Another trip??

Woke up with a cooling weather make me felt like im back in Taiwan..
Kinda miss this there..
Well im still heading towards my goal of a solo trip..(removed backpack), that i hope one day i will fulfill this dream.
Meanwhile, i have confirmed my trekking photography trip to Surabaya, as a form of training or an experience, i signed up the trip myself..
In a way, I do not want to restrict myself to travelling only when i have friends, and patiently wait or beg for ppl to join in, and most importantly, i want to be very independent.

This trip will be my first try, my trial, exploring Java EAst Volcanoes sight..
I love geography, n i always hope for a day to visit a volcano and co incidentally spotted de tour by sgtrekker..

Lets hope de day will come soon n de weather etc will be just perfect..

Confused, lost my way?? or Evolve?

I told myself after my last silly act that i will never find myself falling into another trap...an emotional and self delusive trap. Yet i nearly stepped into it again...getting a step closer one after one..

ARGGHH!! i need to be focus!!!

Nonetheless, looking back at last year, i think i have grown out of the box i used to be in...the box that restrict me to learn, the box that shut my eyes, the box that makes me think only within de box. One year ago, you tell me that i don excel in what i am doing, i will challenge and fight you to death...one year later, no wait...its 9 months later(NOW), i will think it from another perspective.

I am glad to see results at work...not about the bonus that disappoint everyone but the thought that how much i have matured over my attitude towards work and people.

You won't really see me complaining non stop over work now, won't be walking around telling people i feel like leaving just because i got some shitty work or lousy bonus.

I think all these changes came from the influence of my team...I call them "team" because we work like a team and they have watched over me truthfully with the hope of changing me, growing me and teaching me.

I have full admiration for Cavin..He showed me what is meant by proving oneself irregardless of status. To avoid ppl frm looking dwn on u, You shld nt look down on urself first..
Ms Wan on de other hand has become a close partner of mine tat we r always fightin battle together n seeing ome means another..when did it actually started?? As far as i recalled, i was still so defensive n reluctant to work w her..haha..i was afriad of her n changes tat will affect me.

I remembered the countless time of argument i had and the rebellious stubborn me that refused to open myself to more work but yet they never once gave up on me and for a team like them, it was useless to just promise them each and everytime because they really want to see the changes themselves.

I thank them for all these and i am grateful i took a turn which now, i can see my goals clearly and the direction that will lead my career to.

I wont know how long i will stay here but while im here, i wish i can learn more and build a better portfolio!

Old man activities

Am i really turning old and old that the hobbies surrounding me are highly suitable for old man?

Guess what is the next thing that i am doing regularly other than looking at my orchids??

Drinking tea!

Finally utilising one set of my 紫砂壶 that i bought during my China trip.

Was at Jusco that day when Gene asked me to share this 普洱茶 and i suddenly remembered that i have a set of teapot which i have yet put into good use..

So these few days, my family and i are drinking tea after dinner...:)

Malaysia..love and hate

Other than the poor safety, high crime rate that this country has...which is always one of my major concern that somehow discourage me of going, the Superb Unpredictable JAm at Custom is another major issue.

No matter how much i enjoyed the trip, it will always end in dismay. The Jam at causeway is something so unpredictable yet predictable...I got stuck there for 4hrs before i finally reached Singapore and spend another 1 hour to reach sengkang. This is really terrible...

The trip was not much looking forward either after we headed to Tuas. It was an early Jam that cost us a breakfast. Jusco wasnt much interesting too...its just another IMM but located in JB.

The tour at the mini fruit farm is quite boring too...maybe because my expectation was a vineyard..haha

The Durain fest was yet another disappointment. I was still telling Gene that judging from the time and the tour guide continuous non stop briefing, the durian fest should be some fruit tasting exercise.

And indeed, for a crowd of 40 pax, we were only offered like 10 durians and it took another complain to get us another 10 more durians which look like those selling at neighbour shops, 1 for $1 kind.

The night ride to catch fire flies was the only thing that make the trip worth and happiness alway comes with a price...the LONG QUEUE at Tuas again.

Sigh..it will take alot of persuasion from others in order for me to go Malaysia again.

The day we met again

How long was it since the last day the SCS group met? I mean in full attendance....ermm think the last round was 5 month ago when 313 started business?

None the less, the recent meet up session was also unsuccessful where ting nv joined in due to last minutes commitment that she has forgotten. Sigh

And since it was for lala's birthday and we can all tell she is eager to get her gift, we decided to just proceed. The original plan was to watch a movie on that day as it has been so long since we caught one. The last one was a complete super boring movie call "Perfect strangers" chosen by Lala and so this round, i decided i couldnt give in to her again....and i was right. She chose Nightmare on Elm street, another horror silly flick...

Well lala always complained i nv take pic for her...so here it is, as per her request...i did a portrait for her(right) and sotong(sun bian).

Think this portrait lens is really nice..and i am getting better and better with this lens.

Let's hope the next meeting, its really the full crowd!

Raffles Marina..finally all geared up

Went to Raffles Marina, all thanks for Fionis who offered to drive while on Garden leave...Bock joined us for this outing as well...

It was a private yatch club and with the word private, we were chased and monitored like mad by the security. "No taking Photos....Cannot point there....are you a member....got ask permission???"

Kind of irritating...but by sun set, the situation changed after chatting with one of the security guard...It must be due to my charisma...

Weather was so humid

We were lucky to see the Galeón Andalucia which is an exact replica of a seventeenth-century Spanish Galleon of six decks which formed the fleets that, for more than two and a half centuries, crossed the Atlantic Ocean (“La Carrera de Indias”), and linked New Spain (Mexico) with Manila across the Pacific Ocean (“El Galeón de Manila”), every year.

The crew was busy as they are leaving the port...

this should be the only lady crew on board the ship

The photographer on the ship...caught him sniping a few of my pictures...

The ship started leaving under the beautiful sun set...

Leaving behind the empty port with the sunset...

Took one last shot of this light house...

Wairon Farm....Orchids Phalenopsis

It was my first trip to visit a local orchid farm. Went with the arofanatics nursery guys who showed me lots of hospitality at the farm as if it was their own farm.

Wairon specialise in Phalenopsis, so basically this is the main species that i actually went for.

This was what i saw when i stepped into the farm...according to the guys, these are plants that will be wholesale to markets..and flowers cut will be sold at supermarkets.

Mutated Orchids which will only blossom once a year...and nothing more.

A very nice but expensive one...

This is another kind of Phalenopsis...the flower is small but the amount make up for it sizes...

Unlike normal orchids, Phalenopsis bud and flower has a very fragrance smell..the older the plant, the stronger the smell.

A tour around wairon farm

Hanging phalenopsis all over..some already belong to people who rented a space there to keep the phalenopsis

This is my first Phalenopsis...name Bellina..

It still a one flower plant but with good care...it should blossom till a very nice plant!

And here we go over and over

Red tapes are everywhere but i got to agree that my Division has alot of red tapes...

So much so i felt like cutting them up and apparently, people always love to hear it from other people instead of the staff within the Division. I cannot understand why people would go all out to make things inflexible. What do you achieve with that???

Sigh...work gets really annoying at times, but i will try to stay as positive as i can.

Beautiful Orchids

Mum brought 2 pots of orchids home and somehow trigger my little interest in them.

Went through some forums and discover that orchids isnt too difficult to keep and that is if you understand them well enough.

Dendrobiums is the most easily found in the market and supposingly the easiest of the many species. I know by reading this blog entry, it somehow makes me looked old from all these hobbies that i own but its really interesting and it compliment my photography passion as well, i love shooting pictures of flowers.

So here are some of the beautiful bloom of the orchids we have at home.

About to full blossom

Night shoots...full blossom

Sepia background

My other dendrobiums

My mini dendrobiums gotten from Geylang east.

The buds

Testing my macro lens, 55mm f2.8 ais, as well..

Full Blossom

Going to Wairon farm this afternoon and one of my forum friends sold me a nice bellena...

Unlike dendrobiums, phal are much more classy and the flower produce a nice scent....wait for my next posting!