Around this time last year the good folk at Balmoral Gate announced a programme to refurbish an unused storeroom downstairs into some kind of gym. In due course a project plan appeared at the entrance to the building, but even with the most generous time allowances for the various milestones the conversion still overran by at least three months. Nobody is exactly sure, because according to building security it is still not finished, and therefore remains out of bounds. This despite the fact I saw it with my own eyes around four weeks ago, when one of the security guards gave me a tour of what looked the finished facility. The entrance is along the wall to the right of the photo.
Anyhow, following on from a post several weeks back, the apartment owners in our building got to vote on a new paint scheme for the building facade. Alas, a decision has now been made and we're in the first stages of seeing the building painted into various shades of grey. The project plan has again been posted at the entrance, and true to form is already tracking well behind schedule.
But here's the kicker: because the painting involves the exterior of the entire building, the side which houses the (supposed) gym, along with the swimming pool is now off-limits for five months while the painting is underway (hence the warning sign above). You could not make this stuff up. This after a lift servicing which was supposed to take three months ended up taking the best part of last year (and where more often than note one of the two lifts is still generally out of action). I have a Project Management for Dummies book at home, and about the only (non-violent) use I can think of for it as far as our building management is concerned, would be to take it downstairs and burn it in protest. By the pool
Five uninterrupted weeks in Singapore will do that to a person, and when not working the days at home get awfully boring. Luckily change is afoot, as this afternoon I head back to Ho Chi Minh, this time with my wife for a few days R&R / escape. On Sunday we head back to HCM Airport together, and having drawn the short straw she flies back to SIngapore to report to work on Monday, whereas I get to fly north and look around Da Nang and Hoi An for a few days. All going to plan a few photos - and a few roadside beers - to follow.
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