One Step at a Time, in Nichole's Way: 13 Days in Australia Part I

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Quote of the Day:

Hildebrant's principle: If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.

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Day 1

21-06-2008(Saturday)

Touch down at 7am. Everything went well. LK and Peter came and pick us up and drive us back to their apartment. It's at Highett. A suburb. Not too bad. One cozy small town where you can finish exploring the whole town in just 10 minutes if you are a really slow walker and went in to every single shops.

After a short rest at the apartment, I mean REALLY short rest, LK and Peter brought us to breakfast. Chinese breakie!!! Dim Sum!!! They call it as Dim Sim or Yum Cha anyway. It's really good....

After breakfast, we went DFO. Direct Factory Outlet. They have the cheapest branded stuff you could ever imagine. I bought myself a really warm black sweater and an indoor boots. Both cost me AUD$ 39.90 and AUD$19.90 respectively. Cheap cheap cheap....

After all the shopping, we went mini golf. 18 holes golf okay!!! It's so seriously fun. LK and LM got hole-in-one. Peter got the highest score, follow by LM and LK. I got the worst score.

We later drop by at Peter parent's for dinner with Peter's grandparents and their neighbor, Joe. Nothing much. I barely understand Peter's dad. But overall were good.

Day 2

22-06-2008(Sunday)

Horse riding!!!! Not those typical zoo's horse riding type. No malay uncle, no pony and most of all, not in the park nor zoo. It's all free and DIY. DIY as in go up to the horse by yourself, go down by yourself and ride it by yourself. WooHooooo.....

The horse go galloping like a wild horse and it even goes to the beach.

Too bad its a bad whether for horse riding. It rains continuously. My horse refuse to go further on the beach because the rain goes into it's eyes and it does not feels comfortable to go on. Further more, my horse is such a stubborn horse. No matter how hard I kick it, it still refuse to move. Sigh. LK says my horse is actually a cow who undergo plastic surgery to become a horse. This is because my horse who named Bruce, have brown and white patches.

Our original plan is corn farm maze after horse riding, but due to the bad whether, we have to call it off.

So what we did is typical city citizen's activity. Grocery shopping. After shower (we were all soak in rain), we went to the mall, Westfield, down the street. We had lunch there. Lk and Peter will do their grocery while LM and I will go and walk around the mall.

I'm looking for a nice good looking high heels boots but I don't seems to meet any. Anyway, after the mall, Peter drove us to his parent's place to hang out. We had pool game there. We started our game with four people and end with only two, LM and I. LK fall asleep during the game while Peter was busy screening through his computer. We also watched a really good comedy which I think it's worth to waste your 10 minutes looking it up at youtube and another 45 minutes watching it. This comedian named Peter Russell/Rusell.

Around 6.30pm, we head to the indoor basketball court where Peter has his weekly basketball game. It is so terribly brilliant I would say. I'm actually referring the service provided by the public indoor basketball court. Although it is public, but you are supposed to pay for the court and each game timing 18 minutes first half and 18 minutes next half. Even on-looker/supporter/visitor will have to pay as well. AUD$ 2 per entry. Burn a hole in my purse if it is me to pay for it.

Peter's team mate have really interesting name printed on their team uniform. One of them is Zoolander and the other is who am I. The final point is 30-28, Peter's team win. Not bad huh. The other team is really rough. But it's all just a friendly game.

After the game, LK and Peter brought us to dinner opposite the basketball court, Sofia. This restaurant is just so.....*speechless*.... LK told us that they charge us extra for not finishing the food, so put in our order wisely. Because back in KL, there are something like that, so I believe what she said. I wanted to share but LK recommended LM to try the pizza. So, I thought it wont be that much. A fried calamari, a cabonara, a lasagna and a pizza. So, calamari was served. Okay, appetizer saiz is a little too much to be an 'appetizer'. Follow by cabonara. It took my breath away. It is such a big serving that even Italianies' share plate are way behind this. Later, a block lasagna show up in front of me. Jesus. It has a million of layer!!! Okay, I exaggerate it. It's such a big serving. I remember I ordered a small serving. LM saw my lasagna and started laughing that I'll have to finish my 'brick' of lasagna. She than suddenly paused and turn to LK and ask 'how big my pizza gonna be??!!' Without delay, the pizza were served. LM got so speechless when she sees the pizza is such a humungous pizza. I swear to you that that's the biggest pizza I have ever seen in my 20 years of life!!! How the hell could one person finishes it???!!!

Day 3

23-06-2008 (Monday)

FREE AND EASY!!!!

It's our day man!!!

Both LK and Peter off to work early in the morning. So, LM and I sleep in. Well, I did not really sleep in. Chio Chio woke me up.

I have to do the laundry no matter what. Dirty cloth has stacked up like Mount Kinabalu already. So, I took out all my guts and start exploring LK's washing machine and her dryer. And yes, being the all time natural-born-talent-in-machine-and-computers-freak, I manage to work out the machine without LK tutoring me. Actually, I'm doing the laundry behind LK's back. If she knows, I'm dead!!! Anyway, it's so fun to use her washing machine!!! I felt like doing LK and Peter's laundry as well.

In the noon, we took train to Melbourne city. Taking a train is such a fresh experience for me. This is my first train ride. And we took it all by ourselves. Aren't we brave or what.

In the city, it is so familiar but yet there's a hint of new smells. Guess 2 years really did change Melbourne a lot. LM and I though it would be a good idea to visit places where we went before 2 years ago to bring back all the good old memories that has faded along with times.

We walked passed Arrow High - our apartment - and it reminds us of daddy ask us run to the mall next block to buy him some spices while he's cooking. We walked to Lygon Street - our favourite supper place - and we remembers, 2 years ago, we have this really yummy original italian hand toast pizza in the cold fussy night. After hot steamy pizzas, we indulge ourselves with this really yummy ice cream but LM and I don't seems to find it anymore. So we got for other shop that sells similar ice cream. Not as good as the one we have 2 years ago, but not too bad. On the way walking to China Town, I was thinking, why is the route seems shorter and faster compared to our last visit. I think, perhaps, it is because this time, I really did enjoy the scenery, building and the moment we walk this path.

At China Town, how can we even tell others we went China Town without visiting the hongkie's dessert house. Love their Hong Kong noodles.

After China Town, since we are so free, we went to the mall that both LM and I so familiar with. In that mall, we did most of our grocery 2 years ago. And in that mall, there's this sushi stall that sells the yummiest-not-so-original-sushi-roll. How can we missed it when we're in this mall!!!

We wanted to go to the Vic Market, but very unfortunately, I'm not very sure with the location of Vic Market. So, we went home instead. Of course, we did some shopping before we left.

LK cooked dinner for us. And I can tell you, she's the worst cook after my mom!! She can barely cook okay!!!! But what can I say, I have to eat whatever she prepared for us right?

Day 4

24-06-2008 (Tuesday)

Another day of free and easy. This time we really sleep in. We did not go to the city. We just stay at home and laze around. We walk across 3 to 4 streets to buy ourselves some lunch, KFC's Wicket Wings, an Australian KFC product. We watches DVDs and eat left-over food as snack. We chase the cat and clean the house. We really did nothing.

In the evening, LK came back together with Peter. They bought home dinner, chicken and chip, very different from Malaysia's style of chicken and chip. Lazy people. Everyday da pou or eat out. tsk tsk tsk....

Day 5

25-06-2008 (Wednesday)

Peter got promoted. So LK decides to take a day off. Actually, she's just plain lazy. She took us to one of the big mall next town. The mall resembles KLCC. All expensive and branded. Anyway, LM got herself a FCUK bag. Than, LK brought us to this waffles house that serve Mexican chicken waffle with ice cream. Yummm.....

After all the shopping, we took train to city to meet up with Peter.

But, it seems like we are a little early, so LK brought us to Max Benner for some chocolate drink. While waiting for Peter. For some reason, I sense that the chocolate drink hates me. May be it can smell coffee from me. The freaking stainless steel spoon+straw got stuck by the chocolate chip for freaking many times. And the candle keep going off!!! Hmph!!!

After meet up with Peter, they brought us to a German restaurant for dinner. The settings is so cozy and warm. It is so.... German!!!

All of us are required to order a fruit shot, some alcoholic drinks, and it is a policy of Peter's whenever we eat out at some expensive restaurant. Anyway, we order a hell lot of meat!!! And we actually drink a kind of German soft drink call Almdudles, it is made of cabbage. Not too bad I would say.