I haven’t posted anything here in my blog so I decided to put this intead. Got this from Lizzie, a friend from PinoyGraphers@SG. I would say, the result is 99% true. Take the same test here.

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Sensitive Doers are gentle, modest and reserved persons. They cope well with everyday life and like their privacy. With their quiet, optimistic nature, they are also good, sought-after listeners and other people feel well in their company. All in all, this type is the most likeable and friendliest of all personality types. Tolerance and heir regard for others distinguish their personality. They are very caring, generous and always willing to help. They are open to and interested in everything that is new or unknown to them. However, if their inner value system or their sense of justice is hurt, Sensitive Doers can suddenly and surprisingly become forceful and assertive.

Sensitive Doers enjoy the comforts life offers to the full. They are very happy in everyday life. Sensitive Doers are often gifted artists or very good craftsmen. Creativity, imagination and an especially keen perception are just a few of their strong points. Sensitive Doers are very presence-oriented; long-term planning and preparations do not appeal to them. They take life as it comes and react flexibly to daily demands. They do not like too much routine and predictability. Their talents come more to the fore when work processes are variable and there are not so many rules. Sensitive Doers like to work alone; if they are part of a team, they do not get involved in competitive or power games and prefer living and working together harmoniously and openly.

Sensitive Doers are completely satisfied with a small, close circle of friends as their need for social contacts is not very marked. Here, too, they avoid conflicts - quarrels and disputes put considerable strain on them. Sensitive Doers are often very fond of animals and are very good with small children. As partner, this type is loyal and reliable and is willing to invest a lot in a relationship. Mutual respect and tolerance are very important to Sensitive Doers. Their love of pleasure makes them a pleasant companion with whom one can experience intensive moments. They like to look after their partner with attentiveness and small gifts and are very sensitive to the partner’s needs - often more than to their own. However, should they meet the wrong person, they run the risk of being taken advantage of. They are then deeply disappointed.

There are a lot of things that makes life so ironic – your life, your relationship, your everything. I guess it’s really part of living in this sinister place called earth. It’s part, that’s why it really sucks.
 
There are people that you thought they are your best of friends, people you can rely on because they give you advises, makes you fell accepted and they are always there when you needed them most. You even thought so, because you have the same wavelength with them, have the same interest and have the same disposition in life. But at your back, they’re cursing you and they’re the one telling bad things about you to others.
 
Isn’t it ironic, don’t you think?
 
There are people whom you fought for them, but at the end they left you unwanted after the fight. There are people you left because you felt they didn’t fight for you, but at the end they stood for you to fight. There are people whom you treated brother, but at the end they made you feel unrelated. There are people you thought you should not relate to, but at the end, they even treated you like a blood brother. There are people whom you thought you can call them when you’re down; but the truth is, they’re the first people who turned you down. There are people whom you thought you can’t rely on them when needed; but they’re the first people who rescued you when you’re in trouble. There are people whom you assured you won’t leave them no matter what, but in fact, they’re the one who wants you to leave. Ironically, there are people who didn’t leave your side even if you don’t acknowledge them doing it most of the times.
 
Isn’t it ironic, don’t you think?
 
How I wish friends can really be friends and live out to its truest meaning. But sometimes, it’s not; that even your slightest enemy you thought of will be your friend at the very end. Yeah, that’s really ironic.

“Ode From Nowhere” is a new song I composed for Banda Fantastica 3. It’s the second original song performed by Transient Attack (my band) and my first composition for this year. Supposedly, the band will not be taking part in the recently compiled BF3 album due to some band concerns, but it was a test of how far the band can go while members are tested for bandhood.

I wrote the song during the time that I felt the world was not on my side and unfortunate series of events happened in my life. It was during the composition month when (1) my nephew (godson/foster child) had pneumonia, (2) my close cousin died, (3) my dad had a stroke 2 days before my birthday, (4) my cousin’s mom was bedridden after her death, and (5) my closest uncle died. All these things happened in just one month and the lyrics of the song was gradually revised to depict what I have in my heart and mind during that period.

“Ode From Nowhere” is a story of broken people in a lot of ways. May it be because of money, fortune and luck, family, job, business, relationship, anything. It is a story of something that broken people hope to achieve and that is to at some point be on top in everything they wanted to achieve. “Ode From Nowhere” is a story of my life.

The song is the summation of the experiences I undergone during the course of my life here on earth. It was a dream to write a song about my life, and this was the fulfillment of that dream.

There were a lot of instances (and still there are) in my life that I feel I’m an outcast. And even if I tried to mingle with people; that same feeling strikes me most of the times, makes me wonder if I really established strong bond with people. This is eminent with my past and present peer and social groups. It pains me inside if someone forgets or dumps me without any reasons, or any loved ones connected to me (e.g. family, friends). This is what “am I a failed exile now, standing on a semi-tonal scene” (pre-verse) is all about. This is the main reason why I grew up enjoying things alone and be in a place where serenity rules the place.

The first verse simply depicts the anger I feel inside because of life showbizness and politics. Anger for those people who judges; who mocks; who backstabs; who treats people good but deep inside isolates them in a lot of ways; who uses friendship for personal gain; who always whines or complains about life; who loves showbizness and keeps minding other people’s lives; who loves politics and keeps on seeing other people’s faults rather than theirs; who manipulates people; and who praises God inside the “church” and yet don’t know God and don’t imply godliness when outside. That when you let these kinds of people be in your life, you’ll end up like being controlled and misled (“falling in a stupid show”).

Chorus simply depicts the desire to end all those dirty businesses up. The part

“and I’ll soar up high and fly, to that place I will go, to a place where all fear go”

merely means:

“Lord, You’re all I want always. Draw me close into Your arms coz I wanna be with You in heaven. Where there’s no fear and rejection, where all are deaf and can’t speak bad things about others, where all are blind and can’t see faults from others and can’t judge others, where there’s no showbizness and politics.”

Behind the lines of the chorus is the hope to be exalted from the worldly principles and hounds. Behind those lines is the hope of someday, broken people will be on that day that they will experience God’s wonders that are incomparable to earthly standards.

“Brave” impersonates – those people who think they are great; those who assume they take control; those who boast of their skills and forgets their roots; those who whine about work and still proud they don’t care if they’ll be kicked off; ask more but work less; give comment yet knows nothing; give something but with personal credit; “love” someone and yet picking another one for fun; blasphemers; and those who don’t value relationships – whether family, friends or something for long-termed ones.

Second verse is an answer to the first verse and a personal decision not to fall to any of those worldly fences. The bridge is the realization of being misled and blinded by others. Last part is the answer to the first part of the song.

This is a story of someone who grew up in broken family, broken society, broken finances and in some point lived a broken life. This is the story of my life – and of some who desires to end the melancholy of this world.

For the whole lyrics, please refer below:

Ode From Nowhere (5:07)
(words by A. Manalo. music by Transient Attack)

Am I a failed exile?
And standing on a semi-tonal scene
Am I living a life from nowhere?
In a place that I’ve never been

The world and death will get along
To a solitary cell of angry, angry paradigm
Life’s a match in a death row
Cursing worth that they all know
And selling soul to lurkers
Like falling in a stupid show

Chorus:
And I’ll soar up high and fly
To that place, I will go
To a place where all fear go
And I’ll soar up high and fly
It’s time for all the broken to rise
It’s time for all the brave to fall

And I’ll count the ways to fall into debt
Life’s saturation, it’s slowly fading and it’s slowly ending
I’m a match in this death row
Curse my worth that they all know
I won’t sell my soul to lurkers
Won’t fall for a stupid show

Repeat Chorus

Coz somebody told me the wrong way…
Coz somebody told me the wrong way…
Coz somebody told me the wrong way…

Repeat Chorus

I’m a failed exile now
Rebuilding a semi-tonal scene
Writing down an ode from nowhere
In a place that I’ve been

Thanks to Mr. Noypee for giving us another notch as the best track (again) for BF3 album. Kudos sir. To my bandmates, stay humble or else I’ll kick your asses out of the band =). To PhilMusicSG, thanks for the another ground to showcase filipino talents. To my friends, thanks for supporting me since day 1 (Gashaus days) of my music days here in Singapore. To my family, don’t worry; we’re on our way to that kind of comfortable life we’re all dreaming of. To the Almighty, this song is offered to you Father. Thanks for rocking my world.

At last, the day came for me to experience most Filipinos are looking forward to experience too and this is to be at the Philippine’s last frontier for nature reserves – Palawan. I’ve been longing to be in this place and I can’t still believe I was there last weekend. Really a great place and great experience – to sum up this vacation trip. It was a 4-day fast trip and those 4 days were spent in El Nido and Puerto Princesa – a superb experience.

In this trip, I went with my mom and my nephew and niece (whom I stood as their foster father).

The flight was booked way ahead of the scheduled departing dates. I booked my flights 4 months ago so that I can save for the general travel expenses such as food, accommodation and tour fees. I was with my family and with my closest friends the whole time. Amazingly, we spent lesser than the expected cost which is P7000 to P8000 (exclusive of airfare). We only spent P5500 per head, exclusive of the roundtrip airfare of Manila-Puerto Princesa. We spent P4500 for the roundtrip airfare each.

After months of waiting, the big day came. We left Singapore 12 midnight and arrived at Manila International Airport at 4:00am via Cebu Pacific. Some went straight ahead to the Domestic Airport and flew thru Cebu Pacific. While the rest, flew from Centennial Terminal 2 via Air Philippines.

All of us arrived safely at the Puerto Princesa airport with different time of arrival. Cebu Pacific arrived early so my group was the one who contacted the van we hired that will send us to El Nido. He was Kuya Ronald and he’s really a good, fast driver. It was almost noon when the group met again and all together, we took our lunch at the city c/o Jollibee. After the lunch break, we headed to El Nido.

From Puerto Princesa, we took 6 hours (inclusive of stops and toilet breaks) all the way to El Nido. It was a journey of sleep-trips, sound-trips, laughing-trips and bloopers in a variety of rough roads. We arrived at El Nido 5:30pm, just a right time for sunset. We found it easy to locate the place we spent the 2 nights when we were in El Nido. We stayed at the Marina Gardens, right in front of the El Nido beach.

Electricity in El Nido is by schedule. The locality uses electricity provided by NAPOCOR from 1am until 1pm and the rest, thru a generator. Most establishments have their own generators. Residential houses used traditional ‘gasera’ or home-made lamp. Our first night was a nice one, with sumptuous dinner of rice and ‘sinigang na fish belly’, served with ‘buko’ (coconut).

Second day of our trip is the most unforgettable experience. We had the whole day for island hopping and our itinerary was a customized one. Normally, El Nido resorts offer packages with a mix of so-good and not-so-good destinations. Ours? Combination of goods. If I’m correct, our group visited 7 islands and islets compared to the packages that offers only 4. That whole day was a day we always thought of and said ‘God is so amazing’ because we’re really amazed with the place. And with friendly boatmen and with Kuya Bamboo taking the lead, we had customized island fun experiences as well.

But for me and Raia, we had a different story. For our morning tour, we went for diving. You can’t leave this place without discovering the underwater world! Hehe. I booked our diving with Sea Dog Divers, run by a friendly British dive centre owner and divermaster Barrie. We went to Popolcan Forest and West Miniloc. For the first dive, we went 20m (60 feet) and for the second dive, we went 30m (90 feet).  It was my first deep dive but shhh please be quiet, I’m not allowed yet. But you can’t blame me, the divemaster didn’t ask my dive rank. Raia can go deep dive because she got the advance open water diving card. Hehe.

By the way, I told my dive instructor here in Singapore that I went 30 meters and she was surprised. And I told her that our divemaster during the El Nido dive didn’t ask my diver rank. I felt she’s so amazed with that news and encouraged me go for the advance diving ASAP. Haha! I told her, I might take the course this month or next month.

Back to the island hopping, El Nido is comparable to Krabi’s limestone islands and islets. But I can say, El Nido is much better when it comes to the quality of sand, water, what you can see underwater and the serenity of the place. But serenity of the place still depends on the person. Personally, I hate crowdy beaches and it is one factor why I love El Nido. We feel that we are the owner of the island because we’re the only people there – enjoying and relaxing.

After the island hopping, we went back to our place, had another great dinner (ginataang alimango this time) and rested.

Our third day started by waking up 3:30am and leaving El Nido 4am for Puerto Princesa again. ‘Borlogs’ is what can be termed to us that early morning (term gotten from Ice) because it’s too early. We headed to Salvacion to meet our tour guide and our next van driver for our next destination – Underground River.

We met Thea at the meeting place. She’s a good guide, with a lot of sense of humor inside her hood. We started to call her Ate Shena just like the same name from Batibot that we used to watch during our early days. She gave a lot of information about the Underground River and about the places we encountered along the way. Later, we started calling her – ‘Ate Guide’ since she’s our tour guide for that day.

Underground River was a unique experience. Conquering the 1.8 kilometers (as allowed for tour) out of 8 kilometers thru a boat of 10-people capacity and seeing what’s inside the cave is an astounding experience. No I’m not exaggerating. Got to see fascinating formations, including the giant candle, mushrooms, and formations related to famous religious people; with huge ceilings, fascinating cathedrals and hanging bats; bundled with funny boatman – can’t say more except WOW. Before, I get to see this place only thru the books and pictures but now, it’s now an experience of a lifetime.

After the Underground River tour, we headed straight to Kawayanan Resort where we spent our last night in Palawan. It’s a good place for me. Not too fancy, but good place to stay. We washed up, rested and prepared for dinner. For dinner, we went to Ka Lui – a restaurant where people are not allowed to have footwears while inside the place. The place must be entered barefooted. The food is great and the place is a tranquil one – eating dinner with acoustic versions of traditional Filipino songs while eating was a nice experience.

Our last day in Palawan started with a mass at the Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral. After that, we had a good breakfast at Chowking. Some of us, including myself, went straight to the airport after. The rest went to the market for more shopping experience while waiting for their departure.

The group met again in SM Mall of Asia for lunch. We spent the whole time walking inside that big mall and after some time, went for a massage. It was my first time to have a full body massage and it’s a relaxing experience. Because I was so pleased, I even gave a big tip to the lady who gave me the massage.

All in all, Palawan trip is the best trip I had so far and it was a dream-come-true trip. Conquering El Nido’s underwater sufficed the trip, discovering what the islands and islets can offer was a big plus, and venturing the Underground River leveled the whole trip up. Really, an experience to boast to others. I hope I can still visit this place again. But might consider Coron, Palawan next time.

For all the “photographic” shots and photos, you can visit my multiply site @ http://almin.multiply.com. Next trip, Siem Reap, Cambodia and Bangkok, Thailand.

Weekend travel is really non-stop (and soon will). After diving at Dayang Island in Malaysia, my same travel stuffs (e.g. nike gym bag, lowepro bag that contains my D300, D70, wide angle and portrait lenses and tripod) will be off with me again – with the usual travel attire of walking shorts, comfortable shirts and slippers.

It’s time to go to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.

It was a trip that’s much anticipated. Not because of some personal expectations, but because of the company that I went with – closest friends here in Singapore – the trip that succeeded the ever-long forgotten trip in Bintan, Indonesia.

It was an early flight, unlike my other previous travels which where done after work - by bus or by plane. With a normal itinerary, I woke up 4:30am, prepared for the journey, met up at the airport, boarded and gone to the destination. In a very short while, Ho Chi Minh story started upon arrival to the city airport.

My first impression with their airport was – “nanliiit tingin ko sa airport ng pinas”. It’s clean, not that big but sufficient and looks like a mini-Hong kong airport for me.

Our general Vietnam itinerary focused on 2 places – Ho Chi Minh and Cat Tien. We arrived early at HCMH so we had time roaming around the city and stroll to their known landmarks. On the way to the Renumeration Mansion, there’s one thing that shocked us all – Jollibee! May Jollibee sa Vietnam. Though we dreamt of eating it before leaving for Singapore, it was not achieved, unfortunately.

Walking in Ho Chi Minh and crossing the street amazed me. Neither because of their buildings nor their thin-but-high houses, but because of countless motorcycles roaming around the whole city. Maybe 90% of the vehicles are motorcycles. Just maybe. And the funny thing about HCMH is that, narrow roads have 3 traffic lights – big yet high, medium-sized and at the middle of the side, and small, head level – all these 3 pertaining to one direction. So one intersection might consist of 12 traffic lights (for 4 directions). On the other hand, bigger roads and ‘rotondas’ (circular roads) don’t have traffic lights.

Crossing a street was an adventure. As one of the reminders we got from someone whose working there – “don’t be so pa-tanga-tangang tourist”. Crossing a street in HCMH requires skill so if you don’t cross Manila streets in cowboy style, you will not survive in this city.

Visiting a market is a unique experience. As I was walking around their dry market looking for souvenirs, vendors were fond of touching me saying “you buy anything?”. Not really an embarrassing one, but being touched by complete strangers while persuading to buy from them caused me to have some Goosebumps.

After the first half-day trip in HCMH, we went to Cat Tien. It’s a 4 to 5 hours travel from HCMH. It is a special place for me. In order to get to the “hotel”, we crossed a river thru a small vehicle carrier boat and the place is so close to nature. We spent our first night there. Night activity involved dinner and night spotting. There were a lot of animals seen – a bat, a monkey-like-animal-but-not-really-a-monkey, a deer, a deer, a deer and a deer.

Second day in Vietnam, we woke up early for trekking – an adventure that most won’t forget. Nobody said closed shoes was required and because of that, most paid the consequence of not wearing one. The trekking to the Crocodile Lake was an encounter with blood-sucking limatiks - members of the leech family. Many attempted to have some fresh blood thru my feet and hands, but only one succeeded. But it’s ok; it was not the first time because I used to encounter these species in the Philippines when I go mountaineering.

We spent the afternoon by visiting the locals and by river boating. The boat ride was a relaxing experience, lying down and looking at the sky while thanking the Lord for a very wonderful rural experience in Vietnam.

We went back to HCMH after, and stayed another night in a hotel. Dinner was a superb experience, eating authentic Pho (rice noodle), with 333 local beer and mango shake. Awesome! Since the night was so young, some headed to the night market while some went to a bar near the hotel. I went for drinking. I already had 1 beer during the dinner so I just enforced control to myself and had only 2 beers at the bar. After that, I went ahead of some to the hotel, washed up and rested.

Last day in Vietnam, we woke up early and had some breakfast in a nearby cafeteria. Though I’m not a coffee drinker, I tried the Vietnam coffee and I should say that it was so good. 

We headed off to the airport. Again, along the way, I saw one Jollibee store again and since we had no time to check it, the only thing I did was to stare to it until it looses my sight. I even forgot to take a picture of it. Stupid me. We arrived at the airport, then checked-in and waited for an hour for boarding. After a couple of hours, we’re back to Singapore again.

All in all, it was another great experience. Though this trip didn’t have any beach tour as one of the itineraries, I enjoyed the trip and I enjoyed every thing I encountered here – including the limatiks. It was another trip close to nature – something I love to do.

Hope to travel more. Next stop – Puerto Prinsesa and El Nido, Palawan, Philippines on the May 1.

What’s the common factor between Shawshank Redemption, A series of Unfortunate Events, The Incredibles and The Man of the Year? Think hard! None (as far as I know, baka mapahiya ako haha!). But for sure there’s one common thing that Finding Nemo, Spongebob and Dyesibel share and it has something to do with underwater world.

As one of my items in my “bucket list”, it’s now time to fulfil another dream – to discover the underwater world.

Sai, a fellow photographer and the award-winning comedian from Davao who keeps on speaking to me using ‘our’ native dialect (gamay makasabot bai, dili dako. Nosebleed ako lagi) referred his officemate to me because he knew that I want to pursue diving (and eventually, underwater photography). So he introduced me to Jerric Gan, a master diver. Jerric then introduced me to James Ng; who eventually became my divemaster for the Open Water Diving Course. James handed me a thick book that I need to read and some questionnaires to answer. That’s the main ingredient for the written examination.

By the way, Sai is also a divemaster.

Theory days came, then written exam (that luckily, I was able to pass) and then the confined open water dive. It’s time to apply what I’ve read – from a book, to a deep swimming pool. But before the actual lesson started, every student performed the prerequisites of diving – swim 200m (the pool is 25m long so I had to swim 4 rounds) and float for 10 minutes. That damn first requirement made my joints soar.

Actual open water diving came. We left Singapore last Friday (April 11, 2008), travelled 3 hours to Mersing, Malaysia and rode a ferry for 4 hours to Dayang Island. We stayed 1 night in the ferry and 2 days and 1 night in the island.

The weekend was full of fun, excitement and thrill. I completed the 5 dives, including the leisure dive and I really felt extraordinary during my last weekend trip to Dayang.

I shared my general experience to some of my friends and to share it to all, here it is:

Every travel I had, I keep on thanking the Lord for the opportunity to travel (coz most can’t or don’t). I get to see God’s wonders, appreciate them, meet a lot of people and know different cultures, learn them and respect them. I was contemplating last weekend - there are ample kinds of calling, maybe for some this is one of our callings - to fully appreciate everything He created, conserve them and respect them as paramount service. It might be a pleasure to travel, but behind it is an utmost purpose to get in touch with His works and share those works to others. But then again, ako lang cguro eto…

I’m doing nature tripping ever since, but this time, it’s no different. The same serenity I feel everytime I spend 1 night or 2 in a mountain peak or in a beach or in a province is the same serenity I felt underwater. Sobrang kakaiba ang feeling na iyon. Kaya, sobrang saya ko last weekend.

The deepest depth I went was 60 feet (20 meters). I was with a divemaster who is so adventurous so we went all the way down without thinking that he’s with a ‘newly’ certified diver. Actually, hindi ko tinitingnan ung depth gauge ko (mostly, sa oxygen lang ako nakatingin though magkatabi lang naman un) but he’s not telling it to me that we are already in a depth advised only for advance open water divers (2nd course). Di din ako nagtanong when we had to have 5 minutes half-way stop nung paakyat. Pero nung half, I barely can’t the bottom, madilim na (though umaga naman). Nung nasa surface na kami, he asked me what’s my observation, sabi ko during the half-way stop, di ko na Makita ung bottom. Kasi nga daw, malalim na iyon.

I had 5 dives for 2 days, average of 10 meters (30 feet) for the 4 dives. I got to see clownfishes in my 3 dives (found Nemo and his family 3x haha), flat sea worms, circular seastars, trigger fish, happy fish, fighting fish, blue teng (si dory), stingrays, clams, nudibranches (caterpillar-like), big corals, porcupine fish, etc, etc, etcccccc…….. haha!

The most scenic dive I had was the 20meters dive. I felt I’m inside the aquarium. Sobrang daming corals and fishes. Waah! Cguro mas maganda pa ang scene kung mas malalim… The most memorable scene for me is - imagine a small anemone (soft coral) surrounded by BIG corals (parang ung anemone, nasa gitna ng crater). The space between those big corals is big, talagang ung anemone lang ang nasa gitna. Nung pinuntahan namin un ng divemaster ko, meron kaming nakitang 4 nemos (clownfishes), bit bigger that time. Nakakatuwa ung scene na iyon.

I’m planning to enroll for the advance open water diving on May or June. Kasi gusto ko naman maexperience deeper depth, navigation and night diving…

Musta ang diving? Wala akong masabi kundi WOW.

Next adventure - wakeboarding and bungee… Next destination, Ho Chi Minh Vietnam this weekend! Yeah!

This is “newly certified” diver Almin Manalo, now signing off. God bless everyone!

I always wanted to try macro photography but didn’t have time to do it. It’s either I didn’t have time (because of out of Singapore trips) or there’s no one who initiates the EB. That’s why, most of my macro photo shots were more on flowers and plants.

Last week, someone initiated an EB. Thanks to Sai, the award-winning comedian from Davao. I got the interest and that day was blocked.

Early morning last Saturday, we met. But the day before that, we met for Tanjong Rhu EB. What an addiction! Haha! Although Rhea came, it was only Sai and I who spent the whole day shooting the butterflies. By the way, we went to Alexandra Hospital’s mini-botanical garden with ample butterflies to shoot.

It was a test of patience at first. It’s just like, I already positioned myself, my tripod and already viewing in my viewfinder and the only task remains is to press the shutter when suddenly, your target flew. It happened a lot of times. But then again, as advised by Sai – chill, relax and don’t be pressured. So I did his advice. I positioned myself in a certain area where butterflies normally settle then kept myself composed so that they won’t be disturbed. That plan was so effective.

All in all, I got some satisfying shots. But not yet good though. Macro photography is so strict; I failed to follow them to most of my photos. But then again, first timers normally commit mistake.

Here are some of the photos I got:

More photos in my multiply site.

It was a night to remember in Tanjong Rhu. Maybe because it’s my first time to be in that place. But I guess more than that, absolutely, because it’s EB time again with PinoyGraphers@SG. It happened last friday.

The day was started with a good one. I didn’t realize that until Sai sent me an SMS, “and ganda ng ulap na gawa ni Lord!” (the clouds made by the Lord is beautiful). I didn’t have time to get my camera from my lowpro bag because I’m a bit late. No, not a bit, but so late.

End of work, gathering time and so we headed to Tanjung Rhu. It’s actually just in front of my office window (I’m working at Millenia Tower) but we actually took it a bit long cab ride, because a coast way separates the Central Business District (CBD) from our target place.

We were so blessed to have a very good sunset scene, inspite the weather’s threat to pour rain. Thanks to Eman and his answered prayer.

Over the fence, walked thru, then pwesto (position)! We’re right in front of the Singapore CBD and the Singapore flyer. Setup, then we started to shoot. Here are some of the photos I got during that day:

More photos in my multiply site.

It was my first time to visit Kuala Lumpur and Malacca last weekend. It’s a bit funny though because some of my friends visited these places even if they’re just new working here in Singapore, while me, after more than 2 years working.

My first trip to these places is somewhat depressing and exciting. Exciting because it’s my first time to visit these places, curious enough to discover what these cities look like, walking and strolling around and taking pictures that I can bring home after the trip. Depressing because the whole time I was in KL and Malacca, it’s was raining (except the first day morning in KL and the time I’m about to return to SG).

KL is a busy place, as expected from a capital city. And during my trip here, I had proven again that I’m no city traveler because I prefer “not too crowded” places like beaches or provinces. But I did enjoy KL because I had some good shots of the city, most especially the Petronas Towers. Malacca, I enjoyed staying here more, lesser people and more space to unwind.

Here are some of my shots during my trip to Kuala Lumpur and Malacca, Malaysia last weekend:

I really love to travel. Next stop, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam on 2nd week of April.

Krabi, Thailand – I described this place to my friends as a “haven for swimmers, nature trippers and photographers.” I enjoyed everything here, including the super spicy authentic tom yam. This place is so superb, not so busy but not so gloomy. My friends who went with me said that this place is much better than the commercialized Phuket. I’ve never been to Phuket before. In fact, it was my first time to visit Thailand. But based on their stories, Krabi is the best head start to visit this country and I’m glad I did started here in this haven place.

I enjoyed snorkeling (though Anilao, Batangas’ marine life is much better) without life vest during the island hopping. When I did the snorkeling, I was actually using only the eye and mouth pieces. It was good though, I was able to dive and feel what’s beyond the surface of the water.

Photography – it was my first time to shoot dawn. And I got some good and satisfying shots. And during the whole trip, I was carrying my 2 DSLRS and tripod. I can’t help it but be amazed with the nature spots of Thailand that made me to shoot more pictures. Too bad, I don’t have underwater housing for my camera yet. Hopefully, soon.

My trip to Krabi was the best birthday gift for myself so far. It’s a refreshing trip. It made me think though, I’ll be at Palawan on May. I hope I won’t be disappointed with El Nido. And hopefully, get a chance to shoot underwater. Here are some of the pictures I had during the trip:

For more photos, please visit my multiple site. Next stop, Kuala Lumpur and Malacca, Malaysia…