Saturday, December 09, 2006
[*cA$tLe.$ .wiTh L0V.e*] ...back from prague! so fast. wish i had more time there. if possible, wished time would have stopped while we were there. the weather was great, there was no homework/ test/ exams, it felt like i was free in another world. the feeling was great, we bonded closer together.
this trip is very significant to me. besides bringing CJC choir to a new level, this trip was also the last time jasmine would be spending time with us as a CJ student. the person i spent the most amount of time with this year is gonna go poly, but it's for the best i guess. but it's always hard to say goodbye, and we only had one year together. well, i guess God has a reason for letting such things happen. i just gotta be strong and let go. God is always with me, i'll never be alone.
well. this trip was definitely different from the 2 i went with ij choir. very very different. besides having guys around this time, we're in a country which spoke a different langguage. and also, everything was more strict. but i guess that's why we became more responsible and all.
on the night of departure, hoe and sam L. came over to my house then we went for dinner at hawkerway. afterwhich, we went back to my house, got our lugguage and off to the airport we went. aunty rita came with uncle to send me off since mommy, daddy and my brother were in melbourne. yup. i was very touched cos i never really expected them to come. i was kinda prepared to send myself off. yup. the rest came shortly after and we checked-in, prayed, said our goodbyes and off we went.
the flight there was quite ok. sat with marcus, charmaine and joseph. yup. watched X-men 3, ate, tried to sleep and played tic-tac-toe. haha. yup. then we finally reached vienna airport. cleared customs and took our baggage and off to the bus we went. the moment we stepped out of the airport, warm air was coming out of our mouths and everyone was kinda excited over that. haha. then we board the bus. whee!! haha. jas was sitting with me, cheryl L and janis in front, and fabian and da niu behind.
the bus ride was fine, except that everyone kinda got hungry soon after. and to top it off, we were caught in a jam so the 4 hour long bus ride stretched to 5 instead. coffession time. i had a terrible gastric after that. lunch was quite hard for me to eat cos all i felt was to vomit everything out. but thankfully, after bathing and resting for 20 minutes, i felt much better, but the pain still dwelled in my stomach. anyways, people kinda got the meeting time mixed up and ended up being late which kinda made mr toh angry. yup. we went to old town square after that, changed our euros to crowns and walked around. everyone kinda came early so that we will not get scolded and we went to albert to get water and while the rest went back to the hotel, a group of us went to get our dinner at the chinese restaurant. shared with jas, went back hotel then practiced at the 5th floor.
practice was bad. everyone was very tired, or just not in the mood. so we kinda made mr toh angry again. he shortened practice for us to sleep earlier. cos he could see we were very tired and practice wasn't going anywhere. we went sent to sleep, the next day, it was choir practice day. combine in the morning which was still the same as the night before, sectionals in the afternoon and then combine, dinner and then combine. by night, everyone was very tired and the competition was the next day.
okies. it sounds quite bad. but we manage to pull through. had practice in the morning then off to the competition venue for warm ups again then to the stage we went to sing out all the hard work we've put in for the past few months.
had a great feeling after singing. yup. then we went to eat lunch at some shopping mall. went back to watch somemore choirs perform, went back to the hotel, had dinner, went to watch some mozart opera thing then back to the hotel we went.
next day, we went to watch somemore choirs perform, went for lunch, watched RI perform then went for our city tour. yup. went back hotel, bathe, eat dinner, and to the results venue we went. it was so nerve wrecking!!! i felt like i was going to have a heart attack man. haha. and we got GOLD !!! haha. yeah!!!
The next day, we went to Kutna hora . the bone church was quite hard to stomach man. Yup. I shan’t go into details. Then we went to the church, sang in there, ate lunch, walk somemore to tour the place then went back to Prague. We stayed at hotel harmony. My room was the only room on the 6 floor!!! So creepy k. and the lift was quite cool but scary cos it’s quite ancient and it jerks at which ever level it’s supposed to stop.
Anyways, the second day for our stay at hotel harmony, we had another Prague city tour in the morning till mid afternoon. This time we went from charles bridge up to the castle. We witness the changing of guard duties and then we had lunch at the restaurant where raffles voices were eating too. Yup. We had free time after that, during which I bought a nice hat which I totally love right now. Haha. Mmmm. Went back to the hotel, cos we were early, me and jas took our shower first then rushed down. Well, you see, we were supposed to meet at the lobby at 5.30 pm. I took my shower, then jas took her’s. at 5.28 pm, she rushed out of the toilet, her hair still wet and all, we ran down 6 floors to the lobby. Haha. And we reached punctually at 5.30 pm.
Haha. Guess what happened after that? The teachers gave us 1 hour to bathe. Haha. So nat had one whole hour to bathe since me and jas already bathe. So in the end, jas and I stoned and rest during that one hour. Haha. Went for dinner at some pasta place near our hotel then had reflection and night night.
Went to Cesky Krumlov the next day. 4 hour bus ride, but the trip to Cesky Krumlov was so worth it. The place was just simply breathtaking! I’m serious. Haha. Yup. We had our lunch, checked in and had a tour. Haha. Then we had free time and dinner on our own, then we had reflection, mr toh came to talk to us and you guys know what happened.
Next day, we had tour to the castle!!! There were the bears!!! Haha. And we got to see them!!! Yeah. Yup. Toured Cesky Krumlov then went back to the hotel at 12.15 pm, had our lunch on our own and free time, then had discussion in our groups for orientation 07 for choir, had our own dinner again then back for presenting of our ideas.
Next day, we left for Vienna, had our short tour of the city cos the bus ride from Cesky Krumlov to Vienna was 4 to 5 hours long. Yup. Rushed our lunch then had the tour. Checked into the hostel at 6 pm around there. Met at lobby at 6.30 pm then had dinner on our own. Went back to bathe, met at lobby then had reflection. After which, we had EXCO meeting. Then off to bed I went.
Next morning, had breakfast, checked out and to the airport we went. The flight back was sort of solitary confinement for me. Cos I was not sitting with anyone from the choir at all. But I had the window sit though. And the lady who was sitting next to me was alone too. So 2 lonely were sitting together. She’s very nice. Took care of me and all. Yup. The flight back was nice. We flew over a vast range of snowcapped mountains. Looking up, I saw stars covered sky. It was just too beautiful to forget and comprehend.
Well. That’s how my trip went in my eyes and how I felt it was. It left an important mark in my heart. And it’s something I’ll never ever forget. I would love to go back to Prague again. It’s just not enough for one visit.
Love,
Cheryn …
posted at 12/09/2006 08:27:00 am
