Location: Client HQ, Kuala Belait, Brunei
Time: 12pm local time
Feeling: Stressed, a bit flat, could use a nap (as usual)

Oh man this project is busy. Everyone is running around at 200km/hr. Which is a great achievement given all the safety regulations in place - this is an oil and gas company, so everyone walking on the stairs has to hold the handrail, walk on the left hand side, not hurry, etc.

There is a lot of lingo to learn - hoists, CTU, nodding donkeys, turnkeys, wildcats, NPT, RDTL, ILT, GWDP, STL, maaaaaan. It's a different language.

The politics in this place...

Other than everyone speaking English (nice change), I haven't really noticed much difference to the BKK. It's been pretty much hotel-office-hotel for me - so that part hasn't changed much. Except that hotels here are sh!te. There is no customer service, people are hopeless and frankly just don't give a fark. I can't get room service (there is no food) at the hotel. I was so confused I had to check with reception. And at 5am there are loud prayers coming through the loudspeaker on street that wake me up when I don't close the window. Other than that, all you notice is lack of people. Or buildings. Really - there's pretty much NOTHING in KB. I'm going to check out the capital Bandar on the weekend - they made it look good in tourism brochures. Will see.

Also all the food here is halal (no pork) and there are no dogs on streets. Only cats. Both, pigs and dogs, are considered to be too dirty for muslims (I've been told anyway. Please correct me...) But apparently, they are not allowed to touch dogs or pigs. So when they have a dog on the police squad (eg drug sniffers), they have to get a Chinese person to be the dog handler.

*Sigh* Have to pretend I've re-grouped and get back to work.