Chillout, Soulout & Freakout at Batu Maloi Cave

Gang Pointer 4.0 ✌

My legs and arms were shaking. Sweat was tripping down my face.  Every step and crawl felt like thousands of needles are sinking into my legs, but above all that, nothing worth experiencing comes easy. 
It was project week for my classmates and I from the Malaysian Maritime Academy, and we happened  to experience our first ever caving adventure at Gua Batu Maloi which is located at a small town called Johol, Negeri Sembilan.  

Our Multiracial Team ❤

Our adventure at Gua Batu Maloi begun way before we actually reached the cave system. We were required to first trek to the cave. Thought the trail seemed tough, we were very assured that we would be rewarded along the way by the startlingly beautiful foliage, the captivating greenery of the rich rainforest that holds the cave in its embrace. And this magnificent surrounding kept all of us going. 
This cave formed beneath masses of large rocks, with a clear shallow stream lazily making its way around the stoned and boulders that make up the cave floor. The challenges that we had to face consisted of crawling, sliding, climbing and also creeping out of tiny rocks. The narrow and winding passage into the cave can prove to be quite perilous, especially in pitch darkness. 

Essential Selfie Sessions 📸

As explained by our caving guide, this cave was a very interesting granite cave formation. The river actually makes this formation from million of years of water flow. You can imagine a dark cave with tiny insects around, and chilling water running above your body while you submerge yourself underwater. 

What made the activity really fun? The fact that we had to squeeze and cram ourselves through small gaps and holes. Looking at the size of the holes that we passed through after struggles, mainly taught us not to underestimate ourselves and to just keep going. Also, we made sure we guarded and had each other’s back because to make sure everyone was safe and sound. 

Risks aside, the 3 hours Batu Maloi Cave exploration trip offered us a challenging and memorable experience for those who dare to enter. 

Thank You, All 😍

Service: 4/5 👌
Price: 3/5, cheaper by group 💰
Challenge level: 4/5 💣
Recommend? Totally. 👍

An Important Element of Leadership : Planning

'A goal without a plan is just a wish'

- Antoine de Saint- Exupery

When you consider leadership, and what kinds of things make an extraordinary leader, something that rings the bell is planning. Incredible leaders think of incredible plans. Some record them while some come up with them on the fly. In any case, planning is a significant leadership expertise since it provides guidance on the best way to achieve a goal. 

So how does planning help in leadership?

1. Set Expectations

One of the principle advantages of a plan is that it goes about as a communication device. Individuals will know when they ought to begin something and when they need to have it wrapped up, to know when things will occur, giving them some certainty of what is to be expected. A plan additionally enables a manager to appear as thought they have put some idea into what they are doing.

2. Allocate Resources

Numerous projects and tasks struggle in light of the fact that there are no perfect individuals accessible to take the necessary steps. Without a plan, you will never know how many individuals you need or even when you might require them. This implies that you will be stuck in an endless circle of 'We will know the answer when we get there'. 

If any extra work is going to require help from your team, you need to understand how much effort is involved so you can hire in some more help to your usual work. At the end of the day, a plan is for everyone - not simply the person making the plan!

3. Hold People Accountable

Without a plan and due dates, the work would just proceed until someone gets around to finish it. Be that as it may if there are leaders who comprehend the significance of planning and holding people to datelines, abruptly individuals would start complying to the said deadlines. 

Keep in mind that to hold people responsible, there should be clear expectations and consequences for missing due dates. Consequences do not have to severe, yet they have to exist. In the event that everyone just shrugs and moves on, no one would learn anything.

In simple words, planning in relationship could be done as follows :-

STEP 1 : Define What Generally Makes A Great Leader

STEP 2 : Take A Self-Assessment

STEP 3 : Identify Your Core Values

STEP 4 : Write A Personal Vision Statement

STEP 5 : Analyze What Other Think Of You

STEP 6 : Identify Your Current And Lacking Leadership Skills

STEP 7 : Set Goals

STEP 8 : Write An Action Plan

Things to Ponder : Your completed personal leadership development plan speaks on where you are currently and where you would head to after this. Thus, revisit the plan frequently, refreshing it and tweaking it as required, so that it reflects where are you on the journey to becoming an incredible leader with perfect leadership skills. 

Nissan GT-R

1)   The GT-R made its debut in the late 50s and was called the Skyline GT-R. But the Skyline cars were originally made by another Japanese carmaker called Prince Motors. The company was eventually taken over by Datsun, which then launched the Skyline GT-R in 1969. Later, the Datsun nameplate was changed to Nissan.

2)   The GT-R earned the nickname “Godzilla” after a string of motorsport victories in the early 90s. Such was its dominance in the races that certain members of the Australian media began calling it Godzilla or the monster from Japan.

3)   Each of the GTR’s 3.8-litre V6 twin-turbo engine is handbuilt and assembled by five master craftsmen that Nissan calls Takumi. The engine is assembled in a temperature-controlled room at Nissan’s Yokohama plant. The process takes as long as 6 hours after which the Takumi mounts the engine block with a plaque bearing his name. They apply the same level of meticulous detail to each and every engine, whether it is destined for the road or track.

4)   The GTR is among the fastest accelerating 4-seater car in the world. It can do 0-100kmph in 2.8 seconds placing it in the league of the Porsche 911 and Lamborghini Aventador.

5)   As surprising as it may sound, the GT-R has a lower coefficient of drag than the Ferrari 488. While the 488 has a Cd value of 0.324, that of the GT-R is 0.26. Now the GT-R is more boxy than the Ferrari, but the designers have come up with such a design in order to reduce the drag coefficient, even though the vehicle is more boxy. This enables the GT-R to not only be fast, but also be more efficient.

6)   The Latest GT-R is produced in Nissan’s Tochigi facility and takes roughly 60 hours to make from start to finish. Apparently the hardest part is to fit the drivetrain as both the AWD system and gearbox are mounted in the back for better weight distribution.

7)   Comics are extremely popular in Japan and come the launch of the R35, Nissan decided to use a slightly different approach to advertisement. When the car was first launched in the US, a comic called the GT-R was also introduced which also included the history of the GT-R namesake.

8)   Just like the Ferari Enzo, it takes only 150ms to change gear in a Nissan GT-R. However, unlike the Enzo, the GT-R’s twin-clutch paddleshift gearbox can be adjusted to change gear less harshly, or even driven in full automatic mode. The GT-R’s gearbox is incredibly versatile, with the ability to shift like a supercar, or gently slide its way up the cogs.

9)   Added to this increased tyre strength, Nissan also chooses to inflate its rubber with Nitrogen instead of compressed air. Nitrogen brings several improvements over air, but perhaps most significantly is its ability to remain at a stable pressure even under extreme temperature change. This means during times of fast driving, the tyres are less likely to overheat, therefore providing better grip for even longer.

10)        In order to achieve perfect balance, Nissan’s engineers worked hard to ensure the GT-R’s weight distribution is comparable to that of a racing car. With the lightweight V6 up front and the transaxle sitting between the rear wheels, the weight distribution is split between front and rear almost perfectly. This brings a wealth of benefits to the car, enabling tremendous traction and sharper handling thanks to the car’s much flatter posture.

Long-distance relationships

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder” is one of those obnoxious, inspirational quotes told to couples in their first long distance relationship.

The distance between you and your partner compels individuality. For many couples, being around each other daily leads to synchrony of personality and behavior. Although this may seem cute at first, it has its downsides. There is little room for growth, and each individual is defined by their partner. In a long distance relationship, you have time to think about your own values, your own goals, and your individual persona.

Society today is obsessed with sex. Talk shows and magazines today tell us that sex is the primary part of a relationship, and although it is important, it should not be the dominant force driving a relationship. There are numerous long-distance relationships that break off due to the lack of physical contact. The great thing about a long-distance relationship is that it can help strengthen the bond that goes beyond the physical between you and your partner, because you have more time to talk to each other about yourselves and about each other. A long-distance relationship fosters communication and trust-building.

When you are around someone constantly, it can be easy to take them for granted. It is easy for couples to get so wrapped up in their daily lives and schedules that they forget to value each other; they get into arguments and become caught up in problems that can lead to a break up. It is a sad truth, but sometimes being away from the person you love can be good for you. Distance teaches you and your partner the value of your relationship, as well as greater appreciation for the time you two get to spend together. You begin missing their laugh, their jokes, and their company.

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A long-distance relationship requires commitment from both you and your partner to work. It requires communication and trust. There will be rough patches, of course, but if each individual clearly knows the reason why they are in the relationship and recognizes their common goal to share life together, then the benefits of the outcome will outweigh the negatives.

“Distance between two hearts is not an obstacle, rather a great reminder of just how strong true love can be.”

Friends like Family

When I first met them, we were rivals and strangers who knew nothing about each other. Time passed, and we just felt that friendship had urged within us and without any word spoken there are times that gestures were just enough to create a friendship that could withstand any challenges that came out way. The value of friendship to me was priceless; something that no one can obtain in a flick of time.

So, what makes a family a family? Can family only be a real family when all siblings in the family have the same dad and mom? Can family only be a real family when everyone lives under the same roof in the family? I believe that family isn’t just by blood, it is defined by something more.

Sometimes we come to see friends as family because members of the family we grew up with live far away or feel too different, or are just too difficult to deal with. Ending contact or cutting off a family member who brings you grief is a modern liberation, like the freedom to choose a spouse or divorce one. Holes left by rejected or rejecting relatives, or left by relatives lost to distance, death or circumstance, can be filled by friends who are like family. 

They are the ones you can run up to in times of any crisis as well as during the happy moments of your life. The world might go through a tremendous change but friends are the people we can rely on no matter what. Often known as siblings from different parent, friends keep us grounded as well as also help us retain the child in us no matter how old we get or how busy we are in leading our professional as well as personal lives.

I personally ignore the fact about whose DNA has recombined with whose when everything goes to hell, the people who stand by you without flinching when you are going through hell, they are your family. Like the saying goes, ‘ Family isn’t always blood. It’s the people in your life who want you in theirs. The ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile, and who love you no matter what.

Dream Vacation

Siting over 2,000 miles west of California, about 1,500 years ago a group of canoes came ashore to some of the islands now known as Hawaii. These people, the islands’ first known residents, had rowed about 2,000 miles from the Marquesas Islands to get hereThese cultures brought traditions of their own and over time created new traditions such as surfing, hula dancing, and exchanging flower garlands called leis which is something I have always admired about this dream place.

Hawaii is the world’s largest island chain, and it is the only U.S. state completely made up of islands. But only 7 of its 132 islands are inhabited. The Hawaiian Islands are volcanic islands. They have formed as the Earth’s crust, made up of giant rocky slabs called tectonic plates, moves over a particularly hot spot in the molten layer beneath the crust. The heat melts the rock that makes up the crust, turning it into magma. Then once the magma breaks through to the surface of the Earth’s crust it cools and forms new land.

Hawaii is known for its beautiful beaches, some of them with unusual colors. Many beaches are filled with white sand, but other Hawaiian shores are covered with green, red, pink, and even black sand. Since I like hiking, biking, kayaking, sailing, swimming, or just sitting on the beach, Hawaii is the state for me. Near the water, you can relax as palm trees blow in the island breeze. Travel toward to the center of one of the big islands and I can hike through dense tropical rain forests and experience stunning waterfalls and also to not forget diving in the waters and snorkel near Hawaii’s coral reefs.

Though Hawaii has thousands of plants and animals, it has only one native land mammal: the Hawaiian hoary bat. Hawaii’s other mammals, including the mongoose, rat, and feral pig, were brought to the islands by humans. Hawaii is teeming with native birds like the Hawaiian owl, the noio, a type of tern and Hawaii’s state bird, the nene. Hawaii’s waters are home to sea life such as monk seals, hawksbill turtles, and lizardfish. Humpback whales visit the waters from December to May to mate, give birth, and nurture their calves.

The main thing of Hawaii that I love is their culture is every bit as diverse as its geography, with virtually every nation and ethnicity represented in its food, festivals, music and art. From hula and hip hop to the Honolulu Symphony and community theater, the possibilities for today’s visitors to participate in Hawaii’s rich culture are limited only by the imagination.

Benefits of home-cooked meals

Spices, herbs and the aroma that circulates the house when there is something cooking in the kitchen is a odour that can take up all our hearts and waters our mouth. Like how the elders had always rang it in our ears, there is honesly nothing better than home-cooked meals. Personally, I always enjoyed eating at home rather than indulging on unhealthy food outdoors, which also at times burns an hole in my pocket. But the taste of home food has its own speciality which outdoor food can never take over.

 

Honestly, there are very much difference between home cooked meals and meals we have outdoors. Mainly is that home cooked meals are cooked with love, care and a lot other spices. However, meals out of home are cooked for the prices we pay which sometimes lack in tasting too. Everyone appreciates the comfort of home cooked meals, but cooking at home also means healthier eating. When you explore meals to cook at home and take the time to prepare food for yourself and your family, you enjoy healthful and nutritious food. You also contribute to the health of your family, the planet, your community, and your finances.

Restaurants, especially fast food restaurants, often try to offer the appearance of value by offering large portions. At home, however, it may be easier to control the amount of food you consume. There is no pressure to eat everything on your plate because you have paid for it. When you order at a restaurant, you receive the quality the chef prepares. When you cook at home, however, you enjoy the quality you feel you and your family deserve.

Nobody has to tell you that eating out is expensive. The difference between a sandwich at a local restaurant and a sandwich from your kitchen is about more than ambiance. Buying prepared food at a restaurant typically costs much more than buying ingredients to put together yourself. Cooking at home allows you to get more for your money by cutting out the excess costs of restaurant preparation and service. In other words, the more often you make your own food, the more money you'll save.

Eating at home gives my entire family a time to be together. There is a study that shows that when we eat together, our kids and family are much healthier. Home-cooking generally is very synonymous with family gathering. The beauty of home-cooking is that ability to share love through your cooking. The appreciation, the compliments, the smiles, the requests for more is all home-cooking is all about which is something I and my family had been practising generation by generation.

A visit to Marina Bay Sands

Marina Bay Sands is known to be a premier entertainment destination with its vibrant diversity of attractions and facilities. The vision was to build an integrated development that is timeless, a landmark that possesses a distinct identity which distinguishes Singapore from other cities.

Recently, I had the chance to have a one night stay over at the Marina Bay Sands. Since we did an early booking, we had the chance to get a 360 view from the balcony. It was one of the most majestic feeling to be felt to be able to explore the wonders in Marine Bay Sands. The balcony viewed the gardens by the bay, the artscience museum and the Singapore flyer. To be amazed of the view during daytime was stunning, but the night view was something to be seen at least once in a lifetime.

Imagine soaking in the world’s largest rooftop infinity pool and gazing down on the glittering expanse of the city from 57 levels above. Marina bay is also famous for the world’s one and only longest elevated pool. At 150 cm long, the Infinity Pool was pure indulgence, and offers winning views of the city from 57 storeys up.

After your swim, sunbathe on a luxurious poolside lounger, or relax in the shade of a palm tree with a glass of champagne in hand.

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The one night was not fulfilling to explore the whole of Marina Bay Sands since it would take up days to completely enjoy the divisions and places around the place. Our last day arrived, where we had to pack up which sadly ended our holiday. Before making a move, we indulged into the buffet breakfast which was one of a kind, consisting of many types of local and international food.

Marina Bay Sands seamlessly combines business and leisure into a singular destination unlike any other.It was the greatest experience to be able to have a night stay at the most international location.

Music

We all know what music is, but in one line ,we can say "It is the voice of soul". It expresses the feelings which cannot be put into words and cannot be remained in silence. Everyone has their favorite song and there is always an untold story behind it.

Music can take different forms. Be it, music as an interest for singing, playing the instruments, music as a part of Dance. It is also considered as an essential part of every culture, in every country. Music is composed and performed for many purposes, ranging from aesthetic pleasure, religious or ceremonial purposes, or as an entertainment product for the marketplace.

It does not matter if the sound of the note comes from above or below your ear, you call it a “low” note because the frequency is long and slow, and we relate slow things with weight, and weight implies gravity, so “low notes” are perceived as heavy. High notes are perceived as light,  less affected by gravity. So music has an inherent sense of direction based on pitch.

If ascending musical lines suggest upward physical motion, and descending lines really do descend in the mind as if you yourself are moving lower and lower, then the music is transporting you, taking you on a journey simply by vibrating your eardrums and infiltrating your psyche without using words. It does this because it is a language which follows essential natural patterns which are deeper than words.

Music is the vehicle of the universe. Whatever has a life of its own, has music. Be it the sound of waves or the chirping birds or the roar of a tiger. And we humans can only hear a limited subset of the complete sound spectrum. For me as a guitarist, creation of a musical piece is nothing short of divine experience, something that I am merely a channel for.

Recipe : London Almond Cookies

Servings 100 pieces

Ingredients

• 100-120 pieces whole almonds
• 220g plain flour
• 1/4tsp baking soda
• 1/4tsp baking powder
• 20g milk powder
• 20g cornflour
• 180g butterat room temperature
• 110g brown sugar
• 1/4tsp salt
• 1tsp vanilla essence
• 600g dark chocolate
• 100-120 paper cups
• 100g white chocolate

 Instructions

 

To prepare almonds:

1.      Toast the whole almonds in a pre-heated oven at 170°C for 10 minutes.

To make cookies:

1.      Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, milk powder, and cornflour.

2.      Using an electric beater fitted with a paddle, cream butter, brown sugar and salt. Fold in sifted dry ingredients and vanilla essence. Mix to bind.

3.      Using the teaspoon measuring spoon, scoop 1 teaspoon cookie mixture and cover ech almond, shaping into an oblong shape. Place onto pre-greased trays.

To bake:

1.      Pre-heat oven to 180°C. Bake cookies for 15 minutes or until lightly browned, turning tray midway. Leave to cool.

To decorate:

1.      Melt dark chocolate in a bain-marie. Do the same for white chocolate and place in a piping bag and snip.

2.      Dip cooled cookie into melted dark chocolate and place in paper cup. Pipe fine zig-zag lines of white chocolate on top of cookie and set aside till both chocolates set before storing in jars.

Smoking Kills

Smoking Kills

                ‘Everytime you light up a cigarette you are proving that your life is not worth living.’

When your parents were young, people could buy cigarettes and smoke pretty much anywhere, even in hospitals. Advertisements for cigarettes were all over the place. Today the public is more aware about how bad smoking is for our health. Smoking is restricted or banned in almost all public places and cigarette companies are no longer allowed to advertise on TV, radio, and in many magazines. Almost everyone knows that smoking causes cancer, emphysema, and heart disease, that it can shorten your life by 10 years or more and that the habit can cost a smoker thousands a year. So why are people still lighting it up? The answer, in a word, is addiction.

Cigarette manufacturers spend millions of dollars every year to convince you and your children that smoking will make you exciting, athletic, important, sophisticated, and sexually attractive. Quitting smoking is the best preventive medicine. Experts estimate that stopping smoking is about 10 times more cost-effective at saving lives than even the best medical screening tests.

The benefits are enormous. Your heart, lungs, and blood vessels have an amazing capacity to heal themselves when given the chance. When you stop smoking, your body starts repairing itself almost immediately. The risk of heart attack, stroke, and cancer starts dropping immediately.
            

 Here are a few of the chemicals in tobacco smoke and other places they are found:

·     Acetone—found in nail polish remover. Fragrant volatile liquid ketone, used as a solvent.

·     Acetic acid—an ingredient in hair dye

·     Ammonia—a common household cleaner. A toxic, colourless gas with a sharp odour. Ammonia compounds are commonly used in cleaning products and fertilisers. Arsenic—used in rat poison. Containing pesticides used in tobacco farming occur in small quantities in cigarette smoke.

·     Benzene—found in rubber cement and gasoline

·     Butane—used in lighter fluid

·     Cadmium—active component in battery acid

·     Carbon monoxide—released in car exhaust fumes. An odourless, colourless gas that is released from burning tobacco. When it is inhaled it enters the blood stream and interferes with the working of the heart and the blood vessels. Up to 15% of a smoker’s blood can be carrying carbon monoxide instead of oxygen.

·     Formaldehyde—embalming fluid

·     Hexamine—found in barbecue lighter fluid

·     Lead—used in batteries

·     Naphthalene—an ingredient in mothballs

·     Methanol—a main component in rocket fuel

·     Nicotine—used as an insecticide. Colourless, poisonous alkaloid derived from the tobacco plant. It is a powerful drug, which affects the brain and quickly becomes addictive.

·     Polonium – 210 - Radioactive element – used in nuclear weapons as well as an atomic heat source.

·     Tar—material for paving roads. It’s a sticky brown substance that forms when tobacco cools and condenses. It collects in the lungs and can cause cancer.

·     Toluene—. A highly toxic chemical. Industrial uses include rubbers, oils, resins, adhesives, inks, detergents, dyes and explosives.