conflict

the sun rises, brightly blazing in the skies

a new day, a fresh start - the same dreams

awoke with hopes and desires and spirit

ready to face the challenges of the day

the day is full of choices, decisions

equipped for some, guessing for most

i took the one less traveled by

and that has made all the difference

i'm still fighting but i'm barely breathing

i feel small, inadequate - like an infant

i dropped to my knees and hold my hands

in prayer, asking for guidance and strength

the stars and moon sings a sweet lullaby

the phone rings, a familiar voice says hello

a voice so soothing, takes the troubles away

goodnight troubles, there's always tomorrow

ps: the last 2 lines of the second verse was taken from 'the road not taken' by robert frost.

i dun think i am the kind to actually travel uncharted territory. however when i am faced with a decision, i usually take the one that would challenge me the most. dun get me wrong and mistaken me as the adventurous kind that laughs at the face of danger. everytime i'm face with a decision like that, i decide with fear in my heart... for i know i'm taking a risk and as risk always is - sometimes it pays off, sometimes it hits you back in the face...

but i also believe that we should live life to the fullest every single day, no? so i make decisions that would not make me look back with regret 5 years down the road. again, this is a phrase often overused and abused. it's always easier said than done. always. for you always gain something by losing something else... and more times than most, it's always something precious and close to your heart that you will have to sacrifice.

how many of you out there understands this post? not many i think... i just felt that lately, my posts have been without a personal touch... without emotions... for fear of something or another, i've made my posts very neutral... i think it's time i started to express my feelings again in a form that i enjoy doing... it's time i use this blog for the very purpose i started it in the beginning...

ps2: do expect a long post (most probably from cl, as i will use my usual excuse of the lack of time to write one) and lots of pics (i can contribute to this) in the near future. i have just returned from a 16 day vacation in which i've travelled to bangkok and pattaya of thailand and also to penang for cny...

oh yeah, a very happy new year and may the year of the ox gives us all enough resilience to face the tough times that lie ahead of us... =)

Wishing List

From Kitt Yin and Taka blog, I saw a list of stuff they wish. A so called Wishing List. Looking at their wishing list, it makes me wonder....what will be the item on my wishing list. My wishing list changes from time to time. As I grow up, the price of those items on my wishing list is getting more and more expensive as well.

I am someone who feel grateful with what I am owning. No matter poor as student, or earning little money as an engineer, I am always feel satisfy with what I am having. And I am always telling myself to appreciate what I have now. Even though I am satisfy with what I have, everyone still have a wish list, and I have mine too. Am I contradicting myself? =)

Today, an item that want to be rank on my wishing list, it has to be at least 4 digits. Want to be on top of my wishing list? er....maybe...RM xxx xxx?

When I am 10 years old, a pencil box which cost RM 15 sounds so expensive for me.
When I am 15 years old, a school bag which cost RM 150 sounds 'wow' to me as well.
When I am 18 years old, a top which cost RM200 sounds so far from me.
When I am 25 years old on 2009, it has to be a RM xx xxx only can make me 'wow'.
What will happen when I am 30 years old? RM x xxx xxx?

It is like an exponential graph which climbing a steep slope that even myself begin to question against myself. Am I going to lost myself in this materialistic world? I couldn't control it since my brain and eye are the boss. Their are the one who're looking at more and more super branded stuff.

I had a conversation with Jessica Tan about it that day. She feels nothing wrong with that. Human are tend to climb up. By putting our target to more expensive thing, we will work harder, earn more and aim higher. It signifies that we are growing up and moving forward. I agreed with her. Deep inside my heart, I feel nothing wrong as well. (anything wrong meh?! chew)

On the other side, I start to worry that am I getting more and more materialistic? Am I becoming someone who only buy the most high technology hand phone, dine in those restaurant rated 4 star in magazine, study on all the fashion magazine and website which is the latest hand bag from Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, Hermes, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta? Am I? Am I?

Aiming for more expensive thing...

good? bad?

However, I am still the one who wear a cloth from aunties boutique, like to buy earring from little stall, shop for shoe from night market (pasar malam)! Me is still me. Yes, I admit that I am getting more and more greedy. I am not so easy to satisfy anymore. Nonetheless, my eye still widely open, I am not yet blind by money. Never.

The end of 2008 - The start of 2009

Reading michaelooi.net in the morning as usual in my office.

He has the habit of writing a summary when it comes to year end. A post that summarise what had happen in the past and resolution for the coming year. I was thinking shall i write a summary of what i have done for the past 1 year?

Looking at his summary, I feel that at my stages of life, it is really too many unknowns. For people like him, everything seems to be so in order. He can make a list of what he plan to do; he can sum a list of what he had done too.

But for me...I can't have any resolution for the coming year since I am not sure how long I will be working at Norway. How long I will be in this company? How long I will start to buy my first house? How long for me to get into marriage?

I can't be like him...resolution is luxurious for me.

How to summarise what I have done for the past one year as well? What I have done? A new job? Travel a few countries? What does it has to do with adding value to my life?

Don't want to talk about my life, I only can summarise what I have write here for the past one year and what I want to write in the coming year. I has been writing in this blog for about one year.

The first time when Nicholas introduce me into this blog, he mentioned that I will have some Chinese post. Until today, I never write anything in Chinese. Throughout the year, I wrote down many article in Chinese, but never post it because I doubt how many people in this blog can understand. I feels that 90% reader from this blog are Nic's friend who don't read Chinese. Since majority of the reader don't understand Chinese, so I never have the motivation to blog in Chinese. Another reason I said that I might write in Chinese because of my poor English.

The more I write the more I am frustrating by the limitation of vocabulary and adjective. Especially adjective, it is still very troublesome for me whenever I want to describe what I see and how I feel. It is a good sign that I am aware of the it. But, I feel frust because I couldn't break through the barrier. I has been reading English book for some years, writing here for the past one year. I don't see any big improvement in my English.

At the same time, I can foreseen my Chinese is walking away from me. Honestly, I am always feel sad when my Chinese is deteriorate. One of my wish in the next year is I want to keep my Chinese level. I do not dare to say I want to improve it, at least, I want to maintain. Besides, I hope that I can learn more on the Chinese culture in year 2009. Something that I has been wanted for so long. Keep finger cross I will have the determination for it.

I talked to many people about the deteriorate of my Chinese. None of them feel it is a problem and they don't understand why I am so bother by it. All of them agreed that English is much more important today. I shall pay more effort to concern about my English rather than maintain my Chinese. More over, my Chinese foundation is consider very good. I admit that my definition of so called 'good in one language' is very strict. Be able to speak, write, read is not my definition of command the language. It has to be include to know well about the culture, literature and history too.

I has travel some place in the last year and I blog most of them. The reason I blog is to share some travel information on my personal feel instead of those typical information we can get from the net. Second reason is I want to recorded down some memory as well. From Nic and my notice, reader doesn't seems to be interest on my travel post. Reader are more interest on post regarding personal feeling. So, I might cut down those blog in the year 2009. Besides, I am a bit tired of travelling too. One conclusion I can make for my year 2008, I am not someone who like to travel. Travel is not be my hobby.

I do notice a lot of blog will normally post about their sad moment or story. Rarely will have anyone who write something happy. Because sadness is an emotion that will spread faster than happiness. However, I don't like to write some serious and heavy feeling post. Me is still me. In the coming year, I will still post happy moment instead of sad moment. haha...

That's it. After this, I will spent more time with family and friends. So, should be less post from now on.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone.

from the ss3 with love...

well, the title should read from west alliance/ miri/ ocean rover/ miri/ ss3 with love... with a little bit of labuan here and there... =P

the past one month has been crazy (in terms of travelling) for me...

05/11/08 - miri

06/11/08 - west alliance

13/11/08 - labuan

14/11/08 - miri

16/11/08 - kl (i'll talk bout this later...)

17/11/08 - miri

18/11/08 - labuan

19/11/08 - ocean rover

23/11/08 - miri

07/12/08 - labuan

10/12/08 - ss3

and hopefully back to kl before xmas... *fingers crossed*

how crazy was that? and really, all those travelling and changing of locations just took the whole month away from me in a blink of an eye... actually, thinking back, the whole year went by in a heart beat didn't it? the year started kinda slow, picked up pace by around may or june and now it's coming to an end at warp speed...

anyway, here i am, on ss3 once more for a datafrac job on barton 206. simple job in terms of the operation and execution but pretty much technical. it'll be interesting coz for the 10 weeks or so that i spent in oman, we've been performing datafrac before every prop frac job and i didn't have a clue on what's going on... i just knew that we were getting critical data out of the job, but that's about it... and now, after school and after catching up on all the technical aspects of the job, i'll actually be able to read the plots and know for sure (i hope) what it is exactly that i'm looking at...

but really, lately, i've been so absorbed in my work and trying to catch up on so many things that i've just lost touch on almost everything else... i barely called/ chatted with cl over the past one month... i've barely called my parents... i missed one of my best friends' wedding... and as you've probably noticed, i've abandoned this space of mine as well... at times, i was just too busy to do anything about it... but at times i've gotta admit, i was just purely tired and lazy... so while the ss3 is being anchored down, i'm just taking this opportunity to tell the world (if anyone is interested) that i'm still here!

_____________________________________________________

*for ang*

congratulations on your wedding... i'm so sorry that i had to miss your wedding and trust me, if i've had any other options i would have been there... the first among us to tie the knot and i missed it! darn... anyway, wish you all the happiness with spl and may we soon see little angs running around... =P

_____________________________________________________

btw, although i've always dreamt of celebrating a white xmas - christmas has always been associated with snow so i guess that holds true for every kid who's never seen snow... but i'm in danger of celebrating a very blue xmas this year... surrounded by the wide, blue south china sea... =(

right now it still looks very likely that i'm still gonna be able to make it home before xmas... but there is a slight possibility that i won't and i'm praying hard that i'll be home for xmas...

well, i've gotta go now... it's getting really late and this post is getting really long... i'll end this post with all the pictures to make up the past one month that i've left this blog alone...

flaring on the west alliance - thanks to this very successful well, we once again went to the west alliance, rigged up and rigged down without executing our job...

this is me letting out all my frustrations at having to go through the same experience... twice!

just being a proud malaysian on the west alliance...

been on a few rigs now, but i've never seen them jacked down before... here's 2 of them that came in for maintenance at the labuan jetty...

here is the ocean rover... and a successful job for murphy oil...

remember the west setia and the kikeh spar?

they never cease to amaze me... we're in deep waters here - water depth at 1300m... some ppl feel sick even on the rig and these fishermen stay on those boats for days - come rain or shine...

after 4 visits to miri, i finally had the chance to see the grand old lady on canada hill - the first ever land rig in sarawak... thanks to amie...

sadly this is just a replica of the original... not only the structure but also the location... i think it would have been so cool if they could have maintained the original... maybe they can still do that with the last land rig in sarawak?

the view of miri from canada hill... see that tall building in the middle? i stayed there on my last trip to miri for 2 weeks - that's the mega hotel... and the building on the right is the imperial hotel which i stayed in my first 2 visits to miri...

tusan beach... also in miri - courtesy of amie amir again... says this is a good place for her geological field work of some sort... =)

we arrived just in time to catch the sunset...

need more work with my photography skills...

Santa Claus is coming to town...

Norwegian have some Christmas traditions and I want to share with everyone here. First, it is the Jule Calendar or Christmas Calendar. A calendar which has 24 days on it. It is a count down calendar to Christmas from 1 of December until 25 December. Every day, the small kid at home will open a box which means one day nearer to Chirstmas. They also will receive one small present everytime they open the day. It means 25 presents for one Christmas!!! Sounds cool,right!! 25 Christmas presents leh.

However, my Norwegian teacher told me that those present usually are small presents for kids. For example some eraser, pencil, ruler or most common is chocolate. Some major chocolate manufacturer will have the Christmas calendar which contain 24 different types of chocolate. Everyday, the kid can open and take one chocolate from the calendar until Christmas.

This is a Christmas Calendar from Kinder Chocolate. But, this calendar doesn't belong to any kids. Somehow, many process engineers in our company bought the calendar too. =)

As you all can see, the calendar already has 5 empty spaces which means 5 days gone and it is getting nearer to Christmas! However, instead of taking one chocolate per day, those engineer sometimes took 2 chocolates a day! I took the picture on 2 or 3 of December. They are not following the rules!

This is a photo taken from my office's reception which is a simple candle stand. Some are really nice.

Another tradition is the 4 candle for 4 Sunday on December. On the first Sunday of December, the family will light one candle after breakfast. They will only light one candle each Sunday. The second Sunday, they will light the 2nd candle. And it goes until the 4th Sunday which is the end of Christmas month. So those candles are different height with one is shorter than the other one.

When they are lighting the candle, they will read a tradition poem together. The meaning of the poem is something like the first candle will bring happiness and the last candle will bring peace to everyone who shine under the candle light. I couldn't remember the meaning of second and third candles. I have the poem but it is in the car and I am lazy to take it since it is cold outside. =P

Besides, Norwegian eat pork, pork sausage, some red cabbage and fish during Christmas dinner. Usually they will not eat beef on the festival. And, they also have their own version of Santa Claus - Fjøsnisse. They believe in a small version of Santa Claus who will take care of their animal. He is the secret keeper in the barn. So most of the family will leave one bowl of porridge with a spoon for him on Christmas Eve night. If he eat the porridge and the bowl is empty on the next morning, it means those sheep, goat and cow in the barn will be save for the following year. If not, it might have some sickness to the animals. I don't have the picture of the little Santa Claus. But, it looks exactly same like Santa Claus except it is much smaller in size. All kids are looking forward for white Christmas, they will not be happy if the snow is too little during the Christmas. As I heard from all the Norwegian, the snow at Norway is getting less year by year due to the global warming.

Wish the snow will always cover this peaceful land - Norway on each Christmas. And wish everyone to have a great Christmas.

Amsterdam, The Netherland

holland = windmill

I went Amsterdam 2 weeks ago. This is a trip which different with all the trip that I went before because the main purpose of the trip is not going for sight seeing but for the night life at Amsterdam. =)

1. drugs
no doubt, Amsterdam is famous for that. A country which smoke weed is legal. Along the street, you can see coffee shop everywhere. Every street at least will have 2 or 3 coffee shops. Obs…forget to explain, the meaning of coffee shop does not mean you can drink coffee there. Instead it means you can smoke weed there. The product of weed is not only in cigarette, it also came in lollipop ( I wanna buy to bring back to MY so much!! But worry later get caught =P ), cake ( so called space cake), chewing gum, candy. Besides, there have one type of mushroom which called magic mushroom. It is really-to-eat. A mushroom that can make you hallucinate after consume.

Did I try? Er…yes, of course. =) But, I admit that I am scare, only smoke a few puff of tobacco + little little weed, the cheapest indeed.

How do I feel?…er….feel like the world is spinning lo. =)

As I heard, different people will have different reaction and feeling after drugs. Those drugs will strengthen your personality which either be positive or negative. Fyi, my travel mate keep on smiling for the whole night after the cheapest tobacco + weed.

2. red light district

cannot take picture of the girls, so...''fancy'' chocolate as a replacement?

er hem….sophie and I were expecting that there will be naked women standing in front of the glass door. We were disappointed. They are not totally naked, however, in their very very sexy bikini. Read from a lot of websites, it is forbidden to take picture of those prostitute. Of course, it is rude by the way. So, no picture here.

The first time we reached the red light district in the morning guess what we saw? Super duper fat and ugly auntie who wear bikini and sat there waiting for the customer. Eaukkks….i was thinking…what the?!! This type of quality?? Cannot be!

After that, I get to know that renting the glass window is something like renting a shop. If you rent at night, the rental is expensive. It is much cheaper during the day time. So if your business is not so good, of course you will rent in the morning. So who will rent the window in the morning?

I went there at night again. And now..it looks more a like…better quality now, haha…Those girls will knock on their window when there are single guys walk pass. A way to promote themself. They will not invite youngsters who walk in a group since they know those youngsters are there to 'see' but 'buy'. Some of them will talk in their phone, do manicure in their own space. Even you stand in front and look at them, they will totally ignore yous existence and treat you as transparent. (maybe because I am gal, not potential customer)

The glass room is really a cute space. And I have to say, really convenient…it is a small room which occupy with a bed, a basin, and a chair. There is a huge glass window with curtain and door. Once the customer enter the room, pull up the curtain....shh....

We over heard the negotiation between the client and the prostitute. It is about €50 from a quite pretty girl. What type of service does that €50 included, then I am not sure. We suspect €50 is just for one time. No kiss, no squeeze. =P

Most of the pretty girls will not stand at the main street window. The main red light district street are not so many prostitute shops. If you walk to the small small alley that split from the main red light district road, you can see even more! Those alley are as small as only 1 person can pass at once. I saw one asian prostitute lo! Not bad not bad.

3. club

once 11pm, not only have to queue to enter, but also need to go through metal detector before enter.

We went a famous club named "Escape" at 930pm. Usually I will go clubbing from 10pm to 12am at Kuala Lumpur or Penang. We were early that night and I was expecting to sit in the club for some drinks while waiting for the club to fill up. That is how we used to be at Malaysia, I think. Surprisingly, when we reached the club, it is written Business Hour 2300 – 0500. what?! Not yet open? We waited till 11pm then only able to enter the club. Before enter, we had to go through metal detector! This is the first time I saw a metal detector for a night club.

At Amsterdam, most of the street are dead, pretty dead from 8pm – 11pm even red light district also the same. After11pm, only can start seeing people flow into the street. The city is dead from 8-9am as well, it wake up on 10 or 11am. It is a city which is so focus on the night life until everyone there seems to be sleep late and start late.

4. beer + absinthe

heineken logo

World famous beer, Heineken brewery is located at Amsterdam city. Heineken Experience is a famous things-to-do there. What does it means by Heineken Experience? It means you can experience how Heineken brew their famous beer step by step. You are not only allow to visit their brewery, you are entitle to taste the beer there as well.

I thought Heineken experience is closed under construction when I visited Amsterdam. I read the news from Heineken official website. But a guy who is selling bus ticket told me that although it is under construction still it open for visitor. Yeah! yeah!

Since I visited during construction time, it is €5 cheaper! Basically the whole construction is 90% complete only left the main entrance path which is still under construction. So, I didn’t lose anything even visit during their renovation. The valuable part about the Heineken Experience is not able to visit how Heineken brew their beer, but is the staff will teach you how to taste beer! According to the staff, tasting beer is like tasting wine. Should smell, look at the color, then only taste! Wow….only beer…

absinthe

Absinthe is a type of herb liquor which can contain super duper high alcohol level which can go up until 70 or 85% of alcohol. Basically it is something like drink alcohol from chemistry lab la. (i heard russia's vodka can go up to 95% alcohol level, that one is really drinking alcohol from lab) Amsterdam banned all the businessmen sell absinthe few years back. The funny part is…it is illegal to sell, but legal to drink, own or buy…har? So? Doesn't make sense, right? The owner of a liquor shop told me that it is just some business trick between wine and absinthe maker. The wine maker are jealous of the hot selling absinthe at amsterdam so they go to the Parliament and making noise want to ban absinthe. So, the parliament set the rule to ban people from selling absinthe from then on.

Enough travel Europe post for time being. I wish that the next travel blog that I am going to post is a travel experience to Asia country. After so many posts about Europe, I feel that I shall write more about Malaysia instead of Europe. When I go back to Malaysia this time, I will blog more on KL, Penang, Taiping and etc. I plan to write down more on Malaysia local food. So that when I am homesick next time, at least I can read it from the blog. Can't wait to be home lo!!

Distant vs Love

Some of my friends just broke up with their partner recently. The major culprit of them walking on their own path is because they are not physically together. So called long distant relationship.

Is it physically together is that important in a relationship? Does physically together is a guarantee that the relationship will not have prob? Is it both of them dating with each other everyday means they are deeply in love?

So many husband and wife are sleeping on the same bed every night for more than 10 or 20 years, some of them living under the same roof for half of their life, still, divorce, affairs, argument...

Ain't them physically attach enough?

The soul is not there, the love is not there means it is not there.

I know...when you are weak, you wish that your loved one can be there by your side to share your sorrow. When you are happy, you wish that he or she is the first one who know the great news.

However, even he/she can't share the joy with you, the pain or sorrow with you at the first moment, is that reason valid enough to leave the one you love the most?

He or she is your love. Someone you choose that you are willing to spend the rest of your life with. I always believe it is not easy for two strangers to fall in love together, to walk the same path together. He/she is someone that you are willing to tell him/her that you love her. It is easy to break up but it is never easy to get back together once there is a scar in the relationship.

Although we are too young to talk about death, but every couple, no matter how sweet they are now, nobody can be physically together forever. One day, one of them will leave the world first. Then the partner will be living in this world...alone.

Can God of Death wash away our love even he/she left us forever? Can time faded our missing to him/her?

Even death cannot separate two lover apart

ps: this is a sculpture from Gustav Vigeland at Vigelandsparken, Oslo. One of my favourite.

money vs dream

heart talk

go for your dream. you're still young. with time to fail and start fresh. it's going to be an adventure. you're going into the unknown. give yourself that chance. you deserve it.

logic talk

money. career stability. bright future. forget your dream.

=(

Vatican City, Vatican

Whoever go to Rome, I believe that they will pay a visit to Vatican City as well.

Once I reach the hostel, the receptionist already warn us that if we are going to Vatican City, he recommended us to get up early and reach there by 730am. 730am?!! Means I have to wake up 7am in the morning to get ready? No way...i am not going to wake up that early especially going for a trip.

At the second day, I reached Vatican City about 8am in the morning....ends up....the queue to enter vatican museum is surrounding the 1/4 of the country's perimeter! sial...I was thinking, haih...this time don't know have to wait until when only can enter vatican. Luckily, the queue is moving quite fast, so it doesn't matter. Frankly speaking, it is really scary when I first saw the queue.

long long queue...

We directly went into Vatican Museum, I recommended whoever go to Vatican Museum, it is better to bring along a friend who has strong knowledge about Christianity and bible. Most of the paintings are related to the history of Christianity. Without the knowledge, basically, you will be totally blur from the moment you enter the museum until you walk out from there.

If you are travel with 2 or 3 friends, it is better to have a tour guide along. I didn’t hire a tour guide instead I rented the audio system. It cost RM50 and I didn’t even listen to half of the content but trust me, it is worth. Without it, I am like an idiot walking inside a big building. I don’t like that feeling. It makes me feel I waste my money to enter the museum.

Majority of the tour guides will speak in front of the team, then every tour member will wear one wireless earphone. So whoever left behind also can listen to what the tour guide says. Most of the corridors in the museum are narrow, it is impossible to get a place for the tour group to gather in a round and start explaining. It will block other visitor to proceed. You can hear multi national language of tour guide over there. When you choose the tour, you are not only can choose for English tour guide, but even can choose Italian, France, Britain or US accent of English!

i saw mummy!! at vatican museum

One of the most famous fresco in the Vatican Museum is God creates Adam, the first man by Michelangelo at Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo draw the 9 scenes from Book of Genesis, Old Testament on the ceiling! For me, by reading the bible especially the Genesis already make me super duper confuse. I am someone who like to imagine the picture in my brain when I am reading something. Like even when I am studying, I will try to remember the ''picture'' or ''image'' of the equation instead of memorise it. Genesis is always a chapter which is too abstract for me. Divide Land and water?? har??light and darkness?? Nevertheless, Michelangelo manage to transform it from the word to a graphic. The most amazing things is when I look at the painting, it gives me the feeling of...yes...this is what bible said...this is how it looks like...

The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel

Normally those movie which transform from book to picture, most of the reader will hate the movie. Because when we read the book, we always have our own perception and expectation of the character in the book. We always assume how the character suppose to be in our brain. When it comes to movie, the picture is display in front of us, without the space of imagination, the real life is always not as nice as we thought. Ends up, book is always better than movie like Harry potter, Da Vincci Code.....

The last judgment on the altar.

But Michelangelo managed to draw the imagine from the bible and show it in such a beautiful way to us until I have to agree with it. His painting convince me to believe that what he draw is what the bible says. That is how God create heaven and earth, create the first man.

It is illegal to take picture inside Sistine Chapel. The most famous phase that we can hear from the guard in the chapel is....''silence please...no picture....'' All the pictures inside Sistine chapel are taken by my friend under risk of being caught. =P

One of the corridor in the Vatican Museum.

Every corner or ceiling or column of the museum are full of painting and decoration.

For whoever plans to visit the museum, it is recommended to estimate you have to spend minimum 3 hours there. Only the museum, not included the basilica, ok? Even you are not a big fan of the Christianity history or art, assuming every single display item, you take 30seconds to look at it also need about 2 – 3 hours to finish the museum. If you are someone who are really interested to find out more for some items, then you will ends up like me….5 hours…I am still consider fast because I try not to spend too long since I knew that I have to visit some other places on that day. Besides, I also try not to waste too much time on taking pictures ( still I took about few hundred pictures inside there). Can you imagine how big is the museum? I heard that Louve Paris is even much bigger than Vatican museum.

Err….actually I also spent some time to buy rosary as well. Vatican museum is really a good place to shop for rosary. Over here, you can get various design of rosary. Buying rosary here is not simply because it is from the holy see, it is also because many design that I never see at Malaysia. Yes, the price maybe a bit higher. I fall in love with a rosary necklace that cost few thousand ringgit. =P But those rosary are really a piece of jewellery, rosary with gold plated that can wear as necklace, rosary with silver plated, rosary with black pearl, with crystal, rosary as bracelet…However, if once you walk out from the Vatican wall, those rosary is selling at much lower price. But, I over heard one tour guide said, although it is just a wall difference, but buying from inside is consider buy from the holy see, once u buy over the wall, it is consider you buy from Italy not Vatican anymore.

I spent about 5 hours inside Vatican museum. Initially, I plan to attend sunday mass and visit the museum museum on the same day. But, it closed on Sunday. So, I have to go to Vatican again on Sunday morning and visit the museum on the other day. After the first visit to Vatican city, this time, although the general announcement start at 10am, still I reach there at 8am. (never ever 2 hours earlier to reach church, hahaha) I thought I am early but I am absolutely wrong again.

queue + queue + queue

Again!! super duper long queue. It is really a tiring mass. 2 hours queue just to enter Piazza St Pietro, usual 30 mins to Holy communion become another 2 hours to it. 15 min first reading become 1 hour only first reading....seriously.....very very tired after the mass.

sunday mass, many people leh?

At Malaysia, we will have dual lingual mass. But at Vatican City, there will have multi lingual mass...Italian, Spanish, Hindi, English....whenever the announcement is using Italy language, all Italian will stand up and hooray~~!!Hindi, all indian will be waving India national flag....and HOooray~~~!!Spanish, all the Spanish youngster will stand on top of the chair, yeah !! yeah~~!!English....cool...calm....too little Christian who speak english there. It looks like a concert more than an Sunday Mass. Luckily, when praying or some serious session, everyone still keep quiet.

never ever visit vatican city on sunday if you are not going for the mass

When the mass finish, finally I have the time to visit Saint Peter Basilica or so called San Pietro in Italy language. It is famous because of the tomb of Saint Peter, who was one of the twelve apostles. It is huge, as huge as you can fit the Statue of Liberty in the dome where the main altar sits with room to spare!

human is tiny in the house of God

I am really astonish by the basilica. After visiting the Saint Peter Basilica, I believe there is no other church in the world could gave me such impact anymore. The size, the altar, the chapel, the carving, the nave, the fresco, the ceiling...every single corner of the Saint Peter Basic ilia is an individual piece of art.

I had visited the Cathedral at London. Yes, it is large and nice as well. But compare to Saint Peter Basilica, it is nothing. Those cathedral doesn't give an impact, such feeling. For Saint Peter Basilica, once you step in, your mouth will just drop...and...wah....My travel mate said that it doesn't look like a praying place at all because it is really too huge. A praying place that can fit 60,000 disciples?!

It is really a must visit for everyone who visit Rome and Vatican City. Finally, end my post with a picture of adorable Swiss Guard. =)

First snow at Norway

This morning when I woke up and open the door to go to office as usual. This is what enter my eye...

snow....I was late to office for the past 2 days, reached office around 9am. Since I wanna reach office early, so I purposely woke up early. Due to the stupid snow, I am going to reach office late again because I have to start the car, let the engine warm up and clear off all the snow on the wind screen. Gggggrrrr.....stupid snow.....

It is the first snow in my life. Still....not excited...I am cursing it like hell....@#%$^@$^%^ (make me late again)
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Let's go!! Go office lo!!
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People always said driving on road which cover with snow is very slippery, but I feel ok all the way from my house to the office with summer tyre. (ya, i haven't change to winter tyre yet...)

Suddenly, when I took the last corner right in front of my office, the car just lose control, the steering is not listening to me!!!

Arrrrgggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh~~~~!!!

Accident happen. My car fly over the rock. =(

(can you see other cars in front of it? that is my office parking space)

Because it happen right in front of the office, so everyone who go to office will see my car is 'hanging' there. Today, everyone got a good laugh at me. I am the winner of this winter and very famous in the office today since everyone know that is my car.

In the afternoon, I got the news that norway highway got a few acccidents with more than 10 cars bang together. Along the way home just now, there are some cars which lost control as well. It is early snow for Norway and many drivers haven't change to winter tyre yet.

Every winter, there will be someone who lost control at the junction in front of my office. Last year, the car fly and bang to another 3 cars which stop at my office car park. I am consider lucky because the rock stop my car from being 'fly' and bang to other cars.

In a nutshell, don't curse snow. She is small gas...kecik hati...shh.....
karma...

Rome, Italy

I went to Rome for 4 days trip few weeks back. As usual, the post is always few weeks after my travel. Rome is a city that full of history and basilica. I am amazed by the glorious achievement of the Roman Empire. Becaues of this trip, I start to realise that how poor is my history foundation. Ya ya ya, it is poor even before I go there. But, I never aware of how serious it is!When I am doing research for the trip, I am so confuse with all the emperor, painter, artist, war, pope....bla bla bla... ! How I wish to have more time to improve myself on it, seriously.

Colosseum

First of all, of course I am going to talk about Colosseum. Colosseum souvenir is everywhere at Italy. It came across my eye whever I am there. Besides, Hollywood did plenty of movies about Colosseum as well. It is not something new for me, not at all. I believe almost most of the people in the world knows about it. When I were walking towards Colosseum, by the time it goes into my eyea my blood flush, my heart pumps. I am totally overwhelm by the structure. Titling my head up and looking at it, speechless....(haih....my English...my poor vocab....)

Colosseum---it may not as tall as Twin Tower, or the going-to-be-the-tallest-building at Dubai (lazy to search what that building called), still....his impact to the everyone who had seen him is something that modern building cannot make it. No wonder it is one of the 7 wonders of the world for so many years.Modern world keep on building skyscraper, trying to compete who has the tallest building in the world. Your country may claim to have the tallest building in the world, but within few years from now, another building will be taller than yours by that few inch or meter difference. So, what's the point of building the tallest?

Fountain di Trevi

Fountain di Trevi is one of the reason I am fancy about Rome. Please don't laugh at my silliness. I know it sounds shallow if I want to visit Rome for this. But, I am being honest here. Fountain di Trevi is always one of the place that I want to go. And...I make it!=) According to the legend, throw one coin with your right hand through your left shoulder, and make a wish, you will have second visit to Rome. Throw 2nd coin again, you will meet a guy and fall in love with him at Rome. Throw the 3rd coin, you will marry a Rome guy!!

I thought I am always positive with human attitude and always forgive what others had done to me. Seriously, this is something I will not forget. Talk about fountain di trevi, I have to mention a souvenir shop that right opposite of the fountain. As you all know, Nic's mother like to collect fridge magnet, I am planning to buy some souvenir back. When I entered the shop, I read the sign about DO NOT TOUCH on top of the fridge magnet rack. However, I saw some magnet that I never seen in that shop that other stalls don't have, so I took it up and choosing for other magnet. At the mean time, the shop lady walk towards me and I asked: how much is this? Instead of answering my question, she said: did you see the sign of DO NOT TOUCH? I said: ya...but I want to buy it, if I don't touch, how am I going to buy it? Maybe she didn't hear me clearly by my poor english or her poor english (most Italian don't speak English at all) but she replied with her finger point point at the sign of DO NOT TOUCH. And then, I was a bit angry, and I said, if I am not going to touch it means I am not going to buy. ( i guess i raise my voice a little bit, and some other people look at us) The boss of the shop walk to us and said, it is fine if you don't want to buy, thank you for your visit. @#@#$%^&* I should have just take the fridge magnet and throw a 10 euro on the floor! So angry!! Ggggrrrr....

a cup of cappuccino that take less than 1 min to serve. faster than kopitiam uncle's kopi.

It is a new habit that I have after start working at Norway or shall refer back to Bali trip. I will try the local coffee wherever I go. I love Bali local coffee - the sweetness even without any sugar added, love Barcelona coffee too with the thick texture, so so with Norway sour coffee. Nevertheless at Rome, I saw another culture of drinking coffee. Rather than blog about how the coffee taste, I have to talk about how Italian drink the coffee. Italian like to just stand beside the bar, and wait for their coffee instead of sitting down to drink. They will STAND until finish the coffee! It is new for me. I suspect that the main reason they do so is because once you sit down, the restaurant will have the right to require for service charge since you are sit in dine. The service charge sometime is not the usual 10%, but it might goes up to 20 or 30%. So, most of the lower class coffee shop, you can see everyone just stand there and drink.

Rose window. I don't know why but I always love it.

The church. Almost every street at Rome will have a church or basilica. Some of it may look small from the outside but never judge a book by its cover. Surprisingly, everyone of it got its own unique and beauty. Deeply fall in love with the church's painting on ceiling and rose windows.

There are so many things for me to write about this trip, too many stories to share. I haven't share about the the pasta I ate, the Rome Termini that full of Be Aware of Pick Pocket sign, the tidy road condition that has accident every day, gelato - the tasty Rome ice cream...The wine is cheap! I am not a good wine taster. I only know how to differentiate dry or not. Over there with 3 to 5 Euro wine, no matter white or red, it just taste so good! It is smooth....go into my throat, the aroma...really love this part about Italy.

Anyway, the length of this post is enough by now, I believe that I shall stop. I don't like a post which is super duper long, so I am not going to write a super duper long post as well. Unless...someone are interested to know more about Rome story, then I shall consider to write more about it in future post. =P

most of the city roads are narrow. parking at rome is challenging from the view of a Penangite. keke... can you park as near as this? i can't.

In conclusion, I would said this is just an okay trip for me. Yes, I am overwhelming by all the church and historical building. At the same time, I am really disappointed with the Italian attitude as well.

santa maria basilica's altar

What make a country attractive is not only by the history or culture, building, beach or natural scenery, the people plays a role as well. Building, scenery are dead, human are alive! Maybe most of the travel advertisement or brochure, rarely the editor will take the people as a selling point. But, undeniable, the people is always something that will make you remember back the trip. The auntie who show you the way when you lost, the guy who bring you to bus station, the lady who help you with the ticket machines...These are the thing that warm a traveller heart, these are the thing that will left behind in someone's heart.

ps: i will blog about Vatican City and Pisa at different post during the weekend. Hopefully....

from ss3 with love...

this post is long overdue and i've been trying to keep up with my work schedule and still make time for blogging but i've found out that it is kinda tough... =)

so, from my short trip back to kl for my eye check-up, i flew straight to kota belut to go onboard the ss3. well, i've heard of stories about this place but that still did not prepare me for what i saw when i reached kota belut. it definitely is a very "interesting" town - cows, ponies and plenty of dogs roaming the road... shops closing at 6 pm... and somehow, that place has hair saloons in every block in town... no idea why though... =)

anyway, from there, i went onboard the ss3 the following day. and from all my experiences so far, i guess this is the closest i've felt to being seasick... the water was kinda rough and the 90 minute boat ride to the ss3 did not help at all. i reached the ss3 with a growing headache and i was in time for a job actually. so we started pumping and my headache was still growing...

it was a bad first day to say the least. but from then on, the one week onboard was pretty smooth sailing - 5 treatments pumped. and in between, the crew onboard celebrated hari raya. we had a bbq dinner on the first day of raya and well, despite the best efforts to create a cheerful atmosphere, i sensed that most of the crew really would prefer to be home. who wouldn't right? but the dedication these guys have - that's the essence which keeps this company and this business thriving.

the slb crew at the hari raya bbq

the thing about every location that i've been to is that we've always got a great crew to work with. no matter the time of the day or no matter how tired we all are, we still manage to have a laugh and it was always a good atmosphere to work in. and it's always the crew that keeps me going as well. especially more since i'm still pretty new and probably not as mentally strong as i'm supposed to be...

port side view of the ss3 and south furious jacket e platform

starboard view with the personnel transfer boat in the background

picture taken on the first night i was on board

picture taken on the last night i was onboard (i like the effect)

about my photography... i've had my nikon d60 for about 4 months now and i dun really have the time to experiment except when i'm offshore (this makes offshore sound like a vacation)... but in those times that i've had, i've started to really enjoy taking photos of the sky... i used to be only interested in taking sun rise and sun sets, but lately i've started to prefer taking photos as you see below... it's no masterpiece or anything close to it, but it does make me stare in awe... mother nature is an artist and the sky is her canvas... =)

love the fiery look behind the clouds...

the cloud looks like cotton candy...

and this last photo is a courtesy of terry's arm... it has an uncanny resemblance to zeus with a shade of hades, which metaphorically speaking really does work for me... everyone has to be nice essentially but with a shade of evil... muahahaha... =)

really cool tattoo...