Penang.. with Ning

Ahhh.. I just got back from Penang. I did a show with Ning Baizura on Saturday 16 Oct, for a launch of this concept called "Dimensions"... some lifestyle connection to Dunhill. Basically it's just Dunhill advertising in a club, so they got Ning to sing jazz-type stuff, as to reflect the lifestyle that reflects Dunhill.. blah blah blah...

...anyway..

15 Oct night:

Only started rehearsals at 10pm Malaysian time (which means 11pm lah). Also just found out our flight to Penang via AirAsia is at 7.20am!! Really last minute... after rehearsal, I went back and probably slept at around 2 to 2.30am.

16 Oct... early in the morning (groan!):

Woke up at 5 am to pack my stuff, and left at almost 6 am to the airport. Decided to drive myself to KLIA and just park my car there until Sunday when I get back. Checked in with the rest of the band, and took off around 7.30.. fairly early for an AirAsia flight.. at least compared to the previous flights I took by Air Asia. Especially after the Sabah trip, me and my friends, out of good humor, coined a new tagline for them... "AIR ASIA.. Now everyone can fly... LATE!" (no offense to Air Asia.. but some flights are always late). We reached Penang Int'l Airport at around 8.15am, and we were picked up by the organisers for the show, Nexus Productions. They checked us into Gurney Hotel, and while the other band members went to sleep (they didn't have much sleep the night before, they're Muslim, so they were fasting as well), I went to Coffee Bean just outside of the hotel (it occupies the same building on the ground floor) to have some breakfast. Walked around a bit, went back to the room and napped for about half and hour. Woke up, saw that it was nice and sunny outside, and went for a swim at the pool (that's what I like about Gurney Hotel.. the pool's just good for laps, and they have a wading pool for kids, too!). After my swim, I went back to the room, chatted with the musical director for Ning, Alywin, showered and went out for soundcheck (but not before having my lunch at the Bean). Side note: This is the first time I have so much Coffee Bean food in a week! We finished soundcheck and a bit of a rehearsal for about 2 over hours, and I went for long run around Gurney Drive. I went two rounds both directions (one direction is about 1.5km long), so that amounted to 6km.

After the run, it was back to the hotel room, a nice hot shower, and makan at the Buka Puasa buffet. After some preparations, we headed to the venue, ChillOut.. which is just next to Coffee Bean, which occupies a portion of the hotel building on the ground floor. We did the show, Ning sang some tunes like Sway, Fever, You've Got A Friend, and one of her new tunes from the upcoming album, Breathe Again. Then we stuck around for the party after the we finished the show. We thought it was gonna be a little more happening, with some dancing and some partying. But the guests started leaving! Penang crowd not happening la... and I was really in the mood for dancing! Anyway, I managed to meet Joanna Bessey (who was MC-ing that night). After a chatting a while, myself, my friend Rozhan (who played bass), Ken (MC-ing that night with Joanna) and some of Joanna's friend hit the dance floor and started dancing. After a couple of glasses of wine, I headed out to Coffee Bean for a night cap, and I found I couldn't keep my eyes opened, so I scrapped the idea of going back in, and just hit the sack!

Today, early in the morning (...grooaaannn!!):

Had to wake up at 6am to pack. Flight was at 8.30am. Left hotel with the whole team and Ning at 6.30am. Checked in at 7.15am. Had hot mocha coffee and a blueberry muffin at Coffee Bean (see what I mean?) at the airport. Entered the terminal and waited some more. Boarded and took off at 8.40am. Landed at 9.30am. Left KLIA at 10, send Rozhan back to his house. Had second breakfast at Killiney's Kopitiam with Justin (I just love half-boiled eggs, toast bread, and french toast with butter and pandan kaya). Went back home, bathed, slept a bit....

.. and that was it.

Wow.. what a fun trip.

Oh, by the way, my big toenail on my right foot is starting come off. It all started when I did a long run when I first got my 717s, got hammertoes, black toes, the whole deal. Now it's starting come off.. and I've got a big toenail, not the short types. Bugger... anybody wants pictures? Ahahaha..

Ciao...