ending soon

driving is getting somewhere some time back. now it is just left standing there with nothing left. have not done my final theory and the stupid test date is on 17 JULY... that is like three weeks more la. i think i will finish all my subjects before i sit on the examination chair. then the thing is that i have to wait another one month plus for my darned test date.

you say crap anot?
i tell you it is.
why make me wait so long to take the stupid test!!!???!!!

i better pass on my first try man!!!
BETTER

great singapore SALE

i know it is there
i just know it
KNOWING IT NOW!!!

like would love to get my hands on the clothes with the price tag with the word "sale" on it. i want to buy something. no money to do anything. all spent in melbourne. nothing left to do anything with. help. what am i going to do when i touch down on orchard road.

cannot bare with it.

need to buy something
ANYTHING WILL DO.

no money!!!

melbourne was cool
literally

i mean it i had a great time there.
what is better then a nice relaxing time in nice weather?
maybe a friend...
down under for a great time.
want more?

try the right bar for a small travel blog i put together.
you cant miss it. the link is HUGE
REALLY...
it has photos. but not really compleated yet coz mommy took the camera and the rest of the memory card. and have not loaded lynette's cam photos yet. but i will get to it soon.
soon

so just live with what i have.

Melbourne - set on the right foot

DAY 0 SUNDAY
8th May 2005

mr lian was right. clouds do really have layers. at a certain height into the atmosphere the clouds start. this is the first time i actually observed the makings of the clouds. i guess when you are traveling alone that you really put all your senses into full use and see that clouds are really like cotton wool. even my singapore looks like one of those condo models. it looks really well planned from above i tell you. tryu looking out of your window

the flight attendent was this really cute malay.

plus this is the first time i am flying out by my own and traveling pretty much with my mommy and daddy. i am a big girl now. and i am loving it. mirical i did not transit onto the wrong plane. and end up in Africa or Arab.

DAY 1 MONDAY
9th May 2005
The Botanical Gardens

the gardens in melbourne are really a sight to be seen. one can actually imagine how peter pan and fairies came about when you just walk through one of the dozens of parks they have in the city of melbourne. looks really good in autum where even though australia native vegetation is everygreen, there are still some really good coloured tress like maple that were brought be the native Britians. there are so many many shades of green even. not like here in singapore where everything is just green... plain old green



melbourne's botanical gardens are way better then the ones they have here in singapore. given that type of weather they have that is max of 18*C in the day and low of 5*c in the night. you can walk about with sweating. something that you will never get to experience here in the stupid humid temperatures. you can walk for hours withour feeling tired. God made the weather a physical miracal



this is the swan that behaves like a dog. i was just sitting at the outdoor cafe at the gardens and this swan came and pecked at the table. yeah... i was sitting outside... you never do that in singapore. you will just end up sweating like a dog. i tell you that the weather was so fine EVERYDAY that their normal day time temperature is way cooler then SAJC lec thetere 3. and then with the sun....

HEAVEN



the temple of the winds. those things are supposed to be some sort of flower but doesnt it look like a headless chicken??? anyway... this is supposing the highest point in the gardens. so called temple of wind when i didnt even feel a single breeze the whole 15 mins i was there. but the view from there over looks the stadiums. esp the one where they hold the australian open every year.

if only i could meet layton

learnt how to make potpurri and how to dry the flowers retaining the colour. the nice old lady at the plant craft cottage taught me. i am now i pro in getting into the heart of plant craft. try me.





DAY 2 TUESDAY
10th May
Just Town

walked the lenght of the Yarra River. it was a long and a very pleasent walk man. the trees are so nice and the weather so crisp and clear. there were people boating in the river. and i mean there are cute boaters seen by ms shanny tan. the trick is to wear your sunglasses and thus you are allowed to stare all you want at anyone you want without them knowing.

i mean the melbourne university boat club has their shed there. but i was wondering how cold the water was. what if they dropped in? most prob will end up with totaly numbness and frost bite?

then down to swanston for a short walk. it is not very hard to navigate the main city area. every thing is so well planned that the roads meet at right angles.

Day 3 WEDNESDAY
11 May 2005
Meeting Lynette At Swanston & The FREE Tram

lynette's arrival.

DAY 4 THURSDAY
12 May 2005
The Dandenongs and Puffing Billy

feeding the birds. the FLOCK to you. and sit on your head while eating from your hands. it was cold that morning. 8*C??? it was so cold it was the first time i notices that vapours came from your mouth when you breathe through the mouth. i am just amused that the weather is that cold.

billy tea and vegemite. plus the air so cold when you go toilet you have to sit on a frozen toilet bowl. got cold draft



lynette is scared of this cute sulphur chested cockatoos. and there are so many of them all over the place. to think that they have it in the wild while here in singapore. you can only see one or two in the zoo or bird park.



this way to the steam train... everyone... this way please... i think the sign is so cute.



the board at the front of the station. so colourful..



MR PUFFING BILLY.
the train run by the locals as volunteers.



the fun thing bout this little steam train is that you can sit at the windowless windows and dangle your legs over the edge of the train while it is moving. i pretty much think that this photo is so artistic. well... just do not loose your shoes... if not it is not refundable!!!

guess whos legs whos???



the train at a glance. see people sitting at the head with their legs out??? and this train really produces stream. look at the pic below this and you will think that it is more likable to clouds than the stream.

choo.... chooo.....
yes... it sounds just like that.





heads over board!!! this is taken from outside the train when it is moving. how many trains let you do that? you tell me.



next stop...
MENZIES CREEK






singapore should have these kind of rubbish bins... so funky lor... if they had this in singapore... everyone will want to recycle and throw away all their rubbish instead of the roads. i think this is SO CUTE!!!!



lunch at the winery... the nice leaves of the grape vine looks really good. just imagine standing overlooking a whole field of such magnificence. lunch was in a place with with a nice burning fire. i have seen fire places before but i have not seen one that is lighted. i got so amused with it. it was cold outside and the fire is super warm.

plus with the beef and salad they have... i forgive the weather.



not in season but there are still grapes for me to point at... most of it all are all taken up already and most probally made into some sort of wine. but this is the only sensible looking bunach of grape we could find.



at a closer look...
that is my finger. yup... that is how small the grapes are. i wonder how many bottles of wine can you make with that? zero???



my all time favourite australian native animal... the wombat....
DOESNT IT LOOK SO CUTE AND CHUBBY??? i think i looks like amber a bit. fat and lazy. look so cha tao lor. just feel like picking it up and



home cooked dinner for the night. theme???
seafood

all freahly picked from the victoria market.
fish
clams
crabs
scallops
and more crabs
dont forget the wine

humgry???
they really do taste better there in australia. everything does. these seafood are quite cheap... cheaper then here in singapore. eating out hurts... mommy cologues came over for a cook in and the food is way too good.



DAY 5 FRIDAY
13 May 2005
Day Tour and Bargain At NIKE

the day tour went around the city. duh...

this is taken at frizroy gardens at cook's cottage. love the autum trees!!!



NIKE FACTORY OUTLET ROCKS THE WHOLE WORLD DOWN...
bought two pairs of nike for A$30 each. that is converted to sin will be less then $40 each. and they are really a bargain coz at the normal nike outlets in town they are for almost twice. so happy i got a real deal... but do hope that i bought one more pair. there is never such thing as enough shoes.

SMITH STREET is really cool. trust me.... just visit there as a national highlight when you are in melbourne

DAY 6 SATURDAY
14 May 2005
Mornington

Arthur Seat is the highest point on the plains and it was a great view from the chair lift over there. suspended over the land. feels like going skiiing.

Got lost in the farmlands. could not find the road back to the city.

DAY 7 SUNDAY
15 May 2005
St. Kildas and More Swanston

to start the day at port melbourne. this is a bright and cheery place with many beautiful houses that over looks the seas and they have a very nice view of everything. look behind the picture. there is a harley... i have never seen one of those bikes before. and lynette is dressed for the gang with the black jacket.



the pier???



the beakon of light. something like a light house





tryin to be artistic...
dont it look good?

this one is names "loney"
look closey at the ship behind. it is a very pirate ship looking boat. maybe johnny depp is in it... or orlando i also dont mind. are there pirates here?



look here... there are starfishes in the dock area...
i dont even see starfish in singapore.
so many... it is all those yellow spots in the corals.



black or white? just for fun. if only i lived in the apartments behind. think they cost bout a million aussie dollars. why? coz they over look the darn ocean which is way better then the straits of malacca. just add a nice boat and you can live out a millionare life.



another artistic shot... i call it... "MONSTER"



fish and chips anyone?

it is more like shark and chips. it was flake that we were eating. Flake = shark. so look who is eating who. so these is where the finless shark when to when the rest is in chinese restraunts. see??? even done in the traditional newspaper... lets tugg in!!!



have you seen a rip curl building where the whole building is ripcurl??? yeah... there we were. there is no beach australia without the surf shops. i think you could steal the surfboards from the front of the shop.






DAY 8 MONDAY
16 May 2005
The GREAT OCEAN ROAD

firstly... the great ocean road is not called great without a reason. the amount of sea and coast you see just make you remember all your geography. all the stacks and the stumps and the bays and headlands and the gorges and the wave action and the beautiful landscape you see in your text books all unveiled to the world. nature can do such wonders to the rest to the history os landscaping.

the sun the sand and the sea and a little bit of puke. not on my part.

but the view from over the cliffs were well deserving the long ride into the country. i really love the sight to this place man. if i had the time and the money and the licence. i will rent a car and drive there myself. and then stop at every point to enjoy the view.

this is the river of the town we stoped at to have tea. notice that there are no trees??? well... no trees= lots of wind. had to have two cups of tea to keep warm. but still... the sights are nice...



teeth is chattering while i smiled.



the start to a great journey of 5 hours past the winding and cliffy roads. see that? that is the great ocean. the next land you see if you travel onwards is going to be the south pole. look at our hairs... so windy we didnt even dare to take our hands out. it was freezing i tell you. australia winds can kill.



the sea!!!



ditto




sign.
sigh...
a normal geography student like us KNOW



the national park...
home to the twelve apostles. this is the gateway to something that can catch your breath and make you wish you stayed in australia. see the wall behind? i kinda like the way they laid the stones. such a piece of art.



there... there are six in the pic that can be seen. the rest have gone to hiding or are on the other side of the rock. they are just rock but are deamed very pretty rocks. the sea on limestone = stacks and stumps. looks that they are all going to be washed away very soon. in the next 10 or 20 years. they are going to call it the NO APOSTLES. and the great ocean road is not going to be GREAT anymore.

see the layers on the rock cliff??? that is the construction of limestone.



that sign explans how stacks and stumps are formed.



with more sun and pretty faces.




the other side of the rock. two more apostles.
so far i only counted 10 i think. i wonder where did the other 2 go to?? the sea bed. just imagine. in 1,000,000 years time. there will be another pile of rocks that holds the pieces of rock that were once the apostles.



the famour history gorge. were a man once saved a lady. both the only survivers of a famous shipwreak off the coast. come with a brief coastal landscape too..



yup there it is. behind. that small crack of an opening looks really good.

the beach here gave me a serious exercies. it is that i found out that i am totally not fit at all. the beach was so hard to walk on it took A LOT of energy to climb a small 5* slope. the sand is so fine i can use it to do facials and it will clog my pores. they have some sort of a limestone cave too.



hands on on the limestone. beleive me... it is SOFT.



journey up to the bus... a long way... see that pair of shoes... they were the ones i bought at nike for $30



its a bird...
its plane...
NO>>> it is a koala???

yes. along the great ocean road there were wild koala hanging and siting on the trees way above the gum trees. this is one i spotted from my window on the bus. there are actually quite a few of it on the tree tops. WILD ONES LEH!!! in singapore, the only wild thing you see are CROWS.



got a closer shot of this one. got off the bus and stood under the tree. good thing is that is didnt shit.



London bridge HAS FALLEN DOWN.
yup... that is all that is left. the arch formally known as london bridge collasped. what's left is just the london part.



DAY 9 TUESDAY
17 May 2005
PHILLIP ISLAND and The Penguins

seal rocks had no seals from where we were standing. but this place is really pretty... and i mean really REALLY pretty. with the nice sunset in the horizon. what you get a serenity. that is seal rock. can you see the seals?



another seal rock with us... we look really sleepy here.. why ar???



the sun set. all taken by me and not down loaded from any internet site. proven original. so pretty aint it? the colours? dont get this here in singapore too.



catch the moon? wait till you see the stars at night.
you just want to stand there and stare into space.



the sun at the angle. setting sun. this one is really nice. i like it.



took this with the black and white mode



my model... the sunset is nice



catching the sun instead of the faces.



the coast of the penguins...

it is just too bad that they did not allow us top take photos. but well... the best photos are stored in the memories on my head. but come on... i would really love to put one of those little pengs on photo paper. they look so cute la. so stupid when they walk and they keep falling down... so poor thing...

it was a long windy wait for the little fairy penguins to appear at the beach. at least they never pangsae me. they look so chubby. when they walk in a group they look so cute!!!!!!!!!!! best is the crossin just before we left.... that little thing crossed the road!!!

anyway. they walk faster then me. really. that is why they are able to walk all over the island



DAY 10 WEDNESDAY
18 May 2005
Day Alone At Melbourne Museum

is was a nice place to be. i mean there are so many things there. why is the science center or our local museum not like that? you can easily spend one whole day there just walking bout the place. i mean... kids love it and the adults enjoy the exhibits. and for $6??? that is so cheap la. considering that the exhibits are really treasured and in need of goos mantainance.

there is this huge collection of human parts. i mean there was this preserved hand that still freek me out. i mean the hand was swimming in the bottle and it has all its nerve really swimming with the solution the have in the bottle. GROSS!!!

but the animal part was really cool man. i mean they have the best collection of bugs i have ever seen. everything is pinned down to the board..

DAY 11 THURSDAY
19 May 2005
Vic Mart and Home

last stop at Vistoria Market and "SOME" last minute shopping.

stupid bag weighed 25kg. could hardly cope with it dispite having a bit of wheels. i mean i arrived with 14 kg and came back with another 10 kg on top of it. thanks to the whole stack of clothes i bought. there were two nikes from the factory store and like some tops and a few jeans. i mean they have rather good buys at some places... if you know where to find them. it is good to stock up on all the "back to school" clothes. and isnt it better if you bought it abroad coz the chances of someone having the same is probally less then 10%.

the clothes have really nice prints. i mean i just went crazy with lynette at the store called "supre" i ended up buying 3 tops from the store.

CONCLUSION

i really did enjoy myself at melbourne. when i was sitting at the living room of the apartment 30 mins before i left, i know i will miss the place. it isnt a hard to live in city. there are also so many things that i have not done and visited yet. maybe i will come back for a holiday someday.

it really sucks to think that you will be enclosed in the oven when you reach back to singapore. i mean i almost died at the thought of having to be burned by the equatorial sun.

where do i go next? onwards east?