Touring the Blue Mountains

Day 3 of Easter Escapade saw us traveling far.

Katoomba. The name itself reminds me of the Malay word ketumbar also known as coriander in English. Day 3 of our Easter Escapade brought us here, a place I consider the capital of Blue Mountains as most of the must see attractions are centered around/nearby here.  You could embark on a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) tour or spend some money and sign up for a guided tour. In order to maximise our visit, we signed up for a Half Day Scenic Tour offered by Blue Mountains Mystery Tours.

We said goodbye to Oberon at 7:30am to ensure we arrived at the agreed meet-up by 9:00am. Taking a leisure drive and not making any stops, we arrived at 8:40am. Just as I was entertaining the notion to scout around for coffee/breakfast, Pete arrived in his van. He came bearing with good news that it will only be just us as the others cancelled and we can start immediately, 15 minutes ahead of schedule. There goes my breakfast thoughts.

Our first stop was Scenic World, home to the four ways -- Cableway, Railway, Walkway and Skyway. We headed down to Jamison Valley via the world's steepest Railway! Being ahead of schedule meant we were one of the first few people in line and did not have to wait long to board. The normal looking carriage comes with an extraordinary feature - an adjustable bench seat! This meant you could customise your railway experience by choosing either Cliffhanger, Laid Back or Original option. Although I had wanted to select Cliffhanger, I decided against and settled for Original (52 degrees incline). I am glad too as during the ride down, I could feel my palms get clammy and my heart slide down to my stomach! To think we were going at a pace much much slower than a roller coaster.

Normal looking carriage, extraordinary seats

Steep enough to get clammy hands

At the bottom of the rail track, we commenced our tour of Jamison Valley along the 2.4km Scenic Walkway. Other than the opportunity to learn about the site's coal mining history, you will get the chance to spot animals in the wild including the elusive lyre bird, awe at the size of huge trees and water vines or even go on a search for sculptures currently on exhibit among the trees. Common birds were perched on the branches and were easily seen. The same cannot be said for the lyre bird, unfortunately. Despite hearing it nearby, it remained invisible to us. Walking along the deck, we passed by huge water vines too, prompting me to think this was probably Tarzan's mode of transport in those days. If the natural flora or fauna is not your thing, perhaps you would enjoy more the sculptures on display hidden at different parts of the forest. For the more adventurous, this is also the beginning of several bush trails. You could even walk up right to the first sister (of the famous 3 Sisters). After an hour of walking, we arrived at Cableway station, a sign for us to head back up. Our guide, Pete gave us a tip on where to stand take advantage of the good views. I would share it with you here but I have forgotten exactly where. I remember it is in front, not sure if it's the left side or right side. Hmmm.. just sign up for Pete's tour and he will tell you. Hahaha.

After the Cableway ride, we made our exit from Scenic World. However, instead of leaving through the same way we came, we were going to cross the ravine with the Skyway towards the other gate. Pete showed us the queue to the Skyway and told us he will meet us at the other side.

The Skyway is similar to Cableway except it carries more than 50 people at a time. It is hanging 270m above the national park. Here, Pete suggested we stand either on the left or in the middle (I remembered :D If you are coming from the opposite side, stand right or middle). Left gives you the best view of the waterfall, and middle gives you the best view of the ravine as you would be standing on a glass floor! Don't worry about the strength of the glass - it was demonstrated that it could withstand a hard stomp by the staff on duty. The demonstration somewhat shocked us, eliciting screams from some.

Peek-a-boo! These people did not know the glass was see-through as it was frosted at the start!

The trip across took less than 5 minutes. Apparently on a non-busy day, the Skyway operator would stop for a few minutes mid-air to allow passengers to take pictures of the waterfall. We did not get such special treatment as it was Easter and school holiday weekend.

Pete met us at the other side as promised and off we went to Echo Point to meet the famous sisters. Legend has it that three sisters from the Katoomba tribe fell in love with three brothers from another tribe. However inter-tribe marriage was forbidden. The brothers were determined to marry the sisters and planned to take them by force. In order to protect the sisters, a witch doctor turned them to stone. He did not get the chance to reverse the spell as he was killed before that.

A second version is the witch doctor changed himself to a lyre bird after changing the sisters to stone. Unfortunately, he lost his magic bone before he could change himself and the sisters back to human form. Is it said to this day, the lyre bird is still digging looking for the magic bone.

The sisters from Queen Elizabeth's Lookout.

We viewed the sisters from Queen Elizabeth's Lookout. It was a short walk down from the road. You could also view them from the lookout at road level or lower. Depends on how much walking you would like to do.

Pete also recommended we visit the sisters later in the evening, when the sun has set. They would be in greater limelight with the flood lights focused on them. We toyed with the idea and eventually made it back there after dark. It was a great decision and we have Pete to thank for. Do not be fooled by the dark surroundings. Do walk towards the edge of the lookout point for the reveal.

WARNING: Should you visit after dark, bring a torch light or use your phone's light option. Other than the sisters, nothing else is lit. It is so dark you can hardly see a palm in front of your face, what more concrete pillars. An elderly man was terribly injured the night we were there. He landed face first, seriously injuring himself and broke his glasses in the process. Although I recently received feedback from Blue Mountains City Council that the sandstone plinths will be removed in interest of public safety, no harm in going prepared.

We temporarily bid the famous sisters goodbye as we moved on to our very much anticipated next stop on our itinerary - morning tea. Yum yum. Our drive down the winding road deep into the valley began with the 300 million year old forest and ended at a 600 million forest. Within 30 minutes, we traveled through 300 million years. Believe it or not, you would have noticed the difference.

Megalong Valley Tea Rooms has a serene atmosphere around it. We had expected the place to be crowded as Pete's attempt to making a phone order before our arrival failed (the phone line was either engaged or left ringing). The amount of cars parked in front of the business seem to confirm our expectations. We were however surprised that it was not that busy after all (not by Malaysian standards anyways) with the number of tables available for our choosing. 

Hoping to increase our chances of spotting a kangaroo/wombat/eagle or anything wild, I chose a table in the garden. Pete in the meantime placed our orders at the counter - jam+scones+coffee for me, mushroom pie+apple drink for Mr H and chicken pie for Pete. We took a short walk down the garden while waiting for our food. Still no luck with the animals.

Our orders came and went straight into our mouths. The blackberry jam that came with my scones were not exactly to die for but close enough. I am not really a fan of blackberry jam, so coming to that conclusion meant it was good. I literally smothered the jam onto my scones (all 3 of them) leaving none in the bowl. In fact, I bought a jar ($8) back and now eat it with roast chicken too. Mr H's mushroom pie was not bad either. 

Garden seating @ Megalong Valley Tea Rooms

Beautiful weather meant the shed was unoccupied
throughout.

After our tummy fill up, we headed towards the creek nearby hoping to catch some sun bathing water dragons. Our luck in spotting animals on this trip continues - we found none. 

No water dragons today.

Despite not finding any water dragons, we did enjoy the tranquility of the creek. The gentle sound of flowing waters, the cool fresh air and the sounds of our footsteps - what's there not to love? Reluctantly, we left Megalong Valley and headed up back to Katoomba to our final stop in our tour - Govetts Leap.

Govetts Leap is host to Blue Mountains highest waterfall. Instead of heading straight to view the falls, we took a small detour bush walk. We finally spotted the elusive lyre bird, not one but two! Our luck was changing after all. Pete also impressed us with his knowledge of the local flora and fauna, especially with the different types of bottle brush plants. This is one of the benefits of getting a local tour guide! 

Lyre bird still looking for his magic bone.

Mountain Devil flower.

After our walk, we strolled over to the lookout for the final show. We were greeted with a never ending landscape of blue and green. Right at the corner, there it was. Standing at 300m tall, Bridal Veil Falls got its name from the flowing trail of water that changes direction depending from where the wind was blowing. Apparently, if the winds are strong enough you would be able to feel the gentle spray of waters from the falls. Amazing right? 

It was also here I found out why the area is called Blue Mountains. Due to the large quantity of eucalyptus trees that release oil into the air during the day, the reaction of the oil with the air creates a blue hue. 

Bridal Veil Falls (300m tall).

View from Govetts Leap.

After a few more pictures, it was time to complete the circle of our tour. Pete drove us back to our car and we bid our goodbyes. An enjoyable half a day we had.

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For the different types of tour provided by Blue Mountains Mystery Tour, go to http://www.bluemountainsmysterytours.com.au/Default.htm

Manly Scenic Walk

We were sitting in the middle of nowhere, tired and getting thirstier with each step. Are we lost? Not really. After 5km of walking, we are at a point when turning back would mean walking the same distance as forging ahead. Unsure of our decision, we had to make one soon - the sun is directly over our heads and my water bottle is nearly empty. I cannot wait to get home.

Sydney is heaven for those who love the great outdoors. Everything is within driving distance - the beach/sea, the mountains, the walking trails, the nature parks etc. Not far from Sydney city is Manly, a suburb known for its walking trails. One of its walking attraction is Manly Scenic Walk. This walk has two routes - Manly to Spit Bridge (10km) and Manly to North Head (9.5km). 

Wanting to take advantage of these perks (being close to nature & Manly) and also to commemorate our one year anniversary, Mr. H suggested we walk this route. "Horror" stories of the walk being 10km long or it will take a reasonably fit person 4 to 4.5 hours to complete or even potential bad weather did not deter him. He was determined to do this.

Being the supportive wife that I am,  I downloaded a map from http://www.manly.nsw.gov.au and studied the route prior to our walk. After some deliberation, we decided to start our journey at Spit Bridge towards Manly and moving on to North Head before heading back to Manly to catch our ride back to the city. This is of course before we knew that we would be walking both routes instead of one. In fact, it is only at point of writing I realised that this walk has two routes for us to choose from. Hahaha.

On Sunday morning, we made our way to Manly. Approximately $8 worth of bus rides later (per person), we arrived at Spit Bridge. Eager to start our walk we referred to the map, saw the words "Walkway Under Bridge" and proceeded to head towards that direction. This led us promptly to Plonk!, a nice little cafe by the bridge. This must have been a sign for us to plonk ourselves there for breakfast, so we did. The prices on the menu is a bit steep for our budget tastes. As the saying goes - Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper. And we did (the queen apparently does not eat). Since it was also the morning of our anniversary, we decided it was alright to splurge.

After our tasty meal (I had sauteed mushroom with bread and goat cheese spread, Mr. H had scrambled eggs and toast), we were ready to go. The waiter, noticing our map commented that the weather was a bit warm for a walk but nevertheless wished us luck.

Sunblock applied, cap on head and sunnies on, we made our way across Spit Bridge to the start of the trail. It was 10:30am. The trail itself is well marked and easy to follow - chances of getting lost is hardly there unless you try really hard. You will also find that this trail is able to cater to various needs for different people - the tourists (like us), health freaks (runners, joggers, walkers etc), families & friends (catch up sessions), pet owners with their pet dogs* and even couples on dates! Having said this, it is not suitable for families with young children or strollers. You will be walking on wooden platforms, sand paths, gravel paths, steps cut out of stones, the beach, pavement and even lanes through the houses in the suburbs.

*some routes are off limits for dogs. Alternative routes are available.

After the first few kilometers, you would have thought you had seen it all and the landscape scenery to be the same throughout the whole walk. Be prepared for pleasant surprises along the way because there will be instances that will prove you wrong such as the rows of yachts docked at the marina or strong waves breaking against the rock wall.

The route has at least 20 points of interest. Out of these, we had to veer off the main path for 2 of them - Aboriginal Engraving Site and Arabanoo Lookout.

Like the name suggests, the Aboriginal Engraving Site has a collection of engraved drawings by the Aboriginal people for viewing. Sadly for me, I was not able to make out most of it except for the fish. This despite having signboards to help me out.

There's a fish in there somewhere. Can you see it?

Can you see the engravings on the stone as per the sign? Neither can I :p

I had a better experience at the Arabanoo Lookout. Thankfully, there were no engravings for me to look out for. Only scenery. To think I nearly gave this a miss due to the confusion I had minutes earlier - I was NOT expecting to be greeted by 2 teams of grown men playing football at the park. Just as I was about to make a u-turn, I spotted the location of the lookout. Phew! However, our arrival kind off ruined a couple's first date (such a nice romantic place to be on a date too). Based on their bits and pieces of conversation though, there will be more dates to come.

There were some parts I was confused but it didn't matter to me. The view alone is enough.

Some of the other attractions are more of historical information like the beach where Prince Alfred was shot and other things. I did not really bother to stop long at these spots and just continued walking. 

Fast forward to the present situation - to turn back or to carry on? According to the map (thankfully we printed one), a few picnic areas would be along the way. This is great news because from previous experiences, we know picnic areas are normally equipped with water for drinking and washing. With renewed vigor, we were back on track. Yippee! The first picnic area seemed forever to appear but we eventually got there. After quenching our thirst and refilling, we continued towards the finishing line. By this time, we had decided to end our walk at Manly Wharf. The second part of the leg (Manly to North Head and back) will have to wait for another day. 

About 1km to go, we found out that Manly is also home to the endangered Little Penguins and it is the only mainland breeding colony in New South Wales. This explains these cute little signs on the pathway. 

We didn't see any penguins :(

Unfortunately, I didn't see any penguins despite going out of my way looking for them :p Finally at the wharf, we made our way home on the next ferry.

Looking back, it was a great day. We not only completed 10km, we did it in 3.5 hours which is 1 hour faster that the estimated time. I am sure we lost some calories while at it too. Hahaha.. No doubt we shall be back for part 2.

This backdrop is one of the many that made the walk memorable.

If you're thinking of going on this walk, here's a few tips that will make the walk easier and comfortable:

• wear walking/sport shoes or comfortable footwear
• bring ample of water (recommended 1 liter per person)
• don't forget to apply sunblock, bring a cap/hat and sunglasses
• bring along light snacks
• carry along a raincoat/poncho. Umbrella might not be suitable at certain areas.
• don't forget your camera.
• leave only footsteps, take only pictures.

Let's Go to The Zoo

The common responses we got were either “When at the giraffes, the view of the city is amazing” or “Take the ferry. You’ll get to see the city from a different perspective.” Not quite the response I was expecting. No mention of animals, just views. Which got me thinking, is it worth the trip (and not to mention $$) to visit the zoo then or should we ditch the zoo and make other plans? By the time I got round to making the decision, it was too late to make other plans. To the zoo we are going.

There are several ways to get to the zoo – by land or sea. Not wanting to disregard one of the common advises received, we made our way to Circular Quay to catch the ferry. There are several ferry services that ply the same route (public & private owned). Just choose one that fits your timing/budget and you are on your way. Upon arrival at Circular Quay Wharf 6, we purchased the Taronga Zoo Combo Pass ($55 per person, valued at $84) from Sydney Harbour Eco Hopper. With this pass, we were entitled to

• Entry to Taronga Zoo
• 24 Hour Sydney Harbour Eco Hopper Pass (this allowed us to get on and off the Eco Hopper as many times as we like at the different stops).

The first ferry out was scheduled to leave in 15 minutes and the next would only leave after 1 hour. Thus we made up our minds to have breakfast on the zoo compounds instead of at the quay. Due to the “early departure”, there were not many passengers on this first trip. Most of us opted to sit on the upper deck - to soak in the view of the city (and hopefully some Vitamin D from the sunshine). 12 minutes later, we arrived at Taronga Zoo Wharf. 

Early view of the ferry ride.

Our early arrival meant  we had to make our way to the main entrance since the entrance closest to the wharf opens only later. With the option to take the Sky Safari cable car (price included in our ticket) or a free shuttle bus, we chose Sky Safari - hoping to get a bird’s eye view of Sydney city without having to hire a helicopter. And though we did get the bird’s eye view, it is probably a bird that flew below the cable lines of the ride. Somehow I do not recall the views from my other cable car rides blocked by cable lines but it’s OK, the best view is at the giraffes remember?

Walking to the gates, I remembered that zoo map I printed the day before is on my dining table at home! This did not prove to be much of a problem as free maps are available from the information counter. Children are also entitled to activity sheets – perhaps to keep them occupied in between animals. Lockers are also available for rent, although I am not sure what type of items visitors would bring along on a zoo trip only to find out that they are not needed after all. Anyways with map in hand and a sense of adventure, we are ready to begin our exploration of the zoo!

Wanting to make the most of ticket price (and also this could be our one and only trip), I declared to  Mr. H, 

"Be prepared! We will not leave until we explore all trails (all 9 of them), visit every animal enclosure (some of them are on the main path, off the trails), listen to all keeper talks and watch all shows."

Mr. H looked at me then turned to walk towards the alligators. OK good, he got the message.

Alligator does not only begin with the letter A (the first of 26 alphabets), they are also the first exhibit of the zoo from the main entrance. They are then followed by koalas, frogs and Reptile World (Trail #1). We however made our way towards Taronga Food Market – fill up our empty stomachs first and cover trails later. Walking quickly along the path, we reached the giraffe enclosure.. Lo and behold! The view that greeted us – the backdrop of the city, the harbour, the zoo surroundings etc..  words could not do justice to describe the beauty of it. Even the pictures we took with our phone cameras cannot really capture the moment - having to fight with others for the view didn't help either. I must agree though, I will be joining the long line of people recommending this not to be missed view when visiting the zoo!

Lucky owners - prime property with a view

The rumblings in our tummy not so subtly reminded us of our empty stomachs. We continued our way to the food market. Although the place open for business at 11am, there was a stall for us to buy coffee and light snacks.

We had our breakfast with a good view of the elephants (strikes that off the list). In between the munching, slurping and appreciating the baby elephant’s cuteness, we planned to do the Seal Walk (Trail #5), listen to Seal Keeper’s talk and watch the Seal Show. Alas due to timings and locations (zoo authorities should plan this better), we had to ditch the talk but caught the show and did walk instead.

The Seal show is not only entertaining, it is educational as well. Somehow, the concept and the way the show is delivered is different from what I am used to. We are not only entertained by the tricks performed by the seal, at the same time we are educated on how we can each do our part to help maintain the marine's ecosystem for future generations (humans and sea animals). After this, I definitely will keep a look out for the MSC-certified seafood logo when buying fish. 

By stroke of luck, we also caught the QBE Bird Show. Despite being late, we got good "standing seats" behind the hedges of the show area. Again, an entertaining yet educational segment. We were introduced to different types of birds, their lifestyles and how they are currently threatened in our world. The hosts also share on what each of us can do to help save the environment and make it safe to for the birds e.g. picking up litter and throwing it in the trash.

Taronga Zoo does emphasis on conservation and this can be seen clearly from both shows. I am confident that all their other shows carry the same message as well.

Although there were many animals at the Zoo, my favourite would of course have to be the koalas. Looking all fluffy and moving slowly (if they are moving at all) between the tree branches, they look adorable! Koala encounters are also available for a fee. Here, you get the chance to be up, close and personal with a koala and take home a picture for remembrance. Do sign up early if you decide to do this as tickets are limited and can sell out.

A total of 6 hours were spent walking along trails & paths, watching the animal shows and meal breaks in between. It was time well spent. The zoo is not only a place to learn about the animals, habitats and conservation efforts, it is also a great place to spend time with family and friends. There are numerous play areas for children (doubles as good photo taking opportunities), picnic areas & gardens to enjoy your meal especially when the restaurants/ cafes are full and quiet areas for you to sit and reflect. Ooo.. keep an eye out for some free-roaming animals (mainly birds) and remember, do not feed them. 

The visit to the zoo would not be complete without a quick stop at the Zoo shop and its delightful array of souveniers. Quite a number of things caught our eye and in the end, we settled on a family of owls. They were too cute to resist!

First house decor in Sydney

We boarded the 3:45pm ferry towards the Circular Quay and took the longer route because our 24 hour pass entitles us so. Again, we took the upper deck to take advantage of the views. It tends to get cold, my tip is to bring along a light jacket for a more comfortable ride. Also, if planning to wear a hat/cap, make sure it is tight enough so it would not fly off your head. 

The ferry ride took us to Watsons Bay and Manly with several stops in between. If it had been earlier in the day, we could actually disembark and explore these little towns (each had its own specialty and different activities) and take the next ferry back. 

Sail boat between Watsons Bay and Manly

However not only it was getting late, we were knackered from the zoo and had a dinner appointment to go to. Also, the storm gates were gonna break open any moment and we didn't the possibility of being late because of the weather. 

Overall, I had a great day. Taronga Zoo is not only entertaining for children, also for adults without children! Definitely worth a second (or third or more) visit.

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For zoo map, tips and information on making the best of your visit to Taronga Zoo, go to http://taronga.org.au/taronga-zoo.

For Sydney Harbour Eco Hopper (the ferry service we used), go to http://www.sydneyharbourecohopper.com.au/.

Exploring Sydney on a Budget

Yesterday marks one month since we arrived in Sydney. Time passed quickly yet slowly depending on I-don't-really-know-what factors. Even though we are living abroad as a long term visitor (for me at least while Mr. H is hard at work), it would not be right to not make time or effort to explore the city. As we aim to balance budget & experience, we managed to find and complete five activities without costing us an arm and/or a leg.

1. Free walking tours Sydney
This is a great "short cut" way to learn more about Sydney city. While the tour is free, tipping your guide is expected at the end of the tour (that is how they earn their $$). The tour runs three times a day (rain or shine) at the following times - 10:30am, 2:30pm and 6pm. The first two sessions would cover the same sights while the 6pm tour is a different one.

If you do decide to join the tour, my advice would be:

• wear comfortable shoes/sandals/footwear - it's a lot of walking and you need to keep up with the group.
• bring a raincoat or umbrella (in case it rains).
• sunscreen and sunglasses
• cash (for tips).

For more information on this tour, go to http://www.imfree.com.au/sydney/index.html

2. Scenic walk from Bondi to Bronte

View from Bondi to Bronte

You are not limited to walking, you can also jog along the route. We noticed quite a number of joggers/runners covering this route. The view is also awesome and perhaps does help motivate the runner to complete the distance.

If you're not exercising, taking this walk is still worth while - the views are amazing and there are ample of opportunities for picture taking. Along the way, there are also boards with information regarding the history of the place, local conservation efforts, flora & fauna etc.

It was a sunny day (don't forget your sunscreen, sunglasses and also a cap/hat) yet it was breezy. It reminded me of my walk on my way up to Gunung Tahan in 2003. Felt like I was walking in an air-conditioned outdoor room.

In the event you are tired or short of time, you don't have to complete the whole distance. Just take one of the many exits and you are free to head back home (via public transport) or head to the shops nearby for a cuppa.

3. BBQ Picnic at Palm Beach

Bring your own BBQ set or use the grills provided for public use (it is free). The BBQ area itself is opposite the beach, closer to the golf course. This is probably a calculated move as the winds are strong by the beach - making it harder to maintain a fire right? 

Once the picnic is over, feel free to head to the beach for a swim or for some sand play.

Palm Beach

4. Mrs Macquaries Chair

Mrs Macquarie loves to watch the ships enter the harbour. Her husband asked his men to carve a chair from stone so she can sit and continue watching the ships comfortably (this is my version as I remember). 

The chair is close to the Botanical Gardens. In fact, we made a small detour into the gardens on our way to the chair (we were gifted with the magnificent view of the Opera House, Harbour Bridge and a huge liner in return). In order to kill two (or more birds) with one stone, you can coincide this visit with a picnic or a jog or a run etc.

5. Sydney Fish Market

This is a popular stop, not only among the tourists but also locals for fresh (and perhaps cheap?) seafood. You can choose your seafood and get them to cook it just the way you like it and enjoy your freshly cooked food outside overlooking the harbour. We have not experienced this exactly but did get the chance to yamcha at a restaurant on the 2nd floor :p

Not bad for the first month eh?

Maintaining a routine (with adjustments)

Today is not only Valentine's Day & Chap Goh Meh, it also marks 2 weeks since leaving home. We arrived with 80kgs of baggage (60kgs checked in & 20kgs of cabin baggage) with no place of our own. 

The biggest concern was to look for a place to rent ASAP. Lucky for us, we managed to rent a place within the first week of our arrival here. The next few days were spent assembling furniture, furnishing the house etc. With setting up house nearly done, I decided to get back into my KL routine (sans work of course).

First thing on the list is to read news.. except I am not sure if I should read Malaysian news or Down Under news. If the latter, where should I source my news from? Hahaha.. I decided to continue reading Malaysian news and just get local news from TV.

Next would be the TV shows - yes, this is a major decision for me now, see what my priorities in life these days are? Hahaha... What are the channels should I watch? I do not have cable TV and totally dependent on free tv. At this moment, I have been watching TV shows that were premiered when I was in Form 2 e.g. Beverly Hills 90210, Frasier, Everybody Loves Raymond, Star Trek etc. Can't seem to find the latest comedies/sitcoms. I also watch a lot of the Winter Olympics Live Telecast. Someone please.. tell me what are the channels I should be watching :D

I am also attempting to be active again in my whatsapp chat groups. Not easy due to the time difference. When I am ready for bed, everyone else is just off work and ready to be chatty. When I am awake and chatty, everyone else is still in bed. Must find a way to work this one out :p

Other than maintaining a routine, I also managed to do the touristy stuff. Yesterday, we took a walk along Bondi Beach to Bronte Beach. It was probably a 4km walk under the scorching sun (to me) except you feel like you are walking in an air-conditioned room due to the cool winds. Needless to say, I am now tanned.

Bondi Beach on a Thursday - these people seem happy to be working on a tan.

Today, we took another long walk.. this time to Mrs Macquarie's Point (located closed to the Botanical Gardens if not within) to check out the view of the harbour and also her chair. Since we were walking in an "air-conditioned" environment, the walk was a pleasant one despite my shoe trying to kill my heel and big toe. Along the way, there is a lovely view of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.

Opera House, Harbour Bridge and Radiance of the Seas (ship)

Along the way, we saw many couples having their Valentine's picnic -- something you would not see in KL (not only couples will have face the heat from the sun, they would probably have to face religious authorities as well). We ended our walk at the Opera House. With all this walking, I do hope there will be positive changes in weight (lighter) and shape (slimmer)!

Monday onward, a new routine will take place - Mr. Hubby starts work and I can finally focus on my other 11 projects (some are identified, some are not).

Have a great weekend all.