Friday, May 23, 2014 - still in Malaysia :)
It's the time that I spend alone.... That's the nice thing about a trip like this for so many of the parents. They get to sleep. They get to walk. They get to play. Alone. Or together. But with themselves as the main focus. That's been the inspiration for the LRB song running around in my head today.
I'm lucky... I get that a lot in my real life. Time alone.
Today has been a day of complete relaxation. Up at 7:30 (before alarm). Breakfast in the fine dining room (free). Walk across the street to the Zen spa for a massage, foot reflexology, and a manicure (my hands needed some TLC after the gig last night). Back to the hotel for a swim, some lunch, and a round or four (so far) of Sea Breeze cocktails (vodka, cranberry, and grapefruit). Then a nap near the saltwater pool (dip, nap, pee, dip, nap, pee, dip nap, pee... The toilets are a little walk away from the pool, so I am counting that walk as a cardio component to my day). Now, I'm in the air conditioned room (turned it down to 22 for a few minutes) and writing to you.
It is a tough life.
Last night we enjoyed happy hour and then went to a market style dinner. The dress theme was sarong. :) Perfect. Have four to choose from.
After dinner, the Wen and Bendy gig went off. We played for about an hour and a half. Started late and had a midnight curfew. Though I reckon the staff would have let us keep playing as long as we wanted to. They apparently were all in the back of the crowd videoing us. :) We got lots of amazing compliments last night (inebriated) and today (genuine) and one or two people have said that last night's gig has been their trip highlight so far. That's nice, isn't it? Still... They have two magical days to go... I'm sure more fabulous things will fill the experience with more warm fuzzies.
Transactional analysis. Funny memory. Warm fuzzies and cold pricklies with parent, adult, and child... Emotions? Roles? Something... My mom read TA books and I learned those things from a long, long time ago. Weird that I remember what I remember.
Friendships with lots of these wonderful people have formed since I earned my first incentive trip in 2008. The partners, the candle people, the parents (makes me wish I could earn more than one visitor and bring my mom and dad, too), the adult children... They all form a really neat friendship circle all across Australia. It's pretty cool.
Well, we're almost at the end of the first part of our journey. Tomorrow we pack our bags and move a few kilometres away to a place called Georgetown. There we will be at the Eastern & Oriental hotel for the weekend. Apparently there is a beautiful shopping district in Georgetown. I'm sure the majority of our PartyLite group will be extremely happy about that.
Oh! I forgot to mention that at last night's dinner, it was announced that I was in the top 10 of points achievers in this motley crew. That makes me a "Princess" here and we get room upgrades and I get a special dinner out with the other nine Princesses. I'm pretty chuffed actually. Happy because my points came from selling, sponsoring, AND leadership development. All really important parts of my business.
I got my first Pandora bracelet as a result. With a beautiful pearl of Penang charm. I'm sure just the start of the collection.
What's iPad tonight? Don't know yet... Gonna finish my fourth sea breeze and then have a think about it.
Stay tuned....
Friday, May 23, 2014
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Because I'm Happy (sing along)
Thursday, May 22, 2014 - Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa, Penang
Yesterday was our first full day in Penang. We had a good night's sleep after our big day of air travel. We woke up, explored our beautiful room a bit more, used 3 of the 4 shower heads in our massive shower (Alan actually did run around in the shower... just because he could), and then made our way down to the big buffet breakfast. We didn't have much time to really explore the whole buffet, because we were scheduled for a tour of Penang at 9:00, and that's how our day began....
The tour was great. Not rushed. Not too long. With a good guide. We went to a Burmese temple, a Thai temple, a place where they showed us how they make batik prints (very interesting), and then to the top of Penang Hill, the highest point on the island (just under 2000 feet), for lunch.
It is hot, sticky, and a little bit hazy here. The ocean temperature is a balmy 27 degrees (it actually feels warm in the morning air, perhaps it will feel cool in the heat of the day). The pools here are beautiful. There are two: one saltwater and child free, and one fresh water with children playing. You know I chose the saltwater pool if you know me well. :)
After a dip, I went back to my room and changed back into a dress so I could go to the high tea service. Yes, high tea. The tower of little food items was delivered to me as a setting for one. Scones, little cakes, and mini savoury sandwiches with lovely cheeses, salmon, and meats. I took my time and enjoyed the carbs in the afternoon. :)
Happy hour proved to be a challenge for the resort. I'm not sure how well briefed they were on the demand they'd have for the full 90 minutes. Put the words "free drinks" in front of a PartyLite group of any size and you're bound to get almost everyone there. There are 181 of us here this year, and I'm not sure if anyone missed happy hour. :) Food, wine, bubbles, and even cocktails are included in this daily offering from the hotel. I'm sure they'll be better prepared this afternoon. I'm not complaining... The happy hour did its job and got us started.
Apparently there is a rule in my life that if I'm anywhere with a Hard Rock Cafe, I must go to it. Ben, Ange, Alan, and I enter to the Hard Rock Hotel just a few blocks away from our hotel. We had dinner and stayed for a few sets of the 7 piece band. Three singers just kept churning out the hits and we had a great time. Lots of drinking, rehydrating, and drinking some more. We made our way to the souvenir shop, bought our obligatory rock t-shirt to prove we were there, and cabbed it back to the hotel.
And that, my friends, was day 1.
Today, I sit in my air conditioned room, post breakfast, sipping coffee and typing this note to you. In about an hour, Ben, Alan, and I will go paragliding. Ange is riding horseback this arvo. And who knows what the rest of the day will entail. Certainly a few happy hours... A dinner with the entire group. And later... a little bit of geetar. :)
Stay tuned.... :)
The tour was great. Not rushed. Not too long. With a good guide. We went to a Burmese temple, a Thai temple, a place where they showed us how they make batik prints (very interesting), and then to the top of Penang Hill, the highest point on the island (just under 2000 feet), for lunch.
It is hot, sticky, and a little bit hazy here. The ocean temperature is a balmy 27 degrees (it actually feels warm in the morning air, perhaps it will feel cool in the heat of the day). The pools here are beautiful. There are two: one saltwater and child free, and one fresh water with children playing. You know I chose the saltwater pool if you know me well. :)
After a dip, I went back to my room and changed back into a dress so I could go to the high tea service. Yes, high tea. The tower of little food items was delivered to me as a setting for one. Scones, little cakes, and mini savoury sandwiches with lovely cheeses, salmon, and meats. I took my time and enjoyed the carbs in the afternoon. :)
Happy hour proved to be a challenge for the resort. I'm not sure how well briefed they were on the demand they'd have for the full 90 minutes. Put the words "free drinks" in front of a PartyLite group of any size and you're bound to get almost everyone there. There are 181 of us here this year, and I'm not sure if anyone missed happy hour. :) Food, wine, bubbles, and even cocktails are included in this daily offering from the hotel. I'm sure they'll be better prepared this afternoon. I'm not complaining... The happy hour did its job and got us started.
Apparently there is a rule in my life that if I'm anywhere with a Hard Rock Cafe, I must go to it. Ben, Ange, Alan, and I enter to the Hard Rock Hotel just a few blocks away from our hotel. We had dinner and stayed for a few sets of the 7 piece band. Three singers just kept churning out the hits and we had a great time. Lots of drinking, rehydrating, and drinking some more. We made our way to the souvenir shop, bought our obligatory rock t-shirt to prove we were there, and cabbed it back to the hotel.
And that, my friends, was day 1.
Today, I sit in my air conditioned room, post breakfast, sipping coffee and typing this note to you. In about an hour, Ben, Alan, and I will go paragliding. Ange is riding horseback this arvo. And who knows what the rest of the day will entail. Certainly a few happy hours... A dinner with the entire group. And later... a little bit of geetar. :)
Stay tuned.... :)
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