This time last year, I was close to getting frostbite in the minus 20 degrees weather in Copenhagen. Perhaps it was the cold, but you could cut the tension at the United Nations climate talks - which were held in Denmark's capital - with ice.
Participants were miserable from the bitter cold, negotiations between governments of all countries trying to ink a global deal on climate change turned tit-for-tat, and the conference billed as the "most important event in the 21st century" ended in a whimper.
This year, it couldn't be more different. Here in sunny Cancun, Mexico, sunburn is the bigger risk for participants. The mood at the summit, reflecting the weather, also seems to be warmer. And negotiations - surprisingly - seem to be going pretty well.
I arrived in Cancun on Sunday after a very long journey, in time for the final stretch of the climate change negotiations. But the first thing that struck me about this year's conference is how much quieter and muter it all is, compared to Copenhagen.
As one Chinese lead negotiator noted at a press conference, the Cancun summit, compared to Copenhagen, is "mild".
There were a lot more people at Copenhagen, the NGOs were chanting rowdy cheers rallying delegates to "do the right thing" constantly, and the scale of the summit was simply bigger.
This year, the demonstration held over the weekend saw only a few thousand people participating. Another demonstration held on Tuesday was more rowdy with people dumping muck on the ground and vandalising fast-food restaurant windows - but it was nowhere near the tensions levels of Copenhagen's protests which saw riot police beat protesters down with batons and arresting them.
At the conference venue, the NGO presence was markedly diminished. Both, due to the numbers (far fewer NGOs decided to come this year) and also perhaps because of the way organisers have split up the conference.
-- ST PHOTO: JESSICA CHEAM
In Copenhagen, all delegates, NGOs, and media were in one big area where you walk to get from one place to the other. At Cancun, the venues have been split into three areas. NGOs at Cancunmesse, main negotiations and governments staying at Moon Palace, and the Media Centre at Nizuc.
The result is a 20 to 45-minute bus ride between all three venues - depending on traffic - which causes all the action to be dispersed.
-- ST PHOTO: JESSICA CHEAM
The distance between the venues have frustrated many, especially the journalists, as they waste a lot of time travelling from one venue to the other to attend events.
NGOs, whose booths are at Cancunmesse, are also less inclined to invade main negotiation areas as they had done last year in Copenhagen.
As I walked through Cancunmesse, I spotted many empty exhibition booths. I noticed that the NGO booths are less showy than last year, and participants are even walking at a slower pace than what I noticed in Copenhagen.
-- ST PHOTO: JESSICA CHEAM
The sunny weather has prompted groups of participants to sit outside on the grass in the sunshine, drinking coffee, laughing and chatting. It almost feels as if I've stumbled into a college campus.
And perhaps like a student who goes to the library for the peace and quiet to get work done, negotiators seem to find this year's quieter conference more conducive for doing work.
-- ST PHOTO: JESSICA CHEAM
Already, there have been some progress in the talks, with major countries such as India and China softening their stance. Climate change envoys of many countries seem more willing to compromise, in contrast to the sharp, tough positions taken last year in Copenhagen.
As UN climate chief Christina Figueras said on Tuesday to laughter at a UN event: "I don't know about you, but I much prefer the sunny weather here than in Copenhagen".
She also said she was "happy with the attitude that countries had arrived here with". Expectations were "way too high" for Copenhagen and people were looking for big magic bullets to solve the problem and "clearly this was not possible", she added.
-- ST PHOTO: JESSICA CHEAM
This time round, countries have arrived being more realistic, and with a renewed sense that the stakes are high and they need to take a step, she said, just as ministers from almost 200 member nations arrived for a high-level segment of the talks.
As the negotiations are ongoing, there are a few things to participate in at the summit. There are many side events held by countries and NGOs, such as on deforestation. And there are country pavillions which showcase the greenest initiatives of the different nations. Mexico also had booths that featured native art work and local products.
-- ST PHOTO: JESSICA CHEAM
As I went around photographing and observing the sights and sounds of the Cancun summit, I asked myself this question. Does the average person - or even the average Singaporean - really care what happens in Cancun? Should they?
The answer is probably not. But yes, they should care.
What happens in Cancun will certainly have a far-reaching impact on our daily lives. Our energy bills could go higher, for example, if governments decide to put a global price on carbon.
But on the other hand, we could also see lower energy prices in the long run if we can successfully rid ourselves of our dependence on fossil-fuel generated energy. This would enable Singapore to be less vulnerable to volatile energy price jumps.
What negotiators are doing in this sunny spot of Mexico may seem remote now, but their decisions have the potential to spur a whole green revolution that will transform the way we live.
Let's just hope they do a better job this year, so that we'll get there sooner rather than later.
Read the latest from the Cancun talks