Japan Hokkaido Day 2

2nd day - 12 Jan 2017

This is my favourite day in Hokkaido!

Breakfast Buffet; Emisia Hotel

Rise and shine. We had the buffet breakfast provided by the hotel. The place looked more like a function room than an eating place. Nevertheless, it was a good first experience of a Japanese breakfast. Rice is a very important part of the meal, so is miso soup. Throughout all the buffet breakfast of  various hotels, their western section always includes scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon and toast. The taste of their scrambled eggs is often more Japanese then Western, and will not be to the liking of those who prefers milky and buttery moist eggs.

At 9am, we left the hotel with all our luggage in the bus compartment. One of the most tiring thing about tours is that you have to pack your luggage with you every single day. We change our hotel every day but that makes sense since we were traveling across different parts of Hokkaido. It was a good opportunity to stay in different good quality hotels, but at the same time, you won't have much recollection of each specific room. 

Otaru Canal 

We reached our very first destination, the Otaru Canal, at 10am (evidence shown in the picture below :p). There is a standing post which states the temperature at that time. That was my first "long period" outside the tour bus and it was so cold! 

It was snowing too! YES.

There was nothing much to do at this canal except walking along it and taking some photos. Snow was not that romantic anymore because the reality is that it was freezing cold. I took of my gloves, played with the snow and threw it in the air. 

Snow feels so fluffy and soft, and what a beautiful sight this is. 

And then the cold hard truth hit me, my right hand turned cold immediately. It was numbed and the coldness felt was painful. Wooohooo, I got to experience this finally!

With only 30 minutes at this destination, we quickly visited the toilet at a Laox Home Electronics Store nearby. Bf bought a pack of 10pcs heat packs (¥439) as he thought my Qoo10 heat packs were not hot enough. Turns out, the heat packs he bought were lousy. We still finished the whole pack by utilizing them with the hotter heat packs. Apparently, borrowing the heat from other packs made them hotter.

Otaru Music Box Museum;

At 11am, we alighted the bus to walk to Otaru Music Box Museum. It was a nice romantic walk under the falling snow. And we had to make attempts at "blowing smoke" out from our mouth again, because how many chances do you get to do this?

Before we enter any buildings, we had to dust away the snow that landed on our hair, our hoodies and our bags. There are 3 levels in the music box museum. The second level displays the more expensive and artistic wood crafted music boxes. Despite the plethora of music box designs, I couldn't seem to find something I really like. Eventually, I chose the tune "A small small world" and a simple wooden box as its cover (¥3456). A small small world is my favourite ride in Disneyland Hong Kong :D.

Around the area, there is LeTAO, popular for their cheesecake. But noooo, I didn't try or buy any. We went into 六花亭 for a cream puff (¥90), which comes with a free hot coffee. Just right outside, an uncle was selling grilled hot sweet potato at ¥140 per 100gm. At first I thought he was selling by piece until he asked me to choose the piece I wanted. We took a smaller one (¥490) and he halved it for both of us. It was hot at first but cooled down quickly as we stood in the cold and munch away. The wind was blowing and I was eating my hair as well.

Lunch; Miyanomori BBQ

It was only the first day of the real adventure but we were already eating premium beef! At Miyanomori, we had the option to pay additional for premium beef, abalone and black pork. Of course, we prepared our money for this! My bf's favourite kobe beef. We went for the grade AAA beef (¥12000) and abalone (¥8000) add on. It was my first experience with premium Japan beef and it is so delicious and tender, it does not even taste like beef. The secret lies in how the cows are reared and fed in Japan. On the other hand, the abalone was not worth paying the extra for. My bf said that they taste raw, so I grilled it a little, and it became rubbery.

Even without the add on, the meal was satisfying. The restaurant provides one round of fresh seafood, which you have to cook just right for it to taste good. The unlimited amount of vegetable meant that you can have more teppanyaki style beansprouts and greens. And their crab soup is so flavourful you would want many rounds of serving.

Ishiya Chocolate Factory;

Some desserts would be good after lunch. We drove pass the Ishiya Chocolate Factory twice during the day, and we were finally there. The admission ticket includes a chocolate factory passport and a piece of biscuit. 白色恋人 is one of the treasures in Hokkaido and personally, I like the chocolate flavour one better. A tour around the factory would show you the collection of tea cups, labels and the process of how the tasty white chocolate biscuit is made. It looks like every piece of product have to go through strict quality check before it gets packaged.

Of course, one has to try their ice cream waffle because the waffle cone is one of the most crispy I have eaten. We chose the mixed flavoured one (¥300), and the white chocolate taste is really one unique flavour. Within the same level, they were also selling those handmade hard candy. I was more attracted by the colourful ferries wheel. With ¥100 and some turning, a beautiful tune will be played. When the music stopped, we were rewarded with a 10cm long candy. We got a broken orange flavoured candy :/.

The place I enjoyed the most here is the beautiful garden filled with snow. The first thing my bf noticed was the heated non slip high quality floor because no snow was covering it!

We went to a jump ski place before the sky turned dark at 5pm. The night comes early during winter! Unfortunately, I did not pay attention to the exact name of this ski spot.

Dinner; Hotel Milione;

We arrived at Hotel Milione, our first onsen hotel, and had our buffet dinner there. Most dinner and breakfast were provided by the hotels and they all require meal tickets. We could wear our yukata and slippers around the whole hotel. We slept in traditional tatami only twice throughout the 7 nights, and this is one of them. The hotel staff will go up to the room in the evening to set up the tatami for their guests.

This was my first experience with Hokkaido corn soup and I was so in love with it. I never liked corn soup but Hokkaido ones are extraordinary. I believe that the superior taste comes from the milk and Hokkaido milk is just so creamy. In almost all the hotel buffet places, they provide trays and plates with compartments which makes it much easier to bring back your food. All the desserts taste great but there's one really special jelly - Black Coffee jelly! The coffee flavor is strong and bitter but when it is eaten with the milk sauce, the taste is perfect.

After dinner, we walked around the stores and bought this grape sweet (¥162). I was quite surprised that it is even shaped exactly like grapes. The texture of the gummy is also similar to that of the real fruit.

After dinner; Onsen

Going for a soak in the onsen before bedtime helps us all to sleep better! On the way to the hotel, our tour guide, Shallen, has shared with us on the basic etiquette at the onsen.

• A big and small towel are provided in the room, and we were to bring with us to the onsen. 

• Male and female onsen are separated. Identify them by the colour of the curtain. Generally, blue is for men, and red is for women.

• There will be an area for you to put your slippers. Some of them come with number clips so you can identify yours but some don't. 

• You would then enter a room where you can take off all your clothes. Place your clothes and towel in the basket or cabinet with lock. 

• Bring the small towel along to cover your privates, but nobody really covers. 

• Enter the onsen and start of by bathing and making sure you are clean. Shampoo, conditioner, and shower gels are provided. 

• Once done, place the small towel on your head and start! Ensure the small towel do not touch the onsen water as it might contaminate the natural components in it. 

• After everything, there is an area where you can rinse yourself. Do not bathe again, if not all the benefits would be washed off. 

• Dry yourself as best as you can with that small towel before you step out. 

• Dry yourself with your big towel and get dressed. Hairdryers, facial creams, combs are provided. 

• Drink the water from the dispenser to hydrate yourself. 

• Bring back both towels with you. 

Shallen also told us how past tour members tried to avoid each other because it was socially awkward to see each other naked. They thought that going to the onsen at a late hour was a good idea. But everyone had the same opinion and so everyone went at the same time.

On that day itself, I saw almost every female from the tour group in the onsen. I had no fear due to the prior naked experience in Korea's jimjibbang haha. There were 39/40/42 degrees indoor baths and one outdoor bath. There is a sauna and cold bath as well. When you go into the hot bath right after the cold one, you get that tingling feeling throughout the body, like static. With the opposite sequence, you would feel super cold initially but a surge of warmth will then spread through the body. It is an awesome feeling!

That night, we opened the window slightly because the room was too warm. However, the air within the room was so dry I was awoken in the middle of the night.

Japan Hokkaido Day 1

1st day - 11 Jan 2017

Before we begin;

14 days in Japan, 7 nights in Hokkaido and the rest in Tokyo. This is my longest and most expensive trip so far with my boyfriend. It is also the most memorable one because this is my first snow and cold weather experience <3.
 

We booked our trip back in Nov 16 with Chan Brothers travel agency with a free and easy extension in Tokyo. As Hokkaido might be too cold and too difficult to explore ourselves, we thought that following a tour group would be more practical and enjoyable. Comparing various agencies, Chan Brothers provides one of the best itinerary attractions and a night of rest before we proceed with the adventure. 8D7N Hokkaido Ice Wonderland was the tour package we have chosen. We got to know that our extension of flights might be rejected as all tour members were supposed to return on the same date. Hence, we decided to go with the staff's suggestion of purchasing air tickets and land tour at two different cost. The combined total was only about S$150++ more than the original cost, which we both thought was worth paying for, for a confirmed extension of stay. Our tour was a confirmed tour then, and we paid for the deposit and air tickets first. The rest were paid when we went for our briefing nearing the departure date. 

With a confirmed flight back, we booked our hotel stay in Tokyo with Tobu Hotel, Levant Tokyo. Reviews have praised the rooms with a Tokyo Skytree view, and it really is a great view at night. We were more afraid that the other side facing the train railway might be too noisy, as some reviewers have feedback. For Wifi, Changi Recommends was having a promotion of S$5 per day for Japan and that was great news to us.

Air Tickets: S$1080 per pax

Tour: S$2700 per pax

Tobu Hotel: S$1000++ for 6 Nights

Wifi: S$70 for 14 days

This was my first winter trip so I had to spend a lot more on winter clothings! It was fun shopping though. My black downjacket from Winter Wear cost over S$200 but it is so soft and comfortable, and definitely kept me warm in the negative temperature in Hokkaido. My Winter Wear hat, scarf and gloves were also warm enough. I bought another Ultra Light Down Jacket from Uniqlo at S$99 and it was much needed in Tokyo when you don't want to look too bulky. We bought normal heattech inner wear top and bottom at S$10 each during the sale. For Hokkaido, we got the extra warm heattech top and bottom at S$24.90 each. Socks and heat packs were bought on Qoo10. Bringing good heat packs along is very important because your hands will be grateful for the warmth.

One of the most anticipated part of the trip was Disneyland and Disneysea. It is crazily popular and we decided to purchase our tickets beforehand. The two parks have different opening hours every day so do check their website to decide which days to visit. It is best to avoid the weekends. We got the Tokyo Disneyland and Disneysea 2 Day Pass via Klook at a discounted rate. These two theme parks require you to have a printed out hardcopy of the tickets so please be prepared. I was glad that Klook got back to us with the E tickets in less than 2 working days, so we were able to print our documents before we leave SG.

Disney 2 Day Pass: S$163 per pax

Let's begin;

Our flight was with All Nippon Airways at 6.30am. I stayed over at my boyfriend's place because we had to wake up at 3am and then drive down to the airport. Thankfully, I managed to catch a wink despite all the excitement. We reached the airport at 4.30am and saw our tour leader, Lye Heng, who has been there since 3am! The check in was smooth and we got both our international and domestic flight boarding pass.
 

We collected the Wifi router nearby at Terminal 2. It comes with a pouch and the charging port. It can connect up to 5 devices and the battery last about 6 hours. During the trip, the device was smart enough to disconnect by itself to save battery when we were inactive for a certain period of time. As we were part of a tour, it was more convenient to get the Wifi in Singapore than to search for them in Japan. The device worked great throughout the trip except when the bus was on the move in Hokkaido.

We had a good Macdonald's breakfast with 1 hour of wait time. On the plane, some of the passengers were already armed with their inner wear, ready for Japan. After the plane departed for awhile, we were all given a bottle of water and wet tissue. Their breakfast menu was either this porridge meal or the pancakes meal. We both chose this option for a lighter and lower calorie meal. I wanted to keep my chocolates as my snacks but my bf finished it up. About 2 hours before we land, we were given the best tuna sandwich ever. The cold and flavourful kind of sandwich, we wished we had another serving. As a token of appreciation for their passengers in choosing ANA, they gave us some candy before we land.

We reached Narita Airport at about 2.30pm and met the tour group at the luggage collection belt. We immediately boarded a bus for a one hour ride transfer to Haneda Airport. While walking to the bus, the cool breeze was welcoming! With my grey sweater on, it was just right.

Baggage check in; 

At Haneda Airport, we checked in the baggage ourselves! Japan technology is awesome. You can choose your language and follow the instructions on screen to key in your flight details. Placing your luggage horizontally against the wall of the machine, the lights will turn green if done correctly and the weight will be captured. Our individual luggage was already about 20kg each before all the shopping. With that, a luggage tag will be printed out and you have to tag that to your luggage. Once all is done, the door will close and your luggage will be brought it. Generally, the weight limit for each baggage for domestic flight is 20kg. However, since our flight was linked to our international flight under the same airline, our limit is 23kg and we could each have 2 checked in baggage. 
 

Lunch & Dinner; Tenpura Monzaemon;

We were told to eat our dinner before we board the domestic flight. We did not even have lunch and I was starving! Tenpura Monzaemon is located on the second level before we checked in. They specialize in Soba dishes. Even their tea is probably made from buckwheat, because it taste like noodles. My bf thought it was barley at first. We ordered a beef cold soba (¥1134), duck warm soba (¥1058) and a half tempura bowl with rice (¥453). I would say, soba is still better when it is cold. The beef soba is also spicy, which is really appetizing. We were supposed to dip the noodles/beef into the raw egg, and then into the sauce before we eat it. The tempura bowl is well worth the money. The fried tempura is crispy and light, and taste like hashbrown! 

Our flight to Chitose Airport was at 7pm and we were inside waiting since 6pm. There was nothing much inside to look around. We reached Chitose 1 and half hour later and the difference in the coldness as I walked out of the plane through the connector is so obvious. The first thing I did after I went out of the airport was to try to "blow smoke" out of my mouth haha. 

Lights out; Emisia Hotel

We reached Emisia Hotel, Sapporo at 10 plus. Alighting the bus with only a long sleeve top and a grey thick sweater, the walk from the bus to the hotel already made me shiver within seconds. Before we head up for the night, we bought winter shoe spikes (¥1058) and face masks (¥150) at the shop downstairs. It isn't literally spikes, but just rubber soles attached to our shoes to prevent us from slipping on ice.

We had light snacks and cup noodles as our supper. Chan Brothers gave us a nice and cool dorayaki each to end the day. Most hotels we stayed in has Wifi within the room. All their toilets have bidget toilet bowl as well,  but it feels itchy when I use it >.<. 

GOODNIGHT!

My Gastroscopy Experience

I am writing a short post about the Oesophago-Gastroduodenoscopy (OGD) procedure that I went through just this afternoon. In short, it is a procedure called Gastroscopy. A finger sized tube is put through your mouth, down your throat and into the stomach to check for irregularities in the stomach. 

I have been having gastric problems since August last year. The doctor recommended to do this procedure for a better understanding of the potential underlying causes of my stomach problems. My appointment timing was 1.30pm, so I started to fast since 12am and can only have a cup of water before 7am. After that, no food and water was allowed until I was done with this. Since I only woke up at 11am, the hunger and thirst was not hard to bear. 

My dad accompanied me to the hospital and he carried along my belongings with him while I went into the area where I waited for the next instruction. No perfume, make up, jewellery or contacts lens were allowed to be worn. The nurses and doctor asked me several times whether I would like to be sedated but I chose to have just the throat spray. Not sure why I did not want to be under sedation. The wait could be longer, for me to fall asleep and to wake up. I guess it would be good to feel what this whole process was like. 

I was asked to lay on the bed to rest and wait for my turn. The nurse gave me a clear liquid medicine to clear away air bubbles in my stomach. Soon, I was pushed inside the room where the procedure will take place. A doctor, a couple of nurses and the person who was assisting to push the tube down my stomach (not sure if there is a specific name for this) were present. It was going to start and I was feeling scared in that room alone :x.

A paper towel was put below my neck to shield the saliva that was going to drip out. The nurse gave me a few spritz of the throat spray, which she described as spicy and bitter. I was supposed to keep the spray there for a few seconds but I think I was swallowing it a little. When she finally said I could swallow, I could not feel my throat anymore because it was numbed. It was actually a horrible feeling of not being able to swallow. They had the blood pressure cushion wrapped around my left arm and I remembered it tightened during the procedure once to check my blood pressure.

I was asked to bite down a mouth piece and not to struggle (OMG) and before I know it, the tube was inside me. I felt my tears flow from my eyes, but I was not in pain. The nurse asked me to swallow and then told me the difficult part was over. I am guessing that that would be the throat area but it all happened too fast I don't even remember how it felt like. I researched on this previously and some people mentioned about the feeling of gagging when the tube goes down. Thankfully, I did not feel much of this sensation. I was told to breathe through my nose, but when the tube was down, I really could not tell where I was breathing through. Was I even breathing? At this point, I felt panicky but I could not speak. I was just making funny sounds and the nurse reassured me I was doing very well. She was holding my face down, which was a good thing. 

I felt pressure in my chest, and then in the stomach. I could feel something moving inside and it was so tight. Air was pumped in to enlarge the stomach for better observation but I didn't feel any difference in feeling when they did it. As the tube moved, the nurse was describing what I was looking at and what they were doing next. However, they seemed so soft and I can barely focus on what they were saying. There was a tiny little pain in the stomach but otherwise, it was really pure discomfort of something inside you throughout. The nurse used another equipment to suck out my saliva as well.

The nurse told me it was almost done. As per usual procedure, they took samples of my stomach in order to do tests for bacteria. I saw the ends open and close to grab some tissues but I'm glad that did not hurt at all. I was making more noise then as it seemed like the only way to feel better. My legs were shivering a bit, I could feel it. So much relief filled me when it was all done. Stomach was still hurting a little. The sore throat was almost immediately felt. I can totally understand why there was a chance of heart attack during this procedure now. Phew, it is over now. 

I went to the toilet to gargle my mouth and the throat hurt so much when the numbness went away. They called my dad back to fetch me while I was having hot milo and crackers. They printed the report and told me that everything looks normal, no growth or abnormalities. Now, we will just have to wait for my next review with the doctor. 

The nurse said I was brave to do this without sedation as most young people would choose to sleep it off. I am brave indeed. But I hope I never need to do it again! >.<

Reflections of 2016

2016 has been a fruitful year. Unlike 2015, which I seemed to have wasted it away, this year has been a year of changes. Looking back, here are my reflections of this year.

WORK

This is an awesome "achievement" for me because I hit my first one year mark on a single job! It is not that I like to job-hop but life is too short to stay in a place you dislike. I almost wanted to give up at the start because of the lack of proper training and that my work was so difficult to understand. I also knew that there were certain aspects of the job that I hated doing, those mindless scanning and arranging of paperwork.

Thankfully, I told myself that I would give myself a year and I persevered. In this industry, I also had access to fitness classes and equipment, which became my source of motivation. After I got familiarized with my work, it suddenly came to me that I have stopped learning in this job.

Re-watching Jack Ma's career advice video, he said "before 30 years old, follow somebody". It is not which company you go, but which boss you follow. This is a clear guide that I needed to start moving. In the process of me considering my options, office politics started coming in within the same department, which makes my leaving more inevitable. I had to leave all the negativity and this stagnant situation. And so, I fulfilled my one year promise to myself and it's now a new beginning again.

GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT

Staying in the same job position for a longer period of time has made me see more potential in myself. I should be doing something greater. In the past, I used to think that I just wanted a stable office job with a great work life balance. This is a Monday to Friday 9 - 6pm job, and I mostly leave on time. But I became bored and started to see no meaning in my work anymore. It is a mundane routine and I don't get much job satisfaction.

I don't see myself improving in terms of skill or communication. I wanted to see more in myself. I started rethinking about my strengths, about my interests and how I can develop them. I started reading because knowledge can change a person's perspective in a way you will never expect (especially after I found the Overdrive app together with the database on our national library  <3). I will plan ways to learn up certain skills which can be self taught. This year, I also started watching the old Disney movies, which provide so much inspiration when you watch them as a adult (I have never watched many of them). I am ready to discover a whole new world.  

FITNESS & HEALTH

As mentioned earlier, I have staff access to fitness classes which I made good use of. Prior to this job, I was putting on weight before I even realized. My office pants started to become uncomfortably tight as each day passes and my face was much rounder. I disliked taking photos then. Once my probation was over, I began my disciplined fitness lifestyle, with the goal to make my pants fit better. I brought my own lunch, which was really unappetizing. Because I do not like using the microwave, meal prep does not really work for me. I wake up early in the morning to steam my lunch. I go for morning classes on alternate days so I really have to wake up very early. It energizes me throughout the day! But I get tired easier after work.

Nevertheless, I persevered and people around me noticed the change. My face was the first to slim down. My body shape still looks pretty much the same, but just more toned I guess. Eventually, my stomach faced gastric problems and I stopped bringing food because they were cold by the time I eat them. I still make better food choices but I don't eliminate any food types. I reduced and eventually stopped going for classes because it was becoming tiresome. I came to discover I have high arched feet and the weights were probably causing them to hurt due to immense pressure on the heels. I continued my fitness lifestyle with jogging and doing circuit routines at home instead. I tried a 21 workout plan on Nike+Training app, and by the end of it, I can do the exercises that I could not do before.

As I'm writing this post right now, I have also just registered for Sundown 10km run next year. I have not even completed a single 10km till date so good luck to me. My longest so far is 7km, which I never thought was possible before this year. I have to thank my job for helping me to start off and achieve this. I have never been as fit as I am now.

Most importantly, my office pants are no longer tight :D.

LIFE

After a couple of years as a "real" adult, it feels like I don't even have a personal identify. I don't even understand myself, nor do I know who I really am. It has been a difficult time trying to figure things out and I am still in the process of doing so. However, I feel that things do happen for a reason and I will just let nature take its course. I realized that nobody and nothing can truly be your source of happiness. You have to be the one making happiness possible. Nobody can tell you the right way. You have to be the one to discover it by yourself. Be brave.

A good friend of mine got married this year, and I was her bridesmaid and emcee. I don't think I would have the courage last time to take up these roles, and it is definitely a good change to take up small "challenges". It helps me to grow.

On last year's anniversary, my bf brought me to Forlino for a fine dining experience. However, he did not get me any physical present or card, which made me really unhappy. To me, a physical item matters for keepsake, which is also why I don't fancy food as presents. He told me that experience should be the more important part and that photos serve as memories too. I took his point down as one of the things I can improve upon, and I think I'm doing good. In fact, I realized how the lack of space tends to make me stressed up. De-cluttering your life of the many things really helps to clear your mind. I reduced spending on clothes especially, saving up for the upcoming trip. And for the first time, I am looking forward to my trip for the whole experience rather than for the shopping spree like the past few times.

In 2017, I would do my best to embrace changes and take up challenges along the way. I would make conscious effort to gain knowledge and pick up skills. Overdrive shall be my best buddy, providing me with works of great writers. I would also like to write more on this space. I will believe in myself and my ability.

~ From a changed, slightly more confident woman.

Me Before You - The book

Me Before You - Jojo Moyes, 2012

I got to know about this novel when the movie came out. This is my-kind of movie but somehow I have not watched it yet. Instead, I read the book and books are always better in terms of the story development. You can let your imagination go wild indulging in every word and sentences written. That's why I consider myself a slow reader, taking my time to appreciate the author's work.

 ~

The book starts by describing how William Traynor was living his normal busy life and got hit in a road accident outside his apartment. Will, who was a successful man living a full life, became a quadriplegic who was only able to move his head and with limited movement in one arm only. The story is written mainly from Louisa Clark’s point of view. She is a girl living in a small town of England, who became jobless when the cafe she was working in closed down. She has worked as a hairdresser and in a chicken factory before, and it was hard to find another job at the agency without some skill-set. Then, there’s a caretaker job whereby she needs to look after Will, a 35 year old man, taking care of his daily needs and emotional well-being. Nathan, a nurse, would take care of the physical cleaning and medical needs. Mrs Camilia Traynor has given Louisa the offer despite her having no prior experiences with quadriplegic because she seemed like the outspoken kind of person who might cheer Will up. 

Initially, Will was very cold towards Lou and she hated her job. She gave him a piece of her mind, saying she that she was just doing her job. Eventually, they started communicating and got more used to each others' sarcastic jokes. When Georgina, Will’s sister, came back from Australia, Lou found out their dark secret. Will will give Camilia 6 months time to change his mind about living. After which, they would have to agree to send him to Switzerland Dignitas for the assisted suicide process because there was no chance of recovery.

Shocked, Lou quit her job. When Camilia came to question her, she found out the reason why and urged her to help Will change his mind. Lou decided to fill her calendars up with various activities that quadriplegics can participate in and even posted her queries and progress in a quadriplegic forum. After the very first outing to watch the horses, Will was very angry and told Lou that that was exactly what he hated, that they did not even bother asking him for his opinion. People just did what they think is good for him. He went to her birthday dinner at her place, and gave her two pairs of yellow and black bumblebee tights, to replicate those which she lost during her childhood. They both got a tattoo each too. As time goes, I guess she fell for him and realized so much inadequacy in her relationship with Patrick. They broke up when Patrick refused to allow her overseas with Will for work purposes to cheer him up.

Lou planned for a big getaway as the deadline was nearing but Will caught Pneumonia which got rather serious. They changed the plan to going Mauritius instead, just sitting by the beach and enjoying the daily beauty. When Lou confessed to Will that she loves him and kissed him, he kissed her back but still, he wanted to go ahead with the assisted suicide. He loves her but it was not enough, he was not him anymore, that man full of life, full of possibilities. He does not want to live his life depending on other people.

As they flew back to England, she headed home without any goodbyes. Till the day before the process starts, Camilia called Lou, begging her to come to Will. Everything was prepared for her leaving and she left, despite strong opposition from her mum Josie. She had to be there for him for the last time and support his decision. By his side, he requested her to tell her something good and she described their story to him. The story ended with how Will’s last letter was read by Lou specifically at Will’s favourite cafe in Paris. He gave her money and wanted her to live her life to the fullest. Go for further studies and better herself. Life is too short to waste it away like this. 
~

This book touches on a very sensitive topic of assisted suicide. In the process of reading, you can feel the frustration and indignity of Will. While some may argue on the moral issues of taking away a life, it is also important to consider the quality of living and the emotions involved. I feel that there is no 100% right or wrong in every situation and it depends on your perspective.

As Will was a person who has made the most out of his life, he cannot understand how and why Louisa was letting her life slip by. A conversation between them has given me a very much needed reminder. He told Lou that if he were her, he would do things that would push him to his limits. He would do something that taps into his talent and he would go experience life.  

Because one day, you might wish you had done all those, he said.

We do not know when is our expiry date, but we can enjoy life better when we make the most out of every single day. I was reading this during another down point in my career and I still have not figured out what I am supposed to do. I felt like Louisa. However, I realized that the answer might take ages to come. Rather than lamenting over my inability to understand myself fully, I decided to take small steps in the present moment to better myself. I will continue to read and who knows, inspiration might just come to me and change my whole life. Learning shall be my new hobby.