A Traveler's Tale of Loss and Self-Discovery

My friend was in Singapore, so I thought it would be a good idea to buy a MacBook Pro from there since it's cheaper than in India. I figured transferring money to my friend would be easy, but my mom and sister had to check with 4 to 5 banks to find out that the person receiving the money should be a close relative. Luckily, we found out that my dad's friend's cousin was in Singapore, but even then, the process was tough. Eventually, we managed to transfer the money.

After my friend bought the MacBook Pro, he called me the next day and asked if I was free on December 12. I said yes, but I had some project work. He hinted that they might take me to Singapore, so I should be ready.

The next day, after a jury, I felt the need to improve my project. I decided to cancel my flight ticket scheduled for the 3rd, which cost me a cancellation fee of 3000 Rs. I was worried and apologized to my friend. The following day, my friend called again, confirming our trip to Singapore on the 12th. He told me to send a bonafide certificate from college via courier for the visa application. Initially, I hesitated due to financial concerns, but I got a wedding photography order on December 8th, so I agreed to go.

I received the bonafide certificate a couple of days later and sent it to my friend via DTDC courier for 350 Rs. Unfortunately, it was delivered after he had already applied for the visa.

On December 5th, I went to college to discuss my project, but my guide was out of station and would return on December 8th. With most people gone, and a language barrier in Hindi, I was unsure what to do. Luckily, Ali was there to help me communicate with others. I structured the story and decided to go home.

After doing the wedding shoot, I earned some money and paid the person I hired. The client promised to transfer the remaining amount, but when they didn't, I called them on December 11th. They assured me it would be transferred the next day.

To save money, I decided to take a train to Chennai instead of a bus. I called my friend to meet me at another friend's house to get my MacBook Pro. Confidently, I took a taxi with 2000 Rs in cash. When I asked the driver for change, he drove to the left side of the road and stopped. He told me to get change from a petrol bunk, but three bunks refused. To make matters worse, the taxi's diesel tank was full. I asked if the driver needed to recharge his mobile, but he said he was using a postpaid mobile.

After a while, I opened the UBER app and looked for online payment options. I remembered a coupon code from ICICI and used it to credit 200 Rs. When the meter reached 200 Rs, I asked him to stop the ride. There was still 1 km to go, and if we didn't stop, I would have to pay 220 Rs in cash. Luckily, I had coins for 20 Rs, so I decided to pay that separately.

I finally reached the airport, checked in, and went to immigration. The officer at the counter asked if it was a tourist or business visa. Unsure because my friend hadn't applied using my bonafide, I hesitated, but the officer insisted. Eventually, I said tourist. After a strange look, she stamped my passport and allowed me inside.

Finally, I got on the Singapore Airlines flight, and as soon as I entered, I was amazed by the air hostesses. I could feel the quality and brand value of Singapore Airlines. When the flight landed in Singapore, we went through immigration and then headed to the Royal Caribbean cruise for a five-day journey, just like our plan.

When we got to the boarding harbor early, we got a yellow card after giving away our luggage. My friends and I waited for two hours, watching people from different countries. Then, a staff member with a yellow flag called for passengers with a yellow card. Oops! We had left our card at the counter and had to go back to get a pink card. After an additional 30 minutes of waiting, we finally got our turn. On the 9th deck, I used a smart card to open the door, and there was my luggage. After a quick rest and a nice shower, I explored the cruise, taking pictures of people and places.

The next day, we woke up early for breakfast at 9 am because there was nothing free between 10 am and 12 pm except pizza and pudding. After breakfast, I went to the terrace and saw bikini-clad girls for the first time. Trying to move away, I explored other parts of the cruise. When we reached Kuala Lumpur, we decided to visit the Petronas Towers. We took a cab, went up the lift with LED monitors showing the view outside, and the experience was thrilling. Back on the cruise, we went to the casino, where I had a good day with a profit of 10,000 Rs. The next morning, we repeated the routine of breakfast, swimming pool, and avoiding certain places.

Later, we reached Phuket, where every 10 meters, there were girls offering Thai massages on one side and a beach with people wearing minimal clothing on the other side. These experiences were entirely new for me, and I explored the place with my friends, thinking about the people and culture.

At 8 o'clock in the evening, we returned to the cruise, had dinner, and visited the casino again. We played using only the profit amount, and after exploring other parts of the game, I ended the day with a profit of 10,000 Rs. The next morning, after breakfast and another visit to the swimming pool, I spent time talking to the bartender about life and passion.

After lunch, we checked out showrooms, and in the evening, I found 5-dollar chips in my pocket. I went to the casino to exchange them but decided to play for a bit with the profit amount. Unfortunately, luck turned against me, and I not only lost the 20,000 Rs profit but also an extra 40,000 Rs of my hard-earned money. By the end of the cruise, I felt down and couldn't smile or talk. The whole night, I thought about my father and how he handles emotions even after a loss I couldn't imagine enduring in my lifetime. I started asking others for their stories to find strength. Hearing their experiences made me a bit stronger. I realized that when times are tough, our brain doesn't work well, but when our brain is functioning properly, we don't worry much about problems.

The next morning, I had breakfast again, partly because I didn't want to waste the food I already paid for. We reached Singapore, and I told my sister about the casino incident. Then, I went around with my friends. The following day, my friends planned to go to Universal Studios, but I declined since I had already been there. Later, my sister called and asked where I was. I said I was lying on the bed, trying to save some money. My mom and sister advised me not to overthink it and to go with my friends. I cut the call, saying I'd try to go. Within five minutes, I grabbed a Singapore map, went out, wandered alone, and eventually joined my friends. I also did some window shopping and bought a few things at the mall. Finally, I got two cases of Milo because they were cheaper due to an offer and returned to the room.

Somehow, I bounced back in the remaining four days and made it to Singapore airport. We were in line to clear immigration, and I was the last among my friends. When I reached the counter, they asked for the slip of the immigration form I filled out when I entered Singapore. I had left it in my room, thinking it wasn't important. They took me to a separate cabin, and everyone in the airport stared, but I casually ignored them and went with the officer. I stayed calm and unconcerned. I looked at my friends, thinking they were waiting for me, but even after gesturing for a minute, they didn't turn towards me.

During the inquiry, they asked about the whole trip, and I answered their questions. When I tried to look at my friends, no one was there. After the inquiry, I showed them all my ID proof, and finally, they agreed to let me board the flight. After crossing that zone, within five meters, I reached a junction. I looked right and left, my eyes reaching till the end, but I couldn't figure out where to go. I chose the right side and started walking because only 15 minutes remained for departure. I asked a person for directions to gate 13b, and she took a little time to respond. I moved a little forward, but instantly, I got a reply from her, saying, "go in the opposite direction." I thanked her, turned back, and started walking. I saw an Apple Store and remembered that my friend said he booked an Apple Watch at the airport. I went inside, but there was no one except Apple products. I called a person from inside and asked about a group of guys who came to buy an Apple Watch with a black strap. The person replied that he couldn't remember so many people coming there. I didn't speak more than "okay" to the seller, who didn't have a single customer at that moment. Then I found a map in the airport, double-checked, and finally realized that I was going in the opposite direction of my destination. I returned the same way and saw a guy standing in front of another gadget shop. I wanted to confirm about my friend, but he started talking about having Apple Watches tax-free. I moved away from that place, and on the way, I saw the girl who helped at the departure gate. Even though she was looking at me, I did not stop but showed her a small gesture without any expression or word and moved very fast.

Finally, I found my gate, went there quickly after confirming twice. Once I entered, I gave my bag for scanning and stood in front of security. After the security check, they called me to open my bag, and I didn't understand why. I was well prepared for boarding, and everything was perfectly arranged. When I opened the bag, there were two Milo tetra packs inside, only because my friend had placed them there to reduce his weight. The security personnel said I couldn't take them on the flight, so I had to finish them there. I threw the two Milo packs into the dustbin, ran towards my boarding gate, and the Singapore airline was about to announce my name on the speaker. My friend started shouting at me, and I reciprocated, shouting continuously for two minutes, including the incident with the Milo packs. Then I moved into the flight, and as I entered, I forgot everything and became fresh by looking at the air hostess. After reaching my seat, I asked my friend if he bought the Apple Watch, and he replied yes from the Apple showroom. Suddenly, I thought about my life and motivated myself to work hard for my passion, reaching a certain level that would allow me to travel around the world and, if possible, to Mars.

I always think that my heart is strong enough to tackle anxiety and fear in my life. However, whenever I face a new experience, it weakens, and I am always working to make my heart stronger and stronger in every speed bump of its journey.