1st night in London...

After a day long London City Tour,I had visitors in the form of Rosalind & Watson. They went to the hotel I was staying in, Holiday Inn Kensington Forum,Cromwell Road & we went for a walk. The sky was still bright even at 9.30pm. We met up with Rosanne & Jon-Neal & we went to a a nearby Burger King. London does not seem to sleep at all. I could not sleep as well even though I was pretty tired because my mind was working out its own plan of what to do through out the extra 5 short days that I had in London. Even in my sleeping mode I worked out the things to do & places to visit.I highly recommend this hotel;it's near to almost all the attractions in London,reachable by the underground Tube. Gloucester Road Stn is just next door to the hotel & most importantly Waitrose supermarket,Tesco & plenty more shops are around the corner. If you care to walk further up,there is Harrods & other chains of shops. The Science Museum is just 5 minutes walk from the hotel.

How much does it cost? The room rate that we paid was RM700/- per room per night. It's almost the same rate as most hotels in S'pore. Enhanced English breakfast is also included. You have to book the room well in advance to get the good rate otherwise if you are a walk-in guest,you might end up paying Sterling Pounds 250/-per night.

...will continue later...time for 2020. Again? No, yesterday I ended up at Seng Guan for the chicken rice.

Three Coins in a Fountain.......

The Italian tour guide,also called Michael. I remember the common name used to be Giovanni or John..now,so many are called Michael.

@The Trevi Fountain....

If you throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain,you will come back to Rome..

you throw 2 coins,you will get married....

BUT if you throw 3 coins,you'll get a divorce,so said our Italian Tour Guide.

I remember throwing a coin into the Trevi Fountain during my first trip there..so that's why I went back to Rome again. Did I throw another coin this time around? No, I have no wish to go back there again. Why? Cukup lah,2 kali dah pergi sana and further more,touring Italy involves a lot of walking,not just a walk. Darie,a fellow tourist described most walks that we had like walking from Kpg Merikan to Emart at Tudan.(Jauh beribu batu..)

Mamma Mia......here I go again...

Muk at the Vatican City

1st stop at the Vatican City..it was a sunday & a feast day so the Pope celebrated Mass..wish we could get into the Cathedral but no chance at all,the place was packed..PACKED even at the Square but the wide tv screens located at various locations were more than enough for those who came.

Buongiorno!!!!! ( Gd Morning..in Italiano )..so said the coach driver Michael who was with the 23 of us Msian tourists from 31st May til 10th June each morning when we got into the coach to begin our daily tour from one city/country to the next. Michael doesn't speak much English & our tour guide had quite a tough time communicating with him. Oh my,despite the "handsome" exterior (good looking & all that jazz about Italian men),I can assure you their tempers are something else to deal with as shown by the coach driver. It was no wonder he got little tips from us all. On the other hand, I do agree with Dr. Madeline Berma who told me in 2004 before I went on the Mono Italy Tour that Italy was indeed a place to visit because that's where all the good looking men on earth could be found..per square foot. ha..ha..I cannot help agreeing with her.Handsome young men seen modelling their stuff(s) on the Spanish Steps...but no signor or signori can beat this handsome -"young" Iban man waiting for me at Miri Airport last night...apai Jill. Ha..ha..ha..He's already down with flu (ukai virus bai aku),blamed it on being asked to judge the best tuak during the Gawai in Samu. My mum said,"Beli urang ngasoh apai Jill nyadi judge,ukai nemu ngirup..ni nemu bagi tuak ke nyamai". Ha..ha..good one.

Our flight from KL to Bangkok took us about 2hrs & from Bangkok to Rome it was an 11 1/2 hrs flight by Boeing 747. I was not happy with the Thai Airways service provided during our flight there. It was only on our last day with the rest of the other tourists that I learned the plane had some technical problems. No movies were screened & the cabin crew were so not 'smooth as silk' in carrying out their duites. BUT the service on our return flight was SMOOTH AS SILK....good service but I still prefer EMIRATES anytime...good movies on board,lots of nice foods & drinks.

Anyway,Praise God for the safe trip! I'll upload more photos later..time to visit 2020.

hello hello..

ngagai suami tersayangn anak aku jill n nico,mummy sempat ngena free internet service ba departure lounge di bangkok. jam diatu pukuk 1.15 waktu msia tang waktu bangkok dudi sejam. fkightmummy bisi delay. 23 iko bala kami ba tourgroup tu. christine nama tourleader kami. kami mupuk ari klia kira pukul 8.30pm. besai diri airportbangkok..nadai beritabukai. mummy love you. ok

beep beep....

nya munyi handphone tone aku madah ke bisi message. Tedani aku ninga munyi nya laban jam maia nya pukul 2 lebih pagi tadi benung mata ka endar tinduk. Bisi ati aku enggai meda message laban suah endar sms datai dia maia ari..sms ari Celcom(amat begedi aku enggau sida Celcom be sms ke notis sida..kesal ngapa kitai laban nya ti nerima tengah malam tau ke dini ari). Nyu mulai ke cerita tu tadi...buka aku message nya..dia aku meda sms nya ari Tinggi,anak menyadik laki aku ti bisi di Miri madah ke anak Garai (anak kepada apai Jabu Entinggie) iya ke baru umur sebulan udah nadai ba SGH. Malam tu urang rabat ke anak mit nya ba rumah Garai empu di Kuching.
Nya meh naka jako pesan Muk ari Miri..cukup terang tu?

The Borneo Post Online

The Borneo Post Online

Around lunch time yesterday,I received a phone call from another ex-college mate from Oxford CFE who was very kind enough to say "Hi" to me instead of writing an email through Facebook. It's kind of strange to hear a voice which changed so much from the young Che Hassandi Abdullah to the now Dr Che Hassandi Abdullah. We did the usual FAQ (frequently asked questions) and he said he was in Miri during the aftermath of the Lereng Bukit Miri landslide. So I went through the BPost archives to check on the news & that's what I found out as posted at BPost above. A good friend whom I have had not heard nor seen for 3o+ years was right under my nose,so to speak. He is Head ofResearch & Development Unit from Works Ministry & he is heading the team to monitor the soil condition of the Lereng Bukit. I told him I drove past the place several times a day & little did I know he was there. Hassandi jokingly said that he thought he saw someone waving at him. Ha..ha..ha.. I hope to see you in Miri some day my friend but not for something which you were specially flown in to monitor. Nice hearing your voice,Hassandi.

Sinu ati ninga....

...bala ke ka pulai ngagai rumah panjai/menua sebana utai mar.
Aku enggau laki aku baru pulai ari Servay supermarket ke beseberai enggau Grand Palace Hotel. Benung laki aku bebayar ke utai deka bai iya pulai ke Samu,iya sempat ngerandau tudah endu cashier dia. "Nyeh,nyu abis duit bebeli ke utai tu." ko laki aku. "Bedau nya..ni ai agi ka di beli." ko tudah endu cashier nya. Tuchum enggau sinu aku ninga iya ke nyebut nya..laban iya ngasai kediri. It is safe to say,engka tak maioh bala kitai Iban ke ka ngintu gawai,pulai ke rumah panjai & menua bisi nyebut utai ke baka tu.
Aku ngasai enti kami pulai ke Samu,beminggu-minggu sigi udah mupok meli sida arak,nyangkong sebotol dua ke bala ipar. Dah nya,seminggu bedau mupok kereta mesti di servicing..ti naka ke servicing bisi ga datai RM200/-+ tang ti bisi jai,nyu ngadu itu ini..bebeli ke tyre ngambi ke kereta road worthy. Minyak kereta pulai mansang bisi meda RM250/- lebih ti suah agi ke pasar Betong makai mee ke 'best in the world" ko laki aku. Tak enda nyamai sepi aku tang laki aku tak 2 mangkuk mee ba pasar Betong nya abis di empa iya..engka baka aku ka endar makai mee Atak Lutong. Pama diri ga belanja gawai sepi aku..lebih agi diatu laban ke enda tan driving,kami selalu agi nepan bilun ke Kuching..ari Kuching nepan kereta bala ke bisi pulai ke Samu. Tahu sama tahu...lah. Datai di menua,bebeli ke itu ini,nyau ga duit..pulai Gawai,nyau ga duit. Duit magang2. Ujung bulan begisai begantung senduk.
Aroh bala penyanyi kitai Iban enti belagu lagu Gawai selalu mai lagu tusah ati ngenang ka begawai. ha..ha. Agi suba iya,enti kitai ninga ke pesan gawai ba radio,sinu ninga bala ke madah diri enda ulih pulai laban nadai belanja. Sinu ati aku....Oh Allah Taala,dinga meh sebana bala ke ka pulai gawai ba dini dini endor sida iya..dalam nama anak nuan Tuhan Jesu,kami besampi.