Making the Full Circle

Back at the Conference, presentations were made and soon its time to say good bye. We exchanged business cards and i tried to collect information and brochures as many as i can. I have a 5.00pm flight to catch from Tampa International Airport to Newark International Airport in New York.

Since i came in from the West coast through Los Angeles to Pheonix to Tampa, my flight back through Newark to Stockholm to KL made it a full circle trip. This was my second round the globe trip.

But i have a few hours to kill. I checked out of the resort at 12.30pm and booked myself a cab. SandPearl Resort

and Spa on

Clearwater is approximately 30Km away from Tampa. The cab trip over Tampa Bay was beautiful. I got the driver to drive to the Shopping complex next to the Terminal for a short shopping.

I need to find Naim a Swatch watch and thought of purchasing the iPhone.

Founf the Apple Store but was not eligible to purchase as the sale comes with purchase of the telecommunication carrier service the AT&T. I need to have a permanent address in Tampa or at least stays for three month to be eligible. So there goes my iPhone, instead i bought latest iPod Nano for Azhim and some University of Florida's Alligator T-shirts.

The flight back was unevenful, i had to wait in the plane till it was dark enough for me to

'breakfast' again. Got into Newark around 8.30pm and aboard the NY-Stockholm flight at 10.30pm. I slept through till we landed in Stockholm the next day at 7.30am. before continuing again at 11.ooam to KL.

Aboard the MAS flight back i get to have Malaysian meal again. I can't wait to be back home!

hamid

Dawn at SandPearl Resort, Clearwater, TAMPA FL.

Hello everyone, i know its been a while, but i'm determine to finish the unfinished story of my Tampa FL. trip.

Finally on the third day of my stay in SandPearl Resort and Spa had to come to and end. You know what i've been unable to get away from the conference to even walk the sandy beach of SandPearl Resort and Spa. So on my last day, i made a point to wake up early. After my Subuh prayer, i took my camera and walk to the beach.

In the early morning cool air, the resort staff already start working, a team of workers combed clean the beach using small tractors collecting washed up debris from last night tide.

It make patterns on the beach as well as making the sand soft to my bear feet. The sky and sea was blue, with flocks of pelicans and gulls flying low and diving for fish.

My footsteps made marks on the soft white sand, i'm alone and had the beach all to myself. I'm gonna miss this place

Here are some of the shots.

hamid

Real Manta at Kurishio Sea

Lets look at the real Manta Rays....enjoy

Kuroshio Sea - 2nd largest aquarium tank in the world - (song is Please don't go by Barcelona) from Jon Rawlinson on Vimeo.

Training Outsourcing Conference 08

I'm back, it's been a while since last i wrote. I'm continuing with the Training Outsourcing Conference 2008, that i attended in Clearwater, Tampa, FL. It was organised by Training Industry Inc. with the mission of creating a more efficient marketplace for learning. Their TrainingIndustry.com is the world’s leading portal for searching and accessing information about the training industry. So at this conference assembled a group like minded training idustry players from al over the world to exchange and sharing knowledge, learn about training outsourcing trends, new products and to network. A group of 100 people meeting in a beautiful place of SandPearl Hotel and Spa on Clearwater's long sandbar facing the Gulf of Mexico.

The conference, which focused on the processes and strategies needed to drive success in difficult economic times, has an excellent lineup of talented and experienced presenters.

The conference kicked off with a welcome remark by Training Industry Inc. CEO Doug Harward. This was followed by a keynote by famous photographer Steve Uzzell, one of the top advertising and corporate photographers in the country. 

He presented Open Roads Open Minds: An Exploration of Creative Problem Solving. Using his striking photographs

as illustrations of his metaphor about possibility and creativity, Steve inspires audiences to take advantage of his experience and vision to make

any venture an adventure.

A totally new experience for me. I have never had someone presented a keynote just using beautiful photo slides without a word written and still

get away with the most memorable presentation. Do visit his website at http://www.steveuzzell.com/speaker.html

This was followed by Jim Brolley, Senior Director of Global Learning for Harley-Davidson, Inc., will present CLO Best Practices. He will discuss

the journey of Harley-Davidson, Inc. as well as how they have implemented an LMS. Mr. Brolley will also discuss how Harley-Davidson, Inc. is working

on sustainability of learning, their efforts to drive a leadership university and how they're going global with the dealer university. He will also talk about

some award-winning onboarding processes.

HELLO TAMPA BAY RAYS

The flight on Southwestern was ok, when the leather chairs made you kept sliding down the seat. A full flight. Sat in between two burly American in work suits whom monopolized the armrests made me sitting straight with arms folded. Bad for the joints. For your information its Ramadhan, and mind you, i'm fasting...thus by passing the orange juice and hard fretzels. Luckily i only had to endured them half way untill touchdown in Phoenix. Arizona.

Quickly i move seats by the window. Its a free sitting from Pheonix to Tampa. Pheonix is like a 'wadi' in the middle of a huge desert. What a glorius view...of the tail end 'Grand Canyon'? I had a middle aged lady next to me...busy reading....everybody seems to be reading something. Phones were prohibited only on take-off and landing...other than that you are quite free to use. The window sitting gave the best view of things along the way to Tampa, FL.

The view over Tampa was glorious...modern city by the sea facing Gulf of Mexico....white sandy beach, lagoons and marina of Tampa Bay, home of the Tampa Bay Rays...Runner Up of the American Major League Baseball 2008 Championship. Even the Tampa International Airport was impressive.

Upon landing i have just half an hour before the Conference starts...hopped on to yellow cab and straight to the hotel. I walked in with my bags as they are having the tea break after the Opening Speech. I did not miss much. Registered myself at the counter and introduced my self to Erin. Phew! what a journey and i made it.
It feels like in the movie Around the World in 80 days!. Anyway i have a few days to immersed myself in the Conference and also to enjoy Tampa.


hamid

Journey into the Unkown

Hi, i'm writing again...after a long break due to hectic schedule of work, work, work, aidil-fitri, open houses, assignments, training, assignments, meetings, kursus haji and minding 'the weekends 'asrama' kids' and the new addition to our pet "cat-family"!. A lot of new development since not to forget the near miss "puasa enam - syawal".

Back to the Tom Bradley Airport, "THE TERMINAL" like movie scene where i had to spend the night, due to 'someone' negligence. It 12.30pm that i managed to get online to contact people back at the office. On my YM, i saw a few images of office mates online...but none responded except for Azmi, our technical head..who was in a meeting. "Mi, get Nani online, need to tell her i'm stranded in LA Airport and its pass midnight after a long 16 hours flight.". I did shout at her in my messenger....though with out the voice! Tell that travel agent girl what happened!....Poor Nani....i'm shooting the messenger...am i? Missing the last flight out from LA to Atlanta is one thing, but having to drag your bag from Terminal 1 to Terminal 5 at midnight and later to find the ticket counter Southwestern Airlines closed in another.

A help from a janitor get me to buy via Southwestern Airlines 1-800 tol free number the first flight out tomorrow morning at 7.30am. Its my best option, direct flight from LA to Tampa, FL via Pheonix. It cost me USD399 (RM 1396.50) on my credit card. The lady on the other end of of the phone simply can't spell my name right, so i had to spell letter by letter as in A for America, B for Bahamas, D for Dallas, U for Utah and L for L which she got it on her own....for ABDUL...HAMID RAHMAN. The same thing for credit card billing address 55 JLN 2/6 Tmn Setapak Indah, Kuala Lumpur....It's hell!

But her patience was admirable. She then said, Congratulations Sir! your card was accepted and told me to write down the Booking Number so i can present it ct the check-in counter tomorrow morning. She mentioned me to be at the check-in counter by 6.30am. A sigh of relief and suddenly i felt dead tired. Thanking her i wandered off. Found a spot and then decided to go to the men's washroom. Pushed in the trolley into the handicapped toilet, and eased my self. Had a quick warm shower that was refreshing....before finding a spot to rest.

Could'nt sleep, i was at the check-in counter at 4.00am...to my surprise already a que is building up. Counter opened at 4.30am...self checked-in using the 'Booking number' was a breeze. At 6.30am i'm already checked-in for Tampa. Its Tuesday morning 16th September 2008. The opening day of the Conference with Welcome cocktail at 5.00pm. Its a 3 hour flight still....Can i make it on time?

hamid

NIGHTMARE at THE TERMINAL

15th September 2008, 10.30p.m. Tom Bradley International Airport, Los Angeles is where it begins. It was when my short joy of puasa on a long haul flight HKG -LAX ended and my nightmare started. According to my itinerary as set and confirmed by MAS KLIA Airport staff i have ample one a half hour before my connecting flight to Atlanta and Tampa on Delta Air.

Upon checking in i was told by the Delta Air people at terminal 3 that their last flight out was BLOODY FULL! I was aghast and shocked definitely felt my heart skip a beat! How's that happened? The lady calmly said that my agent did not reconfirm my ticket booking as i had missed my flight the day before (which was due to disruption by typhoon Sinluka in Taipei).

What shall i do next? Is there any other flight out? NONE she said, till tomorrow (16th Sept. Wednesday) at noon, and if i'm interested she can booked me on immediately, but i have to pay extra. Why? i can't get the same price as the one booked by an agent...i have to pay an extra of USD600. Damn! my agent and damn! MAS KLIA people i said to myslef!.

My next question was is there an earlier direct flight to Tampa from LAX? She said YES but on Southwest Airline at Terminal 5 that leaves tomorrow morning at 7.30am. I asked for Southwest contact number and she quitely gave me their 1-300 tol free number. Thanking her i made my way out of the arrival hall towards Terminal 5. With some help i got on to the terminal bus towards Terminal 5, its the bus last round trip for the night. By then its already 11.30pm.

Upon arrival i rushed in to get to the ticketing counter but was stopped by a guard informing its already closed! I can't contact my office as my phone already dead out of power. I thought i use the number to call the tol free number. It really is free and to my relieved get to talk to someone from Southwest Airline for tomorrows ticket booking. I have to use my credit card to pay USD393 for the ticket, which i had to spell out every alphabets out for her to get my name, billing address right. Upon acceptance she gave me a ticket confirmation number write down and advised me to be at the ticket counter latest by 6.00am tomorrow.

Thanking her i have 6 hours to kill. Half the mission accomplished now i had to find a place to spend the night, get connected and inform home base, PSSB Cyberjaya. Found a quite spot in the arrival hall of Terminal 5 with two other people sleeping (perhaps waiting for their next flight out) and tried to access the net.
Suddenly i felt like a cast with Tom Hanks stranded at an airport in THE TERMINAL, minus the leading lady Catherine Zeta Jones!. ...(look out at the poster guys!)

My Mac detected a signal but u need to subscribe T.Mobile service...luckily they have a day subcription of USD 9.90...again my credit card to the rescue. Seconds later i'm connected and on goes my messenger YM to find out who in office back home is online....

I need someone to shout at!

hamid

JOY OF SHORT PUASA ON A LONG HAUL CX880

Its 2.00pm Monday afternoon 15th September '08 and the typhoon is brewing in the air at KLIA Departure Terminal. I confronted a MAS officer on my flight MH094 with my boarding pass and printed travel itinerary. They now looked bewildered and loss for words. After some serious arguing with MAS Airport people on my being left behind MAS Flight 094 rescheduled 12.30pm flight to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) via Taipei on the 15th September 2008. I stood my ground and they could not find answers to my having a boarding pass, thus my name on their system and was not contacted and accounted for.

A few officers later, they agreed to put me the next available 6.40pm flight MH074 to Hong Kong and drew me a skimpy itinerary on computer print out. I was put on a connecting flight Cathay Pacific CX880 from Hong Kong - LAX. I thought i was on may way and the worst was over. The flight KL - HKG was uneventful except the ever curious Hong Kong girl next to me and for the kind attention of MAS stewardeses when knowing that you are going a long haul trip on Cathay and fasting. I was given extra 'kurma' and 'bekal' from MAS for my Cathay trip. I does help to pacify a bit the the typhoon category4 to categrory 1 in me. Hey! MAS your international flight crew saved the day for your airport ground staff blunder!.

CX 880 was a 12 hour flight mostly through the night, thus enable me to eat and refereshed during this Ramadhan trip. I had the shortest 'puasa' aboard the flight when 'fajr' or sunrise was around the International Date Line over the Pacific and 5 hours later began landing in LA at around 9.30pm local time Monday 15th. thus my shortest puasa 'breakfast' or berbuka.

The joy of flying ended immediately upon landing and face the American Immigration, where your photo and finger print taken and everything else goes through the scanners - bags, laptops, handphones, shoes, and belts . It gave you the impression of the high 'sense of insecurity' that thay havein the US.....that triggered my next Nightmare!



hamid
alor setar

AMAZING MH094, GATE C36 AND SINLUKA

September 14th 2008 was a rare day that's going to be etched for good in my memory. Its the day that i was supposed to travel to attend a conference entitled "Innovations in Managed Learning Services 2008" in Clearwater, Tampa Florida, US. The trip was to take me to Los Angeles via Taipei was in the end cancelled because Taiwan is being strucked by thypoon "Sinluka" that forces the closure off all outbound and inbound flights. So there goes my trip.

The beautiful thing about this was that i was given a boarding pass in KLCAT check in counter and set me boarding ERL to KLIA at noon that Sunday. Upon reaching KLIA and passed through the Immigration i headed straight to gate C36 to board. Amazingly no one was around and it was dark. Walking back bewildered i saw a news announcement on TV saying all flights through Taipei has been cancelled and to be rescheduled. I don't know where the other passengers went? A check at flight schedule indicated that it was rescheduled at 3.00am tomorrow. What? What do i do now? they put me in a hotel?

Upon checking at the transit counters it was mentioned that they would'nt know when it will be able to fly through Taipei, but was suggested to come back tomorrow at the same time. They mentioned the same goes for Saturday's flights. Grumbling (@11#???) why wasn't i informed when i checked in? I was advised to get back my luggage back from the Begage Reclaim and headed home while contemplating of getting another carrier that can bypass Taipei. As contacting our Travel Agent (SIME DARBY TRAVEL) was futile on Sundays, another amazing phenomenon (I have more on them next), i have no choice but go back home and wait till the next day assured that i'll be contacted. Sad that no one informed, nobody from our agent available to help, i made my way home...but happy that i have another day to spend with my wife on 'berbuka puasa'. I was worried that i cannot get my connecting flight in the US reconfirmed.

The next day, (Monday) i finally managed to talk to our Travel Agent after 9.00am, and was advised to go to the airpot. At around 11.30pm when i was about to leave for KLIA (which is 2 hours away), and again after the 2nd 'good bye' and 'safe trip' wishes by my wife, a call from our agent through Nani our company secretary informed me that the reschduled is departing at 12.30pm! which made it impossible for me to get on the flight. Too short a notice, i'm still at home. As fate wants it, flight MH094 departed with 265 people onboard without me. I could not 'figure out' why they (MAS) did not see my name on their systems (my boarding pass is the evidence) and could not contact me much earlier (confirmed by my agent - no record of being contacted by MAS on their system) when they say they have contacted all, AMAZING!

Arriving at KLIA later started another drama, the real Typhoon!

rgds

hamid

Alor Setar

Of OREOs and KURMA in BPL

Hi, its about time for a new input. Today is the second day of Bahagian Pengurusan Latihan (BPL) Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia training. We had a full attendance yesterday, even though later it develops into an 'OREO' biscuits scenario..(kejap ada, kejap tak ada), which is expected of in BPL. Being the center for all KKM's training planning activities, and understaffed, its understandable to have officers being multitasking and attending multiple meetings in a day, even in between their own professional development training.

It's a compact 3 day version of ICMS Adoption Phase 1 training that was given to the colleges. We started off with Let's Change and e - Learning Theories...How i wished all the relevant people to be around as this slot really drives the principle, reasons, justifications and the theoretical framework of ICMS initiative that would evolved BPL into the e-Learning world.

We are having the training in a big meeting room thus the atmosphere is a bit more relaxed as compared in PD or Alor Setar. Everyone loved the Vista and Meta-search engine sessions. Dr Tunku of UIA research team joined in mid way to observed. Other than managed to discuss job issues, she managed to observe the on-goings and learn a few new tricks. 2nd day started off with GO BLOG session by Azleen. It got the day to a flying start and hoped the high spirit to fly the entire day, knowing that we are training in Ramadhan. 

We have another stressful Phase 2 before Raya time. As my boss Dr. Abu used to say, we may look as serene as a 'White Swan' on water, but the webbed feet is paddling 'like mad' underwater. While training in BPL, we are developing and putting the final touches to Phase 2 module ('THE' icms engine)

To my team ...my gratitude! Stay as cool and sweet as Ramadhan's KURMA.

abdul hamid

BPL

11 September 08