Bedtime Story - Duck and Eagle, is a matter of choice

Ducks Quack , Eagles Fly

No one can make you serve customers well. That's because great service is a choice.

Harvey Mackay, tells a wonderful story about a cab driver that proved this point. He was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for Harvey . He handed my friend a laminated card and said: 'I'm Wally, your driver. While I'm loading your bags in the trunk I'd like you to read my mission statement.'

Taken aback, Harvey read the card. It said: Wally's Mission Statement: To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment. This blew Harvey away. Especially when he noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean! As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, 'Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf.' My friend said jokingly, 'No, I'd prefer a soft drink.' Wally smiled and said, 'No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice.' Almost stuttering, Harvey said, 'I'll take a Diet Coke.' Handing him his drink, Wally said, 'If you'd like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustratedand USA Today.'

As they were pulling away, Wally handed my friend another laminated card. 'These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you'd like to listen to the radio.' And as if that weren't enough, Wally told Harvey that he had the air conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him. Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. He also let him know that he'd behappy to chat and tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts.

'Tell me, Wally,' my amazed friend asked the driver, 'have you always served customers like this?' Wally smiled into the rear view mirror. 'No, not always. In fact, it's only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard the personal growth guru, Wayne Dyer, on the radio one day. He had just written a book called You'll See It When You Believe It. Dyer said that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you'll rarely disappoint yourself.

He said, 'Stop complaining! Differentiate yourself from your competition.Don't be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd.'' 'That hit me right between the eyes,' said Wally. 'Dyer was really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, thedrivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more.'

'I take it that has paid off for you,' Harvey said. 'It sure has,' Wally replied. 'My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I'll probably quadruple it. You were lucky to get me today. I don't sit at cabstands anymore. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on my answering machine. If I can't pick them up myself, I get a reliable cabbie friend to do it and I take a piece ofthe action.'

Wally was phenomenal. He was running a limo service out of a Yellow Cab. I've probably told that story to more than fifty cab drivers over the years, and only two took the idea and ran with it. Whenever I go to their cities, I give them a call. The rest of the drivers quacked like ducks and told me all the reasons they couldn't do any of what I was suggesting. Wally the Cab Driver made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like ducks and start soaring like eagles.

So, what is your choice?

Quote of the Day

"Do what you should do,
(then) do what you want to do..."

extracted from the movie The Great Debaters..

Weekend Get Away at Kota Bahru

Another journey in year 2008, flown to Kota Bahru last weekend to visit a good brother of mine.

Penang Airport

Took FireFlyz, with promo fare, 2 ways cost only RM114.

Although the Kelantan airport is much smaller as compare to Penang airport, it was well kept and clean.

State of Kelantan welcoming you at the Airport

As both of us haven't take lunch, we quickly when to have lunch in Kota Bahru town. Our lunch was beef noodles and the shop was full of people. Taste wise i would rate it as B+. Quite good actually. A few shops next to it, there was an auntie selling Ham Chin Pen. It looks good, I immediately bought 4 pieces, 2 pieces of "salty" taste another 2 with red bean filing.

"Ham Chin Pen" auntie in action....

These "Ham Chin Pen" looks good, crispy and still hot...

After that, we quickly check-in into Renaissance Hotel. Got upgraded room, very spacious and comfortable. :)

Then we embarked a "Wat" visiting trip. Wat means temple in Thai language. Even though Kelantan is rule by PAS government (a conservative Islamic party), you can see non-muslim live here peacefully and many "Wat" build were everywhere, in contrast what many people believe there is stricted of religion freedoom in this state. In fact, I think the number of "Wat" in this state is far more than what other states have.

The famous Reclining Buddha Wat - one of the biggest reclining buddha in Asia.

The Sitting Buddha Wat

The Standing Buddha Wat

The famous Dragon Boat Wat

In between, we stopped at various places to hunt for famous local delicacy in Kelantan. Akok was one of them. My first time tasting Akok, hm.. taste like bread pudding.

The process of making Akok - using coconut husk to burn and cook Akok.

Pieces of Akok ready for sale.... :)

We also have Pandan Coconut - coconut with the smell of pandan or pandan fragrant... it is believe that this type of coconut tree cannot be planted near to other normal type of coconut tree, or else it will lost the pandan fragrant..

As for dinner, we went to a Thai food restaurant, deep into local village which is quite impossible for outsider to locate it. But surprisingly, in that area there are many of this type of small scale-family operate restaurants. Therefore, mostly local patronize these restaurants. The price is extremely cheap compare to big cities. Four dishes (deep fried fish, fried "kangkung", seafood tomyam and stir fried eel) only cost slightly above RM50. That is amazingly cheap!

Delicious Tomyam

One the next day, we went to Rantau Panjang. It is located at the Malaysia Thailand border. There is a free duty area for tourist to do some shopping.

Rantau Panjang at Kelantan, near to Thailand border.

If you are looking for branded goods, look no further, no need go to Las Vegas Premium Outlet Store, Rantau Panjang too has it's own type of premium outlet store. You can easily find LV, Nike, Adidas, Bonia, Timberland, Guess, Coach etc. here, almost 100% alike - imitation goods. :)

Rantau Panjang "Premium Outlet Store"

Another view of the "Premium Outlet Store"

Overall, it was a good experience, no regret went to Kelantan for the first time. Despite the state was painted as under-developed by mainstream media, personally I feel that Kelantan has many things to offer. Therefore, it is not surprising to see there are foreign tourists too at Kota Bahru. The only draw back is the state don't have many type entertainments, especially at night.

If you want to find a slower pace of living, a get away from the hustle and bustle of city life, a weekend at Kota Bahru is worth considering. But of course, you must have someone to show you around, or else, transportation to various tourist attractions might be a problem.

KB Mall, one of the modern shopping complex in Kota Bahru.

If given a chance to go to Kota Bahru, I will go again for another 3 days 2 nights stay. What I miss is the inexpensive authentic Thai foods. It will be good if there is more entertainment offer there. :) Lastly, a big thank you to my "brother" for being a good host. :)

Kota Bahru airport has 3 terminals only... #1, #2 and #3, you will never get lost here.

FireFlyz ever ready to fly her passengers back to Penang Island...

Time for Reflection

Don't compare yourself with any one in this world.
If you compare, you are insulting yourself.

No one will manufacture a lock without a key.
Similarly God (the universe) won't give problems without solutions.

Life laughs at you when you are unhappy...
Life smiles at you when you are happy...
Life salutes you when you make others happy...

Every successful person has a painful story.
Every painful story has a successful ending.
Accept the pain and get ready for success.

Easy is to judge the mistakes of others.
Difficult is to recognize our own mistakes.
It is easier to protect your feet with slippers than to cover the earth with carpet.

No one can go back and change a bad beginning;
But is never too late for anyone to start creating a successful ending.

If a problem can be solved, there is no need to worry about it.
If a problem cannot be solved then what is the use of worrying about it?

If you miss an opportunity don't fill the eyes with tears.
It's hiding another better opportunity in front of you.

"Changing the Face" can change nothing.
But "Facing the Change" can change everything.
Don't complain about others, change yourself if you want peace.

Mistakes are painful when they happen.
But a collection of mistakes is called experience, which leads to success.

Be bold when you lose and be calm when you win.

Heated gold becomes ornament.
Beaten copper becomes wires.
Depleted stone becomes statue.
Bitter experience is valuable, bringing out the best in you.