new years'

was toying with the idea of spending new year's away before realising that i've not been home for new year's since 2005-2006. which leaves me in two minds - do i stick with my new tradition while i can or should i stay home since i'm possibly going to miss christmas at this rate.

so while i wallow in nostalgia, let me share these memories :)

milan 31.12.07

was waiting outside the duomo for the clock to strike midnight but there were italian youths brandishing ignited firecrackers and throwing them at unsuspecting revellers. i stared one of them down (thus saving my trenchcoat from a certain fiery end) then figured it was time to retreat to more sophisticated surroundings. sought refuge at a charming jazz bar around the corner and spent a few hours nursing my EUR20 cocktail. oh the audacity!

bangkok 31.12.06

landed in bangkok a few hours before the bombs went off and were in blissful ignorance at saw sam sai (random alliteratively-named restaurant) until the various parentals started frantically calling to make sure we were ok. and then we found out that we were dangerously close to the blasts. which was quite the mood-killer. so we did the responsible thing, called the singers embassy to register our existence and survival, left the restaurant in groups of 2-3 at 5minute intervals, expertly dispatched by JK in full combat mode. made our way back to the hostel (but not before stockpiling enough bintang for a siege) and partied it up in our 2 x 10bedders. vaguely remember furtively peeking out of the hostel at 2350 and joining the congo line of drunk italians from the trattoria next door as we made the most of our self-imposed captivity in our tiny courtyard.

hello nakedlaywers, i miss you :(