Ferns At FRIM

Last Saturday, I went to Forest Research Institute of Malaysia, FRIM for a bit of a walk about with the Friends of the Deaf Club (FOD) of YMCA Kuala Lumpur. It was 9.00 am when we got there and it was 10.00 am when we started walking. The light was harsh and flat as the sun was up high already. So I ended up with a lot of squatting down, trying to shoot ferns along the hike. It was a ferns day at FRIM!

Broga Hill Captured

This time around I brought my camera, and my memory card.

How?

How would you understand how sick, how sad, how crappy and how pathetic the state of the traffic network and public transports is when you being chauffeured around town in your limo with a motorcade clearing the street and holding us in the traffic to ensure you a smooth ride?

How would you care for something you don't understand? How would you bring about meaningful changes to us the people when you don't care?

How?

Hold On...

Have you ever ran towards a closing elevator and hollered the people inside to hold on, only to have the door shut on you? You'd curse those in the elevator with the worst possible shit, wouldn't you?

But when someone in the elevator actually hold the door for you, have you ever thanked them, or at least flashed your chops to show your appreciation?

Now who's the bastard here?

Well, we all are.

Weekend Mess Up

2008 Diwali long weekend. I was looking forward to it. I was excited. It was supposed to be a weekend with hiking, swimming, being outside, sweating it out and getting a lot of sun. But this was what I woke up to that weekend: gloomy and grey and rainy.

2009 Thaipusam long weekend. I was not in the mood to do anything. I had a fall out with a friend. All I wanted to do was balling up at home and rotting the weekend away. But this was what I woke up to that weekend: bright and clear and sunshine everywhere.

Someone was trying to be funny. I think someone up there was messing with me.

Broga Hill In My Mind

The plan was simple really: wake up early, hike up to Broga Hill near Semenyih and shoot some amazing sunrise.

Simple?

NOT!!!!!!

First hurdle, waking up early on any given was tough to begin with. Waking up early, by early I mean an ungodly hour of 5:45 am on a Sunday? That just made it like 6 million times tougher. Almost impossible that was. But if Moses could part the Red Sea, how could I bitch about getting up before sun up on a weekend? Anyway, long story short, out the door around 7:00 am.

Getting there was another underestimated challenge. OK, the official line was that it was the first trip there. So getting lost or taking the scenic route was built into the traveling time. Armed with the direction downloaded from Google, still ended up making U-turns on the highways and paying copious amount of toll. Anyway, long story short, a half an hour ride took one good solid hour.

Yay, finally there! It was already five past eight. The sky was clear and the sun was high and the mist lifted. But the light was still soft, I should be able to get some lovely shots of the morning rays. I was getting excited as I laced up my hiking boots and grabbed my camera and quickly hit the trail.

The hike started off through some palm oil plantation. Slowly the trail builds up a bit of slope through the secondary bush canopy at the foothill. Then it the tree line just stops and there is nothing on the slope of the hill except long tall weed willowing in the morning breeze.

I have the photo composed in my head. Splashing golden light on the field of green willowy weeds, with the dirt trail as a lead-in line. I reached into my waist pouch for my camera. Before I took the shot, there was a little voice at the back of my head telling me to check the memory card. Camera downed for a quick inspection.

Yup, the slot was empty. I had my DSLR weighing my neck down like a brick but no memory card. Long story short, picturesque landscape but no pictures.

Oh crap!

Oh well, what could I do? Just picked up the pace and headed up to the peak for the amazing view.

A friend once told me: “The best camera is your memory.”

Nice said.

Where To Go

This is Paris city view taken atop Montmartre. If I remember correctly, it's the Northwestern part of Paris.

Lately I feel like just packing things up and go traveling, going away on a long haul backpacking trip, roughing it, slumping it, enjoying the freedom on the road. I have no idea where to go. But I do have a free flight ticket good for any Asian destination, Australia or New Zealand in my hands.

Any suggestion?

Fishermen Shed at Sepat Beach

No, I haven't got back to Sepat Beach yet. These are just some pictures I snapped with sleepy eyes and a dopey mind there during the visit in CNY. Sleepy eyes and dopey mind, that's my reason these ain't no masterpieces.

Shadows of the casuarina trees dancing on the white sandy beach.

Someone went skinny dipping?

Resting for the next trip out to the sea.

See through.

Lucky numbers?

Out in the sun.

Lines.

More lines.

llllllllllllllll

Reminder

Just another stark reminder of how powerful the force of nature is: the rain bringing down the super hot high speed Malaysian F1 GP race to a complete halt.

Don't mess with Mother Nature.

F1 Weekend

This is the F1 weekend. Noticeably,  this time around, it is quieter. There aren't a lot F1 fans flocking into the city for the high octane excitement. It seems that there aren't as many parties in town as well. If there is, it's significantly downsized, like the F1 drivers meet-and-greet of my company. Last year it was held at the exclusive Malaysian Petroleum Club. This time around it was moved to the multipurpose hall of the Twin Tower Fitness Center. Sigh.

Well, financially, this is some volatile and uncertain time now. It's hard. Everyone is tightening their purse strings. 

But harder time lies ahead. The worse is yet to come.

Are you ready for it?