Got it in 16:46

Running at around 1:00 PM in a 5% uphill steep in the middle of the desert with a slight sand storm I was able to clock in a 3KM run in 16 min 46 sec to cover my stage in the Bahrain Marathon relay. It was slower than my training time (I usually clock in between 16 min to 16:30 but I didn't expect running in this type of condition having done most of my training during night time and a relatively level surface but more or less I run in a  stronger intensity.

Since I want to familiarize with the route of my stage what I did is for me to be drop off at the end of my stage and walk and slow jog to the start of the stage as my warm up (so more or less I did 6Km combination of walk,slow jog and run)

It was a fun day and I have a good time at the end of the race me and my teammates gather around and have a couple of Beer I also rewarded myself with my Favorite Pizza it will be back to low carbs diet and weight training next week.

Sunset at work

The picture above was shot from using my DSLR

After a days work there nothing more relaxing than looking at the sunset through my corner office window.
At this time of the year daytime are becoming shorter so I can witness the sunset before I leave the office.

Training for a race

The photo above will be the running shoes I'll be using for training and eventually for the race.

At the end of the month I'll be running again in a Marathon after 25 years, yes 25 years.The last marathon I run was a 5K during highschool.
Now I will run in a relay marathon were our company has entered a team it will be 16 stages were each stage is 3 km so in short it will be a 3K run for each person. Yah its just 3K but the objective of the is to finish it in 15 min or less if you will do the math you have to run with an average speed of 12 km/hr as for me thats the speed I'm running if I'm doing high intensity run
The last time I timed my run I was able to cover 3K in 17:30.
Right now I'm training for the race so its a mix of endurance run and power run for the next 4 weeks and some core works it means no weight training for the meantime.

To Laptop or not to Laptop

The end of Ramadan will be in a few days time, but the day are not yet confirm it depends on the moon as they say. It means there will be a few days holiday. I will take advantage of this holiday to go back to Dubai for a few days stay, to visit my wife and of course to meet up with my friends there.
I got a nasty habit of traveling heavy since I pack most of my stuff I can think of. But not this time, I made sure that I will be traveling light. The first one to go off my list is my DSLR. Ihave  decided not to bring a DSLR on this trip I’ll just bring my Lomo LCA and a couple rolls of film I can always buy film there in case I need more. If I’m not bringing my DSLR there will be other stuff that I don’t need like lenses, extra chargers, batteries and others.
As I'm packing my things as we speak just a few change of clothes my running shoes as I ‘m training right now in preparation for a short marathon I will run (that will be another story). Other stuff for sure I’ll be bringing will be my Ipod, my Phone, the External HDD with the new seasons of TV shows in it.
As I almost complete my packing is I’m still thinking whether should I bring the Laptop or not. There are still lots of space in my backpack but carrying that will be some weight as my objective is to travel really light.
There are still a couple of days to think about it then I can just slip it in my bag even in the last minute. Anyway looking forward to go back to Dubai after a month and a half.

New Apartment

After almost a month, I finally moved out from the Apartment that my company has provided for my temporary accompdation. So I moved in to my new apartment a fully furnished two bedroom apartment with Satellite TV, Internet connection most of all the building has a Gym which I can use for FREE. Incidently I share this apartment with a Brazilian Guy. What I like most on my new place is the location, just a stone throw away from the Supermarket, strip of restaurants nearby including Starbucks and Costa.

Right now I'm enjoying my stay on my new place after a week. I'll keep you updated I will post some pictures after I have the rolls of Film I have are processed which I'm having a hard time finding a lab to do it in Bahrain but that will be another blog entry.

Reaching Middle Age

Its been 4 decades since I was born. Its been full of ups and downs mostly ups I supposed. I think its the most unfamiliar birthdays I have so far. Celebrating it on a new place alone without my friends and family beside me thanks for the advance technology at least they were in touch to send in their greetings and wishes. As they say life begins at 40 so heres to a new life and more blessings to come.

Shooting with Film

The Photo above is my Lomo LC-A and my stash of assorted Film which ironically shot using my DSLR

I've been shooting mostly with Film for the past months using my Lomo LC-A and sometimes the Lomo Fisheye. Because of their compactness which you can bring everywhere, I just slide inside my everyday bag no more heavy gears to carry.

Before leaving Dubai I purchased several rolls of assorted film so I will have a stash in case I will have a hard time purchasing film in Bahrain during my first few weeks here. So far I haven't shoot much except during my walk in the town last weekend while looking for an apartment to stay and incidentally I haven't finish one roll.

Maybe this weekend I'll go around town again to shoot. I'll post the pictures after its processed.

New Project

The photo above was shot using a Lomo LC-A loaded with Fuji Superia Film

This will the new project I'll be working on in Bahrain its a Hotel Resort and Spa located in the Southwest portion of Bahrain around 40 Km from the city its a 1 hour travel from where I live. Right its still in its structural stages this will keep me busy and in Bahrain for the next few years. As always I will keep you posted on its development every now and then.

Check on the photo below to see how far is our project site from where live.

Brand New Day

This is the view as I wake up to a Brand new day in a Brand new place going to a Brand new Work. Things are going smoothly lately hope it will continue all throughout.

Touchdown Bahrain

The photo above is the view from my Hotel Room

I arrived at Bahrain international airport around 8:30 AM local time. There was a long que at the Visa Counter so it took me over 2 hours before I was able to come from the Airport but not before passing by Duty Free to grab a couple of six pack.

Right now I’m in my hotel room writing this post thanks to the complimentary Wifi connection from the Hotel. I might snooze off for a couple of hour then run a little workout at the Gym downstairs then hacve a walk at the city later to see whats on and maybe take some shots. Will keep you posted on my adventure here.

Till then.

Leaving on a Jetplane again

On a couple of days I'll be leaving Dubai to move to Bahrain still here in the Middle East in a little laid back place. It will not be a permanent setup I will still go back to Dubai after a year or two who knows only time will tell. I will leave behind here all the good and bad experience I had in these place. Its a welcome change for me a new place to stay a new work to tackle and some new place to photograph.

I'll keep you posted on my new adventure there as I go along with my everyday life there.

All Wired up

I'll be moving to Bahrain next week so right now I'm packing my stuff which I will bring when I transfer. The stuff I'm packing will be of course my Clothes, a couple of books and magazines (the rest my books and magazine will be shipped to me from Dubai when I'm already settled in).

As I travel one of the things that will fill up spaces of my luggage will be those wires and cables as I bring along some of my electronics I have to bring along those chargers and cables in order to use these things. The Cables consist of Chargers for my Laptop,Camera,Mobile,PSP etc ,USB cables for external HDD, Synch cables for the smartphone Ipod and a lot more. I placed all of the wires and cables in a separate bag that will eat up some space.

I remember one experience at the Airport before when I run my luggage in the Xray machine the security inquire about those cables why I'm carryting lots of it I just told that those are Chargers.

Lets just hope that there will be no more questions about those Cables on the Airport.

On the way to Taiwan

The photos above was the package of the traveler before sending it to the next participant (shot using the camera on my Treo)

The traveler has left Dubai after it stayed here for almost a month. I sent it the other day to the next participant in Taiwan. I'm pretty excited on the completion of this project to see how the photos (mine included) will come out lets wait and see. I'll keep you posted on the developments.

Where the light is

I'm enjoying right now my sudden 3 week vacation before I move over to my new job. I have all the time to do the things I enjoyed (which includes photography but no outdoor photography for now as its really hot to do outdoor activities) like working out in the Gym which I can do now 5 times a week 3 days of Weight training and 2 days of Cardio and also swim a few laps on the pool. I can also now fix, update and tweak my itunes library. 

My latest addition to my itunes library is John Mayer's "Where the light is (John Mayer live in Los Angeles)" I already have 3 of his albums in my itunes library and most of the songs in where the light is but the live versions of these songs made me get this CD.

Farewell

The photo above was one of my last shot of the Index building before leaving the project. It was shot using Lomo LCA loaded with Fuji Velvia and cross processed.

Well I can say its official I'm no longer part of this project. I have my last working day the other day it was 2 weeks earlier than schedule as what should be in first week of August due to some misunderstanding which I rather not go in details. Well as I can say that I substantially completed my task as early this year as most of my final task on the project was to help others in their areas of work.

Its been a good and challenging 2 years of working in this project no regrets and I have learned new things that will help me as I moved on to the next challenge I will face elsewhere in the region (more on that on my later post).

To the people I've worked with and become my good friend Farewell to all of you for now till we meet again.

Yo whats up!!!

The photo above was shot using my Lomo LCA loaded with Kodak BW400CN

This is Joyce think I already posted her photo before, she is my perennial model. I always used her for my shoots whenever I have an entry for a competition, doing some lighting studies or just getting bored at the office.
You may be wondering about the title of this entry its our greeting whenever we see each other every morning at the office.

One of the things I do not like about Dubai beside the humid summer weather is its Public Transportation. There are few buses plying around the city and you have to wait for hours to get one thats traveling the route of your destination chances if its a rush hour you will find your buses fill to the rafter so they will not take new passenger so you have to wait again. They don't have subway or Metro train yet at least for another year until the construction of its first Metro are completed. The best but expensive way to go around the city by public transport is the Taxi.

Aside from that there are a traditional mode of public transport here called the Abra (shown in photo above)its a small boat that ferry passengers from Bur Dubai to Deira across Dubai Creek. Got a chance to ride one after 2 years of stay courtesy of one weekend afternoon walk.

The photo above was shot using Lomo LCA loaded with Kodak BW400CN.

Twin Brother

As I wrote in my previous entry that the traveler is with me right now and still with me for almost a week. I'm just waiting for the advise on when will I send it next so to the other participant who is yet get to hold of the traveler just stay put our baby is just fine sitting side by side with his twin brother.
To all of you who don't know I happened to own a camera same as the traveler a lomo action sampler so took a photo of the twin sitting side by side.

The Traveler reaches Dubai

After 2 years of waiting I finally the traveler has finally reach me. I'm planning to get the process as quick as possible be shooting this afternoon if the weather is good as you know at this time of the year in Dubai its sandstorm everyday and its so humidly hot not a good time for outdoor photography. Anyway I'll try to wrap it on Saturday the latest so I can send it to the next participant.


The crappy photo of the traveler is from my Treo since there are no digital camera handy when I receive it.

Whats keeping me from Shooting

The photo above is one of the pair of Dumbbell I own and used in case I wasn't able to workout at the Gym which seldom happens as I go regularly for the past 10 months. For the past months it was a break in Photography were most of my free time were spent in the Gym. But I was able to regain my shooting groove courtesy of a back injury which sidelined me for a while from working out. I manage to finish some rolls of Film (by the way I shoot more with Film nowadays with my passion with lomography). There are few more to be finished and process I'll post the pictures once its processed and scanned.