tornado thoughts

Lego in Hamburg

posted by tornado @ 9:50 AM 0 comments

Hamburg SMM 2008

posted by tornado @ 9:45 AM 0 comments

Finland - Tukur slideshow

posted by tornado @ 9:19 AM 0 comments

Back from Hamburg

I can't believe that I went to Hamburg the 2nd time within half a year gap for another exhibition. I would not go (or have the opportunity to go) if it was not sponsored by our cable supplier. Overall, out of the 10 halls featured, we felt that it's only 1 hall worth of related products related to our marine supply industry. The rest are either shipbuilding, motors, valves, high technology communications, marine paint, etc.

This time round, we took the initiative to talk to the suppliers and checking out if there is any business opportunities. Overall, the goods ones either have a stable agent in Singapore (which is our competitor) or we're already representing them. I can say it's not that fantastic but still an eye opener to see so many different countries come together to showcase their products.

During the evenings, we ventured round hamburg by foot and I took alot of pictures (can see from the subsequent slideshows). Thank God I survived the 12 hour flight back to Singapore!

posted by tornado @ 8:46 AM 0 comments

Greetings from Tukur, Finland

It's been ages since i last blogged. I didn't get to post my thoughts on the awesome church camp and great fellowship i had in June. The recent hectic schedule of working from 8-6pm and concurrently being a chairman (for thanksgiving) who has to hold meeting and motivate everyone for the event. I also have to liase with hotel coordinators to see the wedding packages and arrange a time to meet them with my fiance. Having a weekly cell group and fortnightly L-cell group definitely tested my time management. But I feel nothing beats my fiance's schedule in NIE which is inhuman (probably you can cross over to her blog to read it, or did you cross over from her blog to mine. haha). I understand that's why I would avail myself to her needs whenever I can (eg, durian feast, going to toa payoh to buy shampoo, or be at each other place's just to be there).

I think a few post back, i was talking about my trip in Germany and here I am now in Finland. Time difference is 5hours and Singapore is ahead. My purpose here is not to find santa claus (but i have yet to taste reindeer meat) nor buy the latest nokia phone but for business negotiation on the future partnership between our company and our cable supplier. By being in the actual ground, i get to see the manufacturing process of the cables and the amount of effort from raw materials to the final product.

I reached Tukur on Saturday and as it's an European country, life is pretty boring during the weekends. Furthermore Tukur is considered an industrial town, you wouldn't get to see many people or shopping malls. Temperature was hovering between 0degC early in the morning to 10degC in the afternoon. Thank God i was more prepared in this trip. Bought a zero degC coat and leather gloves to fight the cold. After we checked in, we went to a restaurant in a hotel to have dinner. As I wanted something exotic, i choose the rabbit meat (wrong choice, it taste like chicken but is much drier and there a smell which is not nice). I wanted reindeer meat but it wasn't available in that hotel. shucks.

On Sunday which was yesterday, i thought it was going to be a very boring day but it turned out to be very good. Our supplier brought us to this countryside whereby hunters gather to practice their shooting. He managed to arrange one of the hunters to show us and let us practice at the shooting range. It didn't took us long to have the actual hands on after the briefing. The "instructor" lead us through position by position. The shooting range has 2 little houses at the sides. That is where the flying saucers (made of clay) are ejected. Imagine being in a ready position and anticipating where it will fly from (of coz we would know in advance whether the object would be flying from the left or from the right) and getting the target is no easy feat. We were using shotgun which can put 2 big cartridges and every cartridge contain small leads about 2mm in dia. When a shot is made, it covers an area of 1mtr by 1mtr for a range of 70mtr. Out of the 25shots that we made, the instructor got 22, our supplier 3, gary 1 and i got 5!!!!

Next up, we were brought to another country side up to a hill. We were told that we are going to ride on an ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) but while we were waiting for the instructor to come, we had a finnish lunch that was specially prepared by the people. (it's more like a resort out in the countryside). Though there was no rice, the bread was very good and the salmon and salad were fresh. We also ate blueberry and red berry that were grown in the forest, they tasted blend because the season is almost over thus the quality is not as good (same principle to durians nowadays in Singapore. Hee).

After a nice meal, we were up and ready for the task. The instructed briefed on how to get the ATV running and we were to follow in one line to go through the route. Initially we were breezing through the grass patch and I was thinking "man, it's so easy. life is a breeze). When the instructor saw that everyone was comfortable and got the hang of the vehicle, he upped a nodge. We began to manover past elavated terrains, rocky terrains and the real task came when we were told to go up an elavated rocky hill one by one. He first demonstrated how he rode up and he stood up there waiting for us with his camera. Richard didn't want to take the challenge as he felt not comfortable. I was thinking "how am i going to go up this hilly terrain!? It's about 50-60deg elavation and with the rocks and one wheel above the air most of the time, I would go tumbling down the hill if i'm not careful." The instructed added that no matter what, stay onto the vehicle even though you may THINK that you're falling. The ATV is more sturdier that you think. With that thought and a prayer, I conquered the hill!

Suddenly, I felt that God spoke to me that just like the hill, many times we face situations that we think are impossible and thus do not want to give it a try, but it takes faith to believe and you will overcome it with God. It takes faith to believe in the ATV and the instructor's word that one can ride up the hill according to the way he did.

After that challenge, we went through the finnish forest and i felt really close to nature. When we reached back to "base camp", the supplier prepared a natural hot sauna for us. (it cost about 200Euro). This natural suana is different from the usual ones because it would take 5hours to prepare beforehand. They would burn the hot stones with wood and let it heated up for 5hours. There isn't a chimney and thus inside was charcoal black. Of coz, the smoke would be let out before one was to go inside and have the sauna. Now out in the countryside, only 4 guys in a small cottage. Our supplier asked anyone of us wants to into the sauna and have a try. But one needs to strip naked to really experience the heat. Gary and Richard didn't want but looking at the supplier's face and the effort he put in to make all these happen (200Euros for the sauna!! that's about 400SGD), I took up the challenge. Yes, we were both naked in the sauna but as i said that it was pitch black, one couldn't see much of each other except the face. (nobody in the right mind would want to look anywhere else of the body). We were in the sauna for about 15minutes. Really made my day. SOmething which i wasn't expecting when i came to Finland.

In 4hours time, I would be setting off for Hamburg Germany to proceed to 2nd part of the trip. To visit the Marinetime fair. The biggest one in the world for this year. =)

posted by tornado @ 9:14 PM 0 comments