...simply said...

Don't ask.

Beata and Ian every bit the lovey-dovey couple.

...???

Sandy's artwork on the birthday boy. Paul trying to read the chinese characters?

We decided to give the table a break and use Ian instead. Unfortunately he kept eating all our food!

Not that guys are obssessed with boobs or anything...

The Chocolate Body Paint artwork (which Ryota licked off himself after showing it off)

Japanese people are wacky.

MELBOURNE July 2006

This was my much needed break after a stressful semester of non-stop uni and work. Took leave off work, and quite a few people ended up in Melbourne at the same time which was really cool!

The 6 day trip was all about meeting up with people, socializing, trying not to get too drunk and ... shopping of course! We stayed at Greenhouse backpackers which is super duper cool - more hotel-y than hostel-y. The rooms were super clean and SMELL-LESS (my main gripe with backpackers) . Toilets were cleaner than mine here at home! And staff were really helpfull and chatty. We even had free breakfast every morning from 7-9 and Tues night was free pasta night! Oh, and free bbq on Sunday morning. Overall, a gourmet backpackers and only a couple of bucks more than those average backpackers'. Mark, Lisa and myself were in a dorm of 6, and I was in a girls' dorm before that, so I got to meet quite a few people. I think that most of the time people who stay in backpackers' are such interesting people - usually friendly and have hundreds of stories to share. As for safety and missing things, I think it's hardly an issue. They play by the 'What goes around comes around' rule. (or so I hope).

Got to meet up with a few long-lost friends - Jia Min all the way from Malaysia, Christine from NZ, form 5 friends Neehad and the class brainiac *temporarily forgot name, Charmain and Pete from uni, Amanda and Abby from Interact days and Phillip / Xiang Wei my ex-Interact prez when I was in F5. That was kinda un-expected because his gf's friend was my friend's friend's friend (???) and we all ended up in a bar. Small world.

Charmain at the bar. Was quite cosy with the cushions and all. Pete and Simon were there too.

Proof I met Xiang Wei!!! And he remembered this insignificant (then) 3rd former!!!

I forgot to mention that Greenhouse also organized a pubcrawl. With Maeve my roommate whose Irish lilt adds to her adorableness (pink) and Silvia (just met her)

Mini high school reunion.

We also found a nice bar on another night called Pugg Mahones, which is Irish for Kiss My Ass. Hehe. Maeve, me, Nuala (Met her the day I arrived and we got along so well! Maeve and Nuala are sisters), Jason (also Irish, been travelling Asia for a year!) and Sharon (Aussie, felt very small next to her). All 3 Irish people were so nice. Maeve and Nuala were so friendly and easy-going and sweet, Jason was full of stories from his travels and we talked for ages! He's not one bit as scary as he looks in this pic.

Mark and I actually managed to organized a dinner at De La Santos, a Spanish tapas restaurant, at the last minute!

Guy (Pete's mate), Chris, Lisa, Nuala, Maeve, Peter, Mark, Kirsty, Sharon, (Austrian chick, forgot name), Charmain (who was at this point fascinated with her accent), Simon.

Birthday girl, Jia Min had her own table. Sylvia, Ruth, Jia Min and Shaun, her bf. They were just next to our long table.

At Rob Roy's. Me trying to look tall(er) next to Sharon, Kirsty (Mark's ex uni mate) and Maeve.

Shaun, JMin, Ruth. At Cookie on Swanston. If you're wondering, that is a cold sore and Shaun did not abuse her.

Abby, Amanda, Me

Hanging out at the hostel on my last day just before I left for the bus stop. *sobsob*

Sharon, Nuala, me, Maeve.

Shopping in Melbourne did not disappoint as usual and I ended up with too much stuff!!! Star purchases include a winter-weight jacket from Espirit that is a sample for next year's stock! I am wearing a one-of-a-kind!!!

The lovely jacket - super warm and pretty stylish with lots of pockets. And it's Esprit!

A top I got for Mark's mom.

Some random, funky bag for 6 bucks

My bikie Garfunkle jacket

Some stuff I got for Sandy to match her new gold boots

Holey top from a shop where all tops were 10 bucks!!

Kookai top

Off-shoulder, waist-accentuating, sweet pink top

Another bargain

Bought 3 tops and got a scarf and beanie free!

Stripey DK top. Good for uni. =)

Unique white jacket. Only $15!

Summer is calling! Espirit dress.

Another Kookai top - it's a wrap top.

My trip home was pretty traumatic because i had to get to the bus station which was theoretically just up Swanston St. Catch a tram to the top, turn left. Easy. But........ it turns out to be friggin hidden away and not looking like a bus station at all, so I walked all the way up and down and up and down the street laden with my backpacks strung to the front and back which carrying 2 huge espirit bags AND a brown paper bag. The wind was blowing sooooo hard as well, I had to fight it, paper bag threatening to tear (us Adelaidians not used to such violent weather) and I was almost crying when I met a group of Kiwi tourists who even flagged down a taxi and gave me some money for the fare (do i look that poor???) when the taxi pointed across the street and gave me an evil glare for wasting 2 minutes of his time. So they walked me across the street and watched me get on the bus. Such nice people. =) Those kiwis, not too bad after all. =D

By the way, I think Greyhound is better than Firefly. Less people = higher chance of getting double seats = less chance of being seated next to some fat Italian dude = higher chance of getting some sleep. =)

I was so stressed out and exhausted from a non-stop 6 days that I slept all the way back to Adelaide (and had to go to work 3 hours after arriving) It was a really good trip and my shopping craving has finally been satisfied.

WINERIES July 2006

The best part about my Student Guide job is that i get to meet so many people!! The exchange students are such great fun because they are here to party and that's about it. This sem I met some really nice people including Heidi, a Finnish girl Ilona introduced us to. Heidi is so cute and sweet, she's adorable. Such a genuine person as well. Despite Mark's 'bad experiences' with Finnish people, mine have been good so far. =) Kind of the other way around with the Norweigiens.

Hahndorf Hill winery with the very enthusiastic wino.

A pic for Ilona. Thanks for introducing us!

Heidi and her housemate Alina from Mexico. The 3rd housemate was too ill and didn't make it.

Lisa and her new boy.

The Venezualans, Tatiana and Abel. She started speaking English a year ago and now she just can't stop!

All of us.

(back) Lisa, Andrew, Mark, Malcolm the pommie, Chris, Abel, Tati.

(front) Me, Alina, Ashley the Yankee and Heidi.

We went to Penfolds, then to Grumpy's, a microbrewery for a gourmet pizza lunch, and Nepenthe then Hahndorf Hill. Last of all back to Adelaide to The Tap Inn for coffee. Most of all were not up to standard because Heidi had had her housewarming party the night before and most of us were there. She was throwing up all day. Poor thing. She said she was going to become an absolutist and never touch alcohol again. Until Hahndorf Hill where I caught her tasting wine. Hehe. Apparently this was her 2nd time getting really drunk. *patpat*

It turned out to be a pretty relaxing day, albeit such a big group (big groups usually equal stress for organizers). I was not really in the mood for wine, but had some beer at Grumpy's that was really delicious! There was one called the Red Baron that had a toffee taste. At the end of it all, I was so ready for bed after working 9am to 1am the previous day. Yes. about 13+ hours of work all up.

So this is it for now! Gotta actually get some work done tonight. =D

This entry was posted on Monday, July 31, 2006 at 7/31/2006 07:05:00 pm. You can skip to the end and leave a response.