Back from Maldives

I just got back from the Republic of Maldives yesterday. I have been to I think one of the most expensive resort in the Maldives.

In fact, I am involve in the project to built it from ground. When I saw the resort now open and visitors / tourist actually staying inside and using the facilities that I have some contribution makes me feel proud. The meeting went well. We manage to come to an agreement and now the project have finally completed.

However, travelling there is a challenging task. I first took a 8pm flight from Kuala Lumpur and it took about 4 hours to reach Male, Maldives. Upon reaching Male, I checked into the airport hotel - Hulhule. It cost me USD290 for the night. So freaking expensive with nothing impressive in the hotel.

Rested a night there and on the 2nd day morning, took a local flight from Male to Gan. The flight took about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Upon reaching there, went to site with the boat provided by the customer. The boat right took about 45 minutes. Arrived just in time for lunch, so went to the customer's staff canteen for lunch. The food they prepared there was I think the best food I have had in the Maldives out of my 8 or so trips there to date.

The meeting started right after lunch and lasted all the way until 7pm. The sky outside is already dark and we have to wait until 8pm for the boat to our hotel away from the island. Boating at night is not interesting at all. You can't see very far away as most of the boats are without any lights. Not sure of the reason why the boats are without headlights. Perhaps they do not want to attract pirates or something. Anyway, good thing is that we arrived safely at shore after 45 minutes of being in the deep sea.

Only took our dinner at 9pm. Had a short meeting with a supplier during the dinner and as the supplier left, we continued to have some beers and chatted until like 1am before hitting the bed.

On the 2nd day, we plan to catch the 8am boat to site. Hence, at 0700, we went to the cafeteria to get our breakfast, to our surprise, the waiter there do not allow us to have any food despite the food being readily available at the trays. He insisted that the breakfast session only starts at 0730. I have exchanged a few words with the waiter and left for the boat. Anyhow, did not miss anything great. We took our breakfast again at the canteen, the food there is much better than the hotel we stayed.

My colleague conducted a short training session for the customer's maintenance team and by 12pm, we left the site to go to the airport to catch our flight which is scheduled at 1520pm. This flight made a transit at a place called Kaadedhdhoo, about 20 minutes away from Gan. Then, flew for another 55 minutes to Male. We touched down at male at 1615pm.

From that time, we sat down in a restaurant to have some snacks and again chit-chatted until like 2020 hrs to check in for my flight back to Kuala Lumpur. At the airport, the check-in counter queue was so long. The people there were so inefficient, hence, I took my chance to queue up at the Business Class line which is much shorter. Then, when my turn came, I show the check in person my loyalty card number and told him that I always check in using the Business class line. He immediately checked me and my colleague in without hesitation. Saves all our trouble of waiting in the long queue.

The flight took off Male to Colombo, Sri Lanka in which it transit for 1.5 hours. After which, it took off again heading towards Kuala Lumpur in which it landed at 0750 as scheduled.

I took the day off to rest at home as the whole night I did not sleep at all. Then in the evening, I again went to the airport, this time is the Low Cost Carrier Terminal, LCCT to pick my gf up as she return from Sabah. She went there on Tuesday morning. Her flight landed at 2100 hrs. Send her home and me and my mom reached home at 2300 hrs.