I Travelled With My Mother And We Had A Huge Fight

PART 1

A phone call from mom woke me up. She decided to disturb me with her news of going for a vacation in our province. For me, It was almost 30 years since I haven’t been to my birthplace. Although, I have lots of happy memories from my hometown, it was never easy to go home. First, because plane flights are not as popular, convenient and cheap during my younger years. Second, because mom had a phobia in travelling by the sea. And third, because we simply doesn’t have any time or good reason to go back.

For my mother, going back after many years was a thrill. I can obviously hear her excitement from the other side of the world. Her delight influenced me into blurting out that I wanted to go and travel with her. I saw that it was a good chance to finally re-explore the place where half of my childhood memories sets. Also, it was a fine time to finally travel and bond with mom.

After we hang up the phone, I’m into another dimension imagining all the beautiful scenery I wanted to witness. I was also listing in my mind all the food and restaurants which I wanted to try. As our set date is nearing, I began packing my huge luggage full of nice attires. I played dressed-up in the mirror to simulate all the cute dresses I prepared. I was so ready that I forgot nothing including having to pack a fully charged camera battery. Yes, I’m feelin’ touristy and ecstatic.

When the day finally came, I met mom at the airport. I decided to take a short layover in Manila to wait for her and have a an hour flight together going to Bacolod. Bacolod is the capital city of Negros Occidental, a large island that hails from the Visayas region of the Philippines. Basically, it was situated in the central part of the country.

I reviewed my bucket list while on flight too make sure I had used up all our time well in exploring the city. I also squeezed a side trip going to the famous beautiful beach. In fact, I expanded  my time by deciding to go straight to the airport after an exhausting 12 hours night shift duty. That means, I was wide awake for more than 24 hours when mom and I arrived from our destination.

The city (as I recall it) doesn’t changed much after almost 3 decades. So, it was not surprising that mom was already unfamiliar with the specificity of the place. As we got to the town where the address is directing us, we decided to ask people in each corner of the streets if they knew someone named Yen - mom’s long lost cousin. This system of finding someone made me really exhausted.

Until, finally we were directed to a town hall. A good-hearted security guard allowed us to wait for their boss. According to him, the director of the geological division of the city will be reporting anytime soon. She is Aunt Yen.

We were allowed to wait for aunt to report for work at the outdoor garage. It was almost noontime and the sun on our faces was already causing too much discomfort. That moment ignited me with tantrums. I felt like I was going crazy and will soon pass out from the heat and not having sleep. I tried so hard to nap but I simply can’t with all the inconvenience. Also, I kept on asking the guards about the time and grumble every minute. I started to complain about how people in the province are taking things too slow. At this moment, Mom, in her effort to divert my irritation, asked me to go out for a while and explore the places nearby.

She took me to the cathedral where we used to worship every Sunday. The church looks and feels like I time-travelled from my past. I can see that mom is having a good time reminiscing all her past experiences in the place. Of course, I poses for lots of shots. What else should I do but materialise my touristy desire. When we eventually decided to go home, we passed by my kindergarten. I felt proud and saw how mom was all smile and happy.

However, when we got back at the town hall to anticipate for my Aunt, we were greeted with a bad news. Aunt Yen will only be able to report for duty in the afternoon. This announcement by the securities boiled my blood to death. How can I even rest and move on for our next itinerary? I begun to wail at my mom. I blamed her for the ruined day.

We are supposed to stay at my Aunt’s house. She invited us to stay in their abode for 2 weeks. In addition, her husband freed up his schedule to drive us into places. But I gave mom all the sharp look, dragged my stuffs and shouted b@llsh#ts at her while I leave her behind.

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Things To Do and Spots Not To Miss At Singapore Botanic Garden

The Singapore Botanic Garden is so vast that you need a day to explore the whole area. In fact, it owns the largest plants exhibit in the world, over 60,000 in number. Thus, making the Singapore Botanic as the only tropical garden to be honoured by the UNESCO world heritage (2016).

Certainly, there are numerous of things you can do in the garden. As for me, here are the 10 things I enjoy every time I visit the garden:

1. Admiring the greenery and all the pretty flowers it behold.

2. Taking photos of every beautiful sites we find.

3. Relaxing while sitting at the bench or laughing with friends in a spread of cloth in the lawn. 4. Observing and appreciating the fishes and swans at the lake and pond.

Also, the birds, butterflies and chickens flying and roaming around the forest area.

5. Having picnic with family.

6. Walking, exercising or jogging along the trail to stay fit.

7. Watching masters play with their pets.

8. Checking out fashionable and cute dogs around.

9. Dining at the garden restaurants or nearby the vicinity.

10. Researching and learning different botanical species at the museums inside the garden.

11. Watch free entertainment at the Symphony Lake.

Also, here are the 20 spots I love and I don't miss each time I roam around the garden:

1. Swan Lake

2. SPH Walk of Giants

3. Palm Valley

4. Heritage Garden

5. Symphony Lake

6. National Orchid Garden

7. Sun Garden

8. Ginger Garden

9. Marsh Garden

10. Curtain of Roots

11. Saraca Fish Pond

12. Eco Lake

13. Sundial Garden

14. Bamboo Collection

15. Garden Sculptures

16. Evolution Garden

17. Bark of Trees

18. Foliage Garden

19. Trellis Garden

20. Bonsai Garden

Other interesting sites are listed below. It is as worth to check out as those mentioned above:

1. Herbs & Spices Area

2. Ethnobotany Garden

3. Library of Botany and Hidden Culture

4. CDL Greenery Library

5. Nuts & Trees Area

6. Fragrant Garden

7. Jacob Ballas Children Garden

8. Healing Garden

9. Keppel Discovery Wetlands

10. Rain Forest Trail

11. Frangipani Collection

12. Healing Garden

HOW TO GET TO THE GARDEN

Singapore Botanic Garden is located within the city proper of Singapore and is accessible via public transport such as the MRT and Bus. The garden has its own MRT stations: Circle Yellow Line (alight at CC19 Botanic Gardens Station) and Downtown Blue Line (alight at D19 Botanic Gardens Station). Coming from different parts of Singapore, simply hop on from the nearest train station and change train service accordingly.

Buses that stops at the garden are nos.: 7, 105, 106, 111, 972. For private vehicles, carparks are provided at Tyersall Avenue and Cluny Road.

There is no entrance fee required to the garden. Visitors are welcome from 5 AM until 12 Midnight.

However, the National Orchid Garden which is inside the premises, operates from 8:30 in the morning to 7 in the evening.

The orchid garden charge 5 Singapore dollars per person for adults and 1 Sgd for students and senior citizens. For children below 12 years old, it is free.

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What Others Did Unto You, You'll Do Unto Others

What Others Did To You

It was my first time outside the country and my purpose of visit is to accompany my younger sister while she takes on a new job offer as well as help her manage this transition. After such time that she will be able and stable, Im done - and I have to go home. This aim had kept me focused. So while my sister is busy with her legalities, I kept my daily routine of cooking, housekeeping, scheduling and such for her. But little did I realised that I can also loosen up a bit while doing so.

Luckily, somebody made me conscious about that. He has a good heart to divert me from mundane tasks. He (my then ex-boyfriend, now my husband) gave me and my sister a break. He was kind enough to offer and take us for a one whole day stroll at the Botanic Garden. So, we excitedly acknowledge his invitation, changed our clothes and zoomed at the bus stop.

As soon as we get to the garden, we were greeted by doves around the fish pond. Then, few hours after, we hooked ourselves in observing all the swans at the gorgeous lake. In fact, we were there for more than an hour, enjoying the scenery, the happy people around and the fresh air emitted by the surrounding trees.

Subsequently, we walk towards the symphony lake, sat at the grass for a long while and entertained ourselves with all the cute dogs playing around with their best friends. We moved on after a long while, by wandering at the lovely flower area and admiring all of them. As we grew tired, we settled down on a wooden bench and had a hearty, silly and playful laugh while ex-boyfriend is busy taking photos around. And when the night came, we direct ourselves for a long forest walk and down to a private road looking for something to eat.

To sum it all up, we had a wonderful, relaxing and delightful day. It made us appreciate more the foreign country we are staying and of course, the guy who extended a hand to welcome and saunter us around.

Few weeks had passed, we still can’t stop talking about our nice day at the garden. We can’t help but adore all the photos we had taken.

Fast forward to 2 years, mom and dad had booked tickets to visit us.

You Do Unto Others

How joyful and thrilled we are to finally introduce to our parents the country of our bread and butter. Of course, their itinerary for a month was packed with touristy activities and places. My sister and I divided our time with them equally. Fortunately, I was the first to take them out.

After work, I fetched them and gladly exclaimed that we are going somewhere they can breath fresh air, lay on the grass and had some mini picnic just like when we were kids. I believe they are still tired from their flight the night before. So a stroll at the Botanic Garden will just be fine to warm them up in a foreign land.

Upon arriving, I showcased to them the fish pond while remembering exactly how it feels when my ex-boyfriend brought me and my sister there. Further, they found the swan lake irresistible. Also, we lazed at the gazebo, ate our packed fruits and chips and gazed at the beauty of the serene lake. We actually waited for the shy swans to swim nearby us. Unluckily, after an hour they never came.

Consequently, we decided to slowly walk surrounding the lake to appreciate the fishes and turtles instead. And that was the time when we finally had a glimpse of the gorgeous swans. Seeing my parents smile while they watch the beautiful swans preciously creates a joy in my heart. As soon as the swans moved away, we spread our picnic cloth at the lawn overlooking the symphony and stayed there until it was too dark to see the stage and the people around us.

Going home, my soul is full. It is true that what others did to you and how it made you feel, you’ll most likely wanted to pass it on to others. Like anger, love, laughter and such, kindness is contagious. The actions, gestures and treatment that a person bestowed unto you will always have an unconscious impact. People may be kind-hearted or evil-hearted simply because somewhere along the road somebody had been to them.

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https://www.thediaryofahousewife.com/post/i-travelled-with-my-mother-and-we-had-a-huge-fight