Now that I’m back to my normal routine, it’s time to get this blog updated before you guys started complaining that weeds are growing longer in this blog

Let see what happened in the past 3 weeks:

Nov 22^nd:
Morning was occupied with sending my Citra for major servicing. Total damage RM600+. In the afternoon, drove Myvi to fetch Amang Andrea from Putrajaya ERL station. Picked up my Citra at 6pm. Beer session at Asia Cafe with Amang Andrea and Jen’s babe.

Nov 23^rd:
Took Amang Andrea for BKT at Klang. Picked up Birdman from LCCT at 3pm. Bumped into Bernie at the airport. Went home and napped till 6pm. Bought nombor ekor. Took my guests for a sumptuos treat at AhanThai Restaurant.

Nov 24^th:
Woke up at 4.30am. Sent Amang Andrea to LCCT at 5am as he was going to Penang. Reached home at 6am-ish. Continue sleep for a while. Worked from home (WFH).

Nov 29^th:
Babuk and Tayang Andrea were in town. So was Andrea and her mom. Picked them up from LCCT at 2.30pm. Went to DBNA dinner at Pucuk Ubi. Dragged dad along.

Nov 30^th:
Took family for BKT luncheon. Shopping at Sunway Pyramid. Went to Sate Haji Samuri for Babuk Andrea’s favourite rabbit satay.

Dec 1^st:
Spent the day sending and fetching people to/from UiTM Shah Alam for Birdman’s convo.

Dec 4^th:
As it’s a pantang (taboo) for me to do drillings while Carol is pregnant, Babuk Andrea helped me out doing home improvements around the house. Took Tayang and Ande Andrea to Ikea in the evening. They bought lots of stuff, in which later on were charged RM305 by AirAsia for being 19kg overweight.

Dec 5^th:
Sent my citra for brake servicing before the long drive down south to neighbouring Singapore. Total damaged was RM135. Went to Sri Petaling to buy boxes to baggage the overflowing galored shopping.

Drove to Singapore at 7pm for our weekend getaway. It was an hour behind my original schedule as we had dinner at home first before we started our journey. It turned out to be a good decision because we caught ourselves crawling in the usual evening massive jam from Kajang toll until after Senawang. Should we decided to stop at Seremban R&R for dinner, our schedule would’ve been delayed further. Traffic was smooth after Ayer Keroh. Heavy rain at some parts of the expressway across Johor. Pit-stopped at R&R Machap for supper and refuelling. Reached Tuas Checkpoint at half past ten. Spent approx. 45 minutes at the Singapore side if the checkpoint for immigration clearance and re-application of my autopass. Apparently you can’t transfer ownership of your autopass from your previous car to your new car. You have to buy a new one.

Took another 40 mins to find our way to our hotel. It’s been 2 years since I last drove to Singapore. I kind of lost my sense of directions. Had to rely on my instinct and landmarks.

Note to self: Get a GPS device installed in my car before I visit Singapore again.

Dec 6^th:
Breakfast at Geylang. Spent 3/4 of the day at Sentosa Island. IMHO, I thought the underwater world at Sentosa Island is overrated. Aquaria KLCC is much better than this. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the Dolphin show at the Dolphin Lagoon, Palawan Beach. From Sentosa, we went to Orchard Road for shopping and dinner. Went back to hotel to relax. Took Tayang and Ande Andrea to Mustafa Center at 1am for more shopping.

Dec ^7th:
Checked-out and breakfast. Drove to Marina Bay to make the ritual photography session with the Merlion by the Singapore river. For first timers like Andrea, a visit to Singapore will not be complete if a pose is not taken with the Merlion. It’s like visiting Sarawak will not be complete without seeing the SCV. The road near the Esplanade was closed for Singapore Marathon. In fact most major roads were closed. I ended up at the CTE and lost my navigation again. Made a turn somewhere towards Changi and Bedok town before I managed to enter the city again.

After Merlion, we concluded our trip to Singapore by visiting Singapore Zoo. To give credit where credit is due, I must say that the zoo is spectacular. No wonder it has won so many accolades in the past. Our inferior Zoo Negara which looks like it’s still in the 60′s should learn something from Singapore Zoo.

Exit Singapore at 5pm-ish. Very long queue at Woodlands Checkpoint. Managed to enter Malaysia almost two hours later. Dinner at Danga Bay. My first time visit to Danga Bay and I find the place has been getting an overrated review. Foods are lousy and overpriced.

Started our journey back to KL at 9-pm sharp. Heavy rain all the way from Skudai till KL. As I was driving along Tangkar/Muar area, I felt my car was skidding from the slippery road condition. Slowed down to 90km/h to avoid any untowards incident. Stopped at Pagoh R&R to check on the car. Everything was ok. The journey was smoother after Pagoh. Managed to speed up again to 120-140 km/h, weather permittings. Occasionally slowed down where there’s heavier rain and compromised road conditions. Stopped at Seremban R&R for refuelling. Reached home ten past one in the morning ahead of original schedule.

The next morning, I saw this horrible news in the paper, the same area where my car skidded.

Source: The Star

Note to self: Always remember to pray before you start your journey especially a long journey.

Dec 8^th:
Everybody was knackered from the hectic weekend. Rested the whole day. In the evening, Ande Andrea wanted to go to Ikea again to buy more things. Went to Sunway Pyramid to pick up her newly ordered laptop before we went to Yuen’s Steamboat on Babuk Andrea’s treat.

Dec 9^th:
Woke up at 4.45am. Sent Birdman, Babuk and Tayang Andrea to LCCT at 5am. Reached home at 6am-ish. Dropped by at Puteri Mart wet market. Napped for a while and went to work.

At 10pm-ish, fetched Amang Andrea who was returning from Penang after his friend wrongly dropped him at Restoran Jejantas Sg. Buloh instead of the abandoned Restoran Jejantas at USJ. Went to Chow Kit to buy more keropok ikan to be brought home to Kuching and Sibu but the stall was still closed for Raya Haji.

Went home at midnight, feeling very exhausted and lack of sleep. Started to get sore throat and fever.

Dec 10^th:
Liverpool won!!!! 3-1 after coming from behind against PSV Eindhoven.

Dropped Andrea and her parents at Mid-Valley on the way to office. Boss’ boss from London was in town. Joined him for a review session with the local engineering team.

Reached home at 8pm-ish. After shower, took Andrea to Asia Cafe for dinner. Went home at 10pm. Sore throat and fever getting worse. The whole body is feeling knackered as if all the joints are coming off anytime soon. Settle down immediately as we reached home.

Dec 11^th:
Woke up at 4am this morning feeling much much better. Fever’s gone! It came to a conclusion that I was lacking of sleep. Watched ManU trailing Aalburg 2-1 after Tevez put ManU leading three minutes into play. Sent Andrea and her parents to LCCT at 5am. Reached home at 6-ish. Continue sleep till 8am before going to work.

Dec 12^th:
Feverish and caught cold again. Started to cough badly but still go to work as I’ve so many backlogs that need to clear up before I go on X’mas holidays next week. Completed at least 70% of my backlogs. Left office at 6pm. Reached home 7.30pm. Made porridge. Eat and sleep by 10pm.

Dec 13^th:

Was awaken by Atern who came around 1 or 2 am to pick up his PS2. Slept again. Woke up at 4am. Drink hot milo. Watched astro. Continued sleep till 9am. Feeling better now but still coughing quite badly. Breakfast on porridge while writing this posting.

That’s it. The Singapore trip concludes my 2008, a year filled mostly with travels and trips. I’ll write something about this later.