Nicholas M Ong

So, I’m back here again. In many ways, with a lighter heart and in a more adventurous mood to explore. Work at the project office has started to take on a better shape and form or at least from my perspective. Most of the other teams are beginning to fall in nicely with all the little bits and pieces that will eventually form the larger picture.

Though I had initially doubted the value of work I would get done here this week, all that changed when one of the core teams that mine was reliant on showed us a close to 80% working platform. I had initially spoken to GH late last week hoping to cancel my trip out this round. I’m happy I came out here anyway on the pretext that most of the core team leaders would be around and it’s not an opportunity we had very often.

The picture below is a common sight in the day but more so in the evenings. Most of the locals meet up with friends in the evening and have dinner with friends followed by a couple or drinks and just chat the night away at such street side stalls.

you might recall the next 2 pictures from the ones I took in daylight from that 100 year old cafe.

The criss-crossing traffic at the junction below near our hotel is nothing compared to the weekends. Strolling across the junction usually takes less than 10 seconds at most under heavy traffic conditions.

I only took these night shots this time round. Not the best shots but they did capture some of the local evening life.

Yup, we had dinner at the world renowned Bobby Chinn on CT’s expense. The restaurant attracts guest from all over and has been reviewed by The New York Times Travel Guide. The food was pretty decent but trust me, it’s the ambience and experience that really makes it worth the upscale dinner menu prices. I have to check out Minh’s Jazz Club on my next night out.

So GH is going back home for the next couple of weeks. NL will have to run the project office for a week before I take over until GH comes back after his short break. A series of meetings with the other team leaders on the project over the next 2 days will fill my schedule for the week. Come Friday, I should be happy with what and how we will have agreed upon to meet the deadlines of the project.

All in all, we had a couple of good dinners out as a team the past 2 evenings. Last evening was silly but fun with wild goose chasing while struggling to communicate with cab drivers who barely understood what ET, NL or myself were trying to get across. By 01:00hrs, I was beat and ready to call it a night while the 2 boys decided to head back out. From what I heard this morning, I might have just missed out on quite a bit of fun. Well, I’m going to be spending a whole lot more time here compared to them so no love lost.