Flying Tiger

Making a comeback

2011-05-04T01:59:00.003+08:00

Greetings my fellow friends, how time flies, and finally after 2 years, I've decided to write again. There's definitely a lot of catching up to do, but one thing I learnt the past 2 years is that, time and tide waits for no man, nor is there a need to rush. So sit back relax, and allow my fingers to tell you what's new, what's true and what stays the same....and I'll let you the judge of that....

BEING RIGHT....

2009-10-07T17:40:00.003+08:00

Have you ever attempted to reason with a child who knows everything? It’s their way or no way at all. They simply cannot understand the concept of another person’s point of view. Children go through a stage where they are extremely self-absorbed. Everything is mine and they will not share. The world revolves around their desires and needs. This is a normal stage of childhood where the child is asserting their individuality and independence. The problem arises when the behavior is carried over into adulthood. Of Recent this issue of being right has been somewhat “hot” so I think there is never a better time to reason this out, and take the risk of being called Mr Right……

People who NEED to be right have little patience for others. They perceive their ideas as the right way to do things and their viewpoints as the right way to think. With a differing opinion is they become extremely aggressive in their defense of themselves. They tend to alienate others due to their insistence on being ‘right’. The importance of the issue in question doesn’t seem to have any relevance. People are different. We each have a totally unique set of DNA that will never be replicated short of cloning. I do not think the same as you do and vice-versa. Our brains are wired differently. What seems totally natural and easy for me to do may be close to impossible for you. Oftentimes we get caught in a clash of opinions, But the reality is that just because I can do something does not mean that you can. And just because I (or any other individual) believe in the stand that we make, with VALID REASONING, doesn’t make me Mr Right. Nor does it make me better or right. Just different.

What is right and wrong? I bake a cake a certain way and I determine that it is the ‘right’ way to bake a cake. Yet my next-door neighbor uses an entirely different method and guess what? His or Her cake is just as good. Short of a cake being inedible, there is no right or wrong, just different ways of baking the cake. Some ways may be more efficient, true. But not necessarily the only way of doing it.

By the way, whose truth is the real truth? Or better yet, two viewpoints can each conform to the truth so which one is more right? Standing for what you believe is right and having to be right are two different things. Having to be right seems simply means the need to be self-righteous. With narrow-mindedly moralistic. Aha! Now we are getting closer. Someone who needs to be right would seem to be self-righteous, i.e. someone who feels that their way of seeing and doing things is superior to that of others.

This brings to mind the religious zealots who believe that their way of worshiping God is the only true way and that anyone who does not hold to their dogma is not only a non-believer but also an infidel. They have the deep need to convert the non-believer, believing that unless you hold to my way of thinking, you will be condemned to hell. My believing something different is considered a threat to some. This of course is an extreme case of but it certainly reveals the nature of being right.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN a person who stands to believe to be right and someone who has the need to be right ? Having to be right involves self esteem issues, low self-confidence, the past running the present, remnants of childhood adaptations, ego- behavior and he list goes on and on.

What are the costs of being right? To start of most friends and people around us still do not know the difference, they still think that when an opinion or suggestion is being rationalized and when you stand for what you believe in, it is being self righteous, egoistic, and somehow being arrogant. What they fail to realize is that, unlike someone who NEEDS to be right, you open the doors to possibilities,

We will never recognize where our next opportunity lies if we do not remain open to possibilities. Being righteous and being self-righteous are at the opposite ends of the spectrum. It’s the difference between people who are full of themselves versus people who do the right thing. Who do you choose? How do you want to be perceived? A life well lived is a life where being right is not the be-all end-all. The be-all end-all is a life well lived. Luckily, as human beings we were given free will and the ability to choose for ourselves. People and friends are usually quick to judge but unless they can differentiate the difference It all comes down to choice.

The Price of A Heart.

2009-08-31T14:00:00.004+08:00

I'm sharing this from a friend of mine, who shares the same sentiments as me.... sad but true.

People always tell me that I have a big heart. I gave my heart to you….My heart was taken by you... broken by you... and now it is in pieces because of you. For me, Love is like falling down... in the end you're left hurt, scarred, and with a memory of it forever. You always say you hate to see me hurt, and you hate to see me cry. So all those times that you hurt me, did you close your eyes?

Maybe they are right. Maybe I did get my hopes up too high. Maybe I was in over my head. Maybe I am the stupid one for ever thinking that you loved me, but maybe, just maybe, I am tired of being alone because wanting you is hard to forget, loving you is hard to regret, losing you is hard to accept, but even with all the hurt I've felt, letting go is the most painful yet.

You're the one who broke my heart, you're the reason my world fell apart, you're the one who made me cry, yet I'm still in love with you and I don't know why. The tough thing about following my heart is that people forget to mention that sometimes the heart takes me to places I shouldn't be. Places that are scary as they are exciting and as dangerous as they are alluring.

Sometimes my heart cannot take me to places that lead to happy ending. That's not even the difficult part; the difficult part is when I follow my heart, I leave normal; I go into the unknown and once I do I can never go back.

Friends

2009-02-27T03:01:00.002+08:00

In prosperity, our friends know us. In adversity, we know our friends. A friend is one who is attached to another by affection, one who entertains another sentiments of esteem, respect and affection, which leads the person to desire company and to seek happiness and prosperity. In short, a friend is an attendant, a companion, a favorer. It is a term of salutation.

At the end of life, we can count at least two people who are true friends willing to do anything for us at a drop of a hat, who stand ready when we are hurting to need help, we are indeed fortunate. (at this point I am trying to picture in my mind, who these 2 people are in my life, and still trying to measure if I have even 2 at this moment) We can talk with friends about every facet of life - our joy, trials, triumph, tragedies, hopes, wants, and needs. We can make ourselves vulnerable to them knowing they will always think and act in our best interest.

Since friends and friendships are so valuable, how can we acquire more? What I realized is that if you go out in life looking for friends, they will be hard to find. In you go out in life striving to be a friend, you will find them everywhere. Though more than once, I THOUGHT I had found good friends only short lived to know that they end up distancing themselves for what they claim as valid reasons.... or simply too scared that things may get deeper than what it should be. Its sad to accept this but it takes 2 hands to clap and the effort of both parties to make a friendship solid.

A man should keep his friendship in constant repair (which I did try in most occasions by calling up to say hi regularly - though always taken as intrusive), therefore I assume if we try to at least follow all the above, I suppose we will seldom be lonely......

Overcoming The Pain of a Breakup

2009-02-21T01:35:00.004+08:00

I wrote this based on a personal experience of mine...hope it would help to those of you who need it...(or probably later)

Destruction of a life, career, a mind and a bright shining flower withers away. That is what break-ups do most of the times. The trauma of a break-up becomes impossible to bear for many and they suffer over a very long period. They are bewildered with what happened. They simply cannot believe it. They are stunned and that feeling of disbelief and the knock of the break-up hurts so badly that some lose their mental stability.

Let us not go into why the break-ups occur. But if a person suffers so much after a break-up as we described above then obviously he/she was cheated by the partner into the belief that he/she was a ideal person deserving all the love and devotion. But the reality was different. That person was dishonest, without integrity and deserved no love from an honest person. That person was cruel and mean-minded and came in to a life only to destroy it forever.

What can be done by the suffering party? As we said the shock is very big at times and the person cannot believe that he/she did it. For him/her the ex-partner was the best human being going around. An example of truth, honesty, integrity and love. So the first thing to accept and realize is that you were cheated by someone who was deceptive. You were wrong in your thinking that the other person was honest and trust worthy. You were fooled. This will be very difficult to do, but has to be done. No amount of grief will help unless you first accept that - You were a fool. You gave your love and devotion to a person who was totally undeserving. You could not understand it. You failed.

After the break-up, it is not only the shock of having been dumped, but also the loss of love that hurts badly. You loved that person with all your might. You took care to see that you gave every comfort and total trust to that person. You might have even sacrificed many precious relationships and career in your love. And the memories of time shared together. That lingers. They hurt. Everything hurts.

First please accept that you were fooled by someone who was a cheat. Repeat it in your mind as many times as you can. Whenever you feel like grieving, do it. When the memories of earlier shared moments come to haunt you, relive them, but at the end repeat that- You were fooled by someone totally untrustworthy. Accept that fact and your recovery may become a real possibility after a bad break-up.

The Need to be Right

2009-02-19T22:24:00.003+08:00

Of recent I have been having a lot of discussion with various friends about the difference in being right and wanting to be right all the time. Well, everyone has a different view about it and I realized as I get older, these days I just listen, rationalize and give my point of view about this matter. So, this leads me to writing a topic about "The need to be right". Its only my personal point of view and you are free to disagree with me if it pleases you.

The Need to be Right is very much tied up with the EGO. An argument is a battle between ego. When you agree you seem to be submitting to the others point of view - so you lose. When you disagree you are asserting your ego and indicating that you may be superior.

However, a lot of people misunderstand a logical and acceptable argument and an emphasis made to stress a point as a form of ego, thus labeled - Stalin, Hitler, the iron lady etc. etc. etc. (I have even been in situations where even the volume or pitch of a voice that is raised is deemed to be rude and intimidating, when it is clearly not. As we all know, in stressing a point there is need to vary our pitch and tone - warning : highly affected by super sensitive individuals and too often academics or highly educated people) He or she may actually have a point but because of the reluctance of the other party to accept a fact causes a disagreement. This comes to a point where the second party makes it a point to disagree, and in a loosing battle emphasizes that there is no point arguing as the other is clearly a dictator. This type of mind is intensely irritating and is far from having a "reasonable mind"

If you agree with everything, (as how some people prefer) there is not much of a discussion, not much of a conversation and not much of an exchange of view. The other person might as well be giving a lecture.

You need to be somewhere between these two extremes. You do not have to agree with everything, likewise you should not disagree with everything too.

If you insist on winning an argument you end up with nothing more than you started with - except showing off your arguing ability. When you lose an argument you may well have gained a new point of view. Being right all the time is not the most important thing in the world and it is certainly not very beautiful. So the next time you get in a discussion, leading to a heated discussion, take it as an exchange of view and stop being a hyper sensitive squirrel and sulk over winning or losing it. Is it really worth it?

A discussion should be a genuine attempt to explore a subject rather than a battle between competing egos.... Don't you agree with me??????

Johann's Entrance

2009-02-01T21:59:00.000+08:00

Welcome, as I share with all of you a portrait of my day to day life, through the eyes of the "tiger".... which has its fair plots of adventure, drama, fantasies, victories and downfalls. Life has never been a Bed of Roses for me but with have an equal blend of my achievements, happiness, laughter, sadness, rejection and disappointment, I persevere through good times and bad.... but...Life Goes On and here is a glimpse of everything that I have to share... Dedicated to My Beloved Family, My Loyal Friends and some very Special Person. Again, Welcome to The World of Edward Johann Leong....as the story unfolds....

True Love

2009-02-01T21:40:00.004+08:00

True love. Is it normal
is it serious, is it practical?
What does the world get from two people
who exist in a world of their own?

Placed on the same pedestal for no good reason,
drawn randomly from millions but convinced
it had to happen this way - in reward for what?
For nothing.
The light descends from nowhere.
Why on these two and not on others?
Doesn't this outrage justice? Yes it does.
Doesn't it disrupt our painstakingly erected principles,
and cast the moral from the peak? Yes on both accounts.

Look at the happy couple.
Couldn't they at least try to hide it,
fake a little depression for their friends' sake?
Listen to them laughing - its an insult.
The language they use - deceptively clear.
And their little celebrations, rituals,
the elaborate mutual routines -
it's obviously a plot behind the human race's back!

It's hard even to guess how far things might go
if people start to follow their example.
What could religion and poetry count on?
What would be remembered? What renounced?
Who'd want to stay within bounds?

True love. Is it really necessary?
Tact and common sense tell us to pass over it in silence,
like a scandal in Life's highest circles.
Perfectly good children are born without its help.
It couldn't populate the planet in a million years,
it comes along so rarely.

Let the people who never find true love
keep saying that there's no such thing.

Their faith will make it easier for them to live and die

Let me give it to you straight, straight like an arrow.

It’s the same story, where guy sees girl, falls in love, and happily ever after. In between, there’s always the overused plot element of the guy winning over the girl by revealing himself and his feelings. After all, this alone is enough to win any girl over, regardless of whether she found him attractive or not, she was married or single, or he was the nerd and she was the cheerleader.

But love doesn’t exist in real life, as much as I want to believe that it does. I have been hurt and rejected one too many times.....It all ends in heart-break, my friends.

It always ends where I am told that I'm only just good enough as a friend. And even in reality, yes... I qualify only sufficient to be a Good Friend.Maybe its true and maybe its not, but the fact of the matter is that its repetitive and I suppose I would not fancy being reminded constantly. Or maybe I should stop being such a friend after all.I looked at myself in the mirror this morning when I woke up and took a close look at my face. Is it true? Maybe it is. Everyone I have ever loved or tried too could never accept me probably because of the way I look. I was born that way and its something I just probably have to swallow. The irony is everyone used that same phrase. You are a wonderful friend. Well I have had my fair share of rejections and I need to move on where I know it is safe.

Romantic/Passionate love and relationships are worthless. The only people worth loving is your family. Save yourself the grief. Yes, love is next to impossible. But it would be silly of me to say it has never happened before, isn’t happening now, or will never happen in the future. Life has infinite possibilities.
>

Love? Not for me, anyway.

Last Boarding Call - My Final Farewell, No Goodbyes, Until We Meet Again

2009-02-01T20:50:00.001+08:00

(This post is programmed to be published at a later post dated time)

Looking Back at 2008 and What's Ahead

2009-02-01T20:48:00.001+08:00

The clock shows 4.15am, 31st December, 2008...Less than 24 hours away from the countdown to 2009. For some reason I am restless and I am unable to get a wink of sleep. So many things are on my mind right now and so I decide to write my thoughts down....

I am enveloped with feelings of sadness and happiness as the year passes through another 364 days of my life. I have to admit that the year 2008 has brought me more sadness, challenges and disappointment more than achievements and happiness. It has honestly been an imbalanced year and I accept it as a trial from God.

It has been a part of my trait that family and friends become a very important part of my life. People come and people go....the saying goes. Likewise we meet and make new friends and we lose some too. From this experience, we learn 1001 different personalities and that adds to my resume of “Learning and Understanding the Nature of Human Behavior”....

What have I learnt the past 1 year...Life really and Absolutely Hurts... I am not feeling sorry for myself and I am not even blaming anyone for it. Career has been doubly challenging. I was faced with the worst criticism, write-ups, mutiny, and even backslaps from your own kind and from your own community – people you never expect. Gossips were being spread to bring me to my downfall and it spread like wildfire. Oh, what a trying time that was. But life Goes On

The sense of loneliness followed, 2008 saw Birthdays, Anniversaries, Weddings, Chinese New Year, Christmas, New Years Eve and the list goes on…. In a portrait, as I stand back to look at the bigger picture the sense of loneliness, gratitude, sadness and happiness caves in. Despite the bitterness of the lesson of life, there were some upsides. All in all, there are times I never wanted a SOLUTION just a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen and comfort.

GOD IS FAIR, in all my patience this year, apart from the blessings of the health and happiness of my family, relatives and friends, I was blessed and God gave me the gift of new friendship that blossomed in such a short period of time. It is true...things happen for a reason and people come into your life for a purpose no matter how short or long it is.

Because of that I, had just managed to make it in 2008, and I am strengthened to face 2009 together. I have a purpose now to fight, a purpose to believe and a purpose to be strong no matter what 2009 has in its pocket to surprise me.I start this year, by being thankful that I have all the people I love and that I am given new people to love, care and cherish. God works in wonderful ways and because of that I aim to become a stronger, more caring and more tolerant person. Things come and they go, but along the way you have to fight to keep those worth fighting for.

A Tribute and A Note....

2009-02-01T17:44:00.002+08:00

You never know when your guardian angel will be there for you so I have to try... I am sending this especially for you and I am asking you to read this with all your heart. After you have finished reading it, you will know the reason it was sent to you. Here it goes:

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a Godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die as God takes the unwanted and unloved to a place with greater love.… Sometimes they walk away…. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand…… What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, THEIR WORK IS DONE. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They bring out he best in you. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it, it is real. But only for a season. We sometimes don't realize what we have until we lose it, even sometimes when it is right in front of your eyes.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other other areas of your life and build a relationship from it. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant and transcends the barrier.

Thank you for being a part of my life, whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.

The True Meaning of Friendship

2009-02-01T15:08:00.015+08:00

Friends, Friendship...what is the meaning behind it. How far does a friendship extends to? Do we need friends? Its something that has been lingering in my mind the past few months and I came up with my own conclusion.

Human relationships are the source of most of life's pleasure and pain. There is however a key variable in the happiness equation - OTHER PEOPLE. These "others" are who we laugh, hurt, shout, swear, cry, try, work, pay, plan, debate...those whom we love, trust, tolerate, blame, believe and occasionally avoid. That's why we make friends. There are no simple mathematical formulae for making friends. Certainly it takes more than self esteem and good table manners to earn the trust of others. There is a balance between give and take, between duty to oneself and to others. And then there is generosity, sensitivity, good humor and a little wisdom. We control our actions, drinking for example does not make one less noble than a person who doesn't, for as long as we can limit and condition that habit so that we do not go to the extremes is fairly acceptable. Likewise, when you force a person to stop smoking, for example, it does not make him or her a better person inside, thus an advice more than a lecture would suffice at this stage - keyword equates respect one's decisions and opinions. The knife in he hands of murderer kills, but a knife in the hands of a doctor saves lives. So to be a friend or a person in a relationship we cannot push outside another persons' envelope, nor can we be quick to pass judgment.

Our world is made of layers. We have the inside world - friends and family...the outside world - bosses, colleagues and some extra terrestrial salesman at our door. You see, different people require different treatment (you don't treat your boss like your wife or partner). Nevertheless we seek a tranquil co-existence with people from all layers.

I have a friend when I was staying in KL, who has all the trendy gears. Armani shirt, Cardin suit, Gucci shoes and a concertina of credit cards. He's got a diamond studded watch on his arm and a matching BMW to match it. He argues with me when we go out that he is doing everything right. When he complains slightly to me about his life, I then asked him a simple question - Is this what you really want and are you happy with it? when I pointed out to him that these are all materialistic things and asked him if he was happy. He could NOT answer me!!!. I told him to ask himself, if he was doing all the right things, where are his real friends? How is it that his other mates in his battered old proton is getting all the laughs and scoring all he ladies (and gentlemen)?

There are times when we should ask ourselves too some relevant questions like "Am I reliable? Do I feel superior? Do I feel inferior? Am I running scared? Do I take myself too seriously? Can I laugh at myself? Do I listen? Am I responsible? Am I a fun person to be around or do I bore everyone to death? Well the first lesson of friendship is that IF YOU WANT FRIENDSHIP, YOU MUST BE A FRIEND FIRST.

Life is about people . If there are other people( a partner, a friend or an acquaintance) who puts too many conditions on how you should behave, they risk cutting themselves from life itself. No doubt you will have a friends or partners who are less punctual, more thrifty, or less reliable than you, people who are more talkative, less modest. much sillier or more serious than you are. BE FLEXIBLE. A person cannot expect an overnight change on the habit of another person. Instead of attacking learn to absorb and accept. Delight the differences in those who make up your world. Enjoy yourself for your uniqueness and you will do yourself the most enormous favor. Dont let others undermine you for being oppinionated, being open, being flexible and for sticking to your beliefs and facts - in short for being what you are. Be yourself and others must accept us for who and what we are. Accept and embrace the qualities of others, and who knows you can level up your friendship to a Special Person Status.

ENOUGH is ENOUGH

2009-01-16T09:14:00.002+08:00

I have always told people around me to be happy, and what matters most is their happiness. I was sitting alone and depressed when suddenly something struck me in the head. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. I realized that in turn I deserve to be happy. Whatever it takes even if it is the expense of knocking other people down, making others unhappy, losing friends or even losing some unnecessary people in my life. I'm done being all good and nice, I'm done giving in to every single opportunity that comes in my life just because I think of the consequences it has on others. I'm done with people playing around with my feelings.

In the past, up till this very moment I have given so much care, concern and love to so many without expecting anything in return. I have given that unselfishly for the past 35 years of my darn life and what did I get in return.....heartaches, rejection, betrayal and disapointment... So putting my foot down and and making it clear that I'M DONE.

Come to think of it, I deserve very much the same and if people around don't realise or appreciate what I have to give, then its their loss not mine. If it takes them to be miserable and depressed with the people they chose, to realise what they once had...then I sure hope they regret to kingdom come, in multiple volumes that they will never experience happiness ever. There is a saying that says, you don't realise what you have until you lose it. Even when its right in front of you. All I care now is to be HAPPY and I wish all those who has made my life miserable and dejected, an awful life ahead..... Here's to 2009 and what is left of it....!!!!!!! Like I said...IM BACK, and may all those who come in this category have a miserable year ahead and a terrible life to come.

Singapore Trip 15th-17th January 2009

2009-01-15T21:01:00.005+08:00

Singapore,the Lion City...I have always had a personal sentiment towards Singapore. Maybe because it was the first place that gave me a shot to earn a living more than 10 years ago... Regardless, each trip I make to Singapore rekindles memories and is special on each and every visit. This trip was on Business unfortunately but I took every chance I could to introduce this place to another friend, who I hoped enjoyed it and similarly had the opportunity to add another candle to the cake in hometown of the mysterious Merlion..... Singapore, I'll be back.....

Singapore at an Angle.....
A day at the Sentosa Island, Palawan Beach Island eagerly waiting for the Dolphin performances... In the end, we got more than we bargained for.....

The improvised underground walkway leading to the Esplanade Waterfront, where the famous Merlion rests....

Careful Preparation...With the help of the faithful tripod, our snapshots were always complete..a kodak moment indeed

Waiting, waiting..........

Looking through the lens....

and more waiting....... but in the end the wait was worth the while.....

My Passion, My Dreams

2009-01-01T23:33:00.001+08:00

Ever since I was a little boy everything I did involved aeroplanes. My birthday cake in a shape of an plane, my t shirts had plane imprints on them, I had posters of planes everywhere, when we asked to draw something we liked it always had a plane in it. I dont know why but for some reason, it had always fascinated me in ways i myself could not ex-"plane". I always had a miniature aircraft in my hand.

I was a La Sallian, and my school was right in the pathway where planes take off and land... That was an inspiration to me, that I the moment I finished school I am going to take to the skies. True enough that became a reality. I became a pilot, when everyone laughed at me as I am not naturally the tallest person in the school, I got my Degree and my Masters in Australia at the same time and things just flew from there.

Years passes and it just came to me one day and I thought, why not open a flying school and train pilots. Again, everyone told me that I was dreaming and I was clearly out of my mind. It took me 2 years with the help of my family members to get the approval. Sweat and tears was all that came pouring in, rejections, withdrawal, criticsm and accusations all in the name of jeaousy. Rumors also came gushing in... But I did not give up, I worked till the break of dawn to personally make sure things are on track. It paid off and I got what I wanted. The whole community here in Sabah as well as people back in Semenanjung were stunned.

A year back, I was not going to keep still, my next mission is to start a new airline. This time people really think I have lost a screw in the head. It has never and was never easy. This was going to be the most difficult decsion I had to make. Direct flight to Australia, Japan, China and Europe. I can never forget the words that someone told me straight in my face. "You better get your feet on the ground and stop dreaming". Like I bitter pill, I swallowed it and took it in good stride.Its been nearly a year now and, everything is drawing to close. My baby airline, will somehow or another take to the skies. I know people still think I am crazy but, this is MY PASSION. At this point it does not matter what people say or think of me. I have lost many friends because they think I making a BIG mistake. What everyone fails to see is that I am trying, at least its better to die trying than not to die not trying at all. I will try my level best to prove people wrong, it may take longer than expected but I am taking one step at a time. Cheers and warmest thanks to friends and famly who stood by my and believed in what I aim to do. Keep your eyes in the sky and watch out for me and the day my dreams and passion soars the skies....Sure there are going to problem, people will still talk and things are going to get rough but TOUGH TIMES NEVER LAST, BUT TOUGH PEOPLE DO....I'm taking a chance, taking charge and taking control of MY PASSION and holding on to MY DREAMS. After this...whats next.....?

Sharing the Footprints of my Life ...Through the Eyes of the Flying Tiger

2008-02-05T15:50:00.002+08:00

Ever since I was young, I have always enjoyed traveling no matter how near or how far. I am privileged to have had a job that could bring me places. The things that you would like to see before you die - Well for me it has always been to visit the 7 natural wonders of the World. I have circled the Taj Mahal and saw it lit up by the glow of the moon, the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy and the Grand Colloseum where mighty warriors once stood in Italy. There is still so much to see yet life is too short and time is always catching up on us. I usually travel alone, but having done that I as much as I can I share these experiences with people I hold close to in my heart. And, when they share the same excitement and awe that I do, I get the feeling of satisfaction. I stayed for many years in the developed city of Sydney right to the most remote places of Australia. What I gained is something that no book or television documentary can potray, I learnt that we can appreciate the value friendship whereever we go. When I was transfered to India, it was an absolute shock for me I must be honest. But it taught me and showed me how lucky and previleged we are to have the luxuries and comfort of life, when there are people in India who are so poor they dont even know where they were stay in the days to come...yet the always have a smile in their faces and thankful for even a cup of water that they have. My adventures have not only taught me new insights on things, but it has graced me with more tolerance, respect and empathy. As I travelled more, I realised that we do not need, souvenirs to remind us of the places we visit. We just have to have an open heart and keep those memories deep inside. Leave nothing but footprints, bring nothing back but memories..... Join me in my footprints of experiences and adventures.

My Footprints in London and Paris

2008-02-04T15:01:00.000+08:00

Yes, London and then Paris. I must say this was the best trip I have ever had in many years. Why, because this was one trip where I went with a good family friend, Vicky. We were both overworked and planned a trip that would do good to boost our morale. This was only chance we could become kids again and get excited at the entrance of an amusement park - YES DISNEYLAND PARIS.......

After a 21 hour flight, we finally got in to London, but time was of the essence. That same morning we conquered London. Of course, land there each time, but in any travel the company matters....

At the Trafalgar Square all wrapped up.... The temperature that sunny morning was easily below zero....

The famous Lion at the Trafalgar Square. This time I will just take a shot behind it. Few moths back I tried climbing on top of it, I sprained my thigh. So lets just say, I refused to do it this time as I need to reserve my energy for Paris.

We arrived Paris one week later at La Garde De Nord. My ability to speak french finally pays off as we found it easy to move around and even to order food. First stop was the Louvre. The famous landmark for the movie the Da Vinci Code.

The main Paris Square next to the Louve before reaching the Notre Dame Church.

A must see Landmark when you go to Paris. The Eiffel Tower. Lets say...no point going to to close as you cant get the whole view of the tower. Whats in it? 15 Euros just to go up. But its not the cost but the line to get ion takes easily 3 hours. So no thank you. All I needed was the backdrop.

This was the North view of the Larche De Triomphe. (The Triumph Arch)

Another common place to eat...

Yes, Disneyland Paris. I never felt so excited in my life. I just could not wait to get in and when I did there was not a care in the world in me. I was 6 years old again...But then again when am I not!!!

A the main entrance of Walt Disney World Paris. Yessss

The Walt Disney Studios

My favorite cartoon character. Donald Duck. It was so cool to see him in person... wink. London and Paris was a fun trip. Every moment was different but to propose Disenyland Paris again, maybe not so soon...my next target will be Walt Disney World Los Angelas. Watch out here I come.

My Footprints in Vienna Austria

2008-02-04T14:51:00.000+08:00

Ahhhh Vienna Austria. The music capital of the world. The architecture, the People, The language and the food seems very similar to Spain, France and Italy, but the only difference was of course the weather. Well below 5 degrees and with only a day and a half to spend my trip was extremely limited but yet still enjoyable

The Famous Vienna Square

Looking for food at one of the corners in Vienna called Little Paris... I could not speak austrian so the safest place for me was to go where they spaek French. Voila

At the entrance of the National Music Theater of Austria.

Vienna was pretty much am on duty trip which gave me only a day to look around but still no regrets coming here. Its a place I would definitely want top return to but not in Winter again!!!

My Footprints in Rome, Milan and Pisa, Italy

2008-02-03T14:28:00.000+08:00

Arividerci, finally Rome again for the first time Im stopping here and getting he chance to stroll around the streets and visit a place I have always wanted to go...The Holy City - The Vatican. This was a tiring trip but a trip that gave me insight on a lot of things. My aim has always been to see the 7 wonders of the world... And here lies the mighty Colloseum.

Always looks small in teh pictures but magnificently huge in reality. Visitors are not really allowed to go in, but hey I touched the walls and left my fingermark on it...That counts right?

The moment of truth the foyer of the Vatican City, where the Pope really is. Took 3 hours just to queue at the main entrance, but that was not it. The next queue to get inside the Vatican, (the building shown above and to the Church is another 2 hours. It was pouring mad that day, and the temperature was well below zero. But there was no I would turn back after coming this far. Vatican was a heart warming experience.

Before queing up, I managed to get this Indian couple to help me snap this picture. The Holy Gates of the Vatican Church.

Pisa, at the entrance of the leaning tower of Pisa are the 4 main gates leading to the main building. It was a long walk but worth every while of it. 2 Great Wonders in one country...

The Entrance to the Main Cathedral in Rome. That is a fountain which they use to baptise newly born babies, where the source is believed to originate from Jerusalam.

Before the day ends, still had time to shop...Hey its weird as the shopping hours ar split into 2 session 9am to 2pm, everythign closes between 2pm and 6pm then everything resumes from 6pm to 1030pm... Even Banks!!!!!!

In a friends house where I managed to stay for a few days in Milan.

Finally its was time to go back, with very little souvenirs and a handful of memories and new friends I leave my mark once again in Italy. With a solemn prayer a uttered at the Vatican. I leave with fond memories.

My Footprints in Madrid, Barcelona and Mataro, Spain

2008-02-02T13:34:00.000+08:00

February 2008, arrived Spain this time to a remote city called Mataro where I would be staying for 2 months. Honestly I did not know what to expect. Along the way I, stayed at Barcelona and Madrid which was at the exact opposite end. The first thing that I noticed was the splendor of the rich histiry and architectural design.. Above, the Unfinished Basillica of Gaudi... Went there 3 times and still never though it was enough....

One of the greatest experiences when you travel is when you meet people along the way. Here I am blessed to know Catherine and Amy from Tunisia and Gulay from Emirates and of Course Bob our Instructor and his lovely wife Margot who unfortunately had to take this pic.

Inside the Gaudi Basillica in Barcelona

When you travel overseas you tend to be comfortable to eat in a place where you become familiar. This was my favorite, the Tapas Guadi.... I had difficulties reading Spanish so I stuck to the usual which I knew was safe to order... One potato salad with Seafood Tapas and a bottle of Red Wine to keep me warm.

It always meant a lot and it felt different to attend Mass Church Services in Spain where somehow it felt different... Service was in Spanish, but the prayers came from the Heart...

Another good friend who was as much of a fanatic when it comes to Shopping.... Where to find us...ZARA. By the way Mimosa, I still have the trench coat you strongly recommended me to buy..

Mimosa again, recharging before she storms into the next shopping mall......

Another day in the City in Barcelona....

Overall Spain over and over again has been quite an adventure, always something nice to see although I cant say much for the poeple especially in the Cataluna area... I suppose it simply a Spanaish thing...The food was different but the wine and drink is always available.... Via Espanyola. Chiao....