The Fifth Wheel
What?! I actually missed The Apprentice. Ugh. Yes it's still last season's finale (part 1), but as I've managed to totally screen myself from information as to who between Kelly and Blondie won, no spoilers please!
Who knew planning can be so exhausting? After a gruelling 7 hours of discussion (from 11:30am to about 7:30pm, at Harbourfront Centre and later at ComCen) regarding the extension trip with my travelmates in our small group of 5, we finally worked out an itinerary, hammered out its details, booked the necessary student hostel accommodations online, and scared ourselves with the crazy lumps of moolah we'd have to dig up for the trip.
I began to feel a bit of tension when Winnie was discussing the accommodation plans for us. It was a group of 5, with 4 girls and me, the lone guy. Haizz, it would've been a tad more convenient if some other guys came with us to facilitate the hostel bookings, but apparently the other boys are either going with their girlfriends, or going to different places with higher budgets. Besides, my buddy buddy friends aren't even going for the Czech trip at all, and this was the group I felt most comfy with, as 4 of us are Year 1s, and I particularly struck up a friendship with Hui Yin, Janice and Xiu Yin in our Choir Chalet in December.
So anyway, accommodation was kind of tricky, as there were five of us, and we had to stay in a dorm that was co-ed, and which, preferrably, housed all of us in one room. So a two double-rooms option was out of the picture, and all-girl places were out as well. I hope I didn't inconvenience them too much, although there was a tension moment when Winnie brought up the subject of the girls having an easier time booking the rooms in Florence and Rome because there was some YWCA (Young Women's Christians Association of sorts.. YMCA counterpart?) place and all-girls dorm they could book, should I decide to head for SG on June 17, instead of June 22. The decision as to when I'm coming back is unfortunately at the hands of the very slow agent, who everyone wants to strangle right now. Anyway, I made it clear that they can book ahead and I'll pay the surcharge if I decide to cancel, that it was totally fine with me sleeping at the airport and meeting up with them at the dorm the next morning, that I could go sleep at another room with a bunch of strangers just so they can easily book the rooms.
Anyway, we already have a rough sketch of the places we'll visit. On June 7-12 we'll be at Olomouc, Czech Republic for the competition proper (including a day-tour of Prague), and at noon of the 12th, we'll be off to Prague. On June 13 we'll take a coach to Frankfurt, before we take off for Milan late at night. We spend a day or so in Milan, before proceeding to Venice on the 15th.
If I go home on the 17th, I'll be flying solo to Rome on the 16th and do a quick-quick tour by my lonesome and catch up with the June 17 group at the Airport. Being in Rome on the 17th is not a bad idea too, as it is a Wednesday, and according to Winnie, the Pope addresses an audience every Wednesday at the Vatican.
If I go home on the 22nd, we leave for Florence on the 17th, sight-see for a good two days, then leave for Rome on the 19th. Then sight-see again, then leave for SG on the 22nd.
Return trips to SG aren't final yet, thanks to our lousy travel agent, so we can't finalize everything yet.
Oh, and based on our calculations, the entire extension trip, meaning that after the Olomouc stay, will cost a whopping S$1300.
Sometimes I wish money would just rain from the sky. Sometimes I wish I had good sideline jobs to accommodate my busy choir schedule, as I happen to agree with Wayne on his latest post, saying (to paraphrase) that it sucks to be staying in Singapore not earning any money, and spending for food and accommodation at a price way higher than if I were at home.
And when I come back from the trip, I'd have to ask my folks to buy me the air ticket home too, as I would die of starvation if I stayed here. Thing is, I also intend to pass by Manila and Los Baños, to visit old friends and cousins, and to see how my sister Kai is doing in LB (and okay, to bunk at Jasper's place too haha), and all that isn't free of course.
Had a good chat with Jasper on YM. Yes, Jay, someday we'll be so filthy rich I wouldn't have to starve myself in my attempts to "produce" money by saving, since earning money is unfortunately denied to me (partly because of me too).
OK, I didn't mean this to be another addition to my series of sympathy-evoking (read: pathetic) entries, but woohooo I'm going to Europe (prerequisite: semi-starvation).
Music of the Moment: All Saints' Pure Shores
Currently feeling contemplative.
