A grandma from Macau

Friday, which everyone unofficially entitles a long lunch break, therefore, we took the opportunity to visit the library at Japan Foundation.

When we came back, it's almost passed 2 hours, but only found out that our LRT ticket was under value - we mistakenly bought previous station ticket. So we quickly walked toward the counter to top up our ticket value. We saw the staff waving at us when we were approaching, "Can you ask her what she wants?" Pointing at an elder woman, in front of the counter.

I turned and looked at her, an old lady, around her 70s, spoke softly in mandarin "I just want to submit my flight ticket, so that I could goto the airport, but he couldn't understand me. I came from Macau". Apparently she mistaken this as the check in counter. I tried to find out which LRT station she came from, but perhaps she couldn't understand my rusted mandarin. So we decided to bring her to the ERL counter.

While we were walking toward the ERL counter, only I found out that she was taking AirAsia flight, how silly was I. ERL connects to KLIA, but not LCCT. To go there, you have to take bus or taxi. So we decided to bring her to LCCT bus station instead. "When is your flight?" I asked, "3 something" she answered. But it's already 10 passed 2! She was unlikely able to make it. So I asked for her flight ticket and itinerary, to confirm the time.

"RETURN: 18 February 2008" Huh? But today is 25 JAN, she must has mistaken the return date! So I told her about it, "Oohh, I want to go back earlier." She replied. "Are you sure you can change your flight date earlier? Who told you that?" I asked. After few rounds of questioning, I found out that apparently she came here with a friend, but due to some reason, she wanted to go back earlier, while her friend decided to stay. And she was told by the hotel employee that she could change her flight date, but unlikely they have given her any details. This is getting complicated, it's better we check it out first at the AirAsia counter here. So we brought her there.

And that's the time we bumped into our big big big boss! Our R&D director, with others! We smiled, and was thinking, "SHIT, GREAT!"

"1270", that's the queuing number we got, "1257", and that's the current number. Swarm of people already gathered there! Pressure already forcing on us, we took a peek at the counter employees, make sure there is Chinese that could help her, we gave her advice to talk with the Chinese staff there, and with no choice, we left her there... Her words of thankful still non stop replaying in my head when I walked back to the office...

Back at office, I told Jerome about this, he had this totally huge reaction! "Old lady in this age wouldn't travel alone! They usually travel with tour! Must be her son in law or son, or daughter, treat her badly, she cannot stand it so wanted to go back! Come, lets go back and check on her!" "You serious?" I was surprised "YES!" Due to guilt, so we went back to look for her. But she was no where to be found, we looked around a while, not there. Hoping she's alright, we went back to office...

I still feel somewhat guilty that I didn't help her all the way, due to selfish and afraid to get into trouble, I left a helpless elder in a place that's totally alien to her! I am such a bad person!! Sigh... I really hope that she is safe, and got her way back to Macau... I'm sorry grandma...

Canned drink frenzy!

I remember that day we received an email from our APAC Managing Director (we are a small company establishment here, so sometimes our MD also handles minor cases), the content is somewhat like this:

"...due to we can't meet the 500 can per month requirement, the distributor is planning to remove our vending machine. Therefore, after some consideration and negotiation, we have decided to subsidize more for the canned drinks, to 50 cent a can..."


It's 50 cent! Oh yeah baby!

And guess what, from a previous mere 200 cans a month, till a fast depletion of 500 cans in 2 weeks! Sheessh! All these people! Even one of the manager said "Great, can buy some back home and sell now!" Malaysia BOLEH!

Nippon Tei @ KLCC

Back on August 2007, we visited Nippon Tei Japanese Restaurant, located at KLCC. We were between the choice of Nippon Tei, and the next door Genki Sushi. Wanting to try out something different (we were kinda being regular to Sushi King those days), we picked Nippon Tei, for its quite grand, and Japanese style decorated layout, we went in, hope to seek a more Japanese cuisine taste and feel.

"Yes, how many person?" Hhmm... I would expect a "Irasshaimashita" or "Irasshaimase" (welcome in english), because we use to get that in Japanese restaurant, even in Sushi King.

After we sat down, we were asked what drink we would like to have. "Hot ocha please". "Ohh, hot green tea rite?" OK, even basic food and beverage term also they were not familiarized, this has given me another bad impression.

I am not being arrogant of what, but in my opinion, there's some most basic things you must do to qualify yourself as a "Japanese" restaurant.


Unagi Maki, Softshell Crab Temaki, Salmon Temaki

We ordered 3 items, unagi maki (grilled eel roll), 1 softshell crab handroll and 1 salmon hand roll.


The texture of the Unagi doesn't look that nice, but still OKlah...

The unagi maki still up to the par, but the handrolls were definitely too "skinny", nothing much in them but some tiny slices of vege, salmon and softshell crab!


My goodness, look at that tiny little salmon...

At the price of 1 level above normal chain Japanese restaurant like Sushi King, but serving somewhat average food, and without much Japanese style (other than the decoration), Nippon Tei is not really a Japanese food fan's choice, at least not for me.