We are all very excited about our Korea trip. I am so looking forward that I think my neck has grown half an inch and my eyes are popping out. The large sum that we poured in for the trip didn’t dampen our spirits. Our packets are badly burnt though. I think I am in denial or have adopted selective perception in this case. However, we didn’t realize that there are a lot more spending to be done for the trip.
We have never visited another country during winter. Moreover, we are a family with fat genes and fat people are not scared of cold. Lil Isaac goes to bed clad in singlet and shorts. He kicked blankets off every night. So, we do not have many items in the wardrobe to survive a winter. We do not even have many long sleeves pieces. So we went into frantic buying while trying to observe the tight budget that we are on. This is so tough.
We know that the kids will grow up really quickly. Whatever that we buy for them this year will probably be too small next year. Furthermore, it is not as if we travel to enjoy winter every year. The pieces are probably too warm for normal usage in Singapore too. For the adults, I don’t foresee myself in long sleeves after the trip. I usually don’t. Daddy Lim breaks out in sweat even in his short sleeves on a perfectly mild weathered day. So the pieces will probably end up as white elephants after the trip. To spend plenty of money on pieces for one time usage is such heartache. Yet, it is too much hassle to try to go around loaning from friends. I do not have friends as big as me too. And I am not even talking about Daddy Lim’s sizes. Hohoho.
I realized that it is no fun buying for necessity. I do not derive the kind of high that I get from senseless shopping and buying on wants. I am constantly weighing my options, asking which pieces will reap the most economical sense yet give me sufficient aesthetic value. I am suddenly turned into an economist and almost started drawing charts and graphs to find my equilibrium. Hohoho.
It didn’t help that we are traveling together with Mummy L and a common friend. It wasn’t pre-arranged, we booked the tour before them. The itinerary and price was good with them and they booked the exact same tour. I’d love traveling with them. We and the kids will have good companion but Mummy L already warned me that she will be dressed up to cloud 9, wearing hip pieces fit for the runway. Streeessssss…. Ok, so the pieces that I buy must be cheap, warm enough for winter and I am now adding “hippy-ness” to the list. Woohoo!
I didn’t dare take account of the amount of $$ that we have spent pre-trip. I have tried to spread out the spending across the months since August 2012, so that they don’t kill us. So far, we have bought long johns for the family (including Popo) and they cost about $50+ each suit. Most of the accessories such as scarves and gloves are in. Daddy Lim has bought an almost $200 outer jackets. I have brought a number of long sleeves and pants for the kids. We have also bought shoes for the kids. I have stocked up the long sleeves for myself. The outer jackets that we loan for the kids are a little too small. They looked like “bah changs” with just 2 layers. I have sourced and will be getting the kids 2nd-hand outer jackets that cost a fraction of their original prices. We are getting them soon and really hope that they are suitable. That is the thing about online buying.
We are still short of jeans for the kids and thermal leggings for jiejie and me. I need shoes too. We also have to stock up for Popo, which probably isn’t that difficult. Daddy Lim hasn’t asked to buy anything other than that winter jacket. Well, he can be quite vain at times too and I wouldn’t be surprised if he suddenly asked to buy really nice (read: not cheap too) pieces. Hohoho.
The Korea trip must go on after all these preparations and anticipations. Nobody must fall sick, there must be no natural disasters. I will the trip to take place. It MUST take place.
Mummy Lim
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