Promise Promise

After a long long break from blogging, I am kinda far far behind in this part of the world. Shall do more!

A Photo Trip At Last

After the first fail attempt to go on a photo outing with some friends, I had a chance to try one more time. It was not that bad! Saniwan, my IT head girl, Sameojai, a journalist gal and myself were going to our boss's dad funeral in Chacheangsao, a charming province not so far from Bangkok. We went to the service on Friday and staying over the weekend to wait for the cremation on Suday.

The plan was to visit the '100 years markets' which have been shown in many media and also the famous 'Wat Sothorn' the landmark of the province.

Saniwan took care of booking our room and once there drove us every where (my car though) since her mother is actually from there (we didn't know it until then). From our room, we could see the illuminated 'Wat Sothorn' hence our attempt for the night shot of the white marble temple. It made me realise the virtue of HDI (High Dynamic Imaging) technique that Gordon has been telling me about :)

Our visit to the old market was a delightful walk down a memory lane. We saw many things we used to see in our childhood like the sweet we used to enjoy as a child for example the gum shaped as cigarette under the 'Black Cat' brand or some food we don't normally find in the city! The market itself still as it was a century ago. Thanks to the digital technology we simply click click and were pleased with what were recorded on our cameras.

Saniwan pampered us even further by driving us away from the now 'tourist' market for a late lunch in a raft eatery in a local temple where food was really good and cheap too. Our lunch was shrimp fried with garlic and pepper for herself, shrimp fried with basil leaves and chillies for Sameojai and shrimp fried with curry paste for myself. Yum yum!

The funny thing about this trip was that each of us spent our evening doing our own things with our gadget....Saniwan surfing the net with her mobile, Sameojai playing with photoshop on her laptop and me watching a movie with my laptop with TV on as background noise. In the morning, Saniwan and Sameojai teamed up to watch a Thai and Korean series, refusing to leave until they all ended and me getting frustrated and finally went down to a cafe to enjoy my cappa. We joked that the trip was just a change of location to enjoy our routine! Well, that's the main reason for going away isn't it...to enjoy ourselves!

The trip worked well photographic wise and a prove that we could go on more trip together. In fact, we kinda agreed to go up north to stay at the railway bungalow round the coming new year when Gordon would come to join us too.

Rained Off Photo Trip

I don't usually go out at the weekend to preserve my energy previously drained from the week work. Oh well, there would be time ever so tempting that drag me outside the house...and when it happened...always something funny about it.

I heard of the fair along one of the oldest and working canals and agreed to go along with other girls for the photo trip on Sunday afternoon. One friend stopped by my house and we were driving to our destination fearing that dark cloud above us would turn into rain. Still...it was sunny and hot yesterday, so we were hoping for the shady day...though not so good lighting condition. Driving nearby the area where the fair would be, it was rather quiet to our liking...might be tooooooo early, we thought.

After some encouragement, me and other 3 girls started our walk to the site, stopping by the United Nations gate for some shots...still cheery you see :)

We got to the spot bursting out laughter as all our fears came true...the stage was there, the raft was there (for some water fun), the colourful banners were there....yet no one there except us and some TV crew and a vendor and his candy rickshaw. Honestly, that was all there for the fair!!!! We were told that it was postponed till next weekend due to some mismanagement (how come!). Then it started to RAIN!!!!

Still cheerly enough, we joked about the whole thing and managed some photos of the colourful sugar paste and some candies...


Hmmmmm we all agreed to check our horoscope next time we like to meet up again

Stylist Food....Arty Shots

Oh Boy! my EOS baby is as good as my creativity...ahem! I love it when I could toy with F Stop and bit of zoom here and there to get all these good looking shots of the stylist food serve at one of the railway events. Hungry anyone?

Finally...

I'm back on my photographic track with my new baby EOS 400D, courtesy of my sweet Gordon :) We bought it after I had long been drooling over the EOS 350D (that Gordon uses) and just before my sister's wedding at my parents, 16 March 2008. Oh mine, how exciting it was to be back in control after so much point-and-shoot that really spoils my way of looking at thing and carefully think before action. To also indulge my sore photographic heart, I pampered myself with a 75-300 USM zoom lens (hee heee..excuse excuse) and a smart carrying bag, plus a filter...all to make sure once the torch is lit...the flame lives on well.

My first few hours was at the famous flower market half way to my parents where Gordon and I took turn to play with our new baby and comparing our shot with another friend (who happens to be a journalist). The next challenge was at the actual wedding where Gordon was helping out most of the morning until he was so exhausted from the heat and me took over, roaming the place in flowery dress and high heels! I'm too pretty for the job!!!!!

Next was even better as we drove off to our hideaway paradise at Rayang Island of the east coast in Trat. We found ourselves way too much enjoying the beach, sea and the dogs (playing with them of coz!) and took less than expected amount of shots....hmmmmm

Still, I got a chance to disguise myself as a photographer at a week long event to celebrate the anniversary of our workplace, the State Railway of Thailand, and managed over 700 shots within a week...average 100 shots per day. Let me know if that's a good enough record for a mad amature?

The highlight up to now though is for me to act as a photographer for my office and 3 bosses at the 3rd Greater Mekong Summit, held in Vientiane, Laos PDR where I simply blended in with a flock of journalists and photographers shooting (I like the word) at them Summits (i.e. Mr. PM or President or whatever title that is) and Mountains (er...I guess that should mean ministers :) and Hills (er...perhaps them executives) and ants (us...little people).

Let me know what you think of my (still not quite acquainted with the camera yet) photos...drop by at my web album.

Pics from Our Latest Trips

Gordon and I recently took holidays together for 4 weeks - 1 in Oz and 3 in NZ. We met up in Melbourne and drove off to the Grampians for couple of days. In Melbourne, we of course did what the Melbournians do -- visiting museums :) And while in the Grampians we had close contacts with the locals - Kangaroos, Cuckoo birds and Cockatoos.

Back in NZ we were lucky to get a bach on Endeavour Inlet, Queen Charlotte Sound, north of the south island. We feasted on fresh blue shell mussels freshly picked from the ocean! We were also visited by Waka - rare wild bird.

Hohum, I have been extremely busy with work and couldn't find time to upload and diary the trips as such...so for more please visit Gordon's pages. Hope you enjoy the pics :)

A Week in Malaysia

First of all, let me apologise for my inactivity regarding this blog. But, hey I've provided an alternative for you to visit my web album instead, haven't I. No excuse except that I have had to juggle many new committment professionally and personally of late and hardly had time to play with this thing...sob...nonetheless, here I am with more fun pics for you.

The week of 22 - 28 July, our Malaysian counterpart was hosting yet another annual Joint Conference between us, this time in Awana beach resort, Terengganu. The wonderful beach town on the west coast of Malaysia. Rather excited to be back there and meet up with so many freinds of coz. This time a big group of us, 25, went again by speacial coaches including the Governor's Saloon, buffet car (our private kitchen), and first class and second class sleeping coaches for us, attached to normal service train heading south. We left on Friday afternoon (however, I almost missed the train due to call from a young journalist and turned up at the station just a few minutes before it arriving, phew!), arriving Padang Besar, the border and international station Saturday morning where a semi-welcoming ceremony was arranged while immigration and customs procedure took place. We then hauled by a special train arranged by our counterpart so that we reached KL by the evening. Nice ride....though I was stuck with Saufi karaoked in their coach for over an hour (HELP!!) Ha...ha....

The next day was another bus ride from KL to Terrengganu passing through lovely and rather green surrounding of Malaysia. The bus ride indeed provided a time window to chitchat with some old friends and make new ones which was, i guess, among the purposes of this kind of gathering. The host also provided beach activities to break the ice and many were found on the beach playing volleyball, beach soccer, banaboat or just gentle stroll. I, instead, caught up with my secreatariet gang -- Afzar and Syed (my Sayang Satu or Darling No. 1), Shahrill (Sayang Dua or Darling No. 2) and Shahriza who hopped in and out like a grasshopper between the secretariet room and the ballroom bossing everyone around with her walkie-talkie. The welcome dinner was organised in an open air setting which was quite a break from typical ballroom scene. Rather enchanting but yet there was the best to come!

Monday was when the conference session started. After the opening ceremony and all formality the plenery was split into group inwhich I attended the CEO session while the rest went along with either Technical and Management or Marketing session. After lunch, we were taken to see petroleum industrial complex and dinner back in the hotel which we gals from SRT wore sarong given as a pressie from the company...nice touch. That night the boat rides, one for squid jiggling and one for fire-fly watching were organised whereby many were seasick and them local squids were therefore saved....ha ha.

The conference was normally followed by the post conference tour usually to handicraft centres and shopping :) The first stop was the famous batik factory where I had my hand on the wax printing (for photo of coz), followed by a visit to another handicraft producing hand-woven songket (elaborated with gold and siver tread), brass work (their latest order was from the Palace), and some interesting things. Later, we were put in the boat to the Mermaid island in Kaula Terrenganu, the capital of the region. The lunch at the boat club was rather refreshing and delicious. And the shopping in the local market complex was enjoyable. Dinner was impressive as it was organised by the beach, well, on the beach more like, with the setting one would die for if it was one's beach wedding. So we grasped the opportunities to take many couply and group photoes. The whole group was taken back shortly after dinner, but some of us stayed on to finish off the soda and drink we brought along. I caught up with the Secrateriat team later at the hotel and it was in the wee hours that we finally said good night (should have been good morning though!). Not many beauty sleep when we are making report, I can assure you. Dato Salleh, the MD of KTMB, was so sweet in that he stayed with us and provided some sandwich and coffee and tea for us old wise owls when asked. Thank you Sir.

On Wednesday, another short trip to Pahang state was organised to see the turtle nursery and more shopping. I decided to stay put at the hotel though with my secretariet gang (C'on I was nominated as Drafting Committee, so I had to perform accordingly) to finish the report. Some of the golfers came back after their morning game and I was with them for late lunch in chinese eatery in town. Mind you the local lobster was even bigger than my already big arm!!!! The closing ceremony was later at 1600 to seal off our week followed by the farewell dinner. The host was so sweet to have our batik dress tailor made so it suit my petite body perfectly and beautifully.

To bade farewell to Cik Radzak, the wonderful Chairman of Conference Organising Committee of the last 6 years, Ek, my new male staff of 2 months braved it by dressing up as a Barbie Girl lipsinging to the song and flirted with our big man. Many Pa Ciks and Abangs were requested by me, to show our appreiation, including my Tersayang Dato and Radzak, to pose for photo with him too. It was to say the hightlight of the night and he became the Conference Star as many were impressed by his sweet face and classy sexy poses. Dato even wondered where we actually got this girl from before realised later that it was one of our boys. The magic of make-up and dress up.

We took the bus back to KL on Thursday in which I had developed such a good rapport with another sweet young face called Shahran, the young engineer of 27 who is now my Sayang Tika or Darling No. 3. At KL Centre (posh shopping centre downtown), Shahriza, Shahran and I wondered round the book shop where Ferny (who apparated and disapparated shortly like magic) and myself got our copy of the lattest Harry Potter at 20% off. The three of us later sneaked up the coffee shop for our cuppa and cake. It was where I learnt that Shahran 'hated' carrot cake but had to swollow a fork full of it that I force fed him...oooops. I loved his expression when trying to gulp it down before saying 'I don't like carrot cake'. When asked to sign the copy of my Harry Potter, not surprising that it read 'Kakak Sayang....I love your carrot cake!!!' How sweet of you m'dear. We ended our lovely time in Central Market where Shah was more of the one shopping while Shahran and I just strolled after her, chatting and joking about her shopping obsession. But hey, it was all the pressies for me and her friends at the office, so who was I to complain. We had our momento done, this time in form of a badge with our pic on. Nice token of love and freindship indeed.

If you ask me, this conference thingi, be it the Joint with KTMB or ASEAN with the 7 railways in the region is one of the best part of working in the railway community. You can't ask for more, believe me. I shall upload collection of these photo to my web album at picasaweb.google.com/aomrak shortly for better viewing purpose. Meet me there.

Drive Carefully People!