METRO INN

This is the corridor outside of #121, my 'home-sweet-home' here at West Ryde. My room is my castle, a place that offers tranquility, privacy & security. It is at best a 3-star outfit but I absolutely adore it because it puts me in perspctive. For a long time I have been royally spoiled by the trappings of corporate life eg 5-star accomodation, Michelin dining, Business if not First Class seats etc ... ad nauseum. We all get used to them easily as we climb the seniority ladder, until one day an Economy seat is like a jail term without parole. This is where retirement can help us turn that corner, and become 'real' again. What is wrong with a tidy, airy, bright room with clean sheets & towels? When was the last time you used that neatly packaged bag of bath salt in a hotel, in fact when was the last time you used the bath, instead of the shower? 'Back to Basics', 'Repacking your Bag', 'How to Simplify Your Life', 'How to Live Simply' .... these are titles of books I read since retirement. I have discovered new meaning on how I should effectively downsize myself to fit my new lifestyle. I learned that if we feel like splurging every now and then, we should go right ahead. Why not, since we all worked super hard to get to where we are. The point is, do we have to live the 5-star life everyday, would that become boring quickly? Staying at Metro Inn the past 12-weeks has cleansed my head on this key question. I love the simplicity, efficiency & kindness of my home away from home. Tim the Manager, Randall his Assistant, Karen the Receptionist, Therese & Lucy at Housekeeping .... they will be missed, in fact I miss them already as I prepare this blog.