Singapore and Thailand - First Four Days

Wow what an amazing trip! This was probably one of my top favorite holidays - for both adventure and relaxation! Even the professor finally had a chance to relax, tune out work, and just enjoy. Our first four days we spent in Singapore. Remember, the National University of Singapore has been Brian's employer for the past year. So now that he will be starting his new job with Oxford (soon on 19 April), he had some work, papers, and banking stuff to close down and wrap up. In the meantime, we still were able to check out some touristy things. One day we spent all day at the Singapore Zoo- fantastic - so many unique species to see there.

We even fed the 80 year old tortoise some apples! Another day we checked out Singapore's well known export beer brewery -Tiger beer. We've been on a lot of brewery tours (big surprise) and thought this was one of the best.

Our favourite things to do in Singapore include eating dinner in the Hawker centers (just think State Fair food stalls, but yummy Asian concoctions),  wandering the streets of Chinatown, and enjoying ice cream on the bridge at Clark Quay.

They have some odd flavoured ice cream. Including their smelly and disgusting fruit called the Durian, and a Sweet Corn flavour. Yes, I tried them both and they were both awful! (Was hoping the corn was somewhat edible to tell everyone from back home about corn ice cream.) :)

Kelly's Bday

Just wanted to share some birthday pics - it was a lovely day. Hubby tracked down and baked a good 'ol American box cake - Betty Crocker, yum! Went out for tasty dinner of seafood and wine (just can't find a decent steak over here) and enjoyed opening some nice pressies from Al & Jackie, Gram and Dot!

Getting ready for Spring Break

Well they don't really have a "spring break" here at the University. Instead, it's a bigger deal to wait and take a 2 week vacation in August (and a long weekend break over Easter).

Brian and I however are planning a proper spring break vacation - last two weeks of March and we are going back to Singapore. Since Brian's paycheck has been paid from the National University of Singpore since last March, we had been planning on going back this March. Now with his new job change, since he starts that in April, we'll still go back to Singapore so he can wrap things up. And so we can enjoy some holiday!

We'll fly to Singapore on Saturday 20 March on Singapore Airlines (13 hours!) and stay there until Wednesday. Then we are going to fly up to Bangkok, Thailand to play tourist for 3 days. Then fly down to the resort/island area of western Thailand called Phuket for sun and beach. Back to Singapore for a few more days before we fly back to the UK on Sunday 4 April (Easter). In the UK, they celebrate both Good Friday and Easter Monday, which are public holidays. So we'll have Monday off to prep for work on Tuesday.

I'm hoping to work on my non-existent tan and lightening my hair!

What Really Works is really proud of Brian!

Our awesome uncle Paul, founder of What Really Works leadership consulting company, has blogged about Brian as an amazing leader!

Check out: www.paulbatz.com

GAC Alumni Blog

Check out these Gusties!

http://alumni.blog.gustavus.edu

First Decade Award

Hi Gustie family and friends,

Looks like 2010 is off to a great start for Bri guy - Randall from the GAC Alumni Office emailed Brian with the good news this week - Brian is the male First Decade Award winner!

Gustavus describes the First Decade Award: "First presented in 1968, the First Decade Award was established to recognize one male and one female for early professional achievement by graduates of the 10th anniversary class."

After a bit of research, looks like this year is the first year they are presenting the award during Commencement weekend in May, instead of during our class reunion in September.

Be on the lookout for any announcements from us or from GAC regarding Brian's award in the near future.

Go Gusties!

Black tie dinner at the Oxford & Cambridge Club

Well the second black tie dinner of last week was for my work. Brian actually had a night at home alone while I mingled and drank port with Oxford business alumni. The dinner was in London at the Oxford & Cambridge Club - a well worn but obviously prestigious club on the Pall Mall. Another three course meal, this time beef wellington (delicious!), lots of wine and networking was had by all.

My colleague and friend Charlotte and I had taken the train together into London to help set up a few things prior to the dinner. We then changed at the club and helped check people in as they attended. The first 45 minutes was a cocktail reception with sparkling wine before we moved down to the dining hall. There was six long tables with 10 people on each side.

There was a guest speaker after the meal who spoke to finance in London (yawn for me) and then the port and cheese was passed around, follow by coffee and chocolates.

Charlotte and I luckily had booked a car (Mercedes!) to take us back home to Oxford for the night, so we didn't have to take the late train and cab it back home.

I sure don't know how I get myself into these amazing situations sometimes!