Back to Malaysia

As promised, I have uploaded some photos to my web album

Cyprus Trip March 2008

Cooking skill improved
Staying out sometimes proves to have a chance on building up ones cooking skill. The simplest formula (I find cooking is more like a science subject. It won't go wrong if the formula right.) I found is the base and the dishes. The base is something like rice, noodles, potatoes or beans. In Cyprus, the potatoes is the cost effective food I can get compared to rice and others. To prepare it is simple, either boil or fry. Of course, I don't want to get too messy in the kitchen (or rather I save some penny on cooking oil) so I'll boil instead. Then, what about the dishes? The simplest way is to get the tin can food or to have more variety, there are sauces available on the supermarket shelves. Sauces like curry, sweet and sour, Mexican or the spaghetti sauce. Just fry or boil the raw meat and vege until they are cooked, then add the sauce. Stir until all are heated. Finally, serve with boiled potatoes or rice. With this formula, I can get home cook dishes around 80% right. The other 20% is something went wrong. The potatoes not cooked enough or there are too much water added with the sauces. Anyway, things get better on every try.

Going home
25th March 2008 - On my flight back to Malaysia, I found out that getting enough sleep on board is just too hard. I was seated next to the window with the jet engine just 5 meters away. I don't even bother to close up my ear as that won't do any better. I woke up and watch the in-flight TV show instead. What do you know? There are so many in flight announcements, in Arabic and repeated in English, that my "The Office" show doesn't look that funny anymore. Anyway, after I got off from the plane with light-headed, due to not enough sleep, things just don't went so well. 30 minutes wait on the cab and the driver took the long way to get me home. Urggg! I told the taxi to take the shortest route but instead he follow his trusty GPS gadget. Well, that end up taking more time for me to go home and get more sleep.

Finally, at least I back home in one peace, anything before that I rather careless about it.

Back to Cyprus

Current temperature 20 Celsius and the weather is clear. I have landed this island 23rd of March 2008 and it's been already a week passed. Until now, finally I can catch some breath to post this on my blog.

Cyprus is not a place mean for travel in spring because the main attraction here is the beach, which will be crowded on summer holiday. However, I try to snap couple of photos to show the other side of Cyprus to show it's still enjoyable to stay at this period of time (at least that will make me feel better). Unfortunately, my company has a policy to block photo sharing web site. So, no photos for now but I will upload them when i got the chance. Chat messenger also blocked so I can be reached by email only from the internet.

On the food side, this trip is much better from my last trip to here because we found some new places for lunch and dinner. A place we frequent went to is the Yellow submarine, which served sandwich in long size bread. Beside that, we also found Burger King serving large burger with economy price (a.k.a cheap) so we don't burn a hole in our wallet. Further more, there is a cafeteria named Katerina's Kitchen nearby our office. Served with Cyprus food and very cost effective too (for take away). Last but not least, not to forget the Kebab shop in town. The average cost per food serving in Cyprus is around 5 Euro. The food outlets I have mentioned is cost below 5 Euro else I would rather cook at my apartment.

Speaking of my apartment, this one is lousier compare to last one I have stayed. The floor is made of marble and it is cold on spring time. Therefore, we all wear slipper at home. My room's light bulb was burned and we replace it by taking other room's light bulb. The washing machine was broken before we are here. Fortunately, the company has replaced it with a new one. There are also a construction going on in our building and dust are everywhere once we open the balcony's door. So, we have to always keep the balcony door shut all the time. Not to mention the TV because there wasn't enough English channel for us to stay entertained. The furniture all are cover with cloth because some of them is broken (I couldn't believe broken furniture in my apartment). A cleaner will come our place once a week to clean up the house and thankfully she clean the furniture cover, which covered with dust when we came.

All things are going well for the moment. Hopefully it stays that way.

Get your electoral info

Malaysian voting day is on 8th Mar 2008. Unfortunately, my friend's wedding day falls on the same day and I have to drive back to Kuantan to attend. Anyway, I got some info from colleague that you can check your electoral info on the internet on where to place your vote. Click here.

Happy voting.

How close does it get?

One more day to go before Chinese New Year. It's not surprise to see a huge crowd at the train station today on my way home. Some of them are carrying their luggage, waiting eagerly for their train to arrive.

After 12 minutes of waiting, the train has finally come. At the moment the doors open, people are pushing around just to get a step into train. They hope they would get back to home in time, just like me. I was fortunate to able to board the train without any help. Yes, not even walking into the train because there was a large force at my back pushing me into the train(somehow, I think I was lifted into the train). When the doors close, how would the situation inside the train? How close do the passengers get? Below are some of my experiences.

1. I can feel other people body heat.
2. The only way to breath is by looking upwards.
3. I can feel my butt was sitting on other people's butt. (I am 6 feet tall).
4. I can tell who has washed their hair; who hasn't. (eewww!)
5. I always find people brushing their beard on my shoulder when they turn their head (my shoulder is not meant for wiping beard).

So, ladies, skip this one if you don't want to experience anything like I have mentioned above.

Pre Chinese New Year Room Cleaning

Yup, the time has come again. After a year long of "junk collection" eating dust in my room, it's time to move them out for good (so, there are spaces for year 2008 junk). Below are some of the common junk that I found.

1. Magazines, Books, Notepads - Magazine in 2006, College and University books, and empty notepad waiting to grow fungus. Send them to the recycle bin.
2. Lotions, Hand creams - Expired in 2002, they got to go.
3. Electronics - Test them and see whether they still work. I found some old camera and I saw some ad in the newspaper that these camera can be used for rebate (for purchasing a new DSLR camera). Better keep them.
4. Souvenirs and free gifts - If it's does not bring back any memories, they should be given away or end up in the dustbin.
5. Promotion brochures and junk mails - They shouldn't be inside my room in the first place. I don't know how they end up here.
6. Credit card receipts - Identify them before throwing it away. Usually, those have passed a year can be safely disposed; else I have to call the bank a year ago. To be safe, keep them for 7 years.

Finally, Gong Xi Fa Chai and Happy Chinese New Year. May you have a clean, healthy and prosperous year ahead.

For my wife: Thank you for helping me cleaning up the room, although 20% of the junk are mine. :P