Monday 23 November 2009

Tokyo Drift ... 4th time


It’s officially my 6th day here in Tokyo on my fourth visit. 365 days ago I would not have imagined being here much less have the opportunity to visit here 4 times in a span of one year. The difficulty to hire a suitable environment, health and safety person in our Japan office gave me the chance to support the site.

There are so many things I am thankful about being in Tokyo. It has given me yet another perspective of the world. For some reason there is something admirable about this place.. the discipline, the order, the persistence of the people. There is something hauntingly structured in the minute details of their actions..

And yet I can’t help but feel that they are trapped in an imaginary prison. Like their individual freedom and sense of identity is bottled by rigid norms and expectations.

Or then again this could just be my perception.

Friday 20 November 2009

Ramblings in Beijing

November 10, 2009

It snowed in Beijing on my last day. Perhaps a fitting tribute to my five-day stay here. I’ve been to China many times but it was my first time in Beijing. I had the chance to finally see the Great wall and I’m immensely grateful that Jazz, a good friend since High school days, who’s based in China’s capital, was gracious to tour me around. The man-made structure looming atop the jagged mountains was indeed a testament of man’s incredible power and ingenuity. I am guilty to admit though that while I had a intimate moment with the wall, the most unforgettable part of that visit was actually the toboggan ride on the way down.


I didn’t explore much of the city. Partly because am tired. And partly because there’s that part of me that wanted to explore the city once again on another time.

I love my job (though I am inclined to believe am a bit underpaid for it) because it affords me to travel and visit remote sites and get a glimpse of the world from another perspective. At times like this I get to be humbled because it makes me realize how my world seemed non-existent from another part of the planet.

My mind rambles as I get to see the world from a different lens. I get bothered by the fact that people here go on with their daily lives without an acknowledgement of the existence of a Supreme Being. Am I considered lucky to have been given the privilege to be aware of His existence. Or maybe I am the one deluded. For convincing myself into thinking that there’s a supreme being so that I won’t feel alone, so that there would be purpose on the daily things that we would.

There are so many questions and journeys like this in a foreign place makes me ponder more about life, about existence, about destiny.
Sometimes I get to thinking that ignorance might be bliss.

Monday 2 November 2009

Shanghai Solar Eclipse Video Tribute

Made this video as a tribute to Team Shanghai of UP Astronomical Society that set foot in a foreign land to document the longest Total Solar Eclipse of our lifetime. The overcast spoiled what otherwise would have been a spectacular view of the corona. On the other hand it felt surreal experiencing 5 min and 58 seconds of darkness in the middle of the morning. Go Team Shanghai ! I miss all of you!