SIN/VN/SIN - Day 6

06 July 2012

Quick post before I can finally shut down my computer and go home!  ah Thiang, Popa & Moma is coming to fetch me tomorrow.  YAY!

Managed to try another new deli, a little cosy yet 'French' feel cafe for lunch before heading down to the exhibition hall for tear down.  I must say, I love their deco.  So much warmth.  I like.  One of a better Vietnamese milk coffee I had (kinda taste like milo! must be the aftermath from the lousy coffee I had at MOF that made my tastebud no functioning properly!)!

A wrap-up dinner with the local team at the BBQ garden restaurant diagonally opposite my hotel.  It was a pouring cats and dogs night and I am so worried that my BBQ date with the guys will not happen.  Hey, I was wrong.  They have a huge tentage and everyone was happily BBQ-ing under the shelter on a rainy day!  I smelt like a mobile-BBQ pit when I got back to my room.  #sleepwithwethairagain

Paris Deli for lunch / Just can't get enough of those baguettes! / Wrap-up dinner at Barbecue Garden!

So glad that I came for this one-week 'assignment' in Saigon.  I get to try many many new eatries (some are must-try or strongly recommended by bloggers/websites etc which I have not done so for my past trips) and I am so going home with a happy tum tum!  #simplepleasures

Wooo... the guys are having TGIF fun time without the ladies!  >_<

Paris Deli
Saigon Centre
65 Le Loi, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Barbecue Garden
diagonally opposite Norfolk Hotel
135A Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

SIN/VN/SIN - Day 4 & 5

05 July 2012

There is nothing much for me to explore city of Saigon after being here for like the fourth or fifth time... other than daily trips visiting my booth and back to hotel to catch up some work, I also googled on some nice food places to try.  Why I no find out the nice places to eat when ah Thiang and I first came to Ho Chi Minh City?  :(

Planned to go Zan Z Bar for one of my lunches but when I got there, the exterior did not attract me to go in and I continued to walk down the street and stumbled upon Al Fresco (which is also in my to-visit list) and tried their famous baby back ribs.  I must say they are as good as Tony Romas'!

As I was saying, I must eat ice-cream right... so I googled again and found Fanny Ice-Cream and MOF... since SG has MOF and I make my way down to Fanny.  This place is so so SO nice.  So much prettier than the normal ice-cream shops in SG.  I think I will come back the 2nd or 3rd time before I leave.  Know what, I have actually asked 3 person on the street on how-to-get-there!  And when I reached there, I was like "tiew... " I could have cut from this street to that street and so on...  Now I am much clever now...  I know exactly which street can led to which shop/restaurant from which junction.  #pattingmyhead

Saw that there was a Japanese BBQ located next to Saigon Square... and decided to have it for dinner.  Seating arrangement was similar in the usual Japanese restaurant, you get roller blinds as partition from the guest next seat and a personal BBQ stove.  Food was meh and only realized that I have not eaten rice since the day I got here!  Gah.  So much meaty mains like steak, ribs, roti and such...  Oh boy, go back home must turbo detox liao.

MOF in Ho Chi Minh City is slightly different from the one in SG.  They no serve Korean food like bimbimbak in their menu.  Had some udon tonkatsu set and garlic fried rice.  Don't judge me.  Who say I am a small eater?  I am just a hungry SG woman who is having a very late lunch based on SG timing.  LOL!  Btw, the Vietnamese milk coffee here sucks.  NOT. COMING. BACK.

I also visited Black Cat restaurant, which was featured on CNN.com as one of the top 10 must-eat in the world!  I love their wallpapers especially the one has many many giantic baguettes in the restaurant (I even get the staff to take a photo for me!).  LOL!  They are famous for their jumbo-sized burgers (do you realized that there is no McDees in HCMC...?  if you need a burger fix, then try here...  I am not a small eater but this is way too big for me to digest.  :P).  Their burger size is as BIG as Yeo's face (汉堡大过大男生!)... proofs of pictures are all over the restaurant's wall, no bluff!

Tomorrow will be my last night in Ho Chi Minh City... I hope I can find at least one more new food places to feast before heading to rainy Singapore (why you no rain when I'm back home?!?!)!  Boooo...  I missed my ah Thiang!

Al Fresco
27 Dong Du, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Fanny Ice Cream
on side of Sun Wah Building, middle part of Pasteur and Nguyen Hue Street
29-31 Ton That Thiep Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Uraetei BBQ Japan
next to Saigon Square
69-71 Nam Ki Khoi Nghia Street, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

MOF Japanese Sweets & Coffee
30 Le Loi Avenue (Pasteur Street), District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Black Cat Restaurant
13 Phan Vat Dat, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

SIN/VN/SIN - Day 2 & 3

03 July 2012

My day 3 in Saigon... and food hunt continues!

Lemongrass Restaurant > vietnamese cuisine (been here a couple of times from my past trips...) / Phuc Long Coffee & Tea House > coffee and garlic break! / Line Journee a Paris > French patisserie like macarons and my baguette!

Passed by some ice-cream shops whenever I am out for my food hunt... but the weather has not been so kind... (raining heavily on and off under HOT sun!) so not feelin brave to beat the coldness under such weather.  Told ah Thiang & Yeos' of my ice-cream crave and instead of comforting words, the gang sent me photo of them yum seng-ing their ice-cream!  (thanks ah...)  Think once the weather gets better tomorrow or the day after, I'll show them my winning shot of my ice-cream!  #BLEH  #mustwin

Lemongrass Restaurant
4 Nguyen Thiep, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Phuc Long Coffee & Tea House
Crescent Mall
101 Ton Dat Tien Avenue PMH, Tan Phu W, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City

Line Journee A Paris
near Ban Thanh Market
234 Le Thanh Toh, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

SIN/VN/SIN - Day 1

01 July 2012

Hello to second-half of 2012!  My one week stint in Saigon starts today!

Checked into Norfolk Hotel and did a quick lunch at the restaurant, located level in the hotel before heading to SECC for setup day 1...  Everything from the toast garlic bread, oxtail soup and the steak was GOOD!  Happy tum tum and I am off to work... a short setup day as part of the stuffs weren't delivered and have to wait for tomorrow... but we managed to setup the 'main' feature at the booth.  :)  Hopefully tomorrow will complete by lunch and I can get back to hotel and do my reporting...

Dinner was adventurous.  Jessie says go Saigon must eat French food.  So I googled where to have French food nearby or within District 1 to try the recommended restaurants.  Unfortunately the first choice wasn't open so I got the taxi uncle to drive me to the next destination (didn't I say I am adventurous?  never did I ever just take a taxi and drove to find food... it's all walking within distance from my hotel lor...).  Food was OK.  I didn't quite enjoy one of the starter, foie gras... too ger-liat for me and I am too full to even have the desserts served.  Tomorrow will try some local pho instead...  I forsee-ed meaty meaty meals ahead...  LOL!

Did not managed to find any massage parlour nearby... next to-do tasks on the list!  Must be CHEAP, clean and good!  :)

Norfolk Hotel / Corso Steakhouse & Bar / L'entete French Restaurant > set meal at VND900,000!

Corso Steakhouse & Bar

Norfolk Hotel
117 Le Thanh Ton Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

L'entete

139 Nguyen Thai Binh, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

SIN/BKK/SIN - Day 4

14 June 2012

My stint in Bangkok continues... am extending for another three nights to shop and eat my way in Bangkok (btw of this post, I declared broke...) >>> left with only 500bhat for the rest of the week.  +++gasps+++

Very impressed with the services that Grande Centre Point Sukhumvit Terminal 21 showered me.  When I needed to call a taxi and showed them the addresses of my next hotel, they insisted to send me over by foot.  Yes.  It is that near.  So, walk over.  I kinda refused because the luggage is already 17kg when I checked-in my flight and now it could be heavier.  Reason being, taking a taxi from the hotel to the next hotel will be super jam and it will take long time.  So they offered to carry my luggage and ascorted me to my next hotel by foot under the hot sun.  (OK, I am not complaining the hot sun and that's part of the reason I don't wanna walk to the next hotel)  +++THUMBSUP for their service anyway!+++

Citypoint Hotel is the next hotel I will stay till Sunday.  It is a modern and chic hotel, nothing here looked 'budgeted' even though the room rates are almost half-price than the previous one I stayed... the lift buttons are touch-sensors!  High-tech anot (four-five stars hotel doesn't even have that)!?!

Settled for Korean BBQ for lunch and off I went for my me-time in Bangkok! Whoot!  So dead tired, walk die me ah... and gonna tuck into bed NOW.  Tomorrow will be a rest & relac day... cafe hoping I hoped (remember, I only left with 500bhat?) until my Popa & Moma arrive!  +++YAY+++

SIN/BKK/SIN - Day 1

11 June 2012

Sawasdeekaaaaaaaa!

Day 1 (... and Day 2) in Bangkok, setting up for this week's show, Propak Asia 2012 and leaving the next disaster (next show setup which is next Monday) for my local guy, Tham to handle!  ++evil++  Ok lah, my interim boss says Tham is clever and smart and he can do the job... bascially save cost.  So.  OK loh, no need get involved in setup... it's more siong than Today's anyway.  :P

About my accommodation.  No more Pathumwan Princess Hotel but hey, it's Grande Centre Point Sukhumvit - Terminal 21!  Love the location of the hotel... so so so much nearer to BITEC which means lesser jam-ming time, earlier dinner time for me, more food places but less shopping.  Shops here ain't attractive = not cheap as compared in MBK.  But I am happy.  Yes, back to Terminal 21 Mall = more food, desserts and cafes hoping!  ... and I found new massage places nearby the 'back' of the mall, so gonna try them TOMORROW!

Two more days before my weekend hiatus in the Land of Smiles!  Yippeeeeeeeeee.

Grand lobby / Spacious room / I lurve their auto-heated toilet seat! / AWESOME-est pool-view from my room!!! / Thai delights for lunch / MK - steamfulilious dinner on a rainy evening!

SIN/JKT/SIN

31 May 2012

Pagi! (means Morning in Bahasa... b'cos by the time I finished this post, it should be about 2am SG time on 1 June...)

My first work trip of the year > 10th ASEAN Ports & Shipping 2012 Conference and Exhibition!  Also, my second time participating the two-days show... last year the show was held in HCMC at Winsor Plaza Hotel and it travels around the region.  This year, in Jarkata (so I am here for the second time) and see some familiar faces from the past year!  :)  I've got information that next year's show will be in June (my birthday!) back in HCMC.  Booo...!!!

I also met up with Pei Huan (ok, picture too dark to see who that mysterious lady was... too bad!) who happens to travel to Jarkata on the same week as I do.  We had dinner and do 'lil bit of catch up... remember the last time I saw her was at NEX for lunch and that was when I just joined the company... almost a year ago!

Ok need to end the post abruptly b'cos I realized that I only have less than fours hours of sleep before I leave for airport.  Yes.  I am going home later!  Going home for my Moma's soup.  YAY!!! 

Lunch with the team / #foreveralone Dinner / Us at the booth / My fozen yogurt fix > tried both Red Mango & Sour Sally. Jessie say 'chip!' > Catching up with an old friend by the beach! (name of the restaurant lah... lol)

SIN/BKK/SIN - Day 1 > 2 > 3 > 4 > 5

23 December 2011

SawasdeeKrub from the Land of Smiles!

Short pictorial on my Bangkok trip (all about work and leisure) for the last 5 days!

ah Thiang & I on the jet plane to BKK > Lunch at HongMin Chinese Restaurant > After a long day setup at BITEC, this is Sunset in BKK! > Our favorite steamboat place - MK Gold Restaurant > Heart-ing supermarketing! > Must-haves in BKK! > Korean BBQ at Konju Restaurant > ah Thiang & his daily drinks > Bangkok Jam at MBK > Dinner at Fuji Japanese Restaurant > Movies for the past two nights - MI4 & Sherlock Homes2! > Cheessie Hokkaido Cheesecake at Farm Design Cafe at new mall - Terminal 21 (very nice 'international' themes like you been travelled around the world just by visiting this mall - they even have arrival & departure hall!) > Back to Wanakarm for their delicieux roast beef and pork > Yakiniku at Rengaya Japanese Restaurant, oOooommmmm!

Was at Platinum Mall the WHOLE day... shopped till I broke (both of our legs!)... and tomorrow going back there again to fix my dress...  :(  Clock tick tock tick tock... and it is Christmas Eve already!  In less than 24hrs, me and ah Thiang will wish everyone MERRY CHRISTMAS from BANGKOK!  HO HO HO!!!

Final Selection of Bridal Day Gowns and Evening Gowns!

18 December 2011

Too much wedding celebrations and errands running the whole of December and in less than 7 days and it is CHRISTMAS!

This year's Christmas going to be very special because I will be in Bangkok for work (not sad not sad... imma not feeling sad...) and ah Thiang will be celebrating Christmas with me in Bangkok too!  And in the foreign land, we have the "just married" couple spending their honeymoon in Bangkok as well (this is confirmed not pre-arranged!!! I only know they will be there the same week as us) and so 巧, we have the same flight back to SG on 25 December (not sure of their flight back to SG)!  We shall arrange a good date to meet up to celebrate Christmas in the land of smiles.  :))

For now, updating pictorial of Today's gowns selection before I am off to the land of smiles - I have yet less than 4hours of sleep before I need to be at the airport and thank god, this is the last biz trip before we close the year 2011!

I thanked the Yeo's and Jade for spending time with us at the bridal shop... (this round took us another 5hours of searching for the ONE Day Gown, Evening Gown, Tea Dress and ROM Dress)!  All are brand new new NEW... therefore I can only snap them when I am un-noticed.  We also collected the edited 20% pre-wedding photos today... planning to have our pre-wedding photos printed onto the stamps when sending the invites out to our guests...  Imma going to check out how does the SingPost wedding stamps work before we sending in our photos for massive stamps-production!  Hopefully it is not too expensive.  :)

My Day & Evening Gowns on the RIGHT of the racks! > ROM Dress > Tea Dress > Freesia hand bouquet - simple and elegant to match my Vera Wang-wanabe gown!

SIN/FRA/SIN - Day 7

30 October 2011

Happy Hallowiiiiiinn!

I woke up late today, normally by 8am latest I would have left the hotel but this morning at 9am I am still snuggling in the bed.  Woowooooo~  Feeling so lazy today...  It was super cold because when I draw up the curtains, I saw the floor was wet - rained has just stopped.

I left the room to explore the non-shopping area in Frankfurt - the Dom Tower, Romer, St. Paul's Church, Old Opera House, Berger Strasse, The Hauptwache and found Goethestraße where the branded stuffs are...  Didn't explore the main tower because there is a BMW Marathon Run and main roads are all closed.

Daylight saving has started since Yesterday, therefore now is +7hrs... that means I have an hour longer than Yesterday... GOD... time passes really SLOWLY when you've got nothing to do!

Tomorrow's schedule is to "hoot" the branded streets, pay a visit to the roof terrace of Zeilgalerie and enjoy the breathtaking view of the skyline before I leave for the airport!

My new buy from H&M > BMW Marathon setup beside my hotel > Dom Tower > Kopi-ing along Zeil Street (catching up with the marathon) > along the riverside - OMG Autumn is so beautiful! > At the Iron Bridge (Eiserner Steg) - found many lockets on the bridge!

ZOMG!  IMMA GOING HOME!!!!!
Auf wiedersehen Frankfurt!
Goodbye Frankfurt!

SIN/FRA/SIN - Day 6

29 October 2011

Hallo Guten Tag Frankfurt!
Hello Frankfurt!

After spending 6 days in Cologne, today I leave for Frankfurt.  It was TOTALLY a challenge to push two trolleys on my journery here (I am aching all over now)... and everywhere is people mountain people sea... weather is about 19degree and it was not cold... why I know... it's because thats when my face turned oily like when I am in Singapore!  Hopefully tomrrow will be a cooler day - I am exploring the city all by foot!  (the helpful lady at the hotel reception told me no need to spend money pay for city tour... all walk-able...)

All ready to go! > Just when I was about to check out, I found I have accidently bent-ed my key and I cannot lock my spidery! While I was going to the supermarket along Zeil street, I passedby the key master and the kind-soul hammered back my key at NO cost! Now it is in good shape and I can lock my spidery liao! > Leaving for Frankfurt > My adventure starts now - in the barn with two luggages and trying to find my way to hotel! > Street view outside my hotel > At Zeil street!

SIN/FRA/SIN - Day 5

28 October 2011

Auf wiedersehen Köln!
Goodbye Köln!

Really long FULLEST 5-day work week at igus GmbH... everyone else left the office at 16:30hrs sharp and we only get to leave the office at 17:30hrs... rushing back hotel just to catch all the shopping with the remaining 1.5hours before they are closed for the day... and not forgetting all the 'homeworks' that were tasked to do / submit - dateline right after I am back for my photoshoot!  ++ GRrrrrrrrrr++  :(

Leaving for Frankfurt tomorrow morning via the high speed train (ICE)!  YAY!!!  Shopping... and MORE shopping... here I come!

Beautiful morning in Köln > my lunch ticket... Bon Appétit > Day 5 at igus - Sunny.  Very sunny! > riding on the mini motor-bike... vroom VROOM > hitting the shopping streets again > skimpy cowboy on the streets!

SIN/FRA/SIN - Day 2 > 3 > 4

27 October 2011

The rest of our days at igus were very very very packed with re-re-re-scheduled of presentations and workshops...!

Day 2 at igus - Rainy > getting ready for night tour to Dom > Museum of Applied Art & Design - the "Snow White's Coffin" > Hearty breakfast at Hotel Cristall - rest of the days only managed to eat ziam tao lo ti > Gilden Kölsch Brewery & Restaurant > my 35mins spree at H&M > Day 4 at igus communications office - Sunny > lunch at igus canteen - meals are all provided to all staffs on daily basis and you get to 'pre-order' what you would like to have from tomorrow's menu > new luggage for my loots > biggest shopping bag ever - trolleying around to catch the shops before they close at 20:00hrs > in Legoland... bought a great gift for ah Thiang!  :)

SIN/FRA/SIN - Day 1

23 October 2011

Grüß dich Singapur!!!
Hello Singapore!!!

Today is Sunday, Day 1 in Cologne - It is 6hours behind SG time (so now it is 5.31pm.... very very drowsy NOW!  I can hear church bells ringing in my room...)

I arrived last evening close to mid-night...  Had a bad rushy experience rushing to check in my train/rail to Cologne - SQ flight delayed in landing in Frankfurt... and my baggage came out late and with a 'bandage'!  Think the luggage side gave way alittle and the ground staff taped it with masking tape (oh, I didn't take any pictures... heng it survired this flight... weighting 19.9KG when I checked in!!!).  Me run and rush like mad... luckily I made it on time to catch my train...  ++PANT pant-ing pant-ed++

Moi plan changed, instead of alighting at Cologne station, I alighted at Siegburg Bahnhof station so that the taxi can pick me to hotel, about 20mins ride (because taxis here don't pick up customer if the distance is too near...).  The Mercs Taxi drove in the speed of 140-160km/h (the ride from train station to hotel cost like Euro 51)!  Very fast.  I reached hotel and after unpacking, I only slept at 12.30am local time (6.30am SG time) and I woke up 6.30am local time for breakfast... ++ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz++

Weather today is sunny and cold but OK... not OK was the windy part that made me tear and nose wet.  Everywhere, thermometer outside of the building measures differently (one measures 19, another one 6 and last one I saw was 0)... so I also don't know how cold it really was. 

Sunday is a WINDOW-shopping day... all shops are closed.  Nothing to buy... only SEE.  There are many H&M outlets along the streets...  Found the Rimowa flagship store... now Watsapp-ing - in discussion whether to buy or no buy... buy what model.... HAHA!  A 27" (63litres) will cost like Euro 389...  CHEAP right?  Now the Yeo's are comptemplating whether to buy or not.  HEH!

I have like another 1.5hrs to go before dinner... hopefully I can doze off RIGHT after dinner...  Tomorrow will be a LONG day... bus will pick us up at 7.15am local time...  I have to wake up like 5.30am local time!!!  BRrrrrrrrrrrrrr~

Breakfast at Cristall / Autumn lookbook No.1 attire (very autumn feel especially taken with the leaves right!?!?!) - heading to Dom / Dom Cathedral / lunch at Früh Kölsch, Brauhaus Köln / Turkish demostrating beside the Dom

SIN/VN/SIN - Day 3

06 October 2011

An apple a day keeps the doctor away however it did not keep cancer away.  RIP Mr Jobs.

News of the passing today of Mr Steve Jobs are everywhere.  He dies, aged 56 after long battle with pancreatic cancer.  He was a legend and legends' 的宿命 － 早死。Michael Jackson, John Lennon, Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Bruce Lee and Steve Jobs... You'll be missed.

Day 1 of METALEX VN 2011... quite a fair bit of crowd at the booth... just finished sending my reporting for the show... and tomorrow meeting me boss to go "marketing"!  He said he cannot go back empty-handed... his doors at home will not open for him.  ++he and his senses of humour!++  So 可怜 therefore, I am bringing him to the market where I bought my cashew nuts and I too, needed to get another pair of bling shoe in silver.  :P

I will match my travel schedules with Kai Hua for the next and future exhibitions!  With him and Tien Dung (as local guide cum driver) to bring us around, everyday is a feast (compared to the last trip to VN, there wasn't any meal that was worth recommending).  Dinner today was early, we went to Three Coconut Trees Restaurants (Ba Cây Dùa).  There were only THREE coconuts along the street and that was the landmark!  Some what like SG no signboard restaurant... by the river... alfresco dining...  We had seafood... I think, I was too busy taking photos again...  LOL!

igus booth #D09 / Interactive robot that kept the crowd at METALEX VN 2011 entertained - singing "My Way" / Dining at Three Coconut Trees Restaurants (Ba Cây Dùa)

Tomorrow has an early "marketing" date with me boss before leaving for the airport... tucking into bed early!  ++ah Thiang, I AM COMING HOME LO!!!++  Muahahahaha~

SIN/VN/SIN - Day 2

05 October 2011

今天是农历九月初九，是中国传统的重阳节 and there are also many wedding celebrations all happening in Saigon including the couple at our hotel too!  祝有情人长长久久！:)  They even have bridesmaids all dresses up at the lobby welcoming guests to the banquet!  ++ideas coming...++ 

Talking about ideas...  I bought some neon nail polishes (MAC brand ok...) for my bridesmaids for my NEON NEON wedding theme too!  ++getting VERY excited!++  Also, my tasks to buy cashew nuts and G7 coffees are accompolished!  意外的收获 - I managed to get a pair of bling bling light gold heels for my photoshoot at only 200,000 VNDong (approx S$12.50)... and it's YAY!  But only realizing that my gowns are in offwhite and whites... so tomorrow or before my flight, I have to rush down and see if I can get a pair similar in silver color.  Dang.

Lunch was good... the duck noodle was nice, 黑鸡炖药材汤 - 好喝!  Kai Hua strongly recommended us to Hai Lua to eat suckling pig for dinner.  This meal cost us 1.7Million... in VNDong of course!  ++ROFL++

鸭面和黑鸡汤 for lunch / Bridesmaids at lobby welcoming guests / Neon nail colors / Dinner at Hai Lua

SIN/VN/SIN - Day 1

04 October 2011

Welcome to the land of Phở!

On my flight here, I was seated with two rowdy kids on board and just before the flight takes off, the stewardess even warned the kids softly to behave themself then bent over and asked if I would like to change my seats - I said YES.  And I do so after the flight took off!  Nice.  But after I was "re-seated", the ah pek at the window seat gave me that buay song look after I took 1 of the 2 empty seats beside him...  ++youthinkicare?!?!++

Saigon Exhibition & Convention Centre is a much better place to setup and hold exhibition compared to MY, TH and ID!  There is a newly opened Saigon Paragon (anchor tenant - Parkson) located just opposite the convention centre.  The wonton mee at the basement food court was yummy, have 家乡味!  ++HAHA++

After the setup (which was already 3/4 completed and the convention centre is closing for the day...), we went back hotel and have a short briefing for tomorrow's plan and head out for dinner at Saigon Halal Restaurant.  WOW - the baby clam with fried garlic was DAMN BLARDY YUMMY!  MUST HAVES!  YUMS yums!!!

It was a wet evening and I am tucking in early for the night... tomorrow if time permits, I need to buy cashew nuts, G7 kopi... and neon orange nail polish for ah Ju!  ++MUAHAHAHA - she is getting ready for my BIG day!!!++

5 must-dos in HCMC / sending my love from Saigon / cool clock cum iPhone docking station in-room / 家乡味 wanton mee / Saigon Halal Restaurant

cà phê sữa đá; Vietnamese Ice Milk Coffee, I'm gona have you every single day!  ++LOL++

I WANT TO GO HOME!

23 September 2011

Horrendous night spent at the JKT Airport!

I encountered a werid night in my room yesterday on the very last night of my JKT stay... while I was still working and watching the TV, the aircon suddenly started blowing (when it was supposed to be off ) and the TV was auto off!  I called the reception and was asked to try re-slotting in the room card... and it worked.  Everything was in order... then another 5-10mins later, it happened again... I tried the second time then shortly my phone in the room rang... when I was about to pick it up, it hung up.  HOW?  So WERID!

I try not to think so negative... and decided to go bed... and while I am getting ready to sleep the TV went off again (this time the aircon was still OFF)!  WARAO eh!!!  I called the airline and asked if there are any seats on the next available flight but it was already 12am and airport counter and airline office were closed and only way to check the available seats are to be done at the airport personally.  I checked online and the earliest flight was 5.50am and I proceed to check out the hotel!  It was about 12.30am when I checked out of the hotel...

The moment I reached airport, I regretted my hrash decision... the airport was closed!  It wasn't like how Singapore operated their 24h airport.  It was a pitch dark walkway with people sleeping on the benches (with and without luaggages...).  "Is this place safe...?"  I asked myself.  The airport in JKT is closed for operation from 12am-3.30am as their earliest flight is 5.05am therefore nobody will be working!  Even those traveller on transit will be asked to leave the airport and wait outside!  ++DAMN++

I couldn't place myself with those people sleeping on benches... and I strolled up and down outside the airport... then suddenly I saw an ang mo lady reading her books in this coffeeshop...  I decided it was OK to sit with them while waiting for the gate to be opened.  This Indo-chinese guy seated behind me kept chatting with me...  I worried that he might be a professional cheater (he told me his domestic flight was delayed for 3hrs and he was in the airport since 8am till now - you believe anot?) and I am so sleepy and tired but still entertained him for awhile before I popped my iPod into my ears and ignore him...  I couldn't sleep and dare not to sleep... so worried that I will be robbed blah blah blah...

By 3.20am, the departure gate opened...  I quickly Q-ed to get in and so worried that I might not be granted in due to my flight is about 14hrs before departure time!  Luckily the guard let me in and I RAN to SQ counter to have my flight changed to 5.50am.  FWAH, I couldn't be more thankful than anything else... after I got my amended flight ticket I went straight to the immigration counter to check in.  I felt so safe after I had my passport stamped and seated by the boarding gate trying to catch a nap before getting on the flight....

Not to mentioned the horrible services I got from the ol' SQ woman on the flight back, this is the most unbearable moment and darkest night from all my travelling days...

When I related my incident to my friends, some say I was brave... some say I should have change a new room or even bunk in my night with my colleagues/boss (they didn't even know I took the first flight back! shhhhhhhhh~)... erm... I don't know... I couldn't sleep and wanted to go home so badly.  I should have been more 理智 and not rush into such 冲动 decision that might landed myself into such unnecessary trouble in such UNSAFE hazy city!  :(

Singapore traffic, my ah Thiang and my bed... YOU HAVE BEEN MISSED!

SIN/JKT/SIN - Day 4

22 September 2011

Today is the ONLY day I get to see sunset in Jakarta!  Haha... left early with moi boss back hotel to catch up with some work... and tomorrow don't have to go to the exhibition hall... I AM GOING HOME!  YAY!!

This morning I almost freaked out when I looked myself in the mirror - BRUISED from the rub last night!  Red marks on my arms... I can even see the tee-shirt sleeve marks on the left of my arm!  Guanyin-ma, what did the masseuse do to me last night?  Still feeling sore on my arms... now... am having second thoughts on going back for foot massage, maybe I will just meet Bilal and KH for dinner after their 2-hr massage... heh!!!

SIN/JKT/SIN - Day 3

21 September 2011

Electric, Power & Renewable Energy 2011

YAY!  First day of show and we have collected over 90 sales contacts from the "Win a iPod Nano" campaign.

Pak Wiyono (that's him in the picture standing outside the restro) brought us out for lunch which is about 45mins drive + jam and for once I had the so-called authentic Nasi Langgi Kuning.  Nice.  I also bought some local snacks like peanuts, and beef floss from the restro.

Me and Kai Hua finally found foot massage place that is located basement 2 (what I called it - below their underground level) cost Rp.50,000 for good ol' 60mins... and tomorrow we are coming back again!  It was very late when we are done with our massage and all shops and restaurants were closed.  We had no choice but to dine in at the hotel restaurant - by the pool side... food sucks.  It was the same menu as what I found in the room... bleh~

Today lunched at 3.30pm and dinner ended about 12mid-night... I am confused which time zone exactly I was now...  :(