BIKING 101 : CYCLING HELMETS

The bike helmet that I am using right now looks like an overgrown mushroom on my head. I mean seriously.

I am sure the manufacturers must have taken great pains and effort to design a safe and secure helmets with our safety in mind. However its is my opinion that the designs looks like shit.

Like I said, an overgrown mushroom.

Having write that, in my search for the all round cycling helmet that not only focus on safety, but also comfortable and looks great, I came across Giro. Researching more information about this brand in the Internet, its actually very popular with the pros. Lance Amstrong and Alberto Contador wore Giro Ionos. Not that I am near Lance Amstrong standard by the way.

From Giro's website;

Ionos is the most ventilated and technologically advanced road cycling helmet Giro has ever created. Our proprietary in-mold composite sub-frame (I.C.S.™) provides the strength to support 21 of the largest vents ever carved into a helmet. These massive vents, coupled with an intricate network of internal channels, create a cooling system we call Wind Tunnel™ ventilation, making Ionos the coolest, best-ventilated helmet available.

The Giro cycling helmet's price is a little bit steep. Wiggle.co.uk sell it at USD 215.99 @ RM 706.99 and Giro website's price is USD 230.00 @ RM 751.87. In Switzerland Ionos cost about CHF 399.00 @ RM 1,228.99 which is way more expensive than the price offered elsewhere.

Its not widely available here in Geneva, and if I ever decide to acquire this one, it looks like I have to order it online. And starts saving.

In the mean time I shall continue my quest for a safe, secure and comfortable cycling helmet.

Oh, and the one which looks cool too, of course.

AKULA WAS HERE : FESTIVAL DU CHOCOLAT, VERSOIX

CHOCOLATES!

I dont need to write about how crazy people are with this mouth watering delicacy. Browsing the Wikipedia, chocolates are thought to have;

"beneficial effects suggested include anticancer, brain stimulator, cough preventor and antidiarrhoeal effects."

although;

"An aphrodisiac effect is yet unproven."

But, seriously, who cares about all that, when the act of eating chocolates is a pleasurable experience itself. Right?

With that in mind I brought my family to the Versoix, about 10 minutes drive from my place to have a day at the once a year Festival du Chocolat.

Tunggu apa lagi? Belasah!

The long queuing line.

In sort of an open day concept, visitors were welcomed to visit the chocolate factory and see the process of turning cocoa into the dark, shining, inviting and delicious chocolate themselves. There were a lot of free testings which I am not shy to admit that we took the advantage and really, really tested the delicious stuff.

Hmmm, which way to chocolate heaven?

This was supposed to be a huge, giant 5 meter tall chocolate bunny. When we arrived at this place, they were still preparing and making it. At the end of the festival, this will be chopped out and sold and donated for Haiti Earthquake victims. We were tired of waiting for them to finish it so we move along to other stalls.

You just have to appreciate how much time and effort were spent to create this music sheet. Amazing!

The details on the hairs - Skilled giler!

These were tennis balls dipped in layers of chocolate.

Tang telinga tu paling sedap! Hehehe

Free chocolate anyone?

Cocoa, where it all begins.

Seriously, the baby was not an accident although some would swear chocolate is sort of aphrodisiac.

Well, I don't have anything to add on that!

AKULA WAS HERE : SHOTS OF KL, SHAH ALAM

I took this shots when I was back in Malaysia last February. The weather was a bit berjerebu. Its always interesting to take night or low level lights shot, since its a little bit difficult. The satisfaction of capturing a particular pic after hours of waiting patiently for the right moment was really rewarding.

Kalau gambar jadi, perrrhh, syok tengok. (Setting: Aperture priority. ISO: Auto - Masih belajar!)

C and C are most welcome. Enjoy!

New Moon

My very first lightning pics. Gilernya lama nak dapat. Dok tangkap ayik kelam je dekat sejam since you cannot predict where it will strike next. Las-last dapatlah satu gambar yang tak seberapa ni. Hehe

THE THING ABOUT US : LOSING FRIENDS AND LOVE ONES

I am losing friends and love ones. Berturut-turut.

Guys dan gals, take care of your health. Please do start exercising. Its that age where all the penyakit grabs our throats and latch on it.

Dont ever think that it only happens to someone else. Think about the children and the love ones. We could be the next one.

Work it out.

If its our time, its our time, but at least we did our best.

Please.

AKULA WAS HERE : QATAR AIRWAYS AND DOHA INT AIRPORT

I flew back to Malaysia recently with Qatar Airways, which from Geneva flies to Doha and after 2 and half hour transit there continued to KLIA.

KLIA to DOHA

The flight to Doha took about 6 hours. Arriving at the the Doha International Airport, I observed that its a bit small, although a lot of earthworks and constructions around the airport did suggest that they are in the midst of expanding and upgrading it. Perhaps they are investing in a potential profitable business should oil runs out in the future.

Welcome To Doha!

I was somewhat surprised since there's a lot of recognizable Asian faces in the airport. Eavesdropping their conversation tells me that mostly they were from ASEAN countries.

Baguihnya dok gebang!

I noticed that a lot of the airport staff were of Indian origins. Come to think of it, there were not many Qataris working at the airport, but I might be wrong. (Perhaps friends of mine who are working in Doha could verify this). I knew that Qatar hosted many foreign workers but I did not imagine that its this many. The person at the duty free counter was from Indonesia, the airport security person was from India, the guy at the A&W restaurant was from Philippines, the cleaners were from Bangladesh, the stewardesses on my flight were from Turkey, Malaysia and Lebanon. It seems like none of the local people work there, or perhaps they only worked in management positions.

The facilities at Doha International Airport were quite good. Being a small airport I would expect worse. There was a quite room where travelers can catch some sleep while waiting for connecting flights, smokers room, surau and even a free 24 hour clinic.

The Doha Airport Duty Free shop. Thats about it. No more. And its expensive compared to to other airports duty free shops.

I was informed by one of the friendly airport staff I befriended that for passengers with a lot of time to kill, it is possible to book an excursion to Doha city. Since I don't have much time, I did not explore the possibility although I would love to do that since of all my years traveling, this is the first time I step foot in a Middle Eastern country.

One thing that was killing me at the Doha airport was the flight/ public announcers voice.They like to raise their already high pitched voice over the PA system when they did their announcing. And in what must be a secret competition among them, the next person who took over the microphone will try their very best to upstage the person before, resulting in almost a shouting match. Then there's the last call to board which were repeated endlessly. If it was meant for one person to get his/ her butt pronto to the aircraft, I would understand it perfectly. But surely not for every person on every departing flight? The last call, in my humble opinion, should be the last call and no more after that. Hearing names after names being repeated every other minute everywhere in the airport had sort of forcibly imprinted itself in my brain. Really, really irritating. I would think that this is the most appropriate kind of torture to be used to penalize criminals in prisons. Give them a day with the announcers here in Doha International Airport, and I am sure in no time, they will pull every single strand of their hair and screamed mercy. That's how irritating it was. When I arrived in KLIA later, hearing silky smooth and pleasant voice of the its announcers were a relief. It really did make a difference, especially after a long, tired and lenguh bontot flight.

Another thing I observed in Doha airport was that there were no money changer around. Not a single one. Its very difficult for me to change my Swiss Franc to buy some A&W snack for my children since all the shops at the airport did not accept it. In contrast, they accepted USD, Pound Sterling, Euros and even RM but Swiss Franc was a no. Finally, a nice guy at the A&W counter willingly accepts the tidak boleh diniagakan Swiss Franc and gave us the change in Qatari Riyal. (Note to self, Swiss Franc tak laku jugak kat sesetengah tempat!)

My family and I boarded our flight to KLIA right on time. Traveling with kids has it advantages, since we are among the first to board and skipped the staring down of the serious faces of the security people. After another seven hours of sore behind moments (the after effect of a broken tailbone), we arrived safely in Malaysia.

By the way, one of the names that was forever imprinted in my brain, courtesy of the announcers in Doha International Airport is Miss Graciana L. Herrera.

Miss Herrera was late boarding her flight to Madrid, Spain.