Immediately went back to work when i got back, thus the MIA.
This is SO FUNNY! So big already, but such things still happen. Hahaha..
I planned this entire trip, and going on this, made me realise good travel buddies are hard to find. NOt that i am saying my friends on this trip aren't good. But yes, i realise you need alot of cooperation. I am quite proud of myself though, i planned everything from itinerary to accommodation to transport, to tours, to air fares, to directions to even meals.
It is like a rollercoast, except it moves very slowly. which makes it every scarier.
We did alot of hiking. Reminds me of my family holidays. Dad will ALWAYS bring us hiking no matter where we go. Initially we dread it, but after awhile, it is actually very good. Slimming you know, especially when you pig out on holidays. But this holiday, we ate bread alot!
My friends write notes to me.
A passer by saw me having great difficulty trying to balance it on a rock for timer, so he asked if he could help. Have this ever crossed your mind that the stranger might run away with your camera? haha, not saying this passer by. but you know....such a situation. So my friend say, must see how the person is, then ask. Ahh..first impressions....very important eh? People somehow form judgments almost immediately. But could also be a trick mah..i dress very nice and look good. But actually a crook. Hey, i rhyme!
The red light district. We went to a couple, all in the day. We were quite losers. We were actually back in our room by 7pm, if not earlier every night. Hahaha...
We had a competition to do poses of the numbers totally different from one another. Starting with number one.
I couldn't resist.
Ending with five.
We ran out of poses to do.
The VERY cool camera girl of mine.
the very posh mac. Chandeliers leh!
New burger chain. Good for a marketing person like me to be seeing such things. Gives me ideas.
Famous Bondi beach.
The ang moh woman at the back is the MOST kia su of all in the famil. Read further below for full story. She is the daughter and actually hollered to her mother, "quick! Before the queue starts forming!" In front of everyone on the bus. Not pai seh meh?.
Its craved on wood, dedicated to the fairies.
We hunt up and down, walked far in search for the Fairies Tree. Only to be erm...not very impressed. Hah
Melbourne's shrine for the war soldiers.
Norman, i am holy leh!
My first time climbing a tree! And as you can see, also the fastest. Haha!
My finger.
Closed when we went. Raining anyway also.
My parents asked me to get Ivan a bag for his birthday, and ok it was very expensive. But when do you get customised Crumpler? So i had to have one too. Quality is good, apparantly it's supposed to last you a life time. I designed mine on the spot. i had wanted to put a bowl of noodles to a chicken drumstick to a bao to a can't remember what else. Don't ask me why food, but i think it will look cool!In the end, i settled on this one because i think it's a laugh. Actually, it was improvised. I had wanted to put 60 km/hr, because i used to have such a sticker on my bag. Then those ah bengs in school will make fun of me and ask me to slow down. I think its funny, even though i was laughed at.
But my friends asked me to put a more random number like 73 km/hr or something.
The guy who designed our bags is pretty cute, although we suspect he's gay. He's so soft spoken...that i just like to tease him. I tend to do that alot to shy guys. I was telling him i know judo and takewando, so better give me a discount. Then because i was having a sore throat, i JUST SO happen to clear my throat when he was writing a price. I think he thought i was you know, "threatening" him, so he gave me $20 off! Cause he wrote an initial price, then changed his mind when i COINCIDENTALLY ahem-ed.
Hahahaha...my friends did get their designs done too but no discount. And no, i am not gloating.
These were found all over the streets! Actually, Melbourne reminds me of France. The architecture is very english. Very victorian style.But Melbourne is very busy! And the people are less friendly. Perth is still the friendliest!
Streets are messy, perhaps because the trams run on the roads alongside cars.
OH, did i mention i gambled at Crown casino on our very first night in Melbourne. I won $60! Then my friends pulled me away, saying its enough winnings. Well, i am not a gambler, roulette is entertainment. I have never lost more than $20. Because my base is ALWAYS $20. Once i start winning, i will pocket $20, not to be touched. So if my luck changes and i start losing. I will never lose the base, which means its as if i never started playing. Bowling here costs $16 per game, so yes roulette is my entertainment. I have discipline here. And you know what? Its ALWAYS asians in casinos.
Very funky visuals!
My friends went for a $60 helicopter ride at this spot. I wasn't interested. Not extreme enough for me, haha.
Twelve apostles. Melbourne is always gloomy! Rained alot, we were lucky though. The days we went on tours and sight seeing, it was sunny! Maybe cause i prayed, and my other friend too. Good testimony to the other two, because we told them we prayed for good weather. The rain was dampening everyone's mood.
Our first backpacker's place in Melbourne. This place rocks! $23 per night, free breakfast every morning, free dinner every Monday and its totally like a hotel! Except the room. But that's ok. At least there is a lift and we don't have to lug our suitcases up and down staircases. We had to do that in Sydney! AND, the bathroom rocks. You can TOTALLY see the person bathing beside you. Frosted glass, but can see every hair. Hahahahaha.
Very nice pancakes, i also can make. More talk about these pancakes below.
The very famous Krispy Kremes. A tad over rated i feel, but yes, my first time eating. Nice but over rated. We bought 120 donuts back to Perth. I only bought 2 boxes, for my housemates, boyfriend and family to eat. The rest were other friend's orders. This is how famous the donuts were.
An assortment i got. But original's still the best.
It was freezing, but it was so nice outside. So we just had to eat out while the rest of the tour group stayed in.
Flesh eating caterpillars.
Our tour guide from this second trip. He asks what do chinese say when taking pictures. E.G english people usually say "cheese". We told him we don't say anything. So when he takes pictures for us, he make sounds for us. His impression of Chinese is "Ching chong chang."
So we said "Peking duck, char kway tiao".
Most expensive chocolates i've ever bought. Was meant to be for Aunt Pat. From Sydney. But alas, she wasn't free to meet me so i get to eat them. Muahahaa...Only 5 peices inside you know, and its $12.
Our second backpacker's place. Compared to the first, this was a shit hole. But oh well, its the cheapest in Sydney we could find and near the city. $25 per night. But look at what it says, " Come sleep with us! EVERY NATIONALITY GUARANTEED" that sounds SO WRONG.
Stingray was HUGE! IF only i can eat it. Couple of times, the stingray flapped onto me. Very fun feeling. We were told not to touch the creatures, because they will mistake you feeding them. So throughout, we had to keep our arms crossed. The sharks were so huge and heavy, i was so afraid to accidentally bump into it. I nearly did, and i was TERRIFIED!
Very cold underneath, even the turtle is twice my size!
After this experience, i conclude i do not like diving. Most of the time, i was too focused on breathing underwater that i forget to LOOK at the creatures, which is the WHOLE PURPOSE.I went on this with a runny nose, a cough and a sore throat. The instructor said the dry air through the tank and pressure will make it worse. But amazingly, i was feeling even better after!
I was totally oblivious to this one, because i was focused on my friends below the tunnel. Alot of times, they keep making me laugh through the tunnel, i almost have a panic attack because i was afraid i will laugh or smile and the regulator will float out of my mouth, then i cannot breathe. Although i was taught what to do if it comes out of my mouth, but i still am fearful of not doing it right.
This one swam RIGHT in FRONT of me, i could see it EYE TO EYE. The eyes don't move one, quite scary. But i think if it moves, EVEN SCARIER.
Looks like a scene from the movie don't it? My instructor picked up a shark's tooth from the sea bed and gave it to me. Its quite tiny actually, but VERY VERY sharp. Will take a picture in the next post.
Look at the teeth! Dad says " i know they feed them well, but who knows when they fancy a tidbit?!"
Mum says, "the more adventurous i am, the more her heart beats faster." I haven't done sky diving yet!
I am so glad i went for this, even though alone. Now i can say i've white water rafted, bungee jumped and swam with the sharks!
The instructor told me if i pee in my wet suit, the sharks will come. They are not attracted to human's blood, but pee.
As you can see, i am totally oblivious again.
Sydney's weather is SO NICE.
The big O :)
There are like 200 pictures of Sydney's icons i think. Haha, typical kiasuism. We felt since we are here, digital photos are free, JUST TAKE!!
Hillsong! Hillsong! ok, i don't even listen to their Cds nor go to their Festival of Praise but somehow i was excited going to Hillsong because apparantly, they are THE band. I almost couldn't find the shuttle bus spot. So i prayed, then i found. Alot of handsome men and pretty girls there leh. If i am based in Sydney, i sure can find Christain partner one. Go to Hillsong, hahahaa. Surprisingly, there wasn't a huge crowd. I expected it to be like City Harvest or New Creation. But don't have leh. They have 5 services at two places respectively every Sat and Sun. Maybe that explains the absence of crowds.
Do i look like Medusa here?
That ang moh at the back is part of this family who are the MOST KIASU ang moh family i have ever seen. If i am not wrong, from their accent, they are British. They are rushing to be first all the time! And the mother, i asked if she could help us take a group photo. She rejected, saying she need to take her own pictures. I was like !!! Takes you an hour to help us snap meh?!But ok, why she had such a response because at some places, we only have 10 minutes. We had many sceneries to cover, and winter days are short. But still, takes you 1 hour meh?!
Our first tour on the trip. It takes us on the Great Ocean Road to see the 12 Apostles, some valley and don't know what else. Aiyar, i am not a scenery person mah!
As if its a mother daughter family photo. I wasn't sure why i sat down.
This was the first stop of the tour, some aboriginal cultural showcase. One aboriginal showed us how they use weapons to hunt etc. Their law for punishments back then was to spear criminals,regardless of age and gender. We should continue such laws, will definitely deter alot of criminals.
My distant cousin, Harry. It was like a blind date! I haven't seen him for 15 years? He's close to 40 now.
While waiting for our breakfast, spent the time wisely taking pictures with their deco.
Pancake Parlour, our very first breakfast in Melbourne. $20 each for the set, thankfully we only ate it once. Expensive, though good. Now, i replicate it at home! Just like how i replicate the cafe's food at home. I am always rostered as the chef now there, so i know all the recipes. Not bad eh?