October 2008

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At 10.04pm.

Worst time for a meeting? 4.33pm.

Research says so.

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Working Aboard

It is with great significance when I read about Cowboy Caleb’s entry on traveling overseas alone to work.

With the recent trips to Bangkok, and the forthcoming trips next year to KL and Bangkok, I can foresee that I will have the same feeling as him, feeling lonely in the hotel room, wondering what I will do next. I have been fortunate so far, I do not travel alone yet. And nights are spent downloading the whole day’s office emails and replying them.

There was a time not too long ago that I actually love to travel aboard to work. Maybe I am really getting old.

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The Central

I think The Central is horribly designed.

Shops seem to be all over the place. The walkways are narrow, there are no clear signs to any where. I was looking for Barang Barang, and found it tucked in one obscure corner. I must remind myself never to go back again, unless it is to have a meal at the excellent Sun with Moon Japanese Dining & Cafe.

Whoever designed it should be shot.

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Now that Singapore has moved into its first recession since 2002, can the Government bring down the transport costs, which was raised recently, and the utilities bill, which was raised just last month?

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It was a tiring trip, the weather was sapping my energy, and the juggling between a full day session and another project back in Singapore was really killing me.

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And I pity those elephants that the Thais used to earn money on the crowded roads of Bangkok. They should be happily roaming in the wild, not being driven by someone on his back along the roads, with cars so close to them. Their sad eyes seem to tell me that they are resigned to the fact that they will never be free.

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I checked the hotel invoice, found some discrepancy, and got them to reprint it again. Smiling smugly to myself, I forgot to check the reprinted invoice again. The hotel had charged me for an extra night.

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Did not realise there was a bloody riot going on the day I left Bangkok. I was mildly frustrated when I had to go through another security check upon landing in Changi Airport, thinking it was just to be cautious. It was only when my mother called me to make sure I was fine as I was about to board the taxi that I realised there was a riot. The area around my hotel in Bangkok was calm, and I saw no panic nor fear in the Thais I met.

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I have to go back to Bangkok again.

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*phone rings*

Me : Hello?

Lady : Hi, may I speak to xxx?

Me : Speaking. If you are selling me anything, I am not interested.

Lady : No Sir. I am from xxx. You ordered delivery from us between xxx and xxx.

Me : I don’t remember.

Lady : It’s alright. I just want to tell you there was a contest going on, and you have won xxx.

Me : Right <sarcastically>. And I have to attend some talk with you all before I can get it right?

Lady : No Sir, I just need your particulars, and we will send you a letter to claim your prize.

Me <skeptical again> : Wait a minute, I used my house phone to order, not my handphone.

Lady : Yes, and your house phone is xxx. We have your handphone number on our records.

Me : Ok, so what you need from me?

Lady : I will need your particular, name, IC number and address.

Me : My name is xxx, IC number is xxx, and address, <skeptical yet again> hey, wait a minute. If I ordered delivery from you, won’t you have my house address?

Lady : Yes, but we only have your block and street, not your unit number. Your address is xxx right?

Me : Ok. Here is my house address xxx.

Lady : Thank you Sir. You should receive a letter within 1 week. You will need the letter to come and claim your prize.

Me : Ok, thanks.

Lady <trying to convince me fully>: Please go to this website xxx to find out more about the contest. Thank you.

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Well, you can’t blame me right? Considering the kind of scams going around all the time, not to mention I hardly won anything before, and with all those irritating MFs, I can’t help being skeptical.

I must say the lady was very patient, though I bet I was not the first person to react like this when she made these calls.

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Today

And so it has begun.

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Bangkok Again

I am needed at Bangkok again.

Truth be told, I am needed too in Singapore. But as I realised long ago, I let the management decide where they want me to be. And this time, they decided that I should be in Bangkok for two days. My boss said that I have to make plans to ensure that my work in Singapore will not be affected. Hmm, I don’t know, how about I plan to have myself cloned? The world will not end, the sun will not rise from the west and the rivers will not turn into blood when I am gone, so I am not going to make any extensive plans.

The previous few times to Bangkok were a rush, fly in, check in, do my job, check out, fly back. This time round I am thinking of flying there earlier and doing some tourist activities, like some shopping. I just might do that.

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