Trip down Memory Lane_22.02.10

An interesting email I received today - A nice trip down memory lane...just click on it, type the year you were born and let the 'running commentary' tell you what happened in the year when you entered this world... interesting!

Refer website: http://whathappenedinmybirthyear.com/

Trip to Madhya Pradesh_16.02.10

I went to India for a meeting in Nagpur and to visit my project site in Madhya Pradesh, with my colleague Haji Anuar Aris. We left KLIA on 16th February 2010 by MAS and arrived in Delhi about 11.00 p.m. The next day we caught an Indigo Airline flight to Nagpur by 9.00 a.m.

Delhi Airport
Indigo Flight
After a day in Nagpur, we proceeded to Seoni to visit our project site. Our project involves the rehabilitation and upgrading to four lanes of Lakhnadon to Border Section from km 596.750 to km 653.225 of National Highway-7 in the state of Madhya Pradesh. The interesting part of the project is that the road transverses a 20 km stretch which is part of Pench Tiger forest reserve region. Our Team Leader supervising the construction of the Highway is a Malaysian, Mr. Roy and is assisted by a team of Indian Engineers and Technicians.
Existing Bridge at Forest Reserve
Arch Bridge built in 1865 to be replaced.

Completed Stretch of MP3 Highway

Railway Overbridge under construction
During our site visit, we stopped at Bison Reserve Retreat for tea and 'samosa'. The shop situated under banyan trees which was quite scenic and peaceful.
Tea break at Bison Reserve Retreat

Mr. Roy (Team Leader) and Haji Anuar

Miscellaneous photos taken in India
Fruit Seller at Seoni
All in the family clinic in Delhi
We came back to Delhi by flight on 19th morning and flew back the same night, ending another trip to India.

Yee Sang at La La Chong_07.02.2010

Last Sunday, we went to visit our aunty and cousin sister at Damansara together with my brother and his family. We then proceeded for dinner at La La Chong Seafood Restaurant at Kayu Ara Damansara.

La La Chong Restaurant

This was our first time going to the restaurant. As the name suggested, the restaurant is famous for the "la la" seafood dish. The restaurant was previously based at the vicinity of Subang Airport and have now shifted to Kayu Ara Damansara. The restaurant was packed and we had to wait a while for our dinner.

With Chinese New Year round the corner, we decided to join in the festivities and start with the "Yee Sang" dish. The "Yee Sang" dish is served as an appetizer during the Chinese New Year season to bring "good luck". We used our chopsticks to toss the ingredients into the air and it is believed that the higher you toss, the greater your fortunes! (Forgot to take a photo of the Yee sang dish!).

Dinner with mum, aunty, cousin & other family members
My brother Jayaraj, Veni, Rama & Vishnu
Apart from the la la dish, we ordered our usual dishes: lemon chicken, chilli sotong, sizzling taufu, steamed fish and kai lan vegetable. The la la dish was quite tasty as it was prepared with belacan.

We also met our good friends Farouk and Melati, from Kelana Jaya, who were dining with their family members at the restaurant. Farouk and Melati are part of our Subang Jaya Youth Football League family.

Farouk, Melati & family

It was quite an enjoyable outing and we are looking forward to dine with my aunty and cousin, who always take us to new & interesting restaurants.

ASTAR Scrabble Challenge International (ASCI)_30.01.2010

ASCI tournament was organised by the First Residential College of University of Malaya. It was held on the 30th and 31st of January 2010 in the Dewan Tunku Canselor, University of Malaya. The tournament was divided into two categories i.e. Interschool (U18) and Intervasity Individual Divisions. A total of 121 players took part i.e 79 players in the Interschool and 42 players in the Intervasity Divisions. There were participants from Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and India besides the top Malaysian youth players taking part.

Entrance to Dewan Tunku Canselor

Ramaraj took part in the Intervasity Division. I was involved as Tournament Coordinator together with Martin Teo as Tournament Director, assisting in organising the tournament.

ACSI Participants

Tourney Organisers

There were eight round of games on Saturday and another four rounds played on Sunday. On the first day of the tourney, Ramaraj managed to win 7 out of 8 games losing only to Singaporean Toh Wei Bin. He also managed to achieve the highest game score of 839 points. On the second day, Ramaraj had to play with Toh Wei Bin, for all four games in the next day by virtue of being second and first respectively until the last round. Toh Wei Bin was in awesome form, beating Rama three times and losing only once, to clinch the first prize of RM 3,500, a trophy and a certificate with 10 points. Rama managed to finish with 8 points to achieve fifth position behind two Thais Thacha Koowirat and Chaiwat Wuthinitikor (8.5 ponits each) who drew their last match, and Singaporean Liew Kian Boon (8 points). Ramaraj won RM 350 for the fifth position and a Travel Scrabble set for his highest game score.

Ramaraj Vs Chang Ching Wei

Toh Wei Bin Vs Ramaraj (played a total of 5 games)
In the Interschool U18 event, Scott Chung managed to pip Thai Preedee Khongthanarat by beating him in the last round to emerge Champion to claim the prize of RM3,000, a trophy and a certificate. Ker Jen Ho and Looi Yih Feng finished third and fourth respectively with 9 points each.

Ramaraj receiving his prize
Winners of Intervasity Division
Winners of Interschool Division

Results after game 12 for the top 15 finishers as below:

JANUARY 30, 2010 -- INTERVARSITY
Rank Player Wins Mar
---------------------------------
1 Toh Wei Bin 10 1649
2 Thacha Koowirat 8.5 951
3 Chaiwat Wuthinitikor 8.5 796
4 Liew Kian Boon 8 1669
5 Ramaraj Sundraraj 8 962
6 Cedric Stewart Lewis 8 506
7 Goutham Jayaraman 7 1590
8 Khoo Beng Way 7 1132
9 Sean Chung 7 844
10 Chang Ching Wei 7 738
11 Christian Oktavius 7 577
12 Mohd Khairi Zulkarn 7 194
13 Gabriel Kuo Lijin 7 2
14 Nor Amriah Ab Rahman 7 -541
15 Chollapat Itthi-aree 6 1109
HIGH GAME: Ramaraj Sundraraj 839
HIGH WORD: Liew Kian Boon 149 "RIOTABLE"

Results after game 12
JANUARY 30, 2010 -- INTERSCHOOL
Rank Player Wins Mar
---------------------------------
1 Scott Chung 10 1140
2 Preedee Khongthanarat 9.5 1233
3 Ker Jen Ho 9 1184
4 Looi Yih Feng 9 962
5 Irfan Murshidi 9 397
6 Muhammad Nasrom 9 304
7 Charnrit Khongthanarat 8 1578
8 Charas Worapotpisut 8 1554
9 Chang Ching Yet 8 488
10 Mohd Aizuddin Sukeri 8 476
11 Mohd Syazwan Aidid 8 435
12 Wan Mohd Azril 8 310
13 Muhammad Hazim 8 -60
14 Cheong Yi Wei 7.5 833
15 William Kang 7 1676
HIGH GAME: Preedee Khongthanrt 672
HIGH WORD: William Kang 131 "SCORPION"

Refer to MSA website for more information:- http://www.penster.com.my/

Thaipusam_29.01.2010

Every year, my brothers & family would gather at my house in Subang Jaya, before leaving for Batu Caves on the eve of Thaipusam. This year my niece, Shamini, and my sis-in-law, Kanga, carried the 'pal' (milk) kavadi. Shamini actually flew in the same night from Bandung, Indonesia to continue her vow which she started last year. By the time everyone gathered, it was already 11.30 p.m.

We parked the cars quite a distance away and walked to the river to start the procession. The place was already filling up with devotees and onlookers which made it difficult for us to reach the river. After prayers at the river, we joined the procession heading toward the Batu Caves stairs.

My elder brother with Shamini

Kanga performing pal kavadi with family

The walk towards the entrance was confusing this year. Due to the double tracking, the old crossing of the railway track was fenced up. The crossing of the track could only be done by using the ramp structure across the track or another temporary crossing quite a distance away from the road. There were no signs indicating the shortest route to the Batu Caves entrance and it created confusion to the devotees. We ended up taking the longer route by using the temporary route and everyone was wandering around finding the way!
Crowd at Batu Caves

Statue of Lord Muruga
As previous years, it was a journey of faith along with thousands of other devotees which gave a sense of accomplishment after fulfilling the vows despite all the obstacles faced. We finally reached home at 4.00 in the morning.