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!

Goodbye seems to be the hardest word...

The sun was streaming through the french windows, stripped bare of the curtains that had adorned them for so long, flooding the whole room in bright light. It felt like the first time I had walked in and fallen in love with the place. There had been a s sense of hope, and of new beginnings. Except, now, on the floors, in the corner, stood my bags. All packed.

This was something I've wanted for a long long long time. Something I wanted like yesterday. Yet, at that final moment, I was in knots...

It was time to move again.

Goodbye Bombay. Hello Singapore!

An alternative side of a regular European city

Who would have thought that this small city, nestled close to the Julian Alps, characterised as peaceful, laid-back, and may be even boringly nice (if only you knew!) would be defined by the word 'Alternative'. Ok, still not sure if ‘alternative’ captures it, but for sure alternative to the regular. From the girl we ran into the dead of the night, with multiple piercings and spiky hair, but yet speaking sweet, to Metalkova, to the Trn fest and the rap show in the park, Ljubljana totally surprised us!

* * *

Metelkova
Metelkova is a neighbourhood of abandoned warehouses and barracks, which was claimed by squatters (people who take over abandoned buildings) and converted into a kind of “modern” art center. We heard it was being used as art studios and also hosted a lot of parties and jamming session (we could hear someone playing, but they didn’t invite us in!). You are just as likely to find ugly goblin headed structures just as you can find the most colourful spray painted walls and graffiti. The whole place was a cross between Noddy’s world(remember Noddy? )with its vivid colours, an art studio bordering on grotesque and a well worn ramshackle biker hang out. Set in a ground with untended greenery, with a moon glowing overhead, this place turned even more eerily exciting at night.

Metalkova has quite a bit of a controversial history as the supporter's fought to retain its individuality and today it is nearly a regular stop for travellers. Its s a great place to meet other fellow traveller's, you'll find information at all hostels. More on Metelkova’s history here...

At the entrance to Metelkova

Ain't these goblin heads pretty?

The bar...

Eerily interesting at night

* * *

Behind Metelkova, is the Celica hostel... a prison converted into a hostel, the rooms are actually modelled on prison rooms. Who wants to be jailed for a night or two? This hostel is known for its party atmosphere, a filled event calender and as a great place to meet other backpacking travellers.

Both Metelkova and Celica lie on the other side of the old town, across the main bridge. This part of the city was relatively quiet with lesser thoroughfare, maybe more residential, hiding a few character-full bars and restaurants.

* * *

Trn fest is one of the biggest yearly events in Ljubljana with dance/music/ theatre (? not sure) shows. It was nothing like I’ve seen before... the place was packed with people ‘just hanging’ as my friend likes to say. It was a total social event for people to meet friends and grab a couple of drinks and catch-up on the days events and not one seemed to be paying attention to the stage. Not blaming them, on stage was one of the weirdest, (oops!) extremely new-age dance performance I’ve seen till date... Couple of people clad in white seemed to be moving to noises, and sounds ...no really, it was just a series of sounds like fans whizzing, wind blowing, then some sirens... ! I didn’t get it for sure. And the crowd was equally alternative – mostly hip-hopper/rapper types, and a good proportion of Goths... but we did meet a few ‘regular’ people who were also discovering this side of Ljubljana. We left past midnight, but it was still early in the night for Trn Fest!

* * *

On the last night, in a park on the way to the train station was a Slovenian rap show... the last thing we experienced in Ljubjana.

People, just hanging

The show

Into Trn Fest

Cycles piled up at the entrance

Falling in love...all over again...

The sun was burning down in all its mid-day August glory ... one of those hot scorching days when the heat lies about like a thick cloak, like something you can feel, and if you move your finger in a slicing motion, you can feel the air molecules actually rearrange themselves... only it was an air-conditioned car, but in your head, you could still feel the hear. The mood was restive...it was a long day and an even longer journey, beginning the mid-night before... a sleepless train ride and a long car journey there after... the silence was heavy, weighed down by sulks and the aftertaste of a tiff... the industrial highways of Italy overshadowing the distant hills, raising doubts and offering no respite.

And all it took was a single breathtaking view!

It was like falling in love all over again...

Falling slowly, eyes that know me
And I can't go back
Moods that take me and erase me
And I'm painted black
............

Our own farmhouse apartment for a few days

The view from the window

Our backyard...

The fragrance between the pages...

Just thinking of my book worm days... I miss those, but love this!

I stepped into the bookshop and breathed in that perfume of paper and magic that strangely no one had ever thought of bottling.
- Carlos Ruiz Zafón)