Goodbye Singapore

Friday 23 May, Second to last day in Singapore...

Yesterday was a relaxed day at the office. Went round with chocolates and said my goodbyes. Emptied my mailbox, handed in my access card, and that was that.

Last night was a good one, went whisky drinking with a friend in a place where they have jam session... Anyone can get up on stage, with his/her instrument or to sing... Guess what we did all night... ;-) And I held my whisky wonderfully well, usually one shot is enough to make me sprint to the toilet, but perhaps I finally acquired the taste for Chivas. We managed 2/3 of a bottle anyway. Home by 1 am, uploaded some pictures onto Facebook and hit the sack at 3 am, thinking “tomorrow is going to be busy day, so better not go to bed too late...”

Got up at 9.30 am and after my morning ritual, went to the supermarket to get the booze for my farewell party. More Corona’s this time, last party they were gone in no time. Not too much red wine but a bit more coke for the mixes... Oh well, I’m sure the new tenant of my flat (a friend and colleague) won’t mind it if I leave some bottles of alcohol in the fridge for him...

Back home, I started packing. Last paperwork filed, two more boxes to send by mail to Holland in order to avoid excessive excess luggage fees. And one more box to bring to the storage tomorrow, with stuff I needed the last two weeks but will certainly not be needing while travelling or in Egypt: my “goodbye Yais” box from my colleagues in Amsterdam with office supplies, my leather filofax and all the paperwork that I’ve been scanning over the last few weeks so I wouldn’t need to keep hardcopies with me... Can anyone tell me when I became so freakin’ organised?

The booze and other party ingredients were delivered at 2 pm, by the same guy who delivered the bottles and cans for my housewarming party and my birthday party over the last four months. He must think I’m an awful alcoholic... which I suppose, is not very far from the truth... ;-)

The food will be home delivered too of course, the same Pernakan food which was well enjoyed the past two parties, so why change a successful recipe? Cool box comes with Timmo, check. Ice will be brought by VK, check. Pick up the Claypot rice, will ask Dannie, check. Erik brings the ventilator, check...

I’m so bloody organised, that I had plenty of time to take a shower and carefully choose what to wear for tonight. Which is quite easy if you only have one suitcase of clothes to choose from, my stock of bikini’s not being an option anyway.

I can’t believe how relaxed I am, considering I’m leaving tomorrow and am about the close a big chapter of my life. No jitters, no panic, no sweat... Just an awesome feeling of liberty. So now, at 6.30 pm, I even have time to write the first part of my blog and I’m just waiting for the first guests to show up, so I can finally have a drink and move on to my last day in Singapore... Oh what the heck, I’m opening the white wine...


Saturday 24 May, Last day in Singapore...

Last night was definitely a good one! Check out for yourself on Facebook!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=40347&l=fc03a&id=523210814

Throwing a Farewell Party in Singapore is very good for your ego. Everybody wants to have their picture taken with you, you get more well wishes than you need in a lifetime, you get beautiful and thoughtful presents (even though you explicitly put on the invitation NOT to bring anything), you’re complimented about how brave, independent, cool and adventurous you are... But in return of course, I offered drinks and food, so who knows the reason for everybody’s words...

No, seriously, I had a wonderful evening with all my friends and I want to thank everybody for coming and making my last night in Singapore a fantastic one... Lots of fun, laughter, pictures, food, a couple of tears and many many hugs...

Now I’m almost set to go. One backpack, one suitcase, one dive bag, one camera/laptop bag and one huge handbag... Probably about 40 kg in total, let’s see if I can charm my way into the airplane with all this excess luggage...

Funny, it just feels like I’m going on a holiday and that I’ll be back in Singapore in no time... Not sure how I feel now... Sad? Not really, who would be with such a great time ahead? Regretful? Maybe a little, for I’m leaving behind friends that really matter, even though I’ve known some of them for only a few months... Anxious? A little, because I will have to say goodbye to Timmo... He’s bringing me to the airport and it’s going to be goodbye for a long time. Nervous? Not at all, after all, I’m just hopping on a plane to Holland! Excited? Very much so, who wouldn’t be in my situation?

Oh, haven’t I shared with you my itinerary yet? Well, just to make you insanely jealous then...

Off to Holland for 2 days and then flying to London for a quick visit to see friends. Next day, off to Cuba for a superb 10 day trip with Nina and Elisabeth... 3 ladies in Cuba... Hmmm, trouble guaranteed!!! Then off to Jamaica, which is really just a stop-over on my way to Curacao, but I thought it would be a shame not to get off the plane, so I’m going to wander around Jamaica on my own for four days. Then off to Chantal’s beach house on Curacao, for some diving and beaching and whatever else there is to do on this former Dutch colony. Then back to Holland for 2,5 weeks, which so it seems, is not enough to catch up with everybody... My entire schedule for that period is fully booked already, including a weekend trip with the “girls” to Giethoorn and a Michelin star restaurant and a weekend trip to Paris to visit old old old friends from my time in Argentina, people I haven’t seen in 20 years!!! And then, 9 July, it’s off to Egypt where my home will be for the rest of the year...

WHO WOULD NOT BE EXCITED!!!!!

Well, time to pack up my Mac, taking off in 6 hours... Won’t be online very much the next fews weeks, but enough to upload pictures and a couple of blogs I suppose... Yes I know, I’m addicted...

Speaking of which, today is the day that I quit smoking again (so far so good), so that’s one bad habit less. Don’t worry, plenty of addictions left....

Good bye Singapore, good bye dear friends in Singapore, you’ve all been so good to me... Hope to see many of you in Egypt and otherwise, I’ll see you sometime, somewhere, I’m sure.

Many hug & kisses,

xYx