tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88286487556621015002024-03-13T23:22:10.052+11:00SUNRISE ON THE BEATUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger178125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-27482730830538351102022-02-20T18:49:00.001+11:002022-02-20T18:49:04.034+11:002022 update<p>I thought on this lazy Sunday afternoon I would find time to post, what looks to be now, my yearly update.</p><p>Last we left it was June and we had entered what was to be a months long lockdown in Sydney. We've come through it for better or worse. My family and I were fine, and honestly I didn't mind being at home so much. I read at lot. Was on TikTok a lot. I had a lot time to think but then not put any of that thinking into practice.</p><p>I'll never have that kind of "time off", for lack of a better phrase, again. And hopefully if I ever it not be because of a pandemic. </p><p>I wish I had been more productive. Or saved money. Or completed something. I know that we're not living in ordinary times. We shouldn't have to be productive. Just sometimes I feel time is slipping away. Essentially 2 years have gone by where nothing, for me, has changed. Partly because of the pandemic and just, I don't, me and my inability to not procrastinate. </p><p>It's so strange to be in 2022 and still be the same. </p><p>So as we near the end of February (where did that come from?) I want to remind myself to just move forward. Even if it's just one step.</p><p>Also, another reason for this random life update. I have been loving all the study with me or desk inspo reels/ TikToks/vlogs. I have bought (probs not the best but it's cute) a mechanical keyboard and I just wanted to type something. </p><p>Stay safe!<br /><br />xxx L</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-48302257594146728282021-06-29T20:21:00.008+10:002021-06-29T20:26:31.128+10:00I get locked down...<p>Sydney, where I live, is currently in lockdown. This is, I think, Sydney's second lockdown. The first lockdown I worked through it so I didn't really feel it. We are on day 3 (maybe) of this lockdown. The news is doing my head in and people elsewhere, vaccinated people, are being quite smug. I never really bragged about how Australia dealt with COVID. It seemed like jinxing us. We were very lucky. Sydney especially. Melbourne and Victoria had a much longer lockdown to deal with. </p><p>Sydney has been for the better part of the pandemic been pretty normal. And really, I'd rather be here than elsewhere. In the scheme of things, less people died here than in other countries and to me that's a pretty important metric. So yes, people are going out in other countries right now, but I'm not envious of their case numbers or their death tolls. So with that perspective, I'm a bit whatever about this lockdown. Watching the news is quite stressful. It makes me anxious and I just think, for me, someone who still lives at home and pretty okay mentally, etc, I can deal with these two weeks quite easily. </p><p>I know that is not the case for everyone. Lockdowns can be difficult mentally, physically, financially. I think I'm okay but that doesn't mean everyone else is. Anyway, rant about that kind of over. </p><p>It's a race. We should get vaccinated. </p><p>For my peace of mind I'm going to try and avoid coverage comparing us to everywhere else because I am lucky to live here. Lucky to have had, for me, a pretty easy pandemic time.</p><p>I last blogged January 2020. So let's have an update. Nothing has really happened. The pandemic happened and it put off all plans I had to quit my job and travel in 2020. I'm still in the job I've had for ages and I just want to leave it but I'm currently not in a position to do so.</p><p>Recently, I've been such a consumer of TikTok which has introduced me to BookTok. My current favourite genre I'm reading is sports romance. And the content is a mix between amazing and eh, I could do that. So in this lockdown I've decided to just write something. I've always wanted to write. When I was much younger I would write in notebooks just random stories. Not very good. In high school I wrote some, in hindsight, self-indulgent stories for assignments. I keep trying to Nanowrimo but failing. But I'm at home for at least two weeks so I've decided to give it a go. I got to 300 something words so far and oh, writing is not as easy as thinking of an idea and daydreaming about it. Anyway, that's what I'm going to do. If it's readable I want to self-publish it ebook style.</p><p>I always thought self-publishing would be quite a task but it seems at least publishing an ebook isn't too difficult? I can cross off a dream of a childhood dream of mine. Something that I put off because I thought I wasn't good enough or talented or it was too hard. </p><p>One of the things that I've learned during this lockdown is to just stop procrastinating. Stop telling myself, yourself, I'll do it next. Sometimes there isn't a next time. Sometimes there's a global pandemic that stops you from doing that thing you kept putting off.</p><p>I say that but then don't put it into practice. So maybe by writing it out I'll hold myself more accountable.</p><p>Anyway, that's I guess my yearly update. I'm going to take this time to see if anyone I linked in the sidebar is still blogging. <br /><br />Stay safe!<br /><br />x L</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-2711135397689451102020-01-27T04:59:00.001+11:002020-02-01T02:28:21.013+11:002020 update<div style="text-align: justify;">
I feel like every year I say I'll blog more but then I don't. I think Twitter and Instagram have kind of made long form blogging redundant, which is a shame. For me, I have lost the art of writing because of the lack of long form writing in everyday life. I've also lost my attention span so I don't even concentrate on long reads or blog posts that I actually want to read.</div>
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Anyway, I was going to just set all the posts to private. The photos on this blog are hosted on flickr and flickr, if you don't have a paid pro account, limits the total number of free photos you can upload. I have been paying monthly for the pro account because I thought that my photos on this blog would disappear without it. So far though it seems okay. I mean, if the images start to disappear I'm just going to set them to private. The posts are years old and the information is not current. This reminds me of all the photos I've lost when uploading to photobucket or twitpic. Like, they're gone. I imagine they're on the old mobile phones I have but I don't even know for sure. So that's an update. I do want to blog more. Time will tell if it's here or somewhere else. New year, new me, is what I tell myself every year. lolz.</div>
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Happy 2020!</div>
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x L</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-42399704457010867252018-03-08T22:54:00.001+11:002018-03-24T12:39:46.242+11:002018 UPDATEOkay. So I thought about it. I was considering moving the blog and then starting a whole new blog under another name but now that I've had a very long time to think about it, I'm going to stick with this one and revive it.<br />
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So there. If anyone was wondering. :)<br />
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x LUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-41724609838602988282016-01-25T00:16:00.000+11:002017-04-16T14:05:06.705+10:003 days and 2 nights in TokyoI love Japan. I used to be obsessed with a Japanese boyband, Arashi (I still follow them but not at the same level as before) and it made me study Japanese at university and made me want to visit Japan. I've been to Japan previously in 2009 for around 2 weeks. I didn't think it'd be 4 years until I made another trip. <br /><br />For this Tokyo trip I was on my own the whole time. I'm glad that I had the experience of travelling there and knowing some Japanese so it made travelling on my own just that little bit easier.<br /><br />I arrived at Narita Airport. I had bought the Suica and Narita Express package, which I don't think they still have. It includes a SUICA card which is their version of a transport card and a round trip ticket to the airport.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5546/11366144925_dd5c1d32c5_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3696/11366319133_322366ae5c_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3688/11366347033_a8cb06eab5_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />My first stop that day, after the hotel and showering and a nap, was Harajuku. I wore boots which was a mistake. Feet were killing me by the end of the day.<br /><br /><center><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3823/11366235605_b767ce9afa_z.jpg" width="427" height="640" alt="Untitled"></center><br />Takeshita Street, always full of people. <br /><br /><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7410/11366325645_4e3b51cc79_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />It is also famous for all its unofficial idol shops.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3781/11366093825_93b61ed4a4_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />Also, famous for its crepes, which I didn't eat this time around.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5550/11366760004_6c32c88ee9_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />Once you get out of the street, you take a right and you'll find Tokyu Plaza, which was gorgeous. Look at the mirrors.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3675/11116834576_1d09602bfa_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3697/11366580005_e6a0768246_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />I kept on walking towards Omotesando. Look how gorgeous those autumn leaves are?<br /><br /><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5518/11366606034_73b2eae1e2_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />I couldn't figure out where the closest train station was so I ended up walking, in boots that I had not broken in, from Harajuku to Omotesando to Shibuya. My feet were dying.<br /><br /><center><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5491/11366447696_c251a9855e_z.jpg" width="427" height="640" alt="Untitled"></center><br />Shibuya station at night. I found a bench to sit on and rest my feet and to see if there was any Wi-Fi available. There was not. <br /><br /><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5476/11367102606_b247b8e57b_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />I walked around Shibuya trying to find a place to eat that didn't have a line and that wasn't packed.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3781/11367371794_b7875b250c_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3785/11367321426_211be3e61c_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2874/11367338534_ed6dbfed41_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />I walked by a much more traditional looking ramen joint but that seemed pretty packed. This one was too but it was bigger. So like you see on TV you order pressing the relevant buttons on the machine. After you put in your money, the machine spits out tickets that you put on the table where you're sitting. You don't have to talk to a person really at all.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3723/11367104074_b4474c0ace_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2837/11367122246_b60e47d3e0_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />I then walked around Shibuya until I was so tired that I went back to the hotel and crashed. Hard. <br /><br />Day 2!<br /><br />I was going to attempt to see Tokyo Skytree in Asakusa.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2890/11367669944_e966c6e653_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><center><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7433/11367615776_8abb8f2404_z.jpg" width="427" height="640" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5496/11367561745_e2fd2dfd72_z.jpg" width="427" height="640" alt="Untitled"></center><br />I thought I was getting there pretty early but no, the lines were massive. So I viewed it from the outside but lucky for me at least there were shops inside. <br /><br /><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5540/11367674796_1b60bcfa91_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />On the way back from Tokyo Skytree I stumbled across an excellent tonkatsu restaurant for lunch.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7390/11367852143_493cafa996_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5529/11367851784_b621ef014b_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />Best tonkatsu I ever had. Crunchy on the outside and very tender on the inside. <br /><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3743/11367829634_ce0766d39d_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2885/11367777106_5c34028054_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Awesome tonkatsu"><br /><br />Since I was in the area I obviously had to visit Sensoji, a famous temple in Asakusa. Passed this skyline on the way.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2855/11143780255_1f7974411b_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5535/11367836703_2d574c4fc4_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7440/11367859905_4a9b8aeebc_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />I still don't know what flavour this soft serve is but it was good.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3810/11380076334_eaaff7afc9_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3746/11367976605_0d0f751af1_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />From Asakusa I walked towards Kappabashi, also known as Kitchen Town. It sells a whole bunch of kitchen goods as well as those very realistic meal displays.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3757/11493466435_a274c6a125_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7309/11493628866_fb45e62783_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="So many coffee things"><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3676/11380055946_3971ac72c9_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3697/11493551664_8917b2ffda_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />I then headed off to Akihabara and just bummed around aimlessly for a while in Yodobashi Camera (I was so tired at this point) then took the train back to Shibuya.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7321/11494271424_c256f83298_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Shibuya!"><br /><br />By this point I was thinking, "Oh no, souvenirs." I headed to Tokyu Hands, a store full of various different things from stationery to costumes to kitchenware. The stairs had these calorie labels on them to show you how much you're burning as you take the stairs level by level.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5489/11494231465_462ebb7c0b_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />These were very freaky. Who asked for this?<br /><br /><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5548/11494234094_1725ff0f3a_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="These are like the creepiest Christmas masks ever"><br /><br />Right at the top of Tokyu Hands was a cafe which is where I had my dinner and finally sat down and used the store's free Wi-Fi to check Twitter and Instagram and use WhatsApp. This is also some fancy looking curry.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5496/11169981506_f1e192337b_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />As I was leaving it started to rain. I called it a night and headed back to the hotel.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2806/11169966865_82d4ccaa13_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />Day 3!<br /><br />Last day in Tokyo. I headed back to Harajuku to do some last minute shopping.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2885/11170215826_1d11dfee1c_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3683/11170273595_66bc759727_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />Then to Kiddy Land at Omotesando. It's a toy store that is potentially creepily named. In 2013, Funasshi, that yellow mascot thing, was super popular and everywhere.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3734/11170566393_437cd6af37_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />And so was Attack on Titan.<br /><br /><center><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3814/11170427126_dd40385bf0_z.jpg" width="427" height="640" alt="Untitled"></center><br />I have no idea what they're lining up for. Probably food. I saw lots of lines for food.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5484/11170521644_ff97037711_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />I was taking a photo of the pretty tree-lined street and this guy, I didn't realise til later, was staring right at me. What a side eye.<br /><br /><center><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7309/11150249936_269cab7ee0_z.jpg" width="427" height="640" alt="Untitled"></center><br />As I've mentioned before (and I'm sure I have) I was a big fan of a Japanese boyband called Arashi. They're from a company referred to as Johnny's. Johnny's has a space in Shibuya called "Johnnys Family Club", which is just below street level. Practically hidden. I didn't go last time around but I somehow found it, in some sort of random alley on the other side of the Shibuya crossing.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5548/11117032683_bfa7149dbd_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />It's free and it basically has signed posters, awards, and messages from the groups in an unexpectedly small, atmosphere-less room. <br /><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3698/11144625116_13179791cc_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Johnnys Family Club, inside"><br /><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2846/11144471605_b60f0f328f_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5530/11144513404_7bb05fa3a8_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7378/11144562994_36c97a8b39_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />It was a little disappointing because I expected something flashier from one of the biggest companies in the country. <br /><br />Back to the Shibuya side that everyone knows.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5478/11143984973_952243fb0d_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3743/11143833705_cd8ebddf84_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />Then back to Narita. I booked my ticket back to the airport at a certain time and I was so paranoid that I'd miss it that I rushed and arrived much too early for it. But better safe than sorry.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3791/11494893626_9455c56178_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />Final meal in Japan. I hadn't had any sushi while in Tokyo. Blasphemy. <br /><br /><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2833/11495054515_d6b71edffc_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />Drinks from the convenience store while waiting for flight. Grape chuhai (flavoured alcohol drink made with shochu which is I guess best described as a spirit) and strawberry milk.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3688/11494984984_21edc288aa_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Last drinks at the airport!"><br /><br />Beer on the plane. Best.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5539/11495034563_cef665e349_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="BEER on ze plane!"><br /><br />As you can see I mostly went to places I've been before, for the most part, in this trip to Tokyo. Next time I'm going to venture out more because Tokyo is massive and I'm obviously missing out.<br /><br />***<br /><br />And that's it! I'm a terrible procrastinator and blogger. Don't be like me. Be like better bloggers XD<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-67429895501705901122016-01-22T17:07:00.000+11:002017-04-16T14:05:06.764+10:00Korea - Day 9The end of these series of travel posts from November 2013 is near! Am terrible procrastinator.<br /><br />***<br /><br />Day 9 was my last full day in Korea. I hadn't really spent too much time in Seoul since I was mostly travelling to visit friends in other parts of Korea. As my last full day in Korean and also Seoul I aimed to visit the major tourist attractions. Miraculously not hungover, I had cup ramen and instant coffee for breakfast and headed to Changgyeonggung Palace. <br /><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3672/11364196865_87aa89a57a_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2853/11364216096_f9f56cc49e_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3771/11364364855_89ea6445bf_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3712/11364423176_3ff2c089c2_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><center><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3719/11364796226_9fb110560f_z.jpg" width="427" height="640" alt="Untitled"></center><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5471/11364581123_d61ba1479e_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2852/11364411805_a22d6dedc6_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><center><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2878/11364441676_012630e659_z.jpg" width="427" height="640" alt="Untitled"></center><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7299/11364493645_14c476b969_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><center><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2808/11364742025_86cd3cd755_z.jpg" width="427" height="640" alt="Untitled"></center><br />My feet hurt a lot from walking around the palace and its gardens and thus a coffee break was deserved. Also, I needed to find a power point to recharge all the things. I found an actual Korean Tom N Toms and had another subpar coffee. Ah, well.<br /><br /><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2847/11364918184_e324b97934_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />On the way back to the train station I spotted some Australian faves.<br /><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7434/11364932054_d58a508a85_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5534/11364904995_35c0242043_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />My next stop was actual Seoul metro to see Gyeongbokgung Palace which, from my experience there, one of the most popular tourist destinations.<br /><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3703/11365063773_0c567b7f4a_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />By this time of the day I was tired and just felt obligated to see the palace because it's what a tourist should do. As such, I was so tired of taking photos of anything.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3833/11365541256_e41655e8ce_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3683/11097293825_611879122d_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7341/11097364194_a97730c83f_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7299/11097237075_5d1bc1d05b_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7365/11097298436_6c79b3fbe0_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />I was so tired after this and I had a fail attempt to see Namsan Tower. The line to get up to it was very long and it wasn't going to happen. My friend who was with me who came up to Seoul for my last night booked a hotel. I had to catch an airport bus and I was worried the bus from my friend's apartment where I was staying would make me late for my flight. Hence the hotel booked closer-ish to the airport. I decided to pull an all nighter which in hindsight was terrible. I was brain dead on the way to the airport and wrecked for the next day.<br /><br />I made my friend go on a middle of the night trip to the Han River, Seoul's main river. It was close to 0 degrees Celsius and I was not wearing enough clothes but I hadn't seen the river yet and despite it being the middle of the night I wanted to see it.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3723/11365955485_e4225d05d4_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />Totally worth it, right? Totally visible. <br /><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3797/11365887705_c9beb9012d_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Snacks by the Han River"><br /><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7422/11366016596_3dcb1dd239_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />We ate some snacks by the river and tried not to freeze to death. Took the taxi back to the hotel before the early morning, I think 5am-ish, bus. FYI, if you catch this bus have the correct money because they do not have change. I didn't have enough on my T-Money either. The Japanese lady waiting in line behind me was nice enough to give me smaller bills for my money. Lucky I was so tired and out of my mind to be embarrassed about it. I had other things to be embarrassed about. At the airport I dropped my strawberry milk (while waiting in the incorrect line and place to return my Wi-Fi device) and it made a mess everywhere and I just quickly left the area.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7417/11366172936_a551cc0706_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />Last photo from Korea is the plane! I took a Japan Airlines flight from Seoul to Tokyo. <br /><br />Overall, I really enjoyed my trip to Korea. Next time I go I hope to go for a longer time and if not a longer time just to be in one city longer. I definitely didn't see everything I wanted to see in Seoul and I didn't get to hang out with the friend I stayed with in Seoul for that long either. I did get quite lonely when I was by myself but also, I was pretty chuffed that even when I was by myself I could somehow manage to get around pretty well. <br /><br />And after 2 years, the Korea part of these series of posts is done! Up next my short trip to Tokyo!<br /><br />To Be Continued!<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-18326131532772857372016-01-14T18:15:00.000+11:002017-04-16T14:05:06.812+10:00Ah, yes, bloggingI'm terrible at this blogging thing. After the initial enthusiasm, my interest waned. Like my interest with a lot of things. I get obsessed with one thing then suddenly drop it for another. <br /><br />But 2016 is here and I've resolved to blog. A little. A lot. Who knows. But at least blog because I need other hobbies than just being on the internet. <br /><br />Just did a general refresh of the blog. I don't know if I'll keep this font. Looks massive. (ETA: I hate all the fonts available. Open sans looks good to me right now).<br /><br />Anyhoo, onwards and upwards in all things in 2016 for all of us!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-71629049819761791452015-05-22T14:58:00.000+10:002017-04-16T14:05:06.968+10:00Korea - Day 8I am determined... (Long time, no blog).<br /><br />***<br /><br />I last left last year with Day 7 of my late 2013 Korea/Japan trip. We are up to day 8! Huzzah!<br /><br />My friend is an English teacher in Korea so we were both up early. He had to go to work and I had to catch a bus back to Seoul. <br /><br />First things first, catching the bus to the bus terminal.<br /><br /><center><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5510/11305783526_bc368ac925_z.jpg" width="427" height="640" alt="Untitled"></center><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5538/11305796934_143e69bcd8_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />I actually had to stand because it was quite full of students on their way to school.<br /><br /><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2890/11305755186_50214f1024_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />Entry to the bus terminal. You have to go to a ticket counter to buy the ticket. I wanted to catch a later bus to Seoul so I had time to grab a coffee (it turned out to be terrible coffee and perhaps not worth the extra few minutes). This was difficult to convey with my limited Korean and the lady ended up showing me the screen and I pointed to which bus I wanted to take.<br /><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7344/11362985004_4544c94801_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />The aforementioned coffee and my bus ticket. Buses like these, as compared to the normal, local buses, have assigned seating. I was seated next to a middle-aged Korean man who kept trying to talk to me, which I didn't want because I wanted to sleep. At the time I found it creepy (he put his email address into my phone) but I suppose he wanted to practise his English? Either way, when we alighted from the bus in Seoul I made sure to walk a different path to the exit than him at the bus terminal.<br /><br />By the time I got to Seoul it was nearing lunch time. One of the things I had planned to do while in Korea was to try out a restaurant that a friend had recommended.<br /><br />The restaurant was in Apgujeong which is a particular rich area of Seoul and also home to lots of K-Pop entertainment agencies. <br /><br /><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2889/11362924005_7c2a911050_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7301/11363075713_cc71cbeb08_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />For lunch, on my lonesome, I ate at <b><a href="http://www.hanilkwan.co.kr/">Hanilkwan</a></b>. A pretty fancy Korean restaurant.<br /><br /><center><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2890/11363423043_dd03cf8164_z.jpg" width="427" height="640" alt="Untitled"></center><br />As you walk in the lobby walls are full of autographs of famous Korean people. I don't know who a lot of them are. The middle, bottom one is SNSD's Jessica. (Or rather, I guess, Jessica formerly of SNSD?)<br /><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3785/11363337614_01d095927f_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />First things first, side dishes. They couldn't all fit into the shot and I was the only tourist it seemed because no one else was taking photos.<br /><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5477/11363272433_4a39c5a0da_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />And these were my favourite. Some sort of pancake.<br /><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7399/11363170126_992942be24_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />And the main was my favourite of all the Korean meats, galbi.<br /><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5521/11363086605_54e3e3b661_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />And this was my attempt at having it all.<br /><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5499/11363373283_3512cafc2e_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />And this modest dessert to finish it off. I'm not sure what it was exactly.<br /><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5492/11363251145_31769aabcb_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />After a coffee break, getting my nails done and general wandering around I headed back to my friend's place.<br /><br /><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2842/11363523023_c23d196067_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />Passed by Tous Les Jours for a coffee and to just look at some pretty nice bread.<br /><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7305/11363321865_a7a4193381_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3747/11363442526_c7b9b5aee3_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7407/11363482164_3e6a9e204f_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />In almost freezing weather (it got down to actual 0 degrees Celsius and I was not wearing enough clothes) I headed to Dongdaemun which is famous for its markets and its gate.<br /><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5523/11363583446_c7ed34643f_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7324/11363697143_a20b786dcc_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />The fried and battered chips on a stick was excellent and inventive. We need those.<br /><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3689/11363501125_349043d290_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />I met up with a couple of friends and we headed to Hongdae. A popular and trendy district in Seoul which we arrived at too late. Everyone was headed back down the tunnel to catch the last trains home. My friends and I had booked a room to stay overnight in neighbouring Myeongdong so we wouldn't have this problem.<br /><br /><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2879/11363750946_b105df1d70_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />At the time (in 2013) the Egg Bread street food was pretty popular. Kept seeing it pop up on blogs and instagram and twitter. Fluffy and warm which was perfect for a cold night out.<br /><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5474/11363775076_515a30e6da_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7432/11363823776_46e774447b_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />We ended up, for some reason, at an Irish pub. The staff were really lovely. We kept holding our phones to ceiling to Shazam songs and the staff would either turn it up louder or write the song on a piece of paper and hand it to us.<br /><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7414/11363660535_bbd376fb74_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7385/11364107373_022f33a245_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Baby Guiness"><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3762/11363949825_999ddbbbcd_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Baby Guiness"><br /><br />Long island iced tea and something else. One my friends vomited and the last few hours of the night are a bit sketchy to me. <br /><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5526/11363950026_1080dedd2a_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Cocktails"><br /><br />We also ordered popcorn to soak it all up. Futile attempt.<br /><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5546/11363885095_70c8773e39_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Popcorn"><br /><br />We then caught a taxi back to our hotel and we just knocked out. <br /><br />And this should be for Day 9 but I feel it's relevant. Cup ramen and coffee. Food of hangover champions.<br /><br /><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3799/11364061576_101b9f8276_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />To Be Continued!<br /><br />(Hopefully sooner rather than later!)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-36027667154827320602014-11-09T07:30:00.000+11:002017-04-16T14:05:06.992+10:00Korea - Day 7It is with renewed enthusiasm that I start to put together this post! Day 7! Over halfway there!<br /><br />***<br /><br />As you've probably gathered I have, or had in 2013, a few friends who taught English in Korea. One of them lives and teaches in Cheongju which is a couple of hours bus ride from Seoul. I think, from memory. It's not close.<br /><br />I was planning just to make a day trip of it because it was a weekday and I didn't want him to have to put up with me when he had work the next day but he didn't he mind so overnight trip!<br /><br />To get to Cheongju required catching the train to the bus terminal in Seoul then a bus from Seoul to Cheongju. It cost 8, 800 won which is about maybe 10 bucks for an over 100 kilometre trip.<br /><br />But first, breakfast! Or lunch. It was midday when I got to the bus terminal.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7438/11304048433_aeca43a334_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5482/11304080603_ccc010e947_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />You can't by the photo but that is pretty awesome soup on a cold day.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2877/11303917895_d36bed0434_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />My ticket to ride.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3682/11303925504_176693e129_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />I arrived at Cheongju at 3:30pm. Caught a taxi to his school. I told the taxi driver in Korean where I wanted to go but he tried to talk to me and I had no idea what was going on. He got me there and helpfully pointed out where the school was.<br /><br />The view of the school's playground from my friend's classroom.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3746/11303895834_7ccf3daa29_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3802/11304548464_3eec14fc61_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />This is the rewards chart my friend made for his classes. Designed like didgeridoos.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5483/11304480215_e28d26d3b1_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />The school. Seriously, out of KDrama. (Well, I suppose obviously, this is what schools look like in Korea.)<br /><br /><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2861/11304583105_48f4dcd3bd_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Bokdae Elementary School"><br /><br />Before we went out for dinner, my friend had to take his cat to the vet. What a nice looking place.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5522/11304523075_eceb96c086_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3709/11304510075_6689c4eb03_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7444/11305587855_952ea13ddb_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />And of course there's a Starbucks.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2893/11305567245_45861ba30f_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />A sweet potato vendor.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7337/11305612554_0378f522d2_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />It took until Day 7 of the trip to have Korean BBQ in Korea. My other friends after a year and bit in Korea were sick of Korean food. But not this guy!<br /><br /><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7344/11305622323_d01747b5ce_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />Also, how good is it to have meat at Korean BBQ that is not frozen. So good.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3798/11305599723_934ac4b1a8_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />What I also liked about this BBQ place, which is apparently common in Korean, is they have complementary Febreze you can use so your clothes don't stink. That kind of thoughtfulness was awesome.<br /><br />My friend then took me to a batting range in which I failed to hit any balls.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3943/15549708509_7dec6221cd_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />Afterwards we went to this pretty cool cafe (I guess you would call it that?) where they had random snacks and hookah. I was later informed that shisa is apparently like having hundreds of cigarettes, which is a shame because I liked it. But I care about my lungs and health and so never again, which is a shame because it was nice. <br /><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3779/11305653265_3dda32fed9_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><center><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5499/11305741174_4ed36a73db_z.jpg" width="427" height="640" alt="Untitled"></center><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7460/11305740286_90be9a4e41_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />Dropped by a convenience store to pick up snacks and drinks. All that leftover, discounted Pocky after Pocky day (11 November). Pocky Day is sort of like Valentine's Day for whatever reason.<br /><br /><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7425/11305850774_396775f193_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />Then dropped by an arcade to take sticker photos and do karaoke in a tiny little booth, which was awesome. We so should have these. One person karaoke wouldn't feel so bad in a room like this.<br /><br /><center><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5603/15115702164_c75c8d37bc_z.jpg" width="427" height="640" alt="Untitled"></center><br />Then walked back to friend's place while drinking beer. Oh, if we could only drink in the streets here. <br /><br /><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7384/11305771395_ea8131f4d8_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />One thing that surprised me that despite Cheongju being a relatively small town there was so much to do. Sydney, get your shizz together. There is nothing to do in my area at night. Like, nothing. Not even vending machines if I was peckish at some random time of night.<br /><br />To Be Continued!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-77780554154104528962014-11-08T10:59:00.000+11:002017-04-16T14:05:07.010+10:00Korea - Day 6So my aim is to get these posts from this 2013 trip done before it's the 1 year anniversary of this trip. Fingers crossed!<br /><br />***<br /><br />Day 6 of my trip begins early in the morning. Early for me, anyway. The friend I was staying with is an English language teacher and she had to get up early to walk to work. I decided instead of going straight to Seoul, as I had planned, I would walk with my friend to her school and hang around for a bit. I was quite excited to see where she works because I only ever hear, and not see, about their jobs. <br /><br />Her school was only a short walk from her apartment. We walked through autumn-leaved trees among a whole bunch of students of all ages. Elementary, high school and university students.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3695/11303215154_9c0b6a0fb4_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />This is my friend's school in Daegu. I love their playground. The athletic track is awesome. Every primary school should have one.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7411/11303141655_925fc33fb2_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Roaming the hallways.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5495/11303155426_be749f4ef5_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />I love these tiles. Love it.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5528/11303203953_864d534d52_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">We made a visit to the school nurse's room. My friend was in charge of organising gift bags for the children in a local orphanage. So we spent part of the morning handing out the empty gift bags for the teachers to fill up with gifts.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Untitled" height="640" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2893/11303116896_237db12c0f_z.jpg" width="427" /></div><br />Oh hey, me, in my friend's classroom.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3785/11303169323_742d519fb5_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />LOVE beyond words. That's my fave out of these.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3678/11303088396_c3d35a06a3_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />This is their school lunch and I sat awkwardly with the school principal and other teachers. They attempted to make conversation. I think this was their version of hayashi rice (which is sort of a beef stew type dish). Apparently, I was lucky to have lunch there on this day rather than the day before as the day before's lunch was not as good.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3743/11303091854_2a91e9c24e_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />My friend's colleague kindly drove me all the way to Dondaegu Station to catch the KTX back to Seoul. Not many pictures because I was so tired at this point and like, pretty over taking photos.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3947/15736916782_b4d6a27c4c_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />After I arrived back to where I was staying in Seohyun. I did laundry, ate cup noodles, drank beer (that giant beer I bought on Day 1) and watched some YouTube on my phone because laundry takes a long time. Then I decided to head out in zero degree weather (not wearing enough layers at all) to Dongdaemun because I knew it would be open until late.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7313/11303412236_27d64e7282_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3950/15115979303_616e49151f_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Untitled" height="640" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7396/11303377556_f47c5ebc74_z.jpg" width="427" /></div><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5475/11303306626_efb56b79f8_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br /><span style="text-align: center;">This whatever is made out of plastic bottles which I thought was pretty cool.</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="640" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5545/11303284606_4ce11340b6_z.jpg" width="427" /></div><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3744/11303230365_9fbcbf68ae_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />The actual gate at Dongdaemun. I didn't know (I know, ignorant) that Dongdaemun was the whole area. The markets. Everything. So I was walking around, in zero degree weather, looking for a sign that would point me to Dongdaemun. I realised it later. But then my enthusiasm had dropped as the temperature did.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5478/11303614476_a897c6a1a1_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Food tents. Like in the KDramas, you guys.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7408/11303663263_b3d41fab62_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />The upside of my freezing fail tour of Dongdaemun was stumbling across (well, it's not hard to miss) Cheonggyecheon River. I've seen photos of it in daytime, which were taken in summer and it looks like it'd be a lot of fun when it's warmer. I loved stepping across the stones to get to the other side. I love bodies of water so this was nice.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3731/11303519166_580681de48_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5542/11303475296_cffbf007a4_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3824/11303861384_b6896dacee_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Back to Seohyun. I didn't want to go back to the place I was staying yet. It was close to midnight but Angel-in-us Coffee was open 24 hours. I grabbed a not-so-great cup of coffee while warming up and trying to plan for the next day.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5518/11303816276_a68891c9ed_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5546/11303796446_837fa1634b_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3680/11303774196_6f08b1f2e6_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Then my friend messaged me and we went for chicken.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><img alt="Untitled" border="0" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3740/11303652605_1fdb6b3224_z.jpg" width="640" /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7454/11303777414_ec6106d016_z.jpg" width="640" /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7368/11303727696_6a06f00f86_z.jpg" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img alt="Untitled" height="640" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7363/11303776473_4190be84c2_z.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="427" /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And we didn't finish the chicken between the two of us so yay. Leftovers. It was about 1:30am and yeah, freezing. So back to the apartment for warmth and sleep!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To Be Continued!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">(Only maybe 6 more days to go! I will get this done. I will!)</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-36478745821538600572014-08-02T16:39:00.000+10:002017-04-16T14:05:07.033+10:00Korea - Day 5Long time, no blog! Soon it'll be a year since this trip and I won't even have posted everything! My motivation comes in waves. XD<br /><br />You may or may not recall that Day 4 in Korea, I travelled to Busan. On Day 5, we start in Busan again. I woke up at a reasonably early time because I was going visit a pretty famous temple in Busan. I had to check out of the hostel which meant I had my Sportsgirl duffle bag (if you're Australian or been to Australia you know what bag I'm talking about), which held my clothes and other essentials that didn't fit into my backpack with me, being all large and heavy.<br /><br />First stop was Paris Baguette for breakfast. Paris Baguette is similar I guess to Breadtop, basically. Except they also have, well at this one at least, coffee and other drinks and a place to sit to eat.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3757/11114534475_2158ff5205_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3802/11114546665_cdb8048609_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />That chef's hat. Fancy.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2888/11114753513_350ce1554f_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />My breakfast and my favourite item on their menu. I was using my 50mm f/1.8mm lens, hence all the blur.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5486/11114767323_2743443813_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />And a cafe latte. I think I've mentioned this before, but Korea doesn't do coffee well, in my opinion.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7399/11114586375_80b0b0deaf_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />I then made my way to the train station and I love that they have lockers there. I shoved my Sportsgirl bag in there, and attempted to remember where this set of lockers was. I was headed to <b><a href="http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264404">Haedong Yonggungsa Temple (해동 용궁사)</a></b>, a temple that overlooks the ocean.<br /><br />To get to Yongkung Temple I had to go back to Haeundae and catch a bus from there. You can use your T-Money on the bus to the temple. For some reason, I was a little unsure whether you could. I read that sometimes some areas of Korea don't accept T-Money and they have their own version of it. In my time in Korea I could the same T-Money on all transport. I got on this bus and I got a seat but then these older ladies got on the bus and with my rudimentary Korean I gave them my seat and told them to sit down. Someone soon vacated the seen and this older lady and I were trying to outdo each other with politeness, I guess. I was headed for the seat and then I saw the older lady and I was like "No, you sit down" and she was all like "No, you sit down" and this continued until she had to gently push me into the seat. I think she was being super nice because I was a tourist. And when I got off the bus and started walking the wrong way towards the temple and she nicely told me (I assumed, I couldn't understand and she pointed as well) that it was the other way.<br /><br />It's a little bit of an uphill walk from the bus stop to the temple. I was basically following other people who I assumed were headed in the same direction.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3689/11114656264_699b901d0f_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Stone statues line the path on your way into the temple.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3680/11114809603_4cbb250d15_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7333/11114824523_d2a17d50fa_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5515/11302754844_21829fa11f_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2867/11114696906_47ca6e849f_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />I don't know what these are but I like them.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2858/11114721914_b630283ebf_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />I like this photo but I'm a little upset that I didn't take the photo straight on.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7460/11114682695_89498eff78_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />I love all that intricate detail in the painting.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5476/11302580026_83845567dc_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7397/11116642373_1b5526d338_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7442/11114763956_3688d54d41_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3702/11302629543_75bbba16ab_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Look at that ocean. I love the ocean. I can barely swim but I love the ocean.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3696/11116577475_257252be7d_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7325/11302529864_0569362ac9_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3668/11302480446_d6a50985c0_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3784/11116804493_b42aebb9b4_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7434/11116539275_df5e2c4894_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Look how cute that bench is!<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3764/11302814323_29ce076bcd_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />This was my last day in Busan and I felt like I hadn't explore as much as I should. I think, if I ever travel to Korea again I would spend a longer time there. Apparently, summer in Busan is a lot of fun. Anyway, the last thing I decided to see while in Busan was Busan Tower. Because I love towers too.<br /><br />To get to the tower you have to either walk up the stairs or take the narrow escalator. At this point, my feet were killing me. Still in pain from the previous day so the less walking, the better.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3877/14432189639_04e68ae53c_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br /><center>And the tower!</center><br /><center><img alt="Untitled" height="640" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5474/11302717834_dafb120e17_z.jpg" width="427" /></center><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7418/11302740143_2588e33b97_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Surrounding the tour, anywhere there was space, were all these love locks and placards. It made everything look so pretty. So much colour!<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2938/14619101485_b8d8c5dca7_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2911/14432512949_117d87878e_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3846/14432689947_61426d596f_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5526/14432434020_518d408d82_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3858/14432458859_0082fba427_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Inside there were these awesome tiles with messages on them. I assume messages are in the same vein of the love locks and placards<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5586/14618481662_2653e17ff0_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3841/14432282279_5403eaf686_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />And the view from the tower. The city looks like Lego and miniature!<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3862/14618462322_6b0fc2a9f2_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5595/14615745831_731ab1b2f6_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2911/14432536967_f84ba83e3b_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3906/14616818254_b90c00eb57_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Then back to the station to head back to Daegu. And remember those lockers? I barely did. I did laps of the station looking at the numbers of almost every set of lockers before I could find mine. Took the KTX back to Daegu and was a little late to meet my friends in Daegu because I got off the wrong exit! Yay for Google Maps on phone. <br /><br />Then it was dinner time and we had samgyetang, ginseng chicken soup. Perfect for a cold night.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7361/11303062413_5e5ee449a4_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />And then giant tubs of ice-cream because we could.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5501/11303002724_2b3c73e077_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />I was staying the night at my friend's apartment in Daegu. Right near her apartment is a E-Mart, which is just an everything shopping centre.<br /><br />They had a wide selection of beer.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7379/11302957846_7e6faff817_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />And soju, for roughing $2 or less a bottle. What in the even.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7379/11302957846_7e6faff817_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />And then giant, plastic bottles of soju, for like 4 bucks.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5531/11302921456_d8470bc842_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Then back to my friend's apartment where she took me to the roof of her building. So dark and so late, we were a little freaked out.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7354/11302875335_dea45ffe01_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7327/11302852705_ddca6c18f0_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />To Be Continued!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-42100479957571322872014-05-20T07:00:00.000+10:002017-04-16T14:05:07.057+10:00Western Sydney Wanderers v Sanfrecce Hiroshima I'm slow to get on the bandwagon regarding the Wanderers. Late last year I attended 2 of their matches and I wasn't aware of them until recently. I do remember though, back in 2012, a friend of mine told me that he had taken some photos of the Wanderer's new overseas signing Shinji Ono. I had no idea that Western Sydney Wanderers had even started up that year. I'm not great with sports. <br /><br />Anyway, after watching the A-League Grand Final, where the Wanderers lost (and where I had my hands over my face and mouth screaming, so stessful), I recommitted to the team. Only then to realise that Shinji Ono was going to the leave the team after the current season. Then I found out that the Wanderers were still in the AFC Champions League and were flying off to Japan to play Sanfrecce Hiroshima and were then going to play them again in Parramatta the following week. And so, alone, I went. And I loved it. And I'm so happy I got to see not only Shinji Ono but Hersi and Polenz play for the Wanderers one last time. And they won. My favourite part was in extra time Hersi and Polenz had a corner and they were deliberating trying to get the ball kicked out to waste time. The best. Someone needs to gif that.<br /><br />At first, I was a little self-conscious sitting along but then I realised, no one actually cared. Then I got so into the game. Especially in the 2nd half when the Wanderers were trying to get that 2nd goal and then after they did, making sure that Hiroshima didn't score. Stressful!<br /><br />I only had my point and shoot camera with me, which for reference is the Samsung WB800F. The zoom is pretty good. The camera was on auto and did well most of the time.<br /><br />I was sitting in Row B, on the East side of the stadium. The players were so close!<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2923/14182195392_db69ffb8c2_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7445/14184813825_7e6c27cd84_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7382/14182207092_3c01676041_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7446/13998177090_e45b1461d2_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />After the game. Aww, the hugs.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5232/13998182227_1c532f94f4_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7435/14161679586_103bcf9a8e_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />I wonder if it'll be weird for the Wanderers to face former players who moved to a different club. Rumour has it Hersi is transferring to Perth Glory. Apparently, over money. I don't know the financial position of the club. It's only 2 years old and I think it's still owned by FFA (that's a big I THINK) (<a href="http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/western-sydney-wanderers-sold-20140529-zrrmx.html">EDIT 31/05/2014: They've been sold!</a>) so maybe they can't afford to keep players on? Which is a shame because I like to think that they loved being part of WSW but you know, monies.<br /><div><br /></div><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5034/14161690506_c3d5b29307_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Also, after the game captain Michael Beauchamp and his kid on the pitch. It was so cute and adorable. The kid made it all the way to the goal and people left in the stadium clapped, which was super nice of them.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7392/13998196859_c71c2d69cc_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5279/14205004033_8f769b3e43_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />So, Wanderers until next season. In the meantime, WORLD CUP! Yay for being a causal soccer/football watcher!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-89209879538443426662014-05-19T07:00:00.000+10:002017-04-16T14:05:07.106+10:00Korea - Day 4When I last left you, I was eating chicken in Daegu. That night I took the bus to my friend's house in Seongju which is a little country town near Daegu. I stayed overnight there and then left to go Busan for 1 night, 2 days. With a couple of stops along the way.<br /><br />If you've watched the Korean drama <i>Boys Over Flowers</i> then you may know that they filmed some of the high school scenes at Keimyung University, which is in Daegu. I went to the university but I hadn't seen <i>Boys Over Flowers</i> in such a long time that I didn't know which buildings were in the drama or not. But in any case, the campus is so pretty. Why can't we have such nice campuses like that.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7331/11096429314_c05ce8e739_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7455/11096456824_0526c2b3d1_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5484/11096568183_0095b2746c_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2869/11096662744_b2c430c912_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5516/11096611613_0370086b6c_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />And then I was back at Daegu KTX station to catch the KTX to Busan.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7397/11096639873_58d074529d_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><center><img alt="Untitled" height="640" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7334/11096464075_70f903b046_z.jpg" width="427" /></center><br />I had a coffee at one of the many cafes there and I believe this blackboard sign says you can borrow the charger to charge your phone while you sit and sip your coffee.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5510/11096480955_3c0478312e_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />One of my favourite things about Korea is the availability of beer in convenience stores. <br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3774/11096571356_00224cbb9f_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />And the Starbucks in a pre-packaged cup is also a fave.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2859/11096648854_22f11b7ae7_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Walnut cakes for the train ride. So good. Made fresh in store.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5487/11096679874_41528dfd20_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7399/11096589165_3718b6b395_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />Made it to Busan! Well, the station at least!<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3811/11096655955_75a94ed4e0_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5525/11096777324_777a0e980b_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Took the train from Busan station to Seomyeon station and then struggled to find the hostel. Google Maps was my saviour because for the life of me I didn't know how to follow the directions from the website. The hostel I stayed at was <b><a href="http://www.busanbackpackers.com/">Busan Blue Backpackers Hostel</a></b>. The room was clean, had a TV, fridge and a rather large sized bathroom. <br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2849/11096786506_79204733ba_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3802/11096800446_482937a0e1_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5498/11096680115_dc69dd99d0_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Once I checked in the first order of business was to buy some shoes because I only brought boots and flats with me. Flats were too thin for the weather and the boots were too painful to walk in for long periods of time. It took me forever to find an ABC Mart. <br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7382/11096761425_8aff7f6d89_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />But at least I got to walk around and see Seomyeon.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3685/11096777515_94ea4fd7fc_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5525/11096736115_7bc1fbd99a_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7364/11096792165_821e467a35_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Shoes bought I headed to Haeundae. I only know of because of that Korean movie of the same name, which was about a tidal wave that hit the town. It was kinda cold but a clear day. Was tempting to dip toes in the water but so much effort with the shoes and the socks and the rolling up of the pants.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7402/11096920294_15ac1f2bb6_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3740/11097048703_a820d87e9b_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3823/11096985046_2a5df23194_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3689/11097024984_de4315f31b_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7455/11097157816_088cebcd6c_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5489/11097138146_939f6ee4da_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3730/11097043615_0f795debbf_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3796/11097133864_07668aaa5f_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5512/11097085724_ab87d4f682_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />I had done little to no research as to what I would do in Busan so when I got to Haeundae, besides the beach, I had no idea where to go. So I just walked around a little lost and a little frustrated. Still, it was really quite pretty.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7451/11097416714_4bd6faae73_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2855/11097784896_24cc06ab38_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7322/11097723225_d9d633c135_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7429/11097862274_2f7176ee98_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2853/11097782515_43c9306f90_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5528/11097918606_af340af2df_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2877/11097856595_237d423afd_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2875/11097952986_86305a039f_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2889/11097891065_7e405e61e9_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3763/11098156383_71fcf079d0_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />I was Kakao-talking with some of my friends in Korea, asking them for suggestions and one of them said to go to Shinsegae, which is a huge department store. I had a little coffee break, bought some socks and did some window shopping because lots of things were so over my price range.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3671/11098200773_967e9152ed_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3672/11098213273_4d0fa3d2c6_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3688/11098071355_5ce831f371_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2819/11098092405_d39eee1261_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Then I headed back to Seomyeon and was lost trying to find food and then trying to find the hostel again. I was too chicken to go eat in a restaurant by myself. If I went again I would totally eat by myself. I don't know why I was super self-conscious about it. So I wandered, bought pants from Uniqlo, and a sandwich and beer from the nearest convenience store.<br /><br /><center><img alt="Untitled" height="640" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3753/11098183446_ac5e39b85d_z.jpg" width="427" /></center><br />If I ever go back to Busan I think it should be in the summertime. My friends were telling me about the mud festival and fireworks which would be perfect for summer time at the beach. Probably would try to be a bit braver to try things on my own. I've never travelled on my own before so doing things alone, at the time, seemed pretty daunting. <br /><br />To Be Continued!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-39378980392195145272014-05-18T16:43:00.000+10:002017-04-16T14:05:07.132+10:00Uniqlo pop-up store in SydneySo I didn't know this was happening until I bumped into a friend at Kinokuniya on Free Comic Book Day on May 3 and she told me about it. So after squeezing my way through the crowds in Kinokuniya my friend and I went to see the Uniqlo pop-up store on Pitt Street mall. There was a line. Too long of a line. We talked to one of the shop assistants and they said the store would be open until the end of the year so my friend and I decided to come back later. <br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5552/14018080597_bb983ef1e7_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2913/14018002177_1787280db0_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />There was a few Uniqlo staff, I'm guessing from Japan, outside using GoPros (is that the plural of GoPro?) to record some video of the opening and as well as of Pitt Street Mall.<br /><br />Those two guys, one in the vest and the other in the black jacket, seemed to be Uniqlo employees.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2935/14201352171_db48a184b8_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />And these were the two who were GoPro-ing the opening.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5200/14204672115_2141b6ed54_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />So the same shop assistant who told us it was going to be open until the end of the year and it seems they're using the pop-up store to gauge whether or not there's enough interest for a proper Sydney store. Every time I've walked by there seems to be a steady stream of customers and I've been seeing so many Uniqlo shopping bags around the city. Still haven't bought anything from there yet, though! Pay day come at me!!! XDUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-34437793411659696992014-04-19T07:00:00.000+10:002017-04-16T14:05:07.148+10:00Korea - Day 3On the heels of Friday night I woke up pretty early because we were going to Gyeongju to go to an orphanage. In the morning my friends told me about the previous night. If you don't recall, I got super drunk and don't remember a lot. The morning was a bit difficult for me. I felt terrible. Terrible hangover headache. My friend made me drink a hangover drink. Though, it was revealed, it's supposed to be taken before you go out and get super drunk.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3725/11095185055_1ba7913cc6_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Dondaegu terminal. We were going to catch the KTX (Korea Train eXpress) to Geyongju.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7460/11095423973_56375b1b5c_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />On the platform and look at that guy staring at me. I took a photo because odeng. Craving odeng right now.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5530/11095342714_d59d068294_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5507/11095359954_3f118d1e93_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />That roll from Paris Baguette was so good. Paris Baguette is a bread shop and they have pre-packaged bread stuff like this. I think it's crab? Amazingly good. I was thinking at the time I should remember the taste so I can remake it but I'm not too great with recognising ingredients. Next time, Paris Baguette, next time.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7311/11095473843_263468c9bd_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Arriving at Gyeongju! Look at the tree-covered hills!<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3670/11095392044_5875c084fa_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Second breakfast which I didn't finish. I felt super bad because it was a small restaurant and the owners could see. This was bibimguk (spicy cold noodles). It wasn't what I wanted to order because it was cold in the morning so I wanted something soupy.<br /><br />We then headed to the bus terminal to catch a bus and then a taxi to Ulsan, to the orphanage. I didn't take any photos of the orphanage but it's called Ulsan Orphanage (95 per cent sure), if you want to look it up.<br /><br />My friends have been volunteering there for a while. They go on Sundays and spend a couple of hours with the children. It's pretty tiring and the language barrier made it quite difficult. Apparently, some of them get dropped off there if their parents can't look after them for a while.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="480" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5514/11097093425_d2765ae9b5_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Waffles! I want to say it's taro ice-cream in the middle.<br /><br />Then back to Daegu for dinner.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5490/11095450954_cc7711fee4_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3824/11095135635_bb3245a8c3_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5501/11096377424_fb675d9bf2_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5493/11096393634_f37cf6fc01_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7292/11096507743_9fb18dc6c3_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Chicken, you so good!<br /><br />To Be Continued!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-8849110124484796812014-04-18T02:01:00.000+10:002017-04-16T14:05:07.167+10:00Korea - Day 2Well, on this long weekend I finally feel a little productive. So let's continue with the Korea posts! DAY 2!<br /><br />When I last left you I had just gone to bed after a long first day. It was November and wasn't as cold as I thought it would be. I slept in my giraffe onesie that I brought with me. It was super warm. I was sweating in my sleep. <br /><br />The friend that I was staying with had class that day and I was headed to Daegu with another friend. So we were up pretty early in the morning. Early being relative because generally if I don't have uni or work I sleep until it's embarrassingly late. <br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5514/11094475353_25a978aef8_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5478/11094386424_8e722eeea8_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3736/11094372366_954a6a9bb0_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />It was a very lovely autumn morning and we were off to have breakfast at a place my friend recommended.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2867/11094520523_f8af6871fd_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7390/11094341885_2176a5a3f0_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />We had breakfast at this place.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3771/11094433194_19eb6af61b_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Obviously you get side dishes at a Korean restaurant.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5483/11094435936_96996f1d56_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3760/11094582303_5a30227784_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />So this was breakfast. A soup, rice dish. It was very good on a cold autumn morning. The name escapes me! And it was very healthy. I felt really good about myself after that breakfast.<br /><br />Then my friend and I departed Seoul for Daegu. This involved taking the train to the bus terminal at Gangnam. The bus terminal is pretty massive and was a little confusing for a first-timer like me. You buy your tickets from a ticket window. There are different types of buses and there are lots of bus gates. We got on a pretty nice bus. Nice seats. Then we were on our way to Daegu. It's about maybe 2 hours by bus. <br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3783/11094957595_43e4a36f6f_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Trees from the bus. I also, in the search for more photos of the bus ride, realised that I didn't take many photos of the bus. I mostly slept.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2869/11095145523_a2edfec778_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />A photo from the rest stop that we took about halfway through the bus ride.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5542/11094526144_500caa89d9_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2829/11094539514_e2bc11f9eb_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Once we got to the bus terminal we still had to catch a train to my friend's apartment. Then we were headed to Downtown Daegu for some Saturday night fun!<br /><br />So Daegu, according to Wiki, is the 4th largest city in South Korea and is about 198 kilometres from Seoul. It's much closer to Busan, which is on the other side side of the country.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7335/11094449635_f0d8dcd190_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />So this is where we going to meet up with some other friends.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2823/11094584094_47f64a82d4_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5488/11094572196_b45f6bc03c_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Look at all those shops! <br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="640" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5521/11094613134_e2f5a4ce54_z.jpg" width="427" /><br /><br />And this photo only exists because I was told this place was awesome but I never got to eat there.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5550/11094727443_0b20d33f2c_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />So we had dinner here which was a buffet that also had a sushi train. Which is awesome. Unlimited sushi for a set price. The best.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2874/11094614866_f499ed327c_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Also, for a little bit of extra won (the currency in Korea not the English word won) you can have unlimited Cass beer on tap. Self-serve. That would not work in Australia. There would be so much mess.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2830/11094656344_9ea335e295_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5523/11094645666_eb76949979_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Then we went to an Irish bar for more drinks. There was a live band playing and lots of what I'm going assume are also English teachers.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7344/11094936753_a2e612396b_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5525/11094708334_d58f9c3c48_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2879/11094832533_e733c4c4ed_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3787/11094844473_f0eeec7d1e_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />I got to try a long island iced tea in a bag. I was told that Korea doesn't have something like an RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) so generally cocktails are stronger than they would be here in Australia. This was my ruin.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3810/11094863343_aee04f39f0_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />The above is a self-serve bar. You go to the fridge, pick your beer, drink your beer then pay later. I do not recall the paying of my beer. I don't recall a lot.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3698/11094884423_193dd70a3f_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />A map of the world, and beers?<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5473/11094360604_5601c8bcbd_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />We then left the self-serve place to go home. Self-serve place right is next to the cocktail in a bag place. I vaguely remember up to this point. I got to meet some of my friend's friends who are also teaching English in Korea. Apparently, I don't recall, that I kept telling one of them that koalas have chlamydia. I further don't recall that we caught a taxi back to my friend's apartment. Or getting into the apartment and I vaguely remember changing into my PJs. Yep. Good times.<br /><br />To Be Continued!<br /><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-7251833900771379632014-02-10T21:03:00.000+11:002017-04-16T14:05:07.190+10:00Korea - Day 1When I last left you I had just arrived at Incheon Airport at around 3:30 in the afternoon. Getting out of customs was pretty smooth. As soon as I got out I went to the toilet to put on stockings under my jeans because I thought it would be super cold. It wasn't as cold as I thought. I had too many layers. <br /><br />Anyhoo, the first thing I did was go to the Olleh kiosk to rent a portable WiFi device (<a href="http://roaming.kt.com/renewal/eng/wibro/rental.asp">http://roaming.kt.com/renewal/eng/wibro/rental.asp</a>). If you do ever go to Korea, having this WiFi device is very useful. You can reserve one online. I didn't and I worried that they were going to run out but they didn't. You grab a number from the machine and wait 'til your number is called. They speak English, which makes the process of renting easy. They photocopy your passport and your credit card and you sign a form. They charge your card when you return it at the airport. FYI, you return it to the same place you picked it up at arrivals not, as I thought, at the Olleh kiosk at the departure terminal. Wasted so much time in line. <br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3783/12375866754_983c39428b_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /><br /><br />Then I headed to the bus terminal to go to my friend's house. I had <a href="http://www.airport.kr/airport/traffic/bus/busList.iia?flag=E">researched buses beforehand</a> and it cost KRW 12,000 which is around $12 AUD. It was a pretty nice bus and it took a little less than an hour to reach Seohyun Station, which is where my friend lives.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7293/12430820704_a3ea4b0b76_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><br />I got off the bus and I was trying to get to AK Plaza to meet my friend and there was a footbridge. With stairs. And I'm weak and I was struggling to carry my luggage up the stairs. When I was half way up the stairs, some lovely old man carried it up the rest of the way for me. He was saying some things in Korean which I did not understand. When we reached the top of the stairs he gave me my bag and walked briskly away. I hope I remembered to say thank you. <br /><br />I KakaoTalked my friend and told him I arrived earlier than expected and tried to figure out a meeting place. I had no idea where a good place to meet would be so I ended up on some sort of walkway above the road. This is the view from where I just decided to wait:<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5516/11081955345_16a979d62b_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7427/12430802084_bec3148c8c_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><br />After my friend met me somewhere near AK Plaza, we walked through the plaza itself. It was such a fancy shopping centre. Lots of high end brands like Prada. I showered and got dressed because we were headed out to Gangnam for food (FYI, did not hear Gangnam Style the whole time I was there XDDD) and meet a couple of other friends living in Korea right now.<br /><br />Look at the super clean subway!<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5473/11082159893_099bb67b5b_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3710/11081996235_c79ec66c3f_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/proxy/mY-6yVAtODRIefLkf9aaeFicKX6GYAf2126j4iz2ry6QUyisxfqP2qsZ9ot_opjZ9diY2UspxWMFlq-AiKRppUbBWvHDx6KE3Z3Gn8YcO7Al0q4" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Untitled" border="0" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3794/11082191174_877ddb01ee_z.jpg" height="640" style="cursor: move;" width="427" /></a></div><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7350/11082054825_783ed265be_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"></div><br />So the first drink that I had when I arrived in Korea was Starbucks. Naturally. It was November so they were selling Christmas drinks which I did buy. A cold one because I was sweating so much. Too many layers.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7405/12430425195_6f3fe341b3_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2892/12430551413_ef80ee199e_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3687/12430641823_bdf587c585_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><br />We then head to <b>Mies Container</b> in Gangnam for dinner. The first thing that my friends told me about this place is that there are only male staff and that they're supposed to be good looking. I only got to see the one waiter up close so I don't know if that is correct. My friends eat at Mies a lot so I'll have to trust them on this! Here's a <a href="http://travel.cnn.com/seoul/eat/new-factory-style-masculine-restaurant-has-young-korean-women-standing-line-181317">CNN article</a> about it.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7422/11082092526_a93652d5eb_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3827/11082117523_924e9423d6_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3775/12430619963_cf47616aed_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3733/11082076355_d783a39b4b_z.jpg" height="640" width="427" /></div><br />It's an industrial themed (I guess?) fusion restaurant. Lots of cheese and lots of potatoes and relatively cheap once the bill was split between 4 people. Very busy and noisy and had very low light but a really good vibe to it. I wasn't really hungry so I didn't eat a lot which I regret because I didn't get to check it out again during my time in Korea.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2876/11082138334_75f8801d51_z.jpg" height="640" width="427" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Look at that pretty, artsy thing in Gangnam.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />We then headed to E-Mart because my friend needed to buy extra bedding because we were all staying at his place that night.</div><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3815/11082193126_143482ca73_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2873/12430593103_2175f90654_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><br />So E-mart is amazing. It has everything. Food, drink, alcohol, bedding, clothes AND it's open 'til midnight. MIDNIGHT, you guys. I know we have some K-Mart stores that are 24 hours but they don't have the huge range of products that E-mart does. Bedding bought we headed back to my friend's place, via taxi, and relaxed and warmed up a little.<br /><br />My friend lives near <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AK_Plaza">AK Plaza</a>, a huge shopping centre, and surrounding it are a myriad of other stores and restaurants. At around 2am, in the freezing cold, we headed out to <b>Angel-in-us Coffee</b>, a Korean brand cafe, for random late night drinks. Korean coffee, in general, I don't really like it. Not as good as Australian coffee.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5535/11082208796_b33f33a9ff_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><br />And then off to a convenience store and look at that cheap soju. That 1, 200 won is about 1 dollar something AUD. In Sydney that would be 12 or 15 bucks a bottle. Yeah. Unfair! I purchased a litre bottle of Cass beer (not pictured, surprisingly) and I was carded! I had no idea what they were saying (and after this experience I tried to learn the Korean words for I.D.) and my friend was like, "She wants you to show your ID". I showed her my passport and yay beer purchased. I want to say it cost maybe 5, 000 won. In any case, it was super cheap and it's the only reason I bought it.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7411/11082262976_2617a3e610_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><br />And odeng! At 2-ish in the morning in winter was awesome. So good. I wish we had carts open that late in Sydney. I'm planning on visiting Korea again in the summer and I wonder if odeng is only a winter thing. Hopefully not, because I wants to eat more!<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5535/11082394483_0d3f96f047_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><br />Then we headed back and after changing and washing my face I collapsed onto the newly bought bedding and slept! <br /><br />To Be Continued!<br /><br /><br /><!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.staticflickr.com%2F3794%2F11082191174_877ddb01ee_z.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/proxy/mY-6yVAtODRIefLkf9aaeFicKX6GYAf2126j4iz2ry6QUyisxfqP2qsZ9ot_opjZ9diY2UspxWMFlq-AiKRppUbBWvHDx6KE3Z3Gn8YcO7Al0q4" --><!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/proxy/mY-6yVAtODRIefLkf9aaeFicKX6GYAf2126j4iz2ry6QUyisxfqP2qsZ9ot_opjZ9diY2UspxWMFlq-AiKRppUbBWvHDx6KE3Z3Gn8YcO7Al0q4" with "https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/proxy/mY-6yVAtODRIefLkf9aaeFicKX6GYAf2126j4iz2ry6QUyisxfqP2qsZ9ot_opjZ9diY2UspxWMFlq-AiKRppUbBWvHDx6KE3Z3Gn8YcO7Al0q4" -->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-32670033300212209462014-02-03T18:48:00.000+11:002017-04-16T14:05:07.211+10:00Bloglovin<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/5727885/?claim=z8783dur2fw">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a><br /><br />Because I'm trying to claim my blog on Bloglovin, obvs. XDUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-47260526917706323142014-02-02T15:22:00.000+11:002017-04-16T14:05:07.226+10:00Getting thereI think I may have tweeted or mentioned in a past post that I was going to Korea and Japan for a short trip. And I did! Back in November 2013. And now in the early hours of Sunday morning I decided to blog about it. <br /><br />My flight was an AirAsia flight at 9:00pm, from memory. I bought one way to Korea on AirAsia because there was a sale and it was so cheap. $386 with check in luggage and with 2 meals. I had work that day so I had packed properly the night before and shoved everything in the back of my dad's car. The plan was to go to work, catch the train back to my normal station and then have my dad pick me up and then drive me to the airport from there. Which is the super long way for me since I would be in the city for work anyway. <br /><br />We arrived at the airport and parked first instead of just doing the drop off because I worry that my dad will wander off or something because he's almost 70 and it's much better if I know where he is. I got changed from work clothes to my plane clothes in the car park toilets. This was November so it was pretty warm in Sydney already and it was cold in Korea. I was worried that I under dressed. I wore boyfriend jeans, singlet, t-shirt, jumper, socks, flats, and was holding my blue coat. I was sweating.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5536/12253902145_29f330d462_z.jpg" width="480" height="640" alt="Untitled"><br /><i>Having a pre-flight beer by my lonesome.</i></center><br />After getting through immigration and security I had so much time to kill. Or so I thought. I promised to buy a friend cigarettes from duty free. Like a certain brand and type. So I was messaging him and waiting for him to get back to me. I went to the cigarette counter and the guy there was so nice. I showed him the photo that my friend showed me of the cigarettes he wanted and he had cigarettes that were similar but I had to double check and then they were pretty expensive. My friend wasn't counting on that. He had previously bought the same cigarettes in Hong Kong and they were not as expensive as they were here. Then as my friend was messaging me back saying to get whatever brand the guy at the counter recommended over the P.A. came the final boarding call for my flight. I didn't even hear the first boarding call and I thought there was still enough time. So I ran to the gate (and I didn't even know how far it was), which I probably didn't need to do because turns out I wasn't like the last last person, and I was sweating. Sweating in line and sweating as I got into my window seat. <br /><br /><center><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3703/12254077763_8ea6690275_z.jpg" width="480" height="640" alt="Untitled"><br /><i>On ze plane.</i></center><br />By the time I settled into my seat before take off I was like, OMG I am actually on a plane going overseas on my own. It seemed surreal to me because I had wanted to go anywhere overseas, to travel, for a really long time and it was finally here. Somehow I felt accomplished. This is the first time really that I've gone on holiday with my money. Money I earned so, yeah, accomplished, somehow.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7358/12261478943_64505e8180_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><i>Night view from the plane.</i><br /><br />Travelling on AirAsia was pretty good. Their in-flight staff was young and gorgeous. Some really nice good looking guys. Like so cute. I was trying to figure out if I could take a photo of one from my seat but I chickened out. Really good service and just generally approachable and warm. Much better than I expected. Also, how are those female flight attendants still looking so good so early in the morning?<br /><br />The meals came out pretty quickly. I got the Pak Nasser's Nasi Lemak. I couldn't open that little plastic packet. I tried and tried and got frustrated and just gave up, which the guy sitting next to me saw and then opened them for me. Which was nice. The Nasi Lemak was okay. I didn't finish it all. I think probably because I was full from the Oporto, which I also didn't finish.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3777/12261494673_546b76b24f_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3820/12261933216_c0c5935a00_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />I had brought all these books to read on the plane but I did nothing that I brought with me. I listened to my iPod and slept almost all the way to Kuala Lumpur, where I had to transfer planes. I arrived at Kuala Lumpur's Low Cost Carrier Terminal around 3 or 4 in the morning. It's one of those airports where you walk from the plane onto the tarmac to the terminal. LCCT is small but it's clean and it has WiFi. I've heard stories about people struggling to find seating in LCCT but that was not the case with me. Lots of seats, I guess because it was pretty early in the morning. I was there for about 2 hours and I just checked Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and time passed. I think I was just super tired still even though basically all I had done at that point was sleep. <br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3701/12254084073_f99d3ca2d5_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3733/12261807544_02ee15588e_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3715/12261547493_f9ca88e542_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7410/12261565293_aed9649ed7_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7382/12261582823_584550edc1_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />Back on the plane and still a long way from Korea. I took so many photos of clouds because they're so amazing and beautiful.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7316/12261907524_bc2eee28a6_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />Slept on the plane and had kimchi chicken for lunch.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3805/12261598383_59f1404e39_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Untitled"><br /><br />And then I landed in Seoul at around 3:30pm! <br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3678/12261918164_19a18ba3ef_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Untitled"><br /><br /><iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/tTwKgk8PouM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />To Be Continued!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-82605651477647053532014-02-01T21:39:00.000+11:002017-04-16T14:05:07.252+10:00I took a walkI love summer and I had a whole bunch of free time and generally the weather in Sydney has been good (read: HOT) except for that week that was just super rainy. What is up with that... That did not make me feel like I wanted to go anywhere. I had a friend visit Sydney back in January. He's been teaching English in South Korea for the past year and he chose to spend his winter vacation (since it's winter over there) back in Sydney. So he wanted to visit all his workplaces, uni and just generally see Sydney. So below are some photos from one of the days we wandered the city!<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7309/12245597963_48d6ef6676_z.jpg" height="480" width="640" /><br /><br /><center>Main walkway of UNSW. My first university and how my friend that visited and I met, kinda. We met through a friend of a friend who went to UNSW. That's kinda how I make friends now. Through friends of friends. I don't think I've met a stranger and then we became friends. Well, except at work, I guess?<br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7401/12245880394_2c98bceefc_z.jpg" height="640" width="480" /><br /><br />The Scientia<br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5503/12246053696_47fcfda339_z.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></center><br />Australian School of Business<br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3800/12245675113_c534f1c2dc_z.jpg" height="480" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7360/12246096426_ea3107a9a7_z.jpg" height="480" width="640" /><br /><br /><center>So UNSW, in the time that I have graduated, has gotten all fancy with all these new shops and restaurants. JELLY.<br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2817/12246125566_44a9f967a7_z.jpg" height="640" width="480" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2881/12245577325_58470e36ac_z.jpg" height="640" width="480" /><br />Get it??? XD</center><br />Then we headed down to Central Park near Central Station and opposite the UTS Tower. It's that new residential and shopping complex. It's pretty artsy. It has a lot of creative exhibitions and spaces.<br /><center><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7387/12245594355_b12ee5c112_z.jpg" height="640" width="480" /><br /><br />The reflective pose is supposed to be in the vein of Rodin's The Thinker. Can you tell?<br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5502/12245613145_9dbf42042f_z.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></center><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3782/12245633245_71872358f2_z.jpg" height="480" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7347/12246081384_bd0d10d281_z.jpg" height="480" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7380/12245674785_8fb13231a4_z.jpg" height="480" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5525/12245866953_529a772bec_z.jpg" height="480" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7405/12245813504_3d7e57a6df_z.jpg" height="480" width="640" /><br /><center><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7401/12246287816_2335ecaae7_z.jpg" width="480" height="640" alt="Untitled"></center><br />I loved this space. It had a piano and seats and anyone can play. It was empty when we were there. I could only bust out a fur bars of Fur Elise. Then my friend and I did the Heart and Soul obligatory duet. Need to learn new songs or bring sheet music next time.<br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3713/12246167274_2399821083_z.jpg" height="480" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3720/12245938713_61639e753b_z.jpg" height="480" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5525/12246361376_22466d535f_z.jpg" height="480" width="640" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">This outside behind the shopping complex. I don't know what it does except spin.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3746/12246438606_c074b82556_z.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7330/12245934885_8cb3f58b71_z.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I think this a UTS building getting a facelift?</div><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7430/12246538206_17e2093e91_z.jpg" height="480" width="640" /><br /><br />#HIPSTERSANTA. Why did I not know this was a thing?<br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5499/12246012935_d26a88b5a4_z.jpg" height="480" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3816/12246206683_7d88c1cfb0_z.jpg" height="480" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7394/12246059405_e6af7627f2_z.jpg" height="480" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3784/12246653936_b3b95bc649_z.jpg" height="480" width="640" /><br /><br />Sydney summer, when you have a lot of free time, has the best vibe. It gives me the best feeling. Something about it (probably all that sun and sky) just makes me feel really good about the world. All hopeful and positive! So I'm gonna enjoy this last month of summer. I need to get to a beach!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-29434172596855509152014-01-27T16:59:00.000+11:002017-04-16T14:05:07.283+10:00Gemelle Ristorante Italiano, LiverpoolSuch a long time no blog. I'm going to be a better blogger in 2014. One of my New Year's Resolutions! So this has been sitting in drafts for a very long time...<br /><br />Way back in September I did a google search for a restaurant close by to where I live for Father's Day lunch. My dad wanted to eat somewhere we haven't before and he wanted seafood. My google search led me to <b>Gemelle Ristorante Italiano</b>. And I love Italian food and I don't get to eat it enough when I'm out because I don't know where to go. And I don't really go to Leichhardt and I don't think I've really eaten Italian in the city. I think. <br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7367/10305338083_4feaa7e97b_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><br />So, yes, Gemelle. I made a booking because it was Fathers'Day. It was pretty full. Lots of little kids, which is good because I was worried it'd be too fancy and stuffy or something. Nice clean interior though I think the tables were a bit too close to other tables. We had a lovely waiter whose name I didn't get and when I eventually thought to ask him, he was on his break. In other ways, we had an awesome waiter who knew the menu, recommended wine and beer and was generally friendly which is awesome.<br /><br />So drinks. I had the beer that the awesome waiter recommended, <b>Menabrea</b>. Very smooth, not bitter. If I recall, I think I said to my family that it tastes like Peroni.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7321/10305312826_12fa852faf_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><br />And to the entrees!<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3694/10305298096_eef03c7698_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><i>Fiori Di Zucchini</i><br /><br />I finally got to eat zucchini flowers after seeing it all the time on MasterChef and it was amazing. Filled with ricotta and parmesan cheese and fried! Fried thing with cheese inside is one of my favourite things! I could eat a bowl on these on my own. I could only have 2. My local takeaway needs to sell this alongside their fried chips. XDDD<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3751/10305215194_a50cedc7b2_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><i>Gamberi All' Aglio</i><br /><br />These are garlic prawns served in Napoletana sauce. So good. Though not enough prawns but more than enough sauce to dip the sides of bread in.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5478/10305199064_10e02fd266_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><i>Suppuli</i><br /><br />Lightly crumbed cheesy balls served on a Bolognese sauce. I loved cheese. I love cheese in a ball so this was so right for me.<br /><br />Onto the mains...<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3803/10305240905_54b3674552_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><i>Pappa Osso Bucco</i><br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2853/10305173104_6abf612c8d_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><i>Gnocchi Arragosta</i><br /><br />I had the gnocchi and it was so good. From memory. I loved the sauce and the chewiness of the gnocchi. Much different to store bought gnocchi and sauce. So good. Damn it, I'm craving Italian food now.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2856/10305212115_7228de923e_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /><br /><i>Kingfish Fillets</i><br /><br />And this is what my dad had for his Father's Day lunch. He wanted to eat seafood so this was one of the specials. It looks small but he didn't even finish so I guess that's a pretty big portion.<br /><br />It was quite busy when we were there, understandably. Lots of families and the tables are a little too close together for my liking but there was great service and good food so I would definitely go again. Especially for those zucchini flowers.<br /><br /><ul><li>Find <a href="http://www.gemelle.com.au/restaurant.php"><b>Gemelle Ristorante Italiano</b></a> at 79 Bathurst Street, Liverpool NSW 2170.<br /></li></ul><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/70/750918/restaurant/Sydney/Gemelle-Restaurant-Liverpool"><img alt="Gemelle Restaurant on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/750918/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-3915600864735010112013-08-30T17:54:00.000+10:002017-04-16T14:05:07.302+10:00Green Peppercorn, Fairfield<img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3793/9314810704_8030b84863_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />So this is my new favourite local place. (Oh, hey, now you can sort of geographically figure out where I am XD)I've been to <b>Green Peppercorn</b> twice. Once for my brother's birthday in June, and we did takeaway, and then in July for my dad's birthday. For my dad's birthday we got to eat in. Yay! <br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7287/9314819624_8510883812_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7318/9314802148_f805f5a467_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2875/9314829706_f19b163654_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Green Peppercorn is located near Farifield train station and it is a really pretty and friendly restaurant. The staff is nice and helpful and friendly. My brother is friends with one of the waitresses and I totes thought he was trying to flirt with her every time she came to our table. But generally great customer service which, as you know, makes the dining experience better.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7357/9314782982_03925d8c9e_z.jpg" width="640" /><br />They do serve alcohol at this restaurant which pleased me greatly.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3712/9314773636_bf683d595b_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><i>CHARCOAL BBQ OX TONGUE - Marinated ox tongue, grilled over a charcoal bbq. Served with mum’s special sauce - $10.90.</i><br /><br />This was the first time I've had ox tongue. I'm not great with animal parts like tongue, liver, hearts and brains just because of the "ick" factor. Like "omg I can't believe I'm eating a tongue". But it didn't taste as tongue-like as I thought. It wasn't chewy like I imagined it would be. It was pretty soft and pretty amazing. All my hesitance from the fact that it's tongue was gone as soon as I tasted a piece of it. Would totes recommend.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5535/9311978561_d1137a9594_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><i>SALT & PEPPER CALAMARI - Deep fried batter squid seasoned with salt, pepper, chilli, shallots served with mum’s special sauce and sweet chilli sauce - $16.90.</i><br /><br />I ordered the soft shell crab but they had run out of crab so this was the alternative suggested to us. I've had lot of salt and pepper calamari in my life and they all generally taste about the same for me. It was good but I would have loved to try the crab. Maybe next time!<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5450/9314746926_4a92eba278_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><i>GANG PANANG (PANANG CURRY) with beef - Thick red curry with vegetables and shredded kaffir lime leaves.</i><br /><br />Beef panang curry is my favourite. I loved this. This was my favourite dish. I think it may be my all-time favourite Thai dish. I can't believe it took me so long to try this. Like, I've had it before but for years I was only a green curry person. But this is my fave. Forever.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3798/9311967825_409c9ef268_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><i>YUM TALAY (SEAFOOD SALAD) - Mixed hot and sour seafood and fresh herbs dressed with chilli, palm sugar, mint leaves, shallots, lime, fish sauce tossed in a mesclun salad - $16.90.</i><br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5497/9311940261_a77b527c18_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><i>NAM TOK (TIGER BEEF SALAD) - Thinly sliced charcoal bbq beef mixed with herbs and spices, toasted ground rice powder, red onions, chilli, mint leaves, kaffir lime leaves, coriander, shallots and lemon grass - $12.90.</i><br /><br />I love me a good salad. For health reasons. Both salads were very good. I don't understand why my homemade salads are not as good!<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5518/9311950261_c2003088a8_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><i>PAD KEE MAO with chicken - Spicy Stir-fried flat rice noodles with oyster & soy sauce, garlic, egg, chilli and basil.</i><br /><br />I'm pretty sure it was pad kee mao. Feel free to correct me! I love flat rice noodles and I love that fried taste that comes with the dish. I would have preferred beef because beef is my preferred meat but my brother wanted chicken.<br /><br />And dessert. FRIED ICE-CREAM. Oh hello best thing ever.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3816/9314720584_d3da405222_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><i>Fried Ice-cream - Deep fried ice-cream wrapped in pastry, served with a coconut muesli and caramel sauce - $13.90.</i><br /><br />Admittedly, I've not really eaten fried ice-cream. So I don't have much to compare it to but this was amazing. It's a pretty big serving and coming after a pretty big dinner this was a perfect serving size. It was shared amongst 3 people and it was so good. The outside was crunchy and the ice-cream still pretty solid inside. I love all the caramel and museli. SO GOOD. <br /><br />I really recommend this restaurant if you're area and craving Thai food. It's really good and maybe just a little bit pricier than some other Thai places but you're worth it every once in a while.<br /><br /><b>Some FYI from Green Peepercorn's website:</b><br /><br /><b>Opening hours</b><br /><br /><b>Lunch</b><br />12:00pm - 3:00pm (Mon - Sun)<br /><br /><b>Dinner</b><br />5:30 - Last orders at 9:50pm (Mon - Wed)<br />5:30 - Last orders at 10:50pm (Thu - Sat)<br />5:30 - Last orders at 8:50pm (Sunday)<br />Friday & Saturdays Dessert Bar opened till 11:30pm<br /><br />All guests must be over 18 or accompanied by a parent or guardian as the restaurant is part of Fairfield Hotel.<br /><br />Also, food descriptions in italics are copied and pasted from the menu online at Green Peppercorn's website.<br /><br /><ul><li>Find <b><a href="http://www.greenpeppercorn.com.au/">Green Peppercorn</a></b> at 1 Hamilton Road, Fairfield.</li></ul><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/70/1689514/restaurant/Sydney/Green-Peppercorn-Fairfield"><img alt="Green Peppercorn on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1689514/minilink.gif" style="border:none;padding:0px;width:130px;height:36px" /></a><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-5277671518677310282013-07-16T20:04:00.000+10:002017-04-16T14:05:07.323+10:00La Rosa Bar & PizzaSo my trip to this Italian restaurant was 2 months ago, after I was admitted as a lawyer. I had made a reservation for 1pm because I wasn't sure how long or short the Admission Ceremony would be. On the morning of my reservation they called me to confirm, which was nice. I then called them back to change the time of my reservation to 12:30. Already, I was kinda impressed by the thoughtfulness of the first call and then being accommodating to me changing my reservation.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7387/8812028775_5be2d0affc_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5461/8812011269_0c03721ebf_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />One of the things I've always wanted to find in the city is good pizza. Like, I'm in love with the idea of the giant slices of American pizza. Anyway, this was pretty good pizza. I don't even eat Pizza Hut or Dominos anymore. I call Crust and that's pretty expensive for home delivered pizza so it's not an everyday thing.<br /><br />I also had Peroni beer for the first time. That is NICE.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7447/8811995553_c0c5838da8_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />And since I'm a bad food blogger (something I explained to an acquaintance of mine who is like a proper food blogger), I forget what I ordered so enjoy the delicious-looking photos.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3795/8811974263_888b16f76f_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3697/8811956301_3a4519e769_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5345/8822528514_cb9f0c35d9_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />I think it's a pretty good Italian place right in the middle of Pitt Street mall, in The Strand in fact. The restaurant has a nice vibe and I'm totally going to revisit for more pizza.<br /><br /><ul><li>Find <a href="http://www.larosabarandpizza.com.au/"><b>La Rosa Bar & Pizza</b></a> at Shop 133, Level 2 The Strand Arcade, 193 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000.</li></ul><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/70/1598483/restaurant/CBD/La-Rosa-Bar-and-Pizza-Sydney"><img alt="La Rosa Bar and Pizza on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1598483/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-53965074073440460022013-06-19T22:51:00.000+10:002017-04-16T14:05:07.341+10:00We're going to Brazil! #gosocceroosI don't know if you can tell but I'm super excited about this! Last night I got to see the Australia v Iraq game at ANZ Stadium. I don't know football terminology so my friend was kindly pointing out what had happened and why everyone was clapping (i.e. corners, feigning injury then getting straight back onto the field, calling for the whistle). <br /><br />We had General Admission tickets and we could sit anywhere. We arrived just before 7:30pm because of horrible packed train. It had been raining beforehand so there was a section of empty seats close to the ground that were empty just because they were wet and that's where we sat. Right behind the goal. I loved going and I totally want to see them play again. Tim Cahill. Schwarzer. Lucas Neill. I wish I had a job so I could book tickets to Brazil. ALSO, that Peter Allen "I Go to Rio" song was the PERFECT SONG CHOICE at full-time. I loved the elation when Kennedy scored and everyone did the whole stacks-on thing. And then the team on the side shoulder-to-shoulder while waiting for full-time to be called and the running onto the field. AND I saw on FoxSports later at a pub that Tim Cahill piggybacked by Holger. THE ADORBS. IT NEEDS TO BE GIF'D. SHOW ME VIDEO!<br /><br />Anyhoo, some low quality photos from my phone and BONUS TIM CAHILL from Customs House earlier today!!!<br /><br /><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7402/9082767853_168147eebe_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3707/9082837777_25d919ef0d_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Untitled"><br /><center><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5444/9082795233_bf0a32d632_z.jpg" width="612" height="612" alt="Untitled"></center><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5446/9085093494_b7cc655728_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5461/9082947575_92a5b054b3_z.jpg" width="640" height="640" alt="Untitled"><br /><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7375/9085166974_5b69cfa89c_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Untitled"><br /><center><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5441/9085166016_10ab6f407b_z.jpg" width="612" height="612" alt="Untitled"></center><br /><center>And handsome Tim Cahill!<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3688/9084791564_29e827167e_z.jpg" width="427" height="640" alt="TIM CAHILL IS MY NEW FAVOURITE THING"></center><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2834/9084784504_cdf59d3813_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="TIM CAHILL IS MY NEW FAVOURITE THING"><br /><br />I arrived at Customs House just before 12:30 (it started at noon) and there was still a bunch of people there and I couldn't squeeze to the front so had to hold up my camera up high which is still pretty short for me because I'm short. I was pretty close and saw him in real life through the people in front of me. He's so cute and so nice!<br /><br />BONUS TIM CAHILL EXPRESSWAY! <br /><br /><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5345/9084777498_64f2dae2ae_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="TIM CAHILL IS MY NEW FAVOURITE THING"><br /><br />SO YAY! BRAZIL 2014! So glad I went to the game despite being rain-soaked all over! Still so happy!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8828648755662101500.post-45123853849626084822013-05-22T21:13:00.000+10:002017-04-16T14:05:07.378+10:00The Argyle, The Rocks<a href="http://www.theargylerocks.com/">The Argyle</a>! I went there sometime last month for random $5 drinks. We got there around 5 and it was pretty empty so we got to sit down and have a waitress bring our drinks.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8264/8678125540_8a74af9c36_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8394/8677000821_c1f5b6955d_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8118/8678103672_fa92ddd23b_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8266/8678116200_5cfdc2cebd_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8545/8677006691_e3d3ea6b6a_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />Such a really lovely vibe inside. Love the chairs.<br /><br /><img alt="Untitled" height="427" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8117/8677016225_73e9409274_z.jpg" width="640" /><br /><i>Gin and tonic with a wedge of lemon - $5.</i><br /><br />I loved the look of the interior and the fact they have $5 drinks between 5 and 7 and if I was still out in the city every weekday I'd be so going there for after work drinks. It was this trip to The Argyle that made me book a space for a thing this Friday (I'm getting admitted as a solicitor but I'm still unemployed!). Especially since my friend and I didn't get to try any of the amazing sounding food on the menu. So, see if you can randomly spot which one I am, if you care to!<br /><br /><ul><li>Find <b>The Argyle</b> at 18 Argyle Street, The Rocks, Sydney NSW 2000.</li></ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0