Gearing up in Saigon

24-27 March 2008

In Saigon for a three day communications workshop, I got more acquainted with the city and started to appreciate its good parts. Stayed in Duxton Hotel right in the heart of town and caught up with colleagues like Joseph, Sam and Nam.

The speakers were very solid and the course well-run, but naturally the highlights were checking out the city at night. Our welcome dinner was lovely, if very formal, in a garden oasis wedding venue with palm trees, a lake and a cool breeze, welcome respite from the bustling streets outside.

On Tuesday the four of us and a new girl Joyce, from Shanghai, hit up a quality beer garden and got into the baby bird eggs, suckling pig and hot pot garden action along with a case of Tiger on ice. Discovered a funky (if slightly sharky) club and had a few rounds of draught while enjoying some Young MC and Jungle Brothers from the DJ! Followed that up with a local disco (very loud, lots of fruit) and got to bed at a respectable 2am.

Wednesday we had the full dinner and market visit which was surprisngly tame: premium beer garden for dinner, mainstream beer garden for follow-up (like a well-lit and comfortable hawker centre with armies of competing brand promoters) where I discovered the joys of spring onion stalks in your beer mug (looks crazy and you chew on it - good for men), then a road-side 'low seat' outlet. Tried Biere Larue, a recent addition to our portfolio and a strategic mainstream brand with a hundred year heritage, along with some yummy fried pregnant fish.

Checked out Apocalypse, back near the Saigon River, a pretty trashy place filled with tourists and selling canned (!) beer before winding up on the roadside with Jo Yeong and discussing life the universe and everything APB over some Tiger and chicken's feet. Got four hours sleep, powered my way through the last day of the workshop, and now kicking it in the airport lounge on a short hop to Bangkok.

Dialing up the DINK-hood

8-15 March 2008

After a hectic start to the year, I was able to push out a bunch of work and celebrate the 2008 FTR (replete with the hand-made durian brew Beereno and roast hoggart), before jumping onto a short flight to Phuket with Jamie. The occasion? The March school holidays and possibly our last DINK holiday for a while.

We made the most of it by doing absolutely nothing - spent three nights at Kamala on Phuket, then travelled by ferry via Ko Phi Phi to Ko Lanta. There at Long Beach we had a blissful week of sleeping, eating, reading and the occasional swim.

The sun was baking hot and the tom yum went down well, especially with Jamie's craving for spicy food, courtesy of the 3 month old being inside her growing steadily. Lounging in the shade, the occasional massage, and long sunset walks made this the ultimate in slothful living.