It feels strange being in HK. Having spent all morning trying to find the restraint not to call him, I realise that I deleted his numbers with exception of his CH mobile a while ago.

What a woman can tell with someone’s voice. It was extremely telling. Like the others, I chose to walk away.

I really have to learn to stick around.

Calcutta (Kolkata) was a complete culture shock for my organised Singaporean system. From the time I stepped off the tarmac, I was greeted by a symphony of chaos, smog and sheer insanity.

Imagine rush hour traffic 24/7, mixed with a full dose of 8 million people talking ALL AT ONCE, essence of dried up pee, a whiff of decomposing refuse, throw in a dash of circa 1950s yellow Ambassador cabs blowing their horns at a rate of once per every other second and just for fun *makes Russell Peters Indian accent* add emancipated street mongrels as well as the occasional skeletal cow or two. That’s Kolkata.

The city is a myraid of many things – diverse, colourful yet extremely heartbreaking and sad. Inevitably, I could not help but think of Chutney and compare his life to the life of an average slum child. Chutney’s life seems like an absolute blessing. Yet, the Kolkata-ites are happy. You smile at them and you get an absolute genuine smile in return.

As imaginative tots when asked to draw what 2010 might look like, we came up all sketches worthy of a NASA scientist having an epileptic fit.  While we are no where close to gallivanting about in a floating shiny silver tin can, we have found alternative means for energy, a step closer to creating blood and, we’re still fighting tooth and nail in our search for an alternate space to live just in case, Earth decides to konk out on us.

Last year, I scratched off a couple of “must do’s” from my ambitious list. Truth be told, the list is anything but frivolous.  “For better or for worse, it is the voice in my head reminding me to do better.” Some people have naggy mothers, I have a list.

A vacation rarely has any stronghold for change. Yet, I faced one of the fears that resonated deep within me – deep dark spaces.  Anxiety attacks were kept to the minimum mainly because, I was too busy laughing and worrying about the unslightly sweat stains.

Love is rice paper spring rolls, and the midnight black puppy outside our hotel. The perfect way to end this year, filled with laughter, healthy food, and sheer madness.

It does not get better, than this. Also, yellow seems to be my new black. Though, I’m wishing I had booked a flight to C.H instead.

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