Mt. Kinabalu - album ready

Finally managed to upload all the pics (almost all) to my album. It took days to pick the better ones and compile them.

Here's the link http://peru.fotopic.net

Mt. Kinabalu - next set of pics

Here comes the next set of pics. This set is more on covering our group and members. There's another set of pics which I'll upload, along with those posted here, to my album, may be tomorrow or so.

Enjoy these while I go out now for my dinner ;-)

Mt. Kinabalu - first set of pics

Finally, was able to make some time to download the pics from my cam and upload them here.

The six days Kinabalu trek was really really awesome. It'll remain an unforgettable experience forever. I met lots of new people and made many new good friends. Open trolley ride of 45mins covering 7-8kms, me myself driving it for 2kms, grade II - IV Padas river rafting, trekking for 20+ kms in total, also trekking in rain, climbing up 4000+ mts peak, 1½ hours journey on old train, many hours of car/van journey, etc. are all amazing.

Day1: Flew from Johor Bahru to Kota Kinabalu airport and transferred to Trekkers' lodge. Evening was spent in strolling the streets of KK town.

Day2: Van journey to Tenom (??), trolley (open plank on ball bearings) ride to starting point of rafting, then some 1½ hrs river rafting, return to Beaufort station by old train, journey back to trekkers lodge by Van.

I must mention that rafting was too wonderful. Two boats with six people each and we're doing racing at many places, ofc, just for fun. Suan Hai and Peng Siong from other boat fell off into the river. Peng Siong swam towards our boat and we pulled him in. Suang Hai caught hold of rope thrown at him and finally made into the boat. I'm not sure if Liyana also fell off. Henly from our boat fell off into the water but got in back immediately.

No vege food for lunch :( But I didn't want a good friend of mine to be disappointed due to this and hence I tried chicken burger for the first time. Some of my friends know that I value humans more than my habits. The same day I tried BBQ fish from Peng Sion and Stingray fish from Liyana.
Should I say 'Waaaaaaaaaooouw!!'??

Day3: Reached Mesilau nature camp (at an altitude of 2000m ASL) at around 5pm. This happens to be our base camp too. Misty, foggy, cold, chill, drizzle, etc.. Waaaaaooouuw!!

Day4: Trekking towards Laban Rata, the next camp. It was all foggy and rainy the whole day. Liyana accompanied me the whole trek and it was great to be with this cool and really good girl. Waiting and worrying for Soon wee, Suan Hai and peng Sion. Oops!

Day5: Summit day. Awesome moments. Realised that every meter matters for an high altitude trekker.

Climbing using ropes all alone in the dark with heavy chill wind blowing you off, oops, they're still before my eyes. Of the twelve member group, only eight of us left from Laban Rata rest house (second camp at an height of 3272m ASL) for the summit (at an height of 4095m ASL) at exactly 2:55am (yes midnight). Two of them returned halfway due to AMS and risky steepy slippery hiking on the way. So finally only six of us (three guys and three girls) made to the top between 6am and 7am, me being the first person to summit (am NOT PROUD but mentioning to show that I gained some confidence for my future treks). Yong fell on the wayback from summit and got some hurt on her forehead. Down to KK park and finally to trekkers lodge.

Evening seafood dinner. Waaaaaoouw!! (Un??)fortunately I'm a vegetarian.

Day6: Flight delay for 7hrs. Did some souvenier shopping, tried the 'sedap' spicy tomyam soup, playing 'Rummy' cards, reached JB and finally Singapore.

Below is the first set of pics. Enjoy them while I compile another set of them and post soon.

Dasavatharam - My Review

This is my first review of any movie online and now I realise how difficult it is to review a movie completely. It is just my opinion and need not agree to others.

The backbone of the movie is Kamal Hassan who has taken up ten different roles in the movie and each look is different from the other except 1 or 2. Again every character has some importance in the movie except US President Bush which I feel is not at all necessary for the story. This character should have been like some Secretary or Security Minister or so. The getup of main villain character, Fletzer, does not look like a hollywood personality. The face is big compared to the body. The Kafi Ulla character was boring initially but later gets attention due to sitcoms. Showing him as tall and brahmin 'Paati' as short, graphically, is a good attempt. I'm still not clear as to why the first part of the movie (Rangaraja Nambi) is present. The main character is the smart Govinda samy and the best comic character is Balaram Naidu. At times you may be forced to think that some characters are forcefully thrusted in when unnecessary. But I feel that it's purely our phsycological thinking. Just see them as different characters and not as diferent Kamals.

Asin has done a good job, also in a comic role. Actors like Nagesh, KR Vijaya, P Vasu, Santhana Bharathy, R Sundarajan, etc.. are not given any importance at all. Songs are better to listen while watching the movie than to hear only audio. I found the BGM in trailor is much better than in the actual movie.

Graphics FX is extensively used throughout the movie but does not look realistic or perfect in many places eg. in the initial part of carrying the statue via the river, the climax part of tsunami, etc.. Though they are good attempts, they still needs more improvisation.

I can easily make out the efforts that Kamal has put in not only the make up but also in the screenplay.

Before watching the movie, I removed all the expectations/imaginations from my mind. I did not think of even the latest blockbuster Sivaji. Everybody has his own style and Kamal has one too.

Final comment: MUST SEE ATLEAST ONCE.

Dasavatharam

Wow! I'm gonna watch the movie in GV Yishun this evening after office hours along with my colleague-cum-friend, Sesha. The movie was opened already last week and I had to miss it then due to my Kinabalu expedition.


Some of my other friends who watched the movie are giving NOT-SO-GOOD comments about the movie. But no matter what they're, I've to watch the movie for two reasons 1) Kamal is my favourite actor too. 2) Want to know how he has justified the 10 different roles.

I'll come back here again tomorrow with my reviews.

Cheers!

Back from Kinabalu

Aah! I am back home in Singapore yesterday after a week long trekking (also tiring) expedition to Mt.Kinabalu, the highest peak in Malaysia. I did summit the peak of 4095 metres ASL on 16th June at around 06:00 am just in time for sunrise. The whole of expedition was full of fun, adventure, thrills and so on. Made lots of new friends, learnt few lovely Malay words and ofc, clicked few snaps too. There are lots to talk about which I'll post later.


Yesterday, while in Kinabalu, I came across a beautiful Malay song which I found in the net today. Believe me I must have listened to it around 10 - 15 times just today alone even when I dont understand the lyrics. Even at this time of posting I'm listening to it. Oops! What happened to me? I'm sure I'm not missing Kinabalu. But then am I missing something or.... somebody? Waaaaaoooouuw!! ;-)

Here's the link: http://www.imeem.com/people/4GqFcD5/music/haflJn43/illusi_puisi_cinta/
I'll come back soon. Meanwhile, enjoy the song!!

"LEFT FOR DEAD"

Yesterday, when I was out on my last moment shopping for Mt.Kinabalu, I came across this book in the store and immediately bought it with no second thoughts. The book is written by Dr.Beck Weathers about his life's deadly experience on one particular day.

So who is this Beck Weathers and what is he talking about?

May 10, 1996. A 11 member team was on its expedition to the roof of the world, Mt.Everest. When they're at around 26,000 ft high, suddenly a storm appears before them from nowhere, blinding their eyes with complete white all around and pushing the temperature down to -60 degree in less than few minutes. This is the worst day in the history of Mt. Everest. 8 persons were killed and 2 were rescued. One person was ignored by the rescue team as he was almost dead with no respiration. But that man woke up from the 'koma' and made himself down to the camp alone. And he has survived. And he is Beck Weathers.