2/2/2026 Getting Replacement of My Lost One...

CASHLESS CULTURE:

I couldn't do much in the Office today 2, March 2026. I suppose to finalize on some Project Costing and Return. But the consultants whom suppose to finish up all the design works but they couldn't meet the dateline. They need at least another 2-3 days. Thus I decided to fly off to KL with the intention to look for something that I had lost somewhere I don't when and where. I suppose to take the 1950 hours flight but was delayed to 2000. Landed in KLIA around 2145. I thought of getting a Grab but then I couldn't find the point where to take.  I asked one of the person whom seem to be the staff at the airport, instead of giving me the direction he asked me "Why?". His question puzzled me. Staring at him, then I realize he is a foreign worker.  Then only I remembered that there is a train service direct to the city center.  Well I had not been on the train since March 2022 to this date, so much so I began not to be familiar with lots of things around already especially in KLIA.

(2)    I stayed at the Cititel, Mid Valley. This is not my best hotel but my habitual is die hard, I used to be loyal to a place where I used to be. I had been frequencing Cititel probably for about 25 years ago. Indeed I was informed by the Counter Lady, Cititel just celebrated their 25 years of existence few weeks back. The reason, in the past it was just next door to my favourite Book Store MPH and I hope to get what I'm looking for at this Mid Valley Mall. Failing which my next destination would be Pertama Complex and or Lao Yatt. In those days, the hotel rate was only about RM145.00 per night and now I was charged RM297.00 for the Standard Room. Nothing had improved and they had very much reduced the facilities given for the guest. No more free mineral water in the room. The smaller towels are no more there. I arrived at the hotel around 22:00 hours and ordered for some light food and hot milk. They don't have hot milk. Worst since my card burst the limit for the day, I couldn't charge the bill to the room for the booking was made on-line. I handed over the Room Boy RM50.00 note, and the hotel has no change. So much so, it remind me of my complaint about the "tiada kembaliannya Pak" experiences that I had while in Jakarta lately.  

(3)     During the Break Fast on the 4 March, I went to Dome at the Garden Mall. Indeed, probably this is the latest addition to the Mid Valley Mall-Garden Mall, in between the two malls, there are lots of culinary outlets there and aroma of the foods really tested my patience. Most of outlets only accept cashless payment. The Dome still can accept cash but to the exact amount. They keep no small changes. The food cost me RM75.50. I handed over RM100.00 with a smile of "keep the change" which is just equal to "ngak usah kembaliannya" in Indonesia or "Halal Halal" in Mecca and Madinah. 

FOUND MY EXCELLENT BUDDY:

As expected, around 10:30 hours on 3 March, 2026 I roamed the Mall and I could get "my buddy" just at the nearby store. Now I'm having 70 per cents of the full set.  In Shaa Allah my next acquisition is the telephoto lens for far distance capture. As per the 2026 review, this is the best camera generation first released for 2026. Sony A7V was released in late December 2025 and made available to Malaysian Market in February 2026. Indeed I almost bought the A7IV series in Nov., 2025, and if such was done, I would have regretted very much. 

(2)    My first camera while I was in school in 1975 was the Yashica cheap version. Upon working in 1986 I bought the Canon. Then in 2003, I used to fly in helicopter all over Sarawak and Papua New Guinea, so I have Canon EOS 1D X Mark II then III. My photographic interest then was so high, and every where I go, definitely the cameras and all the accessories and Note Book made 60 per cents of my load. 

(3)    Why I chosen Sony over Canon or other types? Sony is much compact to others. The body and lens shape I would say are nice "body line". Technology-wise, Sony is very fast evolving and really reacted to the demand of photo and cinematography environment. In term of pricing, Sony technology advancement seem to beat everybody at the same price range. This A7V is great for both photography and video making. I need this 2-in-1 functions to begin with my over due longing interest. I hope to get this launch by mid of 2026.

NG BY THE CORNER:

I went back to the same Camera Store on the 4 March. I bought the Macro Lens. I want to the normal, telephoto and macro photography. In photography, I had fallen in love with the National Geography adventures. TV National Geography Wildlife serries glued me most to the sofa.  Definitely of late, humanity suffering and the disadvantaged socio-economic disparities images displayed by the NG photographers worldwide caught my serious attention. For sure, natures had caught my long attention.  I want to advance myself to all these as the fulfilment of my next foot steps.

(2)    As I roamed the Mid Valley Mall to look for my usual landing place, the MPH Book Store, I bumped into the National Geographic Store. The MPH Book Store is no more in Mid Valley. I had been longing wanting to have NG Backpack and Sweater. I did ordered through the online sale, but the products supplied were not to my expectation. I was charged with very high price. Here, the products were genuine, more choices and to the specification that I needed and surprisingly they cost me only 50 per cents as compared to the online sale.

(3)   On the way back to the hotel and enroute to KLIA2, I bumped on Iranian Kiosk. I met Dilla a cute talkative Langkawi lady whom persuaded me to buy some of their merchandise. The Kiosk is dealing on those Iranian food products especially those honey, dates, beans and all sort of other tip-bits. I'm very interested to get all these beans which could help out in keeping my health check and sustainably good. I believe the vigor and nice skin texture of the Arabs and Persian and even the White are very much related to all these beans taking. In the past, I used to get these products either at Putera Jaya or Bangi Gateway. In Kuching I can't get those of "for sure good great qualities" which most are from China or India. I had great doubt over the products from these countries. Their processing method and susbsatnces used always of my very concern.

(4)    One thing good, Dilla offered to regularly meet my supplies if need be. She is willing to send over the products. My thought is always about how best I could then turn all these into money-making-hobby. In Shaa Allah.

PUZZLE BACK HOME:

I was suppose to fly back around 17:50 hours. Boarding supposed to be at J13. Then I got the message the flight was retimed to 17:30. Upon waiting at J13 for about an hour, an announcement was made that the boarding gate is changed to K8. That is a long bloody distance at this puasa time. Halfway through I board the buggy. Upon reaching K8, I saw a noice, the fllight was delayed to 19:00 hours. Later, it was announced the flight was furher delayed to 20:00. The issue didn't stopped there, while on the tarmac, the plane had to wait for another 20-30 minutes due to runway issues. Looking back, I saw long que of planes and counted about 11 of them behind mine.

(2)    What was happening? I don't know why. I landed in Kuching around 22:00. I took a cab home. I avoid using Grab for the service in Kuching is slow.....I Shaa Allah to be continued.

Kuching

5 March 2026.