leaving dubai...

i've started packing and throwing unwanted items. ever since i came back from singapore, i have been wanted to leave dubai so badly. i always have the feeling that i don't belong here. the next question is what is so wrong with dubai? with more than 6 months of extremely hot weather, it just doesn't make it for me. and i'm tired of missing nasi lemak, laksa, hainanese chicken rice, wanton mee, char kueh tiau, bah ku tea, sambal petai etc everyday. yes! everyday! you can take a malaysian out of malaysia but you can't take malaysia out of a malaysian.

well! how have i managed to survive till now? the secret is a simple equation and the answer is dubai as the center of the world map + regular moet & chandon sessions with some close pals (thanks guys). as a travelholic, dubai can do no wrong. europe is just a few hours away. a long weekend over here in dubai means i can be drinking frappe at athens to examining ancient archaeological sites at iran or india. dubai, indeed is a perfect base for travelers. however, when the number of wrinkles on my face are increasing, i guess i have a bigger picture to paint. i have more to worry.

so, what is next then? i have a few plans in mind and will be trying to execute them in the next two years. one of the plans is to travel less. in the last 12 months, i have explored more than 10 countries. i don't even dare to calculate the total amount of air tickets i have spent. i can't bother too much on money. what i really believe is that all these trips made me a better person and enriched my heart and soul in many ways. i always believe in being a rich man in heart and not pocket.

when i called home last weekend, mom nagged me. yes mom! i know i've spent too much on clothes and shoes. don't worry mom! i know what i should be doing next. and as promised, i will make sure i spend my money in a more meaningful ways (just wait and see).

as always, leaving ain't easy. in dubai, i have met so many great friends. they have made the last few years so fun and memorable. from colleagues who enjoyed sex talk to my weekend dining/ drinking buddies, guys thank you so much. i might be leaving dubai soon but i'm sure i will be back and share more laughter.

city of dubai! thank you so much. you will be remembered.

deja vu!

life is just strange! when i left singapore in aug 2013, i didnt' expect myself to be back here again (at least not in such a short period). anyway, my hate/ love singapore is haunting me again. is good to be back! eating good food, meeting familiar faces again! am i ready to leave singapore again? it is all coming back to me again, the strange feeling of leaving such an amazing city. i have earlier declared my love for this place... and again i have to say, i love singapore! and leaving you again ain't that easy!

Raining Day!

The view from my room (1403),

Oasia Hotel

what have i done in 2013?

-spent 80% of my 2013 in singapore

-visited 7 countries (vietnam, iran, nepal, hungary, india, japan & spain)

-explored 39 world heritage sites

-stayed hotels/ service apartment for almost 10 months

-mastered orcaflex

-bought an apartment at penang

the last day?

the past 11 months have been extremely amazing. i didn't expect myself to love singapore and enjoy being in mcdermott singapore. colleagues in singapore have been extremely good to me. aside from mastering orcaflex, i've also mastered in being a more wicked employee. i kinda understand myself better and know what i should be aiming for. 

i'm still feeling a bit sad for leaving mcdermott singapore. departing isn't easy! the last working day at mcdermott singapore has been an odd one. bosses were not around... senior left the office earlier and i 've worked till 7pm. 

it wasn't really my last day with mcdermott... but i'm not feeling good! sigh... i guess i really enjoying being a part of mcdermott singapore. 

bye bye mcdermott singapore!

the next chapter!

life is like a thick book! every chapter tells a story. the singapore chapter of my life is coming to the end. kinda sad now! i don't wanna leave for sure but i have no choice. what is there in the next chapter? i'm so not looking forward to go back to dubai. friends are leaving dubai for good, the weather gonna kill me for sure and the workloads waiting for me at mcdermott middle east. and on top of those things, i will not have chicken rice for lunch or cheap seafood dinner on the weekend. damn! suddenly, i kinda hate dubai! i shouldn't have compared but somehow i feel like i belong here (singapore). i really wish i can be here longer. 

thanks to all my friends in singapore who created such a memorable experience for me.! love you all! hope i can write another chapter of my life in singapore. 

singapore and i...

less than a month from now, i will be leaving singapore for good. mixed feeling now!!! i seriously don't feel like going back to dubai. life here is just way too interesting.... great hawker stalls, excellent shopping, funny colleagues, charming bars..... and home is just an hour away (by flight). after enjoyed such lifestyle for close to a year, i think i'm in love with singapore. sigh!  

it wasn't love at first sight but.... i don't wanna leave her now!

Happiness with a Price!

I believe in buying happiness... 

islamic country?

just a few weeks more, malaysians will be going to polling station to decide the future of malaysia. many politicians/ candidates are trying their very best to lure voters. some of those tricks are really entertaining. i still dont know how singing/ acting/ dancing/ cooking can be a tool to develop the country. anyway, some of those so called politicians did grab my attention with the term, muslim/ islamic country. i started to get really frustrated and annoyed. 

so what, if malaysia becomes a full muslim country? no pork? no alcohol? no karaoke? no cinema? such perception is just plain wrong. i have stayed close to a year in the uae (united arab emirates). as a malaysian chinese/ non muslim, i've faced no difficulty at all when i was there. before i went there, my friends were quite skeptical about me moving there. many of them even asked me to reconsider. for them, moving to an islamic country means no pork, no alcohol and no entertainment. well! my friends were wrong and so are those chinese politicians in my beloved homeland. in order to be fair to all malaysians, those politicians should get their facts right before barking. 

so, i'm here to give some real facts. islam is the largest and the official state religion of the uae. however, all those things mentioned above are available there (maybe not karaoke - arabics dont sing). let's talk about pork! i faced no issue in preparing chinese soup with pork spare ribs when i was there. the most interesting part, i can have pork from the uk, china and even african countries. what about alcohol then? alone, in a foreign country... wine will somehow become your life partner. drinking and getting drunk at public areas are illegal but pubs and bars are available at almost all hotels. so, i see no reason for non muslim malaysians to be scared of malaysia becoming a muslim country. if an arab/ islamic country can be so moderate and tolerance, i think malaysia can do the same or even better.

because of those funny politicians, i shared my thoughts with my friends. all of them (mainly malaysian chinese) are not too concerned that opposition will take over malaysia and converting malaysia into a full islamic country. if middle east countries, where fresh water is more valuable than oil can have world class cities like dubai, doha and abu dhabi, i believe malaysia with the correct leadership can do 10 times better. no doubt!

so, if you guys see people rejecting malaysia as a muslim country, do ask them why? and do suggest them to take a short trip to dubai. our very own politicians should really travel more often to broaden their mind and perspective (not with the money of rakyat, of course) and they really need to stop projecting wrong ideas to my fellow malaysians.  i love malaysia. malaysia boleh!

优客李林 - 认错

have you ever regretted?

have i ever regretted?

did you think of those days?

are you missing me now?

the big 3-2!

i'm officially 32! i do feel old (more wrinkles on my face) but i'm ageing with style for sure. oh well! age is just a number anyway.... so, screw it!

the question now... how was the 1st day of my 32? mmmm... weird but interesting (blushed)!  

the 1st birthday where i have to spend it alone (no family, no friend).

the 1st birthday where i have to wake up 4 in the morning (for a sunrise tour).

the 1st birthday where i almost damage my urinary bladder.

the 1st birthday where i have to urinate at the wall near a temple (publicly). 

the 1st birthday where i was laughed by a temple parking attendance/ guard  (for urinated at the wall).

the 1st birthday where i have to cycle in the rain.

the 1st birthday (maybe the last) where i have enjoyed a drum beating session by an old japanese man.

the 1st birthday where i bought a cake for myself.

the 1st birthday where i have indulged myself with a good massage session.

and the 1st birthday where my willy was touched by a stranger (the masseur). 

is okie to get old, but make everyday count! happy 32nd birthday, mr tan!!! 

hoi an, vietnam
11.17 pm

寶貝

this song reminded me that i once have the happiness others can only envy!
but one wrong decision, overturned everything.

i have never really thanked you.... so....
thanks for being there for me during those years...
thanks for the unconditional love you have given me...
thanks for appreciated the silliness in me...
thanks for cherish my existence...
thanks for stopped the insanity in me...
thanks for the priceless memories we have created together...
and thanks for those sweet v days!

happy valentine's day!

my 2012....

somehow, we all are still alive and the world didnt end. and it means, the fabulous life of prince kenneth will keep on rolling. guess what? i have already started planning my vacations/ travel plans for 2013. can't wait for it to begin.

the last day of the year is always interesting. a day you celebrate your achievements for the whole year and also partying with close friends while wishing each other another good year ahead.

no doubt! i have more wrinkles on my face... for me, wrinkles are alrite. what matters most, is i'm ageing with great life experiences.

so, what about my 2012? i can only say one word.... perfect. i've lived 2012 like the way i wanted it to be. travelled to many fabulous destinations across europe, africa and asia. and i hope i can achieve the same in 2013.

the amazing part...

i've travelled with 17 different airlines

i've boarded 41 flights

i've landed in 20 different airports

across 13 countries....

among 13 countries, 10 of them were my vacations. i've visited, bahrain, oman, egypt, india, iran, denmark, jordan, maldives, laos and greece. most of my friends cursed me... guys! everyone has different priorities in life and for me... travelling is my number one passion. i'm not aiming for a big villa or nice car... or wanna get marry. so, all my savings are for travelling purpose (and maybe for some nice clothes and shoes).

as for my career! i love what i'm doing right now. thanks to mcdermott for giving me the opportunity. and because of mcdermott, i'm living my dream life.

aside from having a good job and crazy travelling, i met many new friends... from dubai to singapore! and met many long lost friends again.

overall, 2012 is amazing... another fabulous year in the life of prince kenneth. au revoir 2012! 

the surprise...

the herbal tea!

is okie to be sick.... if someone willing to send over a bottle of herbal tea!

the someone!

is raining outside! the sound of raindrops make me wanna miss someone. is there a someone out there i should be missing? where is that someone right now? what is that someone doing right now? walking on the street with an umbrella? sipping a cup of hot cappuccino at a roadside cafe? or playing the piano at the lobby of a hotel? no matter what, i'm alone looking out of the window while the rain washing away my feelings.

The view from my room!

Lorong Geylang 41, Singapore

when i was in jordan!

i... walked thru history
i... soaked in the famous dead sea
i... applied dead sea mud on my body
i... stood on the lowest point on earth
i... met the most honest driver
i... listened to a very beautiful love story
i... examined the mystical marvel of petra
i... lived like a bedouin
i... slept in the desert with the stars above as my blanket
and i... got myself a free tanning session

杜德偉 情人

can love be as simple as 123 or abc?

what? iran?

iran is more than what you heard from bbc and cnn.... cant wait to go back for more adventures and persian hospitality!

大塚 愛 / 恋愛写真

ただ、君を愛してる
Tada, Kimi o Aishiteru

watched! cried!

how far will you go for the one you love?
how many drop of tears are you going to cry for the one you love?
and what are you going to do if you know that the one you love is going to leave you forever?

Global Bersih 3.0 (from around the world)

i cried!
i'm so inspired and proud to be a malaysian.
there was a point where i totally hated the land where i was born and raised.
but this video somehow pulled my heart and soul back to this beautiful land.
we, malaysians do love our beloved homeland.
we wanna see change and put a stop to what those jerks are doing to malaysia.
let's unite and create a better malaysia.