International Driving Permit

I am soon dispatching to France and Congo for 1.5 years to complete my Tech and Field Program for my company Schlumberger. I needed an International Driving Permit as one of the tons of documents needed to be submitted.

So, I was in Putrajaya the other day, applying for my Certificates of Good Conduct (yea, I am no gangsta), I thought I might also pay a visit to JPJ headquarters Putrajaya too. It turned out, they can't do the "transaksi" there cause they don't have counter. :-| So called "Ibu Pejabat"!

Came back to Banting, went to the shop-lot-turned-JPJ-office near Sidek's house, within 10 minutes, Tadah!

All you need is 1year or more of valid local Malaysian license, RM150 (valid for one year only), IC and license, copy of IC and license on the same page and a passport photo.

Contrary to some informations found on the web, your Malaysian license will still be with you.

Japan M8.9 Earthquake

I figured I should document this day.

11st March 2011, a magnitude of 8.9 hit northeast part of Japan. Highest ever recorded in Japan since they started keeping track. Sendai is the worst hit area. Total more than 1000 people perished in Japan from the quake and Tsunami.

I was in Tokyo when it happened. The biggest fear that I have ever experienced in my life.

The normal routine of daily life began and while chatting over MSN with my sis, at just before 3pm, the earth shook.

Earthquake is so normal in Japan. Normally once we experienced earthquake, we would momentarily paused whatever we were doing that moment, and hope that it would subsides, and it would. That's the usual case.

But the earth continued to shake more violently that day. Suddenly electricity were cut (first time in my stay here for 3 years). The gap of time for decision making is over. It's time to react.

Off Gas.

Open door of alternative escape route.

Grab mobile phone.

Grab wallet.

Grab keys.

Open main door. Run.

When I was outside my house, it was shaking so badly, I cant even aim properly to lock back the door. (Not sure why I was still thinking to lock it. habit I guess.)

I was in 6th floor. While running down the emergency stairs, I saw people on the streets frozen. They looked confused which was a rare sight since they were trained since young about earthquake and thus do not get panic easily. (The last earthquake I ran from, people were still walking their dogs, which made me look like an idiot).

I was shivering in fear when I touched the ground. Everybody got out of their house looking puzzled. I guess it's their first time experiencing such a huge earthquake too.

After the 3 minutes earthquake subsides, the phones were down, the electricity were down, except the internet. So immediately, I was trying to contact KimEan who is in Chiba and informing my safety to my family in Malaysia through Facebook.

After returning back to my building, I started packing some stuff like my passports, and some documents, mobile charges.. into a backpack. I kept my winter clothing on even in the room because the heater was off and yea, it was freezing.

Many many aftershocks afterwards. I was helplessly waiting by the exit ready to run again. Until the night came, I decided maybe I should hide under my blanket (cold.. ) with my mobile phone and torchlight by my side, while updating my safety, assuring my family that Tokyo is okay. It seems that my mom was so worried that she cant call to any of us.

It is reported that more than 100 aftershocks with 19 of them are with magnitude more than 6.

The blessing in disguise is that I am just glad that this is Japan, the truly advance country that is capable of handling such disastrous catastrophe in the most efficient way. Everything was in order, no chaos, no panic, top notch.

Public transportations in standstill, stranded people walking home.

Shinmaruko in total darkness.

Today, everything in Tokyo resume to normal. I just hope Sendai will soon recover from this never before disaster too.

Watch here. Supermarket in Tokyo.

FujiQ Highland and Fuji Five Lakes

My family came visiting Japan during the year end and new year holidays. So, for some reasons unknown, we decided to bring them to extreme amusement park rather than happily jolly Disneyland. I guess it runs in the blood that we belong in the dark side.

When I meant extreme, it was no kidding. Although it's my second time (first time here) to the park, the rides still gave me the goosebumps, especially Eejanaika, the so called 4th Dimension Roller Coaster that is floor-less and could rotate 360 degrees forward and backward (the red track in the photo above), it was just mad crazy. Mun and I were sitting in the first row, the moment the car went climbing up backward, and starting smashing you forward, face down 90 degree almost to the floor, twisting all over, we just went mad non-stop screaming till the end.

But it was still super awesome.

Because it was the year end and new year season, most part of Japan are lighten up as illumination. So was FujiQ highland. It was pretty impressive.

We stayed overnight in Kawaguchiko to visit the Fuji Five Lakes the next day. We went to both wind cave and ice cave.

Her top model dream in Kawaguchiko.

Maybe we were travelling during the year end, most of them shops are closed. Also, we could not find any convenient stores all along the way. So, finally when we saw this vending machines in the summit of Mount Tenjo, we were ecstatic! But later we found out that the machine was not working, so back to hungry mode all the way down Mount Tenjo and found ourselves a convenient store. phew.

On the way back to Kawaguchi Station from Mount Tenjo, it was snowing all the way. We stopped at a park and suddenly someone initiated snow ball fight. So much fun!

It was really a great trip. Update next on New Year Countdown.

Women are Crazy, Men are Stupid

"Since the dawn of time, when the first smitten caveboy tried to woo the object of his affections by shoving her into the mud, men have demonstrated that when it comes to women, they are profoundly stupid. And when it comes to men, women - no matter how intelligent or mature -- are completely crazy."

"It's a vicious cycle this one. Stupid men drive women crazy, a crazy woman makes the man do stupider things, which drives the woman even crazier."

- Women are crazy, men are stupid : The simple truth to a complicated relationship -

by Howard J. Morris and Jenny Lee

I guess after the Hitchhiker's guide series, it's gonna be my reading material for the Christmas holidays.

I go home every summer, thanks for asking.

Yesterday, a Chinese guy asked me a weird question,

"Where were you born?"

I went through a momentary lapse of "wtf" moment, because I knew that if I were to mentioned that I was born in some tiny village called JB in Malaysia that is very near to Singapore, you would not have a single clue where I was referring to. So, my tiny brain started to process how this conversation would go, suddenly I realised! Oh! it's one those questions that I would receive every now and then from Chinese about "returning home", my blood started to boil, every tiny veins of mine started to go berserk till the point that they would kill each other and eventually kill themselves,

but outwardly, I remained calm, it was obvious that few seconds of my inner struggles ate up a period of time that caused the uncomfortable silence, I answered,

"Malaysia. I AM MALAYSIAN!"

The innocent Japanese guy beside me was startled by my firm voice and started to back-up a little, leaving some safe distance for secondary escape plan if something wrong happened.

"What about your parents?"

This time, inside of me went crazy!

We were all born in Malaysia, my parents, my grandparents! In fact, my parents speak no single word of Chinese, they are the so-called "banana" in Malaysia meaning skin is yellow but inside is white. I speak the language because my parents thought that since we are speaking English at home so why not let us learn Mandarin too? and so I spent 11 years learning the language. So don't bother asking me when am I gonna "return home" to China, because I just went back home (MALAYSIA!) last summer holiday and I had a blast, I know no one in China and I definitely cant call it home and it's absolutely absurd for you to "request" me to "go home". Totally idiotic!!!

but I still answered calmly and too calmly almost to a instance of serenity,

"Malaysia, so does my grandparents if you are still curious."

I only have the guts to speak my thoughts in blog than shooting that person directly. Booo!!

or maybe it's all in my thoughts that how an innocent question would have been escalated into my imaginary fury, it's just that I was asked about "returning home" too often that it simply made me phobia and irritated.

"I go home every summer, thanks for asking."

The Long Overdue

It's been such a long time I did not update my blog, I almost forgot how to do it.

The blank blog posts started as lack of inspirations to write, later continued as an excuse due to months after months of hectic master's student life: research, experiment, proceedings, conference and so on, then prolonged into procrastination, finally it just turned into pure laziness...

But that day, when I walked pass my uni school yard,

it was such a beautiful day, suddenly it just hit me that it is gonna be my last fall in my uni, a gush of sadness just ran through me. I always think fall is a sad season, I guess it applies now. I just hope I don't tear up during all the farewells. I am too old for that tear drops crap! roar!

Next, I am going to embark into an unknown journey of working in a brand new country. All the mix feelings engulfing me is enough to make me psychotic, nevertheless, this blog shall rock on!!!

One Phone Call

On the 30th of April 2010, I received a phone call, as far as I could remember, I did not have any experience ever... of jumping in joy like a monkey after receiving a news.

I smell evil plan. >:)

Someone put Tokyo into the Freezer

Last week on the 1st of February, someone decided to put Tokyo into the freezer and let it frozen. It was whole lots of fun for me because it's the first time ever that snows accumulate in Tokyo for the time I am here. According to the news, around 1cm to 5cm of snow were accumulated.

It started innocently as heavy rain, then suddenly, the violent rain stopped and started floating down. I turned off the light in my room, let the balcony curtain open, sat quietly on the bed and watch the snow fall.

Woke up the next morning with all the roofs coated with icing topping.

The usual sight on the way to school changed entirely. Well, it was all covered in frosting. Someone must had stayed in the school really late last night to make this Mickey.

Tokyo Institute of Technology Sakura Deck

Tokyo Institute of Technology

On the way home, I stopped by Tamagawa to snap pictures with my faithful compact camera.

Snowy Tamagawa

Snow Palette.

That same day, it was also quite depressing listening to the sound of the melting snow. Happy feelings gone.

FINALLY, It Snows!

OMG!! Finally snow!!

But why on the day before my exam!!!!

Yet still, please dont let it stop!!!!

An Ordinary Weekend.

My very first sloppy attempt of transparent screen.

Inspired by Transparent screens

An Ordinary Friday

Time: 430pm
Weather: Cloudy

An Ordinary Thursday

Today, is really an ordinary day.

I went to school in the morning for an exam, lunch in the usual curry house, attended a lecture in the afternoon, a brief visit to 7-11 under my building, stood in front of the wide varieties of drinks trying to choose one, in the end buying the usual. Went back to lab, took off my coat, but left my scarf on because it was chilly, and my sweater was low cut.. oh yay baby, no seriously. It was chilly.

It's intimidating for me to be smacked right in the middle of two phD students, me trying to look busy, but behind evil plan was actually chatting with two sisters and surfing about iPad. Yea, they will have wings for the next version. KimEan says maybe nightsafe is safer.

Winter this year sucks. Sometimes freezing, sometimes sweaty. Sometimes rain, sometimes sun but never snow. :(