1st Day in Koh Lanta

Finally... after so very long (yes, I know, it's only been a couple of months), I've set off for what I really feel is a HOLIDAY (6 days, 5 nites). In a way, this is my last chance at a good break before the job "peak" starts, what with the year end closing, and the system migration coming up. Unfortunately, it's a rainy day... and instead of getting myself nicely burnt and tanned... am stuck in the hotel room watching Joan of Arc (disturbing show really). Must confess that I feel that my holiday time is fast disappearing, and can't help but wish that the trip was longer, and that I've fully capitalised on the long public holiday and the weekend.
Anyways, after some frantic last minute packing, found myself on board a flight to Krabi (incidentally, got my swiss knife confiscated at the airport... a remnant from my Japan trip packing which I conveniently forgot). The first portion of the trip was interesting enough, found myself in a rare situation... flight all by myself, was picked up at the airport by a burnt looking Jules (who was really delighted with his dives, by the way); and we took a long drive plus ferry to the hotel.
Finally... Lanta Sand Resort & Spa... in it's hey days it must have been quite an "atas" hotel... of the 5 star chalet variety. Sadly though, it's starting to show signs of wear and tear. 'Twas a funny first impression really, not what I expected of Thailand. In all my previous trips, Thailand has always been a country bustling with people, especially tourists. Koh Pha-Ngan for example was quiet, laid back... but Koh Lanta... well, it's kinda bordering on being deserted. The entire island has a somewhat "unlived" in feel about it now, hotels and restaurants that were once bustling with life are now empty, and you see the remnants of many a previous establishment about. This was evidenced by our little adventure last night. We decided to venture to the village centre yesterday for dinner. Instead of taking a taxi, we wrongly assumed that it was withing walking distance... onto the main road, and half an hour later, all we were saw were locals... and nary a restaurant in sight. Gone are the characteristic little "hole in the wall" restaurants, with only a couple of minimarts to show for its tourist roots... After a water buffalo sighting, we finally got on the local taxi (a motorcycle with planks contraption), and 45 minutes after we set off... finally ended up at the pier.
Dinner was pretty cool... a seafood restaurant on stilts, kelong style. The food was pretty good (just loved the complimentary salad), and all in all... think we had an enjoyable dinner... seafood, beer, etc. However, looking around, could not help but to wonder how the place would have been a year ago, before the tsunami. To me, the lack of tourists and its related income was painfully apparent. And I guess, now that I'm working in the tourist related industry... finally realized the impact that such a calamity would have on a country that is so largely dependent on tourist income, not only the destruction that it has casued, but the repercussions... even one year after...
Thankfully though, think the Thais are generally a more easy going crowd, and they are largely adaptive to their surroundings. The people are still friendly, and there are signs of rebuilding now. So... the night ended with rather mixed feelings... and a general feel that this trip will be an eye opener for me, in more ways than one.

Discipline

My favourite topic at the moment? Why? Because I do seem to be gravely lacking in this point at the moment. For starters, it's closer to 9pm right now and I'm stuck in office. Theorectically speaking, I should then be hard at work so as to get my butt out of the office as soon as possible, but nope, I am having a whale of a time writing about my inability to discipline myself.

Seriously though, I've looked around in office, and find that there are always two groups of people; the first group being the ones that are always hunched over their desks during office hours, hard at work, lunching in, never one to stop for a chit chat... the second group being the ones that will always have time to at least flash a smile, not that they have nothing to do, but I guess it's just the way they choose to handle being at work.

Which group do I then belong in? Would love to say that I unequivocally belong in the first category... really? Well, it's one of those dilemmas in life, ain't it? The first group does seem to be the kind that finish up their tasks earlier, are recognised as being hardworking, etc. The second.. well, I guess very much depends on your working environment. In my line of work (read: paper pusher, number cruncher), the second group is largely frowned upon, and unfortunately, I think I belong in the latter. Have actually come to the conclusion that since I will inevitably be spending a large amount of my time at work, what's the harm in trying to enjoy the process? Yes, the little breaks do result in later nights, but, it also does enable me to keep a smile most of the time and get to know my coworkers a little better.

Since I've already made my conclusion, what then am I griping about? Well... have decided that all being said and done, I do need to focus on... (a) clearing work, even for those tasks that I'm disinterested in, or worse, disagree with (b) taking a shorter time to get started in the mornings and after lunch (c) cutting those meetings (official and unofficial) short!

The Start of Everything

What makes a person start a blog? Perhaps it is the need to just "tell" someone what you are feeling? Have been reading the blogs of many others of late, and I guess it's one of those things that just "struck" me... can still remember my school days where I would faithfully keep a diary to record things that happen in my life: be it daily activities, or some of those innermost thoughts... things which you would not dare to voice out to anyone. And slowly but surely, just putting those words to paper... you would just gain some clarity in your own life. In a way, it was a form of making some sense out of your life, to be able to sort one's thoughts, one's actions. Frightening then how such a cultivated routine could be broken once work started, and life became swamped with well... "work"... and it's own slew of interrelated issues; relationships with colleagues, the management of your own emotions, or sometimes just the difficulty of disciplining yourself. Of late, been feeling rather bogged down by my own experiences at work, and this caused a "spillover" effect into my personal life. Just got bitten by this need to once again pen down everything again... perhaps in this way once more, I will actually be made to come to face with my own thoughts... and therein make some sense of my life.