Trip to Moscow

I was on a good 1 year break from traveling. As you know, traveling is something i can delay but cant avoid. Some thinks i am lucky to travel wt all expences paid by company. But less knows the trouble and hassle i need to go by. Travelling for work is not as exciting as one may think


After a good year break, I now travelling to few contries in Europe for work. This has landed me in Moscow, Russia. I didnt want to travel here, but unfortunately the issue here is far greater the other country.

Let me come back to my travel experiace in Moscow. I had some sort of expectation in Moscow, just for that i decided to spend 2 full weekends here. After i bid farewell to all, i was on my way to Russia.

This time, I am traveling wt SQ.

Day 1.
After a painstaking ~11 hours flight, i finally landed. I didn't have time to do much homework about this country. The blogs i read said one thing in common, " Lack of customer service" I wondered what that was.

The flight i was on was a flight to Huston,US wt a stop over at Moscow. This is where i drop off :). The first encounter was not pleasant. I came out of the plane and was making my way to the Immigeration. Now remember this was a stop over flight. That means the others that are still continuing to US, they must come out as well. There was these bunch of passangers that didnt know where to go. There was this young ground staff girl. Her job was to guide the transit passengers to the boarding area. I can clearly understand now when they said " Lack of Customer Service." This girl, was shouting at passengers to get to the correct place. I think she forgets that the passangers are the one that paying for her salary ( i mean directly). I have never seen any airline staff being rude, well only in Russia.
The next thing i noticed was, NO ONE SMILES. I really dont get this, they are all not smiling. Not even the airline staffs.
Well, cut the story short. I was out and was told that the driver will wait for me outside. The was this guy holding my company logo. So I went to him and said, Marriot Tverskaya? I am Karu. This guy, of course with a bloody sour face. Didnt speak a single word of English! I cant get this, if a foriener is coming, please sent some one that can speak english. He called his office, and a lady with a stern voice asked for my name. After i said that. Things was clear. Now, the drive just showed his hand indicating move. Wait a minute, he is the driver and i am paying him to drive. Why such and bloody addititue ? Wors still, i had to carry my bag and drag my luggage along. Idiot didnt even offer to take them. Common, i am the kind that is very generous in tips. Oh man, lack of customer service. This is worst then, let me think..... hmmmm... well i cant think of a country where the driver didnt offer to take my luggage.



Finally after dragging my luggage alone to about 500m to car park. I was finally on my way to the hotel. It was the longest silent ride ever. Not a single word. After some time i was at the hotel. I checked in and rested a bit. By now you should have guessed, if not let me tell you. There was no bloody bell boy to open my doors or take my luggage. I had to drag my luggage and open the 2 doors they have. I checked in and still no bellboy to take my luggage to room. Guess what, this is some sort of 5 star hotel and i pay ~ USD300 pernite! Well the possitive side to this is I saved my tips money :)

ok now, I will stop complaining. So I dumped all my luggsges in room and headed to Red Square. It was about 20 mins walk from my hotel. The day I landed, was coinsidently was Moscow founding day. So there was some event happening on the road. They closed the road and had those metal detactors ( similar to those in airport in smack middle of the road. If i needed to enter, i have to go thru that. So i did the said, i waked thru the portal and it beeped like crazy..... Oh no, am in trouble !!! hehehe the police let me thru and so did they did for the rest of thousand ppl. I now feel completely safe feeling that even the portal beeps, everyone can still come in. If you had a gun, the portal will surely beep but dont worry, the police will let you thru. ;)
Did I tell you, the girls here are super hot. I have to give them credit. Almost all has a stunning body with a pretty face, model like.... s... ( to be continue)

What are friends.....???

I wrote this sometime ago, I just decided to post it.

If you don't know by now, my dad passed on last April. It was the heaviest and the hardest event in my life. I could only say this for there is no other words could express the emotions I went thru and going thru till today. I still think of my dad and still feel that he is happy back in Penang. Well that is not the case. I tried to pinch myself to wake up from this dream but it didn't work. Nothing can be changed now, except for me to start realizing..


The topic I wanted to talk is friends. I always pride myself of having good friends around me and I still do. I have some of the greatest friends that makes me feel alive. I, no doubt always ensure I am a good friend to them. For me, friends are the next closes people after your parents and family. The past events made me realize that, not all people you think are your friends should necessarily think you are their friend. :)

Real friends are not the ones that comes over when you have a party or some celebration. These is no doubt, humans will go to any extend to be happy and have fun. At these times when you having fun, you think you are with a group of great friend that is sharing your happiness. Well that is not the case, they are there because they have a selfish reason. They want to have fun! That's the truth. You go to a party not because someone invites you, you go there because you want to have fun and be happy. If you invite a stranger walking down the street and tell him he is going to have fun. He will surely come. I don't blame anyone to feel that way. But if you are a friend, well you should not only be there during the happy times. You need to be there when they are in sorrow as well. That is what makes you different from a stranger walking down the street.

In the time of my sorrow, indeed there were friends around me. Not as much in numbers I wanted but there were some. All my friends are a friend to my dad. He was the friendliest father one can ever ask. All my friends envy me for having such a cool dad.

I received the call on my fathers passing. It was a shock but it took time to sip in. I couldn't drive. Even I looked calm outside, I could hardly feel my legs. No one can feel the pain, one needs to go thru to really feel it.

At that time, few people came to be by my side. Boy was the first person I told the news. He without thinking offered to drive me up and was followed by Y and L. Later my bro told G the news. He without thinking followed my brother in his car. G and I go a long way from the same school to the same Univ. He was there all the way. He held me when I fell after the last ritual. That is when I need a friend and he was there. Even I didn't express my gratitude to him. I am sure he knows.

My dearest darlin, she came from KL without thinking for a sec. I am sure it was very hard for her to see me in that state, but she came. When I saw her in the conner ..silent, she didn't have to say anything to comfort my feeling. I was equally comforted just to see her.

S, is married to my cousin. He was the one man that brought me and my family back to our feet. He was the only one that came and visited us almost every day. He cared without expecting any returns. No words I can say to thank him enough. He is a gem that I found in times of trouble.

The whole event feels like a dream. I want to forget all that happened that week. I want to forget but remember those who was there for me.

There were lots of you that felt my pain and I know each of you, if I were to write all.. I could end up writing a book :). I want to instead write the reason why I decided not to have some people as friends.

If you remembered, I said not all friends take you as their friend. Well its very easy to identify them, but I was stupid not to realize that earlier. The simplest tell is, when you were to call them they use these words. " I am busy". You may think they are indeed busy, but common are you not the only one bz. We all know that we are busy people. We work, eat, shit and work again. We are busy people, get over it. You need to make your time. Make it a point to call your friends, just for the fun of it. You didn't have to have a reason to call a friend, rite.

Let me bring you to the one so called friend. She is no doubt, claims to be the busiest woman around. Every time I called, there would be at least 100 "busy" word from her mouth. I came to realize now that, she is the most self centered person I ever know. I cannot believe that I put up wt her for so long. :)

Anyway, this person stays about 5km from my house. She was there the night before the funeral and that is the last time i saw her while I was in Penang. Common, if cant come over, can always call. Well, its really to late for that now.

Another of my childhood friend, no doubt he came for the funeral. But after that same story, gone with no trace. He is also in Penang and never called or visited the entire time I was in Penang. This is a funny charactor, every time I come back to Penang I will call him and tell I am back. Everytime, I call he will say "now only you remember to call me issit" Well atleast I called but he never calls me. Idiot has the guts to turn the table around. And these are the people that knows my dad well and my dad even catered for his wedding. I have absolute no benefit from him in any ways. Hence, no point in talking rite.

So during this event, I made a small housekeeping. Friends, are like the items in your fridge. I am sure when you open your fridge and you will find some items that you use everyday. Some, well it just sits there wt no apparent use. If you were to look closely, it may have been expired. So the best thing is to throw them away.

Some friends that has not keep in touch. Well, no point in having them in your mind rite. So better to throw and make room for some new ones.

During this event, I made some great friends.

* those of you I still talk to, you are very close to my heart. You guys are in no way have hurt me.

Idle mind is the devils playgrounds

Loneliness is a disease. It’s a very common disease and can hit one at any time. Normally it comes at times of sorrow and despair. Its slowly eats you from inside and makes you weaker day after day. Some may think life is not longer worth living. Some excludes to a corner and most will succumb in silence.

There is no known medicine to cure it. But I tell you, this shit is truly curable. One can easily snap out of this and move along.

I recall a conversation with a friend. I related to him that we don’t have snow in Malaysia. I love cold weather and love to play in snow. He casually said, well you guys are lucky. Apparently in the countries that have cold winter, people die. My immediate thoughts were at the poor homeless people that freezes to death. Well, that is not the biggest killer. Boredom and loneliness is. He says, the suicide rates are always higher during snowy winter times. People are not able to go out, the singles are left lonely and the dogs can’t go out to shit. Some simply can’t take that and refuse to continue living.

We don’t have to go that far. We have heard stories of that Korean girl stuck under a collapsed shopping mall, rite. You haven’t heard? Ayoo, Well a girls survived after 17 days under the rubble. Just drinking rain water. The point is, your “will” must be strong to survive this cruel world.

As the famous quote goes, “nothing is permanent, even change will change”. And that is the cure we are talking about for the so called Loneliness disease. I tell you, you are lonely today, but tomorrow you will have a chance to change. So, change…

Get a routine or break from a routine. If you work everyday, you drive alone to work. You work, work and have lunch alone. You don’t talk to anyone because you have no mood. You finish work and you drive back to home. You get some food from the same stall near your house. You reach home, you eat, you shit, you bath, you watch tv and you sleep. If this is what you do everyday, then freeking hell. Break the routine.

Take up dancing class, call a long lost friend, go visit your relatives. Or better still, have a one night stand. Do something that is not in your routine. All these are the common first step stuff you need to do. Now, if these does not work. Do something extreme.

Go to bank, change RM100 in RM1 notes. Grab one of you closes friend, go to the busiest mall in your state. All malls will have something like an event hall. Go up the highest level and see the people below. I am sure they will be very bz doing their stuff. Now, take the RM 1 notes ( 100 piece) then just drop it!!!!! ……………….. Observe every single ringgit flying and see how people react to it!!!

After this, you will be a changed person! Now start Living. Do everything that you wanted to do, don’t hold back.

You only have one life and its too short to be lonely, sad, angry.. blab la…

…. Just Live Your Life ….

Day 7: The final leg of Challenge.

Today is the last day of my challenge. I guess I can still make it!. I have RM21.20 in my wallet.  Ezy bzy :D.

So as usual today I had a coffee for RM1.50. Then a tapou Eco Rice at RM4. Dam, I just realized that I been having Eco rice almost every lunch! No wonder my chinese friends are rich! Eco rice, you $aved me :) On my way back, I got my self a mineral water for RM0.90. The chiplang kind not Sprintzer.

I had a very low profile day, didnt want to over spend. Tea time came and guess what, someone belanja me Lotus pao .$$ $aved.

Dinner, I makan nasi goreng at RM4 and china teh again at RM0.40....

Wait a minute...... I DID IT... yeah yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I survived wt RM150 per day!!! and it changed my life.

Breakfast: RM 1.50
Lunch: RM 4.90 (eco rice RM4 and mineral water 0.90)
Tea : RM 0
Dinner : RM 4.40 ( Nasi Goreng + China teh)

Total Damage: RM 10.40
Balance: RM 21.20- RM 10.40= RM 10.80  $aved!!!!!

Day 6: Just another day, Chobahannnn.

Update 00:05: Hollllly Shit!!!! arrrrrrr this cant be happening!!! I just did an audit and realized I only have RM41 instead of RM44. Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr I lost RM 3. I cant figure where it went missing to... As our late P.Ramli says "Cooobahaaan!!!!"

The morning I woke up feeling sad I lost RM3. Well, shit happens rite.. Now, the day before, I borrowed my car to a someone and he came back wt an empty tank! Thanks someone. So I kinda had to fill RM10 on fuel. The bangla at pump station gave me a stare when I gave him RM10. Anyway, after a super quick pump. I was away to office. Breakfast I skipped.

I went for lunch and makan Eco rice for RM5.00. Nice and filling. I ordered China teh and guess what. I still could belanja someone another China teh! Cool huh, on budget and still can belanja. ;)

Office was as usual, work nothing to shout about. Dinner, I tapau noodles for RM4 and balik makan wt my Astro.

DAY 6

Fuel: RM10 (Thanks someone)

Toll: RM0 (using no toll road)
Breakfast: RM 0
Lunch: RM 5.80 (eco rice RM5, China Teh 0.40, belanja someone 0.40)
Tea : RM 0
Coffee: Free (office vending)
Dinner : RM 4.00 ( Noodles soup)
Hilang : RM3.00 (Cant imagine i can loose money. Dammit!)x

Total Damage: RM 22.80
Balance: RM 44.00- RM 22.80= RM 21.20

DAY 5: Monday bummer.....

Today started out as a the usual lazy monday.
I had roti chanai and teh tarik bf for RM1.90. Lunch was tapau at RM3.90( economy rice again) . So total hit till now is RM5.80. I still goin strong.. could I make it?

Update 11.16pm: Tea was a puller, spent RM3.90 for teh break at Old Town. Who said you have to stop your cravings when you have a budget. For dinner, well I had to honour Bernice. Ya ya . I had Maggie or actually Mee Myojo. It had eggs and also vegy. It averaged cost me RM2.00. So total today was about RM12.60. All these was for food only.

Fuel: 0 (Still surviving wt the initial RM30 fuel)

Toll: RM0 (using no toll road)
Breakfast: RM 1.90
Lunch: RM 3.90
Tea : RM 3.90
Coffee: Free (office vending)
Dinner : RM 2.00 ( maggie mee)

Total Damage: RM 12.60
Balance: RM 56.60- RM 12.60= RM 44.00

Day 4: Quiet Sunday

Well it started out quiet. A home made coffee at RM1. Went to my parking and the car couldn't start... Damit.. While waiting for the guy, I went to lunch and makan for RM5.50(economy rice and teh susu). After lunch came back home and the guy is still not here.... isk isk......

Finaly I got my car fixed. I didn't intend to go out at all. Bus someone wanted to go shopping so I cut a deal. I will follow if they drive. So it was, I had free ride to Alamanda. :D. You guys wont believe. there was so much temptations. There was the F1 sale and food ... food.. Bloody Famous Amos, only the smell was free. I wanted to burn down that stall so much..... Anyway, I made it thru.

Dinner was at a indian restaurant. I ate idly and Bru coffee. It was RM4.50. It was expensive but I insisted that I paid for my dinner. So this time, I didn't accept charity makan :D. Who said you cant keep your pride when you have a short budget!!

Fuel: 0 ( Still surviving wt the initial RM30 fuel)
Toll: RM0
Lunch: RM 5.50
Coffee: RM 1.00
Dinner : RM 4.50

Total Damage: RM 11.00

Balance: RM 67.60- RM 11.00 = RM 56.60

Another 3 days to go and average a perday < RM15 to spent.

Day 3 : Starts wt a Bang

Day 3: Update 8.08pm : Today started with a bang, a big bang. I received a call from my brother at 3am saying he was involved in an accident. So I made my way to Jln Gasing to aid him. Was very happy to see that he ok. After all the stuff( police report and towwing) we were back home at 7am. For that travel, I paid RM 10 for fuel and RM3.60

I sleept till lunch and spent RM 3 for lunch. So total damage was RM13.60 + 3.00 = RM16.60. Now thinking about Dinner :) Maggie ???

It is Saturday, normally weekend is a killer. I decided to save during weekend so I didn't go out. I was home wt my astro. So managed to save alot. I had a drink at my house that cost me RM0.80. Eventhou I mixed coffee at home using my own stuff. I dont want to cheat, because I bought that stuff earlier and not wt my RM150. So I paid for the cost :D

Dinner was absolutely free. Some one belanja hahaha :)

So my damage for Day 2

Fuel: RM10
Toll: RM3.60
Lunch: RM 3.00
Coffee: RM0.90
Dinner : RM Free
Total Damage: RM 17.50
Balance: RM 85.10- RM 17.50 = RM 67.60
Another 4 days to go and average a perday RM15 to spent.

Day 2: What a turn of event!

Update Day 2: 12:23pm : Anything can go wrong in spending went wrong. I first woke up at 6.30am instead of 6, left home at 7.05am instead if 6.45am. Reached to Kommuter station just to see the train leaving !!!!. ----> Now I am F%^& and had to park at KLCC.

Update 8.05pm : Now the full story. As you guys know, I needed to go to KLCC to give training. So the nite before I set my alarm to ring at 6am and went to sleep early.

6am came and as clock work, the alarm rang. But, my lazy self hit the snooze :D. I know, stupid rite but at that time even 1 minute feels syok!!! So I ended up waking at 6.36am, with a classic "Shit" as good moning greet. I dashed to bath and reliazed I didn't iron my cloth. Another "Shit". All done, and left house at 7.05am instead of 6.50am. I had a feel I will miss the train, but I decided to drive to Station anyway to try my luck. I reached in station just to see the train leaving!! Shit !!!
No time to spare, I  took a long U-turn and paid a bloody RM1 toll. I made my way to KL-Seremban highway and paid a total of RM 3.80 in toll. Ching$$  Ching$$!!!

I reached just in time to reliaze that the fixed RM5 parking will be filled by now. So ya ya, Shit again!!! I parked at KLCC. $%^%&

But all turned out well, I managed to reach office at 8.15 am and got ample of time to review my materials. I had time to relax and I think I gave a good training session. Phew.

All the time, the $$ on parking was just behind my mind :(

But there was some positive thing, I managed to mingle wt my HR reps in office. I had a chance to talk to my Scheduler and also my counselee. And of course breakfast and lunch provided , $aved!!!

I went down rushing to beat the clock on my Parking. I placed a RM50 and the bloody machine only accepts RM10 noted, Shit!!!

I cant find anywhere to change and had to buy pretzels. Damage is RM3.80. Arrrrr.

I finished all my work and drove back and paid RM1.8 for toll. My dinner was really cheap, I tapau a RM3.50 noodle and at home while watching House. Perfect.

So my damage for Day 2
Toll: RM 6.60
Parking: Freeking RM15.50
Lunch: Free
Prezels: RM3.80
Dinner : RM 3.50

Total Damage: RM 29.40
Balance: RM 114. 50 - RM 29.40 = RM 85.10

DAY 1 - Start of my Challenge.

Update 12.50pm: First damage of the day, fuel warning was up. Well I had to fuel, normally I fuel RM 50 on green. Today I fuel RM30 on yellow,to save more, I didn't exceed 80km/h. I skipped breakfast today but savoured the free vending coffee at office.$aved. Then I had lunch for RM4. I normally buy cool drink after lunch, but today I decided to save it. So total damage till now = RM34 and I have balance of RM116.

Update 5.04pm: Its nearing dinner time. What am I goin to eat ?

Update 10:51pm: Looks like i busted my wallet for dinner. My dinner, Noodles = 4.50, Chinese tea = 0.40, Roti = 2.60. All sum up to RM7.50. The day is ending so the total damage thus far is RM 41.50. I am least worried about today, tomorrow I have a big day. I need to go to KLCC and the cost for fuel and parking it se...lf will be RM50! Looks like its public transport for me.

End of day, Total spending for Day 1


fuel : RM30
Lunch : RM 4
Dinner : RM7.50


Earned from my service = +RM6 :)


So total spent on Day 1 is RM 41.50
Earned RM6


So balance is (150-41.50) + 6 = RM114.50

How far can I streeeeech a RM150 - The challenge begins today.

Today is the day!!! I woke up and thinking what to do next. I now have cleared my wallet of all money and credit card. I leave only RM150 in my wallet. I even took out my Maybank card.. so there is no turning back now.

The Man Rules

At last a guy has taken the time to write this all down
Finally, the guys' side of the story.
(must admit, it's pretty good.)
We always hear "the rules"
From the female side.
Now here are the rules from the male side.

These are our rules!
Please note.. these are all numbered "1 "
ON PURPOSE!

1.Men are NOT mind readers.

1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down.

We need it up, you need it down.

You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.

1. Sunday sports It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides.

Let it be.

1. Crying is blackmail.

1. Ask for what you want.

Let us be clear on this one:

Subtle hints do not work!

Strong hints do not work!

Obvious hints do not work!

Just say it!

1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.

1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do.

Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.

1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument.

In fact, all comments become Null and void after 7 Days.

1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one

1. You can either ask us to do something Or tell us how you want it done.

Not both.

If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.

1. Whenever possible, Please say whatever you have to say during commercials..

1. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we.

1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings.

Peach, for example, is a fruit, not A colour. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.

1. If it itches, it will be scratched.

We do that.

1. If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing," We will act like nothing's wrong.

We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.

1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, Expect an answer you don't want to hear.

1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine..Really

1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as FOOTBALL or

motor sports

1. You have enough clothes.

1. You have too many shoes.

1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!

Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight;

But did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.