Adelaide, Sister City of Georgetown

For those who are Penangites, many do not realize that Georgetown is the sister city to Adelaide, city from Down South! Apart from Georgetown, Adelaide is also the sister city to Christchurch, New Zealand, Himeji, Japan, Austin, Texas and also Ferrol, Spain!

Adelaide is the fifth most populous city in Australia, with the moniker ‘The City of Churches”. For those who have been there and live there, you will realize that this city was shaped by religious freedom.

One of the cities that situated all the way to the south of Australia, Adelaide is surrounded with parkland with large public square and also wide boulevards!

I have been to a few countries and I have since love to go back to New Zealand and even Australia. I realize that these countries really promote tourism as one of their main income with good facilities to support this industry. I had been to New Zealand and Australia way back in 1996, and then, again back to Australia, particularly Adelaide for a holiday in 2004.

Now with AirAsiaX, we can travel to more countries, and this open up more choices for us to choose where to go for holiday. Previously, we can only think of Bali, Thailand, Philippines and few countries surrounding South East Asia, now we can go further and Australia as one of the destination, the choices is ours to be spoilt with!

I was looking into some old files, and thinking which country do I love to go back for a visit when I stumble upon my pictures taken when I am in Adelaide. Wow! How I love this place.

First of all, AirAsiaX don’t fly to Adelaide but only to Bribane. However, if you are the adventurer type, get to Brisbane and you can take the countryside bus which takes you thorough the seaside road all the way to Adelaide, which takes about 3 days.

Ah... Adelaide!

I love the creativity that being express in this city. You can see sculptures in lots of places and how things are built to be stand out from the rest and not to fit in!

Oh…I love the transport systems here where we can take the Adelaide Metro round the city or simply the O-barn bus which I find rather unique. You have a bus which travel on normal roads and at the same time, as it goes out of the city, it travels on track. You can also take the tramp to the Glenelg beach!

If not, you can just simply walk around the town or the many parks to relax and enjoy the scenery or simply being enchanted with their chipping of the birds or seeing swan and goose swimming in the lake and river!

If you tired of walking and shopping in this city, you can just simply hope on to the city bus, and get down at the botanical garden and enjoy the rose garden there or simply laze at the field and enjoy the breeze.

I love outdoors and this city provides you with lots of that to do. The Clealand Wildlife Park here is a great place to visit and I simply love the concept where most of the animals are free, something like a safari.

Or if you love the sea, you also can visit the port and go for the dolphin sighting trip. It’s great and you can see dolphin and lots of seagull too.

If you are not the outdoor person, you can also visit the museum which is also in the town itself, and see the colorful and interesting exhibition. There is so much to see in the museum and I spend about 5 hours in there.

For those who love to shops, Rundell Mall offers you a great variety of shops and its full of energy. This street is a great place to visit.

However, this town is dead at night. Nothing much to do unless you take a walk at the red light district. I went during the Christmas season and during this time, the town in pretty much deserted making feels like a ghost town!

Anyway, here are some of the pics taken there.

Importance of Vision

"Where there is no revelation, people cast off restrain"

NIV Proverbs 29:18

"'When there is no vision, people parish"

NKJV Proverbs 29:18

How true is this verse...or more so, it's an understatement!


All bible verses are true and alive!


But, I was struck with this verse today as I read an articles and blogs of my student.


Imagine, what purpose do I have if I don't have a vision in my life? What am I living for then? I am lost!

With vision, it will determine how far we will go!

It will determine how high we will soar. I remember a student once told me about 'Eagle'. We were discussing the bible principles and why bible says 'soar like an eagle'. He says, eagle test his power by flying against the wind and towards the sun! Wow! Vision!

Even in life, vision is very important in everything we do. I can't imagine, if I lose my vision of education as a lecturer. What will I tell the students why he or she needs to study? If I can't cast a vision in the students' life as an educator, will I be able to help to shape the students' mind and life of being a person who can 'move and shake' the world?

If Dr Mahathir has no vision, we will not have our KLCC, KLIA, F1 circuit nor even the Putrajaya or even our National car, Proton!

If PM Abdullah don't have vision, he won't push the agriculture sector as one of the main source of economy growth to counter the inflation nor carry of the Vision 2020!

Ah! how important for us to have a vision so that we can be the shaker and mover of the world! More so, if you are a leader! If not, your sheeps will be lost!

I like what one of my student's motto

Dare to Believe the Unbelievable, Dreams the Impossible, Never Take 'No' to an Answer and Be Positive!

and I have since added to that for him,

Don't just believe in your dreams, but be a person who pursue your dream, move your dream to reality!

Be a mover and shaker of the world!

So, I still have lots to acccomplished in my bucket's list!

'Chicken' swimming at Pulau Payar

One day, I had a conversation with my friend thru Yahoo Messengers and he commented about nickname I use.

Friend: ei..why chicken ah?


Chicken: emm…LOL


Chicken: all of us have a nick what…


Friend: yes, but why this?


Chicken: my name la.. ‘khai’ ma


Friend: but put you in wrong image!


Chicken: why? I’m a pimp?


Friend: ha ha ha


Chicken: I have not received any business though…


Friend: chicken hates water but you are more like fish…

Emmm… I love water activities. I swim, I snorkels and I dive!

I have been to quite a number of places, the latest to be the trip to Phuket, Phi Phi Island and Krabi where I did a lot snorkeling. Sadly, I did not went diving because, if not I would have to leave my wife behind. I am so tempted to do the shark dive!

The other place I went snorkeling was to Pulau Payar, off Pulau Langkawi.

I set off to this place from Penang and the trip takes about 2 hours by boat.

Upon reaching there, we disembark and found ourselves on top of a floating platform not too far off the shore.

Once on top, we were told to choose one of the tables there and placed all our belonging on it. There we can find our mask and snorkel too.

From the platform we can see lots of fishes thought not many varieties.

We were so eager to go snorkeling that we immediately change and jump into the water without listening to further instruction. Once in, we only realize they are feeding the fishes and we have lots of fishes swimming around us.

I felt the fishes just nibble everything, and even my foot…free foot massage huh…but I don’t like the feeling. It’s ticklish!

I just swim and snorkel and dives seems like there is no tomorrow, and drifted out further from the platform. And without realizing, I am at the edge of safety ring, put up to make sure we are within ‘visible’ distance in case of emergencies.

Suddenly, I saw a baby shark out of no where, swimming towards me. And I just turn and swim back as fast as possible shouting shark all the way… only to be laugh at (that is the consequences of not listening to briefing).

Soon, lunch was served on the platform and I must it is good and a lot too. Or was it because, all of us were hungry and anything that served at that time will taste good, smell good and feel good? Emmm… But once thing I am sure, it’s plentiful!

After lunch, we were transported to the shore using smaller boat. It’s a short trip and from there, we can see more baby shark.

ahh.. i must exercise more...two 'twin tower'

Amazingly, we saw many people just snorkeling around ignoring the baby and the ‘not so baby’ shark around them. At the same time, the tour operators at the jetty were throwing fishes and meat for sharks to eat. It’s their feeding time!

I wonder how the shark differentiate which is food, and which is not, as the people swimming around them sure looks ‘bigger’ if not tastier!

After some times, we make our way back to the platform for more snorkeling and after that, we were transported back to Penang.

We just spend about 4 hours of snorkeling and swimming in the Pulau Payar Marine Park but spend most of the time traveling on the boat, transfer to and fro Penang.

Overall, I would say the trip is good for a day trip but too expensive. Comparing what I get in Krabi and Phuket, this trip is a total ripped off.

Trip to Pulau Payar cost about RM 180 per pax, inclusive of boat transfer, food, snorkel and mask, and entrance to the marine park. We spend about 4 hours on the marine park and 4 hours of boat ride.

In Phuket, trip to Phi Phi Island will cost RM100, inclusive of hotel transfer, boat transfer, food, snorkel and mask, entrance to Marine Park, visits to 4 islands surrounding Phi Phi Island, unlimited flow of carbonated drinks and fruits, and definitely a better maintained marine park, cleaner beaches, and more varieties of fishes!

I always feel, traveling locally can be more expensive then traveling to oversea such as Thailand, Vietnam, Loas and Cambodia.

So, if I have my choice, I would choose to go to Phi Phi Island. Take a flight to Krabi or Phuket and from there; take the boat to Phi Phi Island. After all, AirAsia offer cheap flight there!

If not, fly FireFly to Koh Samui!

Malaysian F1 Grand Prix 2008

The visit to the Malaysian F1 grand prix two weeks ago is indeed an exciting experience. INTI University College has brought about 100 staff and 200 students for the event. We were given the admission to the K1 grandstand and it’s a fantastic place to view the F1 race from there.

K1 grandstand view

From the K1 grandstand, we can see the first corner, and as it’s up on a hill, we can see very far too. A lot of excitement moment happens, as we also can have a clear view of driver exiting from the pit stop.

BMW Sauber

Paddock entrance..my dream to watch F1 from there one day

I enjoy the whole race from there and if not for the exorbitant prices of the food and drinks sold there, I am very much a happy man.

A pack of burger goes RM20.

A bottle of 500ml mineral water is RM5.


A pack of satay with 8 stick inside is RM20!


I am lost for words! And as usual, they don’t allow us to bring in our own water and food!

Clearly, this is just to ‘cut our throat’! Exhorbitant! This is day light robbing!

The 'porsche cup' racing before the F1 race!

Apart from that, all of us are allocated sitting position, but no enforcement! When we arrive, we realize most of our seats are taken up by others who prefer a better view. So, we ended sitting elsewhere, which also belongs to others!

First turn...

Drivers' Parade before the race begins

What can I say watching F1 live compared to watching it at home? Well, first of all, watching at home definitely we can watch it with better comfort, away from the scorching sun heat! And we won’t be force to pay for the expensive food and drinks!

I look very dark

However, when are there watching it at the race track itself, we enjoy the ‘power’ of the car! Definitely the ummphhh is better. We can hear the car zooming by, and it’s like explosion every few seconds.

Kimi coming out from the pit lane

I was telling my friend, I can open fire with a gun and nobody will suspect anything, because the car is louder!

Ferrari Flag

On that day, we can people coming in to watch wearing their team’s color! I am still a fan of Ferrari! And I went in red! And yes, by now, you already know, Ferrari won the race in Sepang! Wooo….

Winner in progress

Enjoy some of the pictures taken there!

hard core F1 fans with portable TV

The headset allows you to listen to the commentator

Watch out this weekend race...Bahrain 2008. it will be Massa revival race after failing miserably for the first two opening races!