I have less than 365 days I suppose

"I will visit you in York" Those words constituted a promise I made to her which breathed life and hope into an idea which was previously floating about in our thoughts as a "wouldn't it be nice" notion.

We were together for slightly more than a year and I was in the second phase of my National Service life. I knew that she would very much like me to visit her and likewise it would be my chance to go some where far away and to see what's life really like for her over there, having heard about her experiences and stories when we skype and wrote to each other.

When I firmed up the notion that I would make the trip, the reality sank in, the finances and logistics of it started to pile up at the back of my mind. I saved what I could from my national service allowance, and for the last 6-7 months, I saved up more than half of my allowance for the trip. I kept telling myself that the trip is worth saving up for because I believe it would make her happy to have me visit her and it would some how make all the "I miss you"s said to each other worth it.

Not too long ago I was officially "unemployed", like most young men, I couldn't be happier because shouting "ORD loh" symbolizes a hard earned freedom. I would soon start a student's life at NTU and inevitably start to tap into the savings I have managed to put aside from my NS Allowance for expenditures that come with starting school life. Nagging at the back of my mind is the uncomfortable notion that I may have to give the trip up because the finances don't look promising.

I thought long and hard, mostly about how to make it happen. I decided that we needed to be resourceful in some ways. My mind filled with countless "HOWs?" and I realized that what we have is a story, a real story that has the potential to be a modern day feel good fairy tale of sorts. A story with the potential to inspire other people. Our relationship survived 1 and a half year now despite the long distance. I've heard of many other LDRs, some successful some destroyed by distance. Then some times I do look at people who have their other half in the same country (Singapore is a pretty small country) and simply take the proximity for granted.


Call it being caught in a spot. I made the promise and I have every intention of fulfilling it. I don't want her to think that I just promised her to make her feel good at the time of the promise. And to overcome the constraints we face, the dreamer in me feels that we have a great story, perhaps being storytellers could pay our way to and around the UK.

Every story needs an audience, and that's you my friend. And we hope to create the story throughout this one year and it is my hope that by June 2010, we will have the climax of the story where I will be able to step off the plane at Manchester airport and walk towards her with a red balloon in my hand. And all of you will be able to join me as we travel together and share all the good parts with you.

Let's make June 2010 a reality. Will Travel For Love!