36 ain't so bad!

I turned 36 this year, and Trixie and Kimo surprised me with a cake when I got home from work. I didn't expect it cos we are so poor, we can't afford a cake, but Trixie is a baker after all, so a homemade cake for me.

As soon as I got home, Trixie asked me to sit down and close my eyes. Then I had to wait the longest time for them to appear from the kitchen, cos Kimo had to stick 36 candles on the chocolate cake! The best part was when Kimo sang Happy Birthday Papa!

Watch the evidence on the video below. (Forgive the quality as it was taken with my mobile phone)



also a new photo of me and Kimo :)

Day out at Lake Ginnendera

To take off or not?

We have been living here in Australia for the last 6 months and we are getting used to the lifestyle here. Of course after going thru a very hard start-up and learning the hard and expensive way, we finally figured out how to live here, nothing to compared to what we know about starting out in the US.

As Trixie is moving on to her research phase of her studies, she is going back to Sabah for it. As for me, I am still undecided if I will go back with her. I do not want to lose my job here as it actually paying quite well at the moment and when Trixie gets back, I would have saved enough money for the move back here....plus the exchange rate is so good against the RM. But again, I miss home..so this is my dilemma now.

Australian War Memorial

I had the day off from work and Trixie asked me what I would be doing, so naturally I said, "Sleep." But after much thought, I decided to take a trip to the Australian War Memorial which is around 10 minutes from our place. I knew that I would find something interesting there because Sabah and Australia have ties since WW2 because of the infamous Sandakan-Ranau Death March. As an ex-tour guide in Sabah, I have some knowledge of the march. What I found, apart from other historical exhibits, is a whole room and wall dedicated to Australian troops who died during the Death March. I had a short emotional moment thinking how they sacrificed their lives for the Sabahans.


View of the Australian Parliament House from the War Memorial


Entrance to the War Memorial


Inside the memorial - quite similar layout to the one in Kundasang


How Sabah is highlighted


Photos of those who died during the death march

The reason for my existence:

Trixie, my wife of 10 years and our son, Kimo Xan