Maldives RnRs 💗

Such a beautiful and different view right this moment. I am sitting in a Maldives beach bar, and have just completed the UNIR write up. It’s been a really relaxing 5 days out on this Maldives island, listening to the crash of the waves, and just getting away for a bit.

I was really thinking about how to spend my 5 days. Last week, I thought it would be one-too-many days – because there might be nothing to do? So I decided to frame each day with some rest itinerary. And it goes like this. 

Day 1 – Rest and Refuel (aka – Sleep and Eat).

Haha, and so Day 1 was exactly that, and actually, all 5 days were that. I slept averagely 8 – 9 hours daily, and Oura sleep score was 85 and above daily. Haha. It’s so good to just sleep! And Steve says I can really fall asleep. I even slept at the airport lounge on my way here (oura registered a nap of 26 mins), and then in the plane too, I slept. And nightly, once I am on the bed, I sleep. 😊 May this easy-to-fall-asleep trait continue to be so much a part of me.

And then, of course – I ate and refueled. I have 3 full meals daily – breakfast, lunch and dinner. And then, I wondered – who created and institutionalized this global thinking that we have to eat 3 meals daily? Actually, I don’t really care much about sticking to the 3 meals, and usually I eat only when I am hungry, and certainly for dinners. But here, in this sunny, breezy, beautiful island, because all the meals are taken care of, I can hop into any of the restaurants, and just eat… and drink. So – I must say I will leave Maldives with a very full stomach (and hopefully, not too big).

I think one of the best meals is the self-concocted muesli-with-lotsa-colourful-fruits breakkie meal. I also added soya milk to it…. Omg… so tasty and I think I can eat this often. But when I go back to real life, I know it will be simple coffee and breakkie only if I am hungry – and which is also perfectly fine by me.

I think holiday breaks always bring forth a different routine and rest. So – 3 full meals and lotsa sleep – perfect way to ensure each day is beautiful. :-D

***

Day 2 – For a moment, I wondered what I did. So good old handphone tells me what I did.

I was on the stepper for 45 mins, and then we also kayaked. Haha. Kayaked twice in less than a week. And oh, after another refuelling lunch, we did a back massage, and then had a romantic grilled seafood dinner on the nearby barefoot-love island. All thru the trip, different ones at the restaurants would introduce us to some fancy-themed dinner at this barefoot island – which I think I could snorkel across. We actually kayaked there in less than 5 mins. And Day 2 – was also very restful and relaxing. I think, I will call my Day 2 – Release and Romance (because of the massage, and the dinner? :-D).

看海 - after the oily massage.

***

Day 3 started with me joining a sunrise yoga, and then – it was only just the instructor and me. Hahaah. Think nobody was cray enough to do such yoga sessions in the morning, and perhaps most of them go for the sunset one? Then, I did a 30 min stepper and watched HTCCC – which was hilariously funny.

I love just laying down at this boardwalk beside the beach to cool down and stretch – and I was commenting to SY that regardless where – at MR, in AD, or now, Maldives, after a run, we can always stretch and soak in the sun rays. So beautiful. Just laying there, stretching, cooling down after a sweat, listening to the playlist.

Day 3 was my first try at snorkeling, and boy – I like it so so much! I have done snorkeling before, but this time, I really enjoyed it so much and I think this is possibly the highlight of all the activities. I snorkeled, then lunch, then tennis (on a rather unkempt tennis court), and then, snorkeled again. Haha. It is beautiful to see the fishes, the corals – and it was just so enjoyable to flap gently in the sea and to see fishes swimming underneath me. 😊  

I also love the 1.5hrs we had before dinner – just watching sunset and having an ice-cold beer and NF on the sunset porch. As Joann's son would say - this is life.

So I think, Day 3 would be – Re-energize and Recreation (because of the new love in snorkeling and the HTCCC). :-D

****

Day 4 – was beautiful! I decided to run and Runkeeper showed that I did reasonably good – I RAN ROUND AN ISLAND. Hahahah. So funny, when I was told by some friends that I actually ran full rounds round an island. I thought I should clock in a run, because 26 Nov is up and coming, and I enjoyed the runs, seeing people getting out for breakfast, feeling the chill vibe as some start to go out to the beaches.

And – because of the love for snorkeling, it was run – breakkie – snorkeling – lunch – pcr – snorkeling -dolphin cruise – sunset cruise – dinner – zzzz. The snorkeling was really just very addictive. Back at our ocean villa, I tried to snorkel too, but it was a tad too strong, the waves. So I had to be just contented with the earlier attempts.

The sunset cruise was nice too – 夕阳无限好，只是近黄昏。Watching the sun set on the boat deck, was calming and relaxing. These few days though, even while I was enjoying the sun, sand and sea, I also thought of Josephine, especially when I could see the dark waters in the night. I said a prayer several times. It must have been very difficult.

And so Day 4 is Run and Rediscover (the run, and also rediscovering the joys of snorkeling and the wonders of nature!)

****

And in the blink of an eye, it is now Day 5 – and it was sunny when I started this entry, and then, the rain suddenly came. It is a light one though – I think in another 15 mins, it will be sunny again. This morning, I was back at the gym on the stepper, and then had the yummy muesli concoction again. Alas – all good things must come to an end, and we had to check out at 12pm.

Because there’s about 5 hours till departure, I decided to finish up with the UNIR report, and while at it – a gin tonic and a pizza to go along. I did feel productive. It was a good feeling. And then, today, since early morning, there was already work emails, messages – and all these reminds me that I have to go back to the work grind tomorrow, which is also fine. I think, I am in a process to learn how to better manage life – a never-ending one at that. 😊

And this entry – captures this last minute, random trip that we decided to make time for, only last week. In itself, that is also a life experience and choice, and I am glad we decided to go for it. Looking back, it really is worthwhile, enjoyable and exciting.

I decided to call Day 5 – Reflection and Recalibrate – because it is so nice to just reflect and recount on these last few days, capturing some moments and emotions, and at the same time, 收拾心情, to return back to Abu Dhabi. I would like to have a 平常心。 And I believe it was Pastor Tan who preached this message before. 😊 In whatever, have a 平常心, and always be thankful and grateful.