A Singaporean In Australia

All good things come to an end. As far as I'm being concerned, this year's Autumn is as good as the last three. Autumn in Perth provides the best weather anyone can ask for. It spells the end of the infuriating bout of fly infestation during Summer and serves as the transition season between Summer and Winter. Thus, each passing day in Autumn actually gets better.

To many Singaporeans, especially somehow the Singaporean daughters I know, Winter is a tad too cold. So, I am pretty sure I am not the only Singaporean who regard Autumn as the best season in Perth. Say whatever you like about how bad Perth is. I am convinced 6 months of such weather (counting Autumn's poorer cousin Spring) in a year is worth overlooking your trivialities, such as the disability to overcome your ego and perpetual needs to be loved and feel esteemed like a "First class citizen", whatever that really means.

Now, that's first class weather and that serves us really well, 24/7. No doubt some wouldn't agree, because the great feeling as a First Class Citizen probably puts a smile even in their sleep in their sauna. Cost of living in Perth may be (arguably?) higher than Singapore. I don't bother to do comparisons anymore, since I don't have access to updated figures in Singapore as time goes by. At least, I don't have to pay for cool, clean air here for 9 months of a year (including Winter)

As I have no business to do in Perth City, I have been so accustomed to not paying parking fees that I found that a real annoyance when I returned to Singapore. However I kept my comments to myself as I watched my friends tear coupons or get their cash cards in place as the way of life. I never had to pay for parking even once whenever I visited a friend's home. I don't have to worry about running out to "add time" halfway through a football match. I don't have to feel paranoid if my parking ticket dropped beyond the view of the warden or my cash card being left in my car carelessly. I don't think anyone will disagree that these are unpleasant moments in life. Find me one who really love the beeping sounds of their cash cards or one who enjoyed the attention being stuck at a carpark gantry forgetting to bring along a cash card, with a queue of honking cars behind. Get this clear - This isn't about money. It's about having to cope with a shower of annoyances in a day of our Singapore life. These stuff may seem like negligible issues to most Singaporeans, including myself when I was there, but take my word, it adds up.

Parking fees does not exist in my life. I have the option to make a U-turn at any point of a dirt central divider during rare traffic accident build up. I am not required to login certain websites once too often or risk losing privileges or face persecution. I don't physically queue, for food or seemingly whatsoever. I cannot remember the last time I was being honked on road. Drivers still give way. Cars still merge into single lanes in an orderly manner. I still knock off from work on time, at 2.30pm every day. I never had to deal with the frustrations of picking my daughter late from childcare because I was delayed at work. I pick lemons and guava from trees, with the owners' welcome. I don't wash my car for months without anyone commenting on it. I have the access to connect a real vacuum cleaner to an electrical point to clean the interior of my car. There is space to dismantle the engine if I have nothing better to do. I can plant in the ground, and not pots, if I want to. I can plant a fucking tree if I want to. I can choose any builder to build a house and any settlement agency to deal with my conveyance. Bonus for a sicko who just cannot overlook the injustice of being forced to use Lee and Lee. I don't get dogs knocking on my door before a national popularity vote. I don't see strange potted plants being lined along my residence when someone important comes by. True, Aussie politics stink in their own ways but at least no one farts directly in my face. However pathetic my car looks, I enjoy the fact I own it and not rent it for 10 years. I bought it for $1,450 with my own money and not a loan from a financial institute. One less annoying payment to look after. Again, petty trivialities. But when it all adds up...

One of my associates said, "Life is all but an illusion."

Perhaps. Most unfortunately though, the human brain is too simple to differentiate illusions from reality. At the end of the day when illusions fall apart, at least I still have the cold caress of Autumn to sooth my sleep.