I pray...

Please let it happen this time... please...

Day Trip With The Cousins

My cousins were down to Sunshine Coast for the weekend so we decided to spend Saturday exploring all that is on offer.I rented a Hyundai Accent for $56 including insurance and started my trip down to Eumundi Markets to meet my cousins. It was about a 30 minute drive from my place. But as fate would have it, I took a wrong turn and spent 15 minutes backtracking to get on the right track.

Eumundi Markets is essentially a festival-like bazaar with the ultimate assortment of stalls. It is so big that you probably need half a day to finish exploring all the stalls. I bought a big popcorn to share with my housemates during the Germany-Argentina World Cup quarter-finals later that evening. The popcorn is simply mind blasting and definitely the best I have ever eaten.After the stalls closed, we visited the nearby chocolate factory and headed down for some strawberry picking. We ended up at Strawberry Fields, and plucked $7 worth of strawberries. They were real sweet and bursting with natural goodness. Needless to say, we ate more than we plucked!

We then drove to Noosa Heads, about 50 minutes away. It was dark when we got there. After a review of the seafood restaurants, we decided to go for steak at Hogs Breath Cafe. I ordered smoked grilled prime tenderloin ($29) and it was decent though I have had better.

On the drive back, I relied on my iPhone for directions. There was no street directory in the rented car, which was a shame. I had barely left Noosa Heads when my iPhone displayed it's 'Battery Low' warning. What the hell! Plus the Google Maps brought me to a deserted road so haunting that I turned turtle and backtracked with my tail between my legs. It was definitely not a road for the faint hearted and the glow of the iPhone on my face in the rearview mirror added to the creepy atmosphere.

Eventually I stumbled onto the motorway and hit familiar ground. The iPhone died on me just as I reached home. Phew! It wouldn't be funny to be stuck in a deserted Aussie suburb where petrol stations are closed and streets dark. Sure was a harrowing experience and I thank God I made it back safely.

Just out of interest, a young Aussie punk gave me the finger as I was driving to return the rental car this morning. I definitely didn't break any traffic rules or did anything to provoke that but I got pissed off and contemplated chasing him down. I'm sure he would run helter skelter if I did that. In the end I just brushed it off as YET ANOTHER racist encounter. Disturbing, no doubt but I'm starting to get used to it.

Mindblasting!

I have word from Aunty Agnes that the temperature in Perth has dipped to minus 2.5 deg C yesterday! Goodness gracious! I pity the flyboys who have to get up at 6am to unlock the aircraft for the day's flying. Their fingers would definitely be numb in the biting cold.

Over here in Brisbane, temperature in the day is about 20 deg C. It is nice and warm and we don't need to wear jackets here, unlike back in Perth. At night the temperature is about 10 deg C but we have heater air-conditioners in the house so it keeps the house warm.

Yesterday we planned to visit Brisbane city since we haven't had the chance to check it out yet and the off day ought to be put to good use. Spirits were high after the good lunch of roasted ham and tomato sandwiches, washed down with Bundaberg sarsaparilla.

Barely after leaving our house, we suffered a tyre puncture when we pulled onto the motorway. We didn't know what the rattling noise was due to, and as it got louder we decided to pull over to the side of the motorway and take a look. The tyre was as flat as the road and we were lucky that the rims weren't damaged by the raw driving.

The last time I changed a tyre was many years' back and I couldn't remember whether it was unscrewing the nuts before jacking or vice versa. We pooled our knowledge and found that you should loosen the nuts first before you jack up the car. And to work we went. We brought out the spare tyre and the tools lying on the side.

Alas! The wrench/spanner couldn't fit the nuts! Who the hell would put tools that won't work on the car inside?!!

Thus we waited by the side of the road and wait for our other car to come back as we figured we could use their tools. It was weird for three Chinese dudes to be standing by the side of an Aussie motorway. Cars tooted us, some punk even shouted something as his car whizzed by. I couldn't catch what he was shouting but I reckoned it is something racist. I'm pretty used to the increasing racism here in Eastern Aussie anyway so I wasn't bothered. But it sure is getting bad and Julia Gillard's new government had better check it before they lose our precious tourism dollars.

Our other car came back after some time as they had got lost to find a couple of exits to turn back on the motorway. Unfortunately they didn't have the tools too. While we were cracking our heads for a solution, a car pulled over. You cannot believe it when I tell you that it is our Saudi neighbour staying next door! He said he saw us by the road as he drove past, then he figured out that we needed help and turned back to see if he could lend a hand. What are the odds of that! He had the tools and we changed the tyre in no time.

I reflected that in a foreign land, it doesn't matter if you are Indian, Middle Eastern, Asian or whatever. Some of the locals may despise and look down on us just because we aren't of the same race but its alright. I am sure not all locals are like that anyway. I feel heartened to see a fellow human being staying in the same foreign land helping each other out. And I am pretty sure that if our roles were reversed and I was driving past them, I would be sure to turn back to stop and help. Singaporeans back home should think about this the next time they 'tsk' a China worker.

So in the end, we didn't go to Brisbane city but we spent the day ogling bikinis playing frisbee at Noosa Beach. Sure warms the spirits and numb fingers and other body parts too if I may add.

The Day My Mouse Was Killed

Sorry for the long delay since my last update!

In short, I have been doing none much since I returned home to Singapore from Perth. By a stroke of luck and God's blessing, I was posted to Changi Airport for my ground duties. Those in the industry would liken that to be the best posting since you only need to report to work once a week and only a few hours' work each time. Those five months of ground duties were simply pleasant when you consider that your peers have to report to work at the HQ-equivalent every single day. I love Changi Airport!

Thus time really flew while I busied myself selling off my old Canon 40D system and getting a new 5DMII. I also went to London with Uncle Louis and I had the pleasure of experiencing First Class Don Perignon and wine and my uncle's sweet landing on the A380. Yes, flying does run in the family but I didn't expect myself to be the next baton-bearer of my generation. London was absolutely lovely and I really enjoyed being there. I would love to be there again and I aim to take my folks there next year.

Uncle Louis' mother passed away in late April, which was a sad occasion for the family. I remember her for her humour (she simply was the most humourous old lady I ever knew) and will miss her.

During those few months at home, I met someone new and we hung out quite a bit. I almost thought I met destiny but it turned out otherwise. Is it just me or are girls really complicated? Or is it that I am too smart to be played the fool? I guess Cupid and I aren't best friends yet still. Strangely I'm not perturbed at all by the news of more friends getting married. But I get very disturbed when relatives keep asking me the same darn question which is about as welcome as a booger on one's lip. Even my folks don't bug me about it at all. So bugger off!

In late April, word got out that we will be next to go to Brisbane for our next phase of training - the jet advanced training on the Lear 45. And I started preparing for my training by reading my notes and going through the computer-based training. Little did we know that it would be at least a month before we departed for Brisbane. Damn, I should have enjoyed myself more during that time instead of fessin' over the training stuff.

I left for Brisbane on the night of the 24th of May and a little under seven hours later, we arrived in Brisbane International Airport. We were transported to our accommodation which is a holiday resort by the way. The house is a double-storeyed house, very spacious and comfy and much better than what we had been staying in Seletar and Perth. My only grouse is that we need to cook our own meals which is a bitch if you are like me who is used to Mom's cooking all my life. Good thing that came out of it is that I guess I am a pretty good steak chef (that's what they say)!

The first phase of training is the cockpit procedural training on the simulator (call it sim for short). The sim is nothing like your everyday arcade Daytona kind of graphics - it is shit hot visual perfection filled with landscape, terrain and even aircraft flying around! You feel like you are in a real aircraft when you sit inside. Even the oxygen masks work like the real thing!

My first sim session (2am to 8am dammit!) was with Capt Ron McCaulay who was leaving the college soon. We learnt tons of stuff from him, funny guy too. The Lear is a magnificent beast to fly! Unlike the Cessna which could be on finals for eternity, the Lear flies at minimum 120+ knots which is about 220+ km per hour. You got to be fast to match the steed! But at the end of the sim, we were very encouraged by Capt McC who told us we will sail through our training here, no problems and he would put money on that. It sure was a morale booster!

To date, I have done take-offs, landings, circuits, emergency descent, NDB / VOR / DME arc / ILS approaches. My landings were quite poor in the beginning - I noticed that unlike the Cessna where you flare (pull the nose of the aircraft up) till you can barely see the runway, there is very little flare on the Lear. The secret to a good landing, Uncle Louis always said, is to reduce the thrust slowly - I tried that and my landings were so much better now. Gold! That said, I really enjoy flying the Lear though the learning curve here is not a steep one; but rather a vertical one with afterburners behind what more.

Finally, the crux of today's post: I killed my mouse today by dropping it on the floor and it smashed into a hundred pieces. Sob, it was with me since my ex-company days and seen uncountable miles of scrolling through porn educative websites work and play. Damn, it had even been through my breakup worst and best moments. It's like a crocodile that survived the bladdy Triassic period.

Sob.

Today, I prayed...

... and so I made my pilgrimage to Novena Church today for the first time in 9 months.

It felt so good to be back where I usually sit and I am totally amazed at how the place never changes - the way I love it.

I gave thanks for bringing me back safely and completing the training smoothly.

For making it back for Xmas and New Year though it sure was a frenzied last 2 months.

Especially for my family, for their support and love.

I also prayed... that I will know whom is chosen for me when the time comes.

Wounds have definitely healed but do I dare try again?

Just too afraid to be swept off my feet just to find out that the engine fails on me once again... Just reflecting, I guess.

It's so good to be back!

After the dust has settled, I'm delighted to clear my flight tests and be home for Xmas! (and New Year of course!)

It was a long and tumultuous journey, from the very first sortie where you aren't sure if you are cut out to fly... to the very end where handling of the aircraft is just pure instinct and its just too beautiful - from the cocoon to the flapping of wings.

Over the last week, I managed to catch up with my chums whom I hadn't seen for the past 9 months, as well as help out Ah Di's wedding on the day after I touched down! I'm still out of touch with the happenings in the country, but its slowly coming back.

From time to time, I find that I do miss Perth quite a bit. Especially the weather, the friendly people, the fresh air, the long distance driving... and of course, the flying through the sunset trying to make it back before last light. Priceless and once-in-a-lifetime experience.

There's no place like home! That, I'm sure, Jo will agree :)

No regrets...

I have a blogger friend whose dad passed away recently. My heart goes out to her as I could really feel her loss and pain from her latest blog post.

I can't help but reflect that we only really treasure a person after he or she is gone. Only afterwards do we keep repeating "if only this, if only that"... It is too late by then.

Do we often, through words or actions, let our loved one(s) know that we love him or her or do we simply keep it in our hearts thinking that its too mishy mushy?

Barely less than two months ago, my dad went for a angioplasty operation to insert not one, not two but THREE stents in his heart arteries. I was to learn much later (my folks kept it from me) that his heart stopped during the surgery and the doctors had to resuscitate him, just like in the movies.

He was to joke with me later that he went to heaven but St Peter told him his time wasn't up and sent him back instead. Funny, my dad - he could always see the funny side of things in his unique wicked humour.

It got me thinking about my dad, how he goes about quietly showing his concern and support for me and my sis throughout our lives, our failures and our successes and yet we always took his presence for granted. More often than not, we would let loose a sharp word or an irritated look whenever he comes into our rooms to ask how our day went. Quietly he would slink away knowing we wouldn't like to be disturbed when occupied with our magazines or Xboxes.

I almost lived to regret the day.

Together with my mom, he visited me here in Aussie just two weeks ago. I made sure I spent much quality time with him, taking walks with him in the cool evening air, a chat while watching TV and laughing at the corny Aussie commercials, joking at Mom going to the casino and checking out his catch when we went fishing. My busy flying schedule did keep me from spending time with him and mom during the daylight hours but I make it a point to see them when I am free no matter how tired I would be. I thank God that my critical dual flights with my fierce instructor went well and he was pleased with me. It was the best month of my stay here in Aussie and I dare say my folks enjoyed it as well.

I never needed to say it but I know that my dad knows how much I love him.

I know no one can live forever but while our loved ones are still around, we should put away our useless indulgences and instead channel that energy towards loving them.

No regrets.

From now on.