Claustrophobia

[Hannieroo]

The light pollution, people everywhere you look, no empty sky. Is it normal to hit a stage where you feel you can't breathe? I fly out next week so have a short term fix but I'm guessing this is probably normal for people who are used to wide open spaces.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Yep, normal. I'm a ole farmboy. Never did like cities even though I've been workin' in 'em or livin' in 'em for the last 30 years. (plus around 7 in DC). The first 15 I was here wasn't too bad as I lived in an ulu part of Singapore (at least it was ulu back in those days (Seletar Airbase). Now I hardly recognize the place as the Airtropolis made it's presence felt. I believe the city and highrise buildings are part of the reason I had HPB. When I used to go home within 3 days it was almost normal again.

[Hannieroo]

What do you do? Travel more? Drink more? I'm half hoping it rains every day on holiday so I can sit on the beach alone.

[katbh]

I take one holiday to my home town from my childhood. I just sit on a fence post and look at the endless plain plains. Before sunrise is best. I do that for 2-3 days once every few years - just to remind me that it is all still there and always will be (especially in the end of beyond where I come from....)

[sundaymorningstaple]

Beat my wife, what else!

No, as I've gotten older, I've mellowed somewhat. But I try to get away about 3 weeks a year back to the farm if i can. Sometimes though it's a couple of years between trip (like now - went home in Oct 2010 for 3 weeks - caught my 45 Class reunion - my first one) Although I did go back for one week only in Jan 2012 but that wasn't a pleasure trip - Dad finally passed after battling Cancer for 4 years when the docs only gave him a year). So yeah, I a bit overdue and starting to feel it (Jan was good though but just not long enough - Kerala is beautiful and wide open).

[Hannieroo]

I'm relieved it's not just me. I've spent the last two days looking at pictures of Cruden bay and sort of weeping a bit. I want to get up to 60 on a decent stretch of road then sit on a bench somewhere.

[sundaymorningstaple]

I hear ya!

[Hannieroo]

Yeah. I guess that's the price. To think I bitched about a 40 mile round trip to the supermarket.

Sorry about your dad, he sounded special.

[katbh]

Cruden Bay ....now there's a nippy patch!

[Wd40]

If you like openness, Singapore and Hong Kong are certainly not the places to be.

Several of my friends have relocated to New Zealand and many of them to the city of Dunedin. From the pictures and from what they describe, it seems a lovely place.

If you have a choice move out.

[sundaymorningstaple]

He had a good run and, at 86, went out the way he wanted to (in his sleep).

[Hannieroo]

Cruden Bay ....now there's a nippy patch!

Do you know it? It was about 15 minutes from my last house and and where we spent as much time as possible. It's even more beautiful in winter.

Yes, I know. I knew when we did the recce trip. I'm just figuring out how to deal with it. Moving is not an option. Sucking it up.

In your sleep is all we can hope for.

[x9200]

I have not done it for a longer while but I used to go early evenings to the places like Lim Chu Kang, just going straight from Jalan Bahar till the very end of the Lim Cu Kang road or turning right somewhere towards Kranji. It had a bit of the feeling of the (local) country side. Sparsely populated, no strong industry presence, lots of greenery but not a regular jungle. Kind of like Bintan outside the touristic ghetto. Not sure if still the case.

[Strong Eagle]

What do you do? Travel more? Drink more? I'm half hoping it rains every day on holiday so I can sit on the beach alone.

You could try Upper Thompson reservoir. Quiet, green open water. Nice.

[Hannieroo]

Two good ideas, thank you. I probably need to make more time for doing less.