Off to see Old Pals

I've been missing my friends back home quite a bit, since reality cannot be stronger that every day I spend here, I lose one on the other side. So when the chance came for me to visit the only old pals I have on this continent, I did jump at the chance, even if it meant travelling 6+6 hours.

It was really great meeting Tert and Jan, and my first time seeing toddler Timmy. Enroute to Canberra, we stopped by at Milawa, which is made famous by the Brown Brothers winery, as well as its cheeses and mustards. My 'aperitif' was quite lovely, since I had the whole cellar tasting to myself, and happily sipped all available cellar-door only varieties. By the time I left, I was in a happy pinkish glow. The weather was fantastic, and I had enough sun tan on my left cheek and left arm for a good 6 hours. Lunch was at the Milawa cheesery, and I was fully satisfied with touring along this gourmet region of north-east victoria.

Back to my dear friends at Canberra, I realised how I missed my pals just sitting down to talk. After putting Timmy to sleep at 8pm every night, we'll mull around the lounge room, wine and cheese, or strawberries, or even Jan's freshly made warm chocolate cake, we will talk till late. In the daytime, I'll always ambled out to see little timmy playing with his toys, and staring right at me, it reminded me that visits to friends will soon be less 'rowdy' as age catches up.

The daytime is usually spent at some tourist attraction, like the Parliament, the Memorial, the lakes, and even a deep space observatory. We went to visit Tidbinbilla National Park for walks, just in time to spot grassloads of free ranging wallabies frolicking around. We also had a BBQ the day before we left, and seriously, it was good company and wine that will make me adequately happy. Tert was the BBQ man after Jan played chef to us for the past few days.

I know people gasp at the idea of spending 5 (actually more so 3, since 2 was spent on driving) good days in Canberra, but I must say I was never bored. And if you come back with a certain epiphany about some rethinking some priorities in life, the trip really cannot be that bad. Missss you guys at Canberra! Come reaaaaally soon!

Graduation Ceremony

It came and it went. I did ponder if I should go for this, knowing that all the fuss will result in 5 seconds fame, but frens were saying that it doesn't hurt to go, or at least I wouldn't regret not going.

I wanted to make it a small affair, just friends who are friends. I didn't want to send out a mass email and invite people who might feel obligated to come. Not many people journeyed with me through my uni days, since friends like Cindy have already gone home. I think I made a good choice with those tickets, and am quite pleased to have it in cozy proportion.

The good thing that come out of the ceremony is that I did manage to sit around people I know. Saul and Winnie were directly beside me, and Deena was on the other side. Kristian and Jay were in front. It was as good as it gets in terms of sitting arrangment, since it is no fun sitting next to a stranger for 1.5 hours dressed in stuffy oversized gown and balancing a mortar board on your head.

In the end, I caught up with those I want to catch up, and it was a nice finish, not the kind you get at high school graduation, but after all the projects and classroom bantering, you know who are the people you did share more than just a hi-bye with.


Clara and me 

With Daiz, who bought me a nice bunch of flowers! 

With all my lovely guests 

With Willie  

Weekend Getaway at Lakes Entrance

Even though I had to sit for my IELTS test on Saturday, we decided that it'll be good to join the rest at Lakes Entrance for a lazy weekend getaway. Lakes Entrance is about 4 hours drive southeast from Melbourne, in the Gippsland region. I did what was the most appropriate, watch The Lakehouse at the Lakes, while the people who have gone earlier were out fishing.

Had a great supper of fresh caught fish and noodles. Yums! The holiday park we stayed at reminded me of the ones I stayed in 9 years back doing the Boomerang Coast. I was getting tired from the test answering questions such as:
1)Do you like flowers? When are flowers given in as a gift in your country? (duh!)
2)Do you enjoy studying (this one i can't resist rolling my eyes)..
At the end of the 'speaking test', the moment the recorder was turned off, the truth came pouring out with me and the examiner agreeing some of the questions are just silly.

Back to the trip...

The next day, we went full swing into fishing. Chartered a boat, packed 15 hamburgers, 4 fishing rods, and a variety of smelly baits. We caught mainly Luderick because the snapper and australia salmon were just too small to be legally caught. I caught 2, but was sad to see them die. So I resigned to just sitting on the boat, enjoying the scenary, watching 5 dolphins around us frolick and black swans gracefully swimming.

And if the lakes didn't offer us enough, we went on to Metung at dusk to continue fishing. By the time we packed and left, all of us were dead tired. Had a nice round of pub food at Bairnsdale, and it was paramount that we kept the drivers of the 2 cars awake for the 4 hours drive back.

Dead tired when I reached home. Collasped and slept like never did.

Fishing @ Lakes Entrance 

The fish length ruler, we threw back a dozen of juvenile fishes back. 

The Luderick I caught.. hello fishy! 

Evening (feels like night) fishing @ Metung 

It was getting dark and cold