Exploring.. July 26, 2009

I have been in this country nearly to half a year, but shamefully, I have not really explore this country. Even though there are trips to local islands before but I have not thought of joining any of these trips.

Last Sunday, there was a trip to a local island – Ihavandhoo and since it was during my off day I decided to do some exploring. Eventhough one of my staffs told me that its not so nice and its very smelly, so I thought that I will be able to see the local cultures. So after getting signatures for my exit pass.. yes.. to leave this stupid resort I need security, HR and the GM signatures.. Really like a jail.. and after getting all these signatures.. and off I went.

The speedboat ride is about 15 minutes. Its a very short boat ride comparing to the one that I took from Harimadhoo to the resort which takes 45 – 50 minutes! Prior to the trip the image that I had in my mind for this shopping trip was like a street with some shops along the street.. But when I reach there, the first thing I saw was a big mosque. Ok.. acceptable la.. since this is a Muslim country.. but then followed with residential area, schools! So where is the shops?

I walked around for 30 minutes.. and guess what.. I’m Bored!!! nothing to do.. ayo.. I saw a grocery shop, went in bought some potato chip, a bottle of coke and some wafer and then scout for a place to sit down and guess what I found, some swings.. Gleefully.. like a small child sneeking into someone’s property.. looking around for any owner who is going to shout at me for trespassing, slowly foot by foot i approached the swing. Since it was rather peaceful, I lowered myself at the swing. It was real fun. The swing was tied on a coconut tree, feel real pitiful on the tree but that does not deem my excitements .. 1,2,3 yippee!! there I go.. (Photos below)

While on the swing, I am able to enjoy the view and relax with the sea breeze (with the salted fish smells) My staff was right, this island is really stinko.. This is where the salted fish comes from. Nearby to where I was I notice there are a lot of crows (a common bird in Maldives.. I think its their national bird.. Its a no wonder why they choose this bird .. coz its everywhere!). After a while, my curiosity beats me, I went to investigate.. There are so many fishes being “sun tanned” there with a layer of salt. There are even baby reef sharks in there. Who say only Chinese eat shark fin.. These people eat them as well! (Photos below)

Imagine, I have to wait for the boat at 1700 hours and I reached there at 1315 hour, so I have to be there for 3 hours and 45 minutes! After an hour, I notice the speedboat start to dock at the jetty. Hoping that I am able to spend the rest of the afternoon waiting in the boat was dashed by the captain as he is scared that I will get sea sick due to when the boat stops, it start to sway right and left.

So luckily one of the crew is kind enough to bring me around the island. So I walked the island again with him, but which is pretty cool, as I have someone to talk to and to ask him questions bout the island. I found out that in this island, there are about 4k local people and they have 6 mosques! wow.. are they so religious or what.. Apparently the local are very furious with one of the political party that won the election last year, as the party promised the people that they will build a very nice jetty for them, but till now, nothing was done, its a real wonder why they are angry. As what the crew member told me, the jetty is like the public toilet. (pic below).

With him, I get to see the boat yard, and one old man approached us to see if I want a shell or salted fish, I told him no for both but because I do not really understand what he meant by shell, he brought us to his home to show me the shell (pics below). It was a huge sea shell. Very nice.. but how to bring it home? and where am I going to put it… hmm.. nah.. thanks but no thanks..

Finally, the time to go back to resort finally came, it was a very good experience for me, but I have get to see how does the local people live. I have put up some photos of the kids going to school, their main road, their houses and how they earn their living. Most of the people here are fisherman, some you see some nettings next to their home where they cook the tuna fish and they sell it to the public..

Its real amazing! Now I am planning to visit another island also quite nearby but different than this island on the 27th July – 1 day after their Independence Day! Not sure if they have any fireworks, apparently there will be some celebration on the 27th so I might be able to see some cultural shows.. The only one that I saw was Bodu Beru.. the Maldivian dance… my almost last few weeks in Maldives!

 

MJ farewell.. July 9, 2009

Just a month ago, I was copying some songs from the DJ from the previous resort and I came across some Michael Jackson songs and I realize that Its been years since I last hear his old songs. But sadly after a few weeks, I saw in the TV that he has passed away.

Even though I wasn’t such a great fan of his. But I practically grew up with his songs.  Some of his songs actually touches your heart with the rhythm, lyrics like You are not alone, Heal the world, Childhood and Earth song and there are some songs, when I hear the beat of the songs from the radio, without fail my feet will automatically beat with the tempo – Billy Jeans, Trillers, Beat It or Black or White.

Even though I liked his older image better before he turn white, but from his songs and his stories (whether its true or not) he has a very caring heart to the earth, community and especially children, its very sad to see/hear that he left this world so soon. But eventhough he is gone, everyone will always remember this King of Pop and we will still continue listen to his songs which will bring back memories of our growing up years.

“Good bye Michael, we will miss your song, your dance especially the moonwalk and will remember you always!”

Drift off to another island again.. July 8, 2009

Well.. when people ask me what is my favourite thing to do.. and I will surely say travelling and when people ask me whether you would like to work in different places, without much hesitation, I would readily agreed. Well.. seems like my dream comes true..

This is the first time when I get to work far away from home. Its been 5 months I am at Maldives… How time flies! But within this 5 months, every 2-3 months, I change resorts. However due to this country consist of many islands.. Whenever I change resorts, I need to lug my luggages around to Male then to the next resort either by speedboat or by seaplane previously.

With great dissappointment, I was not selected to work with Hilton together with another 3 other spa therapists. However, lucky for me, my GM able to transfer me to another resort, which will also be going to be taken over by the Hilton group under the brand of Waldorf-Astoria which is a much higher brand than Hilton in November or might be sooner. Oh well, since I am not able to be included in Hilton, there is not much hope to be accepted to be in Waldrorf. Therefore I will be here for only during the transition period, after that, seriously no idea. Its either I go home to Malaysia/Singapore or I start looking for another job over here.

Even though its sad to leave the previous resort – Irufushi, but its kind of a blessing in disguise. You can say its a way for me to avoid a messy emotional issue, it may be mean but it would be much better for all parties that I leave that place. Now, I am sure you are wondering what am I talking about..well.. you can keep wondering and guessing.. haha.. that’s the fun part..

When my GM broke the news to me that I was not selected to work under Hilton and I have to go back to my room to pack my stuffs, its such a mix feeling – sad, dissappointed, happy and free. You must be thinking.. crazy woman, how can there be so much feelings at one time.. Sad to leave, dissappointed that not able to work in a brand hotel, happy to escape and free from the stress…

Even after I have packed that night, I have to wait 2 more days which is after much persuasion and nagging at the HR manager to get me a seat for me to leave the island. So I spend about 3 nights in Male in a motel called Maafushige. Its a decent motel, clean sheets with a flat screen tv! Not bad huh?

When I got my flight confirmation for me to go to the new resort – The Beach House at Manafaru Maldives, it never occur to me that I have to take a domestic flight to one island and I have to transfer to the resort by a speedboat! Oh my god.. the journey will take a 45-minute journey by domestic flight by Maldivian Air (photo attached)  then followed by another 45 – 60 minutes of speedboat from the local island, Hanidmadhoo to the resort. So total, about 2 hours journey! Its so far away from Male, and my GM has told me that I will not be able to go to Male unless its for official or emergency matters. Now I am truely isolated, but at least I still have a job, phone and internet access. But the best thing, I have tried all types of transportation in this Island – Dhoni, speedboat, seaplane and now domestic flight and oh of coz international flight!

When my GM told me to come to this resort, the only one thing that came to me is I have to face the resort GM here which came from Irufushi as well.. Somehow or rather whenever he or his fiancee comes to Spa, there is aways problem either with him or his fiancee.. Its like he is the nemesis for me. Well, let’s see if these problems will follow me here. Upon reaching here, I ended up in the spa, which not really ideal as I am in my travelling clothes – Mickey mouse red color T-shirt and a 3/4 pants! What an image! The best of all, the operation manager came and to inform me that there is a journalists and their PR agents are here and would like to start the poolside treatment service and like either myself of the doctor to be there in case the journalist wants to talk to us with regards to the spa, while looking at my appearance. That is extreemly not helpful.

I was like.. Hello.. don’t you know I just arrived like not even an hour ago? Geez.. Don’t they have any consideration or no common sense? I have not even gotten familiar with the spa menu which is so different than the rest of the spas and their prices are different as well. Sigh.. what to do.. Luckily my luggages came. I went to my room which is very very nice, I have a “dressing” area and my bedroom with TV, sound system and a dvd player and the best part – a King Size Bed! It was an ultimately wow! oh I have a fridge as well. of coz they do not have an kettle which i seriously need one. (Photos below)

I brought along with me so many cup noodles and coffee and I have no kettle! again!. In the previous resort, I finally got my kettle and I left the place about 1 week after I receive that kettle. Not sure if that kettle is a jinx or what. Oh to get back to the topic, I went into my room, open my luggages and trying to find a not so crumpled work shirt, where there is none and I ended up with a plain brown T-shirt with a formal pants.. I tell you its a total waste of my time going through all these hussle. I went to the Infinity pool with the doctor (in the mean time got lost trying to find my way to the spa even though the island is indeed very small but being new and do not have the bearings of all the places yet, I have to create a manual bill, as the doctor told me that they do not have these kind of bill when they already have such bill in the computer!  A very good impression that I have on the doctor on my first day!!!) The journalists are all having their lunch and drinks with the GM and the Operation Manager, and did not even bother about us! what a waste of time.

After a short while, I left the area and went for lunch at the staff restaurant, the food here is much better than the previous resorts that I have been. After lunch I went to unpack partially my luggage and rest a while, go for tea break and went to the spa to start familiarize myself with the operations.

It’s much till that night that I went back to my room and call it a night. Now I am able to enjoy the plasma TV and due to ignorance, I tolerated a few days of cold shower, unknowing that they have to turn to the left for the hot water… haha.. Yes.. blur me..Now is just settling down to the momentum, and I am sure once I get familiarize with everything and everyone, its time to go again. Its seems that I shift resorts every 2 months.. how cool can this be, when I say I like travelling, this sure is! but to travel everytime with my 50kg luggages?..ops.. mum, I did not buy anything ok.. except for flip flops which is much needed and oh.. yeah.. I did buy a lot of food.. hehe.. instant noodles and coffee! sigh.. Well, we will see what the future holds for me. Regardless, I better enjoy these facilities that I am having now while it last! It seems I only have 1 month to enjoy as the news came that they will be taking over the spa beginning of 01 August.. sigh.. here I go again.. to home to somewhere else..?