Monday, December 22, 2008

Merry Christmas, Ho Ho Ho and Festive Occasions!

Hi everyone

Well one last blog for the year and I hope it reaches you all before you head off on your Christmas holidays, or in Our Bev’s case before all those guests turn up wanting shurry and turkey on call.

It’s the same old saying really isn’t it “where the hell did last year go?” I’m another year older, but am I any the wiser”?

As you all know 2008 has obviously been a big year of change for us and most of it has been fantastic with the odd question about whether we did the right thing. We’ve been really lucky with finding a nice place to live and work, as well as play with some fantastic new, as well as old friends. Singapore is certainly an easy place to settle into once you get used to the heat (although it’s been almost chilly of late as we head towards the end of the rainy season) and realization that this place really is about shopping and air conditioning!

Our travels have been great as we’ve made full use of Singer’s location slap bang in the middle of Asia. G has been to some interesting (and even some exotic!) places for work, our week end dive trips to Tioman have been highlights for us, and our last trip of the year to Borneo to see the Orangutans in their natural environment was truly awe inspiring and emotional. We went for the long week end and stayed in Sarawak, which is the capital of Borneo, but in reality is no more than a sleepy, self-sufficient village with a few big hotels built on the riverfront. The first day was spent just mooching about the place, and on the Sunday we caught the early morning bus out to the rain forest where the orangutans live. Whilst this is a sanctuary, and the rangers tempt them to “come out and play for the crowd” with breakfast and dinner, this is their natural habitat and they are at will to come and go whenever they want. We were kept behind a wooden fence whilst they came down for food, but then as they started to wander we were able to follow them. Suduku who is a mum and grandmother came very close to us clutching one of her wee grandchildren and we walked up the main pathway with her, literally only feet away - awesome! Most people went back to their hotels after the morning feeding sessions, but we hung around for the afternoon feeding as well and were rewarded by meeting Ritchie, a bloody, big male “King of the Hill” ball of orange fur. He is quite magnificent and took delight in eating fruit and spitting the pips at us as we stood under a tree gawking at him. A few of the younger brood also swung by showing off their gymnastic flair and ability to pee at us from a great height! After a while we walked back to where the bus would pick us up and as we were about to drive off, another big orange ball came ambling out of the bush right next to the van, stopped, posed for a few photos, then ambled off in the opposite direction. It’s fantastic to get so close to these animals as this is not a zoo, and these animals have not been trained in any way. We were warned quite clearly that they are not tame and to keep our distance from them, not to touch them and let them just do their own thing. This is the closest we will ever get to see these animals in their natural environment, especially as Borneo and Sumatra are the only places left on this planet where they still live freely and breed – we’ve destroyed their habitat everywhere else. It was a very humbling and special trip for us. I took lots of photos, and have added some so you too can enjoy an “up close and personal” experience with a lovely, hairy person other than your current partner!!

What’s Hot
Christmas celebrations of course, but only for one day. Unlike the Southern Hemisphere where you get the chance to take a long, hard earned summer break, Christmas Day is the only day off (not even Boxing Day!), so most people take in the spirit it’s meant, swapping pressies with family and friends, or whooping it up in a posh hotel – of which we will be doing the latter! A friend of G’s (who just happens to be Welsh – they get bloody everywhere don’t they??) whose been in Singers for 8 years always organizes an “Orphans Xmas Dinner” whereby he books a big table at one of the top hotels and anyone wishing to can pay their money, turn up, and eat as much posh nosh as they can possibly manage, swilled down with as much Mumm champagne as they can possibly manage in 3 hours. Not quite Oliver Twist I know, but sounds like us, so that’s what we’ll be doing. Thank goodness I’m the only one in the office on Boxing Day as the guy I work with has taken the day off.

What’s Not
Not all that sparkles is quite so bright in Singapore. Like everywhere else, there’s particular caution being displayed by the super-spenders, and for a nation of shoppers the tills aren’t ringing quite so loudly this year. Retail is down and pre Christmas sales (unheard of before) are on the up. The retailers associations are trying everything to get people to open their wallets with bargains, and even live shows being performed in some of the bigger malls, and whilst people are still visiting to malls in their droves (they do anyway!), they’re more interested in browsing and bargain hunting than trying to win this years “Big Spenders” award.

So, who knows what is around the corner for any of us next year. Best not to dwell on that and simply have a safe and happy Christmas with people we care about, coz that’s more important than any latest widget, gadget, pair of sox or handkerchief that some lucky person might receive on 25th.

And finally…..
All that remains is for us to wish you all the very best for 2009. Take care of each other, travel safe and have lots and lots of fun and champers over the next few weeks.

Look forward to hearing all your news and stories soon.

Cheers then
J & G