Pristine Waters

Such pristine waters. I really love beach and island holidays, more so when the waters are pristine and the surroundings look as beautiful as in Krabi. I am not one to shy away from the sun when on holiday, and often get very tanned from spending days island hopping or lazing on the beach. The latter especially is what I consider bliss while on vacation.

 

I very recently received an invite from a good friend to attend his wedding in a pretty far off locale, a bit off the beaten track, even by my standards. I asked 'why the short notice?', the reply 'I just decided last week', and the wedding is in April. I am trying my best to work round my work-commitments in order to attend. My good friend aside, the destination is indeed very appealing.

 

So here I am keeping my fingers crossed that things will fall in place so that I can witness my friend's wedding on an island that intrigues me, one that I have not set foot on before, one that requires a fair bit of flying as there are no direct flights from KL, one that may open my eyes to even more beautiful landscapes.

 

 

Photo shot on the beach of Poda Island in Krabi, Thailand.   

Company Trip 2013

The teams from weddingsmalaysia and That Special Occasion were in  Krabi earlier this week for our annual company trip. Looking back through the years, we've been to Siem Reap, Hatyai, Penang, Bali, Phuket and Kuantan, and we have a great time year in year out. What's there not to enjoy while on holiday?

 

I typically decide on the destination based on a number of factors. How well we've done during the year, how often my colleagues have pissed me off in the past twelve months, good deals on flights and accommodation, some place we've never been to as a group, sufficient diversity to meet the group's varied interests, good food, some shopping, spas to visit.

 

Our accountant and I have also decided that next year's destination will largely depend on us meeting sales targets set. So teams, you know what to do!

 

 

Photo shot on arrival at Mercure Krabi Deevana in Krabi, Thailand.

Local Content

An industry colleague was asking me the other day why I mostly feature local content in the weddings-malaysia publica-tion and portal. Well, it's a no brainer really. The vendors who support me and participate in the publication are Malaysians or based in Malaysia, so there's no reason why I should not reciprocate by featuring local weddings, created by local wedding vendors. It's really as simple as that.

 

Sure, we do sometimes have photos depicting weddings abroad, but by and large, either the bride or groom is a Malaysian, or perhaps some of the vendors involved in the weddings are Malaysian. It is not a criteria that I strictly stick to but I subconsciously gravitate towards this principle.

 

I guess the underlying justification to all of this is support those who support you. I'd like to think that our industry partners are akin to a large extended family under the weddingsmalaysia banner. Collaborative efforts enable all of us to cross-sell our services and in turn jointly benefit. So here's to a great rest of the year to all my industry friends and colleagues.

 

 

Cover of weddingsmalaysia 2013.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Well, it's been a crazy couple of weeks since the Chinese New Year holidays. I can't believe how busy I've been at work, both at weddingsmalaysia and at That Special Occasion. I've been enjoying meeting new wedding partners for the former and soon-to-be-married clients when it comes to the latter. With editorial deadlines to meet, appointments to attend to and a myriad of other tasks to accomplish, it certainly has been a hectic but nevertheless rewarding period.

 

I am happy to say that I've got an upcoming holiday to look forward to. I shall be hitting the islands and beaches soon for some rest and recreation, and am definitely going to be working on those tan lines. A holiday every now and then, even a short one, helps one rejuvenate the senses and calm the restless soul.

 

But till I board my flight, there is still much to do. Work however always seems much more pleasurable when a holiday is looming on the horizon. Time to start packing soon!

 

 

Lounging by the sea, a favourite holiday pastime of mine.

Keeping The Faith

Every Chinese New Year, I make it a point to head to Thean Hou Temple for prayers. For me, it is akin to starting the new year on a good footing, to give thanks for all the good of the past year, and to seek guidance for the year ahead.

 

I always leave with renewed faith after such prayers. Such a renewal puts me in a good frame of mind, work-wise and in my personal outlook in life. Admittedly, there will be challenges ahead, but optimism, enthusiasm and relentless faith are allies that will hold me in good stead.

 

We're now a few weeks into the lunar new year and so far things are looking rosy. Here's to even greater success in the months ahead.

 

 

Photo shot at Thean Hou Temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.