Singapore Airshow 2008!

the most exciting thing to hit town this week is the Singapore Airshow!

I didn't have much interest in aviation seriously and my work doesn't deal with it. Tuesday was the first time I actually saw an airshow and i absolutely loved it!

so much so that I went back on thurs with my camera! I didn't walk around the exhibits much on tues as it was inconvenient but boy did I walked till my heels ache yesterday.

reaching just minutes before the show started and standing in the afternoon sun from 1230 to 1330hrs, i snapped away almost 2 batteries worth of pictures and gained a burnt skin. The quick and fast jets like the F16 and F18 Super Hornets were really hard to catch, while it's almost impossible to catch the black knights soloists cross each other unless u can multiple shots like an SLR.

(Again, click on the pics to catch a clearer, bigger pic. These small pics allow for faster loading of the page so...)

The Changi Exhibition Centre - A purpose built exhibition Centre

The vast grounds of CEC

Look closely - The Black Knights appear!

Off in a delta formation

Black Knights in a swan formation

each plane did it's own barrel roll, resulting in a beautiful interlinked smoke trail

the black knight mirror

the alpha pass - a slow speed maneuvre that can be very dangerous

a closer look at the F16 alpha pass

the finale - curtain

only managed to capture 2 planes..no time to zoom out yet!!

F/A 18 Super Hornet - US piloted

Alenia Aermacchi - an advanced fighter trainer

Can't capture good pics of the F16 and Korea Aerospace Industries T50 Golden Eagle - too fast!
So we have the grand dame A380 to wow the spectators

best show of the whole lot - Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Roulettes

in a graceful delta

pilatus PC9 - RSAF acquired these classic lookers for basic trainers

I don't know the name of this move but it requires good timing and solid command from the leader

was there on monday and it was the only act then that had voice commands from the leader broadcasted to the audience below - absolutely loved it and lets the audience appreciate the timings and trainings to achieve this. Subsequently, the Black Knights did the same thing on Thurs...sometimes, imitation is the best form of flattery.

Catch the roulettes on http://www.defence.gov.au/Raaf/roulettes/team.htm

The leader fly past

another formation

roulettes mirror

i think this is called the vulcan roll. impeccable timing from the leader to pull this off

the finale and a burnt me....

An hour in the sun was worth it for me as I eagerly snapped photos of the performing planes. but the best thing today was that one of the roulette members (roulette 4) emailed me via flickr to ask to use my pics for their team's photo dvd collection! really made my day to have such an honour...:)

it was also quite an honour to be next to MM Lee when he was making his rounds! his security perimeter is bigger than some HDB flats!

cool looking space age helmets

Chinooks in the static display

A380 opens its doors

ferrari private jet!

you won't see this in F1 though!

Been a really cool week, rubbing shoulders with people like the PM, Saudi crown prince, ministers from all over the place and looking at the cutting age planes. My only regret: no money to buy the ferrari jet.....

fab feb

I wouldn't say the lunar new year flashed by. more like the drudgery of visiting slows things down a little.

reunion dinner was at east coast seafood centre and THAT was a rush. we expected this but telling us that they will serve us on time when all have not arrived was not pleasant, to say the least. a few beers was all it took to get the heat out though. heh.

it was also good that CNY falls so perfectly that we have sat and sun to play around with. parents went to genting so me and dear took the opportunity to ride to malacca for beers, cendol and food. The budget hotel we stayed wasn't fantastic but i'm glad we found another cool looking budget hotel this time round. Will definitely be staying that the next time round. (click on the pics to get them bigger)

a packed jonker street for the new year!

crazy queue for cendol at that "famous" stall

jonker was ridiculously packed - the riceball place also jammed with pple and the pasar malam pple put out their stalls earlier than usual, causing even more jam, so.....

out to paradise seafood for westerns and more hoegaarden and....


Franziskaner wheat beer!!

the setting is set...


for my bratwurst!

Valentine's was a little different this year. got some flowers last year and they cost a bomb, all because of some very efficient marketing of this "special day". So I did the next best thing: boycott!! and went to search the internet on how to make paper roses..hahah..cheapskate!

the kawasaki rose in my hands - i intended to make it into a bouquet, but I dun have paper to wrap the bottom around in...so....

found a heart shaped box that dear gave me some time back...and with the help of some floral foam..voila!

view from the top

all I spent on was the pink paper. my mum had floral arrangement foam, I use my mum's wire hangars for the stems (all cut up of course), red ribbon from ikea for wrapping the stems and a heart shaped box I received from dear a few years back! and I still have spare hangars....

magnificento!

memories

just read my post back in 2005.

the one where I wrote abt benny, who died on 25th Mar 2005. Again, tears welled up and disappeared.

It would be much better if these guys were here with us...

one loss is one too many..

As my circle of friends widen, so do some who will leave us permanently. A rider whom I grew to listen and respect, not only for his rides, but for his very tenacity in life. Despite the pain, he still rides when the chemo doesn't hurt and I harboured hopes he can fully recover. But it was not to be......mine and Kruzer's memoriam for him:

In Memoriam:
Bahati Bin HJ Md Noor
"Bat"
(1956-2008)

A zest for living must include a willingness to die - R.A. Heinlein

There was never a person I’ve seen who loves his riding more. Even in the last weeks of his fragile life, my brief conversation with Bat was only filled with his metal machines and how one should treat them. With love and respect.

A Kruzer to his very end, Bat had left behind his beloved family and hordes of Kruzer who still have yet to imbue with his enthusiasm. For those who have known him, they remember an approachable, fatherly figure who dispenses motorcycle advice with a feverish panache.

Despite the pain his treatment administered, he persevered and manages to meet up with the Kruzer fraternity when he feels fit to do so. In defiance of his crumbling body, he also inhales the fresh winds that only riding at night can provide.

Bat’s zest for living, and indeed for his rides, has never faded even in his last breath. I’m pretty sure that Bat has lived the life he had most wanted and would gladly do it again in a painless world.

Rest in Peace.

just like what i want it to be..

shaking the dust off and picking up the pen again. it was pretty revulsive when there was pressure to write but also the latent laziness to overcome.

many had come to pass in the lost blog time but immense satisfaction with my life was gained. was it an new perspective in life or just the fact i want to enjoy the nows without regrets?

im meeting frens more often and talking more. and it feels better. frens i haven't seen in ages but still somehow managed to find. the power of facebook perhaps. :)

perspective also changes when i was travelling. Nov was great. backpacking in northern thai with my trusty old bike. and knowing what's it feels like to live a life without stress..now there is a nirvana we (me and dear) would like to reach sooner rather than later.

the best things in life are really free. frens, love and the big wide world...


Khun Yeam - Bua Tong Flower Festival, Mae Hong Son, Nov 2007