Food, glorious food!!

While in Singapore, I really eat for revenge man! Almost like non-stop eating and have tasted all kinds of local food possible... kekeke... I hereby declare that food in Singapore is the BEST!!

In Dubai

5:35 local ime in Dubai and here I am sitting in a Internet Cafe typing this. This must be the most expensive internet I've paid for, ta ma de, US$10 for 1 hour internet access... @#^%&%$. But okay lah, rather than sitting around doing nothing.. been here for the past 10 hours, did nothing but just sleep in the Airport Hotel recuperating after a 7 hour flight from Singapore. Another 1 hour to go before my connecting flight to Riyadh... waiting...

Final night on Kuda Huraa

Tonight is my final night on Kuda Huraa before I return to Singapore and then onwards to the 'forbidden land' of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia :P Was playing another round of pool with my colleagues and they told me they have a farewell gift for me.. guess what, they wanted to give me a packet of grass!! Say to feed the camels or to give to the camels as tips... NB!! Koazz!! Never die before!! But it will be quite fun to ride on a camel's back when I go to Riyadh :) And I do have plans to visit the desert and Dubai while I'm in the Middle East though.. :)

During my teenage days, I worked in Bedok KFC while waiting to go into the Polytechnic, one of the restaurant managers once said to me,"As a man, you must try everything." These words still ring around my ears til today, and true enough I've tried everything (good and bad) that came into the path of my life. But still there are lots of things I've not tried nor done - riding a camel is one :)

Right now, the future is still uncertain for me... which is something I have to live with... even the chinese horoscopes and zodiac predictions for 2005 for me speaks about the uncertainties in my career path... :( But nonetheless, I'm keeping the spirits high and taking the challenges as they come along. Having had a close shave with death during the Tsunami (actually not that serious lah, but I just want to exagerate a little), staying alive is such a blessing and having seen the islanders lost their homes, I can say that I am a lot more fortunate than them, so having an uncertainty in my career path is nothing compared to their uncertainty in life.

So, when will I be back to Kuda Huraa? Not sure really. Maybe I like it so much in Riyadh that I decided to stay, convert and get myself 4 (or more) wives... kekeke.. Heard that although they are under that 'ninja suit', most Arabic women are actually very fair and pretty leh.. :P Only disadvantage is that if I convert, then I cannot eat bak chor mee already...

Haha... talk nonsense again... anyway, just have to take things in my stride and see how things develop... I'm beginning to like what Forest Gump's mum said - Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you gonna get.

Signing off on my last night on Kuda Huraa... the last paradise on earth.

Waiting...

Haizzz... so sian, flight kena delayed and I'll only be arriving on Friday evening, one day lesser to spend in motherland. This time I've laid out an eating itinery for myself and make sure I miss no local food. :)

As I was writing this, the Maldivian radio station was playing the indian version of 'Five Hundred Miles'... hmmm... quite nice actually :) The rhythm and the words (although I don't understand the words) were extremely soothing for a lovely evening.

If you miss the train I'm on,
You will know that I am gone,
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles.
A hundred miles, a hundred miles,
A hundred miles, a hundred miles,
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles.

Still have to wait til Friday to take off.... waiting patiently....

Natalie Portman aka Padme Amidala (Star Wars)

Sleepless in Maldives

3 am in the morning, don't know why cannot sleep, so come back to the office to surf the web.... For the past 9 months, this has been my life - already unable to distinguish between working hours and personal time. Everyone live here and work here, we became so close it's like a big family. When you just got up from bed, and had to rush to the morning briefing, the whole world knows you just got up from bed :) No way to hide! It's also becoming a culture that we tend to stay a little later at work cos it doesn't make any difference if we finish our work at 7pm or 11pm, we're still stuck on this little island.... Haizz... it's not really healthy but it has become a way of life on the island and an excuse to keep ourselves 'busy'.

Sad to be leaving my friends whom we've became so close for the past 9 months but as the chinese saying goes - 分离是为了再相聚。 I'm sure we'll meet again when the resort is up and running again, and renew 'family ties' by then :)

Prediction for 2005

喜欢妳 - Beyond

曲︰黃家駒

詞︰黃家駒



细雨帶風湿透黃昏的街道

抹去雨水双眼无故地仰望

望向孤單的晚灯　是那伤感的记忆



再次泛起心里无数的思念

已往片刻欢笑仍掛在臉上

願妳此刻可会知　是我衷心的说声



喜欢妳　那双眼动人　笑声更迷人

願再可　轻抚妳　那可愛面容

挽手說梦话　像昨天　妳共我



滿帶理想的我曾经多匆动

理怨与她相爱难有自由

願妳此刻可會知　是我衷心的说声



喜欢妳　那双眼动人　笑声更迷人

願再可　轻抚妳　那可愛面容

挽手說梦话　像昨天　妳共我



每晚夜裡自我独行　隨处荡　多冰冷　

已往為了自我掙扎　從不知　她的痛苦

情人 - Beyond

曲︰黃家駒

詞︰劉卓輝



盼望你沒有為我又再度暗中淌淚

我不想留低　你的心空虛

盼望你別再让我像背負太深的罪

我的心如水　你不必痴醉



你可知　谁甘心归去

你与我之間有谁



是緣是情是童真　还是意外

有淚有罪有付出　还有忍耐

是人是墙是寒冬　藏在眼內

有日有夜有幻想　無法等待



盼望我別去后会共你在远方相聚

每一天望海　每一天相對

盼望你現已沒有让我別去的恐懼

我即使離開　你的天空里



多少春秋風雨改　多少崎嶇不变爱

多少唏噓的你在人海

No Asia vs Europe Final

Unfortunately, the Asia vs Europe pool match didn't take place, most of us were busy with making travel plans, packing and some will be leaving as early as tomorrow! So it's more like a time of farewell and catching up before we meet up again in 6 months' time.

For me, it's confirmed that I'll be deployed for a temporary assignment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I'll be in Riyadh for the next few months but I'll be back in Singapore to settle the administrative issues before taking off to Riyadh to take up my temporary appointment from the 1st of Feb.

Another opportunity for me to see a different culture in another muslim country which is even stricter in it's laws :( No woman, no cry... hahaha.... I need some serious TLC man!! Deprived ah.. :P

Anyway, let's see how things go, been doing my own 'research' on the internet about Riyadh, generally okay place, besides the occassional car bombs and shootouts, it's a relatively safe country. People there are generally rich and maybe I got a chance to become the son-in-law of some oil tycoon... :P Kidding la... but it'll be interesting to see the place. I'm actually now looking forward to go to Riyadh.

Asia vs. Europe II

This evening the chefs have a good player with them, and we were without 2 of our good players, so they won, and now it's Asia 1 Europe 1... Final is tomorrow :)

Things are beginning to go back to normal now, we already had fresh water running and the food supplies are coming in at a steady rate. My house on the neighbouring island has already been cleaned up and should be ready in a few days time. Besides doing donation trips to the neighbouring islands, I also went diving this morning (Oops, don't let my my mum know hor...) Life under the sea is also going back to normal, the water and the current still seems a bit funny but generally visibility is good and according to the Marine Biologist, it will take some time for the corals and life in the reef to get back in shape. The corals were badly damaged and some were hit hard by rocks during the Tsunami. The one in our house reef was turned upside-down.... :(

And I've got news that I'll be going to the desert soon, so will be waiting eagerly for more info before I 'announce' my next location...

Asia vs. Europe

With the Tsunami at the back of our minds, the staff got back to their normal life and this evening we had a Asia vs. Europe pool match. Me, our Thai Chef, Phillipina Doctor and Japanese dive instructor form one team and the other team was led by the German executive chef, the Italian Chef, Austrian dive instructor and the Dutch Chef. Obviously the chefs prefers to hold their knieves compared to the que and we 'massacre' them mercilessly, there was one time we amost clear table but being the kind-hearted Asian, we give them one courtesy ball.... hehehe... So Asia 1 Europe 0.... :)

Not much work to do now, so waiting for news or decisions where or which property can take us in for a short period. The operations people are more in demand due to the nature of the job requirements, they get placements easily. For me, press calculator one can only depend on available openings. But as of today, I heard of a property which I might be going.... keep it secret for the time being until everything is confirmed...

生命与爱的价值并非在于其长短，而是在于我们是否曾经拿出真心去体验这一切。

Never far away...

I'm gone now, but I'm still very near.
Death can never separate us.
Each time you feel a gentle breeze,
It's my hand caressing your face.
Each time the wind blows,
It carries my voice whispering your name.
When the wind blows your hair ever so slightly,
Think of it as me pushing a few stray hairs back in place.
When you feel a few raindrops fall on your face,
It's me placing soft kisses.
At night look up in the sky and see the stars shining so brightly.
I'm one of those stars and I'm winking at you and smiling with delight.
For never forget you're the apple of my eye.

Things you didn't do

Remember the day I borrowed your brand new car and I dented it?
I thought you'd kill me but you didn't.

And remember the time I dragged you to the beach and you said it would rain and it did?
I thought you'd say, "I told you so", but you didn't.

Do you remember the time I flirted with all the guys to make you jealous and you were.
I thought you'd leave me, but you didn't.

Do you remember the time I spilled strawberry pie all over your car rug.
I thought you'd hit me but you didn't.

And remember the time I forgot to tell you the dance was formal and you showed up in jeans?
I thought you'd drop me. But you didn't.

Yes, there were lots of things you didn't do.
But you put up with me and you loved me and you protected me.
There were lots of thing I wanted to make up to you when you returned from Vietnam.
But you didn't.

Looking forward - 2005

Much had been said and done about the closing of 2004 with a Tsunami. Just the day before we were having our Christmas parties and the next day, we have to deal with the loss of our homes and for some - their loved ones. What a stark contrast! This event changes the lifes of a lot of people and certainly the way we will act and behave in future...

I've lost a lot of my personal things during the flooding but it's nothing compared to the locals who have lost their homes. Though people said that it's fortunate to be alive but to deal with the aftermath requires even greater strength and courage. As I helped the local people deal with the losses, it's depressing when you walk around and see the people coping with whatever they have left, I've to hold back my tears many times... But as I was taking my shower earlier, I think I've finally let the tears flow........

This is my first post for the new year... and I certainly am looking forward to a better 2005.