Busy Comes From Rinjani

Dear Diary,

I haven’t been writing a lot to you lately. I apologize for my lack of attention towards you. I have not been busy but I just kept myself busy with online shopping and preparation to Rinjani. I still hike every month and I still workout daily but somehow I simply did not follow my daily timetable religiously. I did not write things I have done on that A4 piece of paper, which I usually do. Well, I guess I am a little off track nowadays but I am back on my feet again.

I am glad I still manage to do at least 50% of the things in my timetable. Things like prayers, workouts, and housework are what I would always do without miss. Other than that, I had skipped.  There are many things that I have to do apart from the daily timetable. I have to search for tickets for my return to Singapore from Lombok. I have to search for a transport service during my time in Bali. I have bought for my dad wheelchair service to and from Bali so it would be easier for my mom and dad. They will be alone coming back to Singapore and I am trying my best to make it as easy as it can be for both of them. I am praying to Allah to make it easy for them.

I will not be with them as I have to go to Lombok from Bali. I will be hiking Rinjani and I will meet Sarah and Nad there. My flight to Lombok is at 445pm and I will arrive Bali at 515pm. It was just a 30 minutes flight and I supposed it will be the shortest flight of my life and the cheapest too! It only cost me SGD26 for that flight. I hope I will not hold up the rest of the participants. Most of them arrive early on that day. I will be the only one from Bali.

I have started packing and there are only a few more items left to add on. Most of the items I bought online have arrived and there are only 2 more. I bought a new pair of hiking shoes as the soles of my Lowa boots came off. It was my mistake to put them in plastic bags and left them in my backpack for more than two weeks. You see, I started packing early and packing the boots like that was a big mistake. You never pack your boots in plastic bags and store them. When my gaiters arrived, I took the boots out to try them with my boots and I notice some small bits of rubber came off from my shoes and I knew it then my boots were gone.

I can always send them for repair to have the soles replaced. But Campers Corner would have to send the shoes to Germany and it will take more than 1 month. I am leaving on 23^rd of April. The shoes will not be ready in time for my trip. I am not sure if I still want to wear those boots for Mount Fuji. The trip will be in August and I guess if I send the shoes for re-sole after I come back from Rinjani, I will have plenty of time. I just don’t know if I want to wear my Lowa Boots.

The new shoes are fine. It is Hi-Tec and mid cut. It is lightweight and breathable. It is definitely not bulky like Lowa because it is not boots. Lowa boots are naturally more bulky, heavier and bigger. I bought them for any snow holidays. I need to know how to care for hiking boots. I am always concern of the soles. I have this fear the soles would come off while hiking. That is like my biggest concern. I will try this new pair of hiking shoes in Rinjani first and then I will decide if I want to bring Lowa for Fuji. If I do, I will send it to re-sole and find a proper shoe bags that fit.

Oh yes, I have sent my camera for repair. Thank god it is fine now and I can use a new filter for it. It cost me $90. And the repairman cleaned my camera as well. I am happy with their service and I will be familiarising myself with it again. I want to enroll myself in photography classes soon before my trip to Japan.  

I got to go Diary. Talk to you soon.