Travel preferences

There was an article in the newspapers that mentioned Malaysians' travel preferences as eating and shopping. This is notwithstanding the fact that Malaysia is bigger than Singapore and has natural reserves, waterfalls and farms for tourists as well as locals to visit. It seems more justified thus that Singaporeans' pastimes are the same.

Travelling in itself is a glorious activity to carry out. One is exposed to historical sights, cultural attractions and intriguing lifestyles in the process. I would like to travel back in time(no pun intended) to my past holidays and share here some of the special moments I've spent overseas.

On my first holiday, to Malaysia when I was four, I vomited twice on the way. I had motion sickness and from then on, I lived in that knowledge. Thus I would take preventive medicine to counter it before a flight. It was not until a few years ago that I thought that it may be psychological after all. I attempted not to take the medicine and indeed, it was just a phobia I had been nursing all those years. I'm now happily surviving flights with prayer, which is really the best preventive measure of all!

On my second trip, to Manila and Hong Kong, I was P2 and I remember this pretty lady who was really our tour guide then. She still is to me after all this time. I have her photo in the album. Her smile radiates with sweet beauty. I went on my first cruise after that, to Phuket. I went with some family friends and was treated very well, being the youngest there. I remember this white and pink dress I wore on the ship. I still have the photo. It was a sleeveless dress with a vest thrown over it. The background was white and the knitted roses on it were pink.

On my next trip to Europe when I was P3, I roamed around with a childhood friend and in those days of innocence, I was not afraid of anything. My parents were my protectors. I remember I hated wearing jeans but was forced to because it keeps me warm. I was so happy when I could finally wear a dress in France. I felt I was my true feminine self. The dress was an Angelcake one, who is a friend of Strawberry Shortcake.

On my next trip to USA after my PSLE, I was beginning to be aware of guys and thus felt awkward with my childhood friend who was once again my playmate. We managed to shrug off our discomfort halfway through the trip. As I grew into my twenties, my vacations became more frequent and occurred at shorter intervals. Travelling became family times and breaks from stress, for me. It also renewed my appreciation for God and my country.

There was an exception though. I went on my first and only trip without my family, to Cameron. I went with some close friends and it was a time when our friendship and love were strengthened. We looked out for each other in the process. We were also divinely protected because upon returning, we heard that our hotel is haunted. We had spent every night in prayer, fortunately. I thank God for that trip.

My parents had retired when I hit my 20s and were freer to go overseas. We travelled the globe, literally. Our London trip evoked in me a love for tennis as my dad brought us to the Wimbledon Tennis Museum. The history of the game was explained in an interesting manner and to top it off, we were spectators in a live tennis match between Pete Sampras, one of the greatest players of all time and Britain's hope, Tim Henman. The supporters were ardent in their cheers and we were swept up in its wave.

The Canadian Rockies was a chance to thank God for his creation and revel in wonder at the mountains amidst the lakes. The colours of the water in the lakes overlapped in shades of blues and green. So mystifying they were! Such wondrous beauty we beheld! Our Scandinavian trip made us tired of eating Norweigian salmon for a little while, though the shopping on the cruise ship was fantastic, probably due to the neon lights used to decorate the shops! The trip to Japan was when I really went all out in shopping. I bought a teddy bear bag and a lavender coloured pendant, things which I don't hanker after. Somehow we tend to spend lavishly when overseas, as compared to when we're back home. I was close to being Becky Bloom in the Shopaholic series.

I went to Genting with my church choir and it was a time of strengthening in bond with them after my nine-month hiatus. It was a time of God's mercy and kindness unto me as well as a reliance on His power. We learnt about humility, trust, friendship and love too. I got to know someone better, who is now my god-brother. He gave me a teddy bear that I still treasure because it's soft, fat and cuddly. Also, it's suitable for asthmatic me , as it has a smooth surface. :)

My trip to China made me swear off stepping into it a second time. The oily and salty food, plus the unrefined civilians turn me off. I'm not the only one who thinks this way apparently but it's actually their upbringing that brings about the uncouthness. The Great Wall brought out my height phobia because the steps are really steep. It was also my first and last time being exposed to the smell of Smelly Beancurd, an apparently favourite dish of the mainland Chinese. We fled back to the bus because it smelt like the contents in a toilet! No offence here but that is what it is to me.