Still Jet Setting

Before anyone thinks I've forgotten about the blog, I wanted to post a quick message to say that I'm actually in Vietnam for about a week, so I probably won't update for a little while.

Me and three friends have been in Saigon for a few days, which has been awesome. Mostly consisting of eating, drinking, shopping for fake crap (I am the proud owner of at least two fake Lacoste shirts already), not to mention all the drinking by the rooftop pool at the hotel. It's actually around 1pm here and I'm already a bit tipsy. Rock on.

This afternoon we're hopping a flight to Nha Trang so we can relax for a few days at a beach resort. Because being drunk in Saigon has been oh so stressful.

Anyway, worst case scenario will mean I don't update for another week. Hang in there. I am sure there are more drunken idiots out there blogging that can hold you over in the meantime. I firmly recommend Vicki, if she isn't country hopping as well. And forgive me if this post seems a bit rushed, but Blogger seems to assume that because I am in Vietnam, that I actually read Vietnamese, and all of these funky characters are giving me a headache.

Jetlagged

In keeping with the apparent pattern of countries I have either just left or will soon be arriving in being hit mb hurricanes, tsunamis, and various other natural disasters, Jamaica was hit by Hurricane Dean this past weekend. I assume that my family is fine, as usual, so I will just be happy that this happened on a weekend other than the one that I was on the island.

Unfortunately I spent most of the daylight hours of the weekend sleeping, as I've completely given in to a bad case of jetlag from that trip. At this point I'm not sure I will bother getting over it, as I'm off on another overseas holiday on Thursday, this time to Vietnam. It was still a good weekend though. The brief recap:

FRIDAY

I actually had to leave work at 4.30 so I could go home and take a 2-hour nap before heading out for drinks. The night ended up being the usual silly entertainment, although the Trashbag Award definitely goes to Juice, who had given his brother (who was visiting from out of town) his house keys and ended up locked out and sleeping in a friend's car for the night. All the more entertaining because I often refer to him as homeless, and for a night, he actually was.

SATURDAY

I managed to remain awake for around two hours in the late morning on Saturday, before going back to bed and waking up just in time to meet friends for dinner.

We then headed to the Opera House to see Katie Tay as a member of the choir in Carmina Burana, which easily qualifies as my dose of culture for the rest of 2007.

I then headed off to Dome Bar for my cousin Emma's 21st birthday celebration. Although no one here can properly explain to me why turning 21 makes a difference in a country where people have been legally allowed to drink and do everything else since they were 18 (and have probably been drunk since around 15), it was a great time and included an open bar, which is always a favorite of mine. Around 2am "the kids" all headed off to keep partying in the Cross and I went home for more much needed sleep.

SUNDAY

Since it was pouring outside, I spent the day between the couch and the bed, once again sleeping most of the day. If only I could get away with that during work today...

Jamaican Me Crazy

Sorry about that. Couldn't help myself.

Anyway, I will admit that I'm not feeling that inspired, but here are my learnings from my trip to Jamaica (via LA) over the past week or so:

• It probably wouldn't kill me, just once, to start packing a little more than 20 minutes before I'm scheduled to leave for the airport
• LA is still a good time for short periods of time. Namely, 12 hours. And only because Bella was showing me around. Otherwise, I will still never understand why anyone chooses to live there.
• Thank god Air Jamaica makes it so easy to upgrade to First Class/Executive Business Class. Having said that, apart from bigger seats and better food, this really just means you don't end up sitting with the goats and chickens in the back.
• A 4-hour layover in any airport is painful. A 4-hour layover in an airport without air conditioning or most first-world amenities? Excruciating.
• Apparently when my father and his bride advised that it would be a "simple, casual country wedding", this description included 270 guests and renting out what resembled a small castle near Port Antonio on the north coast. Obviously.
• Keeping to form, I was advised that I would essentially serve as best man (carry the ring, walk down the aisle)...about 4 minutes before the ceremony was meant to start. I will simply be grateful that I wasn't expected to come up with a speech.
• No matter how many times I return to Jamaica, I somehow get a sunburn every single time I go there after saying things like "Eh, it's pretty cloudy...I'm sure I'll be fine." Here's hoping I remember this for the next trip.
• Even after paying to upgrade on the way back to LA, Air Jamaica was no help whatsoever when I explained that the 2.5 hour delay on my flight was possibly going to make me miss my connection in LA. Such a charming airline, I must say.
• I barely made my last flight back to Sydney, but was rewarded by getting my points upgrade to Business Class, which was better than sleeping in my own bed. Flying economy on a budget airline next week to Vietnam is going to be that much harder.

Anyway, I returned to Sydney safely yesterday morning, and lasted about 4 hours at work before giving up and going home to sleep, although I may have managed to make it out for a few drinks later on...social obligations and all. Don't hold your breath for Jamaica pictures though.

Back In A Week, Mon

I'm off to Jamaica tomorrow (with a decent stopver in LA to hang out with Belle) for my father's rather inconveniently timed wedding. I also bought a new camera this week, so I will try to make good use of it, although I have a feeling most pictures of this trip will involve me laying around on beaches reading Harry Potter. Not exactly the most riveting stuff, but I'll see what kind of trouble I can dig up for you. See you next Thursday.

You Can Quote Me On That

Banx has demanded that I start keeping a record of things I say that she finds utterly obnoxious and ridiculous.

Apparently Saturday's choice quotes included:

"Well, really, if I got dumped I don't really care at this point, cause I would still know I'm awesome."

"They can't resent me. It's not my fault I'm hot."

"Sometimes I get really worried that I talk too much and dominate conversations. But then I'm like, whatever, I'm really funny and interesting so I'm sure no one minds."


I would like to go on record as stating that I was rather intoxicated when all of these things were said. It was 2 in the afternoon, after all.

Trashbag

I'm still a little appalled at how much I had to drink this weekend, especially considering I really thought I had a chance at making this my first (relatively) quiet weekend in a long time.

Friday night just went from casual drinks after work with colleagues into making a complete ass out of myself with Murphy at a gathering for Fry and her coworkers. Fortunately Murphy was the bigger jackass. After shocking and insulting most of my work friends, he proceeded to continuously refer to Fry's colleagues as unemployed, which might not have been so bad if it wasn't the same day that they had all been given three months notice. (Fry returned the favor by calling Murphy fat all night.)

Saturday I woke up with a hangover like I haven't had in a while, and barely managed to pull myself together for 11am brunch with Banx and Cathy. So how we ended up at The Golden Sheaf drinking bottles of wine for 4 hours is beyond me. As much fun as it was, it probably wasn't the best idea considering I was attending Sesame's dinner party that night. My night ended around 2am after some trashy dancing and topped off with NY-style pizza on the way home. All class.

And Sunday...now after two nights like that, you'd think that just maybe I could refrain from drinking again, but you'd be wrong. I called Fry, thinking I would stop by her apartment to chat for a little, and ended up at Gazebo Bar in The Cross downing more bottles of wine and even a little sangria.

Therefore, today is meant to be my one alcohol-free day, since tomorrow night I have to attend a dinner, and I'm off on holidays on Wednesday, where I won't have anything pesky like work the next day to stop me from drinking like an even bigger idiot.

Australia, I'm Sorry

I actually feel just a teeny bit guilty at the moment. The reason is that I went to have my taxes done this week, and I will be getting a refund well over $5,000.

While I was expecting a pretty good refund due to my medical bills from the hernia surgery earlier this year, I will admit here and now (and anonymously on the Internet, because I'm brave like that) that I may have stretched the truth just a tad.

My worst offence was easily claiming my iPod as a work-related expense. Although I would like to state that this could be valid, as an iPod could be used as a file storage device for work materials, or maybe doing client research via podcasts, etc.

Anyway, most people here have cursed my name for supposedly stealing money from a country that I'm not even from. So I will be reflecting on my horrible lies over the weekend, between some shopping and buying everyone bottles of champagne. I'm a good person that way.

Designer Doctor

I've been a little under the weather lately, which is very uncharacteristic of me. Generally I feel fine, but my throat has been a bit sore and my right tonsil is about three times the size of the left.

Yesterday I decided it was about time to head to the doctor and make sure I'm not in need of medication or anything serious. I was going to go to my usual doctor, however he is off near where I used to live, which would have been totally inconvenient. So I asked friends which doctors they use, and Sesame's seemed to be the most convenient, location-wise.

Now I generally have a lot in common with Sesame. We both appreciate a higher quality of living, and will be the last two in that group of friends to cut corners and compromise on anything that might cause us any discomfort. However, when directions to a doctor's office include "just next to Armani" and "upstairs from Paspaley Pearls", even my expensive tastes aren't enough to keep from being just a little wary.

I showed up to the office, and it was possibly the nicest doctor's office I've ever been to. Tastefully designed, great music, lovely views. I almost felt like someone was about to come out to serve me a glass of champagne on a velvet cushion or something.

It ended up being about 40% more expensive than a regular doctor's visit, but much like traveling First Class, I'm not sure I will be able to downgrade from this experience, and I'm planning to go back in the next few days for my travel vaccinations.

Oh and I'm not dying or anything -- this is just what happens when you drink for 2 weeks straight, apparently.