Aman Resorts I Love

Sometimes, when I need to relax or destress in an instant, I go to my Pinterest board of Places. This is where I pin beautiful places from around the world (mostly hotels and selected villas - I think!), and I just need to take a look and imagine myself at that place to feel relaxed -w-

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For the longest time, the above photo was the wallpaper on my phone. I love the beach, and the palm trees, the signature hotel breakfast and the unexpected elephant in the path. So serene! The photo is from Amanwella Resort in Sri Lanka. 

Nice right nice right.

Amanwella is part of the Aman group of resort, which owns and runs properties in various exotic destinations: Bhutan, Greece, China, Japan, etc. Each resort/retreat's architecture and style is rooted in the history and culture of the location it is set in. For example, Amangalla, the other Aman in Sri Lanka has beautiful colonial styled architecture - harking back to the history of the nation, I believe.

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I must say, this other Aman property is off the hook: Aman Summer Palace, located "just a few steps" away from the East Gate of Beijing's Summer Palace :O say what!!!

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Then there's the collection of five Aman lodges in one of the most secluded nations of the world: Amankora in Bhutan. So secluded I couldn't find much photos of this resort or any of its lodges.

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But I must say the first Aman resort I discovered was actually the one in Utah - Amangiri. This would be, without a doubt, one of the hotels I would love to check in to, just for the unique experience and opportunity to say "I've been there".

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Closer to home, you will be able to find at least one Aman in Thailand and a few in Indonesia. Amanusa in Bali in particular reminds me a lot of Datai Langkawi - and no wonder, both properties were designed by same famed architect, Kerry Hill.

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The collection of Aman resorts around the world, each with a signature Aman touch but also unique to its location and built with world-class architecture, reminds me somewhat of Sekeping properties in Malaysia - but on a larger scale. *contented sigh*

Here's a cheat sheet of all Aman hotels, resorts & retreats: 

5 minute interview with myself

Q: Why haven't you been blogging?
A: Blogging hasn't been a priority lately. Even more worryingly, I have not been journalling or writing in my diary.

Q: For how long?
A: A very long time! I was surprised at the huge gaps I left since April in my diary. Usually I'd write in my diary at least once a week to update and remind myself of the funny, interesting and unique things that happened.

Q: How does that make you feel?
A: It makes me feel sad, actually. Beyond what I wrote or posted on Facebook (which is quite sparse), I don't really remember what happened in between. What have I made of the time given to me? I had not recorded it and have no way of saying whether I used it well.

Q: Do you know what caused the gap?
A: I think it was life getting in the way, but mostly, because I didn't put it as my priority (You know how people say "I'm too busy to do x, I'm too busy to meet y, I'm too busy to start z"? It's not that they are too busy - it's just that they don't see x, y and z as priority. If you really wanted or had to do it, you would do it, no matter how much or little time you have. The rest are excuses). But I have been facing some mental blocks lately which is very frustrating. I don't know how to overcome it because I don't know if this mental block is real or I just made it up.

Q: What are you listening to on Spotify?
A: OMG I thought you'd never ask! I have this one playlist which I played almost ALL the time I was driving (so like twice a day) and it only has 24 songs. I'm a bit siao like that because when I find a song I like I will listen to it multiple times because I like it, and also because I'm too complacent to find new songs. Spotify will list these as most played: one dance, mome's aloha, goldroom's embrace, flume's never be like you, cheap thrills, pity party, (IKR LIKE WHO HAVE I BECOME i actually considered going for ultra singapore LOL) and billie ellish's ocean eyes (astronomyy edit). I like ocean eyes because it's calm and makes me calm in jams/helps me not to rage drive. kk here you go:

a week in april

It's been a long week at work, so let's talk about non-work related stuff.

Weather's been crazy hot lately and the added haze from peat fires don't help. If you don't use air cond while sleeping, like me, you'll sleep on a burning bed and wake up with sweat on your back. Though there was one night this week (Thursday?) where I woke up quite cold. Me gusta.

Started the week off on Sunday night with dinner with my mum at Nando's. Surprising how empty it was - I had always expected eateries to be packed to the brim on weekend nights! "Middle of the month ma, not pay day yet," my mum said. Ahhhh no wonder.

Then we (I) made a big purchase and applied for some financial stuff because it made more long and short term sense than the other financial stuff I was holding now.

In the middle of the week I took up Spotify's RM2 for 3 months of Premium offer and didn't look back. Wow. How did I live with Spotify free before this? How can I go back to free when I've tasted Premium? RM15/month though - to make it worth my $ I'll need to open it at least once a day, every day. #engchoon

Then I bought a float from Pink and Proper. I hope it arrives to the office when I'm at the office and when someone is there to welcome it (no receptionist yet since we shifted to Level 5 three weeks ago).

Basically I used up my 2016 Q1 shopping quota this week :D

Can't wait to unplug for realz next week, ugh. Been cursing SO MUCH and UGH-ing so much at work, it's not funny anymore. Get me a swear jar, please.

The Leal Senado Building, Macau

This is the Leal Senado in Macau. It is a legislative building in the city and overlooks Senado Square, a popular tourist hotspot you can't miss while in Macau (the last photo in this post, with the iconic black and yellow mosaic). Today, the Leal Senado houses an exhibition gallery/museum and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

It is open to visitors daily, and when I was there, provided a respite from the drizzle outside. When here, walk to the garden at the back which houses a bust of Luis Vas de Camoes, a Portuguese poet who was also an officer in Macau back in the days.

I love the blue and white tiles present throughout the building - a common art style among the Portuguese, which also lends an air of serenity throughout. 

just one of those days

"some days are just not worth living", my emo mind made its statement loudly at 7pm, while i sat immobile in my car, two hours after i departed KL and still hadn't reached home.

"days are just not worth living", today was just one of those days, that bump on the road, a dip, the valley, a roadblock, that annoying piece of sheet you just want to burn and watch burn to ashes.

"just not worth living", when your present makes your future look bleak, and you dread each hour and minute.

"not worth living", when the world is too busy spinning to notice, and all you want is for someone to say "don't worry about today, man"

"worth living" 

these are the kind of days to find your own meaning

paranoia

i can't help but feel like every time i write something here, someone's out there, scrutinizing every sentence and reading too much into every word.

is that you?

truth

One thing I wish I knew when I was younger is the importance and function of the truth. It's very important to know the truth of the values you hold to be true to yourself. I'm not saying this to sound like I know it all, and neither do I know all values which I hold true, but I do know that it is important to know your TRUTH. When challenges and tough times come, you will know the true North Star within you which holds you and grounds you, and keeps you anchored. It is not to give you self-righteousness, nor does it give you the right to look down on others. So many times have I found courage and strength within the Truth that I hold in me, and so many times has it been a solace - especially evident when no one seems to be in the same boat as I am,

"you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Reminiscing 2015

This post is to remember the fun stuff I did this year.

Travels
- Traveled to Bintan, Indonesia and Singapore with Jon & his parents
- Traveled to Macau and had the best time ever
- Weekend trip to Penang with fam (minus one sis)
- Day trip to Sekinchan with fam
- White water raft-ed at company retreat @Gopeng

Relationship
- LDR'd it up with Jon (1 year of LDR this February!)
- Got to be a bridesmaid, TWICE!

Work
- Had most expensive meals at Zipangu and Strato @ Troika. Thanks, work.
- Left with 4 annual leaves at end of Dec (this never happened while at work. I always took over the amount!)

Skillz
- Learnt how to skate and got gifted a longboard <3
- Gained additional knowledge on personal financial management
- Was enrolled in a 3 month leadership program which was truly beneficial

I also had disappointments this year but why mull over it when mulling over good times is way better?

I tell people that December has been a busy month for me, but truth be told, it was not a busy month for me. It was a normal month with the same amount of workload, but I consciously chose not to prioritize my life portions better, and instead allowed myself and my time to be swept up in the waves of work. In the midst of all that, I lost touch, denied myself what truly mattered and regretted some of the decisions I made. Now I know better. God first, everything else later. I don't care what you think.

Through last days of December, I also quietly observed my one year anniversary at my workplace. Awesome. It's been an awesome year. On the first day of my job in 2014, I told myself: One year. I'll give myself one year to see what social media is like in another agency, how they run things, and see how much I can learn and grow here. I want to see how far I can run in one year. After that, I will choose to do what my heart desires - work and travel overseas, help my mum with her job, find a job in Klang. Now that the one year is up, I realized that it wasn't really a goal I had given to myself. It was just an aim. I can't even measure how far I moved because that goal wasn't measurable. Because of that, I am somewhat still at square one - the same place where I was in 2014.

I did manage to give some time and thought to what I would want to achieve for 2016. I want to be able to go overseas for an extended period of time this year, preferably for a year, and preferably to work and travel. Be a fruitful person, be part of the solution. I want to be able to be someone who can help others be who they are meant to be. I want to help people pay their bills and not worry about their finances.

I want to be a loan shark.

Meritus Pelangi Resort, Langkawi: Quite Possibly the Best Hotel on Cenang

Meritus Pelangi Beach Resort & Spa is quite possibly the best (and only) 5 star hotel along the popular Cenang Beach in Langkawi. If you want a super nice place to stay in Langkawi and your budget is USD250/night, this is the place. Seriously guys. So good I cannot. We stayed there a year ago as winnings of the #SkytrexSelfie contest. HEHE

Kenneth awkwardly freezing as he realizes too little too late that he's caught in a panorama shot

Decent room, classy furnishing 

A little sitting area which the third bed was set up on

the ultra luxe toilet. so huge it had a closet and a small bench to the left. no bathubs cos who needs them when you're in langkawi?!? 

at the outside balcony

everything just looks better when you're on holiday. even a normal kampung scene

one of the reasons why i love meritus so much is the kid's splash area. it's a huge area with this foamy material on the floor that is always surrounded by water but not submerged by it. reminds me of when we were kids and the car porch at home would be flooded just for fun. of course i spent most of my time here

hot dao cannot open eyes, but the weather, so beautiful, just see the pics below:

the beachside bar and the gorgeous view *heart eyes emoji*

the beach is SWEET like sugar, man. not only is it one of the more secluded portions of the popular cenang beach, it's got a beautiful view of the small islands across the waters. plane spotters would also enjoy its close proximity to the airport - planes regularly whizzed by whenever we were there.

HEUHEUHEUHEU

Read more: Meritus Pelangi Breakfast Buffet

Why I Blog

Why am I still blogging here? I write here to remember the things I publish on this little blog. One year from now, two years from now, I can remember the things I chose to share with you. I write here to share the lessons I have learnt from parts of my life - and I hope if you read it, something will help you where you are. I write here to record the observations from my travels (however bare), to tie a value to it.

I write here to have something to look back upon.

I write here because I can :)

5 Scandalous Lessons I Learnt in the Last 90 Days

Be mindful.
Be mindful about what you think/do/hear/say/act upon, because every one of your actions either bring you closer to your goals or further away from it

Ubuntu is a living, breathing thing.
Treat it well and practice it daily. Don't abscond it to second position because "you can do it better/faster". A little teamwork goes a very, very long way.

It's not impossible. 
Really. It's not. You just have to set your mind to it and do it. And ask for help - it's always there. You just need to ask.

Resentment and guilt kills you.
So just move on already!

Know what you want.
Know what you want.


*Actually I learnt more than 5 lessons.

#mymacau | Long Wa Tea House, Macau

One of the more charming spots we visited while in Macau was this 60-year old tea house, Long Wa Tea House. Known by its Portuguese name, Casa de Cha Long Wa (casa = house, cha = tea?), this establishment hasn't aged a day! It even has its own Lonely Planet page.

We started our day here with a hearty dim sum breakfast, washed down with top quality Chinese teas. Their specialty teas include the Dong Zeng "dancing tea", Guan Yin tea and other various teas.

Food-wise, we had a very local breakfast. Due to its proximity to Hong Kong/China and similarities in culture, you will find that the Chinese cuisine in Macau doesn't differ too much from either. We had tasty whole steamed chicken, stuffed brinjal (my favourite!), fried flat noodles with beef, something like Cantonese yin yong (so yummy), pork buns, siew mai and steamed cake.

As you can see, Long Wa has a super cool vintage vibe that's been well preserved, right down to the Mao Zedong posters on the wall. What I love about this place is also its large windows that let in natural light. It's a perfect spot for whiling the day away or to grab a quick breakfast before hitting Macau's city center! Add this to your must-visit while in Macau. 

learn unlearn relearn [20 sep]

Self-denial vs. denial of self's desires

The Best Sleep I've Ever Had: Sheraton Macau Hotel at Cotai Central Review

I was invited on a trip to Macau recently and was put up in Sheraton Macao on Cotai Central. Cotai is the name of the reclaimed land in Macau, and is where popular attractions like the Venetian, Galaxy, City of Dreams and soon-to-be-opened Studio City are located. This particular Sheraton has over 3,000 rooms spread across two towers – Earth and Sky, and holds the record of being the biggest hotel in Macao (at time of publishing), and the biggest Sheraton in the world.

The hotel room I was put in, the Deluxe Club, allows check in from the Club Lounge on Level 4 – a quiet respite from the bustling lobby on the ground floor, which overlooks the casino. This is truly welcome, because the amount of human traffic on the ground floor is unbelievable!  At check-in, we received a small glass of cold juice and a cold towel, before being ushered to our rooms. Guests with Club privileges also had buffet breakfast on the Club Lounge floor.

My room was 2850, an almost-pool facing room on the 28^th floor that was located at quite a walk away from the elevators. Deluxe Club rooms come with a signature Sheraton Sweet Sleeper bed, which has been touted to reduce fatigue and improve blood circulation (But then again, you may argue that those are effects of sleep in general, hahaha). Anyway, you know it’s going to be a fantastic sleep when your bed has its own paragraph in the hotel press release. And I’ve been raving to anyone who would listen that it’s the best bed I’ve ever had.

There are the usual amenities you’ll find in a hotel room – TV, minibar, writing desk blah blah blah. Extras I spotted were the iPod dock and a folding ironing board (which I had difficulty opening and ended up using flat on the floor) and torchlight in the cupboard. Terry cloth slippers, bathrobes, hangers (that are not attached to the cupboard, yay!) and a digital safe make up the rest of the lighted cupboard’s contents. Shampoos are Sheraton branded (mandarin and mint scented, so yummy!), bottles of water available for your consumption (no idea why they placed these in the toilet, of all places). 

(I didn't see it, but) the Family Suites in Sheraton Macao are something special for the kids. Not only are there bedrooms for kids, but these are kid-sized and kid-themed bedrooms! I’m not sure if it’s Kungfu Panda, Shrek, How to Train Your Dragon or Madagascar, but the kid’s bedrooms are decorated with merchandise/bedsheets from these Dreamworks animations.

There are two fabulous pools for your use. My room was facing the Jaya pool, which was closed on the day I wanted to see it. The other pool, Sala, is a more family-friendly attraction. I say attraction because it had, like, 9 pools scattered around. Some were free-form, there was one that was slim and thin, and others surrounded cabanas. Some of the cabanas were decked out in Dreamworks animation wallpapers and had kid-sized tables and chairs in them, so cute!

Sheraton is connected to two other hotels (Conrad and Sands) through the Shoppes, a network of shopping malls. The Shoppes that connects these three are “Shoppes at Cotai Central”, and across the street you will find two other Shoppes – “Shoppes at Four Seasons” and "Shoppes at Venetian”.

I enjoyed my stay at Sheraton very much and would recommend it for any traveler looking for a place to stay in Macau, for its satisfactory accommodation, excellent location and host of amenities that are great for the whole family. Tourism as a whole in Macau is booming and growing at a very quick pace, and hoteliers have already established themselves all over the island - so you as a tourist will actually be spoilt for choice!

Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?

Why do bad things happen to good people? The same reason why good things happen to bad people. We will never know. 

Speaking from my own experience, I don't take being a Christian to mean that I will be blessed all the time and only good things will happen to me. I know that sometimes, not so good things will happen to me. And those moments, moments in which things don't work out the way I think or believe they should, keep me grounded and drawn towards God. In those times, I come to realize the brevity of my being and the frailty of life, and I find myself drawing closer to the only thing I know real and reliable - God himself. To put it simply, it is a humbling experience.

Philosophical reasoning aside, I personally don't know why God inflicts pain in the form of starvation and poverty on the many peoples on the earth (And I have a problem when people start framing their sentences as God "inflicting" something on someone, because that phrasing itself already sets the up observer against God). But I do know that blaming God for the injustices of this world, most of which are man-made, is a futile effort. You can do it all you want but it's not going to bring you any sort of satisfaction. Besides, the earth is a fallen place, full of sinners like me. If you are straight up denying God and the tenets of faith like truth, righteousness and justice, yet expect God to answer to your question, I don't know man, maybe it's time to read a book. 

My Experience at The Canopi Glamping Resort, Bintan Island

This is a very rare moment where I get to pretend I am a travel blogger so bear with me. 

Thank you to Jon & his family for the hospitality and invite n__n

Bintan Island is a popular island in Indonesia that is most commonly accessed via Singapore due to its proximity, and is not to be mistaken with Batam island (also an Indonesian island close to Singapore). Bintan is also home to popular beachside/island resorts such as Banyan Tree Resort & Spa, Sanchaya Resort and Club Med Bintan, hence its popularity with Singaporeans (or is it because the Singaporeans came, so these resorts were built? Hmmm) Quite 5 star lah. The island also has a lot of attractions - such as the 500 Lohan sculptures, temples and historic chapels, along with mangrove tours and eco farms.

The Canopi is a brand-new boutique, glamping-themed resort on Bintan Island. Glamping is glamorous camping - camping in the outdoors with all the comforts and more of a resort. Besides the unique glamping feature (where you stay in a literal tent!), the unique thing about #TheCanopi is its location tethering the Crystal Lagoon - South East Asia's largest salt water man-made lagoon!

Here's a look at how each of the glamping tents looks like. Take note of the safari-themed items (like the chest of drawers, standing lamps and chairs - too cute!)!

The walls (thick fabric) can be rolled up to reveal the surroundings. We had a lagoon view tent. Other tents behind us (no lagoon view) had outdoor Jacuzzi tubs

Open air shower because what else would you expect from camping?

Toiletries are generic...would have been cute to be Body Shop/L'Occitane :D

Super cute stationery. Would be better if there were a Sumatran Rhino or Komodo Dragon paperweight :D OMG I should just open a boutique hotel consultancy

Since I have no caption for this - Jon said "Wah this is like Camporama man. Can hear people talking outside the tent"

The great thing about The Canopi is that there's a whole host of activities to get into at the resort itself. Loan a scooter or a Segway and loop around the lagoon, or buckle up to ride a muddy circuit with one of their UTVs. You can also tour the lagoon with a cute little pick up or in their solar-powered yacht. There is also a water sports section (with inflatable trampolines, mini pyramid etc) further down the resort, which was still under development.

My analysis of The Canopi:

• Great, tastefully decorated rooms
• Nice touch to provide 2 umbrellas 
• Dunno why but I got fabric burns on the soles of my feet from the carpet (a sort of hemp material). Should provide terry cloth slippers 
• Needs welcome drinks or a plate of cold fruits for arriving guests :D
• A welcome kit would have been fantastic! It would contain a map of the resort ala treasure map, a to-do list of items ala activity sheet (would be so cute for the kids), ponchos, a picnic mat (both can be Canopi branded lolol).
• There should also be an add-on option on their booking website for BBQ food. We saw many guests bringing in their own booze and food to cook in the pits

On that last note, the food selection at the resort is quite sparse (western food plus a few local offerings) that range from RM30 onwards (yeah sorry I am not familiar with Indonesian rupiah). If you want snacks and booze, better buy them at the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal before departing. Otherwise you'll have to drive to the closest town centre (which consists of a few shops and a hawker centre) to get some food.  You can also get kek lapis from here. There is also another town about half an hour away from the area but we weren't looking to go that far. Also, they do NOT accept SGD any longer so please convert your cash into IDR (there's a money changer at the terminal).

Still no caption, so...Indonesian time is one hour behind Singapore/Malaysia's

Check out my latest post on The Edison Hotel, Penang and why it's my favourite stay in Penang to date.

The Canopi website

5 Things I Should Have Done with my Income

A little background as to why this is my topic of choice: This year, two very important things happened to me which helped me to take better control of how I spend my money. The first is a short prep talk by Jeevan Sahadevan, and the second is a Compass course (which I am still in the process of completing).

Unbeknownst to me, most of my income was spent at Mr. DIY monthly

After working for four years (going into year 5, come September!), I still have not achieved any amount of financial independence and freedom that I thought I would have by the time I were an adult. How embarrassing.

All of this boils down to poor financial education. 

(Despite my stupid financial education, I have two things to take pride in - first, my strict regime in handling credit cards. I didn't get one until last year, and only then used it to pay for petrol and NOTHING ELSE. I always made sure I paid off the dues on the day it is due, or earlier. The second thing is the routine payment of my car loan.)

Today I share with you the 5 additional things I would have told myself about my income when I first started working.

1. Do not touch the money in the EMERGENCY SAVINGS account

Ideally, we should put 10% or more of our monthly income into a savings account. The purpose of this account is to have reserve money on hand, in the event of an emergency. Some people can save up to 30% of their income, but I would recommend you start with 5 or 10% and work your way upwards. 

For me, for the past years of working, I was disciplined in putting aside that money, but had little discipline in what defines an "emergency". Holiday with the girls? Sale at Cotton On? Birthday treat for myself? Anything and everything warranted a use for the extra money. I depleted my savings very, very quickly.

Now I know better. This money is not to be used for debts, expenditure, treats or holidays. It's to be used in the event of a job loss or economical instability, or to be put towards the down payment of my first property purchase, or to be used for my further education. It's very boring, but very necessary! 

2. Create a FUN JAR

I would have put aside about 10% (or however much I could afford to put aside for that month) into a FUN JAR. This Fun Jar would fund my FUN stuff, like the things I mentioned in point 1 - holiday with my friends, buy stuff at the Cotton On sale, or treat myself on my birthday. 

Another plus point is that this amount can snowball. It's not like I go on a holiday every month - so at the end of three months, I could have as much as 30% of my income in my FUN JAR to spend! I highly recommend doing this alongside your emergency savings account. 

3. Manage the 90% as well as you manage the 10%

It has been indoctrinated in me that 10% of my income belongs to God and goes to tithes. As we tithe or pay our zakat, we are actually saying to God, "thank You for the sustenance and provision". So you can say that giving is a form of worship. 

I have been religiously giving 10% of my income to the church every month, without much thought to how I spend the remainder 90%. This year, I have been taught that all 100% belongs to God. I am merely a steward of the money that I have, and I have been a sucky steward of the 90%. MIND BLOWN! This principle (from Compass) changed the way I looked at my finances and how I manage it. 

4. Create a financial goal

It can be modest or outrageous, but have something to focus your energy and effort towards. Here are a few popular ones for those who are new in the workplace:

- Pay off student loans 

- Pay off hire purchase (car loan) ahead of time

- Set aside one month's salary in emergency savings

- Have a retirement plan (PRS)

And this one, I highly recommend to everyone to do - give your parents some money every month. They paid for the cost of your life, man. A small token for them each month would make them happy that you thought about them. It's not the amount, it's the thought.

5. Get a financial adviser/mentor

This person would not be a financial consultant, or a unit trust rep nor my insurance agent, but someone older, wiser and with more experience than me, who can help me plan out my finances with their great counsel. Uncles, aunties, your parents, your parent's friends. 

Mostly, I spoke with my mother regarding my monthly expenditure, but I do wish there were more people I could bounce my thoughts off with. "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed."

Finally, I hope you will be able to be content in whatever state you feel you are in - like Liz Lemon here.

Okay that's all for this series! I hope you learnt something.