Moscow – Houston – Dubai

I was not the least excited to come for this trip actually, though each and every station at this trip is my first time. Partly was probably because I am suffering from the post syndrome of missing her and I feel like staying in Singapore. Surprisingly, I didn't really miss her much for the entire trip until I was reminded by Viviane when she asked if I am attached, even that was pretty much ok until I saw her adding me in Friendster. I thought it was a glimmer of hope when she had a change of heart. But I guess my actions was misinterpreted, she had no lack of suitors, what am I to her afterall.

Thankfully, this set of colleagues are super nice people, cocksters and friends whom you can joke to and tell nonsense to. I found my confidant in Viviane, who is like a buddy who knows me for years and we can spend hours talking on the phone nonstop. Verlin and Johan were super funny and nonsensical, so is Sebastian, they are the Wu Jian Dao buddies. Mike is serious faced but super easy-going as well. The rest of the girls are just as nice, esp Jolene and Michelle whom I worked with before, and Esther who is freaking cute and funny like a little girl. There is Emily and Senly too. Practically almost everyone went out for sightseeing in Moscow at the Red Square, the most disappointing thing was that my camera cranked up on me and I didn't manage to take any photos, I had to rely on the girls and my Hp to dish out some photos. I hate going on long flight without a camera, not when I dunno when is the last time I can get to come back again. I got some photo collection job to do after this and I had to spend a bomb to get a new camera. Seriously, I think I have to come back again and redo sightseeing all over again. Moving on to Houston, there wasn't anything much to see except the mega shopping mall which was directly opposite the hotel and we spent the 2 days there hanging out and eating and shopping together. I was on the verge of buying my beloved Juliet shades until Viviane stopped me and said that I don't really need it, which is quite true as well considering I got Yibo’s wedding to attend and a new camera to buy. There is no need to add to my expenses, I gotta try to send my camera in for repair too, in that case I will have 2 cameras which one can be a spare. Coming back to Moscow, I thought I had a chance to visit the Kremlin at night and catch the night view of St Basil’s Catheral, but no one was game enough to go out with me and the weather is too cold, plus I was without my camera, everything just seemed bad. I guess I have to wait till the next time I am here before I get to see everything again. Today was spent at the gym and talking to Viviane on the phone for the whole day, its Dubai tomorrow, I will be meeting Charles. Actually I was glad that finally I am going home, but its kinda sad too cos this set of colleagues is really nice and I know I am going to miss them when I go to the next flight, esp Viviane and the rest of the girls and Johan, Verlin and Sebastian. Hopefully I will get to meet them soon. Viviane asked me to change to her Male flight, I just checked, Sam is on the flight, so is Serene and Shan Shan, hopefully I get to change to that. It will be fun with all of them around. I will miss talking to Viviane, she is same age and same month of birthday as me, but she seemed to have gone through a lot more than me, its just enjoyable to talk to her and she made me feel like quitting… dunno if that's a good thing or not but she invited me to visit her at Pittsburgh when I go New York next time. I will miss her when she leave…

In Dubai, we went out with the senior colleagues for dinner, actually we were the only junior ones and of course we were the butt of all jokes. But it was ok, they are just being funny and all but I was really looking forward to meeting Charles. I haven’t seen him for so long and partly I was looking forward to sitting in the Boxster but since Viviane wanted to come along, he had to drive the other car so that it can seat all of us. Surprise and surprise, there was someone else in the car, Carrie was the name and soon as I entered the car, I could sense that they were something more than just normal friends. But Carrie is a nice girl, easy going and crappy just like Viviane, and they hit off real fast and soon exchanged numbers. Amazing huh, because of the presence of the two girls, catching up with Charles is kept to the minimal cos we hardly had private moments to ourselves except when we were walking in front while the girls are doing shopping. Still we manage to get in a few words and from the horse’s mouth I knew that life got better for him since her arrival though they weren’t officially together yet. For me, I just told him what happened in Moscow, seems like I gotten over Cheryl, she is passé just as I am to her and I seriously don't think that we will remain as friends even though we said we will be. That until maybe something happens and she starts talking to me on her own accord or me doing vice versa. Kinda sad how things work out but I guess I have to move on. He told me to go after Viviane cos she seems not bad, but she is attached I told him. But these few days we were hanging out like we were together, talking on the phone nonstop for hours and hours in the day and before we sleep. She calls to ask if we are going out, joins me to take a look around the city, crap and makes fun of each other. I know that she doesn't really have me in her heart, cos she misses her bf and she is going away with him to Pittsburgh. I don't think she wants to give that up. So I am enjoying her company, honestly, it feels like she is my gf for these few days and I am grateful for that, and that has probably helped me tide over my sadness because she is always around. Not to forget that I had to climb into a dark hole in between the rocks cos she dropped her camera pouch in. think these are things which makes the friendship memorable… I think we are going to hang out for a while, meet up during the off days. And she asked me to change flight to do Male with her of which I am trying. Hopefully I get to cos Shan Shan, Serene and Samuel is on the flight too. I bet it will be fun. I have to thank Charles and Carrie for showing us around, the famous places in Dubai and the atas places for chilling out though seriously I cannot remember their names but I gotta ask them again. The bad thing is that I din have my camera with me and I had to use Viviane’s so all the trouble of getting my photos from her. We visited the Birch the “sail” hotel in Dubai and the other top 2 hotels besides it, which one I cannot remember the name and the other is Jumeirah. Visited a beautiful mosque and the shopping streets, the biggest shopping mall in Dubai called M.O.E, Mall of Emirates and some chill out places which is ranked number 1 in the world but it wasn't open cos its Ramadan period. Actually seeing how well he is doing, I am wishing that I can work in Dubai for a while, not exactly a dream place to work in but it pays well and I would love the experience of working in one of the booming cities in the world, it will certainly look good on my resume and maybe its time that I start looking around for jobs. And to my utter dismay, the units that we planned to buy raised by 3.5 times, I think by being hesitant, we missed a wonderful opportunity and for each of us, we just missed out on making 200k on resale, such a heartbreak and disappointment.