Nothing to do with 2008 whatsoever - Organics anyone?

I know everyone's into the new year and logically, technically, this ought to be about new year. BUT I am not quite ready yet and still gathering thoughts for the new year. So here's venturing into something totally unrelated... hah!

Anyone into organic food here?
No offence but this darn healthy option is so not for me. I took a stab and ordered a salad at an organic cafe in Melbourne. It was a pasta cum cous cous cum greens sort of salad...
I took 3 bites and that was it for me! I really couldn't stomach any bit of that organic salad.
It must be good somehow given the crowds at the cafe, or maybe it's just what I ordered.

But for now, it's going to be a long time before I dare venture into organics.
KFC is still the finger lickin feel-good indulgence for me! Oh and Coke too!

Disclaimer: Entries on this blog is not neccessarily in chronological order of event happenings.

First Impressions of Sydney

I just arrived at Sydney a couple of hours ago. These first few hours is pretty impactful and quite enough for me to form first impressions.


People - They are focused with a no-nonsense attitude. Totally un-laid back, unlike relaxing Queenslanders. It's a tit-for-tat, which means, when u ask ONE question, u get ONE answer, no additional details offered. That was the case with the woman at the airport, bus-driver, stranger on the bus and stranger at the bus stop.
There was one kind soul though, this guy on the bus when I was trying to find my way to my friend's place - he is Italian on a working holiday visa, so maybe that's why he's friendly.

City - Sydney is like several cities knocked into one - CBD and skyscrapers in New York and London, Chinatown (roadside eating zi char stalls) in Petaling Street, KL and Chinatown, Singapore, high fashion shopping Champ Elysee of Paris, Xi Men Ding in Taipei, shorter version of Mongkok Street in Hong Kong and Docklands of Melbourne...

Weather - The sun in Sydney burns. And of all times, I just had to forget to bring my SPF on this trip! Darn!

I feel so tiny and kampong when I was walking around. Maybe because I have had 2 peaceful and quaint days staying at Bernice's place, surrounded by 9 puppies! :D
I miss them already!

Boxing Day Sale

Tried so so hard to climb out of bed at 6am to hit the stores for the infamous Boxing Day sale. BUT loser loser - we only managed to slumber out of bed at 10am!
We thought the first batch at 6am would have been exhausted and it's time for us to take over the shift. Wrong! There's still scores of people at the mall.
I only bought a luggage and a couple of tops. :(

Boxing Day Sale down under

I hear the annual stocktake sale in Australia on boxing day is crazy... people wake up and queue up from 6am waiting for the doors to open.
I have to be a part of this too... so we are heading off to Chadstone tomorrow morning at 7am. Hopefully we aren't too late to grab good deals!

Merry Christmas all!

There's an annual pinnacle in my life - Year end festivities namely Christmas and New Year. This is when I start doing my life accounting, summing up what was done for the year and stuff I experienced.

It's a tradition for me. It used to be a mere habit but as years pile on, it became an addict, and ritual. I am proud of it, coz so many years down the road, I am really glad I am still thinking and that emo muscle in me is still flexing!

I am back to Square One this year.

I used to spend Christmases alone in secondary school. It was simple diary writing and chatting on the phone through xmas hours.
In uni, it became annual Xmas eve parties with friends for a good 8-10 years (Gasp, has it been almost a decade already!?). This too became a tradition which I know we all hold dearly in our hearts despite struggling sometimes to get people enthusiastic and efforts to think of new themes, new food, new venues!

Now I am back to spending a peaceful eve alone, thinking aloud via blogging. It's also the first time in many years that I am not frantically running around in the afternoon wrapping up presents and writing heartfelt christmas greetings (i really do try!).

I am really glad to have a chance to spend a silent evening because this reminds me to count my blessings, a virtue which I lack very very badly in. And I know, I will treasure my xmas eves and friends even more now, and I certainly look forward to frantic shopping, wrapping and running around.

Oh and Merry Christmas all! It's officially 12am in Melbourne now!

Hols in Melbourne

I decided I didn't want to be in Brisbane all alone for Christmas and so I am back for a holiday in Melbourne... my 3rd time now and so it's more a slack and catching-up-with-friends trip more than doing the sights.

CY is gonna be back in Singapore soon so the first few days of my trip was dedicated to him! (In his words, so noice so noice!) BUT being on a student budget trip is not easy when it comes to eating with high 'crass' CY! Pains my heart everytime I eat out with him and of course, this gourmet's recommendations never fail... he brought me to a rather chi-chi Korean restaurant "Hallah Korean Restaurant" which is near Queen Victoria Market. He also brought along a bottle of white wine which is soooo excellent, I had more than usual.


That's us in action! (We decided it's more important to take photos of US rather than the food... it's us, and us and us only! It's all about us!) Actually enough of us - I really dun fancy self-absorption!

Annyeonghi kaseyo

Annyeonghi kaseyo (Goodbye to someone leaving in Korean)
My Korean housemate is leaving - for good.

It's strange really, coz I am leaving for Melbourne tomorrow and she's only leaving this Sunday. I get to say goodbye first... I wonder if that helps to take away some sadness.

I was looking forward to holidays and now it's just a plethora of mixed feelings.
Plus it's year end and my usual feel-ly, emo stuff starts acting up more as I reflect on the year.

Carrie only stayed in the house for less than 2 months and boy, she made an impact!
We held long conversations in loose English, yet we were able to understand each other perfectly aided by hand gestures and repeat phrases. I felt like we knew each other for years.

You know, we all know some friends we'll be comfortable with just staying silent. No conversation needed, just mere company. I realised it is not just with old friends - I found this level of comfort with Carrie.

So it's farewell for now, and hopefully that trip to Malaysia we verbally agreed on will happen.

Defeated

I concede defeat.
Maintaining a blog isn't easy at all... and kudos to all those brave and faithful blog-souls out there who keep it going.

Blogging is not for the faint-hearted and lazy a**es...(trust me - I bring laziness to a whole new universe level!)

I need CPR!