Buenos Aires

After a much needed city break, we arrive in Buenos Aires to wrap up the trip. Highlights include the steaks, the empanadas. Afrika and Don Julio steak house.

 

Mendoza

Time for the decompression phase of the trip. Off to Mendoza, wine country. We visited majority of the vineyards in the region. Lots of meat and red wines. Zuccardi, Salentine, Archaval Ferrer, Mallmann.

Rio

Cuba. The adventure that keeps giving. Turns out that having visited Cuba any time after 2021 invalidates ones' ability to obtain an ESTA. What does that mean? Well it means I need to apply for an American Tourist Visa, the old fashioned way. In-person at the U.S Consulate, or U.S Embassy. I was completely unaware of this until my ESTA was denied. Which, could be problematic in the future. Regardless, the reason for applying for an ESTA was to get to South America. The furthest place in the world from Asia. Flying time takes approximately 22 hours depending where in South America you want to end up. Typical routes from Asia are through the Americas, the Middle East or round through the Pacific. Given that options one and two were effectively off the table I opted for the route via Santiago and Sydney.

I depart Hong Kong on the CX flight at 9:20 pm on Thursday 26th of March, arrive into Kingsford Smith Airport on Friday, a quick KFC two piece feed and I board the (delayed) flight to Santiago around midday on the 27th. 15 or so hours later I arrive into Santiago having missed my interconnecting flight to Rio due to previous delays. However the staff at LATAM are extremely helpful and put me on the next, albeit indirect flight (via Sao Paolo) to Rio. I eventually arrive into Rio at around 9 pm on the Friday, 27th of March. Some 30 odd hours since I left Hong Kong.

So you might ask, what are you doing in South America? How did Jen allow this? All valid questions. In conjunction with the below photos. This was a final trip before little mate. Some of my friends from LA, NY were doing a wine trip down in Mendoza, first stop Rio De Janiero. Nice long run, some sushi, a bit of sight seeing and an old fashion gay warehouse party. Not sure how I'm going to shake this jetlag.

Childhood memories

There's something about these two images that stirs memories from childhood. Maggi 2 minute noodles reminds me of the sleep overs I would have with my cousins in Castle Hill. Breakfast/lunch would be instance noodles and a cup of mile. We rarely ate the Maggi brand at home. Even the taste reminds me of childhood.

 

Singapore

Back in Singapore for the weekend. I'm getting used to these trips. I mean, I better be getting used to these trips. The question I now get asked the most is "When are you moving to Singapore?", to which I answer "likely by the end of the year". This weekend is the 30-week scan. It also means things are starting to get serious. Not that they weren't serious before. There is also a list of things that are on the to-do list. Some small, some big. 

Another weekend on Lazarus Island. There's better charcoal this time around, and we actually are able to start the BBQ before sunset. The timing is much better, we play monopoly into the evening.

Currently reading "Crib Sheets"

Getting dropped off

I've lost track of how many times I've been back to Sydney in recent years. If I were to guess, probably around 8-10 times last year? Somebody fact check me. The trips admittedly have become a little bit easier with cost, as I've been fortunate enough to have more deposable income with work and career, however it has become more difficult from a physical perspective. I'm not sure if it's age, but the tailbone does not like sleeping on those upright seats, and my sleep quality has definitely deteriorated. It's a small price to pay given how much I enjoy going back home to Sydney.

One thing that I have been thinking about lately is the pick ups and drops off to and from the airport. It's quite a small thing, but there's always been somebody waiting for me, or willing to drop me off for my flight out. Pick up from the International Airport Express passenger pick-up area. Drop off at Gate G for the late night flight out.

Most often that not dad gets stuck with this chore, duty, obligation. It's a small passage of time where we catch up, on what's been happening. The pick-up is pretty scripted. It's always a conversation about the flight, and whether it was busy and how long I'm in town for. I think it's always usually a pretty full flight, and usually for a couple a days. Sometimes, there's a question about work. 

The drop offs are a little less scripted. Talking about whatever is on our mind. Cars. Relatives. Health. Travel. Life. The drop offs remind me of being dropped off when I was a kid, whether it be being dropped off at school (where at times I would ask to be dropped off down the road in primary school). Or, being dropped off at a friend's place in high school. Or at the station for work. Or now, being dropped off at the airport to go back home.

I appreciate these little moments. 

Fire Horse

I have been really excited for this trip back. Sure Christmas was good, but there was a lot of rushing around but there was a lot of activities and events as well as work. 9 days of doing nothing in Sydney. Well, not nothing. We do a good job of filling time and did I fill it. Celebratory Chinese New Year dinner with the other side of the family in Roselands, with this side of the family dinner in Earlwood. Lots of catch ups, visited the new Laundromat, cleaned all the duvets, then waited 3 hours for them to dry, and finally saw a nice rainbow. Gung Hei Fatt Choy!