Letter for the Old and New

Dear 2011,

You came along with lots of changes; small and big, good and bad. You've granted some of my wish from 2010 and even more. I traveled a lot, mostly to familiar places, but the highlight was the opportunity to finally see and experience bits of Europe. So yeah, you've been AMAZING. Thank you.


Dear 2012,

So I heard that you'll be rough around the edges for me. But oh well, I'll just have to keep calm and eat more cupcakes -while having more coffee or martini in between. I do hope traveling opportunities will still be present as this small wanderlust needs to be fed. Fingers crossed, I look forward to more positive things to come.


Sincerely,
Me

Someday. Soon.

Someday, I'll get lost between the alleys and canals of Venice
or run across the glorious lavender fields in Provence.

Someday, I'll stumble across fresh produces in the markets of Paris
and smell the colorful spices in the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul.

Someday, I'll savor street foods in Djemma el Fna, Marrakech
and walk across the white-washed buildings of Santorini.

Someday, I'll sit in silence under the Northern Lights in Iceland
or have a picnic under blooming cherry blossom trees in Kyoto.

Someday. One day soon, I shall see many places.
=)


wanderlust (noun) \ˈwän-dər-ˌləst\ – an irresistibly strong desire or an impulse to travel far away and explore different places.

Viva La Resolutions

I've said earlier that I'm not making any resolutions for this year. But after a while, I decided to make one because I simply need it.

And my 2009 resolution is:

To wake up earlier everyday so I could reach the office on time.

So far I've failed numerous times. LOL. I'm not a morning person. But this morning I managed to do it and came to the office at 9 a.m. (I know that's late for most people but trust me, that's considered early in my place, because most of the times we came at 10 or even later).

Well, the main reason of my 'success' was because I had to finish some work and send it this morning. But hey, turns out I can do it. Hahah.

And over the last week, I've been looking at my friends' albums of Coldplay's Viva La Vida tour in Singapore recently, feeling so jealous and full of regrets of missing yet another opportunity of seeing them performing live.

Yes, another good opportunity -wasted, again. I was offered a free ticket during the X&Y concert a few years back by someone, which I had to refuse because I was so broke I couldn't even afford the plane ticket. This year I thought that I shouldn't go because, well, SGD is so high lately so it's better not to get myself broke afterwards.

BIG mistake.

To top up my jealousy, turned out there was Christian Lacroix 'The Costumier' exhibition at National Museum of Singapore around the same time. Argghhhh! Please, just kill me! Kill meee!!

Okay. So, I've made another resolution:

The next time Coldplay's coming down again for another concert in Singapore (most probably for their latest album), JUST STAB ME (or slap me or wank me -whatever!) if I don't hop into a plane A.S.A.P. to see them!!

And may this resolution be fulfilled.

Amen. 

Birthday Wishlist: I Want to...

Since I didn't make any birthday wish (nor did I blow any candles or cut any cake), I decided to make a birthday wish list now, in the midst of my deadline (hey, I told you, I am a lazy bum and procrastinator).

My (2008) birthday wish list.

I want to (one day):

1. See the aurora borealis in Alaska

2. Run on the Lavender fields in Provence

3. Lie under a sky covered with stars (like below)

4. Eat berries in abundance every summer

5. Watch a perfectly shaped rainbow

6. Experience the four seasons

7. Walk under the blossoming cherry trees in Japan

8. Drink mimosa for brunch every Sunday on the patio

But most of all, I want to:

9. Do and experience them all with you.

[I dream of] Santorini, Greece

Another part of Greek isles that I fell in love with is Santorini.

It's also a very popular spot for tourists and travelers, I know (so it should be rather expensive too). But really, how can I resist its charm?

Browsing around, I found that Santorini is more colorful than Mykonos. Some of the buildings are painted in sweet pastel colors that looked amazing when set against the clear blue sky. And I'm still not sure why, but there are lots of cats in this island (oh yes, I can see some of my friends' eyes gleaming with excitement upon hearing this). Maybe they see the island's architecture, with all the stairs leading up and down the hill, as a fun big playground.

[I dream of] Mykonos, Greece

Ever since I was a little girl, I've always been fascinated by the Greeks. Mainly because I loved to read Greek myths.

Olympus with all its Gods and Goddesses and the rich history of Greek civilizations enchanted me in a way that at one point, I even decided that I wanted to be an archaeologist (my fascination with the Egyptian Gods, Chinese dynasties, and dinosaurs also made me even more certain about this cool profession).

[I dream of] Jodhpur, India

I was smitten by this city when I saw Barry Vera's program, Feast India, on Discovery Travel And Living.

Still in Rajashtan, India, Jodhpur is the second largest city in the state, also known as the Sun City due to the bright, sunny weather it enjoys all year.

[I dream of] Jaipur, India

I'm always enchanted by India's rich culture, food, and colors. I collect many things Indian - I've a wide collection of Indian accessories (esp. bangles) and some India-inspired clothing. I also enjoy their music - well, not the pop ones like from the movies, but rather the chill-out version like the ones from Putumayo. And lastly, I'm very into yoga. Hahah...

[I dream of] Istanbul, Turkey

I am a small girl with big dreams of traveling the world. Always have been, always will be. And I hope one day that dream of mine would be fulfilled. I've already had some must-visit-and-explore places on my list. From now on, I'll post them up gradually, one by one. It's a long list - and it'll keep growing longer.

Most places on my list are places with strong culture, stunning architectures, and rainbow of colors. I am a sucker for exotic culture and beautiful images.

Now, first on the list to be posted is Turkey.