Small cars, muddy jungles and existential-humanism

My God, where the hell did the week go? I'm not sure how I did it but I managed to keep myself completely swamped with work and other responsibilities - to the extent that I barely had any time on my own.

And even as I type this, I'm in the midst of an open-book exam of sorts. And in about six hours, I'll be joining some total strangers (other than Paul from work) in a 4x4 expedition to a jungle in Pahang. And I haven't even packed yet!

Once I have time, I'll probably add some pics to this post but for now, a summary of my life over the past week:

The Smart Roadster
Test drove the Smart Roadster at the new Mercedes Benz showroom near Jalan 222 last Sunday. Awesome car, even though it's only got a tiny 700cc 3-cylinder turbo engine (produces about 80BHP). Handles like it's on rails, great steering feel and a good sense of speed despite being quite slow, actually.

It only feels fast, but that's because you're seated so close to the ground. If I got pulled over by a cop, I'd be staring at his crotch. And he would have to squat - just to interrogate me... :)

Only problem is... I'm too big for the car (just like how it was with the Fiat Coupe). By the time I get into a comfortable driving position, my head is mashed against the ceiling and the headrest pokes into my neck rather than supporting the head attached on top of it.

It seems that I'm destined never to own a sports car... The cool thing, though, is that the Roadster has a soft-top that tucks away at the push of a button. And you can remove the beams between the A- and B-pillars, turning the car into a carbriolet! Plus, it's even got proper stowage compartments for the beams in the boot - so you don't have to chuck them in your garage. Brilliant.

That way, I can actually achieve a proper driving position in the Roadster. Unfortunately, I'd still stab myself in the forehead if did an emergency stop. Doh!




Preparing for a trip to the jungle
Tomorrow, I'll be heading into a jungle in Pahang in Paul's Ford Everest. Will be spending two nights there - it would be first time I've slept in a forest since my old Boy Scout days over ten years ago.

Anyway, I got all excited and bought shitloads of gear - even took leave from the office to sort it all out.

Got myself a sleeping bag, travel pouch, hiking shoes, a strap for my glasses so they won't fall into the mud when I look down, some travel toiletries, medical supplies, insect-repellent, 10 litres of drinking water, a head-mounted flashlight and this cool gel that lets me clean my hands without any water!

It should be a lot of fun, I'll take as many pictures as I possibly can and try to soak up as much of the atmosphere while I'm there.

Of course, the leeches and mozzies will be soaking up as much of my blood as well...

I can hardly wait.




Counselling-class exam
And right after this, I'll be continuing with my 'open-book exam' for the counselling classes I'm attending.

I've developed a liking for Carl Rogers' existential-humanistic approach to counselling, which basically involves the counseller playing a more passive role in interviews, merely re-affirming what the client has already said in order to establish his/her train of thought.

The theory is that, through this implicit directive approach (this method is supposed to be non-directive) the client will gain awareness over his/her own feelings or the consequence of his/her actions.

And why am I being so damn politically correct, with the 'his/her' thingies...???

Anyway, I better get back to work - I now have about 5 hours and 45 minutes to go.