Coastal trail run fun!

Nemuzu uplne rict, ze by nozky po sobotnim vyletu nebyly unaveny, ale usoudila jsem, ze to se rozbehne. Nabalila jsem svou Salomoni vesticku svacinkou a vyrazila na vlak tentokrat na jih Sydney do pobreznho mestecka Cronulla. Odtud vedla podel plaze a pobrezi pesinka na vychod skrz Kamay Bay Botanic National Park, ktery byl vyhlaseny vyhledy na skalnate pobrez, trosku podobne Royal National Park, kde jsem byla minule.

Cronulla v nedeli rano vypadala jako z australskeho stereotypu – rodinky se trousily na smashed avocado toast and smoothie brunch, surfer uz v neoprenech rejdili na vlnach a sportovni nadsenci joggingovali podel plaze. Outdoorsky lifestyle, kterej se mi na Australii hrozne libi! Nejdriv jsem musela trochu proklickovat korzujicimi prochazkari, ale pak uz jsem pisecnou pesinkou sebehla na plaz a pelasila po pisku. Trust me, there is something so liberating about running on the beach! Vlny se obcas rozlily do dalky, a tak jsem musela hupsnout to mekciho pisku, takze to byl vlastne docela dobry tranink. Plaz byla dlouha nejakych pet kilometru a lemovala celou zatoku, na jejiz konci byla Cronulla, takze jste mestecko videli vzdalovat. Mijela jsem nadsence rybare, rodinky na prochazce detmi a psy nadsene se vrhajicich do slanych vln a rousajicich chlupy a kratasy…nebo pary jen tak se loudajici v pisku. Po asi peti kilometrech plaz koncila a pesinka se se vyskrabala na utes a pokracovala zeleni a piskem po vrcholku skalisek, coz byly bezva vyhledy. Teren se stridal mezi placatymi skalami, pesinkou mezi kleci a hlubokym piskem. Misty se uplne bezet nedalo, ale to byly casto aspon zaminka na zpomaleni a foceni.

Cim vic jsem se blizila k najkrajnejsimu vybezku Cape Solaris, lidi pribyvalo, a me vrtalo hlavou, proc vsichni ziraji s dalekohledy do more. Az pak kdyz jsem zastavila a dala se do reci se starsim parem mistnich jsem se dozvedela, ze ti vsichni sleduji velryby! Pry ted je hlavni sezona, kdy sem priplouvaji a jde je videt. Bez dalekohledu – nebo aspon poradneho zoomu na fotaku – toho clovek moc nevidel, respective se tam moz snazte videt velrybi ocas, ze ho pak vidite v kazde vlnce….takze jsem to nakonec vzdala a zamirila najit mistecko na piknik.

S odlehcenym batuzkem jsem se pak rozhodla pokracovat v okruhu a obehnout cely vybezek z druhe strany. Znamenalo to sice bezet chvili po silnici, ale to vlastne an moc nevadilo. Na zpatecni ceste jsem pak uspesne trefla drivejsi odbocku, ktera vedla kolem Cronulla Sand Dunes, takoveho obriho piskoviste vlastne. Pesinka se vracela po kopcich a vlnla zeleni, takze bylo videt jak cely usek, co jsem bezela po pobrezi, tak i Cronulla na horizontu jako cil. Celkove to byl dobry trenink, protoze casti trasy vedly docela psikovymi cestami, ale nakonec jsem se napojila na pesinku podel plaze a podlenich par kilometru probehla tudy zpatky do centra Cronully. Na zpatecni cestu jsem ulovila krasne chlazenou kokosovou vodu a kolem pul pate uz nechavala pobrezi v zadech a s 32 kilometry v nohach se vracela do Sydney….vstric pracovnimu tydnu!

Ranni ticho v pristavu

Piscita pesinka - trenink zacina!

Je to bozi!

...plaz konci....

...pesinka po utesu podel pobrezi zacina!

Beh s vyhledem!

Pobrezi Kamay Botany Bay National Park

Cronulla v dalce

Na okraji utesu

Neni na ricecake s dynovou pomazankou, navic s vyhledem na more!

Cil na obzoru - zpatky smer Cronulla

Obri piskoviste...mistni pisecne duny!

A sice to znamenalo obetovat par hodin spanku, ale ranni beh na vychod slunce v Sydney jsem si nemohla nechat ujit!

Kdyz jsme se v patek vecer odlepli od zeme a staceli to smerem na Singapur, trochu se mi postesklo, ze se vsemi temi plany na presun do Evropy je tohle mozna posledni australsky vylet…. Jasne, clovek nikdy nevi, co ho za rohem ceka zejo….ale ikdyby, I had a hell of an amazing time! Diky Australie…

…as I always said, there is something about you I really really like…..just damn shame that you are so far away!

Thank you Sydney!

Zpatky do Blue Mountains

Kdo pozna, co je to za mesto?

Jsou mista, kam se vracim hrozne rada, a Australie rozhodne patri me jedno z nich. A tak kdyz se naskytla prilezitost si pracovni tyden v Sydney trochu prodlouzit, asi chapete, ze jsem nevahala. K protinozcum jsem sice mirila uz poctvrte, ale myslim, ze to bude jeste trvat dlouho, nez se mi Australie okouka! Navic jsem tam poprve mirila do jejich zimy, coz byl docela legracni zazitek sam o sobe! Australan v cepici a kabate proste neni uplne to co si automaticky predstavite zejo!

Pristala jsem v patek odpoledne, a pripravena na patecni blazinec na letisti jsem byla trochu v soku, kdyz bylo letiste doslova opustene. Ridic Uberu dokonce rikal, ze cekal dve hodiny na jizdu! Skoro jsem si rikala, jestli se neblizi do Sydney nejaka apokalypsa, kdyz je vsude tak vyklizeno! Teplomery ukazovaly 18 stupnu, coz bylo prijemna zmena od Singapuru, jen teda slunicko zapadajici uz kolem pate pul seste me pripomnelo zimni mesice, a naznacilo, ze mozna bude treba poupravit plany na sobotni vylet..ale pekne poporadku.

Vstavacka do tmy kolem pul seste byla prisna o to vic, ze pod perinou bylo – narozdil od pokoje – pekne teploucko. Ale Blue mountains volaji zejo…takze jsem se peclive navrstvila, trochu nervozne porovnala udajnych sedm stupnu v Sydney se ctyrmi stupni v Blue mountains… a vyrazila potemnelymi, jeste napul spicimi ulicemi na vlak. Dve hodinky na to jsem uz vystupovala do slunecneho ale mraziveho dne v Katoomba. Bylo krasne sveze a vetsina vyletniku jeste spala, takze krome skrehotajicich papousku bylo slyset jen krupani jinovatky pod nohama. A jo, taky mi to prislo bizarni – neco proste nesedelo, bud ti papousci ve ctyrech stupnich nebo jinovatka v Australii…nebo tak nejak vsehcny ty veci dohromady!

Destinaci pro dnesn vylet byla tentokrat opacna strana Blue mountains nez tak, kam jsem se podivala minule. Naplanovala jsem si trasu pred skalni utvar Ruined Castle a osamelou horu Mount Solitary, a idealne jsem chtela prejit cely hreben a po opacne strane to projit okruhem do predchozi zzastavku vlaku. Okruh je popisovany jako dvoudenni trek, ale celkove vychazi asi na 27km coz se za den da zvladnout… Jen jsem trochu necekala, ze bude uz v pet, pul seste tma, takze jsem mela plan B, coz byl navrat podobnou cestou zpet.

Trasa neobvykle zacinala sestupem po Golden stairs a pak pokracovala pesinkou lesem a kapradivnovymi porostem a palmami az k odbocce na Ruined Casle. Cestou jsem potkala par vyletniku a taky trailovych bezcu, coz mi prislo super! Ostatne nco podobneho jsem mela v planu na nedeli, tak me to vlastne docela natesilo. Ruined Castle, coz je vlastne takova skaln formace co proste vypada jako hrad, je na hrebenu jednoho kopce, takze se musite z pohodove kapradinove pesinky vyskrabat nahoru, ale je to docela dobrodruzo co stoji za to. Na skalni formaci nevede zacna cesta nebo retez nebo stupy nebo tak, ale slysela jsem par lidi nahore tak jsem si rikala, ze se tam nejak musi dat vylezt….a dalo, jen se musel clovek prosmyknout takovou dirou ve skale a po kamenech vysplhat nahoru. Trochu jsem zavahala, jak se pak dostanu dolu, ale tak znate to, kdyz uz jste pulkou tam…slo to nahoru, pujde to i dolu zejo…a co by clovek neudelal kvuli vyhledum! A ze byly pekne, vlastne jsem koukala na tu stranu Blue mountains, kterou jsem brzdila minule. A v dales byla videt osamele trcici Mount Solitary, kam jsem mirila jako dalsi zastavku.

Pesinka na Mount Solitary se nejdriv klikatila lesem a pak zacala stoupat kolem kamenitych skalek. Trasa nebyla uplne tak znacena takze jsem obcas trochu prozkoumavala, kudy dal, ale ‘nahoru’ byla vetsinou odpoved. Postupne se pesinka zacala menit ve vic a vic kamenitou a skalnatou, z chuze se stalo trochu splhani, misty jen jednim smerem, takze clovek musel pockat az vyletnici v protismer prolezou. Akcnich fotek uplne moc nemam, protoze s telefonem v ruce se opravdu lezt nedalo, clovek potreboval pekne obe ruce. Ale misty byly vyhledy fakt paradni, a tak vubec to byla docela dobrodruzna cesta. Jen teda kvuli lezeni to trvalo dele, takze jsem zacala premyslet, jestli neni cas na zvazen planu B. Vegetila jsem na slunicku u tropickych trcicich krovi, co vypadaly jako trcic trsy travy, slunila se na slunicku, ktere templotu vyhnalo na krasnych 23 stupnu… no zima v Australii… Cestou miite par taborist pro ty co planuji vicedenni prechod, nebo posvatne Aboriginal rocks, odkud byly super vyhledy do udoli na opacnou stranu hor. A vsechny ty zelene kopce fakt vypadaly namodrale, snad aby dostaly svemu jmenu Blue montains! Na obedovy piknik na Mount Solitary jsem si vybrala vyhled do udoli a zbouchala obri a absolutne luxusni avocado! No a tak nejak jsem pocitala kilometry a hodiny do setmeni, a rozhodla se pro bezpecnou variantu. To znamenalo zkratit trasu a zamirit na vlak zpatky do Katoomba…no, kdyz jsem mela na konci dne na Garminu 34km, nevim uplne jestli ‘kratsi varianta’ je tem spravny popis, ale anyways se to tak zdalo na mape…

Posledni cast trasy jsem vzala pres Scenic world, coz je takovy turisticky park v Blue mountains. Netusila jsem, ze trasa vede primo skrz nej, a uz vubec to podle mapy nevypadalo, ze jedina cesta nahoru k autobusu je lanovkou! Takze jsem se v pul pate se zapadajicim slunickem ocitla ma spodn stanici lanovky, odkud byl krasny vyhled na Three sisters, trojitou skalni formaci, co je asi nejikonictejsi a jedna z nejfotografovanejsich mist Blue mountains. Moc na takove atrakce nejsem, ale jaksi jsem se tam ocitla mezi temi nadsenymi turisty…takze nebylo moc na vyber, pokud jsem nechtela jt zpatky 6km, a riskovat tmu… Tak jsem hupsla na lanovku, o ktere jsem se dozvedela ze to je nejprudci railway na svete udajne…coz musim potvrdit neb jsem si rikala, ze aspon udelam video z te scenicke jizdy, protoze vyhledy byly paradni…ale jen jsme se rozjeli a zacali stoupat, malem jsem sklouzla ze sedacky a mela tak co delat zustat sedet natoz natacet…takze vlastne docela legracni zazitek!

Se zapadlym slunickem se udelala zase pekna kosa a tak jsem si uzivala teplicko ve vlaku zatimco jsme se vzdalovali od Blue mountains a stmivajici krajinou mirili zpatky do Sydney.

A kolem osme uz jsem sedela doma, vyhrata horkou sprchou s teplou polivku a po 34km docela utapkanyma nozkama…ale s dalsim bezva dnem stravenym v Blue mountains na konte…a mam plno fotek jako dukaz!

Jinovatka v Australii - to si proste musite vyfotit!

Cil vyletu!

Pesinka obrim kapradim

Skalni utvar Ruined Castle 

Ruined Castle dobyt!

..protahni se skvirou mezi skalami

Tyhle vtipny strapatce tam rostly vsude!

Piknik s vyhledem

Ty hory maji opravdu modry nadech!

Na vrcholku Mount Solitary

Vypada to trochu jako ananas ale neni to ananas!

Zapad slunce na s vyhledem na skalni trojici Three sisters

Moje dvoulete singapurske vyroci

Vsechno je tezky, nez se to stane jednoduchy!

Tohle je fotka z letiste v Londyne, vyfocena presne pred dvema lety…

Dva roky…. Uplne vas vidim pocitat ty dny, tydny, mesice a roky zpatky a tak vam usetrim praci – jo, je to tak, uz to jsou dva roky, co jsem tady v Singapuru. Leti to, co?

Uz je to dva roky, co padlo rozhodnuti, ktere nekterym prislo blaznive (1), nekterym odvazne (2), nekomu sobecne (3), pro nektere bylo velke a desive (4) zatimco pro jine proste jen dalsi rozhodnuti mezi mnoha (5)….nekteri mluvili o uzasnem dobrodruzstvi (6) nebo zivotni prilezitosti (7), pro jine jsem proste jen pred sebou mela dalsi, tentokrat trochu delsi let, a preci porad zustavam na telefonickou vzdalenost (8)… Par lidi mumlalo neco o odhodlani a zamereni na karieru (9)…a pak tu bylo par, co to nejak moc nekomentovalo, az na vyjimecne ‘to je bezva’ (10).

A kdyz nad tim tak premyslim, vlastne vsichni meli tak trochu pravdu!

1. Bylo to blaznive rozhodnuti, sbalit si zivot do tvou kufru na koleckach a odfrcet do zeme, kde jsem nikdy poradne nebyla, a o ktere jsem toho moc nevedela…. Cesta, ktera znamenala novy zacatek, na jinem kontinentu, a ti, kteri uz v podobne situaci nekdy byli, vedi, ze to je cele tak trochu blaznive! 

2. Asi to bylo docela odvazne, ale tak to je asi kazdy krok do neznama…a takove kroky mozna nejsou pro kazdeho….takze se to u me mozna zase vztahuje k tomu bodu cislo jedna? Mozna jsem proste trochu cvok?

3. Nechat za sebou vsechny a zmizet do daleka je vzdycky trochu sobecke. Clovek se rozhodne podle toho, co on chce, a ostatni se s tim vlastne tak nejak musi smirit. Myslim, ze jsem mela stesti, ze vetsina lidi me v tomhle chapala, a podporila….a asi to je o tom, jestli zijete svuj zivot, nebo zivot jinych…

4. Rozhodnuti velke to bylo, a ta jsou vzdycky trochu strasidelna. Strach je ale uplne normalni, i ti nejstatecnejsi se proste neceho obcas desi. A pravda, lod je nejbezpecnejsi v pristavu…ale od toho lode preci nejsou, ne?

5. Bylo to vlastne ‘jen dalsi rozhodnuti’…ne ze bych takova rozhodnuti delala kazdy den, ale kdyz sectu vsechny ty tisice rozhodnuti, co clovek dela a udelal, jo, bylo to jen jedno z mnoha…ac teda vaha tohodle byla vyrazne jina, nez mnoho ostatnich!

6. Dobrodruzo, tyjo, to teda jo…asi to chce byt trosku dobrodruh na tuhle srandu…a nebo se zase vracime k tomu bodu cislo jedna?

7. Rika se, ze by clovek mel chnapnout sance, ktere prijdou, protoze nektere veci se proste stanou jen jednou. A jasne, urcite jsou prilezitosti, co se opakuji, ale neco takoveho vam asi nenabidnou kazdy tyden…to by prislo blaznive i mne! Ale v duchu toho, co jsem tu nedavno o HAVI psala – kdyz ti nekdo nabidne skvelou prilezitost, kyvni na to…jak se to dela se naucis pozdeji!

8. Taky je pravda, ze vlastne jen skocite na letadlo (a sedite v plechove trubce ve vzduchu krasnych 16 hodin - detail) a jste zpatky doma…a jak moje skvela kouzelna babicka casto podotyka, kdyz spolu mluvime pres WhatsApp – s temi technologiemi se dneska slysite jak kdyz byste sedeli vedle sebe na pohovce v obyvaku. Parada!

9. Odhodlani to asi chtelo, a mozna hlavne proto to vsechno tak nejak klaplo. Nemyslim si, ze jsem nejaka velka karieristka, co se honi za ‘skalpy’ do CVcka…ale obcas okolnosti proste urci smer, a je treba se soustredit se na novy cil... Umet se kousnout je pro takove rozhodnuti dulezite…protoze obcas se holt musite neceho vzdat, neco neco obetovat a to bez toho odhodlani jde tezko. Karty vzdycky nejsou rozdane jak byste chteli, ale je potreba hrat s temi, ktere mate jak to nejlip jde.

10. Bezva (a v anglictine takove vystizne slovo – ‘exciting’), no ty brdo jasne ze jo! Jak by mohlo nebyt v novem svete, s novymi vyzvami a prilezitostmi…takove nove ja…a to se vam jeste o pulce ani nezda v momente, kdy na tuhle staci vyrazite!

Kazdopadne ale rozhodnuti padlo a ta cacorka na obrazku pristala v Singapuru a zacala psal dalsi kapitolu sveho zivota. Po dvou letech to je hodne popsanych stranek, se spoustou fotek a vzpominek….a mozna dneska, kdyz je to vyroci, je ta spravne prilezitost prolistovat ty stranky trochu zpatky a kouknout se, jake ty dva roky v tom tropickem raji byly…co cas dal a vzal se myslim rika!

Zaroven ale nebudme moc filosoficky a emotivni….aspon pro tentokrat ne…myslim, ze je spis cas na neco uvolnenejsiho (v anglitine je takovy pekny vyraz – lighthearted)…

Ale aby to nebylo jen shrnuti v obrazech, dodam jeste par radku k tomu...

1. Jsem tu hlavne kvuli praci, takze je fer zacit s ni. Musim priznat, ze ackoli jsem tak nejak tusila, ze to bude super zkusenost, uplne jsem necekala, jak moc me tohle posune. Jina pracovni kultura, pristup k vecem, kulturni rozdily, najednou obrovska zodpovednost, ruznoroda ocekavani a pozadavky, novi lide, nove zeme….a ten seznam by mohl pokracovat jeste dlouho. A to jsem nepocitala adaptaci na casovy posun a takove ‘malickost’ jako mit sefa na jinem kontinentu (a velke diky Philovi, ktery to se mnou vydrzel…ac to bylo obcas as krusne, myslim, ze jsme to vyladili na jednicku!) Myslim, ze kdyby moje krivka uceni behem tech dvou let byla kopec, na kole ho musim tlacit a jeste se na me kolo malem svali….nebo kdyby to byla sjezdovka, tak se uplne vidim, jak stojim na ty hrane a premyslim, jestli se do toho sesupu pustim…takze asi tak! Kazdopadne to byla super-zkusenost, takze velke diky Philovi a HAVI, za tu prilezitost, a ze mi verili, ze to zvladnu.

2. Vsichni vzdycky tvrdili, jak je Singapur super na cestovani. A on fakt je. Mela jsem prilezitost se podivat, jak pracovne tak nepracovne, na mista o kterych se mi ani nesnilo. Mam stesti, a to nejen protoze litat si po svete a prozkoumavat novy mista je skvely, ale asi hlavne protoze nektery mista, co jsem navstivila, byly doslova magicky. Najednou si clovek uvedomi jak malicka soucastka celyho toho sveta je, jak je priroda mocna a mnohem mocnejsi nez si myslime, a jak je ten svet krasnej! Rikaji, ze zivot je jako kniha a ten kdo necestuje cte jen prvni stranku….tak ja jsem vdecna, ze jsem si mohla precist nejenom celou knihu, ale dokonce cely regal knih v knihovnicce!

3. Rikaji, ze kdyz chce byt clovek stastny, mel by se naucit byt sam a necitit se osamele..ze byt sam neznamena byt nestastny. Vetsinu casu tu travim sama, a tak si to obcas musim pripominat. A jestli me ty dva roky neco naucily v tomhle smeru tak je to umeni byt ja, a sama se sebou. Vzdycky byly, a vzdycky budou chvile, kdy s clovek preje s nekym je hnedka sdilet, a on se ten nekdo zrovna ne a ne teleportovat v ten spravny cas na to spravne misto. A presne pro tyhle chvile se clovek musi naucit drzet hlavu nahoru a sebrat odhodlani delat veci sam…protoze sedet doma a smutnit je jen plytvani prilezitostmi prozkoumavat ty krasny kouty sveta – viz o bod vyse!...a tak nejak se rika, ze ono se to nejak samo vsechno setrepe jednou, tak uvidime, nechame se prekvapit!

4. Slysela jsem spoustu nazoru, ze se na klima tady jde ‘adaptovat’. S jistotou ale muzu pohlasit, ze teda adaptace na vlhkost tropickeho sklenku se mne osobne zda nemozna. Treba je to jen moje divne telo, co se zaseklo na funkci ‘potim se’ …ale ty dlouhe kalhoty a sacko, co slecny nosi obcas, kdyz jdeme od metra do prace, samozrejme bez kapicky potu na tele, mi asi navzdy zustanou zahadou. Prosla jsem si fazi, kdy jsem si rikala, ze si na to clovek proste nejak zvykne….ale po case i na tohle rezignujete – na tohle pocasi si totiz nejde zvyknout, jedine na co si jde zvyknout je fakt, ze se proste potite jako prasatko vetsinu casu, co se hybete (a obvykle bohuzel i kdyz se nehybete!)

5. Tohle se asi zase vztahuje trochu k tomu druhemu bodu.. se vsim tim cestovani se vam najednou vzdalenosti zacnou zdat relativni. At jste v Evrope kdekoli, tak nejak si pripadate skoro doma…a i kdyz jste na pul cesty odsud, nekde kolem Dubai, jako byste byli kousek (ac je to stale nejakych sest hodin letu). Prodlouzeny vikend v mistnim stylu je neco v podobe dvouhodinoveho letu do Indonesie….coz je na cas asi ekvivalent navsteve pribuznych na druhem konci republiky, nebo vylet na chalupu…jen teda ta vzdalenost se lisi no. A ono se vam to po case tak nejak vmisi do premysleni…coz ani asi ani dobre ani spatne, jen to je pak legracni, kdyz prohlasite doma, ze se stavite po ceste z Indie, protoze to je prece kousek a ‘skoro doma’…

6. Nic novyho, vite, ze mam rada sushi…coz taky bude jedna z veci co mi bude v Evrope desne chybet. Nepotrebuju zadnou snobarnu, uz ten fakt, ze v supermarket pres ulici sezenu luxus sushi je proste bozi. Navic se sushi nejde prejist…mela jsem ho tolikrat (ostatne tech pytlicku se sojovkou, co se dava se kazdemu baleni je v lednici plny regal), ale stejne bych sushi klasifikovala do stejne kategorie jako salat a zeleninku! Jo a taky mango vlastne! Kdo by to by rekl, ze mango patrilo k jednomu z mala ovoce, co jsem nemela rada….zmenit to zvladnul jeden zasek na Bali kvuli sopce, a od te doby na mango smoothie nedam dopustit! Navic je manga takovych druhu a chute a barev, neuveritelny mango svet! Ty brdo, uplne jsem dostala chut, asi si zitra musim dat k snidani!

7. Vyrustat v Evrope tak nejak automaticky znamena, ze jste zvykli na ctyri rocni obdobi. Jasne, v Britanii mozna celorocne prsi, ale aspon ty zmeny teplot se trochu meni. No, ale presunem na rovnik na tohle zapomente, tady je sezona jen jedna, vlhka, tropicka, leto s obcasnymi tropickymi lijaky. Asi si rikate, ze nekonecne leto musi byt super…ale vite co, prijedte si to vyzkouset! Ne na tyden, ale na rok dva…protoze verte mi, ono se to okouka, teda pokud nejste obri milovnik vedra (cti: bytostne, priserne obrovsky nesnasite zimu). Jasne, prestanete sledovat predpoved pocasi, protoze uz predem vite, ze si zitra do prace vezmete na sebe saty…a dalsi den – hadejte co? – zase saty…pokud se nechcete teda uvarit zaziva teda. Neberete si to spatne, slunicko a tropy jsou bezva (ac teda dovolte mi podotknout, ze tu nesedim na plazi a nepopijim v jednom kuse koktejly)…ale chybi mi ta ruznorodost...jak pocasi tak aktivit, co clovek muze pres rok delat. Mam stesti, ze docela hodne cestuju, tak to je vzdycky prijemna zmena, ale musim priznat, ze se tesim na snih a mrazivou zimu, na barevny podzim…zelenou travicku na jare…a tak!

8. Kdyz jsem se tu byla poprve probehnout, prislo mi, ze tu neni mozne ubehnut vic nez pet kilometru. Proste to nebezelo, clovek se potil tak, ze kdybyste me chteli chnapnout tak vam proklouznu jako uhor. Ale zazrak, pak se to nejak zlomilo a ja se vypracovala k prumerne tak padesati kilometrum tydne, a dokonce jsem prezila i marathon. Takze je to mozny! Pak tu mam taky bazen, co musim priznat je super...a myslim, ze jsem nejfrekventovanjsi navstevnik z celeho komplexu! Kdyz jsem chodivala plavat v Praze rano do Radlic, chodila tam pani, co hupsla do vody, odplavala bez prestavky kraulem hodinu, pak vylezla z bazenu a sla. Vzdycky jsem to obdivovala – hodina kraulem bez pauzy bylo ‘wow’. A ted, nejen ze plavu skoro kazdy den neco mezi triceti a padesati padesatkovych bazenu, ale zvladnu i tu hodinu bez prestavky kraulem, jako ta pani! Takze to jde! No a nedavno jsem do spektra jeste pridala kolo. Porad se s tou silnicni disciplinou tak nejak seznamujeme, ale v nedeli jsme spolu s mym Scott Speedster spolecnikem dokonce pokorili prvnich 120 kilometru (sice u toho stihli brutalne zmoknout a pak se vyparit vedrem jako chipsik). Za zacatku jsem sice malem prejela par chodcu, ale postupem casu jsme se docela szili, kde jsou brzdy, kde se radi, a tak. Takze jo no, zaprisahly ‘silnicku nikdy’ si to vlastne taky dokaze uzit, kdyz to zkusi…(ale jako horsky kolo to teda neni, ale pssssst!). No, a co se tak nejak nabizi z tehle tri aktivit je zkusit nejakej triathlon. Vzdycky me to lakalo, a teda zatim jsem se na zadnej neprihlasila, ale mozna to stoji za to zkusit, co myslite?

9. Nikdy jsem na foceni moc nebyla. A kdyz o tom tak zpetne premyslim, lituju toho, protoze vim, ze jsou chvile a mista, odkud proste nemam zadne fotky….a mozna prave to me motivovalo tentokrat neco zmenit. Dalso vec je, ze kdyz clovek cestuje sam, fotky jsou ten prostredek to s ostatnimi, ac virtualne, sdilet…a obcas to lidem pomuze se k tomu svetu ve kterem jste tak nejak vic priblizit. Takze jste s urcite vsimli, ze alba na blogu se rozrostla…protoze me fotit zacale docela bavit. Nedavno jsem s i poridila stativ, takze experimentuju s tim, a taky trochu s upravou fotek. Nic pro prilis trpeliveho cloveka, ale kdo by to byl rekl, ze budu takhle ‘artsy’! A ja vim, mozna by stalo za to si poridit nejakej poradnej fotak….ale asi bych potrebovala nejakej, co se prodava v sade s trpelivosti….tak dejte vedet, jestli o necem takovem vite!

10. No a na zaver asi ta nejhlavnejsi vec, a vlastne to asi pekne vyslo takhle na zaver. Kdysi jsem psala o tech ‘dvou stranach mince’, ze to neni jen o tropickem raji, ze obcas se clovek musi neceho vzdat nebo neco ztrati jako nasledek..a ze je mu oncas takhle daleko proste smutno….a tak to proste je, a je to potreba brat jako soucast balicku. Ale celej tenhle process vas nauci si vazit veci a lidi, co mate kolem sebe. Najednou pro vas urcite chvile maji uplne jinou hodnotu, rodinne seslosti dostanou jinou dimenzi, nostalgicky si obcas vyfotite panorama zapadu slunce nad Prahou, a ac s mnoha lidmi prerusite kontakt, to tvrde jadro zustava. Obcas jsou sice jako hvezdy za oblacne noc – nevidite je, ale vite, ze tam vzdycky jsou. A pak se vratite po te dobe, a sejdete se, a vsechno se zda jako by to byl jen tyden …jen ty deti vyrostly, kamaradky maji jineho pritele, a vsichni tak nejak trochu o par vrasek zestarli…ale to, ze si mame porad co rict je na tom nejpeknejsi, a vlastne hrozne ujistujici. Mam stesti, ze mam takove pratele, a jsem vdecna za rodinku, co by si sice asi prala, abych byla bliz nez sestnacti hodinovy let (ac i to je relativni, viz bod cislo pet), ale vzdycky me podporili v tom, co jsem chtela delat. Stali za mnou v me ceste za mymi sny (nebo sny, ktere se staly mym smerem diky okolnostem) a podrzeli me pri tech rozhodnutich, ac by treba – kdyby bylo na nic – rozhodli jinak. A vetre mi, ze zit daleko bez tehle skvelych clovicku je tezky. Najednou si toho ale vazite mnohem vic, a to ne proto, ze byste si predtim veci nevazili, spis jednoduse proto, ze okolnosti jsou proste nekde jinde. Rikaji, ze vzdalenost nic neznamena, kdyz je pro vas nekdo vsim….a myslim, ze to tak nejak vlastne je pravda. Takze diky…a verte, ze se mi po vas obcas sakra styska!

No, takze tak….uz se nam to zvrtava k emotivnimu takze v nejlepsim prestat. Singapur je krasne misto, a ty dva roky tady byly bezva. Jako vsechno, nebylo to bez kotrmelcu a skobrtnuti…ale neni dulezite jestli nebo kolikrat jste sebou pleskli, hlavni je, ze se zvednete a jde se dal. Vim, ze lifestyle, co mam tady, jinde mit nebudu. Ale o tom to neni….je to cele jedna velka zkusenost a prilezitost...ted jsem tady a pse se tahle kapitola. ta dalsi bdue zase jindy, a zase jina... Je to takova cesta hledani a nachazeni a poznavani jak sebe, tak nejakeho toho mistecka, co kazdy z nas v tomhle krasnem svete ma.

Nelituju rozhodnuti pred dvema lety, ac me to stalo nejakou tu investici a obcas i slzicky. Myslim, ze tech ‘dal’ bylo ve vysledku vic, nez tech ‘vzal’, a to je asi to hlavni. A vsichni vite, ze v Singapuru nejsem naporad, Evropa vola preci, zejo! Ale to je uz jina kapitola, kterou si vazne schovam na nekdy jindy!

Takze vazeni, co jste to statecne docetli az sem, ja si na oslavu tech dvou let tady v tom vedru jdu dat domaci bananovo-boruvkovou zmrzlinu – mnam! …a vam preju krasny den!

A dekuju….je to hlavne diky vam (a ti jmenovani vedi), ze jsem dokazala, co jsem dokazala!

  

Diky Singapure!

My second Singapore anniversary

All things are difficult before they become easy!

This picture is from Heathow airport, taken exactly 2 years ago…

Two years ago….I can almost see your minds counting back to check if that is right but I will save you the energy – it is, indeed, already two years I am here in Singapore. Time flies, I know!

Two years I took a decision which some consider crazy (1), some brave (2), some selfish (3), some big and scary (4) while others see it just as ‘another decision’ (5)….some talk about a great new adventure (6) or an ‘opportunity of a lifetime’ (7), and for others I have just boarded another, just slightly longer flight as I am still just a phone call away (8)… Some murmured something about ‘commitment and focus’ (9)…and few didn’t really judge and just said ‘exciting’ and ended it there (10).

And the truth is….they were all to some extent right!

1. It was crazy to pack life in two suitcases and ship yourself across to a country where haven’t really been before, know much about…and which ultimately meant – again – starting from scratch in a foreign country (those who did this before know it is crazy
2. It must have been brave in a way as I guess not everyone likes to step in the unknown…but that is maybe linked to the above point 1?
3. It was a bit selfish, leaving everyone behind. Making a decision for myself, and let other to just get on with it and come to terms with… But then, do you live your life or life of others?
4. It was a big decision and big decisions are always scary. Being scared is normal, even the bravest of us are sometimes scared…And of course the shit is safe in the harbour....but then, that is not what ships are made for, isn't it? 
5. It was in a way just another decision…not necessarily one I make every day but in overall scheme of things probably one of thousands of decisions made…  yet weight of this one was somehow special I must say!
6. It does take a bit of an adventurous mind I guess…but then some would say it is more as per point 1.
7. It is said that you should take every chance you get because some things only happen once...and there are surely chances that are likely to come again, but some – like this one – does not really happen every week I guess…even I would call that crazy! But in the spirit of what quote I mentioned a while back, it all makes sense – ‘If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later!’
8. I guess it is true that it only takes jumping on a plane (and sit there for lovely 16 hours) and I am back… and as my lovely grandma often points out – over WhatsApp you can hear me as if I was sat on your sofa in your living room.
9. It was a commitment, and I think that is why it all worked out. I don’t think I am a career chaser, but if you should focus and dedication, and are prepared to give something up or lose, cards may play well for you and throw an opportunity in front of you….and then we are at point six.
10. It was exciting, oh hell it was! How could it not be with the new world, new challenge, new opportunities, new me… and I didn’t know half of if when I was boarding that plane two years ago in London!

Either way, the decision was made, that little girl on the picture has landed in Singapore and started writing a new chapter of her life. After two years here, lot of pages were written, lots of pictures taken…but maybe today’s little anniversary is an opportunity to slip through those pages and to see, how those two years in this tropical place here have been, what this time brought, and what did it take….

Equally, let’s not get too philosophical and emotional this time….take it as time for a bit lighthearted summary!

...but it would not be me if i did not have a bit more to say than the picture above (although I  thought a quite good summary of my 2 years in Singapore!)

1. The main reason for me being here is work so only fair to start with that one. And although I kind of knew this will be a great experience and learning, I definitely did not quite expect things will the way they did. New ways of working, different cultures, massively bigger responsibility, diversity of expectations and requirements, new people, new countries….this list could go on for a long long while……and add to it things like adaptation to the timezone differences and working remotely with my boss (thanks Phil for putting up with me, it was painful start but I think we have nailed it!) I think if my learning curve over the past two years was a hill, I would have to dismount my bike and still struggle to push it up….and if it was a skiing slope, I am not sure I would dare to get down…which I think is saying something! So all in all, I would confidently call it super-experience, and thank you, Phil and HAVI teams for having the trust in me, to make it all the way.
2. People always told me Singapore is great place for travel. And it really is. The number of amazing work and non-work trips I have done, and the places I have been was never ever even in my dreams. I consider myself really lucky, not just because jetting around and exploring new places if fun, but also because some spots I have visited are truly magical, makes you realize how tiny part of everything you are, how powerful nature is, and really beautiful and wonderful is the world we live in. They say that life is a book and people who don’t travel read only a first page….I am grateful to have the opportunity to read what seems not just one book, but the whole bookshelf!
3. There is a saying that if you want to be happy, you should learn to be alone without being lonely… to learn that being alone does not mean being unhappy. Spending most of the time here on my own, I sometimes remind myself of this. And if those two year have taught me something, it is the power of being myself and with myself. There have always been, and always will be moments I wish to share with people that for any number of reasons are not or cannot be at the same place with me at the same moment. But without learning to keep the chin up and building the confidence to do things on your own, you can just end up sitting home, feeling upset, and ultimately wasting the opportunities to explore the beautiful world (see above point on this one)…and they say that ultimately things will work themselves out…so let’s see!
4.  I have heard many times that you can ‘adapt’ to the weather here. I can however confidently confirm that full adaptation to this sticky humid tropical greenhouse is just simply not possible. Maybe it is my awkward body that has a button that got stuck at ‘sweat mode’…but the long sleeves and pants and jacket that local ladies wear when we walk to work, obviously without a drop of sweat, is just something that will remain a mystery for me. I also went through a stage thinking that you can get used to it a bit….but after a time I just resign – you can never get used to the weather, you can only get used to the fact you’re sweaty like a pig most of the time you move (and usually even when you don’t)!
5. This one is a bit linked to the second point… with all the travel, the distances will become very relative to you. Anywhere in Europe now feels like almost home…and even getting half-way like Middle East, it feels somehow close, despite it is still good 6 hours flight. Long weekend in local style means probably a flight to Indonesia….different distance of course but travel time equivalent to many of us visiting relatives in other city, or heading to our summer house in the mountains. And after some time, this thinking kind of rubs in you and you start thinking differently …which is not a good or bad thing, it is just something that often makes people laugh, certainly when you call your family to let them know you’ll pop in on your way from work trip in India, because it felt ‘almost home’!
6. Right, you know I love sushi….and that will be one thing I will desperately miss moving back to Europe. I don’t need any fancy sushi places, just the fact you can get a nice sushi in the supermarket across the road is just AMAZING! And the biggest learning of the past two years is that you can’t overeat with sushi…I have had it so many times (and the pile of the little sachets of soy sauce you get with every package in my fridge tells the story!) but honestly don’t feel I’d ever overeat with it…so yeah, it qualifies to the same category as salads and vegetables! Oh, and also mangoes and mango smoothies. You would rarely believe me that mango was actually one of the very few fruits I did not like….ah well, it only took being stuck in Bali and whole new mango world opened up to me. There is so many types and flavours and colours as well, amazing really! Damn, I must have one for breakfast tomorrow!
7. Living in Europe, you kind of take all by default that there is four more or less distinct seasons (alright, in the UK these all tend to be rainy but at least mild changes in the temperature). Moving to the equator means you have one season, which is humid and hot summer with occasional tropical rains. Amazing you think? Well, come and stay for a year or two, and trust me, unless you are a lover of hot weather (read: you hate hate hate winter), it wears out. Yeah, you can stop following weather forecast because you know next day you wear to work guess what…a dress!..and tomorrow? Ehm, also dress? …unless you want to cook yourself alive! Don’t get me wrong, sunshine and tropical weather is great (note I do actually work here, not just sit on the beach drinking cocktails)….but I do really miss the diversity, variety of weather and also activities you can do. I am lucky to travel around so you get the chance of scenery (and temperature), but I am damn looking forward to snowy freezing winter…and colourful autumn…and green spring…and just the change really.
8. 8.      When I went for a first run here, I thought it is not possible to do more than 5K…it just didn’t run, I was sweaty so if you tried to catch me I would slip through your hands like an eel. But magic happened, and I somehow worked my way through to about 50K per week, and even survived a marathon. So yeah, it is possible. I also have a pool which is great, and even greater is that I might be the most frequent user of this pool of the whole block! When I was going for a swim in Prague in the mornings, there was a lady that always got in the pool, constantly swam freestyle for an hour without stopping, then jumped out of water and went to work. I admired this, swim for an hours non-stop – wow. Well, now I swim almost every day from 30 to 60 laps of my 50m pool, and I can do hour of freestyle without stopping as well! So yeah, it is possible. Lately I also added cycling to it, which is still quite an exploratory discipline (it is indeed, if you are comparing with MTB), but coming to terms with it. Last Sunday we hit first 120K together with my red and black Scott Speedster buddy, and although I initially almost runover few pedestrians before adapting to where brakes and gears are, it all worked out. So yeah, even a ‘never a road bike’ person can actually ‘like’ road cycling if give it a go (but no more favours than MTB, but ssshhhh). But the ultimate of these is that over the past two years I have had the best training opportunity for a triathlon.  It did not materialize quite yet, but it has been something I always wanted to try, so maybe I should build on this, what do you think?
9. I have never been too much into taking pictures. Looking back, I regret it a bit because there are trips and times from which I now don’t have too much memories…and maybe that was partly a driver for me to change it when I moved here. Also, when you are travelling on your own, photos are one thing how you can share all those moments (virtually, but better than nothing). And going again back to the second point, some of the places are so new, amazing, different and beautiful that you want to share these, maybe a bit in hope that people then will be able to slightly better relate to you, to your world. So yeah, as you have probably noticed, I started to taking pictures much more, and actually really enjoy it. Recently I even got a tripod, started experimenting with that, and even with the photo edits. I know, who would ever think I will turn so artsy! And yeah, I know I should maybe get a proper camera, but I would need one which you can buy in a set with patience, know about any?
10. Last but not least they say….it is maybe one of the most important learnings from those two years, but also nice ones to close out with. I have been writing before about ‘two sides of this coin’, it is not all about fancy nice tropical paradise, there is actually a fair bit I had to give up, and some things I just lost as a consequence…and that is just how it is. But this whole process makes you realise the true value of thing, and people you have around you. It makes you appreciate more moments with people without whom you know you would be nowhere near where you are. You start to look at family gatherings differently, nostalgically take few pictures of sunset above Prague city skyline, and although with many people you somehow lose contact, the hardcore, true friends stay. They are sometimes like stars on cloudy night – you don’t see them (and quite often don’t even hear from them very often) but you know they are there. And you then come back after all the time, meet them, and it feels as if it was a week ago (just the kids grown up, boyfriend is different, and we all have few more wrinkles…)…and that is just so nice and reassuring. I am very lucky to have the friends I have, and really grateful for the supporting family that stand behind me, even though they all are 16 hour flight away (but again, even that is relative as per point five) and probably wish I was much closer than I am. And trust me, living away from all those loved ones is hard. It changes your perspective on things and teach you to appreciate what you would normally take for granted. Not because you would be non-appreciative person, simple because of the circumstance…they say that distance mean nothing is someone means everything…and in it actually somehow sounds true to me. So thanks guys! (and damn I miss you!)

So here you go, things are getting emotional so maybe let’s stop here while we are on high. Honestly, I have had a great time here, Singapore is a nice place and I am sure I won’t ever have the lifestyle I have here anywhere else. But life is not about this, it is about opportunities, experience and learning. About finding yourself and your place in this wonderful world.

Those two years have been an opportunity that I don’t regret taking. Despite the investments that were put into that, despite the tears that we all have sometimes, despite the ‘takes’…. I feel there was more of the ‘gives’. And you all know Singapore is not my final settle down destination, Europe is calling! But that is another chapter which is a story for other time!

So to close this, and celebrate, I am going to eat my home-made banana-blueberry ice-cream (yum yum) and you all have a great day.

Happy Singapore anniversary...with home-made blueberry-banana ice-cream!

And thank you…. it is thank to you (and you know who) I have achieved what I did.

 

Thank you Singapore for having me!