the old adage that nice guys finish last.

you hop right back into chasing butterflies in the garden,    
i can’t even muster an ounce of energy to enter the garden.
last.

you want everything to be normal, and yet you keep mentioning about the traitor who dethroned me.
i sit in the dungeons, self mutilated by news of the kingdom i once owned.
last again.

you refer to me as king during diplomacy meetings,
only for me to fall spectacularly from grace. ironically, the court jester became king.
last again.

oh my queen, you broke my heart. i hope you live royally ever after. while i seek strongest chain mail in the land.

Weird to have a sad song as our song. I always try not to play it on the music player, for fear of the self fulfilling prophecy.

For now, it is appropriate. This is for you.

Communion services are painfully awkward if you’re a non believer/pre believer. The judgmental gaze from the smartly dressed holy elder, the bemused stares from people behind. You feel an invisible, mega voltage spotlight from the heavens shining down, making every unholy blemish and pimple stand out in the harsh and glaring beam.

People like me should not be made to feel bad about not wanting a biscuit and a drink. In view of this, I came up with some T-shirt slogans to be worn every first Sunday of the month. Works best with a grocery bag over your head.

1. Had Breakfast

2. Some Cream Cheese, Please?

3. Can I Smell The Cork Of The Wine Bottle?

4. Sorry, I Don’t Drink & Drive

5. I’m Vegetarian

Anyone interested in a design collaboration? On a side note, I have enlisted signed up for the Alpha course.

I liken deciding on religions to that of choosing the brand of your shoe/bag.

Gucci, Ferragamo, Prada. Wait a minute, the devil wears Prada.

Eunice mentioned that the wireless connection name for the temple near our place is “wireless ah mi to fu”. I’m so bringing my labtop there to check it out in the evening.

Events leading to the start of this 1 month backpack trip were somewhat strenuous, both physically and mentally. Right after exams(which I did quite well, thankfully), massive packing and shifting. Miss J was on a tighter time line, even more packing and rushing. Celebrated my backpacking partner, Ry’s birthday at Prince of Wales. The next morning, her grandmother passed away. We were due to fly in a few hours time. Rushed to make some accommodation readjustments. It was rush after rush, after rush. Did not dawn on me I was going to be traveling alone.

36 hours after my last paper, I had to leave, alone, without time to catch up with family/friends, without a chance to be there for my mourning friend.

If there’s anything I learnt from these events, it would be adaptation.

does not always mean Facebook.

Today marks the end of my Vietnam journey. Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi An. Coincidence they all start with Hs.

Vietnam marks many firsts in travel for me. A first travelling alone, on a sleeper bus, on a rail train etc. These experiences simply reinforces my love for backpacking and the unpredictable.

2 experiences stand out. Halong Bay and Hue. Will elaborate on them once I get to Laos.

A big shout out to my friends in Hue.

Dear Kelvin Chin,
Happy birthday to you. May you profit in love through keeping the proper formal integrity. Keep up your wisdom, and be clean and healthy.

With love,
xxxxx

Integrity questioned. Cleanliness too?! At least I’m wise.

1. My butt freezes whenever in contact with toilet seats.

2. Beef is cheaper than chicken.

3. Poinsettias are for real.

4. Hard water had me scrubbing and scrubbing, thinking I still had soap on.

5. Elections are way interesting.

6. Petrol prices are higher than Singapore’s.

7. Kenyans think seafood is poisonous.

8. All straight hair you see are fake.

9. You will never catch a Kenyan man wearing shorts.

10. Black sushi chefs simply made my day.