I remember when I was in primary 3, one of my classmates suddenly fell sick and she puked on her desk just right after our English class started. Our class teacher, if I remember her correctly, Mrs Ng, asked if anyone would volunteer to clean up the mess. None of them volunteered, so I lifted up my hand, and everyone was looking right at me, surprised! In my mind, I just wanted very much to help clean up the stinky mess but on the other hand, I was worried that I might just vomit my breakfast out altogether. My classmate felt bad but appreciative that when no one dared to clean up her stinky mess, I stood up. It wasn't that bad afterall, and I felt I was a heroine after the incident. I felt good afterall, and since then, somehow, I became a daring and adventurous person in a way. I love to step up when no one does, and I would say that I love to take challenges.
The first time that I left my family for a vacation was when I was 18 years old. Being a young Poly student, I had no money, but yet I wanted to travel just like some of my friends in Poly. So I picked a destination that I really wanted to visit, packed my lugguge and off I went to Australia, on my own. Yes! All by myself! I mean all by myself, no friends or family members went with me. I didn't join a tour package. Seriously, I didn't know what I was thinking that time. I went to Brisbane, Gold Coast, to visit the Sea World, Movie World and the Water World. I stayed in Gold Coast for 3 days, and then went to Sidney to stay for another few days. I never booked any accomodation in advance because some of my friends told me that I could get accomodation easily in Australia. I couldn't afford staying in hotel of course, so bunk bed was within my budget. It was in Sidney, that I got to know my Japanese friend, Mae, when we visited Blue Mountain. After the trip, Mae, visited Singapore and stayed at my house (in Singapore) for two weeks. I was 20 years old then when she visited me. Whenever I told my friends that I went to Australia, backpacking alone at 18, they couldn't believe it because I don't look that adventurous to them. Look can be very deceiving ...haaaa....., and I do have photos left with my parents in Singapore to prove it :). Now as I think back, it was kind of scary, travelling alone, at that young ignorant age. I didn't know God then, and I believe that God has protected me all the while even though I wasn't a Christian then. I could have been kidnapped, or killed, and no one would know, not even my family members because they didn't know where exactly I was heading to, and where I would stay. I didn't have any cell phone then as too poor to have one, and if anything happened to me at that time, there wasn't anyway that my family member would know. I really thank God for His protection over me when I was alone in a foreign country.
The first time that I left my family for a vacation was when I was 18 years old. Being a young Poly student, I had no money, but yet I wanted to travel just like some of my friends in Poly. So I picked a destination that I really wanted to visit, packed my lugguge and off I went to Australia, on my own. Yes! All by myself! I mean all by myself, no friends or family members went with me. I didn't join a tour package. Seriously, I didn't know what I was thinking that time. I went to Brisbane, Gold Coast, to visit the Sea World, Movie World and the Water World. I stayed in Gold Coast for 3 days, and then went to Sidney to stay for another few days. I never booked any accomodation in advance because some of my friends told me that I could get accomodation easily in Australia. I couldn't afford staying in hotel of course, so bunk bed was within my budget. It was in Sidney, that I got to know my Japanese friend, Mae, when we visited Blue Mountain. After the trip, Mae, visited Singapore and stayed at my house (in Singapore) for two weeks. I was 20 years old then when she visited me. Whenever I told my friends that I went to Australia, backpacking alone at 18, they couldn't believe it because I don't look that adventurous to them. Look can be very deceiving ...haaaa....., and I do have photos left with my parents in Singapore to prove it :). Now as I think back, it was kind of scary, travelling alone, at that young ignorant age. I didn't know God then, and I believe that God has protected me all the while even though I wasn't a Christian then. I could have been kidnapped, or killed, and no one would know, not even my family members because they didn't know where exactly I was heading to, and where I would stay. I didn't have any cell phone then as too poor to have one, and if anything happened to me at that time, there wasn't anyway that my family member would know. I really thank God for His protection over me when I was alone in a foreign country.
The challenge of travelling about 20 hours flight alone with my littlehon when he was about 26 months when we (just myself and him) were back to Singapore, wasn't that bad afterall. My littlehon is a good little traveller, and has been travelling since he was 3 months old. Each year gets better as he gets older. I want to thank God for seeing me through and the strength that He gave me for any challenges that I have overcome. The next challenge would be a tough one, and I am still deciding if I should take up the challenge. Seriously, this is the most challenging "event" in my life, and I am not sure if I could do it. I pray that God will continue to give me strength as I am deciding whether to take my next challenge or not. Just as my friend told me, once I can overcome this upcoming challenge, nothing is too challenging for me. I do have fear in me and that's why it takes me so long to decide. But God keeps reminding me that "Fear not, for I am with you." - Isaiah 43:5.
Stay tune to see if I am taking up the challenge that God has placed in front of me. Give me strength, O Lord!
