I finally know how snow feels like and how people in snowy places adapt to it. As much as i see so many happy faces as snowflakes trickle down to faces of Hollywood actors and actress, with so much glee but on the comfort of my comfy armchair, snow is actually not as attractive and in fact quite depressing. You will realise this when you have to muster that extra effort to wear inner wear, your first layer, your second layer, your jacket, your overcoat, thick socks, boots before going out of the house. Oh yah, gloves and a hat too. Then when you reach you car, you realise that it is buried in heaps of snow and slush. Sigh, you spend 15 mins scrapping and clearing the car before getting in and starting the car. The drive can be exiciting though but dangerous. Slippery conditions abound and one slight misturn, you will be slipping and sliding. You park your car in an open carpark and face the winds snow again, in such freezing temperatures. This is all the work that i do before going to office… As i reach the office, it sometimes feels like the day is already over and i need rest…. NOT! Day has only just begun… I have to repeat this cycle each time i go to work and go back home and each time i go out….sounds like a tough cumbersome process…. Does snow sounds attractive to you now?

I was just been informed that is will snow on Friday and Saturday and that temp will be a freezing -6 degrees celcius with strong winds. i am so dreading this since i am not prepared. How to drive? how to dress? Will i survive? Many questions running through my mind considering that this is my first working winter. Flight on Saturday will be nervy. deicing, snow storm….my mind is running wild.. What happens if need to go to ramp side…will i freeze to death… must invest in HOT CHOCOLATE…..

Finally i found something cheap in Copenhagen, and what do you know, it is someplace familiar and close to my heart. Lidl, a german supermarket which served me so well in Frankfurt is actually in Copenhagen also. And the prices are comparable, atypical of the normal ex stuff in Denmark. I was like a housewife supermarket whore, scouring high and low for the best deals and i was satisfied with the outcome. I think i shaved like half the cost.

Why are things so ex in Denmark anyway? And does that translate to Danish having served those big fat salary to be able to accmodate such an ex lifestyle. Banks are probably having it tough to survive since probably Danish cannot cultivate the habit of saving.

Anyway, i was happy when i came home with bags of good deals and i went on to cook a somewhat sumptous lunch. Chicken wings in sambal honey sauce….yum yum…. though i think i cant find the lidto the pot…another thing lost…sigh….small thing though.

Fro those who are in Copenhagen and would like to know which supermarkets to go to, Lidl is the best. Netto comes next, then Fakta, Fotex and Irma.

Sian….i lost one of my new favourite sweaters. I think i left it at the hotel i stayed in when i first arrived in Copenhagen. it was really nice. Bad start to the day which went on when i was walking to my first intended destination, the National Museum. It rained damn heavily….and i wasn’t prepared. Copenhagen is place not known for its shelters hence i was drenched to bits.

The National Museum was a disappointment. Nothing captivating. Only when i reached the place, i realized i have been here before in 2006, but it was so boring then thati couldn’t remember.

Off i went to the NY Carlsberg Glypothek. The place was nice and the artefacts, beautiful and i was in aw of the marvel at every corner of this personal museum by Olaf Olsen. Will show pictures when they are ready.

4 hours and some tired legs later, i am back home writing this post. Tired, somewhat still sad over my lost sweater but at least had a blast at some places.

Summer in Frankfurt as the best. Weather was fantastic and cool and the Euro 2008 atmosphere was electrifying, right up to the final, since Germany reached the final.

I celebrated my birthday in Singapore. Went back Singapore again for a short break to meet my wifey and family. Then i went to a spa resort off the border to Czech Republic, in Austria called Laa Thaya for a breifing, Then travelled to Copenhagen for a handover. Back to Frankfurt then posted to Copenhagen about 3 weeks ago. So it has been a whirlwind 2 months since i last wrote. i have managed to remain sane though.  I do miss my Frankfurt apartment and the times i spent, cooking, sleeping and watching CNN.

Weather is cold here in Copenhagen. Things here are fairly ex and places close damn early. But the streetsar nice and people are generally nice as well. Only time will tell if i enjoy this posting. Sofar so good…..

Some of you may be wondering what happened that i MIA for so long…well between my last post and now a lot of things have happened…. sigh….been a long time…. i will write about what happened in the next post…for now i am looking forward to going home and meeting my lovely wife…. eating sambal petai udang. yum yum….

Plane due to arrive in Moscow got diverted to Helsinki last night. Luckily, CPH SM have to go to Helsinki. Cant imagine that i will incur the wrath of stranded passengers for a 19 hour delay. But it was interesting to see and be involved in the preparations of such diversions. But yah, weather’s a bitch in Moscow, so expect one or two more diversions in the near future. Now, in Frankfurt still waiting for the BIG STRIKE coming soon which may hinder our operations here. But we’ll see…. Swamped with work as usual….still trying to find ample time for a leisurely shit, but still cant. Never a dull day in dull Frankfurt city.

This was an eye opener. It has been a long time since i’ve visited Indonesia and it is my first to Batam. Many have told tales that Batam has great seafood, attractive resorts, cheap shopping and more. Well, i didn’t shop much and the seafood dinner was pretty average i must say. But the company was fabulous. A holiday is nothing if you don’t have good company.

In the ferry going to Batam Island

 Trip was nauseating but met a long time friend on the ferry.

Break with Teh Sosro. Probably the best bottled tea in the world!!! Heaven!!

Nasi Ayam Penyet... Indo style... The chicken portion is so small!!!

The seafood dinner.... size of the prawns was about the size of my pinkie

Our short term crib - Holiday Inn Batam Resort