Petronas Twin Towers night view from Coronade Hotel. 11th June 2008

I’d been quite busy both night and day to have the luxury to be lethargic for the past few days. Blogging’s also starting to be a luxury as well! Too many things to blog about but not enough time to do so. *sigh*

Life gets in the way lah!

Anyway here are two snaps of KL’s iconic Petronas Twin Towers taken from my hotel room which I kind of like, as it’s challenging to take interesting photos of well known landmarks. Not bad huh? And proof enough that each day begins anew and that beauty can be found both night and day and from all angles.

Petronas Twin Towers morning view from Coronade Hotel - 12th June 2008

“I dunno why you humans are always busy rushing here and there?”
Oxford Street Mall, Bondi Junction, Sydney 3rd June 2008

I guess some fatigue of sort is finally catching up after all that rushing around as I have been feeling unusually lethargic since coming back from KL although I dragged myself to the gym on Saturday and went cycling on Sunday evening in a futile attempt to shake it off. Perhaps I just need to go paddling.

Yesterday evening I was on standby at KLIA to take the earlier 20.50 instead of the 22.15 flight so that I can get into Kuching an hour before midnight (otherwise my other half would not be picking me up!); when I spotted the setting sun from the check-in counter queue. Not wanting to lose my line, I picked the best framing I could from where I was and took a few snaps, and I’m quite pleased with the result.

Magical moments are with us constantly. We just need to know how to tune in to it - by being fully present in the moment; wherever and whenever we are.

Here’s wishing that you are fully present this weekend wherever you are in whatever that you are doing. Don’t miss life - be present.

Photo for Bev (although I cannot imagine her riding a pinkbike!) - Showroom of “Bike Bar / Bar Bici” @ Oxford St, Bondi Junction. Sydney. 3 June 2008

Actually I flew in yesterday evening and would be back in Kuching late tomorrow night. I’m attending the inaugural “Modern Communities Conference” held at the Renaissance Hotel Kuala Lumpur Grand Ballroom from 9am to 5.30pm.

I hope you folks are not getting the wrong impression that all I do is fly everywhere and not do any ‘work’! You folks are dead wrong ok! It’s a tough life but someone got to live it!

Left: A moment of boredom and narcissism at 40,000 feet. I’m wearing a ridiculously priced AUD30/- tattered cap I bought in the bike shop above.

Untouched photo of a golfer on the green of The Australian Golf Club taken with my Nokia 2630 with un-peeled plastic protective lens cover still in place! 1st June 2008

My Sony Ericsson K750i handphone died on me just before my Fiji/Sydney trip and I hurriedly did a quick ‘research’ and bought a basic Nokia 2630 handphone for a very reasonable RM280/- as an ‘interim’ phone as I am lusting waiting on the new 3G Apple iPhone. I already have the wonderful Apple iTouch and I know how great the new iPhone is going to be.  Anyway even though the Nokia 2630 is quite a ‘basic’ phone it still sports Bluetooth, fm radio, speaker phone and even web browser. Really. And it is easily the slimmest phone around.

Anyway, I buy it to use it basically as a phone (duh!) so I was not too concerned about the quality of the camera. But I was quite surprised with what I thought was the ‘filter’ effect of the cheap lens that produced this rather attractive effect of the golfer putting while I was dining in comfort (and luxury) at the prestigious Australian Golf Club in Sydney where my sister took me for lunch when I arrived on Sunday, 1^st June 2008 from Fiji. This was one of the first few shots I took with the Nokia 2630.

The second time I used it was yesterday morning of the ‘bulging bumper’ car when I did not have my camera handy. The results were less than desirable - and for good reason when upon closer examination of the lens that the protective plastic cover was still there! Smart huh?

Photo of Kuching morning sky taken with Nokia 2630 - this time with the protective plastic cover over the lens removed!

I’m not saying that the camera of the Nokia 2630 is exceptional but I’m quite happy with the pictures of the clouds I took this morning with it. But then again I think I can take good photos with even a pinhole camera! *ahem*

Kuching morning clouds. 11th June 2008

People’s mind are getting more twisted and distorted by the day. Here’s proof. 10th June 2008

Some people claim that “big is better” but this is ridiculous!

I spotted this car in the parking lot this morning. Really, how could anyone have missed that humongous rear bumper! I don’t have my camera with me so I snapped it with my cheap Nokia 2630 camera phone (hence the deplorable quality by FH2o’s standards). Secret compartment for fuel or goods smuggling? Airbags bumper? Any idea anyone?

Whatever the reason(s) for or purpose of the oversized bumper is any body’s guess; but it is mind boggling. And fodder for the Tuesday’s bored.

Lautoka, the second largest city in Fiji (total population around 44 thousand) with a predominantly Indian Fijian population, is not exactly on the list of places to visit on the tourist map. Even though it’s about a half hour’s leisurely drive from Nadi International Airport; tourists never visit this place.

But if you happened to chance upon it or if you are a die hard curious traveler like me; you could keep yourself entertained with the various signs and signboards that abound in this small but lively town - as there’s really not that much to do here! And as you can probably guess that as in every little corner of the world - there are Chinese restaurants even here. *sigh*

But on the other hand this is the ‘real’ Fiji that 99% of the tourists to Fiji will never ever see - dirt, grime, warts and all; and all very real. Lautoka is by no means a shanty town; far from it. It is neat, clean and well organised sitting on a gently undulating landscape with views of the sea and mountains. The town center is thriving with a busy fish and vegetables market and while we were there on Saturday morning the sidewalks were packed with people going about with their shopping and other activities.

I think tourists everywhere have a blinkered view. Fiji is not just about 5-stars resorts, golden beaches and amazing waters. And all is not well in paradise and if you travel anywhere in the country outside of the usual tourist beaches and islands resorts, you’ll notice the lack of development and economic activities. They need to resolve the issue of the interim coup-government and the conflict between the indigenous Fijians and the Indo-Fijians to allow all that to happen so that Fiji can be a paradise to their own people as well besides to the tourists.

Anyway, enjoy the signs - they are simple, far less complicating, real and entertainingly educational. I love small towns; especially ones where there are no tourists.

I’d completely missed this story of the 17th May 2008, Saturday in the local paper, The Borneo Post! It’s a good thing that I spoke to Dennis Leong who asked me if I have read about it.

Now I’ll have to track down this Abang Kamaluddin Abang Ahmad and have a good chat and paddle with him. Here’s proof once again that “old” guys like us rocks! Right Geoff and Mel?

Well done Abang and I think Huey‘ll be glad to know that he’s not the only insane person in Asia!

Baleh to Kuching solo by kayak
By Ting Tieng Hee

KUCHING: Abang Kamaluddin Abang Ahmad paddled for two weeks on a kayak, overcome all challenges and obstacles on the way from Nanga Banyau Baleh before sailing safely into Kuching yesterday.

I DID IT!!!: Kamaluddin lifts the paddle to celebrate his successful solo kayak expedition from Kapit to Kuching. — Photo by Johnathan Bullet

It was an historic journey on water via a kayak … a solo expedition that was a teacher’s best way of celebrating Teachers’ Day yesterday.

The 49-year-old teacher also created a history of sort by becoming the first person in Sarawak to kayak from Balleh to Kuching in a 15-day journey covering more than 1,200 kilometres.

He arrived at the Kuching Waterfront at 2.10pm yesterday.

His achievement was shared by family members and officers from Sarawak Education Department’s Co-curriculum Division at Santubong, who were waiting for him at the waterfront.

Kamaluddin, who looked tired as he talked to reporters about his challenging feat, said he made 14 stops during the two-week journey from Nanga Banyau Baleh-Kapit, Kapit-Song, Song-Kanowit, Kanowit-Sibu, Sibu-Bitangor, Bitangor-Sarikei, Sarikei-Gerigat, Gerigat-Kabong, Kabong-Meludan, Meludan-Sebuyau. Sebuyau-Pendam, Pendam-Sambir, Sambir-Muara Tebas, Muara Tebas-Sejingkat and Sejingkat-Kuching Waterfront.

“During the journey, I faced various challenges such as strong currents, strong winds, swirling river currents, sea waves and came across crocodiles on four occasions in shallow river waters.

“However, I managed to overcome all challenges and obstacles to arrive safely in Kuching today,” said Kamaluddin yesterday.

He said although he had only five years of experience in kayaking, that did not deter him from proving his ability to kayak from Kapit to Kuching.

“My success is a special present for the teaching fraternity who celebrates Teachers’ Day today.

“I am also doing it for SK Abang Abdul Rahman Alumni and for Sarawak,” he said.

The father of five said he paddled for about five to eight hours daily, stopping only at night.

He is very grateful to the kampung folk at the stopovers for helping him and giving him words of encouragement.

“The longest time I paddled was nine hours, from Sarikei to Gerigat along the Rajang River.

“I must thank Saratok MP Jelaing Mersat for personally sponsoring my expedition and state assemblyman for Kalaka Abdul Wahab Aziz for their encouragement throughout the whole journey, my colleagues and superiors from Sarawak Education Department’s Co-Curriculum Division, family members, friends and relatives for their moral support,” said Kamaluddin.

Kamaluddin, who teaches at SK Abang Abdul Rahman in Saratok and is temporary attached with the Sarawak Education Department’s Co-Curriculum Division at Santubong, said he was not accompanied by anyone during the journey.

Throughout the trip he took only light food such as dry salty biscuits, chocolates and drinking water.

He said he had prepared for the expedition since 2005, and kayaked for three days to boost his confidence and stamina prior to commencing the trip in Kapit.

Kamaluddin had cycled solo from Limbang to Kuching before his latest feat and said this success had spurred him to dream of kayaking solo from Kota Kinabalu to Kuching and around Semenanjung Malaysia.

He had also gone kayaking in Padas in Sabah and Kedah.

“If there is a sponsorship, I would like to do this expedition (Kapit-Kuching) again and complete it in 11 days to break my own record of 15 days,” he said.

The co-curriculum trainer revealed that he might be taking on another challenge thrown by Jelaing to kayak from Kuching to Saratok this November.

“That will be the toughest challenge for me because by then it will be the Landas season when the seas will be very rough,” he admitted.

Asked whether he wants to register his record feat in the Malaysia Guinness Book of Records, Kamaluddin said: “No, because I didn’t inform the committee about my expedition and there are many procedures to follow.”

I had to leave the hotel early in order to avoid the long queues at Nadi International Airport and reluctantly had to forsake the wonderful buffet breakfast spread at Radisson Resort Fiji Denarau Island on Sunday, 1^st June 2008.

However the lovely break of sunrise at Denarau Island more than make up for what I missed at breakfast on the 20 minutes drive to the airport. Have your fill now.

Atrium, Westfield @ Bondi Junction, Sydney. 2nd June 2008

I had a good trip and it was great to catch up with my sisters and an old architect friend in Sydney on the stopover from Fiji. I had rested well and had more or less settled into my daily routine. Yeah, it’s good to be back and sleeping on one’s own bed. Gucci (below), my sister’s pampered pooch would agree. Have a great weekend ahead - be it sleeping on your own bed or otherwise!

“Gucci” my sister’s glam cute silky terrier in her winter’s coat lying comfortably in her own bed.