It Has Been 1 Year

Tomorrow is 1 Jan 2008. To many, it is a new beginning or a chance to open a new book.

To me, 1 Jan 2008 signify 1 year of laying off the ciggs. It is an achievement, one big achievement, personnaly. God knows how many times I thought of taking a puff since I decided to stop last 2nd January 2007. After having a meal, when I looked around and saw all those people puffing away, the pull to light up was bigger than a sight of a sexily dress woman. There were many occasions when I was so stressed up, all I could think of was having a puff, just 1 PUFF!

I dont know how I did it because the longest I had done this before was 3 months and that was when I was staying in a foreign land where it cost RM25 per pax some years back! But I am glad I stopped as I feel my lung is taking in more air . Somehow, the capacity of my lungs is so much more now. I feel healthy. I dont grasp for air when I took the stairs anymore.

I look forward to another year of cigg free period.

To those who smoke, come join me for a cigg free period.

MOSCOW RUSSIA

I have always wanted to know how Russia is.

Got that chance in august/sept this year when I spent 6 days in Moscow. Its a unique country with its unique architecture and moscow is so alive with activities. Its expensive, its quite crowded (jam at odd hours) and it is full of rich people. I had this impression that moscovites are rich people. They drove luxury cars, for every 3 cars I saw a merc, a lux or a bmw. They have speciality shops, designer shooping complexes and thier security guards in these establishemnts are in coats.

Dont ask me about prices because everything here is so expensive. Got me thinking how do the poor survive in the city.

I went to the red square, took some shots of the famous place,and went to another area which commemorate the WW2 dead, its a kind of TUGU Peringatan. Like I said, I am not much of a tourist but I only took 3 0r 4 pictures in these places that I went.

The women are very sexy and beautiful.
Security was also an issue and was advised not to be too adventouros alone!

I have now a different view of Russia and moscow. Too expensive for me though!

SWITZERLAND

Switz was another first. Its quite different from other European countries. I was in Bern, for the 3 days I was there in that country.

The country is actually beautiful with its vast flats and hills/mountaneous structure and these I was able to capture on the long trip to and fro the airport.

The city of Bern was not that big but the shops are nice and modern. Bought the swiss millitary watch and other locally switz stuffs.

I spent the 3 days just looking and wachting the people, the place and the environment. Not that expensive compared to Finland.

On the way back to Zurich airport, I stopped over at the Bally/other barnd factory outlet. Managed to buy some bally stuffs at a very discount and bought myself another equinox swiss wacth.

I like Switzerland and wouldnt mind going back there again. The next time, I will make it a point to be in Zurich!

Finland

First of all, it was FINLAND and not Norway as per my previous entry. I had visited Norway before!

Of all the Scandinavian countries, Finland had eluded me all these times until recently. Not much different from the others but one thing is common - it is an expensive country. I guess if you have seen one scandinavian country, you have seen them all.

Spent 3 days in Finland, managed to go on a short trip out of the city, do some window shopping, Nokia phones are more expensive there, food is typical of that region but I ate what I could.

Of the 4 scan countries, I prefer Denmark. So much more to do and see, more cosmoplitan and metropolitan!

Visit it again? Nahhh, not if I can help it!

First Times

This year saw me going to a few countries for the first time. It was in Mei 07 that I set foot in Kenya for the first time (for that matter, that was my first visit to the continent). South Africa was just a transit point of a few hours. I was excited before I went there and Kenya was so much different from the others. People walk most of the times. The reason given was because for many ,they are too poor to afford the public transport. No wonder there is hardly any fat people!

On the advice of the Embassy, I didnt venture out in the open like I would normally do when I visited a country because of security reason.

2 days before I left the country, I went to the Nairobi Safari Park, expecting to see thousands of animals. After 3 hours in the safari park looking for animals in the safari van, I only saw 1 hippo in a lake, not moving at all, 8 ostriches, 15 buffaloes, a few zirrafes, a familly of 3 rhinos far far away from the trail, a few antellopes and one whole gang of baboons. THAT WAS IT!

It was one eye opening visit however to Kenya. Kenya made me realised so many things about Malaysia!!!

Will write about those other countries later.

Its Been A While

I know it has been quite a while.

Was so busy, extremely busy. Being out of the country a number of times too.

Went to Norway, Switzerland and Moscow for the first time. 3 days in Norway and Switzerland and 6 days in Moscow in August and September. These are beautiful countries. Then almost 18 days in London in November. Cold? Oh yes!

I will try to pay more attention to this blog in the future.