Those Whitening Creams Better Be Spot On.

It was in one of my early post that I touched on the mysteries of Pulau Besar located some 25km off the city's coast. Well, the I was presented with opportunity to taking another boat ride out the one of the four smaller islands close to Pulau Besar called Pulau Nangka (Jackfruit Island) that is also shourded in mystery and lost treasure.

The trip was with a group of Tourism Malaysia and Malacca Museums Corporation personnel on a familiarization and clean visit to the island. Assigned Pelf Yeen to cover the assignment and tag along to get my first had visit of the island.

The weather was good and the island, less than 4 hectares had not much to offer except clear enough waters to see my toes at a depht of a meter and a coral reef for snorkeling.

The island is 'special' in a sense that it has been associated with lost treasure since time immemorial. Even the country's famous mystic, Datuk Harun Din, was said to have spent 44 days on the island trying to coaxe its spiritual keepers to give up the location of the treasure.

The boatmen that ferried us there, in particular a seasoned 60-year-old seahand named Pak Siran mentioned the island's significance prior to the 1400s. He said that it was one of the very few island along the West Coast that provided fresh water to ancient martime ships that sailed the monsoons.

What is evenmore interesting was the island was bought by a local Chinese tycoon in the 1990s and later bought back by the Malacca Museums Corporation in 1997/98. Curiously enough, Pak Siran said that there was talk of the waters off the island being scoured for treasure over the years.

Several museum staff said that some of the treasure seekers had even blown up large boulders and rocks with dynamite in an attempt to located the mystical carvern of treasure and gold beneath the island but to no avail.

After lunch at at Pulau Nangka, the group decided to head for Pulau Besar for a 'one-hour'tour. Upon arriving on Pulau Besar recently, both of us decided to opt to wait for the group at the jetty as we had 'tour' the place on previous occasion.

So much for that though as things got really hot later for Pelf and me. Both in terms of heat and the annoyance of waiting...the one hour dragged on to more than three. There was not much to do but to wait much to the annoyance of the boatmen who were also kept waiting. To make matters worse...the oppressive heat changed when we noticed an inland storm brewing towards sea. It was almost 6pm and I had to rush back to clear a story while Pelf had a dinner date.

The only light moment I had in all the waiting, and to added to Pelf's already going Hakka mad, was when I noticed her arm looking like a boiled red lobster. Told her about it and she didn't really see the extent of it until I took a shot of it to show her the contrast. Bamb....mistake....bamb....as this led to Pelf going going ballastic and whipping out her umbrella and portable mini-fan. (which made me laugh even harder).

She was going on about wearing 'long-sleeves' and staying in doors for the next two weeks excluding saying...'those 'Fair and Lovely' or Olay whitening cream better work'. (She have never used them before). So much for that. The strom came and we finally made it back to the Parameswara Jetty with the group at about 6.20pm with dusk rapidly falling.

It was when I reached home that I realized that the last laugh was on me instead. Took one look in the mirror and almost fainted..with both Karen and Kyra having a good laugh too. Well, a picture speaks a thousand words...they say...and they also said those 'Fair and Lovely' cream works...really...they better.

To None I Wish Ill But To All I Wish Peace and Love.

Age Is A State Of Mind

Yup....Age Is A State Of Mind....that's what I would like, or should I say...used to think. As with the saying...'the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak'...and so it is with me.

Used to pride myself that I had a full shock of black hair eventhough hitting 40. Attributed it to the years of use of the former hair oil 'Vitalis' which was taken out of the market several years ago.

Well, everything seems to be going down hill after 40. First to go was my 20/20 vision...it was those darn fine prints which got me squinting, resulting in my first pair of 'reading glasses'. (Ahem...only fine print..so I need to be careful of lawyers).

Then came the increasing strands of white hair....darn. Know that it was inevitable and thought I would age gracefully by looking a little more distinguished with some white hair on my head. Never thought I would resort to 'dying' my hair...but alas...my ego got the better of me.

Well, there's a first for everything and got it dyed today...much to Karen's worry. A married man at 40 pushing on 41 and dying his hair would surely set off the warning bells of a midlife crisis. (Darn...I think I broke Karen's warning bells years ago much to her dismay).

Its not like I am going out there looking for a bonk...its more of me being unable at this point in time to resign to the fact that I am an old fart. Told Karen that at least I wasn't dying it shocking blond or burgundy...including getting one of those man wavy perm hairdo. (Karen wouldn't be the only one worried if I did that...I would too myself).

So there you go....a 21-year-old kid trapped in a 40-year-old body...and that is the state of mind I am in currently. Darn...why is it that I still don't feel young....Lol.

To None I Wish Ill But To All I Wish Peace and Love.

Night Out At The Jetty II

Well, its truly been a long and draining week for me, bothmentally and physically. Have been working for one straight week including working late to get my stories in. Then, there was also the domestic issue (or should I say my issue) that Karen and I had to deal with. Yup...it was quiet a week and literally jaded greenon both fronts.

So came Valentine's Day, a day that I think is too over rated and over commercialized. (Love should be expressed and lived everyday and not merely one day out of 365). Anyway, after having been introduced to the 'jetty', thought I take Karen and Kyra on a foray there for Valentine's night.

Kyra was all dressed and hyped up to go when it was about 7pm while I was struggling to finish a story on some dumb crocodile sighted off Tanjung Tuan. (measuring 2.5m...small enough for me to whack it over its head if I could). I, too, was impatient to get to get going as I had planned to take some shots of our night out and the city lights from the jetty. Even clean my G9 and packed my tripod.

Finnaly got there and took a stroll down the jetty and scouted for a good spot for din. The last time I was there, I only saw the karaoke side of it and this time ventured to the open air patio. It was quite a pleasant surprise as Karen, Kyra and I were impressed at the ambience and setting.

Then after getting comfy at out table...bamb....I realized I forgot to put in the G9 battery that I had been charging. So there you go......memory does go with age...and no shot of my Valentine's night out. (no big deal as there always another day).

So, I had to settle takign a photo of Kyra holding up a tacky Valentine's chocolate cake (that's was what it was suppose to be) that was originally given to my mum by a family friend but ended up with us instead.

Happy Valentine's Day.

p/s darn...think I am going to dye my hair soon...everything seems to be going white after 40.

To None I Wish Ill But To All I Wish Peace and Love.

Out By The Jetty.

Darn...it was a quite a throw back last Sunday when was invited to meet up with Aly for a 'karaoke' session at the jetty. Heard about the place but never really ventured there so thought I join in. (yup also to satisfy my ego too and show off me talent at the mike...lol) It was a simple pre-Chap Goh Mei get togther and to celebrate Aly's 26th birthday.

Pretty niffty joint and dejavu experience as Aly's boyfriend and me were the only non Chinese there. So it was half a night of listening to Chinese songs. Some pretty nice tunes.

Managed to do a couple of numbers. Ayiah...have to learn some current songs lah instead of singing 80s numbers. (lol...the songs were from an era when most of them were still in their diapers).

Anyway, still had a decent time and even squeezed in a few shot of the view from the jetty and the almost full moon minus the partial eclipse.

p/s Aly's the 26-year-old one standing on the sofa and looking like an iritated 6-year-old who wants a go at the mike.

To None I Wish Ill But To All I Wish Peace and Love.

Furry Little Balls Of Fun

After much ado...we finally got a 'life' pet for Kyra. Will get to that but first a little background where pets are concerned. Aside from a mini-zoo at home, we grew up in a family of dog lovers. My dad also had an aviary with over 50 birds in our garden.

Besides, birds, there were also the odd pets that I had as a kid such as a squirrel, a snake including crabs.Being a dog lover, I was only introduced to cats much later in life when I met my wife Karen.

Having a pet is something that nurture the concept on love, companionship and responsibility in a child.Well, didn't want Kyra to miss out on the experience but living in condo made things a little hard. So, we tried as best as we could and Karen got her a Digi pet for Xmas...one of those key-chain sized where you get to 'rear' one fo 35 animals...lol including a dinosaur.

Alas, it didn't turn out to well...the pets Kyra tried to rear died. Don't blame Kyra though...darn things had to be fed, taken to the loo, read too, taken for medical check ups even play bowling with it...at frigging odd hours...thank goodness they died! (It was a prequisite that Kyra kept at least one of them alive to prove she was worthy of a real life pet)

Nevertheless, she has been wanting the next closest thing...hamsters. So collected her ang-pows and eventually got her a pair of Robisky hamsters.(A fitting hamster breed that is the least aggressive, smallest and fastest hamsters..just like my energetic Kyra...lol). Its hilarious...they are kinda of cute (Karen has a masive 'geli' attack just looking at them).

Anyway, I guess I'll be helping Kyra (photos of her with her fake Digi pet and hamsters) have fun taking care of her pets who are aptly named 'Grim' and 'Mandy' after the cartoon characters.

To None I Wish Ill But To All I Wish Peace And Love.