The Prince of Trouble

Finally, I’ve put together the photos for Jayden’s 11th year of existence. He turned 11 last October, so I am… umm… 5 months late. Only. Wink!


Jayden, 2 months after his 11th birthday, at Mawlynnong, aka “Asia’s cleanest village”, Meghalaya, India

What can I say, Jayden? You’re 11 going on 12, and you’ve started secondary school. Why, oh why, do you keep doing the darndest things, that’ll get you (and us) into trouble?!??? I have a long list of those… Shall I let the list fly?? No?? OK, but on one condition… From now on, please THINK, use your BRAIN, before you friggin do, or say something! And grow up already, willya? We love you lots. Hope you’ll grow up into a responsible boy, who’ll know how to take care of the people and the things around you. Hope you’ll be loving and kind, well-mannered and considerate. That you’ll be hardworking, and know how to focus on the important stuff first (rather than waste time on clutter and nonsense). Hope you’ll be organized and self-driven. Hope you’ll be righteous and brave. Hope you’ll never be greedy, or boastful. Hope you’ll be smart and resourceful. Hope that when life throws you its problems, you’ll have the grit to persevere, and never give up. With lots of love, Papa. OK, here goes the recap.


A month plus after his 11th birthday, at the Address Beach Residence Hotel, Dubai, with his koko. Jayden was performing in the school choir for a pre-Christmas function at the hotel


Winter break 2024 – A visit to his mother’s home in India! Jayden with 2 of his cousins, Mahi (left) and Anshu (middle), Fulertal, Assam, India


Back to Dubai, and to school – Here he is with 2 of his school friends, Vivaan (left) from India, and Aryan (middle) from Iran, Metropole School, Dubai, Feb 2025


It’s camping season! Jayden with a blue lizard at our regular camping spot, Wadi Shawka, Ras Al-Khaimah, UAE


What’s Eid without a trip to Oman? (That’s what we’ve been doing for the last few years… including this year!) Jayden with 2 friends he met in the guesthouse that we stayed in, the Alshumukh Guesthouse, Qalhat, Oman, Mar 2025. The kids are Polish, but they reside in Jordan. The older one is Yager (pronounced 'ya-zher' it may not be spelt like that, it’ll probably begin with a ‘J’), and the younger one is Franco… We asked Franco where he’s from and he said he’s from 'ospital' (hospital)… ‘Be nice!’ Franco would say to his older brother…


Jayden dressed up for …what’s it for?? For his prom!??. When did Year 6s start having proms??! Oh, so, it’s the last year of primary school! I see! May 2025


His koko is back from Singapore for the midyear break. Here they are with mommy at Dragonmart 2, Jun 2025


The end of Jayden’s academic year means lots of school functions. He won 4th place for the Arabic Reading Competition (for non-native speakers)! Bravo, keep it up!


It’s the summer break! On the go again. Jayden, at the Great Wall of China (Mutianyu). A stopover at Beijing, China en route to Malaysia, Jul 2025


Here we are again, Malaysia! At the Floating Mosque of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia


With his grandpa and aunt at Empat Sekawan Restaurant, Butterworth, Malaysia – Malaysia’s all about food! Seriously, we’d kill ourselves from overeating if we stayed any longer in Malaysia


Some family visits! With his second cousins (children of his father’s cousins), Ginny and Eugene (I think… I hope I got them right), at Jayden’s father’s old home in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia, Aug 2025


More family! With his favourite uncle now, Jack (they got lost talking about fish and marine life, Jack is an avid diver, among other things…) at a restaurant in Petaling Jaya (Kean Fatt Restaurant), Selangor, Malaysia


More Malaysian holidays – in the old town of Melaka, the place that gave the olden Sultanate of Malacca and the famous Straits of Malacca its name...


And finally, his 11th birthday party at home! Be nice!! Be good! Love you.

A Grand Malaysian Home Trip

Whew, finally, a little relaxation. Work has been really busy since I last wrote.

And… here are the family photos of our recent home trip to Malaysia! I’ll let the photos speak.


Jayden with his granddad, for a dim-sum breakfast at the Sweet Paradise Restaurant, Butterworth, near Dad’s home, on our last day before we left Malaysia to come back to Dubai. Dad, you’re doing just fine. Don’t let your pesky ailment and age bear you down! Keep it up.

We started our Malaysia home trip this time in Sabah! My first ever visit to the state, in my 55 years of life! Believe it or not! We were there to visit the state, and to climb Mount Kinabalu. (What? It’s the highest mountain in Malaysia, it features in the Malaysian 100-ringgit currency note, it’s the landmark of Sabah, and it’s interesting). (But I didn’t know before this, how expensive it is!?!!! And how much training you’d need. Basically, you’re paying big bucks, to suffer, hah! But I have no regrets. I’m glad I did it when I still can). We climbed with Jason, while Jayden stayed with Dad and Hazel who also flew to Sabah for a visit at the same time. Initially, cousin June was also supposed to climb, but she backed out because she sprained her back.


Ready to go?? Breakfast at Kinabalu Park’s Liwagu Restaurant with Anu and Jason before the climb. Kinabalu Park Headquarters is at 1,520m above sea level. We gotta reach our base camp at 3,273m sea level on that day. C’mon, let’s get on with it!


After a short minivan ride to the gate (3km), and an arduous 6km continuously uphill hike (which took only, ummm… 5 hours), we arrived at Panalaban! Our base camp at 3273m above sea level, where we’d rest and stay for the night… before starting our climb to the summit at the ungodly hour of 2 friggin am! (Yup, you’d have to, bcoz you gotta reach some checkpoints at certain times, or you’d not be allowed to progress further. That’s to gauge the fitness of climbers, according to our official guide, and to prevent them from either being stuck up there, or having to climb down at night). Jason was our informal guide as he’s climbed quite a few times before (our actual guide seemed to always take time off, to ‘energize’). Thanks Jason, for the hiking sticks! It really helped (Jason didn’t need them!)


We made it! The summit (Low’s Peak), 4095m above sea level. Thank you, God, for the favourable conditions, and the energy to do it…


Our group, and the Southern Peak, Mount Kinabalu, Sabah


From Sabah, we headed home to Penang state, on the other side of Malaysia! Here’s our first dinner after arriving in Butterworth, at Tokyo Restaurant. At that time, there was a rare blackout, which explains the photo’s grainy quality, but the food was delicious! Prawns, squid, chicken and kangkong (if I remember correctly)

There we go again, to KL, Malaysia’s good ol’ capital. It’s ages since we stepped foot on Kuala Lumpur, but we decided to do a trip this time. (We were partly there to get Anu a Chinese tourist visa, for our 12-hour stopover in Chengdu, China on our way back to Dubai, and the visa centre happens to be in… KL! Where else?)


Here, we are with the KL side of the family, the first time we’ve had a gathering in KL after our beloved Jikor passed away. From left, Cousin June; her ‘boyfriend’, Wesley; June’s daughter, Jamie; Cousin Jane; and us. June treated us to a big, fat, KL Chinese dinner, complete with sang-har noodle (giant river prawns noodles, ...must have been friggin expensive), Iberico ham ribs, a deep-fried whopper of a grouper (a fish which Wesley caught), etc, etc, etc… At Sweet Inn Restaurant, Petaling Jaya, Selangor


We stayed a night, actually, 2 nights, at Jane’s apartment in TTDI, KL. (June was shifting houses at that time). Really nice environment, quiet, surrounded by trees, nice view, overzealous security… Jane stays there with her little poodle, Tidbit. Cheers Chi-chi! Thanks for the hospitality!


Jayden made a new friend, Tidbit, Jane’s dog. It’s the first time that he’s actually close to a dog. He used to be scared of dogs. Now, he keeps asking us to visit KL again, to see Tidbit, and his aunts, and uncle, etc… In front of Artisan Roast / Dusun, TTDI


Another dinner with the KL family, this time with Cousin Jack. Hello bro, long time no see leh! Another fabulous dinner, complements of June. (Aiyo, June-chi, why so much? She tends to over-order, according to her family). Jayden got off really well with Jack, both of them marine life enthusiasts! At Kean Fatt Restaurant, SS3, Petaling Jaya


Heading to our hometown, Ipoh, to see the folks there! Here we were, with Dad and Hazel, fattening ourselves (again), with Malay and Nyonya kueh! At O’Days, Canning Garden, near our Ipoh home. Malaysia will seriously kill us, with food. Luckily, we don’t stay there long term…


Here’re the Ipoh folks we met. My cousin Ah Yi (Ng Wei Yi), my mom’s youngest brother’s daughter, and her family. Her 2 kids are Eugene (far right, who’s now taller than both her parents) and Ginnie (beside Anu)


Tua Pek, lu ho bo? Tua Pek, dad’s eldest brother, is 90 years old this year. At the Moonlight Care Centre, in Canning Garden, Ipoh


And that’s Tua Kor (seated in the middle), dad’s eldest sister. She’s 91. Behind her, is my cousin Kok Leong, flanked by his wife and son


Finally, all good things trips must come to an end eventually. Back in Butterworth, to get ready for our flight home from Penang’s airport. A dim-sum breakfast (yes, again) at Thong Sum Restaurant. Dim-sum’s become one of Anu’s favourite for breakfast! She’s not very Indian as you can see…

The only one missing this time was Justin. Study hard son, stay focused, manage your time properly, keep active, eat, sleep and play (when you have time) well. We love and miss you lots. See you in Dubai at the end of the year!

That sums up our recent cross-country Malaysian home trip. See ya!

The Kid Who Wouldn’t Grow Up

Jayden, 9.5 years old, at Bilad Sayt, Oman

Jayden’s 10 years old, for a few months now (since October). He’s in friggin Year 6 at school! (That’s the equivalent of Standard 6 in Malaysia). He’s basically a senior in his primary school!?! I just can’t imagine it. (Why? Because, he doesn’t act anything like a Standard 6 kid!) OK, he started school a year younger than Justin, and 2 years younger than I did, but that doesn’t mean that he should behave like a baby. Which he does. Which drives us up the wall. Maybe because he’s the youngest. Sigh, when will he grow up?)

Anyway, here’s my annual recap of the kid’s year. It’s only 3 months late, but what the heck. There’re so many photos to look at. Jayden’s 10th year photos coming up. Enjoy.


Jayden, on Diwali, Nov 2023, just a month after his 9th birthday, with his elder brother who was back from Singapore for his winter break, and Dyuti, daughter of Bhavna and Umesh Agarwal, one of our neighbours, in Motor City, at their apartment


Spending the Christmas season of 2023 in Central Asia! Jayden at a restaurant (Bay Town Restaurant) in Dashoguz, Turkmenistan, the hermit state of Central Asia, where internet does not exist… unless you know which wheels to turn…


Let’s have a snowball fight! At Chimgan, Uzbekistan, Dec 2023


Back to school, back home, to Motor City. Here at the Grid Walk of the 24-hour endurance race in the Dubai Autodrome. Revving up, the race’s starting, Let’s go! Jan 2024


Gong Xi Fa Cai! Happy Chinese New Year! At our company’s CNY function at the Burj Park, Dubai Downtown, to welcome in the Year of the Dragon! Feb 2024


It’s picnic season, and his mother is a camping fanatic! On one of the hill trails at our favourite wadi, Wadi Shawka, Ras Al-Khaimah, UAE, Mar 2024


Spring Break! And Ramadan. How nice! A 3-week Spring Break due to spring break combining with the Eid holidays. Here he is, with Mommy at our hotel in Bilad Sayt, Oman, Apr 2024


Baking bread. Rushing to complete his Junior Duke tasks before the deadline. (Junior Duke is an award that helps children develop confidence and competence in life skills). He’s got from October 2023 to do all the tasks, but no, he has to wait till the last minute! That bread turned out pretty nice though. Well done! Apr 2024


Yippee, he got the Junior Duke award! Here with his Koko, who was back from Singapore for his mid-year holidays! No, I don’t have a photo where the award’s the right side up.


Finally, the end of Year 5 and the start of the summer break. Where shall we head to? First stop, Gujarat, India. Here’s Jayden, inside the tallest statue in the world, the Statue of Unity, Jul 2024


Next stop, Malaysia, to visit his grandpa (partially visible) and renew his passport. Having an ice-cream treat at Haagen-Dasz, Penang, Malaysia, Aug 2024. Heck, Malaysia’s a whole lot cheaper than Dubai! Go ahead, eat! I don’t remember how much this was, but I remembered the Krispy Kreme doughnuts in Butterworth were half of the price of its Dubai equivalent! No wonder we become fat every time we visit Malaysia


Continuing in Malaysia, a strawberry farm! In Cameron Highlands. Strawberries are one of his favourite fruits! Lavender Garden, Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia, Aug 2024


A Singapore stopover to visit his Koko, before going back to Dubai. Jayden and Justin at Changi Airport, Singapore, Aug 2024


Back in Dubai, starting Year 6. Here he is, in the old part of Dubai, Bur Dubai where the Hindu Temple used to be, before they shifted to their premises in Jebel Ali. Look how narrow the alleys are. These used to be jam-packed with people (devotees) during the old days when the temple was here. Sep 2024


Finally, Jayden’s 10 Years Old!!! Happy Birthday. We love you. Even if you grow up. We’ll love you more actually. Guaranteed.

The Chinese Navratri

Anu praying to the Nine Emperor Gods, Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia… The nice thing about Hindus, is that they’d pray to any god, ...serene or scary-looking. To them, gods are gods. The more, the merrier. Om Namah Shivay…

Here goes. It’s Durga Puja this weekend, Anu’s (and eastern India’s) biggest festival. All over eastern and north-eastern India, there’ll be ‘pandals’ (make-shift pavilions) erected, with the goddess Durga as the centre-piece, stepping on, or killing a buffalo-demon. Elsewhere in India (northern India, mainly), it’s celebrated as Dussehra, which culminates in the burning of a huge effigy of Ravana (the main villain in the Ramayana story). They’re basically all celebrating the triumph of good over evil. The nine days leading to these big celebrations is Navratri (meaning “nine nights”, duh), which have rituals, prayers, and such, related to each day, depending on which tradition you’re following.

But interestingly, Navratri isn’t venerated only by the Hindus. The Taoists in South East Asia, have their own celebrations, which coincide with Navratri. It’s the Festival of the Nine Emperor Gods. It’s a mystical Taoist festival celebrated mainly by the overseas Chinese in Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore, featuring road processions, trances, cheek-piercing, tongue piercing, fire-walking, and all sorts of self-mutilation, no joke. Now you know why it’s not popular in China. (D’ya think those communists there will be OK with all that gory, supernatural stuff? They just don’t know how to have fun, haha!) By the way, this was my favourite festival when I was a kid growing up in Ipoh! My mom would take me and my younger brother to town, to the upper story of a shop house (near where mom works), next to a busy junction where the procession would pass through. We’d see men with long spears pierced through their cheeks, rocking god chariots carried by crazed men (who were apparently in a trance) guided by a spirit guide carrying a reed hand fan, and stuff like that. Cool, huh?

Temples that host the Nine Emperor Gods Festivals in Malaysia and Singapore are usually named “Tow Boo Keong.” And for some reason not known to me, there’re TWO of ‘em in Butterworth town itself, not far from one another. (If you do know why there’s 2, lemme know, OK?) Anyway, here’re the photos. Of both of ‘em! Happy Festival! Happy Durga Puja! Happy Dussehra! Happy Dashain!


Tow Boo Keong Temple, Butterworth, Malaysia, on a quiet day. It was July 2022. The Nine Emperor Gods Festival usually takes place in October, on the first nine days of the ninth month of the Chinese calendar…


Mommy and kids, at the Tow Boo Keong Temple. Wow, there sure are a lot of lanterns. Can we have one or two, to take home??


Tow Boo Keong in Chinese pinyin is Dòu Mǔ Gōng, the palace of Doumu, the mother of the nine emperor gods. Yeah, they have a mother, like you and me! What about that scary dragon (middle, bottom), with the golden card (with our surname embossed on it?) Don’t ask me man, I have no idea! Can you spot Doumu? Through the doorway immediately above the scary dragon?


The idol of Doumu, up close. Doumu is the mother of the Big Dipper constellation of stars. And so, the nine emperor gods are actually the stars that make up the Big Dipper, seven visible stars and two invisible one (or so, sez Google)


A pagoda in the Tow Boo Keong temple


One last photo, before we move on to the second Nine Emperor Gods Temple nearby


The Nine Emperor Gods Temple, Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia


The sign in Chinese on the temple reads Dòu Mǔ Gōng 斗母宫 (in small) and a large Yù Zhǐ 玉旨 (Jade Edict) in large


No, you don’t wanna mess with me!


The Nine Star Lords of Chinese Mythology. Move over, Guardians of the Galaxy… We are nine, with a scary dragon as companion, a horde of deities and an all-powerful mother! Beat that!


The dragon pillar and the pond of carps! (Don’t ask me what they symbolize). But the kids love feeding the koi, as kids do. (Maybe, that’s what it’s for… some income from the fish food… but again, I don’t think so, because how much money would they make from some measly fish food?) (Do they eat the carps? I don’t think so either. The Nine Emperor Gods Festival is a vegetarian festival, no meat for nine days for devotees. See, I told you, it’s like the Hindu Navratri!)




Night time at the Temple of the Nine Emperor Gods, Butterworth, Malaysia, July 2022


Mommy and kids paying one last respect to the Goddess Doumu before we go…

See ya! Happy celebrations everyone! Be happy, stay safe, stay kind, stay hopeful. God bless!