Going home...

Three weeks isn’t a long time, but it feels like we’ve spent much more than 3 weeks in London. I don’t mean it in a bad way though. Its just that we did so many things that the days just seem to fill up quickly and fly by before we know it.

Undoubtedly, London is one of the easier cities to adapt to for a family like ours with a toddler. There’s no language barrier, public transport is easily accessible, safe portable water from the tap, ease of procuring food for Faith, a melting pot of nearly all the world cuisines, same electrical socket and voltage system. It is also where a few of our closer friends reside. Undeniably, it is also one of the more expensive places to live in.

Despite all its plus points (and obviously it has its quirks too), we are just relieved and glad that we would be homeward-bound on a flight in a few hours time. I used to believe in the saying that home is where the heart is.

Obviously, Louis and Faith are the closest and most important things in my heart. The fact that we are here in this city, together as a family does make the whole experience enjoyable (as compared to if Louis was here for weeks on end and Faith and I are back in Singapore).

Yet, there’s something tugging at our heartstrings even as we enjoy our time in London. It is something that calls to us whenever we are away overseas...something that draws us to want to head home.

A large part of that something is the strong family ties that we have back home: our parents, siblings, nieces and nephew. Most recently, in the last couple of years, there is also a very tangible place that we have acquired and call our home -- our sanctuary to retreat and recharge in order to face every new day.

These are the key things that call to us for every trip we make. The reasons why we will heave a sigh of relieve when we step onto the aerobridge of Changi Airport. Becos it brings us that much nearer to these things so close to our hearts.

So maybe, its really true that home is where the heart is. Wherever we are in the world, our hearts still stay in Singapore.

From Louis: In more ways than one, we’ve counted our blessings in being able to experience life like that as a family. I think Faith for example, has been probably one of the most fortunate kids we know and we hope she grows up appreciating these moments. Yet, when I look back at each trip we have taken as a family, it was always filled with a little trepidation. In all instances, a lot of courage was required. The thought of Faith getting sick when we’re miles away from home; of Eve getting sick with me still having to work and look after Faith etc – all these thoughts never cease to worry me each time I pack the whole family to trips like these. And I know it is not easy for Eve being with Faith cooped up in a hotel room - I guess one just has to experience it to know how easy it is to underestimate the strength and the will to go through this. In many ways, I will be happy when I get on board tomorrow’s flight just knowing that Eve and Faith have stayed healthy during this trip and work-wise, things have gone as smooth as they could have for me. As the perpetual optimist, I can only count my blessings, as I said. And for certain, when the plane touches down tomorrow at Changi, I’d be very relieved and will be elated to be home.