Against Nature

I was away last weekend taking my niece, Jerry and my good friend with her son, Nicholas. It was school holiday and I have promised Jerry to take her for a snorkeling trip since most island in the eastern coast is closed for the monsoon season we went to Pulau Payar in Langkawi, but stay in Penang to meet up with another friend for some nice hawker food.

We went for a day trip snorkeling during the weekday and it was cloudy and drizzling whole day while we were there. We were left alone to snorkel around the platform / pontoon area, staff was friendly and helpful enough. Well perhaps we are the only locals on the platform.

However the moment we are in the water I was so disappointed, not because of the water or marine life but by the ethic of the diving/seasports staff ! Breads were thrown into the water to feed the fishes, so that tourist/ snorkelers will go 'huuuu haaa' when the fishes come for the bread ! Feeding animals of any nature is against its natural instinct. Animal is born to live and find food on their own, so do human. We grow to live and find food for ourself, we will not depend on food from our mother and do nothing to find it ourself.

Fishes feed on planktons, algaes and coral to survive, as in human we eat bread, prawn crackers and other edible items deem fit to our sensitive digestive system (stomachs) ! We don't eat what fish eats, nor do fishes feed on our food ! Moreover our act of feeding them will change their instinct as fish, they will not look for food except to feed on the bread !

Most importantly if you see the video, the sharks was fed so near to the tourist that it may mistaken the toe as food and bite on it. By then when things happen, who are to be blame ? The staff who feed the shark ? the marine park ranger who was standing there overlooking the whole feeding process or the ignorant tourist from Russia, Korea, England etc .... 

Everyone has a responsibility to protect the environment and animals that share our 'home'. The platform operator as a profit organization should know very well about responsible and sustainability tourism. If they do not held responsibility to their own business environment they will not be able to sustain for future income.

And as the local authority from the government, Marine Park should make a responsible stand and code of ethics to prohibit feeding of shark or any kind of fish ! Instead they only prohibit fishing in the marine park area :(

Last but not lease, my friend's explanation to her son when asked why we should not feed the shark  "if we continue to feed these sharks/fishes they will not grow, they will depend on our food to feed them. Just like you, when you grow older you do not get food from mummy as like when you are baby, mummy spoon feed you'

It is most important that we do not break the most harmonious symbiosis, be it marine or land, that God had created for us. Please DO NOT break the cycle of LIFE !

Bless his soul .. the 9's again

Yesterday I received a call from my ex staff informing me that another ex staff of mine had passed away. I was thinking of one Instructor that had work with me and he is someone whom I don't quite like his character, he's about 45 - 48 years old. But to my surprise it was not him, its another one who had the same name but much younger. At 29 years due to heart complication and block vein that affects his limb needed to be amputated but his refusal to amputate his leg makes the condition worsen. 

Again another one which is younger with a heart complication and again the corner 9, a Chinese believe. The corner luck of the 9's. As I recall and remember him, he was a very hardworking young man who is very enterprising. But to this tragic end from his journey, it had really taken me aback. My mind kept wondering off and thinking about this loss. He is so young ! He is a hard working boy, I say boy as he is my staff 7 yrs back when he first starts working. Fresh but not slow, fast learner and hard working. Having 2 jobs, day and night, he is so focus in earning more money to support his family and his dream ! My deepest sympathy to his family members.

I certainly hope that his soul will be bless and that he did live his life instead of passing it. His leaving had me in deep thoughts again, what had I miss, what had I hold back on doing ? I could be leaving this journey the next hour, the next day. I wanted to do quite a lot of things. But one of the most important thing now is to care for my heart, the core of my being. I had wanted to do something but due to certain other factors I just can't act according to my feelings, I have to act to my senses and not nonsense that is. I certainly hope that I can act sensibly and make it happens. Then again life is not as such easy as it looks like. I certainly hope that life is that simple and easy. I really want to live it ! 

Have you live it this far ? I would say I have no regrets so far with life's ups and downs, all the lessons am still learning and attending classes everyday.  I did evolved as I aged, I used to be a fearless person when comes to action and decisions however age does make a difference now,  I have learn or put it that I am learning to be in control of my feelings and not to rush into anything. I need to think of the consequences of my behavior rather then what I am feeling alone.

Then again, I hope their souls are bless !

Did he live life or just pass through it ?

I met up with a long time friend, ex-colleague over lunch recently. We were talking casually when she says that she is busy sorting out some legal proceedings and looking for a new computer guy to service her since her brother passed away. I was shock to hear that her brother had a heart blockage at the age of 39 and the doctors says the blockage is could not be the main reason that kills him as it was only 50% blocked. Other older people who have their artery blocked 60% or 70% still survive a heart attack !

The doctor say it was due to his tension and stress that could have kill him when this mild heart attack came. At the age of 39, some old Chinese believes that the 9's are the danger zone as that is the end of the decade and all our lucks/fortunes will turn around ! and most people would avoid lotsa of risky investments/situations etc etc. So she was telling me that her brother could be one of those. But let me tell you, she is not Chinese, she is an Indian married to a Chinese (Christian). Anyway believes are believes and there is some theories behind every believes. 

I too am in the 9's corner luck (direct translation). I do notice that when I am at the other 9, 10 years ago, I had change my job / give up my stable career totally and start something fresh. Well to me life is of no regret. I may had chosen the wrong timing to start but its worth it. If I can survive this worst of timing, I will be a true champion ! Not only surviving as I always like to address my situations whenever asked. 

Back to my friend's brother, the way he pass away reminded me of another friend too. Both men are young ad they died without anyone realising it. One passed away in his own apartment and the other in his own room ! One only days after his body was found, one is luckier the next day. My deepest sympathy to both families. They are just too young to finish this journey. They should have go a little further, to live life. I hope they did live life, that they did not pass their life !

Bless their soul !

Aggression or Submission

I was reading a very interesting book that provokes the mind, The Warrior of the Light. I have always like these kind of books that challenges our mind and our thoughts. The New Age !

If you are being thrown with a crisis over and over, one after the other, will you keep charging or you will breakdown and give up ? First you are not happy with your job, you resign, now in the midst of starting your own business with limited paid up, your mum is sick and needs full attentions, you are juggling between here and there to meet ends need. All this, you are being continuously reminded by the bank to settle your card debts, your loans, insurance etc. Your health were also at risk. You hardly can barely to survive, you just got 2 parking summons, your life is now at the rock bottom so to say ... will you still charge on or will you surrender to adversity and run away ? 

Another case, your soul continuously searching for the mate, only to come back each time with a no, a BIG no. You defeat over and again to the nasty rejection of love. You think thats it, this is the one BUT it turns out not meant to be ! Your whole world collapse, will you still be aggressive and keep going or you submit to the defeat and never to go for it again ? Once beaten twice shy. You would rather be alone then being rejected again. Will you still aggressively go on searching or you submit to fate ?

Its funny how each of us will react to each scenarios and experiences. Some are ever optimistic or put it that their fear of showing compassion in the public, their refuse to give up by showing that they are strong when they are not. Again there are those pessimist who are weak and will blame fate of our temporary set backs in life.

However I must or I come to realize one very important aspect of life, our journey, is that its a curve. Its never a smooth line in the chart of our life. The curve's steepness depends on our fate/faith, how we tackle and handle each steepness when we climb or fall will be the factor that is to determine the next curve's steepness. Every lesson/crisis/obstacle thrown to us everyday, every minute is meant to polish us for the next class/lesson. I also read somewhere that, every failure comes with it 2 victories ! so let us all those who have failed, prepare for ALL the victories that is coming your way now. 

Part of Life is about preparing ourself for the next ... what we learn today helps determine our next course. So whatever the situation is never submit to it ... keep the fire burning, keep it going ! Only those who failed greatly will succeed greatly in life.

Komodo Diving .. a dream come true !

                                   Ooi, Teh, Dolphin our Dive Monster, Irene and me 

                                                     posing infront of the boat, Sunset

Komodo dragon in Rinca National Park; note that this is a 

World UNESCO site and there are only 2700+ of dragons 

in the whole world. 

the whole group 

Ooi, Dolphin, Phileo, Saiman, Teh, Toru (partly hidden)

Irene, me, Kaneda and Tex in front.

Labuan Bajo the harbour of West Flores, the nearest airport to Komodo.

I just came back from this mystical place in the West Flores of Indonesia. This is the UNESCO World heritage site of the Komodo dragons. We can see them in 2 islands, Rinca or Komodo Island. I was staying in Bintang Flores Hotel the only star category hotel in the whole of Flores and trust me its really nice and comfy after a whole day full of activities. You certainly want to have a nice warm bed and a good hot shower with some nice food choices in the town of Labuan Bajo. OR I just opt to stay at the hotel for a nice and relax dinner. Well sometimes this is what we call adventure with a little comfort in a remote destination.

I have written earlier about this place that I have dreamt of going for a long time now. It's now over and no disappointments. A dream comes true without me working directly, consciously towards it BUT it happens ! The diving was fantastic and of course what's more important is also the company of other divers that makes the trip complete. Our experience with each other and during the dives, all the jokes and tales of missing divers in currents to new divers trying to compare airs with the more experience to the many jokes of having the best pose !

I must say one more time, though I have said it numerous times during my trip, I am blessed. I thank the universe for giving me this opportunity and realising one of my many dreams. I know more dreams of mine are on the way, I have a hunch about it. Anyway, this Komodo trip I would like to share some nice pics here. though this may not be the best group I have ever had, BUT its a FUN group though none are below 30s.

I am certainly hoping that I will be able to keep the faith and continue dreaming, for without dreams we are no where, we are just drifting in the big wide ocean without any directions. In our life, the journey of lessons and learning, we are being thrown numerous failures and successes however most importantly I believe in continuing the journey irregardless of  "Is this worth it ?" I use to ask myself this question but I have changed. Nothing is worth or not worth, 

we will only knows it when we arrive at the destination. SO before the destination, JUST KEEP GOING !