Just like every year, this period is quite hellish for me. It's school holidays, flights are overbooked, and I'm working overtime. Didn't help that I was called up on my birthday, and right now I'm in the midst of conducting in-flight training for the new crew as some trainers are sick. It's quite a challenge and things got worse when my Japan flight was cancelled yesterday and it was quite messy with everyone flying back on different flights and trying to get new crew for the return flight. But it's also a challenge for me as I learn new things while training someone so it's a great eye-opener nonetheless and looking back, can't believe how much I've grown and excelled the last 2 years. From a normal crew to a customer service manager and now an in-flight trainer. Can't say that my decision to do this was a bad one after all hey.

Who knows? Next year I might be promoted to CEO.

Anyway, just updated my schedule (and everything's in black and white and not city codes so it's easier for everyone) and what do you know, my leave application for Christmas was successful! Mind you, applying leave for Christmas is akin to Singaporeans going for a buffet and taking the most expensive items only. It's a HOT period and I literally fought so hard to get it, determined not so spend Christmas on an A320 like last year!

And right now, I'm gonna be an uglier Singaporeans on the buffet table and fight for Chinese New Year leave slots too! Woo, can't imagine if I get BOTH Christmas and CNY slots. My colleagues will loathe me for the entire year!

My first ever trip to Phuket with the Zoukers last week, all 9 of us and while the trip was quite exciting just doing everything together, I wasn't thouroughly impressed with Phuket. Extremely expensive place (as compared to Bangkok), beaches aren't that fantastic and all in all - there's really nothing much to do there. In fact, 3 days 2 nights and we were so bored we ended up watching Harry Potter at a local mall. Don't think I'll be back in HKT soon. BANGKOK FTW PLEASE.

Pineapple Rice EVERY SINGLE MEAL. It's amazing I don't actually look like one now.











Poolside rendezvous



THESE WILL BE THE MOST UNGLAM PICTURES OF ME EVER IN THE WHOLE HISTORY OF JTL9.BLOGSPOT.COM







I have no idea what I was doing. YMCA maybe.

"Hey Y. Where's M, C, A?"



COCONUT every single meal too!



Breakfast buffet, which was so-so only but the guys loved it because there was an egg station.

I'm like, hello guys. Every breakfast buffet in most hotels have an egg station please.





MANGO STICKY RICE!





Seafood feast!









The most gan1 dong4 moment was my birthday surprise! Totally didn't expect it as it wasn't my actual day. Everyone side track and started talking nonsence to me while the smokers pretended to go out to grab the cake. Awwwww!



The whole restaurant sang along too! Paiseh TTM!





I HEART poloroid kahmara.







Thank you lovelies for the great trip!

















Back to work! But all work and no play makes Jerm a dull boy boy!



THIS WILL BE THE MOST SCANDALOUS PHOTO EVER ON JTL9.BLOGSPOT.COM







From time to time, we do babysit infants when the parents have to go to the toilet. For a nominal fee of $5 per 10 minutes, we will take care of your infants, so don't fret! Approach your nearest cabin crew and leave all the worries to us!



BBQ night in Cairns again!





Hi.













We bbq a lot as it's cheaper than eating out. For just $10 a pax, we'll go to the supermarket and stock up a generous buffet of steaks, potatoes, corn, pumpkin, salads, chips and some beer/wine.

But nobody dare to to try kangaroo and crocodile meat. Everytime I wanna buy, they stop me. Haha. Exotic what! Must try!

Ice cream for supper!







Alright off for another..BBQ!

Down with chicken pox very unexpectedly, so it's goodbye to my 10 days Cairns/Narita/Osaka and hello to a long 14-days MC. Alright it had to happen someday, so I guess I can't complain too much. (Although I did get vaccinated 2 years ago, so it's a question of whether the vaccine had died down or what's the whole point of getting injected in the first place?) Timing wise, I thank God it happened when there's not too much going about in my life as yet. The huge downside is losing a large chuck on my allowance doing that 10-day trip, but other than that it brings forth a good time of rest before the last 6 weeks of the year. There's my dreaded day where I turn 24, then a 3-day Phuket holiday with the Zoukers, a 3-day chalet with my colleagues, then Christmas home-visiting with my company and if everything goes according to plan - a huge 2-week leave in December.

Anyway it's just chicken pox for now and so far no signs of fever, sore throat, cough or any other nonsence so I'm still feeling very sane. Caught a few DVDs and slept most of my time away but I'm hoping I'll recover earlier than than the expected 14 days and who knows? I might be up and running again.

One movie that I caught on DVD really interested me and that's the M18 grossed-out show FROZEN.



3 skiiers get caught up in the mountains after their skiing session ended up taking the last ski lift back and got stranded in mid-air. With the ski resort being closed for a week and hypothermia setting in, the 3 of them need to start making decisions before being frozen to death.

Having experienced the thrills of skiing earlier this year in Utah, I couldn't imagine being in such situations, and the threat of what was shown in the movie was definitely real. Up there in the ski lift at night, it is blistering cold with the snow slapping you hard and the only unrealistic part is how (part of) the group managed to survive past 48 hours, something which I don't reckon is remotely possible. Still, it is a highly sick and gory movie, it is M18 after all and the only thing I will add is that the gore is very unexpected. Quite a thrilling ride and worth a go, but don't say I didn't warn you :)

ice-ice-baby-o-meter: 4/5


But let's say you are really caught out in the freezing cold and awaiting the grim reaper, you want to die with dignity and pride, don't you? Well I was surfing the Uniqlo online store and their new range of winter wear is just TO DIE FOR.

(Of course for my Singaporeans friends, I strongly advise against buying these stuff. Its summer all year long in Singapore and instead of freezing to death, you'd be melted and cooked into a nice little Ya Kun kaya toast.)























And with prices ranging from a very affordable 1500-3000 yen, you won't bust a hole in your wallet unlike spending hefty prices buying stuff from, say, Columbia (which is extremely expensive and cost me a bomb when I was in US!) Japanese goods are of course also known for very good quality so you know you are getting good value for money as well!

Damm, now you know why I wish I was on my Narita trip! And there's a gigantic Uniqlo just minutes from the hotel!

Also Uniqlo does stock other great winter accessories, for example this very cute bag..



Yes, I strongly emphasize that I found this bag in the men's section of the online store. Don't ask why, BUT YESSSSSSS, I'm so gonna get this bag and bring it to my for my saturday morning soccer practice! It is just oozing with so much class! All you people who own what Coach and LV and Gucci, please throw your bag away and carry this instead. It is elegance at its highest. You want people to turn heads while you sashay down Orchard Road? BUY THIS.

Only 1000 yen! Come come, I'm taking orders!