Harbour Town… AGAIN!

Back to Harbour Town @ Gold Coast today! :) Went to this Gold Coast shopping paradise almost 3 months ago with mum and sis but today, it was with my friends.

Had a great time speed shopping when we realised we only had 4 hrs altogether to shop! We ate lunch before the commencement of our shopping, that’s why we didn’t really have time to shop after that, damn it! The next time we head there, we have to make it super early!

The shopping was almost fruitful. I didn’t manage to cover all of Harbour Town… again! I also didn’t manage to get this nice bag I want, but that’s okay because it’s sold in the City.

Oh and right now I’m learning to become more of a good tour guide in case anybody from SG happens to visit me. It takes about an hr train ride from Brisbane to Gold Coast. And then another bus to Harbour town. I can take you guys to Gold Coast even if we don’t have those damn cars! :P

Pics to be up soon here and in fb~

Spring is upon us and so is the mid-term break!

Our lovely Sunday was spent at Sunny Bank, Asian “paradise”.

Purple flower tree just opposite our place. :)

The following are some quickly-taken snap shots of Sunny Bank.

Restaurant selling Singapore food but cooked by Hong Kong people. :T

 

The wind was THAT strong- look at the palm tree [or whatever tree it is].

My lunch was a ginormous bowl of Malaysian Laksa. I miss laksaaaa~ This laksa tasted different from the ones sold in SG. Perhaps because it’s MALAYSIAN laksa. I want cockles in my laksa!

Everything was PLUS SIZE. Even my teh tarik. And of course, so is the PRICE. 

 
Helek’s large plate of mee goreng.

It’s totally weird to post these food commonly found in SG here in my blog, as if it’s some special cuisine. But in this “ang moh” country, home food IS a type of cuisine.

Also, the portion served to customers is really GINORMOUS. Helek’s mee goreng can be split into two normal [normal to us] meals. I finished my entire bowl of laksa because I was really hungry but even so, I felt REALLY bloated after that. :T NOT GOOD!

I’ve been frequently having meals with REALLY BLOATED aftermath these days. I can feel a tire around my stomach already. SAVE ME! :O

Anyway, cheers to my first mid-term break in Aus! A whole list of activities have been planned for the one-week break, hopefully I am able to squeeze in time to study and start on some assignments early.

Dust Storm in Brissy!

Fuss of the day- DUST STORM!

The moment Helek and I stepped out of our unit, we went, “OMG WTH is happening?!”

Everywhere looked like it was covered in ORANGE MIST. We thought it was going to rain, like a storm is brewing. It was really eerie. Like ARMEGADDON. O_O We had no idea what the hell was going on.

But later on in the day while in UQ, I met LN and she told me it was a Dust Storm. All those orangey stuff are DUST or SAND from the Outback. Due to the strong winds, sand from the Outback was blown over to Sydney and Brisbane.

As shown in the news, Sydney had it worst as the city was covered in DARK orangey mist. It was so terrible when I saw it on TV that I wonder if someone’s lungs would be clogged with all that sand if he took in a large breath. At least Brissy’s mist was a lighter orange.

The entire day was windy and gloomy but that didn’t really affect my mood. Not that I did something particularly exciting today, I’m just saying. Anyways I’m almost always happy when I attend Uni!

Here are some photos I got from ourbrisbane.com:

Remember, it’s so misty due to the DUST/SAND and not FOG!

Time to chillax!

After two somewhat gruelling Korean written tests today, I can finally let my hair loose and allow the constrained Koreanophile within me to take over! I am so deprived of Korean dramas and my DBSK! Ever since coming to Brissy, I have to restrain myself from Korean entertainment due to so many factors! Internet download quota, assignments and social life are some of the major reasons. :(

But I still make it a point to follow Kpop as closely as I can even with the lack of dramas and variety shows. I’m alright with minimal dramas and variety shows [except Family Outing], but Kpop? I just have to keep myself updated no matter what.

While on the topic of Kpop, I’ve just finished 4hrs plus of DBSK couple talk from their AADBSK DVD in one sitting. SO AWESOME.

I know it’s been weeks since I received my DVDs, but it’s only now am I able to relax and watch it without worrying about assignments or tests. I want to watch the DVDs without all that behind my mind, in a stress-free state. :)

DBSK members are just SO PERFECT. Super talented, super good-looking, awesome personalities and just PERFECT! You might say their presented personalities might just be only on camera… so does that make them first-class actors, being able to seem so convincing? ^^

It’s been far too long since I’ve blogged about DBSK or Kpop in general. So pardon the fangirl typing this blog post, alright? :)

I still have another 4 hrs plus of DBSK DVD content to finish watching! I can’t wait to get down to it!

Anyway, while having lunch at the Great Court today, I took the liberty to take a few snapshots of the grassy field where it’s patronized by Uni students everyday.

All that grassy land is called the Great Court! Everyday, students would sit there to hang out with friends, sun-tan, read, sleep or just eat. People would play casual Frisbee or soccer on the area as well. :) For me, I just love eating at the area or chilling out with friends. It’s great because during lunch time, the refectory would be filled, so this place serves as a nice alternative to have lunch~ Love it!

UQ’s Law Library

I’ve been hanging out a lot in UQ’s Law Library recently due to the individual rooms they have for students to use. Today, I brought along my digicam to take a few snapshots of the place [and also to kill my compulsion of studying].

These are the individual rooms found at level 4. The rooms look totally different at level 3.

Inside the room is just an in-built desk and some chairs. LOVE THE PRIVACY! We can eat inside without being noticed too! :D The desk is so much bigger than my own, so I prefer studying here than at home.

I think the Law Library has one of the nicest and cleanest toilet in UQ!

And there is another amazing thing in Law Library… I shall come back another time with a photo of it. Perhaps all the Unis offering Law degree will have it, but I think it’s really awesome!

Had a really nice dinner at YY & EL’s place this evening. They invited some of their friends as well and most of them are Msians. I reckon that if I hang out more with them, my Mandarin is going to sound like Msian Mandarin. >< Sometimes when I speak to them in Mandarin, I feel like I’m speaking Msian Mandarin. OMG…

Also, most of them either speak Mandarin or Cantonese so I’m quite out of place when I suddenly speak English in the midst of their conversation. My Mandarin really sucks now and I totally feel more comfortable speaking English. Well, sometimes I may speak mandarin to my Taiwanese or Hong Kong friends- but even to them I would speak English most of the time.

Anyways, the dinner was bak-ku-teh and some other Asian dishes [which I don’t know how to call it]. Feels so homely while we ate around the dining table. It made me think of my mum and grandmother’s cooking. I ate so much I feel so bloated even after 2 hrs. No bad we didn’t take photos… Why didn’t we take?! :/

I can’t wait to go back SG! My mum made home-made ketupat for Hari Raya. I want to eat satay with ketupat and onions!

 

Shall end now with this photo for y’all to see:

 
This is the directory found in the UQ Law Library’s lift. Awesome huh? Haha!

Party on board?

It did looked like there was a party going on in the bus when I took the bus home this evening! But those are really just decoration in commemoration of Brisbane's 150th year!

Can you believe it? I’m living in a 150-year-old city now! That’s amazing considering the young nation where I come from.

Those photos stuck on the windows are of little bits and pieces of Brisbane. Didn't really have the time to look at them closely since the bus ride was only 5 mins.

I just think it's awesome how even buses have interior decorations! Everyday is a new day for new discoveries. I love it! :)

Anyways, dinner today was at UQ. ‘Makan Nite’ event was held for SEAsian students! Indo, Msian, Brunei and Sporean food up for grabs! The food didn’t taste super awesome and portion was kind of small but still, Curry chicken + + Rice + Satay + Milo Dinosaur= a tinge of home. It’s really not easy to get those food here in Brissy unless you go to Asian places like Chinatown and Sunny Bank. The servings are really HUGE and overly priced.

I miss SG food!

Riverfire was awesome!

There sure are lots of major events in Brissy! It was Ekka few weeks ago and now the Brisbane Festival 2009 which is going to last for about 3 weeks! One of the most major event held during the festival is definitely the freaking awesome Riverfire which basically means fireworks by the Brissy River. :)

Almost everyone I knew went to the event. I would dare say majority of Brissy peeps gathered around the river just to witness the amazing sparks that light up the night. Roads were blocked to hold in the large capacity of population localised in an area. Insanely crowded.

The event was held last Saturday (12/9) and the fireworks just kept on going for 30 whole minutes. There was music blasting in the background, jet flyers heating up the skies and the night scene of the city was so pretty. Everything was incredibly awesome. The fireworks in Ekka definitely cannot match up with what I witnessed on that night. Videos and photos are already up in fb! :)

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As for today, I went to Jennifer’s house for dinner! :D To refresh your poor memory, Jennifer is the Korean girl whom I met during one of the academic workshops I attended in my first few weeks of attending UQ.

She cooked curry chicken and seafood soup (not very Korean-y, eh?) but provided Korean side dishes. Actually there is a long story behind the reasons of why she cooked those dishes instead of the normal Korean food. It’s her personal reasons so I won’t reveal it here. Expectedly, the dinner was delicious!

She said the next time I go, she’ll prepare more Korean food. But the cooking ware she has now in her place is insufficient for her to cook up a Korean cuisine meal. That’s too bad but it’s alright. She’s cooking for me and I’ve got free dinner! What more could I ask for! ;D

Me & Jen @ the Riverfire

Spilling some of the beans

So it's been 2 months and 4 days since I arrived here in Brissy.
Believe it or not, I'm loving uni life! :D Perhaps it's because of the subjects I'm taking which I have to admit can get boring at times, especially history, but generally, I'm enjoying the classes!
Even though it can get quite stressful, having to think of what to write for my assignments in my Asian studies major, I still enjoy doing it. Well I'm not sure if my grades will be good, but I sure had fun writing my assignments.
Maybe it's because I wrote about Korean Wave for my Japanese popular culture course. Lol, that's why it was so fun.
I'm learning lots of new things in my Korean class as well. It can be quite overwhelming but yeh, I am still able to keep up. :)

Friends I've made in uni are part of the reason why I love uni life too! Okay, so I haven't made a single ang-moh friend and 90% of my current friends are international students while the rest are Australian-born Asians. Because we're international students, we're able to relate with each other better. And they are all so nice, easy-going and friendly. I always look forward to hanging out with them. :D

Of course, I haven't forgotten my life in SG... I miss my family, my relatives, my sec sch friends, my poly friends, my DBSK albums/DVDs, unlimited internet usage, Causeway point, Cathay Cineplex, MRT, late night shopping, CHEAP STUFF/FOOD and all that super cheap Chinese, Malay, Indian [basically Asian] food! I miss going out for family dinners with my family and relatives.

You know what did I dream the most while I was here? I dreamt a lot about my family and relatives... Parents, sista, Chups, Jovi, Lian, Chewz, Chun and Hui... Lol. Seriously, in the first few weeks, I would dream of them at least twice a week. Maybe I miss them too much. Now it's better, not so much. XD

Once in a while, I would really wish December was here already so I can go back to SG. It's the urge that comes up occasionally. Sometimes I would have the impulse of calling some of my friends [be it sec sch or poly] to go out but a second later I would realise I'm now in Aus.

Well, of course when life gets good here, I just soak in the fun! :)

Coooool!

This was one of my morning breakfast:

Lian, does it look familiar to you? Hahaha…

 

My cousin showed me this cool video awhile ago:

090909

Before the clock strikes 12...

Happy 090909.

Also the day that marks the end of my 1st term major essays! Yesss. A little load off my back. Now back to catching up with news on the Kpop world! So dumb- whenever I'm super busy, Kpop would have really breaking news. =.="

Just for her

Happy 21st Birthday, Lai Ee!

You’re officially an adult now! Awesome, or not? Haha~

Hope you’ve had made birthday wishes and had a great day!

May all your wishes come true! (So cliche :P)

How’s the feeling of becoming an adult?

2NE1! XD

 

Photo-feast! :)

Okay, I need some break away from writing my essays. I haven’t do much today and deadline is nearing every second. But my eyelids are heavy and my brain just won’t run… I slept at 3.30am last night due to writing my essay. ><

Anyways, my blog is really plain and just full of words these days. So before I rush my essays and begin my negligence upon this site, I shall feed you guys with random photos I’ve took for the past week. Don’t expect anything fantastic but it beats all-words-no-pics entries, right?

Kel and I goofing around in front of the mirror. I admit it- I look like an idiot here.

 
Thai Beef Lasagne. EXTREEEEEEEMELY DELICIOUS! Especially for all you cheese-loving people, this would be a delight to feast on.

Spinach pie. Also damn nice! Most of the food sold in this cafe is soooo mouth-watering.

 
My latte.

 
Chilling out at the cafe and reading (happily). Lol.

My 3 M’sian friends whom I love hanging out with! Top left to right- YY and EL. And beside me- LN (I mentioned her in my previous post before). I feel like I’m destined to make M’sian friends…

The aussie coins! From the top left- 50c, 20c, 10c and 5c. From bottom left- 1d and 2d. They don’t have 2 dollars notes which made everything so inconvenient because my coin pocket is always filled to the brim with 2d coins. Plus, the 50c coin is just HUGE. =.=”

In the midst of doing my essay…

IwillIwillIwill! IcanIcanIcan!