Great Ocean Road: where I fell in love with lamingtons and The Twelve Apostles.
I want to live here.
Fitzroy Gardens: Cooks' Cottage. One of the grandest brick puzzle pieces.
Queen Victoria Market: a lively culture I will never forget.
I thought these bikes were really cool!
Federation Square
walking to the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV)
NGV: where I began to understand and learn from fashionistas.
The Forum: my favourite venue, ever. Where I saw Joshua Radin!
Melbourne Museum: where I studied artists' portfolios and the concept of real design.
Rose Street Art Market: I wanted to take everything home with me. Thanks Jess at Truth.Be.Told for telling me about this place and being my guide to all things Australia!
Not pictured and noteworthy: Costco and Phillip Island's penguins!
Melbourne, I love you. Every year when I go to Australia, I fall even further in love with the Down Under. Someday, I want to move to this truly magical place.
An old time favourite thing I like to do with my friends is going to B&N in the magazine section. I know I called it 'old time thing', but the truth is...it never gets old. There's something about pouring through familiar and newfound magazines that make pageturners an exciting adventure.
Upon leaving my dreamy Australia, I have a ritual of bringing yen and frankie magazine back home with me. The top-notch quality of the paper, design and layout in yen and frankie is proof of an artful masterpiece. These are a few out of the many reasons why I think there's magic in these magazines, almost like magic in the traveling pants.
I just finished reading from cover to cover, yen {issue 50} and frankie {issue 42}. There is a lot I have learned about Australian culture, the world and about myself. I never knew someone could be a fanciful paper engineer or that the fashion my mom wore as a kid that I laughed about is now displayed in magazines. These past days, I've had an almost final breakup with music, but reading about Bon Iver in frankie only fascinated me. In part, frankie was one of the elements that saved my musician/songwriting life. I never knew there was a word for fair trade until I saw an ad for Splendour in the Grass. I saw a glimpse of other people's lives, from adopting Rinah from Uganda to Mingrelian people of Abkhazia to Hmong women of Vietnam. There's story characters to be found in ink. And in imaginary letters I read addressed to myself, I've come to an understanding that all shall be well. Also, I don't feel so alone knowing it's part of growing up to feel lost and not knowing what to do or what's next. It's in these pages that have a unique connectivity flowing in the veins. And with the features on real, everyday people and a message of individuality is what makes me feel alive and experience a rush of discovery. To yen and frankie, I love you lots. And until another year...I'll be waiting...
I have several wanderlists (see here). Quite often, I don't realize I've been to places or done things I've wanted to do until I go back and revisit my wanderlist. One ambition I fulfilled is 'overcome snorkeling fears and explore the Great Barrier Reef'. After last summer, I fell in love with the ocean. I scuba dived in the Great Barrier Reef and never knew I would do such great things. Thereafter, I wanted to snorkel as much as I could and I wanted to take scuba diving lessons (now adding to my wanderlist). Traveling to Cairns opened up the oceans of possibilities for me, a desire to explore vast oceans. Less than twenty-four hours ago, I was in Paris at La Défense, in the midst of early Monday morning traffic. People were rushing from one end to another, some stopped by the Pomme de Pain boulangerie, click-clack heels echoing, stores beginning to open and I was sad to leave. All of the sudden, I had this train of thought enter my mind. I thought about the word 'wanderlust'. What does wanderlust mean? A desire to travel the world. There I was immersed in the discourse of a French pool. In all honesty, I occasionally curse the tower of Babel, but this time instead I loved every moment of hearing français being spoken. It's been two years and more since I dived deep in French. I still remember a lot and I miss taking French from Madame Collmar. I want to go back and study French. Traveling brings about such desires, such as jumping into oceans and learning French. I dream of being there again, a school of fish swimming around me and sitting in a cafe eating crêpes, macarons, flan and paninis. There is a desire to travel, but also a desire that comes with traveling. After all, what is the purpose of traveling if there are no desires after the traveling process? What is the word after wanderlust? Or am I describing a feeling for which there are no words? I'll keep searching. For now, I am boundlessly grateful for the opportunities to travel and this wonderful world I live in.
I stopped shortly in Sydney before heading home. I went there last year so I covered most of the sight seeing. This time I went to new places, Balmoral and Manly. I wish I could have stayed longer. I can never get enough of the Opera House and I still need to see the Paddington Market. I'll be back, Sydney.
Scuba diving in The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most adventurous and daring things I've done in my life so far. My first descent scuba diving was one small step for other adventurers and thrill seekers out there, a huge step for someone like me who was afraid to submerge their entire body in the ocean for more than five seconds. Scuba diving in the ocean, seeing coral reef, floating and getting lost in all sorts of directions is a surreal breathtaking (literally) experience. Seeing the biodiverse ecological life swimming around you is almost an out of body experience, nothing is holding you back and you see an entirely magnificent different world. When all kinds of fishes swim before your eyes, you realize you're not alone in the ocean and the ocean doesn't belong to you. Being there was unbelievably incredible, better than any aquarium trip because you're in the aquarium and you realize all of this is real.
I journeyed back in time on the train to Kuranda Village, a period before World War II. The train looked like a historical trip back to the past. I imagined if everyone had been wearing vintage clothes, I would have believed I was in a scene in an old photograph.
I have a journal cover with the quote, "just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it turned into a butterfly." The Butterfly Sanctuary made the quote even more sense once I saw these caterpillars and rather large cocoons, only later turning into graceful, fragile winged species.
There's a beach at Cape Tribulation, a place Captain James Cook once ventured and broke down and I walked on those same grounds. Pebble sized crabs crawled beneath the sand, a bank near the shore lurked crocodile territory, a vinegar station and warning signs made me aware that life is very much alive on that corner of the earth. Never so much until then, I was almost convinced I arrived on a primitive and forgotten island, some sort of Treasure Island.
On the crocodile hunt, I didn't see any killer crocs, but as dangerous as crocs are, I would have to say crocs rule! (And no, I'm not talking about the gardener's plastic shoes with holes in them).
City Centre. I can't get enough of these buildings.
Office for lease. I want this to be my space.
a gorgeous skyline view
night scene after I got off the ferry
tortoises rule!
Brisbane is the faraway city I've been searching and dreamily waiting for. The colourful modernistic structures, Streets Beach at the heart of a metropolis, markets and all terrain, outdoor recreation park across from the skyline have made me believe that Brisbane has been waiting all along for me to find this city.
I walked through the botanical gardens, learning the difference between the types of vegetation all over the world. Now I know the difference between ferns and palm tree doppelgangers. There were indie rocker fashionistas at the City Centre, dressed in style I aspire to. The Cultural Centre with all the museums lined up in one place, where I met Ron Mueck's life sized characters is something I could never forget. I only wish I took pictures, only it seemed creepy at the time.
On the train to Beerwah (1 hr 15 min) to Australia Zoo, we passed by The Glass House Mountains. I want to go back there and actually stop to capture the landscape. At Australia Zoo, I instantly fell in love with all the animals, especially the Aldabran tortoises. I petted a baby alligator, fed a joey, fed an Asian elephant and hugged a koala. I felt Steve Irwin's legacy. The Australian Zoo emphasizes on conservation of wildlife. In part, I now feel responsible for caring for and protecting wildlife. I have so much enthusiasm for wildlife.
Besides thestore, I'm fascinated with the idea of swimming between the red and yellow flags. I've never seen flags on the beach until Australia. The flags are warning signs, marks signaling a place of safety in the waters. I took these pictures while walking along the shore in Surfers Paradise. The sand storm abrasively brushed against my legs, the wind, dust and short-lived rain made the beach a perilous place to be at the time. But behind me, there was a woman sitting on the sand, watching the nature of all this. There's that phrase about being able to dance in the rain. But after that day, I knew there was another meaning, a whole other side of being in the rain. It's being able to stand through a sand storm and swim between raging seas. There were a few swimmers in the ocean and I wondered how anyone could swim under such conditions. The beach bum part of me is inspired by nature and these flags.
The freshest tropical tasting fruit farm you could ever imagine. a rainbow over the rainforest
In Gold Coast, I fell in love with real honey, pitaya, architecture of apartment complexes, markets and the mad, endless white raging waves in the ocean there.
"One of the best things about travel is coming home again. Different time zones, different accents. Going overseas is nice and all, but one of the best things about travel is coming home again. Maybe you notice things you hadn't seen before. Maybe unfamiliar. Or maybe joyously recognisable. Fresh views and new ideas."
To some certain extent, I agree with these words. And yet, I want to be a traveling nomad of the world. I want to make a few countries my home. I just took a holiday in Australia and I miss Australia. I really wish I were still there. But it's also good to be home again, to have a place to go back to. Right now, it's a comforting feeling of home as I look out my window, the setting sun reassuringly reflects off the lake from a distance.
As far as fresh views and new ideas go, I have arrived home as a new and changed person. Australia has opened up a few passions, discovered doors and new love for saving the world. (You'll see, Australia tour pictures coming soon.) For now, I've got my Aussie mags (Yen and Transfer Snowboard), Frankie included, Tim Tams and Milo keeping me happy, right at home.
Over the summer, I went to Featherdale Wildlife Park in Sydney, Australia. I posted pictures on flickr and this photo was chosen to be featured onSchmap Sydney Ninth Edition. So excited! Thought I would share.
I haven't blogged in a while, but I suppose it's hard to when you're away from home for so long. So here's a blog to finish off the rest of my adventures and the end of
summer 2009.
In London: England
I went to Calvin Harris' concert at Somerset House. One of the best concerts I've ever been to. The neo-classic building was lit up in red neon lights, lots of elektro/house fans gathered and many cute English indie guys. Calvin Harris is electrifying and amazing! I danced and sang along to the music. I absolutely loved it all. The UK has some of the best music. Their dance/electronica/house music proves it, along with their (HMV) record stores. Other highlights: Abbey Road, going to the British and Barbican Museum and shopping at H&M and Primark.
In Portsmouth: England
My mom and I went to Portsmouth (Charles Dicken's birthplace) for Auntie I's graduation. Yay! We're so proud of her! The graduation was quite an experience itself. The traditions of a graduation in the UK are dissimilar from the US. The chancellor was like the Queen of England. She was lovely and gave an inspiring speech for all the graduates and attendees. I think my mom and I were laughing hilariously after the graduation. I couldn't help but imitate a British accent and say, "chancellor, I now present you with...."
In Düsseldorf: Germany
A reunited party with the M family! We had many laughs, took lots of pictures and had many crazy moments. Basically, what happened in Germany stays in Germany. Some mornings, S and I jogged around and in the forest, such beautiful greenery. The places I went sight seeing were Extersteine and Spparrenburg. Everyone was so nice to me, especially the M family for taking care of me. I stocked up on lots of Haribo and Ritter Sport. The song I listened to non-stop is now the soundtrack to my summer.
"I've gotta feeling that tonight's gonna be a good night" (Black Eyed Peas).
In Amsterdam: Netherlands
Ok, so I've only really seen Amsterdam from a plane. But I was stuck at the Schiphol Airport for about 3 days, trying to go back home. It was an unpleasant ordeal, but I learned how to be a "grown up" and deal with some impossibly mean people at the airport. Another thing I've learned is that Dutch guys seem to like me. Maybe I should move there or to a foreign country.
In Narita: Japan
Less than 24 hours returning home, I hopped on a plane to Japan. I stayed there for only a few days so there wasn't anytime to go to Tokyo. Japanese food is my favourite and they sell the best honey-lemon tea in Narita. We visited a temple at their town, went shopping at Aeon and ate lots. (I'm going back to Japan next week, so more adventures ahead).
In Oahu: Hawaii
Hawaii is my second home in paradise. I love going to the beach and playing in the sun. My friend A recently moved there, so we partied for about two weeks before school started. We had so much fun in North Shore and downtown Honolulu. Some of the highlights were the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC), North Shore, Hanauma Bay, Jack-In-The-Box and Fatty's!
This summer has truly been the best summer, ever. I'm so grateful I was able to visit all these places. The world is truly amazing. I am going to conquer Antarctica next. Or at least one day...
Visited places:
Australia: New Zealand: England: Germany: Netherlands (Amsterdam, sort of): Japan: Hawaii
(Wish I could post more pictures, but there are some 5,000+! Check my flickr site.)
Dear Australia & New Zealand, I miss you terribly. Please come back to me!
p.s. New Zealand...one day you will be my home forever.
Dear Calvin Harris, You are the highlight of my London trip. I am in love with you, your music and your Scottish accent. Please marry me one day.
Dear Auntie I, I'm so happy that we came to your graduation in Portsmouth. I've had so much fun hanging out with you and A in London. Congratulations again! You did and we're so proud of you! You are amazing.
Dear London, I could get lost in your museums all day. I love learning. I want to take Selfridges & Co and Primark home with me!
Dear Underground, A bit of A/C and upgrading would be nice. A life lesson learned...never stand near the closing doors. I'm now paranoid of them. Although, I really do love the Underground musicians.
Dear J, Secretly I have loved you and can't wait to see you again. There was a musician last night who reminded me of you. A part of me misses you.
Dear friends back at home, I miss all of you! I'm glad we can kind of keep in touch via facebook, twitter & e-mail.
Dear scale back at home, I wish you were lying to me. I hope you're wrong. Although I don't believe this lie myself.
Dear sleep, Where have you been and how can I find you again? I can't seem to get enough of you. I need you.
Dear world, I am really loving you so much. I've seen lots and learned much this summer.
I had never been so excited to fly as I boarded the plane to Sydney. I was shaking with excitement and jumping up and down. I couldn't believe it. I've always wanted to go to Australia. Now my dreams were coming true and this was only the beginning.
After arriving in Sydney, one of the first sights I saw was the Sydney Opera House. Already shocked I was in Australia, I was even more thrilled to see the Opera House. The Opera House is one of those famous landmarks I thought I would never see in my lifetime. Last semester, I studied a little about the Opera House and the architect, Jørn Utzon. Now I got to see the Opera House up close in its architectural grandeur. Jørn Utzon is one accomplished architect. Overlooking the Sydney Harbour, the Opera House truly looks as though the building belongs there. It's an incredible building for its time. How they lifted those concrete slabbed roofs amaze me. Utzon certainly deserves more credit than he received.
Last year when I was in Hawaii, I bought a shirt from Gilly Hicks with 'Bondi Beach' on the shirt. I didn't even know Bondi Beach was in Sydney, so going there made it an exciting trip. Despite the Aussies' bias towards Bondi Beach v. Manly Beach, I absolutely love Bondi Beach. It's now one of my favourite beaches in the world. The sand at Bondi Beach is one of the softest and even though it was a chilly day at the beach, I still ran down to the ocean to dip my feet in the cold waters. There were lots of surfers and a few beach goers laying out on the sand. The houses sitting in front of Bondi Beach are gorgeous. I've always wanted a house in front of the beach.
Our family went to the Sydney Aquarium (Sponge Bob themed). We loved it and ended up spending three hours there. Some of the highlights were seeing a platypus and a dugong. Also, the penguins were probably the cutest sea creatures there. I found Nemo, Dory and Crush. I learned a lot about some of the sea creatures and didn't know some of them existed. Sea snakes? I'm already scared of snakes. And although the platypus looks playful and cute, they have venom in their tails. Oh and I had no clue what a dugong was until I saw one. Their huge size makes them look dangerous, but they're vegetarians. I touched this odd squishy shark (not an actual shark), a starfish and a sea cucumber. Even though I knew they were perfectly harmless, I was slightly scared to touch them. The sea cucumber felt so weird. I jumped and almost screamed.
What seemed like one of the longest days we spent in Australia was the tour we went on. At Featherdale Wildlife Park we saw wallabies, kangaroos and koalas. We loved them all! They're so cute. We fed the wallabies and kangaroos. I didn't want to leave. Wish I could have taken them all home with me. Then we drove to take a picture at the Blue Mountains. We had lunch in Leura. I love that small town with the Farmer's Market and everything. We bought honey there and I learned a bit about honey, too. After lunch, we saw more of the Blue Mountains and the famous rock formations of The Three Sisters. After taking a short scenic tram and an extremely steep cart ride down a mountain, we walked for a while into this forest-like area. There were fascinating vegetation, really pretty. At the end of the day we took a ferry back to Circular Quay and enjoyed a scenic view of the Sydney Bridge and the Opera House.
I love Sydney! We were only there for a few days and I can't wait to go back one day, hopefully very soon. I would love to see more of Australia, the Red Rock and the Great Barrier Reef. One of my favourite places in Sydney is the harbour. On both sides of the harbour, I would always see many runners throughout the day. I can't help but think how much I would love to run along the harbour and take in the beautiful scenery.
