Travelling

Regardless of what lies you read in the Malaysian newspapers, all is not well in Malaysia under Pak Lah’s leadership and most businesses are already experiencing the downturn and are quietly shifting into “recession planning”. I hate the usage of this word as unlike some fuckwits people in our organization, thinking negatively and mistrusting people upfront; just goes against my nature. Why plan to fail and expect the worst from people? And I think it’s especially shameful when this is used as an excuse to trim or even not to dispense bonuses.

Anyway the management buzz word where I work is “recession planning” and now it irks me even more when some ass hole smart alec ass-licker has even coined a slogan to go with this stupid “recession planning” parroting when they sign off their memos with “Do More with Less”. *puke, puke* I would love to see if they are still gleefully smiling their fugly silly faces off in front of the bosses when their salaries are cut and their workloads increased. Duh!

Clear and unpretentious sign in Bintulu - no empty slogans needed.

Perhaps they could learn a thing or two from these 2 examples I spotted in Bintulu where I was on Monday and Tuesday from two very different walks of life; instead of just dispensing meaningless and insincere management catch cry. First was this lady selling drinks from her bicycle and with her simple hand written cardboard is really doing more with less in marketing her business.

The second is a simple clinic which one could easily have dismissed as that of a “back country” doctor especially when it’s only occupying half of a small shop lot. However on closer examination you would have noticed the simple sign showing the next visiting date and time from top name medical specialists from Kuching! I think this “simple country doctor” is way smarter than these city slickers medical specialists.

I suppose we should be grateful that it’s only “Do More with Less” and not “Do More with Less, and Do it Faster!” *gulp* Now I can go back to watching the Beijing 2008 Olympics and which is reason enough for my irregular postings.

Photo for Bev (although I cannot imagine her riding a pinkbike!) - Showroom of “Bike Bar / Bar Bici” @ Oxford St, Bondi Junction. Sydney. 3 June 2008

Actually I flew in yesterday evening and would be back in Kuching late tomorrow night. I’m attending the inaugural “Modern Communities Conference” held at the Renaissance Hotel Kuala Lumpur Grand Ballroom from 9am to 5.30pm.

I hope you folks are not getting the wrong impression that all I do is fly everywhere and not do any ‘work’! You folks are dead wrong ok! It’s a tough life but someone got to live it!

Left: A moment of boredom and narcissism at 40,000 feet. I’m wearing a ridiculously priced AUD30/- tattered cap I bought in the bike shop above.

Lautoka, the second largest city in Fiji (total population around 44 thousand) with a predominantly Indian Fijian population, is not exactly on the list of places to visit on the tourist map. Even though it’s about a half hour’s leisurely drive from Nadi International Airport; tourists never visit this place.

But if you happened to chance upon it or if you are a die hard curious traveler like me; you could keep yourself entertained with the various signs and signboards that abound in this small but lively town - as there’s really not that much to do here! And as you can probably guess that as in every little corner of the world - there are Chinese restaurants even here. *sigh*

But on the other hand this is the ‘real’ Fiji that 99% of the tourists to Fiji will never ever see - dirt, grime, warts and all; and all very real. Lautoka is by no means a shanty town; far from it. It is neat, clean and well organised sitting on a gently undulating landscape with views of the sea and mountains. The town center is thriving with a busy fish and vegetables market and while we were there on Saturday morning the sidewalks were packed with people going about with their shopping and other activities.

I think tourists everywhere have a blinkered view. Fiji is not just about 5-stars resorts, golden beaches and amazing waters. And all is not well in paradise and if you travel anywhere in the country outside of the usual tourist beaches and islands resorts, you’ll notice the lack of development and economic activities. They need to resolve the issue of the interim coup-government and the conflict between the indigenous Fijians and the Indo-Fijians to allow all that to happen so that Fiji can be a paradise to their own people as well besides to the tourists.

Anyway, enjoy the signs - they are simple, far less complicating, real and entertainingly educational. I love small towns; especially ones where there are no tourists.

I had to leave the hotel early in order to avoid the long queues at Nadi International Airport and reluctantly had to forsake the wonderful buffet breakfast spread at Radisson Resort Fiji Denarau Island on Sunday, 1^st June 2008.

However the lovely break of sunrise at Denarau Island more than make up for what I missed at breakfast on the 20 minutes drive to the airport. Have your fill now.