to implement some drastic action to discourage Malaysians.

For example (what I could recall after laughing over it with my colleagues):-

a) To discourage people from travelling overseas, the government will increase the application fee for an international passport.

b) To discourage people from using motor vehicles of more than fifteen years, government decided to get those car owners to spend more to conduct vehicle inspection on the road worthiness. In other words (from certain car industry people), it's to encourage such car owners to spend more to buy the Proton cars.

c) To discourage people from using / discontinue the RON 92 petrol, government said that RON 95 and RON 97 of higher prices are of better petrol quality. In Europe, cars are still running on RON 92 which makes foreign produced cars a better choice as it could run on cheaper fuel and this will affect the sales of local made cars as local made cars may not perform well in RON 92.

d) To prevent people from spending too much, government decided to impose a RM50 penalty for each credit card held.

e) To prevent people from getting diabetes or consume too much sugar, government may discontinue subsidy for this item which will definitely increase the price for sugar.

f) To prevent people from buying cigarettes, the government will enforce cigarette packaging to consist of more cigarettes but at a much much much much higher pricing.

g) To prevent people from congesting the city, the government may in the future impose an entry fee for those motor vehicles that has only one passenger which is the driver himself.

h) To discourage people from using plastic bags anymore, the government (or state government) will instruct the supermarkets not to distribute any plastic bags and to sell canvas bags instead that could be used again and again.

i) To discourage people from buying foreign made / imported cars, the government imposed higher import tariffs on those cars in order for the local made cars to survive. However, the local made cars are sold at a higher price in Malaysia if compared to the exported version where the specs are slightly better.

j) To discourage people from congesting the roads and to get the citizens to take public transportation (referring to the lousy bus systems), the government decreased subsidy for the petrol.

What I can say is that the government will tend to 'punish' its citizens into doing something instead of coming up with an encouraging plan so that people will do it willingly which could benefit the citizens at the same time.

Definitely wrong approach in solving problems.

Following were suggested by colleagues:-
a) To decrease cholesterol level for all Malaysians, prices for whatever eggs will be increased up to 50 cents per egg.

b) To discourage people (men generally) from approaching prostitutes, each condom shall be sold at RM50 per piece.

c) To discourage people from eating unhealthy food such as nasi lemak and goreng pisang, coconut and cooking oil will be increased tremendously.
Tags: Malaysia, Price Increase