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Woke up around 8am.. Today I will need to change room. The room that I was in is located within the dorm, so there isnt any privacy to speak of. Every time I need to use the toilet, I would need to walk past several rows of double-decked beds with tired back-packers sleeping away.. For tonight and tomorrow night, I will be staying in a real single-room. As I have 2 appointments (for lunch and dinner) today, I would need to leave early, before the check-in time. But with the difference in check-out time (by 11 am) and check-in time (from 1pm), I decided to leave my luggage with the front-deck guys and ask them to bring it to my new room when it is check-in time.
Took a quick shower, packed my luggage and left it with the front-deck guy, and left The Hives around 10am. Walked along Serangoon Road and took the train from Farrer Park to Tiong Bahru. Was supposed to meet Fitri at Tiong Bahru MRT, 12:30pm. We are going to meet up with Henny at Robertson Walk for lunch around 1pm.
Since I have arrived too early at Tiong Bahru, I decided to walk around the place. It has been a long while since I have been to Tiong Bahru. It is located slightly to the west of Singapore, which I dont really go. I used to shop around AMK (where I lived), Bishan, Yishun and Woodlands, along the NS MRT Line.. Saw a small Old ChangKee shop at Tiong Bahru Plaza.. bought some kuih to eat.. fishballs and yam cake.. :) Walked around the place for more than an hour.. went into familiar shops and didnt buy anything.. didnt want to carry any other thing since I am already carrying my laptop...
Met up with Fitri. Her hair was longer and straighter than I last saw her a year ago.. :) We then took a bus (No.123) to Robertson Walk and waited for Henny at the bus-stop. Henny looked.. very pregnant! :p She is about 7.5 months pregnant.. We walked around Robertson Walk looking for a place to eat.. Frankly speaking, I have not been to Robertson Walk before.. The place is so un-Singapore-like, cos it is so quiet and has no crowd! Finally, we decided to eat at Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie because we were all attracted by the cakes offered. The huge display of various mouth-watering desserts, cakes and chocolates were just too tempting to be missed.
After ordering our main course, we sat down and started chatting.. Topics revolves around their work, Henny's last days at Visa, etc. and I showed them photos of my life in Japan.. Then come the main act.. dessert!! Being chocoholics, the 3 of us chose the most sinful looking chocolate cakes on display!! :p :p
Fitri and I sent Henny off at the bus stop before taking a long walk to the nearest MRT. I wanted to walk as I wanted to see Singapore more closer. It was always nice to walk around places that one is familiar with. We walked through Clarke Quay and all the way to Funan IT Mall, as I wanted to look for a computer backpack. We parted in front of the Mall..
There is still about 1.5 hours to go before my next appointment. I went hunting for my computer backpack. I have done some research on the bag over the Net but I would want to look at the real thing, to touch it and feel it. I wanted a good computer backpack that I could use in Tokyo when I need to bring my laptop to school. The computer bags that Bro passed me did not match my expectation, as they are either too bulky (with just the laptop only) or too small (that I couldn't put any writing pad or stationery in it). I wanted a backpack as I wanted to have my hands free. I don't really like to carry things in my hands.. :p
There are plenty of shops in the Mall selling computer backpacks, but the variety seemed limited. There are plenty of Targus, Crumpler and Samsonite bags but limited Dicota. From what I had researched, I am prepared to pay between SGD$150-200 for one. I just need to get one that I liked. So far none has come close.. They are either without proper back support or not enough protection for the laptop.. In the end, I did not buy anything there...
Went to Newton to meet Irene around 6pm. We are going to have dinner with YP. I have known the 2 of them when I first came to Singapore.. YP was my roommate in Eusoff Hall during my first year.. Not sure about how they felt, but to me, the two of them are my best of friends. Although we don't meet up very often, even when I was still in Singapore, but I know I can always count on them.. we can talk about anything, well almost anything.. :p and I always feel at ease around them.. no need to worry that they might misunderstood my words or whatever..
Irene and I met up and walked to a nearby Peranakan restaurant that YP recommended. Irene is still Irene.. forever busy, forever helpful and forever concern (or should I say) about me.. :p We sat down in the restaurant and started chatting.. Not long after, YP arrives, with baby Isabelle.. :) :) :) Isabelle is so adorable.. She has her mum's big eyes.. :) Half way through dinner, CK came and joined us for dinner. CK had dropped YP and Isabelle off earlier before going for his scouts meeting. He came back cos of some mistake and the meeting was no longer on.
We all went back to CK and YP's house after dinner to look at my Japan photos. We stopped at the oil station and bought 2 tubs of Ben and Jerry's ice-creams.. :) Although I started showing them the photos when we got to their house, but most of our attention was on baby Isabelle.. :) :) I can see very clearly that both CK and YP are totally immersed in their joy of parenthood. CK was proud to proclaim that Isabelle has already gotten him wound around her little finger... :)
From right: Irene, YP with Isabelle and me.. :)
We chatted until almost midnight. It was way passed Isabelle's bedtime but she doesn't seem to want to sleep yet.. But we left anyway, since CK and YP need to go to church early the next day. Irene dropped me off first before going back to Sengkang in the cab we took together... The two of us had arranged to meet up tomorrow (Sunday) to go hunting for my backpack. By far, Irene is the best shopper that I know who could get hold of stuff that is good and reasonably priced.. :)
This is a very fruitful day indeed.. Can't wait to meet up with more friends in the next few days..
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