Shopping and heading home...

Just time to explore the shops on Saturday before heading home on Sunday, tired but with lots of new memories, after lots of fun, some great team bonding and....

For sale....!

......  who doesn't enjoy seeing new places... as a global team based in London, Bangkok, KL, Brisbane and Sydney, it is rare for us to be together in one location so a great opportunity to catch up with colleagues who are also friends.....

Impressive!!!

The Batu Caves - Kuala Lumpur

Friday morning dawned bright and clear so after filling up at the breakfast trough, we headed out to The Batu Caves, a local tourist attraction.  The steep climb up the 272 steps is well worth it, the view from the top is pretty good but the Caves are an experience as are the monkeys.

And after running the gauntlet past the monkeys..... one of our number had a serious run in as a monkey brushed past his legs.... a hairy moment as he screamed like a girl....

Bizzy bizzy.....

And just time for some light lunch before we reconvene for our afternoon sessions!  Another experience to chalk up although I confess, despite peer pressure and the encouragement to eat off banana leaves with only bare fingers... well its just not me... I struggle to eat peanuts without my cutlery so I managed the banana leaf but found the fork very useful...

Thursday in Kuala Lumpur

On Thursday afternoon, we headed out to our local KL office to meet the team.  Another great welcome where we were met with, you guessed it... more food... as well as some fun party games, Pictionary amongst them and each of us was presented with a gift of clothing.  A big thanks to the team for making us so welcome, we really enjoyed our time chatting and hearing a different slant on our world.

Next stop, The Westin Cantonese Restaurant for, yes.... more food!   Set in the heart of the designer shopping district, the lighting in the streets gave us a spectacular view as we worked out way through many courses of a well chosen banquet.

Fish soup with caviar

Duck heading for duck pancakes and Sang Choy Bow

After dinner, we headed to Qba for a bit more team bonding!

Some enjoyed it more than others!

Next Stop - Kuala Lumpur

No sooner was I home than I was unexpectedly off again.... Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia for some quality team bonding.  The information pack was a little misleading "Executive Team Retreat" brought pleasant images to mind... poolside, cocktails.... "Survivor - Executive Style" would have left me better prepared....

The itinerary went something like this... Normal day at the office Tuesday until airport for an 11pm flight... red eye to Malaysia, 6am land KL, arrive hotel 8am, meetings kick off 1pm.... dinner, drinks, sleep, work, office visit, dinner, drinks, sleep, morning trip, work, dinner, drinks, sleep, shop, dinner, drinks, sleep, airport 8am, land Brisbane 8pm, sleep, work.... 


I jest, it was a great trip, well organised and hard work but great fun.... I won't bore you with work details, but here's the fun bits....

The flight with Malaysia Airlines was a good one, the staff were so welcoming and friendly, something that I found to be echoed throughout our trip... KL is the most genuinely friendly place I have ever visited... and a HUGE thanks to our Flights organiser.... she did us proud, looked after us well and got us there on time....

.... and then... the hotel!  The Majestic..... fabulous... our organiser had done us proud, our rooms were mini suites and spectacular... we had an early check in so plenty of time for a shower and freshen up before heading to the conference rooms and tracking everybody down.

The food experience was incredible for the entire trip, breakfast was a buffet affair with every option you can think of, oh except pork of course, KL is an Islamic nation and all of the food was halal.

On day one a few thought a BLT sounded like a good filler through to dinner... (we had already had breakfast! Twice!).  Here is a BLT at The Majestic.. this was EACH!  Needless to say, we didn't quite manage it all!

Throughout our day, we were plied with top quality food, I have never eaten so well or so much.  After breakfast each day we would manage an hour or two before morning tea, where we were presented with a selection of quality bites and nibbles, usually a wide selection of mini cakes.  Lunch saw us again in the buffet, which put us on to afternoon tea, again a wide selection of nibbles to help us maintain our sugar levels through until dinner. 

Dining at The Smoke House, The Majestic

If you felt you couldn't quite make it to dinner, you could check back to your room for fresh fruit and a dip into the delicious complimentary chocolate truffles.

Now a word to the wise.... we were constantly warned about theft of electronic valuables, smart phones, laptops, etc so be careful!  Personal safety was also highlighted as something to be very conscious of and although we didn't personally experience anything untoward, we deliberately avoided potential dangerous situations.

The Colonial Bar, The Majestic Hotel, KL

If you venture to KL anytime soon, I highly recommend you consider staying at The Majestic!!  The ambience, the facilities and the staff help to make it a wonderful experience and getting into and out of town via the hotel shuttle bus means you are never too far away from the action - or the shops!

The Orchid Conservatory, The Majestic Hotel, KL

Story bridge

 Love the new look Story Bridge!  It changes colour nearly every day....

A little lilac...

Feeling a little blue....

Red White & Blue.... very patriotic!

..... And Finally .....

Well folks, this is it.... and finally...

Our journey home wasn't entirely without incident.... after a three hour delay at Heathrow, unfortunately, we missed our Singapore connection back to Brisbane .... BUT... it turned out that wasn't such a bad thing and every cloud has a silver lining.... whether it was British Airways or Singapore Airlines who managed it, our transition from one flight to the next was smooth as could be .....

.... and now I know who gets to ride around airports on those little buggies!  Awesome, after 24 hours traveling we were saved those long transit walks..... and thanks to the pilots picking up time, we arrived in Bris-Vegas only an hour after our original scheduled time!

Well done British & Singapore Airlines!!!

The arrival in Brisbane also presented a great dawn photo opportunity.... how pretty is that?



 I am sad to report there has been a casualty of our holiday.... those who know me will know my affection for my trusty Blackberry..... I am very sad to report that after four loyal years, its energy is fading and its ball is refusing to move ..... I shall hang on to the very end but the  decision has to be made.....

.....  Blackberry? Android or iPhone?  Which is it to be?????

and now time to think about our next trip..... Chang Kong Cliff Road perhaps?

Oh and on a final note..... I told you it was cold didn't I?  UK Weather: Spring is coldest for 50 years!

Aix Video

Well people, I promised you a little treat as soon as the opportunity presented itself, so here it is.... a brief look at the ""singing and dancing entertainment" from our arrival in Aix-en-Provence....

Nothing more I can add.... just enjoy.....

Provence! Hints and Tips.....

After a couple of weeks of exploring, there are things it would have been really useful to know.

..... Yes, we all know to drive on the left... OOPS I mean right..... yes, we all know the signs are in French and yes (!) we have a map but what about the bits???

Listen very carefully, I shall say this only once...

1) Carry lots of change in a variety of denominations - necessary for just about every car park, road toll and even an occasional public toilette... Trust me, there will be times you need to make use but, ladies, be sure to remember what your Mum taught you!!

2) Nobody French follows the speed limits - don't be so foolish as to think the same applies to you!

3) The ban on smoking in public places doesn't actually mean 'no smoking in public places' or at least, not apparently in Provence....

4) The streets are narrow - only a foolish man or naive woman hires a large car - that said, many RV's navigate some very small spaces, occasionally even retaining their wing mirrors intact!

5) The French are masters at not understanding - just TRY to speak a bit of French, even a little effort will reap rewards. We witnessed many people simply walk up to people and just start speaking, in English, without so much as a "bonjour or parlez-vous Anglais" - not surprisingly and perfectly reasonably, this resulted in a shrug of shoulders, confused looks and an outpouring of very fast French. This from people we had heard speak perfectly good Anglais only minutes earlier, even as we muttered, stuttered and stumbled our way through our own few words of French. Splash out on a little translator if you don't have time to learn in advance!!

6) The French make the best wine, accept this and if necessary, the small glasses it is served in for a most enjoyable holiday!

6a) Memorise one or all of the following phrases, depending on personal preference:

a) Vous pouvez me recommander un bon vin rouge?
b) Vous pouvez me recommander un bon rose?
c) Vous pouvez me recommander un bon vin blanc?

7) Make good use of the many roundabouts - a good place to calm your nerves as your navigator checks out the map! Again!!!  Two to three turns usually does the trick, more can result in a feeling of slight dizziness and besides, you can be certain another roundabout will be along sometime soon.  Often, you will find you are not the only vehicle doing the rounds!

7a) Be nice to your navigator at all times!!

8) Don't be afraid to admit you are wrong (it won't be the fault of your navigator) - turn around when you miss your turn and rest assured you will see plenty of other cars doing exactly the same!

8a) Continue to be nice to your navigator!!

9) Look in all directions - beautiful views will also be behind you! And of course beside you (ref your navigator).......

10) Don't bother trying to shop between 12 and 3, it is lunchtime - eat, drink and relax!

10a) Talking of drinking... A popular pastime.... If you lean to the white, try the rose.... Le blanc of the region isn't the best of French.....

11) Take plenty of must-haves - spare everything: corkscrew, power adaptors, camera batteries (you will soon wear out one if not two) and storage for your many many photos. AND! Don't forget good walking shoes!!!

12) Diet before you get here.... You will be checking in extra weight on your return flight, guaranteed! And it won't be hidden in your suitcase!

Aix-en-Provence.....

Our two full days in Aix were excellent.... We meandered leafy tree lined avenues, taking advantage of some much needed downtime after the last few weeks of full on seeing people and places.... Not much to do but relax and have a nice time.... Window shop.... Browse the market stalls and take in the aromas of the local produce, especially the fresh fruit.....

They say that Aix is like a mini Paris and the pavement cafe's certainly made you feel like lingering over a cafe au lait or even two.... And when you are coffee'd out.... how about a little of the local vin rose?

A delightful find was Hotel de Gallifet, a leafy artists courtyard, down a tiny back street, serving a small selection of wines..... 52 rue Cardinale if you go looking..... Worthy of a small diversion even if you don't .....

Our last evening in Chez Maxime, aperitifs of RanQuinQuin al la peche, thanks to an educational in Le Jardin..... followed by delicious local cuisine of cassoulet de boeuf.....

..... That'd be beef stew if we were back home but it sounds a lot more exotic when the French say it..... and tastes even better than that....

Our waiter talked us into a bottle of local wine straight from the vineyards of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie... Not just a beautiful bottle on all fronts, but if Brad trod those grapes personally, I would happily consider washing his socks!!

Bonjour Aix-en-Provence.....

Our arrival in Aix (pronounced EX) was relatively uneventful, no getting lost, no turning around, only one double turn of a roundabout..... from villa to hotel in one smooth transition.... Dropping the car off almost next door to Hotel Cezanne our next stop....

On arrival we were promised "singing and dancing entertainment tonight, will be excellent"....

The day was a little fraught, packing/unpacking, a new city, lots of activity, will le 'Otel be ok? Blah blah but a quick nanna nap and then head to a local restaurant! Nothing is ever what you expect.....

..... the evening was fabulous.... The food was nothing to write home about but our waitress was especially helpful and over dinner we chatted to an interesting and great couple, exchanged ideas and thoughts, shared fritte's and wine and had a few laughs long the way....

Afterwards, we spotted fireworks through the window and set off in search of the much anticipated "singing and dancing"..... We felt honoured to witness such a special event.....a future entry for the Eurovision perhaps?  It's a great shame I can't share a little video yet.... Just until I get access to my Mac and then you are in for a rare treat....