Year ended (2009)

2009 was my honeymoon year.

Honeymoon 1: Studies.

I started my Masters in UNIMAS and as first year postgraduate, i still in very beginning phase and quite relax for most of the time. But after this stage of honeymoon, 2010 is my packed year for lab works, is time to sense the pressure given by my bosses to finish my lab work in time. I hope i can make it, though not so confident.

Conclusion ---> i just too lazy that’s why i so lag behind.

Quote for remind me ---> Success is when the harder you work, the luckier you get.

Honeymoon 2: Works/Money.

1 and half year working in Clinical Research Centre (CRC), SGH. Having most of the time for food and some jokes sharing with colleagues. Old colleagues leave, new colleagues in. Money: Year 2009, i got 100k grant but year 2010 i got 0 grant for my project. 2010 gonna be a tough year.

Conclusion---> Money is important for me to get new consumables. Social is important to ensure i get more patients willing participate in my study.

Quote for remind me ---> Boss is watching you (yea, is me!), whether or not they will retain my 5 years contract depends on whether i can publish any abstract on 2010.

Honeymoon 3: Relationships.

Got engaged on early 2009. We still having some quarrels sometimes, and the worse quarrels that we had this year was i think we should sweep the floor before mopping, but he thinks skip the sweeping and mop the floor only is enough to make the floor clean!!

Conclusion ---> Life still make no difference even after engagement.

Quote to remind me ---> It is tired to start and end a relationship. So be loyal, don’t watch eng tao kia anymore. Haha.

Big accomplishment of the year: I was given a title of Puan Tun Sri from Tan Sri LYK.. wow feel so honoured although i think he just cincai gave it to entertain me. =p

To conclude this post, i wish i can grow as brilliant as those surrounding me, from lab mates, colleagues, church mates, bosses, families, ex-course mates, to the friends. Lets wish 2010 will be a better year for all of us.

Movies over the weekend

 

Two movies, different production, different stories. One is the blockbuster expensive production, one is budget production. But both revealed the same intention: the darkness of human behaviour that can bring our world (Earth) to an end.

Avatar

Despite the advance 3D effects and the touching love story, the movie told me how greedy is the human being. They asked for more resources, so they invade other world, claim those people as terrorists, kill them, devastate their homeland. Personally, i think this movie is far beyond my expectation, and is 100 times nicer than then 2012. 2012 only selling its effect but Avatar is so far the best movie i came across with good storyline, and truly impressed by the James Cameron’s imagination and its 3D effects. It is gonna be another classic hit after Titanic.

 

The Age of Stupid

A movie in combination of 6 small documentary stories, reveals the secret behind the climate changes nowadays. It started off and ended with asking: Why didn’t we stop climate change when we had the chance? I think all those World Leaders who attended the Copenhangen Climate Conferences in past two weeks should watch this. They themselves should know why they can’t make a clear decision to solve the global warming problems, if they don’t admit (and they never admit their mistakes), lets find the answers in this movie. What i learnt from this movie is that: It is cruel, but this is reality. Since it already happen, then why not we stop?

 

Nice movies. If you have time, should watch both, especially The Age of Stupid.

Phuket trip 06-09/11/09: Bill

 

I think this will be the last post to conclude my Phuket trip. As breakdown, we spent for:

1. Flight (from KCH-KL-Phuket): RM 550 x 2

2. Hotel, Phuket (3 nights) : RM 130 x 3

3. Hotel, LCCT (1 night): RM 130

4. Food : RM 252

5. Tour: RM 940

6. Shopping: RM 185.50

Sum: RM 2969.50 ++ (that means 1 person is about RM 1500)

 

Some recommendation if don’t want to spend that much:

- stay at guest house or budget hotel (can be about RM30-50 per night)

- avoid peak season which is from Nov to Jan, every year

- hunt for cheap air ticket

- hunt for cheaper food (no high class restaurant or fine dining)

- bargain all the time, start from 70%-50% (from tour package to shopping especially those without price tag)

- sleep at airport if you have early flight on the next day

Hope these information are useful. =)

USA Visa Application experience

 

I got my US visa approved, and it is a 10 years visa. =)

Considering we were quite lucky that the interview only took 3 minutes to finish. Questions being asked were:

1. Visiting purpose?

2. What we do in Kuching? Working or Student?

3. When do i get married?

4. Who sponsor my scholarship for my Masters in local uni?

I believe all the interviewers are well-trained and professional, and they seem to know everything and not only based on first impression, but the background, and intention of visiting to US of applicants to whether approve or refuse the visa.

Few applicants before our turn were rejected. (Between, it is an open area that everyone can hear what questions the interviewer asked). One rejected because she didn’t bring the copy of her degree certification, one was rejected because the company was not existed, one was questioned why he didn’t apply for Visa earlier since he already plan to stay in US in this coming Christmas eve.

All sorts of questions, and is largely depend on the purpose of visiting. Key to success: Be clear with your intention, be confident with your answers, greet them all the time.

10 years Visa, probably only use once in my life.

Preparing for USA Visitor Visa Interview

 

I am going to USA embassy next week to attend an interview to request visa. Never have so nervous before an interview, yet this is an interview i paid RM550 ++, have over 15 supplementary documents prepared, and all these just to make sure i can get a permitted visa to enter US for visiting purpose.

RM 550 ++ of visa application fee is so bloody expensive and the interview only takes about 2-5 minutes, either the visa to be granted or rejected, the money is non refundable. That’s why i take it so serious, RM 550 is not small amount, some more i paid the air ticket purposely fly to Kuala Lumpur for that interview.

I wish i can pass the interview, as well as my fellow “future family members”. Seeing that i only have part time job (which contract going to be terminated soon), postgraduate students with not too high income, and not so “strong” relationship to my sponsoring person (Fiance not equal to husband), hopefully the interviewer won’t accuse me i have the intention to stay in USA illegally due to above reasons, then reject my application.

Lets pray.

Phuket trip 06-09/11/09: Canoeing at Phang Nga Bay

Yeah, Phang Nga Bay was in our travel list on our third and also last day in Phuket Island. We got reasonably good deal of both Phi Phi islands and Phang Nga Bay trips.

The highlights of this Phang Nga Bay trip were Canoeing and Sightseeing. Initially, we bought one program which only include the canoeing and sightseeing around the Phang Nga Bay. While there was small error happened on that morning, our tour guide whose name is Pom changed our program to another program that gave us chance to explore islands other than the Phang Nga Bay.

Shops and stalls at the Phuket Jetty - before we departed to Phang Nga Islands

Our detailed programs

Our program as below:

1. Hong Island – Krabi

- this was the “bonus” after changed the program. It was about 30-35 minutes speedboat journey from Phuket mainland. We were given 1 hour to relax, sun bathing on the beach, as well as to snorkel in its crystal clear sea. This second snorkeling experience was definitely the best ever compared to the lousiest one in Phi Phi island yesterday. Although we can’t see any living carol, the fishes here were very pretty and colorful. I even touched a living sea urchin, lol, the feeling was quite “geli”. And of cause, some sea fishes and oyster shells which i can’t tell their names and species. =)

- Behind the beach is the national park which we didn’t have time to explore all around. After 1 hour of snorkeling, we moved to another corner of the Hong Island to do some sightseeing. The meaning of “Hong” in Thais means “room”, because there are so many “rooms” on this island created by the collapsed cave system which eventually turned out to be a secret lagoon spot for the local fishermen.

Our boat brought us entering a secret lagoon - where the water level only about 3m high, and when low tide - there is no water

This is the "entrance" which our boat entered just now

It is a place with no other "entrance" to go out after entering, fishermen cast the net during low tide. When high tide, the fishes swim into here, and the cast will catch all of them when low tide. That's why it called a secret lagoon for fishing.

2. Hong Island – Phang Nga

- This is another Hong Island but is situated at Phang Nga. Both is called as “Hong” island, surely because they shared similar geography structures. This Hong Island is ideal for canoeing and is much much bigger than the Hong Island in Krabi. It has more “rooms” compared to Krabi’s, and also an ideal place for fishing and for bird nest collection.

- From here, we observed the featured limestone and canoeing underneath the cave. Truly amazed how the God has created all these. Thumb up for the scenery!

The James Bond No. 2

Paddled on our canoe and across an underneath cave to another "room"

One of the canoe guide, basically their main jobs are take photo, canoeing, explain to you the beauty of islands.

A mysterious "door" to enter one of the caves there

3. Panyi island – Muslim village

- A water world where most inhabitants are Muslims who originally from Indonesia, but already transformed themselves to the Thais’ cultures, speak Thais but still practise Muslim teachings in their living. We had our lunch there, Malay mixed with Chinese food style, not much special actually.

A small village with about 1,500 population.

4. James Bond island

- This island is famous and called as “James Bond” island because of the movie: James Bond series – The Man with the Golden Gun. One part of the movie was filmed there and therefore it became famous. The Island also called as “Nail Island” and is featured its spectacular rocky pinnacle. It became a must-visit place for most tourists, surely what we shouldn't miss was to climb up to the hill to see the whole view of this island. Of cause, if you want to get some “pearl” souvenirs, there are some stalls offer a wide choice.

A "nail" structure, where the right wall is 45 degree bent towards another

Stalls selling souvenirs, which i believe most of them are Panyi villagers

5. Monkey island

- Our last stop and it is on the way back to Phuket island. It is a place surrounded with greenery forest which if we make some “weirdo” sound, the monkeys will appear and entertain us. In fact, we were not lucky that day, because can’t see any single monkey there. Apart from that, part of the island also surrounded with rocky cliffs.

Monkey's home

The specticular limestone islands

We ended our day with another fruitful experience. Paddled ourselves on our canoe through the cave while entering into a mysterious hidden area was the another unforgettable experience ever.

Phuket trip 06-09/11/09: Phi Phi Islands

This was one of the tour highlights. The Phi Phi islands (Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh) are famous for its white sand beaches and clear water. It became one of the scenes for The Beach Movie, starring by Leonardo Dicarpio.

From Phuket Island, it took about 2 hours journey for our big boat to reach the Phi Phi Don. The big boat can accommodate 690 people on board and it has three levels: ground floor with only inner room, second floor with outer balcony and one inner room, and the open air top floor. Because there were so many tourists and not all of us bought same tour programme, basically we were differentiate with different colors of stickers: pink/green/blue/gold.

Since only VIPs are allowed to sit in the full air conditioner inner room, and we thought if we sit at outdoor can view the nice scenery during the 2 hours journey. Ok, we were totally wrong because it was too hot and too windy. Should have bring hat and sunglasses. So you can see, many of our pics with our hairs blown by strong wind.

The boat trip was boring but at the same time, it was so relaxing, made both my mind and heart feel so calm. That time, i totally forgot my microarray and my very lag behind Master studies. I got even more excited when we arrived the Phi Phi islands. Finally i know why people willing to pay so much money came all the way from their country to visit this small islands, and some even willing to stay there forever. It is indeed a paradise. I believe if it still remain a secret gateway with no inhabitants and crowded by tourists, it is definitely 1000 times prettier than now. But it is still very pretty for me even after some developments and the tsunami effect.

We only made two stops there: 1st stop at Maya Bay and 2nd stop lunch at Phi Phi Don. Our 1st stop at Maya Bay gave us some time for snorkelling. We didn’t have chance to walk and enjoy the white, fine sand beach of Maya Bay, instead the boat parked somewhere near the Maya Bay and dropped us to snorkel.

Well, the snorkelling experiences were so disappointed. I blamed the lousy snorkelling equipments, that caused me drank sea water all the time. Can’t even concentrate to see what is below me. And, because i don’t know how to swim and worsen again by the crowd, imagined we were snorkel with whole bunch of people, and you can easily attacked by one’s sexy/hairy feet (or molested and you have no idea who did this).

The scenery surrounding Maya Bay are very nice, and there is one cave to collect bird nests.

After snorkelling, we head to our last stop: The Phi Phi don for buffet lunch. After lunch, we had 45 minutes to walk around the Phi Phi Don, took some pictures and also do little shopping there.

The weather very smart, it started rain when we all finished our lunch and shopping. We on board for another 2 hours journey back to Phuket mainland.

Aww.. what a tiring yet fruitful trip. If you want to go for honeymoon, maybe can consider this small island.