Zsup~!

I've said my goodbyes to the peoples... so this is for the other things I'm
gonna miss most...

1. gloomy collection
2. babyhamsters
3. Singapore food

ok. see those when I get back too :)

We are leaving today.

Our safe Haven.

Our comforts.

Our familiarity.

Our ease of living.

We are leaving that all, for Japan. Land of the rising sun. People have loved it, and I sure hope we will. Our trip is not the normal kind of trip that most people do to Japan, so we'll expect some interesting things to crop up along the way.

Our itinerary is mostly done, but we expect changes, even a 3 day 2 night camp has changes, how could we possibly expect that our 3 month trip has none?

Most of all, we expect to experience the most interesting trip ever. Experience a different country.

With little budget, the most things we'll bring back are memories (good and bad), photos, and possibly many many sakura blossom pressings. :D

My next post will probably come when we reach Japan. Till then, wish us luck, pray for us. We appreciate all goodwill.

Ok. So as THY mentioned, we are finally moving, this time tomorrow I'll be at the airport, or headed towards it.

As mentioned, I am afraid. I am trying very hard to think of all the good things, and it's just really, really REALLY difficult. Whoooooooooo~.

But breakdown's over and life goes on, hopefully this means I get to be more smiley instead of the uberstressed frowny look that has been on my face the last couple days except when I was out with friends and family (thank you all loads for the care and fun!). I didn't want to taint the outings with faces like -.- and >.> and @.@

So what comes next? I don't know. Where are we sleeping tomorrow? On the airplane. (phew) Day after that? No idea. But he-who-talked-to-me did bring up a few things that I had very nearly forgotten...

1. I get FREE AIRCON for the next 88 days!!!!!!!
2. I get to visit DISNEYLAND for the first time in my life!
3. I get to see BEARS, coming out of hibernation!
4. I get to take part in SAKURA VIEWING!
5. I get to eat KFC in yet another country!!!

Ok. So he didn't mention 4 and 5, but I rather look forward to those, too. 5 is especially important, because so far in every country I've gone, I've made it a point to try KFC - Thailand's rocks my socks most! - and compare. Macs too, but those don't seem very different really except where the burger sizes change.

So away with the sniping and upset, shoo shoo pui pui to all those evil things... and bring it on.

I went to the temple too, and my fortune said for me not to take risks (apparently I won't get away with it) and to be patient for good things to come. Ok. So now I be patient. Tomorrow good things will come ;)

So I've finally gotten my VISA to Japan. Which is about 10% of the battle won, but a crucial 10%.

Then I managed to get my flight itinerary changed for SG$100+, because I didn't wanna take my chances at the immigration and get rejected entry into Japan.

I've even managed to pack all the stuff that I think I will need into my single backpack.

Yet there's a feeling of trepidation, what if its worse than we expected? What if we run out of money? What if its too cold? What if the people there are really mean?

I'm scared. I am most assuredly afraid of whats to come, as this is the first time I will be going for such a long trip away from home, away from security, away from stability, away from the foundations of which I was built on, away from my family, away from my friends, away from the familiarity of Singapore customs. I am scared, shaken, in turmoil.

But that turmoil is because of another emotion within me. The desire to make this trip happen, to succeed, to enjoy it, to make it worth every single dollar and cent I have saved for the past 20 years of my life (which happens to be all of it mind you). These emotions mixed with the fear of the unknown has caused a rift within me, a rift that will only be sealed when I reach Japan; however the sealant may be for the worse or for the better.

I thought about the trip quite a few times till today. Many a time I felt that it was a wrong decision. Because of the nature of the trip, because of the massive logistics, because of the time, money and emotional investment. I felt like pulling out so many times, but then I thought, to what end would it serve? I would have learnt nothing; sure I would've also cut my spending, but then all would have been worthless no?

I went to the temple. And I did some form of fortune telling, the Chinese call it 'chou qian', and I got a "BAD" draw. Which upset me, terribly. It was just another sign that sucked. But it told me that I should persevere, and keep my targets in sight, instead of getting misdirected by stuff that happens, stuff that I dislike, stuff that causes trouble.

Today I talked to Kim about her fears, her stresses, her thoughts. It was negative. But it was negative only because we spent so much time thinking about it, because we were so uncertain, because THAT is the NATURE of our travel. The uncertainty. Japan is so closed up to us that we were unable to obtain alot of critical information, hence the uncertainty. It's a culture so old compared to us, its roots in centuries of tradition. Yet I believe we should just GO FOR IT. So that WE KNOW.

No matter how bad, no matter how good, no matter how messy, no matter what. We will go. So that we will know. Thats how I feel. And thats why with all the trepidation, the weird vibes, the stress of uncertainty, I will still, push on.

In about 16 hours, I will depart from this place, and from there about 12 hours, will find out what Japan has in store for me. Whether my fears were right or wrong, and what I can do about it.

Cheer me on, pray for me, think of me. I thank all for the moral support even if I'll never see it.

"We have options, its just whether we have more options or less due to the circumstances." - THY

I got my new camera today.

Why?

Because one of my home digital camera's totally sucked, due to the fact that its a technological relic, from more than 6 years ago, a Nikon which had a kit SD card of 256mb memory. The other camera I had access to was a newer Olympus, which had a kit XD card of 512mb (not much newer huh), however it belonged to my dad and it was a company camera and he forgot to bring his charger home. Plus XD cards are very expensive.

Hence, I obtained permission to source for a new family camera. :D

My conditions:

1. Weatherproof : Shockproof, Waterproof minimum.
2. Uses SD cards
3. Cheap? (The definition of cheap is hard to determine in this case)

I went to Suntec Harvey Norman during one of my days out buying other stuff to take a peek and found what I eventually acquired (secret). Which was when I really wanted to compare with the other models available locally.

I looked up the net with vigour as I wanted to know the choices available to me.
The most useful site I got was: http://www.cacreeks.com/cameras.htm (which will become outdated in a couple of years)

 It listed all the recent models of weatherproof cameras, their specs for comparison and prices. Several specs were of importance to me, the memory card, the image quality, and price.

I then went out once again to take a peek at other competing companies, Courts and Best Denki. Courts didn't have what I wanted, and Best Denki offered me the Olympus Tough series, and the Canon D10 (which I immediately rejected as it was a total asthetic failure)

1. Weatherproof : Shockproof, Waterproof minimum.
2. Uses SD cards
3. Cheap? (The definition of cheap is hard to determine in this case)

Weatherproofness was important to me, as my family would use it in rather extreme situations, and the added shock protection was key as it provided some security in the event of drops.

So when push came to shove, I was decided against the Olympus and bled SGD 485 for the........

The problem:
1. I have a Japan Visa that is valid for 90 days stay
2. I have a Air ticket that requires me to stay for 91 days

1 & 2 conflicts


FYI this is the Immigration Procedures Guidebook