Take me away

You know how certain smells take you to places? Not places, like countries or lands, but the ones that  take you back to a certain moment in your life. The moment is usually very brief, but the nostalgia it ignites sticks with you for a long, long time.

So today I was dumping out the last of the trash when I caught a whiff of the air out the window. Then I took a deep breath. And almost immediately - I found myself in my 15 or 16 year old self again - that's 6-7 years back, mind you.

Here, I was too, savouring the fresh night air, but at my popo's old home in Clementi. But - the old me had other thoughts on my mind - how difficult the IB was going to be, what I was going to write for my Extended Essay, when my library books would be due, who wasn't replying my MSN messages - you get the idea. All these worries then, almost laughable right now. They are a world away from the items and varied to-do lists running around my head. I was carefree and I didn't know it.

My popo's home was one of those old HDBs. They didn't even have lift buttons for each floor. It was just 1, 5, 10. She stayed on the 6th floor, so we'd have to get into the lift, hit the button for the 5th, get out, then trudge along the hallway and up one flight of stairs to reach her house. Oh it was a pain alright.

Her old flat had flavour though. It was overflooding with decades of memories - of her, her late Husband and her 5 children. It was built, piece by piece, layer upon layer by an impressively independent woman. My gong gong passed away long before I was born, so popo brought up 5 kids all on her own and then one by one, all us grandkids too. Everything in the house had been there for so long, every piece of plate, cabinet, stool and wok had its own story to tell.

Whenever we came back to Singapore for the Chinese New Year or summer holidays, I'd sleep in my aunt's old room in the flat. I'd pick up old momentos, point at old trophies and squint at the layer of dust that had settled over it.

They had an enbloc of the flats a couple of years ago - so popo moved over to the newer, more cramped HDBs. The fresh coat of white paint, air conditioned rooms, sky scraping HDB blocks all a glaring reminder to them as to how much Singapore has developed, and what has been given up in the process.

I must say I'm not exactly sure where I'm going with this, besides that it seems that the best time is always in the present. Not necessarily looking back on what we've missed, nor looking forward to what we could have - but making the best of and enjoying what's right now. No better time for chasing dreams, that's what.

Guess I'm ready to battle through another 4 days of work. Although I am still expecting that mid-day breakdown tomorrow.

Kawah Ijen

About 2 weeks ago, I went on my first!! hiking trip ever (first one that I did willingly anyway). I'd long heard about how the climb for Mt Bromo and Kawah Ijen is a must do because they have amazing views for the easy (debatable) hike that it is. Plus I wanted something a 'lil different from the usual city hopping we've been doing - so this was perfect. 

In fact it went so well that my friends are now planning another hiking trip, this time to Rinjani instead...... perhaps the worst possible outcome but alright.

Our guide Esnawan lined up the most amazing activities, and Kawah Ijen was only just the beginning. It started raining halfway through our night trek (fun) so we were cold and miserable by the time we got to the top (really fun). But the fog from the rain and the hues from the sunrise gave us this misty pink sky - so I'd say it worked out in the end. 

Boyfriend may beg to differ cos he was dying in his 2 layers but never mind about him now.

The mist made it crazy difficult to see the crater lake clearly but!! we spotted a huge rainbow so I'd say that made the hike pretty worth it.

Esnawan and our guide up Ijen made us hot drinks and instant noodles which were heaven to hold since we were all freezing. Yeah, I was too, even in double layer socks and leggings and 4 layers of heat tech/ hoodie/ fleece vest/ windbreaker. 

On our way down we met a few sulphur miners who so kindly let us touch their blocks of sulphur and take photos.

Prolly the most anti-climatic end to a post ever - but it rained through the morning even after we got to the top, so we were soaked through. After we got back to the car we sat in our wet clothes for 2 hours until we got off at a rest stop where we proceeded to plaster the car with our clothes like the true barbarians we are.

Sunshine and dry feet had never felt so good.