Fiji time

After the whirlwind of the week around the wedding, we headed off to Fiji for our honeymoon. Our trip was booked 6 months in advance, and thank goodness for the (accidental) foresight. We had months of dealing with wedding preparations and the minutiae that seems to come with it, from deciding on the colour of the ribbon on the cake, to the types of lollies for the lolly bags for the kiddies (sorry to those parents who then had hyperactive littles running around), and on top of that the last three weeks balancing work and catching up with family members who had come from overseas for our wedding and hoping they are having a good time. After all that, I was ready for a rest. REST.

Fiji gave us just that. From the time we arrived at the airport, and were ushered to our coach, which dropped us at the Outrigger on the Lagoon Resort , we hardly had to exercise a brain cell. Or too many muscles. After checking in, a porter picked up our suitcase and drove us to our bure in a golf buggy, even though it was only 300m away. We spent the first afternoon eating room service sandwiches as we couldnt be bothered to go out to hunter-gather. We spent most of the next day lazing by the pool. The most strenous thing I did on day 2 was a scuba lesson in the pool.

On our third day, we headed out on day trip to an island. Even that was easy, we were picked up from the hotel lobby, dropped at the jetty and ferried to an island where we snorkelled, lazed about and later opted to have a massage on the beach. Later in the week, we were interested in learning a little about village life. We asked at the front desk, and instructed to come to the hotel lobby at 10am the next day, at which time a minibus drove a small group of us to a nearby village. There a village elder showed us around, told us about the way of life ("Life is good, you can fish, you grow vegetables and we have Sky TV") and took us through a kava ceremony. Many of the villagers were employed at the Outrigger.

Activities on the resort were anticipated, pre-organised and set up to be easy so you could do whatever you wanted. You could choose from taking part in volleyball matches, water polo games, yoga, meditation, or head out to the lagoon and snorkel or kayak.

On a couple of days we ventured out of the resort, to check out Sigatoka and get some fruit from the market (we bought and ate our fill of bananas and papayas). But on the whole it was easy to spend days relaxing in the resort, pottering in our bure, reading by the pool, relaxing in the hammock, then sitting in a deckchair and contemplating the ocean.

I think I'm sold on the resort holiday. You wouldnt do it if you wanted to see a lot of sights, or feel proud of the fact that you're an intrepid traveller, but you would do it to rest and recharge, and I guess, to indulge. And I think Sydneysiders could learn something about relaxation from the Fijians.

23 sleeps to Christmas

 

We made an Advent Calendar to count down the days..... A mixture of charity, romantic, and Christmas traditions.

Safari

We spent four days in the Kruger National Park in South Africa.

"Amazing" doesn't begin to describe it. We saw lions, girafees, elephants, babboons and a whole range of other animals at close distance. Spotting game in their natural environment is such a different experience to seeing them in captivity.



I liked the giraffes the best.


This lioness was lying on the road when we drove up to her. Behind her was the male. Both were unfazed by the traffic.

December wrap up ...... the month that was

Christmas has come and gone, and I am a little bit sad. I have a definite nostalgia for Christmas. I love the lead up to Christmas Day. Every year I put up the tree, and decorate (admittedly, in a rudimentary way). I walk around the stores and streets and admire the lights and decorations. I like the individual efforts of residents who put lights in the front of their homes.

It's only when I am in a hurry and trying to dash into the shops for bread and milk that I get annoyed at the season - the impossibly long queues and a shortage of parking. And I hear too many stories of people completely stressed out rushing about "getting ready", feeling obliged to max out their credit cards and excessively buy presents that are usually not needed by the receiver. (But enough said, this is hardly an original sentiment). Apart from the shopping side of things, I love the season for the memories I have as a child of great family Christmasses, and for the anticipation in the air and the goodwill that seems to be in greater supply this time of year.

Today I'll take the tree down, and I'm reflecting on the past two weeks.




Christmas Eve we had drinks at RM's place. R had organised a 9 litre magnum of champagne. The warm evening was a good backdrop for chilled champagne and sushi. As the evening went on, more and more bottles appeared and everyone got a little more mellow over time.

Christmas Day itself was lovely. It was a fairly quiet one in the morning as J and I opened presents in my apartment. But the day rapidly became more festive with a visit to the cousins in the afternoon for a late lunch.

My relatives are fantastic cooks, and surprise, surprise, there was an abundance of food. While we had traditional Aussie Christmas fare like prawns and ham, we also enjoyed chicken curry, glutinous rice with mushroom, fried rice, a Spanish dish with mince and eggs and a whole host of other delights.

On Boxing Day, J and I went to Mosman to see the start of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race. We had a favourite picked, and periodically checked on her progress on the Yachtracker on the internet.

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Last Saturday, J and I went kayaking in Bundeena, a suburb about an hour south of Sydney and part of the Royal National Park. There were too many speedboats and jetskis for our liking (probably because of the holiday period) but otherwise a nice spot. We hired my kayak for 4-5 hours, but after about 3 hours as we were making our way back, the wind came up against us. So what was meant to be a leisurely paddle became very hard work, especially for me in my rented kayak that was shaped more like a bathtub. I was well and truly worn out at the end of the day!

APEC Stunt

Well, true to form, the boys from the Chasers War on Everything delivered. As a stunt, they dressed a motorcade with Canadian flags, and infiltrated the restricted area in the CBD locked down as part of the APEC security, getting past at least one police checkpoint. Julian Morrow was dressed as a security agent, and Chas Licciardello was dressed as Osama bin Laden. Police superintendent Ken McKay said "it wasn't funny". On the contrary, Ken, its hilarious. I chuckled all the way home. Good on you, boys.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/apec/chaser-team-charged/2007/09/06/1188783378804.html

Facebook

Had brunch with DR today (making use of my Monday off), and he extolled the virtues of Facebook. I'd been initiated into it a couple of weeks ago by BT, but not done much with it. So I went home today, and logged into my account and tweaked it. Now I think I may be hooked.

More Home Improvements

On Saturday, some blinds went up. And this time I succeeded in drilling and installing the brackets myself.

Home Improvements

Well, this month, the apartment has had a few adjustments, with the help of Mum and Dad providing some much-needed motivation and ideas. Uncle C came over and helped me put up a curtain rail and I replaced the vertical blinds in the bedroom with some nice blockout curtains, finally! A nice Ikea cabinet hides the shoes (Dad's suggestion, thanks Dad!)in the entrance and a few funky white wall shelves above the cabinet provide some extra places for photos to be displayed. The place is slowly coming together, with the help of Bunnings and Ikea - a homeowners' best friends.

Bridgeclimb!

Monday 13th August
I have often thought that the Sydney Harbour Bridgeclimb was a very touristy thing to do. But as J's parents are visiting, and his mother, H, really wanted to climb our city's iconic metal structure, I decided I'd come along. The three of us were booked in for the 10.55am tour on Monday morning, and were there bright and early in anticipation. While H was more worried about the climbing aspect, I was apprehensive about not being able to go to the bathroom for 3 and a half hours, and took precautions - I didn't drink for a couple of hours before. J was relaxed and looking forward to it.

An hour long safety briefing (including getting us kitted in our grey jumpsuits with everything (fleece, glasses etc attached to us). Then we were out and onto the bridge. Our climb leader, Matt was friendly and helpful. No one was rushed along, which was good as after a while, our legs felt the toll of all the climbing. Lots of photo ops. But they don't let you bring your own camera. Matt took pictures of us in at various points, designed to allow for a variety of backdrops. All in all, we enjoyed fantastic views, and the experience of being on top of the city, made it an entirely worthwhile expedition, even for resident Sydneysiders!

The Meeting

Tuesday 7th May
Well, so tonight the two sets of parents met, over tender steaks (wagyu beef, and Angus rump steaks) in Kingsleys Steakhouse in Lime St. Great food, and attentive service. A decent drop of wine too. The views of Darling Harbour were a bonus. The two mothers talked at length about travel experiences, while the two dads were quieter and tucked into their meals. The evening passed without awkward silences, no one brought up taboo subjects and neither mother disclosed embarrassing childhood stories of their respective offspring. So all in all, a pleasant and successful evening. Whew!

Parents visiting

Only a couple of hours before Mum and Dad arrive. The place has never been subjected to so much cleaning in such a short space of time! And in a few days, Mum and Dad will meet J, and then J's parents. Nervewrecking stuff!! Stay posted.

Melancholia

Sometimes I think, as I did today, "What is the point of it all?" We work our guts out, and to what end? We don't have enough time to enjoy the money we earn, and if we opt out of the ratrace, we run the risk of worrying about having financial stability and security. I think of that old British comedy "The Good Life" in which the main characters decide the main breadwinner of the household will resign and they'll grow vegetables in their suburban garden. One side of me applauds them, "Good on them!" The cynical side of me thinks, "well, that's fine for them, since they don't have children to support" (which brings me to my next topic, see below). An old school friend of mine, FF, has recently decided to quit the safe 9 to 5 job and pursue a fulltime career in photography, a decison I really admire. Perhaps I'm just envious I don't have that level of conviction!

Maybe I'm having these thoughts because GF rang today and asked if I wanted to sail for 5 days at the end of August, bringing a yacht down from Queensland. My first thought was "Brilliant" followed quickly by "Can I afford the time off?". Even as I ruminated, my feet were itching for saltwater and I could taste the sea air.

Children. I had a bite with some colleagues the other night. Four women, and none of us have children. One bemoaned the fact that once friends have babies, it changes everything. Those friends then become out of circulation. As more and more of our respective circles have additions to their families, it becomes harder and harder to find a mate who'll come out for a drink on a Saturday night, or do the Sydney Film Festival or go for a bike ride on a Sunday afternoon. Don't get me wrong, (this addressed to my friends who have children), I think your kids are gorgeous. I think the things they say are adorable. I'm thrilled for each and everyone of you at the news of a pregnancy. And of course we understand children change everything, and its not just possible to drop everything and go to the movies at the drop of a hat. But then, what's a childless gal to do?????

I think I've found my own answer: Go sailing off the Queensland coast for 5 days.

Ants in My Sleeping Bag

Saturday 12th May
J and I went camping at The Basin campground in Pittwater on Saturday night. It's the perfect place for a quick getaway. Only about an hour from the CBD, and accessible by Palm Beach Ferry or a 2.85km walk, which is long enough trek to deter carboot campers. Add a steep slope leading to the campsite and it means that its not likely to be overrun with campers. But with drinking water available, and a toilet and shower block (ok, so cold showers only), it's luxury by camping standards. Home comforts featured in our meals too. We feasted on couscous and Thai chicken curry for dinner. Breakfast the next morning consisted of bacon and eggs on English muffins, and coffee.

The campsite backs onto a hill, and on the other side, its framed by the water. At night, looking up at the stars, you feel a million miles from the city. You fall asleep listening to the faint sound of waves. Definitely worth another visit soon.

The History Boys

Tuesday, 8th May
A last minute decision to watch "The History Boys" at 9.20pm on a Tuesday night, was a fortuitous one. I thoroughly enjoyed it. A story of 8 boys in their final year facing exams with the hopes of entering Oxford and Cambridge, and the various teachers charged with the tasks of preparing them for the exams, and/or for life. (Yes, there are shades of "Dead Poets Society" in this). They're clever, bright, cheeky lads, and a delight to watch. They're also very fond of their unorthodox English master Hector. The toffee English accents added to the sharp, crisp dialogue. Well worth seeing.

More Birthday Celebrations

Rice paper rolls, duck and lychee martinis.

I really enjoy cooking Asian food these days. Last night I cooked dinner for friends to celebrate my birthday. I'd invited 6 people to sup, and had decided early on that tonight's menu was going to be Asian and would feature rice paper rolls.

Because I had to work yesterday, and dropped by another birthday celebration, I didn't get to start cooking till 5pm. Even with J as sous chef, and the purchase of a duck (cheating slightly!), we had to bustle a little to get everything ready. J reminded me to stay calm.

Guests started arriving from 7.30pm, and when M appeared with the vodka and lychee liquer, I started to make a batch of lychee martinis. HC protested at the amount of vodka I sloshed into the cocktail shaker, so she diplomatically offered to take over and soon we had a round of martinis to get the dinner party started. By the time we sat down to our Vietnamese rice paper rolls I was turning slightly red.

Mains were egg noodles with shredded duck and shiitake mushrooms, beef salad with green papaya (with one variation - duck substitution for a beef-allergic guest), and duck pieces and rice. Noodles are a traditional Chinese birthday dish as they represent long life. HS obligingly grated a mountain of palm sugar, and we finished with sago gula melaka (sago pudding).

We didn't end up opening any wine as those drinking voted for more lychee martinis. Suitably relaxed by the alcohol, the conversation became quite mellow and candid (but retained a degree of respectability!). We moved from food science to the removal of facial hair to the chemicals in shampoo to stories of various people falling out of bed.

I think 6 to 8 people is a good number for dinner. Enough bodies so that people get to meet someone new, enough perspectives to make it interesting. More than that and its a challenge to cook for everyone. Note to self: plan another dinner party soon. One of my 50 things to do in 2007.

Birthday Celebrations

On the 21st, J brought me to Sailor's Thai, a chic Thai restuarant in The Rocks. We sat downstairs, which appeared to be an original sandstone building renovated and updated. We deliberated over the delectable menu for a while, and since we're indecisive types, and we like our food a lot, we decided on the tasting menu, which will give us portions of 6 to 7 dishes, and dessert. "Excellent choice" says the waiter. He'd said they were small portions, so we were pleasantly surprised to be presented with quite generous servings of our choices. The flavours were delicate and well-balanced. A favourite was the roast duck with longan salad.

A fantastic night - scrumptious food, great ambiance, wonderful company. And to top off our evening, an unexpected sighting of Leo Sayer enjoying a meal in the restaurant, flanked by two lovely ladies.

Expedition to Cottage Point

It's Monday once more, hooray! It's my day off. I went sailing, as I haven't been out on the water for a while. Yesterday, J and I were out at Clifton Gardens, anear Balmoral Beach, having a cup of tea and I saw lots of yachts out. This prompted me to call the club and book in for a sail. And today, it was perfect weather for it too. I was allocated to a yacht with GS, GE and S. We had about 8 -12 knots to begin with, and we sped rapidly towards Lion Island. Coming back, we saw whitecaps (white peaks on the tops of waves) forming - an indication of the wind picking up even more. All in all an exhilarating sail.

Afterwards, I drove up to Cottage Point to see if there was a nice restaurant to bring Mum and Dad to when they visit. There was the Cottage Point Inn, accessible by road (involving some steps) or ferry. At the Cottage Point kiosk I ordered a coffee and sat down to read, but soon found myself in an interesting conversation with a fellow-coffee drinker who asked about sailing lessons (he saw the sailing club logo embroidered on my T-shirt). I had been reading Ian Irvine, and he recommended books by Ricardo Pinto and the movie "Wit". I recommended he further his interest in sketching and painting. I'd like to think we enriched each other's lives in some tiny way. Will check out Pinto and "Wit".

Dunedin

10th April 2007
A leisurely day in Dunedin awaits. After a hearty breakfast, we took in the Otago Museum, walked through the University of Otago to admire the buildings, sauntered through the Botanic Gardens then trudged uphill the World's Steepest Street, Baldwin Street.

Day 4 of the Otago Central Rail Trail Cycle Trip

9th April 2007 - Hyde to Middlemarch



Our transport out of Hyde wasn't till 4 or 5pm, and we got dropped off at Hyde at 9am, so we had plenty of time. We lazed in the sun at Hyde checking our text messages and drinking coffee. When we felt ready we set off, noticing how the landscape became flat and open again, a change from the gorges and slopes of the past two days. Hyde to Middlemarch was mostly downhill, and we were exuberant as we took in the landscape that passed around us without too much effort.



At Hyde, we settled ourselves in the garden of the Kissing Gate Cafe where we devoured our lunch, ordered coffees and teas over 3 hours. We read magazines and played Hangman. It was a very relaxing end to the ride.

At 4pm, we said our goodbyes. J and I went onto Dunedin, the others were going back to Queenstown. The Dunedin-bound travellers got onto the Taieri Gorge Railway, a scenic rail ride and a fitting end to our tour of Otago. We ended up in the beautiful train station in Dunedin and wheeled our luggage to 97 Motel, in the heart of Dunedin. Back to city life after 4 glorious days in the country!

We had to have Chinese for dinner. After this many days of steaks, I was craving Asian food again.

Day 3

8th April 2007 - Ranfurly to Hyde

For a change, we started the day with a tour of the local area. George, a local venison farmer, does tours as a sideline. He took us to St Bathans, an old gold mining town, where we admired the beautiful Blue Lake.


Blue Lake

Then onto Naseby where we tried our hand at curling.



Another delicious packed lunch from Jan which we enjoyed in a scenic picnic spot, then we were ready to start riding.

We only had to do 33kms today, so it was much easier than yesterday's ride. We had a little more time to look around and admire the scenery. I loved the backdrop of the mountains around us. Being out here brings such a feeling of freedom.

M got a puncture, which took a little time, but even then we still made it to Hyde just after 4pm. We were driven to Stanley's Hotel (built 1882). There were only 4 other guests other than us, so we had a wing of the hotel to ourselves, and 5 rooms amongst the 6 of us. Newly renovated bathrooms too. Luxury!