ET: 2011

It is 2012

It is New Year well for some part of the world.... where I am now, I am still 5 hours away from officially declare new year...... Well being at different timezone does feel a bit different and it make me feel how wonderful the world is.

2012.. like I said in my previous post I just hope to retain my job and in hope I get to search a new one before I can leave and explore another environment. Also being at different timezone make me feel I am always 5 hours younger hahaha.... I guess if a person can travel at the speed of light, he would have all the time he want. :P

Adios and HAPPY NEW YEAR....

2012

Yeah... well I guess you will probably bump into such kind of blog post of Facebook post in these coming week as we are just 2 days away from starting a brand new year. A very typical question people will be asked or ask themselves is what have you done in 2011 and what are you going to do in 2012. New year resolution? Well that part is kinda crap for me... most of the time people don't do what they plan in their life. Enough said...

Well, I can't say much for 2011 and I guess the best thing happen to me is landing a job at Qatar and I had a good CNY because it was the time I have with my family before I came to Qatar. And so what is for 2012? I guess I will try my very best to keep my job and hopefully I land with another job in Dubai or New Zealand.

Nonetheless, 2012 I wish my family and myself and my fellow friends always in the best state of health.

Jogging at Aspire Park

I went to Aspire Park to try out a new environment to jog and I found Aspire Park is a great place to do so but bad place to jog during winter as it is too cold. So, that why I only been there once.

Makan Makan in Qatar - Le Pain Quotidien @ Villagio Mall

Environment is OK
Food is nice
Value for money is so so

Cappuccino

Cheese omelet

All sort on bread, the croissant is nice..

Just as I thought

Just as I thought thing are getting better, it wasn't. Being 3 weeks away from going back to KL have change my mood. Feel excited to go back and I was off for 4 days without work.

But today I go an email from that I need to complete a task which I have done earlier, a task that need to be repeatedly done for so many time due to the reason the management doesn't have a direction on what they want or where they try to get for the project. I am so frustrated and tired as chances are that all the work that I have done may gone down the drain as they may just not going to proceed. This is why I am so mad, why are you wasting people time and effort when do not know what you want? and the worst part is this is actually the left over task that my senior suppose to do. The task is on his plate and the credit belongs to him.

I thought I could have last another year here but it seems getting harder each day yet life is like crap here and now adding this unnecessary issue that I need to handle. I am just so so tired and just wish to go HOME NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Airline Cabin / Hand Carry Baggage

I have been searching for a practical size luggage that is allow me to hand carry into the airplane. Even some airline are not that strict as I have seen people carry 2 bag on the airplane but this is definitely not allowed on budget airline.

Well some people may say I am kiasu well maybe I am but I just want to have everything in a hand carry bag, my clothes and laptop so that I won't have to wait for the luggage when arrive and also it help to save some cost when travel via budget airline. Although, you may want to maximize the allowed cabin space but don't forget the bigger the bag you have the more weight you bag will be and it wont make sense as you are allow to have 7KG (or 1 or 2 KG more) but that also means you have to carry this 7KG behind your back.

So here is just some summary of allowed baggage size on the plane by some airline that I think I be using and maybe it will helps you too. I will pluck this info for economy flight only after all I don't have the luxury to travel in 1st class or business class and measurement is calculate when you back is standing up. Oh yeah, might as well add a little info for checked bag.

MAS
1 cabin bag
Weight - 5KG
Size - 56cm(H) X 36cm(L) X 23cm(W or D) OR 22"(H) X 14"(L) X 9"(W or D)
Check Bag - 20KG (total 1 bag) * MAS are bit flexible for domestic flight.

AirAsia
1 laptop bag (assume this is FOC)
1 cabin bag
Weight - 7KG
Size - 56cm(H) X 36cm(L) X 23cm(W or D) OR 22"(H) X 14"(L) X 9"(W or D)
Check Bag - Optional (Check website when purchase ticket)

Tiger Airways
1 cabin bag
Weight - 7KG
Size - 54cm(H) X 38cm(L) X 23cm(W or D)
Check Bag - Optional (Check website when purchase ticket)

Emirates
1 laptop bag (maybe)
1 cabin bag
Weight - 7KG
Size - 55cm(H) X 38cm(L) X 20cm(W or D) OR 22"(H) X 15"(L) X 8"(W or D)
Check Bag - 30KG (total 2 bag)

Gulf Air
1 cabin bag
Weight - 6KG
Size - 45cm(H) X 40cm(L) X 30cm(W or D) OR 17"(H) X 15"(L) X 12"(W or D)
Checked Bag - 30KG (total 2 bag)

Qatar Airways
1 laptop bag (Maybe as I have seen it)
1 cabin bag
Weight - 7KG
Size - 55cm(H) X 37cm(L) X 25cm(W or D)
Check Bag - 23KG (total 2 bag)

Etihad
1 cabin bag
Weight - 7KG
Size - 60cm (H) X 35cm(L) X 20cm(W or D)
Checked Bag - 23KG (total 2 or 3 bags) only 23KG so what the point having more than 2?

Pretty much most airline have about the same size and weight since most of them using the same airplane. This info may change from time to time by individual airline and I am not responsible to update the information. Use at your own RISK!

There are new airplane like the from Airbus and Boeing so I guess maybe the size may change?

2012 economy

A lot of predicted economy would not be good next year, well I think heard of this prediction since 2007. I think it is true just that the impact are slowly sipping into our life. Maybe because we don't own a business and as en employee we feel there isn't much impact especially when you are working in a big and stable organization.

I own a business, family business and from this point of view I can tell you that economy really bad. Although the sales are still there but it is merely enough to cover the expenses. I am really fortunate that I am currently working at the world richest and most stable company. As much as I wanted to go home all the time due to the difficulty I am facing but it seems for an employee to find a new job back in Malaysia is not as easy as counting 1,2 and 3.

The world are facing an economy meltdown with US starting in the league and Europe trailing behind and there are prediction that this will spread further to Asia especially China next year. So my target now is probably stick to where I am now and using the money that I earn here to reinvest in other area until I find a better prospect at Malaysia or around APAC region.

In the end, I couldn't expect much just hoping I keep doing what I do and most important is myself and my family are safe and always healthy.

It is like 3 more weeks to 2012, I would like to wish anyone who read my blog to have a prosperous 2012 and with best of health.

Take care.

My Name Is Khan

Was watching My Name Is Khan yesterday and I found it is good. It is partial English and more Hindi language movie. It is not the typical Bollywood movie where you will see outrages fighting scene.. and couple singing and rolling down the hill.

Basically it is a story on how Muslim in U.S life were change after the 9/11 attack. Even I don't really get the total story as most of the time it is in Hindi but I still able to grasp the story that it is trying to show.

It is AWESOME, good acting and good storyline.

Zen

The feeling of going home is getting more intense...not because I miss home or Chinese New Year is about a month away, is like I be going to a new home....

It has been a long wait.... I can't wait... Maybe I will stay forever? I don't know

Makan Makan in Qatar - Italian ice cream Gelato

Was walking around after I went to ATM to withdraw some cash.. I bumped into an ice cream shop. My first impression of the shop it remind me of tutti fruiti at Malaysia as they have the same ice cream vending machine.

I went in due to my curiosity and ask the staff and I am right, they serve yogurt ice cream like tutti fruiti but they also sell normal ice cream which is very nice as well. I did get a sample of the yogurt ice cream and it is good. So, I got myself the normal ice cream and it is really nice, will drop by again to test other flavor.

Makan Makan in Qatar - King of Cocktail

Recently I found joint that serve fruits cocktail. It is a drinks that have lots of fruits in it, you can have it blended or sliced of fruits with fruits juice. Price was a bit steep but I think is OK as the portion is kinda large which you can take it as a meal if you are on a diet. They also serve coffee and sandwiches which are not bad as well. One good thing about this place they have free WIFI which is very very rare in Qatar as normal coffee shop like Starbucks, Coffee Bean doesn't provide WIFI unlike in Malaysia.

Freezing cold at Middle East

Who knows that it will be cold in the middle of the desert? Maybe other people know but it my first time experience it as is my first time at Middle East during winter.... Winter is officially arrived but is kinda late.. suppose to be early Nov but it only start to get cold recently.. Right now even in middle in the noon, the temperature is about 24°C and during morning and middle of the night is dropped further below 20°C.

The low temperature is nice but sometime is a bit too much because Qatar have very strong wind most of the time and with that temperature it can be a bit too much to handle.... As for now I try to move my jogging schedule earlier when the sun is still up.

The cold weather also make me feel sleepy most of the time. :) having some problem waking up for work and staying awake at work too... Well, can't complain much as I love it than during summer as I am able to walk here and there during this time.

Great night out

Had a great night with a bunch of Malaysian tonight. We went to Great Wall to have Chinese buffet dinner. Was there for about 3 hours, we ate, we chat and we joke. I guess we were the loudest group there. It was great. And the weather is superb. Windy and cool.. better than Malaysia. Slowly it is changing like Genting Highlands and this will last until February.

Can't wait till next week as we plan to hang out at the beach at night......... waiting....

生带不来死带不去

Death of Gaddafi doesn't free Libya... they still have to face a lot of obstacle to united as one democrat country.. what next? Syria and Yemen...

What is happening to this world? Greece, UK have riot and Bahrain. I thought those we are brought up to live in peace. In my own opinion it is call because of greed and money and not the less corruption. Everyone want a piece of the sweet and yummy cake.

I understand we live in materialize world but in what extend that we have to put a bullet into someone to get the wealth that we want? I know is hard to change as the greed is always there and people start to forget the religious teaching which is to live humble and modest. And people have to work their way to earn a living and not by expecting someone to feed them.

The Chinese always says, 生带不来死带不去. Live humble and modest and if you have extra cash then use it as charity.

Makan Makan in Qatar - Chicken Mandi / Mandi Chicken

I first get to try this food when my colleague bought it to the office and been trying quite hard to find the place. It is actually easy to find but just that the signboard is old that I missed the restaurant. So the restaurant is located near by Bank Street. If you coming from Corniche towards Bank Street, at the second traffic light turn left and go straight the restaurant is opposite Kahramaa power station.

Mandi chicken or Chicken mandi is an Arabic food as it was sold in Arabic restaurant back in Malaysia. I had tried before in Malaysia and it was so so. This mandi chicken at Doha is totally out of the world. It is really good, the rice is well cooked and have nice juicy flavor and the chicken is just perfect. Here the picture.. :P

This is the name of the restaurant. Rumors said they supply food to Sheraton and 4 Season in Doha.

Place where they grill chicken

Menu part 1

Menu part 2

Mandi chicken

Raw tomato with garlic. This is good

Fresh salad

Should I stil post?

Slowly there more people knowing that I am at Qatar and because I have post most of my picture while I am at Malaysia and my recent return to Doha in Facebook that is why I am kinda lazy to post the picture twice. But I will try as I still wanna keep this blog informative and interesting. Don't want the blog contain just boring plain text. :P

Makan Makan in Qatar - Real food Sushi and Chinese Food

Udon @ Oshi Sushi at Royal Plaza. Taste good but kinda expensive still prefer in Malaysia

Chinese buffet restaurant behind Ramada Hotel

Reincarnation...

It is weekend or Thursday to be exact.... and it is also means a week I have return back to Doha. For a month back in Malaysia it is sure fun and I get to hanging out with my close friend and family and of course enjoy good food.

One week have passed and not a single day I do not think of home. Ironically, I should able to get over such feeling in me but somehow I felt it is much worst that my first arrival. The first 2 days when I am here, I felt so miserable and kept wondering why I am here. It feel like I am reincarnated again, the feeling is like the first day I am was here.

Things are slowly back to normal now, work as usual, life is as usual. Now all waiting for the coming holiday and bonus pay out next year (if there is) and there are rumors about increment in salary but chances are low because the Government have just increase all local residence salary that work in public sector at 60%. Crazy huh! yup... this is how much money Qatar has but increase $ doesn't really quite increase productivity.

Actually, I have a lot I wanted to post here but I fell asleep right after I finish the first paragraph. Maybe is because Adele sing to me to sleep. :P. Steve Jobs pass on, well this won't be another posting about him as there are too much already in FB but I just want to comment that Steve Job should be remember not because of Apple but the way he live his life. I watch the speech that he gave on YouTube many years back before everyone start to post it. I simply fell in love with his commitment about being true to yourself, doing what you love and with passion and cherish and use every single moment of life left in you.

I may not be Steve Jobs or I will not be as there is only one him but there are lessons I can learn from him and I think life is all about striking the right balance. You need to strive hard for a success in career but also a right balance in your life to live the success of your hard work.

I used to have lots of craps I wanted to post here but guess it has gone. Perhaps is all the books that I read and messages that I got from friends and Internet that make me think to use the opportunity that I have now. Well indeed I will but like I said earlier life is all about balance everything out which is pretty difficult thing to do for such a simple word as our life is filled with materialism which one find it hard to let go. Currently I am learning on Buddhism about living in simplicity and how to do right to avoid suffering also studies of one of Confucius's 孔子 teaching which is called DiZhiGui 弟子规.

It is not easy to study both as these are ancient teaching for 5000 years ago and basically both teaching thought us common sense and how to be true to your life, parents, family and friends but although their main idea is to teach to be a good person but not many people able to do it as most of us unable to let go what we are having now.

As once people said, parents is the best teacher for a child and reason that why our society it become like this now because the parents themselves are not well educated with the basic rules of life and also DiZhiGui was long lost until it was being practice again in our modern life. Even now Australia and US are using DiZhiGui as part of the public education.

I know one will say good stuff about the topic they interest with but that is not the case here as this is scientific proven and people always have misconception about Buddhism and Confucius. They are not a religion as they didn't ask their students (not followers or worshiper) to pray them. Buddhism and Confucius are education which can be practice by anyone. Well I think say too much on this topic as I am no master to discuss this in details as I just started to read about both of these books.

Anyway back to my life in Qatar, well I will continue my usual life here and continue to look if there are good opportunity back in Malaysia. After all it is still my home country and my family is there and although the environment is not favor us especially in the political arena but I think we are able to manage it right with the right mentality and a well balance life.

Till then .. take good care

Back Home

It has been quite sometime I didn't update my blog. I have been back home for almost a month and to be exact it is another few days more before I return back to Doha. Well there is pretty much a lot of things to do and definitely a lot of food to eat as well. To cut the entire month story short I would just summarize it here as most of the places I go and food that I ate I post it as a picture blog on my Facebook account.

So I have been eating pork... Bak Kut Teh that is for sure.... accompany my family and friends, been to Desaru, which is really fun, went to Singapore for my niece birthday which is very enjoyable and most of all I got to spend quality time with my family...

The feeling of going back.... hmmm it is a mixed feeling since I had been at Doha and therefore I am able to compare the life here and there and I would say it is a mixed feeling. I miss both places actually mainly is both have its pros and cons.. Malaysia well I guess the only thing that will attract me is the triple F which is family, friends and food/ Back in Doha, I guess is the opportunity that I have which I do not want to waste it. I know it is not easy to get a job at oversea and that is why it make to cherish it more and furthermore I can't find a job which allow me to bring me closer to reach my goal.

Despite the life is Doha is boring, but then I am pretty numb about it as trying to put my focus to my work and my goal. Yet, of course I do miss home from time to time and there are things to be sorted out as well.

I still do not know or quite sure where is my life direction is heading... as now I am just aiming to reach my goal and unable to think so much about getting a GF and starting a family as it is complicated and I am bad at it and pretty much I am in the position of wait and see.

While I am back a lot of people asking me how long I will be in Doha, frankly I have no idea... I seen some expat being at Doha for 5 years or so and maybe I do the same or maybe much earlier. It all depends when I have a secure income back in Malaysia.

Till then.....

Lonely for 14 hours

It is 14 hours more before I board my flight back home :). I just send my friend to the airport just now as he is heading home today and last week a couple of friends went back too. I am the last person in the gang to go home and the feeling is a bit lonely although is nothing much but the effect is there. :P

So buckle up, pack up and ready for adventure.... now going to Malaysia is like vacation. :P

I killed a pigeon accidentally

Today, on my way to work, I accidentally killed on pigeon. While driving, I saw a flock of birds was on the road feeding on rice or seeds. So I slow down and hopefully that the bird will fly away when the car come close. So while I am slowing down my car, there is a car beside which also slow down to and moved to the right lane of the road.

So there is one particular who doesn't move even my car is inches away from him (assume is male BIRD so lets call him KUKUCIAU). As my car getting closer, I know I am going to squash KUKUCIAU as I can't go to the right lane as there are other car beside me. So I heard the sound and felt the bump that I try to avoid ..BUMP BUMP... and it is a direct hit. KUKUCIAU got smash and its feathers fill up the morning sky..... and it got me so piss off because today is 1st day of month 8 of lunar calendar. I suppose to be eating vegetarian food and yet I killed a bird.

Stupid lazy bird... now I noticed that there are also middle east type of pigeon........ I don't have any idea why that bird don't move at all. Either is damn lazy or he think he is invisible but what ever the reason was now there is NO KUKUCIAU .....

God have mercy on this poor bird, shall he go peacefully without pain. Forgive me for naming him or she KUKUCIAU and ending his life at middle east but in a way he don't have to suffer the soaring heat of 50 degrees anymore.

Doha moving too fast?

Today local news headline stated Qatar is now bidding for 2020 Olympics game after they successfully won the bid for World Cup which boost up their confident. They also bidding to host Tour de France 2016 which I do not know when it is going to be held.

Anyway, this is a good thing as the whole world will recognize Qatar which they already did since they won the bid or WC2020 and with the alleged bribe conspiracy. The Government have very good vision and with the unlimited billions of wealth that they have, they can practically do anything to make Arab world visible.

You be crazy to find out the amount of money that they have. Dubai, was... then Abu Dhabi...... Now Saudi is building the world tallest tower 1KM high? and I bet Qatar will do the same... it is just a matter of time and before that happen Qatar already building world largest mall and I tell you it is world largest mall. It is 8KM long and can fit 110 football field which should be ready next year. Although all these countries are Arab country but they kinda don't get along that much mainly I personally think is due to politics. It is also a way to show each other how much money that they have.

Most of these oil country are diversify their investment and do no want sole dependent on their oil and gas revenue for their country. Therefore you see so much of the development and in the end I think Qatar would be another Dubai but a better manage version of it.

I love to see this happening and hoping able to experience it while I am still working here but personally I feel they are moving too fast because the problem is the people who are executing the job which makes thing so much difficult and probably impossible. If they want thing to go smoothly use the wealth you have and hire tons and tons of "RIGHT" expat to do the job. Not all expat can do the job right as I have been working with them and most of them are. hmm hai speechless....

I hope the government to control the development in terns of investment and socially because if it turn out to be Dubai which is pretty not safe for even a girl to walk alone. Qatar right now is very safe and I like it very much.

What Qatar need to do now, is to get rid of those old expat which really doesn't fit to do the job because most of them are rich and have other incomes which make them don't care about their actual job. All they want is to be in a high position of a company in order to have a saying power and status. But do they have the right mindset and skillset? NOPE.... but recently I see things are changing so let see and wait and hope for the greater day.....

Key word of the day
BOOST PRODUCTIVITY. OPEN CONCEPT. TRANSPARENCY.

Qatarization is not a good idea as it doesn't help to improve competition and competition bring innovation.

***
Qatarization is a similar concept as Malaysia bumiputra as the local citizen will get special privilege. The only different is Qatarization apply to call their citizen while bumiputra is only applied to the Malaysian - Malay race and not others. So much for the 1Malaysia concept.

Gain weight...liow

Recently gain weight.. haiz due to the plan of trying out the food before I go back. Mana tau today step on the scale... + 3KG..... no choice to push myself for 3 hours in the gym... end up.. still the same weight...

Going back soon

One big problem I might face is transport.... I sold my car already... hmmm now need to think how to manage my transport for a month when I am back.

Tired of iPad 2

After a week of using it, I already tired of it. Using it for one week I restore / format it 3 times. Some of the apps crash, hang and even make the unit no sound....... Just restore everything back again and kept it to minimal application. Just set up the access to office email, ppstv and online radio, sync my mp3 and that's about it....

and I start to hate iTune as I not sure why it keep prompt me my ID is not authorize to install application even I have authorize it..... DAMN...

If it give me more problem I think I will chuck the damn thing in the drawer together with her sister iPad 1.

My favorite Couch in my room

iPad 2 on left, laptop on right and a cup of Milo... This is LIFE

Makan Makan in Qatar - English breakfast

Due to low activity at work, me and my colleague headed out to grab some breakfast and because it is Ramadan most of the place is close except for a few. So we head to the one nearer to our office that serve English breakfast and well it is not so English after all as it is run by Philippines. So they start serve the toasted bread and which is good and coffee which is normal (ain't Starbucks). After all while my breakfast came and it looks huge and ultimately I finish it as I always avoid wasting food. DAMN it taste awful and I don't bloody understand how can you cook an awful breakfast as it is so simple only thing I can think of the food is not fresh. So when I finish I just want quickly leave and lost my mood and guess what that bloody breakfast cost QR55 (crappy breakfast QR40 + cheap coffee QR15). This will be the first and last time I am going there.. not that I am racist but I am very sure Philippines are lousy cook other than those work in hotel. For now I am sticking to Indian and Arabic food.

this is the awful breakfast. look at the sausage it look like a dead DICK!

On weekend I had my breakfast via room service at my hotel and it is perfect and it is English breakfast as well.

yummy and is only QR 45

Makan Makan in Qatar - Ungaare at Ezdan Tower

Went to a restaurant where my friend stay at Ezdan Tower in West Bay Doha. He claim the food is nice and cheap but it is not as good as he claimed. I order Kong Pou Chicken with Rice. Verdict, well it does have the taste and not bad but is a bit pricey QR32. Here is the pic.

Unboxing iPad 2

Just got my office iPad 2 few days ago and at first I thought hmmm it is just another iPad as the iPad that I previous had was chuck inside my drawer for months when I finish my evaluation. So this iPad 2 came long which my boss bought 2 of it and I not sure why as I have complete my report and it doesn't seem to have additional stuff other than camera and slimmer design which I don't denied that it look SEXY. Oh yeah,, damn .. my boss took the white one!!!! and pass me the black version argggghh.

So I was playing around with iPad 2 and because this is office equipment I can't jailbreak it. DAMN! So only choice is to get free apps from Apple Store. Was browsing around I found several several cools apps which got me addicted to iPad,

1) Online movie streaming apps
2) Live Forex rate
3) Live update of KLSE market

So, yeah I am hooked with it now.. hehe and here are some of the un-boxing pic