New F1 season begins

The Lotus Formula One's new car: The T127

With Liverpool languishing below the top four placing in the league table, and showing no signs of improving, my weekends have become all dull and nothing much to look forward to nowadays.

So, what to do?

Fear not. For the F1 season has arrived. And this season promises to be an exciting one, too.

First, Michael Schumacher, statistically the greatest driver the sport has ever seen, is back to rock the circuits. Secondly, my favourite McLaren team seems to have a more reliable car this season (if Lewis Hamilton himself says so, then who am I to question).

But more interestingly, there are two teams with the Malaysian connection this season.

Petronas now is the major sponsor for team Mercedes Grand Prix, with Schumacher of course, as one of its drivers.

And then there is Team Lotus F1. This team, a reincarnation of the legendary Lotus team of yesteryears, is now totally Malaysian owned and managed.

The race kicks off today at the Sakhir Circuit, Bahrain. Happy viewing.

Putrajaya:Malaysia's pioneer green city

The belief in the need to protect our surrounding environment, and respect for nature, is deeply rooted in our Malaysian culture and traditions. For Mother Nature has nurtured us and kept us going for generations. Its beauty and greenness has afforded us tranquility, serenity and much needed respite.

But now the health of the global environment is under threat as never before. The impacts of climate change are now widely accepted as real issues. This was clearly underlined during the recently concluded United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.

A lot needs to be done if we are to reverse the trend of assault on the environment. Strategic actions are required. And they need to be supported by STRONG political will if any amount of positive impact is to be forthcoming.

One bright note for Malaysia is that, during the Malaysia 2010 Budget Speech, the PM had announced that Putrajaya and Cyberjaya will be developed to be the pioneers of Green Technology City in Malaysia.

It is a good start.

Putrajaya, on its part, is very excited and positive about this announcement. Therefore on 23 and 24 February Perbadanan Putrajaya will be hosting a forum under the theme: Green Cities International Conference.

The aim is to widen understanding on green cities amongst decision makers and professionals from government agencies, local authorities and related industry players. Eight international speakers (from as far away as Washington) will join four Malaysian experts to present papers and share their experience.

Hopefully, an action plan for a “green Putrajaya” will be one of the outcomes of this two day conference.

Welcome to the next big trend in Malaysian town planning: Green Cities.

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Federal Territory Day

Pic above shows the trees along Jalan Raja Laut, in front of KL City Hall building, all decorated & lighted up for tonight's celebration

Tomorrow is 1st of February. It's Federal Territory Day.

Tonight there's a big do to celebrate this big occasion at Dataran Merdeka.

I'm at the Dataran under a marquee tent facing the main stage. On stage is the singer Aishah belting out a song at the top of her voice.

Its already 10.37pm. The VVIP (the prime minister) is yet to arrive.

And I'm thinking to myself... what time I will reach home tonight.

Taman Mahkota Cheras Ride

Tired faces half way up the hill to the water tank (actually just one tired face, because Anas was just fine)

The view from Bandar Mahkota Cheras water tank (half way up)


This was my second ride after the accident last May (or was it June?).

Again my companion was Anas. I'm not ready yet to venture out with my riding buddies who are bound to be much fitter as they've been training continuously.

Today's ride took us to Bandar Mahkota Cheras, the residential area famous for its traffic light/junction blockage incident last year which saw scuffles and demonstrations.

Tried to attack its highest point, the water storage tank atop a hill. The mind said "weee...let's go, let's go!". But my body said "arrgh...tak boleh tahan....".

So we ended up just half way up. The view from up there was breathtaking nevertheless. But I got breathless, and sweated, profusely!

Summary

Date: 24 January 2010 (Sunday)

No. of riders : just the two of us

Set off/finish time: ~ 6.50am – 8.15am

Total duration: 1 hour 25 min.

Route: Home, Tmn Mahkota Cheras, Pekan Cheras Batu 11 river confluence, Taman Megah.

Distance covered: 15.8 km

Trail condition: Road plus a little bit of rough trails

Cherating images

I was in Cherating for a workshop during the first weekend of 2010. Brought the family along. So while I was stuck in the conference room, they got to stroll the beautiful beach.

It is the monsoon season though. The wind was strong and the sea was rough with big waves. But when the weather was fine, Cherating is rather captivating. No wonder the first Club Med in Asia is located on this beach.

Photos courtesy of my son, Anas, the official photographer whilst Abah is hard at work!

Gardening day

The long end-of-year school break is over and life is back to 'normal'.

'Normal' in the sense that my weekends can be spent attending to our small garden, riding my mountain bike, or going to the surau for solat subuh and kuliah subuh.

Such seemingly not-out-of-the-ordinary activities become somewhat of a luxury during school breaks as I tend to be engrossed in this and that....err...I don't know what!

This past few weeks it has been balik kampung trips, khenduri trips, family outings, a driving vacation, a seminar, a workshop...you name it, I'd done it.

Today was the first Saturday - after quite sometime - that I could potter around in the garden.

The first thing that needed to be attended to was the lawn, for the grass had threatened to grow to be like lalang! Yes, that's how long they'd been left un-attended.

I like to mow my own lawn. It gives me more satisfaction, and I can be quite hard to please as to how I want the grass to be cut.

To help me out, together with me today was Anas, Nadiah, and of course the Mem Besar.

Incidentally, the Mem Besar had cut down the big bougainvillea tree by the front gate as well as another tree much closer to the house. So the garden looks a bit barren now. Somehow she had got into this chopping-off mood that day. Luckily not of the Bobbit style chop-off (ouch!).

After this, I'll be off to Putrajaya to apply for Nadiah's IC.

She's a big girl now, my youngest. And this shall be a big year for her too. UPSR exam.

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East Coast trip

First stop: Lata Kinjang to pick up Sakinah. This tall waterfall is visible from the PLUS Highway just north of the Tapah Interchange as one heads north

Wakaf fronting the Sungai Perak in Kuala Kangsar. Breakfast stop

The Perak Man's IC. Lenggong Archaeological Museum (Kota Tampan)

At the highest point on Banjaran Titiwangsa on the East West Highway. The mountains in the background are in Thailand

Pasar Siti Khadijah, Kota Bharu

Door knob of the house where we stayed overnight in KB

A makeshift fishing jetty in a kampong in KB

Kerawang motifs from the Masjid Kristal Kuala Terenganu

We managed to rush through a trip to the east coast over the Christmas break.

But driving through three states over three days is a tough job, I was to find out.

Luckily the weather was fine throughout. Despite warnings of the monsoon rain and of the floods recurring in Kelantan, alhamdulillah we didn't meet any downpour except during the last stretch of the journey along Karak Highway.

If I was honest, my greatest fear was driving the East West highway from Grik to Jeli - especially if it had rained. For this is one stretch of road which I hadn't driven before. Moreover, it is a crooked, mountainous ride all the way up and down the Banjaran Titiwangsa. It doesn't help, of course, that I am afraid of heights!