Nerves

 So you will be all glad to know that I arrived safely into Singapore. It was quite a bit embarrassing getting of the plane as it took me a while to get my luggage. When I first had to put my check-in luggage in the overhead compartment it was too big so I had to take something out. I decided that the something was one of my Spacebags, which I had packed tight and compressed well. However when I tried to put it back in I found it quite impossible. So whilst I was there, trying to shove this bag back into my luggage, and zip it back up, half the plane was waiting behind me. I ended up just giving up and carrying the bag off the plane with me. Once off the plane I attempted again to put the bag back in and found it impossible and thought it was quite a miracle that I got it in there in the first place. I managed to at least make the spacebag stay in my luggage, unfortunately though I could not zip it up completely.
I then made my way through immigration. Which went quite smoothly. No strange stairs as the immigration officers holds my passport up to my face. The guy simply smiled and gave me my stamp… Gosh I love Singapore. I then followed through to picking up my luggage. After doing so I exited out and saw my friend Lyn waiting for me, waving her hands up in the air. I greeted her with a hug as she welcomed me to her home country.
Lyn studies at The University of New South Wales. I met her mid-last year in Adelaide. We were both at The Asia-Pacific Model United Nations Conference (AMUNC), which The University of Adelaide hosted. I was the director of the Model World Trade Organisation and she was the honourable delegate of Italy, her friend Michelle, the honourable delegate of the United Kingdom. Whilst speaking to them they told me about how great Singapore was and how if I was ever there they would show me around… And now I am taking them up on that offer.
Our mission after meeting was to find a place for me to stay and to meet my friend Sasha. I had given Sasha my mobile number, which had roaming and told her to call me upon my arrival. Which she did not. Lyn and I eventually found Sasha at a hostel, which we agreed to meet at, not until I had already booked into another hotel, which was closer to the airport. Once I found out that Sasha had already booked into to that hostel I cancelled my booking at Fernloft and stayed with her. Sasha than explained she had tried calling me but I had given her my number wrong as I failed to write down the final 3 digits.
There was a touch of déjà vu in the air as it was the same hostel that my friend Clare and I went to stay at in Singapore 12 months ago, however once we saw the seedy area it was in and the fact that nobody was letting us in we left and went to a cheap hotel and never entered the hostel. Back then it was known by another name, Sky Orchards, now its called Axis. After entering I soon realised it was quite a pleasant hostel with a nice atmosphere and a bunch of cool and interesting guests.
I said goodbye to Lyn after she had dropped me off and agreed to meet each other the following night at Clarke Quay, A popular night spot on the island. After she left I brought my luggage up stairs and dumped it in my dorm before going down stairs to a table situated at the end of a dead-end street, just out side the hostel, where Sasha was seated and enjoying the night with the friends she had met at the hostel that day. Myself, feeling quite jetlagged, probably not happiest person to talk to sat there for a bit before going for a walk to find something to eat. There ended up being a small take-away restaurant just down the road where I grabbed a Laksa for 3 Singaporean dollars. I sat back down at the table and ate it, whilst chatting to a French Canadian guy from Quebec, after I finished it I retired to the hostel, had a refreshing shower and went straight to sleep.
I woke up the next day at around 9. Not to anything in particular, just to my body telling my I had enough sleep. I woke up, had a quick shower, got dressed and treated my self to a quick breakfast, which consisted of cereal and powdered milk. I did however eat toast which I had spread with Vegemite which I friendly guy from Brisbane had given me after he lent me his tube. I sat down and spoke to some fellow guests for a while as I waited for Sasha to wake up. I found out from the other guests that she had not gotten to sleep to 4am. I was quite shocked by this I had not known Sasha to ever be a party girl or a drinker and thought she probably would spend the entire morning sleeping, but I was shocked when she woke up shortly after and had a shower. We had only booked in to the Axis/Sky Orchards hostel for one night and wanted to see if we could stay there for the following two. We asked the lady who ran the joint and she said that she had no availabilities for the 1st night but did for the 2nd. So Sash and I were forced with the dilemma of finding another place to stay. We spoke to some other guest at the hostel and they also had the same problem.
I’m not sure if it was at this stage of the day or when I woke up but a feeling of nervousness drew upon me. I knew I was a bit worried, as we didn’t have a place to stay as was faced with the annoyance or carting my bags somewhere else. So I wanted to move to another hostel as soon as possible. I managed to get Sasha and the other guest to agree to catch a cab to the hostel where we would be staying, as it would be soooo much easier with our luggage plus cheaper if we all share the fare.
I quickly got on the Internet and found that the closest hostel nearby with availabilities, which I could find on the net. The hostel was Dragon Inn, which is located in littlie India. I told Sasha and the other guests and we jumped in the taxi and left. We arrived to a district muchley resembling India, with its dirty streets, hussel and bussel and loads of Indian people. We entered the hostel which was quite nice and booked in. We were given a map of Singapore by the receptionists, who also pointed out where we were and all of the surroundings.
We thought we’d start our day with lunch in little India before exploring Chinatown and heading to Clarke key at night. So Myself, Sasha, Princess and Nathan had lunch at a nice Hawker. Hawker is the term given here for a quick take away shop. After lunch, princess and Nathan left Sasha and I to do there own thing and run some earens. Nathan is the Brisbane guy I had written about early and Princess is an African American girl, from Southern Carolina. Sasha and were feeling a bit tired at this point and though it would be best if we went to Sentosa island a just did some lazing around on the beach.
Even though I had had a nice lunch and found somewhere to stay for the remainder of my stay I still couldn’t shake that feel of anxiety or nerves. I thought it was best to talk it through with Sasha who commented that I appeared a bit worried about something. Whilst chatting Sash and I made out way to Sentosa.
If you hadn’t heard of it, Sentosa is a small island just off of Singapore’s CBD, it is very picturesque and sculptured Island, filled with plant life, beaches, bars and clubs and an aquarium, all completely man made of course. However when we arrived at the harbour to board the monorail to the island we saw the line up to buy tickets and were extremely put off, it then dawned on us it was Saturday, Chinese New Years and summer hence everyone was probably wanting to go to Sentosa. We decided not to go in the end and leave it to Monday, where, hopefully it will be a bit quieter. So we walked around the shopping centre in the harbour and had a look at a few shops.
We were still feeling a bit tired and thought maybe we should go watch a movie at the cinema located in the shopping mall. We walked in and decided to see Bride Wars, all through summer I had been going to the cinema quite often and had seen most of the others. I had heard from friends though that Bride Wars was funny. Sasha and I then saw it was screening in Gold Class. We looked at each other with excitement in our eyes, and knew without even asking we had agreed on gold class. Sasha and I had often spoken about how we would like to see a movie just once in Gold Class. We tried to go to the one in Marion shopping centre when the Magnum promotion was going however, whenever we arrived the movies had sold out or we had forgotten our bloody Magnum wrappers.
We walked in and treated ourselves to two ice teas before entering the movie where we welcomed by extremely comfortable leather reclining armchairs with cushions and blankets. We sat and the movie began. It was quite funny and entertaining. Sitting in that cinema, watching that movie, made my nerves slowly go away, I didn’t know whether it was because I was feeling distracted, or because I felt a bit at home in the lush cinema or whether it was because I had just talked my feelings through with Sasha.

We walked out and explored the mall a bit further. We discovered the roof top garden in the mall, with beautiful architecture and shallow pools for kids to swim, there was also an arrange of restaurants. Sasha got her camera out and took advantage of the number of photo opportunities. I spoke to Sasha a bit more about my nerves and slowly I came to the conclusion that within 3 days I was moving to France! And no matter what, I would feel nervous because it was such a big move. I was actually a but comforted by this feeling as I had concluded as to where the nerves were coming from, where as earlier there was a few avenues to chose from.
Sasha and I made our way back to the hostel on the MRT (mass rapid transport) (There subway). We got changed and went to Clarke Quay. Clarke Quay is a very high-end area with beautiful views, expensive restaurants (for Singapore standards) and bars and clubs. It was, as Princess refereed, the place where all the white kids hang out. We were going to hang out with Lyn at Clarke Quay but she had texted me earlier to tell me that she was sick and couldn’t go. Sasha and I walked up and down the strip. We ran into Princess and Nathan who we agreed earlier we would meet at the bridge at 9, but Sasha and I arrived at 9.30, we were then told that they didn’t get the quay until 10. So didn’t feel so bad about being late. We decided the cheapest place to go was Burger King as none of the food was really matching our budget. Sash and I ate our burgers and decided to go back to the hostel where were feeling a bit tired. Sasha arranged her travel to Thailand on the 2nd, and I checked emails and started writing this blog. I then felt extremely tired and decided to continue it the next morning.
I woke up in the morning at 5 am to Princess and Nathan entering the dorm. Nathan tried jumping into my bed, located on a top bunk, which he thought was his, he was surprised when he saw me there and jumped back down quickly, I was too tired to say anything and went back to sleep for an hour. I woke up again and couldn’t get back to sleep. And suffered from that horrible feeling of jet lag where my body didn’t know what time zone was in. I lay in bed trying to sleep for another couple of hours, but knew I couldn’t and walked into the dorm next door, which was empty. I took a blanked from the pile in the hallway shelves laid it in the ground and started doing some stretches and exercises. Which I hadn’t done for a few days. After about half hour of stretches, crunches and push-ups, I had a shower, got my laptop and went back into the empty dorm to finish the blog.
Its now 9.45 am and I am the only person up. I am waiting for Sasha to wake up, as she wanted to go to some famous church in the morning, the name I have forgotten. She said there were a few services throughout the day. After that, Hopefully I will catch up with my friends Lyn and Michelle of another Singaporean friend of mine Hans, who lived in the same building as me on Bent st, and whom I rented my car park from. Hans had given me his mobile and told me to contact him when he was free.
So now I shall go, check some emails and spend some time on facebook whilst I wait for Sasha to wake up. I don’t want to wake her, as I am aware that she didn’t get much sleep last night and could probably do with a nice sleep in.
As I have been writing this blog, my nerve feelings as eased even more and hopefully will go away soon. I really don’t like the feeling and have been trying to shake it off through deep breathing and positive thoughts. It is probably a feeling that won’t go away though until I arrive in Paris on the third and am on the bus to Caen, the city where I will be living. I’m hoping also, that my feelings of excitement my overcome the nerves as excitement is a much better feeling.

Leaving - Blog no. 1

Some write journals in order to document their travels, writing every details about their trip in a book they very rarely fill and don’t show any body else and often forget about it years after their trip. Others don’t write anything at all keeping all their thoughts and memories stuck in their brain letting time and old age slowly wither and twist them before taking them away. Some, more organised and outgoing people write small details of there trip, take photos and keep any small nik naks that they could possibly fit on a page in order to fit in a scrap book so that they have something more visually appealing to remember their trip and show their friends. A much more newer way of documenting trips is to write about your trip on a web page, publishing every detail about your trip in cyber space in order for friends and family and sometimes even random strangers to see. We’ll this is what I have chosen. And I hope it absolutely enthralling and keeps you all on the edge of your seats.

Well the journey has finally began… I’m currently writing this blog on my flight from Singapore. And No! for all of you thinking it, I’m not using the internet on a plane, and going to make it crash. I’m simply writing this blog in word before copying and pasting it on the internet at a later date. I wouldn’t even think there’s a wireless connection in the world that could reach me at 4,000 feet above the indina ocean, no matter how good the wireless is on my MacBook Air, and im not to keen on testing to see if there is a connection for fear I will make the plane crash.
The feelings of nerves left me once I got on the plane, I think I was so concerned about all the things that could go wrong, forget to pack something vital, losing my passport, car crashing on my way to the airport. But once I checked my luggage in and hopped on that plane it was like it finally settled in that I was leaving and I no matter how much more organised I would have like to have been, the fact was, I was leaving.
My Parents came and picked me up and drove me to the airport, defiantly not as organised as I would like to be, it took some time to pack all my stuff in the car, majority of the stuff I was packing wasn’t actually to come with me, but to go my mum’s place as I was moving out of my apartment. So it was bye bye Bent st, my residence for the past 12 months, located in the heard of the city, behing the ever so busseling rundle st.
It was sad saying goodbye and a tear almost came to my eye, but im not much of a cryer and I always comfort myself and thinking ‘It’s only 12 months’… ‘I have the rest of my life to live in Adelaide… and it’s really not going anywhere’
So I sit here typing this blog, sitting my extremely uncomfortable economy seat. So yes, I was declined when I asked for an upgrade, but I was expected it. I am, however, a firm believer that if you don’t ask you’d never know… But they didn’t even give me emergency exit row. My seat isn’t too bad though its two rows back from the the front (of economy) and its an isle so I have easy access to the toilets. I am seated next to a very quite German couple and I often wonder how they are surviving the flight as I haven’t seen them talk to each other once, just sit there glaring at nothing or attempting to sleep, whilst I have watched three movies, the documentary on getting around Singapore, done two laps of the plane and have been to the bathroom three times. And now in my final hour I have decided to get started on this blog. I don’t understand how people could be bored on aeroplanes. I was quite excited when I saw the number of movies available and have planed my journey well. Taking into account that I will be on a 14 hour flight soon that will have the same films.
So in a few minutes I will arrive in Singapore, do the whole immigration mumbo jumbo, be picked up by some Singaporean friends Lyn and Michelle and will soon meet my friend Sasha who arrived yesterday.
So this was my first blog. I apologise that it wasn’t very enthruling but remember my journey hasn’t even started yet. I hope you continue to read, as it will actually mean I’m writing this for a reason. Stay tuned.