Once again, I’m on a flight back out to Hanoi and apart from staring out on the window or squinting my eyes at the tiny screen on my iPod Classic, I reckoned a 14.1 inch of my R60 would be far more comfortable. Or at least I thought so. A little bulky and a tad too heavy, the larger screen on this ThinkPad does have it’s benefits at times. The fact that the passenger in front of me has his chair leaned backwards basically means I have only 2/3 of my laptop on the tray table.

SingNet had a promotion for new sign-ups and re-contracts on broadband plans with a brand new X60. Well, I contemplated and hesitated for a weekend too long. Just when I decided to go grab the 12.1 inch machine and extend my subscription for an additional 30 months, SingNet pulled the X60 and replaced it with a Macbook instead. Don’t get me wrong, I always thought it would be cool to have a Mac. Actually, I would prefer the Macbook Pro. Trouble is, when it comes to software, I’m in trouble since everyone else in the office is on Windows XP or Windows Vista. What I learnt from a couple of folks using the Mac doesn’t help too. Word documents on a Mac that looks properly aligned would appear weird on a PC. Doesn’t quite make sense to have all my business documents look un-aligned on my clients’ screens does it? Some of you folks probably know what I mean. So, it’s back to getting the 12.1 inch through the company again perhaps.

Talking about screens, Vietnam Airlines is introducing in-flight entertainment. Yes, you heard me right. Not upgrading but introducing. It was on the pre-flight announcement by the cabin staff. Heck, they were even handing out headsets. Guess what was missing though… that little screen in front of you.

The only entertainment that was available is most probably going to be from the overhead screens. Not like wanting to watch The Legend starring Will Smith is going to result in any entertainment for me though. Neither am I a big fan of rugby. I know friends of the fairer sex who are not able to comprehend why most guys are crazy over 22 guys on the field chasing after one ball. Trust me when I say that it is more sane than having a bunch of guys holding a ball and knocking everything / everyone else over. These guys literally lose their heads in the game.

Packing for this trip was amazingly straightforward. Took me about 20 minutes to dump everything I needed for the next couple weeks in my cabin size luggage. A task that usually takes me half a day to figure out what I need to bring. I did leave some stuff in the apartment before I left Hanoi hence there was less to pack. The truth is I’m hopeless when it comes to packing. I never fail to forget something on every trip. Below are some of the things I forgot to pack on different trips.

• Laptop AC power cable - Shanghai
• T-Shirts - Kuala Lumpur
• Laptop AC power cable - Taipei
• Business belt - Taipei
• Travelling Power Adapter - Taipei
• Toiletries - Hong Kong
• Laptop AC power cable - Jakarta
• Socks- Hong Kong
• Flip flops - Hong Kong
• Shaver - Hong Kong
• Tea candles - Hanoi
• Cuff links - Hanoi
• T-Shirts - Hanoi
• Bermudas - Hanoi
• Sony Ericsson Charger - Hanoi (this trip)

That’s all that I can recall for now. I’m sure that the entire list is actually much longer. Somehow, I have been lucky to arrive at the airport with my passport each time. Imagine I forgot that… I would be so screwed… I ‘think’ I got everything else on this trip out. Let’s see if I realise I missed out something else again. It’s about another 75 minutes before we land at Noibai International Airport and I’m getting way too restless. I most probably need to get new songs on my iPod. The female cabin attendants on this flight out are… Hmm… I do not have to spell it out… There were some pretty lovely attendants on my last flight in though. ;D

Ok, back to staring out of that little thing they call a window. Man, someone’s a tad bitchy today… I wonder why… All I know is that I got a tonne of work to catch up on… Damn…

Corrinne May - Beautiful Seed - Leaving