CNY 2011 – Miri Night Stay

Miri Trip CNY 2011 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

My only visit is at my grandmother house, no other places. Most of my aunt and uncle went on vacation and travel to neighboring country so just a few people there. Normally most of us stay at home in the morning for first day before visiting the others. This year simply just different, I just stay until 12PM and went back to sleep. At the same time, I had to bring my sister going down to Miri.

She is flying to Singapore next day using AirAsia at 8.20AM flight and must check in before two hours. If we choose going down at 6AM next day. I’m sure we may not make it on time. I was mad actually and find it how stupid my sister was booking the ticket on the 1^st day of CNY. We both have to waste the money booking a hotel and dinner staying over in Miri. No different at all booking a ticket in Brunei and better yet can visit our cousins before flying off. This is why I don’t like the cheapness of my sister making the situations inconvenient.

First day usually is the quiet time for less people going down to Miri. Not many shops are going to open that day. We didn’t encounter any traffic during 6.00PM and smoothly reach there. But I have to say the Miri customs are rude and racists as usual. I didn’t bother much anyway.

The hotel we are staying is in Imperial Palace Hotel. I heard is a newly renovate and opening last year. There are mixed reaction from my friends about the place. Well, to us the room is big, clean and Astro provided for just RM$147.00 for weekdays rate. Quite a lot of local Malay is staying there as well even the underground parking lot almost occupy by the Bruneian.

Night is very boring, few restaurants and shops open. But we are hungry and have to find some place to eat. After a long walk, we just decided to check out Japanese food restaurant called ‘Sanga’. It suck though, there is 25% service charge. No matter what, I just want to try out and compare our locals one.

The good things about the Miri restaurants are they served alcohols. So we order hot sake and tried it.

This is Teriyaki Ramen beef, quite nice but not enough to fill your stomach.

We also order similar sushi found in our local restaurant menu. Not much of the choice and expensive too even though it’s in Malaysian ringgit. If you want to compare, I personally suggest enjoying the local one instead.

Gundam Blue Frame 2nd Revise Plus I.W.S.P

Finally completed the spray painting and equipping the I.W.S.P backpack, mind you KO version. I didn’t expect it turn out that good looking combination. However, there are some limitations and recommend going for MG Red Frame if you own the backpack convertor.

I can’t say the KO I.W.S.P is perfect compared to the original. I had done a lot of sanding and bit modifications. HiQ sticker and Kotobukiya option parts were used to detail up better on KO stuff. Not perfect but it does look good. Click read more for more photos.

CNY 2011 – Celebration Day 1

CNY Night Celebrations Feb 2011 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Not much happy things or visiting going on for me. My new car didn’t even manage to arrived on time so I just take the holiday as an opportunity to rest and tried to do something fun (actually boring) even thinking about spending time building Gunpla. Well, it didn’t work out. However, it doesn’t I don’t have any activities.

First day of Chinese New Year, I was there in the Chinese temple in KB to celebrate the countdown. Of course I’m not alone. Luckily my friends were there to take photos so I joined in the fun. This year is a bit different compare to the past celebrations. The Chinese community and the organizers decided to throw in lots of fireworks, and then lion dance for the opening including the extra for some local singing live on the stage.

 

Everyone and the foreigners are expecting going to be lots of entertainments there for the first time. But it always just didn’t turn out the idea we are expecting. The events were called to halt after 2.00AM by the young police officer from BSB even the KB and the panaga head officer can’t do anything about it. There are already one month approvals but that is not enough because the organizers did not apply for road traffic control and got complains of road blockage. If they don’t complied, the officer will issue raid in the events.

I have to admit the crowds did actually cause the whole road jam up and the ambulance having a hard time passing through. Worst those suckers didn’t even bother to give way especially the cars parked in the middle. This is the mistake the organizers never take note or learn from the previous year’s lessons. It’s sad to see this event end like that so I hope next year they plan better and communications with the police officer in BSB.

 

Anyway, the event was ended at 2.45AM as far I remember and full of fireworks smell all over me. Damn those organizer workers putting the fireworks so near to the entrance during the countdown. Everyone first thought they were going to put up on the top. That was not the case after we realized them going to light up in front of us. No safety at all and check the surrounding if there are any children before lighting up the fireworks. Luckily no injuries among the crowds, all else there won’t be any event anymore next year I guarantee.

HLJ Order for February 2011

Sorry for no posting for nearly more than two weeks. I lost my draft posts about my Chinese New Year days. Damn, it took a while to write them and suddenly just lost everything from the fucking corrupted word document sometimes. I have to rewrite again probably this week.

Anyway, the photo above is my latest order from HLJ. I decided to take advantage on the offer before it’s gone. All of them are HGUC kits and one HG. Slowly I will be collecting Advance of Zeta kits and Jegan variations lines.

Grimlock Has Arrived!

I am suppose to post last week. So lazy ended up forgeting already.Here is my first Transformers Masterpiece toy I brought from RK and lost at air for two months. Nobody knows why the Hong Kong and US postal delivery were delay for so long last year.

It actually took me more than one month decided buying one. Yes, it is expensive and sooner if I continue to making late decision. The price will definitely jump up. Grimlock Masterpiece is quite an epic and fastest selling Transformers toy, even the US version sold out less than two weeks for US$69.90 at RK. Because my over spending habits, I actually missed it since I planned not needing those accessories and apron in the Japanese version. Well, it just did.

I never thought about Masterpiece Grimlock is going to be that large size box. Also he is quite a big size toy, even taller than Ultra Magnus after upgrade and Voyager class. My impressions about the toy quality are mixed however. Few flaws discover and unhappy about it. Nonetheless, I was lucky enough to get the nice price for these new figure only US$110.00.

May to Now

Where’s my car? Everyone is asking me this same question over and over again until today. My answer, I don’t know. KIA Sportage 2011 is a crazy hit around the world and recently received international car of the year award. This definitely going boosts up the sales and everyone had to prepare for the worst shortage supplies by the local car company. I already feel impatient and cancel Hyundai Tucson 2010 last year waiting almost for seven months. Now I have to experience the same issue all over again. It’s time for me to move on for alternative car.

There are currently already two cars in mind after I went to KIA show room in KB yesterday. First choice KIA Cerato (Forte) 1.6 Auto five door and the second is KIA Cerato (Forte) 2.0 Auto Sedan. Both of them listed in very good price and pack with nice features compare to any other brands in Brunei. I have to say my most favorite at the moment is KIA Cerato hatchback. I like the design and the rear almost has identical design feel like Sportage 2011. Still, there is a problem. The shipment for this 5 doors model is quite few so I might simply go for Sedan. BTW, both come with same 5 years warranty or 150,00KM, not bad.

Okay, you might think I am a KIA fan. I’m not, it’s not like I never did any survey for other brands. It just almost all of them can’t meet my expectation especially the design and requirements except the Ford Fiesta Sedan 2011 launched last year on December. The new Fiesta does look appealing, good price and attractive. But there are major drawbacks for my personal taste.

Firstly, no USB port and only has line in jack. Secondly, there is only one Fiesta model available in Brunei market. Thirdly the Premier Motor sales agent has lack on information about SYNC feature built in. However, they told me it comes with Bluetooth. But they didn’t demo to me how it work even there are two display car in the show room.

When Jeremy Clarkson reviews Fiesta five door versions on Top Gear two years ago, I feel like I want to get it one day. Sadly, the new version simply just disappointed, it doesn’t pack with the cool feature that the American heavily advertises. For your information, SYNC is made by Microsoft. So I don’t understand why they don’t want to bring over to Asia market.