I know I know.. I'm always soooo slow in updating my blog.. But wat can I do.. there's sooo much happening in life.. N not much time to pen down my thots.. Well, I have to say abt Batam though..
There was a grand total of 75 emails exchanged before we embarked on this 2day1nite journey!! I'm not kidding.. 75 emails.. Haha.. So, finally, we had booked a Spa package @ Holiday Inn..
Well, anyway.. we finally made it.. We made it to the ferry terminal (LATE as usual though!!), made the ferry trip, made our way to the hotel, lasted there for the 2d1n & made it back safe n sound too.. Didn't miss the ferry & mas selamat didnt attack Holiday Inn while we were there.. haha.. my darlin pessimistic frens' weird ideas..
I have to start at the beginning.. we were supposed to meet @ 7.20am @ Harbourfront PizzaHut.. cos thats the only landmark Shamz knew!! Doesn't matter how often we hang out @ Harbourfront or Vivo! I was there @ 7.10am!! Deepz came on time.. Knew I'd be on time & didn't wanna be late & make me wait.. @ least SHE had that courtesy!! the other 2 bums were late!! AS USUAL!! Shamz even overslept.. Wish we had left u behind gal! :P They (Vanz & Shamz) joined us 4 breakfast @ Macs.. Then we went to collect our ferry tickets & board the ferry.. Guess wat.. we were told tat our ferry was at 9.20am! But the actual ferry timing was 10.20am! We thought perhaps they had told us in Batam time (an hr behind SG).. So fine.. we went thru the gate & found out tat we were too early.. only those ferries leaving in the next 1/2 hr were supposed to go into thru the gates.. Haiz.. But they allowed us to pass thru.. Then we waited n waited n waited.. took pics in the meantime though.. Pics tat Vanz said she will send.. No sight of them til now.. N our boarding passes mentioned that our ferry was "Golden Image".. It was 10am.. N still no sight of "Golden Image".. Since we had been waitin for almost an hr for the damn ferry, we decided to go ask the staff @ the counter.. N they just kept sayin 'Hold on, it will be here soon.' However, there was another ferry heading to the same destination @ 10.20am.. So, we decided to heck it & boarded that ferry.. Crossin our fingers & praying tat we wouldn't be kicked off the ferry.. keke.. N we managed to make our way there!! haha..
Got ourselves a 2-bedroom suite.. Was wonderful!! We freshened up.. N left for Nagoya Hill, a shopping mall.. wanted to get some shopping done n lunch too.. We had to head back soon 4 our spa.. We ate @ Happiness Restaurant.. Turned out to be not so happy though.. Will tell u ltr on.. Keep readin.. :) Then did some shopping.. I bought 2 bags! :)
Then we had to rush back to hotel for our spa.. We had time for some sauna, steam bath & jacuzzi.. wonderful.. but we hadn't brought our cameras so couldnt get any pics.. Then we had to split.. 2 to a room for our actual massages.. Glad to know that Shamz enjoyed herself since it was her 1st time.. We had body scrubs and a body mask following tat.. OOhhh.. the mask smelt sooo yummy.. It was a honey milk mask.. we were left wrapped up after tat then told to shower.. It was hilarious when the masseuses asked us if we wanted to shower tog.. ahhah... [We told them NO of cos!!] After showering, we had a body massage.. tat was sooo relaxing.. Haiz.. Wat a life..
After that we returned to our rooms to relac the nite away.. Decided to order room service 4 dinner.. Weren't too keen on explorin Batam @ nite.. Haha.. Anyway, Deepz darlin fell sick.. N she vomited like thrice!! We hadn't even brought medications with us!! Haiz.. we were sooo worried.. But she pulled thru.. Amazingly!! She slept 4 like an hr while the other 3 of us had dinner.. N when she woke up.. she was as good as new! she didn't wanna spoil the nite for the rest of us.. N she kept up her gd spirits.. Learnt sth from her.. I got reminded of a chalet I attended over the Dec hols.. N how miserable I was cos I had injured my toe.. n probably made everyone else at the chalet miserable too.. So, SORRY guys!! (this apology goes out to those in the chalet, u know who u are!)
Then the rest of the nite was spent sharin secrets, hopes, dreams.. Shamz was annoying us all with "I'm tired!".. Shamz dear, I told Suresh tat he should be grateful I dun complain tat much.. haha.. He doesn't want u as set-up anymore!! hahahaha... Shamz had sth goin on with the balcony too.. Always kept goin to the balcony.. Too bad we had such a low floor.. Not that great a view from the balcony.. Locked her in the balcony once!! Have a great pic of her then.. starin @ us to let her go.. haha.. shall post that up..
Went to bed abt 4am.. Woke up @ 8am for breakfast.. Shamz was latest as usual! Ate for like an hr.. Will show the many plates on our table.. :) Returned to our rm to play charades, paatu varisai.. haha.. had fun... Then it was time to return home.... We left there with heavy hearts.. We all had to return to work the next day!! Tats y so sad.. Haiz..
Anyway, all in all, it was an enjoyable holiday.. Plannin to go further to either Bali or Bangkok next time.. Hopefully, Priya & Nagz can join us this time round.. Missed u babes..
PSD Advance was held on 23 Mar 2009.. Immediately after I came back from my quick getaway in Batam with frens.. It is an annual PSD event that is attended by PSD and CSC.. to discuss plans for the organisation for the year.. Senior Mgmt laid out the directions to take.. N each depts will take it & work on it in their own areas.. So, reason y I mention this is cos.. I was emcee for this event.. MP Zainudin Nordin was the GOH.. He spoke of the ground sentiments of Singaporeans during this economic downturn & some of the issues were really quite stark..
Anyway, the event went well.. Justin my co-emcee had plenty of experience doing such PSD events.. Had a gd time with him.. After tea break, the session got a bit more complicated though.. After PS's speech, participants had to break up for discussions.. & that wasnt in our speech.. we had to stick tat in.. There was an sms aspect to the session where pple could sms their thoughts to numbers flashed on the screens & we would flash selected comments.. Haiz.. quite messy.. But we managed to pull thru..
