Lauren

Here is Lauren at two and a half years. She's now excited to "go to school" as she keeps saying whilst gathering her toys and putting her bag on her shoulders. Last night we got her to sleep on her own little bed for the first time, and she stayed there the whole night! Next step is to get her to sleep in her own room...maybe another six months I'm hoping. She loves to join my tuition classes and should one of my students wander out into the living room, she hastily orders them to "go and do your work!" a la daddy. She can write the letter 'A' and speak just about anything. Enjoy the latest pictures.

She's a model!

Lauren playing with our old, faulty Olympus camera

Camera Play

My brother, with the aid of his snazzy laptop, played around with the colours in this photo of a street in beautiful Bukit Sekilau.

Kuantan is full of nature of all kinds - there is always a towering tree, beautiful sunset or stunning flower to see.

Zenith Hotel, Kuantan, July/August 2010

I have six new pictures for the latest installment of the progress of the Zenith Hotel in Kuantan, located opposite East Coast Mall. Kuantan is a developing town on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, and the five-star Zenith Hotel is on track for completion by December 2010. Affixed adjacently is the Sultan Ahmad Shah International Convention Centre. Most of the ongoing current work is on the interior.

The view from the main entrance of East Coast Mall

The South-east corner of the back of the Zenith Hotel

The east-facing wing - great sunsets will be visible from the upper floors

The front corner of the Zenith Hotel - entrance for vehicles will be situated at this point

Here is the view from the 3rd floor car park of East Coast Mall

A few hundred metres away, the Zenith Hotel stands on the Kuantan skyline as viewed from Bukit Ubi

Night Market in Bukit Sekilau, Kuantan

Everybody in Malaysia loves a night market. And everybody in Malaysia loves food. Every time a Malaysian greets another face-to-face or on the phone, or even on the internet, within the first few lines of conversation pops up the question "Sudah makan?" (Have you eaten?) Such is their love for food that night markets, lines of stalls occupying various roads around the country, come alive at dusk. Here in Kuantan, in Bukit Sekilau, a night market appears every Thursday evening, selling all sorts of food, fruits, vegetables, cakes, clothes and toys you could wish for. Most Thursday's we go there to buy our favourite items - nasi dagang for me, chicken rice for my wife, and sugar cane drink for us both. We took my brother there and he disliked how tight and cramped the space is to walk down the aisle between lines of stalls. However, he, like us, loved the sugar cane!

Dried up sticks of sugar cane after the juice has been extracted and prepared for selling

My wife waits for our order to be processed; not sure what her face was about though!

Gaz cracked a smile despite feeling like a sardine in the narrow pass!

We decided to buy some delicious-looking satay...

...and roti murtabak for RM3 a piece

My wife is always happy after a trip to the night market!

EXPLAIN FIVE REASONS WHY THE ZENITH HOTEL WILL BE GOOD FOR KUANTAN

This is a sample essay I wrote on the above question.

PLAN:

4. help Kuantan develop into a city

a) more well-known

b) infrastructure

c) famous landmark - like Twin Towers

3. attract foreigners, tourists

a) make more money

b) become internationally renowned

c) share Malaysian culture with tourists

2. create more jobs

a) more people can work and earn money

b) people enjoy a better life

c) strengthen the economy

5. convention centre

a) important companies can meet there

b) seminars can help us learn from successful people

c) weddings

1. a high-class, five-star hotel

a) place to relax

b) visitors have nice place to stay

c) a good advertisement for Kuantan

INTRODUCTION:

The Zenith Hotel will benefit Kuantan in a number of ways. As a five-star hotel, it will create more jobs for locals, attract foreigners and help Kuantan develop into a city. The adjacent convention centre will also boost business in Kuantan.

(42 words)

1st POINT:

As a high-class, five-star hotel, the first in the town centre, it will stand as a prime advertisement for this developing town. Kuantan will be seen as a better place because of the Zenith Hotel's presence. Visitors to Kuantan will enjoy this luxurious place to stay and feel like returning again in the future. In the heat of the day, locals and tourists alike will be grateful for the beautiful, air-conditioned foyer to cool-off with friends.

(80 words)

2nd POINT:

Another advantage of the Zenith Hotel lies in its ability to generate numerous jobs for locals. Those who are unemployed will be offered a lifeline and given the opportunity of work and earning a monthly wage. Since there are many positions which don't require a university education, many less-educated citizens may also apply for various vacancies. Having a daily job and source of income increases happiness and can pave the way for a better life ahead. Moreover, it can stimulate the economy. As the government's wealth increases, so does the wealth of its citizens.

(95 words)

3rd POINT:

The iconic nature of the Zenith Hotel will be a major tourist attraction. A bustling city life and services to match the tropical beaches and gardens will pull in visitors and their money. Due to the international exchange rates they will be able to spend generously on Malaysian goods, services and souvenirs. When they return home, they will have many stories to tell and share with friends and family. As Kuantan is recommended by visitors, it will over time, become an internationally-renowned location. With an increase in foreign tourists, we will have opportunities to share the Malaysian culture with them, enabling the Malaysian way of life to be known by a more global audience.

(115 words)

4th POINT:

The Zenith Hotel, along with other future developments, can help propel Kuantan to city-status. As a city, better transport links and increasing business interests will contribute to Kuantan becoming well-known throughout Malaysia and overseas. With growth comes better infrastructure, making travel more convenient. A public transport system would also ease congestion and promote Kuantan as a more attractive place. The completion of the Zenith Hotel could see it become a famous landmark, a symbol and icon of Kuantan, a building that could define Kuantan's prosperity.

(87 words)

5th POINT:

Attached to the Zenith Hotel will stand the impressive, 5,000-seat Sultan Ahmad Shah International Convention Centre (SASICC). This will be a magnet to important companies from Kuantan and around the country to hold various annual or semi-annual meetings there, which in turn will pump more money into Kuantan. The SASICC would also be an ideal place for larger-sized seminars to take place. We will then have a greater opportunity of learning from successful people, what drives them, and how we too can achieve success. Furthermore, the Convention Centre will offer an elegant venue for weddings. Couples will be able to invite more friends and family members, and have a truly memorable time.

(114 words)

CONCLUSION:

I feel that the Zenith Hotel and Convention Centre will have a positive impact on Kuantan and bring an array of benefits for locals, foreigners and the economy as our town continues to prosper and work towards city-hood.

(39 words)

[TOTAL: 573 words]

{This essay can be shortened by using only 3 points instead of 5, for those in Form 1-3}