christmas 2004

24 dec

didn't want to be late for the Q Hill family noche buena so we attended a youth mass instead of the usual midnight carols mass. got to chat with some relatives from Bats & greeted them merry Xmas. the past couple of days, i've managed to curtail my xmas shopping to the essentials. my list is definitely not complete but 2 hours of Kmart shopping plus another 2 in Castle Hill meant lots were achieved so i've been somewhat pleased.

there were dancing & lots of laughter in Q Hill followed by strategic planning for the annual Xmas picnic party the next day. destination & time confirmed - Abbot St McDonalds car park --- 9 am convoy departure for Balmoral beach.

25 dec

weather didn't look promising from early in the morning but with great resolve & comparison with previous years' experiences, we decide to go ahead as planned. as confirmed last night, some had colour themes but santa "red" was popular. the convoy left as planned after toilet & petrol breaks ...and not forgetting the shock of other people seeing us hanging around in a closed McDonalds car park. other travellers thought it was opened as we looked so happy to be there.

deja vu as we arrived at our picnic spot --- c2000 we had the same spot. after a few more cousins arrived, two matching marquees were put up over blue tarps next to a picnic table, & well market spots over looking north head and out to tasman sea. it was beautiful despite the cloud + cold winds. the atmosphere was very festive as other families were around although not as noisy as we were.

baby of this season is Alyssa who cheered everyone with her dancing, matching pink outfits including sunnies & handbag. what a very cute & happy baby! menudo, adobo, pansit, ham, mangoes, Prospect family BBQ were some of the menu items.

it was nice to stroll along the beach & saw how other families/ groups spent their Xmas day. before 5pm we were ready to leave for a continuation at our next destination. Kellyville Ridge was the karaoke & dinner venue. cousin J was the performer of the night, being the first singer to get 100 points. by my 3rd song, i got 100 as well- thank goodness to don't cry for me argentina. got 100 also for my "i will survive" encore with goddaughter J.

not much pressie activity when we got back to K Park but sis gave me a 40gb ipod. i've waited one for ages & was buying one for me on & off continously. now that i finally i have, i seriously don't know whether the cost is really warranted. the iFake given by great best friend V a few weeks back is technically an acceptable substitute. so the iPod is in really in the "to be refunded" basket.

26 dec

st patricks choir mass followed by a cabramatta lunch and without missing the usual car family dramas. after pigging out, we were all desperate for a nap. cousins, sis & i were playing the 'who ever first talks, buys fish balls for everyone game' when the phone rang. i had to pick up so i lost but i was so glad to hear from T (os call all the way from windy wellington).

pineapple was screaming to hear from coconut as usual! got to discuss about T's new love interest. Samoan Tim. Ohhhhhh, it was so romantic & funny!

27 dec

ikea shopping from Rhodes. had Wendy's hotdog while we waited for dad who got separated from us in the gigantic ikea market hall.

YOSHINOYA dinner with the red one & D. exchanged pressies. i got D cufflinks fr david jones presented in a round, flat topped lime green chinese ceramic. gave the red one, black dangerfield leather look bag, framed photo (bohnq & yheeha from the bed headboard of the watermark hotel gold coast prior to partying at MP). received silver diesel ring. worn middle finger. goes perfectly well with black shell brace band from cairns.

ahhhhh, to sleep over once again after all these months back to my belvedere bed! didn't get to sleep until after 4am.

28 dec

marriot breakfast with SUNNY! Sunny: i hope i don't prevent you from getting laid forever by walking & holding hands with you on this street. LOL.

bondi junction shopping. ohh ahhhed over so many nice homeware stuff for me whilst Sunny spent the first half hour of shopping trip on the first shop we went to - armani exchange. two tops- less than $150 - a bargain for her definitely. walked all day & we came up with our HAI with the korean ARROTO. this literally translates to "i know" in english.

by 9pm back in K Park for prayers. grandmother Flaviana's 36(?)death anniversary.

got billabong truckie's hat from cousin R.

last day at the lagoon ...

cairns lagoon

palm cove

green season in paradise

since returning to sydney from surfers paradise, i had been beach bumming in coogee with sis & cousins. the plan to travel again came from there. hanging around close to the water is a sure good way to pass time. in our conversations, came the possibility of phuket, hawaii, fiji. lack of bargain deals & inability to be adequately covered by travel insurance meant local travel. and then i stumbled across CAIRNS. the first destination of my solo travels which started in 1991. i will never forget my adventures there. i was also there with my whole family last july as a break or half way point to my chemo treatment. visiting there last july reminded me of how beautiful life is and continue to be. i have even contemplated living there.

so on december 9, with one of my smartest & coolest female cousins, we fly away from sydney. when we landed i felt home and the tropical heat reminded me that although this is my fourth visit, this is the first time i get to be here in the rainy season. it is actually called "the green" season as the rain makes everything green. it also meant the season for marine stingers.

stayed in a brand new holiday apartment in the city so it was so handy for me to go out for my walks whilst my cousin did the activities/ touristy things. she thought kuranda (the rainforest) was boring and i don't really blame her too much. trees are just trees right. but maybe it would have been more fun for her if she wasn't by herself. she did however enjoyed the other destinations & activities although her white water rafting was a lot tamer than what she expected.

some highlights for me:
* esplanade boardwalk. walking past & re-visiting the mango trees me, dad & sister attacked last july
* swimming on the lagoon (even at night) surrounded by world travellers/ flying bats & new moon rising
* cheap japanese food
* cocktails (cosmo /mango dacquiri)
* snorkelling agincourt reef ( free cruise usually worth $190 per person included as bonus from our accomodation package).
* ice cream night cap by the boardwalk.
* drunken chit chats/ sunset beach photo sessions with couz
* swimming in the hotel pool during a rainstorm
bih:office/cbd/visit one:1brbk/2mediterranean/3fskn/4brit1stBumbum
bih:office/cbd/visittwo:1rimBlwOvaBk/2CkRingBtmBrBkBlwIns


didn't sleep our last night as we were supposed to be picked up at 3:45 am. on 16 dec i got back to sydney and crashed into bed. woke up later with a sore throat.

17 dec
inspected my flat as the japanese tennants had left. yay, am soon moving back in. but my excitement is dampened by my sore throat. maybe i had overdone it in cairns?! need to rest lots. had lunch in pitt st mall & did some xmas shopping. for dinner, i had YOSHINOYA, a japanese fast food joint. it's only a few steps away from my apartment.