Life is what happens when you’re busy planning something else – OK, I totally just paraphrased John Lennon so let’s leave it at that, let’s pretend Johnny said that alright? It’s already October and we are in the midst of the crazy, scary December issue. The ironic thing about me is when I’m really busy, I’m really busy. Besides work, I pack my schedule (what’s left of it) with some pathetic excuse of a social life, wasting my youth away queueing up at Butter, discussing life’s big issues (think whether XXX should date YYY, whom I only met once) with friends over soul food (Tonkichi I love you!) and speed shopping. And when I’m damn free, I’m damn free. Twiddling thumbs at work, watching the same re-runs of Keeping Up With The Kardashians and Giuliana and Bill, trying to fit in workouts to make up for my future sedentary life and wondering why I have no life in my PJs.

But a year after I started in the magazine business, I was finally sent on a proper press trip. Boy, I was so excited. It was for Nine West – we got to interview the Creative Director of Fred Allard. The presentation was set up in French Window at IFC with the fall/winter 2011 collection of shoes, accessories and ready-to-wear. With the sunlight flooding in through and a small press entourage, it was most possibly the best first work trip I could ever have. Fred was simply open and it felt like he was more like a friend than the creative director of a huge American shoe company. He teased me about my socks (yes, I was wearing my hi-tops instead of pretty shoes) and walked us personally through the entire collection. He spoke about Karen Elson (who was doing a collaboration with Nine West Vintage America) and how she was a muse. Can you imagine? Now I have like a one degree separation from a supermodel! (Like I “know” Fred and he is pals with Karen right, right?)

Meeting Fred was definitely the highlight of the trip but there were other highlights too. Having my very first meal at a three star Michelin restaurant, Caprice at Four Seasons Hotel. I’m no atas foodie, food is yummy or not yummy to me, but if I have to write a food snippet, I would take far too long. But I have to say, it was the best sort of shepherd’s pie I ever had and wondrous desserts (think petit fours and the most delectable to look at bonbons). Throw in a private room that overlooked the harbour and attentive waiters delivering the most delicious little castles of carbohydrates (read: bread). I just about died of happiness.

And that one glorious night in the Peninsula Hotel. The last time I slept alone, not counting being home alone, was back in hall (yes Eusoff, I mean you). So to see such awfully high ceilings, and a gorgeous bathroom, a little hallway before you enter the actual suite and such a huge fluffy bed all to myself, I felt like Eloise in the Plaza hotel or maybe just very grown up for once.

A little digression – since then I’ve been on another press trip (and more about that later) but the best thing about travelling for work is having the peace and quiet for just a few days is just delectable.

I’m all for cheap thrills and of course one night in such a luxury hotel was enough to put me on cloud nine for quite awhile, along with more than one visit to H&M, a wonderful Sonia by Sonia Rykiel discount buy (I love you stripes) and my first thrift store purchases (I love you too, high waisted skirts and ahma pants) that even as I pulled along my Stella for Lesportsac rollie (bulging at the seams), all due to the fore-mentioned buys on the 20 minute walk to Missy Teo’s workplace (DFS spilling with mainlanders) and arrived at my destination, swimming in sweat, I was still walking on air.

Missy Teo put me up for a night at her bachelorette pad that was very near St Francis Yard where the Monocle store and other cool shops were. She took me out to dinner to Soho, brought me to Maple (heh) and was kind to me for 2 days (she didn’t make me clean her house).

I finally had the opportunity to move around by myself. I think I’m the only person who will get lost in Hong Kong but I still managed to get to my destinations by myself without losing any limbs. I went into a coffee house and I ordered a sandwich without knowing any Cantonese with the proprietor speaking to me in Cantonese as though I was a retard. The next time I will make sure I get my instant noodles and luncheon meat – I go to what is a gourmet city and I just want to eat instant noodles, so sue me. Just trotting around a foreign town where everyone knows where they are going to while I took many pictures of a burger joint agreed with me greatly. I guess this is the reason by people love to travel alone. For someone who got lost walking to the Bart station in San Francisco – I clearly remember Pillay telling me to walk straight and turn one left – this is a great feat.

I’m terribly privileged to be able to travel like this for work (although my colleagues have been to Tokyo and Sweden and on more frequent trips for longer – OK we are not comparing here, not trying to anyway). This is exactly how I imagined footloose and fancy free to be.