The Eighth Year of Jayden

Jayden, at the Germany Pavilion, Expo2020, Dubai – Jan 2022

Finally, after 2 months of Jayden turning 8 years old, here’re photos and a summary of Jayden’s eighth year of existence. He’s bigger, but behaving just as little as before, and still ‘eating our heads’. JAYYYYDENNNN!!!

This was the year of Dubai’s Expo 2020 (it’s one year late due to pesky COVID-19). It took place from Oct 2021 to Mar 2022, and we visited it religiously every time we had some free time. (We had Season Tickets, and besides, there’re more than 200 pavilions to see, and lots of concerts and performances. What’s not to be liked??)


Jayden at Expo2020, Oct 2022, right after his birthday. Expo 2020 opened in Oct 2021. This is the Terra Pavilion, Sustainability’s main pavilion. Dubai’s Expo’s theme was “Connecting Minds and Creating the Future” through sustainability, mobility and opportunity. In line with that, the Expo had three main ‘Districts’ Sustainability, Mobility and Opportunity, with each having its primary pavilion.


Hah… a rare break from the Expo, to 'soak up' a bit of the Emirati wilderness – Wadi Shawka, Ras Al Khaimah, Dec 2021. Breakfast, after a night of camping. Yours truly literally 'soaked it up' – Lost my balance while climbing and felt into a friggin rock pool at the Wadi, and was completely wet from head to toe. Screwed up my trusty Redmi 7 phone! Thank God, wasn't hurt!


Merry Christmas 2021!!!


Koung Hey Fatt Choi! Welcoming the Year of the Tiger – Jan 2022


Trying out his skills at being a teacher – explaining to us the working of a volcano – Feb 2022. His ‘koko’ never, ever tried anything like that (explaining to us about anything, I mean)


Jayden at school, at the Year 2 corridor's entrance – No he’s not in Year 2. He’s in Year 4. But 2 of his past class teachers are on the panel behind him, his Year 2 teacher, Ms Rachel White, and his Year 1 teacher, Ms Louise Higgins (who subsequently moved up to Year 2). He's not in uniform because it was a Saturday, and he was there for a rehearsal of his school's musical play!


Right after his School Musical performance, ‘Sunny Side Up’ which he participated in – Mar 2022. (We recorded a song he sang, and sent it for the audition, and he was selected! One of the few Year 3 students who were selected). The girl in the photo, was one of the lead performers of the musical. Her screen name was Cindy, and Jayden kept calling her Cindy. Her real name I think is Melissa. She’s in Year 8 or 9, I think…


Finally, we could travel again! First overseas trip out of the UAE in more than 2 years – a trip home to his mommy’s birthplace, Assam, India. Here he is, with little cousin brother, Anshu, currently the youngest in Anu’s family, and the only cousin younger than Jayden on his mother’s side – Apr 2022


Another trip home, this time to Malaysia, but en route to that, we made a few stops – Here’s Jayden in Kathmandu, Nepal – Jul 2022


And then Dhaka, Bangladesh. That is their ummm… let’s see, their aunt, one of Anu’s cousin’s wife


Finally, in Malaysia, but not home yet. We made a family trip to the Mulu Caves of Sarawak – Here’s Jayden with aunt Hazel at Deer Cave, Mulu, Sarawak, Malaysia


Peace! Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia – Jul 2022


The sound of music, one of mommy’s smart ideas… Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia – Jul 2022


With cousin Stacey at Universal Studios, Singapore


Happy 8th Birthday Jayden! Low-key celebration, just the 4 of us at home. This would be the last birthday that he’d be having with his koko, for quite some time I think, coz Koko’s left to Singapore to continue his studies

Jayden really misses his brother, have cried many times thinking about his brother. His koko was his only friend, I think. Jayden’s a little sticky and sentimental, unlike Justin, who’s quite detached. Jayden needed Justin to sleep with him, and only stopped when we forced him to sleep alone after he turned 7 years old. Now, that his koko is away, maybe he’ll start finding his own friends, and growing up a little. We love you little one.

The Horn of Arabia

Whew! We went on a long road trip to Salalah, Oman last weekend. It was a 4-day weekend to commemorate UAE’s National Day, so we decided to finally do what we’ve put off doing for so many years. Driving the unthinkable 1,250 km to Salalah, and back!! And we did it! Longest drive I’ve ever had in my life in a day. And there’s next to nothing along the way – the 800+ km between Ibri and Thumrait in Oman is a flat and featureless expanse of dry land, with nothing much, no hills, no tree, no bushes… Only a road, on empty land as far as the eye can see! Anyway, pictures of our adventures in Salalah will have to wait till I’ve downloaded all the friggin photos. For the time being, here’re photos of another part of Oman, the Musandam Peninsula, which we visited on a similar road trip during the UAE National Day holidays in 2019, with Dad and Hazel. This is an extension of my earlier Musandam Post.


Khasab, Musandam, Oman

Musandam is a piece of land at the North-Eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula that pokes into the Gulf (of Arabia, or, of Persia, depending on which side of the Gulf you’re on). It is an Omani exclave (separated from the rest of Oman) and accessible by land only from the UAE. It’s like a friggin horn poking at the belly of Iran, and it forms the gateway to the Gulf. Enjoy!


Smile! Hazel & Anu, just after crossing the UAE-Oman border, at Tibat, Musandam, Oman


The layered hills of Musandam at Tibat


The town of Bukha


Dad, at Bukha Fort


One of the coves of Musandam – this is at the Harf Viewpoint


Finally reached Khasab – let’s have lunch!


Winding down with a mug of coffee at our hotel in Khasab, the Diwan Al Amir Hotel


Let’s explore the place… It’s getting dark, time for a ‘satay’ break, Omani style, at the road leading out of town, south of Khasab’s airport


The kids at Khasab’s fort – see how little Justin still is at that time. He was 10 then!


A view of Khasab from atop Khasab Fort

We were in Musandam for 2 days. Apart from exploring the town, we did a dhow cruise to Telegraph Island (which I’ve posted earlier).


OK, time to go home! The Cliff Viewpoint, Musandam at dusk, on our way out…

Peace Be upon Malaysia

Sarawak State Legislative Assembly, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia

Through all the ups and downs of the Malaysian Election that delivered a hung parliament, there is a silver lining. Maybe, the hung parliament is a blessing in disguise. Now, Malaysia has a new Prime Minister and a “Unity Government” made up of political parties from different sides of the divide. Maybe, this is the time to put aside our differences and work towards creating a new unity, a Malaysia where harmony and cooperation among the different races and religions are more important than progressing our own faction’s agendas. Forgive and let’s move on to build up our nation again. Mr Anwar Ibrahim has finally achieved his dream of becoming Malaysia’s Prime Minister. After 25 years of being framed, beaten up, jailed, shamed, subjected to all sorts of charges, …he persevered. God bless him.

I think he is the correct leader to have now for Malaysia, who has grown ever more divided through the years, fuelled by extremists, the selfish and racist zealots. I think he’s the right man to heal the nation and build it up again. Maybe God let him go through all the trials and injustice that he’d been through, to shape him up into a true Malaysian leader who could see the problems of the Malaysian system. Interestingly, God also blessed his once mentor, then nemesis, Tun Dr Mahathir to live a long and healthy life to see this day come to pass. Tun Dr Mahathir was the main person who caused much of Anwar’s problems and also incidentally, in looking back, the one who contributed to some of the existing problems of the nation, like nepotism, the loss of judicial independence and racism, during his time in power, in his drive for consolidation of power in the 80’s and 90’s. Tun Dr Mahathir who stood for this election, at 97 years of age, lost the election. Not only that, he was trounced in his own constituency and came in only 4th among all the contenders. The new party that he created also lost all their seats. Maybe God showed him this, to humble him before he returns to God. Who says heaven doesn’t have eyes? For me, God has eyes, on Malaysia. Thank You God for looking after us. Amen.

As usual, I am posting some photos with this post. I’ve decided to post photos of Kuching, the capital of the state of Sarawak, or what I called the kingmaker state. Sarawak who has a habit of voting en bloc, holds quite a lot of clout, when it comes to deciding who forms the government, when no party could obtain the majority. We visited Sarawak in July this year, my first ever visit to East Malaysia in my 52 years of life as a Malaysian, believe it or not?!


Grandpa, Papa, kids – 3 generations of Ong in Kuching, Sarawak


Masjid India (India Mosque), on the Sarawak River, Kuching


The Astana (Palace) of Sarawak, once the palace of the White Rajahs of Sarawak. Sarawak was at one time a kingdom ruled by the Brooke family of Great Britain. Now, the Astana is the residence of the Governor of Sarawak


Sungai Sarawak (Sarawak River) and the Kuching Waterfront from the Darul Hana Bridge


The Square Tower on the Kuching Waterfront, with the State Legislative Assembly Building behind


Late lunch at Atap Street aka Carpenter Street, Kuching, opposite the Hiang Thian Siang Ti Temple, Kuching






Hiang Thian Siang Ti Teochew Temple, Carpenter Street, Kuching – (How do I know all these names? …Google Maps, mate. Check it out!)


Padang Merdeka (Independence Field), Kuching, with the Borneo Cultures Museum in the background


Let’s run, it’s raining… Kuching in the rain – At the start of India Street looking towards the Kuching City Mosque (with the gold domes)


I Heart Kuching – at Kuching’s Old Court House

And that concludes our half day stopover at Kuching, and this post. Adios!

Perak Shows the Way

And so, the Malaysian General Election is finished. And so is Malaysia. It’s a big, fat mess now. Hung parliament, no party having a majority. Looks like the politicians would have to swallow their pride (and words) and team up with their rivals on the other side, the people whom they've been ridiculing and insulting for ages, and cobble up some government of unity of sorts. No mean feat I would say, for politicians. They’re not exactly known for having firm principles, hehe.


Ubudiah Mosque, Kuala Kangsar, Perak, Malaysia

And it looks like my home state, Perak is leading the way in that. They formed a unity state government of 2 opposing parties in a record 2 days’ time after the election, with the blessing of the Sultan of Perak. Kudos. I kinda like the idea of a unity government. Put aside your differences, and start working for the people! Yes, Perak boleh!

Leaving some photos of Kuala Kangsar, Perak’s royal town for this post. Hope Malaysia learns from Perak and come up with a tolerant, progressive and clean government. I don’t really fancy conservative, right-wing people taking over, especially, the extremist ones. God, keep those sorts of people out of positions of leadership. Amen.




Masjid Ubudiah, Kuala Kangsar, Perak


A dilapidated old mansion beside the Ubudiah Mosque. The name plaque reads Baitol Anor. Wonder who owns this…












And this is the Istana Kenangan (or Memorial Palace). The sign says it was originally built as a temporary mausoleum for a deceased Sultan while a permanent palace (Istana Iskandariah) was being constructed. They decided to keep the building and later converted it into a museum.




Istana Kenangan, Royal Museum of Perak, Kuala Kangsar, Perak, Malaysia. Behind this palace, beyond the trees at the back, is the Istana Iskandariah, the current abode of the Sultan of Perak. Nope, that’s not open for visits. (It used to be when I was a kid, but only on one day, every year, on the then Sultan's birthday. I think it was 15-Sep). Daulat Tuanku!

That’s all for now folks. Pray that Malaysia gets a good government.

Justin’s New Life

Our big son Justin’s leaving home to start his studies in another country. Can’t believe it… So quick. It felt like it was just the other day that he was a toddler running around the home, and now he’s gearing up to go and start his new life in Singapore.

Two more days, and he’d be in Singapore, on the same day as our anniversary 16 years ago.

We love you, Justin. Stay safe, stay happy, be always positive, be kind, work hard, take care, think of us and keep in touch!

Here’re some photos of the Jewel in Singapore’s Changi Airport. Looks like we’d be seeing a lot more of this from now onwards…




Huh? What’s this wall of water??


It’s the Rainfall Vortex, Jewel, Changi Airport, Singapore - It's the tallest indoor friggin waterfall in the world!




Let there be RAIN!


Shadows of the structural lattice work on the waterfall


Can you spot Jayden?


A rainbow on the rainfall vortex – nope, no pot of gold


Family picture, Changi Airport, Singapore, Jul 2022