Ritsu Tainaka 1/8 Figure by Alter

After about a month i back from Japan, i finally unwrapped Ritsu and assembled it from pieces.

I also put it into a proper display case, but i had removed it for taking the below shots!

The level of details in this figure is just amazing! Never regret bringing her back all the way from Akihabara Tokyo Japan. Hope to bring in Mio next time if possible and eventually the entire K-On! band! Haha! ^.^

Singapore vs Tokyo - MRT vs Trains, Subway, & Shinkansen

I have been living in Singapore for about 2 years. The impression i have for Singapore MRT is pretty good. You know, convenient, timing accurate, not like the one in Kuala Lumpur. It was hopeless. Now the Sungai Buloh-Kajang MRT are being constructed. Hopefully it would be run in a first class manner.

I went to Tokyo about 3 weeks ago. Then i get to experience the public transport system over there. It was great, even when compare to the Singapore's. In Tokyo they don't really call it MRT. They are Trains and Subway, run by dozen of companies. Singapore MRTs were run by two, SMRT & SBS. Now we don't compare on the quantity of companies or number of lines.

Tokyo Subway Route Map

Singapore MRT Map 2012

First thing, speed. MRT of Singapore, in average travel at about 50-60km/h, with occasional stops in between stations, for no reason whatsoever. Maybe the one in front is late moving out from the station. I mean, SMRT or SBS should have had done it better. Whereas Tokyo, even the slowest train easily travels at about 100km/h with no stop in between stations. In fact they have rapid line which bypass low traffic stations so that you could get to your destination faster. Of course you can only do so if you are alighting at stations which the rapid line does stops. What about the Shinkansen aka bullet train? Well, you can tell by its name.

The distance between stations, as far as i have seen, there is none closer than 2km. In Singapore however, it stops like every 1km or less. The travel time/km is much higher than Tokyo's. Of course when you have stations further away from each other you need to walk further or take buses to reach there. But that is the whole point of having buses to compliment the entire transportation system right? Why having buses while you have trains stopping every 1km? It is a waste of resources.

To make travel using bus better preferred, the time table shown in the bus stations shall be deadly accurate. Thus it allows people to estimate accurately the time they need to travel from one destination to another. Less time is spent waiting at the bus station as well, because you know that the bus will reach at exactly 3.15pm, and not plus minus 5 mins of 3.15pm. Buses in Tokyo never move out from its station earlier than the time shown in each stations. Of course the estimated time to travel from one stations to another is highly accurate too.

I wrote about Singapore MRT when i first came to Singapore. That was nearly 2 years ago. The Circle Line was not complete back then. Now it travels through Pasir Panjang and terminating at Harbour Front.

Amid recent constant breakdowns of Singapore MRT, there are a lot the management of SMRT needs to be done to resolve it. Before the name of Singapore MRT got worse.

Tokyo Love

 I came back from Japan about 12 days ago. What else i'm going to talk about if not Japan right?

Tokyo was where i went. A really... really awesome place! Everything just feels better!

The way people dress, the way people talk, the way people eat, the way people behave, etc, it was just awesome! The trains, the food, the architecture, etc, Tokyo was really an eye-opener to me.

Shibuya Scramble Crossing

Shinjuku

Tokyo Tower

Yokohama

Asakusa, background was Tokyo Sky Tree scheduled to open at 22nd May 2012

Meiji Shrine

Sensoji

Some of the stuffs you can't really depict from photos alone. You got to have videos. I have made one with my D7000 as well. Not recorded in the highest quality possible, which was quite sad cause i should have had. Never mind, i am all aspired to take better quality videos next time around.

Across Tokyo feat. Takashi Sorimachi's Forever

The US Trip Vol. 4

During the 3 days i was there, we went 2 museums. So i think you'll know what to expect. Lolz...

Following photos were from WWI Museum at Liberty Memorial.

From Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art followed.

Museums are actually quite nice if you take your time to understand the exhibits. Some will kept you thinking even after you have left the building.

I was quite surprise i was allowed to take photos in both of the Museum i have visited. Come to think of it, i realised it was a very long time ago since i last visited a museum. It was Muzium Negara i guess? Haha...

The US Trip Vol. 3

Actually this was a business trip. I think i should at least show you some work related photos. To prove that i'm not there just for the fun. :D

Pentair Water Kansas City

Our limo arriving at Pentair Water.

We were there for Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) of 2 nos of 4 stages vertical turbine seawater pump. These pumps eventually will form part of the fire fighting system of the jetty that my company are constructing now.

On the left is the pump while on the right is the test pit that the pump has been fixed on.

The tests were done and the results were acceptable. Hence, the pumps were ready for assembling and shipment to Malaysia by air freight.

In the middle was John, the Hydraulic Analyst. He got 30 over years of experience. Survived through 4 different ownerships in the same company.

Myself, Azizat, Chris, and Richard. Chris was the guy who coordinate our FAT. He is a Professional Engineer and also the International Application Engineering Manager of Pentair Water, brilliant guy.

Coming up next Vol. 4. ^.^

The US Trip Vol. 2

Kansas City is a city which occupies two different states, namely Missouri and Kansas. The Kansas and Missouri river separate the city into Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri.

Missouri River

Some of the Kansas City attractions are The Plaza, Union Station, Liberty Memorial featuring the World War I Museum, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, etc.

Liberty Memorial

The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art

The Union Station

Kansas City View from Liberty Memorial

Kansas City Downtown

Kansas City also has a nickname called the City of Fountains. I don't even bother to take any more photos on fountains after a few shots. 

A young woman working on her drawing of the fountain.

The weather of Kansas City during my stay there was nice. There is no snow whatsoever though the locals said they have had one of the highest snow depth last year. I thought i could have observe snow for the first time in my life.

Azizat and myself having lunch in the Rozzelle Court Restaurant.

Stay tuned for Vol. 3. ^.^

The US Trip Vol. 1

I will keep this post short. I am still sorting out the photos. ^.^

My Desire HD main screen

The flights arranged by company actually require me to board a few connecting flights. 

Departure to Kansas City from Singapore, via Tokyo and then San Francisco.

Departure to Singapore from Kansas City, via San Francisco and then Hong Kong.

I arrived at Changi Airport two minutes before the check-in counter closed and was lectured by the counter lady. Lolz... Luckily i still made it!

Hence, i need four different clocks to advise me on the time of my connecting flights. I certainly don't want to miss any of them. Lessons learned.

Japan Visa

There's no interview like the US Visa.

However you need a saving account, or fixed deposit, etc showing a figure more than RM 10k.

You would also need your company certification letter indicating your position, length of service, salary etc, and some other documents to prove your are earning a healthy income and you are not actually going there to steal jobs. Haha..

Also, unless you are travelling to Japan for work purposes, you would probably need to prepare a letter stating your purpose of visit and guarantee of expenses.

Not forgetting a confirmed flight itinerary as well. Meaning to say you can't submit your Visa application unless you have bought your air ticket. Lolz...

And here it is!

My face is freaking dark! WTH?! Never mind. ^.^

Preview of 2012

Hi Everybody! I know it's a little bit late but i will assure you the following stories will not be a waste of time. :)

People usually talks about what happened last year when they stepped into new year i.e. best bits of 2011. However i'm going to skip that and do the opposite. Here's the preview of the year 2012 for me.

1. Moving back to Singapore

Yes. I will be back to Singapore for my third project in Keppel Tuas Shipyard early February. It's a very challenging project and i am quite delighted that i will be a part of it. I've been learning and it's been tough for me thus far. My new year resolution for work is that i must be humble and be willing to take advice. 

2. Going to the US

I have had quite an unusual experience obtaining the US Visa. In short, i will be at Kansas City for Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) for my current project. Out of the 6 days, 2.5 days i will be in planes or airports. 1 day for FAT and 1.5 days free and easy. All are with co-workers of course. It is my first time there and it is work related but it certainly won't be the last since i'm having a 10 years multiple entry Visa. ^.^

3. Going to Japan

My Japan Visa is currently being processed. Like the US one but slightly easier, without interview, and it is free of charge as well. This trip however is not work related. I am going there alone for 7 days. I have a friend there who may able to bring me around. Well... going there anyway with or without anyone. Flights are confirmed. 

4. Buying a house

It is a new condominium located in Subang Jaya expected to complete end of 2014. Down-payment paid, loan approved, and going to sign S&P soon. The entire process is more tedious than i thought it would be. This house most probably is not for own stay. Maybe will sell maybe will rent out. Will see...

5. Just bought a 10-24mm Nikkor DX lens

I bought it for a week but yet to explore its greatness. This lens is a must considering the events that are going to happen this year. Not to mention the oversea trips i'm going to have, i actually have few friends going to tie the knot this year. Do expect some wedding related photos coming up later this year in my Facebook profile, or maybe here blogger. I think i will get a flash soon for proper wedding shoots. :P

6. Considering taking MBA

It is close to 2 years since i graduated from USM. The working life is not exactly broadening my perspective for life. I have not seen enough and i am hunger for more unique experiences. This is still at a very beginning stage, still not sure where to pursue MBA. Most probably i will take it full time and hence money is another issue i need to consider seriously. 

Some of you may have stopped reading the above and jumped to this photo. If you did please tick the "lolzz" below. Then i will know how exactly boring my writing is. Please comment as well if you think i look funny. Hahaha...

Is it a waste of time? Lolz...

US Visa

"Hello how are you?"
"Say again?"

"How are you?"
"Yeah i'm fine."

"Why are you going to the US?"
"I'm an employee of Antara Koh.... .... I'm there to witness the testing."

"Do you have any relatives there?"
"Nope."

"How long would you stay in the US?"
"3 days."

"Your Visa is approved. This is the collection card to pick up your passport at your selected distribution office. Enjoy your trip to the US."

"So it's done?"
"Yeah."

"Thanks!"

The interview took me less than 2 minutes (maybe because i have the invitation letter from the US manufacturer) but the queue took me 2 hours!

The application itself is a lengthy and tedious process. Pay up the application fees at Standard Charted Bank, filling up the online application form, schedule the interview, get ready the US Visa format photos, attend the interview at the US embassy, and finally collect the Visa.

And here it is!

I was never informed of the validity of the Visa but i was granted 10 years! I thought it would be like perhaps a month? That is so cool!

Days before work at Singapore

Hello everyone! Tomorrow is my first day working here at Singapore. Just thought wanna give you guys a short update. 

I've been staying at NUS hostel for few days now after my medical check up. One thing worth mention here is that the food at their canteen is awesome and cheap too. What i have had here normally won't exceed 3 dollars. There are various kind of food here. Western, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese and so on... Wonder why my campus at Nibong Tebal provides such dull choices of food. I thought at least they should make it more tasty.

Connection here is real fast and no unnecessary restriction of website. A lot of big trees and well connected walkway which provide shade when you travel around campus or hostel. Bathroom however is quite small though. Couldn't stretch my hands entirely and it hits the wall constantly when using my towel.

I'm lucky cause i don't have to look for accommodation. Other friends that also coming to Singapore for work have been having hard time finding apartment. A 3+1 usually fetch a rate higher than 2000 SG dollars per month. Hope they could find a suitable one very soon.

Fountain of Wealth Suntec City

I went to Suntec City last night with Feng Ying. Looked around but sadly the Fountain of Wealth is undergoing maintenance until 22nd March. We went to check out some laptops instead. Wanted to get one so badly. According to HR of my company, probably they will provide me a laptop depending on my job scope, which i yet to know. However i was told not to change/install anything in the laptop. So i guess it is kind of a restriction that will bothers me, which means probably i will get myself one no matter the company gives me one or not.

The first 2 weeks i will be placed at head office for some orientation and training. Then later i will be notified of which site to go to. According to them, there's a new project commencing at Vietnam next month. I hope i will be asked to go because it will be an another brand new experience for me. I will be offered another contract with oversea's allowance if i'm in. It is kind of two birds in one stone for me. But still, nothing is confirmed. So... will see.

Singapore Cont'...

• I got off the bus that i have traveled in for 7.5 hours and i got in one of this taxi below... I mean... Wow!! I think this was the nicest taxi i have ever got on... It was very comfortable inside... and what's best was the driver... He was a middle aged male with a beard... and was very friendly indeed... chatted with me the whole journey from Jurong's stop to NUS's Prince George's Park Residences... it costs me 7SGD...

Hyundai Sonata Cab

• Well i thought the above is the nicest it could ever get... then i saw this...
  
  
Mercedes Benz Cab...

Compare with this below...



Proton Iswara Taxi

I was like OMG!! How they managed to make a business out of it...? Considering how much the car itself costs... how much they will charged their passengers...? Although it is not as many as the ordinary ones in the street but it is not so rare either... you could spot one of those quite frequently if you are in city centre... There were really demands for that...? Or the fare are just reasonable...? But if reasonable... back to the first question... how they make money...? Haha!! I don't know... perhaps i should try one this when i got a chance...


• The next thing i like was this...
  
  EZ link Card (TouchN'Go for SG)
  
  Well... This thing could be used for buses and MRT trains... no surprise... but it was its system that got me impressed... Everytime you get on a bus... you tap for the first time it is consider a "new ride"... later you get off the bus and you tap again and it would charge you according to how far you have traveled... e.g. 1SGD... If your final destination requires you to change to other bus or MRT... provided you use the card within 30 minutes... you get in and tap again... this time "transfer" would appear... and you will only be charged a few cents extra... It help you saves... the system actually recognize your cards and it connects through out the whole Singapore...
  
  
• I was on a bus with my friends... what surprised me at first was the driver was a middle aged local Chinese woman(i guess) who speaks very fluent English... I mean very seldom you will see a woman driving bus right...? Cause you know... it is a big vehicle...
  
  My friends and I were wondering whether we were taking the correct route and thus we decided to ask the driver for further information... then she explained in a very detail way... which we very much appreciated... and once my friend got the hang of it... she still continue explaining... she did seems very sincere and afraid that we might get lost... and finally we got off the bus... and while we are discussing at the bus stop about where should we go... she never drove off and she was waving from her driver's seat trying to signal us the correct direction to go for... haha...!! I mean her service was very commendable...
  
  Suddenly i realised why sometimes i will feel discomfort when i need to ask people for directions... because not all people will give so much assistance to a stranger... and you scare bothering them... but this one... it really changes my perception about seeking assistance... Next time i think i wont be so "paiseh" in seeking assistance especially in SG...
  
  
• When i am in Malaysia... i will probably be extra careful during the nights... girls are advised to not walking alone in streets... lock your door while you were out... put in some extra locks preferably... all this was due to the fact that the endless criminal acts soaring in our country... snatch thieves being the most popular... helmet gang... burglary during middle of the night... but here at Singapore i bet you will feel otherwise...
  
  Consider this... for two days i was in Singapore... i witnessed two good deeds the people there have done...
  
  first... seeing a lady dropped his cash notes as he walks off the ticket counter... seconds later a person beside who saw it quickly picked up and identified the lady and ran towards the lady to return the cash notes to her(the lady was walking quite fast)...
  
  Second... I was in the bus sitting in close proximity to the driver... and a lady walked right through me with her hand holding a cell phone... she approached the driver and handed him the cell phone and started explaining... apparently she was giving the cell phone left behind by other passenger at her seat to the driver so that in case the passenger came back could find their phone...
  
  I don't think i will witness this kind of incidents back in Malaysia... at least not yet... most would have pocketed the cash notes and taken the cellphone they found with them...
  
  
  
  
  
  Some of my friends said most probably what i seen was just the surface and i not yet come to the down side of Singapore... Hmm... yea... probably i will see the down side... but then again... I just thought there are so much for us to learn... for ourselves and for our government... we just need to absorb the good that might benefit us...
• 
  Some of the other things i would like to share...
  
  
Floating Stadium

How cool was that...? Check it out here if you wanna know more...

Also... They were building this weird-angled building with sky park on top of it... almost near completion...




Check out more about Marina Bay Sands here...

It seems to me there are a lot impressive things going on there... caught me to thinking what if Malaysia was also something like that...??