How Am I Celebrating The Holidays This Year

The plan for today was just to cook, oops I meant prepare a dinner for my parents. Not much of a celebration but have never really celebrated Christmas anyway..

Well, as mentioned previously, I'm not much of a cook so I really "prepared" a dinner, inclusive of a fancy menu. Ha! 

The chips and cookies were store-bought, and parents were not interested in them at all. Katsudon and baby ribs were from Treedots and I only needed to follow instructions to get them ready. Salmon soup and stollen were both made by Axel last week. I only added tofu to the soup. 

So the only things I really cooked were the vegetable dish and rice. 🤣🤣 I really just put things together and made everything presentable and better! Might I add that the final touch of Hello Kitty beverage in pretty glasses round this up perfectly! 

dive-eat-sleep-repeat

Just returned from a vacation. As I was out at sea for 4 days and nights, am still feeling landsick (ie: as though still floating in water when standing on firm ground). But. What a glorious holiday filled with so many firsts:

·        1^st time holidaying with May and Bee

·        1^st time to pack so little for a 6 days trip

·        1^st time in Similan Islands, Khao Lak

·        1^st time  to experience liveonboard

·        1^st time losing my snorkelling mask

·        1^st time losing my dive group while underwater

·        1^st time writing in a dive logbook

Yes. Finally started a dive log, albeit most reluctantly. It was good fun to sit down and do or copy “homework” after each dive. I learnt that it’s up to me! So I don’t have to stress over identifying the multitude of species of sea creatures but just pen down my feelings and experiences instead. I can do that! And certainly not restricted to dives… time to dust off the many (empty) travel journals I acquired…

Although I should be excused as it was my first liveonboard experience, I did feel that I didn’t pack right.. well.. at least I didn’t overpack?!?! Still, there were many items I wished I had with me during the trip. I wished I brought along rashguard and long tights – not at all proud of the ugly tan lines across my thighs and upper arms.. =/ also realised it’s time I invest in more than just a mask for diving, booties or even socks will prevent blisters from fins! Thankfully my 2 hair ties lasted the trip but can never have too many hair ties when you do not want hair to obscure the beautiful scenes the ocean has to offer.. can’t believe I left all 6 or 7 sarongs at home! Certainly a better between-dives-attire than just a tee.. Even though I set out not wanting to be bothered with photo taking, I really should have brought along at least one memory device! Finally, bring a multi-colors pen!!!

 

It was a very, immensely, awesomely enjoyable trip! I keep recalling my huge, sunny smiles and the emotions of joy and carefreeness throughout the trip. Even before arriving in Thailand, I was filled with excitement in anticipation.

At various points: having Dylan and Erica to send me off at the airport, performing the “manta call”, discovering the tiny beings – shrimps, nudibranchs, ghost pipefish, mothfish – to catching sight of the big guys – moray eels, trigger fish, marbled stingray, manta ray and whaleshark! -, showering off in the warmth of the sun after dives, indulging in delicious food and sinful snack of toasted egg and ham sandwich, jumping off the boat into the sea and jump shots out of clear waters, reaching the top of Sail Rock, watching stars and sunsets, relaxing in the pool of an amazing resort, suntanning by the beach with a book… the list can really go on and on.. Oh! Having someone assumed that I am a model?!?! Haha… =)

 

 

 

 

There had been a point when I thought I would never be able to enjoy holidays again… without a special someone to hold my hand while transiting, to surprise me with flowers in the room, to share and enjoy the unique sights and sounds with, to kiss and cuddle up to at night… The sense of loss still comes sometimes but I certainly realised that I had not been as free as I had in the last week for some years now…

I am okay.

Oh. Happy international day of happiness.. =)