I hope that all eligible Singaporean Voters, especially those who are voting for the first time have made your decisions based on what you have observed from the party itself rather than what the media has portrayed. 

I have always been interested in the political scene in Singapore and will never forget my first GE Watch in 2011 where I stayed up till past 4am to wait for the results. 

I was preparing for my National Exams and relied heavily on the newspaper, news on TV and physical rallies to understand more about the teams contesting. 

Social Media wasn’t that powerful then. I remembered only tweeting and sharing FB Status on the results. 

Fondest memory? When Aljunied GRC won the GE2011, being the first opposition to win an entire GRC in history. 

Of coz, I was also happy when Dr Yaacob and his team were still elected after so long in the then Moulmein Kallang which is also known as Jalan Besar today.

In 2015 I remembered that after our late MM Lee passed away, the elections were held a fewmonths later. 

With the new citizens that rose by quite a fair bit from 2011 GE as well (20,693 citizenships granted in 2012), the PAP won by a landslide victory and it is no doubt that these were the highly plausible factors as to why even though the opposition parties seemed to have great support online. 

Silent majority? Maybe.

Now fast forward 9 years from GE2011 we all have access to GE related news easily via WhatsApp, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. I’m also happy to see pages being set up to share more on the political scene with information simplified and broken down to be understood by our new voters. 

I’m not sure how many 5 years we can afford to lose to vote great leaders into parliament especially when not all of them are of young age, mostly in their 40s and some even in their late 50s or 70s. 

But may we all take this one day off tomorrow to think wisely on what do we want for Singapore, for our future, our family members even our children in the next coming 5 years and if a parliament made up of just one party is acceptable. 

Thank you to all the leaders who shared your stories as well. 

Putting aside the good and the bad news that has happened over the campaigning period, I’m looking forward to the results tomorrow especially for the hot seats like East Coast GRC, West Coast GRC, Aljunied GRC, Tanjong Pagar GRC, Punggol West SMC, Potong Pasir SMC, Bukit Batok SMC, Bukit Panjang SMC and not forgetting Sengkang GRC. 

Whenever I travel, I tend to choose an Airbnb over a hotel, unless I am on a business trip. Not only is it cost-efficient, I actually get to experience living by myself without anyone in the comfort of a "home". 

I prefer living in a 1 Bedroom Condominiums when I travel to Bangkok, otherwise, I have also stayed in an Underground 1 Bedroom Apartment in Seoul! 

The only time I stayed with an Airbnb host was during my Taipei trip where I lived in the Song Shan District where I lived with a couple, a baby and a really cute corgi cat! 

However, living alone without butler services/service staff to help you to make your bed and providing you with 24/7 service, you then have to take charge of the little things like emptying your own trash (imagine your dirty food packaging that may attract cockroaches!), washing and drying your own clothes/towel as well.

In Bangkok, the trash points for condos are usually located on the same level where there is room to throw your trash, however, in Seoul, it's really quite hard to even find a centralized bin area... 

In Taipei? They have strict recycling policies and Waste Management Culture where you have to separate your trash - from the food waste to carton boxes then plastic bottles. Thereafter you'll hear this loud siren being played whenever the Garbage Truck is arriving/nearby the area. Failure to adhere to the strict policies may even earn you a fine!

My Taipei Airbnb Host even had a chiller compartment meant just for the food waste so ants do not get into the trash bags! I can never imagine what would happen to Singapore if we were to adopt the same policy.

But all in all, despite all the troubles of having to take care of yourself and the apartment you're staying at, it is all worth it because temporarily, that was a place you could call home after all your daily adventures in a foreign country.

When you travel alone, you get to know more about yourself. 

Your likes and dislikes, the things that make you happy and excited, the things that would cause a thinker or two inside your brain. 

You will get to feel different from being alone as compared to being with other people. 

Who's the real you? Are you really that person who needs company wherever you go to? A fan of loud places over quiet cafes or scenery? 

Be surprised by what you never knew. 

Travelling allows us to not only take a break from the reality for that while, from our busy lifestyle, work but more importantly, if we were already troubled in the first place by matters of the heart - from a bad relationship, a stressful period in life; simply travel and get to reflect and think alone!

A common observation that I have made from my own and hearing others' stories is that whenever you're happy and seen to be doing better, the people who made your lives miserable in the first place would always come back with that "hello".

Ever faced issues of having to wait for that friend who oversleeps or you tend to be someone who sleeps early and wakes up early so that you can explore more? 

Or heck it, you sleep at 3 am and wake up at 9 am. 

Whatever the situation is, travelling alone means that you do not have to wait for anyone nor to accommodate anyone. 

You do not have to rush through things and you are allowed to explore longer or even at a faster pace should you want to. (I am so not guilty for exploring 1/3 of Seoul in just 3 days haha!) 

Self Discipline is extremely important when you are travelling alone especially when you have paid to make plans. 

From a sightseeing tour to activities only available at the specific time slot and day, you may have had thoughts of even skipping it for more sleep. 

It is important that you wake up on time and not waste your day even if you slept as little as 3 hours.

The only thing I gave in was too expensive taxi rides in Seoul whenever I overslept a little and couldn't take public transport... Other than that I am still glad that I took that extra 30 minutes to sleep in order to have the energy for a full day of activities! 

I also remembered during my first day in Taipei I slept from 1 PM till 7 PM before I headed out till 11 PM to night markets nearby. I was extremely tired from my morning flight from Seoul to Taipei where I barely slept as I had to reach the airport at around 3/4 AM as my flight was at 6:50 AM, plus I had to take an airport bus that only operates at 2 AM or 4 AM which will take 2 hours to reach the airport.

Imagine the time you are left to for packing after a short nap? 

As cliche as it sounds like every newbie trying to take part in some talent competitions or even for reality shows, that one particular reason everyone would mention would be 

The next step after being out of your comfort zone would be to gain new experiences. 

Walking to a place that you had to be at for a good 20 minutes instead of taking a taxi because you wanted to explore the neighbourhood? Even better if you found hidden gems along the way! 

Airbnb Experiences is also a good platform for you to search for such experiences, in my last trip to Seoul, I went for a lipstick making class, K Beauty class and a cooking class is a MUST for me in every solo trip too!

Cooking in a different country with locals + new friends from different parts of the world is extremely fun and valuable. I will allow these pictures to speak for itself and I will share more on these on a separate post soon!

I am always thankful for platforms like Facebook, Snap Chat, Twitter and Instagram (especially the stories function) because it allows me to capture and archive these travel memories that would record my day and to be able to share it with my friends. 

On top of that, I loved creating memories in another way; photoshoot!

I have shot with some of the most talented photographers well sought after for their niche areas and I have shared some of them via my Instagram @thirteentuesday and these pictures remain to be a favourite part of the trip too whenever I look back. 

Since living in a hostel isn't part of my comfort zone for my 40 alarms, I got to know friends overseas via the various platforms you could ever imagine; such as Airbnb Experiences (my photographers and those who were involved in group shots) as well as 

Tinder Gold! (I paid for passport to know friends in advance.. haha) 

Surprise. 

Not for the purpose of shady things but to really have a friend who could show you around. 

Bonus if he is a photographer in which I really did got to meet a photographer friend via a dating app while he was in Singapore (and I was on the plane heading to Jakarta) 

In Seoul, I got to meet a long time match that I happily said before years back "should I travel to Seoul I will find you ok!" 

And the trip to Seoul was totally UNPLANNED and a SURPRISE (I will share on this trip soon too!) and I was glad that I still had his contact via Telegram. 

We had KBBQ and walked around the neighbourhood of Sinnonhyeon in the Gangnam Gu area where I went to a supermarket and found the Oreo Cereal at a cheap price. 

I also had a short cafe hopping with a friend called Sam who lived in the UK for years before heading back to Seoul! 

However ladies, please be cautious and not get into dangerous situations ok! Maybe I'll write on what to avoid or so soon... there are some tips and tricks indeed. *laughs* 

#1 - The Korean Lady at the immigration counter stared at me (for a while I thought I did something wrong, it was 5 AM and I just got out of an overnight flight!) and said: "your hair colour is so nice!"

I had my purple-pink hair specially re-dyed for the trip. Thanks, Erwin!

#2 - The Airport Security at Changi Airport who complimented my Lavender Ash hair. Again, a masterpiece by Erwin and an encounter similar to #1. 

#3 - A Korean Man helped me to carry my VERY HEAVY luggage from the luggage belt (from Hanoi to Seoul) as I was struggling. He immediately came to my rescue when I showed signs of a struggle and almost lost my luggage to the belt. Extremely thankful for his kindness as I said goodbye with "kamsamida!" (Thank you, in Korean) 

#4 - A Taiwanese Couple (Hubby Taiwanese, Wife Vietnamese) that I met in the Airplane who sat beside me on our flight from Taipei to Ho Chi Minh City. We shared funny conversations where the hubby actually shared on how China Airlines (or China Southern, I forgot) wouldn't give two damns if you hopped over from Economy Class to Business Class (by pretending to go toilet) should the seats not be fully taken up.

Later that night, as the flight from TPE to HCM wasn't full, each of them moved to an empty row, leaving one entire row to myself where I slept lying flat. 

#5 - In my dreadful Grab Experience in HCM City where I got robbed (will share one day) prior to that happening as I did not have a sim card as it was only one night for a layover, the Airport Security standing at the taxi stand area kindly helped me to dial for the Grab Driver to speak with him (in which due to the language barrier I really couldn't figure out too...) still!

#6 - A Thai Woman came to me in the cinema on my second trip asking me for directions to the toilet, thankfully my broken Thai then understood her words and I directed her correctly. 

Similarly on my third trip to Bangkok, as I was waiting for the shuttle bus at Bang Wa BTS station, a lady came up to me and spoke in Thai in which I didn't fully understand but guessed the meaning anyway due to my situation then; in which she was asking if this was the place to queue and wait for the shuttle bus to head to Seacon Bangkae where I answered Chai ka (yes, in Thai) 

As you think back they will bring you back happy memories and feelings that you felt at that point in time. 

As promised, I will also share on Exclusive Travel Tips with all of you!

From Air Tickets to Accommodation, to Experiences, you can simply get them at a fraction of what people are spending should they buy direct! 

Flying budget was alright for short-haul flights (in my dictionary it's up to 2.5 hours) however when it came to flying overnight, transits, etc I simply had to secure the BEST DEAL for myself. 

In my last Solo Trip, via a Travel Application, I spent $622 for the 6 flights (3 being transit flights) that were non-budget and came with baggage allowance, which was really important when you travel longer than 4 days with the plan to shop for more.

Accommodation will usually be below $100 for 3 - 4 Nights in countries like Bangkok and slightly above $120 in countries further away from Singapore like Taipei/Seoul/Manila.

Experiences will usually be for what's worth too, even better with a discount should you be new to Airbnb Experiences! 

1. Traveloka - they have occasional discounts where you can save up to $20 or $50 on Air Fares as a new or repeated customer

2. Trip.com - their multi-city flights and user interface in the application itself makes it easier to navigate for good deals, and very rarely are there discount when they tie in with cards like Union Pay or even Visa/Master - they also have a coin system for you to redeem discounts 

1. Airbnb - My go-to application for places to stay and experiences! One tip is that should your family member not be a user on Airbnb yet you could ask them to register and book on your behalf so that you qualify for the discount! Otherwise, as a new user, you get to enjoy up to $45 off your Accommodations and $22 off your Experiences! You can sign up via my link to enjoy the discount. 

To date, all 5 of them (+ the one who got deported from Melbourne; long story cut short, a farewell gift that came back to me) have travelled across Asia! 

Especially after that near to death experience where I got robbed in Ho Chi Minh City without any data on my phone to reach out to my friend who lives in Ho Chi Minh, I got so scared after and I swore to always have data even if it's a short layover (as long as I step out of the airport)

Something funny I do even in Singapore, ever heard of hitch rides via Telegram Groups? 

So many women had weird and creepy hitch rides encounters hence I do get a little scared at times to the extent that I have exchanged such messages with Fabro. 

And that concludes the 10 Reasons why you should embark on a Solo Travelling Journey + the 5 Tips I have for you as a Solo Traveller. 

Stay safe my squirrel friends. Follow me @thirteentuesday for more updates and also an in-depth look at the Gaston Luga PRÅPER through my IG Highlights! 

For the very first time, I am writing a past year related blog entry in the following year, I guess as we grow up our writing styles do change; for the better or worse.

My 2019 was an amazing one albeit a few matters did upset me here and there, but hey -- 2020 is going to be so much better because I just simply know it already.

Sorry ah, typing this on 12th April close to midnight and we have yet to receive updates on how many new Covid19 cases are there today in Singapore. 

2019 reminded me of 2013, 2017 because I think those years I enjoyed myself thoroughly. 

Right after a dramatic year.

Remember when I said how even-numbered years weren't great? 

And let's begin!

It's 11:46PM now and what was supposed to be 2019 in review got dragged to the eve of my XX birthday, and presumably to the exact day.

Update at 11:49PM - went to read some leaked chats from Dr Julian about the recent defamation case shared/exposed on hardwarezone then to Facebook. Singaporeans ah!!!!!

Okay. Continue.



I waited many years for 2020's birthday celebration to happen and while I imagined it to be filled with lots of balloons, people, two-tier cakes and a fancy dessert table with me holding the mic to thank almost everyone in the room, it turned out the be a complete opposite.

Just me, myself and I and some sweet surprises over the span of the last week from my beloved friends.

Perhaps at this point of time, I wished that there could be some unforeseen surprises but aiya, now meeting friends can also get you jailed so better not.

STAY AT HOME.

And we are 7 minutes away..

Back to 2019.

So 2019 was quite a crazy year as I thought about my achievements and also the number of times I have seen my name on all sort of papers and the number of times I had to make a vow to speak the truth and nothing but the truth. 

I witnessed betrayals amongst what would the closest friends beside me would have done and found out truths about people that may have shocked me once or twice.

It made me realised that humans were more evil than what could be eviler out there (referencing to the Art of the Devil; thai horror)

Again, I was still looking around, finding, hoping, imagining..... only to perhaps find a few friends and establish a business relationship or transaction.

11:59PM. Counting down.

Perhaps this post may or may not have came across as any sense but as the clock struck 12 Fabro <3 appeared on my screen. Thank you.

*Plays Kenji Wu's New Track on Spotify* - eh he has a new track!!

Oh, wait... it's a remix of Elva's Wrong Person.

I sang this song in 2011 for the singing competition.. won 3rd. Cried after the song. Relatable.

Back to 2019.

As I thought that the love of my life may have then appeared, I realised it was such a toxic cycle over and over again that the same events happened here and then.

I heard noises behind me I thought that M would have come. Clearly, he didn't.

Then getting my life read possibly wasn't the best thing but it gives you a good heads up..

There wasn't any proper closure

There wasn't any proper apology

The law still pursued what would be the "truth" in a manner that would have hurt so many parties involved.

Maybe the reason why I couldn't close up 2019 in proper was that 2019 and 2020 would have been combined into a year. 4 months into the new year and the world has been declared in a pandemic state.

What a time to live in hor.

So how many of your graduations, weddings, important events had to be postponed?

I hope you had your fair share of glory and happiness made up to you.

What I hope for after this is that, 

I get to do the things I love, I walk out of this stage leaving the unhappy memories behind, and I always believe in my gut feeling and that I trust that what I want to accomplish can be done. 

Things I am thinking now...

- Craving for InTheBrickYard's OrhNee Cake
- Cheesecake cups
- Nougetelli pls come back to ntuc
- When to cook my salmon and otah

Perhaps what's filtered has always been here.

Reading along the lines..

A promise here though.

There's tons of things and content I owe to this very site, my travelouges and reviews.

In this CB period, I pledge to complete what's outstanding and watch my Netflix today on both series that I want to complete.

Find Yourself & Happy Old Year

After today, I'll be working towards (fuck I keep imagining M is coming and even heard fucking sparkles cb)


a better me.

Happy Birthday, Rachel.

On this day next year in 2022, you will reveal how old you are officially.

No more feeling ashamed or unsure.

LOVE,

Your unfiltered mind of thoughts.