Brighton!

Ah yes, spring... almost summer but not just yet. Well, the first thing to note about the beach is the weather! Make sure you get a booking there when the sun comes out. Spring is still too early to early to make long plans for the weather so timing is everything.

Fortunately, if you are reading this post, you have been warned. Well we were not so lucky. So in the midst of the April holidays, we decided to head to Brighton and the beach! Okay, head count... Me, Zhen, Wai Kit and Chien Sheng... The morning bus from London was not a good choice. The driver did not take the highway or freeway and we were left at the back of the bus playing hamster cage with our tummies. The morning bus took us through the village roads snaking south (Now why dont the Brits build straight roads? They Ghey?)


Anyway, managed to hold on to breakfast (even though I did not have any) until we reached there 2 hours later. Here was where the adventure began. Morning at the beach, bad idea. It wasn't a breeze, it was a wind blast from the sea. Not that cold but to us, Artic wind! So, here we are, four Malaysian dudes in the middle of a city yet to wake up. Thank fully after searching some alleys, we found this Naked place. It was a tea house and it felt like heaven compared to the bus! And so we had tea.



Not to be deterred by the early morning wind and the solemn desolate beach, we decided to march down to the marina, full gear 5 kilometers away! On a normal day I would not do this, but the amount of testosterone meant that it was every man or nothing. Plus we had nothing better to do. So like a band of brothers we did the 5km like there was no tomorrow.



It was only 30 mins later we arrived at the marina after hiking walls and going down the cliff. Surprisingly, nothing was open there as well even at 10am! Bah.. At least there were boats and the walls. So we decided to head back to the city and test the public transport.



Brighton has its own fleet of buses and for two pounds (wtf) we took a bus back to the centre of the city 8 km away. Along the way, the residents of the sleepy town were clearly waking up.



Anyhow, we waited for Brighton to live up to its name, but in the mean time, we were actually curious about a mosque like building in the middle of a UK city. It was actually a museum at Brighton and despite its location, it still looked pretty odd. So we decided to sneak around the compound like ninjas to find someway in. We failed. No harm, still can get some pictures on the way.



It was lunch time and we were hungry after trekking and sneaking around. With the city awake, we took to the streets to find something nice to eat. Naturally, we were looking for some seafood and we found a nice little store tucked in an alley.



There was something about the pier that brought people here. Gambling. The others thought it would be quite cool to go have a shot with 1 pound worth of pennies. I think they won a lolly pop and a key chain and got some thrill out of the arcade. I was stared at for bringing a camera into the arcade. Probably those kids ar afraid i might shoot someone.

Finally, after five hours of being in Brighton, the sun came out and shared its warmth to the beach! Last one there is a loser! The people came out as well, albeit not in droves. Still it was a pretty sight... not too crowded not to cold... just nice.



After soaking up the sun, we went down the promenade, the nice beach road which skirts Britain's southern coast. We walked down and admired the beauty and shore and the sea and something that was burnt beyond recognition. There were people cycling, jogging and old people just sitting down drinking tea. Basket ball, beach foot ball, surfing... amazing. There was even a local band and a mall. we went into the mall of course but found it was nothing more than a handful of shops.



As fast as it came out of the clouds, it was almost gone. Sunset. Not used to seeing sunset in London... but here, it was the first time I saw such a golden sunset. We were not alone.. along the beach, hundreds of people who were enjoying the sun are now enjoying the sunset. I could not miss this and got some of the shots i wanted.



Before long, it was time to return. Dinner time too. I had a fish burger while the other guys decided to get back to london first given the bus ride earlier. But wait. I booked the train this time. Booking early, I mananged to get this train for 4 pounds (the bus here was about 3 pounds) from london booking a month in advance. Here, suddenly in the train station, some British girl smiled and said to me... welcome to England.. I cant help but to smile. Do I look like a tourist? Back to London.

53

Thats the number of days till i get back to Malaysia officially!

Got my flight booked

and my holidays planned!

Enjoying some

While the good weather lasts! Time has been flying really fast though, and yesterday seems to have just vanished completely so quickly. Got banned from server summore? Wonder why... oh well... back to the books today! Easter holiday continues!

Body of Imperial College Student Found

Too sad so I won't comment... much...

here's the link:

Link here

Excerpts

~Daily Mail

Pals say they borrowed his phone to call another friend but as they did the first-year mechanical engineering student , who had drank about six pints, ran off down Prince Consort Road in South Kensington.

CCTV footage showed Anthony near the stairs of the Royal Albert Hall, but there was no other trace of him.

Anthony's family, who are from Kent, and his friends, led by brother Jeff, launched a huge hunt to find him with a Facebook campaign and leaflets.

Marine police entered the lake and recovered the body, the death is being treated as unexplained.'

Anthony had diagnosed himself as bi-polar, and had suffered ups and downs, his family said.

Speaking of the last time Anthony was seen, Jeff had said: 'He was very happy at the time. His friends described him as being hyperactive which is quite normal for him.

'He's mentioned before that he likes to run when he has had a drink.'

~

Unfortunately, death is on the rise.

I recall how during my first year, the seniors used to say South Kensington is very safe. People won't rob you even if you paid them.

However, this is the third case of such a student death in London.
The other two in 2011 are around the news.

Suicide? Well, in my first year, there was this guy who jumped out of halls. I don't think Imperial students would do that though. They should be too busy studying for exams.

Accident? Well, the guy had six pints. You have to be British to do that... I had one and I was red as a tomato... Plus running after some pints, when your uni is next to a park with a lake? Not such a good idea...

Where does that leave us? Condolences to the family and just pray that nothing else unfolds in this bleak 2011.

Speech by Lim Guan Eng

Don't recall reading this in the STAR. They will not publish this news.
Since the mainstream media is banned from publishing such news by the government, please do a bit of national service by forwarding this report to your contacts on the net and ask them to repeat the process.

Just imagine the exponential power of disseminating news in this manner. If one person sends out this message to 10 of his contacts and each of the 10 contacts in turn repeats this process of spreading the word around, by the 7th level, 1 million readers would have received the same message.

This is one simple and powerful way where we can spread the censored message to the rakyat to bring about a change of government for the good of the country.

Speech by Lim Guan Eng whilst campaigning for the PAS candidate in the Tenang By-Election on Tuesday, 25th January 2011 at 8 pm:

The 4 PR states of Penang, Selangor, Kedah and Kelantan have beat the other 10 BN states by attracting RM25 billion in investments comprising 53% of Malaysia's total investments of RM47.2 billion in 2010. For the first time in history, Penang is now the new champion of investments in Malaysia, coming out top in 2010.

Penang replaced the previous 2009 champion Sarawak by recording RM 12.2 billion in 2010 as compared to Sarawak RM3.9 billion. Penang was No. 4 in 2009 with RM 2.1 billion but shot up 5 times to No.1. On the other hand Sarawak went down from No.1 in 2009 with RM 8.5 billion to No. 4 with RM3.9 billion in 2010. Penang's success in drawing in RM12.2 billion is an extraordinary vote of confidence by both foreign and local investors in the PR state government of Penang.

The No.2 state after Penang is another PR state of Selangor with RM 10.6 billion in investments. In fact the 4 PR states of Penang, Selangor, Kedah and Kelantan combined comprise RM 25 billion investments or 53% of the total investments in Malaysia of RM47,177 million in 2010. These 4 PR states alone can beat the remainder 10 states of BN Malaysia combined!

Despite the financial constraints and limitations imposed by BN, PR have shown our good governance. In Penang we have excelled by being praised by the Auditor-General Report for being the best financially managed state with record surpluses of RM88 million in 2008 and RM77 million in 2009. Penang became the first state government in history to be commended by Transparency International for CAT(Competency, Accountability and Transparency) governance in establishing integrity in leadership.

We have wiped out hard-core poverty, the first state to do so in Malaysia. We are giving senior citizens RM100 every year and when they die, their beneficiaries a one-off RM1,000/-. All partially assisted schools of Chinese,Tamil and Sekolah Agama Rakyat are given a fixed sum of at least RM11.3 million every year. We are working towards a wifi state offered free of charge.

Penang is going green and leading in green practices such as "No Free Plastic Bag" campaigns and waste treatment through 3R of Reduce, Reuse Recycle. Penang enjoys the cheapest water rates in the country. Penang is also the Silicon Valley of Malaysia and selected as the most livable city in Malaysia on par with Kuala Lumpur. We have done more in 3 years what BN fail to do in 51 years.

So who says that PR can not govern. We may not have the experience but neither do we have the experience to cheat or be corrupt. PR has proven that a clean government can outperform corrupt governments. Voters of Tenang should choose PR that offers a better future not only for you but for your children.

PR is the better choice because we embrace the future. We embrace the future by embracing each and every one of you whether Malays, Indians, Chinese, Kadazans and Ibans as Malaysian brothers and sisters, Malaysian sons and daughters. Let us grow together, learn together and enjoy the success together.