What's the most awesome thing that could happen when you come back to work after a long trip? Having more travel opportunities, of course. And with that I meant free airplane tickets! Yay yay yay! :D Remember last year I've written about me winning a pair of plane tickets? It happens again, just a few months earlier this time.
I reluctantly came back to the office on Monday, hesitant to open my email containing bitchy comments from one particular client, reminders about meetings, and production schedules of different publications I was working on. At 10am we gathered at the pantry for the usual weekly editorial meeting, and one of my colleagues was so excited about the possibility of me coming back to Australia. "You should go to Darwin this time," she said. A little bit confused by her reaction, I asked her why she was so excited, and since I've just arrived from Australia, I could not yet fund another trip back there. "Aha, nobody told you?" "Told me about what? Is there a press trip?" And as if on cue, all of them mentioned something about forgetting to tell me that there's an office lucky draw while I was away, and yes, that I've won two return tickets this year! Imagine me with a wide grin on a Monday morning. That's one precious moment right there.
So yes, the same rules apply: I could use the tickets to any of the destinations of a certain airline, and I should fly before 31 December 2012. I've already decided to use one return ticket for Davao, where I could take a domestic flight to Manila for Christmas break. As for the other, I'm still torn between (a) destinations I've never been to and (b) those where I've been but wouldn't mind visiting the second time.
The lure of going to a place that I've never stepped into is very strong: how about Siem Reap for Angkor Wat? Or Danang for a short trip to Hue and Hoi An? Or Hanoi for pho? I will forever love Thailand, so Phuket and Koh Samui still have a chance. I've already dismissed any Indian destination because it's far, and China, just to avoid the complications of getting a visa. No more Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia for me this year, so at least I'm making progress in eliminating some options.
The two destinations on top of my list are Chiang Mai and Cebu. I have been pining for Chiang Mai Yi Peng Festival since five or four years ago, and though I was there last year I missed it. I could easily call Tourism Authority of Thailand, ask for the dates and book my tickets. But there's a probability that I would be going alone and I'm not sure if I'm willing to do that this year. Cebu, meanwhile, would be a very good destination as I could take a domestic flight to Cagayan de Oro and meet my friends, go to Camiguin, come back to Cebu and ask my parents to fly there and meet me. Sounds like a very good plan. How could I resist family and friends? And as they say, it's more fun in the Philippines.
So it's now a toss between my Chiang Mai lantern dreams and family/friends in the Philippines. Why does it have to be so tough a choice: follow your dreams alone, or come home.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Travel, and waxing poetic after it
Once in a while, I stay at home just to drink coffee, catch up on my magazine reading, while away the day writing stuff like this, go fake biking at the 26th floor, or simply retreat from sun beating down on the 29-degree Singapore environment. It's not the most productive weekend I could think of, but it helps me keep my sanity and filter away the stress.
After my "Sydney on the cheap" trip, I spent Saturday and Sunday doing the things above and battling jetlag. Yes, I know Australia is just two hours ahead and an 8-hour flight away, but my body seems synced to the 5pm sunset. I catch myself hungry at 10am, which was lunch in Sydney. Or wide awake at 8am, which is 10am Down Under.
My recent trip to Sydney made me realise a lot of things as well. Yuck, here I am channeling the realisations of my post-travel self. Again. But allow me to analyse what I've done, what I've said, what I've discovered and what I've observed from my quick trip and of course, immediately after (including the obligatory phone call home after the trip).
1. I still look Thai, even though I'm not in Thailand. Several instances, ie bus drivers asking me if I were Thai, people in the park asking me if I'm from Thailand, or a friend's friend telling me I don't sound Filipino at all, make me believe that I was Thai in my past life. And my never-ending love for Thai food brings home the point. (And of course, saying khawp kun kaa like a true-blue Thai counts too)
2. Kuala Lumpur and now, Sydney, have revived my love for big cities. The detached, super stressed and intensely competitive "vibe" of Singaporeans slowly erode my love for efficient cities. Not anymore. I come to Sydney and see a good, functional city with the rustic, laid-back charm of a small town. Shops close at 5pm, people inside the train stations are not rushing at all, locals are friendly, and it seems like everything is at ease there.
3. No matter how I hated people who pack too much, consequently stalling queues at the airline counter during check-in, I myself have become the subject of such hate. When I bought magazines, and hoarded copies of airline mags, I should've remembered that I was on a budget airline with a 15-kg baggage allowance. Not to mention, I have heavy winter clothes inside my luggage! Yes, there's always the first time. Thank you airline officer for overlooking my luggage excess. Never again, promise.
4. The moment I landed at Changi Airport, I am happy not only because I've come back to Singapore safely, but I'm also inching closer to my trip back home in August. Three more weeks.
5. My mother admitted that she is checking my Facebook photos. Every single one of them. And if I were my college self, I would've panicked at the thought. She asked me earlier about my photo in a restaurant taken six months ago. And yes, these are the times when we could not hide anything from our parents anymore. Aside from that, now that I'm in my mid-20s, the subject of "relationships" is being brought up in every phone call. And I surprise myself that I'm not evading my mother's 5Ws and 1H. Hmmm, someone's growing up.
6. Last night, while walking to the supermarket, I told my roommate of the looming uncertainty of my working pass renewal. Every time I renew my employment pass, it always stresses me out. And maybe this is post-travel me wishing out loud, but I told her that after 3 1/2 years here, maybe I'm ready to come home. She couldn't believe her ears when I've said that. I couldn't believe I've said that either. When my rational self overpowers my subconscious, I will read this blog post, and think about this. And maybe I will surprise myself again and again.
7. I will forever love trains. Monorails, trams, MRTs, you name it.
8. For me to be motivated to do things, I should have something to look forward to. And I don't mean prizes or recognition or major accomplishments. Strange, I know. The "something to look forward to" always translates to "trips home or abroad" or simply, "a change of environment". Blame Alex Garland's "escape through travel works" line. I have a tendency to escape, even just for a while. It makes me think, getting lost in a foreign land or even discovering little things in my hometown is my way of trying to know myself even more. And it works. All the time.
9. I can live without Internet. Wait, I'm typing it on my blog. Let's rephrase that. I can live without my constant 3G connection. I've tried for a week, so yes maybe I really could.
10. I fight my guilt every time I splurge on things like dresses or shoes, but I can spend guilt-free on food, travel magazines, postcards, notebooks, books and any good local find in the supermarket. Priorities.
***
I promise to re-read this months from now, and I bet my future self will cringe on what I'm thinking under the influence of post-travel happiness.
After my "Sydney on the cheap" trip, I spent Saturday and Sunday doing the things above and battling jetlag. Yes, I know Australia is just two hours ahead and an 8-hour flight away, but my body seems synced to the 5pm sunset. I catch myself hungry at 10am, which was lunch in Sydney. Or wide awake at 8am, which is 10am Down Under.
My recent trip to Sydney made me realise a lot of things as well. Yuck, here I am channeling the realisations of my post-travel self. Again. But allow me to analyse what I've done, what I've said, what I've discovered and what I've observed from my quick trip and of course, immediately after (including the obligatory phone call home after the trip).
1. I still look Thai, even though I'm not in Thailand. Several instances, ie bus drivers asking me if I were Thai, people in the park asking me if I'm from Thailand, or a friend's friend telling me I don't sound Filipino at all, make me believe that I was Thai in my past life. And my never-ending love for Thai food brings home the point. (And of course, saying khawp kun kaa like a true-blue Thai counts too)
2. Kuala Lumpur and now, Sydney, have revived my love for big cities. The detached, super stressed and intensely competitive "vibe" of Singaporeans slowly erode my love for efficient cities. Not anymore. I come to Sydney and see a good, functional city with the rustic, laid-back charm of a small town. Shops close at 5pm, people inside the train stations are not rushing at all, locals are friendly, and it seems like everything is at ease there.
3. No matter how I hated people who pack too much, consequently stalling queues at the airline counter during check-in, I myself have become the subject of such hate. When I bought magazines, and hoarded copies of airline mags, I should've remembered that I was on a budget airline with a 15-kg baggage allowance. Not to mention, I have heavy winter clothes inside my luggage! Yes, there's always the first time. Thank you airline officer for overlooking my luggage excess. Never again, promise.
4. The moment I landed at Changi Airport, I am happy not only because I've come back to Singapore safely, but I'm also inching closer to my trip back home in August. Three more weeks.
5. My mother admitted that she is checking my Facebook photos. Every single one of them. And if I were my college self, I would've panicked at the thought. She asked me earlier about my photo in a restaurant taken six months ago. And yes, these are the times when we could not hide anything from our parents anymore. Aside from that, now that I'm in my mid-20s, the subject of "relationships" is being brought up in every phone call. And I surprise myself that I'm not evading my mother's 5Ws and 1H. Hmmm, someone's growing up.
6. Last night, while walking to the supermarket, I told my roommate of the looming uncertainty of my working pass renewal. Every time I renew my employment pass, it always stresses me out. And maybe this is post-travel me wishing out loud, but I told her that after 3 1/2 years here, maybe I'm ready to come home. She couldn't believe her ears when I've said that. I couldn't believe I've said that either. When my rational self overpowers my subconscious, I will read this blog post, and think about this. And maybe I will surprise myself again and again.
7. I will forever love trains. Monorails, trams, MRTs, you name it.
8. For me to be motivated to do things, I should have something to look forward to. And I don't mean prizes or recognition or major accomplishments. Strange, I know. The "something to look forward to" always translates to "trips home or abroad" or simply, "a change of environment". Blame Alex Garland's "escape through travel works" line. I have a tendency to escape, even just for a while. It makes me think, getting lost in a foreign land or even discovering little things in my hometown is my way of trying to know myself even more. And it works. All the time.
9. I can live without Internet. Wait, I'm typing it on my blog. Let's rephrase that. I can live without my constant 3G connection. I've tried for a week, so yes maybe I really could.
10. I fight my guilt every time I splurge on things like dresses or shoes, but I can spend guilt-free on food, travel magazines, postcards, notebooks, books and any good local find in the supermarket. Priorities.
***
I promise to re-read this months from now, and I bet my future self will cringe on what I'm thinking under the influence of post-travel happiness.
Wednesday, July 04, 2012
all about the lift
The most awkward part of my day involves me enduring a packed lift down to the Environment Deck. It only happens when I leave the house earlier than 9am, which is rare lately. I live at the 13th floor (yes, we have 13th floors in Singapore, unlike in the Philippines where 13 is considered unlucky), and when the ordinary lift, which services the 1st to the 26th floor, reaches my floor it is usually packed.
I usually encounter two types of people in the lift: the friendly strangers (FS) and the zombies. The FS are typically the moms with kids, and Filipino domestic helpers; while the zombies are the always iPhone-flaunting, plugged-in yuppies and/or parents off to work, who, by the way, always rush out of the lift as if they're going to miss the next train. The most FS family I've encountered are my 13th floor neighbours (everyone says bye-bye to me every time we see each other, and the little girl calls me jie jie), while the most annoying zombies are the ones who need to get out at the first floor and who enthusiastically press the "close" door button the moment I took my first step out of the lift at the third floor. I have to admit I'm half-zombie, half-FS, talking to people only when they talk to me, and rushing to work only when I have to (I've got to thank our HR for my flexible schedule).
Earlier today, I was at the lift with a mom and her kid, and the little boy was staring at me intently. I smiled at him, but he just stared at me and never smiled back. When they got out of the 12th floor, he turned to me, waved his hand and said "bye". Such a sweet kid! And to think it was the first time I saw him! I shall remember to wave him goodbye next time.
I usually encounter two types of people in the lift: the friendly strangers (FS) and the zombies. The FS are typically the moms with kids, and Filipino domestic helpers; while the zombies are the always iPhone-flaunting, plugged-in yuppies and/or parents off to work, who, by the way, always rush out of the lift as if they're going to miss the next train. The most FS family I've encountered are my 13th floor neighbours (everyone says bye-bye to me every time we see each other, and the little girl calls me jie jie), while the most annoying zombies are the ones who need to get out at the first floor and who enthusiastically press the "close" door button the moment I took my first step out of the lift at the third floor. I have to admit I'm half-zombie, half-FS, talking to people only when they talk to me, and rushing to work only when I have to (I've got to thank our HR for my flexible schedule).
Earlier today, I was at the lift with a mom and her kid, and the little boy was staring at me intently. I smiled at him, but he just stared at me and never smiled back. When they got out of the 12th floor, he turned to me, waved his hand and said "bye". Such a sweet kid! And to think it was the first time I saw him! I shall remember to wave him goodbye next time.
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