School's over, well almost over. I have 1 last event, a combined cultural groups concert, this Sat and then Im going to have a good long break for 2 weeks. A well deserved trip. I have been fortunate in this lifetime to be able to earn enough money to allow me to travel. I remembered when I was much younger, I never had the opportunity to travel around and I used to look at my friends who were able to travel with gerat envy. I remembered when I was 16, I told myself that I was going to work hard and be able to travel around and see the world. And I have managed to do that. My first time on a plane was when I was 23, and the first place I went to was Perth, Australia. And I loved it. And from then onwards, I never stopped. Every year, I take trips out. It used to be a once a year affair, a big trip at the end of the year usually. Then from once a year, it became twice a year ( a short trip  mid year, and a long one year end). Then I dont know what happened, from there, it went to 2 big trips a year.

When I was in Australia, I spent half the time travelling around Australia and the other half studying. It was the best. Of course, financially, it was draining. But hey, that's the perk of being a single lady. :) You get to travel as and when you want to as you dont have any commitments. Actually, having said that, it's not about whether you are a single lady or not. It's about whether you want to do it or not. And even when I had a bf, I still travelled like crazy. It's like my ultimate passion. Now, my mom doesnt even ask if Im going off anywhere during the school break. She just asks, So where are you going this holidays? LOL!

Travelling gives me the biggest high ever. From choosing the place to go, to buying your plane tickets, to booking your accommodation, to planning your trip, to packing your bags, and to finally being there, it's an adrenalin rush. I just love it. The experiences you get cannot be substituted with anything else in the world. I love going to new places, and meeting new people, and experiencing different culture, and food. I am able to just let go and not be restrained as in Singapore, working as an educator, I have to watch myself sometimes. But once Im in a foreign land, I become truly myself. Unihibited. :) And I can truly say that travelling so much has made me the person I am today. Fun loving, adventurous, risk taker, free spirited and independent and I live for the moment.

This Jun, Im going back to Perth to meet my dearest friends, Mark, Shari and Ryan and back to Melbourne to see my best friend Nad and her siblings as well as to see my darling Jay. :) At the end of the year, if all goes well, I will take a family trip to Korea and a personal trip to Spain. :) Cross fingers. Im going to be spending a hell of a lot of money.....thank God for high bonuses. YAY! :)

I have actually put up some pictures of my travels in the past 8 years, when I first started travelling. :) Enjoy them!

Bali Dec 2009. A trip with my kids. Best fun I had. Bali was a beautiful place. Culture, scenery, food and people. Fantastic.

Sydney 2008. I took a week trip to Sydney when I was studying, during my winter break. Sydney was very cosmopolitan. It's urban, with beautiful architecture. I managed to watch a show at the Sydney Opera House, something that I would always remember. :)

One of my favourite places in the world, Melbourne. My first trip there was in 2006, then I took 2 trips there when I was studying (one on my own and one with my family), and then I went back there twice last year. :) Melbourne is just great. It has great food, great city culture but at the same, has the mountains, and scenery for you. Long drives in Melbourne during autumn and winter is just stunning. And of course, the fact that Nad and Jay are there is a bonus. :)

Egypt, Dec 2005. I have always been fascinated by Egypt. Im a History buff, especially ancient History. And growing up watching Indiana Jones and the Mummy series has made Egypt one of the 'must see places to go to before I die'. And it did not disappoint. Mind blowing. I remembered my hotel in Cairo faced the Great Giza Pyramids. I was in awe.

One of the few Asian countries I really wanted to visit, Cambodia. Dec 2007. I took this trip with a group of students, as one of them was Cambodian and he took us all around. Cambodia was a beautiful but unkept place. I was really sad cos I saw so many poor people, especially children. Broke my heart, but made me appreciate my life more. The architecture of the Angkor Watt.....Did not disappoint. :)

My favourite place in Asia, Bangkok. I have been there twice. Dec 2004 and June 2007. Bangkok is nothing but shopping, eating, shopping, eating, massages. Nothing else. I love it. It's so decadent!

Turkey, Dec 2004. My first trip out to Europe. And one of most favourite trip as I was with one of my most favourite people in the world. So many memories, so many stories, so many first experiences. People there were so friendly, kind, flattering. The scenery was mind blowing, I took my first hot air balloon there, and as the balloon flew over the sunset and snow capped mountains, it was the first time I truly appreciated my life. Something that remains etched in my memory until today. :)

Italy, June 2005. I have always wanted to go to Italy and I spent 2 whole weeks in Italy, visiting Rome, Sienna, Florence, Assisi and Venice. I got to see a lot of monuments, Trevi Fountain, the Roman colosseum, Leaning Tower of Pisa, St Marks Square.......Beautiful country with beautiful people.

Perth, a place close to my heart. It's like 2nd home to me. My first trip out of Singapore was to Perth, Dec 2003. And then I studied here for a whole year in 2008. Went back twice in 2009(once for my graduation in March and another time last Dec to see friends). Perth is beautiful. Quiet, simple, with beautiful beaches, winery, rivers, natural scenery. I love it here. :) 

Greece, June 2009. Probably the most beautiful and stunning country I have ever visited. I have always wanted to go to Greece but was saving it for my honeymoon. Until I decided, screw that, and packed my bags and went. And my God. Greece is is just stunning. I dont even know how to describe it. It has these gorgeous clear sparkling seas, against the white backdrop of the pristine white buildings and blue domes... Then when you drive away from the islands and go into the different cities in Greece, you get to see some ancient architectural wonders, and when I say ancient, Im talking about ancient myths and mythologies. It's just mind blowing. And the people there are so gracious, and nice, and wonderful :) I love Greece. And I definitely want to go back there again. Just stunning.

I have been fortunate tobe able to go to such beautiful and far flung countries. And I look forward to more trips, and discover new places, get new experiences, and meet new people. :)

I have been whinging and whining so much the last two weeks. What about? Let's see....

1. The insane amount on marking I have.
2. The lack of personal space at home.
3. Missing Jay in Melbourne.
4. The preparation I need to do for June holiday remedial sessions.
5. The lack of social life due to the crazy amount of work.
6. Feeling fat.
7. Just a general feeling of shittiness cos of things going on around me.

As you can tell, some of things are really trivial, while some are more serious. But at the end of the day, these issues made me really grumpy, and I haven't been a bundle of joy to be with the last 2 weeks or so.

Two things happened this week......

This week, I got a message from Ryan. I haven't talked to him for ages. I've been so bloody busy and pre occupied with my own things and life, that I haven't been in contact with him. The last we talked was during my bday, and that was 9 weeks ago. Which is crazy long. And it's not that he hasn't been trying to call or anything, but my phone has been wonky for a while now and honestly, I wasn't in the right frame of my mind to chat with anyone. You know the saying 'Misery loves company'? Well, I am not an advocator for that. I believe that there's no point in sharing your misery with other people, cos they will be miserable too, and what's the point in having 2 unhappy people right?

But of course, Ryan, after trying incessantly to contact me for 9 whole weeks (I swear, he is persistent), dropped me a facebook message, asking if I was avoiding him. WHICH I OBVIOUSLY WASN'T! I got so guilty, and that night, we finally talked on my landline. And God, it was so great to talk to him again. He is so wonderful, I swear. Put a lot of things in perspective for me. He made me remember why I love life, and why I should be appreciative with what I have, and that I am a great person (without sounding egocentric.) He made me excited and passionate all over again, and love my life once more (not that I hated it, but I forgot for a while). And he really showed how much he cared and loved me. And that's what true friends are for, isn't it? To be with you in times of need. Love you Ryan for being so great. :) Im looking forward to meeting you this June! Talk, shop, eat, club, dance, gossip, bitch, shop, eat......You get point. :)

And yesterday, I had a long chat with one of my boys, and again, the conversation I had with him truly made me realise the impact I have on people around me and the importance I have in their lives. I always assume that yes, my kids love me and yes, they have fun with me. But yesterday made me saw a much bigger picture. That for some of them, I wasn't just there for fun and games or as a teacher. I truly povide the guidance and light at the end of the tunnel for them. That I gave them the hope for a better future. And upon that realisation, it made the issues I was grappling with seemed so trivial. There are more important things in life to be worried about, and I truly believe that life needs to be lived in the most fulfilling manner possible. And I think what Im doing with my kids is something fulfilling, and extremely satisfying.

 And with these 2 groups of people that I love most, they have made me see the light. :) I am fortunate, and I thank God for that.

(Charlotte, Carrie, Samantha and Mairanda)

I had a very long weekend last week cos of Labour Day, and the long weekend was extended even further cos I fell sick. So I had Sat till Wed off. Not that I was complaining, cos I got to just stay home and do nothing. And since the marking had not come in yet, I dug out the Sex and the City DVD set which Angela loaned to me (It had all 6 seasons), and started watching it.

I know Sex and the City is so passe, but hey, it wasn't shown in Singapore, and I never got around to watching it on cable. I mean, all my friends in Australia were addicted to it and swore by it, and I never understood the addiction. I just knew the show is about 4 single women, who went around having sex.I didn't really find it that fascinating.

But since I had nothing better to do with my time, and I had the dvd set anyway, I decided to watch Season 1. Season 1 had 12 episodes. By the 1st episode, I was hooked. It is just amazing! It's funny, and witty, and sexy, and intelligent. And the conversations the women have are just hilarious. Reminds me of the conversations I actually have with my gfs! The whole series is about 4 single and very successful women in their 30a, who have achieved much with their lives professionally but score a big, fat zero in the man department. Hmmm...sounds familiar, anyone? So we've got Carrie, a newspaper columnist who writes a sex column, and she is in a perennial on-off relationship with this man who is commitment-phobic. She is idealistic and wants to be with a man she loves without compromising on herself. Then we have Miranda who is a successful lawyer, and is totally jaded with men in general. There's Charlotte who runs an art gallery and is a romantic at heart. She enters each relationship fearlessly, and hopes for the best, despite the countless failed relationships. And we also have Samantha, who....well, Samantha just has a lot of sex with men. She believes men are made for sex and the word 'commitment' does not exist in her vocab.

The show is just a barrel of laughs, but amidst the laughter, and lots of sex, there lies a lot of issues which gets me thinking at times. Like for example, how much are we willing to compromise for men? Or are relationships one big fat game that we have to play well? Very very interesting. :) And of course, another reason why I love the show is because of the .........CLOTHES AND SHOES that they wear!!!!!!!!! OMG! It is to die for, I swear!Carrie has the bext wardrobe! I just love her dresses, and tops, and her shoes!!! Love, love, love the fashion they put out in the show. Amazing!

I finished the entire Seasons 1 and 2. Im going to make sure I finish my exam marking by this weekend so I can spend next week watching the rest of the seasons! YAY! :)