"KONG XI FAH CHAI "

LIONS BLESSING CEREMONY

Went to Moral Uplifting Society Temple at Sandakan on 11 January 2009 (Sunday) and they were having a grand Lions from twenty two (22) clubs and societies blessing ceremony thereat.

It appears that only the members of the Lion's club and a few family mambers knew about it......of course the invited VIPs. This is in preparation for the comming Chinese New Year....the year of OX....XO...he he.. he..! There will be a Lion Dance show this weekend a the community hall.

There were too many photos that I have taken but below will give you an idea.....


Officiating the ceremony....



Lions lined forthe blessings, prayers and action....


Close up of lion heads.....Unicorns also included....

Ohters for the fun of it.....

Carry on business....

Life is hard ! hawkers carring out bustling business as usual and it is located 2 blocks from my office. It sells well and appears to be tasty but I do't have a stomach for it.....though it is cheap but I don't know the source of food from and doubt its state cleanliness........ do you see any water for cleaning.

Bandar Ramai was and still is famous for its extreamly large rats and healthy cockroaches.

Even the cats are afraid of these rodents.

My kids

All in football jersy of the club of their choice ..................

As the year draws to an end ....I would like to wish all a happy and prosperous new year..2009 !.

Spoiled weekend made good....

I have planned my weekend and was going to spend my "Bonus", then I got a call to go to Tawau. Another ship in distress , some mechanical failure on one of its machinery... and there goes my weekend.

I can not turn down the job as there was no one to attend to it ........My branch Sr. guys was on leave and I only have a Supervisor left and he is the best I have. Although, I made it to Tawau the following day but I missed the boat ride to anchorage somewhere at Batu Payung (never been)........My men went off instead with a full written instructions which I have made the night before, knowing that I am going to missed the ride.

It has been a couple of years since my last visit to Tawau and I have also not been to the new office.

View of mosque from my Tawau office :-


The boat ride to the anchorage location was said to take at least five hours, if I would have taken a motor launch. My men tag along the local agent's hired 200HP speedboat and took 45 minutes to reach the vessel. I checked the nav. chart location and found that it was about 45 km from Tawau port. If I have taken the motor launch I don think I will be able to make it back to Tawau on the same night.

Vessel at anchorage :-
While waiting, I managed to do held a quick trainning for my new surveyors.......at least the time was not wasted there while I waited for my men to return from anchorage....

My men returned on the same night and handed over me all the documents collected on board and uploaded photos taken into my Laptop. Wow!!! that was a huge bulk carrier DW 87K tonner he boarded. The bulk carrier cound not approach Tawau anchorage because of the draft limitations at port and she was drawing about 16m draught when she arrived.

We have nice chats and "teh tarik" night out.............

The next morning they arrived early and we have breakfast before they sent me to the airport....

Tawau airport at best:-

Took these self-potraits while in my hotel room waiting for my men to turn up.....