When people ask me why I chose to go Tasmania - out of the many states in Australia - or why I chose to visit this country for the fourth consecutive year, I only have three words why: my best friend.

I shall save you the agony of our back story but let's just say that we go way back - 14 years to be exact. And given our history, I'd circle the world to spend a few days with her. 

Australia, altogether, is an amazing country to seek refuge in if you're looking for a temporary escape from our hectic society. And as for Tasmania, it has exceeded my expectations.

I mean sure, the landscapes aren't like the ones I saw in New Zealand. But given that I've lived 23 years in a concrete jungle, I don't mind settling for low-rise buildings and cool weather for a while. 

It was my first solo flight and to be honest, I did not enjoy the solitude as much as I hoped. I managed to easily spot my luggage and find my way through the transit. And seeing Sabila after travelling for nearly ten hours made my heart glow. 

Throughout my years of living, I've never usually realized how close-minded and easily paranoid I am with certain people with strange personalities. I guess I'm easily quick to judge but I learned to be more accepting towards other people's culture especially when I'm in their country. Nonetheless, the moment I stepped foot into this country, I knew that I would love it. 

I stayed with Sabila and met a couple of her housemates - and she definitely wasn't lying when she said that she had the best housemates. I kid you not, they take care of each other like family. 

Moving on, our first few days were spent exploring the neighbourhood. 

As we were walking along the docks on the first day, I felt a sense of serenity that I haven't felt in a long time. Temperature was roughly 9 degrees that day but the sun was shining. The sound of waves crashing against the docks felt like music to my ears. The wind had been pretty unforgiving but I still prefer it over Singapore's humidity. It reminded me of how hard I worked to get here and how much of a break I needed from work. Of course, once in a while I still get a couple of notifications but all in all, I'm glad to be away. 

Among many places that we visited, Mount Wellington was my favourite. We managed to hire a driver to take us there and I definitely underestimated the climate on the mountain. It was roughly a 30 minute drive from Sandy Bay. I was eager with anticipation as it was my first encounter with snow and as we got out of the car, my hands were numb and I was freezing but my excitement outgrew the cold. Everything was beautiful and finally being able to experience snow gives me a sense of fulfillment. A part of me didn't want to leave but it'd really be silly not to. 

And then there were oysters. Yes, oysters. Throughout my stay, I only had one tray of oysters that I shared with Sab but if it wasn't already obvious enough, I love oysters. They are crazy expensive in Singapore (and well, they aren't that cheap here either) but nothing beats oysters with Tabasco sauce. I'm generally not a seafood person (I love me some lamb and beef) but I promise that you can easily win me over with a tray of oysters. 

If you're not a fan of raw/under cooked sea life, they sell fish and chips almost everywhere here! Sab brought me to Mures because it was one of her go-to spots and I understand why she loves it there. They serve a whole array of seafood! Their fish and chips are crispy, tender and fried just right - unlike the oily ones we have here (eek). 

Considering that many things here were shipped from the other states and that Tasmania is just an island, there weren't much shopping to do here. But still, if there's anything I always look forward to when coming to Australia, it would be Target (or Tar-jayyy) and K-mart. Both of those places are plus-size friendly without having to cause a hole in my pocket. I love that I never have to worry about not finding the right size because there is always something for everyone. (I went crazy and bought two pairs of boots for AUD $15 each). 

If you appreciate historic monuments like me, you'd find Richmond a treasure cove. We paid a visit to the Richmond Bridge and took pleasure admiring ducks paddling along the river and seeing some of the locals feeding them. If you happen to plan a trip there, do drop by the cafe that's situated near the bridge to buy a packet of duck food. I love how there aren't any restrictions in feeding wildlife here. After which, we went to Richmond Gaol. Having a father who works as a prison warden (who is also a history fanatic) means you have your own tour guide to this kind of places - also happened when we went to Melbourne Gaol. 

And for the rest of our time, we were either walking around, binging on friends (and chips) or chilling outdoors. 

I've always loved the idea of travelling, learning about other cultures and meeting new people. But amidst all the mingling, I enjoyed being on my own best because that's when I can truly sharpen my senses and appreciate the little things around me. 

To my surprise, I found myself looking forward to going home - mainly because I miss $5 meals. On the second last day, I got pretty home sick and splurged on a $14 bowl of laksa. Still doesn't beat the one at home. 

I've spent many days thinking how I should end this post. So to simply put it, I honestly don't know what I feel about this trip. 

I started out overwhelmed with excitement and came back feeling unchanged. It was unlike my previous vacations where I felt renewed and right now, I'm just confused. 

If it's any consolation, perhaps there's more that I've yet to discover. Perhaps this trip is gravitated towards learning how to (financially) cope on my own as opposed to self-love and self-discovery. 

Nonetheless, I have many years ahead of me and many more chances to fulfill those motives as well as my wanderlust. 

I'd like to end of by giving a special shout-out to my better-half. Thanks for hosting me and being an awesome roomie. I can't wait for you to graduate and be back here for good! *spams hugs and kisses* 

Adventures in Melbourne

Second time here in Melbourne and since we covered the fun places before (i.e Great Ocean Road and Phillip Island - you may read about my last trip here), we just thought that this would be a good place to just chill and visit some relatives we have there. 

1. St Kilda's 

What I was most looking forward to was staying away from the CBD area (because if there's anything we've learned from our first time here, staying in the CBD is an absolute no-go). 

We rented an Airbnb apartment at St Kilda's, and we loved it. I loved the scenery and the low-rise buildings. There were also lots of dessert cafes and Coles was conveniently located within walking distance from our place. It was also situated near the beach. We didn't had time to walk there but I would often see groups of people in their swimwear walking comfortably along the pavements with sand in their hair and sun kissed skin. Ah yes and speaking of which, we definitely underestimated the weather - it was scorching hot because apparently, summer came late last year. Bummer. 

Trams would also pass through the place from town, which makes transportation easy for those without their own transport. Of course, we had rented a car from the airport for, you know, convenience sake. 

2. Grampians National Park

Driving to Grampians National Park on the second day was probably the only road trip we had. It was a three hour one-way journey but of course, we stopped a couple of times to stretch our legs in between. 

When we eventually arrived at our destination (thankfully because it felt like forever), we took a guide map and decided to drive up to one of the lookouts. To be quite frank, I wasn't very impressed. 

We were greeted by lots, lots and lots of flies. It was irritating! The view was stunning but I felt like it wasn't worth the trip. I guess the experience would be more fulfilling if we opted to go on a tour instead. But, it was still alright. 

3. Old Melbourne Gaol 

Our visit to the Old Melbourne Gaol was definitely an enriching experience. I'm not the kind of person who reads those descriptions you see next to an artifact at museums or whatnot but I still enjoy visiting historical places. 

We (or I) manage to get the tickets for a steal (since I am considered a students *ehems*). The salesperson said that we should opt to attend the tour at the City Light House where we attended by a sergeant and got treated like prisoners. It was pretty demoralizing I must say! But she did (yes, she) manage to get in some humour in between her lashing. So, it was still pretty fun! 

If you're like me who thought that this place was meant for prisoners of war *cue bimbo slang*, then you're highly mistaken. And apparently, there were plenty of well-known prisoners here - which of course, I didn't know about. 

But enough said. My dad was of course most intrigued, considering that most of his working adult life involves dealing with inmates. He was so happy when he told me about the comparisons of the prison layout and what he used to do. 

If you're ever in Melbourne's CBD, I'd highly recommend that you pay this place a visit. It won't take much of your time and you'd definitely learn a lot. 

4. Luna Park 

My friends were most excited to hear about this place. 

Basically, admission was free and I spent $50 AUD for unlimited rides. Thankfully, there was a 1-for-1 so I split the cost with my dad. But to think about it, the place mainly consisted of carnival games and typical uncle-ringo kind of rides. It was fun but come to think of it, I would have rather gone to USS (just saying). But it was a good experience considering that I've never been to carnivals. 

One interesting encounter was when I was on the viking ride, seated alone on the second last row in front of a group of tourists. I didn't know they were tourists until one of them said, "Harap harap benda ni slow ah, kalau tak aku pegang rambut dia". Translation: I hope this ride goes slow, otherwise I'd hold on to her hair. Her - as in me and, my hair because it was in a top knot. Almost throughout the ride, they were talking about me sitting alone and wanting to grasp on my hair because it was going too fast. 

When the ride started to slow down, I turned and asked them, "Are you guys Singaporeans?" because judging by their behavior, I'd assume that they were. "We're Malaysians," one of the answered. Woah, shocker. No seriously, it was a shocker. After that I responded, "Oh, patutlah I dengar you berbual macam boleh faham gitu." Translation: Oh, no wonder it seemed like I could understand what you were saying. I looked to the front and couldn't help but grin to myself. I couldn't see it, but I bet their reaction was priceless. 

Ok so anyways, back to Luna Park. I guess this place would be a good one-time visit thing. I mean, $50 is a bit much in my opinion. But I guess if you come with good company, then I'm sure it'd be great. 

5. SunnyRidge Strawberry Farm

Throughout my days here, I must say that this was the most anticipated part of my trip.

By this time of the week, we were already with my aunt and uncle. It was a pretty long drive to the farm but every inch of my body was just filled with excitement. We were greeted with a basket of strawberries at the entrance and obviously being typical Singaporeans, we took as much as our hands could carry. 

It was a fairly hot day, but I didn't mind the heat. We took our containers and went to the farm which was almost the size of a soccer field. I had the time of my life picking out strawberries of all variations. They were so sweet - nothing compared to the ones we have here. It felt like every positive vibe flowing through body. I was indeed, happier than a rich kid on Christmas. And when we were finally done, we hung out at the shed where we indulged in some waffles, ice cream and scones. It was truly the most amazing experience.

6. Australian Rainbow Trout Farm 

One doesn't really have to be a genius to know that typically, fishing would be one last things I would ever do. But hey, we were catching trout and salmon that day, so it got me pumped! 

My uncle was a lifesaver that day because my parents and I know nuts about fishing, let alone operating a fishing pole. Though I must say that catching your own food feels very much rewarding. My aunt was kind enough to whip up some sambal tumis and sambal kicap (go google lah, I also don't know how to explain in English) that pairs up well with the fish we caught. 

I remembered the anticipation of waiting for the fishes to finish barbecuing. I've always been a big salmon lover and well, I've never tried trout before. Presently, I'm unable to recall how trout tastes like. But this was definitely the most memorable lunch I had. 

That pretty much sums up the highlights of my trip and I must say that I enjoyed every single moment of it. I remembered being very much rejuvenated when I returned to work (despite being on AM shift the night after I landed). I don't think I'd see myself visiting Melbourne anytime soon because after all, I have enough memories here to last a lifetime. 

Cheers xx