Sunday 28 September 2014

bali....

view from restaurant in Ubud
I like Bali, I think its a peaceful sleepy little island that one can go to for relaxation and to unwind........well that was what it was like a few years ago.  I hardly took advantage of the close proximity  to visit often.  I was there in 2009 for a friends wedding and again,  last weekend.

There didn't seem so many people about in 2009 but last weekend it felt  almost claustrophobic.  The main tourist area of Kuta was crawling with tourists and the once quiet area of Seminyak was now bulging at the seams with  new restaurants and hotels on every corner.

rent the land?

After the bombings, people stayed away from Bali and it affected everyone's livelihood . Things started to get better and now Bali has become one of the "must do" destinations.  The place for everyone to come  looking for their eat pray love moment.
I know that with the tourists flocking back into Bali and all the new hotels opening up, it is good for the Balinese economy.

good quality plumbing........St Regis Bali
But I hate it....I hate that Bali is getting busier and crowded and full of people looking for cheap drinks and cheap thrills.                            I probably  sound like a broken record,  lamenting the loss of innocence and hoping that progress would slow down.

I guess if I had pots of money I would buy my own island and build a fabulous villa with good quality plumbing and nothing else on the island.

But that of course is just a dream.....like the rest of the world I have to jostle and fight my way to work each day and when on holiday we cram every bit of free time with forced relaxation on tranquil island havens that are fast disappearing.
Chasing the sunrise on whatever island retreat we go to, and posting it on facebook, instagram, or twitter or what ever social media that is the current hype.
I sound bitter....and I think I probably am.  tired of the rat race and hamster existence....
Oh for a a simple life......................
sunrise 


Thursday 18 September 2014

why cant we have sanitisers in all public toilets?

One of the biggest pet peeves  I have is the state of the public toilets/mall toilets in Singapore, and this isn't my first post about it either......

Women wont sit down on the seat but they hover over it and splash pee all over the toilet seat and the floor, as sitting on the toilet seat will give you a million diseases.

But does it? I consulted the sage of all sages ( Google) and read here what the WebMD said about what you can catch in a public restroom ( although why they call it rest rooms I dont know, one hardly rests in there)

yes I took a picture of the sanitiser at IKEA
I was at IKEA on Saturday and had to use the toilet and when I went into a cubicle,  I got a little cheap thrill....they had seat sanitisers in each cubicle!
They have them at the airport and at my favourite bar so why cant they have them in every single public toilet/mall toilet in the country.

We would of course,  have to have a public campaign teaching everyone how to use the sanitisers on the toilet seats.  To educate women so that they can finally put bottom on seat and pee comfortably.

One can dream about having piss free toilet seats and less puddles on the floor......

Friday 12 September 2014

home improvements...

I came home from work yesterday to find that I had a new sink and a new toilet....

When I first bought my flat in 1997, I didn't have the money to do any renovations or touch ups to the place.  Slowly over the years I have added new furniture (as opposed to having all the 2nd hand stuff) changed a few bits and bobs and now finally I am updating the toilets and sinks and giving the place a fresh coat of paint.

I gave the contractor a key, and I was a bit worried that I  let men into my home with free rein to wander around while I am at work... its a bit scary.
I wonder if they will go through my drawers and yes am terrified that they will manhandle my underwear.  Several people that I mention this to, think I am crazy, and some think its highly comical and some think that perhaps if they do want to rifle through my underwear I should be flattered.....

Its also scary as I am way out of my comfort zone....as in being in control of the painting and repairs and being there in the house while they do it.....

Painting started today and I had intended to take the morning off work and be there to make sure that everyone knew what they were supposed to do.  I gave them whatever  instructions were required and then I found that I was getting in their way, so I left them to it and went to work.  In reality they didnt need me there at all for any instructions.  I just stressed myself out with my need to be in control!

When I get home tonight I will have a freshly painted bedroom and the place will be in a mess.
 Its going to be total chaos with the painters coming in for the next few days but I am actually looking forward to having this mini home improvement done.

Time to go shopping for new curtains ......

Tuesday 2 September 2014

i wonder about me sometimes.......

So I discovered something new today

Not a new discovery that everyone would go Wow, that's fabulous..... but something that's been available for some time now but I just never though about doing......

Online grocery shopping....

I have been stressing about the fact that my lactose free skim milk is only available at one of the branches of the supermarket chain I shop at, not where I usually go do my food shopping.... so I have been planning my weekly shopping around the place that stocks gluten free cereal, then lactose free skim milk then the usual food shopping......
Its been driving me absolutely bat shit crazy trying to get all the groceries done and get the milk etc etc....

then I got a brain wave, why not see if the milk was available on the online shop, as not all the items I want to get is available for delivery.... The milk was available and so were all the heavy duty large items that took me two or three trips to the supermarket/ shops.  I could actually choose these household cleaning thingys, toilet paper, olive oil...all the large bulky items I stressed about getting as I don't drive and I do all the shopping on my own..
They fucking deliver on a Saturday too!

So yeah, I wonder how the hell I brought up two sons and have a job and pay my bills on time and yet couldn't figure that I would be less stressed if I did some of the shopping online....

in Singapore we call that a "slap head moment"