Month: December 2005

  • Lunch Under The Sea Level

    Today, I’m visiting another barge, this time, it’s called Crane Barge Indo Prestasi I. Sounds like a very good vessel, and yes, it is huuuge, it is robust, and it is pretty. (you know.., people mostly refer a boat/ship/vessel to a girl, a feminine object). Sounds true, imagining Indo Prestasi as a sexy but big vessel.

    I briefed the personnel on-board concerning the quality management system, and later had lunch in the vessel. They got a good cook, Sukardi, who was famous with his sambal, and it does taste good! They served fish, egg, vegetable, fruits. But, I didn’t really care about what I ate! What keep buzzing in my head is, I had lunch UNDER the sea level! I had lunch in the ‘basement’ dining room, which was one of lowest part of the barge, we had to go downstairs for the lunch, and it was under the sea level. So good!

    When we went to the barge, we had to take a small boat, called Straits Lhok Tuan, which was operated only by a guy, manually, without engine. But it was only about 10  meters before reaching the barge. They were doing some piling job, and extremely busy with their activity. Luckily, got time to brief about tomorrow audit.

    Having such a good time on board.. the travel from Bontang to the port took 2 hours, but it was certainly worth it.

  • Front Seat!

    In my youth, years ago, there’s something I always want to do. I want to sail across the deep blue ocean, through the straits. 🙂 I want to be able to go to many countries, many ports, many harbours, by working on a vessel or ship (I know, owning a vessel or ship, will be damn good, but I put my feet on earth that time haha). Before I made my mind choosing Industrial Engineering, I have 2 other options; architecture and shipping.

    For several reasons, I chose Industrial Engineering, although my feeling always more into shipping. A decision I never regretted, and will never be. I enjoy knowing many things as an industrial engineer. But, there’s this thing with the previous feeling. Yesterday, I’m visiting a job site in Bontang, and to reach the Crane Barge, we need to take a small speed boat. And I’m in the frontseat! Beside the you know, the ‘driver’, I dunno the english for God’s sake. Haha.. I even hold the control for a sec.

    Hahahaha…. Actually, I want to tell the ‘driver’, that I want to drive it to the base-port, but… I changed my mind. (Hmmm… imagine I did!)

  • Bontang

    Its been a while since my last post. Been in Bontang (300 km from Balikpapan) last week. The 1st time I’m in Bontang, they told me “when you drink the water from the land of Bontang, you will keep coming back”, I laughed. Bull Shit! (Jack Welch would have called it BS, for bull-shit).

    It was July 2004. And one-and-half year ahead since then, there’s been those 5 more trips to this oil and gas town, and made me nod my head and said “Damn! They’re right!”… Know what, next week, I’ll be visiting Bontang again for another trip to another client. A marine constructor. I can say that there’s nothing in Bontang. What I do everyday : wake up, breakfast and a cup of hot coffee, 5 minutes drive to job-site, conducting audit/consultancy/training, go back to hotel, watch one hour of TV, dinner with client, back to room, typing/reading/or another TV hour, and sleep. Tomorrow? The same thing!

    Ah, tired? Yes yes yes… but must put in mind and soul, that these trips were just several good experiences and many to come, these are learning experiences, where we can also learn about life. Learn yours too! 😉

  • Straight From Jack

    Almost finish my recent reading. JACK: Straight From The Gut.
    This is one of the book I’ve ever read. Its about Jack Welch of GE, how he started his career, reaching the CEO seat, managing GE Corp, his days, his ups and his downs. I highly recommend this book, as I was highly recommended by my mate Dennis. The language was simple, easy to understand. The structure of the book was very good. And of course, listening to Jack (or reading!) was the best thing. When I read the book, it felt like, Jack was actually talking to me, teaching about many new stuffs.

    Simply, one of my best guru. Perhaps, can meet him someday, and have a conversation about everything.