Key West.

We left Miami and headed south towards Key West. We were going to stop at Everglades National Park for a look-see to decide if we wanted to do more there. Apparently not, cos we didn’t manage to make the tour timing. The tour would have brought us in a boat out to the river and swamps area to view wild crocs, a la Anaconda in those boats powered by a huge motor fan.

We took a walk instead through the park and came really close to alligators that were living in the wild. My first time seeing them up close, without any glass or wire between us. Pretty cool. We also saw other wildlife like birds and there was this particular one that swooped down from the sky so fast that we, or I, thought it was something falling from the sky. Well, it happened in a split second and next thing you know, it was flying off with its prize – a perch struggling to break free from the bird’s claws. We also walked a little trail for all of five minutes and I came across a snake, which was probably highly poisonous. Well, it slithered away before the rest could see it. Reminds me of the snake I saw during field camp back in my army days when I was proning next to it. Everglades reminded me of two things I have to get used to again upon returning to Singapore – the humidity… and mosquitoes.

You can just make out the croc, near enough for my camera that can’t zoom.

Another one, remember there were no fences or cages, though we were on a bridge.

We headed to Key West, kudos to Yeh Yang for driving so many hours. And I think Xinpei and Tanny helped out a little bit as well.. Angela and I ended up falling asleep (not most, but) many parts of the journey. The journey took longer than expected. Oh, I spotted my first Long John Silver’s along the way as well. Driving to Key West is rather fun if you have the patience and tolerance. The view is fantastic because you see the Atlantic on either side of the car, but because its a single lane for both directions, it’s hard to overtake, and it was especially irritating cos we came across many slow cars going at 30mph probably. Someone said, I think it was Yang, that Key West is a retirement place that’s why all the cars were going so slowly.

My vantage point from the backseat.

As we arrived in Key West, the sun was just about to set. It was really beautiful. We pulled into Key West after passing through many many Keys. Key West is the southernmost point of continental USA. It’s literally the end of the road, and 90 miles north of Cuba.

We were only going to spend one night here so we decided to find a place for dinner first before checking into the hostel. We stopped at the Bight Ferry Terminal, where there was loads of seafood places to choose from. Not before Yang closed the car door on Angela’s fingers though.. Haha. That one really hard to forget.

I liked Key West. Because I like seafood, and the smell of fishy breeze, and the laid back lifestyle, and the little old man playing the oboe.

This is paradise.

You know staying in hostels really allows you to meet all kinds of people. My experience in London and Paris taught me well. Haha. Our hostel in Key West was a 14-person dorm divided into three rooms. When we first entered, there was a towel hanging from one of the double-deck beds such that it completely hid the lower bunk. I just assumed that the person was sleeping and didn’t want to be disturbed by light. Then again, the lights weren’t on… Anyway, thinking nothing of it, we went ahead to choose our beds and unpack.

OK, I hate to be one of those who tells you a juicy story halfway and stop, but this is a healthy and clean blog rated G, so. To be continued… If you remember to ask me when I get back in August.

The drive out of Key West was equally scenic. Too bad it’s a single lane road, so stopping for photos would be troublesome. We were going to drive to Miami airport, return the rented car there, and take a train from the airport to Fort Lauderdale, where we were spending the night.

How nice to travel in a train over the blue ocean. The track is not in use anymore though.

Yeh Yang and Xinpei.

Angela. Loser shuffle.

We returned the car and while waiting for our train, we sat down very unglamly to play dai di. I have no idea why, but that was the first day I felt truly relaxed and comfortable with Yang, Angela, Xinpei and Tanny. I remember laughing like crazy over random silly stuff while we played. I declare myself King and Xinpei can be Queen of Dai Di. The other three, not worth mentioning…

Miami

May 15

Arrived at Miami International Airport from New York. I checked in to our hostel first, while waiting for Yeh Yang, Angela, Xinpei, Tanny and Laura to arrive from Orlando later that evening. It was extremely humid in Miami and I could feel the immediate difference the moment I stepped out of the airport – the heat felt like I was in an oven, or near a volcano. The sky was overcast with gray clouds, and it started drizzling soon after.
It was a really boring day because there wasn’t much I could do at the beach. The rest weren’t due to arrive till about 11 pm so I decided to take a walk and explore the area. Turns out South Beach was quite deserted because the hurricane season was starting – most of the beach crowd arrive in March. It was not what I expected because I thought most beach towns were populated all year round as long as the sun shines.

I was so bored after dinner that I returned to the hostel for a nap while waiting for them to arrive. They finally did and it took some time for them to check in and settle into the room. I was meeting Tanny and Laura for the first time but it wasn’t too tough warming up to them because they were easy to get along with. Everyone was too tired from the day’s travel, and also the initial disappointment from the tiny room and terrible toilets.

May 16

We were ready to be beach bums for the day. Laura and Yeh Yang were the most excited to be heading to the beach to tan. We had about an hour in the sun, maybe less, before the skies turned gray and light drizzle quickly turned into a heavy downpour (think: Singapore’s kind of afternoon storms). It was disappointing! To be honest, I much prefer snow to rain, like how I prefer cold to hot, though I don’t mind hot when it’s not humid.

 

Stuck in the miserable rain.

From left: Me, Yang, Angela, Xinpei, Laura and Tanny.

Went to Bayside Market for dinner.

May 17

The 5 of them went off to Miami Beach, a little further north of South Beach, which is affectionately known as SoBe. I stayed behind to settle some stuff then went to join them in the afternoon.

I went to meet them later in the afternoon and we rented a car. Having a car makes everything SO convenient. We drove to the downtown area and Little Havana because that’s what Lonely Planet recommends as sights to look at. I conclude that Lonely Planet is not entirely trustworthy because there was nothing to do there at all! We had dinner at California Pizza Kitchen I think.

May 18

We drove south to Key Biscayne. Along the way we stopped for lunch at a Japanese place, which was not half bad. Our plan for the day was to get to the lighthouse, which sits on Key Biscayne in a state park I think. There was a beach by the lighthouse, covered by dried seaweed, but still popular among families. There was a section marked out as the area where turtles leave their eggs for incubation also.

Clear waters of the Atlantic Ocean

After Key Biscayne, we went to a district in Miami called Coconut Grove, which had a main shopping area with eateries and we settled down at Cheesecake Factory for a cheesecake each. The servings are huge and none of us could finish our cheesecakes that came with a big dollop of whipped cream. It was so rich and sinful, but one of the best cakes I’ve had. I vaguely remember talking to Rowie on the phone because she was in LA and we were just complaining about how expensive living in the US can be, and also the American accent, our favorite topic.

We took a slow drive back through South Beach’s art deco district, with its famous neon lights signaling dusk and the start of Miami’s nightlife. There were many nice restaurants serving gourmet meals but we settled on TGIFriday’s for dinner.

Miami did not have many Asians when we first arrived and many local Hispanic children stared at us with curiosity, probably having no prior experience with black-haired, yellow-skinned Chinese tourists before. I mentioned this to Naomi though and she was surprised because Miami was a popular destination for Japanese tourists. Maybe I was just being over-sensitive. Funnily enough, the day we mentioned that there weren’t many Asians around in Miami, we started to spot more over the next few days.

 

Laura left the next day for Boston towards Spain. It was fun having her around because she had picked up some Singlish from Yang and Tanny, of course it was a weird variation but still pretty close enough. Miami was nice, and definitely a welcome change of weather for me after being in Ithaca for four months, so the sun and sea was something that I’ve missed these months. It is not a place that I would return to though, now that I’ve seen California beaches, I do think one could give Miami Beach a miss. I’ve always had higher regard for the Pacific Ocean than the Atlantic anyway. However, I would return to Key West anytime, and that would involve Miami somehow, but that is a story for another day.

Last days in Ithaca

The last day of school was May 11 and I had to vacate my campus apartment the next day. Packing was no easy feat, although I had started earlier by shipping 3 boxes of clothes and books back to Singapore, so I was pretty much set. All I had to do was to pack 4 months of my life into 2 bags and ensure that I could carry it around the US till August. You get the picture.

So I moved into the little cottage that the Swedes call home for two nights before I was to leave Ithaca. The six of us (Naomi, Jennie, Canan, Can, Paola and I) had rented a car for those two days to visit places in Ithaca that we HAD to go to but couldn’t without a car. Thinking about it now, I think we were really happy to be done with school and to be exploring the local area to experience what Ithaca is known for, but at the same time, we knew that we had to say our goodbyes after those two days, and that was always going to be difficult.

And so the day started with a late brunch at State Street Diner with omelettes, sandwiches and milkshakes. We were finally going to see waterfalls and gorgeous Ithaca in spring.

After brunch, we drove to Buttermilk Falls. Many thanks to Can who became our guide, driving and also planning where to go and what there is to see. He and Paola have really made the last couple of months in Ithaca something to remember dearly.

Some Swedish Sunshine.

It’s hard to imagine how I spent four months in idyllic Ithaca where the pace of life is vastly different from Singapore. Sure, it is a college town – Cornell and Ithaca College – but life in Ithaca is slow and peaceful. Public transportation on Sundays end at 5pm, the downtown area has just about four streets of life and we spend most of our time holed up in our apartments during the biting winter spell anyway. How I could have come to enjoy my time in a place like Ithaca surprises me. Do I dare say that I miss Ithaca now? I’m not sure I could answer that question until I am back in Singapore, but this experience has definitely taught me to appreciate Singapore more and not take things for granted. I would say though, that Ithaca has also taught me to appreciate a slower pace of life and also show more concern for the environment.

Robert H. Treman State Park

Jennie carves our names, leaving our legacy behind in Ithaca.

Me at Taughannock Falls

Cayuga Lake sunset.

After experiencing the state parks and waterfalls, one really starts to feel in awe of nature and though I’m not much of a outdoor person, I could feel myself enjoying the fresh air and natural beauty. Makes one start to think seriously about how it was all created by God’s hand of perfection and how humans are destroying the environment. When I think about how different things would have been if I had done my exchange studies in a bustling city instead, I am glad to say that I have no regrets choosing Ithaca. Although Jönköping (Sweden) would have been really awesome too.

Marina by Farmer’s Market.

We came to Farmer’s Market, which is famous in Ithaca for serving fresh food. There were stalls selling many diverse kinds of food, including Cuban and Cambodian food, sold by people who settled here in Ithaca. There was also vendors selling locally-produced fruits, vegetables and wine.

Another thing I appreciate about the US is their culture of embracing fresh produce and also the trend towards organic food, but it is simply healthier to consume compared to preservatives, and harmful chemicals.

Canan in front of the impressive Ithaca Falls.

Stewart Park by Cayuga Lake

After two days of exploring local Ithaca, it was time to finally bid farewell to Can and Paola because they were driving to Pennsylvania to find accommodation for Paola who will be doing her grad studies there next semester. It wasn’t easy and I’m not someone who is comfortable with goodbyes, so it was a quiet one with hugs and promises to meet again soon.

There began Jennie and Canan’s mad rush to pack and vacate their house. We also had to be ready in time for the bus to New York, so there were tons to do. It is already more than a month ago but that night still remains vivid in my mind. Emptying the fridge and cabinets of excess food and leaving it behind in Can’s apartment, stuffing four months into two bags, last minute laundry, sitting on the luggage so that we could zip it, trying hard not to fall asleep so we wouldn’t miss our bus, shouting at taxi operators who couldn’t understand simple instructions…. It’s the little things that stay in your mind.

We arrived in New York City soon enough and attempted to get to our hostel for the night. It was just to be Canan and I because Jennie’s mom and sister were flying in to meet her and Naomi was going to stay at her friend’s. After struggling very hard with our bags, we arrived at the hostel drenched in summer perspiration. It was the last straw for me and I immediately repacked my bag and sent another box via airmail back home because there was no way I could continue carrying those bags.

We were all tired out from packing and cleaning the house the night before as well as less-than-ideal rest on the bus from Ithaca. After a nice Italian pasta dinner, Canan and I called it a night, while Naomi went to meet her friend, and Jennie went to receive her mom and sis. Jennie came by shortly while I was sleeping to bid adieu and I was too tired and groggy from sleep to really say a proper farewell. It was really nice of her though to specially come by with her mom and sis, while making me promise to visit Sweden really soon. And I shall, hopefully in a couple of years’ time maybe.

Naomi came by too and she started crying so much. I was speechless and I really didn’t know what to say or do, but we hugged and knew that though we spent four short months as fellow exchange mates in a foreign country, those four months would mean so much to us. Naomi is a girl who has a little piece of her heart for everyone. It was definitely the toughest goodbye I’ve ever said.

Next morning, I got up earlier than I wanted to, in preparation for my flight from JFK to Miami. Canan was still sleeping and after I got dressed and ready to leave, I woke her and said I had to go. Canan is a strong girl, though I wouldn’t have been surprised if she burst into tears too. We exchanged a quick hug, and I was on my way.

May 15. New York to Miami to meet Yeh Yang, Angela, Xinpei, Tanny and Laura.

Update

It’s really hard to blog while on the road. I don’t know how Rowie manages to do it. There hasn’t been very ideal conditions accessing the Internet so far, so I haven’t been able to diligently blog as much as I would like to.

As succinctly as I can, I jot down in my notebook the little things I encounter so that I will be able to pull them out from the back of my head when I attempt to sit down and blog. It has been three weeks since I left Ithaca for my backpacking travel around the US. First was Miami, then down to Key West, then to the Bahamas, then to Chicago, Toronto, New York and now I am in Boston. I am halfway through. I leave for San Francisco in a couple of days and will be in California for three weeks, and then will be attending a summer class in Washington DC.

It has been very fun indeed, and have taken many photos to remember the places I’ve been. I’m thankful for the people I’m traveling with, because they are a source of strength to look forward to each day.

I remember my loved ones back home from time to time and draw strength from my memories as I countdown to August 9. I will be home on National Day with a little piece of my heart for everyone I love and cherish dearly.

More updates to come regularly…

Snippets of Ithaca

This blog has, for the most part of the last four months, brought you into my experiences in Ithaca. I have been as diligent as I could, to chronicle as many details as possible so that the memories will be captured in a most deserving manner, without fading into obscurity, such as the human brain is sometimes capable (or incapable) of.

I realize that what I see as important in my life might come across as unimportant to another person, so if you read my blog and decide that this is not what you want to be reading about, or that you are surprised by what you read and see, all I can say is welcome to my life, and I hope you get to know me better.

I write for myself to remember, and I write for people to know. May I ask that you do not judge me, because my words are an extension of my thoughts, and my photos, a representation of my life.

I guess it makes perfect sense now to reflect on my time in Ithaca. Like I mentioned earlier, I would wait for the right opportunity to put things in perspective. I did a little of it sitting in the back of a car traversing Florida, on the deck of a cruise heading to the Bahamas and finished up gazing out into the blue waters at the Bahamas.

My life in Ithaca wouldn’t be the same without the bunch of international friends I met. They were an awesome bunch of people that truly perked up life in the countryside. It wouldn’t be fair to say any less of them, other than these are friends to keep for life, and meet many many more times in the future. I could spend so much time thinking of excessively positive attributes to describe them, but they know what is in my heart, and that is enough. It is not goodbye. It is see you soon.

The Aussies. Daniel, Holly & David.

The Japanese. Naomi.

The Swedes. Canan & Jennie.

The Turk. Can.

The Honduran. Paola.

And of course, The Singaporean.

At Korova’s for a quiet evening.

Futsbol night at Uncle Joe’s.

Spring in Ithaca.

Freshly brewed Turkish coffee for our cold Ithaca nights.

Naomi learns the art of fire starting from Can, for our BBQs.

Sunset in Ithaca from Can’s house.

And another, with a clear view of Cayuga Lake.

Bobby from Canada.

Naomi’s birthday cookie.

Birthday girl and me.

Me and Jennie.

View of Ithaca College and beyond from Tower Club.

Party for all international graduating seniors and exchange students.

Jia Hui, Singaporean masters student at IC.

Gorgeous spring day in Ithaca.

The girls at the Commons on Jennie’s birthday.

Balloon Hug!

Pretty ladies at Miyake.

Miso soup for a good Singaporean boy.

But good Singaporean boy drives Swedish girl nuts.

Beautiful eyes = Sapporo Beer model.

Two amazing Americans, Maeve and Mikey.

A good laugh with my favorite Honduran.

Mikey, Jennie, Canan and me.

Ithaca sunrise.

Alex from Romania.

Sigg from Norway.

Such a classic pic. This is what school does to us. Our last week in Ithaca. Sad face from Sigg, bored face from Maeve, and me doing what I do best – curled up sleeping on the sofa at the Swedes’ house.

I miss my Swedes!

Yu and me.

At Gino’s Pizza.

And so, I will see all of you soon. It is never goodbye.