#the wifi in my house has been out since the afternoon (it’s midnight now)

[jungwookjins]

literally abt to go into an apoplectic haze and start biting chomping killing

[mulletcal]

words with friends - ashton irwin blurb.

a/n: okay so i got this dumb idea when i saw lau ( @sexgodashton​ )’s tags on this post pls forgive me 

word count: ~1.8k

warnings: none

****

At first, Ashton thought that the lockdown with his 14-year-old niece wouldn’t be so bad - he’d have someone to talk to, crack jokes with, and binge Netflix with.  But about a week into them being told they couldn’t leave the house at all is when things started to get a little rocky.

“Uncle Ash, your WiFi is the absolute worst.  This is the 10th time it’s buffered for this episode of Peaky Blinders.  It’s too much,” she sighed, pausing the TV so that she could turn to him, “You need to look into getting a better service provider.”

Ashton frowned, glancing up from the game he had just lost on his phone, “Is that why I just lost this game of Words with Friends against Calum?”

“Probably! You both have terrible WiFi - so it was one of you,” On her screen, Ashton could see her looking up potential service providers that could be newly set up without them having to enter your home.

“I think it’s his, I’d put my money on it.  My internet’s been fine all this time,” Ashton typed up a message to Calum that said ‘bro your wifi is shit get it fixed’. 

“Fine, or were you just never home long enough for it to become a problem?” 

“Wow, hard hitting facts for a 14 year old.” Ashton’s phone pinged, a simple middle finger emoji as a response from Calum.

“Look, I found one that has contactless set up, and their reviews are great.  Just think about it - you don’t know how long this is going to last, and you don’t want to be in the middle of kicking Calum’s ass--”

“Language!” He laughed, placing a hand to his forehead, “Alright, alright. I hear you.  Send me the number so I can contact them about it.”

Within a few hours, everything had been arranged - Ashton realized he had a weird sense of attachment to his internet service provider, feeling guilty that he was cancelling on them, especially during a hard time like this.  Some reassurance from his niece helped though, and he accepted that his life would likely be better if when he was home he could watch a movie straight through without needing to pause it, go make a snack or two, and come back to see if it had loaded enough.

The next day, the new router arrived on his doorstep, and the man who delivered it was outside in his van, phone at the ready so he could walk Ashton through the setup.  Overall it was easier than expected, everything ready to go in less than an hour - he had expected some type of all day event; but much to his delight he was back settled into his couch, underneath a cozy blanket as he opened Words with Friends once again.

He was eager to be able to call his friend out on his poor WiFi, now knowing (hoping) that it would go rather seamlessly.  Unfortunately though, Calum was busy at the moment, so Ashton was left to select playing against a stranger the game suggested was his match of the day.  It wasn’t often he did that, trying to keep it to just the people he knew - but just this once couldn’t hurt.  What did hurt was the fact that this person was absolutely kicking his ass, making his jaw drop with every word they made.

At the end of their game, Ashton frowned when he realized he lost by almost 100 points - how was that even possible? His phone notified that this person wanted to go again, and he wondered for a moment if they wanted to face him again because he seemed like an easy person to win against.  His competitive side came out tenfold for this round though, trying his best to think of words that would give him the most bang for his buck, as it were.  He almost had them, a few points ahead - but then they put down a word that completely obliterated him.

Ashton almost threw his phone, he did, not used to losing so easily against someone.  He liked to think of himself as a wordsmith, he was a songwriter after all, he should be able to be better at this. Tapping the ‘chat’ option, his fingers hesitated over the keys before typing out ‘HOW?’.  Aggressive? Maybe, but he needed to know what their secret was.

Their reply was quick, a casual ‘😇’ and somehow that frustrated Ashton more.  Maybe he needed to go for a walk.  There was no reason why he should be such a sore loser about a game, maybe being on lockdown was driving him slowly stir crazy. His phone buzzes with another notification and the person asked ‘Another round, or are you too scared to lose again?’.  Oh, now it was on.

A couple hours, and many rounds later with some occasional banter back and forth between the two of them, Ashton finally needed to stop - his eyes felt like they had gone dry from staring at his phone for hours on end.  His niece came into the living room, her head cocking to the side.

“You’re in the same position that you were when I last came down here - have you finally turned into a couch potato? Should I call mom that I’m gonna have to start using you as our produce?” she asked, a grin on her lips.  His niece was a mirror image of his sister, and it made him frown - missing her more and more every day. “Why is your face so red? You feeling okay?”

Ashton hadn’t even realized that his face was warm - was he getting sick? Or was it the witty banter back and forth with the person from the game that had gotten to him? He hoped it was the latter, he’d feel incredibly guilty if his niece was stuck in his house with him while he was fighting what was likely the common cold, but the times were uncertain.

“D’know, doesn’t matter.  What do you want for dinner?” He asked, brushing off her questions as he followed her into the kitchen.

***

Days later, Ashton had kept up the banter with this stranger.  Their conversations were more frequent, and their games less so.  It was kind of nice to talk to someone new, someone who didn’t already know what to expect from him, or things to say.  His stranger friend seemed off today, and it made him frown slightly, thinking that maybe they were growing tired of talking to him.

‘Your wittiness is off today, friend, you doing alright?’ He typed out, pausing for a second before he pressed send - was it weird to ask that of someone? 

It wasn’t long before his phone lit up with a response, ‘Sorry, just tired. My neighbour likes to stay up until ungodly hours playing music, or drums.  Sometimes both at the same time.’

Ashton was mid-yawn as he read the words, a small laugh falling from his lips as he recalled his night; staying up until 3 am in his studio playing drums.  ‘Wow. Sounds like me and your neighbour could be buds, you should put in a good word for me.’

‘Would if I knew them, I moved in not long before all of this started.  Didn’t get a chance to be the weird neighbour that pops by with cookies.’ 

Ashton bit his tongue at that, a grin tugging at the corners of his lips, ‘Do it anyways, be even weirder and leave them on the doorstep, give em a scare and a treat.’

‘Should I leave a nice note saying ‘please keep any and all banging prior to midnight’?’

‘I’d leave out the banging part, but that sounds like an amusing idea.’

Ashton left their conversation at that, figuring he could continue with his day.  Not that his day would consist of much, just attempting to write songs, and test out new recipes with his niece that she always ultimately hated, but it was worth a try.  She decided they should go for a walk around their neighbourhood in the afternoon, and after some contemplation he agreed.  He never ended up going for a walk the other day like he had meant to.

The sun was warm on their skin as they walked, and his nose picked up the faint smell of apples, making him smile.  He thought of his Words with Friends friend, hoping their baking was going well too if they had decided to bake a treat for their new neighbour. 

Ashton hadn’t realized how long he and his niece had been gone until his phone buzzed with a new notification from his RING app, alerting of someone at the door as well as making him aware of the time.  Wasn’t uncommon, he was waiting on a couple packages - but when he opened the app, he saw someone set something down on his doorstep before walking away.  They didn’t appear to be dressed in any type of mail carrier uniform, and Ashton grew a bit distressed by the idea of a foreign item being left on his doorstep.

In an attempt not to worry his niece, he didn’t voice his concerns, instead voicing they should head back.  It wasn’t much of a ways away, them already on their way back - but when they arrived Ashton saw a small red tupperware container sitting there with a note on top.

“What’s that?” His niece asked, leaning down to pick up the note - a smirk spread across her lips, eyes flickering towards Ashton, “Seems like your neighbour doesn’t appreciate your late night drum covers,” she spoke, handing him the note.

Reading over the note, Ashton made the connection almost instantly, his heart racing.  

“What’s wrong? You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”

“That person that’s been annihilating me in Words with Friends, apparently they are our neighbour.  We were talking earlier and they mentioned making cookies for their neighbour since they’d just moved to the area.”

His niece nodded, a knowing smile on her lips, “Seems like you guys talk about more than just what is basically Scrabble.”

Swatting at her arm gently, he shooed her inside, picking up the container and opening it - he realized then that the smell of apples that had invaded his senses earlier was them, and it made his heart warm at the thought they were so close.

Taking out his phone, he snapped a quick picture of the container to send to them, simply adding a ‘Thanks for the cookies, I’ll try and keep it down.’ Below it before tucking his phone into his pocket to enjoy one of the cookies they had made.

That’s one way to socially distance meet new people, he supposed.

tag list: @haikucal​ @talkfastromance4​ @softbabiestan​ @boyfriend-cal​ @calum-uncrowned​ @wildflowerirwin​ @irwindoll​ @gosh-im-short​ @atlcalm​ @thesubtweeter​ @heavenisapeach​ @ridingcthood​ @loveroflrh​ @wokeupinjapanisabop​ @mantlereid​ @inlovehoodx​

[whiskynottea]

An Interruption in the 1st Law of Thermodynamics.

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15, Chapter 16, Chapter 17, Chapter 18, Chapter 19, Chapter 20, Chapter 21, Chapter 22, Chapter 23, Chapter 24, Chapter 25, Chapter 26, Chapter 27,  Chapter 28, Chapter 29, Chapter 30, Chapter 31, Chapter 32, Chapter 33, Chapter 34, Chapter 35,  Chapter 36, Chapter 37, Chapter 38, Chapter 39, Chapter 40, Chapter 41, Chapter 42, Chapter 43, Chapter 44,  Chapter 45, Chapter 46, Chapter 47, Chapter 48, Chapter 49, Chapter 50

AO3

A huge thank you to @theministerskat who puts up with me, and keeps betaing this story, 51 chapters in!

Chapter 51. Zambia 

Jamie had been right about one thing. It wasn’t the same.

Everything had changed. My timezone had changed, and two more hours crept in between us. Jamie’s obligations had doubled as he got further into the semester, and his free time became limited. My schedule in the medical program kept me occupied from eight to four-thirty, and then with afternoon clubs, I missed Jamie when he was waking up, and I couldn’t stay awake long enough at night when he’d get back to his dorm.

But the biggest change was the unmitigated disaster our communication had become. Or lack thereof.

The volunteer house had no wifi connection, and I had to walk to a nearby cafe to talk to Jamie, something that was impossible to do during the week since the only time he was able to call me at was midnight.

So I bought a Zambian SIM card and texted him. A lot. It still wasn’t enough, but it was the best I could do. I missed his voice. I missed seeing his face. The few times we attempted a video call all I had managed to see of him was a frozen image. Sometimes clear, sometimes blurred, because he had moved before the connection lagged. I had laughed the first time at the image of Jamie with his mouth open, his eyes turned skywards, as his voice came through the speaker with a relieved ‘finally’. I had thought the problem with the internet connection was random, and it would be better the next time we’d call. It didn’t.

We continued texting, trying to keep our lives intertwined. We sent pictures -- pictures that were pushing the limits of my patience because most of the time it took more than one failed attempt to get them through. Our messages often turned into long monologues, as the other was busy or sleeping. And then, when we had time to check our phones, we found long monologues in return.

That was how I found myself staring at a white piece of paper, brow furrowed, determined to write something that would be more intimate than a text on his phone.

My dear Jamie,

No.

My love,

No. Damn it! How was I supposed to write a whole letter when I couldn’t even write a greeting?

My sweet Scot,

Yes, that’s better.

My sweet Scot,

It’s me, your Sassenach, writing a letter to you, as if we live in the 18th century. I miss our century, to be honest. I miss proper internet connection. This 2G thing sucks.

I paused in my writing, sure that I wouldn’t give a damn about the internet connection if Jamie were with me. With a sigh, I shook my head to scatter those thoughts away. He wasn’t here, and he wasn’t supposed to be. Biting my lip, I continued, trying to focus on the positive things that had happened during the two weeks I had been in Zambia.

Being here is like moving into another dimension. I knew it would be different, but I never would have imagined people living on the same planet as us having such different everyday lives. I thought I was prepared when I landed in Africa, having finished the online training at home, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. I omitted telling you last week, but I panicked so much the second day I was here, that I started crying that night in my bed. It’s silly, ridiculous, and it makes no sense, but I felt lost. Alone. It was the first time that I could become lost and Lamb wouldn’t be there to search for me. I had to make it on my own. We had no guidance on how to live here and it seemed so hard to build a life from scratch in a country where I couldn’t even communicate well enough to buy something to eat. I was terrified, Jamie. And I didn’t tell you, because I knew you didn’t want me to come here, and I felt guilty and ungrateful for the chance given to me. Anyway. I’m much better now. I met Louise and she has pretty much made everything easier. She arrived two weeks before I did, and helped me a lot during my acclimation here.

Livingstone is beautiful. It’s rural and wild. Louise said we might visit the Victoria Falls next week, so get ready for pictures! It will be awesome to explore a bit, there are so many things to do!

I know I haven’t said much about the people I’ve met here, but they are usually around and it’s weird for me to be writing about them while they are looking at me. Louise is from France, that much I have told you. She’s a free spirit, straightforward, unabashed for what she says or does, but she’s also sweet and funny. She’s always smiling -- I don’t know how she does it. Sometimes I just want to start crying when I see the scarce medical resources available here. The equipment is limited, the clinics are under-staffed, and the patients too many. But then, that’s the reason I’ve come, right? To help. I decided to help in the children’s department, although I was really tempted to volunteer for the maternity one. Louise opted for the HIV treatment.

For the home-visits, I am usually paired with Margaret. She’s from Virginia and she’s really shy. She often gets lost in daydreams, but she is also so very patient and calm. During these visits we are supervised by Chikondi, which means ‘love’ in Chewa. Isn’t that great? Chikondi is a local caregiver and he’s amazing. His English is very good and he explains every little detail for us to understand what he’s doing and why. We mostly observe and assist him with small things now, but we’ll be able to do more once we get more experience. Yesterday we sat for almost an hour after an examination, listening to the stories of an old man who has been living alone since his wife passed away last year. They had five children, but they have all moved away. We were almost ready to leave, when he looked at me for a long moment and then just started talking. I couldn’t understand a word he was saying, but Chikondi started translating immediately. The man’s words rolled out in his deep voice, taking their time, but his eyes danced as shared his memories with us. And when he finished telling the last story -- how he made fun of his wife for her cooking, but they both knew she was the best cook in the village --  we gathered our equipment to leave and he rose too, saying that it was time to go to see his girl, because she was waiting for him.

It was impossible not to cry as I watched his dragging steps towards the cemetery. Chikondi said that listening to our patients and giving them comfort is just as important as the medical care and health education that we provide. In that moment, I felt as though I’m here not only to help heal their bodies, but their souls too. And it struck me that we’re not so different after all. It’s magical to be human and live, and feel and remember. And to be a human who has love and time to share with others creates a beautiful, inexplicable feeling. Like you suddenly realize you’ve been breathing your whole life, but you now relish in the action, something so simple, and yet so important.

We have been seeing the same giraffe I told you about every time we go for home-based care to the village nearby. We decided to name it Mani. I’ll take a picture tomorrow, so you’ll get to know him too -- I hope he’s a he.

The volunteer house is nice. We have a pool outside the house, and a BBQ, and we’ll probably organize a get-together tomorrow. Week days are way too busy, so it’s only Saturdays and Sundays that we have time for ourselves. Jeremy and I started a Reading Club and we spend almost all of our afternoons there, reading to the children. No matter their level of poverty or their illnesses, children smile a lot. I’m starting to believe that’s the common denominator that keeps us human. It’s strange, how the laughter of children brings adults together. It feels like they are the reason we can all function in the same equation. And most times I think that looking at tiny humans running around, playing, yelling, singing, is what keeps me sane and gives me purpose.

We’ll start health talks at the local schools next week. It’s mind blowing how important health education is. Even the simplest issues, like hydration, hygiene, and nutrition, have to be discussed. I’m excited to get into these classrooms, even more so because that’s where my mom volunteered.

I’m happy to be here, but I miss you, Jamie. I miss you so much. And I’m thinking of you all the time, I hope you know that. There are so many things I would like to share with you. Even the simplest things, like a flower or a sunset. Even though you wouldn’t care about them at all. At least the flower. You might have liked the sunset. We’re talking about going bungee jumping. I wish you were here so we could jump together.

Sometimes at night I dream that you hold me in your arms and I sleep better for it.

I’m now thinking that sending letters might seem really stupid to you, so don’t feel obliged to reply. We will text anyway.

I love you.

Claire

I finished the letter with a wistful smile, folded it, and wrote Jamie’s address on the envelope.

“Claire!” Louise waved from the door. “Are you coming?”

I secured the envelope between the pages of a book in my luggage, and headed outside. I would stop by the post office first thing tomorrow.

“What were you doing, Miss Bennet?” Robert raised an eyebrow, but his gaze didn’t leave the book he was reading.

“Ha, bloody, ha.” I replied, refraining from replying to his question.

At that moment, I realised that I had forgotten to mention Robert in my letter, but I didn’t know how to describe him to Jamie either. He was the oldest one here, but he didn’t talk a lot and his cocky behavior always made me wonder why he had volunteered in the first place. He was working in the adult department and organized the Math Club in the afternoon, so we didn’t really interact during the week. He was the actual reason, however, I didn’t participate in the Math Club. I didn’t want to be stressed during the afternoon activities, dealing with his sour behavior. Jeremy was much closer to the type of people I would usually be friends with.

“So, are we doing the BBQ tomorrow?” Louise asked, clapping her hands enthusiastically.

I shrugged and saw Margaret’s anxious gaze passing across all our faces, waiting for anyone else to speak first.

“I think it’ll be cool. We haven’t really spent much time together.” Jeremy was lying in a deckchair, and he rose on his elbows to look at us. “What do you think, St. Germain?”

“Why do you keep calling him by his last name?” I inquired, narrowing my eyes at Robert as I took the seat next to Louise.

“I don’t know.” Jeremy furrowed his eyebrows, as if he had just realized he had been doing that.

“I don’t mind,” Robert said. “All my friends call me St. Germain. Not that any of you would ever be anything close to my friends,” he added, and I grimaced.

“Of course your Highness,” Louise mocked him in return. “So, it’s decided. We’re doing the BBQ tomorrow.” She bit her lip, then, and looked around. “Where is Helga?”

“She had an additional first aid training session.” Margaret fidgeted with her skirt, then fixed her gaze on the swimming pool tiles.

Louise saw me observing Margaret, and she leaned closer to me. “She’s getting better. When I first came she hardly talked to any of us.” Seeing my questioning glance, she continued. “She’s not well. Her boyfriend died last year. Cancer.”

“Oh my God,” I whispered, trying not to seem upset in case Margaret chanced a look at us. She didn’t, but Robert did, and when his eyes found mine there was an expression on his face I couldn’t quite decipher. Something between loss and understanding.

Well, that was new.  

I had no idea Margaret’s time here was part of a healing process for her, and that made me realize I hardly knew anything about my roommates’ lives outside of Zambia, and certainly not enough to reach any conclusions on their characters. Maybe Robert had been an arrogant arse who began to change his attitude after volunteering. Maybe he had realized there was something more important than his little insignificant world.

“I’m in for tomorrow,” he said in his deep voice, eyes back on the pages of his book. I had seen him reading it the previous day and I had already read the book, but never mentioned it to him. It wasn’t that I wanted to start a conversation with him.

Louise shot me a questioning stare. “Yes, yes, I’m in, too,” I agreed. “Margaret?” It took her a moment to come back to reality and I noticed that her eyes were moist. “Will you come to the BBQ party tomorrow?” I asked, trying not to add any pressure to my tone.

She nodded and smiled, the colour of her eyes a deep chocolate brown that made me smile back.

“Perfect!” Louise stood up, stretched, and declared, “We have to go shopping.”  

“Will we invite the rest of the volunteers? The locals? I’m sure Chikondi would be glad to come.”

Robert rolled his eyes, but Jeremy agreed with me. With Louise’s and Margaret’s nods, he left the house to inform everyone about our little party.

“Tell them to bring food and drinks!” Louise shouted after him and he waved his hand, signaling that he had heard her.

Margaret rose from her chair, coming to ask Louise about the food and I joined them, looking at Robert over my shoulder. “Well, are you coming? Or do we have to do everything while you lounge here with your book?” I sneered at him.

He heaved a heavy sigh and rose, leaving his book on the table next to my chair. “Happy?”

“Whatever you say.”

“Let’s go!” Louise nodded towards the street and linked her arm with Margaret’s, leaving me and Robert behind. Robert smiled at Margaret when she turned to look at us, a real smile, and it was the first time I noticed that he had always been kind to her.

Maybe he’s not that bad.

When he looked down at me, a sly grin replaced the smile on his face. “Nice hair.”

I resisted patting my hair, even though I could feel that my curls had gone wild with the humidity, but I couldn’t resist huffing.

No, he’s definitely a prat.

Five minutes later we were in the town center, checking the food counters. I stood in front of a bowl of caterpillars, wondering if any of the rest had tried them. Chikondi had told me that ifinkubala were delicious, fried and served with tomatoes, onions and nshima, the staple carbohydrate of Zambia. They certainly didn’t seem delicious.

“Don’t even think about it,” Robert drawled, glancing at the bowl with disdain.

I wondered if Jamie would try them. He was always so adventurous with food. Seeing that he had eaten haggis regularly, I could easily imagine him eating caterpillars. I took a picture with my phone, smiling at the woman behind the counter, intending to send it to him when we went back to the house.

“Are you done?” Robert asked in a bored voice.

“Yes, I’m done,” I replied keeping my own voice as flat as possible.

“Let’s go then. I think we stayed long enough in the vicinity of fried insects.”

“They’re larvae, actually.”

He rolled his eyes, making it obvious how mundane he found this information. “I want to buy vitumbuwa for my afternoon tea,” he stated, as if I was in his service and I should buy them for him.

I struggled for a moment, trying to remember what vitumbuwa was without asking him. He must have seen my face because he snickered, “The fried dough balls with sugar.”

“Oh, right!” I smiled. I wanted to buy some of them too. And even though I wouldn’t admit it out loud, he was right -- they would be perfect with tea.

I checked my phone for any messages from Jamie, but I realized it was still too early for him. I saw his smile in my background picture, however, and smiled back, as if he could see me.

Jamie would definitely eat caterpillars. And if he’d like them, he would try to feed them to me too.

For the first time in the two weeks since I had arrived in Zambia, I found an advantage on Jamie staying back in Michigan. At least I could avoid the caterpillars without a battle now. Chuckling, I walked next to Robert, who shot me a strange glance but proceeded with his search for vitumbuwa, ignoring me further.

Not caring a bit, I smiled again. Today was Saturday. And that meant I could go to the cafe and call Jamie the moment he woke up.

Chapter 52

[sunshinykittens-blog]

Not Enough Alcohol in NYC...

Saturday, November 25 the wee hours of the morning. I think.

I would love to go to sleep right now, God knows I have been through enough chaos the past 72 hours to qualify for hazard pay, or at least PTSD treatment. The flights, the usual holiday family drama (not EVEN my family), an empty apartment, snotting all over some Tower residents, new digs…but I probably should start from the beginning…

Wednesday

When last we left our intrepid adventurer (that would be me), it was in an airport, JFK to be exact. I was waiting, along with Sunny and the 3 younger kids, for our flight out to Pasco (via Seattle) to spend the Thanksgiving weekend with her mom and oldest child. My kids weren’t going to be at my family gathering, so no sense in going home, especially since I’m spending an entire week home for Christmas. Besides, Sunny’s mom has been going through some health issues, and I haven’t seen her in forever. Sunny made all the flight arrangements, all I was supposed to do was pack my bag and be ready to go. So something I didn’t know about her before this day, seeing as I had never flown with her before: Sunny is paranoid about missing flights. I realize that this is one of the busiest days for traveling, and that means all the lines for everything would be extra long, but I am still not sure why we had to leave the apartment at 6 am for a 1:30 pm flight. Maybe she thought we’d get caught up in the parade traffic. But since The Man arranged for a car to take us to the airport (and pick us up upon our return Sunday afternoon), we didn’t have to worry about getting a cab or riding the subway (Sunny’s great idea). So yeah, I am grateful to The Man for the car. Amazingly, we checked bags and got through the security lines very quickly. We were through to the gate section of the airport by 10. Even though one of us was chosen for the random search (guess who that was). Luckily I didn’t have any contraband to speak of, so that was pretty smooth, except for them telling me I needed to get my driver’s license updated to my new address when I get back. Yet another thing for me to have to squeeze in before Christmas. Sunny suggested we grab some coffee and lunch while we waited for our plane. Over this meal is when she told me we had another 3 hours before we were scheduled to board. That’s when I made my last post. (BTW, the girl child is an extremely talented artist, I’ll have to post some of her work sometime soon. Oh, and Sunny did manage to catch the loose cannon. When last I saw, all the kids were still alive.)

I will say this, at least Sunny got us first class seats for our flights (yes, I said flights). It was nice, but we were kind of spread out a bit. Which is nothing compared to the connecting flight in Chicago, which was delayed over an hour for mechanical problems, and we got bumped to another plane, and everyone was pretty scattered then. For our final leg from Salt Lake, though, we were in one cluster of seats, thanks to the airline folks feeling bad for us having missed that connecting flight. After they saw how frazzled she was with the middle child, who kept wandering off. But we arrived safely at our destination airport only about 2 hours later than scheduled. Oh yes, and every time we hit an airport with wifi, Sunny would get a gazillion messages from the oldest child asking why we weren’t there. I felt bad for Sunny, so I admit I bought her a drink in Chicago and Salt Lake. And then I paid for a taxi van to drive us from the airport to her mom’s house so we wouldn’t have to wait for a shuttle.

Didn’t take long for the drama to start when we got there, though. There was only one bed in the house, and that belonged to Sunny’s Mom. The oldest hadn’t even put her bed together, so we were all sleeping on the floor. I haven’t done that in I don’t know how long. Mom started in on how worried she’d been and why were we late, and then blaming Sunny for not getting there any sooner (like we can just hijack the plane or something). But like I said before, Mom had recently had some health problems, so I just tried to overlook it and be there to support Sunny. She was going to need it. Then we all stayed up way too late (with far too little alcohol), and finally got to bed at some point after midnight. I whispered to Sunny as we were drifting off that had I known we were going to sleep on the floor, I’d have rented a car and got a hotel room. Or at least rented some rollaway beds.

Thursday, Thanksgiving

Well, this day started entirely too early for a regular day, much less a holiday, even with the extra time we got for being 3 hours later than home time. Mom had said she needed help cooking, and we were fine with that. But she needed to oversee everything and everyone, assuming we had never entered a kitchen before in our lives. By the way, who in their right mind puts an egg into their literal Stovetop Stuffing? Menu was pretty good, very standard: ham (instead of turkey, which was fine with me), stuffing, green bean casserole, sweet potato soufflé, rolls, and 2 kinds of pie with whipped cream. It was a store bought kind of meal; everything came out of a box, can, or bag, or was bought ready to serve like the ham. Except the pumpkin pie. The Airport Problem Child made that and did a really good job, if I do say so myself. Which I do. So as soon as everything was cooked, we had to eat – right that second! Dinner conversation included why in the world did Sunny move so far away, why didn’t she tell her mom and oldest before she moved, why didn’t she find a man and settle down, how her mom’s health was (not good and how much worse it was getting every second that Sunny wasn’t caving), how the kids liked school, Sunny works too much, maybe at least she could find a husband in New York, how were my kids doing, and when was she moving back to Washington. We tried deflecting most of that by saying we had good jobs that we liked, we were making really good money at them, and we were about to move into a secure building at the first of next month. After dinner (with an unhealthy side of stress and heartburn), everyone retired for a nap. Except for Sunny. She stayed up to clean. Of course I stayed up with her. And it took every bit of 2 hours to clean. After which, the tree came out.

Sunny is not a Christmas person, she really doesn’t like it at all. She feels it’s entirely over commercialized, which I agree with. Unlike her, I enjoy the holiday season with full gusto. My only complaint is with people who have conniption fits when people break out the Christmas songs before Thanksgiving. I also find these are the same ones who then start complaining that there isn’t enough time in the Christmas season to get everything done that they want to do – starting the day after Thanksgiving. Anyway, Sunny was going to be aggravated with the evening. So first, her mom put on some Christmas station with some really annoying, tacky Christmas music. And let me tell you, that is really saying something coming from me. I love all Christmas music. At least I thought so until that night. I mean nobody liked it. Not even Sunny’s mom! And then the tree, it’s a wonder Sunny hasn’t ground her teeth down to stumps. It’s kind of old, but we couldn’t get her mom to let us run out and buy a new one. And the lights…it’s a wonder they can’t see that thing from space. You know those sort of net-type lights, the kind you drape over the shrubs outside? 5 of them. Draped onto a 6 foot tree. Then we had to add another 15 strings of plain white lights. I tell you, I needed shades when we plugged in the tree. Then the ornaments, a mix of glass, plastic, and handmade kids ornaments, and then those irritating silvery plastic icicles, the kind that clog up the vacuum. Then, just when we were starting to get into the tacky music, Mom changed it to something equally obnoxious.

About an hour later, I was questioning my decision to be there for the whole weekend. Because that’s when the oldest started in on how unfair life was and how hard she has it there. I could tell she was angling to move with us. Allow me to say one thing about the eldest child: Super Social Justice Warrior Snowflake, she’s about as far from me on the spectrum politically, religiously, and socially as you can get. And before we had left New York, Sunny made me promise that I would not start a fight with her. In other words, I’m surprised that I didn’t bite my tongue off in the short time I was exposed to her awake. She went all over the place from one thing to another, but finally I’d had enough. In fact, I don’t even remember what it was she said, or even what I said, only that I finally blew up and smacked her with an opinion that should have given her a heart attack right then and there. But her face welled up and she stormed off to her room, slamming the door shut and sobbing loud enough to be heard in Seattle. I just looked at Sunny and said I needed to get some air. I grabbed my coat and headed out the door. I walked for a good while, too bad I don’t have a fitness tracker because I easily walked 10k steps. I finally got so cold I went back inside (no hot water for a shower, but I’ve come to not expect that), and crashed in the living room with the kids instead of in the eldest child’s room with Sunny. I slept very little, eventually getting up literally at the crack of dawn for another walk.

Friday

Overnight I had come to the conclusion that neither my blood pressure nor Sunny’s family could take me sticking around for the rest of the weekend. As soon as I walked out of the door, I was on my phone with the airlines looking for the first flight out. I agreed to be on standby; even an airport had to be better atmosphere. I called a taxi, and realized everything except for my carry on bag was still in the bedroom where Sunny, the artist, and eldest child were still asleep. I was not about to go in and risk waking the crew. Instead, I tiptoed over the boys and went to the kitchen to leave a note.

“Sunny, Needed to fly back quickly. Can you please bring my suitcase when you come? See you in a couple of days. Call when I get home. Tell your mom thanks for dinner. Kate”

I carefully gathered my few things in the living room and made for the door. The youngest sat up and rubbed his eyes, then asked where I was going. I lied to the boy, told him I was needed at work, and that I’d see him in a few days. He shrugged, nodded, yawned, and went back to sleep.

I sat in the airport for only a couple of hours before I got on a flight to Denver, where I sat for two hours before I got a plane to New York. From JFK, I took a taxi back to the apartment. As I was walking up the three flights to the apartment, all I wanted to do was take a long hot bath, cuddle with my Spazzie, and get a full night’s sleep. I planned to spend the rest of the weekend lounging around and maybe doing some packing for the impending move looming on the horizon. It was about 11 pm. I unlocked the door to my apartment, stepped in, turned on the lights and saw…nothing.

Literally nothing. Every single thing was missing from our apartment. No futon in the living room. No dishes in the cabinets. No towels in the bathroom. And, the horror hit me as I realized, EVEN THE CATS WERE MISSING!!! For the third time since I moved to New York, I was dialing 911 to report a theft. And, bless her heart, Officer Yang came to take the report. I tried to give a pretty good description of what was missing. Her partner went down to the super’s apartment but there was no response. About half past midnight, Jake’s mom came home from her shift and looked in. We found out from her that a group of men had come first thing that morning and had been packing up our stuff. She had assumed that she had misremembered the date of our move. She offered to let me stay in their apartment, but I didn’t relish another night sleeping on the floor. Instead I called a cab as soon as the police left.

I had thought about going to a hotel, but figured they would pretty much be booked solid. I decided the best place for me to go would be to the Tower. I knew there were comfortable looking sofas, at least, and I figured that all the residents were gone for the holiday. Maybe I could convince The Man to hurry up the remodel because we really did have nothing. No sense in buying furniture, moving into the old apartment to just have to move it the following week. I had the taxi drop me off at the Tower, and I stood just outside to make the phone call I was dreading. I had to tell Sunny we had been cleaned out. I got her voicemail, which made some sense to me. It was closing in on 1:30 am, which was 10:30 pm there.  And her mom was always fussing about her being on her phone. I left her a message and promised to call after I got some sleep. Then I went inside.

The night guard was someone I hadn’t met before, but I had my badge so he let me in. The elevator ride up was the longest leg of my journey. I was reviewing all the events in my head and was starting to feel overwhelmed when the doors opened on the 91st floor. I had decided that I was going to have a cup of tea before trying to find a blanket and settling in on the sofa in the lounge. Surely The Man wouldn’t begrudge me that after everything I had been through. I hung up my coat and stashed my carry on in the closet and entered the common area, headed to the stove to heat water in the rarely-used kettle.

Standing at the island were three men. I recognized Captain Rogers and Sergeant Barnes from news stories I had seen over the years. The other one was unfamiliar to me. They were casually dressed, sweatpants and tees. It appeared they had just come down from the training room, they were slightly sweaty with a healthy glow. Captain Rogers was pouring some post-workout smoothie thing into glasses. I took a deep breath, feeling everything from the past few days welling up behind my eyes, and my nose starting to tingle and burn. I was desperately trying to contain my emotions in front of the people that I was definitely going to be running into in the halls and elevators, residents of the Tower. I was not going to lose control.

They glanced over at me as I came in. Captain Rogers welcomed me, asking if I was one of the housekeepers. I told him I was and then he said he thought we’d be back Sunday evening and where was my partner. I told him that she was still in Washington, and we were supposed to be back Sunday, but I had to leave early. Sergeant Barnes then asked why. And I think that’s where I started to lose that tenuous hold on my emotions. I tried telling them about the disastrous 24 hours that Thanksgiving had been, but I think I became a bit flustered. I don’t think I was making sentences. And then pieces of the past 2 days came spilling out and I absolutely burst into tears. Next thing I knew, I was seated on a stool at the island, Sergeant Barnes was doing his best to awkwardly comfort me with an arm around my shoulders, and the man I didn’t know was pressing a tumbler of some form of alcohol into my hand and demanding that Captain Rogers go find Mr. Stark and bring him up immediately. Before long, hthe Captain had returned with The Man Himself in tow. I will admit, he was concerned to see me sitting there sobbing, and he asked me what was wrong. I lost it again, someone handed me a handkerchief, and after about 5 more minutes, I regained some control. I blew my nose, took a deep breath and started to speak, but when I tossed back half the dark amber liquid, there went my voice.

When it returned, I told him as calmly as I could about the stress at Sunny’s mom’s house, that I just had to leave before really bad things were said, the layovers, the crying babies, coming home to a literally empty apartment, finishing up with the emotional outbursts they had all just experienced, which I assured him was a rare occasion, and could I please have a blanket so I could crash on the sofa. I finished the drink while waiting for the answer. I noticed glares aimed at The Man from the others in the room. And then the Captain threatened to call Miss Potts. Finally The Man said to follow him.

We went down on the elevator together, all four of us. I could almost feel the heat of the glares directed at my boss. This was the second elevator ride I’d had with him that was in complete silence, but somehow I felt like the awkwardness was coming from him this time. The doors opened on the 62nd floor.  I followed The Man down the hall to the door opposite the one he had showed us at the beginning of the week, the others behind me like some sort of guard or something. I now thought that what he was going to do was bring up a bed for me. Maybe this convinced him to complete the remodeling ASAP. But when I stepped into the now opened doorway, I was completely flummoxed. There, inside that room, was my apartment. Complete with cats. Spazzie came racing towards me and I scooped him up cuddling and scratching behind his ears. And I started crying again. I put him down for a minute and asked what the hell was going on.

The Man shrugged and told me he’d figured it would be great if we came back and found everything already moved in. One less thing for us to worry about, as it were. They had gone in, packed everything up and moved it, though they hadn’t known what stuff was mine and what was Sunny’s, so unfortunately we were going to have to go through the boxes ourselves. I was really jet lagged, and it was after 2 in the morning, so it took a little while for everything to sink in. But when it did…

I yelled, I screamed at him, I cried big fat hot mad tears. Sergeant Barnes smirked, thoroughly enjoying every word. Sunny’s cat, Aaron, came into the room and started pawing at me. I scooped him up and continued ranting. And then I realized something was climbing my leg. I looked down to see this cute little gray tabby kitten working its way up. And that was most definitely not my cat. I’d never seen it before. The guys all insisted that it must be ours because it was inside the apartment when they packed it up. And it had a collar. About then I felt all my energy drain from my body. I ordered them out and told them that we would finish this conversation tomorrow. I fell into the bed in the bedroom and pulled a comforter up over me. Spazzie curled up behind my knees, Aaron was behind me, and the kitten sprawled out on the pillow next to me. I’ve got to call Sunny tomorrow to let her know everything is OK and to just come to the Tower as soon as she gets in. But right now I need to sleep.

[kayliekushy-blog]

Massive amounts of irony and perspective

I don’t journal enough. When I do, its typically notes typed in my phone, hence only one prior journal entry here last year. But the picture of my current situation could only be painted through telling this story here.

Last week I spent 8 days with 16 college students serving at the Wine To Water factory in the Dominican Republic. We had an impactful week and were able to get A LOT of work done while also connecting in a deeply rich way with the locals. We all flew back to the states this past Saturday (it’s now Monday morning) with full hearts and leaky eyeballs. I’m typing from the service lounge of a car dealership in Charlotte, NC. I’ve spent 5 hours here in the past 2 days and have met almost the entire staff and consumed almost all the free popcorn and watered down coffee. Let me explain...

As my plane was leaving the runway in Santiago, DR this past Saturday afternoon I realized I had just made a massive mistake. I tried to remain calm in the air (there was literally nothing I could do to fix this mistake anyway), but I had no idea what I was in store for and what is finally almost resolved, 2 days later. So what had happened was, was I left my car, house and work keys in the DR at the WTW factory where we stay.  A very simple yet costly mistake. I’m still calculating the total amount spent on my mistake, should have it to you by the end of this read. I immediately purchased the in-air wifi to start reaching out to folks and figuring out my options (in the end, there weren’t many). I was flying to Newark, NJ and then home to NC through Charlotte, so I had some time to make a plan. Now, issue one is that there’s not reliable (or fast by US standards) shipping in the DR. And some of my coworkers will be in the DR in a few weeks, so why try to ship them when they can just be brought back home right? Plus, home and my dog are 2 hours from Charlotte in Boone, so it’s not like I had time to wait for the keys in Charlotte (unknown duration of time) before buying new ones. My boyfriend started working on contacting dealerships, the airport parking department in Charlotte, etc. That man can get things done! There were all kinds of grand ideas, but at the end of it all, my car key needed to come from the dealership because its a mini-computer for my push-to-start and the dealership couldn't make the key without having my car present and my car couldn’t be towed without me being present. Lots of unfortunate circumstances. When I got to NJ, my superhero pops decided to book me a hotel room in Charlotte since I would be landing around midnight with no progress on my immobile vehicle (thanks Dad!). I got my first hot shower in 8 days at the hotel, and that was nice, but I still had a major puzzle to solve. 

I don’t think I mentioned the reason why my keys were left. Simply stated, I was sleep deprived and forgot them, but there’s more to the story. It was freezing temps when I left Charlotte for the DR and connected through JFK last weekend. So, I wore my winter jacket down. Decided putting my keys and airport lot parking ticket in the jacket pocket was a safe bet over my backpack since I bring my backpack all around to different communities when in the DR, and there’s more of a chance I would lose it there than in my jacket. Obviously, it was much warmer in the DR so I tucked my jacket away somewhere out of sight for the week, the first minor mistake to lead to this BIG one. After shuttling some folks to the airport at all hours on Friday night, when it was my turn to pack up and leave the DR, I remembered everything except my jacket with it’s important pocket contents. Landed in NJ and then Charlotte to more freezing temps and snow, that jacket would have come in handy. Luckily, I had a throw blanket from Nepal that my boss gave me to act as a shaw for some warmth (thanks Lisa). And but of course, I have winter gear locked up in my car right now.

The next afternoon (yesterday) I met the tow truck at the airport. Of course he had a hard time finding the remote parking lot where I was located so I hung out in the snow, underdressed, waiting for him. He struggled finding me and my car, and also struggled getting my car hooked up and out of the lot. Oh yeah, my parking ticket was also in that jacket pocket, so a parking staff member who happened to be from the DR helped me out with getting my parking paid for so i could finally exit. So, tow truck driver, me and my car head to the KIA dealership. On Sundays there are no service or parts staff working, but the dealership was open. I spent 4 hours there waiting on 3rd party vendors to show up to attempt programming a key for me, but no luck. I had to stay another night in Charlotte and wait for KIA parts guys to get to work. 

I decided on an Airbnb for the first time ever, mostly because I was bleeding money into this cause and it was more affordable. I met the sweetest woman and her big old Great Dane, Titan. She talked with me and the dog loved on me all night, while giving me some dinner and allowing me to wash my smelly clothes. What a great experience. This morning a manager from the KIA dealership picked me up so I could save on Über fares, this guy was also from the DR and spent some time in my home town of Tampa. I was able to meet some pretty great individuals in Charlotte. But all I really want is to get home to my pup who has been staying with strangers for 10 nights now.

So now I’m writing from home in Boone, with my Camalamadingdong pup by my side. The dealership made my key and the GM and other managers of the joint banded together after hearing about my situation and brought the price of my key from $350 down to $115. I couldn’t thank them enough and was seriously smiling the entire 2 hour drive home to Boone. Which felt nice because there were a few meltdowns over the last 36 hours.

The total spent between Über rides, hotel room and Airbnb, replacement car key, extra days with my dog at the boarding facility, and tow truck: $335. What I learned from all this: patience, to practice what I preach (we spent a lot of time in the DR talking about choosing joy in all situations, flexibility and perspective) and most importantly: If you continue giving everything to God and trust in Him, He will send you angels in your times of need. We also talked a lot about monetary poverty and how little our friends in the DR actually make for their labor. Spending this amount of money on such a minor mistake had my stomach in knots. But my faith never wavered, I continuously thanked Jesus for everything he was teaching me through this circumstance, and he continued to look out for me. Thank you to all of the angels I’ve encountered as a result of my mistake, the staff at the car dealership, Carrie from my Airbnb, the volunteers I spent the previous week with to help me keep things in perspective, and as always my loved ones that never leave me hanging. I’m so blessed. God is so good, all the time.

[thehungrykat1]

VIP Club Room Experience at Marina Bay Sands Singapore

Marina Bay Sands is always the most awaited part of my itinerary whenever I travel to Singapore. I usually schedule my stay at the luxurious Marina Bay Sands during the latter part of my vacation because I want to save the best for last. During my last trip to Singapore earlier this year, I brought along my younger sister with me. That’s why I decided instead to book a Marina Bay Sands Grand Club Room which gave us a more posh and exclusive VIP experience.

Marina Bay Sands is probably the most iconic image you will see in all of Singapore. With its surfboard-shaped roof deck connecting its three hotel towers, the five-star luxury hotel has become a tourist spot in itself and is always a good backdrop for souvenir photos and videos. The integrated casino complex opened in 2010 and is part of casino-tycoon Sheldon Adelson’s Las Vegas Sands, which also owns and operates other high-profile casino resorts such as The Venetian Macao & Las Vegas, Sands Macao, The Palazzo, and many more.

The lobby of Marina Bay Sands Singapore is as grand as its stature, with very high ceilings and a unique sail-shaped design that allows plenty of natural light. 

With hundreds of guests checking-in daily, expect some lines to form at the front desk registration area. I was expecting to see a special check-in facility for club room guests, but this wasn’t the case. Nevertheless, it didn’t take too long before we were given our room keys so we could start our dream luxury vacation.

I often stay at their Deluxe Room which welcomes guests with its modern conveniences and elegant décor. This 39-square meter room comes with a king-sized bed plus its own balcony with floor-to-ceiling windows. Guests can also enjoy the 42" interactive flat-screen television with cable channels, an executive work desk, a fully stocked minibar, and complimentary wifi access throughout the hotel.

The marble bathroom is also as elegant with its glass-enclosed shower and luxury bathroom amenities. The bathtub is usually where I spend my evenings and it is always so relaxing to have a warm bubble bath after a tiring day of eating and shopping.

But for this particular trip, I wanted to have an even more luxurious VIP stay at Marina Bay Sands, so I chose their Grand Club Room. This room has a very spacious 79 square meters with a king-sized bed that is just so comfortable. The flat-screen television can be rotated so you can watch it while on the bed or in the living room.

There is so much extra space in the Grand Club Room and you can read magazines or surf the web while relaxing on the plush sofas and lounge chairs. A Nespresso machine and gourmet tea selections are also on hand.

The executive work desk comes with its own vanity mirror which can be an extension of the bathroom itself. The bathroom amenities are even more exquisite, highlighted by Roberto Cavalli toiletries and everything else you need for a comfortable stay.

You can choose to get a room with a City View but I prefer to get one with the Garden View which offers a more tranquil and picturesque view of the Gardens By The Bay just below. This is Singapore's awe-inspiring 101-hectare enclosed tropical garden and you can see its towering “Supertrees” from here. Gardens By The Bay is just a few minutes walk from the hotel.

Guests of Marina Bay Sands also get privileged access to the iconic Sands SkyPark Observation Deck, soaring 57 levels above the heart of the city. Explore the stunning panoramic vistas of Marina Bay and view Singapore from the best vantage point in the city. This area is also open to the public but they have to pay an entrance fee of SG$23.

You can almost see the entire city from up here at the Sands Skypark. That lotus-inspired structure below is the ArtScience Museum which features 21 gallery spaces that explore creative processes at the heart of art, science, technology and culture, and their roles in shaping society. Since it opened it 2011, the ArtScience Museum has been home to some of the most renowned exhibitions including: Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, Harry Potter: The Exhibition™, Da Vinci: Shaping the Future, and many more.

Marina Bay Sands guests also have exclusive access to the world’s largest rooftop Infinity Pool. This is the surfboard shape on top of the hotel and it stretches all the way from Tower 1 to Tower 3. You won’t find a more spectacular Instagram-worthy spot anywhere in Singapore! Because of this, the hotel is very strict in only allowing checked-in guests access to the pool through their individual key cards.

The Infinity Pool is open from 6:00am to 11:00pm. You can stretch out to sunbathe on the poolside lounger, or relax in the shade of a palm tree, 57 floors above the city. It is usually crowded, especially in the afternoon, so I think we will just come back early tomorrow morning for a more private experience. Guests can also get a workout at the Banyan Tree Fitness Club, their state-of-the-art gym on the 55th floor.

But the most impressive benefit of staying at the Club Room of Marina Bay Sands Singapore is the exclusive entry and VIP privileges to Club55, their luxurious club lounge located on the 55th floor of Tower 2 which is open from 6:30am to 7:00pm.  

After unpacking our bags inside our room, my sister and I went inside Club55 for some refreshments and snacks. This beautiful venue offers panoramic views of the city-skyline with unforgettable snapshots of Marina Bay. Guests can leisurely browse through a magazine, newspaper, laptop or iPad while enjoying complimentary beverages throughout the day. Hmm... I think that guy is taking our photos.

Complimentary Afternoon Tea is available from 2:00pm to 4:00pm every day and you can find sweet and savory items displayed on the buffet table. We got some sandwiches, cakes and macarons for ourselves paired with refreshing juices and tea for a quick and satisfying afternoon treat.

In the evening, Club55 changes into a more mature and exciting setting as guests can indulge in complimentary beverages and canapés as a prelude to exploring the glamorous nightlife at Marina Bay Sands. From 5:00pm to 7:00pm, the complimentary evening cocktails let us enjoy endless glasses of champagne, liquor and other cocktails while marvelling at the spectacular sunset over Marina Bay.

I can’t really remember how many glasses of champagne we both had, but the servers just kept on pouring these bubbly beverages. The buffet spread was also quite surprising, with heavier items like salmon gravlax, sushi, shepherd’s pie, pastries and many others which are good enough for an early dinner.

From 8pm to midnight nightly, Club55 also opens its doors to the public so you don’t have to be checked-in to a Club Room to enjoy the night view from the 55th floor while sipping on specially crafted cocktails. Their Cheese and Chocolate Buffet is available for SG$48 per adult with optional wine pairings where guests can indulge in over 40 handcrafted desserts and 12 varieties of European cheeses.

The night was still young so we decided to head down to The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands which is just across the street and accessible through an underground walkway. Most tourists will take a relaxing ride on the Sampan, a Chinese wooden boat that runs through the canal. This is their version of the gondola rides at the Venetian.

But if you know me, I would rather explore the treasure trove of luxury fashion labels and shop with more than 170 exquisite boutiques all in one fabulous place. The Shoppes at Marina Bay lets guests enjoy late night shopping any day of the week and is home to the largest collection of luxury watch & jewellery brands in Singapore.

Just outside The Shoppes is the world’s largest Louis Vuitton boutique outside of the flagship Champs-Elysees store in Paris.  Louis Vuitton Island Maison is housed in a spectacular Crystal Pavilion floating on the waters of Marina Bay. An underwater tunnel connects the island from The Shoppes and I was able to see a complete display of men’s and women’s leather goods, ready to wear, shoes and accessories from this timeless luxury brand.

After getting tired from shopping and walking around the huge complex, we decided to call it a night. But we decided to wake up very early the next morning so we could have the Infinity Pool all to ourselves. Very early meant that the sun was not even up yet when we stepped into the Infinity Pool exactly as it opened.

We were both still half awake but we were able to take all the solo pictures we wanted around the beautiful swimming pool. Of course, there were also a lot of early risers, but we can say that we were the first that morning to enjoy the waters of the Infinity Pool and were its only occupants, even for just a few minutes. This is definitely one of the world’s most gorgeous swimming pools!

After our dip, we were now more than ready for our complimentary breakfast at Club55. Guests can actually choose to have breakfast at either Rise, the hotel’s buffet restaurant on the ground floor featuring international cuisine, or at Club55. We wanted to have a more private and exclusive dining experience so we decided to have breakfast here. The choices were plenty, especially for a club lounge breakfast, and I mostly enjoyed the endless shrimp dumplings and salmon.

There’s another breakfast option for club room guests, and that’s at Celebrity Chef Wolfgang Puck's flagship restaurant, Spago, located on the Sands SkyPark. We actually did not know about this option until after we finished our breakfast at Club55, but since it was still early, why not have another round? 

Spago offers an imaginative and seasonal menu of Californian cuisine with global accents, in a sophisticated and inviting atmosphere. Aside from its fine dining restaurant, it also has a terrace lounge with an al fresco bar. Of course, we could not pass off the chance to dine at Spago, so we took our second breakfast for the day.

There is a smaller selection of items at Spago which include breads and tapas, and you can only order one main dish from a choice of three or four items, but it was still a good experience to have breakfast here. 

The hotel’s standard checkout time is 11:00am so we requested for late checkout since our flight back to Manila was still later in the afternoon. Unfortunately, it was a weekend so they only extended our stay until 12:00nn. After we checked out, we decided to have lunch at one of the celebrity chef restaurants at The Shoppes - Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen. 

Sophistication meets casual dining at Bread Street Kitchen, where vintage blends with modern and the music is as eclectic as the décor. This vibrant spot by the waterfront is the best place we could hang out before we headed to the airport. They have Set Lunch Specials on weekdays where you can have Two Courses (SG$40) or Three Courses (SG$48) so I chose the latter for better value. I had the Chicken Pork Terrine for my appetizer, the Braised Ox cheek for my main course, and the Chocolate Caramel Mousse for dessert, plus a Forbidden Forest cocktail.

It was the perfect end to my Singapore vacation. My stay at the Grand Club Room of Marina Bay Sands was one of the most memorable travel experiences I have ever had. It may be a bit pricey, but this is one of those bucket list items that are worth saving for. 

Marina Bay Sands

10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore, 018956

+65 6688-8888

www.marinabaysands.com

inquiries@marinabaysands.com

www.facebook.com/marinabaysands

[alchemy-travels]

Israel Part Two.

And so, Steven left me to my lonesome once more. It wouldn't last long as I made a friend who would eventually let me stay with him and my Airbnb host invited me over to make doughnuts for the final day of Hanukkah.

So I moved to the new Airbnb relatively close by since the Yaov had new guests coming. Simply it was a place to put my bags for a few nights. Small, cement and the kitchen was practically in the shower. Once settled I wrote a massive letter to my extended family briefly outlying what this year's been about for me. I'll post that letter too. It wasn't until dark that I mustered the energy to exit my sardine can and head over to Yoavs for doughnuts and festivities. When I arrived they had been eating dinner which they graciously offered to me. Homemade meatballs in sauce, and latkes homemade. Latkes are the equivalence of potato pancakes for Jewish people.

Dishes cleaned and kitchen stations a go for rolling dough, melting sauces into frosting and injecting said balls of now fried dough with frosting. We made about 40 and about 34 were eaten by the bunch in the apartment there to celebrate. There was a little weed, a lot of cigarettes and bountiful conversation between all of us. Different ages, different experiences all in the same room to watch candles burn down to nubs. A prayer was shared as I sat in silence listening to the group fumble through remembering every stanza.

I had told my newly made friend Elad I would make it over to his apartment after doughnuts but hadn't realized it would be an all evening affair. So once this was over it was time to walk the streets of Tel Aviv back to the sardine can. I'd wake slowly adventure a bit, and definitely eat constantly. Traveling has turned into food consumption for me in many cities. What can I say, my high metabolism wants to try everything. Later that evening I would meet up with Elad for wine, a few cigs and dinner in which he felt obligated to buy as I was a guest to his city. We would go back to his place for a bit before I returned home. Cute black cat named Sasha or as he liked to call it, sashinka. The next evening was New Year's Eve and Elad had asked me if I'd join him. Apparently kissing at midnight isn't a thing in Israel so when I asked if that was his motive for the invite, he looked at me as if he should withdraw the invitation. 

Early the next morning I would return to his place with all of my baggage. I'm talking my travel gear, not emotionally! Jeeze I'm not that much of an open book. We would go to breakfast, relax and I'd get to meet a few of his friends. One being the Brazilian news anchor for the Portuguese channel in Israel. Big money that man. After this I'd adventure the city and he'd head off to meet his father for lunch. I meandered parts of the city in which I had seen with Steven. I did a bit of shopping but no purchasing. I really wanted to get a tattoo while I was here but it didn't happen. Still have two ideas that I really want. Anyway, the city ended up being pretty much just another city, with a bit of international influence, good coffee shops and bad ones. Fast and flow foods and many people that won't look you in the eye as you walk by. I'd make it back to his apartment late afternoon in time for some food. We would spend the time getting to know one another. Apparently there are two types of Israeli Jews and basically it comes down to brown skin and white skin. He assured me he was white skinned and my friend Roi was brown. It didn't matter much to me but to them apparently it's a big difference. And with that it was time to get ready to head over to his friends for the year of 2017 to be ushered in.

 Now, I didn't actually want to go with him at first. He's 29 but his friends are all in their mid 30s and 40s. This is very daunting to me. For reasons I may never understand I've always gotten shy around older people and always lost my own personality in times I'd have to interact with them. Maybe it's the line of teacher/student elder/youth sort of thing but I was terrified to actually go. They were all in high paying positions and big in celebrity industries and what not. I was nervous. So we packed the speaker his friend had asked him to bring over and headed to their apartment as it began to sprinkle rain lightly on our heads. We got there without an issue and was greeted to wipe our wet shoes and keep them on. I'd meet his first wakes friend and realize I built up fear for almost nothing. He asked me if I saw the 100 dollar bill on the ground on the way in. A practical jokester. I asked if he meant the fake one and told him I left it for the next guy.

The party would go on and more people would show. It was casual, with a few drinks but mostly champagne and fake champagne for those working the next day. One of his friends brought medical marijuana as she’d be spending the new year of 2017 fighting off a new found cancer. Excited to share her gift she never told me about the illness but was only smiles. And so I'd talk with the people that knew English and eventually try and converse with those that couldn't. A few drinks in and multiple snacks I'd look around. See the clock was ticking down and find Elad. I'd ask him if he wanted to take part in the American tradition at midnight and he agreed. 6 minutes later we would share a kiss in the back garden next to the coi pond. Confetti cannons going off and cheering about. We smiled and shared a picture of the two of us. And then he was off to congratulate everyone for making it another year. At this moment, time slowed down and once again I was outside looking in.

It's hard to know what it's like to be alone until you see what you're supposed to sharing with your intimate friends at a party where no one speaks your language. Pictures and kisses. So much laughter and shared inspirations of the future. Being thankful for one another and forgetting anything negative that might have happened in your friendship. Because what's important is that what you have is real, and it's there in this moment. So with a few tears of mixed happiness and sadness and no idea of how that may be, I called my parents and wished them a happy new year before they experienced it themselves. I called a few friends and talked to the ones that answered. It helped to hear all of their voices to close my eyes and imagine us together. I'd return to the party for some final sips and a few uncertain laughs at a few jokes I mite not have fully understood. And within a half hour cleaning began and leaving guests dashed for bed as they don't get the day after off like we do most of the time. Hey party harder in Hanukkah than into the new year. So the evening was over and Elad and I headed home.

I being super thankful for a place to rest my head and not pay for it. I did a bit of that and most people will find me crazy but it's always worked for me. I have always been someone more interested in finding vulnerability to overcome that walls to build.i spent so long knocking them down that it was always Refreshing to trust my heart in the hands of strangers and accept what was offered to me. We watched a movie and cuddled into a slumber as he started his day at 6am for work. I'd wake up at about nine to him coming back into his apartment with delicious pastries. And when I say delicious I mean I haven't had something so good since the first time I tried my mom’s Christmas cookies. Coffee and conversation would Pursue. We never really talked of anything super prolific. Just chats 

We rented bikes this day and headed up north into the rich part of Tel Aviv. We went to one of his favorite jam packed coffee shops and over to his friends house. You guessed it they were also stoners. It's a huge thing in Tel Aviv apparently. So I took a hit and he took plenty before getting back onto our bikes for the trip home. Halfway through, with my head in the clouds I took a wrong turn. I already don't really like riding bikes so Elad was light years ahead of me. At that point I just figured he'd go home and id stroll the city for a bit until I found something familiar. I didn't but I did get to admire the clouds for floating over such a gorgeous day. Viewed the different architectures and spent a good twenty minutes. Figuring out with exit to talk at this particularly large roundabout under construction. Still, I found. Myself having to. R Ethan and take a different route. And in an hour I was back. Elad was napping from s early morning and I played some video games that I got way too into for a few hours. We spent another dinner together and the following afternoon I'd be embarking to ashkelon. The suburb where my friend Roi Lives and the family I'd be staying with for the next three ish weeks.

Taking trains in Hebrew is hard. I found myself worried without wifi most of the time hoping I'd stop at the proper spot. I asked the girl next to me whole gracefully helped me in my time of need. People are great when you smile. I would try and compare ashkelon to an American suburb but non come to mind. It was definitely completely Israeli and had its own flair with a few westernized ideas. Roi would tell me that Israel is really trying hard to be America. I wouldn't see that for a bit though. Roi was there to pick me up at the train station. His little white care and changed hairstyle would give me happiness in seeing a familiar face. If you remember back to my Thailand post, Roi is the one that Teresa and I made friends with in Pai and Chiang Mai. We swapped a quick synopsis of where our lives have gone and then arrived to his beautiful Mediterranean coastal home, I whipped out the scarf I got for his mother from Ireland and she quickly accepted and smiled. I could tell she was a little nervous every to pull out her English again. But his whole family was excellent with language, there was no need. Roi’s father was an ex military official, who was definitely one of the highest ranked military people I had ever been under the same roof with. Daunting but what a charming man now trying to turn business man. Roi’s middle brother was off serving the army as all kids have to in Israel for 2-3 years depending on gender. Roi’s youngest brother a huge nerd they called tinker bell to get him pissed off. The family was also hosting Roi’s younger cousin who was 14 that could pass for 18. Roi and I both thought he's a closet gay and that's why he was so so so angry and angsty about his life.

I would shower and be greeted downstairs to see Roi's dad cooking sandwiches. Before he could even turn around he would ask me to fill a sandwich with ingredients for him to make me. White cheese, spinach, tomatoes, hummus and a spicy red sauce called Harissa. Not only would I eat Harissa on everything here but also in Morocco and they were both oh so different and oh so delicious. Along with the sandwich I would get a salad of lemon dressing filled with tomatoes and cucumbers and a tiny bit of spice. Devoured all of it in two seconds flat. Roi would take me on a walk after this in our pajamas down to the Sea with his cute puppy named Boxie. What a trooper that dog is, 11 years old and still running like he's a year old.no leash needed we walked and got through awkward pauses of getting to know one another again. Sand between our toes, he would point to the shoreline around the sea and explained to me the different parts of his town. I would nod and agree that I knew what was what. By the time we got back his mother was demanding my laundry to do. Across the world, mother’s everywhere want to make sure their kids aren't smelly and she definitely inducted me into the rankings of smelliness.

Most nights Roi and I would play with Boxie, listen to music and watch music videos, look at the moon from his massive second story patio. Did I mention his family gave him the entire second floor of the house to live in? So we had plenty of space. Also a pot head, this is where I learned how to roll joints to perfection. If there's one thing I can take from this trip it's how to roll a spliff, joint, cig to smoke away our health with a little beauty intertwined. We watched two very strange movies here. Roi wanted me to take these weeks to recharge my travel batteries. He traveled for two years too and knew what it was like. And so I did as he hoped.

The first movie was about mothers raising kids on a lost island just so that the kids would be cut open and starfish babies would be inserted into them to grow. The mothers were all half starfish for some reason and it was a horror erotica film if you ask me. The second was clockwork orange. The film is based off of a very short book with lingo and strange writings that is about four boys that hurt, steal, rape because they find it more fun than anything else in the world. The movie ended up being more than two hours and Roi and I both grew to extreme boredom but we saw the film through.

I would get to meet his best friend Rotem, a makeup artist with extreme talent in neutralizing faces and turning them brightly into social constructions. She had a gift. When we first met she was uber shy to speak English with me, but as we continued to chat that faded quickly. Especially with Roi in the room. She's taking a trip to the US so she needed to practice. I'm hoping she stops by chicago! We would spend time eating and chatting and eating and smoking weed and changing music videos every evening. That was their thing, the music videos - I loved it.

Shabat came to town and I headed to Tel Aviv for the first weekend to give their family a break from me. Also to give myself a break from the television and Transparent. I found myself meeting up with Elad again. Not just for a place to stay, but company in the city. How beautiful it was sharing bike rides with a beautiful man through the warming streets of spring. To find breakfast, coffee and cigarettes in bed. To have somebody tell you that a particular tourist attraction is overrated and to laugh through the day with. These are moments I truly consider myself to be traveling 

We would live the city life for the weekend and I would jump back onto the train to ashkelon. This would be followed by the trip that Roi and I had planned. To the Dead Sea, through the deserts and up to the snowy mountain of Ben Gurion. The driving was long but the music was sweet. We’d arrive to the Dead Sea after driving through Jerusalem to be greeted by a man walking on the stony ground, but naked. Just enjoying life living free. I guess it made since as the water would just simply cover you in salt. Roi and I had a bit more time at the sea than Steve and I had and, Roi being Israeli played in our favor. We found EXTREMELY hot springs to take a dip in. When I say hot I mean unbearable. Being here once in a life pulled me into them.i went slowly then all at once. Feeling the salt minerals burn through my skin and into my small cuts. I am healing. And so we floated. We healed and floated breathing deeply while our heads bobbed amongst the soft surface. I can't necessarily explain what it feels like to have found peace in new places over and over again. But if you can imagine the tongue of a calf suckling at your fingertips, or the moment you come down from your first headstand without assistance - then please do.

From there we would head though the ancient desert lands of Israel `. I might've seen where Jesus walks on water but I would looking for Moses this time. To my surprise we found nothing spiritual at all. Instead, we drove passed...well let's just say it's an Israeli defense mechanism. It stretched for miles and I wasn't to stop the car once. Times have changed just as the colors of sand would before our eyes. We'd make it to another valley gorge area with the intention of waiting for sunset. Our location of choice was the wood chopped mountain. Name given because the top layer of the mountain had shaken off and the remains resembled wood. So we climber it. Short but an endeavor none the less. And to those who know what wadi rum is in Jordan, you would have an idea of this view. Alien landscape. The colors would change in the sky and reflect onto the earth. Indigo, fuschia, teal and so many more that would eventually mesh together into the moonlight. Now David Bowie asks if there's life on Mars and I'm wondering if he'd ever been to Isreal. This place consists of nothing but us, and the earth under the light of the night. Which, by the way happened to be a super moon. Clears skies and super moon power lead to sparkling stone and glistening pieces of wood beneath us. Surrealism at its finest. I can only tell you that we took an extra long walk back to the car that night before returning to ashkelon.

We’d take a day’s long break in ashkelon, gearing up for the long haul to the completely other side of Israel. We were heading to  Ben Gurion, the snowy mountain of the Syrian border. It’s the closest my heart has ever been to a war zone. And even though I knew i’d probably see nothing, by eyes were so curious to see for myself what was on the other side of that Syrian/ Israeli mountain that the news wasn’t showing us. I want to feel what they were feeling. To know what it felt like to be locked away in a town of ruins. But instead, I’d enjoy falling snow over falling ash. And that we did. The roads up to the mountain were nothing but heavy rain and slower cars. There was a small period in which the rain chose to stop and let us see our way up the mountain. As expected we would start to see rain precipitate into snow. What we didn’t know is how much snow.

Living in Chicago you don't realize how often cars and drivers are not built for snow. Well this must have been Roi’s first time driving in such snows and the little engine of his little car just wasn’t doing it. As we turned onto the final road before the ski slopes (which i was so ecstatic about getting onto) we noticed the incline of a roller coaster and our car the coaster ride. So Roi did the only logical thing he could think of right now, which was to ask me to take the wheel. So, feeling like jesus driving like Carrie Underwood, I took the wheel. I’m not too shabby in the snow. I actually know how to fall in love with the cars, swerves and glides and how to give into them for the best result on the road. But this hill, this was an unbeatable hill. I’d gone side to side and revved the engine when needed but yet, I still always came up just a bit short as the streets continuously covered themselves with snow. The final attempt, I was turned all the way around looking at the car behind me. Roi, again never having to deal with these conditions was just fan girling in sheer terror in the passenger’s seat. So instead of trying the hill, we chose to park.

Now it was time for Roi to calm down and enjoy the snow. I rolled a joint. And there at the top of Ben Gurion, we sat ready to venture into the snow, smoking the joint listening to our favorite songs and watching the snow melt against our car windows. When it was time to make our way into the snow, having chosen to give up on skiing we got ready for our snowman building. Ill equipped having traveled the last year, I went out into the some odd feet of snow in sneakers and yoga pants. The shoes were supposed to be waterproofed, but they were not. We spent time building Roi’s FIRST EVER SNOWMAN, and we made them jewish and stuck a cigarette in his mouth. We named them Maura after the character in the show Transparent. The snowman was the best part of the trip. Smaller than we anticipated, we loved Maura all the same. Up on that mountain top, we left a family. And until the next time it gets too warm up there, the family will stay.

 Moist in all of the wrong places, we headed back to the car, taking Maura’s scarf and yarmulke from the top of their head. Maura would be alright without them, she was made of snow! So we’d make the trek back to the car, through the three different weather castings of snow, wind and then rain and onto the main roads before dark. We stopped for a much needed coffee and cigarette break and would continue on to Haifa which is where we may have intended to spend the night, until we asked room prices. They were more than we’d spent the whole trip so we decided we’d stay for dinner and continue to ashkelon. This was where we were served the best heart on a white platter. Artichoke heart that is, we aren’t monsters. It was lightly breaded and fried to perfection in truffle oil, sprinkled in rosemary and doused with a lemon square. I’ve never thought eating in a cave build restaurant would provide such sublime edibles. We’d finish the rest of our equally delicious meal to walk around haifa for a bit more. Then the rains came again. They’d follow us down the mountain. And although extremely chilled rains, I couldn’t help but try and feel the rains for what they were. A message to continue onward. They were the tiny kick i’d need to be leaving Israel in two days headed towards Morocco. I had not heard from my host hostel, nor any online correspondence. Either way, I was going and I wasn’t going to let a little rain be the only reason for moving onward.

That night we returned to Ashkelon, no rains, no clouds; a completely different world in the south and I was safe and sound at my temporary home. My clothes washed by Roi’s mother, vegan dinner set and ready, and a moon as brilliant as the moment itself. I didn’t want to leave and I was ready to call israel my home. So many amazing people, traditions and memories I would hold dearly to myself. There’s only so much one person can share about their lives that people are willing to listen to at a normal frequency. From then on people are prevoked by fear, or disgust or complete shock. I try my best to give what I can while holding what I must. And in this moment I was holding the desire to stay and letting the need to go take over my body.

It would be off to tel aviv for a night of walking around until I headed to the airport at Midnight via the train system. I’d wait for a while before getting to the check in line as I had four hours. Once there my four hours quickly dwindled into one, as the airport chose to question me for two hours. I can’t say why I was chosen but I can say that I gave them the attitude of a lifetime, and the slamming down of every content of my wallet so that they could prove I was who I said I was. They didn’t like that and I didn’t care. It came to the point in which they were asking me their list of questions for a second or third time and I didn’t have time for the first round. Once they were done and I was sufficiently scorching with anger, the questioner walked me to get my ticket, by passing the line. Then he walked me to the security again bypassing the line. This was nice, but when the security guard decided to take my Melburnian coffee after it had made it’s way into his country and through another 4 countries, I was pissed and now just simply defeated. But none the less I made it through just in time for my flight. Notes to those travelling to israel, give yourself the right amount of time at the airports and you’ll be okay. Oh also all food and liquids should be checked under the plane. No chance of saving them otherwise. And so without coffee but with many israeli moments i move onto Morocco.