Selamat Singapore

This is my first trip back to S'pore in more than a year and I feel totally at ease coming back, as if I've never left. Even the inconvenience of taking public transport and the much dreaded warmer weather didn't seem so bad. The buses and trains are air-conditioned, new and comfortable, even the bus drivers seemed friendlier. Except the initial sweating those first few hours after getting out of Changi Airport, I'm able to stay calm and cool most of the time but my active boys, their hair is often wet from perspiration.

You Tiao and Soya Milk Breakfast

Everything feels familiar, though initially, I do feel like I have developed 'new' eyes. I am noticing things that I've always taken for granted in the past. Like how people here dress and behave and the landscape of tall concrete buildings. Of course, after a few days, my eyes got accustomed but they're still very busy taking in all the changes in Singapore's shopping landscape and the ever so delicious looking, never ending selection of food, glorious food. Honestly, I am kidding myself if I think I can savour all those food that I like within the 2 weeks of my stay. But I'll still try.

My favourite - Sweet & Sour Pork

Another good one - Chilli Crab

Our social life this last week has been very active and hectic. We go out everyday and most days, we return home only after 10pm. The boys have been going to bed around mid-night, that would be 2am Melbourne time, unimaginable back home. Gosh, I refuse to think now how I'll adjust them back to 9pm bedtime when we go back.

Old Young Friends

And they're having so much fun. As we meet up with our old friends, they also get to catch up with the kiddies of our friends. The adults don't change much but children, after one year, they grow taller, leaner and behave differently. Like at yesterday's Hari Raya gathering with a group of old university friends, there were 8 other kids in addition to my 2 boys, age ranging 2 to 10, I spent a considerable amount of time staring at each child and noticing their developments. There was a time when they were all toddlers who had all their milk teeth, didn't wear spectacles and didn't know how to play together, but yesterday, some were missing one or 2 front teeth, many bespectacled but who cares. The boys especially, were soon huddled around playing "Bakugans" and watching "Star Wars", like old friends.

The Bakugan Club