Danger

A real danger. Don't know what has happened since this picture was taken. I hope everything is ok.

Go I must

I'm in KL now at my rented house in Gombak. After two years and a bit, its back to Gombak again. At the moment, that's the best solution as I'm always in Sarawak. The wife needs to be near her family to relief her of some of her burden of bringing up two babies alone. Don't know how long this arrangement will be but for now, that's the way it is. I'm planning to rent out the house in Cheras. That will bring some cash to the coffer every month. Once I'm back in KL for good, I will do the necessary. Tomorrow I have to go back to Sarawak again. The heart is heavy but go I must.

Wait and see

Looks like I will have to extend my stay in Bakun for an extra week or two. An important meeting is going to be held there in the third week of December. I had planned to come back by mid December but now its going to be a distant hope. Anyway, I'II wait and see what brings forth. 

Won't be long

Back in my PJ office, for today and tomorrow. I will spend the weekend in KL before flying back to Bakun on Monday. Last night I reached home at about 11pm after the tiring journey from Bakun. Both Akid and Maisarah were still awake. The moment she saw me, she wanted to break free from her mother who was putting on her pampers. She must be missing me, just like I missed her. Akid, as usual, was busy with his toy cars. Its great to be back, even though its only for a few days. In sha Allah, it won't be long…...

Grown up

Been more than a week since I last saw them. In sha Allah tonight, I will see them again. Maisarah has grown up so much, I am told she is not only able to walk but is starting to run. Wow! and she is only 11 months old. As for Akid, he is beginning to speak in words that we can understand. He is a big baby now. I miss them just like I miss my elder children but there are things that you can do something about it while there are things that you cannot. They have all grown up, living their own lives, making their own decisions. I miss them all the time but then……sigh

That would be more than enough

There's another game of football this afternoon. I might play for a few minutes. Hopefully I can do better this time. If the field is dry, it should be okay. Last week when I played, the field was soggy and wet. It was also after so many years since I last played. Today with the experience of last week, I can do better in sha Allah. Off course I don't expect to play like those youngster. Just so I can stop the ball cleanly, pass to the right people, create some openings, run into space, that would be more than enough. After all, I'm fifty eight.

Already a Master Chef

By 9pm, I'm already sleepy. I'm yawning like it is already 12 midnight. Contrast that with the life in KL. 9pm is still early in the day. Sometime I'm just about to have my dinner! One thing good about here. From house to office is only about 5-10 minutes away. As a result, I go home for lunch although off course I have to cook. 3 and a half months here, I'm already a master chef. Perhaps I should think seriously of taking part in the master chef competition.

Missing home

Somehow today I'm having the Monday blues. Maybe the weekend rest was not enough. Or is it because I'm missing home? It's less than two weeks since I was last in KL but somehow it felt such a long time. Alhamdulillah it's in the plan to go back this Thursday. There's an urgent work I need to do.  Need to finish it this week otherwise I'II be running out of time. It will be my last trip home before leaving for good in about a two weeks time. 

Never too late to learn

Working in Bakun is intresting. There are many challenges. Everyday there are problems. Some are small that can be solved in quick time while some are big that gives me sleepless nights. The problems can be in terms of human, technical, administration etc. Off course there are the good side as well. I get to meet and work with many new people, some from other countries. Iran, Iceland, Georgia, French, Germany, Indonesia, Philippines. I learned many new things. Its never too late to learn.

Its nearing the end

The countdown has begun. The way I look at it, this is my second last weekend in Bakun. Next weekend, I will be in KL, in sha Allah. I will be traveling back to KL on Thursday for a meeting on Friday. I will stay for the weekend before traveling back to Bakun on Monday. Will stay in Bakun till the weekend, which will be my last weekend in Bakun. I will continue staying in Bakun before traveling back to KL on Thursday for a meeting. This time it will be a one way ticket home..he..he.

New hotel

This is the new hotel in Bintulu, the Promenede. Today it will be officially open by the Chief Minister. Situated in a new commercial area of Bintulu, just behind the Farley supermarket. The new area is already seeing rapid growth. Bintulu as I have said, is booming. There's more hotels, more commercial areas, more office blocks, more shopping lots. They are all being built. Come back in a few years, I'm pretty sure Bintulu will look different.

Akid and Maisarah- growing up

A good exercise

Its Friday afternoon. Everybody is looking forward to the weekend. Most of us will off course head for Bintulu. As for me, most probably, I will also go to Bintulu this weekend. Need to do some banking and get my hair cut. Yesterday, I played a little bit of football. There was a team from Belaga, 30km away that came to play against us. I joined the fun, played about 20 minutes before deciding I have had enough. Can't keep up with the young boys, especially when I have not played for years while they must have been playing everyday. Anyway, it was fun. A good exercise for me.

Ending soon

On most days when the internet is good, I will be at my computer. Back from work at about 6.30pm, I will have a quick shower, do my Maghrib prayers and then go to the mosque for Isya prayer and dinner. We will have some small talk after the Isya prayer. By 8.30pm, I would most of the time be already at home, ready for bedtime. That's when I will spend some time in front of the computer. That's the life in Bakun. Its going to end soon for me. Just a few weeks away.

That's all I can do

A terribly busy day. From morning till late in the day, I was tied up with little things here and there. In a way its good cause the day passes by without me even noticing it. So soon, its going to be another day. On the flip side, I cannot concentrate on some of the things that I need to do. I need time to read and understand but time doesn't permit. However, I have no complain. I work to earn a living. Allah has given me this work. I accept it with all my heart. I try do my best all the time. That's all I can do.

Time to relax

Its 8pm in Bakun. I 've had my dinner, done my Isya prayers, what else is there to do except relax for a short while before hitting the bed. Today is over. Tomorrow is another day.

Going home soon

My time in Sarawak going to be over soon. In about a months's time in sha Allah. Soon I will go back to my normal routine, base in KL but off and on in Bakun unlike now which is the opposite. The colleague who will take over the job I'm doing now in Bakun is here for a look see. He will go back after two days but will come back to stay permanently in early December. I will go back maybe third week of December. One month and a bit won't be long I'm sure. Day in day out and before I knew it, its over. he..he. Still, at the moment I am here in Bakun. I will do my best for as long as I am here.

To Samalaju Industrial Park

In Bintulu at the moment. Drove over from Bakun to spend the weekend here. Need to have that break. To get out of the jungle, so to speak. See the outside world. After that I'II be fresh and ready to go for the weekdays ahead in Bakun. That's the life here. Went to Samalaju Industrial Park yesterday to have a look. That's where the bulk of Bakun generation goes to. Big big plants there, consuming hundreds of Megawatts. Thought it was near Bintulu but it is actually almost 70km away. Still, not as far away as Bakun. Those working in Samalaju can stay in Bintulu. Its only about an hour's drive.

Grandaughter

I met her only once. Even that for just a fleeting moment. She's growing up real fast. Don't know when I will meet her again. Hopefully in a not too distant future. Then I can tell her my grandfather's stories.

The contrasting life

In Bakun, by 7.30pm I'm done for the day. Taken my dinner, done the Isya prayers. After that, what else is there to do other than sleep. Usually by ten, I'm already in bed. Contrast that with the life in KL. The last time I was in KL, sleeping time was almost 1am every night. Had to make sure the babies are asleep before I feel safe to go into dreamland. Akid and Maisarah sleeps late. Midnight most of the time. The next day I have to go to work. Work means staying at the office till late in the evening, 7pm to 8pm or sometimes even up till 9pm. Here in Bakun, by 6.30pm, I'm usually at home already.

I enjoyed it

Just came back from a futsal game. I played using my own pace, careful not to play the way the others are playing. After all, they are not even half my age! How can I match them in terms of energy. Anyway, from my own perspective, I didn't disapoint. I played okay I think even though it must have been a few years since I last played. At my age, its difficult to find friends who are still playing football. They are more into golf and the like. Tonight was fun. I enjoyed it.

4th floor KLIA

View from the 4th floor, KLIA. Down below at the 3rd floor, its the arrival hall. Up above on the 5th floor, its the departure hall. I am sandwiched in between.

Plenty of things to do

The five days in KL has been hectic. On the three days that I was in the office, I stayed till late because of meetings. On Monday, it was almost 11pm before it was over. Lucky thing there was the weekend in between. That provided a bit of a reprieved. Otherwise, it has been a busy, busy time. Now I am back at my favorite place at KLIA, the 4th floor. Don't know when I will be back. Perhaps at the end of the month most probably. Meantime, there's plenty of things to do in Bakun once I get there. I have maybe another two months to go of my stint in Bakun before I will be back for good, In sha Allah.     

All for it

The weekend was spent at the house we are going to rent in Gombak. It's not a big house, nor a modern house but it will do. Its a house situated in one of the many Malay villages around Gombak. So, its back to Gombak once again. I like living in Cheras actually, the house we are living now. Very convenient with the shopping malls, mosques, banks, restaurants, 24hrs shops all within a mile. But alas, life has to go on and going on means having to move back to Gombak. So be it. I am all for it.

Moving house again

Looks like I'II be moving house again. The wife wants to be closer to her family as half the time I am in Sarawak. With two babies to look after, it is difficult for her. At least the family can help if close by. That's why we will be moving to Gombak once again. And this time, it will be a ground floor house. A kampong house in fact, in one of the many Malay villages around Gombak, No more taking two stories up the stairs every time. When we moved to Cheras, I thought that would be the last  but then again, as said many times. We plan, Allah decides.

Alaah decides

Its raining outside. Alhamdulillah, the Friday prayer is over a while ago. I manage to get back to the office in the nick of time. Otherwise, I'II be drenched. Since I am in KL, they have scheduled a few more meetings taking advantage of the situation. Because of that, I will now travel back to Bakun on Wednesday, in sha Allah. There's plenty to be done in so short a time. Come to think of it, what ever happened to my retirement. I am working harder than ever. This certainly is not the retirement life I had envisaged. Ahh…..as always, we plan, Allah decides.

I enjoy the work.

It seems like I travelled all the way from Bakun to Bintulu and to KL to attend the meeting this morning just to get slaughtered. I prepared the paper a few months back. In the meeting today, the paper was discussed. As it turned out, everything about the paper was wrong. Sigh……. That's how it is living the working life. The challenges are many. It can come from everywhere, from places that you least expected. Would I want to retire again? A big NO! Despite the many setbacks and the insurmountable challenges, I enjoy them nonetheless. I take them in my stride. I will improve in sha Allah. The learning never stops, even at fifty eight years old. 

A whole new experience

Recently I started jogging again after so many months. I jogged on Sunday and I jogged again today. In Bakun, the best time to jog is in the morning after the Subuh prayer. It gets bright very early, as early as 6 in the morning. So I jog just after six for a few minutes, then go to work. At work I do feel a little tired but there's so many things to do I don't really feel it. Its nice jogging in Bakun. Surrounded by thick jungles, misty plus the cool air, it makes jogging a whole new experience.

Sleeping babies

Soon we will meet again.

I'm flying home

Suddenly I find myself at the airport in Bintulu waiting for the flight home. It all started this morning. I came to work as usual in Bakun when at about 10am, I received a call about a meeting to be held in KL tomorrow in the morning. I knew earlier about it but I was not supposed to attend. Somehow there was a slight change in the agenda. With this change, my presence is needed. I had to quickly make arrangement for the ticket and transportation. So here I am at the airport but alas, the flight is delayed because of bad weather! Looks like I will only reached home at well past midnight. Tomorrow early morning I have to attend the meeting. Its really hectic but who cares? I'm flying home.

Keeps me healthy

Its only 10pm but I am already dead sleepy. So sleepy I can hardly open my eyes. Perhaps the events over the past three days have taken its toll on me. In a way I am relieved its over but the feeling of tiredness is only just beginning. I will need a few days to get over it. However, there's more work in the offing. There's always things to do, things that need looking into. It never stops. Come to think of it, it's good cause it keeps the mind alert. The brain is working overtime. It keeps me healthy, in sha Allah.

Time for some rest

Relaxing in bed after the hectic weekend

Its over for now

I'm relaxing at the house now after a hectic weekend. Alhamduillah, it's over now although there's still a few unfinished business which will drag on till Monday. For the moment, I can relax a bit. The past two days and nights have been a really busy one. On both days, I had to be working till almost midnight although they were separate happenings. The moment I reached home and crashed into bed, I was dead tired. Somehow, this morning I found the energy to go jogging. Perhaps the relief of the events being over provided me with the adrenaline.