A few things:
My 1st Overseas International Racing Event
Competiting in my 1st international racing event in Malaysia and qualifying 10th and coming in 16th out of 34 entrants despite this being my 1st event, at a tack which i've never seen b4, and a budget which was almost non-existant. technical problems which necessitated an engine change even b4 the event started, and later on, a fouled plug which caused me to DNF the 1st heats n subsequently start last in the 2nd heats were vexxing, but I fought from the last place, 34th, up to 19th place, something i never imagined I would be capable of. The confidence which I got then ensured I was able to improve on my finishing positions with each subsequent heats n the finals, despite competiting for the 1st time Internationally within the particular engine class, and amongst Asia's best go-karters.
My Coming to London for Studies
Actually I began this in 2003, but the fruits of it came to bear in Jan 2004 when I got my acceptance letters. For most part of 2004, I studied more about the place I would call home the next 3 years at least, and I began preparations which included a list of things I need, applying for my Visa etc. And when I finally stepped onto the BA plane on the night of sept 22, it was finally beganing to strike me that I was embarking on one of my greatest personal adventures yet. The last few years in Singapore had been very unhappy for me, and while even today im still fighting off ghosts of my past, I am in a sense, very happy now, here in London.
My Getting of my Class 3 Licence
Having gotten my racing licence b4 my class 3, I was personally worried that I'd not take the driving lessons seriously. Luckily though, I found that it was not so. My lessons lasted proper from Dec of 03 to Mar 04. The rest of the time, I was taking my revisions and trying to book my Advanced Theory Paper. That was my only mistake in the whole affair, finishing my lessons b4 taking my Advanced Theory. In reality though, I was lucky in a sense, because from the day i booked my Advanced Theory to the day I passed my class 3 test, was not even a full month. I got a slot for my advance theory really fast, and i only wated a week to receive my results. then i booked my class 3 and i got a day which wasn't even 2 weeks away from the day i made the booking. It was fantastic. I also luckily passed on my 1st try, despite knocking over a pole during parking, probably because I was nervous. The 1st few months on the road I admit I was reckless. Now I will just try my best to stay out of trouble.
Other mentions are:
RODing on the 12th of June. I was happy to finally leave the SAF. But when I RODed, my understudy hadn't arrived yet, and although I didn't exactly like my unit, I felt that, I couldn't leave them floundering. My position as the Ops Clerk & S3 PA meant there was lots of essential work which passed thru me. The many NSF sgts in the office are in a sense, more my buddies than my superiors, and I do feel it wasn't fair for them to shoulder my workload n have to teach the ops clerk in addition to their usual work. So I went back the following monday after I've RODed, when my understudy finally came in, and stayed the whole day to give him a brief teaching of my appointment's job requirements and resposibilities, plsu do a proper handing and taking over. While one day wasn't much, I hope it did somehow make it easier for the new clerk to understand his duties.
Getting to know my now-best friend Kym. Although I actually didn't do anything to get to know her, and that we sort of got to know each other by chance. I have 2 things to be thankful for, because I believe that we would not get to know each other and become such good friends had they not existed. 1st would be my flatmate Matthias who is Kym's coursemate. If not for him, she wouldn't have come over to my flat looking for him. 2nd is Halloween. IF it wasn't for Halloween, that fateful wednesday I wouldn't be in that....... er...... costume, and she would have popped into my room to see what my other flatemates were laughing about.
Getting the courage to actually wear that costume for not one but TWO halloween parties deserves a brief mention too.