I just returned from 24 hours trip to Batam and it was lovely. It’s always lovely to be able going out of the office and see some real Engineering work under the sun by the sea.

A very nice and yet bossy ..I mean…fatherly Offshore Manager invited me to come with him to Batam to have a site visit to McDermott fabrication yard to see our latest CPP development. The magnificent North Belut. It’s beautiful giant and its waiting to be sailed away by middle of next year. I don’t think I will ever stop marveling on how it works. How they put one deck over another like a stack of lego. Just like giant toy.

We arrived early in the morning, and soon we had two Apprentices took us around, showing us things. Impressive young lads! I barely could suppress a grin whilst my chest swelling with pride when the choleric Manager complimented them. Coming from him, it’s a big deal. And I am secretly pleased to see the OIM let them take the lead and answer question only when it was directed to him. The OIM deliberately exposed these Apprentices to the Manager and took a step back. Good OIM.

An hour later, after so much going up and down, I started to feel the safety shoes biting my legs. Aw shoot, I forgot to wear long socks! So I started to wobbling instead of walking and soon I was left behind. And sweat pouring out from every pores. It’s like a sauna. One of the Apprentice patiently waiting for me, making sure that this old lady did not fell on her bum. Thank God the site visit was about to end and there was cold water waiting for us at the office. I asked for band aid and hoping that it will not be recorded as First Aid Case.

I had 2 presentations afterwards. In which both of them went well. The Field Leaders took an active role in explaining the difficult subject. So it was good. We are going hand in hand and I am happy to see how relax they seem around their leaders. They threw jokes and we had good laugh, so it was good and satisfying!

At night, the kind hearted Manager who also a Padang’s food fans took me, the Apprentices and the Field Leaders for a dinner. We went to…Sederhana Padang Restaurant! Yay!! After pizza for lunch, Sederhana was like an oasis to me. Being the only female around, I got the honor to start first. Which was a mistake. Because I took rice so little as a start, and soon the rest of the gentlemen politely seemed to follow my portion. Which is a fatal flaw, because then the rice bowl was rested next to the Manager and whilst I shamelessly kept on adding, the rest of the gentlemen were not as thick skinned as I am. There was an awkward moment when they stop to think and I could sense the change in them…what the hell moment…and they are adding the rice as well…hahaha…altogether we nearly emptied the table and had a good laugh over our gluttony.

We then left to buy some local cookies for our friends in the office, and…at exactly 8 pm I have reached the hotel again. Somehow, it was managed that we returned at 8 pm when the boss said, “OK, it’s been a long day. We had to go reach the hotel at 8 pm so we can have proper rest.” No further discussion let alone offer for a karaoke. Moreover, an hour earlier than the normal curfew. It’s kinda out of habit for me to be back in the hotel so early when I traveled so I got teased by the guys but…ehm…I think I have learned my lesson well from my last trip in Batam so I’d better comply this time. So I obediently returned to my room and tended my blister feet. Not long after that, I snored the night away. So tired. It has been a one fine day.