7.8.25 - Drive

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Yesterday, I finally got behind the wheel of the car and started driving again. Driving in Singapore is no small feat - the traffic is crazy and the drivers are distracted and aggressive. They don't give way to others and they love cutting into any breaking distance which is observed. Yet, millions of people, clearly less experienced and less able than they should be, drive everyday - and so - it is literally not rocket science. So we drove to Toa Payoh and got practise books for my class. Then we drove to Tan Tock Seng which is truly the most crazy place in Singapore to drive - the sheer number of road markings and traffic lights make it look like a shaman on speed had drawn the nazca lines in white and yellow in a random fashion not to mention the construction of what appears to be yet ANOTHER set of massive construction works - it is one of those places in Singapore which are interminably afflicted by massive constructions works - I don't know how anyone copes. But we went there on account of the fact that the hospital my parents go to all the time is there. Then we went to Serangoon Road - a truly unpredictable place - to get chia seeds, and then we went to Seletar Country Club so that I could drive my dad to golf - TODAY in fact.

When all was said and done, it was OK. And the worst part of driving in Singapore, the very worst part is that people do not give way. Nevermind the poor breaking distances adpoted by everyone  - I said to my sister this man is so far up my rear that if we braked he would see the back of my teeth - and the decisions needed to be made in the split second regarding which lane you need to take before you commit yourself to some interminable U-turn. Not the likelihood of sitting in a traffic jam - no - none of that. What is really terrible is the stupid stupid stupid refusal of most people to let you in when you have signalled. When you indicate to allow yourself to be let in, it is a sign for the person behind you to speed up so that you aren't let in. That is the worst thing about driving in Singapore. 

Anyway. I am now driving my dad to the gold club and that is all that matters.

Ghin is coming too and my mum is also coming out.

I ran yesterday at 6.30 am. An emergency toilet stop at the club, followed by 85 sit ups!!! 85!!! I am astonished that I'm doing 85 sit ups now. Then later in the afternoon, after all the driving - 10 laps of the pool. The pool was empty which was amazing. Like the good old days. Then I did another test run with my dad in the car, and then I went to the club for a drink and dinner. It was very civilised.

I also did some transcribing. I'll run at 6 am today. In fact I could just go now. People do start getting up and doing stuff at 5 am in Singapore. It's just the way it is. 

Then after the pool swim, I'll dye my hair blue. It will be run. After six months my hair has recovered from the truly terrible haircut I was given my Jac's hairdresser. I'm not doing that again. I don't know if I will be able to keep up with the running, but I truly hope that I do. That I am able to honour the work which I have put in to recover my levels of fitness. I have run, collectively, 22 days now. There were some times where the running could have stalled and I did take about 10 days to start running - but I was swimming a lot before that - but now that I've started, I don't want to stop. This holiday, after the interminable hospital visits of the first three weeks - actually, it's been visits for four weeks - stopped, it did settle down. It did chill the fuck out. I did do my planning and lots of reading, and topped up the various things to be done.

I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON WITH GAZA????? 

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