Cardiff

Cardiff will hold many memories for us. Man was lucky enough to get a 6-mth contract working with a post production house so barely two weeks after we arrived in U.K., we had to pack our bags and moved to Cardiff

Although it is the capital of Wales, Cardiff is nowhere as cosmopolitan as London. Its town centre is probably smaller than Toa Payoh Central and they only had one building with an escalator. People would expressed surprise that we spoke English so well and Man was actually asked since he was from Singapore, why he did not look like a Chinese. Nevertheless, it was new and exciting for us and it is in Cardiff that we experienced many firsts.

We had a lovely one bed apartment at Windsor Quay. Finally, our own place! No more hotel rooms or bunking over at our friends’ place. The first thing we did when we moved in is to cook and ate with our hands. Nothing tasted better! We also bought our first ever car – a rusty Ford Fiesta which did not pass its inspection a few months later. We were very fond of it since it took us on many adventures and it survived several trips to and from London (a three hour journey each way).

We celebrated the millennium in Cardiff in the midst of Ramadan. Due to the time difference, friends back home called us up when we were trying to break our fasts. They were shouting “Happy New Year! Happy New Year!” “Apa Happy New Year? Ni nak buka puasa ni!”

On weekends, we would pore over the map and try to drive somewhere. Sometimes we went to Caerphilly Castle, which means driving up this steep hill and coming down the other way. We would sometimes stop at the crest of the hill and take a short walk. You can see the remains of Caerphilly Castle, built circa 1200 (some 800 years old) and you can also see the clouds casting shadows on the land beneath. Surrounded by a moat and with its growth of duckweed and cat’s tails, Caerphilly Castle is such a romantic spot. One of its towers leans more than the Tower of Pisa.

Man loved going to Cosmeston Lake. It used to be a quarry but is now filled up into a beautiful lake, complete with swans and seagulls. We would drop by Asda (big supermarket), buy a loaf of 15p bread and go to Cosmeton Lake to feed the swans. In winter days when there are not very many visitors, the swans and the ducks would swarm around us, even tugging our coats if they think we missed them.

The Rugby World Cup came to Wales in 1999 and it was pandemonium. At work, no one can concentrate when Wales was playing. The streets would be a sea of red, with supporters dressed in their Wales jersey and painting green dragons on their faces. They had the brand spanking new Millenium Stadium for the occasion as well, which is right in the middle of town. The final was between Australia and France and the opposing teams were very good natured with Australian supporters brandishing blown-up inflatable kangaroos and French supporters with garlands of onions and berets.

It was in Cardiff that I saw my first snow. It felt miraculous! I was walking back home and suddenly noticed the rain falling looked really peculiar. Man called me “It’s snowing! It’s snowing!” Apparently he went outside and did a twirl with his arms outstretched. Until now, if it ever snow, he would call me up like an excited boy. That night when he came home, we immediately rushed down to make a snowman. The snow wasn’t very thick but by scooping all the snow on top of the car, we managed to make a tiny snowman, almost halfway up our knees. We threw snowballs at one another which was surprisingly painful and walked down to the river to see the water freezing into ice.

Of course, I will never forget Cardiff because one hot day in August, Man and I were married. It was a very simple affair. We were married by this lovely imam in a Yemeni mosque, surrounded by a few friends. Kane came all the way from London, standing 3 hours on the train to and fro, my sister and her soon-to-be husband were there all the way from Singapore and my friends from work. It was perfect. After the short ceremony where both Man and I were crying buckets, we went to have something to eat and went bowling.

I went back to work on Monday. Like she always did, Morag politely asked me “What did you do over the weekend?” I looked at her in amusement and said “I got married.”

We are in London

IU asked my story about Cardiff and I realised that very little of my old mates knew how in the world I ended up, of all places, in Cardif. It was the start of my adventures in the U.K. A lot of people thought a). I was sent here on work i.e. I enjoy the enviable expat benefits that came with it or b). I married an ang moh. It was neither.

I have always wanted to travel and if I had been a few inches higher, I would have tried to join an airline. Maybe that is a blessing in disguise because I could never fit into that famous sarong kebaya. Just like my profile said, I grew tired of working what it felt like, non stop for Cold Storage. Somehow, Man knew I was getting restless and it was not a bed of roses at all for him at work too. We decided to do this when we are without any responsibilities like mortgage and kids and that was it.

I started prepping about a year before we went – reading up on all that I could get my hands on. We stumbled upon the Working Holiday Visa which not very many Singaporeans knew about. Basically, any Commonwealth youth (under the age of 28) can apply for a Working Holiday Visa to the U.K. where they have leave to stay for two years and most importantly, legally entitled to work. Apparently, other countries like New Zealand and Australia had similar arrangements as well.

It was a stroke of luck since Man and I were nearly 28/27 respectively. I wished we had known sooner. For a lot of UK, Saffa (South African), Australian and NZ uni students, this is so well-known. They usually take Gap years in their studies to do this trip. Maybe it is not so well-known in Singapore because inevitably, uni students would try to finish their course as early as possible before landing a job before graduation. Having taken this time out from Singapore, I believe it would be beneficial if one has the means. Let’s not talk about expanding your horizons – the least that you can achieve by going away is to appreciate what you have back home!

There was a lot of paperwork to do – forms to fill, a mini-essay to write and finally an interview at the British High Commission. You also have to show that you have the means to support yourself during your stay (an equivalent of £2000 must be available in your bank account). Man and I did a nifty trick by shifting the amount between our accounts and asking for statements. Heheheheh.

We finally did it! We got a stamp in our passports, tendered in our resignations, packed our bags and said goodbye to family and friends. It was a first long flight for us and we were very excited when we touched down at Heathrow. London looked grey and the airport huge. We took the airport bus to Euston station and took the Tube.

I think the first “What the hell am I doing?” when we took the Northern Line to Tufnell Park. Oh my God! The train has wooden floors!! How far removed are we from MRT spacious carriages and clean clean floors. And you have to take a creaky, cargo like lift to exit the station. For two virgin backpackers, it was a little scary. However, all fears evaporated when we had a proper look at London the next day. We woke up in the morning, momentarily disorientated and not entirely believing “We are in London!”

Sec 2/3 1986

Nani posted this pic of us when we were in Sec 2/3. It is the compulsory photo for the school book. Inevitably, the usual gang grouped together at the back, standing on the school bench and trying not to fidget. I forgot how all of us looked when we were 14. Did I really have all that hair? Did Aishah really wear those specs?

Sec 2 was when we performeded “Swiss Boy”, an obscure pop song, for one of the school concerts. Looking back, I think it is terrible but we must have been some good to be selected to perform. What I remember was dressing up as a boy (yet again!) wearing those white gloves which we thought was quite cool.

Afternoons were spent at Far East Plaza – either hanging out at the concourse, chatting about anything or everything or looking through clothes at Metro, which we never buy. We would also hang out at Sunny Bookstore, one of the first few second-hand bookshops ever, tittering over sizzling romance books. Sweet Eli always treated us to lunch at Sate Ria which served very good soto or at McDonalds over at Liat Towers. This was way before Starbucks and the coolest thing was to hang around McD in Liat Towers or Far East Plaza. We would have a cheeseburger meal – the cheapest on the menu. They had a Big Mac promo sometimes where if you can say “Two all beef pattie, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickle, onion, on a sesame seed bun” under a minute, you’ll get a free drink.

Those in NPCC went through their trial of fire in Sec 2 – being the year where they competed for Best Contingent. I seem to have a memory of Evon and IU running around with their bowl haircuts and mess tins to cook Maggi. Even Nani sacrificed her lovely long locks – I almost didn’t recognise her after that haircut and she had to shake my arm a few times with “Ini Nani lah. Tak kenal ke?” In IU’s own words she left Computer Club (very hard to get into – have to sit IQ test all!) to join NPCC in order to panggang kulit itam legam with inverted bowl haircut.

I don’t know first hand what they went through but I remember the long marchings under the sun with their clumpy black shoes, polished to an inch of their lives, keeping a deadpan face while being shouted at by their seniors, Nani suddenly falling over in a faint under the heat. Timber! No doubt the high octane experience of priming themselves for the competition had tangled that group in an inseparable bond and yes, they won the Gold, with Anita narrowly missing winning the Best Commander. Never mind, Anita, suara mu tetap menawan.

I tried to be more “well-rounded” by joining the Air Rifle Club. It was compulsory for students to join a society and a sport. Air Rifle was the lazy girl sport of choice – we shoot the targets while lying down and even have a partner to cock and hand over the rifle. The rifles are always chained up in a locked room, all oiled and primed to go. The rifle range was at one end of the old block, right next to the tennis courts. While we were shooting at paper targets, one or two tennis balls will suddenly bounced into the range and we had to stop practice to let them retrieve their ball. Please note no Tennis girls had been reported shot. Hahahahaah!

Miss Chan gave up on us halfway through the year, to further her Christian studies– I think we were much too boisterous for her delicate senses We had a new teacher, Miss Chong. Miss Chong was cool! Hats off to her – we organised a class camping trip at Marine Parade at the end of the year.

Her boyfriend, then Rugby trainer for ACJC (am I right here IU? Or is it AJC?) and subsequently trainer for RJC rubgy, brought the rugger boys along for a concurrent Rugby training camp. The boys were hilarious. They sang a few off-colour songs during the bus ride and had their ears pulled by Miss Chong’s boyfriend. Of course, they slept in a different area. Miss Chong had some explaining to do when Trillion’s mom and dad unexpectedly turned up, not knowing that there will be burly boys sleeping metres away from their swimming champ daughter.

You have to say that Trillion has a most unique name. She is one of three sisters, the other two named Billion and Million. On the subject of names, there is also Tan Pin Pin who has a sister named Tan Lin Lin. She demonstrated to me how her father would sign his name and it looked like a centipede.

It rained that night and some of our tents were flooded. We ended up sleeping round the barbecue pit instead. I think we would anyway, because the boys told us scary ghost stories around the campfire. When we broke out to sleep, Yani was clutching my arm ferociously in fear and told me to say my prayers because we are sleeping in a strange place.

Of course my memory of this camping trip won’t’ be complete without referring to IU and Nani’s rendition of True Blue by Madonna, complete with dance steps. Altogether now…

True love, you’re the one I’m dreaming of
Your heart fits me like a glove
And I’m gonna be
True Blue I love you… I love you…