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.

New Year's Eve

2011 has come and gone and I am in a reflective mood this New Year's Eve. Instead of braving the crowds downtown, I am spending the evening at home, after having just returned from a Japanese dinner with my Mum and sis. I suppose I can consider last night's dinner at Bunny and Nabil's as the party to end the year, with much merriment and good friends. Tonight is more about spending quality time with my family.

2011 has been good to me. I've been relatively successful on the workfront. There were some hits and misses, but I can't complain when I look at the bigger scheme of things. There is always room for improvement and that's what I shall be aspiring to do next year. This year has also been good to me travel-wise. Seven holidays in all - Chinese New Year trip with my family to Koh Samui, company trip to Hatyai, celebrating Mum's birthday in Seoul, participating in my first triathlon relay with good friends and cousins in Bali, surprised my cousin Siew Yoong on her 40th birthday in Bangkok, returning to the family village in China, trekking in Nepal with my cousin Lynette to mark her milestone birthday. I hope to top that in 2012, or at the very least equal it.

Most of my resolutions and aspirations for the year have been met. A few, I did not attain. These are the ones to work harder towards from tomorrow onwards. Yes, there are still goals to achieve, dreams to realise. As the curtain comes down on 2011, I am grateful for the good times spent with family, friends and industry colleagues. I am thankful for good health. I appreciate the experiences life has accorded me. Here's to an even better year in 2012.

Turning prayer wheels to cast away sufferings, at Boudhanath in Nepal.

Calm

In my line of work, whether publishing at weddings-malaysia or creating attire at That Special Occasion, challenges abound. My friend and financial planner Doris recently told me to stop using the word 'stress' due to its negative connotation, so 'challenge' it shall be.

One important lesson that I've learnt is to 'keep calm and carry on' regardless of the circumstances. I am certainly an advocate of 'the show must go on' no matter what. Sometimes I get my feathers ruffled and I've also learnt to treat it like 'water off a duck's back'. Only then can one move forward, and in fact I tend to get much more motivated when faced with such challenges.

So to those who may from time to time face the same situations in which I find myself in every now and then - 'keep calm and carry on'.

Photo shot at B'Sweet in Hatyai, Thailand.

Good Food In Hatyai

You know the food is good when every dish is wiped clean at every meal. That was the case during our company trip to Hatyai recently. Good food always makes a trip more enjoyable. Good food with good company I might add.

I have been going to Hatyai since I was about 7. My late father worked for Bangkok Bank all his life and we often visited Thailand, be it Hatyai, Bangkok or Chiangmai. I've in the past year or two added Phuket and Koh Samui to the list. Going back to Hatyai, since we are almost always creatures of habit, I like to go back to the same restaurants that I have so enjoyed dining at over the years. I rely on my mum who keeps a stack of business cards which come in handy when giving directions to tuk-tuk drivers. And we are never disappointed when we get to these restaurants.

This time round, we averaged 8 to 10 dishes during every lunch and dinner. Add that to breakfast, afternoon tea and supper, plus snacks from roadside vendors in between, well, you do the math in terms of calories! But that's what holidays are about ain't it? Makan!

Photo shot at Kaneng Restaurant in Hatyai, Thailand.

Team Work

Teamwork is important in any organi-sation. Although I may rant and complain, I value my team, both at weddingsmalaysia and at That Special Occasion. I am demanding yes, because I expect all of us to do the best that we can. Those who fall short need to be told, myself included. Only then can we improve.

Going on a trip together helps us bond and we do one every year, except last year when I felt we were not up to the mark in our performance the year before. We did pretty well in 2010 and hence our company trip recently. In Hatyai, we shopped, we gorged ourselves with food, we relaxed with massages and reflexology sessions. By spending time together, camaraderie was also enhanced.

It's now back to the grind but there is always next year's trip to look forward to. We ought to do well this year!

Group photo shot at lobby of Novotel Centara Hatyai, Thailand.

Company Trip

I've just returned from our company trip to Hatyai, a combined trip for my teams at weddingsmalaysia and That Special Occasion. We've been doing this for the past couple of years - Penang, Siem Reap, Bali, Phuket. It's an opportunity to bond, to have some fun after a year's worth of hard work.

I chose Hatyai this time round as I felt shopping and food would do us good. No worries about planning any sightseeing itinerary. Shop till we drop, eat to our hearts' content were top priority. Throw massage and reflexology into the equation and you have it, a truly enjoyable couple of days.

Come the end of the trip, we always look forward to the next one. The destination for 2012? Well, it will really depend on how well we do this year. I guess we are all motivated in a way to do the best we can. The better we do, the more attractive the destination I suppose. Here's to closing more deals in the months ahead.

Here I am shopping in the Old Market in Hatyai, Thailand.