[sammyboy]

Thats a beautiful shot , envy u guys

[nitinbhag]

Hey folks, sorry for not posting further from the track. But, believe me, the action there does not leave you time to do much.. Plus, Sunday was the mother of a bl**dy HOT day and all of us are sunburnt (and tanned, thanks to one of our gang who supplied us suntan lotion instead of sunscreen ). As Suman says, watching F1 is tiring business..

I am back in Sgp and the rest of the gang should be making tracks back home today.. You will get loads of pics on & off track, thanks to our official TBHP lensman..

More later..

KK, *** happened to the pics copying scheme?? MY SD card is as blank as it was last night .. OK, just pulling your leg.. will ask you for some later..

[kpzen]

Originally Posted by Dippy

The car shot is awesome . Did you take the pic from the C stand itself or were you elsewhere?

Yes, the pic was taken from C2 stand....Tifosi was all over the place to take some amazing pics


Guys I'm still in Singapore n others are still on their way back....Zak still in hotel yenjjoyin KL

A total of around 1000 pics n 50 videos were taken.....

[kpzen]

Petronas Twin towers - An engineering marvel....u have to see it to believe it...



Tifosi - Krishna Kumar

[revtech]

nice pic KPzen.....waitin for more....

[Dippy]

Mindblowing picture of the twin towers. I guess tifosi should burn a DVD of the pictures for us

[tifosikrishna]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Ah! a proper pan shot of a F1 car, you lucky dog!

thanks.

Samurai san, it was one of the very few shots that came out really well... strike rate is less than 10%.

Took most of the shot in shutter priority with a speed set between 1/500 to 1/800 th of a second....

regards
tifosi.

[Dippy]

tifosi do you happen to have a very high res picture of the Ferrari you shot?

[tifosikrishna]

yes, i have them (shot with 10.2 MP camera and each photo is around 8 to 9 MB)... all of the pics were shot in raw... did you see my PM ???

if you are so keen, i will send a few raw ones of ferrari shots to our own rudra, he will be able to get a much better result with it.....

Rudra ji, shall i send it across??

[Dippy]

havent got your PM yet. Well if Rudra can take them that'll be excellent. Wouldnt mind blowing em up for my room sometime.

[ajmat]

Yahoo, am back, overcome internet connectivity issues, power cuts, reclaimed my car and here goes my story - note -smiley rule suspended to make long blog tolerable
Thurs:
Sam’s ECNR issue was a rather ominous start, 60% of fun began and ended with Sam. Worked from town on Thurs and kept tabs with Sam and was relieved that he would be on the flight and arrive just before us. Get packed. As Rudy cannot come, I let him spend the weekend with my thrusting, hissing black lady so his driver comes to collect her.

6.00 PM
Taxi picks me up. Traffic light so reach airport by 6.20. Was checked by a sweet girl called Purnima, who could not get over that I was going to KL for a weekend. She checked me right through and got me a nice seat which massive legroom for the MAA-KUL sector.

7.15 PM

Go through security, like a cattle market, am sure the bus stand will be more relaxing to wait in. A lot of planes are delayed. Nitrous rings and says that they will meet me at the domestic terminal.

8.00PM – Take off – normal flight - land - tifokk (refered to as KK for rest of the blog) calls and says he is waiting. Walk out, and good ole Nitrous, KK and KP are out there and we driv eto the international terminal. I had a few phone calls to make so am busy on the phone. Reach international terminal and we say bye to Nitrous – poor guy, wish we could have smuggled him with us but you know that one!!!!

9.00PM - Wait for the lads to check in. They get seats in front of me. That was the good news…the bad news later discovered was that the seats did not recline being in the safety area. We went through immigration and sat waiting to board the flight. Was a good opportunity to get to know each other.

11.00 PM – board flight – requested to stay awake during take off and landing to man safety hatch. Slept most of the way but the flight was too short to get a decent nap. Spoilt by SIA so lousy selection rather no selection of movies or music. Heck, flight is in the dead of night and Rs 10 k cheaper!

Fri
Land early at 5.45, 3.15 to you folks. Emerge bleary eyed out of the plane and get into the train to the immigration gate. Train starts, suddenly in the next bogie, grinning in the window is something, big and hairy – ‘tis the Yeti. Not something I would really want to wake up in the morning to, but today, it was the best thing, Sam-O made it!

Get out, get through immigration. The Mumbya’s get their transport. We emerge to find that the greeter is there but not the bus. He comes in an hour later – he overslept. We drive into KL and am astounded how it has changed in the past 4 years. We then get stuck in commuter jams. Driver overdoes things driving like a Sumo driver here in terms of cutting in queues, ends up clouting a two-wheeler on the helmet with a wing mirror. Arrive at 8.30. Room is not ready, We all join up for breakfast and sort out passes, logistics etc .

10.00 AM – get room – smells of smoke but no other room available

11.00 am – Sam gets into his Ferrari jocks – shameful guy and along with n_c, kk, kp go out shopping. I go onto Damasara to visit an old Dato’ (title conferred by the king on eminent contributors to Malaysian society, economy, industry etc.!). This person is a retired doctor and is very fond of me (I am married to his niece). After a quick drive around the new developments, we go to Bangsar – a happening suburb for lunch - A place worth taking the lads over to. Get dropped to the hotel via Mercedes. Quite fun – old man and driver keep arguing on directions and car goes elsewhere which people honking away behind us.

3.30 pm – SMS from GTO – we walk to the KL Menara – one of the worlds highest TV towers. It looked near but boy, it was far. We go up. Sam and gang locate us and join us with their booty. After viewing the sights and a few hotel swimming pools, we go back to the hotel, dump the stuff and decide it’s beer time. We were advised to go to Jalan Ramli. We take the train – it was crowded and the AC was ineffective and we then get out at the KLCC Twin Towers. We will let the pics do the talking and we start lying on the pavement and staring, it is surreal.


Reach Jalan Ramli – Bar 1 – Rum Café – great beer and good 70’s/80’s music. Down a couple and move on to another. Bit of a crowd in front, we walk in, tables are reserved but we park ourselves and have another beer till table is claimed. Bar has two floors on top for key F1 players and invitees to party. Bit noisy but it sure made some reminiscent about previous experiences. We walk out and then we see "IT", we can't beleive we missed "IT" on the way in, IT was unbelievable, IT was smaller than life, IT was real, IT was a Mclaren Mercedes F1 car on display. KK and co took enough pics that would be enough to start producing millions of the same thing in China.

By then, we were hungry and we go to the Beach Café, as we walk in, we see some middle aged men with some young ladies, for a first time meet, they looked as if they were married in a previous life!! Moving on to the pleasures of the edible flesh, noodles, sting ray and a veg pizza (those veggie guys had it bad!). We had a light but good dinner and moved into the bar area, as we walk in, the men get older (all Caucasian) and the women seem younger (all asian).

We look for a spot to sit and suddenly a group of young ladies are moved out. Oops, we seem to be in the wrong place. Anyway, we focus on the music and the drinks and enjoy ourselves. The ladies keep dancing in the hope of being discovered by talent spotters. We move on….

It is after nine. The pubs are now putting up their prices – RM 30 for a drink. We walk back to KLCC and enjoy the cars cruising around - mainly souped up mercs and BMW’s. Reach the KLCC. It is illuminated and we literally fall flat on the pavement and so do 20 others around us. It was surreal. Sam and I had an animated discussion on whether the best action would be at the top or at the bottom of the tower.

After an hour, take the last train in and hang out in Sam’s room. Sam rings around looking for ‘the lost boys” –folks who have not synched up with us yet. Some lost track of time, some slept all day and are up all night. Listen to some interesting stories on physiotherapy and the like.

1.30 PM - time for bed


Saturday

8.45 – Get stumped by blocked toilet. Hit the buffet breakfast and board the coach. Circuit is an hour away. Zac rings in to say that he has arrived and will meet us at the car park. Reach and we try locating Zac – we spot a bedsheet and bags flying around the car park – it is Zacky, he literally walked out of a wedding, onto a flight and sat in the car park eating dried fish. We get held up waiting for him, while some folks just walk on, After cajoling the bus operator into storing his luggage. We run to the stands, the engines are bellowing.

Our stand is quite a distance and we take the shuttle. Big bummer was that video cams are not allowed. That was all I brought hence no pics from me. We are searched for food and water, they ignore the camera as they cannot tell us to chuck it. Unwritten rule – don’t use it. We though we had a good view until we discover a vantage point where we can see and hear a lot more/

T’was like walking into a gladiators show, you hear them at the back and suddenly they come at you. The speed was awesome but they were being nice to each other. Noise was horrific and you really need those ear plugs. Food was overpriced junk. Drink was overpriced essential. Meet the Bhags and find that we get all get on quite well. Massa took everyone by surprise. Qualifying over, we headed to bus, huge queues for the shuttle, we beat the system and walked to a previous stop and hopped in. Located the bus and hopped in. Water and cold towels were given to us but bus waited for a long time. A south African couple were also waiting. Suddenly Zack got excited then his amazing life history came tumbling out, You name it, he speaks it!

7.30 - More traffic jams and we reach hotel. Grab some amazing street burgers. Decide to hire a minibus to get there early and get. Folks decide to do some shopping. Revathi falls sick so they (Bhags stay in).Walk to Bukit Bintang, we get there late so limited shopping. NC and KK buy some amazing make up kits for their loved ones – so if they look tired and happy this weekend - you will understand……. .

Sam and I decide to dump the stuff at the hotel while others go to look for a bar. Taxi driver either want the earth or short of spitting on us when we tell our destination. We walk as it is faster..dump stuff and walk back. Find the others, sitting on a street eating chips. No suitable bars and we are hungry, nc, zack and kk are bushed, We push then into a taxi and…we walk back!!! Decide to sit outside the hotel and eat satays and mee goreng. The experience was enjoyable and prices incredible. During the first round, dialogue was like this

SS (Satay server) brings food to table

AAM (also known as dubbleyay Ehm ) – Thanks, how much!

SS, “Eight ah”

AAM, “Eighty????!!!!!!”

SS, “Eight eh”

AAM, “oh, eighteen!”

SS, “ Eight a”

Finally, the ringit drops and I hand a ten ringit note and wait for the change

Food on the street for 6 hungry folks + soft drinks came to less than RM 50 – talk about value

Suddenly we hear a boom - an awesome firework display for 10 min.

11.30 – night is too young so we hit the hotel bar. Indonesian band – singer has an amazing voice. Two south african couples and a fat drunk bloke on the floor, we join in. Bloke is all over the place. Some of us place pool, or hit the playstation screen. Fat boy tries buying us drinks but we refuses so he goes over the top and over the moon. Ladies can’t believe that we speak English better then them, are worldly wise and also that the Yeti is the real thing. Another south African from the Porsche Owners club walks in with his rental. Zack seems to know him. Boy, he is amazing.

Night ends at 2 something


Race Day (terms like Easter and Sunday are suspended for today)

Race day – yay – get up, get ready, toilet blocked again. Luckily, Zack and I are both paranoid and keep doing test flushes before action. Hotel keeps on unblocking….nuff about this. Breakfast then on the bus by 9.30. Lost Boys are lost - Revathi goes in storming to the breakfast room and gets them out. Reach circuit a bit late around noon. Traffic is thick. Van not allowed in due to lack of parking sticker. Take shuttle bus to the gate. Our targeted spot is taken . We play cuckoo and slowly gain ground. To our bad luck, the shade diminishes and it gets hot. I luckily packed sunscreen (while Zacky had sun tan lotion), also smuggled a hotel towel in and wore it around my neck. Porsche race begins – gets boring as formation is the same. People end up rooting for the guy coming in last, about 15 seconds behind.

Then the long wait – safety cars whiz around – the AMG V8 snarl is amazing. Some cultural performance going on in the background. The drivers parade ensues. The prime minister in a superb vintage Merc 500 K followed by assorted vintage cars carrying the drivers. National anthem then played. Silence and then the formation lap begins. Cars sound better when cruising. They get in line and then……………………….

A crescendo and the cars take off. Believe me, it is very different than qualifying, suddenly two specs of grey which past, yahoo, Dr Z at Mercedes must be saying “VE ARE BACK, JA!” Despite ear plugs, the noise is horrendously loud but the heat and humidity get to me. I go to buy a couple of bottle of water but end up buying three bottles and drinking them end on end. Get disoriented and think that Lewis is trailing – he seemed to be so calm and relaexed as if he had given up and was merely practising but I was wrong. Focussed on the Ferrari’s trying very hard. Watched a spyker overheat and get moved out fast.

On the 50th lap, I move to the front. The Mclaren team put up an amazing defence. Gute Farht! In away,am glad Ferrari lost else the Yeti would have thrown off his Ferrari underpants and thrown it at Massa/Kimi in glee, during the victory lap

4.30 - we exit – huge crowds – shuttle buses are an illusion. We find that we can walk to the drop off point easily and do so. Driver not arrived but he has our location so we have an ice cream. Drive back was not so congested, we spend time exotic spotting. Reach back. Decide on attacking Chinatown and maybe KLCC.

We hook up and then go for a street burger and send the others to the Formosa Veg Noodle br. We catch up them and find the food amazing. Onto Petaling street. Bargains are few, quality is so-so. Traders use walkie-talkies to tip each other on what to quote to whom. Describing a Yeti on the street is quite easy so you get the drift (he has amazing bargaining skills though). We get carried away browsing that we return late. The Bhags and us chill out at the bar. I retire early as I have a 4 am start


Monday

Long trip home

Wake KK up. Driver waiting, could note trace me as room is in Zacky’s name. Also has to pick up lost boys whose room is not clear. We finally trace them. Driver speaker to them. They are still in bed and have not idea when their flight is. Driver decides to deal with uncertainly by leaving it in the hotel and we drive off.

Fun is over….. for now

Would I do it again ?

Sure, not necessarily in KL, if I did, I would choose another stand, however, it was fun roughing it out

Judging by the way, F1 tickets are doled out but not sold out (115000 tickets sold). F1 is a mere investment, the turnover from merchandising, hotels, logistics providers etc are the returns


People to be remembered

Sam – Great job – major attention to detail and assumed responsibility even when not required

KK – Reviewing your pics at the end of the day really was fun. Your pics will give Rudy a complex

N_c – I have some question marks about you. Something fishy no doubt!

Zacky – This guy can change his lives and clothes in a drop of a hat

KP - Pretty popular with his cousins in Malaysia , no doubt

“Lost boys” - “huh jee, kya karo, kya decko”

Rudy – We remembered you everytime a “Bas” passed by

Hanmust – when the Mercedes crossed the line, Zacky said Hanmust must be bouncing

Nitrous - thanks for taking 2 hours of your time to spend 10 min with us

….and there were a lot more

I’m pooped and its time to get back to the real world

The thing that touched me was that 6+ people, all totally different in terms of age, background who never knew each other, all get together and have a lot of fun with a lot of tolerance.

[tifosikrishna]

Dippy, here is another one for you. Massa doing speeds close to 300kmph at the back straight.

[tifosikrishna]

Originally Posted by ajmat

Another south African from the Porsche Owners club walks in with his rental. Zack seems to know him. Boy, he is amazing.

Night ends at 2 something

that was really a good one.....


For the uninitiated.... this is the guy with his "rental" on overdrive

[Dippy]

Awesome shot (of Kimi that is) Started the downloading btw

[tifosikrishna]

Originally Posted by Dippy

Awesome shot (of Kimi that is) Started the downloading btw

Even i thought it was kimi, but zooming in at 100%, i could see the yellow coloured helmet.

in fact, i edited the post to change the name from kimi to massa....