Job Discussion Forums

[gajackson1]

Okay, okay - I know probably the BEST option would have been to book something out of country, but it is a little late for that now, and funds wouldn't permit it in any case at this exact point.

So, what are the options?

I know I could always go to the Empire or one of the close beaches to see the fireworks. Swim, beach bonfire, beverages, fireworks out under the stars sounds do-able.

The RBYC @ Kota Batu is also hosting a shindig, in 3 phases - dinner, light buffet & NYE countdown. For the event, you don't have to be an RYBC member (I am unsure if that is a good or bad thing???) It is close to my place here, which is also a plus. No idea if Serasa is doing something as well? (tickets for that one have to be bought BY the 30th; if you need a contact person, just let me know).

No idea about events in KB, although I might be willing to drive over there if there was something really good to do.

Somehow, NYE in KL ('our' KL, not the 'real' KL!) has no appeal to me. Considering the border closes at what? 10? it would make for a looonnngg, weird all-nighter there, I would guess.

oh, and another thing! Is eggnog not sold in Brunei??? I scoured all of Mabohai Supasave, to no avail. I know I could cook it up myself, but I like the convenience of just buying cartons. Anyone know if/where there is some to be had???

Thanks in advance, & a very, very happy New Year to you all.

Regards,

G.

[gajackson1]

ok, le booooo -

So, I decided on the RBYC event, and went over this afternoon to get my ticket for the light buffet/countdown combo.

And I find out, once I am back at home now, that there are parties planned for BOTH clubhouses - Serasa AND Kota Batu. And, of course, the Serasa is expected to be the larger/livelier/more singles & expat oriented of the 2.

My problem now is I can't find any info, website, or contacts about the Serasa event.

If anyone has that information, kindly post up here, or send me a PM - it is too late tonight, but I can go take care of it in the morn, I think/hope/pray.

Regards (& still looking for eggnog!)

Glen

[jsteventon]

Hi Glen,

Yes, the Searasa party will be good - I have been in the past and really had fun. Why don't you phone or call round today to the office at Kota Batu? They will know all about the Serasa party....

If no time for that, just turn up and hopefully there will be tickets on the door!

Happy New Year!

[gajackson1]

Well, it was more than a bit of a miss yesterday -

I went first to Kota to see if they could just do the ticket exchange there; I thought it would just be an easy swap process, or - at worst - I would have to get my ticket refunded & drive over to Serasa to buy one from them.

But nothing so easy - I was informed that the rates quoted in the e-mail were only being extended to non-members at Kota Batu; I would have to pay the full prices (double) if I wanted to attend Serasa - so $70 for the buffet & countdown version over there. I had heard that Kota was under 'different management,' but didn't realize just how different different is/was.

Again, as I am not working yet, my budget is more than a bit thin after 6 months of self-support. So I decided what the heck - after all, Kota is the one just down the road, so the one I will use more frequently, no? May as well meet the people round my neck of the woods . . .

I had, what we quaintly call in SoKo, an O.F.F. night last night.

(Only Freakin' Foreigner)

All of the available seating was set up for larger groups, which was a good call - since it was all families & large groups of friends. All Asian, seemingly 1/2 local Bruneian, and the rest Malay and/or Chinese. No Indians, and no 'western' foreigners of any type. Also, no singles 'of age,' either.

Normally, I would have been ok just playing pool & people watching for a couple of hours & then the countdown - I had taken my cue along with me - but apparently some of the balls are missing from the set (they had failed to mention that), so it was only possible to makeshift a rack of 9-ball. And there were also people who wanted to 'play,' but couldn't really play at all, so the rotations were painfully, painfully slow - along the lines of 20-30 minutes per game (and that is 9 balls, not 15).

The 'light buffet' at Kota was 3 warm dishes (mi goreng, samosas, and some type of chicken-fingerlet type things that didn't resemble real chicken, seved with tartar sauce???) plus fruit. To be fair, the staff did make sure I had a small bucket of ice at any given moment, transferring it to wherever I was standing.

The band has to be credited for their enthusiasm, if their interpretation of lyrics left a little to be desired (go go Engrishee!) They even squeezed some psuedo-Latinesque songs, but - sadly - no one could dance anything but basic cha-cha, and most of the regular dancing was that funny version where people pantomime like they have their feet nailed to the floor and are trying to escape. And again, no singles that I saw, and I was completely ignoring the wandering-eye women with red-faced husbands/beaus.

I guess maybe the oddest/worst/weirdest part was that, because it was only around 100 people, I was BLATANTLY the 'single foreigner' - the staff continuously was checking on me, and people kept commenting on it to me directly - 'You are here alone, lah?' and 'Oh, wow - you are the only foreigner here, hmm?'

I cut my losses around 1:30, but did have something nice happen. As I was walking out to the car, there was a younger couple leaning next to/on my car. I was afraid I had parked at a weird angle, and had blocked them in; there was no phone number visible in the dash. As it turns out, he had driven in a little too far on the grass, and his car was stuck. He couldn't back up (front wheel drive, wet grass, no traction), and couldn't go forward because of a tree in the way.

I looked it over carefully, & figured out if he just cut the wheel all the way to the left, then let gravity do its thing, he would come down the hill, past the tree trunk, and onto the pavement. So, we did it, and they were able to call & cancel the towing service coming out.

We wished each other a happy new year ahead, and went on our respective ways. Nice young couple.

I compensated by going to Meragang for a sunrise swim, and it was a beaut this morn. Now back at home, playing with the cats, and deciding how I will spend the next few days, as I literally have NOTHING I need to do in the meantime!

So, if anyone stops in here, and didn't see my note in the other thread, I wish you & your loved the very happiest, healthiest, and most prosperous of new years ahead.

(and, given a choice? Definitely choose Serasa for events! )

Warm regards,

Glen