Back from Holidays and Birthday Break

I have been away from the blogland for a while... It has been a great break from work. Taking the time for some family bonding as I travel to Thailand the last weekend with my folks.

My mum & I love to travel to Bangkok (BKK) a few times a year. One of the main reasons was because to find new suppliers for her flower shop and check out new gift ideas that are in the market right now. Since many years back, I love travelling with her on her shopping trips as I get to see how she source for new items and negotiate on prices with the suppliers. Sometimes, we will attend the international gift fairs that are held in BKK regularly.

For accommodation, we will usually stay that our all time favorite hotel (Arnoma Hotel). Although it is quite old structurally, it has one of the BEST locations in BKK. It is near the train station and is located at the heart of the city which is really hard to come by. Personally, I have tried staying in other hotels but nothing beats the convenience of being in the city centre close to the train station and key shopping areas (this is especially impt after a long hard day of walking and shopping and all you want to do is to put down your shopping bags!).

My dad come along with us this time round. He don't really like tagging along on our shopping trips as we often walked from morning till evening! lol! :) This requires him to walk up and down stairs and uneven walkways under the hot blazing sun. But I guess he has very little choice coming on this trip with us. :D

For me, my best buys were sterling silver pendants! I got a great variety of them... I can't wait to make them into necklaces and list them on the shop. I am really happy with my purchases. You can see from the photos below that I have also bought some organza bags. They are really cheap especially when you get them bulk from the wholesalers. Overall, I am very satisfied with the trip. The only regret was that I wish I had changed more money and check out the silver shops earlier. Most shops were closed on Sundays :( Nevertheless, I will look forward to my next trip to BKK :)



Oh the last picture above are the fabric hankies that I bought. I am not sure what I am going to do with so many hankies but I absolutely love the fabrics that I just got to have them!

Japan

I have been to Japan before.. but I guess the last trip was probably the most BORING trip ever..probably because it was a work trip and not a holiday one.. I was so bored that I began to find out that Japanese folks are really great in their customer service and every detailed and sensitive to people's needs.... through the little things in life... i mean at work / hotel.

1. Great idea to have a stirrer cum stopper for takeaway coffee at Starbucks.
   Back home, whenever, I take away coffee at Starbucks or other coffee place, they usually just put sticky tape over the "opening". That not only does not prevent the coffee from spilling, usually my napkins will be "soaked" in coffee after I travel back to the office. In Japan, they actually have a pretty green stirrer and stopper that they put at the opening to prevent the coffee from spilling. It has a bit of weight which sits very snugly.
   
   
2. Toilet Seat that washes your "A**"
   In Japan, all good toilet seats come in a personal A** washer that helps to wash your anus and vulva after a good poo or pee. After searching the wiki, these are called washlets. In Some toilets, they even have seat warmers to help to warm your bum especially during the cold winter. How thoughtful is that?! Let's just hope it does not malfunction during summer :)
   
   
   
   
3. Branded Shampoo, Conditioner and Body Soap
   Love the Shiseido brand of toiletries. With the dispensers, they help to save the planet too.
   
   
4. Lighted Mirrors
   In hotels, it is very common to have an additional small mirror to help you to come up close and personal when you examine your face (e.g. for pimples) :P In the hotel that I stayed in Japan, they even have a light together with that mirror.
   
   
5. Personal Reading Lamps
   In hotels, it is also very common to have bedside lamps but it is the first for me to have personal reading lamps that you can adjust next to your bed.
   
   
   

Overall, I had a good time in Japan, weather was cold but great.. nice change from the hot Singapore. Here's a cute Christmas tree that I saw outside of Banana Republic, the little shopping bags are actually Christmas lights for the tree.

Hong Kong

Here are some photos from my Hong Kong trip last. Sadly this is for work and as you can see I can only offer pictures from my hotel *what a loser*...

The view from my hotel room is FANTASTIC I must say.

Here are some photos during the day. I was staying at the Excelsior Hotel @ Hong Kong island and my room was facing the bay! Beautiful view with the boats..

Here are some photos taken at night, as you can see the Christmas lights have been setup. In HK, it is very common to have Christmas lights on buildings. We don't have that in Singapore. There seem to be more lights in the buildings in Kowloon as compared to HK island.

Crazy Week

This week has been crazy for me as I just came back from Hong Kong on a work trip and I will be off again on Sunday to Japan again for work... To some, it is always great to have the chance to travel.. I do agree.. but to travel for work is no fun.. even though the ticket and the accommodation is free, more often of not, you are traveling alone and you tend to have more work after the trip. This is because you will try to have tons of meetings and discussion to meet up with people during your stay there (given the short span of time).. thus all the paperwork will have to wait till after you are back or after office hours when you are slogging away at the hotel.. *sob sob*

How I wish I can just quit my job and start my own business.. that has always been my dream and something that I wanted to do.. but my hubby has been nagging me to just stay with my job given the economy downturn and people losing their jobs.. I should (and I AM) fortunate to still have mine.

Sigh.. maybe I will wait another year or so.. build up my shop and regular stream of customers..

Oh... even though I have been traveling.. I sneak some time to do up my latest necklace.. Ain't it cute?!

Taiwan - Part 1

Aww.. it's good to be back home.. The weekend has been so short.. After arriving back in Singapore on Friday.. I had a busy Saturday, going to the post office to post all my backdated items, dashing to the bridal fitting and driving to church for rehearsals (I serve as a backup singer once a month in church)... So by the time Sunday arrive, I just wanna stay home and laze....

Anyways, as promised, here are some pictures of my Taiwan trip.. This is only part 1 as my colleague took some and send them to my work email which I have yet downloaded..

1) Here are some pictures that I took on my way to work from the shuttle (limo/cab)...


2) Here are some pictures that I took at the supermarket.. The fruits are SO HUGE that I can't resist but to take some shots of them.



3) Here's a short clip of this rebranding celebration at the Taiwan office on Thursday. There were musicians playing, taking their walk on every floor..

I am BACK !!!

I just got back from Taiwan!! Yippee! I was good to be back.. I miss my hubby, my own bed and working on my Etsy shop.. The weather was unexpectedly cold. Luckily I got grabbed 2 of my winter sweaters at the last minute before zipping up my luggage.. The wind and the chilliness reminds me of Australia.. Melbourne when I was studying there..

I am still in the midst of unpacking and sorting out my photos.. so I will post them on my next blog post.

Just wanted to share some blessed news.. When I got back from my work trip... I found out that I have 6 sales!! :D *grin grin* And.. I was included in this Treasury by Leelinau! Ooh. I feel so blessed!! I am so energizer to start creating new pieces for the shop! Can't wait to start .. *yawn*.. tomorrow.. ok.. will share more.. tomorrow then..

Taiwan - Business Trip

I am off to Taiwan next week... Luckily it is only for 5 days (17 - 21 Nov). I know I should feel alot more excited because it is a free trip... but because the trip is for work, I am not the least bit excited and I have not packed! Also, I really do not have to go any where given that my wedding is just round the corner and it's year end. I just want to take my long leave, stay at work and work on my Etsy shop!

Sigh... I guess I have to start packing, change money and psych myself for a week away.

Any tips for Taiwan / Taipei? I have been there once on a family trip. Luckily I know the local language, Mandarin / Hokkien. That would save me the language barrier and having to walk around with a lonely planet on hand.. :)

PS : Shop will be open but items ordered or purchased will be mailed when I am back on Sat :)