Catching a breath.

Yes the China travelogue is long overdue. Unfortunately, I didnt get time to write it during my trip, and the return journey was a such a fiasco that I couldnt write on the flight back. There are so many thoughts that I want to pen down - Shanghai, its quirks, its surprises - but I've not had the time. I'm running from deadline to deadline since I've got back. I've not even had to time to sort and upload photos, or print them. Sucks.

Well hopefully the coming weekend will be the last busy weekend of the year. But yeah, it is going to be reallllly busy. I mean, if I am awake at 6:30am on a friday morning to complete work, you'll know what I'm talking about. I never ever wake up at 6am on a work morning, much less, on a friday morning! Of course it serves little purpose, given that I am blogging instead of working at this hour. Oh well.

December is almost here. It will be colder and lonelier than the last one. They say I waste money on winter shopping because I live in tropical Singapore. How do I tell then that I saw two winters already this year? Two winters - very different from each other. There was June - the crisp and cozy winter of South Africa. And there was November - the grey and alien winter of China. So much changed between the two winters. And it didnt even take a year. I went from shopping for pins for someone to shopping for magnets for someone else. I went from being surrounded by people to being surrounded by myself - and still feeling claustrophobic at times. December is almost here. Who says its too early for retrospection?

Did you ask what else is happening? I officially have no more cash to travel this year. I still have a couple of days of leave, which could be combined with public holidays for a few long weekends, but I'm broke. And HOW! It is embarrassing when your credit card company suspects fraud on your card, because your spend has come close to your card limit. Gosh! And did I tell you, Chocolate Boi has been very sweet lately? Nothing much, but just offering to help me with something, and sending messages every day and being excited about my holiday and loving my photos... very very sweet. He will be gone for 2 months, but will be back in March and there's a small chance we might do a HK holiday together then. Very small chance - I am wary of making plans these days. And plans with bois are a complete no-no. So let's not think about it. Oh, and I got a very unexpected phonecall from HK yesterday. I cant really go into who and why - but all I will say is that I hope we keep in touch, because it is difficult to find such sweet people these days. And see, I cant stop blushing now because I'm writing about him?? Inshallah, we'll speak again. And before I run off - let me tell you that I'll be getting news on 19 December. I hope its good news. You will know what it is once I hear it - but for now, know that it is something BIG for me. So pray for me please - I know your prayers are heard better than mine. Muax!