I've been fortunate to have been able to travel to some of the most breathtaking places in the world. In 2013, I got to travel to Italy. While there, my eyes shone. While there, my soul was refreshed.
*My day trip to Capri Island was particularly memorable.
Views from Villa Michele. An island with its own brand of expensive charm and yes, a lot of tourist traps. Best to be wary of these when you visit.
*Singapore. How I love thee.
I don't just like going to Singapore because of the amazing hawker cuisine/culture, and the abundance of shopping options. I like Singapore because of how wonderfully efficient and tidy everything is.
It isn't perfect. No place is. But heck, it does come close to being the ultimate "well-oiled machine".
Favorite hawker haunts include Serangoon Gardens Hawker Center, Maxwell Road Hawker Center, Old Airport Road Hawker Center, and the little places around Yishun. You can't go wrong with the aunties and uncles there.
On a slightly "athletic" note, I'd love to race there again. I run with an inextinguishable passion. In Singapore, I run passionately, and sweat profusely (it is so hot there lah).
*Kota Kinabalu tested my skills- when it came to safely crossing roads.
I could be wrong, but, it seemed like there were never any proper crosswalks around town. It also seemed like there were no other ways to get around town effectively except for through taxis. Buses were frequently late. That's a no go. After running the Borneo Marathon in 2016, I did get to explore other parts of Borneo. I went on a tour that promised that we'd see Proboscis Monkeys. The monkeys never emerged. Hey, my trip to this part of Malaysia wasn't a total loss. I got to spend time there with loved ones, and go to run a memorable half marathon. Priceless stuff.
*Whitstable was surprisingly breathtaking. I never expected my visit there to be as fun as it turned out being.
After doing the Brighton Marathon in 2017, I told myself I'd keep travelling around Britain. This was too beautiful a country to not see.
Going to Whitstable was a random move. A lot of my contemporaries were going to more well known tourist haunts at the time- Oxford, Bath, Edinburgh. I decided to go off the beaten path and do Whitstable. I did not regret my decision. One thing that is foremost in my mind whenever I harken back to my day trip there is the silence that just embraces you as you walk through the pier, the beaches, the quaint little town, and through the grounds of Whitstable castle. I am a city kid, so, the notion of tranquility is important to me. The scenic vistas around Whitstable and Margate gave my senses a treat. I wouldn't mind heading back down there for a run, a lazy vacation, or a day taking photos.
*London was home to me for nearly 2 years.
I started out as a resident of Elephant and Castle, then after eleven months, I took my talents to Turnpike Lane in North London. So many amazing memories here. The late night gym sessions, the runs through London CBD and its Royal Parks, the happy drinking sessions and dinners at local pubs. Then of course, there were many amazing days spent as a grad student at LCC (London College of Communication). We had quite a strict lunch lady during mine and my friends' days there. She'd look at you funny if you didn't return your trays and utensils to the right cubbyholes after your meals. The process of finishing my dissertation was difficult, but beneficial. The entire process reminded me about the value of thinking, and of deep reflection. Far too often, we get caught up in the process of execution- of simply doing without necessarily considering the implications of our actions. We tend to be in such a rush because of a debilitating fear of failure, of "missing the mark". In an ideal world, it shouldn't be this way. We should have the freedom to think for the sake of thinking, and harness our foremost ideas for the greater good. We must be afforded the freedom to "walk out of our homes naked". What this means is that we should be given the space to allow for the fusion of our beliefs, actions, and thoughts. This world tends to be too judgmental to allow for this type of openness to take shape.
*Last but not least for this entry- Baguio City, in the Philippines.
I've been to Baguio over 20 times in my life. Baguio was the first location outside of Manila that my parents ever took me too. In the old days, there was no large shopping mall in the city, nor were there McDonald's outlets. Baguio was an alternate dimension- a place awash with pine trees, and winding mountain roads/paths. I never thought the place would ever resemble the craziness called Manila in any way.
While Baguio now tends to reek of commercialisation, and overpopulation, I believe that some of the old charm can still be found in certain nooks and crannies. The old, presumably haunted, white houses, remain. Baguio Catholic Cemetery is still ridiculously creepy, and a testament to a bygone age. Session Road has become a cacophony of noise in recent time (watch out for pickpockets, too), but, a lot of the old buildings are still up there. The old branches of Tom Sawyer and Star Cafe are long gone, but, it still does given you nice views of Burnham Park, and access to the iconic Baguio Cathedral. The public markets continue to offer a wide variety of food, military themed items (I'm not kidding), and all sorts of other kitsch. I haven't been to the Big Bagle in over 2 years and hey, maybe it's high time I drove back up there.
MC
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