千九百五十五：Another Year

Stray dog at Pompeii Ruins - kinda looks like how I'm feeling now

It's another year, and for this year's birthday I'm in Italy! 

I feel kinda torn between where I should be for my birthday every year. Last year, I was in Singapore, & I had a good time with friends & family in Singapore but w/o the husband although from my blog post I think there were not so good times also because I remember I worked OT on my birthday until quite late. The year before, I was in Singapore before my birthday so I had pre-birthday celebrations with friends & family before going to Hawaii with the husband for honeymoon & I remembered we quarrelled on my birthday because he kept saying going to SG was my present. which really pissed me off because it was not a holiday trip, I just had a normal working life in SG. But anyway, that's the problem with an almost photographic memory, most events are like videos in my mind that never gets erased. I shall stop thinking about those events NOW. 

Anyway, it happens that I'm in Italy this year. This is the usual overseas holiday week for me every year, either because the husband is able to take leave usually around this period (end Sept to Oct?) or if I'm in SG, it's holiday mood. We've gone to Rome, finished up Naples (actually didn't see much of Naples, but only Capri & Pompei due to the whole Naples looking kind of grimy (loads of garbage on the road sides) & every one looking dangerous on the streets. I mean, when the hotel staff also reminds you to keep your camera when walking on the streets, you know you're in trouble if you aren't wary enough of your surroundings. So I have very few pictures of Naples, (with the camera in my bag) & we are heading to Florence tomorrow morning. Eurostar trip will take 3 hours, will aim to crochet abit more on the train tomorrow (because sleeping on European trains is too dangerous!) and hit the outlets tomorrow. 

Thinking back.. seems like it's been a very fast 1 year when I just celebrated turning 28. Travelled to a 4 new countries this year, revisited 1 country, sounds like a lot of travelling! Again, lots of happiness & sadness (as per every year..), made more friends in Osaka/Kobe through the run club & twitter, took lots & lots of photos to improve, (I hoped I improved my photography skills at least by abit?) & cleared my first half marathon properly as well. Hopefully I will be able to clear my first full marathon next month but it's hard to say since I'm now holidaying away and haven't been training very much. Looking forward to conquering new challenges in the year ahead!!