KLCC Travel n Shopping Paradise

Travel to Langkawi Island, an archipelago of 99 islands located in the north-west of Malaysia belonging to the Kedah state. I have heard so much about it but have never been there. I knew there is a legend of a Ledang Princess and the International Maritime Show held annually in Langkawi, that much I know. Travel and shopping in Langkawi is often a common reason for locals to visit this beautiful island. Moreover, it is "tax free" as well. What sort of shopping would one expect out of Langkawi? And how shall we get to travel there?

We decided the best way is to travel is by air. And the airline obviously has to be Air Asia, a new and young "No Frills" airline much like "Ryan Air" of the United Kingdom. In the short span of just a few years, this small airline, salvaged from a local airline gone into liquidation, has emerged to be the most popular of all air travel to local destinations. Pricing is only a fraction of other domestic airlines.

The CEO of Air Asia, Dato' Seri Tony Fernandez (left of pic)

The flight from Sepang International Airport to Langkawi was just over 2 hours. The minute we got on the Air Asia's Airbus A300 plane, we hurriedly occupied the window seats, for it was a free seating arrangement. I was surprised to noticed a young gentleman who looked like the airlines CEO at the far end of the aisle. The air stewardess standing beside me confirmed that it was the "Boss" himself when I pose the question to her. When our "V.I.P" approached nearer, I asked if I could take a photo of him. Not only did he obliged but insisted we have a photo together! So Dato' Seri Tony Fernandez took the camera from me and gave it to the air stewardess. Such a nice and kind gentleman and a definite contribution to his airlines in my eyes for having excellent PR skills towards his passengers.

The sight from the side window of the plane was breathtaking as we approach the landing strip. I could see countless numbers of islands of different shapes and sizes. Which is the main island of Langkawi? I didn't realise until much later that Langkawi was actually made up of 99 islands!

On arrival at the airport, we were greeted by a man from a taxi service outlet located at the main terminal. To travel around and doing some serious sight seeing, you must rent a car to optimise your experience in Langkawi. We chose an MPV which cost us $23.00 a day which was cheap. For a party of 6, it works out to be less than $4.00 each. The petrol in Langkawi is cheap anyway, being a tax free holiday resort.

We had earlier booked 3 Superior/Double beds chalets at Berjaya Langkawi Beach and Spa Resort before our departure from Sepang International Airport. The rates were $120.00 a night for these lovely chalets. Some of these chalets are at the sea front, with a gorgeous view of the open sea. Others like the ones we had are built on stilts resembling much like ancient village homes.

A typical village style chalet in a tropical rain forest setting.

What we discovered in Langkawi is the cleanliness of its beaches. It somehow reminded me of the beaches in California when I was there, minus the Californian holiday makers of course. I still give it the thumbs up for Venice Beach. None the less, the beaches here is clean and the waters are crystal clear. Our kids just could not wait to take a dip in the waters. Its a pleasant surprise not to see a big crowd of holiday makers here, a big contrast to other beaches I have seen else where. One would describe it as peaceful and serene.

Sea front chalets at Berjaya Langkawi Beach and Spa Resort.

Laptops, mini and ultra portable, such as the Asus EeePC 900 seems to be the favourite among students, professionals, writers and computer freaks like me. Go to shopping malls that sells computers, and you will find numerous well known brands joining in the bandwagon to get sales. The mini laptops are fairly cheap usually around $180 has the same specification of its larger cousins. The mini laptops ultra portability and small size is ideal for those who are always on the go.

It is for this reason I drove down to my local multi media shopping mall and purchase a Asus EeePC 900 mini laptop computer or it is sometimes called ultra mobile PC (umpc) for short. This is definitely the most versatile of all laptop computers. With a screen size of only 7 inches this tiny wonder can easily be put inside one's briefcase without the added weight of the normal notebook computer.The price is cheap considering, for I only paid $190 for mine. This comes with a memory of 2Gb in Ram, hard-disc with 170 Gb, built-in wifi, 3 USB ports and a built-in webcam. It also comes with original Windows XP Professional operating system.

My Asus EeePC 900H

I have been using my mini laptop computer for about 4 months now and I have not had a single complaint about my this laptop computer. I do practically everything on this tiny beauty. I do my online work anywhere I want to including train rides, taxis, on holiday; just about anywhere and anytime. The stand-by battery last for 4 hours, this is long enough for me to do my whole day's work on my internet. Now I don't even open my other laptop computer. Why need to? I have got my new Asus EeePC 900H mini laptop computer.

Places where you can get good bargains for mini laptops are Low Yat Plaza in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur and my favourite place the Multi Media Shopping Mall in Section 14, Petaling Jaya.

When you thought that now the whole world is practically in financial turmoil, and making money wasn't that easy, one would have to watch what they spend on and how they spend their money. But money speaks volumes; it can make or break a business, crumbles a fundamentally solid and strong bank, it can change our lifestyle or it can convey a wrong message to developers of properties that times are still good.

In Kuala Lumpur, the latter seems to be true as new developments such as huge shopping malls are sprouting up almost on a monthly basis, if not daily. Before anyone has a chance to explore what has in store for shoppers, another new shopping complex opens its doors. Many of the new ones have not even enjoyed full occupancy rate as far as anchor tenants are concerned. Why then another new mall starts its maiden launch? It all boils down to the shoppers and their spending power.

My family and I was out taking a casual stroll along the famous Bintang Walk right in the heart of the city and I remarked to my wife about the new mall in front of us that just open it's doors to the public. We looked at it and was taken in by it's glittering array of lights, much resembling that on Christmas Day; and the beautiful swaying palm trees on each side of it's grandiose main entrance. Without hesitation, we hurriedly walk across to the other side of the road and into the mall. There were 5 levels of shopping area with shops, boutiques, hair salons, jewellery shops, pharmacies, stationary, supermarkets, departmental stores, restaurants and countless numbers of others. What strikes me most is that the shops are there, but where is the crowd? Yes there were some, but with such a low traffic, I doubt any of the shops can barely make any profit. This was 3 months ago and I have re-visited the same shopping mall 3 more times. Each time I visited the place, it's still the same old story, there are no visitors!

Shoppers are there but not to this new mall but the other existing ones. Shoppers have the money; they dictates who lives and who dies in the "battle of the malls". Right now it is any body's guess how well this new mall will fare in the months to come. Only time will tell; only the shoppers will decide.....

Posted by J.A. 16Th. June 2009

Exotic and Historical travel destination; Malacca. The Dutch, British and Portuguese have had at one time been here, a historical city south of metropolitan Kuala Lumpur. The city of Malacca has been conferred a World Heritage status and rightly so too. No other place in Malaysia can one find such a large population of Portuguese descend who has made this city their home. Rich in history, it's monumental landmarks, the beautiful and enchanting floral landscapes and it's diversity of cultures, Malacca is indeed a place not to be missed when visiting Malaysia.

Some of the popular shopping malls people frequent in Malaysia. Many of the malls are fairly new. Designer labels are common items in these malls.

Low Yat

KLCC

Posted June 12th. 2009
Chinese, Pinoys, Malays, Indians, Poruguese, Eurasians, English, Kadazans, Dayaks ...............
The list goes on , for these are among some of the citizens of Malaysia that made us unique.

It has often been mentioned and said in numerous articles around the globe about Malaysia's cultural heritage and its multi-cultural, multi-ethnic society. To the world at large, this potpourri of culture, races, festivities and social blending is usually not well understood. While being a Malaysian myself, I have had my own experiences in the social behaviour of other countries. England being my second home, has had it's own acute social problem in tackling the sudden influx of numerous ethnic minorities from other former Commonwealth countries. I enjoy living in the UK, enjoyed being a Londoner, but that does not mean my life of 12 years there did not has its "downside". I find tolerance towards other races rather low amongst the Brits.

Travelling has been a great interest of mine. I have been to Holland, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal, France, Canada, USA and many other countries. I dare to say I feel racial tolerance is an issue in most countries. Ethnic minorities are not particularly well understood with regards to their culture and believes. The "new immigrants" thus resort to keeping their lives to themselves and seldom socialise. This in return, creates more misunderstandings towards their cultural believes.

Malaysia is not perfect but major races namely Malays, Chinese and Indians which made up of the majority of the population have lived together since before independence from the United Kingdom in 1957. The fight for independence and the eventual "marching" by the 3 major races (Malays, Chinese, Indians) represented by their respective leaders to ask Queen Elizabeth II to grant full independence to Malaysia indicates the tolerance and cooperation among the major races. This creates an atmosphere conducive enough to extend to the other minorities in the country. These minorities many of whom are the indigenous people here are gracefully accepted as fellow Malaysian without any questions asked.

So why is Malaysia so different and tolerant towards other races? Why many other countries find race relation an issue? The reason is simple enough. Malaysians grew up together with their multi-racial friends. They were all born in Malaysia and not "new immigrants". Racial disharmony becomes an issue if fellow citizens were not naturally born in their country of residence. The culture, believes and religion "imported" into the new home usually bring about curiosity and caution to the host country.

We are lucky, we are Malaysians.

Ever wonder why western countries are talking so much about recession and we here in Malaysia is not feeling the pinch? I was having coffee the other day with an old friend at Starbucks in Mid-Valley Mega mall and the subject of economy slowdown cropped up. I commented on a recent newspaper report that General Motors in under receivership under the Obama administration. So many jobs will be lost and thousands upon thousands the livelihood of employees of GM will be affected. General Motors has become an iconic figure in the US and the effect of it's downfall will be catastrophic. He commented that here in Malaysia we have a good life unlike the US. We don't have the recession! How can he say that, I asked. Look around and for goodness sake, read the papers, I said. There are so many American factories closing down due to poor electronics and computer sales.

But when I look around me, I see Malaysians bustling around and coming out from those "exclusive designer" shops and boutiques with shiny expensive merchandise in their hands. Are we not in a recession? More importantly, do these shoppers realise there is a global financial crunch? Why on earth am I in Starbucks paying almost RM10.00 for my coffee anyway? I could easily have my coffee anywhere else and it would only cost me RM1.50. Little did I realise I am as thick headed as these shoppers.

Most high end properties are not selling well. The five-star hotels have low occupancy rate, the government said it has no money. But the KLCC-gites like me are out enjoying ourselves! This is KLCC, this is Malaysia!

Malaysians tend to have a "tidak apa" attitude. It literally means, we couldn't care less. When the unfortunate happens such as the Asian financial crisis a few years back, the Malaysian starts frantically cutting down all the luxuries and revert to village style living.

When will we learn? Or should I say, when will I Learn?

Why do you have to do that?

This was the photo sent to me recently by some one who thought it was funny and I should have a look at it. Unfortunately I didn't find it amusing at all, rather disturbed and concerned.

What this little darling did was anything but amusing. But being a little angel as he was, how could he have known that by giving that cute animal a kiss could spread a deadly disease to the human race? It was purely an innocent gesture of affection towards our fellow creatures on earth. People hug and kiss dogs, cats, hamsters and the like. Why not pigs?

If the swine flu wasn't such a big buzz now, it probably wouldn't matter. You might just laugh it off. But the pandemic situation as it is now, it is dead serious if such show of affection is recorded and being passed around. The statistics of this incurable disease is escalating at such a pace that even the W.H.O. is finding it hard to track its actual figures.

When will a cure be found and how soon? Will this little sweetheart be safe or has he caught the deadly disease as well? The caption on this photo should not have been there in the first place. This little one did not brought about the disease.

Looking for a condominium to stay while in Malaysia for holidays? Or perhaps you have been transferred by your company for a 2 year stint in Kuala Lumpur? Here is one you may like to have a look.

Some people have ask me to include a little of local content pertaining to the entertainment and lifestyles of Malaysians. Well the wide popularity of lottery games has been common subject among locals besides cinema, pubs, shopping and travel. Here is an article on how to play the 4D game as a past time.

Let's look at how to analyse datas and study its forms and patterns for playing the Numbers game.

First and foremost we must have sufficient datas collected in order to be able to put it on a spreadsheet.

How much data are we talking about ? Quite alot !

In a typical game of Magnum 4D ( or Pick 4 ) , we need at least 3 to 4 years of results. I found out from my own programs, this much information is required to put through my programs to yield some patterns or forms.

I compute and analyse these data for periods of 1 week, 3 weeks, 2 months, 8 months and18 months. Different patterns emerged for these 5 "break points". Usually it surfaced a repetition in any one of these periods. We use the 3 to 4 years data to "test proof" the outcome of the patterns. If the same occurs in these 3 or 4 years , then we can safely play along this formation and disregard others.

How to gather these infos and put it on paper?

Open up a spreadsheet such as Excel and fill all the 4 years data in it vertically in the first column as shown.

Data all evens all odds 2e2o 3e1o 3o1e all big all small 2b2s twins
1278

6649

5421

8716
It goes on for the 4 years data. My horizontal (i.e. x-axis) shown has indicated only 11 entry patterns. My own spreadsheet has much more including line sums, doubles, triples, quads, last 2 digits pattern, last 3 digits patterns, etc, etc. You need not go too deep into all possibilities at this stage. If you are a programmer then this is the break to start writing "routines and sub-routines" to check for frequency.

For starters, just concentrate on 2even2odd, 2big2small, twins and doubles. These has the highest occurrence. Its pattern normally surfaced for periods of 2 months, 8 months and 18 months. If any of these pattern holds true for the periods I just mentioned, then it is wise to play along this path. There will be other patterns starting to appear.

I won't go into the mathematics of the game. Just remember buying a single 4-digit number out of 10,000 possible ones are not much of a hope. But betting on a 4-digit number from a pattern (with much reduced numbers) with a good chance of "re-appearing" again is a safer bet.

This logical approach is how my programs are based upon. It will also calculate the "percentage probability" of the "grouping" or "pattern" it computes. When a very high probability ( usually 82% to 94% ) occurs in whatever patterns or forms it presents to me, then I may consider putting a wager on it. In other words, I only play when my program tells me to. It also calculates the number of times a number has had a "hit" for 3 years, 5 years or 10 years. ( I have records for 20 years of data for Magnum 4D) ; or whether its a "Hot" or "Cold" number.

There are many other ways a favourite pattern or number shows itself. There are "series" groupings; playing only 1-digit, 2-digit or 3-digits for Magnum 4D (or Pick4). The latter is my favourite method because I only have to bet or guess 1 or 2 digits correct in a 4-digit Magnum game to win ! I call this method " Netting a Winner". It is alot of fun and I have netted winning numbers many times.

Another method is the "Brooding". It is another favourite of mine because I have fine-tuned this program many times. This was my first program and I still uses it alot when other patterns fail to come up with some good numbers for me. Incubation period is usually within 4 to 6 draws.

The World as we see it is being taken for granted. It surprises me how many a times we humans care very little about our changing planet. Ask anyone about the ozone layer, and you will find the lack of knowledge or the understanding of what the ozone layer is all about. Yet many do not seem to care what happens to our mother Earth. Now we hear all the buzz about the Earth hour.

I pose similar question to my friends and colleagues at work. What do they know about the Earth hour programme and it's worldwide participation. Will they be switching off the lights as well? Almost every body said they will, to save planet Earth. One solitary hour to save our Mother Earth? No doubt it helps, but to what extent? The great damage has been done. It's not reversible, but at the very least we hope not to destroy our planet as fast as we did. Whatever damage done, is done. And the Earth hour programme?.

This coming March the 28Th. 2009, millions will switch off their lights and electricity to participate in a worthy cause. It will help but it will not save our planet.