National Zoo and more

Malacca’s zoo is even better. Okay, I could finally get myself to do an update, so here it is.

The amount and variety of wildlife there was pretty disappointing in my opinion. It’s not worth it going through the trouble looking for a parking spot just to look at some lethargic animals. They even display goats! How nice is that! Some animals were even sick, possibly due to the very dirty exhibits. Oh yes, something worth mentioning, they have the skin of a Japanese Giant Salamander in the Reptile House. It’s probably from a relatively small specimen, considering these things grow to about 150cm in length.

Okay, photos. Editing was kept at a minimum.

Beware, long post ahead.

I’m not sure of its name, but it probably belongs to the Bison family.

Sun Bear, native to tropical rainforests in Asia, including here.

One huge African Hippopotamus. It secretes a sunscreen called “blood sweat”, but it’s neither blood nor sweat.

Bengal Tiger. There was only one in the exhibit.

White Rhino.

Another one, looking very lethargic.

Indian Elephants reaching for snacks from visitors. Yes, I know, the piles of poop are huge.

Estuarine (or saltwater) crocs, the largest species known.

Some pretty large tortoises.

A Galápagos Giant Tortoise, the same species to that of Harriet, which was allegedly collected by Charles Darwin.

Albino python.

A Green Iguana that’s brown in colour

Another python, with nice body markings. This one’s for petting.

Two Green Tree Snakes.

Dwarf Crocodile, the smallest extant crocodile species.

The same Dwarf Crocodile. Might look more like a monitor lizard, but it’s a crocodile.

The only penguin there. Dirty glass and dark exhibit = rubbish photo. But I had to post it here.

Seal performing tricks. No Orca, dammit.

Same seal doing some pretty simple tricks. Why? Because the trainer throws the hoop towards it, not anywhere and the seal goes for it.

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For those who don’t know what I got for PMR, it’s straight As. iPod touch for that.

It’s pretty good, since it’s many steps up from my nano, although a flood of applications means rather frequent crashing. Fyi, Labyrinth (the app in the iPod) is updating, that’s why there’s a bar on the icon.

Another disturbing thing is that the iTunes store is not compatible in Malaysia, due to mass piracy here. Otherwise I would have got a couple of movies and songs

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Right, something else. I’ve been playing a lot of Flight Simulator, now that I go for ‘training’ at the integrated Learning Center and can land a commercial aircraft with both ILS and visual approaches without any problems whatsoever.

I love the realism of this simulator. You can download real-world weather with updates from Jeppesen for an added challenge. The dynamics of the aircraft is so real you’d be fighting crosswinds if there’s any on approach. You work almost like a real pilot in it. You check the fuel, monitor its usage, crosscheck it with your flightplan, etc.

Emirates Boeing 777-200LR departs Los Angeles International for Dubai International.

Microsoft Flight Simulator X

I’m addicted to it. A word of advise before I start though, get a joystick for this game. I haven’t got one yet, but I might soon. Controlling it with your keyboard’s D-Pad is very tough. The plane keeps on tilting to either direction even if you take your finger off the keys. It’s annoying to the point I use autopilot very often and it’s extremely difficult to align for landing. You’ve got no feel of the aircraft unless you use a joystick.

Ok then. It’s very realistic in other ways. Controls, landscaping, Sim Objects, Air Traffic Control, everything. There are so many things to explore on a single aircraft. The game comes with 24 aircraft by default but there’s limitless downloads on the internet. You can fly the classic but ever-popular even now Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet. Not only that, you can fly them under so many airline companies. The standard game without downloads has the Boeing house colours and some virtual airline liveries. Again, you can download more, like Singapore Airlines, UPS and many, many more. And it gets more diverse because each company doesn’t have just one type of livery. They have tons! Well, here are some screenshots from the game. I’ll add in captions and stuff here and there.

Singapore Airlines Flight 2372 heavy on approach to Changi from KLIA. Descending slowly on autopilot.

You don’t just get to be at the command of passenger airliners but also cargo freighters like this UPS Beoing 747.

Or you can opt for your national airline. In this case, Malaysia Airlines’ Boeing 747-400 in Hibiscus livery heading for Kingsford Smith International, Sydney.

Of course, there aren’t just the common but large Boeing 747s. There’s also this even larger and technologically advanced Airbus A380-800.

Qantas’ Airbus A380 awaiting confirmation from Kingsford Smith International’s tower for pattern entry and approach instructions while circling and descending on a busy day.

There’s also a British Airways A380 available for download from avsim online. For free of course. Only the super-precise virtual aircrafts will cost you some money.

Oh yeah, I forgot to add that neither British Airways nor Qantas have an A380 in their fleet. It’s virtual. Only Singapore Airlines has the A380 in their fleet.

Or you can have a smaller, more nimble commercial airliner.

Like this KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 737-400 Classic.

Boeing 777. Very long range.

The aircrafts are not just detailed outside, but also inside. That’s your workspace, hey.

Flight Simulator X gets so realistic to the point you have to communicate with the control tower, or air traffic controllers before taking off/landing. Of course, in free flight you don’t have to. But it adds to the realism. Also, you don’t just take off and land. You also do ground operations.

“What’s up?”. At KLIA. Grounded from taking-off because of heavy downpours. Yes, you can customize weather, or get updated ones every 15 minutes to make it even more real. Yes, that jetway can be extended to your aircraft. As a bonus to players, the view from above is a spectacle to behold. And it’s very realistic.

Shortly after taking off from Vancouver.

Above clouds at 43,000 feet.

Heading for reporting base.

I’d say get it if you’re a flying fanatic. Oh and throw in a joystick. I know this post isn’t really my typical one. I need a break. I’m stressed. Shit.