The Reyes Report

Well, Conrad and I safely and happily returned from our one-year-delayed honeymoon two-week trip to Peru — it was awesome. We have so many memories (most of them good ones )… and they all bring a smile to our faces. We’re working on culling down the photos and will add them online soon for all to see. I even think there’s a video clip or two in there somewhere. Moral of this simple story is multi-part one … 1.) Two-week holidays are totally doable, we are our own barriers to not doing them. Go. Enjoy. The company will survive without you for 17 days. 2.) Listen to the guide books. Ours told us to arrive in Cusco two days early to acclimate, to drink the coca tea, and not to over-eat or eat late … it worked. And Cusco was awesome. So was the hike. 3.) If you’re going to Machu Picchu, hike it. 4.) You can pass on Lima. It was fine, we met great people there and enjoyed our stay, but there are more scenic places to spend more of those precious vacation days.

Ok … Conrad can weigh in and add more about Peru if he wants to, but for now, let me focus on the title of the post. I returned from Singapore to be told that my trip had been approved, all the paper work was ready, and why wasn’t I in the air yet. Thanks to Kelly for listening to half of a hurried cell phone conversation in an East Village coffee shop while I booked a last minute flight to Singapore — the place I’ll be calling home through early Feb, 2008.

Can’t believe it, but it’s true. A strange way to celebrate a one-year anniversary by saying good bye to your spouse and flying off for four months, but we hope this will give Conrad time to really dedicate study time and make an honest pass at that lofty CCIE goal, so hopefully it will be a good move for everyone.

I touched down from my 29 hour flight on Tuesday, 16 October. Jet lag didn’t really hit me as we stayed up LATE the night before my 5am departure (you know who you bad influencers are, thanks for the going away party!) … plus I had four flights to get acquainted with first/business class travel … let me tell you, it’s a heck of a way to fly.

My hotel is not located in prime real estate, but it is near the coast and it’s near-ish to the office. First day there I just took it easy — walked to the beach, to the nearby mall, etc. Now that I’ve been here a few days longer, I’ve walked farther to see some of the sights that fill up the Singapore guidebooks. That said, it’s a fairly small island, so three months should be a good time to see most of the sights, and maybe even a country or two in the area as well.

If you’re interested in coming along, I’m going to try my best to update our Flickr account with pictures and keep a running dialog here. Comments always appreciated — thoughts and stories from home especially. As are travel tips on favorite Singapore “don’t miss” lists. Oh, and friends. Yeah, I don’t have any yet but I’m working on it — so far, all extra curricular activities are being done solo, but that’s not all bad either… suffice it to say I’m taking notes until the first visitor arrives