Looking for Yellow Face Fish

Ooi-ee adj. yellow

If we were truly amphibious, our skin would have been scales: slimy, slippery and crispy when fried. But we are not (fortunately!). That is why we always look stupid in any underwater breathing device. This is my best terh appearance.

One of the toughest holiday decisions! Do I start snorkelling here?

It is easy to see why people can become passionate about the underwater world. The weird, the wondeful, the colourful can be uncovered here. But I must say I am not that crazy about sea creatures. Much prefer land creatures.

Remember my blog entry on PI? The person I referred to hit back with this response. This is an open apology to sexy Jess. I might have to take her around Kuching to show that we are good-natured people, and that no malice was intended. Apology accepted Jess?

Jit

JIT n. sun

7 days went by so quickly.

To answer your questions, Kuramathi is one of the resort islands on the Rasdhoo Atoll. Atoll means a ring-shaped coral island, like a floating garland (see the seaplane views from the last blog entry). The island was transformed into an island resort in the mid 1970s. It was inhabited by a local fishing community who were subsequently moved to a nearby island. I don't think they regret that decision as the Maldivian economy is heavily reliant on tourism.

Karumathi is 1.7km long. We walked the whole length of the island (and back) on our first day, only to be told that the shuttle service was free. In fact, the drinks in the bar were also free, from mocktails to cocktails, soft-drinks to hard liquor, all 24 hours. Our "all inclusive" deal was magnificent. We even have a personalised waiter, Ali, for breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner. I was feeling more pai-seh than spoilt. I am not used to receiving so much attention.

We treated ourselves to a luxurious spa and massage on our 4th day. Yes, we need those for our tired muscles, from snorkelling and lying on our back doing absolutely nothing. My therapist was Thai. I know, they are ubiquitous. She spent the whole session massaging and TALKING to my wife, who was on the other table. If I could be brutally honest, it was difficult to feel relaxed and massaged when your therapist was talking during the whole session. My wife promised not to talk so much during a combined session next time...

We had so much fun together (so did the island mosquitos). For those of you who enjoy water adventures: big-game fishing, scuba diving, snorkelling and sailing, this is the place for you. The best time to visit the Maldives is during the dry monsoon: November to April.

Those leaning palm trees, sparkling turquiose seas, pearly white beaches, surfacing atoll reefs are now just memories and digitalised photos. You have to experience the Maldives to believe these dream images... As for us, we are consulting our holiday bible, UNFORGETTABLE PLACES TO SEE BEFORE YOU DIE for our next adventure.

Looking for Nemo.

Found baby Jaws instead.

Freshwater spa. So serene. So quiet.

Where is Ali the waiter?

Shipped to a desert island for BBQ on our 5th day. Like Kuramathi is not idyllic enough.

Flying over fabulous Kuramathi. Just like Kuching.

To read more about how the Maldivian adventure started, go to this link. It also tells you how much I paid for the "all inclusive" deal.

Back to English Weather

We were thirty minutes from London. "The temperature is 10 degree with rain and damp in some places," the flight captain announced.

This was greeted with chuckles from the passengers. More like nervous, inappropriate glee. Yes, the announcement has signalled the end of our week long sun-soaked beach holiday. We were coming back home to reverse of our tan and increase our blood pressure.

The plane landed on schedule. The sky was beginning to clear but the temperature stayed low.


This was London sky at 9pm. In a way, I was glad to be back in London, I do miss my internet connection, the BBC news...

But then, come to think of it, how could you not want a life under the Maldivian sky, with scenes like these?






Views from our seaplane, from Kuramathi (part of Rasdhoo Atoll) to Male.

First Malaysian In Kuramathi

Day 1

I am using dial-up technology to post this entry. I will keep the writing to the minimum until my return. **feet up high in Maldives**

Just enjoy the pics for now.

Day 2

The Monster finally emerging from the sea! Beware.

If you didn't see anything apart from me, the Mrs, and the shark, that is because... (I let you finish the sentence). See you soon. Be good.

About my non-blogging work

KHANG n. work

I have received a number of e-mails requesting me to write more about myself. There is a temptation, I must confess, to write about absolutely everything that I encounter on a daily basis: the books I read, the TV shows I watch, the people I meet and the work I do. Blogging is so much easier like that. But I refuse to write anything personal. Simply because I enjoy the blog-anonymonity and the virtual identity a blogger can create. Blog-writing for me is a modern-life therapy. This is not a Freudian slip, I will explain what I meant by therapy.

This blog is special for so many reasons. It has given me a creative platform, that I do not have in my working life. It has given me a voice, that I feel I am lacking in my haste to build my career.

This time only, I will fulfill those e-mail requests. I will write about myself and my profession.

I work in a busy Accident & Emergency Department in London. I have been a doctor for almost 4 years and have climbed up the ranks by pleasing people, passing exams and putting in more working hours than rest. No, I am no different than most newly-qualified doctors, I just happen to land myself a Senior position in one of UK busiest A&E departments. We see 100,000 patients a year (I will let you do the maths and work out how many we see each day- this is the formula: [X + Y/T]/R). Whatever.

In my mind, this is the most honest job in the world. Hence a dream job. There is nothing more satisfying then to fix a broken person and return the guy to society.

Let me take you on a journey through a day in my working life and I will let you decide which is more intense: a episode of the TV series ER or this. Let's choose a day you might also remember.

Saturday, 13 May 2006. FA Cup Final Day. West Ham v Liverpool.

7.20pm
Wife woke me up because the alarm didn't. Dinner has been prepared. My ultra short hair makes grooming and washing so much easier.

7.25pm
Sat on dining table. No time for conversation. Apart from the occasional nods of culinary satisfaction.

7.35pm
Out of the house. 5 minutes' walk to the train station.

7.42pm
Train arrived on time.

7.50pm
Arrived at the hospital train station. 6 minutes' walking journey to the hospital. The town was quiet. West Ham must have lost the Cup Final. "It's going to be a quiet night" I said to myself. I checked the score on my mobile. 3-3. I must have missed a good match on telly. "West Ham lost on penalties".

7.55pm
I could hear football supporters chants on the way to work. These West Ham supporters are gonna wash their sorrows by boozing themselves silly. I brace myself for the night ahead.

7.58pm
Arrived in A&E department. It looks very civilized for a Saturday evening. I gave an open palm gesture to Nurse Mary. She said,"I know. It may not be busy now. You just wait." The smile on my face quickly faded.

8.00pm
On the A&E shopfloor now. I cleaned my stethoscope with an alcohol wipe. This was more ritual than conscious effort.

8.10pm
I did a quick check on the number of juniors we have this evening. I have one doctor on Kids Casualty, three on Majors & Resus (for medical and surgical emergencies) and three on Minors (for trivial, non-life threatening injuries). Well-staffed. Good start, no sickies.

8.15pm
Spoke to Charge Nurse. One senior nurse called in sick. Never mind, we will soldier on.

8.15pm-12.00am
I saw six cases in Minors, six cases in Kids and two cases in Majors. Pretty straight-foward so far. Ankle injuries from sports. Facial injuries from alleged domestic abuse. Metacarpal fractures from punching door (a West Ham supporter! The door was fine he reassured me). One non-cardiac chest pain. One asthmatic. Diarrhoea and vomiting in one-year olds.

I needed a short coffee-break. I don't smoke, so my vice is caffeine-based.

12.20am
"SENIOR DOCTOR TO RESUS!" I was summoned to the Resus area. An ambulance arrival is expected in 8 minutes. "What's coming in?" I asked (in my Kuching accent of course).

"Thoracic stab wounds!" Came the prompt reply.

"How many?" I demanded more information.

"At least 2."

"Ah. 2 stab wounds."

"No." The nurse corrected me. "2 patients".

"In that case we need to 2 resus teams. Have you put the call out?"

The Resus nurse looked at me as if saying,"OF COURSE!! YOU DO YOUR JOB DOC, I DO MIND!"

12.25am
We have assembled two teams, the other team was headed by the Surgical Registrar. I have been in trauma call countless of times but the adrenaline rush is still palpable, albeit more subdued.

12.30am
The paramedic brought in the two stab victims. The room was quickly taken up by helpful junior doctors, nurses and curious-looking Police. Being the trauma lead also means that you are responsible for crowd control in the Emergency room.

"Can those not involved please leave the room?" Even the Police were starting to get sick hearing my voice. Sometimes, I think a deeper voice would have given me more authority. And looking like a young Chinese foreign doctor also does not lend strength to my Senior position.

We worked on those patients in a methodical textbook fashion. Non-nonsense. Everyone knew their role.

"Check the mouth!" I gave my sea-captain-like orders.
"Is the trachea central? Percuss the chest. And then ascultate."
"Pulse? BP reading?"
"What is the GCS? What is the pupil response?" "What do you mean you cannot get blood?"

STANDARD. And absolutely no room for creativity.

1.20am
We were in the CT scanner for full body scan. There were multiple stab wounds. These two men were lucky that no there were no significant injuries to the organs.

1.45am
The radiologist picked up a minor kidney contusion in one of the patients. That's kidney bruising to you and me. "Insert a urine catheter and monitor the urine production". The young nurse looked at me puzzled. "Never mind, I'll do it." I offered.

2.00am
Half-way through my 12-hour shift. This was my 6th continuous working day. I was exahusted; we were exhausted, but people were still coming in. The drunks, the pub fights, the old and confused ones... the list doesn't stop.

We were told never to discriminate anyone when it comes to emergency treatment. But I have little empathy for drunks and heavily intoxicated souls after ecstasy or cocaine use. My junior sensed this in me and they would normally see those drunks before I even go near them.

I needed another coffee-break.

2.30-5.00am
Continuous cases of alcoholic casualties. Also saw a young lady in her early pregnancy with bleeding problem. Picked up a couple of flu cases. It amazes me that people rather wait in A&E for everyday flu symptoms then to just rest in their warm homes. Saw a distressed 6 month-old child with unstable knee-patella joint. Sutured a scalp wound. Saw a diabetic emergency and drove the sugar down with the insulin syringe driver.

5.00am-6.00am
My rest hour. (Time to check my e-mails and see what kennysia and The Star have to say about the world)

6.00am-8.00am
Saw three more cases. I take twice as long to see a case at these hours. Spoke to a depressed man, who had earlier stuck his head out on a train platform. The train narrowly missed him. He looked shaken and remorseful. I didn't need another morbid tale in A&E. We saw a decapitated body in the morgue last week. The dead guy was more successful in his suicide bid. This one survived it and desperately required psychiatric evaluation and support.

The junior docs this evening were excellent. This was luxury, not getting pestered by queries and request for help every hour. By 8.00am, I was mentally and physically drained. Ready for home and bed. To get myself ready for Day 7 of another 12-hour shift.

Some paper-work before home.

This is why I don't write about work and about myself. And this is why blogging is such a healthy escape from reality. Did I say blogging was a modern-day therapy? Most definitely.

I will be back this time next week! See you after my Indian Ocean holiday.

SISUAHLAI CHARITY FUND UPDATE: Let's swap our way to RM5000/-!

Francis H20 was the first swapper, are you our next?

HOLIDAY EXTRA:

Catfish

HU n. fish
KEEM n. gold

Another picture with a cat theme... cannot resist posting this one. PG-13 for use of foul language.

Have a good weekend.

Congratulations. You are the Happiest Person Today!

HUA-HI adj. happy

(this one is from SISUAHLAH library of unpublished blogs... to coincide with my holiday this weekend)

How much do you value happiness? How much would you pay for something that can increase your happiness to another level?

Why are we, as a nation, getting richer but not happier?

The British Household Panel Survey concluded that most people start off happy and become progressively less happy as they grow older. For many people, the most miserable period in their life is their 40s. Well, if you are reading this and you are under 40, don't despair: You do not have to be the average guy in these statistics!

The subject of life satisfaction is indeed missing from our school curriculum. Our government is obsessed with economic growth and being the world's No. 1, so much so that we are probably told that IT IS NOT A BAD THING to compromise our happiness and well-being for career utopia and wealth-creation! Why teach kids on how to be happy?

We need to stop comparing ourselves with others. Life is not a race or a competition. This is not about survival of the fittest. When was the last time you had to physically chase and wrestle a gazelle for dinner? Believe it, this short life is about the survival of the happiest!!

LEARN TO BE HAPPY:

(1) Learn to trust and respect others
(2) Watch less TV and advertisement
(3) Work hard only because you want to and NOT because you were told to
(4) Celebrate our wealth by helping others to be equally wealthy
(5) Status symbol & status gap are for primitive aninmal kingdom: we have evolved above that
(6) Vote against corrupt government
(7) Remember, the loser amongst us is the least happy guy, and NOT the poorest one.
(8) Travel and meet new people

So I hope you'll take HAPPINESS a little more seriously. SISUAHLAI.

Mi

MI adj. "crushed", expired
PANG-TALAI (thai)

This is a common Hokkien phrase. Mi means crushed as in "crushed dream", "crushed hopes" or expired, as in expired food items.

Hokkien-speaking people uses the word mi very liberally. Especially after the event on Monday!


Follow the heartbreak on The Star: Commodity slump hits Asian stocks.

SISUAHLAI.

The Lee Kuan Yew of Malaysian Politics? Surely Not.

LAU HOI adj.,n. "old flame"

The Star reports: DVD censuring leaders not work of Dr M

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has denied any association with the purported distribution of a DVD that contained “severe criticism” against the present leadership.

An aide to the former prime minister said neither Dr Mahathir nor the Perdana Leadership Foundation were involved in the production or distribution of the DVD.

“The DVD has nothing to do with the foundation or Tun,” he said yesterday.

The aide added that he was not aware if Dr Mahathir had seen the DVD, which according to a website, was distributed during Umno's 60th anniversary celebration recently.

The recording allegedly showed Dr Mahathir criticising the current leaders for “lacking courage” at a closed-door session with 100 Malay professionals.

Sex can be DANGEROUS

THO v. collapse

The Star Online mourns (not moans): Man dies during sex with prostitute.

A 63-YEAR-OLD odd-job worker keeled over while having sex with a prostitute in Geylang on Sunday afternoon.

Tan Hock Soon had taken the woman, a Chinese national in her 30s, to a room in a budget hotel in Lorong 10.

She told hotel staff they were “having sex halfway when he suddenly fainted.” She said he fell off the bed. Alarmed, she picked up the phone and alerted the hotel staff.

Staff told Shin Min Daily News that the woman also used a towel to cover up the lower part of his body. She left the hotel after making the phone call.

Police do not suspect foul play, and have classified the case as unnatural death.

UNNATURAL? Hmm, debatable.

Globally warmed

SIO adj. hot

AJ speaks her mind again...

SISUAHLAI charity fund-swap update:

AJ RM100 cash pledge

Ah Beng (another blog-commentor) RM100 cash pledge

The swapping story so far... follow it here.

Will this be a swapping success?

I am raising RM5000 for the National Cancer Society and Sarawak Children’s Cancer Society purely through "blogosphere word of mouth". So far I have received RM100 pledges from A.J. and A.B., and the swapping project which started with a 1869 Rajah Brooke stamp has been given an extra oomph today: Dolphins Watching as well as the Rainforest Kayak Adventure Trip with Francis FH2O.

I am determined to reach the RM5000 target by doing series of swaps and trades for bigger and higher value things. So is there anyone out there willing to swap an item for Francis' Kayaking experience?

Cash gifts and pledges are welcomed. Mail your pledge to sisuahlai@googlemail.com and I will contact you with further details. Anonymous donation is fine, but I prefer that you make yourself known by your real name or at least a blog-identity, as I want this project to be 100% transparent and sleaze-free.

Never dodgy... unlike some recent football results.

SKRU-LOOS

ERM-TZAI-SI adj. audacious

If you cannot find anything to occupy you today, try this http://www.pagetutor.com/idiot/idiot.html.

Another controversial picture for SISUAHLAI readers: PARIS HILTON CAUGHT SCREWING!!

Terng-terng

TERNG-TERNG adj. "long-long"

To intensify a Hokkien word, just say it twice. That is my advice for choosing a password. If it is not long enough, use the Hokkien method, and double the word.

Password: longchong

Not valid. Password must contain at least 10 characters. Try again.

Password: longchonglongchong

a little closer to RM5000 target

KAM-SIA! (thanks)

The SISUAHLAI charity fund was boosted by a RM100 pledge from Amelia Jane. Thank you.

The Story So Far:

MAY 1 2006 ENTRY

Let's do something good for the People. Laughters alone won't feed the needy. Have you heard about the guy who swapped a red paperclip for a house? Completely pointless, but he succeeded nonetheless. Let's do something similar among us- bloggers and blog-readers in Sarawak, Malaysia and All Over The World...

I want to raise RM5000 for the National Cancer Society and Sarawak Children’s Cancer Society. How? By doing series of swaps and trades for bigger and higher value things, until a target sum of RM5000 is achieved. I will start by trading a rare 1869 James Brooke for your item...

The Swapping Story So far...
Francis was the first person to swap. I have sent him a rare 1869 James Brooke stamp in exchange for a "Personalised Irrawaddy Dolphin Watching Trip with FH2o". So my current item up for swap is this kayaking experience. This is a genuine offer. Do you wanna spend a day kayaking with the guru, Francis, alongside dolphins?

Please send in your offer to sisuahlai@googlemail.com.

Are you in?

Sanitation

CHING-KIK adj. clean

Personal sanitation is big busines! Bombarb the public with health notice of increased cases of sexual transmitted diseases and then sell them products that boast immunity and protection from STDS... walah... you have a winner!

Check these out... these products come standard with the hotel condoms. Thanks for the pics, G., who recently explored China.

For her:

For him:

SHIJIE MALE SANITARY LOTION AND FEMININE SANITARY LOTION (the instructions are the same for male and female lotions, for good economical design, a manufacturer's dream- one size fits all)

DIRECTION: Developed by *****, is engaged in anti-virus hygienic product for lots of yellars (what??), containing antiphlogistic (this is definitely a layman's word) extract of natural plant such as wild chrysanthemum, honeysuckle and aloe, international new anti-virus ingredient Dp300. It can destroy harmful microorganism to female reproductive organs with 99.99% successful rate. Particularly for cleaning male reproductive organs, and for use before sexual intercourse. It will make you safe, moistened and comfortable.

USAGE: Apply some of the lotion, directly or with some water to wash gently for 1-3min, and then wash down with clean water.

SISUAHLAI says:

This is the biggest b.s. I've read. DP300 is an anti-virus ingredient? DP300 is a dvd model from the maker, Norcent!!

The usage instructions cannot be more ambiguous. Apply where? Here?

Am I safe now?

Dirty

LA-SAP adj. dirty

Dirty things can be inspirational. Do I need to prove it?