Good news and bad news! The good news is my D60 was taken this morning by Brenten (a camera Export Manager). Credit to Shirley who helped me out for spreading the news. While the bad news is my D60 was taken. Ya, you didn’t get it wrong… I was a bit sad that my D60 is no longer with me as it was my first DSLR who accompanied me for 3 months. Although time is short, it has shot every beautiful memories I got.. brought my photography skills to the next level.. and produced all the stunning images.. Goodbye, my dear friend. May you find a wonderful owner… (sounds a bit dramatic.. haha)

I’ve been quite busy lately walking around Funan and Peninsular Plaza. almost everyday.. for gadget and camera shopping. Now that I’ve finished all the shopping, a big thanks to MRT, which never complains bringing me to and fro…

Raffles Place Interchange

Ya, it’s the backbone of public transport system in Singapore. Mass Rapid Transit, or more commonly known as MRT is the best and most convenient transport to bring you around Singapore. People rely them for work, shopping, touring and schooling… Guess what people normally do in the train? Here they are:

What People do in MRT?

These will be the daily scenario in a MRT. Some were too busy with their PSP, game console, some were shaking while listening to their iPod, some kept playing with their phone.. while some just couldn’t stop talking.. gossiping.. sleeping with mouth widely open and very often some were daydreaming.. in deep thoughts.. and me? Busy shooting their emotions on board. Sometimes you may find some unsensored scenes.. teenagers hugging, kissing like nobody’s business. I was wondering, should they be so dramatic? Or they watched too “much” Korean Drama..

MRT Time Race

Beeping and blinking warning red lights indicates that the doors are closing within seconds. Time is precious. If you miss the train, you’ll have to wait for approx 4-6min for the next trip. Some people just couldn’t wait. Thus, it is very common to see people running towards the closing doors.

Besides, you should always try to avoid boarding the MRT during peak hours. Or you’ll be squeezed like a sandwich. The photo below is the scenario taken at 7.30pm. People squeezing in and out.  FYI, the crowd below is considered a moderate one.

Crowd at 19:30

Well, here is the results of my MRT photowalk. This is Jason reporting from Singapore. Haha.. sounds like a photojournalist. Tonight, I’ll back to my old hometown for the weekend.. and very soon I’ll be broadcasting from Johor Bahru (Malaysia). Stay tuned!

Still remember my previous post “Life Before Banjarmasin, Singapore”, mentioning about my old bunch of friends, here they are… the two photos above.

old friends (top), juniors n coursemate (bottom)

Ya, it was my favorite day again yesterday, Wednesday. This time it’s not because I’m having off day on Wed (by the way, I’m having my day off everyday now for 26days.. haha), it is because I’ll be able to join the weekly gathering in Singapore. Din see them for almost 3 months, we have lots to chat. This time we made it at Ministry of Food Japanese Restaurant at Marina Square after they knocked off from work.

As for the day before yesterday, I was busy with my coursemate and juniors at Ang Mo Kio S11 Food Court. Had a BBQ Stingray, fried oyster omellete and a chicken chop.. yaya.. that’s too much, i know.. but i just can’t resist..

Talking bout food, this is a list of food I’ve eaten since the first day of my leave, 12th Oct (until today, the fifth day):

Mee Goreng, Baked Spaghetti w Pork Chop, Guo Tie, Nasi Briani, Seafood Toji

12th Oct:
Singapore Prawn Mee
Chicken Rice
Char Hokkien Mee

13th Oct:
Minced Meat Noodle
Meat Balls Soup
Otah Otah
Mc Griddles Breakfast Set
Pisang Goreng (Fried Banana)
Yee Mee Soup
Chinese Dumpling
Iced Red Bean with Milk
Wa Tan Hor Fun

14th Oct:
Chicken Rice
Seafood Soup
Singapore Prawn Mee
Chicken Chop
Fried Oyster Omelette
Ikan Bakar (BBQ Stingray)

15th Oct:
Baked Spaghetti with Pork Chop
Guo Tie (pan fried Dumpling)
Nasi Briani
Char Koay Teow
Seafood Toji
Myojo Instant Mee Goreng (home made)

16th Oct:
McDonald Mc Wings
Chicken Burger (eating now)

Haha.. I hope this list of food don’t scare you. I lost count of how many meals I’ve eaten a day. Anyway, I am enjoying my life to the fullest.. and will be enjoying more soon.  I’ll be having another friends gathering in Johor Bahru this weekend… and travelling back to Penang, Malaysia next week. And will be broadcasting to you in Bangkok, Thailand! I told you, I won’t waste any seconds during my leave days before I go back to the cowboy town.

Cheers for life!

After a minced meat noodle, meat balls soup early 8.30am in the morning. I went in McDonald, ordered a hot chocolate and McGriddle breakfast sandwich. Sitting at the corner, logging into Wireless @ SG (free wireless broadband service).. and start writing… felt a bit moody after describing the nerve wreaking experience. Immediately got comments from 2 friends.. after published. My battery got flat… which indicates it’s time to go for DSLR survey.

Wireless@SG at McDonald (taken using Nikon D60)

I’ve been looking around Funan Digital Mall and Peninsular Plaza, Singapore for the cameras. First, get an idea of the market price and then started calculating for my budget. Bought some photography magazines for the best lenses reviews. Spent the whole night reading all the important DSLR knowledge (of cos with the TV on).. And this morning, I’ve made a big decision. A big investment indeed. I’ve confirmed to sell my 3-month-old Nikon D60 and ready to welcome the new D300. Ya, my new baby….

My New D300

Nikon D300 with:
AF-S Micro NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G ED
AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED

On one fateful day, I received an sms. “Jason, you might need to leave earlier, as early tomorrow”. And that night, I started packing and as early as 6.20am I leave for Singapore on the following day. 18th Oct should be the day, now that it’s one week earlier.

8.00am, landing at Soekarno-Hatta Jakarta International Airport. Checking in immediately for the next international flight to Singapore. Out of boredom, I decided to stroll around the airport before going in the waiting room. Pointing my Nikon D60 here and there for inspiration. Got this wonderful shot. A group of cadet officers…

The Early March

Too bad it’s a bit blur.. because I took this photo without their notice. This is my 6th time here in the airport, I’m always in a rush for the 5 times. Now that, I have some free time. I want to get more out of it.. Soekarno-Hatta airport is definitely different compared to Changi Airport.. Soekarno-Hatta Airport.. is more dim in terms of light… simple and more towards traditional interior design. Design that represents Indonesia.

Interior Design of Soekarno-Hatta Airport

Gate F2 for Departure

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Going through the souvenirs shop, I saw this. This is called Hanoman/White Monkey. According to the Ramayana story, he was the Rama’s protector and fought hard to defend Shinta, Sri Rama’s wife from the kidnapper’s hand (Rahwana). A symbol of a faithful guardian. Well, I’m not quite sure about the wooden carved lady… but it is actually part of the wood monument I’ve realised in the airport.

Hanoman

Wood monument

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Flying sky high

10:30am, sitting by the window exactly beside the emergency exit door. Well, I never have fear boarding a plane until lately after watching National Geographic channel program named “Airplane Crash Investigation”… This is a documentary based on the worst plane crash in the history of Aviation. I remembered this phrase by the host “Passengers rely on the pilot, the pilot rely on the computer.. but if the computer got hiccup, who will be relying on who?”

11.45am, the air stewardess announced that we’ll be landing in Changi in a few minutes. The flight started to get bumpy although it was a beautiful weather.. all flashback of the documentary started to hunt my mind. Holding tightly on the handle with my sweating palm, I was praying hardly… suddenly, the plane lost a bit of its balance.. causing the right wing going down and the left one up all of a sudden.. I can feel my heart pumping hard. All of a sudden, the noisy atmosphere in the plane break into silence..  the plane gained its balance in a few seconds… but it was still bumpy… after a few minutes, we are at lower altitude preparing to land… the bumpy situation just never went off. I was wondering if there are some problem with the plane or it was the strong wind.. That few minutes was like hours to me.

12.00pm, we landed… I can see the uncle beside me saying thanks to his God, Jesus I’m sure.. he crossed his fingers and then pressed against his forehead and both his shoulders. Thanks to god, we landed safely… thanks for blessing everyone on board, I said to myself. Phew, I can’t believe I have to go through this to be home.

Gate D46 on arrival

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Finally, Changi… writing the above paragraph really makes my mood swing to negative. What a nightmare… anyway, my photography drive didn’t deplete after that. Still taking some shots in Changi. The airport is brightly lit up compared to Indonesia which is more power saving.. lots of dim areas, and depending more on the sun light. Ok, compare the above photo “Gate D46 on arrival with the photo “Gate F2 for departure” taken in Jakarta. Now you see the difference.. that’s why travelling from Indonesia to Singapore.. makes me feel like going from 80s to 21st century… from dim to bright.. I’m not saying Indonesia is backward, i’m saying it’s a total different world between these two countries. both have their own pro and cons.

Changi Travellator.. way to the future

I was walking on the travellator.. it was as if walking towards a new world. Finally the immigration counter..

Immigration on arrival

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and here I come, the City of Possibilities. 26days of leave.. I’ll not waste a single second. A New Journey awaits me.. A NEW JOURNEY BEGINS!

A New Journey Begins

It’s Wednesday again. And as a promise to myself, I got to come out with a post. But I have lots of stuff to share after not writing for so long previously.. and it’s hard for me to decide which to write first. Finally I’ve decided to write in parts.

In the previous post “1st Anniversary for Not Writing“, I did mention about my new job with a Dutch company. My life changed a lot since then. Joined this company since March 26, 2008. I was allocated straight away to a project in Banjarmasin, Indonesia although I was based in Singapore.

Before I get more into Banjarmasin, let me elaborate on Singapore. Completed my studies and graduated during August 2007. However months before graduation, I have already got myself a job in Singapore. Although it was not my desired one, I took it as a stepping stone for a better one in Singapore. It was tough at the beginning. Well, as a surveyor (geomatic engineer).. nothing is easy. Furthermore, the pay is not up to my expectation .. thus, it was really a hard life for the first 3months..during probation. Life goes on…

I was lucky to have a bunch of old friends. “Old” in the sense of relationship period. I was accompanied by friends which I’ve known them for more than a decade. Some since kindergarten. Our ties were so strong that we never miss our gathering almost every Wednesday, ya.. that is today.

Candid Shot.. F.R.I.E.N.D.S

A shot before Krabi

Wednesday means it’s time to go early after work for everyone… shut down computer, pack our bags, punch our cards.. and rush towards the nearest bus stop… to everywhere.. sometimes in Orchard Road, Tiong Bahru plaza, Dhobby Ghaut, Clarke Quay, Chinatown and etc.. for a nice dinner, shopping, karaoke and gossiping!

Karaoke Chill Out

Whenever someone’s birthday that day, he/she will be the one who will buy us a nice dinner. That is how we enjoy life… Besides that, I was sharing a room with one of them. A kindergarten, primary and secondary school friend indeed. And now room mate. For almost every Monday or Tuesday.. we’ll definitely spend our time in a cinema. No matter it’s a good or bad movie, we’ll still watch…

Sometimes our gatherings even extend out of Singapore. They had some in Hongkong, Batam.. but I only managed to join a few.. such as Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, Sentosa Island and Krabi, Thailand!

The Beach, Krabi

Krabi Trip, Thailand

Gosh, writing about all this, i really miss the good old times. My daily lives is well organized that time. Everyday after work, either gatherings or gym session at the nearest Clubfitt centre. Sunday, either a movie, shopping, eating or sleeping. Haha… Led a quite healthy life.

Until one day, my life changed… completely….. to be continued

p/s: For more photos regarding my friends, do visit here: FLICKR or FRIENDSTER