I'M HEADING HOME SOON AND...

Seeing my mum and dad and the rest of my amazing family
Arguing with Boyo (it’s inevitable!)
Staying at Hotel Cole and being spoilt rotten!
Celebrating Christmas on Sunday
Nights out with the Welsh girls
Tea and toast being brought to me in bed when I'm hungover
Nights out with the Windsor gang
Hen weekend planning
Wedding and bridesmaid shopping
Wales v England (and being able to watch it at a reasonable hour!)
Taking my mini-Coles on a trip to the cinema
Celebrating Mali’s 1st birthday and seeing all the other babies (and of course new bumps!)
Cwtching up with mum on the sofa...
Dad shouting at me for cwtching up on the sofa and being lazy
Driving a car again
Shopping with mum
Arguing with dad over the remotes (and the bathroom!)
Eating apple crumble and custard
Drinking Rose Barefoot
Seeing Jennie when I walk through arrivals and getting the biggest boobie hugs ever (I’ve missed them!)


Things I'm not so excited about...
Wearing a coat!
Wearing shoes and socks!
The 14 hour flight (except for the choice of movies of course)

See you all soon...I can't wait!

OUCH...

So not only did I come back from Mumbai with Delhi Belly and covered in itchy mosquito bites...last night walking home from work I managed to injure my foot. Well my toe to be more precise! Ouch!

VODKA AK-47 GUN...

On a recent business trip Richard, Addison and Celeste purchased a Vodka bottle in the shape of a AK-47 gun! Pretty impressive. As is the story of how they managed to get it home without being arrested! 

AUSTCHAM "TRUE BLUE" AUSTRALIA DAY BALL...

My trip to India nearly squashed plans that I already had to attend the AustCham "True Blue" Australia Day Ball at The Stamford Swissotel. It's the same hotel that New Asia Bar is located except last nights ball was held in the one of the ball rooms. The biggest ballroom in Singapore in fact.

The organising principles of this evening have always been simple in concept - good food, good wine, great Aussie music and a great night out. Exactly what Jill and I were after when we booked the tickets last year. The event was actually a sell out, over 2000 people, but we managed to get on the reserve list and two tickets came up. Greeted with cocktails Jill and I are amazed at the volume of people and the ballroom looks fantastic. 200 tables of 10. We end up sat next to the AustCham ex Chairman! 

The gala dinner menu was delicious. Six courses. All served with free flow Australian wines!

The entertainment was 100% Kylie. The most successful Kylie show on the globe. She was the spitting image of her and sounded exactly like her. Everyone was amazed. Followed by The Enormous Horns, a ten piece all singing, all dancing party band direct from Sydney who were also pretty impressive. We left at 1am to head to Steve's 40th Birthday celebrations at Chijmes where we finished off the night. 

Happy Birthday today to Dan, who's officially getting old! Hope you've had a great day and a weekend of fun celebrations. So, it's nearly the end of January, which means two things. I have nearly been here for five whole months! And...I'm heading home for a holiday!! This time next week we will be celebrating Christmas...again! And I can not wait! But, before then I need to get rid of my "delhi belly". Since arriving back from India I've not been feeling too great and am currently lying in bed writing this suffering from very painful stomach cramps. Fingers crossed I'll be 100% and ready to fly by the end of the week. I look forward to seeing you all at some point whilst I'm visiting home.

MAYHEM IN MUMBAI...

I've just returned from my first trip abroad with work since I arrived in Singapore to present and collect briefs from one of our biggest clients.

Mayhem. I can only describe Mumbai as mayhem.

The city of dreams, undoubtedly the most dynamic city in India is a great paradox. From the moment you land here, it grabs you with its multiple facets. There are approximately 17-18 million people living in Mumbai and by 2020 it is slated to be the most populous city in the world. The weather is warm and humid, so at least I didn't have to adjust to that. The only thing I have to get my head around are the extreme scenes that I am about to witness.

Matt and I arrived in Mumbai at 10pm. As we land I look out of the window and the wing of the plane looks as if we are going to land on a housing estate. People live that close to the runway. We’re greeted by our driver and taken straight to our hotel. The roads are carnage. There are cars coming at us from all angles and all I can hear are car horns. I immediately decide that are no traffic rules here. The bigger your car is the better! Rickshaws zip past us chugging away and are literally millimeters away from the car. How we don’t collide I have no idea.

The hotel isn’t actually far from the airport except the traffic makes the journey four times longer. Security is tight. The car is stopped on entry to the hotel and screened by guards and a sniffer dog. Everyone is searched before the enter the hotel in a similar way to that of an airport. Steve joins us in the bar and we have a few drinks but it’s not long before I head off to bed. I have a feeling the next couple of days are going to be very intense! 

First thing the following morning we have a driver to take us to our meeting. Again, the office isn’t actually that far but the traffic is incredible. After a very long but very productive meeting and we travel back to the hotel on rickshaws. Kaushik (our Indian Client Servies Director) and myself in one, Steve and Matt in another. The drivers are racing! It’s literally like the wacky races. They swerve in between the cars and they want to get to the destination as quickly as possible. I hold on for dear life! 

Our first port of call is the pool bar where a few Kingfisher beers are needed. I’m a little bit gutted I didn’t bring my bikini as I’m so tempted to jump in the pool right now just to cool down and refresh myself! But we decide to take a wander out onto the main street outside the hotel. Steve assures me he’s done this before lots of times and it’s fine. What Steve fails to mention is that I should cover my legs! I’ll remember for next time! 

The streets are crazy. People everyone. Not just people. Animals. Goats, chickens and cows. Laden with fruit and vegetables there is no clear distinction between the road and pavement. It’s basically just dust and dirt. Everyone is staring at us. Both Steve and Matt tower above everyone at 6 foot 2 and then there’s me. The only western woman in site. I don’t necessarily feel intimidated, more shocked that there are people sleeping on the streets. That is what they call home.

After exploring for a while, and witnessing scenes that truly are mesmirising we end up walking down a residential street full of families and hundreds of children. I turn around and those children are following us. I couldn’t even tell you want they were shouting at first but they all seem so excited. Laughing and giggling as if we are celebrities. At this point my heart starts to race. They’re now grabbing my arms and legs. “Money!” I finally realise...they’re shouting "money". We just carry on walking. Steve explains to me that if we give just one of them money we’ll end up with not 50 children but 500 following us.

Crossing the road became the hardest part for me, as three young girls who I stupidly make eye contact with start pulling my clothes. I ask them to stop but they persist and start to beg me for money. Even if I was to tell them at this point I actually have no Ruprees they blatently aren’t going to believe me. I look like I have millions of Ruprees! We stand out like a sore thumb and compared to what these children have we are millions. I start to feel really uncomrfortable as one of the girls thinks it’s funny to pinch my legs. I can’t tell whether she is playing or being nasty. But she starts to scare me. Steve can sense that I’m uncomfortable and asks her to stop. No. She carrys on and what was probably only two minutes waiting for the lights to change feels like I’ve been stood on the corner for hours.

My saving grace is a four star hotel that we swiftly escape to for a drink. Yes, I have the luxury of being able to walk along a dirt track where people live on the side of the street straight through the doors of a plush air-conditioned hotel. How lucky am I right now? I feel a massive sense of realisation run through me. I have an incredible life compared to the people here. I knock back three vodkas which calms me down a bit. People had warned me that I would be shocked but I don’t think I had expected it to be this crazy. This is the most extreme travelling experience I have had so far.  

Our second day is equally as intense. This time it's research groups. But not as I know them! I’ve not previously done any research groups in houses before let alone houses in India. We are driven to a house and taken into a room where there is a double bed and a few chairs set up in front of a TV with headsets. Six hours later we have sat through three consumer groups watching a screen, listening to what consumers have to say about our design work. As a lot of the groups spoke in the local dialect, Marathi, not only do you have to listen to them talk but also to a translator who was sat in the room with us also. I’m now not only physically, but mentally exhausted.

I ned to put all my remaining energy into my trip home as I fly from Mumbai to Chennai to connect to Singapore. I found being the only western female in the whole of Mumbai Domestic airport extremely intimidating this time round....everyone is staring at me. But I settle myself down and read my book, a slight delay on the flight makes me panic that I'll miss my connection. I have every right to panic as I reach Chennai, my flight is closed and the lady behind the desk is reluctant to let me pass through security. I think she takes pity on me as I probably look like I am about to cry! Managing to grab a few hours sleep I finally made it home at 8am the following morning and head straight to bed. I need to recharge my batteries for the ANZ AusCham ball that Jill and I have been looking forward to. But first...sleep!

IT'S RAINY SEASON...

So you don't all think that it's constantly glorious sunshine here all the time take a look at this video I've just filmed outside the office. We've just had a flash storm with pretty impressive thunder and lightning! I've been told it's "rainy season" here at the moment! Although, it has rained an awful lot since I moved here in September and despite surviving three months without an umbrella I did finally purchased one recently. But this week I've been caught out three times! Soaked through wearing flip flops! Roll on sunny season! 

NOTHING MUCH TO REPORT THIS WEEK...

..so I just thought I would tell everyone...

...especially you mum! And I can't wait for my cwtches when I get home.

NEW ASIA...NEW YEAR...

It took us a while to decide what we were all going to do for New Year. None of us really knew what to expect as the majority of us have only been here for four months now. So we decided on New Asia Bar which is situated on the 71st floor of Singapore's tallest hotel, Swissotel. You can enjoy panoramic views of the city whilst drinking the night away at the sleek and ultra sexy bar.

Liam was kind enough to get our tickets in advance and Tom and Rachel started the party off early with pre-drinks and food at their new apartment where there was a lot of champagne consumed! I was amazed that despite only being here a few months there were 16 of us altogether. Although I don't have pictures of everyone who was out I can hopefully put a few faces to names finally.

TOP: Rachel, Tom, Me and Mikey have had a great few days whilst Mikes been visiting. My favourite New Year so far was Sydney 2008/2009 but this year despite it being a lot different to being sat on a rock in Sydney the four of us have created a few more awesome memories to add to the vast amount I already have.

MIDDLE LEFT : Mike and Liam. We first met Liam and his girlfriend Arlene (bottom) when they moved here not long after I had arrived. It's a small world. Liam in fact works for Mindshare who represent one of my clients so we share a mutual friend there. Liam met Mike whilst playing football, only to discover that Mike and his girlfriend Karen actually live in the apartment next door to them. They're neighbours! And as it happens Mike and Liam both love to play music as well as Tom and Rach so the guys are organising "The Sunday Sessions", an open mic night that we're hoping is going to take over The New Prince of Wales (a bar on Boat Quay).

MIDDLE RIGHT : Karen is Mike's other half seen here mid dance with Victoria.

BOTTOM : Rachel, Me and Arlene. I think the smiles show just how happy we all are! 

The night ended for me at 3am when my feet could not take anymore. We had danced all night! Unfortunately the last few days it's been raining heavily. So plans to show Mikey changed and we spent most of the day yesterday sleeping. Followed by a very chilled out BBQ mostly drinking soft drinks! I feel like the next few weeks most definitely need to be a detox.

I hope everyone back home in the UK had a great new year also. I personally can't quite believe it's 2011 as the last year since Christmas 2009 has flown by! But if there is one thing I've learnt about the last year is to embrace every moment. And, I will certainly be doing that in 2011...and it will certainly be worth it.

MIKEY ARRIVES IN SINGAPORE...

Finally, the time came to welcome Mikey to our new home. Having visited Mikey twice in Australia now, it is now my turn to be the host! In his usual manner, Mikey stumbled off the plane in a dazed and confused state. Just as it was for us when we first arrived, Mikey said he found the whole thing a little surreal. After leaving us all in Windsor three years ago and being reunited for the first time as a group half way around the world it did feel ever so slightly odd. But great, that despite not seeing Mikey since March it felt like the last time I saw him was last weekend. 

Mikey has just spent Christmas in the UK and when he landed in Heathrow it was -7 degrees. When he landed in Singapore it was 27 degrees at 7pm! No wonder he is feeling spun out! I booked us a table at Overeasy, One Fullerton. The bar where I spent my first night out in Singapore. With perfect views across the river at the Marina Bay Sands resort, the Merlion and thousands of wishing spheres floating on the water, the four of us sat and spent a view hours catching up before heading back towards Clarke Quay for a bit of live music and of course...Jagerbombs! 

 

ROAST AT ONE ROCHESTER...

This week Adi, Victoria and I had a delicious meal out at One Rochester. According to the website it is undeniably Singapore's foremost and favourite gastrobar. Located at Rochester Park, and in keeping with the verdant hillside surroundings and colonial ambiance of black and white bungalows inherited from the era of the British regime, its is an oasis of calm. It is like an enchanted garden with trickling water fountains. 

The bar has been open since 2005 and is the perfect place to unwind. You can chose from a la carte and communal menus under the newly launched dining concept called Roast. The menu is created by chef Christopher Millar who trained under Antony Worrall Thompson.

A few Appletinis to start (vodka and apple juice) followed by a delicious three course dinner with red wine, dessert wine and another yummy cocktail to end. Great company and great entertaining conversation! The perfect end to my Christmas break. Thank you very much Adi!

WISHING SPHERES...

Throughout December, Singaporeans and friends from all walks of life are being invited to pen their New Year wishes on wishing spheres at stations located all around Singapore. This year, 20,000 of these wishing spheres, all marked with the hand-written wishes will be floated onto the waters and become part of a visual arts installation at Marina Bay - the Bay of Hope and Light.

Each wishing sphere represents a hope, belief that the New Year will bring new possibilities and a brighter tomorrow. I've just added my two wishes to the wishing sphere gallery!

CONGRATULATIONS JENNIE AND STUART...

Congratulations to Jennie and Stuart on their engagement! It was fantastic news to hear on Christmas Day and I am so pleased for you both. And I am once again, honoured to be asked to be your bridesmaid Jennie. I love you both and look forward to celebrating with you when I come home to visit in January. I can not wait to see your rock!

CHRISTMAS IN THAILAND 2010...

I've just returned after an amazing holiday to Thailand for Christmas! Work was crazy last week so by the time Wednesday came around I was extremely excited about heading off to Phuket that evening. Despite nearly missing the flight after being convinced by Steve that a glass of wine (which turned into three) would be a good idea to start my holiday. The last to check in and a quite dash to my gate with 15 minutes to spare, I can safely say I won't be leaving my trip to the airport that late when I head home at the end of January. An hour and a half later and I've landed at Phuket and been greeted by my driver. Too easy. I had tried to get a room at the same hotel as Tom and Rachel but it was fully booked so checked in at Sino House. A boutique hotel located in the centre of Phuket town. It's Shanghai style meets Mad Men Chic and is quite impressive! My room was massive with a fantastic handmade ceramic basin and quarter-moon shower tub in the bathroom. My Bejing Deluxe room is fantastic and my holiday has began!

Tom and Rach arrive to surprise me as I'm checking and we head out to the bar next door for some holiday cocktails! The first of many more to come. Phuket is literally a stop off for the night before we get the ferry over to Phi Phi at 8.30am. I'm dreading it. After many boat trips of feeling extremely sick in Australia I fear I might be really ill. But surprisingly not. I even make it up onto the top deck just as we are approaching the islands. The view is breathtaking. 

We've got a short wait for the boat to pick us up from the port and take us to the resort. From what I can see Phi Phi Don is stunning. Our resort, Villa' 360, is at Ao Lo Bakao, a fine stretch of palm-backed sand, ringed by dramatic hills and offshore views of Bamboo and Mosquito Island (ironically as you will read later on!) Our Villa' 360 long boat collects us and we are soon on our way heading north around the island. I can not wait to see the place that we will be staying. 

Welcome to Villa' 360. Wow. Despite all the pictures on the website I can safely say that what we had just arrived at was breathtkaing. I haven't had a "do I need to pinch myself" moment for a while now. Until now. Tom did good picking this place. I think I'm going to enjoy my stay here. 

Villa' 360 is tucked into a leafy green hillside and each of the 33 villas has a total living space of 59 sqm with a private balcony and a spectacular view of the Krabi mainland and the Andaman Sea. I have a villa to myself and I feel like I am in paradise. Even the bathtub has a view! As the villas are all located on the hillside you get around on motorised golf buggies. Quite a novelty, but scary when on such a steep incline. 

It's time to explore...well the pool anyways! I'm still amazed and after a quick dip in the pool I spend the rest of the afternoon on a sunlounger taking in the view (and having a cheeky nap).I am so lucky. The last six months since learning that I go the job in Singapore and actually making the move have been a whirlwind. So much has happened and I've had so much to think about. It's now December 2010 and this time last year I had no idea that I would be spending Christmas on an island in the middle of the Andaman Sea. My life is completely different now to this time last year and I am loving every minute of it.

It's happy hour. My favourite hour! A few free Phi Phi Paradise and Lady Boys later and dinner is an all you can eat buffet of local and western cuisine at neighbouring resort Phi Phi Island Village, which is a short walk along the beach. Despite not really doing a lot, apart from travelling, we are all exhausted! I can not wait to get into bed! The following morning the view from breakfast is unreal. I never want to leave this island. Imagine waking up to this view every morning? 

So, it's Christmas Eve. What should we do? Hire a private long boat and explore the island? Yes please!

By lunchtime, the three of us are cruising around the island taking in even more breathtaking views and spending most of the day snorkelling. This brings back so many memories of Australia and New Zealand. Except I'm now in Thailand swimming amongst hundreds of fish and having the time of my life. I'm not that confident in the water, I don't really think I have ever been to be honest, but I have to embrace every minute! There's no stopping Rachel. She basically is the little mermaid! 

Our Christmas Eve adventure takes us around the islands. Phi Phi Leh is the smaller of the two islands and is protected on all sides by roaring cliffs. The water is crystal clear. There are two gorgeous lagoons one of which is Ao Maya on the western coast. In 1999 this lagoon was controversially used as the setting for the filming of The Beach. I've not read the book, or seen the film, but am inspired. So inspired in fact I bought the book today. We also visit Monkey Beach. A 220 metre stretch of sand where monkeys head to the beach for tourists to feed them. As you all know, my love animals isn't great. I leave Tom to get involved! Four hours later and we are heading back to the villas. All looking slightly pinker than we were when we set off. It's extremely hot and whilst out at sea there is no way of getting away from the sun. 

The resort host a Christmas Eve Gala. None of us really know what to expect. Free cocktails on arrival. I am in my element. Whilst sat at the bar a gentleman comes up to order a soft drink. Tom recognises the accent from up North. We all get introduced and it turns out that Ant is a musician. Not just any musician. He's the front man of the band, The Hours, and was previously part of Pulp. Amazing. Ant joins us for dinner and the four of us indulge in amazing food and very interesting conversations. It turns out not only has Ant written songs for Robbie Williams, he also shared a flat with him back when he was in Take That. Small world and all that. We're the last group of people left at the end of the evening, Rachel's been singing with the guy who's been providing music throughout the evening, we've had fireworks (a little too close for comfort), we've laughed watching tiny Thai girls dancing, we've eaten turkey but sadly no trimmings, we've had pressies from the resort and I've had far too many Phi Phi Paradise (Karen coloured) cocktails!

So, my second Christmas away from home has arrived. The three of us sit out on the balcony of Tom and Rachel's villa to open our pressies. I receive a gorgeous Pandora charm for my bracelet, to remind me of my time in Singapore, a Merlion. Perfect. Thank you Tom and Rach. I've been secretly planning with Tom's mum to get the guys a massage on behalf of Tom's little brother so after breakfast the guys head off to relax and I do the same, but by the pool with my book! Certainly not how I'd be spending Christmas if I was at home. I'm thinking of everyone as I lie in the sun, half of me wishes I was there with everyone on Christmas morning, especially as Chris and Terresa will be there this year, but the other half of me wouldn't swap this for anything! Sorry mum. Sorry dad.

Christmas lunch this year consists of spring rolls and Phad Thai. It totally doesn't taste like Mum's roast dinner, but she has assured me that I will get the full monty when I get home in January. I'm so looking forward to that. A few cheeky Karen coloured cocktails later and Christmas night is spent raiding the mini bar and watching Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A great phone call home to the Cole household and wonderful news from Jennie on her engagement and Christmas day is over. I think you can see from the smiles on our faces, that this Christmas is certainly going to be one that we won't forget.

Tom and Rach do a Boxing Day fishing trip and I meet them at the same place we had our Christmas lunch for an amazing lunch of freshly caught fish, cooked up by a local who lives on the island. Sweet and sour fish and Fish Thai Green Curry. It doesn't get fresher than this. And it tastes incredible. 

My time on Phi Phi is nearly over, and my last day is spent lying by the pool finishing off my second book. I am 100% relaxed and I feel so chilled out. Apart from the mosquito bites! My legs are so itchy! Mum...I'm taking you with me next time. Whenever I'm with you I don't get bitten!

I leave the island at 1.30pm and a long boat takes me back to the port where I jump onto the ferry and get comfortable to watch Avatar. When I reach Phuket it's easy to get a mini bus to the airport and I figured that it was going far too smoothly for my liking. An hour later as I wait for the check in desk to open I receive a text off Jetstar to let me know that my flight has been delayed until midnight! I'm annoyed for all of about 30 minutes until I clear passport control and head straight for a 60 minute Thai massage. God I love living in Asia. You won't get this at Cardiff International Airport that's for sure. 

I arrived home at 4am this morning and have spent the day continuing my holiday. Victoria and I catch up over a Japenese lunch and head to Orchard Road for a manicure and pedicure. It's 10.30pm now and I'm shattered. Back to work tomorrow for 2 and a half days before the New Years celebrations with Mikey begin. Ten of us have tickets to party at New Asia Bar, a bar on the 71st floor of the Swissotel in the centre of the city. I can not wait to see in 2011 here. I have a feeling it is going to be a great year! 

I hope you all had a great Christmas and enjoy your new year celebrations! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY! SEE YOU IN 2011...

CHRISTMAS CUP CAKES...

Jill has just had a delivery of Christmas cupcakes to her office! So cute! Ever so jealous that I don't work with her!