WE ARE WHO WE WERE WHEN

Melbourne day one (im typing this on my phone and it doesnt let me post more than one picture or add a title): These amazing people picked me up from the airport yesterday. We had brunch at this awesome place called Two Birds One Stone along Chapel Street. Shopped around for a bit before heading home to shower and change. Then we went to Mocha Jos with Tiger and Bailey (dogs) to have more coffee with Ash, whom I have not seen for literally two years! But he’s pretty much still the same. Then I walked back home to have a short chat with my family before dinner with Faith. Had my favourite dumplings along Kingsway - that fool ate dinner already so she was just watching me gobble down 12 dumplings as she talked. Ended the day with my third coffee with her and her new boyfriend. Sorry this is so incoherent but the basic story is: I’m extremely happy to be back home and I love Melbourne xx

9th Feb 2013

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

—Mark Twain

9th Feb 2013

PHUKET V.02

We woke up at 6.45am. The glorious (free) breakfast was our saving grace for waking up at such a ridiculous hour.

Before getting on our boat.

As it was a speedboat, no one got seasick because of how fast it went. Fresh sea breeze and perfect sunny weather, despite the weather forecasts for a thunderstorm. So blessed!

Our first stop was at the famous Phi Phi Island. Truly a magical paradise beach. We couldn’t stop gushing about how awesome the island was…perfectly white and soft sand, clear blue water and fluffy clouds. I wouldn’t mind being stranded there.

Then we went to some other nearby island and took turns to jump off the boat for a dip in the beautiful lagoon.

I was pretty scared jumping off because it was surprisingly high up.

Sam bombing it.

We met this really cool group of Australians from Canberra. They were super hospitable and funny. It was awesome meeting new people this trip! Later on, we even had a nice Thai dinner with them and several drinks.

The swing was *this* close to breaking with the combined weight of the three of us.

“Omg like how sexy am I?” This is Grace mocking a girl who was posing seductively on the beach before lunch. The buffet lunch we had on another island resort was delicious and typically Thai - tom yum goong, noodle soup, red curry and lots of pineapple.

Monkey cave. These monkeys were extremely cheeky and greedy because tourists kept giving them food.

Everything in Phuket is much cheaper. We had four cocktails and four shots for the equivalent of $17 at this bar along Bangla Road. Then, we headed off to one of the nightclub hotspots, Seduction.

Lots of love <3 <3 <3

All in all, I am very thankful for this weekend getaway. It was worth the money and reminded me of just how much I love traveling. I cannot stand being in one place for too long because I am definitely not a creature of habit. Most importantly, I am thankful that I could finally escape from the hustle and bustle of Singapore and into the serenity of nature, where I am constantly reminded of God’s mercy and grace.

9th Feb 2013

PHUKET V.01

So I’ve decided to create a travel diary for the sake of my failing memory. There have been too many times when someone asks me “how was your day?” and I pause for a good ten seconds thinking about what the hell I did that day. Although my automatic reply is “good thanks”, there is great deal of panic involved upon the realization of there being absolutely no memory of what exciting activities I embarked on. I blame this on alcohol consumption.

The weekend in Phuket was a last minute decision. In fact, I literally booked flights the day before I left and was lucky enough to get them at a relatively cheap price. After two weeks worth of intense interviewing and settling my career plans, this was definitely a well-deserved break from the loss of direction, stress and post-college depression I had been experiencing. Mum was not too pleased with the impromptu nature of this trip though. OH WELL. IT WAS WORTH IT!

I got to Phuket early in the morning and had four hours to kill before Grace, Sam and Gabe arrived late afternoon. This is the comfortable suite we stayed at Baan Yin Dee Resort, a boutique hotel perched upon the hills of Patong.

Off to explore Phuket!

This path reminded me of Robert Frosts poem, “The Road Not Taken.” There’s something refreshing about exploring a different city alone. You are more aware of everything and able to do whatever you want at your own timing. Your eyes are more open to appreciating the simple pleasures around you. Within the four hours of exploring Patong, I had braided my hair, got a manicure, foot massage, gobbled down a lemoncello sorbet and spoke to a Nepalese tailor for half an hour.

Grace, Sam and Gabe :)

Bangla Road. We watched the Ping Pong Show…which was highly disturbing - won’t go into detail about it. Everyone who has been to Thailand says it’s a must-see. In my opinion, it’s a waste of money.