old post - cameron trip...

Usually, I'll come out with my daily updates utmost of everything I did, my fresh experiences, anything that I was clinging with except for today entry, I just want to highlight about my vacation trip to Cameron Highlands which took place on the last Tuesday (12.1.10) until the last Friday (15.1.10).

We moved at the early morning as we know that our journey would be consumed too much time. After few hours of driving, we stopped by and took a short break at Sungai Buloh R&R. We continued the journey until we stopped by for the second time at Lata Iskandar. It's a waterfall area with a fresh cold water flows down, follow the shape of the slope. We just can't resist to the seduction of the water, so we submerged the whole succulent body and enjoy the water very much.

Then we continued the journey until Tanah Rata. It's a very dangerous route and I have to put all my senses on full alert. Once I lose my focus, the car would down to the cliff and it's probably the end of our life. Plus, to travel through the steepest and very extreme hairpins along the journey doesn't make things any better.

Alang almost spoiled the trip as he claimed that he has to go back to Sarawak by tomorrow evening. The plane's ticket is already bought and to cancel it is not a good option. So we tried to get a bus ticket from Tanah rata straight away to Seremban. Unfortunately, no bus service provided to that place, only from Tanah Rata to KL Sentral is available and the service will be started at 8 o'clock in the morning. Since that moment, I can see everyone smiled.

As we planned for two days trip, so we have to plan it properly. As a result, we're finally success to snatch an apartment located at Tanah Rata. We met the person-in-charged and took the key from him. We kept our luggage and took some rest before we proceed to the next exploration.

We went to Kea's farm at Brincang which is located nearby to Tanah Rata, This place is likely a fresh market where you can find fresh Cameron fruits like strawberries, vegetables, tea flowers or even the pickles and preserved foods at the very low prices. The sellers also are very friendly.

As Alang need to be departed in the next following morning, so we continue our exploration even our body started to feel listless due to the change of temperature and atmosphere. The next location is the tea farm. Nothing much I can say about this location, as you know, this place is full with a green color as it refers to the color of the tea's leaves itself. Furthermore, you can see the green color almost at all mountains and highlands to make the scenic view more attractive. At some particular area, you can see the bare land appears as the tea leaves need to re-plant.

On the three days trip, we had done many things. It's just a quite absurd to state all of them in here. In some circumstances, it can't be imagined how beautiful the environment and to transfer it in writing is just can't be done like that.

This entry should be posted out last 2 or 3 weeks ago. Unfortunately, It can be done due to a few particular problems and the most things that screw me up is, how come this page couldn't accept all the pictures that I want to upload. It's weird and I kept trying but there's no point. So I decided to delay the time. Later on, I forget that I still have a un-posted entry until I checked my blog recently. So this entry is not fresh anymore...huhuhuh....

Good lessons before the new semeter reopens

Last night, Hafis, Syuk, Odah and I went to Yana's place after we set to have dined together. It was a sudden-decision-making by us after helping Yana with her preparation for the research project - to create concrete formworks by using fragmented woods and connect them by using nails.

It's not an easy job especially to combine the woods and form them in one particular shape - a rectangular cube. Sometimes the alignment is not precise and not parallel to the other site. Only for those who have very skillful hands could do this perfectly. Plus, we have to create not only 1 but 7 formworks need to be ready.

At the moment that we have agreed, we (except Odah) were "illegally sneaking" into Yana's. Of course we have to sneak because we enter the forbidden building that obviously occupied by the female. If we refer back to the hostel regulation, it's clearly stated that no male students are allowed to be inside the female hostel. Well, we break the rule last night.

We were successfully penetrated into Yana's and we were having our meals while watching a live show of AJL altogether yet it wasn't taken long. Suddenly someone knocked the main door. We not expect anything suspicious until that person keep knocking even harder. Yana open the door and we can see 3 persons standing outside with a very fiercely face from the hostel management.

Obviously we were shocked to the death for the sudden ambush. The first question that comes across in my mind is, which jerk makes a report to the hostel management about our activity? I'm not anxious at the moment because I know that I didn't do anything wrong apart from the trespassing part.

We give them a concrete reason - help the girls to lift up the heavy stuff and they cook for us some dishes as a return. I was not only the men but Hafis and Syuk were there to accompany me on the scene. We had a short conversation and then they set us free. Just give some warning and useful advice so that we don't do the same wrongdoing.

~end~

Today is the registration day and I get myself enrolled for the last semester of my bachelor and this would be my last registration day - except if I have to extend because of something that I really don't want = fail. It was smooth and everything looks fine as this is not the first time I register for a new semester. Moreover, the system is never change, the procedure, the counter is still at the same way.

I'm just worry about the results. It supposes to come out by today and according to our dean, it will be revealed in the next Wednesday. So, got to wait for another two days. This is absolutely breathtaking moment even I know that my result wouldn't be as great as previous semester. I expect for "PASS" only and if it's greater than that, it such a free bonus!!!!

weekend updates

Most of my classmates are back from their homecoming and have started doing their research project even the new semester is not reopened yet. Except a few classmates that still not coming back - this is a very short semester break and I believe they want to spend more time with their family and do any activity which they could stand no chance to commit once the semester start.

In my situation, it's a different issue. Even I come back early, I still can't proceed my research project as I need to attend a few trainings before I can move on. The training purpose - to give me a clear instruction in order to handle and manage the particular equipment before conduct the obtaining data process. It's new equipment and I'm the first person to use it. I think it's an honor after I spend 5 years of my life in this college.

So, today's activity was quite tiring after I get myself involved in Odah's research project - She was desperately need a favor and I get myself available even I wasn't interested at all. It's not only me actually, a few friends were willing to give their hands to help her out as well. What we did is, we have to dig a hole at a particular soil surface (contaminated soil by the engine oil) and the depth must be 2 meters from the top. The objective is to take a soil sample at the particular level and the next process is to examine and analyze the sample in the lab and keep in the data.

We have a special tool that we used for the digging process yet it still consume very huge human energy - we have to put some pressure on that tools before the digging process get more effective. If you want to know more about this tool and the way it works, just Google it on the net. Just type down "hand auger" and you'll get some ideas from the appeared sources.

It such a good experience and at least I got a new knowledge even it's not covered everything. Basic knowledge would spur me further if I get interested. I just can't wait to have another go as she needs at least three different locations to dig.

equipment: hand auger

MXROAD software training

Training in process

3 days of complicated software training is finally over today. After 3 days in a row being stuck in the computer's lab and stared the monitor for all days long is enough to make my head spinning and make my eyes like to protrude out from its orbit.

The software is called as MXROAD and this is new software that bought by Civil Engineering School. The price of this software itself is almost RM 120K and obviously it costs a lot of money isn't it? At the same time, they provide a special training for the new user - I've no idea whether the training fee is included in the price or it is a free package.

If you go personally outside, the training fee is around RM 1.2k - RM 2k. There's no point if you buy a real expensive product and at the end you don't know how to use it. Likewise the situation right now, no one has being exposed or at least has a tiny basic of knowledge in order to handle this software.

I was lucky as I can be seated in this training for free and be one of the full participant. Actually, this training provides 10 seats yet only 8 seats had been occupied and the rest were still empty.

This software training is very valuable as it gives an additional knowledge to the students especially in designing a highway and really benefited during the job hunting. According to the trainer, in the job market nowadays, almost all consultants especially that involved in highway design project and construction is looking for any individuals who can run this software. Even if you still in the beginner level and have a basic start, they are still willing to hire you.

On the first day until the last day of training (7/1/10 - 9/1/10), we were introduced by the trainer about the basic start-up of this MXROAD software where the process is not complicated at all. We just did a few processes and learn how to run this software, recognize and get familiar with the panel shown - there are a lot of different types of buttons and panels which are subjective to different function and application.

In the day two and day three, it becomes more complicated than ever. If you lost your focus even a second, you'll get lost. So, it's highly recommended for you to pay full your attention while the trainer gives his briefing otherwise you'll get confuse in the middle of nowhere.

When you click any particular button, the new panels will pop-up on your screen. Then, it will drive you to further requirement of setting that you have to set. You have to well-understand all process itself and the worst part is, you have to insert your obtained data in the blank box that provided and it must be correct.

Otherwise, if you put the data in the wrong place, you'll have to do the design again from the beginning (if you not back up your file after you done one task - meaning, before you move to another task, it's better for you to create a back up file) because this software has no save button. This is serious. The reason is, when you suddenly face unexpected problem with your computer i.e. hang, suddenly no electric supply (blackout) etc. your data is already save and you have no worry about the design.

Okay, I don't want to elaborate more about this software and a short brief would do better for your understanding. About the features of this software, it has almost everything that required in order designing the highway and all applications are ready for the users to use such as designing carriageway, designing super elevation, cross fall checker, roadway widening, junction design and so on.

I'm very delighted to have this opportunity actually as not everyone could have this lucrative chance. Not every Universities and Colleges around Malaysia has this software even the JKR also has recently bought this software.

So for those engineers, it's better for you to invest your money to take part in such training and then, you can forget about your old school method to design highway. It's quite tough in the beginning yet after you put some practice on it, automatically you could be leveled as a skillful highway engineer.

~For more info about MXROAD software, Google it on the internet and it's easy to find~

MXROAD is a Bentley product

What, is it 8 Jan 2010 today?

This is officially the first entry of year 2010. Anyway, it won't take so long for the date to leap away up to 8 January today. As I grow older and the time evolves faster and faster, I didn't start yet to think about my future plan...

......Forget about the first paragraph, now focus on the following paragraphs......

It's not too late if I want to say goodbye for the year 2009 and welcome for the year 2010 as I can't find the internet connection in my house back in Johor - to express out my greetings in here :) I was counting down every seconds before the date switched to 2010 at somewhere (mostly known as tepi parit) altogether with my fellow friends. It sounds quite bad and not comfortable at all yet I enjoyed the night view very much.

Reminiscing back through the year of 2009, I don't think it brought a lot of changes to me as I still stick around with books, assignments and everything related to the education stuff or whatsoever. Yet, it still brings a great encouragement which I think it can help me out to fire up my motivation and looking forward to the next challenge.

In term of education, I had a very good start which has bring me very good results at the end of the semester 2B. Something that I never expect and never happen during I was undergoing diploma. I almost hit the 4 flat for the CGPA. Outstanding isn't it?...

During my diploma days, I never had an experience to feel a very long semester break until I continue my degree. Like what I had been through back in the mid year of 2009, finally I can feel the real semester break, it's really long....

The precious experience came during the semester break in process. I managed to get myself a job so that I wouldn't bore to the death - just imagine you live your life without do nothing. Don't you think it's insane?. After seek for vacancies, I had been hired by Tai Kwong Batteries Industries eventually. I was assigned as Quality Control and earn some very delightful salary. QC - completely nothing to do with my path of civil engineer. Still, it worth for something and it's a great experience, probably happen just once in a life time.

After a couple of months in the industry, I've to put myself back on the lane - to continue the next semester as it was reopened. From the registration part until the class begins, everything was common and not much different at all compare with the previous semester.

Unfortunately, life is not always in a straight way, some barriers will be the great villain. From the crisis with our lecturer and all sorts of complications regarding our study, every little part has ruined our performance in the recent semester even though the results are not come out yet, I can feel the results are running low right now. I'm looking forward and just can't wait for the result to reveal....

Normally, people will come out with new missions and visions due to the New Year is about to start. I also have my own vision and mission. There are a few points that I'm going to after during through the solid year of 2010 I suspect. Well, I'm a final year student and to improve my knowledge should be the priority. The sequence of missions is:

1. All results in my last semester must be in the first class mark. No matter what happen I need to work harder to achieve this as this is my very last chance that available otherwise I'll not graduate as a first class student. Will be looking forward for the upcoming endeavor.
2. Finish my bachelor in triumphantly way (graduate as a first class student). Right now, I got my diploma and soon, I will get my Bachelor certificate in my hands. My plan is, I'm going back to the basic of further education and register my name under the certificate level of civil course. Because I think that I'm lacking one certificate in my collection and I believe it would be useful during my job hunting later.
3. I also want to take part in Health and Safety Training at somewhere in Bangi, conducted by the special officer in charged over there - they must have a wide knowledge and experience in every sorts of accidents situation or anything related to the health and safety issues. No wonder it will cost me almost RM 5K in just less than 1 month of training.
4. I tend to further my study in Master level in somewhere but surely not in the same place. At the same time, I'll try to browse and appeal for sponsorship so that I can get the financial aid from any individuals or company that interested to do so. Otherwise, If I still fail to find any sponsorship, I'll not waste much time and will look for a job vacancies.

Only those points have come across in my mind right now. So, I hope that I could achieve all the missions above without endure too much hardness. Hope Allah is willing to help me out and bless me...amin.....

~end of long preface of year 2010 :)~