It is true. Going back to Singapore from Algeria was like going back to the future. I dare say that Algeria is 30 years behind Singapore in development. Things I had taken for granted in Singapore, such as the ubiquitous supermarkets and an extensive public transport network, are so uncommon in Algeria that I do have a better appreciation of these things now.
Back in Singapore, I did enjoy a sense of familiarity and "rootedness" to a place, especially after being away. While going out, I can blend in with the crowds and not stuck out like a sore thumb as a foreigner and that certainly made me feel more relaxed. Nobody stared at me like I was an alien from outer space. It was certainly nice to resume a bit of the familiar life in Singapore for a change.
I divided my time while mainly between spending time with Xinyi, my family, shopping and meeting up with friends. Xinyi had recently quit her job in TMAP and to join me in the Middle East by taking up a job in my company. Our time together were spent preparing for her to make the trip over.
There was quite a lot of excitement in my family since my sister had given birth to another son in March. I now have two monkeys as nephews. Of course I am inclined to think that my return has caused some of the excitement as well.
It was definitely fun to be back having chats over dinner with my friends. For some of my honors classmates, it was a bitching good time over desserts @ sixth avenue. Yah, call me "suaku" but that's really my first time there. For the Ewores, we had our reunion @ Henry's place. Henry's a dude who is one step ahead and doesn't waste time. He's ahead of all of us now that he's already a father. There were many other friends that I would like to meet up with but unfortunately timing wasn't great.
Oh, did I mention my shopping? I love shopping, especially for clothes. Surprisingly, I didn't get any clothings on this trip. After months of being a refugee, I learned that there's a lot of things which I don't need, especially clothes. So what were the damages? -->
With this, I won't get bored on any flights that don't have a decent entertainment system anymore. Yes, that includes you, Air France! Also a reason why I haven't blogged for so long! =P
The flipside of my vacation in Singapore was of course, the haze! The pollution was getting quite bad during my stay, sometimes going up to 140+ PSI. Thinking that I was well adjusted to adverse environment such as the dusty air in Algeria, I would have no problems with the bad air. I found out that I was wrong. Half the time during my stay, I had to suffer a sinus problem which caused my nose to drip, and a sorethroat. The haze also made the weather really smoggy and unbearably hot and humid. It was also a huge bummer that I lost my camera charger. I realized it during my packing before my trip, which, was the reason why I couldn't take any pictures in Singapore.
The thing about vacations is that time is never on your side. Three weeks just flew on by and before I realized it I was on an Emirates flight back to Casablanca. See you next year!
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