Story Six from "A Symphony of Short Stories"

Story Six: OVER RIVER KWAI

In January 2000, my marriage of 12 years had finally collapsed and died a painful death.

All the cherished illusions about love and marriage that I used to believe in withered into ashes, along with the identity of who I used to be. My only consolation was that we did not have any children - one less person to be caught in the web of our despair. Or rather, my despair.

When being the “faithful wives” are no longer enough for our husbands, it does support the idea that all women carry a ‘use by date’. And there's nothing that we could do about it. But the men - they could easily remedy the situation by replacing us with a younger and more eager version. With all of these and more, how could one expect a woman to regain her self-esteem, much less the remains of herself?

However, I have to admit – I was luckier than most women. I was still young and I could choose. And choose - I courageously did.

I didn’t have to remain in a marriage that was held together by farce and convenience. I did not have to pretend that we were still a couple. I had the means and financial independence to change my disposition. Above all, I did not have any children to think of. I understand that a lot of women remained in their unfulfilled marriages for the sake of their children. But I had the means to break free. So, in that respect, I was very fortunate.

In October of that same year, after the ink on the divorce papers had dried out, and the court had granted my freedom, I decided to give myself a ‘divorce present’. I felt that going away was a perfect start to my healing.

I have always adored trains but had no opportunity to travel in one. Most of the time, I would fly in order to save time. So, I decided to book myself on the Eastern and Orient Express – from Singapore to Bangkok. It was a 3 days/2 nights journey. It would be slow, scenic and quaint. And to truly reward myself, I took the highest category of cabins – The Presidential Cabin. It had more space and a complimentary bar (of which I did put to good use).

All the passengers would normally board this classic train at the Woodlands train station in Singapore. However, I was somehow caught up in Malaysia at that time because I had to finalize the sale of a house that my ex-husband and I used to own in Kuala Lumpur. So, E&O was kind enough to allow me to board the train from Kuala Lumpur. They were very generous in providing me with some additional benefits. I was allowed to relax in style at the Ritz Carlton lounge in Kuala Lumpur, while waiting for the train to arrive from Singapore. I was served refreshments and snacks with a scented cold towel. When it was time to leave the Ritz and go over to the Moorish Kuala Lumpur train station, a gleaming black Mercedes Benz came to pick me up. I guess, having reserved the Presidential Cabin had its perks. (By the way, there were only two Presidential Cabins in the entire train.)

I remembered how my heart fluttered upon seeing the train for the first time. And against the backdrop of the Kuala Lumpur heritage Moorish styled train station, it was truly a “Kodak moment”. The Eastern & Orient train was truly a sight to behold. The signature gold and green colours that cloaked the whole train was just magnificent. If nothing else, it projected a nostalgic glimpse into the golden age of travelling.

Agatha Christie once wrote, “Trains are wonderful.... To travel by train is to see nature and human beings, towns and churches and rivers…in fact, to see life”.

I couldn’t agree more. And I truly recommend it to everyone, if you have not tried it.

THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK: "LIFE IS A JOURNEY - A SYMPHONY OF SHORT STORIES".

THE BOOK IS BEING PUBLISHED AS WE SPEAK, BOTH IN HARD COPY AND E-FORMAT. 

HOPE YOU LIKE IT ENOUGH TO BUY THE BOOK WHEN IT IS OUT. I WILL UPDATE AGAIN. 

THANKS :)

Story Five from "A Symphony of Short Stories"

Story Five: THE BLACK SAMSONITE

Samantha sped-walked from the sky bridge to the baggage reclaim area. She hated this part of travelling the most – getting through the immigration and collecting her black Samsonite bag from the carousel. 

As usual, she was among the first to arrive at the baggage carousel. And as usual, she arrived before any of the luggages did. Nervously, she looked at her watch. She was running late. Her plane had been delayed from Manila to Tokyo. That was something she had not planned. She hated being late, especially for an interview with an important celebrity.

Suddenly, the buzzer rang and the carousel began to move. Samantha was watching closely. She wanted to spot her luggage as quickly as possible in order to get out of the airport. Much to her relief, she saw her black samsonite bag emerge from the tunnel and onto the carousel. She was very surprised. Usually, the First and Business Class passengers’ luggages would get priority delivery onto the carousel. The Economy Class passengers would always be the last to receive their baggages. 

Samantha did not want to waste anymore time. She just grabbed hold of her black bag and sprinted towards the “NOTHING TO DECLARE” lane. In less than 15 minutes, she was in the limousine provided by the magazine she worked for. She did not even have the time to be civil to the limo driver. The second she saw her name on the board the driver was holding, she grabbed his arm and said, “Me, Samantha. You, driver. Car, let’s go. Chop! Chop!”

While in the sleek Lexus sedan, Samantha tried to bribe the driver to go faster and break all the speed limits. Unfortunately for her, the driver would have none of it. Shaking his head politely, saying – “No, no, no…cannot.”

Although the driver would not go beyond the speed limit, he did however transport Samantha safely to her interview just in time. This was an impromptu interview set up by the magazine to cover the press release for Ken Watanabe’s upcoming movie, “Memoirs of A Geisha”. Samantha was the closest journalist at that time, being in Manila. She was wrapping up an interview with the famous Filipino fashion designer, Monique Lhuillier. Her magazine did not want to incur additional costs of sending out another journalist to cover the Ken Watanabe’s interview in Tokyo. So, it had to be her.

When Samantha reached the Park Hyatt hotel, there was a long line of media personnel waiting for their turn to interview Mr. Watanabe. She was glad that her turn was not called upon just yet. Within a span of 10 minutes, her interview with the famous star was over. All the manic rush and dash for that precious few moments – such was the life of a journalist.

Now, Samantha could go back to the hotel which the magazine had booked for her, and get some well deserved rest. It had been a long crazy one-month of travelling and non-stop interviews within Asia. She was very grateful to arrive at her hotel in Shinjuku before midnight. That meant a few small restaurants nearby the hotel would still be open for her to grab a bite. Any form of Japanese food would agree with Samantha. She just loved it all – cold, raw, grilled or deep-fried. It was a very good thing that she had extended her stay in Tokyo. That way, she could enjoy a brief break before flying back to Singapore.

When Samantha finally got into her hotel room, she realized that there had been five missed calls on her mobile. It was from a number that she did not recognize. Hence, she did not bother calling back. Instead, she took hold of her bag and placed it on the luggage rack. It was then she noticed that something was different about her bag.

For one, there was a first class tag clasped around the handle of her bag. How could this be? She had travelled on economy, as she has always done. She could never afford a first class ticket even in her dreams. 

Secondly, upon closer inspection the bag seemed slightly larger than how she remembered it to be. It looked exactly the same, but just a little bigger. Surely, the bag could not have grown in size from Manila to Tokyo.

Lastly, her pink flower sticker was missing from the bag.

Samantha proceeded to open her bag by turning at the combination of numbers. Nothing happened. She tried again and again. The bag just did not open, or could not open. She stared at the bag for sometime, wondering if the combination mechanics of the bag had gone cranky.

Then it finally dawned upon her – perhaps this bag was not hers. Had she taken someone else’s bag instead?  

Holy Fuck!

What could she do now? Where could her bag be now?

Suddenly, her mobile rang. Quickly, Samantha answered it.

“Miss Samantha Wee please?” A female voice spoke on the other line.

“Yes, this is Samantha Wee. Whom am I speaking with?” Samantha enquired.

“This is the department of Lost and Found baggage from Narita Airport. You have taken one of the First Class passenger’s bag from the Manila to Tokyo flight. The First Class passenger is very upset that he could not find his bag. Now, he has your bag. So, we have given him your mobile number. If you could please return Mr. Douglas’s bag to him, I am sure he will be very happy to give your bag to you.” The lady on the other line explained in her Japanese-English accent.

THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK: "LIFE IS A JOURNEY - A SYMPHONY OF SHORT STORIES".

THE BOOK IS BEING PUBLISHED AS WE SPEAK, BOTH IN HARD COPY AND E-FORMAT. 

HOPE YOU LIKE IT ENOUGH TO BUY THE BOOK WHEN IT IS OUT. I WILL UPDATE AGAIN. 

THANKS :)

Story Four from "A Symphony of Short Stories"

Story Four: THE CATTLE CLASS

From the Diary of Melissa Ranter

Can I just say it again – I really can’t stand travelling long haul flights on economy class. I call them ‘cattle class’.

I hate it even more when the airlines started bringing their prices down, so that 'now everyone can fly’. No, seriously – some people should not be allowed to fly. In fact, they should not even be allowed to leave their house!

I’ll tell you why I have such deep contempt for the cattle class.

For starters, the seats are the size of peanuts. I mean, come on! Have they seriously not seen the sizes of our ass or what? Squeezing us all into the pathetic contrapment they call a seat would not make our ass stay that small, ok. In fact, most of us are just bulging out of our seams and leaking onto the next wretched seat.

Secondly, what’s with that rigid metal piece plunked in between each seat? That should not even be called an armrest. It should be called, a steel divider to keep everyone in their place. No two passengers can place their arms on these things. Have you tried? It only accommodates barely half an arm from each passenger. And the one who gets stuck in the middle seat will always have my sincere sympathy.

Thirdly, do you ever notice how there is NEVER enough overhead cabin storage in Cattle Class? I mean, there are so many more of us in the back, and yet we have to squash all our allowed number of carry-on items into that miserable shared space. Surely, they must know by now that it is simply not working! Those passengers in the front have more storage space but they hardly carry anything onboard. They should just re-distribute the storage space – seriously! Every time I try to open the over-head cabin, it’s like opening a jack in the box. Only, it’s not a funny surprise I get. It’s a collage of wreckage. 

Oh how I hate smelly people in the plane and more than anything else, smelly feet! For the life of me, I cannot comprehend why the people in cattle class never take showers. Well, they don’t smell like they take any showers at all! Do they like deliberately not shower for 3 days and then get into the plane just to aggravate people like me who have a high regard for personal hygiene? Try sitting over 5 hours being sandwiched by two very un-attractive and smelly passengers. You’ll learn a new meaning of pain very quickly.

THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK: "LIFE IS A JOURNEY - A SYMPHONY OF SHORT STORIES".

THE BOOK IS BEING PUBLISHED AS WE SPEAK, BOTH IN HARD COPY AND E-FORMAT. 

HOPE YOU LIKE IT ENOUGH TO BUY THE BOOK WHEN IT IS OUT. I WILL UPDATE AGAIN. 

THANKS :)

Story Three from "A Symphony of Short Stories"

Story Three: THE TRANSIT LOUNGE

Edward had been sitting in his Business Class seat for over 2 hours, along with all the other passengers aboard the Cathay Pacific flight from New York to Hong Kong. The crew has been trying their best to ease the passengers’ collective concern, but no real definitive answer had been given. Every one felt trapped inside the plane, and it did not matter if they were giving all the passengers free-flow drinks and snacks. To make matters worse, JFK had always been Edward’s least favourite airport.

Suddenly, a voice in the speaker hammered through the restlessness.

“This is your captain speaking. Firstly, I thank each and everyone for bearing with us in the last 2 hours. I regret to inform all of you that this Cathay Pacific flight will not be taking off at all. We are all required to take our belongings and exit the plane immediately. I sincerely apologise that no further details can be provided at this time. I implore everyone to please cooperate with the in-flight crew to make our disembarkation as painless as possible. Once again, I do apologise but this is the reality of our current situation. It is critical that we do not panic at all times. Just follow the instructions from the flight attendants and everything will be fine. Thank you for your kind cooperation and understanding. All flight crew – please proceed as instructed.”

Confusion and silence gripped the plane, as nails gripped the walls. At first, no one moved. They were not quite sure what they had just heard was really happening to them. Edward looked at his fellow passengers. They were as bewildered as he was. Then the flight attendants appeared out of nowhere to facilitate the disembarkation. Everyone started packing up his or her own belongings. Some people were removing the in-flight slippers and started putting on their shoes. Others began to tremble, fearing some impending doom. All the exit doors of the plane were opened in unison, signaling the urgency of the situation. Gusts of cold wind burst into the plane, waking up every passenger to the truth of the Captain's announcement.

The whole plane fell into a somber communal movement. There was no pushing, shoving or rushing for once. At every row, passengers came out from their seats and moved towards their respective exits. All the flight attendants did their best to help the elderly, the young and those with special needs to make through the exit before everyone else. No one dared put up a fuss. Perhaps the tone of the Captain’s voice had cemented the gravity of the situation. He was serious. Above all, he sounded sad – very sad.

As Edward emerged from the sky bridge, he could see that they were not the only ones being evicted from their planes. There were other passengers from different planes coming out into the main hall of terminal 7. They looked just as lost. From here, all the passengers were divided into smaller groups. The flight crews handed over their duties to the airport officials. The whole terminal was abuzz with activity but no one was talking too much, or too loudly. The airport officials were now in charge of everyone in the room. They were assisted by the local police officers. This was the first time anyone had seen so many police officers in an airport. The situation seemed more alarming than what they had thought.

Edward was ushered into a transit lounge with all the different Business Class passengers from various planes. He quickly settled into the nearest chair he could find, as the whole room was filling up fairly quickly. He then tried to activate his mobile phone, but nothing was working. When he looked around the transit lounge, he realized that everyone’s mobile phone was not working as well. There was no line at all. For the first time, the same message appeared on everyone’s phone: “No Service”. It was fast becoming a very strange day. He glanced at his watch and was relieved to find that it was still working. It was almost 12:45pm in New York. That would put Hong Kong’s time at about 2am. No one would be awake at that hour in Hong Kong, not his family anyways.

The airport officials have started serving some light refreshments to everyone in the lounge, but no additional information had been shared with the passengers. Every 20 minutes or so, Edward tried his mobile again. However, the same message kept appearing. Then out of the muted gloom, a familiar soft voice called out his name. It lifted his spirits somewhat. Edward looked up to find himself looking at someone he has not seen for over twenty years, and yet he has not stopped thinking about her in all this time. JFK at that point in time would have been the last place on earth Edward had expected to see Josephine again. But there she was, standing before him like a blissful apparition.

THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK: "LIFE IS A JOURNEY - A SYMPHONY OF SHORT STORIES".

THE BOOK IS BEING PUBLISHED AS WE SPEAK, BOTH IN HARD COPY AND E-FORMAT. 

HOPE YOU LIKE IT ENOUGH TO BUY THE BOOK WHEN IT IS OUT. I WILL UPDATE AGAIN. 

THANKS :)

Story Two from "A Symphony of Short Stories"

Story Two: THE FREQUENT FLYER

I love my job.

I love how my job allows me to travel the world, and meet all sorts of interesting people along the way. I love how my company pays me to fly first class, and I get to accumulate the frequent flyer points to redeem for my personal rendezvous. My company never questions my schedules, but applauds the deals I close. I have the biggest office in the whole building, and my tax returns exceed my secretary’s one year’s salary. In my organization, they call me GOD.

More than anything else in this world, what I love is the freedom that comes with being in a different city every month. As soon as I settle into the elegant spacious first class seat, the ladies in uniform would serve me anything I wish.  The minute they notice that I don’t wear a ring on my finger they would start flirting with me shamelessly. Dare I say, some of the best action I have ever come across was “on air”.

There is nothing more attractive to a woman than a man sitting in first class without a wedding band on his finger. This opens up all kinds of possibilities for both the man and the women who are willing. There are some women who just want to have fun. None are more impetuous than those who are going away for a girlie weekend. They don’t bother asking if I am married, single, divorced or widowed. And these are the very type of women I find most appealing - the ones who don’t ask, don’t care and I won’t ever see them again after one night.

Here, we are all consenting adults. There are no illusions.

THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK: "LIFE IS A JOURNEY - A SYMPHONY OF SHORT STORIES".

THE BOOK IS BEING PUBLISHED AS WE SPEAK, BOTH IN HARD COPY AND E-FORMAT. 

HOPE YOU LIKE IT ENOUGH TO BUY THE BOOK WHEN IT IS OUT. I WILL UPDATE AGAIN. 

THANKS :)

Story One from "A Symphony of Short Stories"

Story One: THE WAIT-LIST

Today, I received a special delivery from Fedex.

It's from Richard.

He is still in Paris but wanted to send me something really important, so his text message said. He added that he would be back in a month’s time.

Excitedly, I opened the slim package. Inside the brown envelope was an ornate ivory card. It looked very much like a wedding invite. My heart froze. With a slight tremor, I opened the card. There was a hand written note inside.

 

 It reads:

“Amanda, you know that you are the most important person in my life. So, this is why you are the first person to receive my wedding invite. Yes, I am getting married! I still can’t believe it! I met the most wonderful woman. Her name is Simone. She is stunning and I know you two will hit it off instantly. I can’t wait for you to meet her next month! As you are my best buddy in the world, it would mean a lot to me if you’d be my “Best Man”. Well, it’s “Best Mate” in your case! Please say yes! Love you!

Rich”

I stared at the words over and over again, hoping that the meaning would change every time I looked at it.

How did this happen?

Why is the right man for me marrying someone else?

Where did I go wrong?

THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK: "LIFE IS A JOURNEY - A SYMPHONY OF SHORT STORIES". 

THE BOOK IS BEING PUBLISHED AS WE SPEAK, BOTH IN HARD COPY AND E-FORMAT. 

HOPE YOU LIKE IT ENOUGH TO BUY THE BOOK WHEN IT IS OUT. I WILL UPDATE AGAIN. 

THANKS :)

W BALI PART TWO ...

The WOW Experience continues at W Bali Retreat & Spa in Seminyak....

Time: 9:55pm

Place: W BALI, Seminyak


I still haven't left the hotel since I checked-in yesterday .
I have just been chilling out around the resort and soaking up the sun in my private pool villa.
Still, I managed to finish a book before sunset today.

Oh, before I forget totally - they gave me a "welcome treat" when I got into the villa.
Viola -

A SWEET SIMPLE WELCOME!

How did they even know that I love cupcakes?!
Good homework, W folks!
The cupcake sitting outside the box is actually a candle. Such a delicious scent too.
And the box itself  is made of glass.
Inside - sits two lovely blueberry muffin cupcakes. I was so grateful that the icing is not the hard royal icing, but soft and not sweet at all. Of course, I licked every bit of it! Love the M & Ms too!

Bamboo Bird Cage Cubicle

I had breakfast at the "Starfish Bloo" restaurant.
Apparently, those staying at the Villas have their breakfasts here. And the rest will be having their brekkie in the "Fire" Restaurant. I shall check out "Fire" tomorrow morning, because Villa residents do have a choice and can exercise that choice. Such priviledge, ain't it? Right....

Honestly, I was not too impressed with their selection at Starfish Bloo's Buffet Breakfast. It is extensive but not as creative as the W Koh Samui's breakfast spread. Still, a sign that times are changing is that they serve Korean, Japanese and Chinese selection in their breakfast buffet. Yes, there are many Chinese from the Mainland and Koreans staying here with their families and kids. 

As for me, I ordered my fave breakfast dish - Eggs Benedict. Kindly do take note, however, the Starfish Bloo does have a wonderful menu for lunch and dinner. So, you must try it during your stay here. Chef Jack Yoss does serious flirting with his version of Pan Asian cuisine. You can even see him at work in the open kitchen.

After breakfast, it was exploration time.

The Main Pool

The Beach Bale comes with a Kiss Pillow

The Pool area cascades into a few levels.

I must say the beach in Bali can't be compared to Maldives. But Bali has the unique culture that no other place has.

So, every city or country and island have their own specialty or beauty.




One of the main reasons why I love to travel since young - I get to see so much more and learn what lies beyond my own very small world. It is always interesting and wonderful. I am always enriched beyond words by each experience.

Thankfully, the weather was kind to us today. It was sunny and breezy. The perfect combo.

From the pool, you can proceed right onto the beach or to WooBar.

This is a very funky bar that has a basement seating. It turns into a club-like atmosphere in the basement at night. And it has to be said that Woobar has split personalities. Why I say that? In the daytime, it looks completely harmless. It even houses an extremely large ceiling fan. I think they should call the Guinness World of Records.

World's Biggest Fan in a bar?

BUT at night, Woobar turns into a "femme fatale" and she lights up in various colours. No, I shall not post any pics of it here because it will not do this bar any justice. Truth is, I forgot to pack my camera - yea, the real one. Hence, all the pics here are taken by my BB. So, you just have to come here and experience Woobar for yourself. Let me give you one more reason to come to Woobar - during HAPPY HOURS - you get the "Buy 1 and get free 1" drinks! 

The Giant Mirror

The Lobby Lounge

The Lobby area is as fun as entering the rabbit's hole and into Alice's Wonderland.

You have Giant Mirrors, rocking chairs and lounge chairs of all different shapes and sizes. But they all are in keeping with the same colour schemes.





What I love the most about the lobby?

Well, the whole main building is circular in shape. I guess, this allow all the rooms to have the unobstructed view of the beach/ocean. They have placed these wonderful day beds that faces the pool and ocean. You can chill out here, read a book, order a cocktail and watch the sunset. It is indeed a gorgeous view. Needless to say, this is what I love the most about the lobby...this and that lobby bar that glows in various colours.

The BAR "AGLOW"

You have to try the Vanilla Bellini here. It is quite refreshing indeed. Of course, the best Bellinis I ever had was at Harry Cirpriani's in New York City. But that is another story altogether. Hehe

From the Bar, you can go down the "Hall of Drapes". Well, I call it that because the breeze blows the curtains so beautifully along this hallway. And it will lead you down to the Stafish Bloo restaurant. This restaurant does serve good lunches and dinners. There, I said it again.

The "Hall of Drapes"

Did you notice the designs on the ceilings? And then, did you notice the two ladies - one dressed in yellow and one in red? They are a part of a trio. I think they must be sisters - all dressed in the same outfit but just in different colours. Ms. Blue was missing in this pic. But I think they are just too cute to miss. And they are all very pretty too.

Oh, you'll like chilling out on the day beds at the lobby lounge...so much to see. Various people of different nationalities and their sense of resort wear or cruise attire. Hehe..it's a lot of eye candy and comedy in one place. Ok, moving along...

On the other side of the "Hall of Drapes", you'll enter the "Hall of Retail Therapy". Yes, I call it that. Because this is where all the resort's shops are housed. 

Btw, the label "Farah Khan" has a gorgeous boutique here. You have to visit it, even if you don't buy anything, but just to see it. No, no pics here. You'll just have to come and see for yourself.

As you pass the retail shops, there are very these large windows that allow us to look down into the "Fire" restaurant. Don't you just love the dining table piece and that very interesting chandelier? It looks so pretty at night too.

The Fire Restaurant

I just love high ceilings, period.

Now, beyond the main lobby check-in area, you'll find the SWEAT and the AWAY spa nicely tucked into their respective corners. SWEAT as its name suggests, is actually the resort's gym. It is open 24 hours. Just like their spa. I love anything that opens 24 hours - especially gyms and spas. It means that we can always come back at any hour after being thoroughly intoxicated and stuffed with amazing feasts  to burn out the calories. And afterwards, we can get detoxified at the spa! HAHA

AWAY SPA'S ENTRANCE

Anything that has the words, "WHAT'S YOUR WISH" engraved into the entrance will definitely catch my attention for about a good 2 minutes, at least. I have decided to leave this area un-photographed because I do not think the decor is anything to shout about. It is modern, minimal and chic. But they do put a lot of effort in the little touches. The path into the spa area is flanked by waters. In these ponds, you'll find some coloured pebbles thrown into the midst. Some have words such as "laugh", "live", "love", "relax" and etc. It is indeed a cute, lovely touch.

Outside in the porte cochere, you'll find bikes to rent during your stay in the resort. However, these little purple babies below are not for rent. They are strictly for the staff, which W Bali refers to as their "Talent". But they did allow me to take a pic though ;)

Purple Scooters, anyone?

I adore scooters. And purple ones are just too adorable for words!

I suppose it would be hard to kidnap one of them into the trunk of my van and pack it home.

In any case, I trotted off to the lounge area and found a day bed with my name on it. Just in time for the sun to set.

Today was indeed a wonderfully relaxing day. They even put on the fire to enhance the sunset scene. How picturesque! 

The W BALI SUNSET (as taken from my day bed)

Well, everything wonderful (or bad, for that matter) must come to an end.

It's all temporary.

We all enjoy it while we can.

Even this lovely day, filled with delicious breeze and sunshine, has come to an end.

And soon, my stay at the W BALI will also fade into a memory.

Tomorrow, I shall be checking out and moving into a friend's personal villa in Sanur.
My Bali adventure will continue until 26th December and then, after which, I shall be heading to Hong Kong.

Impermanence is our way of life.

Experiencing the WOW Factor at W BALI - Part One

WOW has a new standard, ladies and gentlemen...

Time: 10:47pm

Place: W Bali Retreat & Spa, Seminyak

Choice of slumber: Pool Villa

W Bali Retreat and Spa in Seminyak is a new "resort player" in the island of Gods. And as they say, the Gods are in the details. I must say that is what W Bali did very well. Small little touches here and there, and when we add them all together, we get a perfect blend of under-stated contemporary chic.

For starters, I love the theme colours of the villa - soft green, with splashes of purple against the backdrop of beige and cream. Now, I am so inspired...I may seriously consider adding green to my own home interiors when I get back.

It is definitely generously spaced and well designed. But then again, I have always thought that all Ws have an intelligent sense of spatial usage and design. The only bummer is that some of the fixtures they installed may not work as well as we, the tempo residents, would prefer. Most of the fixtures are obviously chosen because they look so darn good just sitting there. Sometimes form precedes function.

Back to W Bali...

All guests are segregated upon check-in.
Those who stay in rooms or suites check-in at the main hotel lobby.
While those who stay in the villas have a "special dedicated" check-in area.
Believe me when I say that there is nothing absolutely that fancy about being ushered into the "special dedicated" villa check-in area. It's not like they offered me any welcome drink or cold towel like they did in W Resort in Koh Samui. Perhaps W Bali learnt that I got very special promo rates for my villa and so, I get no added 'perks'. May be. haha

In any case, I was very much soothed when I arrived at my villa. Yes, like W Koh Samui, we get driven to our villas by the buggy. And guess what? My villa no. is the same my age, considering that my birthday just passed! Time to buy me some lottery tickets! :)

Now, allow me to welcome you into the W Bali's One Bedroom Pool Villa...

The Villa Entrance

I truly appreciate the pebbled stoned pathway and the mature flowering trees that greet an entrance. They add such warmth to the space.

The Bale or Pavilion

Upon entering the villa, on your left, you'll see your personal bale. In another words, your very own chill-out pavilion. It's all decked out with moroccan-like glass lamps, creatively designed cushions and pillows, and even an electric fan to cool you down on hot summer days. The bale or pavilion comes with drapes which you can close off for more personal privacy. But this being your very own pool villa, it is as private as you can get. One can even sun tan in the buff here!














I thoroughly enjoyed lounging out in the bale, reading and sipping a nice cool drink.

The Bale

And in the evening, you can even light a mosquito incense in that green porcelain canister. Notice the green snake like cushions behind the throw cushions? How's that for added creativity? But what really impressed me were the little details they put in - like the beaded tie-backs for the drapes in the bale.

The Divine Details

Small touches and little details do make the BIGGEST difference in every living space and even in personal appearances. This is how we distinguish style, class and elegance from the mindless masses who just follow what the trend-setters have done and paraded last season.


Now, onto my very favourite part of every living space...

Can you guess what it is?

It is the first place I check every time I enter a restaurant or hotel room or a villa. In fact, this is the space that I am most anal about.

BATHROOM!

Yes, I am beyond anal about bathrooms!

Bathrooms are very important to me and so, how they are presented, designed and decorated are all very precious to me.

Yes, I am sure many are surprised that the bathrooms precede the bedroom areas with me. The place of soul-searching soothing and relaxation, even pampering happens in the bathroom. Never the bedroom. The bedroom is reserved for more "acrobatic" and vigorous activities, apart from sleeping.  Hence, the bathroom is the temple of the house - for me, that is. And thankfully, W Bali's bathroom in the villa is all decked out in terrazzo. Another of my fave ingredient for bathroom design essentials! ;)

A BATH WITH A VIEW

Nothing beats a bath with a view!
Imagine having a nice warm bath to cleanse away a tiring day. Add essential oils, candles, your favourite music and something extra like a glass of champagne or wine for added personal pampering! Soon, you'll agree with me that one's bathroom is truly one's personal temple. Perhaps, one of the spaces that you can truly have all to yourself these days - especially, if you are married with kids. Know what I mean?

Little Touches that enhance a bath

I love the small additions that they have added to the bath at W Bali. They have used an old oar as the bath tray. And even threw in the pet toys. Obviously, they wanted to be different than Koh Samui which gave black rubber duckies. Here, they gave the bath a family of froggies and some bath salts. The purple container you see here is filled with candles. How thoughtful! They must have heard about my bath rituals ;p

The colourful acrylic cards are NOT menus for the bath, but for BBQ. Odd, very odd, I know. Haven't quite figured that one out yet....what were they thinking?????

Send in the Back Up!

The above is too cute to go un-noticed by me!
Pretty lilac fabric bag to hold the extra toilet roll. Now, that's what I call a classy back up plan! Hehe

The WASH area

Pretty Decor for the Toilet

I told you that they were BIG on small details!
Who would have thought to put any decor pieces in the toilet? Most villas leave that area without any decorative items.
Personally, I truly appreciate the two toned ottoman seats. Well, I just value anything that enhances the bathroom and its usage.
At W Bali, they provide you with ample toiletries. You wouldn't even need to pack your own, apart from your beauty products, that is.
Everyone loves their Lemon & Sage Collection - from Shampoo, Conditioner, Shower Gel, Soaps to Body Butter. They are not stingy in providing you with them. And they come in big bottles, unlike the tiny replicas we find in most hotels. Here, they gladly refill for you every day. I guess that also explains why they charge so much for a villa.

The Study Area

Now, this is where I am at now....in my jammies, typing away. I love it that they installed electronically controlled blinds. And all windows have a view! Here, we have the iron cast glass windows that looks at the pretty wall of orchids. Well, some have yet to blossom. But that's all right. Even as it is, it is rather Zen.

Tomorrow, I shall have more to share. Believe it or not, I have not seen the rest of the resort as yet. I arrived very late today. I didn't want to do the morning rush and take the first flight out here. So, I only managed to check in at around 5pm. Traffic is very bad in Bali these days. Especially with the rain.

Hence, I stayed in and made full use of a magic button called, "Whenever/Whatever".

I suggest that you fully and thoroughly utilise this button. After all, it was all accounted for in the rate of your villa.

I had them provide me with whatever I most preferred. Extra lotion, for one. Ya, I had put on some weight since the Japan trip. I need more coverage now. Don't even ask how much! Growl, Snarl, Hiss, Sob! Sob! Sob!

Also, I had them change all my tea selection to just the way I like it - only green tea. So, please feel free to use that button as they aim to fulfill your every wish.

So, I stayed in and ordered in. The in-villa dining was not bad at all. Had the Wagyu Beef Burger with an extra side of steam veggies. Well, that balances off things for me. For tonight anyways.

So, for now, I bid you all a very good night and the sweetest dreams. Tomorrow, there shall be more stories. THE W BED beckons with its furry pillows....

Le Bed

Selamat Malam - as they say in Indonesian.