I am back!

It’s been 3 days ever since I touched down on Singapore and yet, I’m still trying to readjust back to ‘normal’ life back here… it’s weird, having to go about my daily chores and get my life up and running. No need to wear long sleeves, nor the head scarf… No unwanted attention from the opposite sex… No friendly kids or ladies who smile shyly at you or call u out from a distance…

I tried my best to resume my life back to normal as soon as possible by going swimming and running the past 2 days. Found the swim to be tougher than I expected. :p Haven’t swam for the past month anyway! Enjoyed both activities but yet, something seems to be missing… I do enjoy the solitude but it’s just… something seems to be missing…

I’m definitiely not used to things around here yet. After 1 month, I’m not used to seeing drivers sitting on the right side of the car in Singapore, I’m not used to looking right before crossing the road, I’m definitely not used to the HUMIDITY level here (it’s CRAZY! Is it like 101%?!?!), I’m not used to being alone and not talking to anyone about countries and politics and exchanging email addresses… and I’m suffering from withdrawal symptoms from… the food.

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In Iran, the drivers drive on the left side, like the Americans. Hence, u will have to look left before crossing the road. I’m always splattering loads of moisturizer after bathing everyday, as well as the lip balm, cuz it’s so DRY there! The skin on my hand around the knuckles peeled whenever I miss a day of applying lotion. Both my heels cracked and left very deep cuts the 1st week when I was there and it hurt like MAD! Owww! They are completely healed now. No pun intended.

I did not email nor blog in the last week of my holidays cuz I was simply too busy taking in the sights and sounds of Esfahan. It got to be the most beautiful city I had been to in the whole of Iran. I love it. In fact, I’m going to go back to Iran one day and Esfahan will be one of the cities I will revisit.

When I was in Esfahan the last few days, I stayed in a dormitory. It was actually a room with 4 beds, each night costing me only S$5.60! I wanted a single room, but it was full. This hostel is very popular with travelers as well, so I had lotsa company! And the other 3 beds were all occupied by Japanese backpackers, all of whom have been traveling for a year and more! I feel like a little girl with them. Well, to a certain extent, I was, cuz I was the youngest!

There were tables outside the rooms and many travelers would self-cater and dine outside. There’s a fridge for u to store any leftover food u have. I arrived Esfahan at about 7pm on the 1st day and there were only 1 Jap guy, Naoki, and me in the same room that night. The 2nd, came another lady and guy… Thought they were a couple at 1st, but they are only friends who are traveling through the world on the same route and they met earlier in India! Hence, they arranged to meet up again in Iran. Cool eh? Wow… I wonder how it would feel like if I have fellow Singaporeans doing this round-the-world thing and then we arrange to meet up at different points along our route on different continents! Totally awesome! They are actually traveling certain parts of the journey together. If one wants to go somewhere and the other don’t, then they would simply split. This was the case for Naoki who was with a married couple, Atsushi & Misa, during the earlier part in Iran. They went separate ways after that at the hostel.

Staying in a dormitory means having to think of others at times; when they want to sleep, u have to turn in too so that the light can be switched off, otherwise go outside of the room. Not much privacy to talk about, but they are travelers too and each of us understands one another, so we would not poke around. Trust is an issue too, and I feel I have no problem with that at all.

Luckily it was my last few days, so I need not wash my laundry. :p The toilets and bathroom are outside and I’m too lazy to wash my clothes too. Simply packed everything to go home and wash. I have this habit to bath every night before going to bed, but the Japs… mmm… maybe they shower in the morn or afternoon when I’m already out, cuz they do not seem to have the routine (although they may have been out the whole day already).

On my 3rd and final night at the hostel, I got the chance to talk to the 5 Japanese and 1 Korean guy at the hostel. They have been hanging out with one another during the day. I’m always alone, and going to all the sights. I did meet them at the teahouse on both 1st and 2nd day evenings. It was great. I felt like a ‘real’ backpacker then, for having stayed in a dorm(it’s my 1st time!) and hanging around the communal areas chit-chatting with like-minded people. It felt like there was nothing in the world that I need to care about. I’m simply a young girl out there wanting to explore the world and fulfilling my desires to see, hear and smell what She has got to offer.

On my last day in the hostel, I had breakfast with the rest of them at the table and I loved it! I always loved to self-cater and eat in a communal way… there was lotsa fruits and veg, with some bread, cheese, yoghurt and tuna. Delicious. The company was great, the food was good and the feeling? Never been better. So glad that there was no single rooms available and I had to stay in the dorm instead. Otherwise, I would have become a hermit crab and hide into my room everytime I return from my day’s exploration. Things happen for a reason eh? Wonderful memories as a result.

All of us exchanged email addresses. In fact, I have been giving out my email address every single day in Iran. The people are simply too friendly. They would chat with you, and then offered you their email address or ask for yours. I had been busy emailing everyone in my notebook the past 3 day. How I wish this holiday would go on…

Withdrawal symptoms: Food. I miss the food soooo badly… The bread, the rice mixed with butter, the grilled chicken, the onions, the mint/parsley leaves, the yoghurt, the olives, the salad… Owww… one of their kind of bread is like the Indian naan and I know it can be bought in Cold Storage, but at a very ridiculous high price! It’s really just flour and water… How can they charge $3+ for 6 pieces of that??!! And it’s merely 15cm apart in size! Crazy! Guess I’m only going to satisfy my cravings by going to Turkish restaurants… Anyone know of any Iranian restaurants here?

It’s late and I’m going to turn in. I will write more soon.