Euro Travel & More

Many had asked me about my migration to Canada from Singapore and my experiences thus far.  Of course, I have lots to tell.. and loads of story to share.  From making the big step to going onto the plane and now settling in Canada after 9 yrs.  Immigration procedures .. and all that I’ve faced .. with different culture .. different work ethics .. and even moving from one town to another using moving trucks instead of getting help from family and friends, is all new to me.  But i can tell you one thing for sure .. and that is migrating is no fun.. and even though it is an adventure.. it was an emotional ride for me.  More stories later.

I used to travel a lot for work and my family and friends used to joke about me living in a suitcase.  Truth be told, i rarely unpack my suitcases because i have everything cleaned before coming back home afterall, they are under company expenses.  So unlike family vacation, whereby we bring all our laundry home to wash, i have an easy time.. when i come home from a trip.  No fat burner needed too.. because i eat moderately, even if they are the best food. I never stay away from desserts when i was traveling but instead made my chief engineer eat the other half of whatever i order .. hahhaha!! so i never crave for sweets.. and i never need to put on weight – that was my secret.. what’s yours..?

I love flying with UA .. because of the leg space even in their economy class.  But the matronly like air attendant are firm but polite .. unless you are on Business Class.  But these days.. United Airlines are serving box breakfast.. and not hot ones .. but having said that. .this was for economy class.. so i guess that’s to be expected..??  Luckily, I wasn’t on a long haul flight. .else I would have certainly be very hungry.

When ppl hear the word hostel .. they kinda think that they are only for back-packers .. meaning.. not good quality accommodation. Just the basic is what is to be expected.. but little did i know.. that Hostel Inn In Puerto Iguazu would take my breath away. Lined along the swimming pool were tall palm trees .. and a very well maintained pool – it was a packed place alright.  But everyone that was at the pool looked so relaxed.. and had a drink with them.. lounging.. enjoying the sun.. and breeze.

This was taken at nite .. by the pool.

I knew we came to the right place.. after seeing the pool.. the interior of the hostel was quite nice too.  Marbled floors and air conditioned lobby with friendly front desk staff.  Check in was efficient.. and nothing like some of the hostel i stayed in .. when i was in Europe.  The front desk receptionist gave us some info about breakfast.. and some places of interest.. and how to get to the Falls the next day as well.. without us asking for that info.  Really nice.

The rooms were spacious.. and clean and if you are like me who needs to be on the internet .. at least a few times a day.. you will be glad to know that they have free wi-fi here.  I had good connection even from my room.. it was awesome..!

This was where we got our breakfast, a kind of dining area almost like a canteen.  One can get your ice creams, cold drinks, snacks and even wine by the bottle. Leather sofas for sitting and some pool tables and internet access here.  Next the Iguazu Falls.

Many of my friends and associates asked my boss how he could manage offices in Asia and Australia when he was traveling so much.  Pretty amazing when he takes the airplanes more than the car, I would say, but having said that I know that one thing my boss is very cautious about is covering the office and the factory well, in terms of insurance.  So regardless where he might be, the office and the employees were taken care of.

But he had to thank his office administrator, yours truly, for taking care of all that for him and the others.  A site like business insurance UK is a great place to start if you own your own business/store and have employees and company cars/vans that need to be covered. Not just ordinary cover though, a coverage to suit your budget and your kind of business.  Being the country’s largest independently owned insurance broker does come in handy because they not only give you the best deals but they treat you right as well.  It’s pretty simple, you go online and put in some information that’s needed to put together a policy you cannot get elsewhere, and if you find any discrepancy, they will refund you happily. Now that’s the kind of assurance you can never find elsewhere eh?  So having a middle name “efficient” wasn’t actually all my credit, but with places like autonetinsurance, I can’t go too wrong or too far from the financial director’s ledger.

Rasa Sentosa Resort is a holiday spot not only for travelers but for the locals as well.,  A ferry boat ride away .. or even by car or cable car, you can even arrange for an airport transfer.. if you are coming right from the airport.

Owned by the Shangri-la group.. the resort had come a long way and from the looks at the recent pictures.. they also had a lot of additions.. and renovation work done.  Rasa Sentosa resort is not a new resort by any means.. in fact.. it must be like more than 20 yrs old now if not more.

The swimming pool of course..!

Staircase leading to the pool.

Steep looking stairs.

The pool.

One of the best things I make plans for when traveling anywhere is to find and savor the authentic local cuisine.  The simplest food to a local can very well be a gem of a find to travelers like us.  We love good food and believe that good food need not be expensive.

Eating and traveling goes hand in hand in my opinion and if you want authentic and unique cuisine, my ex-boss had told me once that I needed to travel for it.  Well, I beg to differ because you now can get fresh crab meat flown to you from Louisiana seafood.  You will be really pleased to know that they deliver it fresh to your doorstep, what more can one ask for, right?

Of course they do have more than just crab meat; they have oysters, shrimp and Louisiana’s famous craw fish. Ordering online is so easy, even my mother knows how to do it.  As for pricing, one can expect really competitive pricing and good value for their money, plus excellent customer service.  Their assurance to you, the consumer, is nothing less than top quality, if you are not happy about the quality when it is delivered, be sure to call and let them know and they will take care of it for you (although I know they rarely get these kinds of calls).   Want fresh seafood?  You don’t have to travel around the world for it, order it online like I do (especially now that I don’t get to travel so much).

A Muslim – American family was booted outta the plane yesterday .. just because they said ” they were looking for the safest place to sit” on the plane.  FBIs were involved.. and the plane marshall escorted the family off the plane.. and was quarantined for a few hours .. before they were cleared.  So when you are boarding an airplane.. please remember to watch what you say.  Here’s an interview with CNN.

My girlfriends asked me.. about what they should bring when they are only going away for the weekend with their boyfriends.  Well.. first thing one has to remember is never to bring 10 luggages .. on a romantic weekend away.. for the boyfriend is gonna think that you must be high maintenance.  Surely, that is not the impression you want to give him.. after all, he might be the potential husband right..??

A weekend getaway with the boyfriend means.. 1 duffel bag.. and that’s it.  But why a duffel bag instead of a suitcase..?? well.. it’s easy to carry around.. and you don’t have to check it in.. nor wait for it in the carousel of luggages.. and waste time.  Plus a duffel bag is easy to store away in the airplane.. unlike bulky suitcases despite only 1.

Bring only the necessities but never forget the sexy lingerie afterall, it’s the weekend.. you need to impress right..?? Sunscreen very important.. if you are anywhere that has got the sun.  As much as I loved the comfort of using my own shampoos and body conditional.. I leave them behind.. on short getaways .. those things wear a ton..!! and i’ve no room for them.  Using other shampoos for a day or two.. isn’t gonna damage  your hair.  So donch sweat the small stuff.. and think of the big picture.