Between Bird Calls and Pay Slips

January was spent catching up on belated birthday celebrations and birding, so many rare birds appeared that month. I also began freelancing at last. The income is modest, but it gives me a sense of purpose, a feeling that I am contributing again, and that satisfying rhythm of working hard and playing hard. After a day of work, heading out for birding feels like a genuine reward. Perhaps we do need a little struggle before we can truly enjoy the harvest, though I say that half in jest.

As part of my freelance work, I completed a certification in assessing early cognitive impairment. It was a meaningful experience working with older adults and carrying out the assessments. However, the arrangement is not sustainable in the long term. I have to wait for available slots and book them in order to conduct each assessment, and payment is made per case. The unpredictability makes it difficult to plan ahead. Also right now the work places are all in the far west. So I began applying for short term roles and positions closer to home.

I secured a three month contract with a government agency. I suspect it will be relatively straightforward work (customer service), which probably explains the modest salary. Still, it is enough to cover daily expenses and allow me to set aside savings for my next birding trip, which was my main motivation for getting a paycheck. There is also CPF which helps to grow the retirement pot. 

For now, I have put the assessment work on hold. A few freelance opportunities are circulating, but nothing is confirmed. With income so uncertain, I would rather commit to something stable and time limited.

I am not sure whether I will complete the full three months. I will see how the training in February unfolds and take it from there. Fingers crossed.

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Goodbye 2025

December came and went in a blink. I spent a week at home unwell, the kind of forced stillness that makes time feel both slow and strangely fleeting. The rest of the month disappeared into birthday catch-ups, Christmas gatherings, and long conversations with friends. Somehow, I did not even find time for birding, which feels almost ironic given how much it has come to mean to me.

Looking back, the last half of 2025 was quietly revolutionary.

I quit my job.
I reached my CPF Full Retirement Sum.
I discovered birding, a hobby that has changed how I see time, travel, and even patience.
I completed several courses.
I travelled to Thailand, China, Japan, and Malaysia.

When I list it out like this, it surprises me how much shifted in 6 months. Not all of it was easy, but most of it felt necessary.

As I think about 2026, I know I should probably find a part-time job. Birding is not exactly a low-cost passion, especially when it involves flights to other countries and expensive tour guide costs. What I dread, deeply, is the idea of returning to a full-time role. The current job market feels bleak, and the thought of stepping back into a stressful environment seems both exhausting and, frankly, pointless.

I have been considering something simple and close to home, perhaps a small retail job, even if the income is minimal. With no debt and relatively low expenses, it feels sustainable. More importantly, it would allow me to protect my time, to continue doing the things that make life feel expansive rather than constricted.

For now, that feels like enough.

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Fraser's Hill

I am back from my 5 days, 4 nights trip to FH. It was a very interesting experience, and I now understand why so many people say December is not a good time to visit because of the rainy weather. Apparently, though, it is a good time for reptiles. Since this was a wildlife expedition, it turned out to be a good experience overall. At least now I understand how Fraser’s Hill works and just how exhausting the journey can be.

I am quite happy with the trip as we still managed to see rare finds like the Brown Wood Owl, as well as rare reptiles such as the Ah Tung frog. I only joined two night tours as I am not a night owl. The night tours and hunts can go on until 1 to 2 am, so they are really more suited to the younger ones, lol.

As for the accommodation, it was definitely not worth what I paid for a Malaysian resort. It was very run-down, like a 90s chalet. The only plus point was that it was spacious and I had the room to myself.

I will probably try going with a bird guide next time, or join a group of birders.

And oops, big booboo 😅 I forgot I have Beauty and the Beast musical the same week as my Fraser’s Hill trip, so I have to give the ticket to KE to go with PY instead.

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Tokyo & Mt Fuji

Day 1
We arrived in Tokyo quite late and took the limousine bus to Shinjuku before transferring to the train for Shin-Nakano. By then, the constant stairs were already taking their toll, and fatigue set in quickly.

The Airbnb was much smaller than expected, surprisingly tight for a place advertised for five people. In reality, three would have been far more comfortable. That said, the location was excellent, just a few minutes’ walk from the station. We did struggle a bit with the shower heater, and there was no room heater at first, but the owner later told us there was a portable one hidden in the cabinet. Small frustrations aside, we ended the day with a nice izakaya dinner, pricey, but satisfying after a long journey.

Day 2
We started the day at the Doraemon pop-up café in Shibuya. Surprisingly, it wasn’t crowded at all. The décor was charming, and every dish was thoughtfully designed around the characters. While the food itself was expensive for the quality, it was still worth it for the photos and especially meaningful for my sister-in-law, who is a big Doraemon fan.

The highlight for me was visiting the owl café. Seeing so many owls up close was fascinating, and the session felt relatively controlled with only about ten visitors allowed at a time. Still, I remain conflicted. While it was educational and encouraged respect for wildlife, I couldn’t help feeling uncomfortable about the captivity, especially the Snowy Owl, who looked deeply unhappy. Some animals simply don’t belong behind glass.

Dinner that night was a letdown, first bad sushi, then bad fast food. Honestly, I didn’t think that was even possible in Japan.

Day 3
We visited the Doraemon Museum, which was about 40 minutes away. It turned out to be less about Doraemon alone and more about the life and work of its creator, Fujiko F. Fujio, which made it unexpectedly meaningful. Lunch was a Doraemon-shaped curry, fun and nostalgic. I even spotted some eagles nearby, though sadly I hadn’t brought my camera.

Later, I went to Hobby’s World after a recommendation from G, a new birding friend. It was an absolute treasure trove of bird merchandise. I definitely overspent but with zero regrets.

Day 4
Birding day. I headed to Yoyogi Park while the girls went to Akihabara to shop for manga and anime collectibles. Bird activity was fairly quiet, but I still picked up a few lifers, including brown-eared bulbul and Japanese tit. I was also surprised by how abundant the Rose-ringed Parakeets were thriving right in the middle of the city.

I returned to Hobby’s World again to help K buy even more things. At this point, I felt like their VIP customer of the week. I also had an amazing steak lunch nearby. I still don’t understand how Japanese beef tastes that good.

On the walk to Akihabara, I stumbled upon Hijiribashi Bridge. The layered view of trains and boats crossing above the river was unexpectedly beautiful and memorable.

That evening, I finally bought the Canon 1.4× extender. It was much cheaper than in Singapore and sold out almost everywhere due to Black Friday. I had to visit three camera shops before finding one, but at S$510, it felt like a real win.

Day 5
A very chill day. We returned to Shibuya for some shopping at Don Don Donki. Nothing particularly stood out, just shopping, eating and packing. We planned to send our luggage to the airport via 7-Eleven but missed the 6 p.m. cutoff time, which the staff didn’t mention. The result? An unexpected S$45 spent per locker storage, frustrating, but unavoidable.

Day 6
A long and dramatic day. I accidentally left my duffel bag at Otsuki Station and had to take the expensive train back from Kawaguchiko to retrieve it. The round trip alone cost about S$60. I seriously considered abandoning the bag until I remembered my new extender was inside. 😭 Thankfully, it was still there when I returned.

Completely exhausted by the time I got back to the Mount Fuji hotel, I treated myself to a wagyu steak that cost almost as much as the train tickets. Worth every cent. There weren’t many dining options nearby anyway, so it felt justified.

Day 7
I woke up to a stunning view of Mount Fuji. The hotel was absolutely worth it!! The balcony offered an unreal, uninterrupted view, and breakfast was excellent.

Saiko Wild Bird Park itself felt a bit rundown, but the surrounding forest more than made up for it. We saw many Japanese bird species in a short time. Even though we only had a brief morning before heading to the airport, the scenery, fresh air, and calm atmosphere made it unforgettable.

I’ll be back again, Fuji-san.

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Introduction to Species Identification Workshop

Attended my first Aspiring Naturalist Programme conducted by LKCNHM (which I can never pronounce).

The session I originally wanted to attend was the Dry Preservation Workshop, which covers the steps of preparing a bird for preservation. Unfortunately, I’ll be in Tokyo during that period. I did enquire whether there would be another session, but nothing has been confirmed yet.

The session itself was interesting, though I wasn’t particularly drawn to learning about insect DNA. We also tried identifying different snail specimens (nerites) and practiced basic DNA extraction techniques using frozen superworms.

The museum itself is small, but I’d like to return (they gave us a free ticket) to spend more time looking at the bird specimens.

Hopefully, future sessions can be held earlier. This one ran from 7–10pm, and Grandma was understandably very sleepy by then. 😅

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November Here We Go

Nov Week 2:

Mon – Met MD and his sister, who was visiting. We had a lovely lunch at his atas rented DBSS at Pinnacle, then headed back to his cozy place to chit-chat. In the evening, I met SF for her belated birthday dinner, and we went to take some “neoprints” (not sure what they’re called now), as if it were 1998.

Tue – Mom’s place has had a group of blue-tailed bee-eaters visiting her kitchen for about a week now. So exciting to see these migrants! I managed to take some really good photos and felt so blessed and happy to witness these beautiful creatures.

Wed – Gained a new experience riding Anywheel and Hello bikes. It was JT’s birthday, and we spent the day cycling before heading to her place for lunch.

I also finally tried bouldering on a weekday, and what a difference the crowd makes. We’ll definitely stick to Monday–Thursday mornings from now on!

Thu – Went birding (finally!) and saw Little Grebes at Marina. I was quite annoyed by some people who posted sightings but acted all righteous by refusing to reveal the location. Honestly, then maybe just don’t post at all. Thankfully, there were also some kind birders who shared the location with me. Bliss.

And I finally saw the blue-winged pitta at Punggol Park, SO HAPPY! He’s still skittish, and one particular uncle was really rude, chasing the birds just to get flight shots. The moment he left, the pitta came out to enjoy his breakfast, and I was able to take so many photos. He seemed comfortable with us as long as we kept our distance.

Fri – Met up with ex-colleagues for a good catch-up. Yes, sometimes I still need to connect with humans instead of birds.

Over the weekend, I started planning our Tokyo trip. The last time I went was in 2017 — excited to see how much Tokyo has changed! 

It's going to be very busy for the next few weeks as I have the Fraser Hills trip after the Tokyo trip. 

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