-Rest in peace Grandma, I'll always miss you

It took me a three hour drive before crossing over into Tuas via the Second link. We passed the customs and immigration checks by 0900hours. First stop, Pasir Ris, to pick up my aunt before heading to grandma’s cemetery cruising alongside Symphony 92.4 (mom’s favourite radio channel in Singapore). Pretty fair considering that she had tolerated my blasting death/black metal music for the past 3 ½ hours. With smooth sailing traffic on a moist Sunday morning, accompanied by orchestral music, we arrived Chua Chu Kang (Muslim burial grounds) about an hour later. After approximately 490kms of non-stop driving, I’ve reached the most heart-wrenching location on earth, to offer prayers and pay homage to the person I love most, bar my parents. Al-Fatihah, Yasin and Tahlil go out to her…I’m glad that Mother Nature sympathized my pleas and she stopped the pouring rain when I arrived.

-skyline view at night

We then checked in at the Marina Mandarin at noon, which is situated next to Suntec City and The Esplanade, also about 15mins walk to Orchard Road. We stayed there for about two nights where I did my annual shopping. Thanks to the ever so lovely Ms Ayu (my best friend since I was 3), my trips back home are always filled with fun and laughter, plus some exercise (ayu’s a fitness freak!) just kidding dear ;p Unfortunately the night before raya, she had to go down to KL, cos that’s where her daddy’s family is from. But I’m still grateful to get to catch up with her before she left.

-also copped these new albums while I was there (from top): Children of Bodom’s (Melodic Death Metal from Finland) “Are You Dead Yet” / John 5’s (former Marilyn Manson guitarist) “Songs For Sanity” / Impiety’s (Singaporean Black Metal) “Paramount Evil”