longing for somewhere that doesn't exist

I just walked around Hurstville shops for an hour. It's a very humid, drizzling day. I passed the many little Asian food and knick knack shops, the old Asian men and women shuffling along, the dirty shopfronts and the posters advertising noodles with a giant picture of the Merlion in the background. I got the strongest longing for Singapore.

I got home and told Mum, and she commented, "but Hurstville is more like Malaysia used to be, isn't it?"

Yes, true. Singapore gives of an air of being much more modern and sleek and clean. But I guess scratch the surface and it's not that different from KL really. Get away from the tourist hubs and to where people live everyday life and it's a lot less sleek. And for some reason I just longed to be back there.

I know that the Singapore of my mind is very different from the reality, and it's very much tied to being a 10-12 year old with no responsibilities, living as part of a wealthy ex-pat community. Living there as an adult having to make her own way would be very, very different and I'm not sure I would actually like it.

Still, nostalgia can be a very strong thing, can't it?