Home Trip (28th Sept – 9th Oct)
October 14, 2006 1 Comment
There is only one home in my mind – not one that is made of bricks and cement. My home lies in the presence of my friends and my loved ones. Home can be anywhere, be it in Shanghai or Singapore. Nothing matters more than spending good seconds with those I share my life with. As long as I am in the company of my loved ones, I am home.
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I made a surprise trip back home 2 weeks back. I spent 10 good days in Singapore – knocking doors in the early hours to surprise my loved one (my wife, my mum and my friends at Caffeine). Despite being away for just 5 short months, I couldn’t help but notice these changes:
1) Taxi meter starts at $2.50 now + $2 peak-hour charge!
2) My Eunos Estate has been repainted in orange! (Ugly shit!)
3) There is a strange looking tunnel where the old National Library sat.
4) New extended underground shopping at Cityhall!
5) New cafe outside Caffeine – Black Canyon (Nice food, I had my last meal there!)
6) NTUC Golf-Course is open at ECP (who cares!)
7) Singapore Discovery Center is open! (free tickets from Hovman!)
8) New National Museum is open!
9) New Kallang PIE flyover is open!
10) New shops at Eunos & Tampines MRT!
11) In-Box5 at Funan is closed!
12) New wake-boarding + 360 Cafe at East Coast Lagoon!
13) Vivocity opens!
14) The new Ikea at Tampines – still building
15) Yixi and Meijie are getting thinner. (Are you 2 fasting this month?)
16) Yifu and Ivy’s tummy are getting bigger. (One is pregnant, the other started jogging with Yixi)
17) Duuk got a new house at AMK. Juli got a new tattoo.
18) Jimmy, Richard, Francis and Gareth got new cars. (What happen to COE?)
19) Hovman is MBA now! Francis Goh is getting married!
20) Joanne, Lusia and my wife looking more radiant now.
21) Kalinda and Tracy got more curves ~ Sexy! (Just stay clear of Guofeng ok? I never say Mingliang…)
22) I came home with a new promoted title: GAD! (Sadly, it also means "Go And Die")
23) Elkan can sing and he can dance… but still wearing pampers! (Dear, try to toilet train him)
24) The bloody haze is back! (Trust me, country mates – China has cleaner air now!)
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It was a very packed but fruitful trip. There were quarrel, fights, hugs, tears and lots of kissing and singing. You can’t imagine what I have done in those 10 days but I must say, it was such a fulfilling home trip…I couldn’t ask for more. (See Pix: The pictures say it all!)
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Unlike my last departure in May, there is no dramatic goodbyes and teary hugs at the airport. In fact this time, I walked through the departure gate alone. It is not that I am unpopular or being plain heartless (stopping my friends from sending me off), it is just that I have a group of friends who are just too good to set my tears off. Yes, I am becoming a softie – even saying bye to a 2-year old boy can be so difficult and painful.
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Gladly, this time round – there is no Elkan, no Felicia and no friends. Just a lone ranger, taking bold steps and left Singapore (for Shanghai and Hong Kong). No broken hearts, no regrets. I cherished every second spent back home. Every day is a memory.
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Yes my wife, i remember Elkan’s farewell words to me "Daddi, Wo Ai Ni". (Just dun confuse him with Chinese-English-Singlish conversation).
See you guys here with me this Christmas.
p/s (Thanks Meijie, Joanne and Tracy – you guys tahan lots of my cranky moments.)
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12 years away from home - Singapore. Writing my stories here for my lovely mum & dad, friends and most importantly, for my wife & son back home. A self-confessed gadget freak, a spontaneous prankster on the outside and a warm loving heart inside. Enjoying a happy life with loving families, friends plus a dream job. Realising mum’s motto – “Exceed Yourself Every Day”. Always believing that “Simplicity is Beauty”.
THE WAHBIANG BLOG 
Joe’s cranky moments – endless
Meijie, Joanne and Tracy – speechless
Friendship – priceless