YATTA!!! That’s right… Narrowband is Japan-bound. As soon as this weekend. Like, damn fast can Postponed to later this month liao lar. So nevermind the free Hong Kong trip… I’m all geared up to go to Japan! Boss wants me to go get some exposure. My seniors tell me I’ll smell nicer after dipping in salt water (ok, direct translation from Cantonese obviously doesn’t work very well here). Well, true enough, I’ll be going - for the first time - on board a real tanker. We call them LNG carriers.

Watashi wa Kinyoubi Nihon e Ikimasu! | Narrowband.org
(credits to Carlospics, via Flickr)

Since I’m considered a n00b engineer with no more than 1 year working experience, I don’t know how much I’ll be able to contribute while on board that massive tanker. It’s a newly-built vessel, so there are tests to be conducted. The last time I sailed on a ship (cruise) was yonks ago - I can’t even remember. This time, who’d expect it to be a gas tanker instead? Working hours is expected to be long, even up to 7-days a week. But it will be very interesting… considering it’s my first such assignment.

The last time I heard, security checks are stringent when boarding such vessels. It is, after all, not a cruise holiday we’re talking about. It’s about transporting millions of dollars worth of payload across open seas. Therefore I am not sure if cameras will be allowed. Handphones are okay I guess. But there won’t be any network coverage out at sea anyway. I hope I can update my blog while I’m there (or at least while on mainland), because otherwise Narrowband.org would be inactive for at least 2 weeks. That’d be really uncool.

I think I’ll spend up to about a month in Japan… it will depend on the amount of work to be done, and how smoothly the tests go. The second half of my Bali trip blog entry will have to wait… Same also goes for the Lake Toba holiday, and the remainder of my Nokia Wireless Adventure experience. Sorry guys for keeping you waiting… I really want to finish off the Bali trip post ASAP too because that place was so darn nice. Actually, I also wanted to blog about my experience at the Taman Jaya lake during Chap Goh Meh (the one KY pwned 2 years ago), but then I think can forget it already lar right… Damn long over due liao can! Now you can expect another set of entries on my trip to Japan…

I’m actually quite lucky to be sent at this time, because tomorrow (Wednesday) is the last day of my Japanese class (FYI, my bosses in my company doesn’t know I’m taking Jap - it’s all on my own initiative!), which is also the exam day. Had it been scheduled a week later, I’d have to miss it already. I only got to know about my Japan assignment two days ago (a day after the Nokia Wireless race). I’m also lucky to have *not* planned any holiday trip in April and May. But I think I’ll have to skip the International Hot Air Balloon show in May… the one which I pledged to volunteer as a crew. I’m a trained crew now remember?

And oh, I just bought a second-hand wide-angle lens for my baby EOS. The pictures it produces are jaw-dropping. I don’t have any good ones to show here in particular… as I just got it today. At a bargain. It’s super cheap compared to its original price, two years ago! It’s the Canon 10-22mm EF-S ultra-wide angle lens… Google/Flickr it ;). Let’s hope I’ll be able to fully utilize it in the Land of the Rising sun!

Alright I’m gonna go hit the sack. I’ll have to prepare for my trip tomorrow and the day after. Will try to make the best out of this trip… like uhm… try some Japanese pick up lines on the local chicasss…… Wish me luck hahahah…

Food for thought: Getting pimped by Pinkpau is like experiencing the Digg effect. My site just recorded the highest number of unique hits in SIX MONTHS ok! Really pau-erful! :-|.

Edit @ 2200 hrs: I now have a pic to show, taken immediately after I got up this morning (hands itchy leh…):anis

Watashi wa Kinyoubi Nihon e Ikimasu! | Narrowband.org Images
Taken with a 10-22mm EF-S, at 10mm.

That’s my room. I know it’s messy… but that’s not the point. I love my WIDE-ANGLE lens!

Update2: The test, and hence my trip, has been rescheduled to a later date… sigh. Something cropped up at the shipyard apparently. Don’t know what they’re doing. Anyway, I’m gonna volunteer for some Parkinson’s-related event this Saturday, organized by SkyEvents Malaysia. A couple of friends, myself and my camera are gonna be there! ;D

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