Almost Ready for Vacation

Posted by xtian001 at 11:10 AM
I'm raring to go on vacation! Work at the start of the year has been really busy especially that my trainee had to go on maternity leave for 3 months. Our vacation was supposed to have started 1st week of March but had to  make a leave amendment due to my trainee going on leave. Now, our planned leave  is on the 1st week of May. We're going to Hong Kong (for the 3rd time) and we'd be meeting my parents and sisters there. I promised my mom about 6 years ago that I would take them there so this is actually  a fulfillment of the promise and more since I'm taking my sisters too. I actually wanted to go to Singapore or somewhere else as I've been to Hong Kong twice already. Once when I was in Grade 6 and my dad won a lottery or something. We spent our Christmas in Hongkong, spending a week there. Then, Mavis and I went there about 4 years ago, spending about 5 days there. What's making us go there again this time? Hong Kong Disneyland. My mom's childhood dream was to go to Disneyland and since Hong Kong Disneyland opened up about 2 years ago, this is the opportunity for her to go there. I know that it's not quite as big as the other Disneylands out there but it's the most convinient one for us as the 3 of us (Mavis, Xiane and I) would just to a stopover and then have my parents come in from the Philippines.

I've already made arrangement for almost everything; hotels, park tickets, transportation from airport to hotel, tickets for those in the PHilippines, etc. The 3 of us would be arriving 2 days earlier than the party from the Philippines just so we'd have time to recover from jetlag as it's almost a 8 hour trip from Qatar to Hong Kong. Also, my vacation starts on Friday so I'd rather spend time there than in Qatar. My parents would be arriving on Sunday. We'd be spending 3 nights in Kowloon (aside from the 2 days that MAvis, Xiane and I are already spending there) and 2 night in Disney Hollywood Hotel. I got some great discounts from Disneyland as they had some promotions at the start of the year wherein if I buy 4 annual pass tickets, I'd be getting a night's hotel stay for free. Plus, you get about 35% off room rates if you're an annual pass member and some food discounts too.
 
I'm looking forward for this vacation as I think we all deserve it. I'm sure my parents would enjoy it just because all of us would be there. I'm sure Xiane would enjoy it since she'll get to see Disney characters too. Personally, I've always enjoyed going to Hong Kong and I'd go there again after this if given the chance.  

Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)


« I've Got a Job | Main | Xbox 360, PS3, PSP or DS »


Comments

The Ugly Face of Sponsorship I had heard of sponsorship system in the Gulf countries, but had never imagined it can be so cruel. As far as sponsoring itself is concerned, it is ok. But allowing the sponsors to be the masters of the sponsored is really horible. I really detest it and consider it a new form of slavery. It kills people's initiative and inhibits individual growth. I am speaking of it as menace because of one my freinds. The poor chap is highly talented and potentially diligent. But he has been caught up in the wrong job.Working in a junior level position, he earns a salary of five thousand Riyals, seventy percent of which he pays in rent, and the rest he spends on expenses. Recently, he got a job in a different organisation. But when he approached his sponsors to request a release, he was told that if he ever again decided to ask them for such a thing, the next thing he would find in his hands would be a back-home ticket. The poor guy is suffering endlessly in spite of having having all that is needed for a much more respectable as well as comfortable place in the world. What does this mean? It means neo-slavery, in other terms. Either you work for us, or you don't work at all. I believe such an approach, as far as collective growth and long-term rewards as concerned, will be counter-productive to the development initiatives of the region's countries. This is because by caging talent and potentials in one stagnant, dark room, it inhibits intellectual growth, and thus, overall excellence in expertise and knowledge. When someone deserves being promoted, why is he denied the right to go ahead. As far as senior position holding employees are concerned, it is understandalbe as in sich cases the sponsors argue that these employees carry the company secrets with them, which they might divulge if are allowed to seek employement in other organisations. But what case can be put up for lower level positions where there can be no question of such secrets falling in the hands of the employees? It is, therfore, high time authorities in these gulf countries did something for their own benefit and for the benefit of hindreds of thousands of deserving persons.

Posted by: abuwashaba | October 5, 2008 11:56 AM




Post a comment

TrackBack


http://lifeonthespot.com/blog-mt/mt-tb.fcgi/256