So, the last time I wrote we were preparing for typhoon Sinlaku. She was quite the terror for Saipan and Tinian, which are around 135 miles away from us. But, at 400 miles wide (you read that right), we still felt Sinlaku’s impact. She decided to hangout for awhile, so I sheltered in place at a friend’s apartment for 3 nights. While we didn’t get the full impact, the sea spray from the wind and waves battering the island did some damage. Luckily it’s a tropical island and all grew back quickly. Power around the island was also out for about a week, so (since my place has a generator) I got to share my home with good friends. Despite the pain of storm damage, we had lots of fun in between. That said we have yet another super typhoon barreling down on us, and no one is laughing. We don’t yet know whether Guam will be a direct hit (we’ll find out soon enough), or poor Saipan and Tinian. They still haven’t finished recovering from the last storm. Rota, a small island closer to us, is also in Bavi’s (this beast’s name) path. So, basically we’re all boarding up our homes and preparing to huddle in our corners instead of celebrating July 4. We’re expecting to feel the inner bands of storm by tomorrow night. As I type this, the wind outside is picking up and bullying my balcony.

This is also the first super typhoon I’m planning to ride out alone, but I’m not completely alone because a week or two after Sinlaku, I agreed to foster a dog. Basically my job was to fatten her up and give her time to heal (she had lots of scabs and was a skeleton) so the shelter could adopt her out, and I was only going to keep her for 12 days because I had a trip to visit my family planned. Well, day two she put her paw on my lap and made it clear she had adopted me, and that was that. Almost two months later and the neglected, abused, doesn’t know how to act around people dog is quite happy with apartment living (and great at it; she’s soooo easy to train). lol she’s also quite the little Sassafras who is no longer afraid to demand attention from her human. Thanks to a friend’s suggestion, I named her Sirena after a CHamoru mermaid.

I think she kept me because she loves the couch, and I let her use it. I felt bad because I left for two weeks, came back for two weeks, then left for almost three weeks to see Singapore and Bali, and now I’m back, and we’ve got this storm to get through. That said, she loves the family who takes care of her when I’m gone, and lol she adopted me, so she remembers who I am when I get back.

And, well, I love her. She’s the perfect couch and walk buddy. I’ll hug my beer, she’ll stress eat her kibble and we’ll cower wherever we need to cower when the worst of the storm hits. She’ll be very excited afterwards because I’m pretty sure we’ll have friends stay with us again until power is back on — finally she’ll get to show off her new 4th of July party dress!

So back to Singapore — it was wonderful! I’d totally go back there alone because it’s so clean, easy to navigate and safe. I met my friend Susan (fellow dive buddy and sometimes roommate when she’s working on Guam) there for her birthday, and we decided to splurge. Eww la la we booked two nights at Marina Bay Sands hotel — I earned some mileage points on my credit card with that one. It was pure luxury, and we sooooo enjoyed it.

lol Susan had three or four birthday surprises from the different hotels we visited during our big trip — after our 3 days in Singapore, she spoiled me on a tour of her adopted home: Bali (but that will be another blog post).

We also ventured out our first night and ordered street food, and then took a street food tour —- so we got plenty of samples of amazing food that I can’t pronounce. But, it was fantastic. And, the city is full of art and culture everywhere, so it’s just such a treat to walk, explore, don’t question and discover. If I get to visit Singapore again, I’d like to get out and see more. This was just a quick taste (and how yummy a taste it was).

Part of the reason I also wanted to see Singapore is because of all that I’ve read about their airport. While I got to explore all the terminals, and they are so much fun with things like an interactive dreamscape, a butterfly garden, lillypad garden, sunflower roof garden (just to name a few), I didn’t get to visit their main attraction The Jewel, but that’s okay because now there just has to be a next time. It’s probably the only airport where you want a long layover.

There’s so much more I should share, but the wind is picking up, and I’ve got some things I need to do to prepare for the banshee tomorrow night. Perhaps after I unplug my Starlink and store it, lol I’ll have plenty of time to write about Bali (and post when I can plug in my internet again).

Happy 4th to all of you, please send positive, healing wishes our way. The marinas are battered a bit, and regardless of whether or not we get a direct hit on Guam — all the islands will suffer and have to, yet again, pick up the pieces and repair.

Luckily this too will pass, and we can all get back to living the lovely island life.