Yondering Downunder: The Lowdown (Days 1 and 2)

Just touched down in Sydney.

This is most definitely a "yonder post" as I have had no opportunity to practice yoga in Sydney.

Glorious glorious Aussie coffee.

Glorious glorious coffee. My love affair with coffee has been re-ignited; and I'm not sure how I am going to survive mornings when I get back to Singapore. Nothing beats a good frothy cuppa, with fresh Australian milk.

I've also been re-acquainted with "proper" food, and I now understand what a big breakfast really is. Just avocado and tomato on toast tastes so(ooooo.......) good. I've missed the fresh food here in Sydney, with its light and refreshing down-to-earth honesty. Sydney does the cafe so terribly well.

The "lady". Used to drive past her every time I went to back to high school. 

It was also good to visit Godsista's apartment - so many memories lie within those walls, and the good times I spent staying with her during uni all came back to my mind. *Smile*

Hello Mount Franklins water? AUD 3 a bottle now? How could you?!!

I've missed the magnificent view of the Harbour Bridge from her veranda, it never fails to take my breath away, especially on the crystal clear sunny day that was yesterday, the day that I arrived. Sydney has certainly welcomed me home! :D I have been away far too long - 3.5 years is just way too long.

View of Harbour Bridge from Godsista's apartment. Beautiful day!

It was also good to properly catch up with Nic. It's been some time since we've been able to hang out the way we have the last two days.

Cousin Nic & I. 

I'm on holiday now, so not really wanting to spend too much time blogging, so here's the lowdown.... in pictures mostly.

Day 1:

Thank you very much Kev for picking me up; I was slightly tired from the red-eye flight but the moment the crispy clear Sydney air and sunshine hit me, the adrenaline kicked in.

Off to Rose Bay and to Godsista's apartment. Boy, have I missed her place. I said hello to old friends of mine, "froggy stuffed thing" (as seen in the picture below :P haha) and a stuffed elephant. Memories of mucking around with GS...*another smile*. Too bad GS is in Ibiza, wish she were here.


This was followed by a cafe lunch in Rose Bay and my first, much awaited, skinny latte. Heaven. Pure heaven, accompanied by good old Australian scrambled eggs, ham, bacon, sausage, mushrooms, tomato and toast. Aussie cafe food - have I missed you!

Aussie cafe food. Yum!

Next up, Nic and I go to Bondi Beach, it's winter and it's cold, but it is still sunny and beautiful, with optimistic surfers dotting the shoreline.

Managed to bag a eel skin leather wallet at Bondi Beach Sunday markets too. It's a wonderful sky blue colour. When I get back to Singapore, it will remind me of the Sydney sea, sand and sky which I love. Score.

In a distance, the famous Kings Cross Coke sign.

Dinner and drinks at Hugos Lounge at Kings Cross (www.hugos.com.au) follow, and I get to meet some of Nic's friends. I'm in disbelief when I realise that Sunday nights (aka "Sneaky Sundays") at Hugos mean $5 cocktails and pizza all night. And it's not crap cocktails and pizza too - it's proper yummy stuff. I have a bellini and a frozen mango daiquiri.

Sneaky Sundays at Hugos Kings Cross. $5 cocktails & pizza! Here's the proof! 

Day 2:

The Art Gallery of NSW, on a really good day.

Nic and I head off to the Art Gallery of NSW (www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au) to catch the newly installed John Kaldor Family Collection. We had a pretty good time, us both being quite "artsy". It was a good exhibition (at least compared to what I'm used to in Singapore), with a few thought provoking pieces that sparked interest - I will have to blog about this another time, when there is more time.

The next stop is Bondi Junction Westfields where we have a good catch up over (another) coffee with Clare, an old college friend. She's bubbly and full of stories and optimism as usual, exactly the way I love her.

I then got a little extravagant and bought myself the most expensive pair of jeans I have ever bought in my entire life from General Pants, a pair of Nudie Jeans. These jeans deserve a whole post on their own. Again, I will get to that, hopefully soon. (Plenty to blog about now, I can't believe that when I started this blog I was worried that I would run out of topics!).

Later on, B and his twin brothers tell Nic and I that Nudie's is having a sale at their Oxford Street flagship store with up to 50% off and I'm completely exasperated by this. Ha!

Unfortunately, the sun set at 5pm. Unbelievable. It was completely dark by 6pm (?!?!!).

Korean BBQ in the city. Hearty meal with lots of fun and laughter.

The day ended beautifully with Korean dinner in the city (Chinatown area) with Nic, Mic, B and his twin brothers. Dinner was filled with good hearty Korean BBQ and lots of fun and laughter.

The clan! Minus Mic who accidentally got cut off! :(

It is 10pm now in Sydney, and Mic is teaching B how to play the piano while Nic and I play "Hanging with Friends" on our iPhones.

So, that's the end to a pretty good day. Tomorrow early morning, Melbourne here I come!