I was just rushing through Little India to a Spanish Tapas bar...

...at 8PM on a Thursday evening . And somewhere along the way, I suddenly had this moment (yes, I have many of these ‘eureka’ moments in arbitrary places!), a revelation. I had actually managed to put in close to a 12-hour efficient work day, and then was also heading out to meet a bohemian mix of friends, and travellers for the next couple of hours. In that moment I was taking stock of how the pace of my life had changed (yes, in my past life, fun stuff on a work day was rarer than a blue moon and weekend used to be about recouping energy, although I had begun to reclaim life with this new year...) and I swear it was making me heady. And I was loving it.

So yes, its been 6 week since I have moved to Singapore, and its been frantic, hectic, and a little breathless. I feel like I may have already done a year’s worth of things (in my lazy alter ego’s scale of time). There has been work, but also different things going on at work, and meeting new people, and a lot of going out. And in all this, the drama of finding a house and settling in! I feel like I am running a bit short on sleep and more on adrenalin, but all in all a good problem to have, as long as it lasts.

From my office

So here is how my moving-to-Singapore-first-2-months checklist looks like -

1) Get obsessive and search for the so called ‘perfect’ house where I may not spend too much time, and over pay for the same ...check and done to perfection!

2) Move in, settle down... WIP still. Already had a washer emergency (aka, didn’t-know-how- to-use-washing-machine-and-flooded-the -place). Looking desperately for maid service before my perfect house becomes not so perfect, and need to find tons of things that I can’t remember. Like my agent says, by the time I am all settled, it will probably be time to move!

3) Get work started... check.

4) More importantly, remember work isn’t everything... trying really hard, work in progress.

5) Meet new and diverse people... Yes, you got it right, I actually put it down on my to-do list! I now know more people who are happy to check out some crazy heritage trail, but not who want to watch hangover-2. Working on this! And yes, if you are in Singapore, and a fellow blogger/travel enthusiast, holler. But please don't be a crazy stalker!

6) Find things to do other than work.... check, and doing it quite well.
Checked out the Mac Ritchie trail, Frisbee games in the garden, a musical, Macbeth in the park, the esplanade, wakeboarding (my bones still hurting me from this one)...

7) Travel.... WIP. A lot of plans, and a lot of opportunities and also some company (yeay)!!! So looking forward to plenty of trips. For now, have tickets to Borneo in July to see the rainforest music festival (http://rainforestmusic-borneo.com/). So yeay!

And what perfect time to talk about these 2 books on 2 women who move to more foreign lands and their experiences?

Me, Myself and Prague... Reading this book was like reliving my 1 week in Prague and Czech. Not only did I love some of her tips (to check out for a next trip), and her humor, but I could totally relate to the travails of moving to a new city (especially if you are single and may not have friends and family in that place) and trying to figure it out and just get a life really, (a good one at that). Loved it!!!

To Hellas and back... for all those of romantics who fantasize about a new life in a new land, this book is a reality check. The author has a tough time in Greece, and although, to a large extent it seems to be her fault as she doesn't making much of an effort to get out there and brave changes, but still another point of view – are you one of those who can really adapt to a new country, new ways?

The view of the River front and promenade, and the Marina Bay Sands hotel - Singapore's newest landmark!