Monday, October 31, 2005
` Monday, October 31, 2005
I've just been told by the manager that Bangalore has been inundated by heavy rains since last week. What. A. Bummer. A week away and I'll have to pack my bags for this city for a duration of three long weeks.
Online pictures of severe flooding in the city and its surrounds brought back memories of the dire situation in Mumbai. Add this to the evergrowing list of un-natural disasters unfolding across several countries this year. Is it me, or do I have a knack for travelling to places where the water element is at its most excessive? Or is it because of eerie connections with my astrological sun sign that brings forth the numerous wet weather coincidences?
To top it off, Delhi just had a series of bombs going off in the main city areas, resulting in numerous casualties. Whoever that said business travel is one heck of a prestigious lifestyle should be skinned alive and maimed by lions. And fed quadruple times the dosage of unpalatable malaria pills.
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Friday, October 28, 2005
` Friday, October 28, 2005
I can't help chuckling at the thought of a brief conversation today, with an uncle who sold chicken rice at a hawker centre, 15 minutes away from the office. This stall happened to be one of my all-time unforgettable favourites in the "I live to eat" category. In the Chinese context, "oily chicken rice" differs from the ubiquitous chicken rice, partly because the meat is much smoother and succulently flavoured with dark soya sauce.
Me (with unabashed eagerness): Uncle, $3 chicken rice, no breast meat please.
Uncle (friendly knowing smile): Okay. By the way, you're very brave.
Me (trying to decipher if it was a compliment or if he was warning me about bird flu): Huh? Why would you say that?
Uncle (shaking his head and grinning): You're really very brave. This is SO FATTENING, you know.
Me (mock indignance): Fwah, uncle. This is really oily good chicken rice, I eat this only once a week!
Uncle (comforted but with slight resignation): A lot of ladies are afraid of getting fatter after eating this (hands over the sumptuous plate with equally sinful chilli sauce).
I'm impressed. I've never encountered a merchant who cautioned customers about his own goods. With this, he has managed to win my undying loyalty. That is, until the day his well-meaning intentions become a physical manifestation in me.
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Thursday, October 20, 2005
` Thursday, October 20, 2005
If there was a term coined for the loss of inspiration to type an entry, this would be it, I suppose.
The urge to create a post is curiously, a sudden spark of brilliance (or boredom if you take it from another perspective), ignited while on the train back home, listening to my tiny thumb drive dishing out my favourite tunes of the moment, or experiencing a typical daily encounter with another human being that causes a memory deposit more significant that I'd earlier believed. Significant enough to type it up on the web and help solve the problem of insomniac readers.
For some reason or so, I was psychologically down in the pits a couple of weeks back, which I have attributed to a total lack of focus in life and a general disdain for the mundane activities I had to embrace as part of being an adult. To keep questioning the meaning of my existence was not just a literary drag, but the fact that I was aware of the cause and apathetic effect of this state of mind has tired me out. I realised the mental bubble was just about to burst for some trivial reason (aggravated by the unfathomable but truly loathsome PMS). And then I looked back, took inventory of the countless good things that have come my way in the past couple of years and decided a pinprick shot of optimism could help send me back to the throes of reality.
They say when you were a child, you always wanted to grow up quickly. But no one ever promised adulthood was going to be any easier.
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Friday, October 07, 2005
` Friday, October 07, 2005
This concerned query came frequently from well-meaning colleagues in Hong Kong, whenever they walked past my temporary desk and chance upon this pharmaceutically engineered green bottle constantly left open on the table.
Only to learn that it is a really good brand of Korean chewing gum that one of my ex-colleagues was maniacally consuming bottle-loads of, while we were on a more-than-extended assignment in Seoul. I bought it out of familiarity (and possibly sheer boredom) while browsing a Watson's store. It was a tough fight between Wrigley's and this medical-sounding brand (by the way, it also won because of a favourable pricing advantage).
I got so addicted to this that I could be seen (or heard given the pin-drop silence of the office surrounds) chewing ad nauseum for the past three weeks. Not only does it do a fantastic job freshening up the breath, but the pliability and smoothness of the gum is comparable to none to date (see evidence of the nth empty bottle which leaves me slightly devastated, since I had foolishly forgot to sneak back the additional supplies).
I'm already reeling from the withdrawal symptoms of not exercising my jaw. Sob.
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Sunday, October 02, 2005
` Sunday, October 02, 2005
I was visually trying to colour the portions of the big, big world that I have visited and realised just how many more places there were to cover before I'd had enough of planes and foreign beds.
The top 10 places that I'd like to visit in the near future where opportunity calls include:
1. Barcelona (beautiful people, beaches and the mother of all Zaras)
2. Iceland (only during summertime for a dip in the famed Blue Lagoon)
3. Munich (beer-guzzling at Oktoberfest)
4. The Greek islands including Santorini, Mykonos and Crete (sun, white and black sand and sea!)
5. Montreal (indulgence at the jazz festival and putting my rusty French to use)
6. Maldives (crystal clear waters and beautifully peaceful resort lifestyle)
7. Hawaii (for all the hype surrounding the loveliness of the islands and popularity with the Japanese)
8. Bhutan (exploring and respecting the intrigue of the insular nation)
9. Washington D.C. (stately grandeur)
10. Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo (for a Latin America experience)
One day, I hope my bank account will finally agree with these prospective budgetary arrangements.
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` Sunday, October 02, 2005
After traversing a portion of the globe rather intensively for a grand total of about 3.5 years, I've found the following to be absolute essentials to the frequent business traveller (in no particular order of importance):
Of course, who can forget my ever-trusty Sammy Boy, an affectionate name coined for the poor luggage that has been my constant travel companion, and which has been subject to my cruelly forced 'binges', as a result of overzealous shopping sprees (please see previous posting for evidence). I came to realise how important it was to invest in this purchase (soft material, as compared to the hard shelled ones, can stretch and contain much more), as it is frequently subject to abuse by baggage handlers and curt customs officials in particular countries imposing unreasonable demands. Not to forget ever-dependable ol' Nike, which has been with me on my weekend jaunts and short leisure trips.
Then there's my trusty IBM, which allows me to post entries onto the blog, chat with friends on MSN and email, surf the Internet and listen to familiar songs. The fact is that losing it is tantamount to losing an almost significant amount of my work and life's memories. 'Nuff said.
Ask any business traveller and they'd be lying if they said hotel laundry wasn't a necessary expenditure (or evil when it came to justifying the exorbitant charges). Bear in mind that the more experienced (and potentially streetwiser) person will typically charge for items requiring pressing and dry-cleaning, but leave the unmentionables and sundries for self-laundering (ie. the basin becomes a temporary manually operated washing machine not unlike the dhobis in the earlier days).
Admittedly, this has been my de-factor drink of choice for breakfast, lunch, tea and possibly after-dinner. As a matter of fact, over-consumption has led to under-contribution of the caffeine to my productive hours. Still, I reckon that the hot mocha is possibly one of the best I've tasted among the various coffee chains.
Lastly, who can dispute the most mother of all travel essentials, being the place where one returns after a long day at work, for nocturnal peace and slumber? I can't stress the utmost importance of requesting for a king or queen bedroom that does not reek of smoke, with clean white sheets and fluffy pillows and an adequately thick duvet to disappear into at bedtime. The bedroom experience makes a big difference, especially when one is away for an extended period of time. In this case, I'm immensely grateful and full of praise to the Conrad for immaculate and thoughtful housekeeping personnel leaving adequate bottles of drinking water, a daily topped up fruit basket, a complimentary teddy bear and rubber duckie at the bathtub and lovely chocolates.
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Saturday, October 01, 2005
` Saturday, October 01, 2005
I've found a novel (perhaps more of nothing-better-to-do) way to spend my time. That is, to capture my high-volume purchases in most countries that I visit either on business or for leisure. Call it stress relief, shopaholic beware or whatever, but the thought of bringing a must-buy item to the cashier at check-out brings a wave of unprecedented adrenaline rush. Inexplicable as it may sound, I derive plenty of satisfaction from my purchases and although I'm not exactly proud of it, I don't particularly regret the cash outlay (recall the quantity, not necessarily quality buying mantra).
Here is the outcome of the inexpensive wallet damage, with the exception of the bag which was a long deliberated decision given that it had exceeded my pricing tolerance by a mere deviation:
The lovely Nine West bag in question. As previously mentioned, the selection in Hong Kong is ten times funkier than what can be found in the Singapore stores. I was really tempted to get 2 pairs of shoes, one velvet and one gold, albeit in a price range that would be tantamount to over-splurging. I'm still in the patient process of deliberation, given that the store is just in the shopping mall right next to my hotel. Choice$...
Lime green tee and pink sleeveless top from twopercent, purple+mustard yellow tops+brown corduroy skirt from Zara. All were impulsively affordable buys which didn't require queuing at the changing rooms. This is optimal frivolity hard at work.
One of my favourite buys from the brand that I've sworn undying allegiance to (aka Zara), which is the white shirt with gold stripes (makes for good officewear). The cream top with a cutesy flower was slashed by 70% (S$12!!) at a shop in Granville Road and the transluscent blue top, also a steal at S$20 that the sales person was unconvinced would fit me but I insisted on giving a try as it looked suspiciously like a Chloe rip-off.
I think I have more items stashed in my luggage somewhere but nonetheless, they don't call Hong Kong a shopper's paradise for no reason. Someone please cut my credit cards before it's too late!
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