2016 - Not many travels but lotsa learning

At the end of each year, I go through my customary look back at the year.

I travelled to only 2 places in 2016. But there were many learning opportunities throughout the year to improve my career prospects, health and just for the sake of pursuing passion. Here goes:

***************************************

Travelled to Nepal (again!). Was supposed to do Everest Base Camp but was unsuccessful because we couldn't fly into Lukla where the trek begins. You can read all about it here.

View of Kathmandu city from the rooftop of Hotel Yambu.

***************************************

Travelled to Kuching, Sarawak for the first time. Went there to participate in the Kuching Marathon.

Also took the opportunity to visit some interesting sights in Kuching and gluttoned all the way with Kuching food.

***************************************

Took part in 2 fun runs: Kuching Marathon and Score Run.

Finishers medal.

I also registered for the Precious Ladies & Men's Possible Run on 12 December 2016 but didn't go because it was raining that morning.

Will be doing my first 10km on 8 January 2017 at the MPI Generali Run. Keeping fingers crossed that I'll be able to complete the race within 1 hour 15 minutes which is the time limit I've set for myself.

***************************************

Enrolled for the Chartered Bankers course offered by the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers. 

I completed my first module, Marketing and Selling in Financial Services on 20 November 2016.

I've got 2 more papers to sit in April 2017 before I move on to the final level, i.e. Chartered Bankers level.

This is how the study text look like.

***************************************

Started taking up tai chi and completed learning the 37 steps, Cheng Man Cheng style on 19 October 2016.

Attended push hands technique workshop on 21 October 2016 at Cova Square in Kota Damansara. The workshop turned out to be a self defence class instead of push hands which was a disappointment. What a bloody waste of RM399.00.

***************************************

Completed a Basic Nail Course where I learned to give a manicure, pedicure and buffing amongst other things.

Somehow I've developed an interest in making nails look pretty and healthy. I still need to work on my nail polish application though, to make it look flawless.

My manicure/pedicure kit which is included in the fees. 

***************************************

Added 4 Hard Rock Cafe bottle openers to my collection, i.e. Amsterdam, Helsinki, Pattaya and Yokohama.

I could have added Lisbon, Macau and Munich to the collection, but was on a cost discipline exercise. Hard Rock Cafe bottle openers don't come cheap, you know ...

***************************************

Started embracing a minimalist lifestyle because we actually don't need much to live. Having less stuff also means more space to free my flat and mind. Cleaning my flat is also so much easier with less stuff lying around.

I started this minimalist lifestyle by slowly decluttering my stuff using the Konmari method. It's a slow process but I'm getting there.

**************************************

Happy New Year 2017 everyone !

My Favourite Modern Building

The Petronas Twin Towers is my favourite modern building in this whole wide world. I use the phrase 'modern building' because the Petronas Twin Towers cannot be compared to buildings like St Peter's Basilica in Vatican City or the Louvre in Paris, since they were all built in different eras.

The Petronas Twin Towers looks magnificent especially at night when the entire structure is illuminated. If you look hard enough, sometimes there're white birds circling the lower part of the towers at night. I wonder where these birds come from.

Although I can see the Petronas Twin Towers from my apartment and from my office, I never get bored of looking at this 88-storey building. On the bus home from work everyday I will try to sit on the side of the bus that faces the Twin Towers so that I can marvel at it as the bus passes by.

The highest floor I've been to in the Twin Towers is on the 66th Floor when I was at the Bloomberg office for a training session recently. And the view from that floor was breathtaking ...

There was once I was on the Monorail late in the evening. A group of Chinese or Taiwanese tourists (never could tell the difference since they all spoke Mandarin with that China-mari accent) were looking enthusiastically out the window, moving their heads about as if looking for something, and chattering away in Mandarin. Since I can't speak the language, I was wondering what were they looking for.

As the Monorail pulled into the Bukit Nanas station, all of them exclaimed loudly, "WAH ... !!!!!" and pointed at the Petronas Twin Towers. I could only smile at these tourist who must have been astounded at the beauty of the towers.

Being the tallest twin towers in the world, many tourist attempt to snap photos of their friends with the towers in the background. I always chuckle when I see them snapping away in front of Menara Public Bank on Jalan Ampang. Some even resort to lying down on the ground to get the entire building into the viewfinder!

Let me share the best spots I know (unlimited) to snap these massive towers:

• In front of Menara Public Bank on Jalan Ampang.
• In front of Dang Wangi LRT station.
• In front of Menara ING on Jalan Raja Chulan.

My lecturer once told his students that approximately 2,000 miniature Twin Towers is sold per day. This is some serious $ we're talking here. I also learned at an insurance presentation that the entire building in insured for RM8 billion!

Although the Petronas Twin Towers once reigned as the tallest building in the world, only losing to Burj Dubai, it still reigns as the tallest twin towers in the world. But whatever it is, the Petronas Twin Towers is my favourite modern building in this whole wide world!