Hi All,
While it’s been snowing back home, it’s been a pretty eventful couple of weeks in Asia.
The Northern Irishmen himself, Jamie Black came to stay for a few days before shooting off for a month traveling Asia – I’m meeting back up with him at the end of Nov for a few days partying and chilling on the beach. Had a couple of good nights out and showed Jamie some of the more “interesting” parts of Singapore!
Then a group of 8 of us headed off to Perth and Margaret River for 5 days of gluttony! Was basically a food and wine frenzy – couple of those “loosen your belts” moments! Stayed the first and last night in Perth – felt a bit like Cardiff – small City on the coast, easy to get around. Rest of the time we picked up a car (see my advert for Audi!) and drove down the coast to the southwest point of Oz – Margaret River. Gorgeous valleys and vineyards set against the beach and coast – really nice place to get away from it all and relax. Got some good pics on FB
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=46487&l=30082&id=512991087
Friday night was of course Hallowe’en. Singaporeans sure make a big effort. A group of 12 of us headed to a comedy night under the theme “Golf Pros and Tennis Hos”! Some cracking costumes and a good boozy night all round. Not sure if it was because the first person was a guy and was British….or the fact that the “headline” was female and Australian, but it was one extreme to the other with the British fella having us in hysterics and the Aussie woman had us throwing plastic golf balls. Defining moment of the evening was our friend Jared getting up on stage in front of the 200 people for his dance interpretation of YMCA. Again, pics (and more importantly video!!) on FB
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=46485&l=1be13&id=512991087
On Saturday, Anna “Preston” Preston arrived for 24 hours on her way to Sydney. Had a good night out at Supper Club and did some shopping and eating etc. Went to the famous Long Bar at the Raffles Hotel for lunch and can only describe my “Spring country chicken with frites” as KFC chicken and chips in a bucket – really frustrates me how these institutions trade on their name. That’s a problem with Singaporeans in general – they have no idea about good service.
Back to my old ways this week – seeing a Canadian comedian called Russell Peters. I’ve never heard of him, but he sold out his 3 shows in hours so I thought why not. And Friday we’re watching Avenue Q which I’m very excited about!! Next week, Nicole and Paul are in Bangkok so going to shoot up and see them for a couple of days.
Hope all is well wherever you are. Please write back and lemme know what’s going on, J x
Monday, November 3, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Perth and Margaret River Tips
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
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
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
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Planes, Train and Automobiles
….well a train, two buses and a speedboat anyway!!!
That was how I got to the lovely island of Sibu, Malaysia last weekend. There are a load of lawyers here from the UK on secondment, so I decided to tag along on their trip. Had the worse possible start when the 17 of us turned up to find one of the mini buses hadn’t shown…so we all piled into a 12 seater! Suffice to say I got to know 1 or 2 of them pretty well. Then, after a very long border crossing into Malaysia we were met by a second bus, but this driver was a cross between Lewis Hamilton and a 13 year old adolescent school boy. It was dark and this guy couldn’t appreciate why we wanted him to slow down going round the unlit corners. And so to prove a point he’d slow from 70mph to about 10mph…and at one point even stopped at the side of the road and turned his lights off!!! Finally we got to the resort after a fun ride on a speedboat and had a weekend of drinking, diving, eating and sleeping. Unfortunately it was the latter 2 I was best at….reckon I had seconds or thirds at every meal and got a good 16 hours sleep in total. Drinking wise I was p1ss poor compared to some of these boys and diving I had to come up 20 mins earlier than everyone else cause I had guzzled my air like I was running a marathon!!
Moved into my new place this weekend and without wanting to showoff too much, it’s pretty darn sweet. Basically, it’s like a hotel, with a 50m pool (I swam 3 lengths and was knackered….50m is a long way!!), tennis courts, state of the art gym (it looks nice, but not like I’m ever going to use it!!) Plus, the 31st floor is just a chill out floor with jacuzzis, steam room, sauna, comfy chairs etc. My actual flat is pretty nice with interesting views of the sea (which is basically just one big port of container ships) and a bathroom sink which holds less water than I could cup in my two hands. Living with a girl called Rachel who I used to work with in London and so far we’re getting on fine, but I have seen a few alarming looks as I stroll through the flat in just my boxers!!
Been playing quite a bit of footy recently. It is sooooooo tough in this heat. I came off the pitch yesterday absolutely dripping from sweat and drank no fewer than 2 bottles of water and 5 bottles of lucozade equivalent before I felt better. I scored my first goal in 11 a side since I was about 15….the last one coming from a header for Thornhill, when we beat Adamsdown 25-0!!! This one was a fluke to say the least. I picked up the ball about 10 yards in front of the half way line on the right hand side and hit a cross aiming for the edge of the area. Saw it going goal-wards and actually said to a fellow player “uh, that wasn’t a shot”…..it then proceeded to fly over the opposing keeper’s head and everyone looked at me with amazement!!
Alas, the local jewish girl I had been seeing has gone back to study in England. Still…was pretty impressed with my speed and tenacity!! On the subject of jewish, I actually went to the synagogue on Saturday for about the third time since by Bar mitzvah! Nice place and friendly people…..will probably be going back in a couple of weeks to fast and repent for all my sins!
I’ve also joined the ranks of High Society in Singapore!! A friend invited me to the Tatler Man of the Year party. Seriously not my thing, chatting c.rap to all these people who think they’re really important. But the free drink and food was right up my street!!! When they announced the winner, I actually had an inkling it could have been me…”This year’s winner is in his 20s (tick), is a self starter (maybe) and has amassed a wealth worth 9 figures (definite no…unless we’re talking 9 figures in Zimbabwean currency or something!!)…oh well, maybe next year!!
That was how I got to the lovely island of Sibu, Malaysia last weekend. There are a load of lawyers here from the UK on secondment, so I decided to tag along on their trip. Had the worse possible start when the 17 of us turned up to find one of the mini buses hadn’t shown…so we all piled into a 12 seater! Suffice to say I got to know 1 or 2 of them pretty well. Then, after a very long border crossing into Malaysia we were met by a second bus, but this driver was a cross between Lewis Hamilton and a 13 year old adolescent school boy. It was dark and this guy couldn’t appreciate why we wanted him to slow down going round the unlit corners. And so to prove a point he’d slow from 70mph to about 10mph…and at one point even stopped at the side of the road and turned his lights off!!! Finally we got to the resort after a fun ride on a speedboat and had a weekend of drinking, diving, eating and sleeping. Unfortunately it was the latter 2 I was best at….reckon I had seconds or thirds at every meal and got a good 16 hours sleep in total. Drinking wise I was p1ss poor compared to some of these boys and diving I had to come up 20 mins earlier than everyone else cause I had guzzled my air like I was running a marathon!!
Moved into my new place this weekend and without wanting to showoff too much, it’s pretty darn sweet. Basically, it’s like a hotel, with a 50m pool (I swam 3 lengths and was knackered….50m is a long way!!), tennis courts, state of the art gym (it looks nice, but not like I’m ever going to use it!!) Plus, the 31st floor is just a chill out floor with jacuzzis, steam room, sauna, comfy chairs etc. My actual flat is pretty nice with interesting views of the sea (which is basically just one big port of container ships) and a bathroom sink which holds less water than I could cup in my two hands. Living with a girl called Rachel who I used to work with in London and so far we’re getting on fine, but I have seen a few alarming looks as I stroll through the flat in just my boxers!!
Been playing quite a bit of footy recently. It is sooooooo tough in this heat. I came off the pitch yesterday absolutely dripping from sweat and drank no fewer than 2 bottles of water and 5 bottles of lucozade equivalent before I felt better. I scored my first goal in 11 a side since I was about 15….the last one coming from a header for Thornhill, when we beat Adamsdown 25-0!!! This one was a fluke to say the least. I picked up the ball about 10 yards in front of the half way line on the right hand side and hit a cross aiming for the edge of the area. Saw it going goal-wards and actually said to a fellow player “uh, that wasn’t a shot”…..it then proceeded to fly over the opposing keeper’s head and everyone looked at me with amazement!!
Alas, the local jewish girl I had been seeing has gone back to study in England. Still…was pretty impressed with my speed and tenacity!! On the subject of jewish, I actually went to the synagogue on Saturday for about the third time since by Bar mitzvah! Nice place and friendly people…..will probably be going back in a couple of weeks to fast and repent for all my sins!
I’ve also joined the ranks of High Society in Singapore!! A friend invited me to the Tatler Man of the Year party. Seriously not my thing, chatting c.rap to all these people who think they’re really important. But the free drink and food was right up my street!!! When they announced the winner, I actually had an inkling it could have been me…”This year’s winner is in his 20s (tick), is a self starter (maybe) and has amassed a wealth worth 9 figures (definite no…unless we’re talking 9 figures in Zimbabwean currency or something!!)…oh well, maybe next year!!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Just One Long Holiday
Hope all is well wherever you are. I’m really settling into my life here – it’s been 3 weeks and I guess at some point it’ll change, but I do feel like I’m on an extended holiday inter-mixed with a bit of work to keep me busy!!!
Work is going well. Tough to get motivated again after a lazy last few months in London. But now I don’t really have a choice! Was supposed to be in Bangkok on the weekend organising a big conference for 75 people within my new team, but got canned last minute cause of the protests, so had to stay in Singapore. Was good nonetheless and got some nice feedback, especially the places I picked to go for dinner and drinks!! Now the team is official and everyone has a better idea on what they’re doing, I’m hardly stopping. Some days I’m so busy I don’t even get a chance to check FaceBook!!!
The weekend before last, I went to Saigon with Angela and her sister. Is a cracker of a place. Great market (Bhan Than) with some really nice gear and lovely hotel and food. Treated myself to a total of 3 hours of spa treatments!! The reunification palace is a bit of an architectural monstrosity and trying to cross the road and dodge the motorbikes is a feat unto itself!! Highlight was most definitely the trip out to the Cu Chi tunnels to crawl through part of the 250km of tunnels used by the locals in the Vietnamese war. Plus I got to fire an M16, AK47 and M60 machine guns which was nuts!! Next weekend it’s off to an island called Sibu in Malaysia to go diving with a bunch of random lawyers out here on secondment.
Birthday last week was good fun. Can’t believe I’m now 27!! Thanks for all the birthday wishes. Went out with my team for lunch and got no fewer than 3 birthday cakes (yes, it’s showing round the waist!!) In the evening had a dozen or so people over for a BBQ at my soon to be apartment. Didn’t get off to the best start when the chef we’d hired turned up and was not only shy, but couldn’t speak a word of English!! Thankfully everyone was well fed and watered by the end!!
Socially wise, things are great. Very busy playing footy and tennis, but the standard out here is pretty poor (so I fit in quite well !!) Tough to get used to the heat and humidity though. Very much integrated into the local jewish social scene. Lots of French, Germans and Israelis here, together with a few locals (no, not Chinese jews (!), but Iraqi jews that came over here around 70 years ago)….one of whom, I’ve become particularly friendly with! Also meeting lots of people in similar situations to me and everyone is very accommodating.
F1 is in 3 weeks and promises to be an amazing weekend. Struggling to get tickets for it, so if anyone knows anyone who can help me out, please let me know.
Work is going well. Tough to get motivated again after a lazy last few months in London. But now I don’t really have a choice! Was supposed to be in Bangkok on the weekend organising a big conference for 75 people within my new team, but got canned last minute cause of the protests, so had to stay in Singapore. Was good nonetheless and got some nice feedback, especially the places I picked to go for dinner and drinks!! Now the team is official and everyone has a better idea on what they’re doing, I’m hardly stopping. Some days I’m so busy I don’t even get a chance to check FaceBook!!!
The weekend before last, I went to Saigon with Angela and her sister. Is a cracker of a place. Great market (Bhan Than) with some really nice gear and lovely hotel and food. Treated myself to a total of 3 hours of spa treatments!! The reunification palace is a bit of an architectural monstrosity and trying to cross the road and dodge the motorbikes is a feat unto itself!! Highlight was most definitely the trip out to the Cu Chi tunnels to crawl through part of the 250km of tunnels used by the locals in the Vietnamese war. Plus I got to fire an M16, AK47 and M60 machine guns which was nuts!! Next weekend it’s off to an island called Sibu in Malaysia to go diving with a bunch of random lawyers out here on secondment.
Birthday last week was good fun. Can’t believe I’m now 27!! Thanks for all the birthday wishes. Went out with my team for lunch and got no fewer than 3 birthday cakes (yes, it’s showing round the waist!!) In the evening had a dozen or so people over for a BBQ at my soon to be apartment. Didn’t get off to the best start when the chef we’d hired turned up and was not only shy, but couldn’t speak a word of English!! Thankfully everyone was well fed and watered by the end!!
Socially wise, things are great. Very busy playing footy and tennis, but the standard out here is pretty poor (so I fit in quite well !!) Tough to get used to the heat and humidity though. Very much integrated into the local jewish social scene. Lots of French, Germans and Israelis here, together with a few locals (no, not Chinese jews (!), but Iraqi jews that came over here around 70 years ago)….one of whom, I’ve become particularly friendly with! Also meeting lots of people in similar situations to me and everyone is very accommodating.
F1 is in 3 weeks and promises to be an amazing weekend. Struggling to get tickets for it, so if anyone knows anyone who can help me out, please let me know.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Ho Chi Minh Tips
Stayed in the Majestic Hotel. Really nice hotel in good location.
Went to Bhan Than market (excellent), Reunification Palace (average) and Notre Dame cathedral (poor)
Lunch at Creperie Café (very nice) and dinner at Le Camarague (again, very nice)
Drinks at Saigon Saigon, top of Caravalle Hotel (very cool)
Did the Cu Chi Tunnels tour (about a 90 min drive each way and 90 mins spent there) (excellent and highly recommended) Got to crawl through the tunnels, hear the stories and fire machine guns!
Dinner at Vietnam House (above average)
Second trip was with work
Stayed in the Park Hyatt. One of the nicest hotels i've stayed in - a real classic.
Ate a cracking meal at the French restaurant L'en tete
Drinks in the Rex and Sheraton hotels roof top bars and then onto Q Bar (trendy), Lush (loud house) and Apocalypse Now (infamous)
Went to Bhan Than market (excellent), Reunification Palace (average) and Notre Dame cathedral (poor)
Lunch at Creperie Café (very nice) and dinner at Le Camarague (again, very nice)
Drinks at Saigon Saigon, top of Caravalle Hotel (very cool)
Did the Cu Chi Tunnels tour (about a 90 min drive each way and 90 mins spent there) (excellent and highly recommended) Got to crawl through the tunnels, hear the stories and fire machine guns!
Dinner at Vietnam House (above average)
Second trip was with work
Stayed in the Park Hyatt. One of the nicest hotels i've stayed in - a real classic.
Ate a cracking meal at the French restaurant L'en tete
Drinks in the Rex and Sheraton hotels roof top bars and then onto Q Bar (trendy), Lush (loud house) and Apocalypse Now (infamous)
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