The One and Only Offshore Trip

It has been four months since I left my job as an engineer.

 

I must admit that it was a tough job most of the time, but the experiences you may get (especially if you are involving in oil and gas projects) could be one of the most unforgettable life time experience you could ever imagine.

In 2009 was the most hectic year of travelling as an engineers.

I was away for almost a month in East Malaysia to carry out a site activities when I got a call from my office.

"We need you to be back to attend a problem in Vietnam. Please come back once you are done."

Vietnam?

Doesn't sound too bad for me.

When I told my friend about this, that is what I was thinking of.

The foods.

But in my friend's mind, this is what they think.

Yeah right.

Some of you may think that engineers get to travel and live in luxury hotels all the time.

Yes. But note: SOMETIMES only.

As for this trip, this is where I stayed.

For the next one week.

I took a 4 hours flight to Ho Chin Minh, Vietnam for all this shits.

It is OK.

Then a one and a half hour boat ride to Vung Tau, Vietnam.

It is OK.

Then come one of the most grueling journey I have ever been, a BLOODY 16 HOURS boat ride to the middle of the sea and board on this ship!

IT IS NOT OK.

That's when my memory of my childhood all came back to me. I used to have this sea sickness when I was a 9 years old.

Fast forward to 20 years later, I am supposed to travel on a 16 hours boat ride?

So I slept. Throughout the journey and it actually works.

When we arrived and "checked in" to our "cruise", that's when the show of "My first time" started.

1. The first time I have been separated from my families and friends for one week without a wifi and communication network. I can't even find a way to tell my parents that I have actually arrived safely without been kidnapped by the sulus or the pirates of the carribean.

2. For the first time I have a guy roommate masturbated right beneath my double decker bed while watching porn and enjoying himself. Gross isn't it?

3. For the first time to watch a movie in the theater hall, with Vietnamese porn on it, with a bunch of other guys. (You can't really offend and tell them that you want to watch discovery channel right?"

4. For the first time somebody told me during the meeting "If you can't fix this, I will make sure I throw you into the sea and shoot you personally!". Well, I came back alive. Mission accomplished.

5. For the first time I came to know that some of the full time operators couldn't go home for their Hari Raya holiday. (Well there's a lot of Malaysian there). We have jokes and laughter while enjoying the "kuih raya" brought by the engineers there. It is funny how people mixed with each other and work together as a team, and have fun together as a friends up there. I guess they realized that all of them was in the same boat together, that's why they are united.

6. And finally, for the first time, I was offered to have a helicopter ride back to land, all by myself!

Before i left, some of the crews thanked me and wished me having a safe journey back home.

"Enjoy you stay when you landed, do keep in touch".

All of a sudden i was overwhelmed by a feeling that i am so gonna missed this place so much. The noise, the late night chit chatters, ghost stories and er..the porn cinema?

Then one of the seniors came up to me and say.

"You know what, i don't know why on earth you are bringing a 19kg luggage with you for this trip. It is not even allowed on the chopper. But since you are so helpful all this while, i let you go this time."

Too bad that's the one and only time that I have been to offshore in my entire life as an engineer.

Would I want to go back there again?

Yes i think i really do.





 

IKEA Catalogue Abused

Last week my fiancé suggested that we do some "window shopping" at IKEA for our home.

 

"I think our cabinet too small to fit in all our shirts".

 

Yeah Right.

 

I wouldn't want to elaborate more on this matter. But if you want to have a rough idea on the comparison between MY cabinet and HER cabinet, this is as simple as this.

 

This is MINE. A section of my cabinet.

And this would be hers.

It is not a cabinet anymore. It is a FREAKING PASAR MALAM (Night Market) my holy cow.

 

Enough said.

 

Well, come Saturday we are on our way to IKEA in Damansara.

 

Surprisingly, the traffic was smooth and there's a lot of parking available. I guess it is the after Raya effect where the excitement of shopping just faded away (Or maybe the wallet) after the festive celebration.

 

 

 



 

 

 

While my fiancé excused herself to the loo, I went to the catalogue section and tried to browse through for few items on their catalogue.

 

To my horror I found this.

 



 

I don't remember that IKEA did actually share the same trademark logo with a so and so bank in Malaysia.

At that moment I seriously think that this is only a one off "graffiti" that was created by some of the really boring or frustrated shoppers.

Maybe the Billy's cabinet they bought just broke into half and IKEA are not willing to pay any compensation for that.

Or maybe the shoppers bought their lamp without realizing that they need to pay separately for their light bulbs, I don't know.

Then as I turn to a new section, there you go.

There's another one.

My goodness.

Hello Malaysian! Is there nothing else better to do out there rather than drawing a d**k on a freakin' IKEA catalogue?

Just like my previous KWSP posting, I hope someone from IKEA would read this post and go ahead to clean the mess on their catalogue.

I would have done something on that day if only I carry an eraser with me while I am shopping.

Too bad.

Will IKEA send me any free furniture for this posting?


 

Travelling fever is back

For the next couple of months I will be travelling again.

Come end of August me and my football teammates will visit Cambodia for a friendly match.

Right after coming back from Cambodia, I will have to fly to Brunei for my cousin wedding on the first week of September.

Then in December, my ex unimate will conduct his wedding too, this time in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

During my time as an engineer with my ex company, i would most probably ignore the three trips altogether.

The main difference when i started to enroll into real estate career, is that i could manage to plan my own time.

Flying is one of my top choice for the mode of travel.

During flying, you would not be hassled by phone calls & clients throughout the journey, a total solitude.

Right now, i couldn't wait for the journey to start!

Anyone need a souvenir please drop me a comment!


 

Hong Kong Vs Malaysia

For some people, the purpose of travelling is to relax their body and soul.

Some of them, to visit friends and families for gathering.

There are also some people who travel for this.

What I mean is, if you are not careful enough during your stay in Bangkok.

As for me, apart from the first two main purposes as abovementioned, travelling also means exploring new things and culture in a foreign country,

While in Hong Kong, not only I have one of the longest walkabout in my entire life.

I also came to notice that a small hotel room could cost us more than HKD 800 per night!

Well, people used to tell me that property price in Hong Kong are crazy, stupid and "Couldn't afford it even if I sell my a** to Sultan of Brunei for the next 35 years".

So as a professional real estate negotiator I decided to find out.

Ni a ma...

 

 

A bloody HKD 4.18 Million for a 386 Sqft Condo????!

Ok, lets see what we can get with that kind of price in our own country.

Yes, this is what we would get at that kind of money.

It also means that, for the price that I paid for my apartment 3 years ago which cost around RM 200k, this is what I would get to stay if I was born in Hong Kong.

Freehold property.

Gated and Guarded.

Need a roof? Maybe.

Who say Malaysian's property market bubble will burst?
 

A surprise

I was having shower one morning when somebody called.

"This is from DHL, we have a package for you".

When I opened my door, there he was. Standing there with a small packet in hand.

And I was still cladded in my towel.

Saw the sender address, Apple Store Singapore.

Immediately I knew it was the surprise gift from my fiancé.

For the past few months I have been complaining that my iphone 4s was not working properly, the button has spoiled and such.

But I still keep waiting for something that would never come---> "Mega Sale for Apple Products"

And I guess my fiancé couldn't stand it anymore and finally decided to surprise me with a whole new phone from apple online store.

As for the iphone 4s? I have restore it back to the factory original setting and have not decide what to do with it.

I doubt I would sell it because 4S is "the last" one before my good friend Steve passed away.

Maybe I should just keep it, as a memory.


 

Selamat Hari Raya



 

I am proud to be a Malaysian.

 

Whenever I go travelling and people asking me where am I from, if I say "Malaysia" this is the most common answers i will get.

 

 

No.1 "It is a nice country! I love the beaches and islands but not the taxi driver though"

 

No.2 "Yeah, I love the foods there. People are friendly, but it is so unsafe to go out alone at night".

 

The most ridiculous one would be this when I met a white guy in Australia:

 

"I have heard of Kuala Lumpur, but not Malaysia. Near to Singapore, perhaps?

 

I should have replied, "I heard about Sydney before. But Not Australia? Is it somewhere near Philippines?"

NAH!

Rude taxi drivers who overcharges, robbery case, etc.

Sometimes I wonder, is there anything that we could do to change the foreigner negative perception about Malaysia?

Then on one fine day I found my answers.

It is not their problem entirely. Sometimes, what we, a truly Malaysian, do in our country, doesn't really help our case at all.

Every single time comes election, comes the festive season, there comes along the controversy.

After their rampant sex videos circulated on the internet, this couple came out with this and causing upsets to our Muslim friends.

 

 

 

And he said, "it is just a joke".

 

Then come another one video.

 

And she said "I am just showing people on how to clean myself and my dogs".

.............................

Do I have to post a video of myself showering and post it on to YouTube to educate people on the correct way to use a shampoo?

And this one, on top of my list.

What's wrong with these people?

To me it is just plain insensitive. Malaysia has been well known as a country that all the different races live in harmony with one another.

Lets keep this spirit going and ignore those childish act by some immature and retard people.

Sometimes I just feel blessed that I was surrounded by a group of multi racial friends and we were always having fun together whenever we have the chance to catch up. These childish act doesn't really affect our relationship at all.

Because, friendship is everything to us. Nothing else matters.

Last but not least, the main reason I am writing this article is, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my muslims friends and readers (You know who you are)

"Selamat Hari Raya and Maaf Zahir Batin"

Be safe on your travel way back home, take this chance to spend time with your love one and families.

Don't forget my Ketupat and Rendang ok?

:P




 

Investment?

My parent used to tell me to save each and every single cents into my piggy bank when I was 5 years old.

But you know la. Whenever I see some "Transformers" new version released and my parent wouldn't let me buy it, I did this.

So when I was 8 years old, my assets "net worth" is only approx. RM 300 only.

But as I grew up, along the way before I hit my thirties I did not really have a financial plan. I was in credit card debt, car loan and housing loan debt.

Then it crossed my mind that if on one fine day I have no income to fall back for all my expenses, what would I do?

The only way to get out of the mess? Bankruptcy declaration and foreclosure.

So I started to read some books on financial guide, listening to a few advices from my seniors.

Then I come to a conclusion.

I need to invest.

So I bought this.

My first property investment portfolio, the Garden Plaza. (Excluding the one I am staying now).

To cut it short, I think property investment is the way to go.

I bought the student suites of 450sqft at the price approx.

Developed by the Mah Sing group, one of the biggest property developer in Malaysia, I can sleep well at night knowing that my investment portfolio is in a safe hand.

With less than RM 3K downpayment all in all, now I am one of the proud owner of a student suites which is due to be completed in 2015.

The best thing of all, what you see in the picture is what you get.

It also means that I do not have to worry about renovation and furniture cost during completion.

What I would need to do is just to carry my bags and stuff and move in straightaway upon vacant possession.

I went to the show unit and was immediately impressed by the design itself.

Even better knowing that this is not the so called "designer impression" of the unit to lure people into buying it because of the modern and sleek design.

This is what you get in return!

The students suites type will be segregated into 3 different rooms and come with additional 2 bathrooms.

And recently I have introduce a friend of mine, who actually bought it right away after she saw the unit.

Come 2015, I have the choice of renting it out first or even selling it.

Worst come to worst?

I will stay in it by my own.

With 2 different mistress during weekend get away.

Not a bad idea really.

For more info on this unit, you may visit the Mah Sing website and google for Garden Plaza.

Even you can start to "Like" the real estate facebook page of my own creation, "WHY Real Estates & Properties" whenever you are free.

So, anyone interested?