The day I've been waiting for is finally here. Chinese New Year! For so many years, CNY is just a period of wealth for me. Now, it is an additional breath of fresh air and much needed rest. I am recovering very well for the past few days, just that my chest has begun to heart terribly when I cough. It's so excruciating that I have to press my chest hard in anticipation of a cough. Tough luck! Right before CNY too! Couldn't have happened at a 'better' time.

Anyway, my company did the 16km route march today. Route marches are never easy, not when you have the whole world's weight on your shoulders. I did try putting on the proper full battle order(the previous times were lighter loads) on Monday and walked around. Not easy I must say. I had to lean forward slightly to support the weight on me. Imagine having to walk quickly with it for 16km. Possible but not without mental strength. I was excused from it because I had just recovered. So all the few of us did was to carry things and act as road marshallers. We woke up at 3:30am this morning just for this 5hr route march. Not that the waking-up time bothers me, it's just an unearthly hour to walk around on the roads. What would people think when they decided to wake up and pee, and saw this whole line of soldiers marching along the road. They would scream if we were carrying the Japanese flag. No kidding...

A heart-warming event occured during the march. While they were marching, a bus carrying kids drove past. The children in it got excited and frantically wove to the line of soldiers. A small gesture but full of meaning. At least they bothered to acknowledge what we are doing and cheer us on. When in the army, one depends on morale boosters, and this is one of them. I really hope I can take part in and complete the next route march. It will be a very tough both physically and mentally, but it would a great achivement to complete what you never thought you could do. That's what the army is all about.

Happy Lunar New Year people! Enjoy the holidays as much as I will, and may the wealth keep flowing in.