I felt tired and lethargic even before I started the run, but just decided to take it easy and to keep going as long as I felt comfortable. Turns out, the correlation between my mental and physical state wasn't that strong. When I checked my stats, I was still doing a decent pace. Maybe I am getting back my fitness. It was actually a beautiful day, and I almost felt sad about leaving.
That feeling was probably also a reaction from a few days before when I started packing. I had come home in March last year thinking I was going to be away for a few weeks and ended up staying 6 months. This time round, I wondered how long I might be away. Life seems more uncertain, and it almost seems foolish to make plans that are too firm. I couldn't help thinking that I might not come back to London so I sort of packed some stuff that I would miss if I did not come back. ICA colleague of mine lost some stuff when he could not return to London and had to engage movers to go into his flat and ship his belongings home.
When I caught myself thinking that about missing things, I felt silly. These are just things. So what if I lose them? They can be replaced. We are not to be attached to material things in this world. From another perspective, I would almost be glad if the decision was taken out of my hands and I could not go back, or could not go back for a long time. I had answered the call of duty, but clearly this wasn't quite what I had bargained for. Well at least in one respect, nobody could say I was having a good time there - at least those who knew what it's like to be away from family. And in lockdown.
Anyway, among the things I had to settle before leaving - had to clean the toilets, do all the laundry (from my last run), clear the trash - I managed to finish almost all the food I had in the fridge before leaving. Ice-cream - made sure of that two days before. Finished one last serving of sweet potato soup, and pork ribs in chicken broth after the run. Had to throw away some vegetables, onions, garlic. Wanted to give my stomach a rest before flying - too much fibre, and veggies that cause gas are not good. Worked out pretty well - did not feel uncomfortable at all during the flight.
What also helped is that I ate quite sparingly on the plane. Well it helped that the food is not so great anymore. Choices are more limited, and they serve it all on a plastic tray. It is still a lot of food though and I guess they are trying their best. And I avoided anything that might cause stomach distress. I only watched 2 full movies - managed to sleep quite well because I was tired from the noonday run - you know what they say about mad dogs and Englishmen. Watched Mulan - it was disappointing. Just odd hearing them speak in that cliched stilted English - anything else would have been an improvement. Why not just speak good English, or do it in Mandarin? Oh wait, the second option is out because these are all American actors. The only one who wasn't 'acting' in her speaking was Gong Li - it's the same thing she was ridiculed for years ago when she did the movie version of Miami Vice. The other movie I caught was last year's Chinese New Year movie from HK which has become a tradition of sorts. They are all titled "All's Well Ends Well". The series started in the 90s but they are not connected. What they do is come up with some farcical story played strongly for laughs, and get popular actors to either play the main roles or show up for cameos. This 2020 version was not bad.
Oh and I went to the Lufthansa lounge at Heathrow before the flight and had a sandwich and some apple juice. The SQ lounge is no longer operating - which is sad because it's a reflection of the times, but also because the food there was so much better! OK in fairness I have not been to the Lufthansa lounge before so I don't know if this experience was reflective of what it was like before the pandemic.
I had the chicken briyani for dinner. Not bad. There was some fish as a starter, dessert, garlic bread, fruit, cheese and crackers. Lunch was served at 4 pm Singapore time and I had dry wonton noodles. Wonton was not bad, char siew was very dry, and noodles were meh... Starter was some pasta and chicken(?), fruit, dessert (some kind of pastry with cream), a dry roll, and the same cheese and crackers. Maybe I should have gone for the all-day breakfast.
Last time I flew, the crew just wore face masks. Now they are in full PPE gear over the kebaya. It was strange but they did their best under the circumstances. I think the PPE gear helps them stay safe and they probably don't have to do the full quarantine (maybe they just do a turn-around so they don't go into London). Otherwise it makes no sense for them to fly, and then do the 21 days.
Saw this as the plane was going into the landing - the juxtaposition of the dark clouds and the clear sky on the right was stunning and in a way captured my mood about coming home. From darkness and depression to light and home. Hope whoever's out on the course got to finish their game.
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