It’s that time of the year again to take stock of one’s life and review the year that has passed. It’s almost hard to believe that I left Europe a year ago. It feels more like a lifetime away. I miss the travelling…I really do. I miss taking trains cross-country. I miss the anonymity in a foreign land where you can pretend to be someone else if you wanted to and no one would know any better. I miss that sense of freedom. I miss wandering the streets of a new city, exploring its nooks and corners. I miss the mountains, open space, lakes, snow-covered fields, gorgeous beaches and other magnificent natural scenery that can’t be found in Singapore. Ah Wanderlust…how do I quell thee?
In review, 2008 hasn’t been too bad. Returned from Japan on 3 Jan and then flew off to Dubai a couple of days later to visit a good friend. Wasn’t taken by the city at all…the best I could description I could come up with was that it’s a ‘big construction site’ by virtue of the fact that there is a crane on every 3rd or 4th building in sight. With 75-80% of the city’s population being foreigners, the city seems to be devoid of local culture. But while there, I managed to have the best carrot cake I’ve ever eaten at a lovely cafe called Lime Tree Cafe. I also happened to be in Dubai when Bush made a one-day visit to the city. That day, the whole of Dubai shut down for security reasons. Very surreal.
Then in mid-February it was off to Hong Kong for about five days…or was it six? I can’t remember. In any case, I always enjoy a visit to Hong Kong. Lots of good food, met up with friends and made a new one over a dinner I crashed. If she’s reading this, she knows who she is. 🙂
After returning from Hong Kong, an active job hunt ensued while still doing freelance work on the side. Eventually I landed a job at a bank. Before starting the job, I zipped off to Australia for an outrigger canoe race in Hamilton Island followed by a relaxing nine days in Sydney where I went to old haunts and caught up with family and friends. Sydney, like Hong Kong, is another city I really love. I find that I really like cities which are surrounded by water. The inlets, bays, harbours, and vast open sea add so much character to the city. The undulating hills of both cities further enhance their beauty. Plus, the food in both these cosmopolitan and multicultural cities is fabulous!!!
Oh yes, the race at Hamilton Island was great fun and it’s absolutely beautiful there. The rolling waves and chops made it such a thrill to be paddling there. Whitehaven beach on Whitsunday Island has the whitest and finest sand I’ve ever come across. It’s as soft as powder and it’s so white that it almost hurts your eye to look at it with the sun shining down.
After all that fun, I settled down to start my new job. About a month into it, I went took two days off to go to Penang for the World Club Crew Dragonboat Championships. Again, good fun and it was awesome seeing teams from Australia, Czech Republic, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Philippines, UAE, Iran, Germany, Canada, USA, and Russia competing together. It was a competitive, yet friendly, atmosphere and that’s what really makes the sport so fun. Of course, there were also lots of hot bods to be ogled at.
A day after returning from Penang, my father met with a mishap while undergoing an operation (which didn’t take place in the end) and the incident turned my family’s life upside down. Things have settled down now so thanks to everyone who showed their concern during that period of time.
Four months into the job at the bank, I realised that it wasn’t really for me and I decided to throw in the towel as it was getting me really down. Tendered my resignation in mid-October and in end October took off for Phuket for a few days over the Deepavali weekend for some chill-out time. I now work somewhere else and even though it’s a huge paycut, I’m happier doing it.
Food-wise, it was a pretty good year. Ate at quite a number of nice restaurants and got invited to some tastings. All in all, can’t complain too much as long as I have food to eat! I mean, so many people in this world go hungry.
And then I turned 30. Goodbye to my 20s. I hope things are better in this decade.
Love life is still non-existent. While – to borrow a phrase from a friend – ‘my eggs are drying up’, good friend Olduvai held her ceremonial wedding on Sunday to the brother of monoceros, another good friend. A date Monoceros and I helped set up slightly over 2.5 years ago culminated into a simple and elegant wedding that bespoke of the bride’s nature as a person. Olduvai was a gorgeous bride who exuded classical beauty with her exquisite column lace gown that fitted her slim and tall figure and her hair done up in a low bun with two sprigs of white flowers at the side of the bun.
I felt really happy for her when I saw her walking down the long aisle of the church and hearing the couple pledge themselves to each other in their vows. There’s something very touching about that moment, especially when you know that these two people actually mean it heart and soul, and you know that this couple can definitely make it all the way and stay true to their vows. Olduvai and her R make a great couple and I wish her all the best in her new life as Mrs R H. I will miss her when she flies off to Frisco next week. But this leaving of hers is a good thing as she’s going over to start married life proper!
Some spend their whole life looking for that special someone and still never find it. Some think they’ve found it only to find that they lose it after awhile, be it in months or years. Still, I consider it good fortune to have loved and lost than not loved at all. But luckiest are the people who find that special someone for keeps and I know that the two of them will treasure each other.
On the whole, I have many things to give thanks for – good health, family and friends. I hope 2009 will bring on more new adventures and good tidings for everyone (and myself of course, hehe) and that it’ll be a year filled with happier news!
Happy New Year everyone!