'Old' friends

Reunited with a few of my really good friends from back in college during this weekend in KL. While many things have changed and many have stayed the same, one thing's for sure, we have grown up or turning into "adults". Here are some recollections, realizations and afterthoughts for this weekend:

- We are scattered around the globe that get togethers are harder to organize and have fewer attendance. Back in the days, we'd be spending summers and Christmases together.

- Those summers or Christmases usually were accompanied by alcohol. Not anymore.

- Finding an activity becomes limited to somewhat boring ones. What used to be anything goes will have to be carefully considered if everyone's up to it and if we are too old for those kind of things. For example, a game of laser tag or ice skating to pass one afternoon of. It has something to be out of the ordinary or unusual ex. Skating in Finland may still be something of interest. (Hi Cy!)

- An evening out usually involves minimal alcohol and at lounges at the most not clubs. It's more for social drinking and having a conversation over alcohol not for getting crazy/partying. It's still an option once in a blue moon maybe but not as much.

- Conversations with old friends are more relaxed and laid back. You can openly discuss your feelings without too much fear of being judged and you can expect them to be honest with you anyways.

- You start to look back on your past adventures and reminisce a lot. 

- You may drift apart in the future but these are the friends you are really fond of and would like to keep. :) 

Cheers! Until next time my dear friends!

Losing a passport

Never did it occur to me that I'd end up losing my passport at the airport. It's probably lucky that I realized that it went missing just some minutes or so and some distance away from where I would have lost it. You see, I realized it on the taxi on the way to the hotel and I definitely remember having it up until the immigration counter. There wasn't that many places to trace your steps and recall where you may have misplaced it.

I almost lost or thought I lost both my phone and camera back in Japan last August. Sure, it induced panic and a sense of loss on a personal level. Losing a passport was pretty much the same but it's not as easy to just try and let go. On the point of crying, you are prepared to take any steps to just try and recover it. For a drama queen like me, keeping my composure was tough. I travel alone many times for work and I may have gotten used to it so much I may have become complacent in some aspects already. However, with losing a passport you sort of lose your identity in the country you're visiting and you can't imagine not having one.

So apparently, when you do lose one, you have to file a police report. and then use that police report for checking-in temporarily until you visit your embassy so they can issue a temporary passport for you.. I'm not sure what would happen next after that as when I was just starting to draft the police report someone returned my passport at the information counter. Thank Goodness!!! Lucky day, even the police had to say so... I did ask them about the chances of recovering the passport (short of asking for the cctv footages). Guess the odds were in my favor... Thank you Lord!!

Autumn is love

When you live in a tropical country, spring and fall are a treat. Between the two, I favor autumn more than spring. The colors are just awesome. I probably will be in awe with spring should I get the chance to view the sakura in Japan... Hopefully... 

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." - Albert Camus

And because I don't get to see autumn foliage this year, here's a few from a year and two ago back in Korea. Autumn is ❤️.