7.7.24 - Day 1 & 2

It was an exhausting trip over. Well, it always is. There is no way a 13 hour journey, which gets more and more like a coach trip every year, can ever be no exhausting. But the important thing was that Ghin was with me and we were together travelling. Just enjoying the process of getting to Singapore. 

The journey itself was very smooth. Minimal waiting times between flights, everything took off at mostly the right time and the flights were uneventful. No alien abductions, no hijackings by terrorists, no Lost scenarios. It was very straightforward and when we eventually touched down, it was with a relief to finally be freed from the metal tube which had transported us these 10,000 miles. It's amazing really when you think of it. That this is how small the world is now. Thirteen hours does not seem like a lot too as one gets older. I watched Dune 2, American Fiction, and... I forget now. Oh yes, Poor Things. They were all good films...I tried watching Kung Fu Panda, but it was futile. Really the fourth in a sequel feel to it. Tried tropes, etc. But the others films were good. And I was prepared to hate Poor Things, but it was good. I enjoyed it. It wasn't as porny as I was led to believe. I'm sure they will be studying it in film courses for decades to come. A mash up of Frankenstein and a bildingsromans. 

The ordeal began AFTER we touched down. A mix up in medication lead to us having to take the MRT back to the house. We could not get a taxi because of the stupid whole download an app and order a taxi. I ask you HOW has life improved with the fucking explosion of an app for everything. Also I noticed that my son does not like handling money. It makes him uneasy.  

It took us another hour or so. Train to T3, walk underground, train to Tuas. Change to train to Paya Lebar. Change to train to Serangoon. And then bus to Gardens, the 317. I wonder if one day I am crippled in a wheelchair, would I look back to this journey with fond memories. In any case, we got back around 7 pm and they were waiting for us there. 

After a swift shower, we were whisked off to eat at Srisan. Much of the talk was of Oisín's stay here and how he was. Ghin sat with the cousins and they were chatting with him. I was with Jac and Terence. Terence who had a health scare. At our age, everyone has one of those at some time. I'm gonna get checked up myself to see how my high blood and cholestrol are doing. I have famously super low blood pressure. Maybe I could have high cholestrol, given the amounts of meat I eat at home.

But the time for eating lots of meat is over, because I don't eat steak here. In fact... since I've been back, despite my attempts to cut down on carbs, it has been murtabak, sambal buah keluak with white rice and I had a curry puff. Which is just oil with carbs. 

I did get a run yesterday morning, but then promptly sprain my ankle as I walked out to get Thai food for my parents, and now can't run. I also have a weird sore gum thing, which I'm hoping will pass and for a short while the eczema looked like it was about to resurface. But i'm good. I'm good.

It looks like the gum thing is calming down and my ankle... I should be able to run again tomorrow.

It is strange feeling both very spaced out, but also extremely alert - on account of the not drinking. It is weird right? Singapore without alcohol. 

Few people commented on my weight... and it is true, I had indeed lost weight, and few people commented on my hair. All the hawkers recognised me from last year in the market. They asked after my parents. The annual trip back... these lives all running together for a short while.

Today Ghin managed to get himself a playdate with some basketballers. He is now independent and has his own friends. It is a relief to have him away now. Being independent, on his own.

The Tories have lost the election. I guess the British people were bored with being fucked over. It only took them 14 years and a catastrophic year of the 5 Prime Ministers type scenario. We it a year, was it 2 years... still. Sunak had no choice but to call an election because they all hated him and he purposely just fucked it up for them. I wonder if he feels the betrayal... the race ceiling. He will never be one of them. Now he can just leave. All his idealism, as wrong headed and idiotic as it is... now just all thrown back in his face.

Then there is Corbyn, who has risen, a phoenix, and he COULD have been Prime Minister and saved us 10 years of idiocy, but nevermind. Here we are. With a Blairite Labour. Just all the same fucking mistakes once more. An opportunity to go over the hamster wheel again.

Singapore does feel very much like a hamster wheel... I don't know how to feel about anything anymore. Everything is just pressed against one's face and the state of world, more precarious than ever. Conspiracy theories heading in the wrong direction, the derision of human beings full stop...

As Day 2 comes to a close, what will my stay in Singapore be like? It has been a while since I was on the laptop so swiftly. Maybe Covid. Right... in the next post I will tease that out...