Last Singapore trip of the year

The anticipation for long weekends never, ever gets old. October also happens to be a great month for days off with National day and Chung Yeung Festival. Cheung Yeung festival happens to fall on Friday which means, an extra day in Singapore. Well, really just an extra meal in Singapore, I decide to take the morning flight into Singapore that gets me in around 4 pm. Having an extra meal in Singapore is small minor but makes a huge difference. The weekend was pretty relaxed, which is nice when traveling. The theme of the weekend was Apam Balik, or Min Kiang Kueh, or Ban chan Keuh.

Dinner and cards with Albs in New Bahru. Saturday we caught up with my cousin, had some hawker food and tried some Bryani and a Studio Ghibli evening with pizza and left over Pavlova. There was a covid scare (yes, this is still a thing).  Sunday, New Bahru market for breakfast, ice bath and sauna, some Vietnamese for lunch and off to the Airport.

The weekends go by so fast. I'm losing track of these Singapore trips. Which I guess is a good thing?

Weird to think that this is the last Singapore trip for 2024. Currently reading: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow.

The meaning of life

42 - Gosh time is rocketing by. Let me pause for a quick reflection. It's almost the answer to the trite question of "How's it going?". Things are going well. 

Work and career feel good, there are obvious pain points with work, but no job is perfect and lately I've managed to really take control of my time and managing work a little better. I can't help but feel what the next step is? 

As for Hong Kong, I'm enjoying this phase of Hong Kong, it has almost everything that I need. Going out less, still socialising, catching up with people, drinking less, doing much more exercise, really trying to eat better, sleep better. I've settled into North Point, and have a great routine going. Can't help but wonder if I'm coming to the end of my Hong Kong chapter. More on that later.

Relationship. Things with the shorter long-distance are doing well. I've lost count of the number of times I've been to Singapore this year, but the trips there are easy, not tiring and have really enjoyed that being my, second, maybe third home. At some point in time need to see how to get over to Singapore.

Sydney, would like to get back more, lots of stuff happening back home I wish I were there for. Loved ones growing older. Feel like I'm missing out, need to try to get back a little more. Although I am excited to be back in a few weeks.

Some of the highlights of the recent birthday. Egg tart from the intern (not for my birthday, but happened to be on my Birthday). Some Magic cards from a friend. Some Minties from relatives and a Pavlova from the lady. Low key dinner topped off with Birthday messages from friends. My kind of Birthday.

Everything in real time

There used to be a saying in Hong Kong which went along the lines of "Everything in real time". It was a saying popularised by Rob, which referred often to last-minute, impromptu trips around Asia. Legend has it that Rob once did 14 trips to Taipei in a single calendar year, most of them decided "in real time", ie. On a Friday afternoon during work, deciding that he would rather not spend the weekend in Hong Kong would proceed to the airport, sometimes without an advance purchase of a flight or a hotel. With passport in hand and "figure it out". Rob left Hong Kong in 2015, and with it the saying of "everything in real time". 

Fast forward September 2024, and Rob happens to be back in Hong Kong for business. It's on the Tuesday and I get a message "Taipei this weekend?" - four days notice, not quite real time, but definitely on a whim. After much deliberation, I managed to find a couple of cheap flights on points and a reasonable rate for a Taipei hotel for one evening.

Not quite the same gusto of yesteryear, but 24 hours in Taipei was really good. Plus a special guest.

Singapore

Second trip to Singapore. Another redemption flight, got a cheeky upgrade, so feeling very grateful there. Pretty relaxed trip. The after work flight on a Friday is a tough one, but if it means not having to scramble after work and getting a little bit later, then no issues. Finally got to see her new apartment. The home away from home.  

Saturday got a massage, caught up with cousin for some Chicken Rice and had dinner and durian for dessert. A classic Singapore day. Much cooler than in Hong Kong right now. Sunday was relaxed, popped over to Siglap for the UFC and then back to the Convention centre for some a friend's and family sale. Back to Hong Kong.

Bangkok

One of the best things about my previous job is all the great friendships and relationships that were developed. I'm thankful that I still keep in touch with some of the people there and that the friendships continue outside of the office. In actual fact, a lot of the people have left and moved onto other firms but we still do a fairly decent job of keeping in touch. It was decided to head to Bangkok for a weekend of night markets, eating and massages.

Long weekend in Sydney

 

Taipei

Back-to-back weekends, not sure I have the energy for this anymore! Josh's (not 40th) birthday in Taipei. First time on Greater Bay Airlines, not too expensive, good flight times and pretty comfortable. Thankfully no immigration lines, but despite leaving work at 6 pm still managed to get to hotel around 11 pm. Still I forget how easy it is to get over to Taipei. Good fun weekend, although being out and about the whole day Sunday, it's definitely a young man's game. Glad to get the earlier flight back into Hong Kong.