2 weeks away from Singapore…here are my accounts. I wrote everyting on a book cos there was no free internet access in Taiwan.

Day 1 in ROC

12 mins to land at Kaoshiung says the captain. As I woke up from my light sleep, i peek through the window. Wow at that hour the sun was already bright and casted on this Chinese Land. For the rest of the time, i just stare and the clouds and felt a peaceful feeling in me. For a long time, i’ve never felt this way. A new environment I told myself.

Once landed we checked out. Buses were already waiting for us. Its a double story bus but the first level has no seats. Its more for storage I think. Journey to Heng Chun Camp took 2 hours.

Roads…

Ok being Perfect Melancholy i took notice of the road system there. It was left hand driving but the cars move on the right side of the road. Basicly it follows the US road system. The motorcycles there. I was surprised to see that most of the folks there ride automatic motorcycles and yeah the highway has a road specially for motorcycles. So they are four columns of roads on the highway instead of two.

Greeted by 4 SIR.

The moment i debus from my bus, I saw my former specialists and men. Everyone was puzzled by my appeareance. Of course there and then i had to explain to everyone why i was there. This time round i will not be with them but be a neutral to empire the whole ATEC. Of course my former superiors also saw me. If i had continued serving army last year i would not be able to come here and see the batallion that we’ve groom to go for this evaluation.

Time passes quite slowly…

Well we waited for our kitbags to arrive 2 hours later, so i had to walk around in PT kit with leather shoes. Looks funny siah..but heck who cares..there were a few others who were like me

The bunk…ooh gosh on the door placed there..only for Sore Eyes patients. God this was a bunk for sore eyes personal but they’ve clean up the place lah. At this moment there are over 30 military personals infected with sore eyes. They knew we were coming so the doctors have to evacuate them to a new camp which was a quite a distance from this camp.

Well the bed i would not complain much. Its not like singapore where we have king coil and for officers the bunk is meant for two persons. Now it was more like a mass orgy all the specialist and officers cramped together into the room. Ok it is not exactly cramp but yeah to me this is fine. Been to worse places yah..

The rest of the day was just mingling and there was really nothing to do. What i did was went around the camp and explored every corner of it. By evening we receive temporary camp passes, so some of us went out to the shop ourselves to use the computers or for dinner. Well no halal food though but i just drank coke. Internet usage is 10 NT for 35 mins. 10 NT is equivalent to 50 cents.

By 5pm it was already like Singapore at 6pm. The current season which is summer to autumn transition. The day will be bright by 4.30am (So subuh is actually at 3am). darkness will fall around 5.30pm (total darkness by 7pm). There was more day than night during this season.

27th Aug 05 0000 hrs

FLIGHT

ARRIVAL: BR 1216 27 AUG 05 0230 HRS
DEPARTURE: BR 1281 12 SEP 05 0055 HRS

This figures were written on my book 2 days before this trip. At this moment in time I was at the airport. Being a kiasu Singaporean i came too early actually at 2330 hrs. Gosh there was only a few souls. My father sent me down to the airport but he did not see me off. So there I was alone staring at the huje space filled with light s and noises of stamping and so on.

I found a seat and took this book and wrote this. Seriously i was bored. Soon after a few smses from the JK came in and Suzi personally called me to say her farewells. Ahh so sweet.

By 0015 hrs the room was filled with Military personals. Of course at this moment of time everyone was wearing civilian attire but looking at the haristyle you would just know lah. Met up with Ray and Gangwei.

Hmm the first time I talked to Staff Sergeant Johnathan Tan. Seems to be a lacau soldier but i have my doubts. Let’s see along the way.

We checked in and boarded our plane. It was actually EVA Air Ways. Well its a free trip right. I have no complains. When was the last time I’ve flown on a plane?? That was so long ago man - 8 years ago.