The first week of Summer began and what a great way to start it. The weather forecast made me a happy man. It made me almost feel like joining a Great Singaporean BBQ on the coming weekend. The nights would be comfortable enough for me to sleep in T-shirt and shorts. Since I moved to Perth, I grew to appreciate the luxury of sleeping without air conditioning or switching on fans. Only then, I realised how the noise from electronic appliances affect our sleep and overall mental well being. All my nights here for the last half a year or so couldn't be much better I would ask for. No noise from cars or motorcycles, except for the very occasion humming of a passing airplane far, far away. It was a blessing to be able to sleep well in total silence, other than music of nature such as cricket calls or the wheezing wind. Gone were the nights where I woke up in sweat or to a nightmare and found myself unable to get back to sleep under the bright Singapore night sky, engulfed in the chorus of human activities of my HDB neighbours.
No doubt when Summer finally arrives I will have to endure a whirring companion in the bedroom but these days will come to pass and go before long. I can't stress enough how contented I am to receive the gift of wondrous sleep here. I didn't even believe such a thing exist anymore until my short holiday here in 2007. It had me drugged like an addict, the more I was deprived, the more I yearned for it.
We spend 1/3 of our life sleeping. If you find yourself perpetually spending 1/4 or less of your 24 hours on sleep, you should consider an examination of your lifestyle. For the sheer quality of sleep I have in Perth, I can confidently tell anyone who ask me to explain why life is better in Perth than Singapore. Better sleep alone already covered 30% of the inquired justification. Good sleep is not over-rated, trust a cancer patient on that. I'll leave you to figure out the other 70% that is meaningful to you.
Good night.
I agree with you totally. I mean you would not been able to get this temp on a cool night in Singapore. You still sweat like a pig. But here the tranquility of an uninterupted sleep is sibe shiok
ReplyDeleteDa Great Singaporean BBQ ingredients (circa 1980s to 1990s, Marine Parade hangout):
ReplyDeleteMetal trough (unless you dig sand pit, but dont get caught by matah)
Charcoal at least 2 kg
Wire mesh
TA MA fire starter
Lighter
Chicken wing: sweet Soya sauce marinate, Balchang chili marinate, BBQ flavour sauce, Curry powder,
Yellow tail Fish
Sliced Squid
Otah sticks
Sweet potato
Water container 5-10L
Ice + water
Cordial (orange)
Aluminium foil
Butter
Cooking oil (or spray)
Old newspaper
Garbage bags
Paper plate
Plastic forks and cups
Old newspaper
Glo-sticks (for at night)
If rich family: pork chops or beef chop or chicken fillets (I not from rich family but heard some ppl do this, also bring maid to do BBQ for you)
Emergency hangout area if rain or lost in dark: East Coast/Marine Parade MacDonald Drive-in
Must also bring $2 for ice cream from Macca
As long as it is not too loud, i often find the soft whirring of the fan helps me to sleep and not get distracted by the creaking here and there in the still of the night. You should join the BBQ this weekend. The weather forecast is a very nice 30 deg max!
ReplyDelete