I'm a Graduate!

Date: 24th April 2010

Venue: REC Hall, Curtin University

YES! I'M FINALLY AN OFFICIAL GRADUATE!

*more stories on the trip later*

Advance Open Water Diver

YES!

As of 19th April 2010, I am an Advance Open Water Diver!

Adventure Dives I took:

1. Deep Dive

2. Underwater Navigation

3. Multilevel and Computer Dive

4. Night Dive

5. Underwater Photography

It was a tiring but great 5 days of training~

Joke of the Day (Part 1)

At a resort bar on one evening...
A guest called for a waiter and ordered, "Could I have a screwdriver, please?"

The waiter replied, "Sorry, sir. We don't have a screwdriver but I can get the Engineering Department to give you one."

Changes in Life

It's amazing how things changed with just a flick of a finger. Everything that you look high up to seem to be crashing down, leaving you wonder how it changed, what made it change? Yesterday, everything around you seemed to be where you want them to be. Today, everything around you seemed to be changing. Tomorrow, everything around you is no longer how you expect them to be. The feelings you felt throughout these days seemed to be so confusing - the joy, the happiness, the laughter, the sorrow, the tears, the anger, the frustrations, the disappointments. These leaves you with so much doubt in your mind.

Within these few months, I've experienced much changes is my life that left me to wonder all the questions that swirl around me head. I never knew how much feelings I felt when all these changes began.

I took a drastic change in my job; from a filmmaker to a researcher to a coordinator to an underwater videographer. But these changes in my career were a doubt to me, whether I will still live my dreams to be a filmmaker or do I change my path to something I never expected. I was and am scared of these changes. I didn't want these changes to affect my effort in my studies. But, deep down, I planted deep thoughts and commitment that no matter what I do in my career now, I will still be who I want to be in the future.

I lost a good, no, a great friend. Eventhough how much that friend hurt me, I will still remember her as the greatest friend anyone can asked for. There were so many changes that friend brought in my life. I was afraid to try or to risk doing new things, but that friend was always there to support and to help me through the changes. Now that we are apart and we are to not befriend anymore, I will never forget all the times we spent together; good or bad because everything we did before make me who I am today.

I thought I found the place for me to work and play for the next few months, with no worries, no stress, nothing to push me up the wall. I found it! But, who knew that the day will come for everything you see as a perfect picture to be something awful that you are disgusted to be a part of. I lost my respects to them. I was about to make another drastic change but with much advices and comforts from my family and friends, I stayed on to fight for my rights and to try to make some changes in others. I was in the verge of giving up, but as I thought about it, there must be a reason why I came...so I now decided to stay and await for more obstacles to come my way.

As time passed, I looked back at these moments and cherished them and learnt from them for because of these moments, I became stronger and wiser. All these challenges and obstacles happened for a reason, a reason that I will soon find out...

Jungle Trekking from Teluk Dalam to Pasir Panjang

Date: 7th April 2010

Time: 9.00am - 1.00pm

Signed up for Jungle Trekking this morning to take photographs for Recreation Department. Faisal was the guide and Selvam came along for the walk too. We left the resort at 9.00am with 6 adults and 2 children (hotel guests) and started our walk uphill and then downhill to the beach next door. We crossed the beach and climbed through rocks to the side and entered the jungle from there.

...the walk...

It was supposedly an hour walk but we reached Long Beach at 11.00am. We were walking rather slow and the kids were amazed with the beautiful things they saw along the way and we kept stopping for picture taking.

...the up and down...

...the stream crossing...

It wasn't a tough walk; though there were ups and downs, rock climbing, stream crossing but it was not tiring.

...Long Beach, Redang...

Upon reaching Long Beach, Faisal, Selvam and I went for our breakfast at Redang Bay Resort. I had great nasi lemak, juicy steamed corn and a bowl of ais kacang. It was such a relaxing time I had so far at this island. I was free from work, far away from the resort I worked in and it was just a peaceful, soothing breeze and beach to be in.

...me in my short hair...

...my yummy ais kacang...

I went to the dive shop to get myself a dry bag and a stainless steel pointer for diving. Well, I had a bad sun burn and my leg was like on fire as I was barefoot while walking at the beach; little did I know that the sand was so hot!

...picture taken by Faisal...

The boat came and picked us back to the resort at 12.30pm. I didn't realize that there was another jetty behind Laguna Beach Resort. The boat ride took me to the other side of the island where I have never been before and I was overlooking South China Sea in awe. Finally, I was able to see Berjaya Redang Resort from the front view!

...front view of Berjaya Redang Resort...

It was a good walk. Maybe someday I can be the guide and bring people instead when I am free. Would love to do the walk again, and if possible, once a week for my exercise........ *smiles* because I can go to Long Beach! (that was my purpose)

The weekend...

My weekend is on a Monday...

Why?

Because my off day is on Monday.

It was Easter Monday yesterday. I woke up super early to catch the 7am ferry to Kuala Terengganu. The ferry arrived at 8.30am and I had a stroll in Chinatown and found a shop for breakfast; wantan mee and cute little butter & kaya toast bun with kopi peng! *yummy*

The breakfast was filling and it boosted me up for a good morning walk to the road where all the banks are. Did my bank transactions and walked to a barber shop near the Shahbandar waterfront and had my hair cut. I now, again, looked like when I was back in Form 5!

I went hunting for the dive shop at Chinatown and found it and saw the fin that I ordered (and I like it!) but there were nothing to get from the shop. I went to KFC to have my lunch and to 7eleven for some junk food shopping before heading back to the jetty.

It was such a tiring trip, but heck, I had my good meal. The ferry ride was rather choppy and I felt as if I was in a heater (sweating in an aircond ferry).

Got myself Maggie Goreng for dinner before joining my colleague for a beer night (and yes, it is very hard to get beers in Terengganu~).

Haven't been having a good weekend like this...

My Dive Log (Part 5)

Date: 31st March 2010

Time: 8.30am

There were only 2 guests divers with us on Ramona today and I was paired up with Faizan. Azrin was the Dive Master that morning.

The first dive site; Batu Mak Cantek was amazing. It was just a whole island of corals - what they call, the sunken corals. It was just beautiful...although the visibility was quite poor due to the current and waves. Faizan spotted a porcupine fish and pointed it at me before disturbing it (trying to make it blow~) but the fish swam away...and it was GIGANTIC!

The surface interval was rather.................choppy...............and I had to 'menahan diri' from throwing up (well, eventually I didn't throw up!). Had a good chat with Nicole and Christophe from Austria.

I went before to the second dive but this time, I get to see more! (because I had power mask on). Saw a sting ray swimming over Faizan and spotted another porcupine fish, but slightly smaller. Well, I finally loose 1kg of weight and will stay that way!

All in all: 9 dives in March!

More dives to come!

My Dive Log (Part 4)

Date: 24th March 2010

Time: 8.30am

Two dives again; this time at Pulau Paku Besar and Batu Buboh.

The new thing I did in this dive - I took Underwater Video for the Underwater Video Sample Project that I'm doing for Berjaya. Yes!

My task for this two dives was to film as much as I can (of course have to be good lah~ not shaky shaky video) and edit them into a 10 minutes video to be presented to the GM for approval.

I was a bit scared to bring down the Canon G10 with casing at first, but as I was diving and taking and diving and taking, I was so into it and kept taking videos and photographs. It was fun! and not to mention the dive sites were beautiful..........

Speechless...................

April's Fool!

Today is April's Fool...

But, it doesn't seem like anyone here is fooling anyone because I don't think they are aware of the day today. But, it's alright. At least I know finally I'm safe from any fools on April's Fool!