I can't explain why - after three full months of being in New Zealand I am jolted with the fact that I would love to wake up tomorrow morning and find myself on my semi-hard bed snuggled under my Garfield bedspread, surrounded by my trusty bookshelves, wardrobe and computer desk.
Mum and Dad in the kitchen, eating oatmeal - Mum in her sweatshirt getting ready to go for a walk at FRIM, and Dad in his crisp office shirt, being late as usual. Sis in her room, bleary-eyed, getting ready for classes. I sprawl on my bed and breathe in the familiar scent of my pillow, eventually pulling myself up and the first thing I do is of course, to turn on the computer.
I think that is why I have been spending a disproportionate amount of time in the Internet cafe in Wellington. I have been online for three days in a row now, for no good reason. There are no emails for me, I don't have anything of note to blog about, and I don't chat that much either. Yet it is comforting, just being in this familiar cyberspace. I dread to think of when I have to spend 3 years of my life in Singapore. The very thought is depressing.
Travelling from one town to another every week had kept me occupied. Mondays we leave for a new city. Tuesdays are uneventful. Wednesdays we get our pay, which is always a highlight. On Thursdays we conclude the week and do our timesheet, and calculate if we have achieved target (or manipulate our way through). Fridays - well, Fridays are Fridays. So we have reached the weekend where we plan to go somewhere with the car. And the cycle repeats.
But now - we are stranded in Wellington, with nothing to do. Long weekend, therefore no work. There is nightlife here, but I'm not accustomed to clubbing so that's out. I don't feel like staying in the hostel as it's always crowded and there's always unfamiliar people around. The girl that shares our dorm is scary. I want to call home but the phone is always occupied. Shops close way too early and I'm not really in the mood for shopping anyway. Everything to do costs money and I choose to squander my pay on the Internet. Which gives me solace, comforts my restless soul and numbs my instincts to run.
On the brighter side - there always is a brighter side, no? I got my 100 signup certificate from Greenpeace this morning and together with it was a gift certificate from Whitcoulls. $20. I also have a $10 voucher from Borders by spending more than $75 at the shop. Think of all the books that I can buy! The possibilities! But seriously, books in NZ are freaking expensive that it's not even funny. I've checked out books in Singapore, which has a similar exchange rate as NZ, and the books cost like one third/half the price. Just ridiculous to buy books here.
And also, I am going to a strip club sometime this week with Marten. The arrangement is symbiotic - I am too shy to go on my own, and he needs an excuse to go back again. (He was there two nights ago, his first time and he liked it.) The entrance fee is only $20. Fair enough for a one-off experience.
Here's a picture of me bungy jumping off Auckland Harbour Bridge.
Hopefully I will resume having the Spirit of The Bungy soon, after I start menstruating and stop whinging. Since as the Internet Cafe will not be open on Christmas - on Christmas the whole of NZ is like a ghost town where no shops open - there should be no further wallows in self-pity on this blog. Two days should be enough for me to recover from my down time I guess. NZ is after all a great place to be and I shouldn't waste it by being homesick.
In the meantime, all of you have a good Christmas ya.
