Work trip in Sao Paulo reflection.

In many ways this work trip felt different. Usually I go on work trip to prepare/advance a project. This time, I had most meetings unrelated to my project, mostly with my boss in general portfolio. This setting means I don’t have a set team to travel with, my schedule is light, I was mostly by myself. The good part is that I can follow my own schedule (morning person!) and not feeling exhausted after late dinner gathering. The not so great part of it is that I was alone.

I am staying in a very nice hotel. Below is the view from my room, quite good capture of Sao Paulo city, modern, fast paced, busy, cosmopolitan city. This is my 4th trip to SP this year and it’s the first time I got the feeling that this is a really nice city (at least for 24 hrs!), and even considered bringing the family so they can see it too. Yet, after 2 days in the city, my enthusiasm has declined dramatically, solely because of the traffic! it’s really really exhausting to be spending hours in the car to go to places that are actually close. So, I am not bringing the family.

The hotel has a really nice gym that I enjoyed a lot and went everyday my favorite part of this trip I must say. When I travel for work, I get to manage my schedule (subject to work schedule) how I want to spend my morning and evenings, without having to adapt to family needs, which is great. This time, I also skipped all dinner out, ordered food at finished dinner before 7pm and got to bed by 8pm to read/sleep. I sticked to my own schedule and didn’t feel exhausted.

YET, I miss the family!!! The girls are on school break and feel lack of structure. Without me helping them to find ideas, they had to be creative which was great. I wish I could travel like some women for work without guilt or feeling lonely, I am just not like that, at least not fully. I am grateful for my husband to holding the fort, giving me peace of mind while traveling alone. He’s my rock!

Luxury, free time to do whatever, became overrated compared to simple family life.

I am a minimalist packer and this is all I brough in term of skincare, makeup, HRT and supplement.

The field visit to our metro extension project was interesting and exhausting. I was wiped out by 2pm. Being engineering is not easy. I feel lucky to be working indoor mostly.

I did massive Asian groceries shopping, filling an entire suitcase. I did overdue nails when I got bored at the mall (failed to get any present). I progressed from 10 to 70% in this book and I finished this book. I got epic sleep everyday. I got to reflect 2025. Although I didn’t necessarily enjoy solitude, it was good timing to end the year.