tas

tas was beautiful. tas as in tasmania, but tas just sounds more intimate, like a close relative or a town where i was born. and before you ask, no i wasn't born there but after one week of exploring the nooks and crevices you feel as if you know it. there was nothing much to do, not so rich in history like europe and not so glamorous like its northern cousins; melbourne and sydney. but why would you want to visit if it was exactly like other cities anyway.

tas was tas. simple, clean, uncluttered and raw. clean blue water that glisten in the sun. skies so blue and clear which reminded me that i have forgotten how it should really look like. fresh air, with no scent of smoke or haze. i can breathe once more. the evening sky was amazing. i have never seen the night sky literally littered with so much stars. the world, nature, has given us so much, and sometimes all we have to do is just take a few more steps and stop to look at it.

we were acutely deficient in the r&r area for some time. december came and went without so much as a break, bodies were rioting against prolonged stress and the brains were slowly shutting down. we needed this tasmanian holiday, as much as their tourism needs us perhaps. (grins) yes, that was a subtle intimation that not many people travel to tasmania, not even tourists. i drove for hours without seeing another car and their 'highway' linking major towns is akin to our kampung roads, with perhaps a tad million more roadkills. however, that was exactly what i wanted, and what i needed. therapy.

the itinerary was planned in so much detail, albeit a little hurriedly because of the towering pile of work on my table whining for my attention, right down to what time we leave where and what time we head to which restaurant for dinner. that was the virgoan side of me in action, but the 43yo me has since learned to chill and incorporate a 'whatever, we are on holiday' leeway to the plans. 3 days before departure, dear hubs invited along his sisters for the trip. we have made the invitation countless times over the past month. come along, it'll be fun. come on, it'll be free. still no one took us up on the offer, saying that timing just wasn't right. well, 3 days before the trip, the timing became right! as you can imagine, logistically it was a nightmare. all accommodations, flight and rental car bookings have been made. it wasn't just adding another 2 more pax, it was a hell more complicated than that.

that was where the story could have gone down 2 roads. many would have chosen to made a big fuss over it, scream at their hubs for last minute invitations, throw not-so-subtle insinuations at in-laws for last minute acceptances and downright refuse to do any alteration to holiday plans. but what is the point of that? who wins with temper tantrums and altercation? our life is filled with so many such choices. the lives we touch are determined by such choices. it's not like asking one to break into alcatraz and smuggle prisoners out. it's just a little more hassle and inconvenience than normal. i had to add rooms to 3 different hotels, to change the 4WD to a mini-van and to cajole the landlady of a 2-bedroom house to add some mattresses on the floor. ok, that last one was a little more frustrating because the landlady was basically an unco-operating bitch  and perhaps unappreciated woman but nothing stops a fire faster than praises and sweet compliments, or so i have learnt. ha! never knew honey puts out fire.

and so, with no acrimony and animosity (we are learning the alphabet 'a' today) to spoil the trip, it was indeed a pleasant one. and i got the r&r that i so badly needed.