Western Australia, in words.

Second week of uni. More specifically, the second week of my last semester in Monash, to which I will be graduating thereafter. and as if time isn't flying at a crazy fast pace already, I'm swamped with a million to-dos and uni workload. Sigh, but the short span of winter break was good, managed to catch up with quality time with people, forget about the worries of the world and enjoy a relaxing holidays in Western Australia, a much needed breakaway. I'm already missing that place loads. Most of the pictures here are already up on fb, but here's little notes about that quaint laid back city...

The ambitious us decided to stretch the holidays as much as we can, for an 8 day trip, we travelled closed to 2000km, route from Perth-Yanchep-Lancelin-Swan River-Fremantle-Bunbury-Busselton-Margaret River-Pemberton-Albany-Perth. Crazy one heck of a road trip. (:

hot chocolate accompanied with ham and cheese croissant

Probably one of the most enjoyable thing I loved about Australia is the large amount of cafes with heavenly smelling coffee and warm toasty pastries. I have a weak spot for coffee, cafes, and bite-size delights, so you can probably imagine me happily sipping away coffee on the streets of cold chilly Perth. :]

Yanchep National Park and King's Park. Grass!! (:

I love my family. I really do. For the sacrifices, the tears and the joy they endured with me. For picking up the pieces I accidentally left behind, for teaching me the important values in life, for bearing with me, for reminding me who I really am deep down... gracias.

Fremantle's Cicerello's

Before I left for Perth, almost everyone who've been/staying/studying in Perth reminded me endlessly about this particular fish and chip restaurant, apparently known to serve the best fish and chips ever. No doubt, having the best fish and chips meal beside the harbour is really cool, with endless seagulls flying around, albeit the chill you get up your spine every time the wind blows. Brr. [Btw, the fish and chips are indeed good, in comparison with the other competitors over there, cuz we've managed to try Kaili's too, which was a tad bit oily.]

"Spiderman"

Fremantle market boast an array of thingamagics happening all at the very same time. There were buskers, face painting, pubs and live bands, people cooking up scrumptious delights like that bratwurst sausage mmm, fresh fruits and bagels, more invigorating coffee, boomerangs , massages (yes I kid you not) and really, it's bustling with activities.

Wine Tasting...
.. at wineries along Margaret River and Swan River.

Oggies Ice Creamery
is ♥.

Old Shanghai

We were wandering around James St. on the first night looking for decent food, and came across this particular restaurant, to which serves awesome lasagne, and asian food. Might not be the best, but well, tourists are tourists. :p

Greek Style Lamb Sausage with black pepper

Since the lodge we were staying in had cooking facilities we decided to cook breakfast during our one night stay in Margaret River. Ok mainly because I loved grocery shopping over in Aussie, and we were craving for bull's eye. So before you start pointing the finger that I can't cook for nuts, although to a certain degree it makes sense, the sausage looks gross because the dad and sis smartly sliced the sausage open while the instructions on the label said, do not slice the sausage to ensure it remains juicy. Such brilliance. Tsk.

Swan Bells

Busselton Jetty stretch so long from the shore. Too bad it was under maintenance, we had to settle midway instead of walking to the very end.

"If you use the P.A. system you must speak with a fake accent"

Haha, I wished I've had the guts to use the P.A. system, and note the cute pink handcuffs just below it. (: Backpackers, so unique, so colorful with happy shiny sun picture painted on the wall, and free internet, a hundred thousand movies to choose from, and ps2 with guitar hero to play. So.cool.right.

Hogs Breath Cafe
Pork Ribs, to which 4 out of 4 pigs agree! (:
I can't help agreeing with the pigs!



Jewel Cave


The Gloucester Tree

Standing 75m tall, pegged with steel rods and no harness whatsoever, my sis and I made it the very top in the freezing cold weather! Ok I don't have the fear of height but my sister, haha, was so funny during the climb down.

Simmo's icecream is yums. ♥♥♥

Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse
I look like I'm smiling silly in the photo, but yea, who wouldn't smile to clear cloudless sky, cool breeze in a foreign country?



Wind Farm at dusk

The scenery down south gets better the more we travel. The above picture is a shot at the Wind Farm. We were rather reluctant to pay it a visit at first due to time constraint, but luckily we did, the view, was so awesome. In my little mind, I recall strong gusts of wind, gigantic wind turbines, and the beauty of sunset.

The Gap
Total breathtaking view.
Totally worth the drive down to Albany.


Dead whale on cable beach
Such a pity, sigh. ):

"take a peek at the inside of a human heart, not just the exterior beauty,
and you'll be surprised at your findings..."


Candy Cow!
Painted pink in colour, the sweet smelling shop is filled with candies, candies and cow soft toys. Sigh, this is where happiness lies. Fudge, candies, gummies, cows.


Corica's apple strudel
messy, but absolutely delicious.
Ok it was also recommended as one of the must try in Perth. (:
and it was also good to have met up with weny and yobi at Perth over pizza.
and walking the streets of Perth waiting for yobi's grand arrival.

London Court
.. to which I grew an affinity with. I loved that street. Someday, I will visit London.


(;
Now I long for a beach escapade...

thinking of the possibilities makes me cringe.

so sweet. (:

it's when we evolve.
and things changes.
feelings toying emotions.
life starts to intertwine.
.. and love starts growing.

food for the soul #1

Strawberry Mill Crepe
20 layers of crepe accompanied by strawberry fillings.
Also available in chocolate, and vanilla flavor.

Address:
BG-8 Happy Mansion,
Jalan 17/13, 46300
Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Sharing the love of good food with people. (:

my memory keepers

In two days time, I'll be enjoying a short breakaway in the city of Perth. I'm thrilled, to spend quality time with the family, at the same time go trigger happy, experience my first "winter", and also to partially escape this crazy city for just a little while albeit it meant missing opportunities, like joining the Deloitte tax challenge 09. Life works consistent with the economic term, opportunity cost, doesn't it? Choosing the best alternative, sacrificing the next best alternative.

Life has been good thus far. I'm totally enjoying the freedom of holidays. One precious day of my holidays went towards spring cleaning my room, since the room was in utter disaster prior to my final paper. Milo sachets, books, sweaters, miscellaneous scattered everywhere... now it's so neat, I feel accomplished, seeing I'm a partial "neat freak". (: Whilst I was sorting out the mess, I took time off to reminisce whenever I come across little notes, letters, and things that brought back memories. Things of sentimental value, I can never find the heart to throw them away...

#1 Classic hand folded stars in Patrick. Fond memories, this one. Bet you'd never thought I'd kept it till today, in a small box, tucked away in the depths of my room. I laughed at how the stars aren't symmetrical, but in the end, it's the thought that always counts.

#2 Shiny stickers! Call me childish, but I'm still a kid at heart. My collections of stickers from 10 years ago, is now destroyed. So many empty spots, where it was once filled to the brim. Emoe. Haha, I kid, I got over the sticker stage already. These are just... remnants of my happy childhood. (:

#3 Pass-a-message key chain. High school. Form 3. We were all so innocent. Love was so easily defined. Hahahaha, this was a set up, and it was such a big deal back then, gossips and all. Looking back, I'm glad a beautiful friendship is still there, albeit the high school funny little incidents.

#4 Dried flowers in a wine glass. I always thought that throwing flowers away when they wither is such a wastage, such a pity. This bunch of flowers above were my 20th birthday gift from Wae Lern and Harry, to preserve it, I tore the petals out and store them up. It currently looks like potpourri without smell.

#5 Ornaments. See the miniature hand painted vase? I bought it as a souvenir from my Mount KK hike, just cause they were too cute to resist. The seashell mirror, from ancient age, Leo Installation's souvenir. Heineken beer cap because I simply collect weird things, bottles, bottle caps/corks, sugar sachets, and other lil random things. (:

#6 " I guess we always stuck out like a sore thumb..." So agreeable, I read through so many letters that day itself, and boy, it made me smile silly to myself. You know, I'm glad we stuck out like sore thumbs, because in the end, we're not the losing end. Thank you, for sticking by me. I hope, I've been a good enough friend. ):

#7 Proud to once be a Cool Cool Kit-Kat. Rangers molded half my life. The number of camps I've been, the sunburnt skin, carolling, sleeping in tents, waking up early, kayaking, abseiling, camporama '04, advancement camps... funny when I think back of when I was 14, I feel so... old, in the sense that now I'm a cmdr, no longer a ranger. I've grown a long way.

#8 Movie stubs are also in the list of weird things I keep. But as I was going through the stubs the other day, I'd realized that most of them are already faded, or in the process... I ended up dumping the faded ones away.

#9 Postcards, from various countries. From Melbourne, Cairo, Manchester, Taipei, India, Sydney, Beijing, Incheon, Japan, Houston... and the list goes on and on. I know it isn't easy to bother writing to me from everywhere, but I'm glad you did, and I really appreciate it. One day I'll buy a photo album and compile it all up together. (:



Alright, it's getting late I should curl in bed and rest. Oh last note, through it all, this song has helped me through wonders.

"With Christ in the vessel I can smile at the storm,
smile at the storm,
smile at the storm,
With Christ in the vessel I can smile at the storm,
as we go sailing home... "

Try putting some faith in Him when you're weary, He welcomes you back all the time.
Every single time.
Thank you God, for being with me.