Netherlands - Holland

I would like to say, it is a heaven for guys. Nic was drooling over about going Amsterdam after listen to his classmate "detail" introduction on Amsterdam. I couldn't imagine if Nic was there, with Kam....add Jacky.....oh God....

Somebody favourite beer.

Amsterdam is a place which full of girls, coffees, drugs, tobaccos, sex toy shops, porn movie cinemas, alchohols, guys-services. Bla bla bla...isn't it guys heaven? There are famous with their red-light district. Around the red-light district, the "infrastructures" are really very complete. You can find sex toy shops which provide anything you want when you go naughty, and they open side by side, or just opposite. You can compare the price before you purchase it. There are hotel upstairs, "show-room" downstairs. And, even places for you to pee pee when you drink too much. Too bad, red-light district was not allow to take pictures. So, I can't show any pics here.

Can you see the green sign on top of it? The small guy was standing?

From the coffee shop's menu, there are coffee with marijuana, and some drink which contain unknown drugs in it.

My breakfast with choc drink. =)

However, after all the naughty act, if you feel guilty and want to confess, of course, there are places for you to do so as well. You can always go to St. NICHOLAS church to confess and ask for forgiveness. It is near the Amsterdam Central Station. Imagine this, Nicholas(moses) is going to St. Nicholas church from Nicholas Street and look for Father Nicholas.

St Nicholas Church

Nicolaaas Straaaat.....
hmmm...nicholas was famous there.

If you want some church which are nearer to you after you finish your naughty business, you also can go to Oude Kerk - The Old Church which is located in the middle of the red-light district. After your one whole night business, just walk down the hotel, turn a corner. There you go!

Since 1371

Oude kerk

Or maybe something for your brain? Museum + museum + museum?

Rijk Museum?

Van Gogh Museum

sex museum for knowledge too?

Ok...this blog is kinda too long with too many pics. I understand it take forever to load a blog which is full of pics. So, that's it for today. =)

Bye bye from me and Robbie Williams.

Norway

I never inform anyone except my close friends. Although this is a space to update Nic's friends about him, still I wanna update some of the reader of this blog that who might know me as well. Now, I am at Sandefjord, Norway. I am here because there are some projects going on that Norway do not have enough engineer. So, I am here to support the project. I do not know how long I have to be here. Basically, it is up to me.

I am here for the second week. Weather is fine, except for some nose bleeding early morning when I wake up from sleep. Now is spring and going to summer, for me it is the best time to be here. I missed the winter, although I heard that it is tough for a Malaysian to go through the whole winter over here, -15 deg. But, I am so sad that I missed it. Not because of the snow but it is because I can't snow skii anymore, go for whale-seeing and Northern Light. There is one indian engineer actually saw the Northern Light during winter. Aurora Borealis, you know? Argh!!

Activity is fine, because I will follow my coll to go fishing. I will join them soon, once I purchase my own equipment. And, watch EPL about 8pm time over here.

Go fishing lo~!

I am the photographer while they are fishing.

Accommodation is fine for the time being, because I am staying at a hotel. I am going to get an apartment soon. Once the office lady rent an apartment for me, I have to move out from the hotel.

My room with ar duck.

Food? er...so far so good, will update some food pic when I got the chance. Driving on the left hand side? er...so far so good too. I drove a few times, not too big problem for me. Speed limit here is 50km/h. The police are very hardworking so everyone drive very slow. No traffic jam, not many cars. I don't find a problem driving here. Time difference? not really as well...no jetlag problem for me.

The only problem? "Their" keyboard. Over here, Norwegian language is very dominant like Japan. You can't find English anywhere. Anywhere....Yes, they can speak, but they won't like French. Even their keyboard is in their own way....§£¤å€øæ...ya...all the weird symbol...and the key is at different place as well.

Any other questions? Anything else you want to know? Maybe you guys can post some questions, then I can answer through the blog (including Nic and Uncle)

Charity

I always want to do some charity. Like Seow's trip to Tanzania, no doubt is a useful, direct way to give help to those people who are needed our help. You are there to see, to feel and to live their life, and also to be able to give them the help that are practical and useful. Or like Bill Clinton, his foundation which helps uncountable people in the world, of course is a good way to give a hand to people who need it.

I...do not have the time like Seow, do not have so much money like Bill Clinton to raise a foundation or the influential power like Bill Clinton to promote charity and humanitarian work. Still I wish to give some help with what I can afford.

I am always very suspicious on those people who come and ask for donation. I never give any money for beggar or handicap. I always saw a lot of handicap can survive on their own, if they really wish to earn for their own living. It is not easy, but is not impossible.

I am also very curious about when I donate one amount of money to the association, how much the money can help, how much it will go to the "person-in-charge". And, how much and how badly they need the money. My mum always go to those old folk home or orphanage house to give ang pao during CNY. We always heard some stories about some of them are very rich because of a lot of people always give them help. So, everytime before go to those places, we will always had the headache, where else that actually really really need our help badly. I know there are a lot out there, but I don't know where.

Malaysia unfortunate people condition compare with other countries people like those from Cambonia, Lebanon, South Africa, or even some part of India, Malaysians condition are always better than the other. How bad they can be compare to African who got no food at all? I know some of Malaysian condition are really really bad, still got some people are worse than them!

The purpose of this blog - I sponsor a child from India. She is a little girl who stay at India, Kangayam. That is not the poorest place in the world, but she does need help. I guess...There is a trip to visit her on July, if I am free, I might go there, until then, I only can answer all you guys questions.

ps: for ppl who are getting blur on reading my post, please understand that my brain is always jump here and there, which means my words, when i speak, i can change from one topic to the other topic simultanously. So, pls read my every paragraph as a new points.

from abu dhabi...

thanks to cl, most of you would have already known that i'm currently in abu dhabi. i've just completed my first week out of 10 and as expected, this is gonna be a tough journey. just had about three/ four weeks of materials on reservoir engineering, formation evaluation (logging), well testing and nodal analysis cramped into our brain for the past 5 days which ended in a comprehensive exam. i've passed the perception test (online paper) and i'm still waiting for the result on the written part.

anyway, i'm currently blogging from home - luckily it comes with internet connection, albeit a poor one, but i'm thankful anyway. and home for the next 10 weeks is a place called cassells blue towers. a service apartment of some sorts. i'm thinking of posting some pictures up but unfortunately i haven't taken much photos around this place as yet. i'm still trying to get used to the place and schedule among other things. but rest assured, i'll put up some pic on my apartment and it's surrounding - especially the much hyped lulu hypermarket that cl mentioned about.

about my school. it's in a centre about an hour drive away from here - middle east & asia learning centre (mlc). it's basically a slb training centre and i'll get some pictures of that place too, but for now, you've just gotta take my descriptions for it - that place is a brand new facility in the middle of no where. i have no idea why it's built in such a place, but that's the way it is.

so, what else? well, the schedule for the next 10 weeks is hectic. i dun see much of a break in it but i hope that once i get the hang of it, i'll just be able to live with it. the only problem that i can see myself facing right now is the condition of my eye. for the past one week, once i got back from the classes, i just can't seem to be able to read much. i dun really wanna use that as an excuse but i'll have to monitor it closely and if i really have to, then i'll just have to know when to stop.

i guess that's all i have right now. i'll be sure to return with more pics for the next post. oh yeah, one other thing - this trip has opened up my eyes on certain aspects of my life. although it has been a much easier trip compared to the trip to oman previously (in terms of being away from my loved ones), it has revealed a few pertinent things about my personality and character. i've had lengthy discussions with cl and i'll reveal what this is all about some other time - probably once i get back to malaysia. till then, i've gotta concentrate on the reason i'm here - to pass this bloody school!

back to my books...

Locate Nic on the Globe

The invention of technology will shorten the distant between human. No matter you are at which part of the earth now, I am still able to locate you. (unless you are at the outer space). These are some photos from Google Earth to locate Nicholas apartment at Abu Dhabi. Since this blog is to keep his friends update about him, then let me update you guys, this is where your friend is right now. =)

Abu Dhabi. Please forgive me for my poor geography knowledge, I don't know where it is the first time I heard abu dhabi or UAE. =P

Ok...I know Dubai but that is because Dubai is over promoted by all the mega structures and events.

The town. Abu dhabi is the capital of UAE - United Arab Emirates (not dubai). Since this is a city after 90s, the town planning is good, look at all the building and road are well planned.

Opposite his aparment is a plaza/mall called Al Falah Plaza. The Lulu hypermartket is the anchor shop inside it, Nic bought his rm1.5 per egg from there. Lulu hypermarket...what a cute name. His friend told us that the traffic there is bad, real bad. Nic took one hour drive from his aparment to his training school every day, another hour to go back to apartment.

turning a new page?

after three tries, i'm finally confirmed to be heading to abu dhabi this friday 11th of april at 2130 hours. the next three months is not going to be easy. and with my eye condition, it's definitely not helping. but i'm not going to make that an excuse. i'll give it my best shot and whatever happens from there, so be it.

honestly, i'm nervous, scared and freaked out to be heading for school right now. i feel inadequately prepared. i'm just not sure if i know enough to handle whatever they throw at me in school.

but it's coming sooner or later and i might as well face it and get it over with. plus with school out of the way, my career path will be clearer and hopefully smoother.

ps: i was told the whole duration of the school will be hectic and tough. i'm expecting a crazy time there. so with that in mind, my blog might be left alone for a while. i guess this will be a good time to see if my partnership with cl on this blog works for the better or worse. =)

welcoming a new member...

if you've noticed, the previous post was not written by me. if you haven't noticed, you obviously have not read this blog before. anyway, i'm introducing a new member to this blog - ms kang chuu liu...

well, we've talked about this numerous times before as she has expressed her interest in maintaining a blog but has always been hindered by several reasons. so i've agreed to allow her into this space of mine and to blog whenever she wants to. i've given her total freedom in the choice of topic and also the language that she feels more comfortable with. so don't be surprised if you suddenly see a chinese post in this blog in the future.

although i've started this blog as a hobby and also as a space to voice out my opinion or whatever voices that go through my head and never bothered too much about attracting any number of readers, i do sincerely hope that this development will generate more interest in this humble space of mine.

and to cl, a warm welcome... =)

Malaysian Dreamgirl?

Adeline. Pretty pictures.
Cindy. Being boycott by other girls.
Eyna. Unique face but too quiet.
Fiqa. Malay and Chinese parentage.
Hanis. For me, don't know why she is in. =P

Jay. Indian got the genetic advantage on strong figure.

Nadia. She look fiece. =\

Ringo. Young is advantage.

For Nicholas, modeling is a tough job but they get pay for what they do. Like celebrity, they earn a lot of money by doing just one commercial adv or album. But, at the same time, they have to sacrifice their privacy and freedom. As an engineer who has a challenging job, outsider will not understand how boring it is a desk-bound job. As a business man who earn big money, outsider will not understand the risk and pressure they get through. As a marketing personnel who wear smart and nice to work every day, outsider will not understand how cruel office politics is in their field. Every job will have their sorrows stories behind the scene that no body will understand.

Modeling for me is not a easy job.

1. You need to be very determined to keep your body fit and in nice shape. It is not means slim, but nice shape which means regular exercise is necessary. You have to control your daily meal everyday. No holiday in 365 days a year.
2. You have to tolerate with the different working hour compare to usual office working profession. You have to wake up 3am in the morning, to start make up, to dress up and to go to the location, if you need a nice sun rise picture.
3. You have to take harsh criticisms from everyone and on everything. It is because different products will look for different characteristic on the models. Sometime, no matter how perfect you are, once you don’t suit the customer's product, they will criticize you like mad. Eye too small is wrong, but too big is also wrong…maybe the customers are looking for some moderate eye…You body too thin is wrong, too fat is wrong too…Of course. Your height too short is wrong, even too tall is wrong.
4. As we all known, girls are trouble. Imagine a industry that full of girls…OMG…back stab…small group…hypocrisy…competitive…wow…interesting ya?

There is a show which called Malaysian Dreamgirl. It is an internet reality show for the audience to vote for their “Malaysian” dreamgirl. The girls are competing not only for beauty or modeling skill but also on the personality and character.

Don’t be surprise that you never see this show adv in the TV or newspaper. It is because this is a totally internet broadcast show which means you only can watch it through internet. Internet nowadays can do everything, really everything. Imagine one day without internet? The city will be much more jam because every one have to go out to the town. Hahaha…(lame joke)

Recommended to watch the Episode 1- audition, Kenny Sia is like Simon in American Idol. And the sneak peek. Malaysian girl…haih…Nowadays Malaysian girls, where are the confidence and elegant? Sigh…

Along the show, there are some contestants with good body and face, but too quiet and doesn’t look like she is in a reality show. Some are so confident in speaking but the face and pose are just out. Hmmm….it seems like to get a Malaysian Dreamgirl is not that easy.

special dedication

this post is a special dedication to cl. you have no idea what she's meant for me in the past few months. i think she has no idea as well of how important she has been. =)

in a way, this duck holds special bonds between us. and everytime i look at it, it makes me smile. no matter how gloomy the day has been for me.

this post is for you, my love.

i love you.

not meant to be...

i'm talking about the celine dion taking chances world tour 2008. just not meant to be. disappointing but true. i've mentioned in previous post that i'm scheduled to be in abu dhabi by the 13th of april right? so initially when i heard that celine dion's gonna be performing in malaysia on the 8th of april, i was ecstatic! i bought the tickets and i've had it all planned out.

then came the news. it's postponed. and of all the dates - 13th of april. talk about unlucky number. i guess that's what you call fate. on the bright side, i saved myself almost 1000 bucks. damn. this silver lining does not shine at all.