Farewell Feasts

I almost fell asleep just now and might possibly wake up sometime next week. I slept really late last night—don't ask why—and I swear, I never want to feel like a zombie again.

So today, I had my farewell lunch at a place called Tung Lok Seafood. Word on the street (a.k.a. from the bill) is that they spent over SGD 700 on eight types of dishes and desserts. Yes, you read that right—seven. hundred. dollars.

We had not one, but TWO sets of deep-fried prawns with wasabi mayo because they were just that good. Then came the star-studded lineup: braised giant Garoupa in a claypot (he was a unit), Tung Lok curry fish head (bold of them to serve just the head, but okay), crispy chicken, sweet and sour Kurobuta pork (the wagyu of pigs, apparently), braised house-special beancurd with nameko mushrooms and veggies, and sautéed Chinese spinach with not one, not two, but THREE kinds of eggs. Yes, three. I think the spinach had a better social life than me.

For dessert, we had chilled lemongrass jelly with lime sorbet (basically spa water in a bowl), and chilled mango cream with coconut ice cream, pomelo, and sago—a.k.a. the tropical vacation I can’t afford.

I was so full that I basically skipped dinner. Just had a cup of Milo and two kiwis, which, compared to lunch, felt like punishment food. Then I made the mistake of converting the bill to Malaysian Ringgit… over RM2000. I nearly passed out again. My family would NEVER spend that kind of money on food unless it also came with a free car.

But to be fair, the meal was for 15 people. I think that’s reasonable? Maybe? I don’t know—I’m still emotionally recovering from the currency conversion.

After the feast, they jokingly asked me to give a speech. And somehow, I actually did. I shared some real thoughts, got a little sentimental, and didn’t cry (which I think is a personal win). I really am grateful that all the people I met here were good folks. Even the one person I didn’t get along with suddenly turned into a decent human being right before I left. Not sure if it was guilt, redemption arc, or just a temporary glitch in the matrix—but hey, I’ll take it.

At this point, I’ve decided to carry everyone’s advice with me, leave the weird moments behind, and move forward with good vibes only.