Durian

I am not a great fan of durians. I do eat them but normally only do so if friends or family organise a durian 'makan session' or party. For me, the company and fellowship are the incentives, rather than the king of fruits per se.

 

This past year, I've probably only had durian four times. The first and second when Mum and Auntie Anne packed some back from the market and pasar malam respectively. The third when my friends Shirley, Bunny and Nabil suggested we do durian for dinner at Donald's Durian in SS2, and the fourth when Auntie Linda and Uncle Jeff treated the extended family to a durian party of 30 fruits.

 

Whether the durians are of supposed top-notch quality or at a bargain of RM1 each mean little to me, as I always enjoy them as they are, with the people whose companionship make such gatherings memorable occasions.

 

 

Nabil, Bunny and Shirley at Donald's Durian in SS2, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

Pre-CNY Dinner

Shirley, Bunny and Nabil have been friends of mine for a long time, particular the former two, who were my colleagues when I first started my career in advertising. Through the years, our friendships have become stronger and more personal. We have each other's back and no topic is off limits.

 

We make it a point to meet as often as we can, a meal at least once a month or at the worst once every two months. Other times, we keep ourselves updated on each other's lives via a Whatsapp group. And with Chinese New Year just round the corner, a dinner was of course a must before we went our separate ways to celebrate with our own extended families.

As always good food was the perfect complement to great company.


Photo shot at Noble Mansion in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

Holidays

I often get asked how I manage to afford time off for regular holidays. Here's the deal. I still work while on holiday. I allocate at least 2 hours a day to answer emails, write and so forth. I am not one who likes to be deluged with work post holiday, so I would rather get some cleared while away. I am disciplined in that way.

Since beginning of June, I have been working for approximately 3 weeks followed by a week's holiday or thereabouts. Seoul done. Bali done. This cycle will run through beginning October and I am certainly looking forward to another 3 trips. The downside to all this is the intense work rate during the 3 work-weeks. Although I still have my off days, I do work half the time. I've noticed too that I am even more task-oriented and those working with me have had to roll up their sleeves and pull up their socks even more, so to speak. I am pretty sure they like the peace and quiet when I am away. They can then work on the list of tasks I leave them with peace of mind, without my constant scrutiny and demands, though I still keep in close touch via email.

Even though rather stressed at times, I ain't complaining, as I still manage to find time to swim at least 3 times a week, gym twice, read, network socially on the internet, coffee and dinner with family and friends, even a movie every now and then, plus 2 blocs of newsreading per week at RTM. Suffice to say, I have no time to waste. And there is always that upcoming holiday to look forward to. This I know for sure though, a 3-week-1-week cycle may be a tad ambitious. Well, come November, perhaps I'll have a re-think and see how a more reasonable cycle may be attained. In the meantime, it's full steam ahead.

Working in the coffee house of Ubud Inn in Bali, where I am joined by my friends Shirley and Richard.

Bali Triathlon 2011

I have always believed that if I put my mind to it, almost anything is possible. Case in point, the Bali Triathlon. What started as casual banter with my friend Eileen, an enthusiastic triathlete, ultimately turned out to be an extremely enjoyable and satisfying experience.

My team-mates, Richard (bike) and Lee Kuen (run), and I (swim) combined to race our first triathlon relay in Bali last Sunday, 26 June. Granted, we only participated in the sprint distance, it was an achievement nevertheless considering it was our first try and we did reasonably well, finishing in 16th place among all the teams taking part.

I had taken the effort to train for the past six months in the pool but no amount of training would prepare one fully for a swim in the sea. In fact, I only had one training swim in the sea the afternoon before race day but that allayed some of my concerns as the waters of Jimbaran Bay were relatively calm and not as cold as I had expected. I had a great time during the race per se. Apparently I came out of the water in 12th place, and we definitely swam more than the original distance as there were claims that the transition buoys shifted positions. What I didn't train for was the run on the beach from the water to the bike transition area. Although only 800m in distance, I struggled as I don't normally run, not even on the treadmill in the gym. I'll have to be better prepared next time. Yes, next time. We are already planning for our next race, so exciting and fun this experience was.

Photo of Richard, Eileen, yours truly and Lee Kuen shot by Shirley Hoo at Jimbaran Bay in Bali, Indonesia.

Countdown To Bali Triathlon

Here's a photo of Eileen, Richard and I the last time we were in Bali last October. This time round, we will have to take another photo, including Lee Kuen too, as the four of us will be participating in the Bali Triathlon this Sunday.

Team Journeys For Two @ Eileen, will be racing the Olympic Distance whereas Team weddingsmalaysia @ yours truly, Richard and Lee Kuen will be racing the Sprint Distance Relay. The event will be a first for Lee Kuen and I, and together with Richard, we just aim to enjoy the experience and complete the race. As for Eileen, well, let's just say she is ultra-competitive despite having fallen ill due to overtraining. Knowing her, she will still put up a good race. And to document it all, we are happy to have Shirley joining us on the trip and we've asked her to just snap away as she likes.

I am also particularly looking forward to the few days of R&R after the race. Good food, good company and pleasant surrounds, Bali is always a favourite of mine.

Photo shot in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia last year.

Retro Hong Kong

I had lunch with Shirley of Prince Hotel & Residence Kuala Lumpur at Tai Zi Heen today. It's that time of the year to plan activities for the upcoming one. We've been at it for quite a number of years, 5 years and counting. I always appreciate longstanding working relationships. We trust one another will do a good job, we are on the same wavelength and it's almost like clockwork. We also have an understanding of past efforts and how to improve.

Anyways, the signage at the entrance of Tai Zi Heen really caught my attention. It's so retro. This award winning restaurant is participating in the Malaysia International Gourmet Festival, hence the idea to channel retro Hong Kong via their Hong Kong Encounter Menu. The restaurant is afterall well known for its Cantonese cuisine.

Ambience and decor aside, it will be the food that will take centrestage.

Photo shot at Tai Zi Heen, Prince Hotel & Residence Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.