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.

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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.