In part because there are literally a million details and a million things to do when it comes to moving overseas.
And it part because it's so emotional. All the things you know you won't see or do again. The people you are leaving. The relationships you loved. The ones you wish you had had more of. The places that have come to have such strong associations. And the unknown that lies ahead.
We had three weeks after our India trip to get ourselves sorted, hand over our apartment, and leave Singapore. Here are some of the things we squeezed in:
- A 3 day tennis camp for the boys (as much about getting them out of the house so I had time to work as it was for the experience!). They did the camp at the Dutch club, which I was able to walk to from our apartment. It was about a 20 minute jaunt, and it worked beautifully.
- Survey of apartment with the packers
- Secure visas for China
- A few last babysitting nights with our favorite babysitter, Melodie.
- A breakfast with Fina to say goodbye to her
- A few pool get togethers and dinners with friends to say goodbye
- Finalizing last things for our church callings
- Feed our neighbor's cat, Milo, for a few days
- Giving away all our electronics and appliances
- A couple robotics classes for Lewis. He had "earned" them with consistent piano practice, and he really loved trying them out.
- Last doctors' appointments
- Appointments with people to fix things in the apartment and clean the curtains, etc.
- A swimming camp for the boys for a few days during our moving days
- A couple days of packers there all day
- And let's not forget a couple last meals out and family outings to the hawker centre and such
It was exhausting but good!
Here are a few pics:
I managed to get one last visit to Telok Ayer and Lau Pa Sat market - a favorite area. It's right by the Chinese visa office, where I had an appointment to get our visas.
I also treated myself to a morning in Joo Chiat where there is some of the most beautiful and iconic architecture in Singapore. Lovely old shop houses.
Plus an afternoon on Haji Lane - my favorite!
Last luxury car sightings for a while for Beau!
Love this pic of me and my boys in the back of a taxi. Such a regular part of our life that was about to disappear.
Beau remembered the night before his half birthday that his half birthday must be coming up soon. It was a bit of inspiration, because that boy just needed some love and attention! We bought a few treats from a local bakery to celebrate!
We also let the boys do a "sleepover" to celebrate. They were so cute!!!
This was Beau's creativity coming out thanks to the lili stamens in our condo gardens.
Packing day; it's intense!
Final meal at our local hawker centre. Mmmm...miss that lime juice and chicken rice! Plus no more kopi sightings for us!
We were SO grateful, because we were able to stay at a friend's apartment while they were away instead of having to do a hotel during our moving period. Hotels also would have put us a bit far from our place, whereas their apartment was a long walk or a short bus/ mrt ride away. So helpful since we still had to be back and forth for the movers and the handover. Once our things got packed up, we moved over to D'Leedon at Farrer Rd to the Fairclough's apartment. It was really nice to get to a bit of peace and quiet, and a place with bedrooms to spread out, toys for the kids to play with, pools to explore, and even their helper to assist us a bit. It was so nice of them, and we were really grateful.
After our final handover, we had a lovely last dinner with my friend Karen from our condo. She and her son, Edmund, were in my music class, and she is an absolute gem. It was so nice to have their warmth on a tiring last day in the condo.
I took one last walk through the botanic gardens with David on our way home that night. That, more than anything, made my heart just want to burst. I loved that place. While I did that, Mike took the boys with their black lights up to MacRitchie to find scorpions at night. (They glow under the black light!!!)
After that, we had a couple last nights downtown in a hotel at the Fairmont. It was time for some last fun and drinking in Singapore!
The kids and I took in a super children's exhibit at the modern art museum.
We wandered around St. Andrew's and Chijmes and had a Japanese hibachi meal.
Melodie babysat for us one last night at the hotel so we could go out to The Study. It was the first restaurant we went to as a date night, and it's one of our absolute favorites. Such a great memory!
On our last morning, we took a walk past the cricket club where there was a big event and race happening.
Victoria Concert Hall where I sang many times!
We walked down to the Marina and took in the views of MBS and saw the Merlion.
Appropriately, the Merlion was thronged with Chinese high school students who sort of mobbed David and wanted lots of pictures with our kids.
The Esplanade in the background. The other venue where I sang and where we saw quite a few great performances.
We couldn't leave Singapore without one last meal at Din Tai Fung!!! (We might miss their dim sum and lemongrass juice more than anything!!!)
And, I had to get one last beet burger at Cedele. I had those for the first time on our look-see, and I was hooked. Oh, how I miss those!
Our dear friend Jairo was good enough to help drive us to the airport so he could say goodbye. Here we are with him as we said goodbye at Changi.
We will miss this little red dot.
