Speedwing

Happy Father's Day

2008-06-15T21:07:00.002+08:00

Happy Father’s Day – June 15, 2008

Another year has gone by and Father’s Day is upon us again. The restaurants in Singapore are fully booked for celebration dinners. This is the day for all fathers to sit back and allow themselves to be pampered.

Gary and Carrie from Portland Oregon USA sent me an ecard to wish me Happy Father’s Day. Greatly appreciated and happy that they remember. Denise called from London with Father’s Day greetings. That was very thoughtful and nice.

The rest of today is like any other day. As we do not have any of our children with us, I guess there will be no celebration dinner for us. We will probably stay home and have a quiet day.

To all fathers who are lucky enough to be remembered, enjoy yourselves and be thankful your children care.

Respect for Elders

2008-04-19T12:02:00.001+08:00

In Chinese and most Eastern cultures, respect for elders must be one of the most fundamental lessons a child is taught from a very early age. Respect towards elders or any person, as a matter of fact is about honoring or holding in esteem an individual. It implies regarding an individual as a person of value and virtue. Throughout history, age has always been equated with wisdom, knowledge and experience. However, the world is changing and traditions and customs are changing with it. Today we live in a bubble of youth and celebrity worship, where "you can't be too young or too thin." Old is out. Like garbage to be disposed of, seniors are exiled to the edges of society where they won't be seen, smelled or heard from. Sad but this seems to be the direction things are moving towards. Respect for elders is becoming a rare commodity these days, especially from the current younger generation.

I attended a family gathering recently. A boy of twelve, son of our host entered the room full of his uncles and aunts. This boy sat down in the midst of his seniors next to his father but offered not a word of greeting to any of his uncles or aunts. Without a word of appreciation he promptly started on a packet of tit-bits one of his aunts has brought for him. He offered none present a share of his snacks but started devouring his food in front of his elders. Upon finishing his snacks he shouted at the top of his voice to the maid who was in the kitchen to fetch him a drink. One of his aunts softly whispered in his ear that he should go to the kitchen himself and get his own drink. The boys did not take too kindly to the advice given. Instead he glared at his aunt with a look that clearly said, “this is the way we behave in this house, if my parents do not mind, why should you? This is none of your business anyway”

Children often behave the way adults do. They learn by examples set by their parents. The way parents address the servants, is the way their children will address them too. While your servant is hired by you and you have every right to give them orders the way you want, realize that they are still elders for your children. When you ill-treat or talk with disrespect to your servant, your child will do the same thing.

One must always bear in mind, “whatever goes around comes around”. One thing I am extremely proud of, I cannot remember that throughout my childhood, until the days my parents left us, did I once talked back to them with disrespect. Things have certainly changed, for the better? I doubt it.

Life in Singapore

2008-04-07T19:54:00.005+08:00

I am writing this to give a brief overview of life in Singapore. This might help those who are thinking about spending some time working in Singapore. The following is just my personal opinion and observation. The following is non-political and I have no affiliation with any political group.

“Uniquely Singaporean” is a commonly used description for the people of this tiny island state. Well, I have lived here on and off for the last 7 years and I can vouch for the truth in this phrase. Much can be said about the way this little tiny city state has progressed from a swampy little backwater town to a first world financial hub it is today. Credit must go to the one party government of Singapore, with its iron fist and a no-nonsense style of governance. Under the very strict guidance of the former prime minister Lee Kwan Yew, the country has prospered and within less than half a century Singapore has propelled itself into a rich and financially powerful country in the region. Much of the credit must go to Singapore government and to the resilient nature of the Singaporeans..

Singapore has been labeled by many as a nanny state. The PAP government is extremely efficient. Being an almost one party government with virtually no opposition, the government of Singapore implements policies in an near authoritarian manner, policies that the government considers good for the people and beneficial to the country as a whole. Some of these policies may not be popular with the Singaporeans but as long as the government considers them appropriate, laws will be passed and the people would be forced to accept like it or otherwise. That said, Singaporeans have benefited and advanced greatly over the last 50 years, all to the credit of this present government. Why then is Singapore called a nanny state? Everything in Singapore operates like clockwork. Everything works and works well. Rules are set and once implemented nobody steps out of line. Those who do are severely punished. The government takes care of everything, from savings for old age, medical savings, savings for housing and they even control to a large extent the cost of living and transportation cost. Schools, hospitals, transportation in Singapore rank higher in efficiency than many countries in the west. In short, Singaporeans are well looked after by the government, some have said, too well.

Because Singaporeans have been so well catered for in all aspects of their lives, they have developed a sort of clutch mentality. They have become too dependent on their government to solve all their woes in life. Singaporean are also noted to be kiasu ( afraid to lose ) and kiasi ( afraid to die ). They have become almost robotic and work only to a set of rules with markers that are never to be crossed. They are notoriously unbending and can never think out of the box. This strict regimental way of life has made Singaporeans lacking in motivation and very poor in the field of innovation.

The strict and no-nonsense way of life starts from a very young age of 2. Owing to very keen competition and the kiasu mentality of most Singaporeans, children are made to attend classes from as young as 2 years of age. Most school children attend tuition classes after school hours and also at weekends. Tuition classes are a norm in Singapore. Special tuition schools flourish in Singapore capitalizing on the kiasu-ness of parents not willing to see their children fall behind their school peers. By the time they enter school at 6 they are all able to read, write and most of them are proficient in arithmetic. Singaporean schools have been noted for their high achievement. Pupils are trained to memorize word for word all they are taught. Examinations are conducted to weed out all those who are just average and those who are less academically gifted.. Many have criticized the Singaporean style of education as parrot-fashion. Pupils are not allowed to be creative or original. Regurgitation of text and scoring straight-As seem to be the objective of all students here in Singapore. As these students advance to the universities for their tertiary education they follow the same pattern that has served them well over the years at school. Trained to be always spoon fed, never spontaneous, never question authority, always obeying rules and regulations, never to think of alternatives have led Singapore to be highly dependent on imported foreigners, locally known as foreign talents to lead the way in most fields. The local true blue Singaporeans are beginning to feel threatened by the influx of these foreigners. The government actively encourages these foreign talents to settle here to make up the citizen number in order that Singapore remains economically stable. The need for boosting the citizen number stemmed from a government “maximum 2 child family” policy 45 years ago. However, the introduction of foreign workers/talents into Singapore has resulted in social friction between the locals and the new arrivers. The Singapore government has been actively encouraging social blending of these two groups, in my opinion without much success.

Living is Singapore is not much different from participating in a never ending race. Everyone wants to win and slow ones are considered failures. Work ethics here are unique and like nowhere else. You have to compete in the workplace and are obliged to put in long hours or you will be branded as lazy. A 10 hour working day is considered normal. No one wants to be the first to head for the door at the end of a working day. Meetings often commence at 6 pm after normal working hours and one is “forced” to attend. Keen competition within any work environment usually result in back stabbing and jealousy. Kiasu-ness and the constant fear of losing ones position can be a potent cocktail for much unhappiness in ones work life. Unfortunately, this is also another one of Singaporean trademark.

Singaporeans seem always in a hurry. They appear to be very serious and always rush around like they are on a time constrained mission. Because they are always in a mad rush they appear discourteous, ill-mannered and extremely impatient especially behind the wheel of their vehicles. They never give way and honk often to show their displeasure. You seldom find a Singaporean who would smile or greet a stranger. If you wish a good morning to a stranger you pass, he/she would probably suspect you want something in return. It is just not normal to show common friendly courtesy.

However, Singaporeans are noted for their efficiency once they know the procedures or are guided by a set of rules. They never deviate from the set rules and procedures and above all they never ask “why?” They obey the rules to the letter and are always law abiding to a point of being labeled as unthinking and robotic. Thanks to the efficient Singaporean government, the people of Singapore live in a relatively safe and orderly environment. By and large the majority of Singaporeans are reasonably happy with the current state of affair.

Life in Singapore can be very good for those who are rich and can afford the finer things that money can buy. For the ordinary folks life can be a constant struggle. Inflation has been creeping up lately and daily necessities are getting dearer. Transportation is a great drain on income and the purchase of private cars are prohibitively expensive. On top of all the daily costs for food and transportation, education for children can also be a source of financial worry. Saving for old age is another one of the Singapore government projects. People are living longer and the state pension after retirement has been deemed insufficient. People are encouraged to delay retirement and private pension schemes have been introduced. Knowing that the lowest 10% of the population are finding it difficult, the Singaporean government is also setting aside a large sum of money to help during this difficult time.

Summary: Living in Singapore is safe. Schools are reasonably good. The government is fair, efficient, transparent and free of corruption. Everything works if one follows the rules and procedures. Transportation is world class and efficient. Entertainment and eating out is relatively inexpensive compared to the west. In short, one can have a good life in Singapore, how happy you are will depend on how quickly you can adapt to the Singaporean culture.

Hot and humid Singapore

2008-04-01T23:15:00.001+08:00

Back in Singapore for nearly a week and the heat is getting me down. From the near zero temperature of London to the steaming heat of 32 deg C in Singapore has been a little tough for me. Actually the heat is not my main problem. It is the high humidity that is so oppressive. Constant showers through the day is the only way to relieve the discomfort from the heat and humidity. Guess I will have to acclimatize soon. It looks like it is going to be a 3 month stay.

I am on a strict diet to reduce my weight. My current BMI is a few points above the healthy mark. I need to get my weight down to 66 kg. Five weeks ago I weighed in at 75 kg. Now I weigh 68 kg. Another couple of weeks and hopefully I will reach my target. When I get there I intend to stay at 66 kg and not put on any more weight by over-indulgence. While in Singapore that is easier said than done. I tend to consume more food when in Singapore. Eating out is a norm to the Singaporeans. Many do not cook at home, opting for meals at foodcourts for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Weekends are great “eating out days” for most Singaporeans. Restaurants and fast food joints are usually teeming with families indulging in the favourite pastime ie eating. Singaporeans love food and they spend a greater part of their lives consuming vast quantity of it.

So, it will be difficult for me to stick to my diet when in Singapore. However, I am going to consider this a challenge. Whether I will be successful will only be evident at the end of this 3 month stay.

As we have been doing in the UK, we have decided to continue with our daily 7 km walk while we are in Singapore. Since our return to this country we have been having our morning walks at a park about a kilometer from our home. Although very warm even at 6 am in the morning, we have managed to put in at least 7 km each day. Hope we have the stamina to continue with this routine.

It has been a week since our return to Singapore and we have not visited any foodcourt for any meals. This is pretty unusual as we do eat out at least 4 times a week in the past. I am also on a strict lo-salt diet. Lately my BP has been rising steadily. I hope this Lo-salt diet will help control my BP. We shall have to wait and see whether I succeed by the end of my stay here in Singapore.

Back in Singapore - March 2008

2008-03-28T15:59:00.001+08:00

Now we are in Singapore. Journey by BA was comfortable as we got first class travel. I must say the service provided by the BA crew was better than most other airlines, but unfortunately the aircraft was old and dated. Even the in-flight entertainment system did not work properly. However, this minor failure was more than compensated for by the fantastic and hospitable attitude of the crew.

When we left UK it was snowing together with very high wind. It was colder than normal for end of March. We had a white Easter this year in the London because Easter was unusually early. The north and the north-east of UK were under a thick blanket of snow. Traveling during this holiday period must have been chaotic. They say that Easter will not be as early for the next 152 years.

Completely at the other end of the temperature scale, Singapore is hot and humid. It must be around 34 deg C today with high humidity. The only way to stay cool would be to have numerous showers and stay in air-con room during the hottest part of the day. I should acclimatize quickly as I will be here for the next 2 to 3 months.

Singapore is still the same. People are still uptight and “kiasu”, even more so recently I reckon because of the uncertain world economic climate and the sharp increase in the cost of living. I am getting used to the Singaporeans. I have develop the ability to switch to my Singapore mode with I touch down at Changi Airport. When I drive I adopt the rude Singaporean mentality and when I meet neighbours I do not smile or greet as I normally would do in UK. When I leave UK I also leave my civility behind. This is the Singapore way and as they say, “when in Rome……..”

Next week we plan to visit JB. Something to look forward to. A trip to Segamat is on the card. Returning to my roots would be the best part of this trip to Singapore.

Segamat - My Hometown

2008-03-08T21:26:00.002+08:00

Segamat my beloved hometown lies in the northern part of Johor state in Malaysia. In the 50s and early 60s when I was growing up Segamat was a very small and quiet town. We had no more than fifteen streets in town with a few more in the surrounding areas. We had no traffic lights, not that we needed any as there were very few vehicles in town. In the middle of all the town streets we had trees, flame-of-the-forest, I recall. Our town was so small that one could walk from one side of town to the opposite side in no more than 10 minutes and one can tour the whole town in an hour. On both sides of the street we had two-storey shop houses, the ground floors used as shops and the upper floor as residences. I was born in one of these shop houses and it was here I spent the first seventeen years of my life.

To an outsider Segamat would appear to be just another typical sleepy Malaysian town. Years ago Segamat was a very prominent town in Johor, the centre of activity for all the villages around the region. Being on the trunk road and midway between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, Segamat enjoyed a booming economy brought about by the through traffic between the two cities. Travelers by road had to pass through Segamat bringing business to hotels and restaurants. When the North-South Highway was built it was decided that it would not pass anywhere near Segamat but nearer to the west coast. I guess it must be the hilly terrain in and around Segamat that sealed the fate of Segamat. The construction of the North-South Highway was beginning of the end for Segamat. While towns along the North-South Highway flourish and prosper, Segamat stood still and suffered growth stagnation. As far as I am concerned, selfishly I must admit, this has been a blessing in disguise. I would have been very disappointed if my beloved little hometown had flourished into a big town or even into a city. I rather like Segamat to remain a small sleepy town with a laid back atmosphere.

These days I try to visit Segamat as often as I possibly can. The old parts of town have remained virtually the same as I remember it from my childhood days. The shop houses are still there each with the same worn steps that I have trodden on so many years ago. The trees in the middle of the roads have all disappeared. There are some shops that have maintained the same businesses all through the years, most likely under third generation management from the same family. The streets, the hawker stalls, the coffee shops, the wet market are still the same. Walking through town never fails to bring back fond memories of days when we were young and carefree.

Segamat will always have a special place in my heart. It is the place where I was born, where I went to school and where all my childhood memories are. I have over the years visited many beautiful and vibrant cities in many countries. There are many more exotic and glamorous places in the world that I have yet to see, but there is no place like my hometown Segamat. You can take me out of Segamat, but you can never take Segamat out of me.

City of Toronto - Canada

2008-03-04T17:04:00.004+08:00

Now what can I say about Toronto? Three days in this wonderful city is definitely insufficient to fully explore all it can offer. There is uniqueness in Toronto that is unlike any North American city. Although English is the most spoken language here, French is also widely used. Public announcements are always made in both these languages. French influences can be found in almost all walks of life in the city most prominently at most restaurants and also in the markets selling local produce.As we had only 2 full days in Toronto with another day at the Niagara Falls, we had to prioritize the places we thought would best capture the spirit of the city.On the day of arrival it was too late for any sightseeing. Checked in at the hotel and after a quick dinner it was time for bed. The next day turned out to be a fine day with blue sky and a bright sun. However it was bitterly cold, -9 deg C was the air temperature but with the wind chill factor it was more like -14 deg C. We were OK as we went prepared for the Canadian cold.

Our first destination was St. Lawrence Market. It was Saturday, the best day to visit this market we were told. The market was approximately 2 miles from the hotel. As it was such a fine morning we decided to walk. Toronto, like most North American cities have easy to follow roads. Unlike European cities the roads here are in the form of a grid. With the aid of a decent map, it was easy to get from A to point B. St Lawrence Market was not a disappointment. It was crowded with Saturday shoppers. There was a happy atmosphere at the place with shoppers, market stall keepers, children and tourists like us all having a jolly time. There were places where shoppers stopped to eat and drink. We sampled the pea meal ham sandwich which turned out to be delicious. French influence in Toronto also comes in the form of the large variety of bread and cheeses they have. At St. Lawrence Market there are numerous cheese stalls selling cheeses of all makes and flavors. At the bakery stalls one would find all types of bread and pastries. Meat, fruits and vegetables are also sold in abundance here. It is safe to say that at St. Lawrence Market one would find everything needed for the kitchen.We enjoyed our morning at St. Lawrence Market. We could have stay longer but by noon it was time for us to leave for the CN Tower. This is currently the tallest tower in the world with a height of 553m. We were lucky to have chosen a good and clear day for the visit to the CN Tower. From the viewing deck we could see the whole of Toronto and far beyond. A section of the floor on the viewing deck is made of glass. This section of the floor is strong enough to withstand the weight of 9 hippos. However, standing on the glass and looking straight down onto the ground below was still quite a nervous experience.

The next day we made our way to the Toronto Chinatown. I was amazed by the size of the area covered by Chinatown. The whole area is approximately 10 times the size of the one in London. Similar to the London Chinatown majority of the Chinese in Toronto are from Hong Kong. The restaurants serve only Hong Kong cuisine. We sampled some Hong Kong dumpling noodles and had a meal of Dim Sum, both meals were delicious.Our next destination was the famous Eaton Centre. We did not know what it was until we got there. It turned out to be a very large shopping mall on 6 levels. It was a Sunday and the place was extremely crowded. I guess shopping malls all over the world are basically the same. The afternoon of our second day was spent wondering around this mall and through the 2 very large food courts within the premise. The day ended with a meal at one of the food courts.

On our third and final day we booked ourselves on a conducted tour to Niagara Falls. Niagara Falls is approximately 125 Km for the city of Toronto. The journey to the Falls took 2 hours with a stop at a vineyard to taste the local wine. We sampled for the first time the Canadian Ice Wine, which was a very sweet wine made from dried up grapes.Niagara Falls is made up of the American Falls and the horse shoe shaped falls on the Canadian side. We could only view the American falls from a distant. The Canadian Niagara Falls is spectacular and one must be at the site to fully appreciate the sheer power of this God’s wonderful creation. There was a blizzard blowing when we were at the Falls which gave the place a certain added harshness and beauty. At 4.30 pm it was just getting dark and we started our journey back to Toronto.

We checked out of our hotel the next day and made our way to Toronto Pearson International Airport. As we were provided with First Class travel we made full use of BA lounge where we had our dinner.

Toronto - February 15

2008-02-06T17:51:00.001+08:00

The last 2 weeks in the UK has gone by with lightning speed. Soon we will be departing for Toronto for a few days holiday. I am actually looking forward to the trip because on one of the days we plan to visit the Niagara Falls. Much has been said about the city of Toronto and I am looking forward to the vast below ground shopping centres. There are numerous touristy places in and around Toronto that have been recommended but owing to our short stay we might not have time to visit them all. However, we like to consider this as a “sample” visit. If we like the city we would return to Toronto for a longer stay.

Winter in Toronto could turn out to be rather fun. We are hoping for some snow which would make our visit memorable. I remember visiting Boston a few year ago at around this time of the year. The snow on the day of our arrival was knee high. It was cold but very dry, sunny and pleasant. Let’s hope the winter in Toronto is similar to the winter of Boston.

We will depart London on February 15 from Heathrow Terminal 4 as all British Airways flights do. It will only be an 8 hour flight, so if we do not get first class or business, economy would be just fine. Looking forward to the trip and will write about it on return.

2008 - The Year of the Rat

2008-02-04T06:08:00.000+08:00

Chinese New Year 2008 – Year of the Rat

The year of the Pig is coming to an end. Now comes the Year of the Rat. Chinese New Year 2008nfalls on February 7. All those with age 72, 60, 48, 36, 24…belong to the Year of the Rat.

A Rat Year is a time of hard work, activity, and renewal. This is a good year to begin a new job, get married, launch a product or make a fresh start. Ventures begun now may not yield fast returns, but opportunities will come for people who are well prepared and resourceful. The best way for you to succeed is to be patient, let things develop slowly, and make the most of every opening you can find. People born in an Earth Rat are said to be logical realists, shrewd, charming, ambitious, and inventive. Of course, the entire horoscope must be considered when making any personality assessment.

In Chinese, the Rat is respected and considered a courageous, enterprising person. People born in the Year of Rat are clever and bright, sociable and family-minded. They have broad interests and strong ability in adapting to the environment and able to react adequately to any changes.

They are gifted in many ways and have an easy going manner. They are active and pleasant, tactful and fantastic, and are able to grasp opportunities. They seem to have interests in everything and hope to participate in doing it and usually do it very well.

Here in the UK, Chinese New Year is generally celebrated by the Chinese community on the first weekend after the event. Chinatowns in London and in major cities all over the world will celebrate this day with lion dances and street fairs. This is the time for much merriment and reunions. A traditional Chinese family will have a great family feast either at home or in one of the many Chinese restaurants to celebrate the start of another year. Children dressed in their new clothes will receive red packets contain money (angpow) from their elders. One the first day of the Lunar New Year, all Chinese old and young will rejoice and look forward to a better year ahead.

Happy Chinese New Year to one and all. Let hope that the Year of the Rat will bring Love and Peace to all mankind.

Car Problem

2008-02-02T01:16:00.000+08:00

Since returning to the UK we have not been using the car. No, we have not gone so green that we have locked the car away. For the last 10 days since our return we have had to arrange for the car insurance scheduled for MOT and then finally register for road tax. The MOT was done on the last day of January. Thankfully that went OK and happily we went out today, the first day of February to register for road tax. However, as soon as I started the engine the warning light came on telling me that there is a fault with the alternator. Drove to the nearest Mercedes Benz garage and after a long check-up they told me that a replacement alternator was needed. What are the alternatives? None !! The repair cost is estimated to be at least GBP286, maybe more. I guess that is the penalty I have to face for driving around in a MB.

So it has been an expensive month with the car. Insurance, road tax, MOT and now the repair bill will all add up to nearly GBP1000. If I have to change my vehicle, my next one will definitely not be a Mercedes. They are too expensive to maintain and the fuel consumption is not that great either. However, having said all that it is a very comfortable machine and a pleasure to drive. Hope to get the repair done by tomorrow morning. We have to be in Cobham for lunch with our grand daughter tomorrow.

We planned to do a little shopping at the Chinese grocery store today, but I guess that will have to be postponed to another day. Got to get the necessary stuff for the Chinese New Year steamboat dinner, most probably on Sunday 10.

This new Chinese year is the year of the Rat. Lets hope it will be a good year for all of us, with lots of Happiness, Good Health and most important of all, Peace and Love.

Into Malaysia

2008-01-20T12:14:00.000+08:00

I never pass up an opportunity to be back in my birth country - Malaysia. The few days we spent in Kuala Lumpur last week were good. We managed to dine with my brother and family and also met up with Onn and Julina. The hotel was nice and not too expensive, compared to an equivalent in Singapore.

A day was devoted to sorting out some legal matters with the lawyers. The rest of the time we were with family and friends, mostly eating and shopping. Dining in KL in my opinion is much better than in Singapore. Restaurant dining is far cheaper than in Singapore and the quality is definitely more superior. Shopping is better and cheaper and we had a great time there.

Yesterday we had another day in Johor Baru for some bank business. Dianne took the opportunity to do yet more shopping. That was an enjoyable day out for both of us. Bought another Korean period drama on DVD of 24 episodes.

Now we are packing for our journey back to UK. We leave Singapore on Jan 21 and will be at Heathrow on the morning of Jan 22. Not looking forward to the long haul journey of 12 hours. Economy seats are so uncomfortable on BA flights. Hope to get First Class tomorrow.

The Peacocks and the Sparrows

2008-01-17T13:55:00.000+08:00

Singapore, the land of modernity and wealth has GDP growth of double figures over the past decade. The government style, good or bad, has been copied by other young countries worldwide. There are more BMWs and Mercedes per square kilometer here in Singapore than anywhere else in the world. In Singapore unemployment is negligible; salaries are higher than most other countries in the region. The economy is stable and vibrant. Most Singaporeans are asset rich. There are many who own more than one property. Some I know own 2, 3 or even 4 properties from which rents are collected each month. Rentals are high in Singapore because of the demand from foreign talents imported by the Singapore government from countries such as China, India, Malaysia and Europe. The sudden influx of these foreign talents, most of these being “hungrier and meaner” from other countries has resulted in social tension in Singapore. Conflicts in social behavior and cultural clashes have been slowly creeping into this otherwise peaceful and placid Singaporean way of life.

Superficially, this little island state is what many would consider a near “ paradise on earth “. However if one digs a little below the shiny surface , and one does not have to dig too deep, one realizes that under all the glitters there lurks a more humble side of the Singaporean scene. The per capita average monthly income in Singapore is S$3,500. However there are still many at the lowest rung of the income ladder with monthly income of S$300. For the very poor there is a government handout of S$290 per month. So, we have here a small and very prosperous nation with an accumulated surplus in national asset of hundreds of billion dollars. There are those who work in the financial sector earning monthly 6-figure sum with end of year bonuses of 6 to 8 months. At the other end of the scale we have those who are desperately poor and with every hike in the cost of daily essentials, become poorer still. The recent hike in GST ( VAT ) from 5 to 7% did not help matters. Although the Singapore government has distributed financial assistance to counter the effect of this latter increase, there has been an increase in the number of Singaporeans seeking government social handouts. With such vast wage disparity one wonders whether the calmness and serenity of life in Singapore will last much longer.

In the local main stream media each day we read about Singapore advancements in all fields of the economy. The banking and financial sectors are booming and economy remains upbeat even with the gloom of the sub-prime problems in the USA. Financial gurus are predicting growth in 2008 and on the surface all are well.

Each morning on my visits to the newspaper stand and the local coffee shop and the vegetable market, I hear a totally different story from the poorer section of Singaporean society. Unlike the cries of jubilation from the trading floors, these are cries of doom and gloom. I suppose the million dollar question must be, why should there such depression when the economy of the country is doing so well? My daily conversation with the old man selling newspaper, the coffee shop attendant, the old couple selling vegetables tell me a very different story from what you read in MSM. I hear about the difficulties experienced by many from the effect of the high inflation and the recent hikes in daily essential, fares and utilities. In blogsphere you read about the disquiet of ordinary folks who are unhappy with new policies imposed on them by the government.

On such a small island, the vast income gap is astonishing. The difference in all things between the elite and the poorest are so glaringly obvious. At one end of the spectrum you have the peacocks, proud, beautiful and going through life with all the luxury and the fine trimmings. At the other end you have the ordinary sparrows, in their unglamorous brown scratching away for crumbs fallen off the elite tables. There is a large section of the population sandwiched between these two extremes, neither very rich nor very poor. For most Singaporean, life is comfortable, safe and the future looks rosy. For the small section who cannot keep up with globalization, a little sympathy and compassion may be needed to help them along. Sad to say such virtues are becoming harder to come by in this fast and uncompromising world.

These are just my personal views of life in Singapore.

To Kuala Lumpur and then UK

2008-01-04T09:49:00.000+08:00

Next week we leave for a few days in Kuala Lumpur. There are a few things we need to sort out in Malaysia. I have booked us in my favorite hotel, the Royale Bintang in Damansara. Next to the hotel is one of the largest shopping malls The Curve. This is a very prestigious shopping mall with outlets selling all sorts of branded goods. It is a very pleasant place to spend a day just going through the stores. Adjacent to this shopping mall is another building housing eateries and restaurants. There is a restaurant specializing in Peranakan dishes at this place. We have been there twice and we enjoyed dining there on both occasions. We will definitely dine there during our stay in KL.

One of the days in KL will be dedicated to meeting up with my brother and family. I am looking forward to seeing them again. It has been a long time since our last meeting. We have also a dinner appointment with an old school friend. The remaining time will be dedicated to shopping, eating and just chilling out at some of our favorite haunts in KL.

Five days after we return from KL we will be on our flight back to UK. The weather in UK will be cold this time of the year. Leaving the house empty during the winter months may cause problems such as leakage and condensation. I must admit I am a little concerned. Anyway it will be good to return to UK again, albeit into the cold.

Before we leave for UK I have to remember to assemble my usual collection of cooking ingredients for the next few months stay. There are some items that are not available in the UK. Cooking is a hobby of mine and it is important I have the necessary ingredients.

Looking forward to returning to UK. I am getting a little bored here in Singapore. I guess 3 months is more than I can tolerate staying in Singapore.

Happy New Year - 2008

2007-12-28T12:02:00.000+08:00

2007 is drawing to a close and we are all anxiously waiting for the coming of 2008. What is in store for us in the new year? One can only guess. There are many prophecies and forecasts in the world political arenas, economic predictions, warning about global environmental calamities for the next 12 months, but who can be sure what 2008 will bring for us? Only today, in the newspapers, we read about the assassination of Ms Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan. We live in a world full of uncertainties and turmoil. Major world powers, out of self interest play smaller and weaker countries in the world like a game of chess. The discoveries of natural resources of undeveloped countries tend to bring interested players like bees to nectar. Human greed plays a large part in the most trouble spots around the globe. Corruption, greed and self glorification are the main causes for the misery in many countries.

The world we live in is divided into people who are super rich, a large percentage of middle class and a portion of very deprived and poor people. Inequality in wealth distribution vary from country to country. There are some countries rich in natural resources with 95% of national wealth in the hands of 5% of the population. The situation here in Singapore is much better. There are basically no destitute people in Singapore. Like any country in the world there are some very rich and also there are some poor people, but unlike many other countries no one goes hungry. Even the poorest have their basic needs. The Singaporean government has seen to it that no one is deprived of the basic essentials. However, inflation has increased recently and many are experiencing financial difficulties due to the hike in cost of living. The income gap has grown wider and voices of dissatisfaction can be heard in this otherwise very quiet and subdued city state.

What do I wish for 2008? I pray that 2008 will be a good year for all of us. I pray that all mindless world conflicts be ended. I pray that there will be no more loss of lives through indiscriminate acts of terror. I pray for the end of the Iraq and the Afghanistan wars and any other conflicts elsewhere in the world. Let there be peace, love and goodwill in 2008. I am certain this isn’t too much to ask but may prove an impossibility to achieve.

Christmas Day 2007

2007-12-27T20:21:00.001+08:00

Christmas Day 2007 arrived. Got up early and decided to breakfast at the local food market. As we will be having a heavy meal later in the day I selected a light breakfast of “chui kwey”, a sort of rice cake with the texture of jelly - nice and soft. After of few mouthfuls of this soft rice cakes I discovered that one of my crowns has detached itself. I was lucky I did not swallow it. What a bad start for my Christmas Day. All Singaporean dentists are closed for the festive day so I guess I will have to wait until either Boxing Day or later to get it seen to.

This Christmas, I was appointed to cook the Christmas turkey again. On top of that I had to prepare enough curry for 15 people. Preparing food for the family get together Christmas dinner has never been a problem for me. The dinner party went well. The turkey was much appreciated and the curry was very popular. My contributions towards the dinner spread were well-liked. By the end of the evening most of the spread had been consumed.

A few rounds of mahjong ended the evening. Good food, fine wine and good company made the evening a very happy occasion. The evening was a success. Another Christmas has come to an end. Christmas 2008 is another 364 days away.

Not looking forward to the visit to the dentist in the next few days.

When you are old

2007-12-24T12:39:00.000+08:00

I went to the market today for some vegetables and condiments. My regular stall was closed. A nearby stall had what I wanted so I did my purchases from an old lady manning the business. I guess she must be around 75 years old. She was a sweet little lady who advised me to buy an alternative vegetable because the one I had chosen was old and not fresh. I took her advice and made my purchase. As I was waiting for my vegetable to be weighed for payment I noticed she had tears in her eyes. I asked her if she was alright. She told me that she has a daughter who drives around Singapore in a Mercedes but would not drive her anywhere whenever she needs a ride. Wherever she goes she has to depend on her kind hearted neighbour. I guess she must have felt extremely neglected by her own flesh and blood. Her daughter apparently is quite well off and doing well in the booming economy of Singapore. The fact that this old lady has to work at a market stall so late in her life is very unusual in our traditional Chinese tight-knit extended family structure. With teary eyes she lamented that when you get old and if you have no money to leave behind, you will be neglected. I guess she meant that her daughter would probably be more attentive to her needs and comfort if when she dies there was money and asset left as inheritance. As she has none, no one cares. The sad thing about it is that when she was young she must have loved her daughter and devoted a good portion of her younger days towards caring for this daughter of hers. She would most likely have worked hard to see to her daughter’s education and her every need. Many from the younger generation would squeeze as much value and usefulness out of their parents as they possibly can. When there is nothing of value left that they can get out of their parents, they would discard their old folks to the mercy of old age.

I see this more and more in a place like Singapore where money and assets have become the ultimate measure of success. I believe this is also a very common trend in many western societies. Older folks who have devoted their lives bringing up their children are considered burdens in their old age, often discarded and neglected. Many above 70 year old here in Singapore have to work at foodcourts clearing tables and sweeping floors and maintaining toilet cleanliness. Where is the dignity in that? I believe that when one gets old one must be entitled to a few good and easy years and be allowed to live with dignity. They should have the opportunity to play with their grand children and generally take things easy. What a sad world this has become when older folks are considered as burden to society and abandoned. By the look of things this situation is going to get much worse.

I sincerely hope that I will not be in the same predicament as this dear old lady. Expect nothing, be prepared for the worst, and if you are lucky that your children do care for you in your old age, consider that a bonus.

Football Crazy

2007-12-17T13:38:00.000+08:00

Singaporeans are football crazy. Making money and accumulating wealth is their first passion closely followed by football. 75% of Singaporeans are Chinese and the Chinese are noted for their love of gambling. Football betting is very widespread in this little country and government run betting premises are found in every housing estate around the island.

On a day like yesterday December 16, long queues could be seen at all betting premises. The scheduled matches were Liverpool vs Manchester United and Arsenal vs Chelsea. I guess the “ get rich quick “ mentality of the majority of Singaporeans encourages a healthy business for these betting premises.

The Manchester United vs Liverpool match was at 9.25 pm. I watched the match at a local coffee shop not too far from our house. By the time I got there the place was packed with fans from both teams. The crowd must have numbered more than a hundred. It was a good match. Manchester United came away with an away win, 3 more points but still one point behind Arsenal at the top of the league table.

Gambling of all variety can be found in Singapore. You can place a bet through legal betting shop or through illegal syndicates, with give better odds. There are currently two casinos being built on the island and by 2009 they will be in operation. Singaporeans will have to pay a daily entrance fee of $100 for admission to one of these casinos. I am sure this will not deter the devoted gamblers. Whether these casinos will result in an increase in the number of gambling addicts we shall have to wait and see. There will definitely be an increase in tourist numbers, but maybe at the expense of creating a social ill?

Dry Xmas?

2007-12-16T09:48:00.000+08:00

After many days of cloudy skies, for a change, this morning has started bright with clear blue sky. It does look like we are in for a dry spell. For how long no one can tell. The weather in this region has been very changeable. Within an hour the weather could change from a sunny day to one of torrential downpour. So let’s hope that we have seen the last of the heavy downpours we have been experiencing over the last two weeks. We need a clear and dry period over the festive Xmas and New Year season.

I understand that the rain has finally stopped in Segamat too. They have been having dry days lately and the flood water has receded. However, we are still in the rainy season and things could change and the water level could rise again. This must be a worrying time for the Segamatians, especially those living in the flood prone regions.

Segamat is a nice place with very nice people. I would be sad if it is flooded again. Of course I would say that .........Segamat is my hometown.

Segamat Floods

2007-12-12T14:17:00.000+08:00

The rain season is here again. It has not stopped raining for the last few days. Malaysia is experiencing heavy rainfall and there are floods in many low lying regions in the country. Segamat my hometown has always been prone to flooding during the rain season from December to February. The flood of December 2006 was one of the worst in memory and many lives were lost. The continuous rain of the past few days has resulted in swollen rivers and in many areas roads are closed to traffic.

The morning papers has confirmed my worse fear. Segamat is flooded again and water is still rising. Weather forecast has predicted more rain to come and things do not look good for the Segamatians. My brother has moved furniture upstairs and has parked his vehicles on higher ground.

During the floods of December 2006, there were no electricity and water supply for many days. Food could only be prepared upstairs using portable stoves and bottled gas. Life must have been quite uncomfortable, especially for families with young children. After the devastation of December 2006, the Malaysian government promised to improve the flow of water in rivers, build flood banks and undertake measures to prevent further floods in the region. I guess, from what we are witnessing now, with flood water on the rise again, they must be still trying to figure out how they can achieve what they have promised. In the meantime, while they ponder over the problem, Segamatians continue to be flooded whenever they get heavy rain especially around the month of December.

Day in JB

2007-12-07T23:39:00.000+08:00

December 5th was a good day. The weather was horrible. It rained all day, but that did not dampen our spirit. We left Singapore early to avoid the rush at the causeway. By 7.30 that morning we were at Senai having our usual roti prata breakfast. Of course I did not forget buying breakfast for the Indian boy, our neighbour at our Senai house. After a leisurely breakfast we spent the rest of the morning at the house in Senai.

Shopping at Giant superstore was good. By 12.30 pm we were on our way to meet my brother and his children from Segamat. It was a moment I have been looking forward to for a long time. They finally arrived at 2.30 pm. It was so good seeing them again. The children have grown so much since I met them last. I fell in love with all three, especially Jason the youngest. Like all boys his age he is football crazy and a keen supporter of Manchester United. I got him a MU shirt with Ronaldo 7 on the back and a pair of MU shorts.

The rest of the day was spent in Terbau City where we lunched and shopped until late in the evening when we returned to City Square. We left them at City Square to catch the night train to Segamat. We crossed the causeway and returned to Singapore.

I really enjoyed my day with my brother and family. I am happy that we are finally reunited and constantly in touch via telephone calls and emails. The best thing that has happened is that I have a nephew and 2 nieces to pamper and love.

MSM or Blogs?

2007-12-03T20:59:00.000+08:00

I read the Straits Times each morning when in Singapore. I then read the Singapore blogs. The messages coming from the MSM paint a very rosy picture of the Singaporean economy. Singaporean Bloggers tend to paint a rather different picture. Singapore has become the London of Southeast Asia and is already a rival to Hong Kong as the financial hub of the Far East. The Singapore Government through Temasek and many GLCs has invested heavily in neighbouring countries. On the whole, the financial health of Singapore is good and the future looks solid. The predicted downturn of the world economy, if it ever happens, will affect majority of the countries around the globe. Singapore too will not be spared, but with proper management and planning I think Singapore would fare better than most of her neighbours.

The robust economical growth of Singapore brings with it many undesirable side effects. Currently, inflation is at an all time high of 3.5% increasing to a predicted 5% next year. The salary gap between the high earners and the low wage earners has widened considerably. Prices for daily essentials like rice, noodles, cooking oil and fresh produce have increased. There are many who are feeling the pinch of cost of living hike. The newspaper has reported an increase in desperate people seeking help. It has also been reported that the government has taken action to help the needy. I am glad to see that the less fortunate in this vibrant city have not been ignored.

In the newspaper this morning there was another interesting article about financial feuds between siblings claiming on the assets left by their deceased father. There were a few other similar cases highlighted. The Chinese tradition of not dragging one’s own family name through mud no longer exists in Singapore. There have been many court cases lately between family members. Almost all such cases involve assets or money. Singaporeans are predominantly the “ Me “ people. They have been conditioned from cradle to grave to be very competitive. They have this “ I must win “ and “ I want to be first “ mentality. This has served the country well over the few decades since independence, turning Singapore from a third world country to the financial metropolis it is today.

This city state will do well over her neighbours in years to come, because Singapore has a very strict and no-nonsense government and a very submissive and obedient population.

Good luck to Singapore. According to reports from the MSM, Singapore is fast becoming the New York of the Far East. The bloggers are telling a different story. Who to believe?

My pet subject

2007-11-24T00:11:00.000+08:00

Life in Singapore – my pet subject. I have now been living in Singapore on and off for nearly 7 years. When I came here for the first time in 2000 I was fascinated by the progress made by this tiny little island state. Without any resources to speak of, the country has advanced by leaps and bounds over the other Southeast Asian countries. In the past 7 years there have been many improvements in infrastructure such as roads, MRT, public services and many other projects to improve the standard of living for the Singaporeans. Public Housing in Singapore is second to none and the majority of Singaporeans are owners of their homes. The speed of transformation from a squalid little third world country to almost a first world city is astounding. Within 40 years Singapore, an island without any resources, transformed itself from a backward state to what it is today. How did this come about? I think it is through sheer hard work, good and strict governance and maybe little not so pleasant political maneuvers. Less said about that the better.

Becoming a modern and dynamic city has brought with it some very serious problems. One of the most urgent problems for this fast growing city is the aging population. The nation builders of 40 years ago are in their 60s and 70s today. Time for these people to retire from the workforce. The city state is finding it very difficult to support this ageing and non-productive portion of the population. To compound to this problem of the ageing population was a law passed some 40 years ago by the Singapore Government regarding the optimum number of children a couple should have. Any family with more than 2 children were penalized by having to pay higher school fees, medical bills, birth certificates and low priority in the choice for schools. All these discouraged the Singaporeans of 40 years ago from having more than 2 children. Many stopped at one or even had none at all. Owing to this law, Singapore is now suffering from a shortage of manpower.

Clamoring to become the financial hub of Southeast Asia, Singapore has to import workforce from other countries. Foreign talents have been encouraged to come to this little island to work and become citizens. These imported citizens come mainly from India, China and other countries in Asia and even from European nations. The Singaporean government is choosey in who they allow into the country. Only talented and skilled applicants are welcomed. Skilled and talented people are also encouraged to bring in families to increase the future workforce of the country. Good schools and medical facilities are added attractions to lure these foreign talents into the country. The Singaporean government has a target of 6.5 to 7 million populations for 2015. To cater for this fast population growth the government has put in place a programme to upgrade the infrastructure and housing. This involves a large importation of manual labour from nearby countries such as Bangladesh, Indonesia, Vietnam and some also from Malaysia.

The fast and sudden influx of foreigners into Singapore has to some extent taken the true blue Singaporeans by surprise. The majority of Singaporeans are middle class and probably are not fully aware the reason for this encroachment into their island. Whether this is good or bad for the country is not evident to them. What is glaringly obvious to them is the fact that their jobs, their space, their children’s welfare are being threatened by these newcomers. They probably do not fully understand that Singapore needs these foreigners to ensure survival in decades to come. They are more interested in the here and now and the daily survival for their families. Fast growth and a buoyant economy have brought with it some nasty side effect – inflation. Singapore has become one of the most expensive cities in Southeast Asia, not too far below Tokyo and Hong Kong. The middle and low income Singaporeans are now feeling the pinch of inflation and rising prices of daily essentials. I am sure the Singapore government, being as efficient as they are, is aware of this and is taking steps to combat this difficulty.

Importing citizen into ones country, which is what Singapore is doing, comes with it some very unpleasant side effects. This is very evident in the Singapore case. Lately from the MSM and the bogs about Singapore I have come across complaints, grievances, criticisms, objections, protests and grumbles from all various parties concerned. Although mostly from Asia, these parties are all from different countries with different customs and cultures. Clashes of cultures and customs manifest themselves through lack of understanding and intolerance. Bitterness arises when ones livelihood is threatened or when one’s feels there has been an encroachment on his space. The fight for jobs or a seat on the bus or the MRT is potential sources for such bitterness. Distrust between different factions also enhances suspicion and animosity. The cliquing of the various factions of the imported citizens tends to be looked upon as snobbery and aloofness. Cliquing for safety and comfort in a foreign land is quite normal but this could be misinterpreted as unwilling to mix attitude. Furthermore there is also snobbery within each faction of these new citizens. White collar citizens would not mix with the manual workers from the same country. All these silent “rivalry” go on under a surface of calm civility. What will happen in days to come no one can predict. I am certain the Singaporean government is trying their hardest to encourage integration. To achieve this there has to be more compassion, tolerance, humility and understanding. In my opinion, unfortunately these qualities hardly exist in Singapore.

On a good day I love being in Singapore. Everything works and things are so well managed. Buses are on time and MRT are clean and cool. There is hardly any litter on the ground and there is zero graffiti. Shops are full of goods and groceries are plentiful. In Singapore you can get anything money can buy. Everything here comes with a price tag and this price tag is usually high. As I have already mentioned, Singapore is an expensive city to live in.

I do have bad days in Singapore too. Drivers in Singapore are the rudest I have ever encountered. They care little for other divers and even less for pedestrians. No Singapore driver would wave a pedestrian to cross the road even when he cannot proceed himself. He would willingly drive to block you from crossing even when his road is not clear. Jumping queue is another horrible Singapore habit. The “always must win or must be first in line” in a Singaporean’s second nature. On a crowded bus or MRT, very few would offer their seats to needy passengers. Having been here for so long I have sort of got accustomed to these bad habits, so now my bad days are relatively few. Just have to accept that is the way of life here.

These comments I make about Singapore and the Singaporeans are just my personal views. I am non-political and am not affiliated to any political party. I am in no way criticizing the government or the people of this island. I do not intent to offend anyone. If I have inadvertently done so, please accept my apologies.

The Tiffany's Show

2007-11-22T00:27:00.000+08:00

Our last night in Pattaya, and to celebrate our wedding anniversary and my birthday we went to the famous Tiffany Show of Pattaya. I must confess that before the show my opinion about transvestites was a feeling of indifference. I also must admit that whenever I come across one I always feel a little curious and a little uncomfortable. Is it nature or nurture, the question that always pop into my mind. I have neither judged them harshly nor condone their way of life. As far as I was concerned they are free to dress anyway the please as long as they do not offend or infringe on the privacy of others.

Now I have been to the Tiffany’s Show and watch the performance through un-prejudice eyes. I must admit my opinion has greatly changed after seeing the magnificent performance by what I would classify as elegant artists. The performers, although all male were every bit as graceful as any female performer I have seen.

I came away from the show full of admiration for all the performers. If ever you visit Pattaya, do not miss this performance.

Reflection

2007-11-20T16:26:00.000+08:00

At this time of the year, just after my birthday I usually like to spend a few moments to ponder and sort of plan for the next 12 months ahead. Reflecting on the 12 months that have just gone by, I try to analyze all the major events in this period.

These are the list of questions that come to mind,

Has it been a good year?

On the personal travel front, the answer is yes. It has been a very enjoyable year. Apart from flying between the UK and Singapore we have visited a few places. This time last year we were in Marbella and Tangier. In June 2007 we visited Ho Chi Minh City. We made numerous visits to JB and Kuala Lumpur for shopping and meeting old friends. Our last visit to KL was for a reunion dinner for the Class of ’62. Meeting friends I had not seen for 45 years was quite a nostalgic experience. However, shortly after the reunion we lost a dear friend to cancer. That was a low point of the year. The only consolation was we manage to get together before she left us. It just shows that life can be very unpredictable and fragile.

There are ups and downs when it comes to the family. New arrivals into the family mark the good occasions. I have another 2 new nephews. Our grand daughter has turned 3 and developing into such a loveable young lady. On a sadder note I have lost another aunt. One of my brothers has been told he has a dreadful disease and one of my nephews has leukemia. Thankfully they are both progressing well and I pray for their full recovery.

As one gets older time becomes very precious. I am glad I took early retirement and have the freedom to travel, indulge in my hobbies and most importantly to re-connect with my relatives and siblings. I have managed to visit Segamat twice last year. I must try to visit more often. Relationship with siblings tends to become stale over the year. Coping with our respective families, bringing up our children and generally fulfilling the many parental responsibilities has somewhat made us overlook the importance of staying in touch with loved ones.

During the past year I have managed to become closer with a few siblings. We now write to each other regularly and whenever time permits I will visit more often. My boys are all young men now, each with their own chosen path. I love them all dearly but I am determined not to intrude on their lives and if they wish to be in touch with me, I will gladly reciprocate. I believe they know best in what they have chosen for themselves. I must never interfere unless asked.

What is in store in the 12 months ahead? I can only hope that there will be much happiness. I am sure there will be disappointment along the way, but I can only hope that those will be few and far between. As I said, time is precious and everyday that goes by is a day less for love and goodwill. On my part I will try to be sincere, compassionate and above all understanding and forgiving.

Thailand or Singapore ?

2007-11-19T12:37:00.000+08:00

Now back in Singapore after a week in Pattaya Thailand. I cannot help but notice the total difference in culture between the two countries. On one hand we have the easy going Thais who have a considerably lower standard of living. They are poorer and less affluent than the Singaporeans. Their per capita income is much much lower than the Singaporeans. Cost of food, transport and daily essentials are much lower than in Singapore. For this reason alone, there are many European who have retired to this city. Life here is less stressful and I guess if one seeks a comfortable carefree lifestyle with few worries, then Pattaya might be a place for you. Here, you get more for your money and people are friendly and hospitable. Life for retirees who are flexible and adaptable might find this place a good choice for lazing away their twilight years.

However, there are many downside in Pattaya when compared to Singapore. Pattaya is dirty and the public drainage is appalling. After any downpour, which occur very frequently, the sewer under the roads and pavements become blocked and the smell of methane is everywhere. The roads are chaotic to say the least. The only means of public transportation in the city are the Baht buses or the motorcycle “taxis”. The latter are dangerous and not recommended. There does not seem to be a standard of charge for public transportation. The drivers of the baht buses will try to charge tourists as much as they think they can get away with. The shops and places of business on both sides of the roads are usually very shabby and the goods for sale on display are generally of low quality. There are numerous hawkers lining the pavements selling food, fruits and all sorts of sweets. Generally, locally produced products such as local fruits, vegetables and meat are very affordable. The imported equivalents are costly and only used by the European expatriates.

Now which is a better country to live in? I do not think there is a simple answer to this question. It will all depend on what you look for in life. On one hand you have the easy, carefree and almost stress free life in Thailand and on the other hand you have Singapore where you have an almost perfect system where everything from transportation to entertainment is clinically and strictly controlled. In Singapore you have a no nonsense system where the law and regulation have to be abide by. Any deviation from this will be severely dealt with. In Thailand, or at least in Pattaya things are less rigid and more uncertain.

There is the social side of things too. Thailand, aka the Land of Smiles truly lives up to this great compliment. People are very friendly, always greeting you and saying farewell with hands together followed by a smile and a bow. In general the Thais are a happy lot. They are simple and less demanding.

Singapore is totally different. People are always in a hurry. Time is money and the Singaporeans go through life with the appearance they are squeezing every cent out of every minute of the day. The crave for money and the idea of the get rich quick mentality are the main factors that drive the Singaporeans to the way they are today. On the way the Singaporeans have picked up the labels of being rude, uncompassionate, always want to win and be first in the queue. In my opinion, it is a sad situation to be in.

I like the Thais better, but that is just my opinion and preferance.

Last day in Pattaya - 5th wedding anniversary - 63rd birthday

2007-11-16T19:50:00.000+08:00

Today November 16 is our 5th wedding anniversary and my birthday. I am 63. It is also our last day in Pattaya. Tomorrow morning we return to Singapore. We celebrated the day sitting by the seaside enjoying the cool sea breeze. It was nice just sitting there chatting and talking about the years we have been together. It has been a great 5 years. I am sure we will have many more happy years ahead.

For our wedding anniversary dinner and also because it is my birthday we went for a seafood dinner. We had a lovely dinner with crabs fried in black pepper, steam sea bass and a stir fried vegetables. We both enjoyed it very much.

Tonight we have tickets for the Tiffany’s Show in Pattaya. All the performers are actually men beautifully dressed in ladies’ costumes. I have heard good reports about this show, so I am looking forward to be entertained.

Another year has passed and another year older. Birthday wishes received from my darling wife Dianne and Carrie via a text message and David my youngest son. My second son Martin surprises me this year, he emailed me this year with a birthday wish, albeit a day late.

William my eldest son has sent birthday wishes from Tehran Iran. I am very fortunate this year. Birthday greetings have come from all my sons.

Pattaya - third day

2007-11-14T21:17:00.000+08:00

Third day was spent walking the whole length of Beach Road. I have been to many beach resorts including the famous Surfers Paradise on the east coast of Australia and the beach in Marbella. I must say the Beach Road in Pattaya is second to none. One can see it is specifically designed for tourist comfort and entertainment. The deck chairs lining the beach are only a few feet away from the crytal clear water. Ten feet out into the sea, one is about chest high in water. Speed boats line the beach only a few feet away from the water edge. These speed boats take tourists out for a spin along the coast and also to the nearby islands. There are glass bottom boats for fish viewing around coral islands for hire to those who are interested. The whole stretch of the coast along this road is always crowed with tourists from many countries.

The Thai people are a very enterprising lot. They line the whole stretch of the beach selling ice cold drinks from soft drinks to beer. Chilled coconuts are also on sale. There are some who go around selling BBQ prawns, crabs and cuttlefish.

The whole strech of Beach Road is approximately 2 kilometers in length. It is impressive and I am sure for those who come here for the sea, sun, beer and sex will not be disappointed.

On the other side of Beach Road are shops, bars, restaurants and coffee houses.

We enjoyed our day out in this area and we have decided to visit the Beach Road agan before we leave.

Pattaya - second day

2007-11-14T20:55:00.000+08:00

Carrefour in Pattaya turns out to be another large shopping mall. This was where we went the second day. It was a massive shopping complex with food, groceries and everyday requirements. We had a good day wandering around the place and enjoying the food and coffee. The complex was very crowded and vibrant with lots of tourists and also many expats who have decided to settle in Pattaya. What is indeed evident in Pattaya is the many European men in their 60+ and older who have decided to make Pattaya their place of retirement. Here the norm is for a European retiree to find a young Thai girl, mostly in her 20s, either marrying her or if that is not convenient, just live with her. Everywhere you look you can see old European men hand in hand with young Thai girls. This is very accepted here in Pattaya. The young Thai girl quite likely come from very poor family. Offering themselves to live with or even marrying old European retirees give them the only way out of poverty.

I do not really condone this arrangement but I do understand the reason why these girls have to degrade themselves this way. Pattaya is a very tourist oriented place with bars everywhere. This is not a place for family vacation because it is geared totally for tourists with alcohol and sex in mind.

Tomorrow we will visit the beach. We have been told it is quite a nice place.

Pattaya - first day

2007-11-12T23:35:00.000+08:00

Pattaya Hill Resort has been aptly named, it is situated on top of a hill. It is in the southern part of Pattaya. In Pattaya there are no taxi or buses or trains. The only mode of public transport for people traveling from one part of the city to another is by the Baht Buses. They are actually pickup trucks with a cover over the open back. It can comfortably accommodate about 10 passengers, but often you can see overflow passengers hanging out or standing on a ledge at the back of the truck. To get on one, you just flag it down and get on. They go along a specific route and when you get to your destination you just ring the bell, get off and pay the fares. Tourist usually pay 10 baht while the locals pay 5 baht. However, to get back after a day in downtown Pattaya we usually have to pay 100 baht for the journey to the hotels. These baht bus drivers are pretty shrewd and know exactly how to fleece the tourists.

Today, our first day in Pattaya we went to a shopping mall called the Big C. It is quite an up market place with branded shops and expensive restaurants. After spending a few hours walking around the mall we decided to lunch at MK. This is a very famous chain of restaurants in Thailand. They specialize in steamboats. You have to pick the raw uncooked food you want, from vegetables, meat, dumplings, fish balls and fish cakes and stuffed baby squids. You then cook your food in a pot of boiling stock in the middle of the table. We had some dim sum with our lunch. It ws good and it cost about 7 GBP for the whole meal.

We then decided to do a little shopping to stock up our fridge in the hotel room. Our groceries included some pears, mangoes, orange juice and also some Pringles.

We got back to the resort just before it got dark. Had to pay 80 baht for the hire of a bart bus for the journey. It was an interesting day and we enjoyed ourselves. Tomorrow we plan to visit Carrefour, another shopping centre.

Pattaya Hill Resort

2007-11-10T19:52:00.000+08:00

I am at this moment on the 9th floor of this Pattaya Hill Rsort. We arrived this evening and we are now settled in our room. The room is pretty spacious and clean. The shower room / toilet is not too bad. I have seen worse, but it is not 5 star standard like the hotel website claim to be. Well, it is relatively inexpensive and by Thai standard it is quite good.

We have been for a walk around the resort. The roads leading to and from the resort are pretty dark so we did not venture too far. We visited 2 garden restaurants next to the hotel, not to dine but just to find out what is available. The menus look ordinary and quite inexpensive. We might give them a try later in the week.

We have decided to go to town tomorrow to do a little shopping and sight seeing. Unfortunately we have damaged out digital camera and it has gone away for repair. No photographs on this trip I am afraid. Will write more about Pattaya when I have seen more of it.

Jason - my nephew

2007-11-06T22:34:00.001+08:00

When I left Segamat many years ago Jason was just a baby. Jason is the youngest child of my youngest brother. On my visit last week to Segamat I met Jason again. He is now 13 years old and what a fine boy he has become. A very polite boy, soft spoken and very well mannered. He was rather shy when we met but we very quickly became friends. I think the box of chocolates made things easier. I must remember to bring him more from UK when I visit Segamat again.

I was rather sorry our visit to Segamat was such a short one, but I am glad we made it. It has been too long since our last visit. First mother is getting older and very few uncles and aunts are left. Those who are left are also getting on in age. Siblings and cousins who are still in Segamat are like me getting older and it would be a shame to stay away for too long. Nephews and nieces are all grown and most have departed either for work or studies in KL or overseas. Very soon there will be very few left in Segamat.

I will return for another visit soon. Segamat will always be home to me. You can take me out of Segamat, but you will never take Segamat out of me.

Trip to Segamat

2007-11-03T20:10:00.000+08:00

It was exciting driving to Segamat on November 1. Started the journey at 6.30 am and we were in Segamat by 9.30 am. Driving into Segamat gave me a feeling of coming home again, especially after a month living in Singapore. Segamat gives me a sense of belonging. Although having been away from this little sleepy town for 41 years, I still consider this place my home. Each time I return I get this thrill and nostalgia. Memories of bygone days come floating back. Each street corner, the playfields infront of the old school, the old buildings in the old part of town, all bring back fond memories. They all look so small!

A wander into the wet market brings back memories of the days when grandfather and I would go each morning to buy my fish for lunch. The old coffee shop where one gets fresh toasts spread lavishly with butter and kaya ( coconut jam ) still stand at the corner of the market. The stone steps leading up to the coffe shop and the five-foot way in front are exactly the same as when I left it many years ago. Life on the whole in Segamat has not changed much over the few decades I have been away. I hope it will never change, because I would like to return often to this little town and get this same feeling of nostalgia and the feeling that I have come a full circle and home again.

The family are all well. First mother, 94 on her next birthday is still very alert and independent. Long may she remain so. We spent a good few hours chatting to her and her only complaint was that we did not inform her of our visit before we arrived. She would have gone to the trouble of preparing carrot cakes for us. I love her carrot cakes, but thought I should not put her through all the work.

The night we spent in Segamat we had a family dinner at one of the many restaurants in the new part of town. The food was good and cheap compared to Singapore where one would have to pay at least 3 times for the same dinner. We had a good time, good food amongst good company.

The next morning Phyl my cousin invited us for breakfast at a local Indian restaurant. We had roti pratas and curry. It was delicious and again brought back lovely memories of long ago breakfasts. After breakfast, we said goodbyes and started on our journey back to Singapore. Heavy was my heart as I drove out of the town. I said a fond farewell to my beloved place of birth, promising I will return again soon.

Losses

2007-10-31T13:39:00.000+08:00

The loss of a friend or a family member through illness is always a traumatic experience. At times like these we become aware that life is very fragile and unpredictable. Our hectic lifestyle and our constant pursue of material gains and other creature comfort often blinds us to the fact that there are other more important things in life. Only when such losses happen that we are temporarily brought down to earth. Suddenly we become aware that relationships between friends and family members have often been neglected in our now very hectic and unfriendly way of life. We realize too late that we could have been closer to someone. We regret that we could have done more to show affection or we could have said something to bring a little more happiness in someone’s life. We regret not being there to help in times of need or for being away too long without contact or simply taking someone for granted. As Frank Sinatra said in his song My Way, “ Regrets, I’ve had a few “, - no one can go through life without having regrets.

Unfortunately, when the time comes for us to have regrets, it is often too late to put things right. I was with this friend of mine in April when she organized a reunion for our Class of ’62. She was undergoing chemotherapy for her illness. In spite of her ailment, and with the anxiety she must have been experiencing, she almost single handedly took on the responsibilities of the coordination, catering and making sure all who wish to attend were well informed. Little did I realize then that that was to be our last get-together. On reflection, I could have given her a few more words of encouragement. I should have told her how much I appreciated her for organizing the reunion party. I could have told her I value her friendship and that I still remember the happy childhood years we spent together in school. These are all the regrets I now have, but it is too late for me to tell her or show her that I valued her friendship. All that I have left is the hope that she knew I was a good friend.

Very often, our resolution to be more caring towards our friends and loved one cools as the pain of our loss subsides. We tend to forget quickly and return to our less caring ways. The loss of this friend has made me more aware that we are all extremely vulnerable and we are here only for a very short while. With this thought, I sincerely hope that I would be able to look at life through more compassionate eyes. I like to think that I have become a more caring and humble person than I have been before.

So to all who read this, just take a few moment off your busy schedule to reflect. Is there someone who would welcome a few words from you? Is there a friend who needs a helping hand? Is there someone who you have taken for granted for too long? A kind word, a smile, a helping hand, a simple greeting to someone you meet along the way, all these go a long way to brighten someone’s day.

We must from time to time stop and reflect and re-calibrate our lives. We must never take things for granted. Tomorrow may be too late to say the kind words we like to say to someone we care about. Time is precious and once gone will never return.

A sad day

2007-10-22T11:20:00.000+08:00

I have just received the sad news that our dear friend who has been inflicted with cancer has departed from us this morning. She passed away peacefully. Let us take comfort knowing that she is now at peace with God.

The Class of '62 had a reunion in Kuala Lumpur earlier this year. She was the organiser and thanks to her, old friends were able to meet to renew friendship. It was a joyous occasion. She will be sadly missed and we will all remember her with fondness and as a very special friend, always happy and generous.

Farewell dear friend. Rest in Peace.

Segamat

2007-10-21T20:41:00.000+08:00

We have decided to travel to Segamat for an overnight stay on October 25th. Have not been back for more than a year. It would be nice to see the family again. I am really looking forward to savouring the famous Segamat durians again. I have it all planned. When we get to Segamat, the first thing we do would be to go for our koon-lo-mee for lunch. I usually have double helpings.

I guess I better call my brother to book dinner at that famous new restaurant in Segamat. Have to tell them to get me some soon-hock fish. I am really looking forward to this trip. I have been to many countries, seen many cities, but Segamat my little hometown still hold a very special place in my heart.

On a sadder note, a classmate of mine from Segamat has been suffering from stage IV cancer. I have been told she is getting weaker and she wants her remaining time with her family. She is in KL. We are planning a KL trip in early November. Maybe we will pay her a visit then.

Travel Agenda

2007-10-20T22:22:00.000+08:00

The next two and a half months is going to be rather busy for us. We are planning a trip to Segamat to see the family and another to Kuala Lumpur to meet up with some school friends and also for some shopping. KL has always been a place where we can literally shop till we drop. Things are cheap and the ringgits go a long way. Hotels are first class. We always pamper ourselves staying in 5 star hotels for around 50 GBP per night. The last hotel we stayed at was the Royale Bintang adjacent to the Curve in Petaling Jaya. It is a top class hotel with a hugh shopping mall next to it. Another part of the complex houses all the restaurants serving cuisines from many different countries. It is a convenient hotel and I think we will return to stay there on our next visit.

After KL we will be spending a week in Pattaya, Thailand. We have been to other cities in Thailand but this will be our first to Pattaya. On the return trip we might spend a night or two in Bangkok. After Thailand we are considering a few days in Hong Kong and Macau before Christmas. Christmas and the New Year will be spent in Singapore. We return to UK in early January.

Garden Renovation - The Saga

2007-10-20T08:22:00.001+08:00

The garden renovation promised by the contractor to take no more than 4 days has gone into its 6th day with no end in sight. Bad weather was blamed for the delay, but if you ask me it is just bad planning and management. Over the last few days they have been on the project, I have noticed that the 2 Bangladeshi workers were not putting in their share of the labour. One of them was sleeping on one of our garden chairs most of yesterday afternoon when the contractor was away. I guess one should not expect work dedication from the imported labour force. As they say, if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.

I will be glad to see the back of this lot and get my life back to normality. The floor of the house is filthy with sand and mud and I have to walk around in shoes in the living and dining room.

It has been raining all morning - another day delay on the card ?

Garden Renovation

2007-10-15T13:15:00.000+08:00

We have decided that our garden here in Singapore needed a facelift. The mango tree at the centre of the garden has stopped producing fruits and we have decided that the leaves that accumulate on the ground while we are away could become a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

It has taken them 2 days to remove the tree with a chain saw that broke the first time out of the box, (made in China), and with lots of screaming and shouting the only remain is the hugh stump protruding from the ground. The plasterer has been busy cladding the wall but it rained heavily and some of his effort has been washed away. The concrete slabs that are to be laid have not even made their appearance. Completion has been promised for Wednesday night. At this rate of progress I would be pleasantly surprised if it is half complete by then. Thursday is my day in JB so they will not be able to work.

The team of workers on the job is made up of 2 Bangladeshis and 1 mainland Chinese. The Chinese has done his share of the work all morning but the other 2 took time off as soon as the contractor was absent.

We have decided to have a mosaic of concrete slabs seperated by 2 inch gaps filled with granite chips. It will be quite nice. We hope that we will not have to spend hours removing the weeds and fallen leaves each time we return to Singapore.

The plasterer has just completed plastering the walls - it is going to rain again and by the look of the sky it is going to be a heavy downpour. Poor fellow, he has to replaster the washout bits again.

Trip To Johor Baru

2007-10-14T10:24:00.000+08:00

On Thursday 4th October we journeyed to JB for some shopping and to check on the house. Not much have change to the house and the neighbourhood. Although situated near the Senai International Airport, the area is still not quite developed as expected. When the government of Johor announced the development of the Iskandar Development Region, a 900 sq km site, we envisaged a great transformation to the region. Our house is well within this region, so we had great expectation for the regeneration of the whole region. A year has passed since the announcement, but nothing noticeable has happened. We wait and see what the next few years would bring to the region.

Our house in JB is still the same, except maybe the grass in the yard has grown taller and more overgrown. Our watchman still makes his daily round, so we expect no damage to the property. The Indian lady across the road keeps a watchful eye over the property. For this I have always shown my gratitude. She has a mentally handicap son who stays home. Each time we visit JB I would bring him breakfast of roti prata, some sweets, cakes and drinks. He has become a great friend of mine. From a very shy and reserve boy during the early days, he has become a very smilely person and always rushes to the door to greet us on our arrival. Good to see a smile on his face on each of our visit. We visited the usual spots to shop, buy hooky DVDs and lunch. We decided on fish head curry which was very good as always.

My 2 weeks visa ends on Thursday 14th October. Looking forward to another trip.

Singaporean drivers

2007-09-28T01:47:00.001+08:00

Our first night in Singapore and we were invited out for dinner. Having been in the UK for the last 4 months I have almost forgotten the Singaporean drivers’ manners when they get behind the wheel. It was a rainy night and the roads were all wet and slippery. From home to destination was no more than 10 kilometers. It took us about 40 minutes and I was bullied no less than 5 times along the way. I must say I do not enjoying driving in Singapore. Singaporean drivers have manners from the gutter.

Singapore is trying very hard to becoming a first world country. I have no doubt that they will achieve that with the way the Singapore government is going about it. However, when Singapore finally attain first world status, the mentality of Singaporean drivers must also be upgraded.

First world status with a population of third world mentality is futile.

When driving in Singapore I have to constantly remind myself that I am in Singapore and I have to expect the unexpected.

Singapore again

2007-09-27T13:53:00.000+08:00

We are now back in Singapore again. It has been 4 months since we left. Nothing has changed while we were away. The drive back home on the west coast from Changi Airport was as normal except for that there was a little more traffic on the road.

Four months away and the house was covered with dust. The floor was dirty and covered with a thin layer of black dust/soot from vehicle exhausts. Walking with bare feet resulted is black soles on the feet. The first job on the priority list was mopping of the floor. We then went to the local supermarket for our essentials and a little dinner at the foodcourt.

This morning I went out for my morning paper and my coffee at the local market. Sitting down at a table for my coffee and read my papers an old man in his 70s struck up a conversation by pointing to the headline on the paper and saying that there will be more trouble in Myanmar. To my great surprise he continued by saying that the same thing should happen in Singapore. From him I found out what COE and ERP stand for. They should stand for Certificate of Entitlement for car ownership and Electronic Road Pricing. He said they should stand for Certificate of Extortion and Everyday Rob People. He was a very unhappy man. I made a hurried departure from him as I was not prepared to be marked by any government agent who might be lurking nearby. I cannot afford to be marked as one who asks too many questions or who is too outspoken. I need my visa to stay in Singapore.

My next stop was to my vegetable seller friend. I greeted him by asking how he is and about his business. He too indicated a great downturn in his business since our last encounter 4 months ago. Things are getting harder by the day for ordinary people in the street he said.

Singapore is an economical miracle. The stock market is at a high peak and as a country it is doing extremely well. However, from the marketplace, people are whinging and grumbling at high costs, price hikes on daily essentials and transport. One comment often heard is that the great Singapore miracle is only good for a small percentage of the population. For the majority of Singaporeans things are getting tougher.

It is going to be an interesting 3 month stay here in Singapore. Who knows, things might change for the poor Singaporeans. It is changing elsewhere, why not in Singapore?

Returning to Singapore/Malaysia

2007-09-08T14:37:00.000+08:00

Another three weeks or so and we will be returning to Singapore and Malaysia. Just as well, summer is almost over and weather hasn't been too warm lately. Life has been pretty quiet over the last 4 months we have been here. Apart from the occasional visit to see Alexa our grand daughter we hardly have any contact with anyone else. Our 3 UK boys are all independent and hardly have time for us these days. Guess that is to be expected. They are all busy with their own lives and us old folks should not expect too much. I guess parents are not too high on children's priority lists in this modern time.

Back in Singapore and Malaysia we are closer to family and relatives. Looking forward to our regular visits to JB and the occasional trips to Segamat. Singapore isn't too bad, if one accepts the Singaporean way of life - impersonal and unfriendly.

I am really looking forward to visiting Segamat and KL in October. It would be good to return to Segamat to see Wee Ching and hopefully to KL to see Peng Yan again. Segamat has always been the place I call home. That is where my roots are.

Just in time for visitors

2007-08-31T02:35:00.000+08:00

No sooner have the renovations of bathroom, shower room and cloakroom been completed, we hear news of family members coming to stay with us. Next week we have relatives from London coming over to stay while their flat undergo a kitchen renewal. It is only a small kichen so I guess the fitting of their new kitchen will only take a few days. Our recent bathroom and toilet renovation took a total of 2 weeks. During that period we felt that it was better for us to rough it out rather than to impose on relatives. In order to complete the work as quickly as possible I had to work approximately 12 hours a day. During that fortnight I really felt my age. Made me realise that I am not as nimble as I was in my younger days. I am just now slowly recovering from my aching arms, knees, fingers and back. Next project on the card will be the renovation of our kitchen.

After the departure of our London "guests", I shall be looking forward to having my sister-in-law and daughter from KL for a few days in mid September. It would be lovely to have them stay with us for a few days.

Then in October we will have to return to Singapore. I cannot honestly say that I am eagerly looking forward to my trip to Singapore, but one bright spark in this trip will be I will get to visit Kl and Segamat. Really looking forward to that.

Back to old routine

2007-08-28T15:51:00.000+08:00

We had Alexa for 3 days over the Bank Holiday weekend. Yesterday we had to send her back to her daddy at their home in Cobham. I must admit that I do miss her this morning. During the days she was with us, she brought back memories of the time when my 3 boys were her age. It doesn't seem so long ago when my own 3 boys needed me the way Alexa did when she was with us. Now my 3 sons are all grown-ups and independent. Contacts with them are rare. Well, I guess that I should not expect too much, lest I get disappointed.

Alexa is with her daddy and her nanny now. Looking forward to her next visit which I hope will be in a fortnight's time.

Our grand daughter

2007-08-26T15:16:00.000+08:00

We have Alexa our grand daughter staying with us for a few days. This is a very special girl, loving and a pleasure to have around. Ofcourse all grand parents say this about their grand children. Alexa is our only grand child and we love her dearly. We are hoping to have many more grand children, but for the time being, Alexa has given us all the pleasure any grand parents could wish for. Thank you Alexa.

Summer in Welwyn Garden City

2007-07-18T07:39:00.000+08:00

More than a month has gone by since our return to the UK. It has been a busy month. There was much to do in the garden. The lawn was in a terrible state with grass and weeds about knee high. On top of that nearly half the lawn was covered with moss. It took me nearly 3 days to mow the grass, apply weed and moss killer and weeding the flower beds. Now the garden is in a more presentable state but the lawn is still not right. I guess it will need time to recuperate.

We have decided to renovate the bathroom, the ensuite shower room and the cloakroom downstairs. Much of the last couple of weeks have been devoted to the selection of bathroom furniture plus all the purchase of all the bits and pieces that go with such a project. The actual work has not started but the garage is slowly filling up with what will be installed. I will be glad when we finally complete the renovation.

The weather has not been too good. The promised hot summer has not materialized and so far we have had more than rain than the norm. The floods in the northern counties have affected many but here in Welwyn Garden City we have been spared.

Unfortunately owing to the wet weather we have not been able to organize our traditional summer BBQ. Instead, we have had a few steamboat dinners. However, we are still hoping the weather would allow us to hold at least one BBQ this summer.

Life in Welwyn Garden City is rather quiet and peaceful the way I like it. Unlike Singapore, Welwyn Garden City is calm and uneventful. We go for our daily walk, sometime stopping at the supermarket on the way for our essentials. Most days we just stay home, doing a bit of gardening, paint a little and follow the news to keep track of what is happening in the world. Lately I have spent many hours watching a 70 episode Korean story on DVD. It is all about the going ons in the royal kitchen in old Korea. I am on the 68th episode!!

I am looking forward to the next 2 and a half months here in UK. Singapore is fine for short periods. It gets boring after a while there. However I am looking forward to our October return to Singapore. I am anxious to get back to Segamat to see the family again.

Returning to UK - June 6 2007

2007-06-07T18:17:00.000+08:00

Writing this at Changi International Airport waiting for my flight back to the UK. It have been two and a half months since I left my home in Welwyn Garden City. Much has happened during this stay in Singapore.

Singapore is the same. Read my previous postings if one is interested to find out my feelings about this tiny red dot. Enough said. Much have happened over the last two and a half months. We traveled twice to Kuala Lumpur, once to meet up with my brother before he left for the UK to sort out accommodation for his daughter’s university education later in the year. The next trip to Kuala Lumpur was for the reunion of the Class of 1962. A few trips to Johor Baru during these last two and a half months for shopping and renewal of visa, a few days in Ho Chi MInh and I am on my way home in Welwyn Garden City.

The last two and a half months have also brought some sadness into my life. I lost my second aunt in Singapore. After a long illness she finally gave up the fight. My yoiungest brother who is only 54 years old has been diagnosed with motor neuron disease. Peng Yan my nephew is currently being treated for leukemia. My neighbour in Welwyn Garden City died suddenly. I was not there to say my final farewell. Life is fragile and unpredictable. Just confirms my belief that we must never take things for granted. While we are here on this earth we must always bear in mind that we are all here on a very temporary basis and whenever we can we must make sure that we have compassion and understanding. Kindness to others always leaves me with a good feeling inside. I am determined to better myself during the time I have left on this earth. I would like to make a difference, albeit in a very small way.

Ho Chi Minh City - June 2007

2007-06-06T11:59:00.000+08:00

Just returned from a few days in Ho Chi Minh City. We joined a conducted tour group starting from Singapore. They were a total of 20 people in the group. My wife Dianne’s sister Yoke Leng and her husband Francis were also in the group.

We went by Tiger Airways, the budget carrier. It was a no frill airline with no refreshments on board. As it was only an hour and forty minutes flight, it was not too bad.

As it was a conducted tour all travel formalities were the responsibility of the tour operator. The hotels were quite satisfactory. In Ho Chi Minh City we were at the Amara, a 4 start hotel. The one night we spent in Voontau we were in MeiLi hotel, a 3 star hotel. That was basic but adequate.

On the first day, on arrival from Singapore we were taken for a tour around the city. We visited the Red Cathedral and the General Post Office. These are very grand buildings built by the French during the colonial days. We then visited a Chinese temples. The Vietnamese are mostly from the Buddhist faith so there are many temples scattered around the city and the adjacent villages.

On the next day of our tour we were taken to see the Cu Chi tunnels. These were the tunnels constructed by the VietCong during their struggle against the Americans and the South Vietnamese Army. We were shown all the ingenious booby traps invented by the VietCong to counter the sophisticated weaponry of the American Army. There was a section of the Cu Chi tunnels preserved for tourists. Crawling through the tunnel, albeit only for a distance of 40m was very tiring and one must appreciate how it was like when the VietCong had to virtually lived in these tunnel for very long periods when they were fighting the American. One must admire their tenacity and sheer dedication and most of all the hardship during those dark years. I came away from that site full of admiration for the VietCong and it left no doubt in my mind the reason how a ragtag army with nothing but sheer guts won a war against a mighty giant like the American Army.

The rest of the day was spent back at Ho Chi Minh City visiting yet more temples. Some of these temples were quite interesting. If only I am more into Chinese folklores, maybe I would have appreciated these temples better.

On the morning of the third day we traveled to a seaside town of Voontau. This is a seaside resort for the people of Ho Chi Minh City. It boasts many hotels by the sea and it was a favorite place of recreation for the French during the colonial days.

On the next morning we climbed the hill with a large statue of Jesus at the top. They called this the Jesus Mountain. To ascend this hill one has to climb many stone steps. The height of the hill from the bottom is only 120 m. For the young and fit climbing that hill was a breeze. However for the many senior citizen tourists, it was a relatively hard climb. After struggling to the top, we were rewarded by a very good view of the sea, the coastline and the city of Voontau. After the hill we visited the palace of the last king of olden day Vietnam. This became the residence of the French Governor. It is now a museum with relics from sunken Chinese ships of the old trading days with the Chinese from up north.

Return to Ho Chi Minh City for the third night of our tour. That night we had dinner on a boat with a live band and a singer. Dinner was good. After dinner we set sail up the Saigon River for an hour cruise.

On our fourth and last day we visited the Mekong Delta. Took a ferry boat to one of the islands to visit some fruit plantations and savor some local fruits and tea. We then traveled on some sampans back to the ferry to take us to our coach waiting on the other bank of the river. On the way back to the hotel we were taken to some lacquer ware factory where we witness some artists painting and constructing lacquer murals.

On the morning of the fifth day we were taken to the International Airport for our journey back to Singapore. The whole trip to Ho Chi Minh City was enjoyable and revealing. Vietnam is still a socialist republic and most people are poor compared to the more advanced states in the region. However, the people are friendly and hospitable. Life is simple for now but I have noticed some signs of westernization and economical advancements. It will not be long before the Vietnamese join the rush for wealth and material possessions like their northern neighbour, the Chinese.

Ho Chi Minh City is a very crowded place of 8 million inhabitants. The most common mode of transport is the motorcycles which can be seen everywhere. The traffic in the city overwhelming and the best way to describe it is - an orderly chaos.

I enjoyed the trip, but will not return for another visit, not because I dislike the place, but because I would like to see Hanoi up north.

Wonderful Day in Segamat

2007-05-11T23:36:00.000+08:00

The day started well. We got off early and we were across to Johor Baru in Malaysia by 6.30 am. Decided to use the SatNav to guide us to Segamat. It took us to places we had never been before but it did get us onto the North-South Highway, although the toll charges were higher.

The drive was uneventful. We decided to stop at one of the rest stops for a coffee, but unfortunately it was close for maintenance and cleaning.

Arrived in Segamat at 9.30 am and decided to proceed o our favorite koon low mee stall for brunch. At usual the food was good and we were not disappointed. Two plates of koon low mee and a drink came to RM6, approximately 90 pence.

We then proceed to brother Tong’s house to see elder mother. She was very happy to see us but complained that I should have told her in advance of our visit so that she could make my favorite carrot cakes for us. I did not want her to go to too much trouble as she is now 93 years young and making carrot cakes require quite strenuous stirring. I love her carrot cakes but I am not willing to cause her too much physical effort. At her age she should be taking it easy.

The morning was spent chatting and trying to find out the latest on Peng Yan and Wee Ching’s illnesses. Peng Yan’s is undergoing chemotherapy and I was told the Wee Ching’s illness has been confirmed to be motor neuron. I hope their conditions do not get worst.

Peng Yan is currently in KL for his treatment. I called on Wee Ching but found him out of the house. I must remember to telephone him in the next few days. Went over to See Yee to consult him about Peng Yan and Wee Ching. I had a feeling that he told me in not so many words that prognoses for both cases are not too good.

We then went out for lunch with mother, Tong and wife and Phyllis. The six of us thoroughly enjoyed ourselves over lunch. We had my favorite fish, the soon hock, toufoo, chicken in Chinese wine, asparagus with scallop and oatmeal prawns. Lunch cost RM220 or 30 pounds, half the bill was for the fish which cost RM110. Food is always delicious and cheap in Segamat.

After lunch we went over to the fruit market to buy durians. Unfortunately there wasn’t any durians from Segamat. Those that were on sale were from Thailand, a vastly inferior type that wasn’t up to our Segamat standard. As we could not purchase any durians we got 6 large pineapples for RM20 and a dozen mangoes fro RM35. The total fruit bill came to about 8 pounds.

At 4.30 pm we said our goodbyes to mother, Tong and sister-in-law and went to the local Giant store for some groceries. On the way out of Segamat we paid a visit to see my god daughter. She has grown at least 6 inches since our last visit. She is prettier and a very well mannered girl. I am glad. Gave her an angpow and also one to each of her sisters.

We left Segamat at around 5.30pm and got to Singapore at around 9.30pm. We stopped at Yong Peng for the famous Yong Peng fish balls.

It was a wonderful day seeing the family again. Sad that Peng Yan and Wee Ching are both unwell but let hope by some miracles they come through these ordeals. However, it was good returning to Segamat, albeit only for a day. Somehow it made me feel whole again.

Day in Segamat

2007-05-09T09:41:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow we travel to Segamat for the day. Have to start very early in the morning to avoid the congestions at the Immigration Check Points. The first half of the journey will be along the Malaysian North-South Highway. This part of the journey will be as uninteresting as it gets when one drives along any major motorways. There are rest stops along the way so we might just break the journey for some snacks or coffee. The second half of the journey will be along the old trunk road between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Segamat being midway between the two cities. The whole journey will probably take 3 hours. This part of our journey will be more interesting passing through vilages and through rubber estates and oil palm plantations. Theyn have upgraded the road so driving here is better than the old days.

The main purpose of the journey is to visit family members who are still in Segamat. It is also to satisfy my desire to visit my birth place and to touch base with my roots. As one progresses in life and especially when one reaches the twilight years of life, it is always good to return to ones roots every now and again. Trips like these always bring me back into perspective, and of course happy memories.

The plan for tomorrow is to gather the family members for a lunch, deliver a few angpows and also to visit my god-daughter. Haven't seen her for such a long time. Looking forward to seeing again.

I am also loking forward to havoing a durian feast and to bring some back to Singapore for family members. Segamat being famous for the best durians in Malaysia.

It will only be a day trip, so we would probably leave Segamat at around 4 pm for the journey back to Singapore.

Will write about the trip in my next post.

Reunion for Segamat Batch of 1962

2007-05-08T01:44:00.000+08:00

More than six weeks have gone by since we returned to Singapore. Time has flown by and much has happened. The first week was devoted to cleaning the house and getting ready for the arrival of Denise and our grand daughter Alexa who was coming to be with us for 2 weeks. I was not looking forward to having guests but now after the event it wasn’t too bad after all. Had to cook and prepare lunch everyday for Alexa, but that was OK as I enjoy cooking anyway. My real problem was having to look after her during a great part of the days when her mother was out of the house. It has been a long time since I had young children to care for. It brought back some good memories of years gone by.

The 2 weeks with Alexa was rather good. She was a very easy child and it was not too difficult keeping her occupied. We had many painting and colouring sessions and by the end of the 2 weeks my repertoire of nursery rhymes have more than tripled. I was also very impressed by how intelligent she has become. At the tender age of 3 she could count to 100, knows her A to Z and she could add any 2 numbers between 0 and 10. A very intelligent child indeed.

We left for a 3 days trip to KL soon after Alexa and Denise left for UK. The trip was very good. Got to meet up with Onn and Julina again. Had a wonderful banana leaf lunch under a tree by a roadside on the first day. Onn and Julina were perfect hosts. Lunch was excellent and the company was better than ever. Onn, cousin of the current Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, and having 2 uncles who were former Prime Ministesr is still the same as he was during the school days when we were the best of friends. We met up for dinner again the next day and Dianne and I took them to a very peranakan restaurant. The food there was very very good and we thoroughly enjoyed the meal. Food there was so good we went back to have our last dinner before we returned to Singapore.

The next day was devoted to shopping and dinner with my brother Wee Thow and his daughter Shin Yunn. They were just leaving for a few days in UK to prepared for Shin Yunn’s entry to Cardiff university. The seafood dinner we had was rather special. Had Geoduck for the first time. For those who are not familiar with Geoduck, it is a large clam imported from the waters of Alaska. It is eaten raw, sashimi style with wasabi. Rather delicious.

After our KL trip we returned to Singapore. Gary, Dianne’s son was leaving for a 3 month stint at Nike HQ in Portland USA. We had a farewell dinner and said our goodbyes. He left alone, Carrie his wife will join him next week.

On April 27 we left for another 4 days in KL. On April 28, my school batch of 1962 held a reunion dinner at the residence of one of our classmates. A total of 26 old school friends attended. Some or most of whom I have not seen since we parted 45 years ago. It was a very nostalgic event. Some of us came with our spouses. Most of us have changed in our appearance. Almost all have retired or semi-retired. Many of us have increased waistline and many have receding hairlines. However we all remember the good old days when we were in Segamat. We had a very enjoyable reunion and we have all promised to stay in contact via telephone and email.

Lunch next day was another gathering for the batch of 62 at the Lake Club in the Lake Gardens of KL, guests of Onn who is a member. It was another wonderful get together. We all parted with good wishes to all.

The rest of our time in KL was devoted to more shopping and eating.

We may be planning another trip to KL within the next week or so. Got to visit a development site where Denise has purchased a luxury apartment. Tomorrow I have to go to the Vietnamese Embassy to collect my passport, hopefully with a visa for our planned 5 days trip to Ho Chi Minh City on May 30.

I will be glad to leave Singapore. It is getting to be boring and repetitive. I have recently taken up a course in Forex trading and I have been rather busy learning the trade. It is fun and I hope to make a few dollars to supplement my non-existence income of late. Got to earn some money to fund my travel.

My Three weeks in Welwyn Garden City

2007-03-22T03:52:00.000+08:00

Three weeks have gone by since my return to the UK. Now I am on my way back to Singapore. Writing this in the Holideck Lounge at Heathrow Terminal 4. Of all the lounges that I have visited, this must be one of the worst. Although quiet and clean, this lounge offers nothing more than a few packets of crisps, nuts and soft drinks. Alcohol is available for those who drink. I cannot imagine anyone would pay USD 15 just for the privilege to use this lounge. My Priority Pass comes with my American Express which entitles me to use this lounge free of charge.

The weather during the three weeks in the UK has been very good. Spring was in the air. All the daffodils in the garden are in full bloom. The three plum trees, the apple tree and the pear tree in the garden are all starting to put out their blossoms. Everything was coming alive and it is a great time to be in the UK. A pair of robin are nesting in the nest box and another box nearby is being occupied by a pair of blue tit.

With spring comes the need for some gardening. The lawn has been mowed and the roses trimmed. The flower beds have been weeded and a covering of mulch applied to reduce weed growth. More work is needed in the garden but it will have to wait until our return in June.

I wonder what is in store for me in Singapore over the next 3 months. I will try to paint a little. It is also my intention to catch up with old classmates from Segamat. We have the planned reunion on April 28. Looking forward to that.

Writing this flying at 35000 ft over India. Dianne has been upgraded to First class. Unfortunately I am in Economy. The flight is half full so there are many empty seats available to stretch out for comfort. Singapore in another 5 hours. Looking forward to some warmer weather. It was snowing when we left Heathrow last night.

How I spend the next three months or so in Singapore will depend on our travel schedule. We plan to spend some time in KL, JB and possibly a trip to China.

Singapore to UK – February 26 207

2007-02-28T13:37:00.000+08:00

Writing this flying at 35000 feet over Iran. 7 hours have passed since departure from Singapore and we have another 6 hours to go before arrival at London Heathrow. The flight so far has been comfortable. The flight attendants have been marvelous and we have been well looked after. I guess that you get a little special TLC when you fly first class. We were originally scheduled to depart Singapore on BA012. On arrival at the airport we were informed that there were 2 vacant first class seats on a slightly later BA016. We chose the latter. This is a Boeing 777 with a capacity for around 240 passengers. A smaller plane which also means quicker embarkation and disembarkation. Well, here I am, in complete luxury as far as air travel goes, on a flat bed writing this for my next posting.

This will be almost a turn-around trip. We will be in UK until March 20 when we will return to Singapore. Spring is just beginning in UK and I would like to tidy up the garden before the new growth. As the weather this winter has been rather warm, I guess the daffodils must be in bloom. We have been in Singapore since December 10 2006 and we miss Alexa our darling grand daughter. I will be good to see her again.

After nearly 3 months of Singapore I have this urgent need to get out and be somewhere else. The tidiness and the regimental culture of Singapore can be quite suffocating after a while. They mentality of the Singaporeans is rather unique. They are so kiasu and kiasi. For those who are unfamiliar with these two description, kiasu means “ afraid to lose to others, always must be on the winning side “ and kiasi with a literal translation of “ afraid to die “. This means the Singaporeans are not risk takers. They would rather others take to plunge and they will follow if they find profit at the end. Everything in life becomes a competition with the Singaporeans, from education for their children to jumping queues.

Life in Singapore can be good and can be bad. The good side of it is one generally feel quite safe. As long as you abide by the rules you will not fall foul of the law. The bad side of living in Singapore is that you always have this feeling that big brother is watching. Of course you will have to learn to accept the Singaporean way with all their bad habits. If you can live with all that, then life in Singapore can be quite pleasant.

I am rather looking forward to UK. The weather would be quite good and with spring in the air it will be a good 3 weeks break from Singapore. Seeing Alexa again will be great too. Another 5 hours of flight and we will be in UK. Great!!

A Trip to my Home Town - Segamat

2007-02-06T21:12:00.000+08:00

At long last on February 5, I managed a trip back to my hometown Segamat. We left Singapore at 6 am and by 6.30 am we were in Johor Baru. The North-South highway was good because traffic was light at that time of the morning. We called in at a rest stop where we had coffee. If possible try and avoid the beverages at such places. We had to abandon our drinks. They were not even up to motorway standard.

We left the North-South highway when we got to the Yong Peng turn-off. From then on we journeyed along the old trunk road. This road has been vastly improved and the rest of our journey to Segamat was quite good.

We got to Segamat at around 9.30 am. We proceeded to have our breakfast at the coffee shop which is noted for its local coffee and kaya toasts. After breakfast we took a walk along some of the old streets of my hometown, Nothing has changed, except maybe for the merchandise in the shops. We walked passed the shop house and I pointed out to Dianne the little place where I was born and where I lived for 17 years before I ventured out into the world. I must admit it brought back some good memories.

Next we over to visit mother at brother’s Tong’s house. Mother is well and looking very good. For a 93 year old she is extremely healthy. I pray that she will remain so for a long time to come. Her only complaint is the slight loss of hearing. I am so happy she is well. As usual we sat and chatted, with mother asking about how we are getting on and how our children are doing. Having assured her that we are all well, she appeared happy. I could tell she was very pleased to see us. I had to dampen her elation a little by telling her we were not staying the night in Segamat. However, she was quite please at my suggestion that we lunch together at a local restaurant. The lunch was excellent. Good food and loving company certainly make a joyous occasion.

WE stopped at a local fruit seller and bought 10 durians, some pomeloes and some langsat. We presented 2 of the pomeloes to mother for prosperity in the New Year.

After lunch we returned for another chat at home. Then it was time to say goodbye again. I gave her an ang pow to help her celebrate her Lunar New Year My mother asked that I make regular trips home. I said I will try. On the way back to Singapore on the other side of town we dropped in to see one of my aunt and my little god daughter. Unfortunately my god daughter was still at school. We chatted with my aunt for a while and started on our journey back to Singapore.

We got to Singapore at 6.40 pm. On the way home we went by Marn Seng’s, Sister Yoke Leng’s and Gary’s to deliver the durians.

It was a good day. Visits to Segamat always cheer me up. I cannot say it does the same to others. Segamat will always be the place I call home.

Disappointment in Johor Baru

2007-01-26T10:56:00.000+08:00

My wife says I am too sentimental. I am now retired and having lived in a foreign land for the last 40 years I have returned to Singapore/Malaysia, well at least to live here 50% of my time. Now that I am back, I have decided to seek out my old school friends for renewing old friendship and maybe remember a little of the old days. My trip to Kuala Lumpur before Christmas was a fruitful and enjoyable experience. On that trip I managed to meet up with four school friends including a very good pal and his charming wife. It was quite an experience. Good food and fine company certainly go a long way to making it a happy night out. That night the group parted with promises to stay in touch. Life during retirement would be better and happier when old friends can get together from time to time to chat and exchange life experiences.

However, my attempts to establish contact with old friends in Johor Baru have so far been unsuccessful. I have twice traveled to Johor Baru hoping to meet up with old school friends there, but twice I have been disappointed. Maybe my wife Dianne is right. I must not expect others to have my enthusiasm to reconnect with old acquaintances. Others may look at life differently and may have other priorities. I shall let the old friends of Johor Baru take the initiative for our reunion, if there ever was going to be one. If not, then I shall have to be satisfied that at least I have succeeded in Kuala Lumpur.

I am looking forward to my next trip to Kuala Lumpur next month. Another dinner with fine friends and renewal of old friendship.

Guess the Country

2007-01-20T23:03:00.000+08:00

What is it that makes me feel so trapped each time I come to this country? Why do I feel unfulfilled and lonely? I often feel that I am wasting away my life here in this tightly controlled state. Is it because apart from family I have virtually no friends here? Maybe it is because I am not used to the special way of life here. Or could it be that the local population have a totally different emphasis on what is important in life.

After much careful deliberation, I think I have come to the best explanation. It is not just one reason or another. It is in fact a combination of all. It is all the little things that make this country unique. However, although all the local quirks and kiasu-ness combine to give me this feeling that I should get out fast if I value my sanity, the one thing that is so unnerving is the fact that the people of this country place so much importance on money and material possession. It is almost a religion that one should amass as much as possible in the shortest possible time. The race for ownership in everything large or trivial is so important to the population of this tiny country that it has become an obsession. In this race for wealth and materialistic possession, there are many casualties, most evidently those at the bottom of the social ladder. They either get trampled upon or worse they are totally ignored. Of course from time to time, in the main stream media, one hear or read about government effort to reach out to the under privileged with financial or other form of assistance. In my opinion these are usually few and far between and very often too little too late. It has also been widely accepted that the income divide in this country is getting larger. There are the few percent of the population who are extremely rich and powerful. Then there are the middle class who are by Asian standard quite comfortable. Lastly there exist at the lowest rung of the social ladder a section of the population who are very poor, again by Asian standard. The number of people that makes up this portion of the population varies, depending on who you ask or who is providing the figures. The magnitude of this section of the population also depends on the criteria one uses to measure wealth. By whatever means one uses to determine the number of the poor, there is no denying that such deprivation exist.

Over the last few years I have been traveling to this country. I have noticed a steady increase in the number of beggars, tissue paper vendors, vagrants and also people sleeping rough. This country is ranked as one of the richest in this region. For such a small population of true blue locals I am amazed to find so many desperate people.

As in any society there will always be crimes. I just have this feeling that this is also on the increase. The daily newspapers can vouch for that. You read about a whole string of reported crimes each day in the newspapers. Littering is another problem on the increase. This country has always pride itself on cleanliness of the streets and thoroughfares. They employ lowly paid foreign workers just to sweep away leaves fallen from trees and other rubbish from the streets. Each morning on my way to Seven Eleven for my papers I have noticed an increase in litter along the roads from the night before.

Increase in crime and litter has largely been attributed to the imported labourers who are here to perform menial tasks of labouring and cleaning. Whether it is true that there imported foreigners are fully responsible for this increase is arguable. I am sure the local are also partly responsible. The street where we live here in this country is used by pupils from a local school. We frequently find litters along this road used by the pupils to and from the school. Are they responsible for the rubbish along our road?

An incident I witness a few days ago. After purchasing the newspaper from Seven Eleven I often settle down to a cup of coffee at the coffee shop nearby to read my papers. On this particular morning I was joined by a couple in their 60s two tables away. They were there for their morning beverages. The man was smoking and he had a bad cough. He was coughing almost non-stop and each time he coughed he brought up a mouthful of phlegm which he spat on the floor of this coffee shop. Within a period of about 5 minutes he must have repeated the process half a dozen times. I could not imagine he did not realise how disgusting his action was. I hastily gulped down my coffee and made a quick exit from that place.

There is an uneasy quiet here in this country. The mumbles and grumbles of discontent are mainly in blogs under the cloak of anonymity. Nobody here would voice their opinion, why, you might ask. Well, I have learnt that here in this country you must always keep your opinion to yourself and if you hear an opinion being given, believe not a single word of it.

What I have written here is just my personal opinion based on personal observation. I do not mean to cause any hurt to anyone or any organization.

Can you guess the country I have been referring to? No prize for the correct answer !!!

Hometown Segamat Flooded

2007-01-15T12:28:00.000+08:00

The unusual heavy rain in the southern part of Malaysia has resulted in flooding in many low areas of Johor. Many towns and villages have been isolated and in many cases reachable only by boats or helicopters.

My hometown of Segamat in north Johor saw unprecedented heavy floods during the end of December 2006. Some homes in the region were completely submerged and many had to be evacuated to temporary relief centers. Many homes were left without electricity and water supply for many days. Many residents of Segamat and the surrounding villages lost practically all their possessions. It was a sad time for Segamatians.

The first week in January 2007 saw the easing of the rain and the flood in Segamat subsided. Many moved back to their homes, only to find devastation and destruction. Many home furniture had to be discarded and those who were insured replaced them with new ones. For those who were not insured had to pay for replacements or had to make do without. Items such as refrigerators, washing machines and all other heavier furniture that were not easily moved to higher grounds were the main casualties. Those who moved back home after the flood started the tedious and heartbreaking task of cleaning and disposal of damaged belongings.

Just as things began to return to normality, came the next blow for Segamat. The second week of January brought more heavy downpours. Many towns and villages affected by the December disaster began to flood again. Segamat was not spared. Villagers from surrounding areas around Segamat had to be moved to relief centers again. The water level of the Segamat River rose to a dangerous level. Further rainfall would undoubtedly bring more distress to all in Segamat. Some trunk roads to Segamat were also under water making it impossible for travelers in and out of Segamat.

It is a worrying time for residents of Segamat and for all those who live away and are worried about their family and friends back home.

Let’s hope the next weeks bring drier weather and things can return to normal again.

JB in the rain

2007-01-13T13:42:00.000+08:00

We went to JB on January 12 to renew my Singapore visa. The journey to JB was slow as it was raining very heavily in Singapore when we left. When we got to JB the rain had increased in ferocity making driving very difficult. The journey to Senai took twice as long. Our usual breakfast place was deserted because of the rain. We had our usual breakfast and after purchasing breakfast for our neighbour's handicap boy we proceeded to our Saleng house. The rain continued with great intensity.

After visiting our Saleng house we proceeded to shop at Giant. The supermarket, usually full of shoppers was almost deserted and it was quite an experience shopping in the almost vacant store. Lunch was at the foodcourt at Giant. Had KFC.

Our next destination was Jusco at Terbau City. The journey to Jusco was tricky as by then the road was already under 6 inches of water. On arrival we found the whole shopping complex in total darkness. Electricity cables to the complex had been damaged by the heavy rain and the ensuing flood. Only Jusco was in operation as they are on a different electrical supply. We did a little shopping and decided to leave for JB town and City Square. Easier said than done as by then the rain had further increased in intensity and even the trunk roads were under about a foot of water. There was so much rain water on the roads that all vehicles had to move at a very slow pace. After much wet and hazardous driving we finally got to City Square. Relaxed here with a Starbucks while Dianne went shopping. The rain had not let up but people inside the shopping mall went about their business of shopping and eating ignoring the bad weather outside. We decided to have dinner at Hamid's before returning to Singapore.

On the homeword journey back to Singapore the rain continued albeit with lesser ferocity. I worry about Segamat being flooded again. With so much rain in Johor I am afraid that more floods for my hometown is a distinct possibility.

Old Friends

2007-01-08T22:27:00.000+08:00

I left Malaysia for the United Kingdom in the year 1966, the year England won the World Cup. After primary and secondary school, a total of eleven years, our batch graduated in 1962. A farewell party was held and there were promises of staying in touch. Most of those promises either faded away or never got started. Most of us from year 1962 left our hometown Segamat either for tertiary education or took up employment in larger cities in other parts of Malaysia or Singapore. Staying in touch was quite difficult in those days. Telephone calls were expensive and the internet had not been invented. I guess after a short time there was very little contact between any of us. Those with families in Segamat our hometown, only returned during special occasions like Christmases and Lunar New Years.

I left for UK in August 1966. In those days travel was expensive and there was no way one could return home for annual visits. In 1969 after completion of studies I started work and only managed to save up enough for a visit to Malaysia in 1970. Further visits to Malaysia became less frequent owing to work commitments and the thirst for travel and to visit other countries. Memories of childhood friends faded and stayed in the background of my memory for many years. The only childhood friend that was constantly in my mind over the years was Onn. I had always wondered what had become of Onn. It had always been my hope that we would meet up again.

My wife Dianne and I took early retirement in 2000 and since then we had been traveling far and wide. Lately through a posting at Segamat.com, a few of us managed to re-establish contact. On my last trip to Kuala Lumpur five of us, including Onn and his charming wife, managed to meet up for a seafood dinner. The food was good, the company excellent, making it a wonderful night indeed. We parted with promises to keep in touch. Now with the internet and email I hope we will keep contact with one another.

Abdul Malik from Kluang, Balbir Singh, Wee Meng and Tong Lim from Johor Baru are childhood classmates whom I would very much like to meet up again. A get together will be organized soon and I am looking forward to seeing them again.

After so many years away from Malaysia I have finally made my way back home. I believe I have completed a full circle. Now with time on my hand, no more responsibilities towards work or children, I have decided that it would be good to make contacts with old friends again. Memories of school days, friends from childhood are precious and I hope that I would be able rekindle these old friendship again.

Satellite Navigation - Singapore

2007-01-08T01:54:00.000+08:00

Today we tested a satellite navigation system in Singapore. The unit is named Tipo. Having spent an hour figuring how to work it, we spent the day putting it to a road test. We drove from west to east of the island and then back again. All in all we found the unit very useful and easy to use. When a mistake in the driving direction was made, the system recalculated a new route and we were able very quickly to get back on track again. The unit is small and compact and easily fixed to the front just on the inside of the windscreen.

The only drawbacks that we found were,

1. The voice for the direction instructions spoke with an American accent and the pronunciation for some road names were unclear.

2. The touch screen is a little sensitive and the alphabet and number panels are too small. Operation on these while the car was moving proved a little problematic.

These are the only down points of the system. I enjoyed using the system and look forward to purchasing it for our use in Singapore.

Buying a car in Singapore

2007-01-07T16:01:00.000+08:00

Car buying in Singapore is a total minefield to a non-Singaporean. Here you have to take into account the value of the Certificate of Entitlement ( COE ), the Preferential Additional Registration Fee ( PARF ), the Open Market Value ( OMV ), Scrap Value etc etc. Then you have the Off Peak cars ( those with red number plates ) which can only be driven at certain period of the day.

The COE is a certificate that entitles one to own a car. This certificate is valid for ten years, at the end of which one must either scrap the car and get back the OMV which goes towards the purchase of a new car and a new COE. If one chooses, one can keep the old car and purchase a new COE for it and continue with the old car.

It is a total mystery to a non Singaporean why sometimes it actually is financially beneficial to scrap a perfectly good 3 or 4 year old car and trade in for a new one. Of course to an outsider it will seem wasteful, but Sngaporeans do it on a regular basis. I am told that this is due to the fluctuation of the value of the COE.

It is a very complicated system and one must understand fully all the mind boggling rules and regulations before a car purchase.

In Singapore, owning a car is a luxury and it is very expensive to keep and run a car. Public transport is excellent and many Singaporens have chosen to do without it. Eleswhere in the world we take it for granted that a vehicle is an essential possession and a necessity but not here in Singapore.

Phuket Cancellation

2007-01-06T15:31:00.000+08:00

Read in the papers today that they are predicting more violence in Thailand. Different factions are jostling for power and influence. The current Thai premier has told the country to brace themselves for more trouble to come. The situation in Thailand I gather is very volatile and anything could happen. They still have no idea who carried out the bombings on new years eve. There are numerous speculations but nobody can tell what might happen from day to day.

In view of the uncertainty and the volatile situation in Thailand at the moment, we have decided to postpone our visit to Phuket. Cancellation of hotel will cost us but Tiger Airways will refund in full because they have cancelled our return flight.

Phuket will always be there and we will visit under calmer circumstances.

Goodbye 2006 - Welcome 2007

2007-01-06T01:46:00.000+08:00

2006 is behind us and we have crossed over into a new year 2007. As I looked back over the year that has just gone by, I asked myself,

Was I a better person than I was in 2005?

Have I, without knowing caused pain and sadness to someone?

Have I been compassionate and understanding?

Have I been too arrogant?

Have I spent enough time with my family and friends?

What have I achieved during the last twelve months?

Have I learnt anything new?

I would like to think that as I get older I have become wiser. I hope that with age I have also become a better person. I hope that in 2007 I would be able to bring happiness to all I come in contact with. I will try to be more compassionate and where needed I will always be willing to lend a helping hand. If I manage all these, then it will be a very good year for me.

Phuket - Thailand

2007-01-01T10:19:00.000+08:00

We are scheduled to visit Phuket on January 9, 10 anf 11. In view of the New Year Eve bombings in Bangkok, we are wondering if we should proceed with the journey.

The second wave of bombing at the stroke of midnight into 2007, was aimed at tourists. I am wondering if Phuket will be safe during our trip. Just have to keep an eye on how situation develops in Thailand over the next week.

Thailand aka the Land of Smiles has started 2007 on a bad note. lets hope things do not deteriorates further.

Happy New Year

2007-01-01T00:22:00.000+08:00

Happy New Year to one and all. Let us hope and pray that 2007 will bring with it Peace and Harmony between nations, Love and Compassion all over the world and let us all contribute towards the peotection of our environment.

My day in Johor Baru

2006-12-31T22:27:00.000+08:00

Our trip to Johor Baru today was most enjoyable. The drive into JB was quick and trouble free. Surprisingly the traffic to JB was very good and within half an hour we were in Malaysia. Today is the Haj holiday and there were fewer vehicles on the road.

We visited our house in Saleng and then proceeded to shop at Giant supermarket for groceries and fruits. Bought a pair of cordless telephones for our Singapore home. I think we went a little overboard and spent nearly RM400 at Giants, more than our usual shopping bill. Some items purchased are for UK but most are for Singapore consumption.

After Giant supermarket shopping we proceeded to Carrefour along Jalan Terbau. Bought a few items from Carrefour. Carrefour has a wider range of products we usually buy from Giant and we found that it is cheaper too. We have decided that our future grocery shopping will be from Carrefour instead of Giant.

On our return journey to Singapore we stopped at Pelangi shopping mall. We could not find a decent restaurant for our New Year Eve celebration dinner. Bought a few hooky DVD and continued our journey back to Singapore.

Our New Year Eve celebration dinner was at Clementi Food Centre - we had Singapore Laksa!!!

Selamat Hari Raya

2006-12-31T22:24:00.000+08:00

I would like to wish all muslim readers of my blog Selamat Hari Raya.

Singapore Off-Peak Car

2006-12-30T22:41:00.000+08:00

Just read in the papers that Singapore cars that have off-peak registrations are not allowed to enter Johor during peak hours. Off-peak cars are only allowed on the Singapore roads during periods between 7 pm and 7 am the next morning and from 3 pm on Saturday through to 7 am on Monday. I guess these restrictions will also apply to Malaysia from January 1 2007. With that in mind, it looks like we will be able to use our off-peak car in JB only during weekends. However this will be a problem as we will need the car to visit Malaysia utility offices to pay utility bills. Such offices are closed during the weekends.

Well, we will have to think about solving this problem soon.

Tomorrow is Sunday and that means we are allowed to enter Malaysia with the car. Plan to do a little shopping at Giant Suprmarket and also a visit to Terbau City. Lunch will be at one of the restaurants in Terbau City.

My life in Singapore

2006-12-30T14:13:00.000+08:00

My life in Singapore cannot be called dull, but on the other hand I wouldn’t consider it interesting either. To live in Singapore I have come to the conclusion that one has to understand the mentality of the people. There are many good and gracious habits of the Singaporeans and there are as many ugly aspects one encounters here too. To have a happy life here one must learn to “ blend in “. I certainly do not mean that one has to bring oneself down to the level of some ugly sides of the Singaporeans, but one has to learn to accept that it is the norm here. If one cannot accept this concept then it is better to stay clear of this little “ red dot “.

The longer I remain here in Singapore, the more I find life bearable. In the beginning I was constantly at odds with certain behavior here, where in a civilize society one would take as rudeness. Here are but a few of the what I call unacceptable behavior one encounters in a day to day life in Singapore.

Queue jumping – this is a norm. Singaporean must be first in everything; hence they are always looking for ways to be ahead.

Loud – Singaporeans speak loudly in public places. Noise pollution or courtesy to neighbours is an alien concept.

Never give way – if you see a Singaporeans walking towards you and without avoidance would result in a crash, you better give way or there will be a crash.

Rude drivers – Singaporeans like to be considered as citizens from a first world country. The way they drive, they might as well come from a third world African state.

Money grabbers – To Singaporeans money is God. There is no other more important item in the whole world that even comes close in importance as money is to the Singaporeans. There is a saying that Singaporeans would sell their mothers for money; however, I personally think that that is going too far.

Ungracious – You seldom hear a Singaporean say thank you when you hold the door open for them or when you allow them to pass before you. However, I tend to put that down to the Singapore way and not rudeness through intention.

I very seldom see young Singaporeans offering seats to the elderly or the needy in public transport or anywhere else for that matter.

Of course there are many good points about the people of Singapore. Surprisingly I am unable to think of any right at this moment. When I do, I will publish them in my blog at a later date.

My Hometown Segamat Flood

2006-12-25T15:52:00.000+08:00

The torrential rain over the past week has taken a toll on many low areas in Malaysia. Unfortunately, my hometown of Segamat in Northern Johor has been badly affected. The town was completely cut off for 2 days. Roads into and out of Segamat were submerged in many feet of water.

Many buildings including shops and residential houses in the newer part of town have been flooded. Some relatives of mine have had to be evacuated because their residences were under 3 to 4 feet of flood water. Electricity and water supply to the affected areas have been cut due to cable and pipe damage. In certain areas these essential services have not been reinstated.

It is sad to see so much damage and suffering cause by nature. Thankfully the worst is over as the rain has stopped. Clearing, cleaning and repair work can start now that the water has receded. The highways into and out of town are open and hopefully life can get back to normal again.

KL and Back

2006-12-24T23:37:00.000+08:00

Tuesday 19 December 2006 was a bad day for driving up the North-South Highway from Singapore to KL. The drive was pretty slow due to the heavy downpour practically all the way. Started the journey from Singapore at 9.30 am and by the time we got to the Malacca junction it was almost 12.00 pm. As we were in no hurry to get to KL, we decided to make a detour to Malacca town for lunch. We looked for and found this lovely peranakan dining place and had a delicious lunch. The lunch was certainly worth the detour.

After lunch we continued our journey north toward KL. The rain continued to be heavy so the remainder of the journey was slow. We got to KL at about 4.00 pm. Owing to the heavy rain of the day, we later found out that a great part of Johor has been flooded including our hometown Segamat. All roads in and out of Segamat were impassable. Our town has been completely cut off.

Mandarin Oriental was our hotel. Situated right next to KLCC and the Twin Towers it was conveniently located for shopping and food. During our 3 days stay we did our usual tour of KLCC, Bintang Walk and Imbi Plaza. Food was always good in KL. Bak Kut Teh for breakfast, noodles for lunch and dinner at the Overseas Restaurant.

The last night was special. I got to meet up with Onn again. Onn my friend from my school days back in Segamat was kind enough to arrange for the dinner at Fattycrab Restaurant. He also arrange for me to meet up with Chin Moh, Soo Leng and Yok Yin. The best part was I got to meet his charming wife Julina. It was a wonderful dinner and a pleasant trip down memory lane.

We will be making another trip to KL in the new year and I hope to be able to see all my old friends again, especially Onn and Julina.

Kuala Lumpur

2006-12-18T11:45:00.000+08:00

Kuala Lumpur my favourite city in Southeast Asia. It is nowhere as clean and orderly as Singapore, but unlike Singapore it has character. One feels alive when in KL. At least here one does not get the feeling that "big brother" is watching you wherever you go. A more relax atmosphere and a fantastic place for R and R.

Food in KL is far superior than that found in Singapore and far cheaper. Shopping in KL is better and cheaper and a totally more interesting experience.

The KLites are friendly unlike the majority of Singaporeans. Here you see smiling faces instead of the "I do not care" stares one gets with the Singaporeans. Malaysian are a friendly lot and it is always a pleasure being in Malaysia. Coming across the causeway from Singapore into Malaysia is like a breath of fresh air.

I am traveling to KL tomorrow. I am all packed and looking forward to a few days in KL. Ofcourse I am a little bias, I was born in Malaysia.

A day in Johor Baru

2006-12-16T04:02:00.000+08:00

Today we decided to go to Johor Baru in Malaysia. Started early at 6.15 am hoping to beat the usual heavy traffic at the immigration check points in Singapore Woodlands and also in Johor Baru. Unfortunately as it is the end of year school holiday in Singapore there was already a long queue at the Causeway when we got there at 6.35 am. We managed to get into Malaysia at 8.00 am. Proceeded to Senai where to stop for our usual breakfast of wonton mee and coffee. Got to our Senai house at 9.00 am only to find that the water supply to the house had been terminated owing to non-payment of water bills. On top of that, we received a letter from the sewer department of Senai summoning us to court for non-payment of sewer charges. As the house had not been occupied there should not be any sewer charges. A visit to the sewer department soon solved the problem and procedures has been started to rectify the anomalies.

Stopped at our usual Malay fruit seller for our supply of fruits. Bought some mangoes and pineapples.

Visited the water department to pay the fine and outstanding charges but as there was a long queue waiting to be served when we got there we decided to pay the fine another day and at the same time apply for reconnection.

The rest of the day was spent at the Holiday Inn Plaza and Terbau City. At Holiday Inn Plaza, Dianne my wife, visited the hair salon for a hair cut while I shopped around for the latest hooky DVDs of the latest movies. I found 11 movies for a mere RM66 ( approx 9 GBP ). Also bought a little USB fan for the laptop. Now I can keep cool while working on the laptop.

Lunch was at the Meritus Meridian. It was a buffet lunch. It was delicious and a mere RM85 ( 12 GBP ) for both of us.

Terbau City was for shopping. Dianne bought a few blouses and a handbag. We shopped for groceries at Jusco. Bought some soft coconuts and a box of doughnuts for Ivan and Kenny ( brother-in-law’s boys ) and then proceeded home to Singapore.

Return journey was traffic free and we got back at 9.00 pm after dropping off the coconuts and doughnuts for the boys.

Back in Singapore

2006-12-12T14:38:00.000+08:00

Now back in Singapore. Winter has arrived in the UK. When we left on Sunday December 10 the weather was grey and wet. It was a typical winter day. Can’t say I am not glad to leave the wet wintry weather. However, not that I am here in Singapore, I am not too sure I am going to enjoy the heat and the humidity. Anyway I am going to be here for the next two months so I better get used to this weather.

Heathrow on December 10 was a total disgrace. Chaos was everywhere. Owing to the extra security measures at the airport, the queues through security checks were a total shamble. The people who came up with the way passengers were handled should be ashamed of themselves.

All passengers after check-in were told to queue in a holding tent outside the terminal building. The queue formed was around 250 people in length. Then there were the constant calls for people with earlier gate closing time to come forward to join a priority queue. We had 4 hours to spare before our gate closing time, so we were classed as low priority and hence constantly pushed back to the end of the queue. We finally got to the security checks with only minutes to spare before the gate to our flight closes. It took us 4 hours from the time we joined the queue to boarding our flight. It was not the best day for UK with so many frustrated world travelers seeing the ugly side of a very angry and disappointed mob.

The journey from home in UK to home in Singapore took us a total of 24 hours. It was a long day!! The flight was OK. We were in Economy class on this trip so there were no luxuries. BA has never been known for comfort. Food was of the usual airplane variety. BA cabin-crew was OK but one could see that the aircraft has seen better days. The toilet furniture were old and needed repair. One of the toilets had a broken seat and the panel behind had been glued to hide a crack. The seat I was in had a broken headphone socket with sound coming only from one earphone. Well BA is noted for safety and maintenance of its aircrafts. Let’s hope that although the aircrafts are old, they are well maintained.

First day in Singapore, the weather is considerably warmer than that in UK. Looking forward to a trip to JB this Saturday and a few days in KL next week. In January we have booked a few days in Phuket.

Spain - Costa-del-Sol

2006-11-23T19:07:00.000+08:00

Mijas

Hercules cave - Tangier

Hercules Cave - Tangier

Monkey of Gibraltar

Rock of Gibraltar

Sunrise in Marbella

Esplanade - Fuengirola

November in the Costa del Sol in Spain is highly recommended. The weather at this time of the year in this part of Spain ranges from 20 – 28 deg C, although rain could be a problem. During our week in Spain we had only one rainy day.

Our holiday resort, the Club La Costa, situated just outside Fuengirola on to road to Marbella, was impressive. It was a very large well equipped holiday resort suitable for retirees, young couples and families. The apartments were very comfortable, clean and well maintained. The facilities within the resort cater for holiday makers of all age group. I guess the resort would be the sort of place the British holiday makers would go for their summer vacations. We were there in November and although it was off season the resort was quite crowded with holiday makers from United Kingdom, Europe and the United States.

This part of Spain is popular with summer holiday makers from the UK. The surrounding beaches and the esplanades in coastal towns are magnets to the sun seekers who enjoy the abundance of sunshine and alcoholic beverages. Suitable also for family with young or teenage children, this part of Spain offers guaranteed summer sunshine and a whole host of other activities.

The nearby towns from the Club La Costa resort are worth visiting. From the resort one could go on day excursions to some popular town.

Fuengirola

This is a typical Spanish coastal resort town with a long esplanade lined on one side by restaurants and bars. The beach was quiet during our visit. Along the esplanade one can also find luxury apartments for rent during the summer season. I guess this town would probably be extremely busy and crowded during the summer months. The town or Fuengirola is quite a busy place with shops, restaurants and bar. The bus station which is the heart of town is always crowded. From here one can take bus rides to other nearby towns in the area. The bus services are efficient and a very cheap mode of transport.

Marbella

Marbella is a bigger holiday town than Fuengirola. The esplanade stretches for more than a mile with the usual bars, cafes and restaurants. Luxury apartments line the seafront with a sandy beach. Even in November the place seem to be quite crowed with tourists and Spanish holiday makers. Away from the beach front the town of Marbella is picturesque and well planned. The streets are clean and the traffic smooth flowing. There is a large section of the town reserved for pedestrians. This is the shopping area with restaurants and cafes. There are park areas within the town. These are well kept and there are numerous clean garden benches for weary tourists. On the whole a pretty town, well worth a visit.

Mijas

Mijas is a small Spanish town nestling on the slope of the hill behind Fuengirola. It is a typical Spanish town with white buildings along narrow streets. It is a very beautiful little town with friendly people. The scenery from this place is just unbelievable. The weather on the day we were in Mijas was clear and we could see all the way to Fuengirola and out to the blue sea beyond. Sitting outside one of numerous cafes, drinking lovely coffee and looking out over the valley to the sea was just so peaceful and out of this world. Of all the towns along Costa del Sol, Mijas must be one of the best places to visit.

Gibraltar

A trip to Gibraltar when at Costa del Sol is a definite must. Only an hour and a half away from the resort the rock of Gibraltar offers tourists a view of the famous rock that has been a bone of contention between Spain and the UK for so long. A drive up the rock to view the town below is another attraction. Up near the top one must visit the cave which offers a view of the famous stalactites and the stalagmites. Also near the top there are the permanent residents of the rock, the apes of Gibraltar. These are actually not apes but monkeys. They are friendly and have no objection to being photographed.

Tangier in Morocco

To get to Tangier one has to travel by coach to Tarifa near Gibraltar. From here there is a fast ferry to Tangier. The crossing takes 45 minutes. The day of our journey to Tangier was rainy and windy and the crossing was very rough. A visit to the restroom verified the roughness of the sea. The storm got worst later that day and our ferry for the return journey was cancelled. We had to return to Spain via Algeciras on the car ferry.

In spite of the rain Tangier is an interesting city. Here we could see the mixture of cultures from Arabic Islam to Western Christianity. Churches and mosques exist side by side. Spoken language is mostly Moroccan although Spanish and French are also common.

The souk of Tangier is an interesting place to visit. Here they sell everything from Moroccan clothes, shoes, artifacts, carpets, spices to the modern TV, DVD players etc. A very interesting place to visit with its little narrow alleys. When in the souk one must be prepared to be followed by a whole string of vendors of local brass and wooden souvenirs.

Near Tangier there is a cave called Hercules Cave. This is an interesting place where mill stones were mined in days gone by.

Unfortunately our day in Tangier was wet. Had the weather been nice we would have had a better experience.

Our week in Spain was good. Enjoyed the trip and the experience.

Kew Gardens

2006-10-14T23:22:00.000+08:00

London Kew Gardens

A trip to London will never be complete without a visit to the city’s famous Kew Gardens. It has been a long while since our last visit a few years ago. Here at Kew Gardens one can be assured of something spectacular at any season of the year. Our visit was on a fine October day. The last of the roses were still in bloom. The leaves on most trees were still bright green although on some there was a hint of yellow and gold. Early spring will be for the crocuses and the snow drops. Spring will find a brilliant display of different varieties of daffodils. Roses, rhododendrons and other flowers during summer, autumn for the change in colours of the leaves and winter is a time when most plants and trees hibernate away the cold months. It is safe to say that Kew Gardens is worth a visit at all times of the year.

On the day of our visit there was the promotion for cranberry, highlight on pumpkins and a display of more than 200 varieties of apples.

The Princess of Wales Conservatory is worth a visit. Here you will find a fine display of plants from regions in the tropics to the desert. The plants are well displayed with brief descriptions for each.

The rock gardens are well presented with rockery plants some of them still in flower.

Attached are some photographs of the day. Enjoy.

Chicago

2006-10-05T17:49:00.000+08:00

Chicago aka The Windy City

Three days in Chicago was definitely insufficient to do all the things and see all the interesting places in this city. It is a very vibrant city with many interesting sights. We spent our three days walking the streets of Chicago. It took us a whole day to walk the Magnificent Mile. This is the Chicago version of Oxford Street of London. Here are all the major stores where one can purchase all designers goods. A walk along this stretch is a must when visiting Chicago. The restaurants scattered in this area are also quite good.

Another place to visit in the city is the Navy Pier. From here one could take mini cruises or boat rides to see the famous Chicago skyline. On the day of our visit to this pier, it was the end of September and the weather was a little chilly. The activities on the pier were limited. On a good summer day, I am sure it would be a livelier place.

The Millennium Park of Chicago is situated in the heart of the city. This is a nice place to spend a pleasant afternoon. The open-air concert stadium within the park holds regular musical events.

A three day visit is insufficient to enjoy the whole of Chicago. It is definitely worth a second visit.

London

2006-09-10T04:06:00.000+08:00

Today we went into London to meet up with our son Martin for lunch. Have not seen Martin for such a long time. It was good seeing him again after so long. He is doing well and happy at what he is doing. It is indeed satisfying to see children doing well. Makes it all worthwhile.

We have not been to London for quite a while. It has not lost it charm. As it was such a nice day, people are al out having a good time. Chinatown is still the same, crowed and vibrant. There are new shops and restaurants here and there, but on the whole it is still a very interesting corner of London. As always lunch was good.

After lunch and a walk through Piccadilly and Leicester Square we poceeded to Baron's Court to visit Yuen and Keng Yoong and their newborn baby. Baby Rae-Lin is coming along well.

Coming home on the underground we met up with the Arsenal fans returning home after their 1 -1 draw at home with Middlesbrough. Must have been a disappointing match for the Arsenal fans. No wonder there wasn't any faces amongst them.

Visiting London on a nice sunny day like today is good and enjoyable.

Life in Welwyn Garden City

2006-08-31T03:33:00.000+08:00

It has been nearly 2 weeks since returning to UK. The weather has been lousy. It has rained almost everyday since our return. I guess it is better than the heat and humidity of Singapore. The rain is also good for the garden. The underground water table which is very low at the moment would require to be replenished. The weather in the UK as in all regions around the world is going crazy. Global warming has been blamed for all these extreme weather we have been experiencing.

August is coming to a close and come September we should be slowly getting into autumn. I like the autumn colours. The leaves of trees will start turning yellow, brown and gold. The weather will slowly get colder and we can all start preparing for winter and Christmas. I think we will be in Singapore for this Christmas. However, before returning to Singapore in early December we will be spending a few days in Chicago inn September d a week in Spain in November. Looking forward to these trips.

Back in UK - August 2006

2006-08-18T18:33:00.000+08:00

Security checks at Changi Airport before departure were very thorough and because many were caught off guard, there were delays because extra time was needed to sort out what could and what were not allowed as cabin baggage. On arrival at Heathrow we were again delayed because no one knew what had happened to the items that were confiscated from the cabin baggage. After much to-ing and fro-ing we finally located our belongings and were able to depart Heathrow. The whole journey was quite an experience.

Our home in Welwyn Garden City was as we had left it, except that we had difficulties opening the front door owing to the amount of mail that has piled up behind it while we were away. Owing to the dry couple of months while we were away, the garden was in a terrible state. The fruit tress looked dehydrated. The fruits on them are small and dry. Well, not going to be a good harvest this year.

All things considered, it is good to be back in UK again. We can go for our daily walks which we can’t do in Singapore due to the hot weather. It is good to shop at the supermarkets again without having to fight for parking. These are but a couple of things that I miss when away from UK.

The garden is now sorted and with the additional water from the kitchen waste and the rain, I hope the fruit trees will revive and provide us with a few fruits. While we are away, the garden birds have not been fed. Now they are back feeding on the bird feeders we have in the garden. It is relaxing to sit in the conservatory and watch the birds.

Oil painting is another hobby of mine that I do when in UK. I have just embarked on touching up some old seascape paintings I did years ago when I was working in Iran. Now that I have gained a little more experience in painting with oil, these old paintings are beginning to look rather amateurish.

Life is beginning to get back to the UK norm. It will be another 4 months before we have to leave for Singapore again. During this time we have a trip to Chicago planned and another to Spain in November. Looking forward to these.

Nasty Experience at Changi Airport

2006-08-12T20:39:00.000+08:00

I was caught up in the upbeat security at Changi on August 10 on my way to London. The security at Changi was a total mess. No one knew what was happening. You ask 10 airport personnel, from check-in staff to security officer, and each will tell you a different story and procedure. On the flight before us to London also, they were not allowed to take on board cabin baggage, not even handbags. Everything must be checked in with only passport and money going into transparent bags. On my flight we were allowed cabin baggage. Why the change in procedure all within an hour, we were not told. On arrival I met some passengers from the earlier flight still trying to find their lost cabin bags that were taken off them by check-in personnel. One lady in particular could not find her handbag which contained her car keys, house keys, jewelry and all the items a lady normally carry in their handbags. On top of all that she had with her a young child who was tired and was crying his eyes out. The mother was literally reduced to tears.

Singapore airport is one of the best operated airports I have seen. However, when caught off guard, the whole airport just went into a state of panic and everything seems to fall apart. I dread to think what it will be like if there was indeed a real emergency.

At Heathrow, things were not much better. No one seem to know whether the confiscated hand baggage were loaded on the plane or still in Singapore. It was left to the passengers themselves to go through a mountain of unclaimed bags to seek out their own missing properties. A few were lucky and found what they were looking for. However, many were rather desperate with no one to turn to and not knowing what to do next. One cannot blame those who lost their temper, and many did. After a long haul flight of 13 hours, with children crying because they were tired, parents not knowing what to do, whether to leave the airport or wait till their lost properties turn up.

All in all, a very nasty experience at Changi and also at Heathrow.

Final days in Singapore

2006-08-10T09:54:00.000+08:00

Goodbye Singapore – Hello London

August 6, 2006

I am writing this while still in Singapore and counting down the days when I will be able to wave farewell to Changi Airport. Date of departure is August 10. Well, after nearly 2 months here I have just about reached my tolerance level of this little island. I must admit in some way it is nice to be here. I have part of my family here and seeing them and being close to them is great. Malaysia is just across the causeway which is also good for my fortnightly visits. There are a few things I will miss when I leave here. On the other hand I am also quite looking forward to returning to UK.

Today we went to Chinatown for a dim sum buffet. Food was good and I must admit I had a little too much. No dinner tonight. The most important thing I have to do when I get back to UK is to go on a strict diet and to go for our daily walks. The daily walks will not be a problem; however going on a diet might just prove too difficult. Will just have to wait and see.

August 8, 2006

Visited Orchard Road for a little last minute shopping. Dinner at Food Republic along Orchard Road. The place was quiet considering that it is the eve of the Singapore National Day.

August 9, 2006

Today Singapore celebrates National Day. There is a National Day Parade at the stadium but it is by invitation only. I am really not bothered anyway. I certainly am not interested. Can’t see why they make such a big fuss over it.

We went to the Singapore Swimming club for lunch and then went on to the IMM Mall for some last minute shopping for the wife.

August 10, 2006

Today we leave Singapore. Booked on the night flight on BA016. Really looking forward to our home in Welwyn Garden City. Wonder how the garden has turned out with the lack of rain for the past few weeks. The bird feeders would all be empty and the poor garden birds will have all left. One of the first things that has to be done will be to top up the feeders. Then there are the fruit trees. Hope they are all OK. Looking forward to the fruits from the 3 plum trees. They should be just ripening around this time of the year.

My next post will be from UK.

Singapore customs officer at Causeway

2006-08-01T12:50:00.000+08:00

Returning from JB last night after a day of shopping, I was at the Singaporean customs area where they check the vehicles. It is a standard practice that all vehicles entering Singapore must undergo a visual inspection by the Singaporean authority. When it was my turn for this inspection, I got out and open the boot of the car. The boot was full of bags of shopping and various kinds of fruits. The usual type of questions asked are, "do you have any cigarettes? do you have any drinks, meaning beer, spirits or wine?" My answer has always been "No, I do not drink or smoke".

Last night was somewhat different. None of the usual questions were asked. Instead this customs officer, with his unsmiling face looked at me and poked around the boot. The conversation went like this,

"What have you got in the boot?"

"Some shopping for food and fruits in JB"

More poking around, opening up bags and digging deeper into the pile of shopping bags.

"You got meat?"

"No, I do not have any meat in my shopping bags".

He reached into a bag containing a few sachets of curry powder and came up with a pack that says, "For meat curry". He held this up in infront of my face, almost shoving it up my nose, pointing to the word "meat", and said.

"You have meat, SEE?"

"No, it does not contain meat, it is for cooking meat, it does not have meat in it at the moment".

"It is meat, it is here on the packet".

"It is curry powder, no meat". I said.

Looked at me to see if I was shivering with fright. I was not, but quite amused by this ignorant twit.

Grudgingly he threw the pack back into the bag and poked around a quite a lot more, obviously still not satisfied that he did not find anything. I could see he was out to catch me on something and because he did not find anything he was quite unhappy. Stared at me a little more to see if he could detect any guilty twitch. I smile back and muttered under my breath, "have your fun, you ignorant bast***. With a wave of his hand as if to dismiss a slave, he indicate that I could close the boot. With that he just strode off.

Well, if he had bothered to look into the car, on the back seat I had 500 cartons of cigarettes, 100 bottles of bootleg liquor, 250 live chickens, 50 pigs, 45 cows, 300 sheep and a partridge on a pear tree.

What an experience !!!

Johor Baru - Malaysia

2006-07-31T22:27:00.000+08:00

Just returned from a day trip to one of my favorite places - Johor Baru or JB to the locals. It is just over the causeway from Singapore. Visited our place in Saleng about 30 Km north of JB, which is about 3 Km from Senai Airport. As usual there were a few utility bills to pay and after that we proceeded to Giant Superstore for our shopping. The place was packed as it was a public holiday in Malaysia. The two things the Malaysians like best are to eat and shop. There were children everywhere. Finally all the shopping was done and paid for. The whole lot of shopping only came to RM345 ( approx. 50 GBP ).

We then proceeded to Holiday Inn Plaza another shopping complex. Here we visited out opthalmetrist who fitted a set of new lenses to my broken sunglasses. Dianne my wife had her eyes tested had a new pair of reading glasses prescribed. Total bill came RM100. I bought a few hooky DVD from here at RM6 a piece. Due to the clamp down on pirated DVD, transactions of such DVD had to be behind closed doors. I am glad to see that the price of prirated DVDs have come down due to lesser demand.

At 2 pm we went to Jusco shopping mall at Terbau. Dianne had her hair washed and cut and I just walked around soaking in as much of Malaysia as possible before I had to return to Singapore. Had a drink at my usual Starbucks and at 7.00 pm we returned to Singapore.

It was a good day out of Singapore and I am now in possession of a 2 week Singaporean visa which will allow me to stay here until I leave for London on August 10. Looking forward to leaving Singapore.

Leaving Singapore

2006-07-27T13:36:00.000+08:00

Leaving Singapore again in two weeks time. Looking forward to returning to UK and the long warm summer days. I must say I have no regrets leaving Singapore. Two and a half months in this place is just about as much as I can take. The country as a whole is not too bad. It is clean, tidy and orderly. The only downside about the whole place is the people. Singaporeans are certainly not the kind of people I like to be with for too long.

UK has been experiencing some extremely hot weather recently. I understand that there is a hosepipe ban in place. The lawn will certainly be scotched and dry. I hope the fruit trees have survived. Actually I am looking forward to the succulent fruits from the three plum trees I have in the garden.

Another concern of mine is the 100 bottles of wine I have stored in one of the bedrooms upstairs. I hope the hot weather has not damaged them. Wish I had a cool cellar for wine storage in my house.

The next two weeks will be quite busy with last minute dinners or lunches with friends and relatives. I have already put on a few extra kilos during to cruise and trip to KL, so I am dreading this two weeks of more dining out. Must seriously consider a diet and exercise regime when I get to UK.

Between now and our departure to UK we have to make a trip to JB for my Singapore visa extension. I do not mind the day trip to JB. Always enjoy my one day away from Singapore. As I have often said, it is like a breath of fresh air.

One of my favorite cities - Kuala Lumpur

2006-07-24T16:35:00.000+08:00

Kuala Lumpur is one of my favorite cities. After a few weeks in Singapore, anywhere else would be like a breath of fresh air. Although Singapore is neat, clean and orderly, one can only take so much of it. There isn’t anything wrong with Singapore that one can put a finger on, but the Singaporean atmosphere is unique and somehow gets at you after a while. Personally I put it down to the Singaporean mentality - rude and arrogant.

Just the opposite from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, or KL as it is popularly called, is messy, dirty and noisy. The traffic is always bad and on rainy days the whole city can be a large parking lot. People drive like crazy and I often wonder why there are not many more accidents. It could be because the KL drivers are skillful, albeit rude.

My four days in KL were mostly spent in shopping malls. There are so many of these scattered in and around the city. I was staying at the Boulevard Hotel adjacent to the Mega Mall in Mid Valley. Our stay in KL coincided with the Malaysian Grand Sale. Shopping is good and cheap. Other places visited along our shopping trial were the KLCC, One Utama, Bukit Bintang, Sungei Wang and Lot 10.

KL food is much better than that of Singapore. The choices are greater and in general much cheaper. KL hospitality is much better than what the Singaporeans can provide. Somehow there is always an atmosphere of friendliness and welcome from the people of Malaysia. One does not feel the arrogance of the Singaporean here in KL.

There are many thing that Singapore is more advance than in Malaysia. However, in my book, kind hospitality and friendliness are more important than clean streets and orderly traffic.

Seattle & Inside Passage Cruise to Alaska

2006-07-16T21:49:00.000+08:00

Seattle

Going to Seattle from Singapore via either Tokyo or Taipei, the journey was long and tedious. There are no direct flights to Seattle from Singapore. We took the China Airlines flight out of Singapore to Taipei and then from there another connecting flight to Seattle. Having flown mostly by BA, it is a new experience to be on a China Airlines flight. I must say the on-board services are a notch up from what BA provides. The food during the flight was like any other airlines, unappetizing and tasteless. However, the entertainment on China Airlines is much better than that of BA. All movies are on demand and individual control at each seat acts like the control of a DVD player. You can select and start any movie, pause it, fast forward or rewind. The seats are roomier and all in all a more comfortable flight.

Seattle is a nice city with plenty to see and do. Public transportation within the city limit is free. Like most other American cities the road system within the city is in a grid form, with First Avenue to Eighth Avenue running parallel to the coast and other roads perpendicular to these, forming a grid. This makes it very convenient and easy for the tourists.

Most of Seattle is very hilly. The streets, especially those from the coast running inland into the city are generally very steep, making journey on foot quite exhausting at times.

There are many places to visit in and around Seattle. We purchased a package with five tourist attractions. During our five days before the cruise we visited the Seattle Aquarium, Pacific Science Museum, Museum of Flight, Seattle Zoo and a boat ride in Puget Sound which is the stretch of water fronting Seattle. Seattle is a beautiful city with friendly people. The most interesting place is all of Seattle is the famous Pike Market. Situated in the heart of the city and fronting Puget Sound, it is a place for fresh fish and all other seafood, fresh fruits and flowers. Seattle is also famous for coffee. Starbucks and Seattle Best Coffee houses can be found almost on every block in the city area. Breakfast in Seattle is usually pastries or croissants and a mug of lovely Seattle coffee.

Food in Seattle is pretty standard. Like most American cities, one can dine in fine restaurants serving Oriental cuisine to almost all Western food. However, as salmon is in such abundance in this part of the country, one must try salmon dishes prepared by chefs from different countries. Another must-try is the king crabs. The legs of these crabs are at least 24 inches long and they are delicious. It has been said that the fishermen for these crabs have the most dangerous job in the world. I guess that must be the reason they are so expensive.

The Cruise

Our cruise was on the Dawn Princess, sailing out of Seattle. It was an eight day cruise calling at Jeneau, Katchikan, Skagway and on the return journey we called at Victoria in Canada. Along the cruise we sailed through the Inside Passage. The scenery along the way was spectacular, especially at the glacier. Unfortunately due to the hot weather there were too many floating icebergs near the foot of the glacier, thus preventing our cruise liner from getting too near to the edge of the glacier.

We had the privilege of witnessing whales swimming alongside our cruise ship. They certainly are majestic animals and seeing their magnificence makes one humble and small.

A picture is better than a thousand words. So I am including a few photos to show the beauty of nature at it best and long may it last.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I have.

Alaska - The Last Frontier

2006-07-13T08:02:00.000+08:00

It is summer and snow still cover the tops of mountains.

The water is clean and fresh, all from melted snow.

A small piece of ice broken away from the glacier.

Most of this land is still so unspoilt.

The water along the Inside Passage is calm and clean. Dolphins and whales are common sights here. They swim along the cruise ships, usually in the morning and evening.

The air is so clean and fresh. Life here is slow and peaceful.

Sunrise.

They called Alaska the Last Frontier because it is still so untouched and unspoilt. The air is clean and the water fresh. This is nature at its best.

2006-06-24T15:59:00.000+08:00

Princess Cruise – Seattle to Alaska

Leaving Singapore for Seattle on Monday 26 June 2006. We hear that Seattle is a nice city for tourists so we plan to do a little sightseeing before the cruise. After the cruise we will again stay in Seattle for 2 nights for a rest before we return to Singapore.

I shall be bringing along my camera for the cruise and hopefully take many picture of the beautiful scenery we have been promised. Ours is a 7 night cruise and we will be on board when the World Cup quarter and semi finals matches are played. I am hoping that there will be live coverage on board. I will be very disappointed if I have to miss the matches.

I am not too sure what to expect during the cruise. Information from the itinerary suggests that we will be stopping at various ports for sightseeing and learning about local customs and way of live. We could even go whale watching or to see the seals. Looking forward to all that. Should be educational and interesting.

I shall be posting here, if possible along the cruise and if not it will have to wait till I return to Singapore.

2006-06-21T14:38:00.000+08:00

Father’s Day – Sunday June 18 2006

Is this a day for celebration or a day just like any other? Is this day too commercialized by retailers just to encourage sales and bookings at eateries? Fathers whose children take time out of their busy schedules on this day to say “ thank you “ are very fortunate. There are many children these days who are too busy to spare a kind thought to their parents on special occasions such as birthdays and parent’s days. To these I say, remember, one day in the future you too will be parents.

I am one of the lucky ones. Saturday evening was spent with Carrie and Gary. We were treated to a wonderful Indonesian dinner. After dinner we watched one of the World Cup matches at Carrie and Gary’s flat at Tiong Bahru. It was a wonderful evening, spent with loving children. On Sunday Denise who happened to be in town took us for a buffet lunch. Again, a very happy occasion with much love and merriment.

Martin our son from London remembered and send a email wishing me Happy Father’s Day. Much appreciated.

All in all, better than expected. To the fathers around the world who were forgotten on this occasion, cheer up, maybe next year your children will remember you. Expect nothing and you will then not be disappointed.

Singapore - I am here

2006-06-18T04:30:00.000+08:00

Arrived in Singapore after a 13 hours flight. Not a bad journey afterall. Business class travel is a far cry from the economy seats where you are packed like sardines with very little leg rooms - especially on a BA plane. Flat bed travel is surely a luxury on any long haul flight. The food, even in business class is pretty tasteless. However, I cannot fault the service of the cabin crew. They were quite marvellous. In fact they were at time over attentive which makes me feel rather uncomfortable.

Singapore is still the same as when I left about 2 months ago. Nothing ever change here, well, not at any speed, although I am under the impression that the Singapore authority is slowly allowing more "modern" style of advertising. I was in Orchard Road today and walking along Wisma Atria I did notice numerous large posters of very scantily cladded ladies. This would have been totally banned a few years ago. Even on the local TV advertisement one can see the trend that things and lightening up and more body part are allowed. Not a bad thing really.

A strange event is being launched in Singapore, by the Government no less. It is the " 4 million smiles " project. All Singaporean, PRs, foreign workers currently in Singapore have been encouraged to send to the Singapore Government a smiling photograph of him/herself. All collected photographs will be made into a mural which will be used to impress the oversea delegates when they come to attend the World Trade Congress in September this year. Singaporeans are famous for their unsmiling expression when dealing with foreigner visitors. They are considered quite discourteous to visitors to their shores and often to the point of being rude. The Singapore government hopes that this mural will take away some of this bad publicity and visitors will go away with a better impression of the people of this tiny island. From first impression, I think this project is doomed to failure. Singaporeans are not going to change overnight, mural or no mural.

Hurray!!! good news regarding the World Cup. Just found out tonight that the McDonalds near our place is showing all World Cup matches on their in-store TV. I can just go there at 9 pm, 12 am and 3 am to watch all the 3 matches of each day. England v Sweden will be the next match to watch. However, I will be away on a cruise to Alaska from June 26 to July 13. Hope they have World Cup matches on the cruise or I will miss the most important matches.

Watched the Iran v Portugal game tonight. The Iranians really got trashed. Well, they have only another match to play and they will be on their way back to Tehran. Pity really, would have like to see them get to the next stage.

Singapore - here I come

2006-06-17T04:55:00.000+08:00

Today we leave UK for Singapore. I am sad because I will not have the BBC and ITV television channels to watch the remaining World Cup matches. Back in Singapore some of the matches will be played at some ungodly hours of the morning. Well, lets hope England gets far enough to warrant me either paying for a sport cable channel or just have to go to some clubs to watch the matches.

Another regret I have for leaving UK at this time of the year is the weather. I am leaving the glorious sunshine with temperature at a comfortable 25 deg C average to go to a place with temperature of around 34 deg C. The Singapore humidity is the killer. I just hate venturing out of the house because I get soaked in sweat all day long. After a few trips to Singapore the initial excitement has worn off and I do not look forward to my trip to this clinically clean island. Don’t get me wrong, I do not dislike my trips back to Singapore. In fact I quite like it here, now that I have got used to the weather and the Singaporeans. Having lived in UK for the past 40 years I have a great respect for the system here. Here in Singapore everything works. If one abides by the rules and obey the law, you can be sure that you will get things done. Another great thing about this island state is that one feels safe day or night and in whatever part of the island you are in. There are no such places as no-go areas. There are no groups of threatening teenagers or gangs. There is hardly any graffiti, minimum litter on the streets and everywhere you go you will find people sweeping after you. The country runs like a well oiled machine and the Singaporeans are almost robotic going about in their daily quest for money and assets. One word of advice though, be very careful what you say in public, especially where politics are concerned. Another thing, if you drive in Singapore, forget about courtesy.

Got to pack and leave for Heathrow.

Continue later……

Day Trip Dover - Calais

2006-05-05T20:54:00.000+08:00

Day Trip to Calais in France

Found that our supply of wine was running low. So we decided to make a day trip to Calais in France to buy some. Now that summer is just round the corner it is time we replenish our wine store. On a good BBQ day with friends and family, it wouldn’t be difficult to polish off 8 to 10 bottles of wine. So an ample stock is necessay for the coming summer.

We started from home in Welwyn Garden City at 5.30 am for the drive to Dover. Not sure how long the journey will take and as it will be dependent on the traffic situation we started early. The journey was uneventful and it took us just under 2 hours to the ferry terminal in Dover. We managed to rebook to travel on an earlier ferry. The crossing took an hour and a half. The sea was calm and the weather was perfect for a sea journey.

Got to Calais 11.00am French time ( 1 hours ahead of British Summer Time ). We drove straight to Cite Europe which is a shopping mall. The 2 main stores here are Tesco and Carrefour. There are also many famous retailers for fashion, sports equipment and sports wear. There is also a good selection of restaurants. The place is clean and very well maintained. However, as it was a weekday the place was not too crowded.

We did all our wine purchases from Tesco because they have a better selection and also because they list the price of each bottle in GBP as well as in Euros. In Tesco you can find wine from all regions of the world. The selection is so large it was quite difficult to decide which to buy. All in all we bought 108 bottles of white and red and 36 bottles of beer at a total cost of 300GBP which works out at less that 3 GBP per bottle of wine.

From Carrefour we bought some pastries and cheeses.

Our trip back was good. The sea was calm and the ferry was comfortable and well maintained. The cost of the ferry for a car and 2 passengers from Dover to Calais was only 19 GBP, well worth it. Got into Dover at 7.00 pm and back in Welwyn Garden City at 9.15 pm, in time to vote in the local election.

Leaving Singapore - Hello UK

2006-04-27T23:03:00.000+08:00

I have mixed feelings about leaving Singapore where I have been for the past two months. There are many things I would miss about Singapore but at the same time I have to admit that in a way I am glad to get back to London. It is spring in UK now and I just love this time of the year. The daffodils are out, trees are turning green and garden birds are beginning to nest. However, although I am looking forward to be back in the land of cool temperature and lovely daffodils, the thought of the condition of my neglected garden is quite daunting. I can just picture it, the lawn will be 6 inches high, weeds will be everywhere and the trees will need trimming. We do not even have a big garden but as always it will take me about 2 days to get the garden into a reasonably presentable state for a BBQ with friends.

I said that I have mixed feelings leaving Singapore. I was hoping that I would be able to stay in Singapore until May 6. This is the date set for the Singapore General Election. I have been informed that it is a great privilege to be able to witness an election held in Singapore. Singapore is the only country I know of where the odds are so stacked up against the oppositions that the ruling party wins the election before the first vote is cast. Anyway this is not my problem. If the Singaporeans can live with that, who are we to object and criticize.

There are of course numerous delightful things I like about been in Singapore. Food is great and relatively inexpensive compared to dining in the UK. The weather is warm, although the humidity can be a touch uncomfortable. The Singaporeans can be a little unfriendly but that is to be expected. Living in such a tiny country with zero natural recourse and with 4.2 million people all fighting for limited opportunity, one can see that over the last 40 year the Singaporean have become a very ungracious, uncompromising and very hard nose society. I shall go into too much details here, just suffice to say that visitors to Singapore must remain cool and not get too hot under the collar regarding the behavior of Singaporeans.

Now back in UK. Spring is great here. Unfortunately too late to see the daffodils, but the tulips are starting to bloom. Cherry blossoms are everywhere and I am glad to be here to see the arrival of the best season of the year – spring! A pair of robins is nesting in a box I made for them, and sitting in the conservatory watching them flying in and out of the box is just wonderful. In a week or so they will be busy rearing their young ones. I have also 3 nesting boxes for the blue tits, but they will not be nesting for another few weeks.

Our 3 plum trees in the garden are blossoming and there is promise of a good harvest in August. The apple tree and the pear tree are also doing well this year. The weather in UK is nice. Day temperature is around 18 degree C with the night temperature between 8 – 13 degree C. Looking forward to the summer and BBQ season.

Segamat - my hometown

2006-03-29T10:20:00.000+08:00

On March 24 we drove from Singapore to Segamat. The last time I made this same journey was six years ago. I had dreaded the drive from Yong Peng to Segamat where we had to travel along the old trunk road joining these two towns. Six years ago the road was narrow and road marking was a treat. However, my anxiety proved unfounded. To my surprise this stretch of the journey was quite good. The old narrow road has been widened with hard shoulders on either side and with very clear road markings along the centerline of the road and for turnings off the main road. At sharp bends and where necessary the road has been upgraded to two lanes each way for overtaking. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by the great improvement the Johore Government has made on this highway.

The purpose of my trip to Segamat was to visit the resting place of my parents and grandparents during the annual Chinese Qing Ming festival. Having done that we had nearly two day to do all the other things we had planned.

Paid a visit to my old school. It was good to see the grand old building again. Seeing the school and the surrounding ground brought back memories, some good and some not so good. However, it was nice to be there again after so many years. Some of the outbuildings are still as I remember them but there are some newer extensions. The tennis court and the basketball court are still the same and so is the school padang. However, the school padang looks so small now, compared to the memory version.

The old town of Segamat is still the same. Nothing has changed in this part of town. All new development have been concentrated on the other side of the river, in Kampong Abdullah and Segamat Baru. New restaurants with delicious cuisine have mushroomed everywhere. My favorite wontan mee stall was still trading so we was a treat. The best thing about eating in Segamat is the quality and the cheap price of the meals compared to places like KL and Singapore.

Definitely a good trip and I reckon I will do this more often in future.

Cheng Meng

2006-03-20T10:51:00.000+08:00

Returning to my little hometown of Segamat for Cheng Meng. It has been so long since the last time I paid my respect to my parents at their resting place. I hope I will be able to do this more often in future.

Returning to Segamat always brings back memories, some good and some not so pleasent. However, Segamat is where my roots are and like it or not it has always held a special place in my heart. As I gets older and have more time for reflection, I cannot help feeling a stronger attraction towards this little hometown of mine. Over the years I have lived and visited many famous cities of the world, but little Segamat has always been a place I like to visit again and again. Friends and classmates have all but left for pasture new. I hardly know anyone in Segamat nowadays, but it is always nice to walk along streets I used to play in so many years ago. Everything appears to be so small now.

Whenever I visit Segamat, I have the, " I have returned home " feeling. Nice feeling !!!!

I have always maintained that " you can take me out of Segamat, but you can never take Segamat out of me". I am just a country boy at heart.

London to Singapore

2006-03-07T02:38:00.000+08:00

Here I am again, back in Singapore for another 2 months or so. The flight back was OK and as always British Airways flight was full, with most of the passengers on their way to Sydney.

I am just wondering if I would be lucky enough to witness a Singapore General Election during my two month stay. I have heard that the General Election here is like nowhere else in the world. I am still puzzled by many of the aspects of the way things are done here, for instance,

Why do you have to redraw electoral boundaries?

Why do you have GRC?

Why are there so many walk-overs?

Anyone out there willing to enlighten me?

South Korea

2006-02-21T20:58:00.000+08:00

My youngest son, a graduate from a university in the United Kingdom will be going to teach English in South Korea on a one year contract. Although I have been to Seoul for a holiday I have no idea what working condition is like for expatriates in Korea.

Can anyone shed some light on this? Thanks

Happy Lunar New Year to all

2006-01-27T17:03:00.000+08:00

I would like to wish everyone a Happy, Prosperous and Healthy New Year.

Winter 2005 / 2006

2006-01-27T05:39:00.000+08:00

The weather over the last week has been very cold here in London. We have not had snow since our return, but the weatherman has hinted that there might be some along the way soon. Altough it has been cold, we have been fortunate that it has been dry. The cold if combined with rain and wind can be unbearable.

Another month or so of this and we will be in early Spring. Sping, the best season by far with snowdrops, crocuses and finally the daffodils. I always look forward to Spring. This is a season when everything comes alive again. Well, Spring is still more than a month away. We have to get through the rest of the winter. Hope we get some snow soon.