Melaka

David’s cousin stopped over on her way from Madras to Melbourne. The three of us spend the last weekend in Melaka. We were very lucky that the rain, that is causing biggest floods in Malaysia in last 40 years, took the break from poring during those two days.

I found out that the weekend trip to a Malaysia is, like many other things I find here so far, just too easy, and very fun (for the sake of repetition – the mother of all knowledge (old saying) - the second point is all about, as the song says, wonderful human beings). Surely, this will be just the first of many weekend trips to Malaysia that I'll have during this working holiday. (Just this morning I've got sms from Monkey, telling me that he extended his home stay and asking if I'll be visiting - you bet!)

Melaka, after first impressions, seems like a very nice, relaxed place. Amongst others, I enjoyed a prolonged chat David and I had with an old man in, what turned out to be, the library dedicated to Buddhism.

Unlike the first time when I went to JB, this time it looked and smelled much better. Once we got to the bus and started making our way north-east, the city looked very much like Singapore, with nicely arranged green areas. Talk about green, the journey to Melaka is very green, with lots and lots of palm trees; very nice…!

Since we really explored only Jonker Street, I’m looking forward to another weekend when I’ll venture into one adjacent to it.

From Melaka, Jan07

First week of the New Year

Today, finally my left side of the forehead feels much better. Last Sunday was the first time I felt the continuous pain, sort of coming from the inside with the 'epicenter' at the inner corner of the left eyebrow. I didn't pay much attention to it until that evening when I jumped into the pool for my daily swim, and then ouch, or in underwater terms 'blub blub blub.... accompanied shit loads of bubbles around'. The water pressure at around half a meter depth was exaggerating pain so much that I couldn't dive deeper, and that initial jump got me to the depth of around 2m. My self-diagnosis, is that it must be sinus problem that is a consequence of the flu that I started feeling in Madras on 2nd of Jan. Got me bit worried, as I remember a while ago my uncle had a chronic sinus problem that ended up with the scull drilling operation, through the nose.

I've almost got the OK to take annual leave for Thailand holiday from 16 Feb till 1 Mar. On Tuesday, I've talked to the Module Leader of the subject that I will have to mark the exam for, as well as to my Reporting Officer, both said no worries. After getting it OK-ed, I straight away told my sister to go on and buy the great-deal ticket ($750 tax included) she found to fly to Bangkok. Only to have RO knock on my office door the next morning with the news that the School's Director does not like people taking the leave during the Chinese New Year period, which falls between the exam marking and those lovely compulsory staff meetings, which by the way we have one scheduled for tomorrow.

...just finished 3h module meeting... RO didn't get around to ask about my leave...

Vesna would have not booked her ticket to Thailand if I couldn't have make it, so these guys in upper layers of the hierarchy better get this sorted out, otherwise I'll have to go and draw them the picture to explain that my sister and I are really looking forward to catching up for the first time in 9 months, which might be the longest period yet that we haven't seen each other. Moreover, it WILL be our first holiday/travel together. Guess it's obvious without saying that we like each other today at least as much as we did 20-something years ago:
News front:

Now that's more like what I had in mind. Santa here's the early one for your list: one Apple iPhone pls - or whatever the name they end up using. Ta...!

I enjoy the time in F1 calendar when teams present the new cars for the upcoming season. The period starts tomorrow with Toyota presenting their single seater. Also, it was strange seeing Kimi in red (almost as strange as Answer in baby-blue). Forza Ferrari...!

Not that I'm big on lists, but it doesn't hurt to know that either I stick to the academia or go into the industry, currently, my options are both regarded in top 10.

This laptop that I'm using is showing signs of dying. Amongst many other things, the HD is almost full, and the amount of time it takes, and the noise it makes, to do anything makes me think about those multi-core processors, something that is going to keep at least on my operating pace... cough, cough, Santa...

Home sweet home

Loved India holiday!

At the end of it all after arriving from the airport, I had an unexpected 'same, same, but different' warm feeling when I opened the entry door to the apartment. It must be related to the primal joy of having your own corner in the world.

There is a mountain of marking that I have to climb before putting up the pics and some accompanying stories form the trip. But in the mean time here are the photos that Kilian took while I was traveling with him. Also, need to organise the ticket for the next adventure, it looks like I'll be meeting up with my precious Yogic (sister) in Thailand in about a month and some change :)

Yes, yes, ...wodnerful...!

Ps: the above line I've stolen form BG, David's fiend that works here at Poly as well. He repeats the line number of times after a goooood meal. Made me curious so much that I even had to have a look under the table - kidding not!

2007

U Tjelu zdravlje,
U Dusi mir,
U Mislima radost,
U Srcu mladost,
U Radu uspjeh.
Puno srece i ljepih Snova
neka Vam donese Godina Nova 2007!

This nicely phrased poem is a New Year's SMS from my Uncle from Poreč, Istra. It says:

Healthy body,
Peaceful soul,
Happy thoughts,
Achievement at work.
Lots of luck and nice dreams,
may the New Year 2007 bring to You!


Satisfaction...!