A day of darkness and despair

The first thing I did when I woke up in the morning was to connect to the WiFi with my mobile phone, but it wasn't successful. I didn't think too much about it until I observed Jimmy and Randy brushing their teeth in the toilet without switching on the lights. It then dawned on me that the entire electricity supply in the building has been cut off by the destructive typhoon. I peered out of the window to observe the torrential rain and strong winds that have already taken its first victim in a bamboo tree. We had breakfast in the dark dining hall, lit only by a small torch which hovered over the ceiling. It was a fortunate affair that cooked food was still available in the absence of power. It effectively meant that you were unable to recognize the dishes on the table and could only know what you were eating when you put it into your mouth. It brought with it an element of suspense and surprise. Yet everyone seemed pretty calm about the situation; there was hardly any panic or desperation. Guess they are already accustomed to and well prepared for circumstances like this. I was telling the others that after 22 years of living in this world, this is the first encounter with a natural disaster. You have to understand that Singapore is located in a prime location, well buffered from monsoons, tsunamis and cyclones by neighbouring countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia. Neither are we in the Pacific Ring of Fire, so we are free from earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Then came the news that a fallen tree has caused obstruction to the road leading into our place of accommodation. I felt a sudden surge of fear, but it was nullified by the others' composure. We were instructed to stay indoors for the entire day until the typhoon subsides. So, it was a quiet affair of lazing on the bed till lunch. Lunch was awesome, probably because it was the first time we had noodles in a long time. There were only 2 simple dishes as it wasn't convenient to whip up too many dishes in the dark, but the noodles were delicious. After lunch, we remained cooped up in our rooms engaging in discussions for our project proposal. Then Jack came knocking on our doors to offer us an opportunity to drop by the convenience store. And the highlight of it was a ride on a golf cart! I didn't really need any supplies of snacks and drinks, but the idea of riding on the vehicle tempted me. It was a bumpy ride on a ground littered by fallen leaves, twigs and branches, but enjoying the force of the gale blowing on your face is an awesome feeling. Shortly after we returned from the convenience store, electricity was restored. We went to take showers almost immediately in case the electricity were to go off again. Everyone rushed to connect to the internet to read their Facebook notifications and to research for ideas on their project. Dinner was back to the sumptuous rice with dishes. After that, we had a consultation session with the professor regarding our project topics. Then came the time when the electricity was cut off once again. It came on after a while, but ONLY FOR 2 SECONDS!!! Torches and flashlights were whipped out to navigate around the building. It was eventually restored at about 9 pm and you could here the sounds of joy again! Alright, no activities and hence no photos to show today. Hope that the adverse weather conditions would have passed by tomorrow so that proceedings can commence once again. Goodnight!