Missing Manchester

Jenny called me a couple of days ago. The call which was initially for 'official purposes' inevitably end up being gossip-filled (as usual).

We talked about work, and how mundane life has turned out for us. This is in a way true, working life has restricted our liberty to go where ever we desire, when ever we want to! It's clipped our wings and freedom to travel! The thought of skipping a day or two of classes for a long weekend break in Ibiza is now a day-dream!

We talked about how much we missed Manchester and how Europe seems 'untouchable' for us right here, right now; although the GBP has dropped to an all-time low.

We reminisced about her Subway job, my bancuh-kopi job; and how we stuck to those jobs despite the fact that we hated such brainless activities which only required manual labour. I recall having to read till 3am for my thesis, waking up at 6am, and walking to work by 7am, with the MP3 blaring loud music through my ears, armed with a thermos mug of coffee in my hand, making my way through the cold, dark wintry morning to my bancuh kopi place. "Why?"; many of you may ask. The answer is simply;
Job = Money = Travel/Holidays/Shopping!!!!
That was probably the mantra we lived by, and what we swore by for 12 months!

Which reminds me of our stint as tv-commercial extras with Park Ji-Sung. And not forgetting, our experience auditioning for another commercial with him in it, where we had to dance to the tune of Saturday Night Fever (if my memory does not fail me). Lols!!!!

On another note, NS posted a couple of albums in Facebook recently. Chinese New Year in Chinatown and a couple of 'tourist spots' in Manchester. I recalled life as a 'yellow-skinned' in a land of whites. I remembered how confusing it could be trying to explain to people that I'm Malaysian foremost and of Chinese origin. And all the more, how difficult it could be explaining the concept of chinese-go-by-both-their-middle-and-first-names scenario to the Mat Sallehs around. Sometimes I give up but there are times where I would stubbornly insist on them addressing me by both names. :P

As I was looking through her pictures, I could feel myself going, "Hey! That's Nicholas' St. in Chinatown!" "Hey! That's Wong Wong!" "Hey! That's Canal St.!" But perhaps, more strikingly, I went, "Ah, NS.... It's been ages since I saw her!!!!!" and "NS & D, so sweet!!!" :) (Hey, seriously!!!)

Oh well, as for now, (as discussed with Jenny); we've got to contend with AirAsia breaks around the Asian region. So girls, keep an eye on your Facebook invites! ;)

We shall revive the Manchester travel bug; Asian version!

-LV-