Getting Away From it All

Through my daily stresses of college life, I need some moments of relaxation. "My Time", as some therapists put it. A little downtime, away from all the assignments, research papers, hum-drum homework, and so on. But nowadays, where can a man truly go to get away from it all?

My room? There's just too much distractions. Or is that to little? Either way, Staying in a room where I'm within an arm's reach of textbooks? In a room where my digital assignments are? Just up the road from where 3 other people from college live? I might as well be in a classroom.

I have tried Starbucks. Their hot chocolate is amazing! I like the chairs, I like the ambiance, I also enjoy the fact that their employees greet you as you walk through the door. They also ask you polite questions, about the weather and traffic, almost as if they are genuinely interested! (Although I must say, I don't recognise any of them in the many times I have been there).

There is only so much time you can spend in a coffeeshop, especially if you are alone. I mean, the toilets; they are filthy. I'm not going to bring my bag in there, even though, with no one to keep an eye out for them, I don't really have any alternative.

The gym? Don't get me started.

What I need, is a true getaway. I need a vacation. I need a place where the TV gets satellite, the beds are queen sized, and the air-conditioning, never off. I need to check into a hotel. I came upon this realisation while watching "The Sopranos", a wonderful show that doesn't involve singing at all. The main character checks into a hotel for relaxation and a nice steak via room service. Sure he was also there hiding from the police for killing someone who probably didn't deserve it, but that's beside the point.

Nowadays, if you were to say, I am going to check into a hotel for a bit, people will immediately say, "I didn't know you have a girlfriend." Whatever happened to the times when a person would just check into a bed and breakfast just to de-stress?

I have been to many hotels, some good, some average, some that just made me want to go back to school. Most of my hotel experiences are at middling rooms at 5-star hotels. Pretty safe bets. I remember the hotel in Singapore we always stayed at; the Marriott Hotel. Despite the elderly looking exterior, its not too shabby. Outside, we could see the traffic on the street and the ventilation ducts on the building across the road. But only on a clear day. With the haze, you could mistake the window for a non-functional big screen TV.

There are worse places to stay, namely the Singgahsana Hotel (Singgahsana meaning, "Stay Over There", probably the same as "Stay Somewhere Else". I certainly would have liked to). I had to attend a conference there three times, and if it were not the room with the view of the parking lot, it would be the one opposite the noisy monorail line. The television was small and had only two colours, grey and green. The latter was a shade I re-discovered, growing under the bathroom sink. The soap was small, the water slow and lukewarm, and the beds uneven and smelt of sweat. Its no wonder we all snuck out after curfew to the nearest food shop for a roti and coffee.

The Holiday Villa in Langkawi! Now there's relaxation. Grand views of the pool and of the beach past it from the balcony, excellent BBQ beef at the buffet, white sand, and the luxurious taxis waiting outside to whisk us away to a mountain somewhere for some fresh air and touristy fun. It would have been my favorite experience if it weren't for the jellyfish that stung me everytime I went into the ocean. Must have been my suntan lotion.

I need to get away soon. The room service calls for me! For now though, I'll just turn off my cellphones, turn on the air conditioning, and listen to my iPod.