Travel

Travel is such a luxury. I don't mean staying at high end hotels and eating at posh restaurants. The ability to take time off work and go on a trip is luxury enough in itself. As cliched as it may sound, travel really broadens one's horizon.

I am fortunate to have travelled a fair bit since a young age and the travel bug has not abated. There are still many corners of the world to visit, and still much, much more to experience.

My mum is a great ally when it comes to holidays. She is the perfect person to leave all the research to when we plan family trips. She's already working on one for the end of the year. My cousin Lynette has also invited me on a trip to mark a milestone next year. A milestone for her, an enlightening sojourn for me. Time to save up!

Photo of mum with our trusted Lonely Planet guide at the Silver Pagoda in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Planning

It's always exciting to plan for the next holiday. No matter how much I travel, there is still a sense of anticipation and excitement, even if the holiday is still a month or so away.

I've decided on the destination. Have got the flight tickets. I've bought my Lonely Planet guidebook which is a must for me. I've sorted out part of the itinerary with a local travel agent at the country I am visiting. All that's left to do is to work with fervour to clear as much work as possible before the trip so that there won't be a pile awaiting my return.

In the meantime, there's also a slight necessity to plot out places to see and things to do for the areas where I'll be on my own. My trip, a combination of independent travel and guided tours, is definitely one to look forward to. It's been awhile since I've travelled solo, but I think some 'me time' will do me much good.

Photo of me shot at The Bale, in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia.

Escapism

I like to stay at small boutique hotels when I travel. More often than not, they have character. Some are weather-worn, some have been refurbished and re-designed with a new, contemporary aesthetic while others have retained their original features despite having gone through a bit of sprucing up.

Travel magazines such as Travel & Leisure South East Asia and Destinasian as well as my trusty Lonely Planet guides are references from which I choose which property to stay at. Good reviews aside, I also place my decision on price and location. A relatively affordable and centrally-located hotel normally gets my vote. When I arrive, I revel in the good, overlook the lacklustre, kick back and chill.

Just thinking about such a possibility is a nice form of escapism.


Photo of room at Villa Langka in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Do It Well Or Don't Do It At All

My faith has been somewhat restored after the ranting of my previous post! I was speaking with my friend and fellow wedding industry colleague, Anizah of TrulyScrumptious! at the opening of The Gallery at Cyberview Lodge Resort & Spa last evening, and we both concluded that when taking on a task, it is really better either to do it well or to not do it at all. Halfhearted attempts invariably end up with mediocre results. And that's not the way to do business or live one's life, for me anyway.

Being second rate does not appeal to me, so I seek to be the best I can be, whether in my personal life or in my work. Work hard and play hard is one of my mottos. Sze of Creative Clicks mentioned in passing whilst at the same event that I seemed to be having quite a number of holidays this year. And that's true to a certain extent. If I go on a business trip, I make it a point to add-on an extra day at the end just to have a little bit of time to explore the surroundings in the hope of discovering something new or perhaps to just relax and be refreshed, in preparation to tackle the frenetic pace that awaits back at the office. If on holiday, I take my time to take in all that the destination has to offer, well, at least the attractions that catch my fancy. No group tours for me. I much prefer planning my own itinerary with my trusted Lonely Planet guides.

Back to my conversation with Anizah, I would have to say that she is certainly a person who 'steps up to the plate' when a challenge is thrown at her. Yes, we complain to one another every now and then about how exhausted we are with the demands that are placed on us, but at the end of the day, we share the same work-ethic of wanting to deliver the best for our clients. In return, we are rewarded with a sense of achievement and pride, and that really, is what it is all about.

Photo courtesy of TrulyScrumptious!