a wanderer's life

"my life is not linear; at most, it is a trapezoid." -- chinezza del vianco vda de duboise.

what i miss most in my past life is the traveling. not only because of the new places that i can explore, but the fact that i can stay in nice hotels for free. (i mean, it's not exactly free. it's just that i did not shell out anything in exchange for the privilege. my former employers footed the bills.)

i luv the hotel life. if i were rich, i would live in a five-star hotel instead of getting my own apartment. i like hanging out at hotel lobbies, just sitting there for hours, sipping coffee or drinking beer, reading a book or a magazine, looking starry eyed at the glamourous guests.
too, it's nice sleeping on fresh linens and pillows every night. using fresh towels and bathrobes each morning. going home to a newly cleaned room.

i have been lucky to stay in some of the nicest hotels in the region and i am thankful for having a job that allowed me this little luxury. something that i can't otherwise afford even if i work to death for three lifetimes. 

most of the time, i would rather stay up in my room, lie in bed wearing the hotel's ohh so soft bathrobe, watch movies, read a book, or have a massage.

or open the curtains and watch the world outside.

while i usually go out at night to taste the city's night offerings, i always make it a point to wake up early to enjoy the hotel's breakfast buffet. i especially luv looking at the enormous amount of food on the buffet table: fruits in season in inviting colours, breads in all sizes and shapes, sausages, eggs, cheeses, fresh milk. all neatly arranged, waiting for our hungry hands to feast on.

i already feel full just by looking at them.

the only downside is, just when you are falling in luv with the surroundings and getting familiar with the amenities, it's time to go home. argh!

among my favourites are:

* the grand hyatt in shanghai where i was upgraded to a suite with a nice view of the city after the  hotel staff failed to pick me up at the airport. everything was paid for by my former employer. this was before the credit crunch in the united states and europe hit the global economy.

* the mandarin in kuala lumpur right next to the petronas twin towers and high-end shopping malls. 

unfortunately, i didn't have money when i stayed there, so i ended up just window shopping, salivating at the latest paul smith, marc jacobs, zara on display. darn!

* the fullerton hotel in singapore, an old post office building converted into a first-class hotel. a few minute walk from it is the famous boat quay, offering a vast selection of restaurants and bars.

&&&&&&&

oh well, lowell.  i am keeping my fingers crossed that in my next life, i will be a descendant of steve jobs so i can enjoy his millions of dollars and do a lot of traveling around the world, lounging at the best hotels that money can buy.

until that happens, i'll stick to my pauper's life. 

(some pictures were taken from the internet. so please don't sue the poor, jobless me.)