Craving for Swedish (halal) meatballs

Quest for the swedish meatballs

Oo, yes, the craving comes again and now its on the famous swedish meatballs. When I was still staying in KL some few months ago, I would normally brought my wife and kid to IKEA Damansara for breakfast and of course shopping was not normally in the list. We normally drive to IKEA Damansara early in the morning after our weekly stroll at KLCC park and reach IKEA at around 9.30am. It worth the effort as IKEA was offering free coffee refills before 10am tough I normally stops at 2 refills. Arriving early helps as the q is normally long (it moving fast anyway).

Well, I'm no longer in KL and just to satisfy the craving by driving all the way up to KL for 10 pieces of meatballs would be a disaster to the environment tough PLUS expressways would be all smiling as I exit UPM from JB. I google out, just to find out any IKEA nearby which offers the same delicious but halal meatballs nearby and found one in Tampines! compare the price and minus the petrol and toll to KL, it's worth the drive. There are two IKEA (or more I'm not sure) in Singapore, one in Tampines and the other in Alexandria. Halal certified swedish meatballs are only offered in Tampines at their lane no. 3. Not sure about other menus whether halal or not, but at least the meatballs, chicken wing, nasi padang set and kids meal are edible by Muslims (you may want to check their website: http://www.ikea.com/sg/en/store/tampines/restaurant).

Let see the pricing:

IKEA Damansara - 10 pieces meatballs @ RM 10 (they have 5, 10 and 20 meatballs set for selection).
IKEA Tampines - 10 pieces meatballs @ SGD 5.40 (same as above).

Considering travelling to KL for 10 meatballs would be:-

Toll (return) = RM 100 (return)
Petrol (return) = RM 250
Meatballs = RM 20

Total = RM 370!

Considering driving to SG for the same halal meatballs would be:-

VEP = SGD 0 (Saturday/Sunday)
ERP = SGD 0 (driving from woodlands -> BKE -> SLE -> TPE)
Petrol = SGD 10 (filling in JB - would last for a week)
The meatballs = SGD 10.80
Knick knacks = SGD 10
Parking = SGD 0 (IKEA parking is free)
Exiting Woodlands = SGD 1.20
Arriving BSI = SGD 3 (assume)

Total = SGD 35

Considering currency exchange, SGD to RM = SGD 35 x 2.45 = RM 85.75.

To KL = RM 370
To SG = RM 85.75

Saving = RM 284.25 (or 76%!)

The restaurant will be open at 9.30am and perhaps this will be another drive to Singapore hehe...

My first progress presentation

Received an email few days ago which required presentation to be made on progress made so far. Really do not know what to expect from the session as it only states "literature review to those who just registered", still in the blank on my status whether am I still consider new or should I present those achieved so far. As at the moment, I'm still synthesizing literature covered and only manage to cover 100 odd literatures (actually 90 over to be exact!).

The panel name is also given and I really do not know what to expect from them. My supervisor has been away and I also plan not to meet my supervisor until I get something in hand. More to cover but I do hope the presentation will provide an avenue to exchange ideas (not shooting range I hope..) and perhaps listening to others who might said may open up new possibilities which I myself could not contemplate.

Its been a lonesome journey so far, I have talking only to myself, and regard what I am saying is totally the rightful answers. Indeed this is the time when I need to face criticism and try to defend what I have done so far. Its true that journey to acquire knowledge is painstaking one but what I may discover along the way is sweet and unchallenge.