Life is Beautiful...

Tokyo, Japan - Day 3 & 4

2012-01-26T00:11:00.002+11:00

November 20 - 21, 2010

Day 3

Started the day by going to Tokyo Anime Center. They don't have the robots that we were looking for but they referred us to other shops where we could possibly find one. So we just bought some other items instead. We then headed to Akihabara and checked out the anime shops. Yey! We could take Voltes V and Daimos home at last! Not for us but for our friends back in Sydney. We almost brought Gundam home.. hehe. It's just everywhere!

We went to Ueno Park afterwards. The colours of the autumn leaves are just awesome! We stayed there up to before the sun set.

Then we caught a train to Takadanobaba, an area in Shinjuku where large Astro Boy murals are painted across the street of the station. Takadanobaba Station plays the theme music from the TV series on the JR Yamanote platform to signal that a train is about to leave.

While in Shinjuku we hopped from one mall to another taking our last chance to shop before flying back to Sydney the next day.

Day 4

Our holiday is almost over. We had our baggages ready, brought them downstairs and left them at the reception area.

It is only on our last day when we tried sashimi and sushi. I'm not a fan of raw fish but a visit to Japan won't be complete without giving it a try. :)

After lunch we went back to the hostel to get our baggages. Then we headed to Tokyo train station to purchase Shinkansen tickets to Osaka. Then we grabbed some food before boarding the train so we won't starve during the 3-hour trip. I think we left at past 3:00pm. We just hoped we had enough time to check in our baggages and catch our 7:00pm flight to Sydney. Yey! We made it just in time.

Our 9-day holiday in Japan was a very enjoyable one. I'm gonna miss the food, politeness of the locals, beautiful views, cleanliness and even the sights of small cars and bicycles going by. :)

Tokyo, Japan - Day 1 & 2

2011-03-09T21:51:00.002+11:00

November 18 - 19, 2010

Day 1

It took us 3 hours to travel from Kyoto to Tokyo via Shinkansen (bullet train). Upon arrival, we had lunch then proceeded to Tourist Information Center to get some maps and brochures. We had to make our way to Khaosan Tokyo Ninja hostel. The train arrived but I did not get on the train as quick as Beng did. The train door closed while I was still on the platform. Oh no! So I just waited for the next train and hoped to get to the hostel easily. I reached Bakurocho station and walked towards the hostel. When I learned from the receptionist that no one came before me, I went back to the station but there was no sign of her. After awhile I went back to the hostel and she was there. Whew! Found out that she got off the next stop and went back to Tokyo station to get me. :)

We carried our luggages to the room upstairs, had a little rest then decided to go to Akihabara - a major shopping area for electronic, computer, anime, and otaku goods. We spent most of the time at Yodobashi-Akiba - the largest electronic store in town! After browsing the megastore, we looked for a place to eat and fortunately found Japanese Casual Dining around the corner. This is our fave restaurant when we were in Kyoto. Yey, we could have our fave yummy scallop dish again!

Full and satisfied, we walked back to the hostel taking a shorter route this time.

Day 2

I reckon a visit to Tokyo won't be complete without going to Disneyland. So off we went though we did not really plan to go inside. The big souvenir shop, the cute mickey mouse train and the view of the beautiful castle in the Disney Resort were enough to make our visit an enjoyable one.

After some picture-taking at the theme park, we proceeded to Harajuku - also a fashion capital of the world which is renowned for its unique street fashion. The main strip is full of fashion shops and fast food outlets with costume players a.k.a. cosplayers - young people dressed in a variety of styles.

At night we went to Shibuya - known as one of the fashion centers of Japan and as a major nightlife area. One of the most well-known stories concerning Shibuya is the story of Hachiko, a dog who waited on his late master at Shibuya Station every day from 1923 to 1935, eventually becoming a national celebrity for his loyalty. Now I know, this is the story behind a touching Japanese movie 'Hachiko'. However I could not remember if we ever had a chance to see it's statue beside the station.

Shibuya is famous for its scramble crossing. It stops vehicles in all directions to allow pedestrians to inundate the entire intersection. By the way, aside from getting to see Hachiko Square, one of the most famous pedestrian scrambles in the world, the purpose of our trip to Shibuya was to find Voltes V, Mazinger Z and Daimos. We went to the malls and toy shops but it seems that these characters no longer exist. We were holding their photos when a lady approached us. Haha that was funny. She advised us to go to Ikebukuro - another commercial and entertainment district of Tokyo.

To our delight, we saw Sanrio shop in Ikebukuro. Finally we found where Hello Kitty novelties are. We grabbed some souvenirs and made our way to Toys R Us. Still no sign of Voltes V.

Kyoto, Japan - Day 4 & 5

2011-02-12T01:01:00.003+11:00

November 17 - 18, 2010

Day 4

On our last whole day in Kyoto, we planned to do more shopping, visit Pontocho again and go to other temples that we haven't seen yet. So we went back to Shijo Kawaramachi first thing in the morning and I happily grabbed the things that I've been eyeing since day 1. As we walked in the narrow side streets, we found Nishiki Market by chance. Known as Kyoto's Kitchen, Nishiki Market is lined with shops selling fish, meat, dried goods, side dishes, yuba (dried bean curd skin), pickles, Japanese sweets, sushi, and fresh seafood and vegetables. There is a saying in Kyoto that goes "There is no kind of food that you can't find at Nishiki." We tried some goodies of course. The cleanliness in the marketplace was very impressive, you wouldn't see anything that litters the floor and the place doesn't smell like a market at all.

After walking from end to end of the market, we went to Pontocho to see it's view at daytime. It indeed is a beautiful alley.

In the afternoon we walked from the city centre towards Yasaka Shrine. Also known as Gion Shrine, it is one of the city's best known landmarks.

As we've been to a lot of temples in the previous days, we couldn't remember what they are called. We were advised by the owner of the inn to go to Kiyomizu Temple to see an event at night with beautiful display of lights. So we got on a bus and walked uphill only to realise that this was the same big temple that we just visited the day before.. hehe. So we did not stay any longer and just headed to Gion instead.

Gion is located just in front of Yasaka Shrine. The district was built to accommodate the needs of travellers and visitors to the shrine. It eventually evolved to become one of the most exclusive and well-known geisha districts in all of Japan. Gion remains dotted with old-style Japanese townhouses and tea houses.

We were so craving crepe that night and that was the time that we could not find one. So we just carried on with shopping. :-)

Day 5

We bid goodbye to the owner of Chita Guest Inn, walked towards Kyoto station pulling our luggages, and bought train tickets to Tokyo. Yes we travelled on board Japan's famous bullet train. :-)

Kyoto, Japan - Day 3

2011-01-30T23:11:00.002+11:00

November 16, 2010

Day 3

On our way to Kyoto Station, we visited Higashi Honganji Temple, the one just opposite the hostel we were staying in.

By the way the station is just 10-minute walk from the inn. Opposite the station is the Kyoto Tower, an observation tower that stands atop Kyoto Tower Hotel.

We purchased City Bus All-Day Pass and after having breakfast at Caffe Veloce, we got on a green bus to start our journey. Our first stop was at Higashiyama area. We dropped by at a temple close to Kyoto National Museum and then proceeded to Sanjusangen-do Temple in front of the museum.

We hopped on a bus again and got off at Kiyomizu-michi. Access to the temple is a 10-minute uphill walk along Chawan-zaka (Teapot Lane). On both sides of the narrow street are handicraft, omiyage and sweet shops and food stalls. Kiyomizu-dera Temple is the largest and most famous temple in Kyoto with its massive entrance gates and huge grounds with many grand, elaborate structures built on them.

Our next destination was Heian Jingu Shrine in Okazaki District. The torii before the main gate is one of the largest in Japan. The beautiful colours of maple trees in the fall along the path to the shrine made our walk a pleasant and enjoyable one. We also had a short stop at The National Museum of Modern Art and other temples in the area.

We took a bus again and hopped out at we-did-not-know-where. At this time we did not know where we were going. We just kept on walking following the arrows pointing to different temples. We've been walking for at least 15 minutes when we found out that we were trekking the Philosopher's Path. The pleasant stone path follows a canal which is lined by hundreds of cherry trees. We continued walking all the way to Eikando (Zenrinji Temple) and fortunately reached the temple before sunset.

Although it was already dark and despite a not-so-short trip by bus, we still wanted to see Kyoto Imperial Palace. It might really be hard to find the palace at night so after a long walk in vain, we gave up and just went back to Shijo Kawaramachi and hit the shops. We did not stay too long though due to lack of energy. It had been a long day and my feet and body were longing to lie down. :-)

Kyoto, Japan - Day 1 & 2

2011-01-29T23:18:00.007+11:00

November 14 - 15, 2010

Day 1

The trip from Osaka to Kyoto was almost an hour by train via JR line. From Kyoto Station North Exit, we took the Subway Karasuma Line and got off at Gojo Station on Karasuma Street. Chita Guest Inn is located in front of the Higashi Honganji Temple. It was already dark and we may have not found our way easily to the hostel but the quest didn't last too long. We were warmly welcomed by the owner of the ryokan, we took off our shoes and were guided to our room upstairs. The room was so Japanese with mattresses on the floor and with yukata robes provided.

We planned to go out for dinner after resting a little bit. We were advised to take a bus going to Kawaramachi. So off we went to the shopping district. We were aiming to have dinner at Pontocho but we lost our way again. I should not be trusted when it comes to reading a map. After realising that we were heading for the wrong direction, we went back to Shijo-Kawamarachi and fortunately found Pontocho at last which runs parallel to Kamogawa River. Pontocho is one of Kyoto's traditional nightlife districts - a narrow stone-paved alley full of bars, restaurants, geisha houses and tea houses. We walked down the beautiful alley and were surprised by the pricey meals. We had dinner at another place, browsed the shops and caught a bus back to the inn. It was time for a good night's rest to recharge for the next day. :-)

Day 2

Started the day by having a good yet cheap breakfast at a restaurant along Kawaramachi Dori. Our plan was to go to Tourist Information Center at Kyoto Station. So we kept on walking northward till we reached past Kyoto City Hall. We thought Kyoto Shiyakusho Mae was the one but there was no information center in sight. And it looks small for a major station. So we approached one of the staffs at a nearby hotel and we were told that that is not Kyoto station. We knew it! Well, anyway, since we were already there, we just had a look around. At least we had the chance to see the city hall, the shops at Teramachi Street and Honnoji Temple.

We took the subway to Kyoto Station and finally found the Tourist Information Center. We got some maps, pamphlets and brochures and made our way to Fushimi Inari Shrine. It is famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates that arch over a long path up the hill behind the shrine. We walked along the trails revelling the magical experience of wandering through the tunnels of torii in the quiet woods.

From Inari we caught the train to Arashiyama, a district on the western outskirts of Kyoto. The view of autumn colours in the mountains accross the river was just so awesome! We tried one of the restaurants nearby then we proceeded to Tenryu-ji Temple, Bamboo Groves and Nonomiya Shrine.

Back in the city centre, we came across Kyoto International Manga Museum. It was already closed, though. The last stop for the day was Shijo-Kawaramachi. We did some shopping and got myself a jacket because it was getting colder and colder. No, I did not buy the one in the photo below. :-)

Osaka, Japan

2011-01-10T22:38:00.010+11:00

November 12 - 14, 2010

With a very little knowledge of Japanese language, Beng and I braved to visit Japan for a 10-day getaway. Equipped with a short list of translations, we kept on memorising some basic words and phrases from airport to plane to airport to train, hoping that these would be enough for us to survive in a non-English speaking country.

Our first destination is Osaka. We touched down at Kansai International Airport around 7:00pm and this is where the challenge began. We needed to get train tickets going to the hostel and it took us a long time figuring out how to use the machines to pay for tickets. It so made us feel that we were in a foreign country. Thanks to the English translation that was posted.

We then got on the train and reached Shin-Imamiya Station in almost an hour. Hotel Taiyo is just a short walk from the station. We checked in first then we went out for dinner. It was already late so we didn't stroll a lot. We reckoned there was not much to see in the area at night. The first thing we noticed was that vending machines are everywhere -- you wouldn't get thirsty and hungry in Japan.

By the way, the hotel has only a traditional Japanese bath facility which means that guests of the same gender must take a bath all together at their scheduled time, with no swimsuits allowed! Honestly I made a fuss about this. Thank God it has an affiliated hotel nearby where we can take a private shower.. whew!

In the morning we tried the takoyaki balls that were sold along the strip of eateries and restaurants on the street. The owner of the stand must be famous for his delicious recipe as we'd seen a lot of his photos with tourists displayed in front of the eatery. Together with other customers, we enjoyed takoyaki while standing on the street. In fairness, these octopus balls are really yummy.

At midday we caught a train to Universal Studios. Though we didn't enter the theme park itself, we still enjoyed the food, view and shops at Universal City Walk. Japanese crepes are superb.

We then proceeded to Kaiyukan, one of the world's largest aquariums located in the Tempozan Harbor Village of Osaka's bay area. Marine life is displayed in 15 tanks, each representing a specific region of the Pacific Rim. The central tank, representing the Pacifc Ocean, is nine meters deep and home to a whale shark, the aquarium's main attraction. The tour of the aquarium starts on the 8th floor and slowly spiral down floor by floor around the central tank. Some of the tanks stretch over several floors, making it possible to observe the animals from different depths and perspectives.

Outside Kaiyukan was a beautiful display of Christmas lights.

At night we went to Osaka City to check out Umeda Sky Building. Relying on the map at hand, we kept on walking but the tower was nowhere in sight. So we asked the locals who are always keen to help lost travellers but surprisingly, sometimes they are also not aware of the landmarks and streets in the city. Oftentimes they showed us the map and direction from their phone. We got tired of walking so we left the city disappointed. We just decided to go to Dotonbori in Namba.

Dotonbori is famous for its shops and restaurants, and its many neon and mechanized signs, including candy manufacturer Glico's giant electronic display of a runner crossing the finish line. we strolled the street till almost midnight admiring the Japanese passion for fashion.

The next day we still did some walking around Osaka, had a good lunch at Yoshinoya and purchased a train ticket to Kyoto. :-)

Smiths Lake

2010-11-30T23:08:00.003+11:00

October 2 - 4, 2010

Day 1

On Labour Day long weekend we went on a trip to Smiths Lake, a small village in the Mid North Coast in the Great Lakes Region. After checking in and having lunch at the lodge, we set off for the lake so the boys can check where the good fishing area was. Looking down from Frothy Coffee Boatshed, we were amazed by the bountiful swarms of fish. However, fishing is not allowed in this area. Fishing boats are available for hire so you can go to the middle of the lake but we didn't try it.

We then made our way towards Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse in Seal Rocks - a small coastal settlement in the Great Lakes Council Local Government Area - making a short stopover at a beautiful lookout point along the way.

The lighthouse can be accessed by taking 10-minute scenic walk on an unsealed road. Displayed just past the entrance of the pathway was a note saying "Beware of dingoes". That sounds scary so the alert ones picked up a twig that could drive a dingo away just in case.. hehe. A fantastic view of the beach can be seen from the foot of the stairs leading to the lighthouse.

We climbed up the stairs towards the active lighthouse that guards Seal Rocks, admired the wonderful views from the top, posed for photos and went down before the sun set.

Before going back to the inn the girls drove north to Forster for some shopping and groceries. Forster itself is also a popular summer holiday destination with large lakes and white sandy beaches. We didn't have the time to explore the area, though. At night in the lodge after dinner, Kiko prepared a cocktail called 'tequila sunrise' that the girls enjoyed :), with card games and TV watching on the side. We also started solving a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle, hoping that we could finish it by the time we go back home. :)

Day 2

The next morning when the guys went off to fish, the girls and the kids headed to Blueys Beach. We didn't spend too much time on the beach because it was cold so we just went for a stroll at the town centre before going to a park for picnic lunch. We then drove further north to Ton O Fun Amusement Park in Tuncurry. It was raining when we reached the place, so thinking that we won't be able to enjoy the rides in the theme park due to bad weather, we just went to Forster again to take a closer look at the shops and to have some hot noodle soup to warm ourselves.

Back in the lodge, we continued working on the puzzle but we went to bed leaving it unfinished.

Day 3

We're still hoping that the remaining pieces of the puzzle will find their place before going home. But it's very difficult because their shade and colour really looked the same. So we gave up because we had to check out. We stopped over at Tea Gardens which is located directly across Myall River from Hawks Nest. From there we could see the Singing Bridge which connects the two townships. We had lunch in the area before heading back to Sydney. :)

Grand Pacific Drive

2010-08-09T22:01:00.007+10:00

August 1, 2010

During one of our very good friends' visit to Australia, we decided to take her to an spectacular coastal drive - Grand Pacific Drive - from Sydney to Wollongong and beyond.

Leaving Sydney before 9am, we headed south to the Royal National Park - the second oldest national park in the world - and drove through coastal rainforests and villages. Along Lady Wakehurst Drive, we stopped off at Bald Hill Lookout for a splendid panorama across the beach at Stanwell Park.

From Bald Hill we drove down to the beach and rested for a few minutes at the park while having ice cream. We then followed Lawrence Hargrave Drive, left the car at the parking zone, walked towards the Sea Cliff bridge and walked along the footpath of the bridge that boasts magnificent views. The bridge links the coastal villages of Coalcliff and Clifton.

After enjoying the scenic and dramatic view of and from the bridge, we continued driving towards Wollongong Harbour. We strolled around the horseshoe-shaped expanse admiring the majestic view of the city beach and its array of beautiful fishing boats and lighthouses.

Before leaving the city, we grabbed something from McDonald's and headed to Nan Tien Temple situated at Berkeley. We had a lot in our itinerary so we had to get going, we even gave up looking for a cafe or restaurant for lunch. :)

Nan Tien Temple, which means 'Paradise of the South', is known to be the largest Buddhist temple in the southern hemisphere. Set amidst beautifully landscaped gardens, the temple complex includes various meeting rooms, a museum, cultural, conference and accommodation facilities, a restaurant, multiple prayer halls, monumental Buddha statues, and a 7-level Pagoda. And who will not be fascinated by the cute baby Buddha statues around the gardens. :)

From Berkeley we set off further south to Kiama. On our way we made a short trip to Shellharbour Village towards Bass Point Reserve. Not spending too much time at Shellharbour, we got back on the road and continued travelling to Kiama - home to the famous Blowhole. Along with other touists, we waited for strong blows but the waves were not strong enough to give us a big explosion. We may have waited in vain but it didn't make us feel disappointed at all as we were already captivated by the beauty of the town itself. Sitting over a cup of coffee was the last stop of our fun and enjoyable daytrip. :)

We left Kiama around 5:40pm and reached Sydney after 1.5-hour trip. Stayed at our friend's Aunt's house for a luscious dinner. Yummy barbeque! :)

Central Coast

2010-08-05T21:12:00.003+10:00

June 12 - 14, 2010

Copacabana

Fortunately though we didn't plan early to go on holiday, we were still able to get a cheap accommodation in a laid-back town in the Central Coast. Ocean View Copa is a three bedroom beach house situated less than five minutes walk to the beach at Copacabana.

Winter has just set in so we didn't brave to try the water. It's enough to walk along the shore and enjoy the quietness and peacefulness of the place while the guys were gone fishing.

At night we just gathered together in front of the tv and fireplace, uhm no, not a fireplace but an electric heater hehe. It should have been more cosy if we found a house with an open fireplace. It is here where Jore and Pam introduced us to a game called Cashflow 101 - a board game that teaches you how to invest, become financially secure and achieve your dreams.. woah.. :)

The next day we strolled around the area again and drove to nearby beaches, McMasters and Avoca Beach.

The Entrance

We checked out early on Monday morning and we still had time to drive around so we decided to go to The Entrance, the waterfront of which is called 'The Pelican Capital of Australia'. We didn't experience the feeding of the pelicans, though. With its cosmopolitan atmosphere and attractive town centre, The Entrance is one of the prettiest towns on the Central Coast.

Easter Holiday at Batemans Bay - Day 3 & 4

2010-04-27T22:07:00.005+10:00

April 4 - 5, 2010

Day 3

Taking a plunge in the waves was a great way to start the day. The current was strong that we always found ourselves being gradually swept northward. After 20 minutes of swimming we proceeded to have breakfast and prepared for Easter Egg Hunt. We did it indoor instead of doing it in the backyard. Since we rented 2 units for the holiday, we decided to have the boys hide the egg chocolates in one unit for us girls to find, and vice versa. Then the fun began! We rushed ourselves to find them in the bedroom, lounge and kitchen. The guys were really clever that they even thought of hiding them inside Milo, sugar and coffee jar and even inside a loaf of bread. I felt bad that officially I only found 1 egg - the rest of what I've found were small ones and they were not counted. I shouldn't have concentrated much in the bedroom because I found out later that all the big ones were in the kitchen.

Old Mogo Town

After a fun-filled Easter Egg Hunt we headed to Old Mogo Town Gold Rush Theme Park. At the reception we were given small jars that we can fill with gold, that is if we are lucky to get gold from gold panning, a process where pans are filled with sand and gravel that may contain gold. The pan is submerged in water and shaken, sorting the gold from the gravel and other material. As gold is much denser than rock, it quickly settles to the bottom of the pan. Some of us tried but I guess it wasn't that easy to find gold especially when you don't know the technique yet.

After picnic lunch, we took a guided tour that includes gold panning demo - where Journey's jar was filled with gold by the tour guide.. yey! The tour also includes exploring the Gold Mine, exhibition buildings and the blacksmith's and wood turner's workshops.

Before leaving the theme park, we stayed for a little while for photo-taking, the highlight being "Mar's 16 shots". We all thought that he was using his camera's continuous shots feature that we just needed to change pose and position every second - only to find out that it was in video mode. What the?! We ended up looking like dancing bumblebees in the video.. haha.

Broulee Beach

The weather was fine so we went back to Broulee beach and had a couple of games. Though we didn't have enough time to do much we still enjoyed covering ourselves with sand and building sand castles.

Day 4

On the last day of our holiday we still managed to enjoy last minute swimming before checking out. Packed our things and got ready for a long drive back to Sydney.

Easter Holiday at Batemans Bay - Day 2

2010-04-13T20:49:00.011+10:00

April 3, 2010

Joy and I went for an early jog at the beach. It was cold but it felt good after running for a few minutes - you would want to take a dip into the water. :)

Pebbly Beach, Murramarang National Park

After breakfast we drove to Murramarang National Park where Pebbly Beach is situated. From the highway we entered an unpaved road and travelled for more than 10km while it was raining. Was driving on a pebbly road a sign that we were nearing the Pebbly Beach? :o

The rain stopped for a while when we arrived at the park. We looked for rock pools but there was none nearby. It was so cold that we didn't even think of dipping our feet into the sea. The wind blew colder when it began to drizzle so we decided to go back to the barbecue area to have lunch. Soon the rain poured really hard so we had no choice but to wait for the weather to calm down before driving back to Broulee. Had fun playing 'Pinoy Henyo' and the likes.

Broulee Beach

Back in Broulee, the boys went fishing and the girls just hung around at the beach till before sunset.

Before bedtime we gathered together and had a little sharing about what the Cross of Jesus Christ means to us. It was also a time to reflect that Easter is more than just hot cross buns and easter bunnies and eggs, it is a time to celebrate Christ's Resurrection and be thankful for new life in Him. :)

Easter Holiday at Batemans Bay - Day 1

2010-04-12T21:56:00.005+10:00

April 2, 2010

After driving for 5 hours from Sydney (with short stopover at Goulburn and Braidwood), we finally reached Batemans Bay - a town and a bay in the South Coast region of NSW. The plan was to have a picnic lunch at a lookout so we continued with the route through an unpaved road towards the top of Holmes Lookout. The view of the Clyde River and Batemans Bay Bridge from the top was beautiful, however we found the place not too good for picnicking.

On our way to Broulee Beach, we had our lunch (rice and yummy adobo) at a picnic area at Surfside.

Upon reaching BIG4 Broulee Beach Holiday Park, the boys excitedly prepared their fishing rods and went down to the beach for rock fishing. After getting some rest we also went to the beach but it was too cold to go swimming. So we just went to check if the 'fishermen' already had a fresh catch. Everybody got excited when Kiko caught a salmon. :)

We still had time to play table tennis when we came back to the resort. Then after dinner, we all sat down and solved a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle together till midnight.

Sunshine Coast

2010-04-12T20:33:00.012+10:00

February 14 - 16, 2010

Day 1

Glasshouse Mountains

Leaving Brisbane before 9AM, we headed for the Sunshine Coast. Our first stop was the Glass House Mountains National Park. The mountains were named in 1770 by English explorer Captain James Cook. They were so called as the shape of the mountains reminded him of the huge glass houses because of the singular form of their elevation.

We then had a big scrumptious breakfast at Glasshouse Mountains Lookout Cafe. It's a good thing we arrived hungry :). It is a wonderful place to sit and relax overlooking mango trees and fantastic views of Mount Coonowrin.

Ettamogah Pub

On our way between the Glasshouse Mountains and Coolum Beach, we stopped over at Ettamogah Pub - a quirky shaped building known to be the most photographed pub in the world. It was built in 1989 and is now one of Queensland's leading tourist attractions. Yeah it's too early for a mug of beer but they just love drinking. :)

Coolum Beach

We arrived in Coolum Beach at lunchtime and checked in at Beach Retreat Coolum Resort. Just had a short rest, changed and went to the beach. Had fish and chips for late lunch and browsed the shops. Lala and I enjoyed shopping :). We went back to the beach and tried the water before sunset.

Day 2

I got up early to enjoy the morning waves. After 15 minutes of swimming in the beach I went to relax in the pool before breakfast. Spent the whole day shopping, walking, eating, sleeping and swimming. :)

Day 3

We checked out at 8:00AM and got ready for 3-hour trip back to Brisbane. Margaret (with Jack) drove us to Brisbane airport. I boarded my flight back to Sydney while Lala and Simon flew off to Melbourne to continue their holiday. :)

Brisbane

2010-04-11T22:56:00.014+10:00

February 13, 2010

When I learned that my friend Lala (with Simon) will be visiting Australia again, I decided to meet them in Brisbane. I left Sydney on Saturday lunchtime, arrived in Brisbane around 2pm, and took a taxi to Oaks Lexicon Apartments. It is in the same building where my friends were staying but I booked my own unit. The place was really nice, big and beautiful that I almost didn't want to leave - the bed was tempting me to just lie down for the rest of the afternoon.

I didn't give in to the temptation though. I freshened up and hailed a taxi to meet them at an Irish pub in the city. Lala, Simon and his dad were enjoying ice cold beer when I arrived. I had a glass also and we stayed for a little while for chit-chats then we walked towards a ferry terminal. We were supposed to get off at West End (if I'm not mistaken), but we got off one station short of it. We didn't realise we were lost until we got tired of walking and we couldn't find our expected destination. So we just had a cone of ice cream in the street to cool down. :)

We boarded a ferry again and got off at South Bank instead. After a short stroll we sat for a drink again, but Lala and I didn't stay long. We went down to check the market but unfortunately it was already closed. We then went to the man-made beach and walked along under the amazingly beautiful Bougainvillea arbour that runs from one end of South Bank Parklands to the other.

We then all went to have a good seafood dinner. (I forgot the name of the restaurant.) Our order took a long time to be served but it was worth the wait. After dinner, Jack and Margaret went home ahead while Lala, Simon and I went for a walk around the city towards North Quay that runs along the Brisbane River. Lala was really trying hard to capture a perfect view of The Story Bridge at night while Simon and I patiently waited and posed with the bridge as the background. After so many attempts and maybe getting a little bit satisfied with her shots (peace Lala), we proceeded to The Coffee Club and sat for coffee and dessert before going back to the apartment. At last I can now enjoy the comfort of the place even if it's just for a night. We'd be checking out at 8:30AM the next day and driving off to Sunshine Coast. :)

Then and Now

2010-02-22T20:18:00.005+11:00

Boracay 2005

5 years later...

Coolum Beach, Sunshine Coast, Queensland 2010

North Coast

2010-01-06T01:08:00.011+11:00

January 1 - 3, 2010

Without an itinerary in mind, we travelled to Gosford where we'd be staying for 2 nights while on New Year holiday at the North Coast.

Day 1

Toowoon Bay

After scouting the area for nearby beaches, we ended up at Toowoon Bay in Central Coast, had picnic lunch then instead of swimming, we just played cards inside the tent.. hehe. The sun was just scorching hot and we reckoned it's not adviseable to swim yet.

Avoca Beach

Around 4:00pm we proceeded to Avoca Beach and enjoyed the waves while the surfers do their thing. What's good about this beach is that the water is still shallow even if you go further from the shore. After swimming I could still feel the slaps of the waves on my face.

Day 2

Australian Reptile Park

The next day we went to Australian Reptile Park, home to a variety of reptiles as well as other Australian animals, such as kangaroos, koalas, cassowaries and Tasmanian Devils. Our first stop was Lost World of Reptiles which exhibits turtles, tortoises, lizards, snakes, crocodiles and their kin. My fear of snakes hindered me from enjoying this place. We also went to see Spider World, Galapagos Tortoise, Tasmanian Devil, Reptile Show, Alligator Feeding, and Elvis the Crocodile Show.

Hunter Valley

In the afternoon we travelled further north to Hunter Valley. We stopped at Capercaillie Wine Company & Gallery and had some wine-tasting. If only there was no forecast of thunderstorm, we could have visited more vineyards and wineries. Loved the taste of Moscato.

We then proceeded to Hunter Valley Gardens, Australia's largest display garden. We didn't take a tour of the gardens, though, as it was already late and the gardens would be closing soon. It would be better to spend a whole day exploring the sensational sights, colours, and fragrances of the ten stunning feature gardens. I would love to come back here some other time.

Day 3

Lake Macquarie

Despite the gloomy weather, we still decided to go to Lake Macquarie hoping that the sun would show up later. We first went to Swansea Information Centre to enquire and get some brochures. Upon reaching the lake, we prepared and enjoyed lunch and just stayed at the picnic hall. Too bad there's not much that we could do due to rainy and showery periods. The boys went fishing at the wharf and came back with fresh catches in their bucket.

On our way back we stopped at Belmont for some sightseeing and picture taking. I believe there are lots of attractions and activities that can be done in Lake Macquarie so it would be nice to go back on a fine sunny day.

Merry Wet Christmas

2009-12-26T21:25:00.003+11:00

December 25, 2009

Not wanting to spend Christmas sleeping at home or just imagining how our families in the Philippines enjoy festive food and parties without us, we thought of going for a picnic somewhere and decided to go to Wattamolla in the Royal National Park. We were so desperate that even a warning of bad weather didn't stop us from going. It wasn't raining yet when we left Sydney but it started to pour as we were nearing our destination.

Wattamolla beach has a large lagoon filled with freshwater which runs behind the beach and the clifftop overlooking the beach is ideal for picnics. Jumping from the cliffs into the lagoon can also be an activity for the non-faint-hearted. When we arrived we actually saw tourists jumping off the cliffs - frightening yet amusing to watch.

The wind even blew stronger but we still managed to have a crazy happy lunch under umbrellas. Good thing Ronnie and Loids brought a tent where the kids could shelter themselves from the rain.

After lunch we followed the trail down to the beach and just stayed and have fun on the sand that separates the lagoon from the sea.

Of course our visit to this place won't be complete if none of us would jump from the cliff. So we cheered Kiko, Dee and Mar to try the adventure. Kiko had tried this before so he jumped off first whilst Dee and Mar were still wavering. We've all been waiting from the other side encouraging them to jump but it seemed that they haven't gathered enough courage yet. Kiko already made his 3rd jump before the two finally jumped - that was after almost an hour of stretching, hesitating and standing in the rain. Having achieved the highlight of our trip, we all went home without regrets. :)

Singapore

2009-10-29T21:47:00.010+11:00

September 26 - 29, 2009

Day 1

Craving crab and excited to see my longtime friends, I boarded a Singapore Airline flight from Sydney, patiently endured the boredom brought about by 8-hour flight, and finally met up with Lala who picked me up from the airport. Upon arrival at her place, I was welcomed not only by my good friends but also by the humid hot weather of Singapore. We had a catching-up chat and after freshening up and taking a little rest, we headed to watch the famous Formula 1 race. Lala got me a 1-night ticket to the race and I was excited to go even though I'm not an F1 fan.

After a short stop at Suntec City mall, we made our way to one of the entry gates to the race site. I got myself a survival kit consisting of rain poncho and ear plugs - you really need these when you don't want your eardrums damaged by the howling noise of the race cars. As Qualifying session won't start till 10:00pm, we had a chance to watch Rivermaya perform at F1 Rocks before proceeding to the race venue itself. Not knowing who the racers are, I wanted to at least take a good shot of the cars as they pass in front of us but they were too fast that all that I could capture was the race track. :(

When the race ended, we had a good time watching Travis band at the park. After the concert, we looked for a place to eat and ended up at a side-street Chinese restaurant. Full and satisfied, we headed home around 2:00am.

Day 2

After a late breakfast, Lala, Simon, Don and I took a relaxing dip at the pool. We thought we still had time to play pingpong but it's time to leave for East Coast Seafood Centre where we would enjoy mouth-watering chilli crab. Wearing a bib while eating added to the fun. :)

After a sumptuous meal at Jumbo Seafood, we strolled around the park at the waterfront.

While the others proceeded to the race site, Anet and I spent the rest of the day strolling and shopping together. We first went to visit the National Archives of Singapore but it would be closing in 30 minutes so we were not able to explore the whole museum. We then went to Funan DigitaLife Mall, Asia's leading IT shopping mall that offers the widest range of genuine and value-for-money IT and electronic gadgets. This is where I got my new camera. It's true that electronic gadgets are cheaper in Singapore. Anet then took me to Bugis Village bazaar - a great place where you can get souvenirs and pasalubong. She also treated me to some yummy local delicacies. Tired of walking for hours at the Bugis Junction mall and around the area, we went to TCC (The Coffee Connoisseur) cafe and relaxed in the comfort of their couches while enjoying light meal and coffee. Thanks Netski for keeping me company. :)

Day 3

I started the day by catching a cab to Raffles City Shopping Centre and then had a nice breakfast at Ya Kun Kaya Toast. After hours of window-shopping, I met up with Pinky and had a great time catching up with each other over a good lunch. After lunch, we parted ways as she had to go back to work while I was on my way to Orchard to do my last-minute shopping of pasalubong. All by myself now, I just walked leisurely and hopped from mall to mall along Orchard Road - enjoyable yet tiring. I could feel that my feet were already giving up on me so I desperately looked for a seat where I could rest and relax. Looking forward to meeting my friends for dinner and drinks.

We gathered together at one of the bars in Emerald Hills. Thanks guys for a fun-filled evening. :)

Day 4

Off to the Philippines. Yay! Thanks La for accommodating me for my entire stay. :)

Alpine Snow Adventure '09

2009-08-02T00:13:00.010+10:00

July 17 - 19, 2009

Never did a year pass since my first winter in Australia that I didn't go to the Snowy Mountains. It was my fourth time this year but thinking about being away from the city for a couple of days plus travelling and having fun times with good friends still brought excitement to the trip. I couldn't say it's the thought of re-experiencing the thrill of skiing or snowboarding because all that I had guts to do this time was ride a toboggan down the hill. :)

Leaving Sydney at past 7:00am, we stopped over in Canberra for a picnic lunch and some sightseeing. Visited Old and New Parliament houses. After spending a fair amount of time at the national capital, we drove for another 2 hours and reached Adventist Alpine Village around 6:00pm. The guys checked the game room but were disappointed to find out that it was locked. That meant no pingpong for the addicts like me.

The next day we made our way to Perisher Blue. The cool breeze of the wind added to the chill of already cold mountain air. We reckoned it was our coldest visit to the Snowies ever. While most of us had fun tobogganing, Dee and Ronnie went to steeper and longer slope for snowboarding. After enjoying the snow, we treat ourselves to hot chocolate to warm up - perfect for a freezing cold afternoon!

Jervis Bay

2009-04-30T19:54:00.020+10:00

April 10 - 13, 2009

Having a 4-day long weekend on Easter Holiday - that starts from Good Friday and ends on Easter Monday - we decided to set forth for a laid back trip to the South Coast. The night before we left, we were busy looking for a fishing rod and got one that comes with a set of fake baits that look like real small fishes, worms, frogs and jelly fishes. I wondered if these colourful thingies would be enough to entice a fish.

Day 1

For the record, Beng and I arrived first at the meeting place (McDonald's) at 5:45AM. After brekky, I prepared myself for what was going to be my longest drive ever. We had a stopover at Morton National Park, home to Fitzroy Falls. I wouldn't have minded being behind the wheels for more than 3 hours, but what brought me thrill was driving along a crooked winding country road that lasted for almost an hour.

We arrived in Sanctuary Point before lunchtime, unpacked our things, and prepared and had lunch before heading to the lagoon for fishing - well, at least to practice operating the rod and reel, tying a hook to a line, and throwing the bait to the water. It was our first time to try fishing so we didn't mind going back to the house empty-handed.

After dinner, we played table tennis and billiards then gathered at the living room to watch 'Confessions of a Shopaholic' and 'The Passion of the Christ'.

Day 2

The next morning, not wanting to give up fishing, we drove towards the other side of St George's Basin hoping to catch something for lunch or dinner. The boys tried their chance - but still came back without a catch in their hand - while the girls just played Boggle and Jenga.

After having a picnic for lunch, we proceeded to Huskisson to check out the events and bargains at the carnival. We were talking about childhood games when Chinese Garter came to mind. So we desperately looked for a shop that sells garter or rubber bands. When we luckily found one, we excitedly paid for the rubber bands and chained them together. And then the fun began! Playing these childhood games was really worthwhile while waiting for Dee and Kiko who went fishing.

Later at night I dozed off while watching Wolverine.

Day 3

I learned that the boys got up before dawn to go fishing (again), but came back with empty buckets. (That's all right guys. It may just be not the right season to fish.)

Easter Egg Hunt

After breakfast we celebrated Easter by holding Easter Egg Hunt - using egg chocolates. We had to hurry and get them all before they melt in the sun! It was so fun searching for the hidden eggs, not minding bumping into each other. Just when I thought I found lots of them, I ended up getting only 3! I was even more surprised when others got a dozen. But it was just fine because I was rewarded for finding one of the 4 biggest eggs :).

Hyams Beach

Before lunchtime we headed to Hyams Beach - which is reported as having the whitest sand in the world. The beach amazed us with its long stretch of white sand and blue water. Aaah.. I really regret that I didn't try the water :(.

After lunch and siesta and when the others had enough of swimming, we spent the afternoon playing patintero, limbo rock and Chinese Garter (again). It was funny that the guys could also play them well.

Playing pingpong till midnight completed our day.

Day 4

After cleaning up, we checked out and left for Sydney at 9:30AM. When we hit heavy traffic, Joy threw us a bag of buns from their car window.. hmmm good for our starving stomach :).

It was a good thing that we didn't take the long winding road on our way back. I could only imagine how challenging it would be driving up and down the mountains while it was raining hard. We stopped over at McDonald's for lunch. Our 4-day getaway was over. We may be frustrated fishers but a fresh catch could not surpass the fun that we had together. We can go fishing some other time anyway. :)

Colour Conference '09

2009-04-24T19:56:00.005+10:00

March 26 - 28, 2009

It was my first time to attend the Colour Your World Women's Conference (a.k.a Colour Conference), an annual Christian conference hosted by Hillsong Church. Held at the Sydney Entertainment Centre this year, the message of the gathering was about being empowered to be the change. Not only I was moved by the teachings and message behind the speakers' words, but the videos shown in between opened my eyes to realisations that in some parts of the world, children and women are impoverished and being abused in ways that are beyond that which we can imagine. It was truly heartbreaking but hopes still rise knowing that together with Compassion - a child sponsorship organisation - the church can help children from any part of the world to live a normal life, and through Sisterhood the women of the church can give support and aid to the hurting people of the world.

It was also great to be in the company of my girlfriends on occasion like this, and having fun times together at break. Before the 3-day conference ended, each and everyone was handed a knitting kit as souvenir and we were encouraged to make it into something useful. None of my friends know how to knit so it's going to be a challenge. I wonder if anyone has at least unpacked the yarn and sticks? :)

Thanks Beng for the photos. :)

David's 1st Birthday Costume Party

2009-04-22T22:28:00.012+10:00

March 22, 2009

Weeks before Jore and Pam's little David's 1st birthday celebration, I guess all the guests were busy preparing for their costume by all means - improvising or shopping. Desperately, I surfed the net and came across this Pocahontas costume with matching boots cover. I knew that the smallest available size would still be big for me but I ordered it anyway. Instead of bringing them to an alteration shop, I just altered them myself to save money hehe. Who would think it took me almost a day to finish up my hand sewing.. whew.

It was nice to see everybody in their costume. Who else would lead the creativity of this party but the Bat family - Batman, Catwoman and Robin a.k.a David, the handsome birthday boy. Hosted by Joy in a cute Minnie Mouse dress, the party was loaded with fun and games (for the kids). The awarding of the best in costume added to the excitement. Ronnie as Jack Sparrow, who led the pirates that dominated the venue, stood out among those that were awarded and was commended for being very creative in improvising. Boydon family donning Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Little Minnie Mouse costume won the prize in Family category. Yours truly didn't go home empty-handed. :)

Reyes Family portraying Batman, Catwoman and Robin

Mouse Family

Pirates of the Carribbean

Port Stephens

2009-02-16T22:30:00.007+11:00

Jan 25 - 26, 2009

Just few hours after arriving back in Sydney from the Philippines, not minding the lack of sleep and jet lag, I joined my friends on their trip to Port Stephens - a large natural harbour that is a 2-hour drive north-east of Sydney. Instead of leaving the next day, we left around 3:30 in the afternoon so that we could start our activities early the next morning.

We didn't book accommmodation so our first agenda was to scout for motel or apartment while on road. We were almost thinking of car camping somewhere in Nelson Bay until we rang Motto Farm Motel and were advised that there were vacant rooms that could accommodate all of us. We had to travel 40 minutes going back to Raymond Terrace, though.

Our car was first in a convoy of four. We were travelling smoothly until the GPS led us to a rough road. After following bends in the trail, we ended up on the continuation of the same highway where we entered the rough road from. Aah.. we should have taken the highway instead. Well that's what you get when the map installed on your GPS is not updated.

Few minutes after getting back on the main road again, we reached the inn at last. Had dinner and played cards while watching Australian Open on TV.

In the morning, cloudy and showery weather didn't hold us back from doing our planned activities for the day. We first went to Fisherman's Bay and tried to stop the rain by dancing the Sun Dance (got this from the movie 'A Very Special Love' hehe). Here we posed for photos and enjoyed the picturesque view from the hill.

As the main purpose of our trip was to experience 4WD Adventure Tours and sandboarding, we proceeded to Sand Dunes of Stockton Beach. We hopped on a 4WD bus that would take us to sandboarding area. Travelling the slopes of dunes was surely a breathtaking adventure.

Upon getting off the bus, each one of us got a board and then the driver taught us how to get on the thing and how to glide properly. We were excited but scared to try it for the first time. We started on a short slope and after finding it fun and exciting, we moved on to a higher and steeper slope. The thrill made us scream but still we wanted to do it over and over again, much more if it was not too tiring climbing up back to the top.

After our sand dune adventure, we drove to Shoal Bay for lunch. We then strolled around the area and enjoyed the view of the beach before heading back to Sydney.

Marina

2009-02-08T22:18:00.004+11:00

Jan 19, 2009

I once again had a great time meeting up with my college barkada - Pech, Carol and Rose who came with her friend, Allen. Missing the food at Marina in Glorietta, I suggested this restaurant for lunch. For sure it could be happier and wackier if all of us were able to make it.

RSM and Picnic Grove, Tagaytay

2009-02-07T19:01:00.006+11:00

Jan 17, 2009

Since my nephew and nieces were not able to make it to Baguio, we planned to take them somewhere else. Been thinking of going to Enchanted Kingdom but we ended up having lunch at RSM in Tagaytay and then strolling around at Picnic Grove. Just learned that the park has now a cable car and a ride called Zipline that involves gliding along a suspended steel cable, using a pulley and climbing harness where guests soar over Taal Lake and surrounding forest for 20-30 seconds. We didn't try it, though.

Baguio

2009-02-05T21:12:00.014+11:00

Jan 10 - 12, 2009

Two weeks after arriving in the Philippines, my family thought of a place to go and we ended up going to Baguio despite the dropping temperature. Arriving in the City of Pines around 9PM, all that we could do was to prepare and have dinner and to get some sleep.

The next morning, our first stop was PMA where we enjoyed watching drill routines of platoons of cadets.

Next stop was Camp John Hay. We didn't do much here except walk down the hills and take photos.

We then proceeded to Mines View Park where my cousins and bro enjoyed donning Igorot costume.

After lunch, we went to Botanical Garden where a group of natives joined us while we were posing for photos and then asked for P10.00 fee afterwards. We didn't even invite them to have photos with us but what could we do but to give them what they asked for. That was fun, though. This is also where we tried strawberry-flavoured taho.

We went on driving towards The Mansion. Tourists are not allowed to go inside so we just had our photos taken in front of and a little beyond the gate.

Before sunset, we went to Lourdes Grotto and climbed all the way up the stairs, counting the steps. Learned that there are more than 250 steps to reach the grotto itself.

We went to Strawberry Farm in La Trinidad the next day hoping to pick fresh strawberries but we arrived past the harvest time so we just bought some pasalubong.

None of us has been to SM Baguio before so we shopped around a bit before going down back to Manila. Everyone was exhausted after our 3-day holiday but surely all of us had fun. Oh I wish I could go on trips often with my family.

Sentro and Cafe Breton

2009-02-03T22:00:00.001+11:00

Jan 7, 2009

It has always been relaxing and exciting to spend time with good old friends giggling, chatting, reminiscing, and laughing about just anything over a good meal followed by cuppa. Below are some of the photos taken when I met up with Don, Augs, Anet and Raz during my last visit to the Philippines. We had lunch at Sentro and sat for coffee, tea and dessert at Cafe Breton in Greenbelt 3 till 3:00PM.

Talking about when and where we are holding our reunion added to the excitement. Been thinking if it's gonna be in the US or Singapore.. yippee! If only they were not busy at work, we could have more time hanging out. Super bitin! Good thing Anet was free (after her visit to the dentist) so we spent the rest of the afternoon catching up with each other. :)

New Year '09

2009-02-03T21:00:00.003+11:00

What could be more joyful than spending the Holidays with family. I missed them last Christmas and there was no way that I could celebrate the New Year away from them. :)

Christmas in Gold Coast

2009-02-02T20:42:00.012+11:00

Dec 24 - 27, 2008

Unlike in the northern part of the world where it becomes the coldest time of the year during Christmastime and where you can experience white Christmas, in Australia it is the other way around. It's just the perfect time for us to head to the beach and enjoy the summer sun.

Day 1

We boarded Virgin Blue to Gold Coast where we would celebrate Christmas. Arriving in Gold Coast Airport at 8:35AM, we hopped on a shuttle bus that would take us to Surfers Paradise. After travelling for 45 minutes, we reached Imperial Surf where we would stay for 4 days. We were not allowed to check in yet so after leaving our baggages at the locker in the hotel, we went to Centro to grab something to eat before boarding a bus to Sea World.

Sea World

We arrived in Sea World before 11:00AM. We first took the Sky High Skyway to get to the other side of the park. We could see a bird's eye view of the park's attractions while aboard this cable car. The first show that we saw was Fish Detectives at Sea Lion Theatre where clever sea lions starred in a comedic adventure. Afterwards, we tried two of the rides, The Viking's Revenge Flume Ride and The Bermuda Triangle, an adventure ride exhibiting special effects, animatronics and fibre optic technology. Both of the rides ended with fun-filled splash down. We then went to Polar Bear Shores but we failed to chance upon the bear's underwater swimming. We proceeded to watch Planet SOS in 4-D, a magical and entertaining animated film with enchanting animal stars. At 3:00PM we went to see the very entertaining Dolphin Show. We were delighted by the dolphins' amazing agility, grace and intelligence as they interact with their trainers. After the show, while the others left for the hotel, Beng, Kiko, Anne and myself preferred to stay at the park till 5:00PM to check out Shark Bay and the Aquarium. We also had the chance to see the Waterski WipeOut show showcasing the impressive skiing and wakeboarding talents of Sea World Ski Team.

Back to Surfers Paradise, we went to a supermarket to shop for our 3-day supply of food and other stuff, prepared dinner and ended the day with a mini Noche Buena, followed by moderate drinking and card games before dozing off.

Day 2

Christmas Day!

With the beach just across the street from the apartment, we got up early to jog along the shore. Theme Parks are closed on Christmas Day so we just spent the day playing cards, picnicking, playing frisbee and dodgeball on the beach. Then we had a relaxing afternoon as we were invited by Jore and Pam's friend to try the jacuzzi and pool at Mantra Sun City.

Day 3

Around 5:45AM when the sun just rose and the beach was not yet crowded, Beng, Loida and I went to the beach to try the water. Cold water didn't stop us from taking a plunge and enjoying the waves. After 30 minutes, we returned to the unit to have breakfast and get ready to leave for Movie World.

Movie World

Arriving in Movie World around 10AM, we immediately joined the queue towards DreamWorks Shrek 4D Adventure show in Roxy Theater. The experience seemed like a real-life adventure as in tandem with the 3D animation, our seats are equipped with special effects including vertical drops and horizontal motions. After the show we had the chance to watch Batman skit at Main Street. We then proceeded to watch the Live Looney Tunes show - What's Up Rock?! - an animated and interactive musical show that tells a comical tale. Our next stop was at the arena of Hollywood Stunt Driver where breathtaking stunts and precision driving are performed. We also caught the Star Parade including characters such as Austin Powers, Marilyn Monroe, Scooby Doo, Looney Tunes, Shrek and Princess Fiona, Batman and Catwoman.

Our first ride for the day was the Road Runner Rollercoaster. This one is actually for kids but I was still thrilled. We then tried the Looney Tunes River Ride and even had fun with bump cars!

We also tried the Wild West Falls Adventure Ride where we were ventured deep into the heart of a mountain and the only way out is straight down - a 70 km per hour, no brakes, 20 metre heart-stopping drop to the final splashdown.

Not getting enough of kiddie rides, we hopped on the Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster and oh I was screaming and my eyes were closed during the entire ride! My friends were concerned that I might not manage to breathe, and poor Beng who was sitting beside me, she must have been suffering from an impaired hearing by the time the ride finished. I said to myself that I will never ride a rollercoaster again no matter how less frightening it may seem.

At the apartment, we had exchanging of gifts as part of our Christmas celebration. Well not too late because Boxing Day is being celebrated in Australia on Dec 26 which is traditionally marked by the giving of Christmas boxes or gifts. We called it a day after playing cards (1-2-3-pass) over a bottle of tequila and vodka cruiser where the loser had to take a shot. That gave me a headache the next morning.

Day 4

Though I was still sleepy and groggy, I thought of swimming as the only way to get rid of my headache. So Beng and I went down to the beach before 6:00AM. This time it was only me who took a dip as Beng went jogging. What a great refreshed feeling afterwards.

Wet 'n' Wild Water World

Wet 'n' Wild is the last theme park that we visited. Some of my friends planned to try Surfrider but when they were already in the queue, the ride stopped and they learned that there was a malfunction or some kind of mechanical problem going on.. hmmm.. not a good sign. So we just tried the Giant Wave Pool, the Mammoth Falls where four of us were together in a tube, the Super 8 Aqua Racer where we plunged head first down the lane, and the Mach 5 Sidewinder, an open air flume that rockets down a twisting path. These rides are so much fun!

We left Water World around 2pm, shopped around in Surfer's Paradise, got our things from the apartment and boarded a bus to the airport.

It was my first Christmas away from my family but with good friends around, I didn't feel so homesick at all. I'd be coming home for New Year anyway.. woohoo! :)

Melbourne

2008-11-15T16:42:00.017+11:00

Nov 7 - 8, 2008

Got up before four o'clock on a Friday morning to catch my 6:15 flight to Melbourne. In Melbourne, I'd be meeting up with Beng, Lala and Simon who just arrived the night before from a 3-day roadtrip from Sydney. Underestimating the cold weather, I arrived before 8:00am welcomed by showery and gloomy sky. From Tullamarine Airport, I boarded Skybus that would take me to the city for $16. After 20 minutes, the bus stopped at Southern Cross Station, a major railway station and transport hub of Melbourne.

I went to info desk as I needed to find a way on how I could get to St Kilda where my friends were staying. After talking to a staff, I bought a daily tram ticket and got on a tram wondering if I was heading to the right direction. Thank God I finally reached St Kilda and even bumped into Simon down the street while I was trying to find their hostel. I was even more relieved when I saw Beng and Lala! I just left my bag at the inn and then we all proceeded [back] to the city by tram to start touring.

We got off at Spencer Street, took a walk from there to find a place where we could have breakfast and ended up at a small sidestreet cafe. After breakfast, we started walking towards Federation Square.

Before reaching the precinct, we stopped in front of the famous Flinders Street Station, the central railway station which used to be the world's busiest passenger station.

At Federation Square we went to the Visitor Centre which offers not only comprehensive information on Melbourne but also quality souvenirs and gifts. We also had a short stop in front of Champions - Australian Racing Museum. Sitting next to Fed Square is the Yarra River.

Facing Federation Square is St Paul's Cathedral which is also a major landmark. From here we could see a good view of Flinders Street Station as the church is situated diagonally opposite the station.

After spending some time at the cathedral, we continued walking along Swanston Street, a main thoroughfare where we enjoyed [window] shopping and taking photos by the big Christmas tree. We also passed by and got yummy chocolates from Haigh's. Chinatown is just nearby so we decided to take a short stroll around the area.

This time the rain was pouring harder and the weather was getting colder. We had no choice but to run in the rain as we didn't have hoodie (except Lala) and umbrella. We had ourselves sheltered in a Greek restaurant and had late lunch while waiting for the rain to stop. But the wind was even blowing stronger so we battled the storm going to the tram station. Our next stop was Queen Victoria Market which is said to be the largest open air market in the Southern Hemisphere. Unfortunately, we came a little bit late - time for the vendors to stack their goods away.

Frustrated, we boarded a tram again going to Parliament of Victoria and continued walking towards Fitzroy Gardens. Good thing it wasn't raining anymore but the sun was still not showing up. The Conservatory must have been a nice place to visit but it was already closed. Yup it's closed but we still managed to sneak in and take photos inside.. haha. But there's no way for us to go inside Cook's Cottage and St Patrick's Cathedral.

Still thinking of a place to go, they suggested to visit the Old Melbourne Gaol, an iconic landmark where cons, including infamous bushranger Ned Kelly, were hanged. We planned to take a tour of the prison but a private function was going on so no tour was allowed on that day. What else could we do but catch a tram going back to the apartment.

We rested for 30 minutes then prepared to go to Luna Park, which is just within walking distance from the hostel. But it was raining again and walking in the rain in a dark night was no fun at all. Oh why did we choose to catch a cold rather than a tram?! Yes we braved the weather only to find out that the park was closed! Of course how would an amusement park with all the rides operate if it's raining? We should have thought of that beforehand. Disappointed, we got on a tram and just decided to have dinner at a nearby restaurant. Simon didn't join us so it was our chance to giggle over girl talk.. hehe.

It was already late so we proceeded to the inn after dinner. While Beng and I were on our way to our room, we saw shards scattered on the balcony floor and noticed that the window of one of the rooms was broken. It was the room next to ours that was broken into! I got so scared so as soon as we entered our room I carried my bags as I didn't want to stay in our room anymore and pleaded Beng to call the receptionist and Lala. While I was panicking, Beng was still composed and calm. Good thing there are spare beds in Lala and Simon's room. It had been a long day but we still found time to play pusoy dos over a bottle of vodka.

At 10:00AM the next morning, we checked out from EasyStay and drove to the city. We revisited the Old Melbourne Gaol and this time we were able to get a ticket to self guided tour where we discovered the history and secrets of the gaol, saw death masks and found out what prison life was in the 1800s.

Simon and Lala's flight back to Singapore was at 1:30PM so we just had a quick lunch then hugged and kissed each other goodbye. Beng and I went to Flinders St and boarded Tourist Shuttle going to Melbourne Museum. After leaving our backpacks at the museum's package counter and having a short stroll, we walked towards the city then went to shops at Swanston St. We also visited the National Gallery of Victoria located in Southbank.

We caught Tourist Shuttle again to get our bags from the museum. Oh we forgot to have our photos taken in front of Queen Victoria Market so we went back to the market before heading to Southern Cross Station where we would board Skybus going to the airport to catch our 8:15PM flight back to Sydney.

Note: While Melbourne is known as being a city of four seasons in one day, Beng reckons it's four seasons in two hours! The weather here is really very unpredictable. We so love Sydney! I'm gonna miss the trams, though. :)

Floriade

2008-10-07T23:45:00.010+11:00

Oct 4, 2008

The sign of forecasted thunderstorm didn't stop us from visiting Floriade, Australia's Celebration of Spring. We left Sydney around 6:45AM, hoping for the shower to stop. But rain poured heavier as we drove our way to Canberra. With a weather like this, we wondered if we'd be seeing poor rain-drenched flowers. We had a stopover at Goulburn to have breakfast at McDonald's.

The heavens must be on our side as the sky went clear and rain eased as we neared Canberra. And yes, the sun was already shining bright when we reached Commonwealth Park, home to Floriade. I've been to Canberra a couple of times before but it's my first time to visit the flower festival which is held annually in spring from mid September to mid October. My eyes were captured by the colourful display of flowers and the breathtaking garden beds, made up of more than a million blooms.

Jore and Pam's little David

After strolling around the gardens, the kids had fun with jumping castle while Helen, Anne and myself went to look for the market to buy some freshly cooked nuts. But we failed to find the market and we got tired from walking so we just rested on a bench near the lake. Not wanting to give up, we went to the other side of the park and there we saw the booth! We got cashew nuts, peanuts, macadamia nuts and almonds.

We then joined the rest of the group and proceeded to Chrysnan and Ross' place to have barbeque lunch. We stayed there for a little while then we proceeded to Telstra Tower, a telecommunication tower that is situated above the summit of Black Mountain. It offers panoramic views of the city and its surrounding countryside from a viewing platform.

We also had a chance to drop by the New and Old Parliament House. We left Canberra at 6PM and reached Sydney before 10PM. Thanks to our good friends behind the wheels - Dee, Joy, Jore and Jeck - who didn't mind driving for long hours. And to everyone, thanks for the company and this enjoyable trip. :)

Blue Mountains '08

2008-09-18T11:17:00.001+10:00

Sept 13, 2008

For my second trip to the Blue Mountains, I went with Pinky and her mom who is here for vacation. As travelling by train is the most relaxing way to go, we got a link ticket that combines train fare to Katoomba and day access to the get-on-get-off Explorer bus that drives between attractions around the Blue Mountains.

We first got off at Katoomba Cascades, then continued bushwalking hoping to reach the falls but we might have taken the wrong trail so we ended up on the road again and just walked heading towards the next bus stop. We got on the bus and hopped out at Scenic World, got a Valley Return ticket that includes Railway or Cableway ride and Walkway. We rode the inclined railway that took us through a cliff side tunnel into ancient rainforest. After 10 minutes of walking through the rainforest, we reached the base of the Cableway that would take us back to the Scenic World station.

From Scenic World, we boarded the bus again and got off at Echo Point, home to the famous Three Sisters. After spending few minutes at the lookout, we hopped on the bus, skipped the other attractions and alighted at the train station to catch the train going back to Sydney.

We finally reached Sydney after 2 hours on the train. Starving, we dined at a Vietnamese restaurant in the city before heading home.

Thankful

2008-09-18T11:03:00.003+10:00

Sept 4, 2008

This was the third year that I celebrated my birthday away from home. I didn't have an asalto this year but I had fun having lunch and dinner with some of my close friends. :)

Sept 5, 2008

The celebration didn't end there. As my birthday week coincided with our Connect Group's scheduled Bible study, these thoughtful friends of mine decided to hold the study at my flat and have a simple dinner party for me at the same time. I didn't prepare anything (except prawns?) but look at the food on my table!

I owe big thanks to my housemate, Pinky, and her mom and to my friends from church for preparing all these. You are all a blessing indeed. Thanks also to Alvin and family for coming. Binata na si Carl!

Below is Zsanelle showing off her talent in hula-hooping. Talo kami sa bata. :)

Snowy Mountain Adventures '08

2008-07-22T13:03:00.017+10:00

July 18 - 19, 2008

Since we are having only mild winter in Sydney, we have to travel 6 hours to get to the mountains for snow adventures. Leaving at past 9:00am, we reached Canberra before 1:00pm where we stopped over to have our packed lunch. After an hour, we continued travelling and reached Jindabyne around 4:30pm. We went to the rental shop first to get snow gears and equipments that we would use the next day. As usual I got toboggan and walking boots while others got snowboard and skis. We then proceeded to Alpine Village where we were staying for the night. Some of us went out to get something for dinner while others just stayed in the chalet.

After dinner and washing up, Beng and I went to the lounge area to check out if we could play some indoor games. There was a pingpong table but unfortunately we didn't bring our paddles. In one corner we saw Dee, Jore, Ronnie and Jeck having fun with foosball. Beng and I also gave it a try and played doubles with the guys. It was my first time to play this game and as defense and goalkeeper I panicked everytime the opponent's ball came near the hole. (To those who know me, imagine how loud I scream.) Thank God, Beng was really good at making attacks and she just kept on surprising us everytime she scored a goal. We played until 9:00pm only as we couldn't stay late because we needed to leave early in the morning for the snow resort.

We got up around 5:00am, had breakfast at 7:00am and had a couple of foosball games on the side. After breakfast we went outside to watch the kangaroos scattered across the street as they were being fed. We even saw little joey in its mother's pouch.

We then left for Thredbo Ski Resort. When we arrived we just found out that there is no area there for tobogganing. So we decided to go to Perisher Blue where travel time of 1 hour or so delayed our activities for the day. Arriving in Perisher Blue before 12 noon, we grabbed our equipments and went straight to the slopes. As the kids were having fun with toboggan, Dee, Ronnie and Jore showcased their talent in snowboarding, Jeck started to ski then later said 'pinagsisisihan ko ito' (haha that was so funny), while Loida, Helen and myself helped out Beng in fastening her boots to the skis. I'm sorry my dear friends but it was really fun watching you as you stumble and roll over haha.

After lunch, some of us who couldn't get enough (of body ache, that is) went back to the slopes for tobogganing and snowboarding. Forget about skis hehe. The guys lent us their snowboards and helped us out in putting it on. It must have been fun but we girls panicked everytime we skidded down the hill so we always ended up falling flat on ice. It's the guys' turn to laugh at and make fun of us hehe.

Frustrated, what else could we do but pose for photos. (From the photos below, is it obvious that there is no ski trail? hehe)

We left Perisher Blue at 4:30pm then went to the rental shop to return our equipments before heading back to Sydney. We had a stopover in Cooma to get something for dinner. Feeling all tired and sleepy, we reached Sydney at past 11:00pm. Up to now, our body is still in pain but that weekend getaway was really fun. :)

Jenolan Caves

2008-05-05T19:20:00.007+10:00

April 25, 2008

It was a public holiday (ANZAC Day) so we planned to go on a trip before winter kicks in. This time we decided to go to Jenolan Caves where Blue Mountains' remarkable caverns are located.

We left Sydney around 8:00am. We reached Blue Mountains around 10:00 and stopped over at the Information Centre to get some brochures. When we got on the road again, we saw Alvin's car behind us. What a really good timing. We were supposed to just meet them in Jenolan.

We were hoping to get something from KFC for lunch but we didn't see one along the way. We continued driving up and down the foggy, long, winding, narrow and steep road to Jenolan. It was a bit scary. Thank God we reached our destination safely.

We arrived in Jenolan around 12:00pm. We were all starving so we immediately grabbed something to eat before getting tickets to the cave. Jenolan has 11 'show' caves. We got the 2:30pm tour to Lucas Cave. It is the cave that most people visit at Jenolan with 910 stair steps.

The tour guide gave us a brief orientation before we went into the cave. Lucas Cave is big indeed. Stalactites and stalagmites are amazing. The highest chamber is called the Cathedral where music played while a remote-controlled electric light show was going on. This hall is used as a venue for weddings and concerts.

The Broken Column is the most photographed formation of this cave, where stalactite and stalagmite have grown until they joined and formed a column from the ceiling to the floor. We were further amazed by sparkling crystals and beautiful curtain-like stalactites.

Looking down at the bottom, we saw a blue-green underground river which can only be seen from inside Lucas Cave.

After the 1-hour tour, we made our way out of the cave then rested for a little while and had picture taking - courtesy of Beng, her camera and tripod :). We decided to go home around 5:00pm, anticipating the long drive along the narrow and winding road on our way back from Jenolan.

Wollongong

2008-03-24T18:36:00.010+11:00

March 21, 2008

Wollongong is located in the east coast of Australia, about 90-minute drive south of Sydney. Our group of 10 - composed of Edith and family, Geraldine, Sherrylou, Maricel and Tim - had this trip on Good Friday. Our first stop was Stanwell Park whose feature is the beach with its two lagoons. We didn't try the water though, as big waves and cold weather seemed to be not so inviting for us to swim. And we went here just for the view, anyway.

After picnicking, we planned to go to Kiama to see its famous tourist attraction, the Blowhole. On our way to Kiama, we stopped at Bulli Lookout to see a beautiful panorama of Wollongong and its coastline.

We then drove down south to Kiama. Kiama Blowhole is believed to be the world's largest blowhole. A blowhole is a cavity located at the end of a sea cave which exits above the cave. When a wave enters the mouth of the cave it will be funneled up towards the blowhole, which can result in quite spectacular blasts of water from the top of the blowhole. When we arrived we joined the other tourists, waiting for the blasts but the water spouts were not so big while we were there. There was just one big blast and unfortunately my camera was not ready so I failed to capture it.

Blowhole entrance

Water blast from the blowhole

The breeze was getting colder and colder so we decided to head home after enjoying the view and spending couple of hours around the area. Thank you guys for this enjoyable trip. I really had a great time. :)

P.S. I was hoping to bump into Beng and our other friends who also went to Wollongong in a separate trip but we had different itineraries. :)

Bondi Beach

2008-03-02T21:41:00.009+11:00

Feb 24, 2008

Right after we picked up the car, we drove to Bondi Beach, one of Australia's most famous beaches. It was my first time here though it is just about 30 minutes from the city. We arrived before lunchtime - the summer sun was hot, waves were inviting to surfers, and people enjoyed themselves lying down under the sun.

Alvin went with Carl who was so excited to swim but it was too hot that Geraldine, Beng and I just decided to stay on the fine brownish sand, squeezing ourselves in under a big umbrella that we hired. All we did was watch sunbathers, swimmers and surfers and wait for an actual rescue scene as Bondi Beach is patrolled by lifesavers who make swimmers stay between the yellow and red flags.

When the boys came back, Carl kept on telling how he was hit by a big wave. It was lunchtime already so we went up the street and got ourselves bacon and cheese burger with baked potato from Hurricane's Grill. The burger was so big but it tasted good I almost finished it. I had no room for baked potato, though.

From the cottage where we had had our takeaways, we could see that people kept on arriving and soon the beach became too crowded. It is indeed Australia's busiest beach. We headed home around 3:30 after relaxing and sight-seeing.

Dragon Boat and Chinese Garden

2008-02-20T20:57:00.011+11:00

Feb 17, 2008

As planned, we went to see the Dragon Boat Races which was still a part of the Chinese New Year celebration at the Darling Harbour. Teams from different Australian organisations competed for the titles.

Since we were not routing for any team, we left after a while and got some dim sum, strolled along the harbour and took photos of the Chinese New Year Lanterns.

We then went to the Chinese Garden of Friendship. History has it that the Chinese Garden is the result of a close bond of friendship and cooperation between the sister cities of Sydney and Guangzhou in Guangdong Province. Inside the one-hectare garden are pavilions, lakes and waterfalls. While journeying through the winding pathways, you can experience century-old traditions of Chinese landscaping, architecture and garden design.

After spending a couple of hours in the garden, we had lunch at McDonald's and then went back to the harbour to check out what's happening. Dragon boat races were still on. Close to where I stood, a group of dragon dancers arrived and began their performance. Yipee! I had the chance to see a fascinating dragon dance at last! :)

Valentine's Date

2008-02-17T20:14:00.015+11:00

Feb 15, 2008

Obviously, I had no valentine to spend Heart's Day with but yet there's no reason to pout. I met up with Geraldine, Maricel, Sherry and Beng last Friday and had dinner at Nick's Seafood Restaurant in Cockle Bay Wharf. Beng and I had been here last year when Joy treated us on my birthday. The menu is worth recommending so I gathered the girls for them to try the sumptuous dishes themselves.

After a relaxing dinner overlooking the water, we proceeded to Lindt Chocolat Café and enjoyed bonding and chit-chats over a cup of hot chocolate.

Photos below were taken in front of Cockle Bay. Pardon me if the views were not captured. :)

Kung Hei Fat Choi

2008-02-11T21:10:00.001+11:00

Feb 10, 2008

Chinese New Year is being celebrated in Sydney from Feb 1 to 24. Last Sunday was a fine day so though it was already 4pm, Beng and I decided to go to Chinatown hoping that we could still watch some events and see the giant lanterns. Unfortunately, we came a little bit too late as majority of the events happened in the morning till mid afternoon including parade and concert. As we walked along, we saw this pair playing Chinese music.

Then we proceeded to the Darling Harbour to see what's on. The concert at Tumbalong Park just ended and the lanterns were no longer in display. All that we could see were people packing up. :(

Not wanting to give up, we went to the Chinese Garden and guess what - it was already closed!

Disappointed, we went back to Chinatown and along the way we saw a couple doing free Chinese writing for people passing by. I heard a man saying that he wanted this phrase to be written - "Life full of happiness". So the woman translated it for the man to write it in Chinese.

We also saw this boy in Chinese costume who was posing while his dad was proudly taking his photo.

What caught our attention was a man cutting profile for $2. Anyone who wanted their profile to be cut just needed to pose and the man would do it for them in seconds.

Before going home, we had congee, wonton noodle soup and bread for dinner. Beng described the dumplings in her soup as 'sobrang sarap'.

Since we hadn't seen much that day, we're planning to go back to the city next weekend to see the Chinese New Year Lanterns and watch the dragon boat races.

Tagged :)

2008-02-11T21:03:00.001+11:00

1. Can you name one person who made you laugh last night? Probably Beng or a scene from So You Think You Can Dance

2. What were you doing at 0800? Blowing my hair dry.

4. What happened to you in 2006? I migrated to Australia, got homesick for a while, met new friends, got a job, driver's licence and apartment, came home to the Philippines to spend Christmas with my family.

5. What was the last thing you said out loud? "Wow! Nakuha sya!" When a Filipina made it to the top 20 of So You Think You Can Dance Australia.

6. How many beverages did you have today? 6 glasses of water.

7. What color is your hairbrush? I don't have one.

8. What was the last thing you paid for? Double cheeseburger from McDo.

9. Where were you last night? At home, watching TV and surfing the net.

10. What color is your front door? Brown.

11. Where do you keep your change? In my wallet.

12. What’s the weather like today? Fine. Sunny. Cloudy.

13. What’s the best ice-cream flavor? Rocky Road.

14. What excites you? Long weekends, trips, beaches.

15. Do you want to cut your hair? Not yet.

16. Are you over the age of 25? Yes.

17. Do you talk a lot? It depends on who I am talking to.

18. Do you watch the O.C.? Sometimes. Before.

19. Do you know anyone named Steven? No.

20. Do you make up your own words? Yes.

21. Are you a jealous person? Sometimes.

22. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘A’. Anet.

23. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter K. Karen.

25. What does the last text message you received say? An announcement from Smart.

26. Do you chew on your straw? No.

27. Do you have curly hair? No.

28. Where’s the next place you’re going to? Office. Tomorrow.

29. Who’s the rudest person in your life? I wouldn't let a rude person in my life.

30. What was the last thing you ate? Macadamia nuts after dinner.

31. Will you get married in the future? Yes, by faith.

32. What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the past 2 weeks? John Lloyd and Bea's 'One More Chance' on DVD hehehe. It's nice to watch Tagalog movies once in a while when you are abroad. Promise.

33. Is there anyone you like right now? Yes.

34. When was the last time you did the dishes? Last night.

35. Are you currently depressed? No.

36. Did you cry today? No.

37. Why did you answer and post this? Doths tagged me. :)

38. 5 people you tag next? Wala na muna. :)

Lunch at Leslie's

2008-01-15T20:33:00.000+11:00

Jan 11, 2008

The day before I returned to Australia..

My Cute Twin Nieces

2008-01-15T18:07:00.001+11:00

Ryle and his puzzle

2008-01-15T17:23:00.000+11:00

Here is a world map puzzle that I bought for my nephew. It was solved with the help of my brothers and cousins. I wonder when he will be able to solve it by himself. :)

High School Reunion

2008-01-15T16:11:00.000+11:00

Dec 29, 2007

I didn't know that our batch was planning to have a Homecoming till one of my friends from high school came to our house handing me the invitation. So I went to the reunion excited to see my old friends and classmates again after 15 years! Some have changed a lot (or just grown bigger?) that I couldn't even recognize their face, worst is that I know some of them by face but I couldn't tell their name! I must be having a memory gap.

The events included a speech from our principal and one of the advisers, dinner, games and raffle. People started leaving at 10pm but others including myself stayed a little longer for videoke and drinks and to catch up with each other.

It was a fun night and I'm really thankful that at last I now have a way of reaching out to and keeping in touch with my friends and classmates from high school.

Get-Together Lunch

2008-01-15T15:33:00.001+11:00

Dec 28, 2007

The original plan was to have lunch at Antonio's and spend the rest of the afternoon somewhere in Tagaytay. But due to some transportation issue, we had lunch at Rockefeller in Greenbelt 3 instead. I was so happy to see Lala, Cath, Trix and Sym again. Too bad Anet couldn't make it because she was sick :(.

Reunion of the 7 Dwarfs

2008-01-15T12:25:00.000+11:00

Dec 20, 2007

Back in college days, our barkada was named 7 Dwarfs because of our height. Actually we were 8 but one of us shifted to another course so our classmates were used to seeing just the 7 of us.

We haven't seen each other for years so I grabbed this chance to meet up with them while I was in the Philippines. Carol suggested Fish & Co. as a good dining place. Rose and I arrived together. Then Beth arrived with her hubby and kids. Then came Pech, Emma and Carol. We were too excited to be together again after 10 long years! It became a night of reminiscing and laughter.

Not with us are Edith who is in Australia and Des who we haven't heard from since graduation :(.

Revisiting Enterworks

2008-01-15T12:23:00.000+11:00

Dec 18, 2007

For me, coming home to the Philippines wouldn't be complete without visiting my friends in Enterworks. Beng and I went to the office and we're too excited to see Raz, Don, Augs and Nikki waiting for us at the lobby. I so missed these guys! I missed the office, too.

After exchanging gifts and pasalubong, chikahan, tawanan and picture-taking (thanks to Alwyn for taking our photos), we proceeded to Masas at Greenbelt 2 for lunch. Shaui and Tabel later joined us.

It was still too early to bid goodbye from each other yet (though Tabel left first as she needed to go back to work) so we went to UCC Ueshima Coffee Company as per Augs' suggestion to have sweets. Coffee and desserts here are good but I think it's a little too pricey.

After staying for a while with some kulitan, Augs and Niks went back to the office while Beng, Don, Raz, Shaui and myself went to the mall to just stroll around then they accompanied me in buying some souvenirs for the christening of my cute twin nieces. I missed going to the malls with them. We separated at around 6pm and wished each other a merry Christmas in advance.

Pinas, Here I Come!

2008-01-15T11:45:00.000+11:00

Dec 15, 2007

Finally I have reunited with my family that I miss so much! Upon arrival, we headed straight away to Mall of Asia for dinner.

We arrived in Cavite at almost 1am. Aah.. it feels so good to be home. Looking forward to seeing the twins in the morning. :)

Beng's Birthday Eve

2007-12-07T14:57:00.000+11:00

Dec 2, 2007

On the day before Beng's birthday, she treated us to lunch at a Yum Cha restaurant. We enjoyed dim sum while sipping Chinese tea, followed by mango pancake and sweet tofu (taho) for dessert. Delish!

We then proceeded to the city after spending time at the mall as we had to meet up with Tita Mel in the evening. Dinner was on her this time at the Star City Garden Buffet. (I remember last year we were also here with other set of friends to celebrate Beng's birthday.) We came in just before the place became full and began feasting on the buffet of sumptuous dishes.

We finished dining at 8pm and went rushing to the IMAX Theater at the Darling Harbour for 8:30 screening of Beowulf. We arrived just on time but we were dismayed to find out that tickets were sold out. It was already late to go to another movie house so we just strolled around the harbour, chatting about just anything while enjoying the view of this beautiful spot at night.