Four trips next month?
Online prepaid electrical bill payment through SCB
Kuey Teaw Penyet??
That’s right, guys!!! Kuey Teaw Penyet is one of the most popular dishes at Lau Di Fang restaurant which started its restaurant business back in October 2011. It was slightly tough back then as Chris, the owner, had a few man-power to run the restaurant. Today, Lau Di Fang is a very popular spot for patrons at Gadong Central because of its 1) price and 2) food.
A group of bloggers came down last week to try out the dishes. I personally like the mee hoon tauge and the wet crispy fried kuey teaw. I have yet to try the lamb shank but this particular dish you have to pre-order the day or two days prior to consumption as they only offer lamb shank upon request. It’s also pretty affordable.
There’s a good amount of traffic that comes to Lau Di Fang and price factor is also a good draw for patrons. This could be one of the regular places I might dine in from time to time. For more details, you can call 242 7217. The restaurant is located at Spg 21, Block A, Unit 7, Gadong Central, Kg. Menglait.
The entrance of Lau Di Fang. You won’t miss this spot if you drive along the Simpang
The wet crispy kuey teaw goreng and this taste pretty good actually
I’m not a big fan of kolo mee but this is not bad either
The prawn mee soup is spicy *hhoootttttt*
The ambience inside the restaurant
I can’t remember the name of the dish but it’s my favourite so far
You can order Milo Dinosaur
They serve Ayam Penyet too and I like the sambal
Okay.. who says Kuey Teaw and Ayam Penyet don’t blend? They do and it’s a good combination too. One of the best seller at Lau Di Fang
The lamb shank dish but you need to call in to order a day or two before
Buddies trying out the dishes while Chris (in pink) entertaining us
They also serve satay just outside the restaurant
You can order the tasty chicken wings or the “tongkeng”
Enjoy an extra 10% off at Flexa
Have you come across this store lately? If you want a creative, durable bed/furniture, Flexa is highly recommended as they provide high quality, premium material. With their motto “Because Children Grow”, this means that the children can have a choice or the opportunity to expand or add on what they currently have. Just imagine it as a form of lego. For instance, your single bed can be upgraded to a double decker bed with more accessories in place. You can refer to the illustrations below if you’re a bit confused.
As you know, Flexa has just recently opened its door in Brunei and this is the 2nd store after Singapore that is opened regionally. At the moment, Flexa is running a 10% promotion for a limited time only but guess what, they are part of the Brunei Salebration and now you can enjoy a further 10% (so that’s 20% discount) which is only limited until 22nd January. Another catch is that you can use bank loans for your purchases at Flexa and all major credit cards are accepted as well. Do call 224 0782 or 224 0783 for details.
So where to locate Flexa? It’s located at Kiulap (near Mamih Cafe) and do look for Patrick *great bloke* and he will be able to give you consultation on the concept of Flexa.
With 1 bed bringing 1001 possibilities, new dreams can begin here…..
Taken from yesterday’s Borneo Bulletin
The motto for Flexa
The stages that your children can go through starting at 3 years old or even at 2
From there, you can expand to a bigger bed with a mini slide and a tent
And by 9 years old, you can have the same bed with your study station underneath.. The possibilities are endless
By 12 years, it can be turned into this to keep up with the changes as they grow older. With Flexa, this is made possible.
If you notice the planks are slightly bend but these are very lasting and even kids can jump on their mattress and they are still durable. These also create comfort for the kids to sleep in.
Ok, I think I’m too big for this kind of stuff.. This bed set is actually the 4th stage. So that means you can actually buy the bed separately from this whole package and add on as your children grow older.
So do check out Flexa located at Kiulap
After emerging as the grand-prize winner of a high-specification Kia Sportage at the Red Bull ‘Win-A-Car’ lucky draw at the entrance to the International Convention Centre, Azizah Ahmad drove her prize home.
The 53-year-old housewife from Kampong Lampai instantly jumped with joy after selecting the correct key and opening the door to the sports utility vehicle. The mother of four said she had only purchased two clusters of Red Bull drinks during the Consumer Fair Part 9 (CF9) in order to be eligible for the lucky draw and that the car will be given as a “present” to her daughter.
Crowds of people bought Red Bull canned drinks and Sunsnack boxed food during the Consumer Fair 9 (organised by Sunlit Advertising), entitling themselves to enter lucky draw. A minimum purchase of $5 also enabled visitors to stand a chance to win daily prizes of two Samsung Tab P100 and a Samsung Galaxy S II.
Other prizes during the grand draw included an Apple iPhone 4S, Apple iPad2 as well as consolation prizes of Red Bull ‘unblended fan’ and a Red Bull one-of-a-kind egg-shaped freezer.
On hand to present the prizes to the happy winners was the local distributor of Red Bull, Kingston Beverage and Creamery’s Managing Director, Mr Malcom Lim. Text courtesy of Aziz Idris of Borneo Bulletin.
There was such a crowd outside ICC and 200 people were shortlisted for the grand draw
One of the consolation winners and she won herself an iPhone 4s.. great prizes still
Yuniza Hj Nasir (Baby) won herself a Samsung Galaxy SII. Lucky you 😀
One of the shortlisted for the car as the grand prize but he was not fortunate
His son was given the opportunity to choose the key but it was still the wrong key
Azizah was the 4th person to pick the right key to the KIA Sportage
….and she chose the right key.. Azizah only purchased two clusters of Red Bull
Azizah and her daughter were so excited after winning the car
The winner posing with Malcolm Lim, Kingston Beverage and Creamery’s Managing Director, and the helpers of the Red Bull activities
Dean Kassim sharing a moment with the Red Bull helpers
All the hardwork paid off and they did a splendid job throughout the five days duing CF9
The following is an article by Haji Kamal Bahrin bin Jamal, the 2010-2011 CfBT Chevening Scholar who just graduated with a Distinction in MSc in Mathematics from the University of Sussex. Haji Kamal Bahrin is an Education Officer with the Ministry of Education, Brunei.
Chevening Scholarship is a prestigious and highly competitive scholarship scheme for international students offered by the British Government. Haji Kamal was fully funded by CfBT Education Services. More information is available from the UK in Brunei website at: www.UKinBrunei.fco.gov.uk The deadline to submit Chevening applications for the 2012-2013 session is on Monday, 23 January 2012.
Hj Kamal (center) with British High Commissioner His Excellency Rob Fenn (L) and CfBT CEO Mr. James Douglas (R)
By: Hj Kamal Bahrin bin Jamal, 2010-2011 CfBT Chevening Scholar
Time has flown by so fast and I’ve completed my postgraduate studies in 2011. For a time span of one year, I have experienced a lot of things there in the UK. I believe that my experience is not much different from that of many other scholars. Let me bring you my journey as a Chevening Scholar 2010/2011.
The call & the reception
Recalling the phone call I received from CfBT about the scholarship award was the happiest moment in my life. I saw it as a blessing from Allah as the announcement came during the holy month of Ramadhan, which is a fasting month for the Muslims. The day when I was awarded the scholarship was the proudest moment in my life and I am immensely grateful to the British High Commission, British Council and CfBT for the Chevening-CfBT scholarship and also to the Ministry of Education and SPA/JPA for the in-service training scholarship. A few days before I left Brunei, it was a bittersweet memory. For this journey, I left behind my beloved family, friends, colleagues and my dear students. Then I reassured myself that this is my lifelong dream and I need to be physically and mentally prepared for this positive change.
This is it.
The day I left Brunei was a memorable day as families and friends came to bid me farewell, reflecting their moral support. When I touched down in London on 27th September 2010, I was exhausted from my long flight and the chilly weather in London was not helping as I tried to overcome my homesickness. However, I constantly reassured myself: ‘This is it, my life as a Chevening Scholar begins.’ The vibrant, colourful and creative city
After spending a night in London, I was transported to Brighton where I studied. Brighton is a major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England. Its famous landmarks include the Royal Pavillion, a majestic palace, which to no surprise was once a royal residence in the 18th century. Then there was the pier with its long jetty walkway and most interestingly, one gets to savor all sorts of yummy delights which can be found on sale in small booths and has some pretty scary amusements rides as well. And then there was this beautiful pebble beach, which I considered unique where the sand is not in sight and seagulls rule the skies. Brighton is such a picturesque place and considered to be a popular destination as it is less than an hour from London by train. Brighton is also a vibrant place, full of life and colour and anything by the sea would always be a winning combination.
There were few halal restaurants that cater food for the Muslims around the area and halal meat or poultry made available at certain shops. And for gastronomic adventurers, an array of seafood dishes and most notably, the famous fish & chips were readily available.
A really great university
For the scholarship, I was studying at the University of Sussex which was established in 1960s and situated on the edge of Sussex Downs. The University campus is a large, self contained village, where lecture theatres, seminar rooms, library, labs, accommodation, restaurants, bars, shops and sports facilities are all within walking distance.
Apart from being a leading research university, as reflected in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, it was also ranked 8th in the UK, 16th in Europe and 79th in the world; mentioned in the 2010 Times Higher Education magazine’s World University Ranking. In the aspect of learning, I had some incredibly interesting, accommodating and engaging lecturers.
The first week
I was fortunate to meet a fellow Bruneian, doing his PHD in the Sussex University at that time. He provided me with great assistance, while I was settling down during my first week in Brighton. As a newbie to the place, you need to be a fast learner. It was such a fun experience hunting for a house to rent and at the same time attending the orientation week at the University. I admitted it was hectic but worthwhile, because the faster you settle down, the more time you have to focus on other significant matters.
The orientation week was very helpful, besides meeting new people from all over the world and to get familiarized with the buildings around the university, we were also informed on personal matters such as setting up a bank account, getting involved in social activities planned by the university and also to register with the local health services.
MSc in Mathematics
It is a one year course and a full-time taught programme assessed by written examinations, coursework, projects, a talk and a dissertation. We have the freedom to choose our own modules from a list of modules offered by the department where we had to choose four modules for the Autumn term and another remaining 4 modules for the Spring term. During my Autumn term, I had Probability Models, Method of Applied Mathematics, Measure and Integration & Monetary Theory Analysis. For the Spring term, I took Coding Theory, Random Process, Functional Analysis and Mathematical model in Finance and Industry. Personally, choosing the right module is very crucial as it should be relevant to the dissertation that I am going to do and also it should be very useful not only to myself but also to my nation back home in Brunei.
A Time of Self-Doubt
Honestly for the first two weeks, it was really hard for me to follow the course. At times I questioned my proficiency in learning this higher level of mathematics, wondering if I really had the ability to complete my postgraduate course since I left my undergraduate life for almost six years. My doubts intensified as time pressured and then exhaustion took its toll and my ability to learn, make decisions, and perform complex tasks deteriorated. At hard times like these, I sought solace by flipping through my family photos and that, had reminded me of their hopes for me to excel.
Time Management
I believe time, pressure and stress are common among postgraduate students. Since my course was a one-year course, I was able to manage my time well by meeting the assignment deadlines, disciplined myself to do revision and balanced it with productive leisure time. I am still amazed with my time management skills as I have also managed to squeeze time exploring around UK. With free time at hand I travelled around places in the UK which I love. So far my journey then took me to Bristol, Birmingham, Wales and also other parts in London. Besides, I also travelled around Europe that included Paris, Zurich, Amsterdam and some Italian cities. It’s amazing what one may find at these different places, considering that each place is distinctively beautiful and rich in its own history.
Hj Kamal enjoying a quiet moment under the tree
Let it snow, Let it snow!
An experience that I shall never forget in my life was the heavy snowfall in Brighton. With a heavy snow, I was able to make myself a snow man. You could say I was happy as a child for that brisk moment. At the same time I thank Allah for giving me the opportunity to experience such a beautiful weather.
The reception in Sussex University
I was lucky enough to have been invited for the ‘Scholars Reception Day’ at the university where I got to meet the Vice Chancellor, Mr. Micheal Farthing. It was indeed an honor and an opportunity that I will always remember. I took time to socialize and did some networking with other scholars where we exchanged studying ideas, tips and techniques.
The Royal Wedding
As it was a part of history in the making, I was fortunate enough to make my way to the Buckingham palace area, despite it being flooded by thousands of people. I fought my way to witness the royal wedding that was anticipated by people all over the world. It was indeed a fairy tale wedding. Right after the famous kiss on the balcony, I moved down to Hyde Park where everyone celebrated and had a jolly good time.
HM visits to UK
On the 1st May 2011, marked another memorable day for Bruneians who were residing, studying, working or even on holiday in the UK as we were told that our beloved king, His Majesty the Sultan And Yang Dipertuan of Brunei Darussalam and other royal families will be meeting and greeting the Bruneians on that day.
As required, we were all dressed to the nines and headed to Hilton Hotel in London. The atmosphere was just electrifying as we got to meet and mingle with fellow Bruneians while waiting for the arrival of our benevolent king.
The titah given by His Majesty was an eye opener to most of us and it also boost our spirit to strive higher in our pursuit for higher education. To end that special day I had the privilege to get a picture taken with His Majesty. And again, this was not an easy as everyone else too wanted their own photo opportunity with the king, but I must say I was among the lucky ones.
The Exam
And now for the moment of truth, after the continuous months of intense hardwork, sleepless nights and stress, my efforts are now being put to the ultimate ‘test’. It was a nail biting experience as it had been years that I sat for an exam. The two weeks of exam went by in a blink of an eye. It is true that the stress is over (Thank God) but the painful wait for the results can be a nerve-wracking experience.
Dissertation
While waiting for the exam result, I did my dissertation with kind assistance from my supervisor. It was an exciting project where I got to collaborate with the medical department and conducted some data analysis. The project involved mathematical modelling where I got to create a model for a certain disease and compare my analysis of this new created model with the data provided by the Medical Department of Sussex University.
We were given 3 months to complete the dissertation and personally it was an intense and stressful months for me but the experience was priceless. After handing the dissertation over to the University, my family came by to pay me a visit and it was the perfect time for me to show them the very interesting sights and sounds of Brighton had to offer.
October 2011 arrived and as quickly as it began, I realized that it was time to pack up and sort out what I needed and what’s to leave behind; and suddenly I was boarding the plane bound for home.
Back to Reality
I was back at work and teaching once again and seeing familiar faces at the place where it all started, that is Sekolah Menengah Pengiran Jaya Negara Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar. The knowledge and the experience that I gathered came in handy as I tried to implement them at the school for the academic programmes for 2012.
All that hard work did after all pay off where at the end of October, I received my results and was pleased to know that I achieved a Distinction for my Masters, to say the least I was over the moon. I thank Allah for His blessing and also to my family and friends for their prayers & warm wishes that have kept me going through this journey.
It was indeed a great year, despite the fear, excitement, stress and joy and other ups and downs, but it was all worth it. Now I can’t wait to head back to UK for my graduation and indeed it shall be something I am looking forward to again.
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