Cost breakdown for 14 days

Total expenses for the trip has been summed up to be quite a sum of money.

Airfare: $1000
Accommodation: $220
Meals and shopping: $500
Transportation: $100

Out of $500, $300 went to the GHD hair curler because I know Mom has always been having a lot of grief setting her own hair (she wants to have soft curls and not flat hair, and perming doesn't work v. well). I bought it the moment I tried it for myself because it is incredibly easy to use and it's very fast as well. Yesterday night I curled her hair and it was all done under 10mins. She's loving it and it's good to know that I have finally managed to get her something which she needs. It's usually very hard to surprise or please her because she has almost everything..so yeah, it's good. =)

Somehow I managed to survive on a shoestring budget without trying too hard. In Melbourne, most of the time I ate at home or brought my own lunch out, and I did minimal shopping on my own, only $60 spent. It's strange how this time round I have totally no mood to go on a shopping spree, but it's also partly because these days I have to be more conscious of my own expenses as well I guess. It's not too miserable, I'm quite alright with how things are right now.

Must start planning for the next trip! =)

My personal favourite shot from the Hike

not surprising, I got more excited when I saw people than waterfalls and cliffs. The views are stunning but I don't seem to take very good landscape pictures..no interest. Took it to show duck how nice is it and maybe next time drag him along with me too!



Facepainting using natural pigments grounded from colored stones. There is the emu footprints and animal trails on his face. Nice =)

Another shot..Wentworth Waterfalls. Not the main attraction, but I hiked up muddy trails and got myself soaking wet in the cold weather just for this, so I had to post this up as well -


More pictures will be sorted out and posted up but if you are impatient, you can hop over to my flickr account and view the pictures.

Afterthoughts on the hike up Blue Mountains today

There's just so much to learn about life from this trip, and this is just the beginning of everything. Oh, I'm so thankful for the incredible weather. It's been raining like shit for the past few days and today was just GOOD CLEAR SUNNY WEATHER. Here's 3 main points -

Acknowledging that every good thing must come to an end.
Made friends from different nationalities and I spent the day hanging around 2 girls from Mexico and Sweden, and 1 guy from UK. We shared salted peanuts along the hike, made sure nobody was left behind (4 of us are slower, because we are relatively n00bs) and held each others' hands when we crossed puddles of water which were above our ankles (at 4 degrees, no joke) and walking down slippery slopes. We bonded, we laughed, we dined together, and at the end of the day - we parted with a hug wishing each other well. There's no need to keep in touch, or to form attachment. It was good while it lasted and that's most important.

Laughing in the face of adversities
The sole of my shoe fell out and that was rather expected anyway, since it was really worn out and I brought the shoes here for one last trip because it was the same pair which I wore everyday when I was studying in Melbourne. It was just so funny as I saw the expressions of the other tripmates looking so shocked but it wasn't so bad..at the reef walk in Sentosa a similar thing happened to me and so I knew what was coming. Not that bad, and in fact it's even easier to hike and climb the hills. Eventually at the last stop, I bought a pair of flipflops (Pink, with Australian flag!) and pranced around in it. Met more interesting people who gave me admirable looks for being so brave to wear flipflops under this weather but of course, they don't know how it's like walking around in soaked broken shoes..

Go without expectations and you will be surprised
Initially I thought the hike was just like a guided walk along the town..or at worst it was like Bukit Timah Hill. Nothing prepared me for what's coming, avoiding stinging branches, climbing tall steps that reached my knees, muddy puddles which I sank my entire lower leg in, steps and more steps. I was rewarded with incredible views of the 3 sisters and the cliffs, and being good in Geography helped a little..being able to recognise the formations and all. Fresh air too, and the guide was really good because he's so funny and incredibly knowledgable about the plants and the history behind the Blue Mountains. Katoomba is a quaint little town which is cool and very romantic, I love it and I want to go back there someday.

To be honest..I'm not really the hiking/adventurous sort of person so this trip simply took me by surprise. At least next time, I'll know what it means when I book a trip that says 'youth' and 'adventure'. It means pack extra clothes and socks, and get a decent pair of shoes.

Tired, I'm going to bed soon. Tomorrow spending half a day at The Con with that teacher..I'm nervous and the rest of the trip (whether I'll extend or not) will depend on tomorrow's outcome. Let's hope things will be good.

Picks from Sydney Pictures

Bea (the brazilian roomie) and I at the IMAX centre
Gelati in the freezing winter again! Hee. More pictures below.


Ripened Blueberries at the grounds of Hyde Park


Man with Umbrella on Elizabeth Street


Shino and Lizzie - My roomies


Buildings and monorail track above Darling Harbour


so scared I gain weight here, paranoia!

Like the pictures? More here. I'm liking this set of pictures, I think my skillz are getting more l334. Hehe.

General Observations about Sydney

Sydney Morning Herald is given out free at the Art Gallery of NSW, which is located within a huge lawn called The Domain. Admission is free for the Art Gallery.

The cheapest spring water is the Coles house brand, which sells as $0.99 compared to the Mount Franklin which retails at $3.50 for 1.5l.

Don't get the travel pass because it is a waste of money, as the buses are constantly full and trains get delayed almost all the time. It's best to walk, and you get to see a lot more too.

Paddy's market is not Paddington's market. But Glebe market is the best, which is held in Glebe Public School on Saturdays. Paddy's market is just a tourist trap, and most locals prefer the Glebe market.

A poncho is very much preferred to an umbrella because of the terribly windy storm. Bring your own poncho, or you can improvise and use a trashbag instead. I used a trashbag (leftovers from the trash party!). Bring your parka if you have one! I left them out when I was packing, big mistake.

Travelling alone and staying in a backpacker's hostel is great. Met great people and have bonded with them. Today I brought Lizzie the American to attend the free Dalai Lama talk with me under the freezing rain and stood there for 2 hours. Yep, it's crazy but she loved it so much that I had to drag her away when the rain wasn't clearing and the Q&A session didn't seem to be ending anytime soon.

Backpackers seem to come from a different world, most of them are dropouts from the rat race, seeking quality experience in life rather than pursuing ambitions like climbing up the corporate ladder. It's been amazing, and the feeling of being independent feels strange yet familiar. I like it this way, doing things my way and yet being able to keep in touch with the family and him through calls and internet. I don't know how I managed to stay out of touch with everyone for several months in the past, it's strange.

--

I have been cooking my own breakfast, lunch and dinner. Typical meal consists of this:

Breakfast: Museli, Lowfat milk, Banana
Lunch: 1 boiled egg, museli, yoghurt and kiwi
Tea: Hot Chocolate
Dinner: 1 serving Ramen/Udon, lots of kimchi, earl grey tea

I don't know..I think I'm gaining weight :( I've been walking everywhere hoping the weight will go away but I feel my face getting fatter..I don't know =( Am I paranoid? I don't think I'm eating a lot either. Sigh.

Ok time running out. Left with 3mins. I might be extending my trip to the 24th instead of returning on 19th but I'm not sure yet. Bye!

Creative Trashbag Getup

Just came back from a trashbag party organised by the hostel at the neighbouring pub, and things were pretty crazy because I was dragged there by my 2 v. warm hearted brazilian roomies. I have 1 Japanese, 1 American and 1 Brazilian staying with me. All of us have different stories and come from vastly different background. It is fate that we get to meet today and stay together, I think. Awesome.

I'm thinking of extending my stay already but let's see how Sydney treats me. Money is coming in from the stocks and I'm happy. It may be possible to sustain this lifestyle for another month or two.. it's actually not too difficult. Sydney's food is so much cheaper than Melbourne, but groceries shopping makes my heart pain...I'll go buy food tomorrow to cook! There's a full fledged huge kitchen here. Nice. =D

So far so good, winter sale is on and I'm trying to stay away from David Jones. Shopping is evil, if this goes on I'll drag my ass up to the SNOWY MOUNTAINS for a ski weekend. Woohooo!

Spontaneous Fun

Peek-a-boo


Kiddo and Mom embraces while the guy looks on


Such beautiful eyes

Taken along Royal Parade on a freezing evening after attending the free talk by Dalai Lama. I love taking candid pictures but sometimes I wish I have a camera with a faster shutter speed but I refuse to get a DSLR unless someone gets it for me..

More pictures on Day 3 here including some shots taken at the talk. Leaving for Sydney tomorrow afternoon, and I'm only halfway through this trip so far. Too soon, 2 weeks is perhaps too short..*grin* wonder if he misses me though.

Leaf Picking Elves

spotted along Lygon Street, Melbourne.

Came down with a mild fever because I've been sleeping in the freezing weather without a blanket. Apparently I've been kicking off the blanket in my sleep and tossing around a lot. I didn't know that! Sigh. Met Jamie at Brunetti for coffee and cake, and while walking there I saw these two lovely girls who just collected a buch of fallen leaves along the streets.

This is why I love kids in general, not pretentious and guarded at all. Just look at how happy they look *smiles* How nice if everyone can be that real and sincere. I've had a great time here, at the lecture I have met many nice people (even though we didn't exchange contacts to keep in touch) where a random conversation can be struck up with anyone. I have never done this before, generally being rather guarded and shy but it was great when reservations are put aside and smiles are exchanged.

Especially at Rod Laver Arena where the lectures took place, everyone was just so kind and nice towards one another and there was no pretense at all. Smiles. Smiles everywhere from people who genuinely felt happy and they don't mind passing on the happy vibes to another person because happiness is contagious.

One of the main benefits from the series of lecture is probably feeling a lot more confident about myself. Previously I have behaved in a certain way that I felt was right, trying to love unconditionally. However I never really understood why I wanted to do that, and whether it was best for me.

Will caring unconditionally for others ultimately bring hurt to myself?

I came here finding the answers to several questions and ultimately understanding myself. Just like what I quoted previously "without faith, it is very hard to practice. Without reason, it is very hard to accept rules." Through the series of lectures and post lecture contemplation and discussion with others, it has just further affirmed my actions that they are not just sheer acts of folly and idealism but of a deeper nature backed with reasons - reasons strong enough to trump over any cynicism that being selfless (not to be confused with self-sacrificial) is silly. This is what I've benefitted the most from this trip, to feel alot more confident because of reasons that finally could validate my actions and further motivate me further.

No longer feeling sorry or inferior about myself, but recognising that everyone is in fact an equal counterpart of one another. Nobody has the position to judge whether who else is better or worse, because the moment we criticise, we are flawed ourselves.

I've set out a lifelong mission to try being selfless even though I know I have a very long way to go before I can fully understand the concept of selflessness and fixing my personality but it's ok. I guess I have all the time I need to work on it as well.

Duck has been feeling very troubled and I don't really know how to help him, but this time I'm just calm and rational when he told me things that were hurtful to hear because he's unable to move on from the past. It's saddening to see him miserable this way, and it hurts way more than the fact that he still loves her and not me.

I would do anything within my means to see him being happy, but certain elements are just not within my control. I've tried my best though, and I just hope for the best that everyone can be happy.

Going Home..

walking back from Princes Park to...Queen Victoria Market. To offset the huge gelati I had yesterday night. Morbid fear of gaining weight here, really. I'm becoming a little neurotic again.

THE DALAI LAMA SERIES & BLESSING - Introduction

Waking up this morning at 730am for the 930am lecture session was a chore but nevertheless I wasn’t about to let my laziness get in way with my day with His Holiness the Dalai Lama (henceforth referred as HH)

Made breakfast, packed lunch hurriedly as I multi tasked between cooking and washing up (to Playmate's horror because I left boiling eggs unattended) because this was an event I cannot be late for!

While waiting for tram 70 (the only tram that goes there) along Flinders Street to Rod Laver Arena, one stranger was overheard telling another “This has to be the tram. I’ve never seen a whole tram looking so happy and friendly.” She was right, throughout my tram experience I may have seen one or two cases of strangers talking to one another, but this was entirely different. The whole tram was just buzzed with activity, with people talking about how much they are looking forward to HH’s lessons, and there were others who looked pleased and happy even though the tram was packed to the brim. Even I gave up my seat to another old lady, which I (admittedly) seldom do so, but she kindly declined saying I should have the seat because it’s not fair to me and she is fine standing.

In turn, this act of giving and getting kindness returned as mentioned earlier by Ajahn Brahm happened, which was a lovely start to the day. He was seen sitting on the stage in front of HH, more on that later.

Making my way down from the tram station to RLA, I quicken my steps as I was almost running late. It was 9.10am and I needed to collect the tickets before 9.30am. It’s really strange..because for once I felt this overwhelming sense of awe that got me tearing. Previously, I had missed many chances to see HH and I was convinced I would never get to see him in person. Furthermore he has announced his impending retirement in a few years’ time which means that there will not be many future public appearances (that are affordable enough for me to travel there). So it still feels a little surreal to see him in person, and I can’t believe this is really happening.



I was sitting about 30-50m away from him and on the stage, there is a platform for his seat and monks (I believe are representatives from various branches/monasteries from the region) sat on the floor. I spotted Ajahn Brahm , Khensur Rinpoche and his assistant Tenzin too.



About 10mins later, HH walked out from backstage and everyone stood up, bowing slightly with our palms together. That was when I started tearing and when I looked around me, there were other people who looked misty-eyed or crying too. There were a small community of Tibetans spotted, identified by their traditional dress which I believe they wore specially for this occasion. I don’t know how would they feel about seeing HH, I can imagine it to be far more intense than what I felt.



Just like what the parents had described, he is a very humble man, smiling and bowing at everyone as well – practicing what he stressed a lot in his teachings (which is also mentioned later), that respecting fellow beings is very important. As the camera zoomed in to him greeting the fellow monks, I gave a huge firm pat on Khensur Rinpoche’s shoulder, who is a close friend of his currently based in Adelaide as an abbot of a monastery.

After he has sat down, everyone else did as well and the 3 day series of teachings commenced.

(more pictures uploaded here)

Reached Mebourne!

To-do today:
Sleep!
Get local number
Collect tickets
Find good coffee

Literally freezing my ass off. Can barely feel it anymore! So cold.. Melbourne has always been associated with extreme weight gain for me..and so I'm going to walk a lot more and watch my diet this time. I only had coffee and 2 pcs of fruit for breakfast. Playmate said I lost weight!

It's good to be back though. =)