After 3 weeks, I'm finally online at home. I sort of gave them an ultimatum before I decide to cancel the line. I guess sometimes you just can't be lenient as a customer.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
SA bits 5 - TELKOM finally solved my problem.
After 3 weeks, I'm finally online at home. I sort of gave them an ultimatum before I decide to cancel the line. I guess sometimes you just can't be lenient as a customer.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
SA bits 4 - TELKOM SA macam sial...
We applied for an internet connection during the first week of our stay. As of today, it still hasn't been connected yet. Talk about inefficiency. I've just called in to their customer complaint this morning, again. I've decided that if they don't fix it by end of April, I'm terminating it and will proceed with another ISP.
Most communication services here (fixed line, cellular, internet) are packaged with a 24 month contract. I opted to go without the monthly installment and bought the modem separately elsewhere. Hopefully, I can re-use this modem with the other ISP option. We're also suppose to sign up for a new Vodacom cellular number. Apparently, our management would prefer us to subscribe to Vodacom instead of any other cellular operator. Vodacom call charges are higher compared to the other operators though, I guess I'll just have be more hardworking in claiming business calls with my employers then. After all, we are supporting them as vendors.
In the mean time, I'll continue coming to the office for internet. The setback is that most websites are blocked by the server, even webcam sessions!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
SA bits 2
We have been busy getting ourselves settled at home, trying to get internet connection and buying what ever necessary groceries, etc...
This is how a typical SPAR supermarket looks like, it seems very quiet because most of them have gone outstation due to the long weekend. Today is Good Friday, then coming Monday is Easter Monday/family day. Couldn't take more pics cos i had my hands full with stuff. Plastic bags here cost 25cents. A lot of people bring their own shopping bag, which is a good environmental action.
We also manage to go to "chinatown" today. This place is actually called Bruma and it has a concentrated chinese community. There is this complex, where they sell almost anything like furniture,handbags, clothing, electrical items, and of course chinese food and groceries. We got ourselves a rice cooker.
Further up the road from this complex are 2 rows of shophouses facing each other, where most chinese restaurants and grocery shops are located. This "chinatown" isn't one of those you see in movies, where they have a big overhead arch welcoming visitors etc, it's a more toned down version. I guess the chinese community in SA is a very small minority here and are being sidelined. Anyhoos, had a huge lunch and bought some vege for cooking over the weekend.
Just to give you an idea of how much things costs here.
2 Liter rice cooker = 350 Rands (130 MYR)
Pair of chopsticks = 2.50 Rands (1 MYR)
Wooden chopping board (just a bit bigger than an A4 sized paper) = 35 Rands (14 MYR)Wooden frying stick for non-stick pan = 10 Rands (4 MYR)
Plastic pail = 45 Rands (18 MYR)
A cauliflower and 4 whole garlic = 20 Rands (8 MYR)
Lunch (1 plate of XO sauce chicken, 1 plate of green vege, 1 plate of charsiew/siewyook, rice and tea for 2) = 153 Rands (61 MYR)
6 (350ml bottles) of Savannah dry (cider drink) = 52 Rands (20 MYR)
A handful of cili padi = 5 Rands (2 MYR)
A 5kg bag of basmati rice = 80 Rands (32 MYR)
Off to the gym now but we will be hanging out tonight in Nelson Mandela square, since it's Easter weekend I hope the coffee joints are open for business.
This is how a typical SPAR supermarket looks like, it seems very quiet because most of them have gone outstation due to the long weekend. Today is Good Friday, then coming Monday is Easter Monday/family day. Couldn't take more pics cos i had my hands full with stuff. Plastic bags here cost 25cents. A lot of people bring their own shopping bag, which is a good environmental action.
We also manage to go to "chinatown" today. This place is actually called Bruma and it has a concentrated chinese community. There is this complex, where they sell almost anything like furniture,handbags, clothing, electrical items, and of course chinese food and groceries. We got ourselves a rice cooker.
Further up the road from this complex are 2 rows of shophouses facing each other, where most chinese restaurants and grocery shops are located. This "chinatown" isn't one of those you see in movies, where they have a big overhead arch welcoming visitors etc, it's a more toned down version. I guess the chinese community in SA is a very small minority here and are being sidelined. Anyhoos, had a huge lunch and bought some vege for cooking over the weekend.
Just to give you an idea of how much things costs here.
2 Liter rice cooker = 350 Rands (130 MYR)
Pair of chopsticks = 2.50 Rands (1 MYR)
Wooden chopping board (just a bit bigger than an A4 sized paper) = 35 Rands (14 MYR)Wooden frying stick for non-stick pan = 10 Rands (4 MYR)
Plastic pail = 45 Rands (18 MYR)
A cauliflower and 4 whole garlic = 20 Rands (8 MYR)
Lunch (1 plate of XO sauce chicken, 1 plate of green vege, 1 plate of charsiew/siewyook, rice and tea for 2) = 153 Rands (61 MYR)
6 (350ml bottles) of Savannah dry (cider drink) = 52 Rands (20 MYR)
A handful of cili padi = 5 Rands (2 MYR)
A 5kg bag of basmati rice = 80 Rands (32 MYR)
Off to the gym now but we will be hanging out tonight in Nelson Mandela square, since it's Easter weekend I hope the coffee joints are open for business.
Monday, April 6, 2009
SA bits 1
This is how it looks like at only 5.30 in the evening and it will be dark by 6.15 p.m.
Quite a common sign in SA. It is also common to get body searched by the security prior to entering a bank or club.
Quite a common sign in SA. It is also common to get body searched by the security prior to entering a bank or club.
Friday, April 3, 2009
2 bed, 1 bath & a swing.
Our bachelors pad in Kerkira Apartment. Very cozy in my opinion. Even comes with a full SONY DVD entertainment system.
Our backyard.
Living room painting.
My bedroom.
Dorai's bedroom.
3 door fridge.
The DVD entertainment system.
Dorai cooking dinner.
The kitchen.
Living room.
We signed a 1 year lease, let's hope the neighbors are well behaved like us ;P. Winter is just about to start, we get very cooling breeze blowing through the apartment. We have just applied for a phone line and I should be able to get internet connection by end of the month (if not earlier). Hope to meet everyone online more often by then.
Our backyard.
Living room painting.
My bedroom.
Dorai's bedroom.
3 door fridge.
The DVD entertainment system.
Dorai cooking dinner.
The kitchen.
Living room.
We signed a 1 year lease, let's hope the neighbors are well behaved like us ;P. Winter is just about to start, we get very cooling breeze blowing through the apartment. We have just applied for a phone line and I should be able to get internet connection by end of the month (if not earlier). Hope to meet everyone online more often by then.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Sneak peak...
Changi airport rocks!!!!
Spoiled by 2 illegal looking immigrants when we laid on the floor of the boarding hall walkway like it was our own living room.
Here's a sneak peak of what's more to come.
We were given work already, and it's all coming back to me bit by bit....
Time to go home and cook now. Fried tofu and bak-choy for dinner.
Spoiled by 2 illegal looking immigrants when we laid on the floor of the boarding hall walkway like it was our own living room.
Here's a sneak peak of what's more to come.
We were given work already, and it's all coming back to me bit by bit....
Time to go home and cook now. Fried tofu and bak-choy for dinner.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)