3 AM Water

I like water—plain water—more than anything.

It's my favourite kind of liquid to consume, with diet coke (containing aspartame) probably coming in second.

It's unfortunate that in Indonesia, we can't drink tap water directly. I remember feeling puzzled by scenes in SpongeBob where he wakes up at night and drinks straight from the sink using a glass.

The taste of our tap water, even when boiled, is strange. Perhaps it's due to rusty or improper water pipes that make it undrinkable, not to mention the risk of E. coli contamination.

Our only options are buying from a home depot (what we call "refill water" or "air isi ulang"), or for a more expensive but likely safer option, branded mineral water.

But let's talk about the title—I think the best feeling comes from drinking water when you wake up at 3 AM. Your mouth is dry, you're thirsty, maybe slightly dehydrated, and then—gulp—the water from your glass or bottle (whatever you use) humidifies your throat, your mouth, and everything it passes through.

Though if you're not careful, sometimes you might get stomach cramps.

As for my temperature preference? Cold water is definitely the best, followed by room temperature or tepid, and then warm or hot.

And I don't buy into that myth about cold water causing a sore throat—that's just not true.