Edge of Space with Intel's Turbo Boost %

Last year in October, Raymond won a contest organised by Intel. He purchased an Intel core i7 processor as part of his quarterly upgrade, filled in a contest form with a question that goes something like this –>> “in 25 words describe how a trip to the edge of space will change your life”.

Raymond is not good with words, and usually he’ll get me to write/blog/fill in forms etc. But I was too busy to help him with that, half with the mentality that we won’t be so lucky to win, might as well give up. Furthermore it’s like one winner from one country…

Raymond decided to try anyway, and one day at shoot, he received a call informing him that he has won an all expenses paid trip to fly on the MiG fighter jet to the edge of space. He thought that must be a prank call, and almost wanted to hang the call. But luckily he managed to dig up some memories from his puny little brain and remembered about the contest!

So… here are some quick snaps from the trip (most from his camera, some from the representatives’ camera), itinerary by Adrenalin! I think he could possibly be the only one wedding photographer to go up to the edge of space and snap a picture! He actually had the choice to control the flight, but he chose to take pictures instead.
🙂

The first day he arrived at the Moscow Domodedovo airport in Russia, and there were representatives to pick him up from the airport. He checked into the Metropol Hotel, and was given the standard single room. The rest of the day was free and easy, so as usual he roamed around alone.

I don’t know if it’s me or is it true that the birdies overseas are all fat and pudgy!

Not sure if this is the Moscow history museum~

I like this building! It’s a pretty looking dome of the Okhotny Ryad shopping mall, one of the luxuirous underground shopping ctr in Russia, located on Manege square, just a quick walk from the Kremlin. It’s a pity Raymond didn’t manage to explore further, else we’d have pictures of the fanciful fountain from the inside of the mall. That’s a statue of Saint George slaying the dragon right on the top.

A picture of the red square~

Here’s the famous St Basil’s Cathedral.

More pictures of it…

Actually the architecture is really amazing, I think i will be super fascinated with the place. Simply amazing…

Second day while roaming around before his train ride, he spotted a dead body laying on the ground, with black trash bag covering the body. Liquid was coming out from the body, and it seems to appear like a normal thing to the folks. People were walking as per normal, some standing around the body..

His next itinerary includes a first class train ride to Nizhny Novgorod. Meals were included, and the entire journey took about 4.5 hours, where he stayed for the night at this Alexander Garden Hotel.

Next morning, he went to the Sokol Airbase to prepare for his MiG edge of space flight. Had to do some security clearance and pre-flight medical check before they suit him up for the flight.

That’s Raymond, all ready with jelly feet. Muwahahahaha!

A quick briefing~

Raymond pretending to be happy, but scared. :p

More checks and checks~

Flyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy~ The pilot did some acrobatic stunt in mid air, and Raymond said it was super exhilarating! The G-force was damn shiok, and before the pilot raise the G Force, he’ll actually check with Raymond first to see if he’s ok before he proceed. It was like having some beefy hunks trying to push you down and you have to try with all your might to lift up your hands.

And here’s the breathtaking viewwwww~ At one point the pilot after sprinting like bullet while climbing upwards, actually switched off the engine… and Raymond could hear the sound of the engine shutting down, you know… like major electricity failure the whole factory plant will go eeeeeoooohhhhhhhh… So his heart was like pip pop pip pop, I think it became so quiet that he could hear his own heart beating. Muwahahahaha! The MiG fighter jet was floating and Raymond’s camera floated for a few brief seconds too!!

THEN, the fighter jet started to tilt slowly…. and started to dip…. head down…. and before you know it, the fighter jet was falling down faster and faster and faster…. it’s like you’re gonna crassssssssssssssshhh…!!

I think the thought of poking that red eject button crossed Raymond’s mind… Hahaha! Next moment before you know it, the pilot switched on the engine, everything was alive again, and he speeeeeeeeeeeeed all the way down! FUWAH! It was good training for Raymond’s heart, and luckily he did not puke. Kekeke.

There’s even a certificate for his flight~

With the Intel and Adrenalin representatives! They’ve been really sweet and nice, very efficient as well! Raymond’s queries were all answered promptly, and when he had special requests, the representatives did their best to help Raymond fight for it. Awesome bunch of peeps!! 🙂

The rest of the journey was free and eassssyyyy~~

That’s Mr Shiang-Chung Tseng, the winner from Taiwan! Raymond had a good time chatting with him (he has an interesting occupation!) throughout the journey, especially when he’s the one accompanying Raymond on the train ride.

The birdies are so big and pudgy they dont even feel like flying. Hahahahaha!

Beer anyone? Raymond flew back, and that ended the trip which he wished was longer.

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He came back with lots of toys for me!! I had fun snapping them one by one with my pok chui when Raymond was not around. LOL!!

This is a small little piece of chocolate from Russia. When he was in his hotel room, someone knocked on his door and gave him this chocolate. I said don’t eat!! So he brought it back to Singapore, I ate and it turned out quite yummy!!!

He also got this Danzka vodka which tastes pretty smooth, first saw it at Andy Wee’s place, yum yum! He also bought a bottle of Beluga Vodka which we have yet to open till now, but I’m sure it’ll be another awesome vodka! I got this Saxophone toy too!

Cannot remember the source of chocolate, but it’s yummy yummy! And a small tin container of color pencil. If only I’m good in drawing… always have a lot of weird crazy scenes in my brain, which unfortunately requires a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge production team to realise it. If only I’m able to draw them all out~

Next is a hand carved chess piece~

This is what happen when you don’t correct the white balance. :p

Shit, focus wrongly. Was using Raymond’s macro lens on my pok chui, and without tripod it’s so freaking hard to stabilise!