5354, 6797, 9394

Mizuno Wave Run on Sunday 19 Oct - Volunteers and Runners, please go to Pacesetters Website for latest instructions. Have a good run !! click here.

Malaysian Motorcycle GP at Sepang F1 Circuit on 17-18-19 October - click here and here for more details. Have an exciting weekend !!
.

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
.

The numbers that you see above are not the winning numbers of Magnum 4-D. Instead, these are the car numbers plates that most Chinese would regret to have them placed in front or at the rear of their new cars.

A discerning lady runner (who is accurate in making good judgement) is upgrading to a bigger car and she has decided to buy a new Honda CRV. Well, this is really exciting news. Honda CRV is retailed at around RM 150,000; which means the buyer is having a strong financial balance sheet which is not affected by the wave of recent global financial tsunami.
.

I think it is a good idea to choose a good car registration number to go with the “keng chow” vehicle. For Chinese, we usually ask the car salesman to avoid number 4 (that sounds like ‘die’ in Cantonese) when registering the new vehicle with Road Transport Department.

We do not welcome 4 but 5 has the negative connotation. When two numbers are together, it can give funny meaning.

Let me share with the readers (if you are not aware) the meaning of the numbers (due to the similarity of sound that resembles other meaning) and the numbers to avoid.
x

8888 - Fatt, Fatt, Fatt, Fatt - maximum prosperity

53 – Cannot live
54 – Cannot die
56 – Don’t want to work anymore or quit job
57 – Cannot come out
58 – Cannot prosper
67, 69 – Male genital organ (p****)
97 – Playing with men's p****

So the worst things that could have happened are the following combinations:

5354 – like rojak
5358 – Well, this combination is not fung sui for doing business
6797 or 1197 – every day play p****
9394 – Play here play there (playboy's car number plate)

But if you are a macho or Rambo type, you may want to chose 5456 – Cannot die and do not want to work. Coupled with a battered vehicle, the invincible force in your car number plate would send cold sweat to other drivers.
xx
Another number which is too pressurized (that depend on individual) to own is x007 – James Bond's number. We have to live it up to the name when driving the car around. Best effect to harmonize with the number is to drive vehicles with dents all over. So from 6 November 2008 onwards where the movie "Quantum of Solace" will be shown in major cinemas in Kuala Lumpur, driving this car number has its special feeling. With this number plate, make sure you do not carry big bamboo branches jutting out of the car. The other drivers may think that it is the bazooka gun, similar to the billboard showing Daniel Craig – James Bond – raising his gun.
x.
7 months ago: Emirati Saed Abdul Ghaffar al-Khouri (R) poses with the most expensive car number-plate after he won it in an auction in the oil-rich emirate of Abu Dhabi on February 16, 2008. Al-Khouri won the plate after bidding 52.2 milion dirhmas (14.2 million dollars) to become the most expensive single-digit car registration plate in the world.

x
Let me share with you the system here for getting the preferred car number in Kuala Lumpur. This is useful if you are thinking of buying new cars.

1. Ask the salesman to avoid certain number:
The car owner needs to pay about RM 100 to the salesman who will then pay the runner. So the runner decides the number for you.

2. Car owner choose the number:
The car owner can go a Road Transport Department (RTD) and identify the current sequence (for that 1,000 number). Copy a few of the numbers of your choice and then ask the salesman to register the number in your order of preference.

Let say current series is 2xxx and you chose 2368, 2668, 2888, etc. Then you have to pay RM 210 to RTD. However, if you chose other series (eg. 3, 6, 7, 8, 9xxx), then you have to pay RM 310. If the current series is 4xxx, you definitely have to choose series 6, 7, 8 or 9.

3. Tender a number:
Inform your salesman that you want to tender number. For that one number, you have to pay a minimum of RM 310. Hot number may cost more. Payable only when you are successful.
.
.
WMW 8001 - How I got this number:
I like WMW because it is symmetrical or looks like a wave of letters... a bit artistic lah ... :-) When it was WMM, I then planned for WMW (a few months of planning). For method (2) and (3) above, there are of the same price. So I told the salesman that I want to tender 8001 (Just like the Chinese, I like to be Fatt... but not getting fat; and I was penguin runner 01 at that time). If I am not successful, I will then use Method (2) - to go to RTD to identify the numbers of my choice. So when the tender results were out, I got it and I did not have to make a special trip to RTD.

Do not take chances
Assuming most car owners choose most of the good numbers, which means for those uninitiated or ‘chin chai’ car owners, the chance of getting lousy, left-over numbers are high. Imagine after paying RM 100,000 to take delivery of your new car only to know that the number plate portrays other negative or funny messages.

Related Reading

More detailed write-up of booking the car registration number of your choice: click here.

Road Transport Department (JPJ) website: click here

Initial letters of each state: click here

Price of Penis and Orgasm: click here

Written by KC
.

Casio Pro Trek Adventure Watch

Note by KC: Yes! PK Chan is a proud owner of this outdoor, adventure and rugged watch. The next trekking will not be the same: instead of discussing of leeches bite, we could be talking about peak elevation, atmospheric pressure, navigation and direction. That would increase the fun of trekking.

We can even wear it to office to impress our colleagues that the extrame coldness of the clinically regulated and controlled temperature in the office (air-cond lah) is, say, 18 degree Celsius. And Level 7 is, say, 50 meters above sea level. Or with the drop in barometric pressure, it will rain soon so that lunch is held in a restaurant with covered car park without getting wet later. I am sure that would impress the lunch kaki. You can even correct a colleague's lost of direction in the office with the help of the compass function in the watch.

One lady trekker, Jenny Lee, said: "I also fall in love with the watch ..." and suggests that we could buy in bulk for greater bargaining power. Yes, excellent idea! So if you are interested, please contact me at pacm.webmaster xxxxx gmail.com (replace xxxxx with @). kWENG said he knows one owner of a watch shop.
.

I remembered in the previous trekking trip to Pine Tree Trail (Fraser's Hill), AB Tan was telling us that the trail is interesting. Despite all the toughness in going up and down the hills, the vertical elevation is only 300 meters! click here to read.

The watch bought by PK is with tripple sensors (Direction, Pressure and Temperature). Maybe the Malaysia Boleh version is with the fourth sensor: to detect the lurking of leeches which is terrorizing many of the lady trekkers. Maybe we can even give a new name to the new watch - MASIO... just joking.

Okay, when I buy the watch, I know the lower limit of pricing to bargain, provided the shops in Kuala Lumpur are willing to sell at that price. Read on …

Casio Pro Trek PRG-110
x

Hi KC,

Quite coincidentally, I read your email one day earlier before taking part in the Singapore North Face 100 off road run. Each team of two has to run 50 km each at the catchments area. I was there with some Pacesetter members.

We went to Sin Lim Square which is a shopping complex selling mainly IT products. I bought the Protrek PRG 110-IV, which has a black plastics strip, for S$260 (RM 626 basing on 2.42 rate). The titanium strap/band is available at S$330 (if I could recall).

I didn't go for the Titanium type as I worry about possible chaffing but it's of light weight. Hence, if you are talking about the same model, the Singapore price appears cheaper. Further more, if you travel by plane, I was informed a further 7 % rebate of the GST when exiting Singapore.

I enclose two photos taken of my new toy. You are correct in quoting the features of the Triple Sensor Sport watch by CASIO. As compared with the older model, model 110 watch is thinner and appears slimmer. Twin Sensor is cheaper but without compass.

You are correct - the watch is pretty 'yow yeng' (got style) :-)

I have so far found that the triple sensor watch powered by 'Tough Solar' i.e. no battery replacement, is quite precise in measuring altitude, barometric pressure (with graph indicating weather trend), temperature and direction (from digital compass). Of course, all the normal time keeping features with world time are there.

When I went for our double hill run this morning (Sunday 12 October), I found the highest point at the first hill was only 140 m (above sea level) whilst it measured 220 m at the 4-leg junction of the Bukit Kiara Jogging trail. Calibration may be necessary if there is a reference point. It certainly adds on much fun when going trekking.

So I thought it's quite a good buy for a RM 625 (Ringgit equivalent) watch.

Cheers,
PK


My earlier email:

Dear Fellow Trekkers,

I am interested to buy one outdoor adventure watch; it is good for serious trekking. Anyone of you has any "jalan" (connection) to shops selling watches; do let me know… :-)

Casio Pro Trek ... click here

PRG-110 (B, AB, T)Features: digital compass, altimeter (measuring altitude), Barometer (to detect change in bad weather or impending rain), Thermometer, world time, countdown timer, daily alarms, and not forgetting the normal timekeeping.

Model 130, has the additional tide mode (for tracking of tidal movement) but has a thicker case (13.9mm). Model 110 is slimmer measuring at 11.5mm.

I have asked in Mines Shopping complex: Model 110 ranges from RM 900 to RM 980 (light-weight titanium band).

Suunto X10 (that has GPS system)

Read and view the demonstration... click here

Dr. Hamdan and ChongYF informed me that this Sunnto watch costs around RM 1,500

Happy Trekking

Posted by KC

x

Trekking to ABC by TanCK

TanCK (left) at the Sydney Marathon

I am pleased to announce that Mr. Tan CK's group is going for trekking to Annapurna Base Camp (ABC... 4,100m) this October 28.

He is engaging Mr. Cheban, the trusted Trek and Tour Agent in Nepal.

In October and November, the fine weather in Nepal is superb for trekking with plenty of deep blue sky and snowy mountains; though it can be cold in the high mountains..

TanCK is the Area Team Leader of Putrajaya, Pacesetters Club. Currently, he is in Australia participating in the Sydney Marathon.

If you are interested, please send email to Mr. TanCK direct:

choonkok.tan combine with @ yahoo.com

Handphone: 012- 373 9407

Please click here for photos and the journey (Part 1 to 7) taken recently at ABC treks in May 2008 by yours truly (KC).

Here is wishing tham a successful and memorable journey.
.
Filepix at ABC in May 2008. KC is at far right

The Itinerary for TanCK's team:

28.10.2008 Arrival hotel transfer short walk and welcome dinner O/N (over-night) hotel (D)
29.10.2008 Sight seeing in KTM O/N hotel (B)30.10.2008 KTM/Pokhara by tourist bus O/N hotel (Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner)
31.11.2008 Drive to Nayapul & trek to Tirkhedhunga (1577 m.) O/N lodge (B.L.D.)01.11.2008 Trek Tirkhedhunga to Ghorepani (2853m.) O/N lodge (B.L.D.)
02.11.2008 In the morning visit Poon Hill & trek to Tadapani (2721m.) O/N lodge (B.L.D.)03.11.2008 Trek Tadapani to Sinuwa (2110m. appx.) O/N lodge (B.L.D.)
04.11.2008 Trek Sinuwa to Deurali in the begnning its little down and all the way to Modi Khola reiver bank 6 hours (2310m.) O/N lodge (B.L.D.)05.11.2008 Trek Deurali to Annapurna Base Camp 7 hours (4095 m.) O/N lodge (B.L.D.)
06.11.2008 Trek back Annapurna Base Camp to Bambo 6 hours O/N lodge (B.L.D.)07.11.2008 Bambo to Kyumi 6 hours O/N lodge (B.L.D.)
08.11.2008 Kyumi to Nayapul and drop to Pokhara and lunch in Lakeside and walk around O/N hotel(B.L.D.)09.11.2008 Sight seeing in Pokhara O/N hotel (B.)10.11.2008 Pokhara to Kathmandu by tourist bus and O/N hotel (B.L.D.)


Posted by KC

Everest Plane Crash Kills 18 Tourists in Nepal

I was interrupted in my meeting on Wednesday 8 October at around 4pm when I received a few sms messages from fellow trekkers; one of them is from Tammy Lim who would be going trekking in Sikkim, India this Saturday, 11 October 2008.

sms message:
Breaking News - Yeti Airlines twin Otter crashes at the Tenzing-Hillary airport, Lukla, killing at least 18 people.

Immediately, my concentration was shifted to the small airport of Lukla – the scene of the accident. When I went for my maiden trekking in Cho La Pass, Nepal (Everest side) in May 2007, landing at Lukla airport was truly an experience. Within three seconds, the small airplane was precariously landed, much to the applause of those passengers sitting in the narrow cabin.

My deepest sympathy and condolences to the demised trekkers, whom I believe, have spent countless hours of pain (or joy) in the preparation process only to be greeted with death before the first foot forward (… of journey of a thousands steps that start with the first step).
.
Click here for more scenery of Cho La Pass trekking trip by KC:

I made It... The Journey ... Lodges
x
Here are the photos showing the runways taken by yours truly (KC) during the Cho La Pass trekking trip.

This is the runway of the airport in Lukla; it is very short, slopping downwards to an abrupt end
.
One plane prepares to take off
. The downward slope aids in gaining momentum and uplift trust. Likewise, it helps to slow the plane during landing - what a genius idea !! Notice the barb-wire fencing at the foreground of the photo.
x
Point of no return - we have a successful take off !!
.

My Cho La Pass experience: We were stranded at Lukla for three days due to bad weather (after completing the trekking trip). The team decided to chartered a helicopter to fly us out of Lukla to Kathmandu in order to catch the Thai Aiways home the following day. Arrangement was made with the help of Cheban, the trusted Trek and Tour agent. It costed each trekker extra USD 500 !!
.

While I was in the helicopter, this is the point of no return. Of course, with the vertical take off, it is not that critical compared to airplane.
.
Posted by KC
=========

Texts and photos below are extracted from AFP Press

KATHMANDU (AFP) — A passenger plane crashed on landing at a remote airfield in Nepal's Everest region on Wednesday, killing 18 people most of whom were German tourists, Nepalese officials said.

The Yeti Airlines aircraft, flying from the capital Kathmandu to Lukla in eastern Nepal, burst into flames after crash-landing near the sloping runway in heavy cloud, witnesses reported.

The drama began to unfold at 07.31 when the pilot was about to land. The doomed aircraft lost altitude too quickly and crash landed, hitting the perimeter boundary. It immediately burst into flames.
.

The remains of a Yeti Airlines DeHavilland DHC-6 Twin Otter plane burns, as people stand around it at Lukla airport, about 40 miles (60 kilometers) from Mount Everest, Nepal, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008. A small airplane crashed and caught fire Wednesday as it tried to land in foggy weather at a tiny mountain airport near Mount Everest, killing 18 people, including 16 tourists from Germany, Australia and Nepal, officials said. Only one person, the pilot, survived.

Of the 19 people on board, 14 were foreigners and five were Nepalese, and only one -- the Nepalese pilot of the Twin Otter plane -- survived, airport official Mohan Adhikari said.

Security staff and volunteers took two hours to extinguish the fire in the wreckage of the plane.

Hundreds of tourists and residents from Lukla, 140 kilometres (90 miles) northeast of Kathmandu, watched the recovery operation, many in tears.

"I saw the plane start its descent, then cloud came in and we heard a loud noise and saw flames," said Bijaya Pratap Singha, a tour manager.

"We ran down to the end of the runway and saw everything was scattered and the plane was on fire."

Local officials told reporters the crash had been due to heavy cloud.

When the weather is clear, dozens of flights land every day at Lukla's Tenzing-Hillary airport, a gateway to Nepal's Everest region used by trekkers and mountaineers.

The airport was earlier this year renamed after Mount Everest's first conquerors, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.
.

The crash site at Lukla, Nepal.

Just 20 metres (66 feet) wide and 550 metres long, its runway perches on a hillside at an angle of around 11 degrees and was built using funds from Hillary's Himalayan Trust.

Fast moving weather patterns at the tiny airport -- which is 2,757 metres above sea level -- mean bad weather frequently halts operations.

"We are devastated to hear of this accident," Ang Tsering Sherpa, the president of the Union of Asian Alpine Associations, told AFP.

"In the season there are up to 50 flights per day into Lukla so the pilots are very used to landing there."

Flights from Kathmandu to Lukla take just over half an hour.

The pilot who survived Wednesday's crash was flown to an intensive care unit in Kathmandu, where doctors said he was in a stable condition.

The route from Kathmandu to Lukla. The 150 kilometre flight should take just 30 minutes.

Yeti is a privately owned domestic airline founded in 1998 and which prides itself on running a service to many far-flung destinations across Nepal.

It has previously provided essential transport links to national and international relief teams working in Nepal as well as carrying many tourists.

The tourism trade is a major foreign currency earner for impoverished Nepal and since the end of a civil war in 2006 between the country's Maoists and the government, numbers of visitors have increased.

This year around 500,000 tourists are expected, the highest number since 1999, with many coming to trek in the stunning Himalayan mountains that form Nepal's northern border with Chinese-controlled Tibet.

The Everest Base Camp trek -- where tourists fly into Lukla and walk for around two weeks -- is one of the most popular routes.


Posted by KC

Trekking up Mount Trus Madi

Gunung Irau: Please click here to view 70 photos by courtesy of Bee on Sat 20 Sept 2008.

x

Trekking up Mount Trus Madi by Jean. Notice the size of the backpack.

Please click here to view 203 photos by courtesy of Jean.
.

Brief description of itinerary

Day 1 Tambunan to Mount Trus Madi (or Trusmadi... in Sabah) base camp by 4WD; start trekking at 9.30 am to mid-way cabin campsite 2,340m (above sea level).

Day 2 Ascend at 3.45 am to summit; arrived at 5.10 am; wait for sunrise (5.55am), descend to Mount Trusmadi base campsite at 7.15 am; pack up & meet 4WD at 3.10pm, proceed to Tambunan and to Kota Kinabalu.
.

Please click here to view Jean's photos for trekking in Annapurna Circuit.
.

The trail here is not that visible
.

Layers and layers of mountains

Note by KC: What a name - Trus Madi in Bahasa Malaysia does sound like Terus Mati - meaning 'proceed to die'.
.x
Mount Trusmadi is Malaysia's second highest mountain at 2,642 metres (8,668 ft). It lies in the state of Sabah, close to Mount Kinabalu. The mountain supports a wide range of unique flora and fauna, perhaps most notably Nepenthes macrophylla, a species of pitcher plant.

Awesome view of sunrise
.

Jean - on top of the world feeling
.

.
Unique pitcher plants
x

Posted by KC

.

Gebrselassie Breaks World Marathon Record Again

Ethiopia's marathon runner Haile Gebrselassie and Germany's Irina Mikitenko pose for the media after the 35th Berlin Marathon. Gebrselassie clocked 2:03.59

Note by KC: Wow! Running a full marathon in 2 hrs 3 min 59 sec! This is really an incredible feat. For most runners, we could only complete half the distance after two hours. I read that he did not run in the Beijing 2008 Olympic for fear that the polluted air may affect his asthma problem. And for the Berlin marathon, he suffered calf injury before the race. Yet with all these obstacles, he made it!

Why does a champion run faster than us? The reason is very simple (this is what I read): the champion puts in more effort (in the training) than us !!

.

Runners gather to start in front of Brandenburg gate during the 35th Berlin marathon.

BERLIN (AFP) — Ethiopia's Haile Gebrselassie was delighted to put his recent calf injury behind him to break his own world record on Sunday at the Berlin Marathon for the second consecutive year in the German capital.

The 35-year-old brushed off a calf injury he suffered in training two weeks ago to come home in a time of 2hrs 03min 59sec.

He took nearly half a minute off his own previous world record of 2hrs 04mins 26sec set here twelve months ago to fulfill his own confident pre-race prediction of setting a new best mark.

This was the sixth time the world record has been broken in Berlin on the traditionally flat course.
.

Haile Gebrselassie crosses the finish line to set a new world record at the 35th Berlin marathon.

"I am so, so happy, everything was perfect, the weather was perfect, the spectators were perfect, everything - I am so happy" said the Ethiopian.

"Two weeks ago I had a bit of a problem with my calf muscle, but I took a week off.

"It gave me a few worries coming here, but I forgot about it as the race wore on.
.

A Japanese runner quenching her thirst during the race

"I knew before I came here I could do something special, if you look from the beginning, everyone in Berlin seems to come and watch the race, it's a wonderful feeling."

The twice Olympic 5000m champion has plenty of reasons to be happy.
.
A runner stretches at a Berlin Wall memorial before the start of the 35th Berlin marathon

As well as breaking the 26th world record of his career he will receive 50,000 euros (73,000 US dollars) for winning on top of his estimated 250,000 euros (365,000 US dollars) fee for racing here.

It was his sixth victory in his ninth marathon and this was the 35th Berlin marathon.

Kenya's James Kwambai finished second in a time of 2hrs 5mins 36secs and his compatriot Charles Kamathi was third in 2hrs 7mins 48 secs.
.

Irina Mikitenko of Germany reacts crossing the finish line in the women's race at the 2008 Berlin marathon. Mikitenko clocked in an unofficial time of 2:19:19.

Germany's Irina Mikitenko, who won the London Marathon earlier this year, won the women's race in a time of 2hrs 19mins 18secs which was a personal best and the fastest time in the world this year.
.

Germany's Irina Mikitenko waves during the winning ceremony for the 35th Berlin Marathon.

Extracted from AFP

Posted by KC

Buy-Sell Online

If you are in this KC&SR blogsite, you would notice that the moving images of Mudah.com advertisement on the left of this page. or click here

The advertisement is inserted by Google; I have no control over the choice of selection of advertisement. I actually find that the moving images are quite distracting or overshadowing the icons done by me… :-)
.
During the recent trekking trip to Gunung Irau, I chatted with ChongYF about the Mudah.com. As claimed, it is a Malaysian marketplace for buying and selling Online.
.

Chong YF, Rose and Agnes at the foothill of Gunung Irau on 20 Sept 2008... click here. ChongYF is an avid runner and trekker.

According to ChongYF, he said this service is good. He has sold a few gadgets through this online advertisement media. The best thing is that the service is offered FREE (at this moment)! It is quite simple to place the advertisement there and the responses from other readers/prospects are fast.

I remembered placing classified advertisement in the Star newspaper. For three days, the fee is about RM 40. For further placement, that would cost another sum until the sales is concluded. If you include pictures of item for sales, that would cost even more.

I think the online buy-sell concept is excellent. Let me see what item that I can post it for sales.

Written by KC