wanderings & wonderings

Another little piece I have found, also from 2009; an exercise for the writing group I belonged to in Singapore. The task was to write about our favourite smell in less than 100 words. This is my offering - 99 words. Rich, round and yellow this aroma arrives without knocking. A blast of fragrant happiness that makes the limbic system salsa. A trace of spice underlying a big, bold statement of lemon. Or is it? Sherbet lemons, for sure. But lemons off the tree? No. If this aro

This was written in the Funan Food Court in Singapore in 2009. I found it today when I was going through some old notebooks. I remember this encounter as if it were yesterday... They stared at you they did At your difference At your height At your eyes At the curve of your spine They did not see what I did You asked to clear my plate A raised eyebrow and eye connection No words I smiled with you eyes to eyes Said yes please You asked me how my meal was A circle of your thumb

Such a beautiful morning. Still. Barely a breath of wind. So clear. The volcano island is standing proud on the eastern horizon.

Take a look at the image above. What do you see? Several pretty pastel-coloured houses.

I am in the dentist’s waiting room ... Saturday morning, a gloomy, glimpy, grey day. Opposite me sit a father and daughter,

I saw a man on the bus today on the way to an exhibition about ancient Egypt: his skin captivated me.

“The person who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” ... Chinese Proverb

Tell me...where does time go?

Friends are here from the UK at the moment and are totally overawed at the magic that is Singapore - efficient airport bedecked in flowers, 5 star hotel at an affordable price, excellent food, safe water, public transport that runs on time, no chewing gum stuck to the streets and, of course, an endless array of shiny, ice-cool shopping malls. It’s very, very wet at the moment but rain is what it does here given our proximity to the equator and even though us locals witte

A gentle, mellow, early start to the day. A welcome respite from the wetness of the past couple of days. A journey to my local market at 7am

Singapore awoke yesterday under a pale gray sky, no sign of the sun. Still, humid, expectant of rain. I began the day with a swim ...

No mistaking the fact that today is Monday. In the deep darkness before dawn the haunting call of the Koels stirred me from my slumber.

It started at 08h59 yesterday morning. Bang! Bang! Bang! A measured, metronomic rhythm crashed through my awareness setting my teeth on edge

The day dawned utterly serene this morning over Singapore. Being Sunday the building sites are silent leaving space in the ether