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Tonight's the much-anticipated salsa lesson for Surya and I. We're already dancing in the afternoon on the floor of CCSG so we're set for the night. For anyone who thinks salsa is difficult and/or boring, rest assured that if we can do it, so can you. A guy has come alone, which is all right, except that he seems to be handicapped in laughing at himself. Everyone is awkward for him, and when he leaves the studio on the pretext of answering a call, I dont expect him to come back. He doesnt, and how terrible, because somehow it feels like I could've been him. Check out Groove to find out how you can learn to, uh, meet lady friends. I go here because it's right outside the Outram NEL MRT Station, and if you know me well enough you'll know it's the truth.

After salsa class (I always wanted to say that), Surya brings me to GasHaus where her boyfriend Luke is running the house. It seems to be a proper enough place to go watch live bands, get a cup of tea and diss the PM, if you're in a band. The main point of going there though, is to meet Luke, and in a sense to obtain his blessings for us to go dancing together.

We're sposed to visit Am at his home after this but I've to go on my own now. This is a very tall order - I've not been in Tampines in years and also have a special knack for gettting lost in HDB estates. Avenues, Streets, Lorongs, Roads, Drives apparently have some kind of hierarchy and order that is completely lost on me. Little wonder then my shock and awe at people who can even tell the directions based on blocks ("Orh.. blok 267 ah.. near 153 lo.."). Dont get me wrong, I'm great at directions. I know my King George's Ave from St. George's Rd but I cant decipher the numbering of various Hougang Neighbourhoods. While some estates seem to have themes like nuts (Cashew, Walnut..) or operas (Figaro, Fidelio..), there doesnt seem to be any rationale in making Avenue 3 turn into Street 52, except maybe five less two is three.

So there I was, alighted from bus 28 opposite Tampines N2 Shopping Street, thinking I might as well have been in a Bangkok soi. It takes another half-hour and a few frantic/raging calls to Michelle before I get there, at which time they say we're all going to the kopitiam. Singapore, land of #04-7890 and sipping teh-o-kosong-bao-peng with roti john special at the 24 hour kopitiam.