the adventure of prince kenneth...

2011 in review...

2011-12-29T10:22:00.007Z

another 360 degree transition in 2011. i started the year without knowing i’m gonna sit here in jebel ali, dubai. c’est la vie! i really didn’t expect any change in 2011. early of the year, i was still very much excited about my new found life in kl. i only wanted a smooth and easy life in kl and travel around asia as much as possible. i love being a kuala lumpurian. even in july, i still didn’t think of changing job or moving to a new environment (again).

in mid of july, i suddenly received calls and started interview sessions. i actually didn’t take it seriously. guess where was I when they called me for phone interview? i was at parkson, one-u with ah tong. surrounded by shoes while doing an interview for an engineering job, just weird! even after the interview, i didn’t expect myself to get the offer and not to say moving to middle east. somehow, here I am! not a bad thing and i love this place.

the changes from kl to dubai…
from the bad traffic of jalan tun razak to crazy drivers of sheikh zayed road
from the daily rain of kuala lumpur to the sunny desert life of dubai
from the stunning looking petronas twin towers to the world’s tallest burj khalifa
from the great pavilion to the exciting dubai mall
from exotic and exciting lunch exploration to self cooked lunch box
from gossiping in cantonese at work to learning indian english at work
from doing grocery at jusco maluri to crazy buying at spinney karama
from using rm to spending aed

beside the big transition (new job, new life and new environment), 2011 is actually quite a special year. why? i bought my first apartment. a small apartment at cheras. i did plan to move in around mid of 2012. i actually started planning on how i want my first apartment to be like. i guess for now, the renovation plan has be on hold. will i be able to execute it will be another story. it is actually a huge challenge for myself. i always have the care free kinda lifestyle. someone who has never mortgaged anything before and now, have to fork out 1500 rm every month. i did think i will have to cut down on beers and trips. but hey, now… i not only can pay the monthly installment, but can also have more beers and trips. gotta thanks myself for making such a huge decision (say yes to middle east, folks).

speaking of trips, where have i been in 2011? i only went to 5 trips in 4 countries and explored only 22 world heritage sites.

-phuket in june with colleagues (i should say, ex colleagues)
-sri lanka in early august with lim yeeyin, moon, kwai fun, wai leng, Sharon, ann and her man
-beijing, china in end of august with mom
-korea in end of september with sam and ryan
-sichuan, china in mid of november with lim yeeyin

china is such an interesting place to visit. so many to see and do over there. would love to visit china again in the future. i always wanna see the terracotta warriors with my own eyes. anyway, I believe 2012 will be another interesting years in my life. so many great places to explore. i will rock middle east.

well! i will be having a gathering on new year's eve with a few friends while counting down at burj khalifa. let's pray for a great year ahead. thanks 2011 and hello 2012.

You Are So Beautiful (Scent of a Woman OST)

2011-12-23T19:40:00.000Z

our life is full of uninvited plans. some days will not be as what we have planned. instead of being unhappy about it, why not take it as a new experience and challenge it? life is actually beautiful and we should make full use of it. live like there's no tomorrow. everyday is a special day!

my feeling after watching korean drama, scent of a woman.

the 1st week

2011-12-16T03:55:00.003Z

i landed at dubai a week ago. life started to get really interesting. i didnt expect myself to like this place. this place is giving more than what im asking for. with malls bigger than pavilion and klcc, this place cant go wrong. i actually feel like im in an european city more than in a middle eastern one. but sometimes, i do feel like im in india. there is more indians over here than the locals. the last 7 days, i have been eating a lot of basmati rice and curry.

i've started working! the office isnt as nice and comfy as technip kuala lumpur but it's offering something what technip wont be able to give. the office is just right next to the yard. means, i can see the real actions going on. im the only non-indian in pipeline section. is good to be the odd one sometimes. they gonna remember me for a long time.

guess what? i booked a trip a few days ago. crazy yeh? the 1st week just ended and i have already started planning trips. so many to do and see over here and dubai is in the middle of the world and emirates can just fly you to anywhere. the next few years gonna be very exciting and im so looking forward for it.

friends told me, life start at 30... yeh! they are so damn right! im enjoying every minute of it.

new life?

2011-12-10T06:25:00.002Z

life can be very interesting. 18 months ago, i flew back to malaysia and was so excited to restart my life at kl. but 18 months later, i gave up my extremely easy and peaceful life at kl for middle east. i was quite doubt on my decision to move here. but yesterday, when i landed at the dubai international airport, i knew i must move forward. no more regret or upset...

a few days before taking my flight, i was so damn upset for leaving my parents at malaysia. but they are so damn understanding and encouraged me to take up this new role. my parents and sister are really important in my life. i will not be what i am right now without them. all the trusts and encouragements they had given me really shaped my life and my future. thanks mom, thanks dad, thanks sis!

everyone thinks that since i have stayed overseas for many years before, it wouldnt be so hard for me to leave malaysia again. oh well! you guys are wrong. i somehow got older and family became even more important in my life. when i left malaysia for the very first time, i was young and was so eager to see the world outside. this time is my third time leaving malaysia for a long stay. i'm still very excited about it but at the same time missing my family and friends in malaysia dearly.

speaking of my friends... fellas, i will surely go back to malaysia one day. for beer sessions, for expensive lunch/ dinner gatherings, for karaoke sessions, for retail therapies or for trips with you guys. be patient fellas, we will surely meet again.

oh well! all the best to you guys and myself...

bye bye technip!

2011-11-16T13:05:00.002Z

the last 18 months have been one of the best periods in my life. a big thank to mr hood and technip for giving me an opportunity to be there. a special thank to all my buddies in technip for making the last 18 months a wonderful experience.

sometimes, goodbye just isnt that easy to say it out but i believe we gonna meet again.

Hyun Bin - That man (Eng sub)(Secret Garden OST)

2011-11-05T11:46:00.000Z

I'm that man, do you know that?

sri lanka

2011-09-16T02:21:00.009+01:00

i seldom travel more than once in a month but somehow in august this year, i explore sri lanka and china. while the beauty of sri lanka was still playing in my mind, i was forced to let it go and be mesmerized by the beauty of the middle kingdom. how did it happen? the answer is easy, cheap airfare from mas + continuous public holidays.

anyway, i will try to bring back the magic moments that was given to me by sri lanka and translate them into words. i have travelled many places before but none of them offered me like what sri lanka is able to give to travellers. sri lanka might be small but it isn’t short of interesting places to visit. in just a short span of 8 days, i was able to turn back times and seen the greatness of its ancient civilizations, enjoyed the best tea in the world, walked under the southern asian sun at the world renowned beach, spotted wild animals in a national park, paid tribute to buddhism, learned dutch colonialism and the best of all, shopped like nobody business in the bustling capital, colombo! yes! sri lanka is amazing!

sri lanka has 8 world heritage sites and i explored 6 of them. from the 6 of them, polonnaruwa is my favourite. when i was there, i felt like i have been transported by a time machine to ancient sri lanka. by looking at those ruined monuments, i was able to picture how great polonnaruwa was during its glorious days. besides polonnaruwa, other world heritage sites are worth visiting.

if i am a writer or a musician or having a job that requires me to have like 101 fresh ideas, i will definately soak myself 24/7 in the southern town, galle. the charming town is just so inspiring and relaxing. gosh, i do wish im there now sipping black ceylon tea, enjoying the gentle sea breeze touching my skin while looking at the sun sinking into the indian ocean.

before the trip, i didn’t expect myself to shop like a mad man in sri lanka. never before i bought so many things in a single trip! so people, if you are going to sri lanka, make sure you include budget for shopping and i am sure you wont regret it.

is sri lanka really worth to visit? By looking at the stunned faces of those who had seen the photographs i took over there, the answer is a sure yes. sri lanka has something for everyone. the only not so fantastic story is the food! wherever I went, there were only two things in the menu which were rice and curry and fried rice. coming from a country where menu can be ranged from Indian to baba nyonya, having just rice and curry three times a day is just not right. anyway, i survived.

the highlight of the trip was meeting my pen-friend for 15 years. however, these days we are more connected by the creation of mark zuckerberg, the facebook. meeting up for the very first time after exchanging letters for 15 years was so overwhelming. oh yeh lasanthi, thanks for the great dinner. let’s hope we will be able to see each again in the future.

to view the photos i took at sri lanka, click here!

the right decision?

2011-08-17T13:44:00.002+01:00

sometimes, you have to make some tough decisions in life! some decisions will change your life forever and not necessary in a good way. some decisions will make you regret for your entire life. how many wrong decisions have i made? how many right decisions have i made? i didnt count and i dont have to. whatever decision made cant be changed. there isnt anything called time machine in our world. therefore, we have to absorb all the decisions made and be a better person in the future. i believe we will grow stronger each day. so, no regret!

in different period of life, we will meet different peoples, visit different places and enjoy different things. but, some peoples will always be there...

what is love?

2011-07-04T12:59:00.002+01:00

for me,

love is a very expensive game! if you dont have a rich heart, dont ever touch it! you might not be losing a penny but others might be losing out a heart!

Baby It's Cold Outside!

2011-03-06T08:53:00.000Z

it isnt cold outside...
and it gonna rain soon...
and i miss you dearly...

birthday celebrations 2011!

2011-02-26T12:54:00.014Z

celebration 1
venue: seoul korea restaurant & bjorn cafe, taman danau desa
date: 19 february 2011

angus... thanks for the cake!

celebration 2
venue: lovain, pipeline dept & pavilion
date: 23 february 2011

thanks moon.... for the lovely breakfast!

my party.... all pipeliners were invited!

fellas.... thanks for the great dinner!

celebration 3
venue: quattro & alexis
date: 25 february 2011

thanks... moon, sharon, lee chin yang, lee pei yuen, wong kien fatt, yee wei, choy hong, angus, tong, ong phei shen and lawrence for the breakfast/ lunch/ dinner!

The Surprise!

2011-02-22T11:00:00.003Z

2011?

2011-01-22T06:02:00.002Z

the 1st month of 2011 almost comes to the end... im still quite puzzled on what i want in 2011. many aims and goals are juggling inside my brain. so far, 2011 has been very kind to me! these days, im waking up with smiles (and happiness)! have not had such feeling for ages! happiness alone isnt enough... i need to get more in 2011! what is more? my own place, perhaps? since i got back from uk last year, i have been wanting my own space. therefore, the 1st goal for 2011 is to get my own place. i dont need a luxury apartment or a big and spacious unit. a two bedrooms unit will be enough! already have few units in mind!

a better job with better salary? i was offered a very good pay job recently but many things stopped me from taking it. im not sure im making the right decision but im sure i wont regret it. im not done with technip... technip is the place where i can learn to be a better engineer. and of course, my beloved colleagues... i dont wanna leave you guys yet (at least for now)! i believe i will get similar opportunity in the future. for now, i belong to technip.

my travel plans for 2011! sri lanka, china and korea! just by picturing those places already enough to make me go wild and excited! now, im crossing my fingers and hope mr hood will approve all my leaves. for this year, i will not start any exploration until august. so, from now till august, i will make sure i save enough for all the trips. i will be going to beijing with mommy in end of august. she has been dreaming of walking along great wall for quite sometimes now and is time to make it happens. as for myself, i really wanna explore sichuan... hope i can make it happens in november.

as for my babe (my crv)! hope he can be healthy thru out 2011. daddy cannot spend so much on you. but i (daddy) promise to give you a makeover before end of the year. so, you have to behave well and not causing any problem for daddy, ok?

i also promised someone that i will buy less clothes and shoes this year! its just into fourth weeks of 2011 but i have already bought like more than 20 items included a pair of very expensive shoes (my 1st pair of tods). if my mommy checks on my wardrobe, i believe she gonna go insane and nag me like forever! i have like 5 pairs of new shoes and countless new pants and shirts. so, i believe i have enough new clothes for the rest of the year. hence, i will target to buy nothing at all for the next 5 months. you guys... stop asking me out for shopping. if i happen to be at a mall, do stop me from getting something!

all the best to you guys and myself in 2011!

bidding farewell to 2010!

2010-12-30T11:58:00.004Z

as im sailing toward 2011, i started to think back my 2010. another big year in my life, many incidents occurred. i started off 2010 in newcastle and going to end it in kuala lumpur. after finished my study, id think i will get a job in uk and be happy. somehow, it didnt turn out the way i want it to be.

the 1st 5 months of 2010 was the most depressing period in my life. i was jobless! during that period, i woke up every morning and hoped that i will get a phone call for interview. i have too many sleepless nights in that period. the job market in europe during that period was extremely bad. after 5 months of struggling, i finally decided to come back to malaysia for good. at such circumstance, i dont have a choice. with a distinction in my master degree, i really dont wanna wash dishes or cleaning tables at chinatown.

in the mid of april 2010, i finally took up the courage and told my parents that i wanna go back to malaysia. im blessed with a pair of very supportive and understanding parents. they encouraged me to come back for good. somehow, i still think i have disappointed them. i didnt really take up my duty as a responsible son. i failed to make their life easier and didnt give them enough love.

since i made up my decision to come back for good, i knew i have to get myself a job in kl. where else can be better than to be back at technip? since i left two years ago, i have been missing my colleagues dearly. hence, i rejoined technip on 7th of june 2010. im happy to be back and so is everyone in pipeline (i think). very déjà vu! after jobless for so long, im so happy doing pipeline analyses and designs with funny colleagues around me. i love them so much…

as i didnt have a proper job (no income) for the 1st 5 months of the year, i only managed to explore three european countries. i went to italy in february, czech in april and finland in may. all budget trips! eating self-made sandwiches everyday wasnt something easy! however, i was able to overcome it and explored many great places. gotta thank deric for being such a good and tolerate travel partner. there are still many places in europe that are waiting for me to explore. hope i will be able to make it back to europe in 2012. I wanna have my footprints on the soil of poland, croatia, portugal, hungary and greece.

since i moved back to malaysia, i have now shifted my travel focus to asia. there are still so many places in asia for me to explore. in the last quarter of 2010, i explored myanmar and india. both places gave me different inspirations and perceptions. personally, i prefer india more and would love to go back to the exotic land for more adventures.

in 2010, I only managed to explore 25 world heritage sites. a lot lesser than what i have done in 2009! in 2010, i have the times but i didnt have the budget. probably if i didnt buy so many paul smith or ralph lauren, i might have visited more sites. anyway, hope 2011, i can at least visit 30 sites.

there is another special thing took place in my 2010! for the past 4 years, i have stopped believing in love. previous relationships took everything out of me! my trust, my confidence, my happiness and my desire to be with someone. and in that 4 years, i focused everything on myself, family and friends. i forced myself to believe that oneself doesnt need to be in love in order to be happy and he or she can be happy because of himself or herself. but something happened recently changed my perception. i found someone! im not sure how long it gonna last but im so in love right now. all i can do is to make it works and hope for the best to come from both of us.

2010 is such an amazing year in my life. way too many great stories have taken place! from uk to malaysia, from europe to asia, from jobless to technip, from depress to happy and from avoiding love to loving somebody! im closing down the curtain for 2010 with a big smile! couldnt ask for more! a big thanks to 2010.

exotic india!

2010-12-29T11:10:00.006Z

it has been a week since i came back from india but somehow, my mind is still floating between mumbai and aurangabad. india mesmerized me. apart from europe, india is the place i wanna explore so badly. the strong indian culture and heritage really strike my heart and soul. before the trip, i was quite concerned over hygienic and cleanliness issue. it all happened because of my colleagues and friends who scared me with so many stories. danny boyle is to be blamed as well! if i didnt watch slumdog millionaire, i might not have so many unwanted imagines in my brain. yes, the country isn’t very clean but I still able to stand it. anyway, i survived 6 days in india without any difficulty.

mumbai wasnt in my travel plan for 2010. it came by surprise, a happy surprise. free room at intercontinental mumbai which cost about 600 ringgit a night! thanks to priority club! hope such offer will come more often in the future.

mumbai, the heart of indian cinema and where the famous khan is staying. speaking of khan, his house is facing the beautiful arabian sea but at the shore where his house is facing is where many locals do their daily activities. it was actually quite shocking! i don’t think i can accept seeing people doing their laundry, bathing, peeing, shitting etc in front of my house. wondering how can he stands it?

what can mumbai offers? mumbai was once an important port for the british which is why you can easily mistaken yourself being in an european city rather than in india. the city is filled up with many beautiful european style (with a hint of indian touch) architectures. when i was walking along bhaurao patil marg, i felt more like a student in england rather than a tourist loitering in an indian city. mumbai is also the home to two world heritage sites – victoria terminus (a train station) and elephanta caves. both sites are pretty impressive and grandeur in their own way.

beside mumbai, i also explored aurangabad, a city about an hour from mumbai by flight. what is there? why i wanna waste 200++ ringgit to get there and 250 ringgit per night for lodging? the city is an important base to explore ajanta and ellora caves. the caves were the reason why i wanna go to the city. the trip was so damn worthy. both caves are very beautiful and unique. i will let the pictures do the talking.

ajanta caves

ellora caves

for me, india is both amazing and enchanting. this might not sound right to many of you especially those of you who have glued to discovery channel most of the times. apart from the cleanliness problem and culture shock moments a few times a day, india is a place worth exploring. i definitely will go to india again in the future. targeting delhi and agra in early 2012 for more gulab jammu and sweet lassi!

land of sarongs!

2010-11-06T14:52:00.008Z

it is rather strange to see a street full of people wearing sarong. well! if you see such sight, hello folks... you are in myanmar, a land where sarong is the official attire. kids wear sarong to school and adults wear sarong to work. somehow, it made pants wearing humans look kinda strange!

to many of my friends, myanmar isnt somewhere they wanna get near. many of them were surprised by my decision to explore the country. a colleague even laughed at me! at first, i was rather clueless and not sure what i will be getting from the trip. therefore, i headed to mynmar with my mates without any expectation. i guess travel without any expectation is a good thing. why? you will have surprises along the journey.

apart from having too many face to face encounter with lord buddha, overall the trip was such an amazing experience. im still wondering why the country needs so many temples... i think i have visited more than 100 temples/ pagodas. never visited so many religious monuments in one single trip before!

what can myanmar offers to travellers? stunning temples, beautiful countryside, friendly faces and exquisite cuisine! we started off our burmese story at the famous yangon (where au sang suu kyi is house detained). at yangon, i felt like i was walking backward. everything is so like 60s and 70s! old vehicles, old buildings, etc. after two days in yangon, i remember only two places, the super gold pagoda, shwedagon and the famous strand hotel. desserts at the hotel is freaking good!

beside yangon, we also explored the world famous ancient city, bagan and the former royal capital, mandalay. bagan is such an amazing place. i love that place so much and would love to explore that place again in the future. the grandeur of bagan is not easy to put down in words and it is only our own eyes can portray the beauty of it perfectly. bagan is a must for anyone going to myanmar.

mandalay isnt as interesting as bagan but it still able to charm me. seeing a few hundred monks queuing up for morning meal isnt something you can experience easily. but the best experience i got from mandalay is the sunset at u-bein bridge, postcard perfect! one of the best sunset i have ever seen!

those of you who have never been to myanmar should really consider going there. forget about the military ruling or any political related issue. the country is safe and the locals are so friendly and helpful. we enjoyed myanmar... thanks to all burmese for making our trips such a memorable one!

for pictures, click here!

classy bangkok

2010-09-25T04:16:00.008+01:00

my last trip was 4 months ago, visited helsinki. hence, i was dying to stop working and get out of malaysia. as i just started working, i have no big cash to spend! with a budget of rm 1200, i dont have many choices. rm 1200 is surely not enough for a shopping trip at singapore and countries like indonesia and philippines have be avoided at the moment! means, with such a small amount, i can only go to the land of smile, thailand. initial plan was phuket... but raining season over there! so, i ended up at bangkok. rm 1200 might not be much but it certainly can get you very very far in bangkok! i stayed at a 4* hotel for three nights, went for drinks at skybars everynite, dined at nice restaurants and even went for a half day tour... all in just rm 1200! no wonder bangkok is full of tourists and not kl!

whenever i mentioned bangkok, people will somehow relate it to the sex industry! for many people out there, bangkok is the sex capital of asia but not for me! hence, i went there to prove that bangkok has more to offer and how pathetic it is to think nothing but prostitution. i'm really against exchanging money for sex! stop prostituting, people!!! anyway, a conversation took place at my office just a day before my trip...

colleague 1: where you going?
me: bangkok
colleague 2: yeh... cari ayam!
me: (rolled eyes and annoyed)

during my 4 days at bangkok...i explored many new places which i have never explored in my previous trips to bangkok. i went two different skybars/ rooftop bars! personally, i prefer moon bar at banyan tree hotel. the setting/ layout is better plus the 360 degree view of bangkok is truly amazing, just breathtaking! what else can be better than to drink a glass of martini while seeing sunset over bangkok? im pretty sure i will go there again... love the martini! love the view!

i have visited bangkok many many times before (since i was five) but somehow i have never been to any floating market. this time around, i booked a half day tour and ended up at damnoen saduak. the money was so well spent! it was very interesting to see how sellers making living on the canal. it was also my first time eating a bowl of noodles while siting by the canal side with the vendor preparing the noodles soup on a small boat. awesome experience!

i'm not just famous for being a great traveller, i am also famous for being a shopaholic! somehow, i ended up my bangkok trip with just one t-shirt and a few packs of pork jerky! since i got back from europe, i kinda lost my desire to shop! is not that asia has less thing to buy but the brands i like are too expensive over here. i'm now saving money... instead of buying here, why not save and go back to europe for a great shopping trip?

i'm not really a fan of thai food but i'm a big fan of thai desserts! why i don't like thai food? i don't enjoy eating sour food! most thai dishes are kinda hot, spicy and sour! as for the desserts, i love the sweet egg yolk desserts (thong yip, thong yot and foi thong). most people think they are too sweet but for me... the sweetness is just perfect (i gotta admit, i have a very very sweet tooth... gotta thanks my dad for it!!!).

bangkok is a budget destination with a twist! with just rm 1200, i pampered myself for 4 days! gosh! i really wish i can be in bangkok now... i need more martinis (with a breathtaking view, of course)!

please click here for the pictures taken at bangkok!

missing europe!

2010-07-29T12:13:00.005+01:00

two months have passed since i got back from europe. my life is full of positive energy at the moment. but somehow, 30% of my soul is still not here (kl) with me! when i was young, i fantasized too much on europe. hence, 30% of my soul didnt fly back to malaysia with me. when i have nothing to do, i will look at the photos i took over there...

here, i listed some of my favourite and less favourite places in europe...

most beautiful cities
1) paris, france
2) prague, czech republic
3) stockholm, sweden
3) vienna, austria

most beautiful towns
1) cesky krumlov, czech republic
2) brugge, belgium
3) cuenca, spain

most friendly cities
1) amsterdam, netherlands
2) stockholm, sweden
3) helsinki, finland

best museums
1) musee du louvre, paris, france
2) van gogh museum, amsterdam, netherlands
3) british museum, london, uk

most beautiful palaces
1) chateau de versailles, paris, france
2) schonbrunn, vienna, austria
3) palazzo reale, caserta, italy

most beautiful castles
1) tower of london, london, uk
2) edinburgh castle, edinburgh, uk
3) durham castle, durham, uk

most beautiful cathedrals
1) la sagrada familia, barcelona, spain
2) st john's co-cathedral, valletta, malta
3) duomo, milan, italy

most beautiful bridges
1) karluv most (charles bridge), prague, czech republic
2) tower bridge, london, uk
3) ponte rialto, venice, italy

most beautiful squares
1) grand place, brussels, belgium
2) piazza san marco, venice, italy
3) piazza navona, rome, italy

most beautiful parks/ gardens
1) parc guell, barcelona, spain
2) the garden of palazzo reale, caserta, italy
3) princes street gardens, edinburgh, uk

best european beers
1) leffe, belgium
2) budweiser budvar, czech republic
3) beck's, germany

most beautiful streets
1) avenue des champs-elysees, paris, france
2) royal mile, edinburgh, uk
3) victoria street, london, uk

most beautiful rivers
1) seine river, paris, france
2) grand canal, venice, italy
3) river thames, london, uk

most boring cities
1) helsinki, finland
2) manchester, uk
3) frankfurt, germany

most dirty cities
1) naples, italy
2) rome, italy
3) paris, france

most unfriendly cities
1) rome, italy
2) edinburgh, uk
3) venice, italy

most dangerous cities
1) naples, italy
2) rome, italy
3) paris, france

kl! kl!

2010-07-09T18:11:00.003+01:00

i have came back from europe for more than a month now and have completed my first month with technip. everything is pretty smooth and nice at the moment! i might not be making a lot of $$$ but i'm pretty happy with what i have now.

i was very doubt on my decision before i came back but now, i'm more than happy to be back. somehow, my root is here! no matter how far i go or how long i'll be away, i will still come back here. kl is such a nice city! i think i will be around for another 2-3 years.

my parents are my strength! they are always there for me. sometimes, i did think i have disappointed them. no matter what, i love them more than anything in the world! i will be an extremely good son, i promise!

a big thank to technip and hood for giving me a chance to prove myself. after being jobless for so many months, i'm so eager to gain back all the knowledge i once mastered. i really enjoy being a pipeline engineer. many of you might not believe this... but hey folks, i love doing those pipeline analyses and design works.

my friends are just great... i'm so glad that we are meeting again. my colleagues/ office mates are extremely amazing. after not being together for almost two years, i'd feel like the bond between us is actually stronger and you guys are even more "funny" and "yellowish" than before. and you guys should stop blaming me for triggering the "yellow" side of your brain.

no matter where i go... travelling can't be separated from me! i'm going to conquer india and china! india is always a dream to me... going there will be a huge challenge for me. i have a big issue with cleanliness and hygienic matter. anyway, i will kick off my asia exploration at myanmar in october and vietnam in december this year. next year, hopefully, i will have no problem going to china, maldives, laos and sri lanka.

life is just great... no matter where we are, as long as we believe we can! life can be extremely beautiful. thanks to my family and friends for being so supportive and added so much colours to my life.

John Denver - Leaving on a Jet Plane

2010-05-21T16:10:00.000+01:00

leaving on a jet plane!

2010-05-21T13:52:00.004+01:00

two more days, i will be flying back to kuala lumpur for good! i'm still very doubt on the decision i made. somehow, my parents are happy and excited! for myself, i have mixed feelings! im a bit upset for leaving here (i love europe) but at the same time im quite excited as i will be meeting my family and friends again.

the past 20 months have been very exciting (the best in my life)! i actually dont wanna leave europe but i dont have any other option. i have already been jobless for 6 months and if i keep waiting, i might get myself into serious mental illness (i already suspect myself of having mental disorder). the recent recession hasnt recovered and pound is still very weak. not just in the british soil, the situation in mainland europe is pretty bad as well. with chaos in greece, icelandic volcano still erupting, financial problems in spain and portugal and so on... maybe leaving europe isnt a bad decision.

anyway, i have yet to get enough of europe. i have not yet stepped into greece, croatia, portugal, norway and poland. i really wanna go to those countries! im sure i will be coming back to europe in the future. europe is like a heaven to me! beautiful places and great shopping. i need a few more pairs of paul smith shoes! after 20 months of shopping in europe, i think i will not be buying many things in malaysia. everything in malaysia is so overpriced! so, i gonna target of visiting europe once a year, starting 2011.

i'm still in uk but my parents already have plans for me in malaysia! they want me to get an apartment in kl and settle down. i dont really believe in marriage and they knew about it but my mom is still hoping for miracle. anyway, hope she gonna understand one day! what can i get in kl? aside for stupid politicians, overpriced clothes/ shoes and low wages, kuala lumpur isnt that bad! i can have many good friends around me and eat good food everyday and the most important, i can see my parents very often!

as for my travelling life, there are still many countries in asia which i have yet to travel. where will be next for me... for rest of 2010, i hope i can make it to laos, sri lanka and vietnam. in 2011, hope i can make it to china and india!

well... going back to kl isnt that bad after all! hope i can get back to technip and enjoy the life in kl i once had! all the best to myself!

21/05/2010

flirting with the romantic side of europe!

2010-05-12T12:30:00.022+01:00

czech has long been in my wishlist but somehow i didnt manage to go until a week ago. czech is so different from other european nations i have visited. the country is extremely beautiful and being a budget traveller, it is a dream destination... everything is so cheap! a superb bohemian dinner (with czech beer of course) costs not more than 7 pound. for 8 days, i used less than 200 pound for souvenirs, transportations, entrance fees and meals.

i kicked off my czech expedition at the world renowned city, prague. somehow... i'd feel like i was in korea rather than in an european country. i saw koreans everywhere!! i'm 100% sure they are korean. why? japanese are more polite and talk with manner and 10 out of 10 korean aunties perm their hair (is it a culture thing? no idea). back to prague... the city is so inspiring and absolutely romantic! the city is just like a painting...

Prague Castle

St. Vitus Cathedral

Prague Castle

vltava river, prague

church of st nicholas

charles bridge

prague city

on day three, i took a bus to south bohemia and visited ceske budejovice and cesky krumlov. ceske budejovice is the home to the famous beer, budweiser. i have lost count on how many bottles/ glasses i have drank in czech. ceske budejovice is a nice city but nothing to be amazed. the story is kinda different with cesky krumlov. the town is so charming (of all the old towns i have visited in europe, only bruges in belgium can rival this place). for those who are planning to go to czech, make sure you include this charming town in your itinerary. i'd feel like i'm there to film a fairytale.

ceske budejovice

cesky krumlov

day four, i explored two charming towns, telc and trebic. telc is the home to a very beautiful town square. telc is listed in unesco world heritage list. trebic is famous for its old jewish quarter which is also a unesco world heritage site. it was my first time visiting a jewish area (hope my muslim friends wont hate me for it). beside the jewish quarter, trebic also has a very beautiful square and basilica.

telc

trebic

on day five, after checked-in at the executive room at holiday inn brno, i took 1 hour bus ride to komeriz. the chateau in komeriz is listed in unesco world heritage list. komeriz is a very relaxing town with beautiful park and garden. after done exploring komeriz, i took another bus ride and arrived 1 and a half hours later at olomouc. olomouc is an extremely beautiful city (100 times better than ceske budejovice and brno). the city has many squares, fountains and architecture wonders. i snapped more than 100 pictures at the main square (horni namesti) alone. the holy trinity column is so damn cool! but somehow, olomouc isnt a very popular tourist spot. it should deserves the limelight like other czech cities.

komeriz

olomouc

day six, i explored lednice, a small town in the south of brno. sadly, the beautiful chateau was on renovation. to be honest, the nearby park isnt as interesting as described. i should have visited the nearby town (valtice) as well. from pictures, valtice seems to be a very nice place for a spring afternoon walk. anyway, i spent the rest of the afternoon at brno city.

lednice

brno

on day 7, i spent the morning in litomysl. i really like litomysl. the chateau is a unesco world heritage site. it isnt a very big or grand castle but very pretty. i will let my pictures below do the talking.

litomysl

day 8, i explored the famous kutna hora. the town is the home to a very eerie and spooky church/ ossuary. bones are used to decorate the church! it definately not a place to go after dark. the town also has many other interesting churches/ cathedrals.

kutna hora

czech has so much to offer! the whole country has many interesting attractions and so much to learn and of course, good beer! after spent slightly more than a week in czech, i finally understand why everyone wanna go there! the country is so beautiful and fit everyone's budget. i didnt need to spend a fortune to enjoy the best in the country! czechs are helpful and friendly which made my whole trip even more meaningful. folks... start planning your czech exploration now and i am sure you wont regret!

for more photos, click here.

kenneth, the travel adviser!

2010-03-14T15:17:00.003Z

my friends always think i'm a bloody rich f**ker! they always questioning me on how can i afford all those trips. when come to travelling, i have many hidden secrets. those secrets helped me to travel to many places but using very minimum $$$. i won't use more than 600 euro per trip (7-8 days trip). europe isnt as expensive as everyone thinks. when i was told some people used up to 20,000 ringgit for three weeks travelling in europe, i was quite stunned. the friend told me, the 20,000 ringgit not included gucci and lv purchased. 20,000 ringgit? for three weeks? a bit too much... i might be using just 600 euro per trip but i'm still staying at crowne plaza, hilton, hyatt etc and eating good food!

lately, many of my friends started coming to me for advises. here are some of those travelling tips in europe. hope they can help you plan your next european adventure better and cheaper!

1) cheap air fare,
some of you might not believe it, but yes... one way ticket within europe can be as cheap as 1 pound. i've booked many before. always check ryanair.com for the promotion. easyjet.com and jet2.com are two others cheap solution. if a return ticket within europe costs more than 50 euro, i consider it as expensive.

2) plan trip 2-3 months ahead
always plan your trip at least 2 months before the travelling date for cheaper air tickets, train tickets and hotel rooms. many deals/ packages are normally on offer two months before.

3) book ahead - train & bus tickets
if you coming to uk and wanna explore the country by train or bus, always book your tickets at least 1 month before the travelling date. for example, london - oxford by train, if you purchase the ticket one month before the travelling date, the ticket will only cost you 4 pound but if you purchase the ticket on the travelling day, it will cost you 19.90 pound. same goes to train fares in france, italy and many european countries. is always better to purchase all your tickets (online) before start travelling to save money and time. bus ride in europe can be extremely cheap. long distance bus tickets within uk can be as low as 1 pound.

4) say no to hostels
im those people who wont stay in a hostel rooms. waking up in the middle of the night, go out from the room and look for a toilet isnt something i wanna experience. hostel is so inconvenience!!! i normally spend less than 50 euro per night per room. 50 euro is more than enough to get a clean and comfortable room but my 50 euro can get me further. 50 euro is enough to get a 3-4 star hotel room. when you share with a friend, it just gonna cost you 25 euro. hostels arent as cheap as you think! it costs around 20 euro per person per night at major european cities. if you are not travelling alone, it is better to have a room, with built in shower/ bathtub and toilet. hotwire.com is the solution for cheap accommodations. also try ibishotels.com and ichotelsgroup.com.

5) entrance tickets
some tourist attractions have online discount. is worth checking online before travelling. is also advised to book tickets online especially for famous attraction like versailles, eiffel tower, colosseum, louvre etc (i hate queuing). to view the last supper mural at milan, book your ticket at least 30 days before the visiting day.

if you need more advises or want me to check tickets or hotels for your trip, feel free to ask... i love doing it!

happy travelling!

italy.... a dream or a disaster?

2010-03-01T10:00:00.002Z

italy has always been the dream of most travellers... when you ask them where he/ she wanna go, they will say rome, venice, pisa, milan and so on. the question here, is italy really a dream destinatian? i just came back from 9 days backpacking in the region of rome, lazio and campania and for me, italy is indeed very beautiful but i will think twice before going there again. the reason: italians are rude and not friendly! with thousand and thousand of tourists flooding in everyday, they should be friendly and helpful in every aspect. if you think french are rude, italians are 10 times worst. apart from the people, italy is an extremely interesting country to visit, the most interesting among all the european countries. i also have to give credit to italian cuisine... the pasta and pizza tasted absolutely fabulous (much better than those i tasted in uk)... and gelati, the little devil which brings you to heaven! wish i can have it now...

ps... italy is pretty dirty as well!

conclusion, it surely not a dream destination but a must visit!

to be a dream destination, the place gotta be beautiful, people gotta be friendly and the food gotta be great.... for me, only paris meets all the criteria (at least i didnt meet any rude ppl when i was there).

msc offshore and environmental technology

2010-01-17T20:32:00.005Z

after struggled for a year, this is what i got....

before i came here (newcastle), i have a job that i love and colleagues i adore. 3 months have gone (since i got my uk working visa) but i'm still jobless. maybe i have made a wrong decision. if i didn't come here, i might still be working for technip and getting my monthly salary without much to worry. have i really made a wrong decision?

some of my friends said they wanna be me... can travel in europe and experience different things in life. wondering whether they wanna be me now... a jobless person!! whenever i get into msn or facebook, my friends will ask me on my job hunting and i'm tired of saying i'm still jobless.

i didn't sleep well in the past few weeks. my family is urging me to go back to malaysia. i love europe and i really don't wanna leave now. i haven't seen prague, madrid, helsinki, budapest.... i know i can always come back to europe again but it won't be that easy especially when i'm getting pay in ringgit.

these days, i'm waking up everyday and hoping i will get a call for interview... i really need some good news soon or else, i really need to pack my things (i really don't want this to happen).

1st day of 2010

2010-01-01T19:04:00.005Z

Enjoying the first day of 2010..... at Heaton Park, Newcastle (behind my house)

goodbye 2009, hello 2010...

2009-12-28T17:40:00.008Z

a few more days, 2009 will be a history. when i looked back at 2009, i was rather proud and excited. 2009 is one of the years that i wont be able to forget... just way too many great things happened. what actually happened?

well.... i finished my master degree without any major problem (i gotta thanks a few friends... they helped me a lot). the best part, i graduated with distinction (1st class honor). something i didn't really expect to get. i actually did quite badly in a few subjects... 54/ 100 for a law subject (i guess that is the result of asking an engineer to take a law subject). anyway, i'm still really proud of myself. my supervisors really love my work/ dissertation.

travelling has always been the biggest passion in my life. this passion has leaded me to visit various amazing destinations in europe and asia in 2009. i have never visited 9 different countries in one single year (excluding uk) before but i done it in 2009. i also visited many interesting places in uk. there is only one place i yet to explore in uk... wales! something i should do in 2010. so, where have i explored in 2009? i explored...

jan - scotland, liverpool & leeds
feb - london
mar - east austria
apr - south england, netherlands
jun - belgium
jul - scotland highland & west germany
aug - sweden
sep - north vietnam
nov - france & north east spain
dec - north italy

well... how can i've visited so many places in one year? most of my friends are still curious. i guess that is the best part of being a student! i think i won't be able to travel that much in 2010 but i have the never say never spirit and let's hope i can explore more places in europe in 2010. i have actually planned a few places to go in 2010....

feb - central italy
mar - switzerland (skiing.... yippee)
apr - czech republic
jun - portugal (for a wedding)

before that, i desperately need a job in uk... which is also my main goal for the new year or else, i will have to pack my things and fly back to malaysia for good (god, please help me... i don't wanna go back to malaysia).

as a big supporter of unesco's world heritage sites, i visited 56 sites in 2009. i bet chee kin yin is cursing me now!!!

new lanark, united kingdom
liverpool – maritime mercantile city, united kingdom
studley royal park including the ruins of fountains abbey, united kingdom
saltaire, united kingdom
tower of london, united kingdom
canterbury cathedral, st augustine's abbey, and st martin's church, united kingdom
historic centre of vienna, austria
palace and gardens of schönbrunn, austria
semmering railways, austria
city of bath, united kingdom
stonehenge, avebury and associated sites, united kingdom
blenheim palace, united kingdom
royal botanic gardens, kew, united kingdom
droogmakerij de beemster (beemster polder), netherlands
defence line of amsterdam, netherlands
mill network at kinderdijk-elshout, netherlands
flemish béguinages, belgium
belfries of belgium, belgium
historic centre of brugge, belgium
plantin-moretus house-workshops-museum complex, belgium
la grand-place, brussels, belgium
major town houses of the architect victor horta, belgium
notre-dame cathedral in tournai, belgium
zollverein coal mine industrial complex in essen, germany
castles of augustusburg and falkenlust at brühl, germany
aachen cathedral, germany
cologne cathedral, germany
upper middle rhine, germany
würzburg residence with the court gardens and residence square, germany
town of bamberg, germany
abbey and altenmünster of lorsch, germany
speyer cathedral, germany
rock carvings in tanum, sweden
birka and hovgården, sweden
skogskyrkogården, sweden
hanseatic town of visby, sweden
mining area of the great copper mountain in falun, sweden
royal domain of drottningholm, sweden
ha long bay, vietnam
paris, banks of the seine, france
palace and park of fontainebleau, france
palace and park of versailles, france
chartres cathedral, france
cathedral of notre-dame, former abbey of saint-remi and palace of tau, reims, france
amiens cathedral, france
works of antoni gaudí, spain
palau de la música catalana and hospital de sant pau, barcelona, spain
la lonja de la seda de valencia, spain
mudejar architecture of aragon, spain
historic walled town of cuenca, spain
archaeological ensemble of tárraco, spain
venice and its lagoon, italy
city of verona, italy
city of vicenza and the palladian villas of the veneto, italy
Church and Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie, italy
crespi d'adda, italy

hope i can maintain the record in 2010.

what else happened in 2009? mmmm... i went back to malaysia for a short break (in september) and met my beautiful niece for the first time. that little devil is so cute and funny. i was the baby in the family and suddenly there is a real baby in the house... rather awkward! anyway... having her in the family is quite a good thing... why? at least my mom will nag me lesser! on my next trip back to kuantan, she will be calling me uncle (when i last met her a few months ago, she was only able to call mama and papa)... anyway, wondering what my reaction will be when she calls me uncle!

since i left malaysia for my study in uk, i have been missing my friends in malaysia dearly. meeting them again during my trip back to malaysia was another great moment for me in 2009. many things have chanced since i left, pipeline department is no longer in wisma technip. anyway, i still miss my life at technip. wondering whether my ex-boss willing to take me back or not????

so, my hope for 2010.... get a good job in europe! my other dreams and targets won't be able to take place without a proper job. therefore, i hope i can start 2010 with a job offer! wish me luck folks!

back to where i belong...

2009-09-20T07:05:00.005+01:00

life is kinda strange.... sometimes, you just dont know what will be coming! i guess that is the beauty of being a human. a year ago, when i was leaving malaysia for uk, i didnt expect myself to come back here a year later. somehow, my sister offered me a return ticket to come back. after a year in europe, such offer was so welcoming. i wanted so badly to see my parents again, not to mention my new born niece (she is such a cutie)!

the past 3 weeks have been really amazing! i was able to do my duty as a son, a brother, an uncle, a friend, an ex lover and an ex-colleague. sometimes, i really feel guilty and upset for not being able to give my parents more. for now, i can only offer them love, pure love. what they have given me, i think i have to use my whole life to repay! i love them, i really do! i cried when i was sitting in the bus and seeing my mother standing at the platform.

gosh! my friends and ex-colleagues are still funny and crazy! i was so happy to meet them again. we laughed like mad! thanks guys for updating me on what have happened when i was away. i cant wait to see you guys again next year. i have started to miss you guys. those who will be getting marry, hope you guys will have a great wedding. to all my friends, please stop asking me about marriage again. it isnt in my mind yet!

before coming back to malaysia, i prepared a list of things to eat! i was able to eat most of the things in the list but i guess i came back in the wrong time (bulan puasa)... i have to cross out nasi dagang and nasi minyak from the list. anyway, im quite satisfy! i ate a few bowl of my beloved pan mee and hokkien mee.

the coming tuesday, i will be leaving malaysia again. i guess every good thing comes to an end! i do hope all these great times can stay forever. too bad, i really have to leave but im sure i will come back again, to the land which have given me so much!

leaving carlton house!

2009-08-19T21:26:00.003+01:00

tomorrow, i will be leaving this place! i actually dont feel good about it! leaving this place means i have to start facing reality... what is reality? for me, reality is apply for working visa and get a secure job. i started to have 101 questions in my brain... will i get the working visa? anyone gonna hire me? do i have enough money for food? i guess, the next few months gonna be very challenging and i am so not ready for it?

the past 11 months have been really amazing! this is the place where i have studies, cooked, played, laughed and...gosh! i started to miss my life over here in carlton house... preparing great meals... playing cards... jokes...

friends are leaving for their home country for good! am i gonna see them again? leaving is always the most difficult thing in life. anyhow, memories stay! all the best to all my friends here!

my desk

my shoes

my lonely planet collection

some of my pants..

my watches

my hard rock cafe t-shirt collection

some of my scarves

my messy room.... i didnt realise i have so many things until i digged out everything!

chocoholics + alcoholics... say hello to belgium!

2009-06-17T22:06:00.018+01:00

after one month of crazy schoolworks (assignments + exam), i was so pleased to be at somewhere and exploring. this time, i landed at a place which is like a heaven to me. where? the name is belgium! for a chocoholic + alcoholic like myself, belgium is surely a heaven. i have lost count on how many bottles/ glasses of beer i have drank over there. ice cold beer on a summer afternoon is just perfect. and not to forget, the chocolate! belgium doesnt just offer good beer and chocolate! it has more to give!

in 7 days, we (小白 and deric) visited 7 different belgian cities. in all the 7 days, we were only manage to see blue sky in two days. anyway, it didnt stop us from tasting fine smooth beer and searching for the best chocolate in the country and it certainly didnt stop me from posing from canal side to big square.

we started off our belgian exploration in the city of ghent. ghent is a very romantic looking city. i dont know how to describe it but the town give me the feeling of getting someone and have the kiss of my life. ghent is a perfect place for bridal shots. old churches, calm canals and beautiful squares all blend in together perfectly. ghent is also home to a beguinages, a place where women dedicate their lives for god (aka almost like a nun) stay.

ghent

beguinages

we started day two with half an hour train ride to the city of bruges. the city i was so eager to explore, the home to a few unesco world heritage sites. every corner of the city is postcard perfect. i will let my pictures do the talking!

bruges

next stop, the city of antwerp! the second biggest city in belgium. the city is totally different from ghent and bruges. it has the mixture of modern world hype and old world charm. when speaking of modern world, what else! shopping la! with most labels available, shopping is a fun things to do in antwerp. antwerp isnt just about shopping! like other belgian cities, it has a lot to offer and home to a few unesco world heritage sites. one of those heritage site is the plantin-moretus museum. i have seen enough oil paintings and european porcelains, hence those things wont make me go wild. but plantin-moretus museum offers something different! it is a printing museum (im not talking about laser printer or photocopy machine). the printing here is those in the 16th century. it is rather interesting to know how people back then produce books, maps and other printing materials.

antwerp

on day 4, we explored two charming towns, mechelen and leuven. both towns are rather different from other towns/ cities we have visited. mechelen might be small but rich of heritage but due to its size, we spent less than 4 hours there. in the afternoon of day four, we took a train and arrived at leuven. leuven is slighty more interesting than mechelen. leuven is the belgian version of cambridge. it is a university town and the town is extremely beautiful. leuven is also belgium's beer capital and home to world famous stella artois. surprisingly, i didnt taste any stella artois when i was there. i prefer leffe brunette, a must try!

mechelen

belgian beer with cheese..... superb!

leuven

day 5, we checked in holiday inn brussels. i started to pamper myself more and more. for me, a comfortable hotel is rather important. after a busy and tiring day, you gotta have a comfy room to relax and a clean bathtub to soak yourself. if you able to find the right website and book at the right time, holiday inn, hilton, mercure or novotel can be affordable. 105 euro for two nights stay in a 4 stars hotel, just brilliant!

brussels

just a few weeks before the trip, i read an articles that mentioned brussels is the most boring city in europe (london was voted as the dirtiest and amsterdam was voted as the most exciting). so, i reached brussels without much expectation. to my surprise, brussels is not boring at all. the grand place is a very stunning looking square and the most beautiful among all i have visited so far. the city is also filled up with parks, palaces, galleries, museums and shops.

brussels is also the capital of european union. im still trying to figure out why they made brussels the capital of europe.

we started off the last day (day 7 was the day we flew home, no place was visited so not counted as a touring day) of our belgian exploration at musee (museum in french) horta. i didnt know who the hell is victor horta until i've visited the museum. victor horta was a very famous belgian architect who started art nouveau. now come the question, what is art nouveau? google it! anyway, victor horta was such a great architect. all the townhouses designed by him are rather unique.

musee horta, brussels

the last city we visited was tournai, another very beautiful belgian city. tournai is a small city in the south of brussels and is only 10 km away from the border of france. therefore, everything over there is so french influenced. with the design of the buildings, houses and alleys, you can easily be mistaken you are in france! tournai is also the home to the finest cathedral in belgium, cathedrale notre dame, a world heritage site.

tournai

for more pictures, click belgium

land of tulips, windmills, wooden clogs and home to van gogh...

2009-04-24T10:32:00.021+01:00

based on the title, i think most of you guys know where i've explored! yes... kenneth tan conquered netherlands aka holland. to be honest, i wasn't that in love with the country at first. why? first, i cant read dutch (road signs, public transport timetables, menu.... almost everything is in dutch), second, the public transport system is quite complicated (they have trains, buses, trams and metro), third, i have to take a number and wait for more than half an hour in the tourist information centre and lastly, they have buses, cars, trams and loads of bicycle on the roads, which means we gotta be extremely careful when crossing the road. i was pretty stress out on my day one in netherlands. however, after 5 days in the land of tulips and windmills, i totally love this country and would love to go back there again.

both deric and i kicked off our holland exploration at the world renowned sin city, amsterdam. the best part of our stay in amsterdam was the luxury hotel we stayed. 5 stars hotel for the price of a backpacker hostel. thanks to lee chin yang for introducing hotwire to me. it wasnt that cheap at first but they made a mistake with my booking and offered me 58 us$ per night. the hotel is amazing! love everything about it!

nh krasnapolsky hotel

the room is damn big!

the toilet/ bath room

the tv greets me!

my first stop in the city of canals was royal palace and dam square. both the palace and square are just outside the hotel we stayed. the palace is really nice but it isnt open to public. so, visitors can only admire it from the outside. the square isnt something to scream about. i've seen better looking and cleaner square.

a trip to amsterdam wont be completed without a visit to museumplein, home to rijksmuseum and van gogh museum and also some other not so important museums (in my dictionary). anyway, both rikjsmuseum and van gogh museums are filled up with many great paintings. for me, i prefer van gogh museum. the museum is the home to most of the masterpieces by the great artist, vincent van gogh. from there, i gotta know mr van gogh better. his life was kinda tragic. he died young and was a regular at the asylum before he died. the saddest part is he didnt get to know that he has changed the world of art and became someone very important in the history of modern art before he died. some of his works are really inspiring. i almost burst into tears. im serious! if i have the chance, i dont mind visiting the museum again.

museumplein

after wandered around museumplein, we headed back to the city centre and stopped at the house of another famous figure of amsterdam, anne frank. a little jewish girl who struggled during german occupation of the netherlands in the second world war and she died in the concentration camp. i got quite emotional. why such sad story has to happen to a sweet little girl like anne? just opposite the house of anne frank is jordaan, a lovely district. the district has so many beautiful canals, lanes and houses and surely a lovely place for an evening walk.

anne frank house

jordaan

jordaan

after a quick dinner, we rushed to the sexmuseum to experience the cheeky side of amsterdam. the museum made me blush. i love to talk about sex but the museum is a bit to much! boobs and penises are everywhere! guess what? in late 19th century, people started taking dirty pictures and the japanese already into sm back then. not far from the sexmuseum is the renowned red light district. i was stunned! girls displayed themselves with just undergarment. some of those girls are really pretty, model material. the funny thing is that area has more tourists than horny men! wondering how those girls survive!

sexmuseum

a big one!

red light district

we started day two with a 45 minutes bus ride to beemster, a polder. about 400 years ago, beemster was a big lake. it was reclaimed and have been used for farming ever since. after a hectic day in the city the day before, a morning walk at the country side was so welcoming. it is actually quite amazing how they reclaimed the land. they transformed a lake into a useful land and it happened 400 years ago. no wonder that place is one of unesco world heritage sites.

beemster

beemster

after spending several hours at beemster, we went back to amsterdam and walked around the eastern part of the city and passed by the scheepvaartmuseum, nieuwmarkt and chinatown. i was quite surprised! the chinatown over there is actually more interesting than the chinatown in london. there is a big guang yin temple at the amsterdam chinatown. from chinatown, we walked back to dam square and boarded a tram to heineken brewery. i only knew that heineken is from netherlands when i got there. i love going to brewery! the smell of roasting barley is so nice. it isnt cheap to visit the brewery, 15 euro per entry with 2 glasses of heineken.

heineken brewery

after leaving the heineken building, we went to the flower market. i was quite disappointed! they dont really sell flowers over there. they mostly sell seeds and bulbs. the market should be renamed to bulb market. when walking at the market, i was more interested at the shops selling weird things than those so called flower stalls. weird things? amsterdam is a funny place and the only place in the world where weed is legal. with full of curiosity, i bought a weed lollipop and was prepared to get high that night. i finished the lollipop while watching csi! no feeling of high or excited! wasted my 1 euro!

day three was suppose to be a very interesting day of my trip. the kuekenhof garden day! somehow, i wasnt that excited. maybe because i have seen tulip field before. before reaching leiden for the bus to keukenhof, i stopped at haarlem. the town isnt as beautiful as described in books and travel journals. it is just a typical european town big churches and square! the only different the town from other european towns is the windmill near the town

haarlem

haarlem

keukenhof is a very beautiful garden but it didnt blow me away. after wondered in the garden for a few hours and clicked enough pictures, we rented bicycles and cycled around the area outside the garden. to be honest, i prefer the sceneries outside the garden than inside the garden. outside the garden, i saw countless row of tulips in various colours. riding a bike and passing by such a colourful landscape was a very amazing experience. i did feel like i was making a romantic flick. sadly, no camera, no director and no lead actress, just deric chia cycling behind me.

after enough of tulips, we used the extra spring daylight to explore leiden. leiden is a typical dutch city, which means you will see windmills and canals inside the city. after tired of leiden, i continues my journey to next stop, the hague. we reached the hague quite late but i was still very excited as i knew i gonna meet my ex-colleague there. we agreed to meet up at the hague and travel together, after he finished his training at paris. i was so glad to see him again. i am really close to my ex-colleagues. even im not with technip now, i still email them regularly.

leiden

we started exploring the hague at binnenhof, the heart of the city. binnenhof has been the centre of dutch politics since 1446. in the centre of binnenhof is the ridderzaal, a gothic dining hall. after done admiring the beauty of binnenhof, we walked around the old quarter of the city and ended up at vredespaleis (peace palace), the united nations' international court of justice. the building is so beautiful and it is the most photographed landmarks of the hague.

binnenhof

peace palace

from the peace palace, we took a tram to delft. i really like delft. the town is so charming. it is still a typical dutch town but it has a better looking square and more old buildings within the square. one funny thing i noticed in netherlands is that all cities and towns have a nieuwe kerk (new church) and an oude kerk (old church). the tower of the nieuwe kerk at delft can be climbed with just euro 3. we climbed and proved one thing to ourselves! we are all afraid of height. after climbed the tower and walked around the charming town, we carried our backpack and headed to rotterdam.

delft

delft

rotterdam is so different from other cities in netherlands. the city was bombed flat during the second world war which is why the city is filled up with modern buildings. the city is so futuristic and buildings are in various size, shape and design! we kicked off our rotterdam exploration at boompjeskade and walked all the way to euromast. we were quite amazed with the city! the city is so modern and not so european at all. we ended our rotterdam tour at an indonesian restaurant. we all felt like the restaurant conned us! guess what? they weighed the amount of rice and dishes with the plate. the more you take, the more you gonna pay! i have never came across such system before. the restaurant got a funny name too! it is called toko papaya!

rotterdam

euromast, rotterdam

on day five, we started off at kinderdijk. the place is so beautiful but getting there from rotterdam city isnt easy. we took a tram to rotterdam central station and from the station, we took a train to rotterdam lombardijen station. at lombardijen station, we waited 45 minutes for the bus to kinderdijk. the bus ride itself took another 30 minutes. in total, we used more than two hours to get to kinderdijk but the journey was very worthy! seeing more than 10 windmills within your eyes span is just incredible. we spent 2.50 euro each for hiring a bike. the 2.50 euro was so well spent. kinderdijk isnt big but it isnt small either but for sure walking the entire area will cause us some major legs pain.

cycling around kinderdijk

kinderdijk

after done snapping photos at kinderdijk, we headed back to rotterdam for the train to amsterdam. after 5 amazing days in netherlands, i did wish i can stay longer and explore more. anyway, would definately go there again.

for more pictures, click netherlands

the magic of colours

2009-04-20T18:49:00.008+01:00

spring is a rather special season in netherlands...... why? pictures below explain everything!

folks.... start saving money and go to netherlands.... keukenhof gardens are just amazing!

farewell... to my oakley and giorgio armani!

2009-04-13T19:51:00.003+01:00

24 hours ago, i was so frustrated with myself! i lost both my glasses and sunglasses! i really love both of them. so, this entry will be my tribute to them.... they helped me look good (sometimes)!!!! some of my friends said i look better without glasses. is quite hard to judge but i do miss them now!

the sunglasses.... is an oakley! i bought it in early 2008. gosh! it is not cheap.... if im not mistaken, i bought it with rm 550 (15% of my monthly salary back then). anyway, it has became one of my best travel buddy since we teamed up! we travelled to many places together.... java, northern thailand, scotland, malta and south england (the place where i've misplaced both of them). oakley blocked the sun for me and helped me look great... gosh! i feel so damn terrible! i didnt even have chance to say thank you to it and my carelessness separated us! i'm sorry, oakley! i'm really really sorry!

my prescription glasses.... it came to my life in july 2008. it is a giorgio armani glasses. technip teamed us up. i wasnt that confident with it at first but compliments from family and friends made me believe in it. we were inseparable since then. giorgio armani was a very helpful little fella.... my best-mate in class. i have problem reading the blackboard/ whiteboard from behind and with the help of giorgio armani, i have perfect lecture notes. giorgio armani, i miss you and i love you! please forgive me for my carelessness!

guys (oakley and giorgio armani).... i will always remember you guys....

in the memory of oakley,
feb 2008 - apr 2009

in the memory of giorgio armani,
jul 2008 - apr 2009

satay!!!!

2009-04-06T12:00:00.003+01:00

when you are a student and holiday gonna start soon, what are you gonna do? what else? home party of course.... eating and drinking!

the recent party, i challenged myself! i prepared satay... something i'm sure i won't be preparing in malaysia! in malaysia, with less than rm 10, you can fill up your stomach with 10 satays with loads of 'nasi himpit' and also a glass of 'teh-o ais limau'.

my friends in malaysia were amazed with my cooking while my friends over here enjoyed with full of satisfaction! an ex-colleague who is now in houston asked for the recipe! here you go, mr lee...

satay
-lemongrass (to be cut into small pieces)
-chilli powder
-garlic
-onion
-tumeric (no fresh tumeric, tumeric powder also can)
-sugar
-soy sauce
-mixed spices powder
-sesame oil
-chicken or beef (cut into small pieces)

blend lemongrass, garlic, onion and tumeric (add some water).
add the blended mixture to the meat.
add sugar, soy sauce, chilli powder, mixed spices powder and sesame oil to the meat.
mix well.
marinate for a few hours.

peanut sauce
-peanuts
-butter
-curry powder
-chilli powder
-fresh chilli
-cumin powder
-coriander powder
-garlic
-onion
-lemongrass
-tamarind
-sugar
-salt
-cooking oil
-coconut milk/ milk

roast peanuts (without oil). remove skin and then blend the peanuts.
blend garlic, onion, chilli and lemongrass (add some water).
heat the pan with 3-4 teaspoons of oil.
add the blended garlic, onion, chilli and lemongrass into pan and cook until golden brown.
add water (2-3 cups depend on the peanuts) and tamarind juice.
add blended peanuts and stir well.
add sugar, salt, cumin powder, coriander powder, chilli powder and a bit of curry powder.
add coconut milk (one cup) and a bit of butter.
stir well under low heat until thick

good luck folks..... i dont think those who are in malaysia will ever try!

preparing satays!

chef kenneth!

chicken and beef satays!

peanut sauce!

satay feast....

kenneth's kitchen (jan - mar 09)

2009-03-17T18:24:00.009Z

some good dishes prepared from kenneth's kitchen!

in january...

steamed salty chicken, steamed salted-fish mince meat, belacan long beans

belacan long beans

ginseng chicken soup....

in february...

making chinese bbq pork (char siew)!

char siew!

steamed chicken, thai basil leaves mince meat, stir fried leek with chinese sausages, braised chicken with tomatoes and fried eggs with mushrooms.

grilled fish (with belacan sauce), stir-fried brocolli, braised chicken with potatoes and salted fish egg plant.

in march...

curry beef

curry fish head

braised chicken with bitter gourd

pig stomach soup.... guess what? i washed the stomach myself!

birthday 09!

2009-02-23T19:39:00.007Z

yesterday, 23rd february 2009, i officially turned 28. i'm feeling kinda old... i don't know why, i did feel a bit upset! i'm 28 and i don't have a house or car and i'm still using money from my parents saving. i really feel bad about it! for now, i can only repay them by doing well in my study. speaking of study... i done pretty badly in previous semester! so, the first wish for this year birthday is to do well in my study this semester and get a good mark for my project.

this year is my third year celebrating birthday overseas. the first time i celebrated birthday overseas was 5 years ago (2004) at geelong, australia. i was there doing my bachelor's degree. that birthday was a great one! pooi san made a cake for me... the first time someone made a cake for me. they were quite evil back then, forced me to drink vodka using milk bottle! i'm still wondering which fella came out with such a crazy idea! i was pretty drunk that night. i even offered to take off my pants for the girls. luckily, hwan was around and saved me from embarrassment.

my second overseas birthday was celebrated at nile river, egypt in 2007. i was travelling with my family and a party was organised for me on the cruise ship. guess what? it was my first time celebrating birthday with my family. just weird! i was not with my parents on most of my birthdays! the party on the cruise ship was a fun one. i danced with my parents and sister!

my third overseas birthday is this year, 2009. celebrated yesterday with a few friends. it was a great night! received many gifts and a dinner with 7 dishes were prepared for me. a girl (jiao jiao) prepared (made + decorated) a chocolate cake for me! the cake looks good and tastes damn good too! that girl is really something! a cake goddess! also thanks to steph, deric, linlin and xiang for organized such a great party! lin lin deserves 3 thanks from me for her huge efforts in preparing 3 great dishes, absolutely love the spicy toufu!

p.s. thanks to everyone who posted wishes on my wall (facebook), sent sms, called me, wished me thru msn and sent me both cards and ecards... thanks for those gifts, fellas! love the tissot watch!

the birthday dinner... roasted duck, spicy toufu with pork mince, stir-fried celery with chinese sausages, potatoes - tomatoes salad, stir-fried onion chicken and pork belly soup.

funny.... why wanna eat red coloured eggs??

oven-baked sesame chicken wings!

the birthday boy!

the cake goddess and birthday boy!

the chocolate cake... thanks babe!

the chicks and the birthday boy!

the gang.....

believe it or not... i'm 28!

damn... i'm damn lucky...

some gifts...

v day???? b (bachelors) day???

2009-02-22T18:19:00.006Z

for couples, valentine's day does bring a special meaning! for single girls and guys (like me and a few friends).... it is just another day in february and nothing much to be remembered! my friends and i, we avoided the lovebirds on the streets and created a party at home... a "b" nite! we cooked, we ate, we drank, we played game, we got high and we puked.... man! that's what we called life.... f**k v day!

p.s.... anyway, to those peoples who gave me chocolates.... thanks babe!

chinese dumplings!

"b" day dinner... spicy chicken wings, stewed beef pot, peanut lotus root soup and steamed, boiled and fried dumplings!

"b" day dessert! home-made tiramisu... thanks to linlin (a.k.a. jiao jiao)

where is malta?

2009-02-18T14:46:00.018Z

where is malta? the question jumped out from the mouth of my friends when i told them im going to malta. 8 out 10 friends of mine didnt know where is malta? folks, malta is a tiny country in the middle of mediterrenean sea. hope no one gonna ask me that question again. the next question threw at me was what is there in malta or why malta? the answer is simple, i have never been there and my job is to conquer each and every inch of our planet!

i spent 7 amazing days in malta. malta has more to offer than i have expected. sandy beaches, old buildings and monuments, ancient temples, excellent restaurants and cafes, mysterious pre-historic sites, beautiful harbours and so much more. the only thing malta failed to ofter is great shopping.

7 days might sound like a bit too long for a small country but it is actually not. it is just perfect to explore both malta and gozo. due to flight delay, i reached malta quite late. the 4 hours delay was due to a sick man onboard! the plane had an emergency landing at marseille. i didnt know about the emergency landing after like 1 hour after we landed... i was sleeping! if the plane explode, i guess i will be the only on onboard that die without knowing what happen. by the time we checked in the hotel, the sky turned dark. it was winter time, which means shorter day light. winter is quite a good time to explore malta as the weather is quite pleasant. not too hot, not too cold!

after checked-in the hotel, i wasted no time and headed to valetta. peoples there really celebrate christmas! valetta was filled up with christmas decorations and christmas songs were played at almost everywhere. i have never felt so 'christmas' before. what is there in valetta? valetta is a unesco's world heritage site. valetta is a very exquisite city. the city is filled with baroque style buildings, monuments and gardens. after done walking in valetta, i headed to valetta waterfront for dinner. the place was once an abandoned port but after some renovation works, it is now a popular place among locals and tourists. hard rock cafe is there!

day two in malta, i explored all the famous sites in valetta, well almost all. i started off at national museum of archeology where there famous statues of sleeping lady and venus of malta were displayed. both statues are not like most normal goddess statues which have great body and face, both the statues in the museum represented oversized women. for me, venus means tall and statue like beauty but i guess in malta, they have different story. not far away from the museum is the st john's co-cathedral. the cathedral is the best i have seen so far (judging from the interior). i might not be a christian but i have seen more churches and cathedrals than most of my christian friends. the ceiling is decorated with paintings. the walls and pillars are carved and gold painted. the cathedral stored some ancient manuscripts and paintings by caravaggio. from the cathedral, i continued my valetta exploration at grand master's palace. grand master was the ruler of valetta. the palace has an impressive collection of armors, weapons and war equipments. the steel helmets are quite scary but funny at the same time. not far away is another amazing cathedral, st pauls anglican cathedral. in term of interior, the cathedral is way far behind st john's co-cathedral but on the outside, it certainly win the race. the big dome and tower are so beautiful and is so visible from everywhere of the city.

inside st john's co-cathedral

inside grand master's palace

after some history lessons, i headed to sacra infermeria and lower and upper barakka gardens. the gardens are the best place in valetta to see the view of grand harbour and the three cities. just a few steps from upper barakka gardens, is auberge de castille. it was once the home of knights of st john but now it is the workplace of the maltese prime minister. a few hundred steps away is hastings garden. the garden offers the best view of marsamxett harbour and sliema. the garden is also the favourite place for local love birds to hang-out, i think. many couples were kissing and hugging like no body business over there. maybe i have done the same if the right one was beside me. who doesnt when the setting of the garden is so damn right! beautiful garden, postcard perfect view and romantic sunset! i ended the day at triq ix-xatt, sliema, the perfect place to be during sunset. valetta looks so amazing during sunset. beside sunset, sliema is the place for bad shopping but good coffee.

no kidding! they are still using this kinda buses over there!!!!

marsamxett harbour

valetta

after a day of busy schedule in valetta, on day three i skipped the crowded streets of the city and ended up at blue grotto, a huge natural arch in the sea cliffs. getting there was quite a journey! it took me 45 minutes bus ride to get there from valetta. beside blue grotto, the place is also the home to two megalithic temples, hagar qim and mnajdra temples. megalithic temples in malta have been listed as one of unesco's world heritage sites. the temples were closed for some upgrading works. after failed to get into the temples, i travelled by bus to mdina. i fell in love straight away with mdina. mdina is a huge fortress. it is quite well preserved and its beauty is not easy to be described by mouth. anyway, i did feel like a prince when i was there! from mdina, i headed to mosta for mosta dome, another famous landmark of malta. the dome is so visible from most parts of malta. it is said to be one of the biggest in europe. after done admiring the dome, i headed to st julians. according to local maps, st julians is the place for shopping and dining. somehow, i was disappointed again! good food? good shopping? not really! there wasnt anything there that got me excited and i went to burger king for dinner. i guess malta is really not a place for shopping.

blue grotto

mdina

day four, i boarded a ferry to gozo. i started my gozo adventure at victoria, the biggest town in the island of gozo. the main attraction in victoria is il-kastell, a fortress. compare to mdina, it is less interesting. from victoria, i took a bus to gjantija temple, another of the megalithic temples. this place is much more interesting. archeologists are still finding the mysteries behind these temples. public transports are a mess in gozo. buses are so unreliable! some routes stop working before 2 pm. i ended up hiring a taxi for the rest of my destinations, 45 euro for 3 hours! in the 3 hours, i first explored dwejra to see the spectacular coastal scenery. things to explore in dwejra included inland sea, azure window, blue hole, crocodile rock and fungus rock. inland sea is a cliff bound lagoon connected to the open sea by a tunnel. not far away from the inland sea is azure window, a huge natural arc and blue hole, a natural vertical chimney. after done exploring dwejra, the driver took me to basilica of ta' pinu. i guess i have visited too many churches and cathedrals in the few days earlier, i was kinda sick of visiting another one. hence, i spent less than 15 minutes over there and asked the driver to drive me away as fast as possible and ended up at ta'cenc sea cliffs. the cliffs are damn high and i did feel dizzy when i looked down. on the way to mgarr for the ferry back to malta, i did stop at rotunda to snap a few pictures of the town. it is a quiet small town with a big church. gosh! churches are just everywhere in malta! i ended day four at mellieha, walked around the small town and took a dinner over there.

gjantija temple

dwejra

ta'cenc sea cliffs

after failed to have a detail examination on hagar qim and mnajdra temples two days earlier, i headed to the temples again on day five. hagar qim temples was opened but not manjdra temples. there were construction works going on at the temples as part of the conservation work at the temples. both temples are 500 metres apart from each other. in the afternoon of day 5, i explored senglea and vittoriosa. senglea wasn't that interesting to me. the reason i was there was to see the vedette and grand harbour with valetta as the backdrop. the vedette is quite unique. it is decorated with carvings of eyes and ears. vittoriosa is a better city than senglea. it is slightly bigger and more things to see. the city is filled up with squares, churches, forts and charming alleys. i ended day 5 at spinola bay. the bay is where maltese eat, drink and dance.

haqar qim temple

vedette

grand harbour

day 6 was the day i have been waiting for. i have booked ticket earlier to visit hypogeum. it is one of malta's most important pre-historic sites, an underground necropolis. it is estimated around 7000 bodies may have been buried at the site between 3600 to 3000 bc. that place is damn eerie! the tour which i have booked was for 2 pm, hence in the morning i tried to see the culture side of myself by visiting the national museum of fine art. i love sitting in the middle of a room hanged with many fine art masterpieces. i have no talent in drawing or painting. therefore, i'm quite interested at peoples who can make living with pencils and brushes. slightly more than an hour before entering hypogeum, i used the extra time to explore tarxien temples, another of the megalithic temples in malta. after some pre-historic lessons, i re-visited sliema for the sunset over valetta. that place is such a perfect place to end the day! what can possible be better than having a nice cup of mocha and looking at the sun goes down with the beautiful valetta as the backdrop?

national museum of fine art

valetta

i started off day 7 or the last day in malta at marsaxlokk, a postcard perfect fishing town. the main attraction at this town is the beautiful bay with colourful fishing boats. the town is also a popular stop over for seafood lunch. after a short mocha break at the town, i headed to rabat and mdina. i was too in love with mdina and i have to see her again before leaving malta. at rabat, i visited another very eerie place, st paul's catacombs. inside the catacombs, there is uncountable of rock-cut tombs, some as small as 50 cm in length. the eeriness in the catacombs was too much to bear, i stayed less than 20 minutes inside! from the catacombs, i walked to domus romana. the site was a large roman townhouse from the 1st century bc. nothing much to see here except some broken roman period artefacts and mosaic fragments. after done exploring rabat, i walked into mdina again and tasted a slice of strawberry meringue with a cup of hot mocha. mdina did give me some magical moments! the alleys and lanes are just so beautiful. mdina alone is enough to make me go back to malta again.

marsaxlokk

malta is such a great place to be... love the harbour, love the desserts, love the old buses, love fishings boats, love valetta.... i love malta!

for more pictures, click malta

chinese new year trips!

2009-02-15T21:53:00.005Z

chinese new year 2009 is more than over but somehow... my mind is still wondering somewhere far away and not willing to believe that chinese new year is over! apart of not having all my favourite cookies and junk foods this year, my first english chinese new year can still be considered as a fun one (somehow, i still prefer malaysian style kinda chinese new year.... those eat eat drink drink one)!

during the recent chinese new year, i explore a few places with my mates! my first trip was liverpool. one word to describe it... boring! nothing much to do and see over there. during my stay over there (2 days), i spent more than half of my times in shopping malls and boutiques. i do love going to malls but when i reach a new place, i prefer exploring the culture and heritage side of that place and shopping will normally be the last thing i would do. places of interest in liverpool are quite limited. just imagine, im not a football fan but i got too much time to spend and i ended up at liverpool fc. anyway, shopping in liverpool is fun.... many great brands!

city of liverpool!

albert dock!

the beatles story!

the beatles story!

liverpool fc!

5 days after i came back liverpool, i went to leeds with a few friends and spent two days over there. leeds is a more interesting place than liverpool. the city is beautiful and more things to see and explore! on top of that, it has good foods and shopping to offer! we drove to leeds.... my first time driving on english soil! on the way to leeds, we stopped at fountains abbey and studley royal! love this place.... a very elegant park.

fountains abbey and royal studley!

saltaire!

city of leeds!

less than 72 hours after i reached newcastle, i was in london and having dinner at chinatown. london is such a nice place to be... a heaven for shopaholics like myself! this trip was about friendship! i was there to meet some old friends as some of them are leaving uk for good soon. this trip, i explored outside london... visited canterbury and cambridge. totally in love with cambridge! a very charming town!

tower of london!

canterbury!

hampton court palace!

cambridge!

chinese new year @ newcastle

2009-01-30T15:27:00.008Z

this year (2009) is my first year celebrating chinese new year without my family. there are many first in 2009...

my first year to prepare/ cook reunion dinner...
my first year without any 'ang pau' (red package)...
my first year to celebrate chinese new year with classes and lectures...
my first year to eat reunion dinner with friends and not family...
my first year to buy mandarin oranges...
my first year to celebrate chinese new year with paul smith and dkny...

gosh! i wish i'm in malaysia now... playing with my newborn niece and eating those chinese new year food..... peanut cookies, kueh kapit, pineapple tarts, roasted meat (yuk kon), keropok (fried fish cake) etc!

i'm crossing my fingers... hopefully, next year i can celebrate chinese new year with my family and friends!

reunion dinner... steamed chicken, deep fried belacan chicken, baked meatballs, beef stew with radish, fried potatoes and spicy vegetable.

chinese chicks!

reunion dinner... with some friends!

five chinese and a malaysian!

steamboat on 3rd of chinese new year!

steamboat.... again! i was the only malaysian on the table!

chinese new year's decor.... the flowers are f**king expensive!

here come my favourite part... new clothes!

my first pair of paul smith...

my first dkny sweater!

my first dkny belt!

a red t-shirt... a must have item for chinese new year!

a shirt by paul smith...

a sweater by paul smith...

some good stuffs cooked before chinese new year...

cooked bah kut tea a few days before chinese new year...

some simple but nice dishes...

survival kit for exam period!

2009-01-10T13:31:00.004Z

i guess buying snacks are better than ciggies or alcholic-beverages... cheaper and yummier!

new year's eve dinner!

2009-01-03T22:19:00.004Z

no fancy dinner at a luxury restaurant! just a simple dinner prepared at kenneth's kitchen with the help of two friends. by the way, i'm a heavy rice eater and not a big fan of western food!

the new year's eve dinner....

deep fried meatballs, stir-fried broccoli, stewed pork with salted vegetables and chinese long cabbage soup

deep fried meatballs with garlic chilli sauce (i prepared the meatballs and the sauce myself... mixed turkey mince with sauces and spices)

chinese long cabbage mushroom soup

some other good dishes cooked before new year's eve...

28/12/2008
steamed turkey mince with salted fish, stir-fried broccoli with mushroom and hot sour beef pot

29/12/2008
steamed turkey mince with dried squid, stir-fried long beans with belacan, ginger vinegar pork ribs and dried vegetables soup

goodbye 2008

2008-12-30T10:48:00.010Z

in bidding farewell to 2008, i started to refresh my 2008. what a year! 2008 was a rather big year in my life, i think. many wild things happened. i was hospitalised for 7 days, i be friended with my ex again (i finally able to let go), i started my own blog, i went to 8 trips in both asia and europe etc. anyway, the biggest among all that happened in 2008, was my resignation from technip and becoming a postgrad student.

in september, i was hospitalised for 7 days due to dengue fever. the last time i was hospitalised was when i got kidney infection. i was only 9 back then and stayed alone in the hospital for three days. okay, back to my dengue story. i'm still very puzzled on how it happened. i guess miharja isn't a great place to live. the day before i fallen sick, i went out with friends and clubbed until 3 in the morning. 24 hours later, i was laying like a death people on my bed and two days later, i was admitted to gleneagles. on that, i gotta thanks my colleagues. they rushed me to the hospital, accompanied me and visited me very often. gosh... i feel like crying now! man, is not easy to be an emotional guy. well, to be honest, staying at the hospital isn't that bad! apart from the nurses waking you up in the middle of the night and sucking your blood, it is actually quite relaxing! no need to worry about work, just sleep and rest and also eat. okay... maybe the food suck but you can always get someone to buy food for you.

okay! let's talk about my ex... yes! i kinda called my ex again and we are kinda close friend now. life is too short to mad at someone. i was a fool for being so stubborn when we ended our topsy turvy relationship. i was young and didn't know how to handle as i was so in love. anyway, i guess it was a rather good solution for both of us. just hope everyone is happy now. i don't know is it because of what happened, somehow i prefer to be single now. i'm trying to be happy because of myself and not because of someone else.

the biggest accomplishment for me in 2008 was explored 8 different places in both asia and europe. some peoples have trouble travelling once a year and i travelled 8 places in a single year calender. yeh folks... i'm showing off a bit! i started the year with a trip to bangkok with my best friends and two months later, i was at central java admiring borobudur temple. in june, i explored northern thailand (chiangmai, golden triangle and sukhothai) with my beloved sister and friends. in august, i went to bandung with colleagues. since moved to newcastle, i shifted my attention to europe. i went to scotland in october, dublin and london in november and malta in december. on top of that, i also went to short trips with family and friends (eat eat, drink drink trips).... penang, langkawi, seremban, malacca, port dickson, york and manchester. i also planned a trip to singapore before coming here but i was unable to make it due to dengue fever.

one of my life goals is to visit as much unesco's world heritage sites as possible and in 2008, i visited 12 sites...
- historic city of ayutthaya, thailand
- borobudur temple compounds, indonesia
- prambanan temple compounds, indonesia
- historic town of sukhothai and associated historic towns, thailand
- melaka and georgetown, historic cities of the straits of malacca, malaysia
- old and new towns of edinburgh, united kingdom
- archaelogical ensemble of the bend of the boyne, ireland
- westminster palace, westminster abbey and saint margaret's church, united kingdom
- maritime greenwich, united kingdom
- city of valletta, malta
- hal saflieni, hypogeum, malta
- megalithic temples of malta, malta

in total, there are about 878 sites. i believe i will explore more sites in 2009.

my resignation from technip did create a few unhappy faces. i love being with you guys and right now, i really miss you guys... i always look at the pictures we took together... at melaka, port dickson, annual dinner (i still remember what miss goh wore that night) etc. anyway, pursuing master degree is another of my life goals even before i started working for technip. anyway, i believe we will meet again. i promise i will email you guys as often as possible. just hope you guys won't get sick of seeing my pictures!

moving to a new country and settle down there are not something new to me. i moved to australia when i was 23 and stayed there for 3 years... a very great 3 years. back then, i was young and so eager to explore the world. but this time around, i did feel a little bit uneasy! i guess i'm more mature now and appreciate my family and friends more. i love you guys and i hope we can see each other again very near in the future!

becoming a postgrad student! to be honest, after stayed away from books for a few years, is not easy to be a student again! i was quite lost in the first few weeks... but thanks to my new friends for helping me in both assignments and my life over here. hardly imagine my life without you guys... without you guys, i might have skipped more classes or failed to finish assignments. thanks to lia for pushing me to finish my homeworks and thanks to deric for helping out and be my travel partner. guys, all the best in 2009!

i will never forget 2008 and let's hope 2009 will be better... happy new year, folks!

boxing day 2008

2008-12-26T18:08:00.008Z

boxing day = sale! in malaysia, there is no boxing day sale (anyway, who needs boxing day sale in malaysia? sale is like continuing from early of the year till end of the year). in malaysia, we have new year sale, chinese new year sale, anniversary sale, mid year sale, merdeka sale, year end sale, season clearance, warehouse sale... sale, sale, sale! someday, they will have badawi sale, mahathir sale, mca sale etc....

anyway, most of my friends back home eventually asked me what is boxing day. to be honest, i dont know the meaning behind it and all i know is there will be a huge sale on boxing day. one of the important days in my calender over here.

i thought only asians (especially malaysians and singaporeans) are crazy enough to queue up or wait for a boutique to open its door... somehow, our counterparts in this region are doing the same thing. imagine.... 9 am, people started waiting in front of a boutique which will only open at 10 am.

anyway, after 4 hours of walking... i got something for myself and sister...

jeans from g-star (£ 39 - original price £81)

hat from zara (£7 - original price £10)

cashmere cardigan from french connection (£25 - original price £99)

heavy knitted cardigan from topman (£25 - original price £50)

for my beloved sister...

black dress (jackie o type) from zara (£15 - original price £40)

black dress from zara (£20 - original price £40)

and some items which i bought during the recent christmas sale!

sweater from french connection

polo t-shirt from paul smith

checked shirt from paul smith

stripped polo t-shirt from ralph lauren

pants from french connection

bag from calvin klein jeans

shoes from onitsuka tiger

christmas eve dinner 2008

2008-12-24T19:03:00.003Z

exchanged turkey with claypot chicken rice (well... should be rice cooker chicken rice).

rice cooker chicken rice with steamed salted fish and peanuts lotus root soup!

love the soup! my favourite!

p.s. i cooked all these!

nasi lemak...

2008-12-13T18:17:00.005Z

the last time i cooked nasi lemak was 4 years ago in aus. to be honest, i won't waste my time doing all these cooking works if i'm in malaysia now. a plate of nice nasi lemak won't cost me more than rm 5.00 (with curry sotong or sambal petai). sadly, i'm now in newcastle and i have no other choice than to cook it myself. by the way, there isn't any malaysian restaurant in newcastle. if there is one, i believe it will be the most expensive nasi lemak in the world (8-9 pound)!

after stopped for 4 years, i was kinda stress at first... what should i do first?... i kept asking myself that question! well! i started off by blending chilli boh (chilli paste) and chopping onions/garlics/ gingers. after dueling with pots and cutting knife for 3 hours, i ended up with beef rendang, curry chicken, sambal ikan bilis (the ikan bilis here suck), coconut milk rice, eggs and cucumber... the complete nasi lemak set!

well... it didn't taste as good as the one at madame kwan but hey, i'm fucking pround of myself! practise make perfect... i believe it will taste better next time!

believe it or not.... i made this!

nasi lemak with a smiley face!

beef rendang, curry chicken, sambal ikan bilis..... and coconut milk rice!

stephanie was damn happy.... 1st time ate nasi lemak!

with some friends..... enjoying nasi lemak!

nasi lemak.... this proved, kenneth tan can cook!

london! london!

2008-12-07T10:15:00.008Z

oxford street! to be honest... i dont really like oxford street! every 500 m, you will see a gap, zara, h&m, next, topshop etc. imagine... 3-4 zara boutiques in the same street? somehow, i found a better place to shop nearby, bond street!

chinatown london! i love this place.... everything is so damn good! love the roasted duck!

westminster abbey. a unesco's world heritage site! is not cheap to get in... 11 pound!

methodist cathedral... opposite westminster abbey! it looks more like a music hall to me!

the entrance of westminster abbey! is not just about money... you gotta line-up in order to get it!

london eye!

the landmark... parliament house!

big ben... still wondering why it is called big ben!

london phone booth!

in front of buckingham palace!

buckingham palace

piccadily square! i still don't think the electronic advertisement board behind me is amazing!

parliament house at night!

tower bridge!

with keith at tower bridge! mate, thanks for the living room and time!

my party and shopping gang.... gosh! they are the funniest living creatures i have ever met!

meridian greenwich... the line that divided earth into positive and negative timezone!

royal observatory!

a dull london...

royal observatory!

that is greenwich... with london at the background! really bad weather!

inside national maritime museum.... another world heritage site!

national maritime museum!

in front of national maritime museum!

greenwich university! what a university.... a fucking beautiful university! i wish my university looks like this!

greenwich university!

westminster abbey at night!

big ben at night!

london is such a great city! if you love shopping.... it is a heaven! if you love arts, paintings, musical ect, london is the place! it has so much to offer! i'm sure i will be going there again... for more sightseeing and shopping!

msc offshore and environmental technology

2008-11-28T00:04:00.002Z

i have been here (newcastle) for more than two months now. life as a postgrad student over here isn't as fun and easy as i've expected. in within 8 weeks, i have submitted 5 practicals, 5 assignments, 1 project and 1 presentation... isn't that a bit too much! i still have a few things to submit included a 3000 words law essay! i'm exhausted... i did think, have i made a wrong decision? until a point, i failed to judge anymore...

in some of those lectures, i failed to follow what those lecturers were talking.... the bright side, i'm not alone. many of my coursemates are still puzzled and still asking silly questions in class. i was a good student during my years at deakin. i was the one everyone comes for help. many of my friends said i need time to adjust and i travelled too much! i did blame myself for travelling too often but i have never late in submitting assignments. what went wrong?

i did think i'm not smart enough for the course! but somehow... i gained many new knowledge and used many new engineering design softwares. before doing this course, i have never heard of ansys before but now, i have no problem using it with one eye closed.

exam is just around the corner! can i do well? i have to study for 5 subjects included a law subject. i'm freaking out... gosh! i do miss my life back at technip! life with great adventures and great companions! guys.... i really miss you guys!

ireland!

2008-11-23T22:25:00.011Z

front square of trinity college, a very elegant college!

front square, trinity college

the book of kells is stored here... the long room is inside this building!

front square, trinity college

graffon street

o'connell street

post office at o'connell street

river liffey at night

river liffey

temple bar... folks, the place was founded by the temple family and bar means near the river. temple bar not equal to praying temple and drinking place.

kenneth at temple bar

guess what is this building for?

hill of tara... the land of ancient ireland

newgrange... the most mysterious monument in europe! no one knows why the neolithic people wanna build it!

newgrange

custom house, river liffey

river liffey

the grand canal dock!

custom house at night

river liffey at night

river liffey

kilmainham goal.... this place is eerie!

in front of kilmainham goal

dublin castle

castle garden

christ church cathedral

christ church cathderal

christ church cathedral

st patrick's cathedral... st patrick day isn't about drinking (for your information). it is to commemorate a hero, st patrick... someone related to christianity in ireland

four courts, river liffey!

guinness storehouse... this place is like the chocolate factory of willy wonka...

guinness storehouse

a beautiful autumn morning at malahide garden

malahide garden

malahide castle

howth, a fishing village

howth

a surprise visitor at howth

isn't that little fella adorable?

dalkey castle

the land of irish whisky and guinness stout

2008-11-20T20:43:00.007Z

after four days in dublin, i'm back to reality! my brain contains nothing but assignments and project! man, is not easy being a student! this might sounds weird to you guys.... guess what? these days, i normally stay in the library until 12 midnight and will also be there during weekend (when i'm not travelling, of course). gosh... i miss technip! life is rather easy and fun in technip! for almost two months i didn't have any discussion related to sex (becoming a saint soon)! my friends in newcastle are only crazy on assignments! can't blame them too much... who doesn't when you have so many things to do in so little time?

anyway, last week, i skipped two classes to be at dublin. i didn't regret... even a second! dublin is such a fun place to be! the city almost succeeded in leading me to christ! luckily, i was able to look side way just before jesus wanted to give me a french kiss. to those jesus followers out there, i'm not insulting christianity or you guys... i'm just not a very religious person. anyway, i gotta thank him! if not because him, there will be no great churches/ abbeys/ minsters/ cathedrals around the world for us to admire.

i started off my journey at ireland at trinity college, the most prestigous college or university in ireland. many of the famous irish figures were former student there. inside this college, stored one of the world's most famous and beautiful books - book of kells. to be honest, it didn't really blow me away. the only thing in trinity college that made me stunned was the long room, a very very very old library with many many many old books. man, that room is awesome! sitting in the middle, you can feel a great force within you! no picture can be taken inside the long room without approval.

one of the famous names that ever came out from trinity college is oscar wilde (goggle him, interesting life). i passed by his former house in merrion square, dublin. there is a statue of him opposite his former house. i'm not really into literature. so, it took me less than 10 minutes to see both the house and statue.

visiting cities in europe, you can't miss galleries and museums! why? simple answer, most museums and galleries are free... no entrance fee and you see tonne of great paintings and artifacts! what a bargain! national gallery of ireland has a painting by caravaggio. is not easy to see works by caravaggio. they are only available in some famous galleries around the world. next, national museum of ireland! sadly to say, after too much of walking (and didn't get enough sleep), i failed to give in attention to all the displayed artifacts.

shopping is a must! in dublin, two most famous streets for retail therapy... graffon street and o'connell street. luckily, i didn't pull out my credit card too many times.

there is no place in dublin that can be better than temple bar area in the evening. great restaurants, crowded bars.... temple bar area is surely the place to hangout at night but not in the morning when urine and puke stains are everywhere.

day two was rather exciting! i went to hill of tara and newgrange. hill of tara was the home of ancient ireland but now, you can only see plain field. i was told buildings and houses back then were made from wood and they didn't survive against time. after a quick stop at hill of tara, we headed to newgrange, the most mystical monument in ireland. until now, archeologists still unable to explain the existence of newgrange. newgrange is a unesco's world heritage site. it was built during the neolithic period and it is 1000 years older than the stonehenge.

my day two in ireland didn't end at newgrange! after some prehistoric lessons, i went back to dublin city, walked along river liffey and watched lights brighten up the city. dublin is amazing at night especially along the river. many gorgeous buildings and bridges can be seen along the river - custom house, four courts, ha'penny bridge etc. walking along the river with a nice looking coat on a cold autumn night... i did feel like i was making a romantic korean drama (without a lead actress).

i kicked off day three at a very eerie place - kilmainham goal. folks, imagine... an empty jail! the whole duration inside the goal, i'd feel uneasy! i kinda feel like many eyes were watching over me. i was told, many famous irishs were prisoned here before. i was also showed where the executions were carried out. damn spooky! after an hour in kilmainham goal, i was so pleased to be out of that place.

next, i visited dublin castle. maybe i have seen enough palaces and castles in the past few weeks, i wasn't that excited to be in the castle. however, there is a very interesting place inside the castle area, the chester beatty library. the library is the home for many ancient manuscripts and books. another interesting place with no entrance fee required.

not far away from the castle, situated two beautiful cathedrals - st. patrick's cathedral and christ church cathedral. christ church cathedral is the mother of all churches in ireland. it is quite special! it has a link bridge that connect to another building.

a trip to dublin will only be considered completed with a visit to the world famous, guinness storehouse. a very interesting place! it showed how the black drink is brewed, the ingredients, the history, and just about everything that related to guinness. well, i'm not really a big fan of guinness but i believe my mum will go wild if she goes there. anyway, i did end up drinking a glass of guinness on a lovely evening while enjoying the nightview of dublin. a very spectacular way to end the day.

on day four, i ventured out of the city. i took a train to a town called malahide (north of dublin). the only thing worth a visit in malahide is the malahide castle. the castle is surrounded by beautiful gardens. the staff said the castle is quite haunted! many strange things happened in the castle before! anyway, the castle is really exquisite. love the dining room!

from malahide, i took a train to howth - a fishing village! a very relaxing place for an afternoon walk and fresh seafood! the only thing there that got me smiled widely was the seals swimming and playing at the port. they are so adorable! really wish to bring them home!

the last place i visited during my stay at ireland was dalkey - a heritage town! dalkey is in the south of dublin. i like dalkey! that place is so charming... small town with big attitude! there are many old buildings in the town but what captured my heart is the scenery at the harbour - postcard perfect. really wish i can have a house there!

after four days of great adventure in ireland... i didn't wanna come back to newcastle!! back to newcastle means back to assignments and projects! torture!

scottish connection!

2008-10-30T00:21:00.009Z

edinburgh castle

inside edinburgh castle

king kenneth?

a nice mural in the castle...

hiding from the rain and wind... f**king bad weather!

inside edinburgh castle

that's bobby!

harry potter was born here?

hilton hotel edinburgh

princes street gardens (see the castle?)

royal mile

scottish idol!

royal mile!

palace of holyroodhouse

abbey of holyrood (stone coffin)

here come the model!

one of my best looking picture...

thinking... thinking...

palace of holyroodhouse

entrance of the palace

palace of holyroodhouse

scottish parliament

on top of the national museum of scotland

scottish history, anyone?

2008-10-29T10:27:00.007Z

i used to think scotland got nothing to offer beside men wearing skirt (kilt) and a water monster called nessie. after two days of history lesson in edinburgh, i kinda like scotland and would love to go back for more adventures. edinburgh has so much to offer (not just men running around in a skirt). the city is filled up with mystery castles, beautiful palaces and cathedrals, interesting museums, creepy dungeons, romantic streets and lanes and so on.

okay folks... scottish history, anyone? even i've visited most of the historical sites in the city, but there is only one thing i remember... a few of the scottish kings are called kenneth. and now, i'm proud to be called kenneth. i might be one of the kings in my previous life, king kenneth the second. how cool is that?

a visit to edinburgh won't be completed without a visit to the edinburgh castle (the most popular attraction in scotland). man, the entrance fee isn't cheap and they don't give discount to student. inside the castle is where the scottish history lesson begins! inside the magnificient castle, stored many interesting artifacts and even showed the scottish crown to the public. certain rooms in the castle are rather spooky, i did feel like someone was watching over me, maybe it was king kenneth!

the next must-do in edinburgh is walking along the royal mile and admire the architecture wonders. according to lonely planet, it is one of the world's most romantic streets. i actually didnt get it! the street is certainly beautiful but romantic? i'm not so sure! maybe i need to walk with the right person to get that feeling.

along royal mile, there are some very interesting museums and the best part, they are all free. as a budget traveller, nothing is better than a free attraction. they are also the best place to be during rainy or windy day. i gotta to be honest, i was in those museums because of the bad weather. now, i'm feeling a little bit guilty for confessed it but those museums are quite interesting (i'm not lying).

museums along the royal mile aren't the only free attractions in edinburgh! national gallery of scotland which stored paintings by picasso and monet is another free attraction. the gallery is another must visit in edinburgh (not everyday you can see a painting costs around 50 million pound).

the next stop, calton hill! the best place to see the whole city of edinburgh and edinburgh's waterfront. due to the bad weather, the view didn't look as good as shown in the brochure. on a bright and sunny day, i believe it will be a good place to see sunrise and sunset. i'm not a sunrise person (i don't think i can wake up before sunrise). maybe i will go back to calton hill for sunset. calton hill is not just a viewing point, some of edinburgh's most beautiful monuments are situated there.

what else can be the best way to end a day if not shopping? for you guys, i'm not sure but for myself, indulge myself with some goodies is the best way to end a day. in edinburgh, the place for such treatment or therapy is princes street. what did i get for myself? you guys will be surprised! i only bought a t-shirt and a pin from hard rock cafe. not so kenneth tan? well, when you are using pound sterling, you will always think twice before making a transaction.

just before dark, i visited another famous spot in the city, the statue of bobby. who is bobby? bobby is the most photographed dog in scotland and maybe the whole united kingdom. bobby, a skye terrier who maintained a vigil over his master's grave being fed and cared for by locals. a story of loyalty!

i started day two in edinburgh with a walk in princes street gardens and passed by scott monument. after experienced bad weather in the previous day, the sun was so welcoming. but hey... walking at a park on a sunday morning? man... that's so not kenneth tan kinda thing! sometimes, you gotta do something outside your comfort zone and surprisingly, it was quite lovely! fresh air... friendly smiles... nothing can be better to start a sunday morning.

another interesting place in this lovely city is the palace of holyroodhouse, a royal residence. another chapter of scottish/ british history! what captured my heart isn't the big palace but the abbey located beside it. a very charming little abbey! during its heyday, it must be the most beautiful building in edinburgh.

opposite the palace of holyroodhouse is the scottish parliament. i believe my architect friends will love the design of the scottish parliament building. it isn't like most of the buildings in edinburgh. it is rather modern and cool. damn, it closes every sunday and i was only able to admire it from the outside.

have you guys ever wondered where harry potter was born? the answer, at a restaurant called elephant house. jk rowling was having coffee in this place when suddenly the idea of a boy living in a world of wizards hit her brain. i did try out at the restaurant and did hope crazy idea will bang on me but sadly, i walked out of the restaurant with a blank brain. i guess i'm not jk rowling material, sigh!

not far away from the elephant house is the national museum of scotland. another very interesting place for scottish culture and history. guess what? it is another free attraction. i just love those free attractions. you can learn and see many interesting things without paying a penny, what a great deal!

i really enjoyed myself in edinburgh. the only downside of the trip was the weather. autumn isn't a good season to explore scotland... terrible weather! very wet and windy! the weather did effect my performance. i failed to pose nicely, damn it! i believe spring or summer will be better. edinburgh, you better watch out! i will be back for more poses!

city of york... my new darling!

2008-10-23T19:41:00.009+01:00

york minster! isn't is beautiful? according to to lonely planet, it is one of the most beautiful gothic building in the world.

front view of york minster!

york minster!

in the city of york... dont ask me where the photo was taken! i really have no idea! those alleys and streets are so confusing!!!

the map of the city!

the old city area! do i look like oliver twist? oliver twist of the 21st century!

trying to be oliver twist again!

clifford's tower... british history, anyone?

the prince...

the prince at the city of york!

continue posing! nice pose? too stiff?

hope you guys are not tired of seeing me posing here and there...

my signature pose... the sitting down with a cute face pose! or should i name it... the kenneth's pose.outside of clifford's tower!

in front of york castle museum! a very interesting museum!

evolution of the vacuum cleaner! man... this is damn interesting! the first vacuum cleaner was created in 1910. damn funny... look at those designs at the back row (manual pump). using it is better than going to the gym (exercising and cleaning at the same time).

ah ha! try guess what is that wooden cabinet for??

evolution of the washing machine!

posing again... in the basement of the museum!

a charming shop house... very british!

at the museum gardens.

after 8 hours of walking.... you will try to get every oppurtunity to sit!

york train station... i will be back!

york? an air-con or a city?

2008-10-22T21:42:00.004+01:00

just a few days ago, a friend asked me why didn't i post any new entry in my blog? the answer is simple! in case you guys forget, i'm here to study and i have a few assignments due every week. those assignments are killing me. i have even more to submit in end of november, just before the christmas break. help! can the beatles help me?

before i got here, i did think my next 48 weeks will be like heaven or something near to heaven. no need to wake up early in the morning to work, no need to stay 8 hours or more at my desk, no sister or mother nagging me, can go for shopping and dining at any time of the day and so on but gosh, now i wish i'm still at technip and talking crap with lee pei yuen and lum or flirting with someone over the phone. after stopped schooling for almost three years, is not easy to put everything together again! dy/dxt what? fluid acceleration, huh? beam calculation, damn? those things are my biggest headache these days.

i actually have something to share with you guys! last weekend, i went to a nearby city for a day trip. a city called york! york is a very interesting city. hang on! before i go even further, i have something to share, a joke! before i went for the trip, i emailed my beloved miss lee pei yuen and told her about my trip. she replied with some very interesting lines! "york? york is a city meh? not a brand for air-con ar?" my typical neighbour at technip. i just love her.... isn't she adorable?

where is york actually? it is about an hour from newcastle and two and half hours from london by train. york was voted as europe's favourite city. i did wonder what is so great about this place until it becomes so popular. hello.... shouldn't the favourite be paris, london, rome, amsterdam, barcelona or something. york, a place which have been mistaken as an air-conditioner? the name might not be as popular as others but it surely has the magic to lure visitors. york is a very charming city (york and me... what a perfect combination... we are both charming... nope?).

i started my day at york with a visit at its most popular landmark, the york minster. york minster is one of the most beautiful gothic building in the world (as written in lonely planet). it is really huge and very beautiful but sadly, i failed to get a nice picture of the whole building. logic thinking, if you stand far away, maybe a few hundred meters, you will be able to take the picture of the whole building. "X" wrong! no matter how far you stand or which corner you stand, you will always be blocked by something.

after my failed attempts to take a picture of the whole york minster, i explored the city wall. i was conned by someone to walk on the wall which was built long, long time ago to protect the city. actually, nothing much to see or do over there besides walking, walking and walking! next, the old city! i'm so in love with the old city area. when i was there, i did feel like i have became oliver twist (back to 18th century) and running at the old streets and dark alleys with a bowl in my hands. those lanes and alleys are so beautiful, very old english mood.

i also printed my footsteps at clifford's tower and york castle museum. both places are really worth to visit especially clifford's tower. at the top of the tower you can see the whole city of york, and of course... another good place for me to pose.

a trip won't be completed without shopping! for retail therapy, i went to a place called york designer outlet. man... a real heaven for shoppers! many of my favourite brands are there, paul smith, ralph lauren, lacoste, burberry, armani and many others. so, it won't be a surprise if i go to york again, and again, and again.

on the way to the train station, i dropped by museum gardens to kill some times. it is a very good spot for love birds... flowers, trees, falling leaves... just perfect lovers to date or more. this place can be very beautiful in spring, i think.

after the lovely day trip at york, i'm no longer in love with newcastle. i found new love! and i also started to think, did new york gets its name from york? the americans wanna create a place like york and named it new york. maybe! maybe!

my place in newcastle!

2008-10-03T23:07:00.008+01:00

carlton house, my house!

try to guess how many floors are there in this building!

the kitchen! it won't be this clean after 8 pm everyday!

my study desk...

my heaven... nothing is better than sleeping... if i have nothing to do, i can sleep up to 20 hours a day...

that's my wardrobe... damn small! no need two months, i think i need to get a new one! already saw some great looking jackets and sweaters at the mall!

did you guys realise something is missing from my room??? where is the window??

my daily needs! hope i won't die of sugar overdose!

the weekend with indonesian connection

2008-09-28T19:08:00.000+01:00

another few hours, my first weekend in newcastle will be over.... with such weather, i did think my weekend will be like... me, kenneth tan spending 20 hours on the bed and the remaining hours to shower, eat and check mail.

but hey... it was totally a different story! maybe the title will give a clue... yes! i was with a bunch of indonesian students! i have never talked to so many indonesians (around 20 of them) at the same time until last friday night and it continued till saturday night. more than a few thousand indonesian words flown around me but only a few of those words succeeded in getting into my brain. bahasa indonesia is totally a headache but thanks god for created a language called english! english connecting people!

after 5 days over here, i met more indonesians than malaysians... weird? yes.... a bit! where are all the malaysians? i dont know how to answer... anyway, the first friend i got to know over here is called deric, a truly malaysian (a hot and spicy food lover... eat sambal... drink "kau kau" milo... speak english, malays, mandarin, cantonese, hokkien etc.).

how did the indonesian connection get started??? for this, i gotta thank kt, an indonesian chinese (the housemate of deric). man... kt is a very friendly person and a pr god (okie... his pr skill is a lot better than mine... i think i need to get some lessons from him). on friday night, kt and deric took me along to a gathering. those indonesian girls can really cook... they cooked some called dinding aka indonesian"bak kuah". f**king loving it (sorry for using that word but dinding is damn yummy)!

the indonesians gathering didnt end there... it was continued at kt/ deric's place on saturday night. at their place, i was so touched! after 20 hours of journey from kuala lumpur to newcastle, i was still able to eat nasi lemak with rendang and it tasted damn good... salute to kt, chef of the night!

well! i have started to love newcastle. for my new found love, i need to thank deric for it! deric, if you are reading this..... a million thanks to you! if not because of you, the last few days will be like hell on earth... no friends, no rice and alone in a strange land... scary!

Farewell Parties!

2008-09-25T21:01:00.007+01:00

sarina and pooisan... they are still sexy as 3 years back!

deakin girls and guys... guys, i did feel like we were in uni again.... like old time, gathered at my house for steamboat! miss you guys....

yeeyin and thuanyian... both getting prettier! yeeyin, you have to find another travel partner, sorry about that!

okie.... why is maurice so damn cool?? david... thanks for arranging the dinner and guys, thanks for used your precious time to meet! very appreciated! and thanks for those gifts....

some fellas at kopitiam.... before clubbing session!

housemate (miss his voice and crap talk) and friends at starhill gallery! thanks for the lunch, alvin!

with ex colleagues at sushi zanmai, the garden! gosh... i hate to use the word ex! i miss technip! i still wanna be the travel desk, pr guy, tour leader, "yum yum sik sik tuen" (drink drink eat eat group) organizer, dried seafood supplier, dirty talk initiator, health/ beauty products supplier, fashion consultant and many more.... lcy (dont know should thank you or curse you!)

leaving again!

2008-09-20T09:17:00.000+01:00

three more days, i will be leaving malaysia again... this time, i'm not leaving for a week or two for another backpacking adventure but will be away for a year or more to pursue my master degree in a far far away land. is not easy to leave a place which given me so many great memories...

the past two and a half years, kuala lumpur have been amazing to me. i gotta know many new friends, experienced love and became an engineer. back in nov 2005, i was a silly little boy who just graduated with a degree in engineering and came back from the land of kangaroos and koalas without knowing what to expect.

after stayed in melbourne/ geelong for more than two years, i really didnt know what kinda life i can get in kl. before i came back from the land down under, i have never experienced kl before. but after more than two and half years here, im proud to say i hate and love kl.

yes, i did hate kl before. the place where i found and lost love. i used to believe that love is the thing we all need in order to be happy but i was so wrong. in fact, i was taught that love can be in many forms and not just between two souls. it was a great lesson! im now distributing love to everyone around me.

my friends in malaysia.... if i need to list them one by one, it will take me forever to end the list! anyway, if you guys are reading this.... i just want you guys to know that i really appreciate each and everyone of you. i love you guys! i have even started to miss some of you guys... my colleagues who always make funny statements, my best friend (sean) who always think of becoming rich, my shopping mates (sam & kin) - shopping wont be fun without you guys, and my housemates... okie! my eyes are wet! i really wish to bring you guys to uk with me!!

a big thank to technip too! the place where i spent two and half years as a pipeline engineer and a place where i gotta know many great souls. guys, i promise, we will go for more eat eat, drink drink trips in the future... all the best to you guys!

i dont know whether i have made a right decision but let's pray.... we will see each other again and thanks kl for given us an oppurtunity to unite and share!