Lost in Translation

Previously I thought of taking the cheap China Airlines back home until I watched this...



It was an incident happened in New York Airport April this year where the China pilot struggled to communicate to the ground control tower. Damn funny but imagine this could cost hundreds of life if thing goes wrong.

Check out how the pilot who has 20 years flying experience who just passed his English oral exam answered the question.

Interviewer: "Have you ever had problem talking to the tower?"
Pilot: "Yeah.. ahh.. we ahh.. flew ahh.. to ahh.. American.. Europe.. just pilots.. eh.. usually speak English.."

Dare you take China Airlines anymore after watching this?

A week in Reading

Attended the first module of the course for a week in Reading last week. It was really tiring as I have to wake up at 6+ in the morning to catch the 8am train from Paddington. It only takes 25 minutes on a fast train but that cost more than 20 pounds for the return fare. Public transport in the UK isn't the best but the most expensive! Sometimes I don't even get a seat during the peak commute hours!

First module was on the Principles of Project Management, where we combined with the students taking MSc Project Management, met one of my colleague Anita in the lecture and got to know some friends from different backgrounds and companies. That's one of the advantages taking a MSc - get to know more people in the industry.

Overall the module lectures are ok, with lecturers from both academic and private/public sectors sharing their knowledge and industrial experience. It's amazing to meet some of them whom I read their books many years ago.

It's a smart move to put it as the first module especially to me as I manage people and time poorly. It did motivates and inspires me a bit. Basically 'project' can be about anything, is to "achieve an objective with a start and end time".

There are several projects ahead which I need to close, either short or long term...

• The master degree of course.
  
• Assessment of Professional Competence, that's on the critical path too as I hope I can complete it together with the MSc.
• After I achieve the above, hopefully within the planned period of time. I plan to do an 1 or 2 months back-pack/bike tour across Asia, China to be exact to find my roots. (My colleague Francois inspired me, he'll be on a 3 months bike tour going back to his hometown South Africa). It'll be tough but that's something I must achieve when I still have the energy.
• The fitness project, I had gained 2kg successfully for the past 2 and half month, targeting another 2 kg before December holiday break and to hit 70kg before March 2008. Of course it's not just about the weight but for the health.
  
• Last but not least is the project woman, a bit complicated at the moment but hopefully can sort it out soon.

2 years used to be quite long when I was younger but now it seems I have too little time to hesitate any longer.

Fontana de Trevi

Located at Tridente district, one of Rome's more surprising sights, easy to stumble upon by accident - the huge and magnificent Fontana de Trevi (Trevi Fountain) was completed in the 17th century. It is the most beautiful fountain I'd ever seen.

Picture taken at 18mm, ISO 100, F22 and 30 secs exposure - the surrounding was packed by tourist and it was really hard to find a spot to set up the tripod.

The theatrical design incorporated the entire Neoclassical facade of Palazzo Poli as the background and containing a figure of Nepture in the centre.

No way to set up tripod in front of the fountain. Picture taken hand held at 18mm, ISO 800, F3.5, 1/5 sec exposure. The A100 built-in anti-shake works perfectly well and the noise level at ISO 800 is not too bad!

People surrounding the fountain - 18mm, ISO 400, F3.5, 1/4 sec exposure.

There's a rooted tradition - if you throw a coin over your shoulder into the fountain before you leave the city it'll bring good luck and ensure your return.

The Colosseum Part II

The interior of the Colosseum - the arena. HDR technique is used as the sunlight was too strong to capture the details on the top part of the picture.

The substructures beneath the arena (hypogeum) provided space for the mechanism by which scenery and other apparatus was hoisted into the arena and lifting caged animals to the surface for release. It makes me want to watch the Gladiator starring Russell Crowe again.

It could probably hold more than 50,000 spectators.

View of the Arch of Constantine from Colosseum.

It's hard to imagine how it was built nearly 2,000 years ago.

One of my favourite picture taken inside the building. It was near evening when most visitors have left.

I appreciated the moment of quietness where no tourists can be seen in a clean picture.

Back to the real world, the area outside Colosseum is crowded with tour groups, souvenir stalls and noisy Roman 'gladiators' who keep persuading tourists to take pictures with them.

It's Italy, they have super cool Alfa Romeo 159 as police cars! (As Malaysian have the not-so-cool Waja). I like new Alfa's head lamps! FYI Carabinieri are the military police in Italy.

The Arch of Constantine, the triumphal arch which was erected in AD 315 and located right next to the Colosseum.

What is a triumph? The original triumph was once stipulated that you have to kill 5,000 of the enemy in a victory to bring a war to an end.

A couple taking the wedding photos around the area.

Another view from lower Palatine Hill.

See the moon?

The journey in Rome has just begun.

I wandered around the area until late and took this picture at 35mm, ISO 80, F22, 30 secs exposure.

The Colosseum

Anyone who goes to Rome can't miss The Colosseum - the emblem of Rome, and the largest amphitheatre ever built by the Romans.

It's located right in the middle of the city, Colosseo station on metro blue line.

It's one of the most colorful train I'd seen among the Europe metro/underground, covered with graffiti arts.

Exterior view of one of the best preserved section.

One of the many pictures I took at the Colosseum, processed in HDR.

Rock Climbing @ YMCA

For the past few Mondays, I kept watching the rock climbing group practicing in the gym. Finally today I stepped up and asked the instructor whether I can join or not.

I was given a declaration form to confirm that I am doing this willingly and will be responsible for any consequences at my own risk...

To be honest, I am very scare of height and will feel dizzy and my legs will become strengthless when I look down from tall buildings. It's a challenge for myself to overcome my fear. The instructor Andy is very experienced and he guided me and the other newbie Mark on the safety rules and various basic rope knots tying techniques.

Climbers usually work in pairs, with one climbing and the other belaying. The role of the belayer is very important and must be alert at all time to 'lock off' the rope in case the climber falls. I was surprised that I managed to climb up the 5-6m wall at different difficulty levels without falling even once.

It's a sports where strength, endurance, and mental control, as well as agility and balance, are required to cope with tough, dangerous physical challenges. I enjoyed it very much and think I will join the class regularly.

I love YMCA~