Hi All,
Just thought you might like a summary of my recent trip incase you wanted to do one similar – would definitely recommend it
Flew on the Friday afternoon with Tiger Airways. Got into Perth around 9pm. Flight time around 5hrs
Stayed for 4 nights and flew back on Tuesday night. Got into Sing around 3am (killer!). Total cost around USD 500
Picked up a car from Europcar. Bit flash and got an A4 convertible for about USD 100 per day. Also could do a Rav 4 for about half that.
Stayed 1st night at Murray St Hotel, Subiaco. Cost USD 50 each per night. More like a motel and very average. OK location, but you can probably find somewhere more centrally in Subiaco
Went out to Subi Hotel (cool) and Sapphire (smelt a bit!). Food at 3am at Fast Eddy’s. Lots of other places around there (corner of Hay and Rockeby) for a good night out
Drove Sat morning towards Margaret River. About 3hrs. Stopped halfway for lunch in Bunbury at VAT. Very nice, on the water.
Stayed 2 nights at Smith Beach hotel and Resort, in a gorgeous 4 bed beach villa. Worked out USD 100 per night each.
Great facilities, like BBQ, big lounge area, 2 balconies, 2 kitchens, central pool etc
Ate lunch/dinner at (order of favourite) – Voyager, Wise, Lamonts (although all excellent)
Wine tasted at Leeuwins, Brooklands, Wise, Voyager, Graylin, Vasse Felix (again, all excellent)
Also visited – Simmos Ice Cream, Chocolate Factory, Fudge Factory, Lake Caves
Drove back to Perth on Monday afternoon and stayed in Ocean Beach Hotel for USD 50 each per night. Great location in Cottisloe, but very average hotel. Supposedly a good bar to drink at, but was quiet as a Monday
Had dinner at Indiana Tea House which was excellent. Breakfast at Blue Duck (above average)
Tuesday, went shopping in Subiaco (very good), King St (good), Harbour outlet (average). Also went to Burswood Casino which was fun.
I actually have a 12 page doc with more details on the vineyards and places to eat etc if you want it.
Hope this helps. Would be great if you could send any reports on places you’ve visited that you recommend
Cheers, Jamie
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Don’t work too hard
Hi Guys,
So, as someone replied to my last email…”are you doing any work there?” it made me realize I hadn’t mentioned work once!! So here goes!! Yes, I spend about 50 of the 168 hours a week at this place called an “office”. Whatever I have left over from those 50 of surfing the net, messing around on FaceBook and typing annoyingly long emails, I do this thing called “work”. OK, so it’s pretty interesting and would put my enjoyment/satisfaction level at about a 6. My last 9 months in London would have been a 3 and the preceeding 2 years would have been a 9, so I’m happy but not ecstatic. A lot of admin c.rap to do, cause basically I’m helping one of the big cheeses here set up the new Structuring team, but I’m learning a heck of a lot of how to run a business which should give me some good skills for later in life.
Ok, back to the fun part!!
Threw my Hawaiian themed BBQ and pool party on Saturday which was good fun. Unfortunately the count was only 2 straw skirts and precisely zero coconut bikinis, but was a good laugh, lots of food and drinks, but no real scandal.
Yesterday I somehow wangled my second ever goal and second man of the match in 3 games. Took an absolute pasting, but I was on hand to nick the ball off a defender on the box and clip it round the keeper at the far post http://www.espzen.com/matchreport_frame.asp?matchno=5002
Glad to see not too much has changed form back home and had our inaugural poker night last Weds. As the host, I had to let other people win, just so they come back..at least that was my excuse!! A girl won it. Someone’s ideas was to get naked butler type people round to put her off next time…although I think it might be a bit weird with 8 other blokes in the room!!
I made it through the 25 crazy hours of fasting in one piece! I kind of cheated by drinking some water, but please don’t tell the man upstairs! The community here are very friendly and headed to a family’s house to break the fast….on leaving we got invited to another house where they were just about to start so I had to eat all over again – would have been rude not to!
Now have the infamous Jamie “JB” Black staying with me for a few days. Doesn’t really feel too strange though cause there are so many Westerners here anyway…should have a fun week and then heading off to Perth and the Margaret River wine area this weekend. 8 of us going and I’ve called shotgun to drive the A4 convertible…have to do it in style!!
Keep in touch
Jamie
So, as someone replied to my last email…”are you doing any work there?” it made me realize I hadn’t mentioned work once!! So here goes!! Yes, I spend about 50 of the 168 hours a week at this place called an “office”. Whatever I have left over from those 50 of surfing the net, messing around on FaceBook and typing annoyingly long emails, I do this thing called “work”. OK, so it’s pretty interesting and would put my enjoyment/satisfaction level at about a 6. My last 9 months in London would have been a 3 and the preceeding 2 years would have been a 9, so I’m happy but not ecstatic. A lot of admin c.rap to do, cause basically I’m helping one of the big cheeses here set up the new Structuring team, but I’m learning a heck of a lot of how to run a business which should give me some good skills for later in life.
Ok, back to the fun part!!
Threw my Hawaiian themed BBQ and pool party on Saturday which was good fun. Unfortunately the count was only 2 straw skirts and precisely zero coconut bikinis, but was a good laugh, lots of food and drinks, but no real scandal.
Yesterday I somehow wangled my second ever goal and second man of the match in 3 games. Took an absolute pasting, but I was on hand to nick the ball off a defender on the box and clip it round the keeper at the far post http://www.espzen.com/matchreport_frame.asp?matchno=5002
Glad to see not too much has changed form back home and had our inaugural poker night last Weds. As the host, I had to let other people win, just so they come back..at least that was my excuse!! A girl won it. Someone’s ideas was to get naked butler type people round to put her off next time…although I think it might be a bit weird with 8 other blokes in the room!!
I made it through the 25 crazy hours of fasting in one piece! I kind of cheated by drinking some water, but please don’t tell the man upstairs! The community here are very friendly and headed to a family’s house to break the fast….on leaving we got invited to another house where they were just about to start so I had to eat all over again – would have been rude not to!
Now have the infamous Jamie “JB” Black staying with me for a few days. Doesn’t really feel too strange though cause there are so many Westerners here anyway…should have a fun week and then heading off to Perth and the Margaret River wine area this weekend. 8 of us going and I’ve called shotgun to drive the A4 convertible…have to do it in style!!
Keep in touch
Jamie
Monday, October 6, 2008
I scored...
…..no, not with a girl, but on the football pitch. And this time, it wasn’t a fluke and nor was it a friendly. It was a 100%, genuine, undeniable goal. I was playing between in midfield (they obviously don’t realize just how unfit I am) and 5 mins into the second half, picked up the ball about 35 yards out and let rip. Top corner and the keeper had no chance!! Great feeling, although 10 mins later I missed a sitter when I was squared the ball on the edge of the penalty area and side footed wide. Oh well!! I got MOTM too!!
http://www.espzen.com/matchreport_frame.asp?matchno=4941
After that I basically slept the whole day (this heat really takes it out of you), before heading to this beach bar called KM8. It’s basically a Singaporean version of Nikki Beach in St Tropez, but with Moet instead of Cristal !. People drinking champagne, messing about in a big Jacuzzi, some cracking looking local and foreign girls walking around in bikinis….just what you want in advance of a hard week at work!!
Wow….looking back, it really has been 10 days of partying!!!
- Started with the F1 a few days before the big race. Red Bull threw a party at a place called Café Del Mar (again, similar to KM8 or somewhere in South of France or Ibiza). Coulthard and Webber were there as were a load of local celebs, none of who I knew or recognized, but some of my friends seemed to be impressed. This one girl I met was called Rebecca Tan who’s a big tv star and business woman here – got a pic with her (see attached)…she was lovely and I definitely think there was some chemistry there…although I’m told she has a penchant for the same sex, so I’m not holding out too much hope!!
- Fri night I got up to the New Asia bar which is at the top of one of the hotels on the 70th floor. The most amazing view of the F1 seeing the whole course lit up…although the cars looked like micro machines (if you remember them from the 80s!)
- Saturday, I had an absolute result. My boss couldn’t use his tickets for the qualifying so gave them to me. After an absolute mission to get to my seat as I went in the wrong entrance, I found myself in the ING box overlooking the finish line and pits. As I arrive hot, sweaty and in desperate need of an ice cold shower(!) the lady takes us down to the pits to have a look at the cars and meet the mechanics. Was v cool!! Spent the rest of the day drinking and eating and watching the qualifying before heading off to a Mercedes party (cue more food and champagne!)
- Sunday was the day of the race. My friend Angela threw a brunch by the pool in the afternoon then we headed to the race. I have to say, F1 is pretty boring all in all, but it’s definitely something to go see at least once. The noise and atmosphere was electric. Critics have given Singapore a strong write-up for everything so am sure it’ll come back next year even better
- Click on the link below to see the pics
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=41822&l=899c3&id=512991087
And then last Thursday, a friend’s family who own a few clubs here had the opening of their latest venture….a jazz style cabaret called Bellini Room (another cue for more food and champagne). Cracking show and a good laugh.
To all my jewish friends, a shana tova and well over the fast this week.
My new number is +65 9712 1093. Don’t be afraid of calling (I’m 7 hours ahead) and I’m happy to call you back (it’s basically free) J x
http://www.espzen.com/matchreport_frame.asp?matchno=4941
After that I basically slept the whole day (this heat really takes it out of you), before heading to this beach bar called KM8. It’s basically a Singaporean version of Nikki Beach in St Tropez, but with Moet instead of Cristal !. People drinking champagne, messing about in a big Jacuzzi, some cracking looking local and foreign girls walking around in bikinis….just what you want in advance of a hard week at work!!
Wow….looking back, it really has been 10 days of partying!!!
- Started with the F1 a few days before the big race. Red Bull threw a party at a place called Café Del Mar (again, similar to KM8 or somewhere in South of France or Ibiza). Coulthard and Webber were there as were a load of local celebs, none of who I knew or recognized, but some of my friends seemed to be impressed. This one girl I met was called Rebecca Tan who’s a big tv star and business woman here – got a pic with her (see attached)…she was lovely and I definitely think there was some chemistry there…although I’m told she has a penchant for the same sex, so I’m not holding out too much hope!!
- Fri night I got up to the New Asia bar which is at the top of one of the hotels on the 70th floor. The most amazing view of the F1 seeing the whole course lit up…although the cars looked like micro machines (if you remember them from the 80s!)
- Saturday, I had an absolute result. My boss couldn’t use his tickets for the qualifying so gave them to me. After an absolute mission to get to my seat as I went in the wrong entrance, I found myself in the ING box overlooking the finish line and pits. As I arrive hot, sweaty and in desperate need of an ice cold shower(!) the lady takes us down to the pits to have a look at the cars and meet the mechanics. Was v cool!! Spent the rest of the day drinking and eating and watching the qualifying before heading off to a Mercedes party (cue more food and champagne!)
- Sunday was the day of the race. My friend Angela threw a brunch by the pool in the afternoon then we headed to the race. I have to say, F1 is pretty boring all in all, but it’s definitely something to go see at least once. The noise and atmosphere was electric. Critics have given Singapore a strong write-up for everything so am sure it’ll come back next year even better
- Click on the link below to see the pics
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=41822&l=899c3&id=512991087
And then last Thursday, a friend’s family who own a few clubs here had the opening of their latest venture….a jazz style cabaret called Bellini Room (another cue for more food and champagne). Cracking show and a good laugh.
To all my jewish friends, a shana tova and well over the fast this week.
My new number is +65 9712 1093. Don’t be afraid of calling (I’m 7 hours ahead) and I’m happy to call you back (it’s basically free) J x
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