It's all about the journey.... (blog)
- by Ivi Travels
- •
- 14 May, 2018
And then one day, I read the essay 'The Station' and suddenly it all made sense. This is why I travel. It is about the journey, not the destination. If we live with the sole purpose of reaching a particular destination, we forget to live in the here and now. I want to feel alive... The unpredictable joy of brand new discoveries and experiences is what makes us stop pacing the aisles.
Live Laugh Love!
xx Ivi
"The Station is an illusion--it constantly outdistances us."
THE STATION By Robert J. Hastings
TUCKED AWAY in our subconscious minds is an idyllic vision in which we see ourselves on a long journey that spans an entire continent. We're traveling by train and, from the windows, we drink in the passing scenes of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at crossings, of cattle grazing in distant pastures, of smoke pouring from power plants, of row upon row upon row of cotton and corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, of city skylines and village halls.
But uppermost in our conscious minds is our final destination--for at a certain hour and on a given day, our train will finally pull into the Station with bells ringing, flags waving, and bands playing. And once that day comes, so many wonderful dreams will come true. So restlessly, we pace the aisles and count the miles, peering ahead, waiting, waiting, waiting for the Station.
"Yes, when we reach the Station, that will be it!" we promise ourselves. "When we're eighteen. . .
win that promotion. . . put the last kid through college. . . buy that 450SL Mercedes-Benz. . . have a
nest egg for retirement!"
From that day on we will all live happily ever after.
Sooner or later, however, we must realize there is no Station in this life, no one earthly place to arrive at once and for all. The journey is the joy. The Station is an illusion--it constantly outdistances us. Yesterday's a memory, tomorrow's a dream. Yesterday belongs to a history, tomorrow belongs to God. Yesterday's a fading sunset, tomorrow's a faint sunrise. Only today is there light enough to love and live.
So, gently close the door on yesterday and throw the key away. It isn't the burdens of today that
drive men mad, but rather the regret over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin
thieves who would rob us of today.
"Relish the moment" is a good motto, especially when coupled with Psalm 118:24, "This is the day which
the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."
So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, swim more rivers, climb more mountains, kiss more babies, count more stars. Laugh more and cry less. Go barefoot oftener. Eat more ice cream. Ride more merry-go-rounds. Watch more sunsets. Life must be lived as we go along. The Station will come soon enough.
https://madameshackelford.wikispaces.com/file/view/Official+Website+of+The+Station.pdf
Huge and comfortable bed. Nice japanese restaurant. Good and plentiful breakfast buffet. The location is excellent with the MRT station across the street. Overall quality of the food, facilities and accommodation is very good!
However, the delivery of services by hotel staff clearly needs improvement.
- Cleaning by housekeeping is done seemingly rushed and clearly overlooking details with stains left behind where you don't want to see them.
- Swimmingpool area was deserted of service and lounge chairs lacking cushions and just overall uncomfortable.
- Bell service took forever to show up when I wanted to leave and the bill at checkout had to be recalculated manually due to the promised IHG discounts on food not having been processed, thus also took way too long (over 30 mins).
Amazing grounds, gorgeous lounge rooms for afternoon tea and Champagne aperitif with canapés, an exquisite spa, some beautiful suites in the Mansion and the pièce de résistence: an exquisite spa containing a beautiful black tiled 22m indoor pool.
If only, ......
- If only investments in interior decoration, such as carpets and furniture, hadn't stopped, then you wouldn't be walking on murky beige-brown-ish floors, looking at scratches and faded plexiglass side tables or sitting on stained white sofas.
- If only, the claimed 5* quality resulted in similar quality, discipline and professionalism of waiting staff, rather than those that prefer chatting with each other.
- If only, they hadn't sold out to becoming a hotel focused on attracting conference groups that can't be kept apart from regular guests, then you might actually be treated well and feel special, which makes forking out a hefty sum to treat yourself to a special weekend actually worth it.
It saddens me to say that besides the spa, the Grove actually doesn't meet expectations anymore. I first came to The Grove when it had just opened and it was such a fabulous experience. Unfortunately that is no longer possible, I felt like an invisible and unimportant guest during my stay, and no matter how beautiful the surroundings are, that just really makes it not worth it. Too bad, as I had really wanted to try that gorgeous junior suite in the mansion. Ah well....
