New Job!

I was 10 days old into the new job, a multinational indian company based in Malaysia. First impression - i was quite surprise the way the company carried themself. Almost everything is paperless. Information is shared across the world via their web-based technology (web-info-sharing: Somehow rather, way too much of info on the web and i believe it will take years to read them all). Everybody is working across the region, over the world. Staffs here could be handling projects or reported to boss on the other edge of the world. They are expanding very fast in Malaysia, but without solid management supports. Freshies tend to be very blur, cause nobody has briefed them what to do next. Really curious to find out more about the management style. How does this carry them to who they are today.

Coming from an insurance background. I was assigned to a project based in Sydney. That would mean, moving to Sydney in the next coming month for at least another 6 to 12 months. A mixture of feeling for me. I am really desparate for a change in job and I am ok with short trip, but a long trip (>= 3 months) is a bit too much for me. I have been travelling a lot ever since i took up the regional post on my previous company. And now, again, another move. I am not so excited about it, but rather sad and worried. Where would i be in the next couple of months? Will it be back to my lovely Home to Malaysia? Or would it be somewhere else? It's never a "Home-Settling" feeling for me. I have to go around and start getting to know new friends (which is rather hard for me), adapting to new environment etc etc..... but i am telling myself, this will not be too long for me, another 2 more years of travelling and i am done. I will be settling down some place in the world. With or without my love one. Yes... a place to settle down. So tired.

4D3N trip to Sipadan

~~The Journey Start~~

The moment has arrived. I was so excited about the trip, waited for so long and it's definitely far more excited than my new job after the trip.

Woke up early in the morning around 3:45am and headed to Martin's condo to pick him up. We arrived LCCT around 6:45am. Both with pretty good mood, until a small incident happen. He didn't manage to get his ciggy break, cause he has to check us in while i was having my toilet break (it was a long queue on the washroom) and by the time he checked in, the plane has to leave in 20 minutes. So, i got this "unpleasant attack" from him and there goes my whole morning... I didn't know he could be that moody for not having his ciggy... i suppose that is far more important than everything else.

Arrived in Tawau around 10am and picked up by an unexpected nice big coach (the normal dive trips are usually very budget and nothing nice to shout about) to the jetty and follow by a 45 minutes boat. Hoolahh!... Another nice surprise... a water chalet. The whole hotel is built on top of the sunken island and with crystal clear water. You can see the small fishes and star fishes by just looking down to the water. Amazing !!!

~~ The Diving ~~

We had two check-out dives on our arrival day, this was the house reef where you can just swim out from the dive centers. But, it's not just a normal house reef dives, there were "a lot" fishes and at least 2 wrecks.

Day 2. A very excited day, cause it's the first time we dive here in the famous Sipadan (world's top 4th dive site). We did 3 dives today. Famous barracuda points, north point and kapalai island. Alone in the first dive, we have seen at least 5 turtles and 5 white tips (the white tips were far deep down in the water, but u can still see them swimming forth and back very fast...). One thing that is rather strange here, the fishes here are either very big or very small. At one point, I get very scared off though... we swam thru a very strong current, I almost got drifted away and my buddy was no way near me (we both ended having some argument about this - i always thought a nice buddy will be someone always next to you and not in front or at your back ! ). Luckily, some other dive member lend me her hand to save me from drifted away. Lesson learn... no more swimming next to him, cause I never be able to catch up his speed... never swim behind him, cause he never look back... the best to do, swim next to or behind the dive master.

Day 3. We did 1 dawn dive, 1 morning dive and a house reef dive. I swear, I never thought I would see such a big group of Jacks in my life.... never... till today, i am still very amazed what I saw there. One very unique things about Sipadan... the dive sites here are very deep, so I always have this mystery feeling when i dive into the Sipadan... it looks so dangerous, yet, so much things happen down there... Far down you see white tips swimming around, on another side, you can see big group of bat fishes and angels fishes swimming peacefully up here...

~~ The Private Aquariam ~~

The chalet was built on top of the sea, you're kinda have your own private aquariam. The morning fishes and evening fishes are different. I spent at least an hour looking at the fishes each day. And whenever we did our reading at night on the balcony... guess what... you will have at least 3 turtles swimming by to say hello to you.

~~ The Journey Ends ~~

It was definitely a long day.... had to leave the resort at 1pm and our flight was only at 9pm (which was delayed to 11pm). We basically spent hours and hours on the airport, but luckily it wasn't that bad. We our pizza in Tawau town, spent a lot of time chatting... and time flies a lot easier that we thought. But but... i definitely come back to this place again.

2D/1N in Penang

Trip to Penang was pretty good. I didn't expect the hotel to be so big, pretty, greeny and well maintained. This is a treat from Martin (ThankYou) for a short holiday to me before I start my new job.

Day1. He was out for meeting in the afternoon we arrived, and back with smiley face and sharing me all his pleasant talks with his client (I like this pleasant him)... His next meeting wasn't really that great, and we ended having some drinks at the Soho bar. I didn't know Penang has a party street like this. Anyway, it's only my 4th visit to Penang.

Day2. Was lazying on the bed till 12noon (or till Martin called to chase me out of the room for some swim). So, I went to have my book reading, sun bath and short swim till 3pm. Not bad. Martin came back around 5pm and there was when we have to leave to the airport and back to KL.

Photo
1) Me... arriving the hotel
2) Hotel's pool... big isn't it... (** some naught story happen there too.. )
3) Hote's hall... big and every tall.