New Year's Resolution: To tolerate fools more gladly, provided this does not encourage them to take up more of my time. - James Agate

2009 was irrevocably the greatest year of my life to date. I started out the year with a fraction of uncertainty, a portion of pessimism and a dallop of hopefulness. I thought I wanted certain things which might make me whole, but ended up with other things which made me feel complete. My core 2009 resolution was boycotted by late March and I stopped holding on to a stubborn notion, letting myself go & enjoy the ride instead...and a hell of a ride that was, getting to accomplish my life-long dream. It's even better than fulfilling my 2009 resolution...it was attaining 25 years of resolutions rolled into one. 2009 had brought wonderful memories, nothing like a trip down the memory lane to remind myself to cherish those moments again:

1) Europe backpacking.
I know, overstated, overrated and over-emphasized. But an experience worth living a million times over. Pardon me as I commenmorate the high and low points of my trip (again!) in the hopes of reliving those moments and also to remind myself not to commit certain silly blunders next time!

BRAVOS

Bravo 1: Gamely attended an opera in Vienna & boy, did I enjoy those men prancing around in tu-tus. Not forgetting the "marathon" I ran with the Austrians outside the State opera building. Unforgettable.




Bravo 2: Photo with the remnants of the Berlin Wall!

Bravo 3: Gung-ho self travel to London & Scotland alone. A night sleeping in the airport and a night sleeping on board the Glasglow-London bus just to save $! Coordinated the trip to coincide with the annual Erdinburgh Fire Festival held on 30th April. Was nearly frozen to death cos I thought I could survive the springtime temparature of, gasp, 10 degrees C, with a thin jacket. Marks the first time I booked a trip and hostel stay for myself. Harrowing, but I learnt much along the way. Kudos to the free-entry museums in London and fine whiskeys in Scotland!

Bravo 4: Dog sleighing and snow-mobiling in Kiruna, Sweden!

Bravo 5: Visiting Lourve museum and climbing the Eiffel tower in Paris!

Bravo 6: Mavis joining me during summer. We had loads of fun traveling Milan, Venice, Pisa, Florence and Rome. Italy was fantastic, & so were the Gelatos (we had at least 2 scoops a day the 10 days we were there) Loved the venetian masks, the leaning tower of Pisa, Rome's colosseum and the Vatican city.

Bravo 7: Norli's visit in Feb. We went to Copenhagen & hunted down the famed "little mermaid"

Bravo 8: Visit to the Real Madrid FC stadium & sightings of Gaudi's masterpieces in Barcelona.

Bravo 9: Seeing so many of the world's wonders

Bravo 10: Closing my trip with Europe's best-kept architecture gem, Prague. A fairytale wonderland indeed!


BOOS

Boo 1: Getting lost when I landed in Paris at 12mn. Had no euro coins to buy train tickets, & I have to frantically ask for help from the French, a lot whom can't speak English. Had to slide my backpack and crawl under the subway's exit barrier to escape. Subsequently mugged by a dark stranger en route to hostel, and took 1 hour to reach the hostel when it was a mere 15 mins away. Not cool, and definitely not fun.

Boo 2: The night at the London Stansted airport. Cold hard marble floors just don't make good beds for this fatigued 24 year-old female.

Boo 3: Spraining my leg in Rome. I had to walk with a swollen ankle, & I nearly cried in pain.

Boo 4: Chasing after several near-misses trains whilst carrying a 15kg backpack. Europe rail system ought to be more organized, and also, more English please!!!

Boo 5: Waking up to sex noises during the Norway-Oslo cruise. My Polish bunk-mate illegally brought back a boy to get down and dirty in the toilet & used my towel to wipe themselves off. Gross-ness rating: 11/10.


2) Going to Sweden for exchange.
The friends I made & the life I lead at Delphi N's corridor were stellar. Lund made a happier person out of me and taught me the importance of "slow down and smell the roses". It's really a place where many first-times happen.

*Play this song before reading any further*




Good things always come to an end...but these were the best times of my life

Too many people left suddenly in 2009, and it made me realise how transient life is, there is not enough time to do the numerous things we all want to do. And the mistake many make is putting other insignificancies above themselves. Failing to realise that to love others, you should first love yourself.

So this year, my resolution is to love the life I lead and to lead it happily for myself before I think of fitting another person in the equation. I want to travel even more, I want to land myself jobs that allow me to earn the most in the shortest time & I want to save that money to pursure a masters by the end of 2012 (I don't believe in the 2012 crap though I suspect I may not be too sad if the world ends then). Also, I want to work overseas for a few years after I attain my masters. I know some cynics will ask me to snap out of my dreams, but I'm done hearing the negative input (Don't be jealous & go get a life of your own!). I wana try to achieve these for myself, for now, & if there is an idealistic world out there, I'm confident that I can accomplish all these goals. So 2010, I'm keeping my fingers crossed!!!