Happy Birthday - Karim

It's a day to celebrate. Somehow we booked the day earlier, much earlier. And was trying to confirm and confirm.

As our friend loves Japanese food so much, and he choose Rakuzen.

Earlier I got a message 'commanding' not to get any cake as there's a cake ready. It's weird as no one knows what kind of cake. Anyhow, knowing our friend likes ice cream, I went ahead and bought a small ice cream cup cake.

The dinner was ok. It's a friendly and polite dinner.

Happy Birthday, Karim!

SCKLM2011

A friend, Kamal, has been asking me to join marathon since some time ago. For this Standard Chartered, he has suggesting me to join him for 5KM fun run. I went to check on the web site, it's quite costly especially passed the early bird registration. Instead, I saw the word 'Volunteer', after exploring it, it seems quite interesting. Thus, I signed myself up.

It was quiet for awhile unsure if I have been chosen. Then, came the email saying that I have been chosen and will be involved in Route Marshal. The email read that I need to go to Bukit Jalil stadium for a training a Saturday before the run, and on the event itself,I gotta be at the stadium at 10pm on Saturday and the work won't finish till 1pm on Sunday. I read the mail again and again disbelieve on the time required. Thus, I rang up and they said, ya, NO mistake, it's correct. So, I started thinking, should I withdraw.
The training Saturday came, I went for the training. More of a briefing, it finished within 1 hour. Still, I was thinking, should I go for the real day? At least, I make a friend. :)

The weekend. So, I have decided to attend. Well, since I have not done this. It would be a different experience. So, I went to the Putra Stadium/ Hall for the 10pm registration. Then, changed into the volunteer t-shirt. We were given some small snacks and a movie to watch. Then, we were gathered according to our team at 12am. We were (supposed) to be given briefing by our team leader. But, my team didn't get any briefing. We got a bag filled with food and drink, hat, whistle. So, we continued to wait till 2am to be depoted to our station.

Each team covers a radius of 3KM. So, our team started at Sg. Besi highway till the turning at Dewan Pustaka which is about at KM12. We were there waited since 2.30am and the race only started at 5am. So, the first runner would only arrive at our place at 5.30am, fastest. So, we were there walking up and down, feeding/ donating our blood to Mr. Mosquitos. It's a long night and morning. Long wait.....

At 5.45am, traffic police and the official workers riding their bikes came to our area and told us to get ready, runners are coming. So, we stood up (trying as we were exhausted after a long night) awaiting for the runners. The runners from Kenya. Their pace is really steady, a group of them. Even the females.

Then, we saw more. Instead of doing the marshal role, we were more of supporters. :D We saw pacer at 2.30hr, 3.30hr, etc. carrying a big ballon with them. And we saw different ones wearing different costumes. It's facinating and eye opening. I was trying to spot some friends who participated in the run. Well, it's too dark and I couldn't see anyone. Also, I was struggling to open my eyes. We literally sat in the middle of the road trying to cheer them.

Though the road was closed, we also saw how Malaysian still force their way through. Driving attitude definitely needs to improve. Guess what? The bigger/ more expensive the car, the greater the attitude problem. sigh...

So, I believe we finished our duty at almost 8am. Where a bus came to fetch us back to the stadium. Waited to get our token (RM40) of appreciation, sandwich, I went home. I was really tired. Not the work, but, the waiting time.

Overall, it's a good experience. :) And well done to all runners. A big thank you for all volunteers.

Farewell - Gisle

Got to know that Gisle is leaving back to Oslo, Norway. He was my colleague in DiGi. We got to know each other more as we involved in Rainbow (a collaboration project of DiGi - Celcom).

It was quite shocking to know that he is heading back home as his assignment in Msia is only 1 year? Normally, they will be here for at least 2 years.

And he told me to have a get together prior his departure when I met him on Woon's wedding. So, somehow a farewell lunch was arranged at Ole-Ole Bali, Empire Shopping mall, Subang Jaya.

It's a mixed feeling to meet up with old colleagues who hardly get in-touch. Nevertheless, it was a warmth occassion. And with Facebook, it definitely draw the world closer.

Farewell

Aw Wen Wey, our team member, decided to leave us to Oz with wife.

We (Business Performance & Analytics, Technology) were so close with each other then, and decided to meet up more often.

Rather than a farewell, it is more of reunion for us.

So, we met up on 11 June, at Tasty Pot, Sunway, for steamboat. It was awesome! For me, not so much the food, but, the companion. I think all of us just hope the night could last.

Then, again, we meet up on 13 June for dinner and some dessert.

It's been hard to say good-bye. I believe friendship will stay if we want to. And so the quote below shared by Aw to us: No distance of place or lapse of time can lessen the friendship of those who are thoroughly persuaded of each other's worth. -- Robert Southey

Impromptu PD

I was online and so was Fong. Suddenly, we started chatting and decided to went to PD. It was almost 6pm and yet the sun was scorching hot. I wonder what would we do if it's summer where the sun doesn't set till 10pm.

Anyhow, I went to pick her up from her house, and on our way to PD.

It was a public holiday and so the traffic in PD was awfully packed.

I insisted to go to Teluk Kemang as mom said it's a nice beach. I can't remember when was the last time I went to PD and beach.

So, we arrived after driving and jam for some time. It's worth it. The sunset was so beautiful, the waves, the everything... I like it. And surprisingly, it wasn't as humid as my past beaches experience. This was different. And I like it. :)

After taking some photos, we decided to eat. Well, it's just 2 of us, so, it will be too much for seafood. Further, my PD friend won't really able to direct us. And we both don't mind having Malay food. In fact, somehow, i was craving for food. hahaha.... So, we saw some stall nearby, and so, we started to order: satay, otak-otak, mee rebus, mee goreng, cendol (dara), lychee.. and I was thinking burger, but, might be too much. Yeah!! It was good meal. Maybe because I just got back from Shanghai too. :P

Then, we went back to the beach and it was dark. Yet, it was nice. As it's getting dark, we decided to head home. On the way, we stopped at another beach where we saw on the way to Teluk Kemang. This beach is brighter as there have lights.

Even so, the beach was still have quite a number of people.

It was an awesome trip. I like it. :) Getting away to somewhere without plan is good. I had similar experience in NZ where my friends just pulled me for a weekend get-away from Wellington to Auckland. It's a crazy 8 - 10 hours drive (1 way) and just over the weekend. :D

More about this trip can be found in this link where Eunice had more details. :) I am just too lazy.. hahaha... http://euniceta.blogspot.com/2011/06/another-impromptu-trip-to-pd.html