Oops!

I miss Canada so much and I think I have enough wonderful travel memories to last me reminiscing them for a lifetime.

While I am extroverted and tends to draw energy from being around people, I love my me-time so much and I will jealously guard them. I love exploring new places on my own and perhaps a little danger makes everything adventurous. Pls don’t tell my parents about that.

Hopped onto a stranger’s jet ski in the Sea of Galilee and asking him to bring me around. That was my graduation trip and first time to Israel.

Explored the dark and wet Hezekiah tunnel of about 500m long alone. I was the only one in the tour group who was game for it. Changed into my shorts and sandals, left the tour grp at the start of the tunnel and met them at the end of it. That was in Israel again for my second time.

Travelled alone to Darwin and did skydiving there. I was supposed to go with a friend but she pulled out last minute. Thanks to her, that became my first solo trip!

Took a 10hour bus ride from Istanbul to Thessaloniki, without knowing how to speak a single Greek word.

Walked through dark alleys just to find a recommended restaurant for dinner in Thessaloniki. I was very insistent on finding that place coz I set my mind to do that. It was cray cray. I probably walked past a few pubs and people who are drunk or took drugs.

Went through the whole ghost town of Whistler, Canada at 4 deg on a rainy day. I had to look out for grizzly bears so that I can take a selfie with them when they appear. Just kidding! There were signs everywhere and not a single soul around. I sticked to finding the “lost lake” and probably got lost as well.

Hitched my first ride at Capilano. It was a 30 mins walk from the salmon hatchery to the bus stop. I walked from the bus stop to the hatchery earlier and nearly died. I told myself I’ll be stupid to do that once again. So I mustered all my courage and asked a guy for a ride out. That place was like all nature and forest. I could have been abducted and rape or sth. Haha! But frankly, I was also ever ready to jump out of the car if anything felt amiss.

In Munich, I got the whole day travel pass and just hoped on and off any tram, bus and train stops that I felt like without checking the map. It was pretty boliao but I had not much options as it was a public holiday for them and no shops were open at all!

I survived an earthquake in NZ last year! Had to take cover as we were in a coastal town and there was a possibility of Tsunami. It was pretty traumatic as we had to evacuate for about 6 hours.

The scariest thing abt Korea was visiting the lavender farm in Goseong. I didn’t get my return bus ticket. So after visiting the farm, I got a shock when the counter lady told me the bus ride back to seoul was full. That moment was like the most horrifying one of the year. I was so close to tears. If I were to take a cab, it would be about 3-4hours ride and cost a bomb. Probably more powerful than Pyongyang’s nuclear bomb. But thankfully, it was a miscommunication and I managed to get back to seoul. Phew! On hindsight, maybe I could have planned it better but at the same time, I felt there was no way for me to do any better planning as there was very limited English information online. I knew the trip to the lavender farm will be challenging but not that challenging.

The latest adventure was shopping in Lisbon till 12midnight. Whoops! Train service ends at 1am and I wanted to make full use of my time there. But it was rather scary to walk back from the train station to my hotel.

I’m sure there are other silly and reckless things I did which I can’t recall.

But I won’t want to live my life any other way. I love all my adventures and misadventures. I embrace all the fun and also all my fears. I am most grateful for the wonderful experiences, being found in picturesque nature and visiting rich and pretty UNESCO heritage sites. But I am also thankful for the saddest experiences like visiting the slums, interviewing sex slaves, setting foot in concentration camps that killed millions of Jews. 

We are the sum of all our experiences. May I never grow tired of learning and exploring. I want to continue to see good in this world, to remind myself that there is hope. And I want to continue to see evil in this world so that I will be constantly challenged to live out my hopes.

Canada 2015

The kind of wilderness and alone-ness that I love and embrace. :) 

The last time I tried something new is... TODAY. How about you?

It's been a highly demanding week. My frustration limit was challenged a few times. I need a geeky brain that can solve all my IT problems. :'( I hope I can put an end to my misery soon.

This week has been really eventful. Ah, I should have blogged about the O level results release with all my heartfelt thoughts and reflections. But well, I'll wait till sometime this week when I'm more clear-headed.

So what happened this week?
- I actually gave out flyers for the first time after so many years. Many as in 15 years? I remembered the last flyer I gave out was related to some car servicing or products. Totally unrelated to me and I was in it for the pocket money. But this time, it was for something I believe in. I stood outside the library on 3 different days, the first day was with a friend and the next two days was alone. I just pray that my sincerity and passion will move people to believe me and challenge them to try something
new.

- I attended my first ever foraging gathering. Amazing! The whole experience really changed my perspective of my home country. I rem being more appreciative about Sg after my last Portugal trip. Today, my appreciation level just went up another notch. You can legit find edible plants on the road! Not just that, some have really awesome healing properties. Bitter leaves, oxelis(clove leaves), hibiscus plant, bougainvillea and more. Auntie gave me some blue pea seeds as well. Going to get them planted real soon and looking forward to do some magic with my kids. Turning blue water to pink! And best part, the water will be drinkable and supposed to have healing properties too! :) I shall take a video of that when that day comes. Another very interesting thing was meeting the founder of Freegan in Singapore. Nope, not vegan. Yes, it’s freegan! Daniel will bring a group of people for dumpster diving, sieve out the useful stuff and give them away. Some are items and some are food. It just blew my mind. Oh well, I don’t think I’m really for this but it’s some food for thought for me. How have I used my resources? Do I need more things in my life to be happy? How can I share with the people around me in order to reduce wastage and save the earth? Hmmm....

Anyway, today’s foraging gathering was also one of the few times when I join a social group. I swear I had a headache after being in a big group for just 2 hours. And I wonder if I am really an extrovert? Hahaha!

So those are the highlights in the midst of my lowlights. I know struggles are part and parcel of life. Praying that I’ll have the strength to go through any difficulties and more than that, I’ll depend on God more. Trusting His promises to me and allowing myself to be led by Him rather than my willfulness and emotions. 

Hello 2018

For I, the Lord, your God, will hold your right hand,
Saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'
Isa 41:13

Isn't it amazing that the God of this Universe says to us that He will help us, that He will back us up and that He will be there to hold our hands? It kind of reminded me of a picture of an adult father holding the hand of his child while crossing the road. Ahem, yes, illegally. There can be so much danger but the father has vision, wisdom and experience to guide his young child across a road of potential dangers. I'm sure the child feels so secure and to him, nothing bad is going to happen.

With this perspective, my problems now seem a little smaller and insignificant. Receiving downloads from God's words has this magical way of ushering in a perfect peace that is unexplainable. Perhaps, I'm experiencing the exact same thing that the young child would feel, having his hand held firmly by his father. Such is bliss when you don't have to fight for yourself, being fearful that you don't make it in this rat race in life. Being a child of God is really a privilege when I know my future is safe and secure. I can afford to be a blessing to others. I can afford to be kind and helpful. I can afford to be generous. And being able to afford those things makes anyone a happy person.

In just 2 weeks into the new year, many things had happened. New people I meet. New ideas I have. New dreams I embrace. New opportunities I meet. And I realise God has actually been preparing me for all these from last year. Like when scenario A happened, there's a voice on the inside of me that reminded me "Hey, remember you were thinking about this the other time?"

I'm really looking forward to what's to come. But more than that, I'm excited to develop myself to be more of who God has made me to be and having Him by my side to guide and lead me. :)