13 hours later.

The flight wasn't too bad after all even I didn't manage to get that much sleep and was truly impressed with Qantas food and service in the premium economy.  But let's go back to the early morning... Slept quite badly at home, like always before early morning flight. Driver came to pick me up from home at 7:20am and got to Heathrow T3 surprisingly quickly and even check in was nearly empty! So had plenty of time to enjoy the BA Galleries Lounge ;) Personally I think it is one of the best lounges I've been! Not sure if it fact that the food counter is placed just by the club entrance and I always seem to be hungry when entering... So yes had massive breakfast again - yummy! Bacon sandwiches, pan au raisins flushed down with cranberry juice and nice strong coffee! And while I was updating my blog the gate got announced so the post was cut a little short...


Flight went well, and as said, the service and food was great! Starter was rather small salad, but the main course was wonderful! I chose to have a green leaf salad with capsicum and olives then seared chicken breast with port jus, red cabbage and baby leeks. Finished the lunch with Cheese & biscuits and ice cream.
I was hoping that all the red wine I was consuming with lunch would help me to fall in sleep, but no luck... So I kept watching the movies and comedy shows. To my surprise and delight I found on the Q Comedy channel Pam Ann Show! Full two hours of silly airline humour! Fab!

As I wasn't getting any sleep, I thought that I could at least enjoy the service, so ordered more food around midnight... Lovely toasted panini with smoked turkey, soft brie, char grilled zucchini and salad leaves! And big glass of red! That did the trick as fell a sleep almost as soon as I had finished my snack.


I thought that after eating all day I would be still stuffed in the morning, but nooo... Ended up having a lovely chat with one of the flight attendants and while chatting, I ended up eating three(!) pan au chocolates. (They were quite small tho...) And that was in addition to my hot breakfast with mushroom frittata... 
She was really lovely girl and just before we landed she gave me Qantas Business class toiletries bag with Korner Skincare products as a gift! 


Changi Airport is so efficient! I was through the immigration and baggage claim in minutes! My residence had sent a big black Mercedes to whisk me to my new home in style and it was waiting me outside.


So here I am then - at Treetops in Singapore. First impressions are very positive. The staff is so friendly and helpful and they had prepared me a big food basket to wait me in my flat! And later on one of the maids came to check that the flat is ok and brought me biscuits and tea! I think I can easily get used to this lifestyle!


I've managed to unpack a bit as well - got the main things out to make the place more home like - family pictures next to my bed and teddy sitting on my bed. And toothbrush in bathroom ;)

Take off.

Here we are then! Waiting for my flight to start boarding - London Heathrow to Singapore Changi. Morning seemed bit grey, but now sitting at the BA Galleries lounge at Heathrow, the sun has come out and planes on tarmac sparkle in the sun rays. Oh the glamour of air travel.
This is unbeliveable! My gate just opened for boarding and it is gate number 1! I have never boarded through gate 1! I didn't even know that it existed!!!


Next update with pictures will be from Singapore.


(Does anyone know nice looking map gadget where you could pin point your current location or travel route?)

Au revoir to London colleagues.

Last day at London office now behind and ended the day with an amazing send off!
I have never had a song written about me before, and now had live rap performance about ME ;) Gosh!!!
Thanks to Hubert for writing and performing the song - loved it as did the crowd! And thank you for the wine, champagne, kir royals, and everything else we managed to drink down!

Here is the song one more time - enjoy!


Not so long ago - in Finland
A young boy, a Finn Finn
Had dreams of Tin Tin
Yeah, wants to make like Tin Tin


Came to the UK to study
Doesn't like his hands to get muddy
So works in media is it for the money
Or cuz every day is sunny.
Funny.


In the Nordic Team to begin
Jani had Nokia sales to win
After Marco and Brian and Carlos too
Good Time but needed something new.
New.
Crew.
New.
You.


Joined the team in SalesOps
Not just here as mere props
Create workflows and make them betta
Keep Denise happy or get the letta


He helps the Biz to make the sale
He don't just hide behind email
But we got policies we gotta follow
Or the admin burden makes it hollow


So he goes to offices on the continent
Sometimes Sheffield he's been sent
Chalkin up BA Airmiles
Workin the upgrades with his smiles
Yeah.
Miles.
Smiles.


And there's life on the fourth floor
Ain't no place if you're a bore
Jani's got a specialty
Rolls it out at afternoon tea


Remember the smoked reindeer
Drink it with bubbly, not beer, dear.
How do you say scone, scawn
Ask Lesley, rhymes with John.
Scawn.
John.


We know Jani likes to dine well
Wonderful restaurants cast their spell
But if standards are not up to par
He'll write tha letter to lose their star


This isn't just a hair in my spaghetti
It's an M&S hair. And I work at Getty
Do you know who I am, ma'am?
Don't treat my email like SPAM!
Damn.


He wears uniform it's very bright.
But the cycle shorts - in the wrong light.
Ouch. Let's not go there.
HR can hear this, gotta beware.


We know he likes to bowl
With a drink and lotsa soul.
And he's got the passion for fashion
Money on clothes happily splashin.


But travel is truly his calling
And he's got an offer that's real appalling
He is gonna make like Phileas Fogg
And leave us here in London smog


Jani is off to APAC
On the plane don't get hijack
First to Singapore to meet Corinne
Work the floor, make things keen


Then Hong Kong and Tokyo too
Down to Sydney and the big blue
Plenty of places in between
Lotsa sights to be seen.


The colour of envy that is green
We're not jealous cuz Jani is clean
And he will do a job that's good
That's why he was chosen from the hood


Congrats Jani do good work
This job a helluva perk
When you come down from your cloud
We know you'll make us all proud.

Final checks.

Unbelievable how quickly time flies! 
I've a wall calendar next to my desk and been crossing the days off as they go. And now there is only two days left! 
But thank goodness there is no need for panic, been panicking enough over last few weeks. Just checked the bags for last time, and yes below my luggage weight limit (including my excess luggage allowance...)
Passport, tickets, visas, currencies, flats, drivers - all checked ;)
I think I am ready to go! 


Glass of wine for me!

Farewell to friends.

Time to start adding pictures to this blog!

Had lovely evening with friends last night in London. Managed to say 'Au Revoir' to say many friends. And still so taken by the effort some went through - flying to London for drinks from Helsinki, Frankfurt and Manchester...

So here we go, selection of party pictures from the Victoria Pub last night:

Kai, Helen and Alisdair

Adam, Peter, Sebastian and me

Petra and Maria

Stefan, Ville and Maria

Lesley, Paul, Kelly & Becky 

And at the back Jussi, Sirkku and Petra

Christa, Sirkku, Petra and Heini

Thanks everyone! Had superb evening! x

Being a modern gentleman.

While packing for my travels, I made clear decision that I shouldn't take anything unnecessary or rarely used with me as I am going to be unpacking and packing frequently. 
So, it was clear decision to pack away my evening dress and dinner jacket amongst few suits,  but then I started to think, what shall I wear in case I get invited to evening functions while travelling? Maybe I should take two suits with me just in case, but source locally in case of formal dinner...
This thought process initiated even more interesting thoughts in my mind - what is required from a modern gentleman nowadays dressing wise? It is clear that white tie and black tie events are more rare than they used to be, and definitetly not something we would wear for dinner as standard. (And all this thinking also being good excuse to have a break from packing...;)
I mentioned on my reading list earlier a book that I received before Christmas; my Secret Santa present at work was the Debrett's book 'Guide for a modern the gentleman'. Fantastic book defining all aspects of life for the modern man. It is humorous and refreshing - an unexpected miscellany of advice and information, but includes behavioural and etiquette advice, along with style guides and interesting facts. And covers wide range of topics from wine and tailoring to grooming, golf and skiing..

What else it is said about gentleman nowadays? Bit of googling and few interesting articles pop up. For example article in The Times on the May 20, 2008 "Are gentlemen a dying breed?" by William Drew. It is wonderful article, and gives interesting guide, how to be a (modern) gentleman:

How to be a (modern) gentleman

1. Some things don't change: say please and thank you and ask questions about other people rather than talk about yourself.
2. Be punctual. Tardiness does not make you look important, it turns you into an arrogant incompetent who thinks that his time is more important than other people's.
3. The modern gentleman cares about the planet. Be environmentally aware (but not obnoxious about it).
4. Open doors for people and stand up when they enter a room, but do this for men as well as women. The modern gentleman doesn't treat women like porcelain.
5. Be modest. Bragging is distinctly ungentlemanly.
6. Be a good father. Nothing is less charming than a man who leaves childcare to women.
7. Be honest about wherever you have come from in life. Pretension is spineless.
8. Flirt - with everyone. Good flirting is a form of politeness. Pay compliments and put your companion at ease.
9. Do not phone/text/check your BlackBerry incessantly.
10. Dress tidily. Whatever style you are going for, scruffiness just isn't in.

Another fun link I found was "The Art of Manliness". It provides very basic support for packing, but if you have always had someone else doing your packing your might find it useful. Bit too basic for me tho... It starts stating - "The point of the list is to 1) make sure you remember to bring stuff and 2) make sure you don’t overpack." ;)

It is interesting how you can so easily end up surfing web for hours when you not actually really looking for anything... But I did find something lovely this time, totally by accident. It is called Kenton Sorensen Dopp kit, basically a gorgeous looking toiletries bag! 

Ok, long enough break, back to work. No online shopping allowed.

-3C vs +32C

I flew to Amsterdam yesterday morning - let me re-phrase - I flew to Amsterdam early yesterday morning. My taxi came to pick me up at 4:10am! And flight departed already 6:25am, but it was smooth, easy flight and managed to get to office already by 9:20 local time, so had good, productive day all in all. (Even I was rather tired by the time I got back to my hotel.)
But the weather! I have no idea what is going on, it is so cold! Feels like mid-winter here. There is no snow, but it is crispy and clear AND freezing!
I had to wait my tram to work this morning over 10 minutes on the tram stop and I was scared to sneeze as I thought my nose might shatter in pieces as it felt frozen...  Oh well, missing the tram this morning was partly my own fault... I went to the tram stop I have used before only to realise that they are doing some road works and that the stop is not in use and when I had walked to the alternative stop, I saw the back lights of the tram... 


While sipping warming coffee at office later on, I had a call with Singapore office. It is steaming hot there! Oh, I cannot wait! I do not care if I am melting while waiting my tram outside, I can always have nice frozen latte to cool myself down, but losing feeling from my toes while waiting outside is not my kind of thing.

If you have not tried yet, have a go with Weatherbug website, it is fancy new weather page!

Bit over two weeks to go! Yes, the nervousness is gone now, and the excitement is back ;)


Ps. If you need a place to stay in Amsterdam, do stay in Hotel V Fredriksplein! Nice, cosy, small boutique hotel with great connections, and lovely breakfast!  

Universally acknowledged truth?

Ok. Fine. I admit. 
Nerves are kicking in. So busy at work with daily stuff and new product launch. Top of that been working more and more with teams based in Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Sydney, and suddenly all the plans start to feel more real; not just plans anymore.
And I have so not finished getting my flat ready for my house sitters, nor decided what to actually to take with me and what to leave behind. All those lists I prepared, all that preparedness has gone out of the window and feel so frustrated. I really need to get my act together and get things moving.
And if not worrying about living from suitcase for months wouldn't be enough, I've managed to get myself totally worked up this week by thinking of the return to London in late 2010. Why I just cannot leave that now and worry about it when it is actually happening and concentrate the current situation! 
Time to dwell into some wise words of know personalities for advice I guess... 


"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment." - Buddha


"A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him. " - David Brinkley


"Look, I don't want to wax philosophic, but I will say that if you're alive you've got to flap your arms and legs, you've got to jump around a lot, for life is the very opposite of death, and therefore you must at very least think noisy and colorfully, or you're not alive. " - Mel Brooks


"My formula for living is quite simple. I get up in the morning and I go to bed at night. In between, I occupy myself as best I can. " - Cary Grant


"When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained." - Mark Twain


However, I think a quote from Bridget Jones' diary would sum this whole thing up now - "It is a truth universally acknowledged that when one part of your life starts going okay, another falls spectacularly to pieces." 


Time to stop this ramble, turn off the computer and have a stiff drink.