This is the last night I will spend in my apartment before flying off, and so, I am taking a break from the last minute packing madness to reflect on the goals of this trip. I do not want to be a gawking tourist, yet “soul searching” is term far too vague and generic to describe what I want to get out of this month-long journey.
So in the end, what I covet is to have that overwhelming excitement for each new day again, and travelling kick starts the process. Whether it is seeing unfamiliar places, experiencing different cultures, or meeting new people, travelling brings about a rush of adrenaline for life. I haven’t lived in the same place for more than three years since I was ten – and after four routine years in Hyde Park, I crave something new. Perhaps my destiny is to be a lifelong nomad, but never mind that, my cure for the present day is a good strong dose of newness.
What about all the “finding yourself” rhetoric then, you ask? Well, if I do happen to chance on a moment of self-discovery, great! But I am certainly not expecting a Eat Pray Love style rendezvous. Travel should provide one with new insights on real life, not an escape from it. Forget about the melodramatic spirituality – I realise now that happiness lies in the simplest things. Last night, some good friends and I shared glasses of wine and talked into the wee hours of the morning in the living room of my tiny apartment, and it was nothing short of phenomenal. Seeing a room full of laughing people, each of whom so dear to me, was a moment of pure joy in itself.
On a lighter note, I gchated M in Singapore to tell her I’m leaving tomorrow. Of course, this girl – who has known me since I was 14 (a lifetime for a third culture kid) simply says: “please kiss a french boy,” to which I replied, “I will jump on a hot one on the street, just for you.” 🙂
Musings of a Leaf 
definitely need to have wine conversations more when you come back!!!
Awww the ending made me almost teary, i hope you get that kiss!