In Memorium.....tsunami 26th December 04

my heart goes out to all those that loss, in which ever way.
when we first heard the news that day.....it all started with what was reported as an accident where a big ferry had capsized and some 200 had died. as the day progressed more disastrous news were made known to us.
Fortunately for me, no such grave sufferings as were the fate of millions. I do however recall 2 particular incidents...one narrated to me by a colleague who was caught in the wave with his son and wife...and for a few hours he thought he had lost his wife. luckily she was saved. but what I cannot forget is the face of this little 2 year old Swedish boy.....a picture that was sent by email from his grandparents to the hotline/emergency service that I happen to work on for a bit. I remember how the photo was printed and stuck on a board where all the volunteers answering the phonecalls could see. a couple of hours later I looked up on the same board, and noticed someone had posted a note on the little boy's face saying 'dead'. I cannot describe the emotion that went on in my head.....and couldnt even begin to imagine what his family would feel on hearing the news.
to those that lost, may you find comfort in some form, and may you have the strength to continue.

Are you a chocaholic

a quiz by the Daily Mail
check it out....I dont think I need the quiz :p

The chocaholic Quiz

Bangkok-Jakarta...odd reunion?

so around mid December Lily arrives as planned for the conference...only that one week before I find that I will have to leave for Jakarta while shes in Bangkok! so I thought to myself..what a bummer! here we are..about to see each other after 8 years...and I run off to where?! Jakarta!! her hometown of all places!! anyway, we manage a couple of dinners..with Lily still quite jetlagged from the US of A trans-continent flight...and another dinner trying to get in some words amongst a group of boisterous (but nice) Berkeley students! was rather interesting to be amongst students again....
anyway so off I go....wishing we'd have had more time to catch up properly...realising I wouldnt even see her in Jakarta as she heads to Singapore before finally making a stop at home. suddenly one day I get a call from Lily and shes arrived back in Jakarta earlier than planned...just the night before I fly off to Bali. so we arrange to meet up..me dragging Lily away from her sweet Mom, who got only about an hour with her daughter...while she heads out to a night on the town. and what a night it was.....a rather strangely interesting one :p we end up at a bar of a 5 star hotel. and lo n behold..what did we find there! the same working girls that you'd find in some hotel bars here in bangkok! so to those that point the fingers about bangkok (seemingly according to those said people) being possibly the ONLY city with this trade...you might wanna rethink
we didnt stay there too long...had a snack at the bar outside the disco (food was quite good infact), checked out the disco for a bit, listened to the band (who seemed more intent on showing off their talent than making the guests have a good time)
then we decided to head back to my hotel....where for some reason despite the 2am I thought might as well check out whats going on there.....so theres this bar, with live rock band (pretty good) place is packed!! (but guess....yep....moreeeee white men with guess who?
we stayed there observing the crowd and enjoying the music and a few drinks....a rather interesting night I must say hehee
more on my trip later.....

the missing link.....

a couple of weeks before I went to Manila...I failed to report that I met Russell. ermm so hmmm who is Russell you might be asking. and well to be honest before those couple of weeks I had no clue either :) I got an email from Navdeep.....my long time friend from high school (who I havent seen in exactly 15 years!!) writes to let me know that a good mate of hers was gonna be in town...will I have time to show him a bit of Bangkok? so without even hesitating...why would I pass the chance to hear the latest updates and goss about my best friend!! and who better to hear it from (failing the obvious ofcourse) than this guy who hangs out in her living room almost all the time :)
so yeh we spent a few evenings...doing the usual dinner/drinks/dance and such...i even took him to a gay disco hehehe....but ok ok Sirocco for birthday drinks....just to show Bangkok can also have the posh side (not just the cute gay disco...which I think he absolutely loved!! hehee)
was great to meet him, and hear so much more about Navdeep....but still not quite the same as hearing it in person from you Nav....so when are you headed this way :) miss you!

Adopted by strays

this isnt the first time its happening to me...Im not particularly fond of cats...but for some reason I seem to attract them? In the last few weeks a stray in our soi gave birth to 3 kittys (atleast I only saw 3). They were so tiny...so i left some milk out for them. yes some cat lovers told me off for it..saying milk is bad for them...but what was I to do....only have milk and prolly chocolates in the fridge at the time. besides they seem to love it! so now every night that I return home...not only are the kittys waiting with that longing look in their eyes, but so is mommy!
now a few weeks later I only see one kitty around and shes not that little anymore. wonder if I should give her a name......what do you think?
shes grey in colour..but to be honest Im not even sure if she's a she or a he hmmmmm and no I aint checking!

similar thing happened a couple of years back....only that time they looked even more pitiful than this lot! one of them died at birth....others grew and became the next generation of strays I suppose..sighhhhhh

another time I was in Sydney and a kitty followed me home.....

Tomorrow December 1, 2006, Thailand's mobile operators will change all Thai mobile numbers from 9-digits to 10-digits numbers. 9-digit numbers will not work after midnight. So for those of you who still have my number as the 9-digits (exclude international code) in your phone book, it will no longer workl. All you have to do is to include the extra "8" digit after the 0. For instance if you had my number as 01 89x xx00, now you will need to change it to 081 89x xx00.

As in the international calls now my number will look like this +668 1 89x xx00. hope it doesnt confuse you all too much :) I will also send out an email...where I wouldnt have to put all these X's as I do here :)

Fixed phone lines, 'land lines', are not affected by the change. The alteration of local mobile phones to the 10-digit system was to cope with the kingdom's expanding demand for mobile phone services in coming years, according to the National Telecommunication Commission (NTC). As long as I dont miss out on the calls from my friends...especially those on their roaming etc.... then Im happy :)