Onboard SQ452

Saturday
20 October
11:20 hours
SQ452

I’m sitting aboard a Boeing 777 aircraft right now, on flight SQ452 heading to Male, capital of Maldives.

Quite a refreshing experience, considering the only Singapore Airline flight I remember, my mum still decided on my ridiculous wardrobe. And boy am I wrong about the Singapore Girl not meeting the mark, the first one I encountered onboard is absolutely stunning.

It’s my first time leaving home, Singapore, for a distant land for a period longer than a week and emotionally it wasn’t the easiest of tasks. I think we are all built to resist change in a way, and until I had to pack, I wasn’t about ready to plan and put together a checklist of to-brings.

It was a strange feeling… Something new… Something I can’t put a word to because it is my very first experience. I’m still trying to figure out what it is I’m feeling.

When I did my clearance on Thursday at Four Seasons, it took me a while to put together what I was feeling, I felt like a stranger in my own home. Returning to a place I call home and feeling so foreign, not being in my suit, returning my keys, and feeling so distant from my colleagues whom are my alternate family because I am no longer a staff, they will treat me as a guest, simply because we are the Four Seasons.

I met a couple of friends the night before and I wasn’t myself, I knew. It was just as if a very odd wave took over me, it felt uncomfortable no doubt and I knew it was because I was leaving today. But yet, I was also busy trying to figure out what I was feeling, emotions are always fun to discover.

When I finally started packing this morning, I actually Googled how to go about it. The innate spirit of not wanting to fail, my perfectionist instinct set in. Ha! Coming to think about it it is actually quite funny that I caught this very trait that I was so defensive about.

It was a sigh of relief when I was finally done. Been busy saying my “goodbyes” to people who care and whom I care about. I wonder if I wasn’t leaving would all these have happen. As my brother said, “Man if leaving for 3 months lands you 3 hot ladies in one night I’d like to leave to!”

On the journey to the airport, I would say that my mind was pretty much blank and it didn’t hit me that I was going there until Aunt Joyce needed some help with directions. I’ve been going to the airport a fair bit in my work as a concierge, am smiling just thinking about it.

Maybe that’s why it’s odd that I am jetting off myself this evening. When we actually made our way to checking me in, I felt myself again, free. I could have been giving myself too much pressure.

It felt nice getting ready to check-in and before soon S joined me too and it felt surprisingly heart-warming to see someone familiar. It’s all too new an experience, flying alone but I think it’s something I can totally get used to, having stunning Singapore Girls would be a great bonus. I’m looking forward to planning a trip of my own and preparing everything on my own, do the research and all.

Oh I didn’t get the emergency door seats but what I did get was wonderful company next to me, Sean from Sydney, Australia and Lisa from Surrey, England. What a surprise that he shares my name (though it’s a different spelling) and he’s in Mercure Sydney doing F&B. Talked quite a bit about travelling, moving and it largely depends on what you want.

I think they’ve had quite a fair bit of adventure, moving and starting a new in Ireland, England, New Zealand, and now Sydney. And hearing from their personal experience, it’s not easy and it takes quite a fair bit of money.

As much as it sounds fantastic to do, I’m not too sure I’m ready to pack my bags and leave every now and then. But then again right now, I am packing my bags and leaving home for a good three months.

Okay then, time to close this awfully messy entry.

I’m gonna try my best to be friends and colleagues to everyone, I am here to learn and I will be a sponge and absorb all I can, I will expect nothing more than a lousy boss and colleagues because everything else then will be a bonus. Remember my loved ones who are possibly pinning for me and have repeatedly reminded me to write, write, write. And keep my fingers crossed that I’d dive in crystal Maldivian waters!