I'd be lying if I said that I'm keeping this blog frequently updated. Fact is I'm not, but well there's not much I can do about it with college being my main commitment. So here's a small update on my status before I get into the main content of this post.
Well for those of you who are in the same college as me, you would know that it's exam time once again, and this time it's our mocks (mocks=fake, but in this context we gotta take "fake" seriously" o.o)
I just finished my Biology papers and am left with 2 more papers to go (THS 2 and Physics 2). And since those exams won't be sat for anytime soon (by this I mean the very next day), I've decided to take it down a notch and slide myself into "first gear". Being in "8th gear" till the wee hours of midnight for my exams this pass week has definitely taken it's toll on me, physically and mentally.
College so far has been interesting, and nothing but eventful. Met great new friends who have made the college experience amazing. And during this period of "blogging absence" things have changed around here. Friends have left overseas for further studies (you know who you are ;D) and well it's natural to miss them. So for those of you out there reading this at the moment, I've not forgotten you and am always thinking about you =D.
With that, let's move on to the main post...
***
It was the biggest hype, the buzz everyone was talking about for so long, finally it's here for it's second chapter...
BRID EX 2009!!!BRIDAL EXHIBITION 2009!!! THIS my friends, is what all them boys in this country have been all worked up for. THE BIGGEST EVER BRIDAL EXHIBITION has come to showcase, in all it's splendour, here in Brunei!
A guy can never be too early to start preparing... weddings are an expensive business after all and it would do all guys good to get researching well ahead to save up enough ;D
So... YOU CANNOT IMAGINE HOW EXCITED I WAS!!! T.T
...
.....
..........
Ofcourse, I'm kidding =__="
What BRID EX really is the
BRunei Darussalam International Defence EXhibition.
This is the second year that BRID EX is organized in Brunei, the last one in 2007. The expo basically is a conference and exhibition where participating countries meet and showcase
(snob off and show off) their latest in military technology for everyone to see. And of course us being the
sakai public we are, who wouldn't wanna go and see things that go boom... and MORE.
I was lucky enough to score a ticket to the event (courtesy of
Fadhli).
It was Friday, 14th August. Hung and I met Fad at his house and then we were on our way to Jerudong Exhibition Centre.
It took a while to reach Jerudong, not just because Jerudong is far but because so many people we're going to BRID EX that the road there was jam packed.
Fad
HungWe hoped to reach there before 3pm, because the airshow would start at that time. We reached the Jerudong Park Playground Carpark, with 15 minutes to spare before the air show, and took a shuttle to the site. (All visitors had to park at JPPC carpark and take a shuttle service to the exhibition space.)
Bouncing like little girls eagerly awaiting the newest Barbie doll, we hopped into the shuttle, hoping that we would be in time to catch the air show.
Our shuttle to the Exhibition Centre.
The first glimpse of the domed exhibition centre.
Now this building, in fact, was built specifically just for this exhibition (if my sources aren't wrong). A domed structure, sandwiched between 2 main exhibition halls and more exhibition space to boast, surrounding it.
This event is HUGE! Throngs after throngs of people swarmed the area by the bus loads...
We were at the main entrance, waiting for Fad's sis when out of nowhere, this ear-thundering sound came from above. An F16 fighter jet was actually flying above us! My gosh, it was so effing loud T.T We screamed like little girls, eager to get in to watch the airshow.
Looks like something out of a space sci-fi movie huh?When we finally passed security and the H1N1 health check counters, we were on our way to meet up with Fad's dad at the exhibition hall.
That's enough of the small-scale model jetplanes... lets go for the real thing.
THERE IT IS!!! THAT MONSTROSITY OF A MACHINE!!! Burning by the gallons of aviation fuel, showing off its maneuvers and fierce awesome roar of its engines. By the time we got there, we only managed to catch the last few stunts it was performing. Showcasing the pure adrenaline rushing speed of its afterburners, to a steep vertical spiral!!! It was so awesome!
The activities for the day aren't over just yet.
As the air show ended with the F16 making its way back to base, we decided to roam around. Turning around to face the dome, I noticed something rather... peculiar >.>
There seemed to be some kind of metallic material covering up a section of the dome. It looked so... out of place.
Perhaps... they couldn't finish building it in time... so they decided to patch it up with aluminium foil? HAHA!!!
Builder: Eh boss... no more glass... still got big hole? how leh~?Boss: STUPID KAH U DUN BUY ENUF GLASS!!!Builder: =XBoss: JUST USE THE LEFTOVER METAL YOU DUMB@#$%o.o
...well that's how I would've imagined it >.>
That wasn't the only peculiar thing on the buildings. Over to the left and right of the dome, the roof of the main exhibition halls, black uniformed figures loomed over us, scouting the area... seeing them I went into total WTF condition.
There on the roofs, appeared to be a team of SWAT or Counter Terrorist units.
At first I dismissed them from being real, that they were mannequin soldiers... but well mannequin soldiers... don't move o.o
They were real, and everyone was looking up at them, staring transfixed, wondering what the hell they were gonna do, whether if all this was just part of the lineup of events planned.
After like 10 minutes of making everyone in the vicinity look like stupid ducks with their beaks up and opened, staring wide eyed, they finally did something.
CT-dude~... CT-dude~
Does whatever a CT-dude does~
Look out!~... o.o
Here comes the CT-dude~...
"Awaiting orders SIR!!!"
Seeing a team of counter-terrorists repel down a building was definitely *thumbs up*
Just when things seemed to be dying down, in the distance we heard the emcee, announcing something happening on the beach. Turning around to the sound of whirring blades of a helicopter... the three of us dashed to the beach as fast as we could.
We ran across the courtyard towards the congregation of people at the beach side. I had my bag slung around me, and well... it hindered my running... and let's just say...
...I'm not proud of the way I ran, on the count that it kinda gives an impression that would make others judge my own sexuality >.>
...*cough* no matter... We reached the beach and on one end, there was a team of soldiers readying themselves to storm into a house...
They stormed in, flashbangs first and then a barrage of bullets... it was all so very real.
More helicopters came in to the beach side...
Now, the following scenes are not out of a movie... it's all captured on me camera, and I swear it was so mind-blastingly awesome!
I love these shots, but it came with a price. The helicopters flew really low, so they threw up gusts of sand that got into my camera. I wasn't a happy camper after that. BUT OMG!!! It was like exactly in the movies... but in REAL LIFE!!! How awesome is that?
This scenario at hand, apparently was a drug trafficking bust, where the "drug-gies" are trying to escape with the authorities on their tail~
BUSTED!~
This was followed by a demonstration by the army, as it infiltrates a beach by entry from the ocean. It also showcased the formations assumed during such a mission.
As the army approached us, suddenly out of nowhere...
BOOGAAWOOGAAWOOGAA!!! O.O"
This guy from the sniper unit pops up from under his bush-camouflage and scared the shit out of everyone O.O"
They assumed prone positions, assessing the area...
Things just got better and better...
Up from the sky came parachute after parachute... like flowers falling from a tree...
The army infantry demonstration then ended with the formation of the foot soldiers in their "arrowhead" formation and then the raising of the BRID EX 2009 flag.
It was then, that I was sure that it was over... I mean what else is there left to show us?
Oh... how wrong was I...
There were explosions... real BIG EXPLOSIONS!!! Not them firework kinds... I'm talking about fireball-burning-in-the-air-feels shockwave- kind of explosion.
Yes, I felt the shockwave from aaaaaalllll the way there.
And then, from the right side, out of the trees, rose yet another helicopter. But this one, ain't no ordinary copter...
This was the...
CHINOOK!!!
In it's double-bladed awesomeness~
This copter is already much heavier than normal copters (hence the double blades) but before it left us, ending the demonstration, it dipped its nose into a bow, going almost vertical. O.O
Now, I can assure you confirm-confirm, that was the last of the demonstrations for the day.
However, our day was long from over. The three of us were left awe struck by the technical prowess and skills of these men and women of the uniform, but we have yet to finish viewing the exhibits on display.
When I started this post, I had a goal of posting my entire BRID EX experience here but, I think I'll save the rest for another time...
Till then...
-End of Part 1-
