SaWadEe-ka PhUKeT
Immediately when AA ended on 26Feb(Sun), I finish my job around 7pm, went to suntec to shop for a pair of black working pants (coz not enough to change for the next job), quickly went home to pack my luggage for a morning flight to Phuket the next day. Duno why, maybe coz its sooo last min, everything just seem to go wrong for me, took ages to pack my luggage, somehow have no clue what I am suppose to bring or wear for the event. Also plus I had to do a report on all the transfers that was assigned throughout the AA for my boss by that very night, only managed to finish the report by 1am. My flight to phuket was at 7.15am, so by normal check-in standards, have to be there 2hrs before which means 5am right? but my dear friend cum colleague, katherine, told me its ok to check-in only an hr before, latest 6.15am coz its Tiger Airways as they dont open their counter at 5am. I had this super uneasy feeling before I sleep, even my younger sis also asked me if im sure I only want to check-in an hr before, I replied yes since Kat has taken the same flight before a month back for site-inspection, so cannot be wrong lor. And yes, she was not wrong, but its meeeee…i overslept!!! damn tired and didnt hear the alarm and how I woke up? I dreamt that I was late (you know how some times the dreams are so reel real!?!). I woke on only at 5.45am and I didnt booked the taxi the night before, scramble like mad trying to change my clothes, dump whatever I think I need into my luggage while trying to call for a cab. At 5.55am, I was really desperate, on the phone, its still telling me "Please hold while cablink is trying to despatch your order!!!!"…last resort..woke my mum, told her to get into the car, I drive to airport and she will drive back. I was driving at 140km/h on TPE, reached airport at 6.12am..phew counter still open. It was one mad rush, this certainly remind me, doesnt matter budget or normal airline, just be good and be there 2hrs before regardless the counter open or not!!
Its my second time in phuket, this time doing a meeting for J&J AsiaPacific at JW marriott. It is certainly a beautiful resort and a ideal one to host a meeting coz its only 15mins away from airport but 1hr away from everything else, so I am stranded in the resort, namely the conference centre. As with all my other events held in resorts, I never had a chance to see the sea or feel the soft sand under my feet (thats the down side about event mgmt), only can watch with envy at the other resort guests clad in bikinis and surf shorts going for a nice tan when they walk pass the conference centre…sob sob…
I really quite pity the delegates coz their meetings were so packed till the very last day of their departures. Some had to check out in the morning before breakfast, pull their luggages to the conference centre to attend the meeting and leave halfway to catch their flight. At least I still got one night at the resort when all the delegates have left for home. But becoz town is soooo far away, we had our dinner at a nearby hut. Though it looked a little run-down, can tell its a temporary shelter after the tsunami but their food is excellent, very fresh and tasty. We had fresh oysters, prawns, tom-yum soup and many other delicious dishes at very affordable price ^_^ . Pretty happy on this trip.
Now I back mugging on my books, preparing for exams in May, but thank goodness I have one more trip to look forward to in April before Im condemn only to the walls of my home and at the mercy of my books….japan japan…here i come…Ohiyo!!!
Signing off…..
Cheers, Junli 19 March 14:25
