It feels weird, trying overcome the inertia of getting back to regular life. Like the body is functioning but the mind is still somewhere else. I miss the days of wondering around in a new, unfamiliar city with Sis, seeing sights and sounds while we walk miles and miles.
I need to get back into my routine. The last week spent entertaining a friend from Europe on a business trip here was enjoyable (a drink after work then dining out late every evening, coffee on a Friday afternoon, introducing him to some local food) but muddled up my attempts to return to normalcy.
This week, I've decided, I'll summon my mind back from wherever it has escaped to. And start acting on stuff I've always wanted to do but have been putting on hold for whatever excuse reason. A DIRE need to get back to the gym. (I've been told by my captain my stamina's slipping.) Besides, I've a sneaky feeling I'm probably piling on the pounds too. Sigh...
The first weekend after I came back went by in a blur. I remember trying my darnest to get to Bedok reservoir for the competition on the morning of 30th June, Sat. (Sis was really sweet to drag herself up in the morning to accompany me there and lend her support, even though we'd both only landed the night before.) Luckily I made it through the 2 races. (Though not without feeling a bit sick after the first.) The team didn't make it through the heats but I was very glad for the experience. (And for catching a glance of the object of a major crush I had back in school. hee.) Spent the rest of the afternoon at my cousin's with my Sis, playing with nephew in the pool.
Distinctly remember waking up on Sunday morning with aching shoulders and back. (And how I sadistically enjoyed that feeling. haha) Ventured into JB late Sunday afternoon to meet up with an old friend from KL who's in JB that weekend for work. According to him, we've not seen each other for about 6, 7 years!! Boy, was it a nightmare getting through the Malaysian customs!!! It was so bloody hot and the queue was horrifyingly long!! It must have taken at least an hour before I got past the gates and friend had been waiting on the other side for as long as I've been queueing. He drove us to a big mall I've never been to where we leisurely window-shopped and caught up with each other. I bought some PapaRoti to bring home with me cos' it went extinct in Singapore before I could eat a 2nd one. Getting back into Singapore later that night was a similarly painstaking ordeal, but this time was trying to get onto the 170 bus across the causeway and after clearing the Singapore customs. I didn't get home till midnight.
This weekend was almost as fun. Training on Sat as usual. Dinner with some of the teammates at an Indian place near the Kallang mrt station where they served yummy prata, briyani and maggi goreng.
After dinner, as part of my regular practice, whenever I'm out close to either of the 2 Carrefour-s in Singapore, I'd go there to buy bread, dried nuts and berries (sometimes alfalfa sprouts) for my mum. Since Sis's working nearby in Clarke Quay and the weather was rather nice, I decided to walk over to look for her and go home together. I managed to persuade her to go for a coffee together (just like when we were travelling. The European lifestyle, I called it) before heading home. She was too tired to cross the river to get to TCC (where I wanted to go) and since she's feeling thrifty at the moment (even though I had offered to treat her), we ended up just sitting by the river, dangling our legs over the edge and chatting. In the end though, with my powerful skills of cajolery (ha), I bought us a java chip frappuccino from Starbucks near the bus stop and we sat in there for a while sipping the drink, talking, relaxing. It's funny how with us both back home now, I'd sometimes feel like I miss spending time with my sister. In the 3 weeks we were travelling together, we spent all of our waking time together and I never tire of her. (With the exception of rare occasions, when we had our little squabbles which was probably when we hated each other. haha.) Back home, even though we share a bedroom, we have different schedules and I don't see as much of her. So, that little coffee break was nice. ^_^ We'd have to make time to go out together, san! :)
Sunday saw me tagging along with a couple of my dragonboat teammates to Yishun Safra for an afternoon of rock climbing. My first experience! I've always wanted to try it! Just never had any friends who were into it. So glad they are such welcoming and helpful people, letting me join them and coaching me. It was fun! Though I almost killed myself trying to squeeze into Danny's climbing shoes. [The guys (and girls) there are all so small sized (the better for climbing)! Actually, I should be lamenting the fact that I am big with boats for feet. :'(] They were telling me the shoes are supposed to be about a size to one-&-a-half sizes smaller than your normal shoe size so your toes are curled up and there'd be a better grip on the holds. They also said I'd get used to it. Oh, but the pain was excrutiating! I couldn't even walk properly after getting the shoes on. (Ask me if I feel like one of Cinderella's evil stepsisters.)
I'm embarrassed to say I didn't complete the 15m wall. I got stuck in the middle at a hump and didn't manage to hoist myself up past that. It had also started to pour properly when I was climbing so I decided to get down. By this time my feet hurt so bad I could barely stand on them when I landed.
I'd promised myself the next time, I'd finish it at least once! The others were very encouraging, blaming the weather and reassuring me I did ok for a first-timer. We moved on to the bouldering gym. And there I climbed in my sister's old track shoes (whose soles were falling to pieces because of it) and though they were less than sleek, it was so much more comfortable.
Then they brought me to the shop selling climbing equipment there where I tried on bigger shoes but all of which still hurt my already sore (and freakishly long) toes. The next time I'd have to rent the shoes (as comfortable a size as I could possibly get them).
I sat and chatted with them over their chicken rice dinner at a coffeeshop near the interchange before I went home to have my homecooked dinner. Lounged around reading before I fell asleep on my comfy bed.
So, that's my update.
Next Sun when I go climbing I'd bring my camera and take pictures of the climbing experts (a.k.a spidermen). hee. :D
Oh and by the way, the pics from my holiday will come in time. My lazy bones have me postponing the laborious work of filing, naming and uploading. Also, I wish I could write more about the trip, but I haven't been consciencious enough during the trip to make notes every night and I wonder how much I could remember now. Hopefully the pics will make up for the lack of words. I am sure there's truth behind the saying, 'A picture is worth a thousand words'.
