Dear Darling Ceyone,
The month of July 2018 was full of travels for me. At first I had a work trip to Tokyo, then we went to Hong Kong for your summer holidays and finally, I went to India and US for family and work. It was a hectic month and we managed to have fun in our moments.
Here's a view of our home balcony (actually bay windows) from outside. You sometimes waved at me when I left for work from upstairs. I was crazy about plants and had filled the bay window to the brim. Tita often said to me that I had turned out home into Botanical Gardens and I felt there was still a lot of scope. I even had to pay a fine of $200 when a surprise visit from Environment Control happened and there was some old water in a few of our plants, just that week! Both Tita and I ensured that it never repeated. It did not affect my love for plants and to see life growing through new leaves. You were also deeply fascinated by nature, animals, birds and insects and often participated in observations and watching related YouTube videos.
Aunty Sandy who used to run the hair cutting salon at Aspen Heights decided to wrap up her shop of more than 10 years, commuting everyday from Malaysia with her husband on a motor bike. She had adopted to home visit business and she came to our place to cut your and my hair. She and I enjoyed conversations about Singapore life, Malaysia and her crazy Indian customers who she concluded as a group that always wanted to push and press boundaries. She used to say to me that our household seemed different to her and she started growing plants after seeing our mini green balcony.
We went to attend Ahaan's 7th birthday party at Cathay Trampoline Park near Orchard. We spent 50% time in getting the right socks for you and me and the rest 50% waiting for our turn in queues to jump for 5 seconds. We were lucky to get lift in Neha aunty's car who lived at Aspen Heights and came back home happily chatting.
My focus on most appropriate foods was increasing by the day. I started making conscious choices about what to eat and order and timing of my meals. I took seriously the fact that the health of your skin represents the health of your internal organs.
That summer was also the time for the famous Lion King Musical. So Papa got us tickets and we went to see the spectacle at Marina Bay Sands theater. It was a magnificent show just stretched a tad too long for your patience. All in all, a great one time watch. You and I liked the performance of Scar (negative character) the most. I was in awe of musicals overall and how the performers singed, danced, acted all live on the stage at once!
Our neighbors next door was a young Indian couple who then had a baby girl. They sent those pretty baby girl themed cupcakes to us for celebration and we got a baby Pooh soft toy for the baby girl, Anya.
Since it was summer hols, I had signed you up for Dino discovery summer camp at your school. It was a tough transition on day 1 for you and me when we both tried to hold back tears at good bye time. Then you took off well. They had some interesting activities related to dinosaurs like digging fossils, identifying their habitats, erupting baking soda volcanoes and baking dinosaur imprints.
Grocery shopping in our household was mostly done by Tita, you and Papa. Once in a while I came along when I had to run other errands in the vicinity. I enjoyed educating you on the variety of foods in the ever fascinating NTUC Fair Price stores.
Then came the time for my trip to Tokyo. I was going there first time after we left when you were just 3.5 months old. I was excited to see the most polite, beautiful and lively city once again!
I was staying at the Ginza shotengai and enjoyed strolling on the shopping street everyday.
I also went to see Shizuho san, another good friend from old times.
It was fun to be with Tokyo work team and find yummy food breaks in between work.
I also went to see Michiko san, another good old friend and we had dinner at Uncle Bonnie's restaurant. Uncle Bonnie was a good friend of ours when in Tokyo and being a stellar photographer, he helped click your baby pictures when you came home for the first time as a cute, little cuddly baby and my reason of joy.
I went to see our old apartment where we stayed for almost 3 years while in Tokyo.
That was our station - Akabanebashi on Toei Oedo line and we saw the Tokyo Tower everyday in awe.
On my last day in Tokyo I went to the office in the morning and finished a few meetings. I had 1.5 hours before airport and I decided to make a quick dash to old town to see the Sensoji temple once again. I studied the train route and took the risk. I was able to see the place well, grab a subway, pick up luggage and head out for the airport.
I had a few food crazes and one recent one was Royce chocolate coated potato chips. I got a few boxes for us and all the family!
Some of your school certificates. You were a kind and caring boy and it mattered the most to me.
Finally, we started our amazing adventure for Hong Kong! We all were anticipating this trip from a few months and it was D day! Our flight was in the afternoon. I finished my meeting from home in the morning, we ate quick homemade potato burgers and hopped into the taxi for Changi airport.
We went to the butterfly garden at Changi and you were mesmerized by the vast collection of butterflies and all the larvae and caterpillars in glass enclosures.
Our flight was about 4.5 hours and you watched movies most of the time. It was a pleasant flight.
We took a pit stop for dinner at the airport and then went to our hotel near Tsuen Wan.
The next morning we got dressed and headed out for most awaited Disneyland! It was a rainy day and we had to wait half an hour at the entrance for the downpour to stop. When the rain slowed down we made our way forward to the park.
We went to many shops at the entrance as you wanted cooling from the heat. There were a lot of things you wanted to buy but you were allowed to pick only one. We did click some fun photos holding the toys.
We went to Fantasy Land that I remembered going some 8 years ago! It was still the same, representing the dolls and characters from various countries of the world.
You had fun while clicking photos with Ratatouille characters.
At the hotel room you liked to chill out watching the ipad while Tita and I took care of clothes, stuff and I planned the itinerary for next days.
We explored the free shuttle to train station from the hotel and took the Hong Kong subway several times.
Having fun in the day was the most important goal for us and we made sure to have some everyday.
The next day I took you guys to old town to see the famous Manmo temple. We took the train from Tsuen Wan to Central. Then we got out to the street and walked a bit. We decided to break for lunch at McDonalds first.
Manmo temple was one of the ancient and famous temple where people writing civil service exams prayed for better exams.
Next we went to see the Peak Tram in the evening. We ate dinner at the peak and enjoyed some delicious food followed by an ice cream sunday for dessert.
Madame Tussads' museum was next on our agenda. I wanted us to see maximum things before you got super tired for the day and began punching me.
We made our second trip to Disneyland the next day. The weather was favorable to us and we deliberately started late that day so we could stay until late for the night parade.
We stopped for lunch before heading to the park and landed in a Vietnamese restaurant on a shared table. We took the pink line train to Disneyland.
I queued up for an hour in the sun to get our Mickey and Minnie picture. I was happy with our final picture.
I pushed you for a Jedi training that you absolutely didn't want to do as you had to go by yourself with a group of kids and coaches. I literally threatened to throw your new toy in the dustbin to make you go. Once you started you actually enjoyed it very much and had fun fighting with Darth Vader at the end of the training.
Next we went for Iron Man 3D show and you absolutely loved it. So we went to see it 2 times.
We went to old town and Central again on our final day.
I wanted us to take a feel of the city and cover more ground. So we decided to take hop on hop off bus and ferry in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon and went to Tsim Sha Tsui (TST).
Old town Mong Kok and TST view. We went to an Italian restaurant for dinner at TST and when we came out it was coincidentally 8 pm, just the time when Symphony of Lights laser show started. I was very happy to be able to catch it as mere serendipity.
It was time for us to say goodbye to Hong Kong and we took a slow start to the morning, reached the airport a bit early and enjoyed lunch there.
Chatting, laughing, watching movies and the homes of fairies from our window.
At the airport Papa was waiting to greet you. You enjoyed coming back home and settling into our life back.
I was slightly nervous about our first solo trip and was very happy that we DID IT! I love you Ceyone and you often explained to me that your occasional outbreak towards me was never serious. When I pretended made a crying face you came running and hugged me and I loved it so much.
Loving travel with you,
Mumma
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