Alastair Lyon1

Concluding thoughts

Well it's not too long until I'll be greeted by those tall, blond and blue-clad members of KLM, a sure sign that my internship is over. With a few hours to go before I enjoy the my last fix of Singapore public transport efficiency I thought I'd reflect (tissues not necessary) on my Singapore experience.

Life in Asia has been exhilirating, frustrating, moving, informative, enjoyable, silly, professional, adventurous, tasty and ultimately very worthwhile. The Saltire Foundation has given me the most fantastic opporunities and I leave today feeling more confident and worldly wise than when I stood on the platform at Inverness Station. It is only with hindsight that I realise what I have actually done in the last two months. I have served guests, solved complaints and problems, written presentations, given presentations, learnt about pricing, improved my computer skills, mixed with an incredible range of people and opened my mind to a new industry which I would consider for future employment. The programme has given me the opportunity to travel around Asia and experience the delights of Singapore. My ability to walk to most places without thinking almost confirms my place as a local though my physical apperance discounts such illusions massively! The final few days at the hotel were action packed and rewarding. I managed to finish off various projects and work in restaurants that I had spent time in over the two months. Guy and I concluded our internship by helping at an event organised by the hotel's charity organisation for a local Muslim home. It was absolutely fantastic to finish my internship in the grand surroundings of a Grand Hyatt ballroom with 90 children celebrating buka puasa. I didn't envisage spending my last hour of my internship explaining the rules of pass the parcel down a microphone in traditional clothes to a room full of people but it was fantastic. If all else fails I could represent Scotland in the future as a Children's entertainer! The task was made all the more difficult by the fact that I too was following the rules of Ramadam. Needless to say having eaten before sunrise and fasted for 14 hours I was more than ready for some dates and local specialities; table manners unquestionably went out of the window! We finished the evening saying our farewells to John who has been extremely kind, helpful and a definate role model throughout our time at the Hyatt, Guy and I are very grateful.

The last week has been spent travelling around Indochina. The ruins of Angor Wat were awesome and worthy of their accolade as one of the wonders of the world. The sights, sounds and pace of life in Phenom Penh and Ho Chi Minh were certainly something and make Singapore seem even more law-abiding and efficient. I return with beard and gap (week) beads the first of which is going before the flight and the second will probably go if my constant fiddling continues.

Really looking forward to catch up with everybody back in Glasgow and share experiences.

Thank you Saltire Foundation

Alastair

 

Hello! Blog...OK!

I must apologise for starting this blog with that annoying cliche "time really has flown by" but such words perfectly reflect the mood during this last week of work at the Grand Hyatt. Guy and I only have 4 days left at the hotel before we pack our bags and bit adieu to Singapore. Fortunately for me, I am extending my travels in Asia for another week with hotels in Cambodia and Vietnam booked and guide books bought.

The last week has been a mix of work and leisure. At the Hyatt, I was working in a different restaurant which offered me a taste of how the operations of restaurants can differ so much within one establishment. I was also lucky to help on the VIP floors, whose gold-cladded rooms almost made sunglasses a necessity! It was fascinating to see how the hotel deals with its most prestigious guests. Moving aside from work, Guy and I visited Malaysia this weekend. We took the bus up, enjoyed two nights in a luxury hotel and flew back yesterday (after eventually finding the right terminal!) Highlights included clubbing with a bunch of Norwegians we met and being asked to be photographed several times at the top of the KL tower. These blond locks, blue eyes and gangly legs certainly do have their advantages out east. Sadly the same celebraty status will not follow me to St. Andrews.

I am unclear of the direction of work this week, think it might be a bit of tieing up loose ends in the various departments I have worked in. I'm aware that I have a presentation to give and I also heard on the grapevine that I'm supposed to deliver mooncakes (a special Chinese cake with symbolic meaning) for the hotel to various residences in Singapore. Should be out of this world. Guy and I are looking forward to dinner with the Hotel Manager this Thursday, will be really interesting to meet him in an out-of-work context. The FORCE initiative at the hotel performs the Hyatt's commitment to helping local communities and Guy and I will be finishing our internship helping the hotel to host a ramadam celebration for a local Muslim Childrens Home. A fitting end to a worthwhile internship.

Stormy times (meteologically speaking)

Well the rain certainly can fall on the equator. Being used to Scottish weather, I never thought I'd be able to describe Sutherland as Saharaesque or Arran as Arid, but the size of the raindrops and the intensity of the downpours here certainly puts Scotland to shame! Happy to report that work hasn't been such a washout. The last week has included a report that needed to be summarised, a presentation to the 'big guns', a tour around the new spa project and a great night working in the bar (including being invited for after-work drinks with the guests I was serving!)

I write this having arrived home from the cinema and following an extremely chilled weekend. Yesterday Guy and I helped to represent the hotel at a charity walk in the Civic District of the city. Depite the inclement weather the day was a success with the banner proudly raised for the Hyatt and my job as official photographer orchestrated fairly successfully (well that is judging by the calls from Hello and OK magazines today!) Our charity efforts continue on our last day when we will be helping out with Ramadam celebrations for a childrens home supported by the hotel.

My official job this week is to help relaunch the Oasis Restaurant at the hotel, which judging by the state of the site at the moment will be far from a walk in the park, or should I say desert; looking forward to the challenge though.

Have also just booked my after-Singapore trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, well it would be rude not to experience the most of Asia if I'm out East.

Looking forward to the week!

Rock and Roll

Well the new style internship has really got rolling. Since my last blog, one week ago, I have been involved in several tasks in different departments. Alongside that I've managed to fit a fair amount of cultural experience into my stay here, well R+R is part of the internship experience, is it not?

During the last week, I have really perfected my powerpoint and excel skills (sadly a little rusty having not employed them since my weekly IT lesson at school.) I used both programmes to demonstrate the breakage record of the restaurant over the last six months, for which I had to analyse, sort out and find data, which is harder than it sounds given the size of the hotel! I was also given the job of preparing a presentation on a new business card idea for the Food and Beverage manager, which was sent out on Monday. Over the last two days, Guy and I have been updating the extremely out-of-date concierge computer system, by including new restaurants, activites and things to do in Singapore. This has turned out to be extremely productive not just for the hotel, but for ourselves, given our now "tourist information" like minds, which automatically know where the best places to eat, drink (and be merry) can be found. We also found ourselves today having the extremely arduous task of testing the new masseurs for the spa, so we trudged up to the training area and had to endure a hot stone massage for two hours...life at the top is tough!

This being Singapore, and the emphasis placed on hard work, I shall be returning to work shortly to help out at the bi-annual infantry, which we should hopefully finish around 3am. I have polished my arithmetic brain and made sure the hands aren't too shaky, two important criteria given the number of plates and items of glassware I'll be carrying tonight...keep it cool Al, keep it cool!

Moving away from work, Guy and I had a busy weekend going to the cinema (love guru a must see if you are in need of a less than intellectually stimulating film) and witnessing the National Day action which ended with a spectacular fireworks display. On Sunday, we visited Changi Prison museum which offered a harrowing insight into the experiences of prisoners in occupied Singapore during World War II. This weekend is a case of passport...check, suncream...check, swimmers...check as we are catching the ferry over to Indonesia, will report back on life from the tropics.

Oysters, outfits and oil

Well some things in Singapore remain the same as ever; you can still eat a meal off the spotlessly clean streets if it were not for the rules regarding public eating and the humidity continues to ensure Sure deodrant's profits are maintained. However Guy and I are experiencing new developments at the Hyatt with a newly implemented timetable and increased responsibility. We have been fortunate enough over the last month to increase our understanding of the operations side of the hotel. I have held a position in the hotel's principal restaurant which has a reputation as one of the places to eat in the city. Think authentic sushi, fantastic western fare, delicious patisserie and enough oysters to get even the most restrained individual's libido racing. I have met some fantastic guests who hail from places as far as Inverness, Tain and Edinburgh and who seem very curious and intrigued by a blond guy (who incidentally towers over his colleagues) serving them all manner of cuisine. The team I work with have welcomed me extremely warmly and the challenges of working in a 400 seat restaurant and maintaining professional, consistent service cannot be underestimated. It's been a challenge, and one I've relished.

From tomorrow I move onto a new schedule. Out goes my authentic Asian costume and on goes a suit (I bet very few interns can boast of having such an eclectic working wardrobe!) Over the next few weeks I shall be attending meetings, working on various projects to do with losses incurred in the restaurant and looking at yield and pricing of the hotel's various rooms, cheap room rates for Saltire interns anyone?! Furthermore during the last two weeks I will be actively involved in the launch of the hotel's new spa restaurant which should be a fantastic opportunity to witness what is a major event in the hotel's calendar. Note to self: aromatherapy and olive oil are not the same.

Thanks to Mark Hallan and SDI, we have also been fortunate enough to meet other Scots who reside in Singapore through meetings and after-work drinkies. The combination of skilled professionals who have succeeded out east and a constant flow of Tiger beer have ensured enjoyable and inciteful evenings!

Future plans? Work hard, visit Indonesia, night safari, Ministry of Sound...

I'll be in touch

Top of the pops

Reached the end of my first week in Singapore and whilst it's been non-stop, I shall try to avoid Rory levels of analysis (no offence mate!) My top ten moments:

10. What will the weather be like tomorrow? Will it be cold? Need to pack a jumper and hat? Don't be silly we're in Singapore

9. Malay? Indian? Chinese? Ex-pat...embrace multiculturalism.

8. $7000 per night, the cost of the Presidential Suite at the Grand Hyatt (toiletries included)

7. Coconut broths, spices, rice, chicken feet at the staff canteen. Adios turkey twizzler!

6. MRT (Mass Rapid Transport). Singapore's equivalent of the metro/subway/metro. Air-conditioned with mobile reception, spacious and clean. The Jubilee line is definately further east than London.

5. Mezza9. The principal restaurant at the Hyatt which is effectively a buffet/a la carte hybrid. Think of a food...it's there

4. Civic District. Our home for the next six weeks, awash with a plethora of skyscrapers and colonial architecture, complete with statue of Sir Stamford Raffles (the chap who effectively laid the first stone...probably not personally)

3. Orientation. A 3 day, info swamping bonanza. The founder of Hyatt? Jay Pritzker. The first one? In Los Angeles. How many rooms in Singapore? 663 rooms.

2.  Chinatown. On our door step, cheap foods, good smells, interesting sights

1. Cultural exposure...priceless

The night before it all begins

Officially reached the night before I am due to start work, shoes shined and ready to go! Despite the fact that I haven't yet started work, Guy and I have been busy exploring the sights of the city. We have walked a lot of the downtown area and have witnessed enormous skyscrapers, colonial architecture and experienced unbelievable politeness and overpowerful air conditioning.

Singapore strikes you as a country that is growing economically at an incredible rate. Building sites are hard to ignore and there is an incredible optimism. The infrastructure would put that of Europe's to shame (think monorails, air conditioned, smooth Metros and buses complete with television!) We have just returned from Sentosa island where we chilled on the beach, went on a luge and visited an old British fort that was key during the Second World War, a good mixture of culture and rest...well they did say work hard, play hard!

We have an early start tomorrow as we are uncertain as to how long it will take us to get to the Hyatt, arriving late on the first day would just not be acceptable! I'll keep you posted

Alastair 

Slinging off to Singapore

Suitcase partially packed, bureaucracy filed, lashings of deodrant bought; officially reached the night before I leave to Singapore. Only 2 trains, 2 planes and 1 bus before I arrive in the tropics and must say I cannot wait.

I'll keep you informed...