Excuse me... which way to The Rocks?

Ever felt like a tourist all over again after spending 8 years in the same country? I never thought I would feel like that, after all, it's just another state in the same country.

But i did today.

Wearing my comfy walking shoes, packed my water bottle, camera strapped to my belt and off i go! First stop, The Rocks. I remembered loving this little place back some years ago (ok, way too long to remember) and the cobble stone roads. Standing at the red light intersection, i took out my handy city map. Right, i have to just walk along here... and turn right there... and continue walking. Got it!

As much as i try not to look like a tourist and try to blend in, i did a horrible job at it. I stopped to take photos at everything that facinated me and went into every little alley way and cafes.

The coffee taste different, the view is magnificent by the bay and food is just wayyyy too expensive. It rained today. Yes we need the rain, but i couldnt help wishing that the day would be less gloomy, considering the fact that i slept on the sofa bed (since the bedroom smells funny) and my body is aching. BUT, it did not damper my spirits (except my wet and flat hair drenched by the rain).

I still managed to:

• Have brunch at the lovely courtyard cafe
• Walked the Harbour bridge from one end to the other
• Booked myself in for the bridge climb next week
• Went up the Pylon Lookout
• Shopped at the Rocks weekend market (bought nothing though)
• Visited a few galleries - my favourite was Charles Billich's gallery. Too bad i can't afford any of his paintings

If only i remembered to bring my camera cable, i would have uploaded some photos of today... Hopefully i'll get my cable soon. I'll post some of my master pieces when i do.

Stay tune!

L's foot note: Managed to swap to another apartment tomorrow. hopefully it's a better one. *fingers and toes cross!*

Welcome to Sydney

I've finally arrived! New environment, new apartment, new friends??

It all started with me falling flat on my arse at the baggage check-in counter. Then the flight was delayed. By the time I arrived in Sydney, it was hot, humid and absolutely pouring. Great welcome gift! But my spirits was still high. This is just day one.

... that was until I inspected my new apartment that I'm going to stay in for the next few weeks... the bedroom smelt of dead rat covered over by Glade fragrance.

I'm camping on the sofa bed in the living room tonight. Hopefully I get to change to another apartment tomorrow. Let's hope the manager will accept my charming smile and upgrade me to another apartment!

Say CHEEZZEEEE!

ps: I hope this "david" dude whos wireless internet i'm using because it's not a secured would not find out that im stealing his internet. It's not my fault that he did not secure it right?!

Party party!

My last weekend here started off with seeing these guys at the local social club. The band room was small and hot. Paul and I found a spot to stand - leaning against the railing in front of the bar. It was actually a pretty good spot considering the fact that no one will stand directly in front of you as traffic have to flow past, and its close to the door for quick exit after the gig. The only annoying thing was... people tend to walk towards you and try to squeeze in between you and the person next to you in order to head to the bar - it ain't happening, the railing blocks their path. By the end of the gig, I lost count of the amount of time we had to say "walk around there, you can't go past here - ". That aside, I do remember the band was pretty good considering the fact that i only know a handful of their songs. They actually sound better live than on the radio!

Saturday was pretty full on with dinner and dance at Copacabana International. It was a night to celebrate Cath's birthday. Boy was i amazed to see 5 hens night happening all at the same place! It was a female infested place, pretty good night for the guys *wink*. The food wasn't great unfortunately, but the company was good. That's all that matters. To top it off I had hot chocolate to put me to bed :)

Sunday, jewellery party! 5th Avenue jewellery set up a little booth at a friend's house. I've been to one of these jewellery party but this was a little higher class that the rest that I've been to. Bought myself a necklace. What can i say, i love accessories.

Next weekend it'll be all new to me...

All in a nights' dream

Can't sleep
Counting sheep's
I hear the siren blaring outside
And the fan in my room humming

Heart bleeds
Wound heals
Scars remained
The same scene played over and over again in my head

Good will, karma
Justice, punishment
Love, hate
Am i playing word game here?

Stomach growling
When was the last time I ate?
Head spinning
Can't breathe

Slowly... slowly...
drifted away
sleep my child
sleep

Moomba Festival

I've not been to a Moomba festival for the last 6 years. In fact, I don't remember what it was all about. Somehow the feeling of "maybe I won't be coming back here" gave me the extra urge to go down to the river banks and experience it all over again.

... it made me realised why I did not go back after all these years... some festivals are left to experience it once (and once only).

Down the runway

It must be my lucky day. Sunny, 33 deg, long weekend. Perfect day for the beach to kiss 2007 summer good-bye, but instead, i went to one of L'Oreal fashion show. No regrets there!

The runway was in a make-shift tent outside the museum. As I walked towards the tents, i noticed there were a lot of young girls in perfect size 00. Where are the J.Lo curves?! Come on.... that's just not fair.

Secretly looking at my reflection at the museum sliding doors, thank goodness i dressed up for the occasion, and that i don't have a flat arse. The only thing killing me was my high heels, damn these heels.

Stella McCartney's collection - it's back to the 60s style, with Audrey Hepburn hairstyle, leggings and big over coat. The models were so skinny that I was afraid if they fall over, they might break into pieces. The male models were way too short, but have great abs. There were 2 particular models that made me laugh... one walks like a rooster with bobbing hairdo, and the other clearly had difficulty walking in heels - swinging her arms like a helicopter's propeller.

Critics aside, the songs were great, the crowd was great and the party bag? Oh did i forget to mention that? Each seat had a paper bag full of goodies - a bar of chocolate, Girlfriend magazine, hair dye, paper fan and *drum roll* Kylie Minogue panties (size 12 by the way) complete with panty liners!

I love the look on the guys face... priceless...

Candid.. love it!

*burp*

I think I over ate today. I had crumbed chicken breast on mash potatoe with pumkin and beans for lunch, 2 large mug of coffee, 2 liters of water, a bowl of spicy noodles for dinner, a big bunch of grapes, 2 cups of prune juice and a packet of Twisties.

I don't remember ever eating so much in one day. I think I'm going to puke......... excuse me.....

Wedding Bells

Dear Ros,

We are sorry that you have trusted us (Von and I) to attend Chrissy’s wedding without you around.

No, I did not break the 16 piece dining set *thank God*, but I did completely forget about the wedding until the night before *it was jotted down in my diary though*.

We sat in the car 3 minutes before the wedding writing up the wedding card, using my Nine West shoebox cover as a base, and ended up not giving them the card and the dining set because it was too heavy and they were parked too far away from us. *so the gift is still sitting in my car boot, which reminds me I need to take it out again just in case …. With my driving skills…*

We were not late *well, not very late anyway*.

We did not get confused with the location *well…just a block and half away from the actual venue and Von had to ring up to find out where the actual venue was*.

We giggled as usual, commented on everything and everyone, made friends, continued not to be chummy with Alvin the chipmunk but chatted with Mrs. Chipmunk. We even tried to talk to Kevin’s mom, who somehow felt really fond of us and bonded with us instantly, except she could not speak English and spoke to us in French, Kreo, Hakka, Cantonese and Mandarin, all in one sentence! I kid you not; it was the highlight of the day. I had fun trying to decipher what she was trying to say and tried to match up with her by replying in my limited edition of Hakka, throwing in some mandarin and Cantonese.

But all in all, we are very sorry, that we dependent on you so much being the responsible one who always brings camera – WE FORGOT! Von thought I would have brought camera and I thought Von would have brought camera. None of us did. We both agreed that you always remember, and we both could not stop saying “Ros is so gonna kill us”.

That aside, Von managed to capture some beautiful somewhat blurry moments of the wedding on her Samsung mobile phone *I’m doing a free promotion for Samsung*. I’m sure you have the photos sitting in your email right at this moment. We’re waiting for the young spunking looking photographer to pass us some proper photos and will show them to you.

ps: We gave everyone a hug – and a special kiss on the cheek to Chrissy’s cute mother-in-law.

pps: Kevin is heaps more relax and more chatty now. He gets our TICK of approval! :)

ppps: I can't believe I actually wore the same color dress as Chrissy's wedding dress :(

Xoxo,
L.