The mountains resounding His majesty~

26th september to 28th september 2007- The Blue mountains, Katoomba/Leura/Wentworth falls.

My first bushwalk in the real mountains was just breathtaking. It was really exciting to be on my first backpacking trip - though it wasn't to somewhere really far. With Eileen and Cai, we headed to blue mts on a 2 hours train ride to katoomba and stayed for 2 nights. Blue mountains is called blue mountains is because of the blue haze above the mountains that can be seen..
For the 3 days we went to trek to see the famous 三姐妹 and the Jenolan caves series( Lucas caves) and the waterfalls. 3 girls running up and down the cliffs..It was unimaginable the amount of climbing and walking we did- close to 6-7 hours a day.

It was all worth it to just witness how the mts and caves and forests and valleys were formed- the history and stories behind the places were interesting( it helps to have a good tourguide). We lost quite a bit of calories but gained a whole load of insight on our abilities to climb and trek as well as (for myself) how the hand of God can be so creative.
When I saw blue mountains, I can't help but start singing -
When I think about the heavens, the moon and all the stars,
I wonder what you ever saw in me.
But you took me and you loved me and given me a crown
And I will praise your name eternally~
O Lord my God, how excellent your name is
How excellent your name in all the earth.
The glory fills the Heavens beyond the furthest stars
How excellent your name in all the earth.

The most memorable part of the trip was the journey to the caves. When you thought you saw the great cliffs and forests at the blue mountains itself, when the coach drove past the mountain range and the Great Dividing range and Megalong valley- I was just overwhelmed with the majestic outlook of the fields and mountains. I so wanted to hug it and bring it home. hahah..so I did that with buying postcards.

We went to places like chocolate factory and the famous wentworth pies, not forgetting the rides all around the blue mountains.:) Ah did i mention about the Kangaroos..they are SO CUTE!!!! aiyo~ i was so amused by them. They came pouncing on me when i gave them food..and i got to hug one:)I hope that my husband will never have to sit on that. Venturing and conquered the mountains!Thank you for this awesome time, Eileen and Cai:)

中秋节-月饼与灯笼在八月十五聚集。

八月十五月亮圆又圆。We had annual moon cake festival celebration at my backyard. Back in Singapore, we aren't really concerned with gathering with family members and playing lanterns sorts. Somehow, when y0u are here and such things are scarce, you will go all attempts to ensure it happens. Weird phenomenon isnt it?

Wendy's boyfriend got us nice lanterns and candles from Singapore because he was here to visit. Once again, our table is lined with a spread of CHEENA delicacies-幸运饼
老公老婆饼 上海年糕汤圆

腐粥Joan with the mooncake it was quite exciting to see so many people again. I am truly convinced that I require that external stimuli of people to keep me sane monthly..LOL. I think our neighbours think we are a mad bunch of neighbours to have in the neighbourhood, making all the noise at night:P

Lantern time!!

Elain and I

the moon wasnt really round and we just kept on burning candles at the backyard..LOL..played till really late and had to wash up and get ready for blue mountains the next day. It was quite amazing for Elain though..she met her childhood sweetheart*winks* hahahaah..apparently, one of wendy's bf's brother was her kindergarten friend that she grew up and played with>LOL..and it was like a meeting in Sydney..of all places at my backyard. how small is the world isn't it..:)

I thought of my durian mooncake from mariott i was quite upset..:( i think i will only get to eat it next year..haiz.

Rookwood venture

When you have a little too much free time, the next best thing you can do in Australia is walk and explore. That's what Cai and I did. Eng and casey were out at the RG's house for project and Wendy's bf and brothers came for a visit so that left the both of us doing nothing but rotting at home.
So we decided to check out the place next to our street- one where people picnics, runs and drives through to get to strathfield. It is also a place where the dead congregate- Rookwood cemetry. Taking a map that the seniors left behind, we took a stroll through the cemetery and guess what WE FOUND A NEW WAY TO WALK TO FLEMINGTON MARKET!!! THAT MEANS- we can save 3.20 for return trip which means we can save money ...which means we can have more food!!!Being the market aunties, we actually got our way to Burwood:) hahahahaha~ exciting.. we clocked a close to 8 hours trek on foot to reach burwood and back to Lidcombe. I think i was mad to do that after my marathon but well, I was desperate to get some life and there u go~ Rookwood venture.The young ones who had not had a chance to see the world before they left to be with the Lord.The memorial plaque
We could see the city in the rookwood midst!!

Amidst the stroll in the cemetery, the young ones that left the world to be back with the Lord left me the most vivid impression. They never really got to see the world before they left this world..many of us will feel it's a pity that they had not had the chance to see what's out there. Somehow their departure has taught me to just contented with the life I was given. It might get treacherous and stressful at times, irritating and dreading in certain parts of our seasons..but nevertheless, you grow as a person and most importantly, your presence will be of a blessing to someone( if there is). What does your life mean to you? More than just living? A gift from your parents? hm for me- It's like pay it forward- for the life blessing that God has ordained and given through your parents, pay it forward by being a blessing to others.

KoreAn Festival @ Darling Harbour

Sydney is just a pretty Asian place~ They had a korean festival for the year at the palm grove, Darling Harbour. Both Cai and I were so desperate for some korean food that we met after my run( yea, talking about killing the calories) to sweep all the food so that we can truly enjoy the stuff.
I manage to catch a korean performing group from korean. They are called nancho( I am not wrong) ..they are similar to stomp. Amazingly humourous..LOL.

korean Spread!!Fried DumplingsVegetable OmeletteRoasted Vegetable- my new love!Spicy Rice cake!

I will post the videos of the performing group soon!!

Kamsahamida~ Ka char!

Sydney Blackmores Half~ Over the bridge!!

Well! The must do on my list No 1 was to sign up for the half marathon in Sydney and run over the Harbour bridge. I had my first marathon in Singapore but I decided to spare myself from all the ache I had after my Standard Chartered run so I signed up for the half marathon.


Sydney Running Festival- Sydney marathon 2007!Start : Milsons Point End: Opera HouseMy route of 21km

The pair of feet that will bring me across the bridge and to the streets of Sydney:)

Onn suk took me to the race site in the morning and I headed for my run.
I gave myself a restriction and that is not to run with music. So all I did was pluck in my earphones and left it as that. Amazingly, I endured at least 75% of the run w/o music and I had music in when I was goin to die out.

I had to self seed myself as a slow runner- because if you run more than 2 hrs you are considered slow. Not only that, you will have to complet it in 2 hrs and 45 mins.LOL.. I was praying so hard that God will carry me through the race, especially with the aching legs.

Running my first half in a foreign land was pretty exciting:) There was a lot that I wanted to experience and I am glad that I ran. They had gummies as like energy food and they were the ones that kept me goin in my race.

Running is like a grounding activity for myself. Whenever I am lost or confused, upset or just feeling real crap, taking a run becomes an inevitable option to get away from everything. Those scary days when I had to handle the things that happened in Australia about my house and sorts, I just had only running and God to depend on.
In a marathon, you know that it will be a long journey and you might have to go the " extra mile". Whichever way, your aim to finish at the ending point never change and the little things like 'gummies" that will keep you going. I pray that it is the same for you and my faith in our Lord: that our aim to finish well at the ending point will never change :)

Surprise!

It was the last week of school for the first part of the semester and I headed out to town as usual for Blue Sky. It was THE WEEKEND because I was going to run my first half marathon in my life, in Sydney. hee+ So I decided to stay put in town to have easy access to Milsons point where the race will be starting.
The Eastlakes gang gathered at onn suk's place as usual for dinner. However, the usual males were missing because kah fei overslept and neng suk got quite upset that we did not start dinner on time and he had a date at the casinos. So we only had like 5 of us having dinner-that's munee, may ku ma, onn suk, auntie jeanette and myself. I stayed home on the entire saturday because i wanted to rest for sunday's race and "Nua" as much as possible. I visited Aldi for grocery shopping and went for a 15min run before I had to go and poo poo. I think I had not had my farting habit cured..active bowel movements..LOL.

We had dinner- sumptuous one! Roasted lamb shank, mixed vegetables, baked dory fillets and salmon with red eggs. It's a tradition in my dad's family to eat red eggs on birthdays so I innocently asked whose birthday was it. Then Auntie jeantte looked at me and said, " U LO." hahahah..I was quite embarrassed to be told that my birthday is coming. I kinda forgotten about it actually. I was intending to give a celebration a miss since am alone here. So there u go! They wanted to throw a birthday dinner to celebrate my birthday:)=**) Here's the spread on the table by our chef of the day- Auntie Jeanette and May ku ma

Then it was birthday cake party!!..lol. It was so funny. I felt like i was back in kindergarten where we had tidbits and cakes and presents. Auntie Jeanette made fruit muffins in the afternoon * i stole some recipes and tips from her* to go for the party. I was on the brink of breaking the dam! birthday song, birthday cake and birthday presents at Eastlakes. The birthday cake was caramel mud cake from Michel's hahahah..OTs don't you gals think that sounds familiar. IT's the FA GUI we had for Elain's birthday!!Brings back memories ah~

I felt enormous amount of love from my relatives over here for celebrating my birthday. The fact that they remembered and gathered to celebrate, though not all were here, the presence of the few was significant. As I would slowly learn to grow be less dependent, a part of me just reminded myself that it might be close to impossible to be solely independent in all things. That happiness and excitement or even the pitfalls in life..somehow having someone on the road with you will make the experience significant. It's the people that makes the event memorable. People- the best creation on planet earth by God. (That's why when God made man, He said that it was excellent in all ways.)