This and that
It's been said that you'd never fully understand a person until you go on tour together. Well, the moon turned blue recently when Ms A decided to join us for a weekender to Penang. I was planning to finally take up Jennie's offer to visit her hometown and asked if SM would like to come along. Ms A got to know about it and wanted to come as well. Whoa....for someone who hates to travel, who have rejected our invites too many times to count such that we stopped asking her, it was a monumental occasion...and an eye opener.
She told SM of her intent who in turn, conveyed the message to me since I was the organiser. I called her for a confirmation, she hemmed and hawed, throwing remarks like "you only asked SM and not me", " I will be a third party, a burden to you"...which pissed me off. When I finally wrangled her for a direct yes or no, she said she needed to ask permission from her principle.
1st *aurgh*!
That meant a one day delay, by that time, we have missed out on the discounted airfares. We ended up paying full fare, the equivalent to a trip to Hong Kong, Thailand, Bali or even Perth.
2nd *aurgh*
We almost did not make it on board the plane, there was a crush at the airport as everyone seemed intent to leave Singapore on that day. It didn't helped that Ms A took her darnest time to answer her handphone when we changed the meeting place. Her excuse was that she had switched it to vibration mode and couldn't feel it (even though it was hanging around her neck?)
Made it onboard with 2 minutes to spare before take-off, our dear Ms A refused to stow her trolley bag into the overhead compartment. A mini verbal tussle ensued, the bag was finally stowed away above. I had asked for water and the day's newspapers, Ms A began to read over my shoulder which annoyed me. She asked for any section, I gave her the headlines, she continued to read over my shoulder and demanded that I pass over the section I was currently reading at once. I find that rude since she did not specify which section she wanted in the first place or could have waited until I am done with that section.
No sooner have we landed and she was already thinking of changing her return flight to an earlier one. We were only there for 3 days and she wanted to come back earlier??!! So why did she come in the first place?
Other incidences during the trip made me see her in a different light. We have known each other for close to 15 years and it seems, I am only just getting to know her. She came across as selfish, indecisive and rude with a short attention span during the trip or perhaps she simply was not aware of the impact of her actions and behaviour to the surrounding people. Her words contradicted her actions, something that I dislike in a person. It came across as dishonest.
We enjoyed the trip in spite of her nonsense. Jennie was the perfect tour guide/host and a confident chauffeur (though there were times I held onto the safety belt a little tighter).
The long and short of it, this will be the last trip we would be taking together and never, NEVER would I or SM discussed any travel plans with her, just in case.
My Red Cross mission trip earlier to Meulaboh was another eye opener. Though we were prepared to work hard, expecting the worse conditions, we were pleasantly surprised when we reached there. The trip was akin to camping in a first class camp with housekeeping and laundry. We had a whale of a time in fact, making friends with the locals, it seemed inappropriate given the sufferings and struggles they go through daily since the tsunami. Still, it made me thankful for where I am now.
She told SM of her intent who in turn, conveyed the message to me since I was the organiser. I called her for a confirmation, she hemmed and hawed, throwing remarks like "you only asked SM and not me", " I will be a third party, a burden to you"...which pissed me off. When I finally wrangled her for a direct yes or no, she said she needed to ask permission from her principle.
1st *aurgh*!
That meant a one day delay, by that time, we have missed out on the discounted airfares. We ended up paying full fare, the equivalent to a trip to Hong Kong, Thailand, Bali or even Perth.
2nd *aurgh*
We almost did not make it on board the plane, there was a crush at the airport as everyone seemed intent to leave Singapore on that day. It didn't helped that Ms A took her darnest time to answer her handphone when we changed the meeting place. Her excuse was that she had switched it to vibration mode and couldn't feel it (even though it was hanging around her neck?)
Made it onboard with 2 minutes to spare before take-off, our dear Ms A refused to stow her trolley bag into the overhead compartment. A mini verbal tussle ensued, the bag was finally stowed away above. I had asked for water and the day's newspapers, Ms A began to read over my shoulder which annoyed me. She asked for any section, I gave her the headlines, she continued to read over my shoulder and demanded that I pass over the section I was currently reading at once. I find that rude since she did not specify which section she wanted in the first place or could have waited until I am done with that section.
No sooner have we landed and she was already thinking of changing her return flight to an earlier one. We were only there for 3 days and she wanted to come back earlier??!! So why did she come in the first place?
Other incidences during the trip made me see her in a different light. We have known each other for close to 15 years and it seems, I am only just getting to know her. She came across as selfish, indecisive and rude with a short attention span during the trip or perhaps she simply was not aware of the impact of her actions and behaviour to the surrounding people. Her words contradicted her actions, something that I dislike in a person. It came across as dishonest.
We enjoyed the trip in spite of her nonsense. Jennie was the perfect tour guide/host and a confident chauffeur (though there were times I held onto the safety belt a little tighter).
The long and short of it, this will be the last trip we would be taking together and never, NEVER would I or SM discussed any travel plans with her, just in case.
My Red Cross mission trip earlier to Meulaboh was another eye opener. Though we were prepared to work hard, expecting the worse conditions, we were pleasantly surprised when we reached there. The trip was akin to camping in a first class camp with housekeeping and laundry. We had a whale of a time in fact, making friends with the locals, it seemed inappropriate given the sufferings and struggles they go through daily since the tsunami. Still, it made me thankful for where I am now.