17th march 2008
It's our 6th day in Melbourne. Our flight back to Malaysia is at 0045 hours, on 18th March 2008. I woke up in the morning on 17th March with mixed feelings as I was feeling sad that we are leaving Melbourne already as I felt that I was not able to enjoy Melbourne that much due to my poor health on most days that I was in Melbourne.
At the same time, I am glad to finally be going home as my cough and bout of gastric problem did not seem to subside, and I just want to go home to the comfort of my own sweet home, where, even if I am sick, at least I am home.
We had many hours to kill before we need to start packing for our trip home. We wanted to make the most of it. We wanted to see the town again for one last time. Aiman wanted to take the train and tram ride again, as he said that they will be the things that he will miss when we are back home in Malaysia.
We also needed to get a few more souvenires to bring back home. So, after breakfast, we took the train to town. This time, we got off at Flinders Street Station.
Since we did not have any definite plans on where we wanted to go, we decided that we would walk the length of Swanston Street to take photos, do some shopping and see the sights and the bustle and hustle of the city.
We made many stops at the many souvenir shops along Swanston Street.
As we walked along Swanston Street, we came upon this basement shop that was selling everything for under AUD2.00. We almost did not want to drop by the shop, but my hubby suggested that we do since we have plenty of time to kill.
I am so glad that we did, because it was here that I found a treasure trove of craft materials for scrapbooking, and everything was only between AUD1.00 - 2.00! I couldn't believe it! I pulled out craft materials after craft materials, like a kid in a candy store! LOL! There were loose papers, papers in booklets, chipboard alphabets, stickers, embellishments! Wow! I was breathless with excitement! LOL!
I wanted to buy everything, but, of course, I still have some senses in my head that told me to take a deep breath and think with my head and not with my heart. LOL!
Eventually, these are what I had purchased. I am so pleased with my selection and grinning from ear to ear as I look at my newly acquired stash. *grin* I feel like a kid whose mum had just given her a new toy to play with! LOL!
As we were walking along Swanston Street, after making our purchases at Arthur Daley's Clearance House, a signboard caught my eye. No, not another craft shop, but a bookshop! Imagine someone getting excited about a bookshop. LOL! I think my mum and sis would shake their heads in amazement that a bookshop can excite me, but not a clothes or leather shop! LOL!
Why am I so excited about this bookshop? Well, for one, when we were in Sydney, and before I found Lincraft, someone at an art and craft shop I visited in Sydney recommended that I visit Dymocks for a wide selection of scrapbook materials. So, the one that I visited in Sydney was a huge one covering 4 floors with almost half a floor dedicated only to the world of papercrafts! So, you can see why I was so excited when I saw the signboard for Dymocks! *grin*
However, the one at the corner of Bourke and Swanston was a much smaller one, covering only a basement level of a shopping complex. There was no section dedicated to papercrafts, unfortunately, though they do have a wide selection of craft books.
There were a few that I liked, but found that the price were too high, as they were books from the US. Maybe my SIL in Michigan can get them for me at a cheaper price! *wink*
We spent some time browsing the books there and Aiman enjoyed playing with the train station there. As lunch time drew near, we thought that we would try out the Nelayan Restaurant, an Indonesian restaurant, along Swanston Street, as we saw some muslims eating there when we were in town on Saturday.
However, we were swayed by Aiman's persuasion when he said that he wanted to go to Little Malaysia one more time before going home. He said that it is his most favourite restaurant in Melbourne! Now, how can you beat that argument! *grin*
Nothing more exciting to report about what we ordered for lunch as Aiman ordered what my hubby ordered on Saturday, which was Vegetarian Fried Rice. My hubby ordered the Vegetarian Fried Mee and I ordered Tom Yam Seafood Soup again with steamed rice, and mixed vegetables in garlic. We forgot to take photos of our dishes as we were hungry and immediately started eating when the food was served. LOL!
After lunch, as we had a lot of packing to do, or rather, as I have a lot of packing to do *wink*, I took the tram back to the apartment with Aiman, but my hubby stayed in town as he wanted to visit Victoria Barracks on St Kilda Road.
From what I gathered about Victoria Barracks is that it was the administrative headquarters for the Australian Army, but to ensure the close coordination of the three services necessary to the war effort, the Barracks also became the administrative headquarters of the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force.
Heheh......my hubby is going to be so impressed with me *grin* when he reads the paragraph above because it will prove to him that I actually took the effort to find out what Victoria Barracks is all about. *grin* He always thinks that I am never interested in his interest or anything military as I call his military magazines his war books! He explains that they are not military magazines but management magazines as you can learn a lot about management through the way the military operates.
Hmm.....I think my hubby is going to make a comment on what I had just said. *grin* Anyway, he also said that his magazines are not war books/magazines, but historical documentations of the times during the war.
So, back to the apartment I went with Aiman, and as I started packing our things, I felt a sense of loss, like I was leaving an old friend behind. I quickly finished my packing, so that I can make a call to Jess to bade her farewell, and to thank her for everything. We chatted awhile before saying our goodbyes, and we promised to meet again someday, if not in Melbourne, then maybe in Malaysia, as Jess did say that she might be coming back to Malaysia for a holiday.
I think it will probbaly have to be in Malaysia that we will meet again because I don't think that we will be coming back to Melbourne again that soon, although it would be nice if we could come again.
Our first meal at the apartment, when we arrived 6 days ago, was noodles, and, that day, on our last day at the apartment, our last meal was also noodles. It was like closing a chapter to a holiday filled with so many challenges, frustrations, adventure and excitement. A holiday I will long remember as a dream that came true to visit a craft fair that not many of my crafting friends back home in Malaysia would have had the opportunity to do so, and could only go on dreaming. It would also be a holiday that I will remember most as the one holiday that I spent most part of the holiday being sick, and feeling dazed most of the time from the multiple medication that I took.
Nevertheless, I thank God for the opportunity to visit another foreign country, as not everyone is fortunate to be blessed with the rezeki to go on holiday to another country quite far away, unless you happen to be filthy rich. I count my blessings everyday.....
We safely arrived back in Malaysia at 5.30am, Malaysia time on 18th March 2008.
End of the Melbourne Trip
Thank you everyone who had followed my journey through my blog. I hope everyone have had a good read, as I had enjoyed relating my journey through my writings.
It's our 6th day in Melbourne. Our flight back to Malaysia is at 0045 hours, on 18th March 2008. I woke up in the morning on 17th March with mixed feelings as I was feeling sad that we are leaving Melbourne already as I felt that I was not able to enjoy Melbourne that much due to my poor health on most days that I was in Melbourne.
At the same time, I am glad to finally be going home as my cough and bout of gastric problem did not seem to subside, and I just want to go home to the comfort of my own sweet home, where, even if I am sick, at least I am home.
We had many hours to kill before we need to start packing for our trip home. We wanted to make the most of it. We wanted to see the town again for one last time. Aiman wanted to take the train and tram ride again, as he said that they will be the things that he will miss when we are back home in Malaysia.
We also needed to get a few more souvenires to bring back home. So, after breakfast, we took the train to town. This time, we got off at Flinders Street Station.
Since we did not have any definite plans on where we wanted to go, we decided that we would walk the length of Swanston Street to take photos, do some shopping and see the sights and the bustle and hustle of the city.We made many stops at the many souvenir shops along Swanston Street.
As we walked along Swanston Street, we came upon this basement shop that was selling everything for under AUD2.00. We almost did not want to drop by the shop, but my hubby suggested that we do since we have plenty of time to kill.
I am so glad that we did, because it was here that I found a treasure trove of craft materials for scrapbooking, and everything was only between AUD1.00 - 2.00! I couldn't believe it! I pulled out craft materials after craft materials, like a kid in a candy store! LOL! There were loose papers, papers in booklets, chipboard alphabets, stickers, embellishments! Wow! I was breathless with excitement! LOL!
I wanted to buy everything, but, of course, I still have some senses in my head that told me to take a deep breath and think with my head and not with my heart. LOL!
Eventually, these are what I had purchased. I am so pleased with my selection and grinning from ear to ear as I look at my newly acquired stash. *grin* I feel like a kid whose mum had just given her a new toy to play with! LOL!
As we were walking along Swanston Street, after making our purchases at Arthur Daley's Clearance House, a signboard caught my eye. No, not another craft shop, but a bookshop! Imagine someone getting excited about a bookshop. LOL! I think my mum and sis would shake their heads in amazement that a bookshop can excite me, but not a clothes or leather shop! LOL!
Why am I so excited about this bookshop? Well, for one, when we were in Sydney, and before I found Lincraft, someone at an art and craft shop I visited in Sydney recommended that I visit Dymocks for a wide selection of scrapbook materials. So, the one that I visited in Sydney was a huge one covering 4 floors with almost half a floor dedicated only to the world of papercrafts! So, you can see why I was so excited when I saw the signboard for Dymocks! *grin*
However, the one at the corner of Bourke and Swanston was a much smaller one, covering only a basement level of a shopping complex. There was no section dedicated to papercrafts, unfortunately, though they do have a wide selection of craft books.
There were a few that I liked, but found that the price were too high, as they were books from the US. Maybe my SIL in Michigan can get them for me at a cheaper price! *wink*
We spent some time browsing the books there and Aiman enjoyed playing with the train station there. As lunch time drew near, we thought that we would try out the Nelayan Restaurant, an Indonesian restaurant, along Swanston Street, as we saw some muslims eating there when we were in town on Saturday.
However, we were swayed by Aiman's persuasion when he said that he wanted to go to Little Malaysia one more time before going home. He said that it is his most favourite restaurant in Melbourne! Now, how can you beat that argument! *grin*
Nothing more exciting to report about what we ordered for lunch as Aiman ordered what my hubby ordered on Saturday, which was Vegetarian Fried Rice. My hubby ordered the Vegetarian Fried Mee and I ordered Tom Yam Seafood Soup again with steamed rice, and mixed vegetables in garlic. We forgot to take photos of our dishes as we were hungry and immediately started eating when the food was served. LOL!
After lunch, as we had a lot of packing to do, or rather, as I have a lot of packing to do *wink*, I took the tram back to the apartment with Aiman, but my hubby stayed in town as he wanted to visit Victoria Barracks on St Kilda Road.
From what I gathered about Victoria Barracks is that it was the administrative headquarters for the Australian Army, but to ensure the close coordination of the three services necessary to the war effort, the Barracks also became the administrative headquarters of the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force.
Heheh......my hubby is going to be so impressed with me *grin* when he reads the paragraph above because it will prove to him that I actually took the effort to find out what Victoria Barracks is all about. *grin* He always thinks that I am never interested in his interest or anything military as I call his military magazines his war books! He explains that they are not military magazines but management magazines as you can learn a lot about management through the way the military operates.
Hmm.....I think my hubby is going to make a comment on what I had just said. *grin* Anyway, he also said that his magazines are not war books/magazines, but historical documentations of the times during the war.
So, back to the apartment I went with Aiman, and as I started packing our things, I felt a sense of loss, like I was leaving an old friend behind. I quickly finished my packing, so that I can make a call to Jess to bade her farewell, and to thank her for everything. We chatted awhile before saying our goodbyes, and we promised to meet again someday, if not in Melbourne, then maybe in Malaysia, as Jess did say that she might be coming back to Malaysia for a holiday.
I think it will probbaly have to be in Malaysia that we will meet again because I don't think that we will be coming back to Melbourne again that soon, although it would be nice if we could come again.
Our first meal at the apartment, when we arrived 6 days ago, was noodles, and, that day, on our last day at the apartment, our last meal was also noodles. It was like closing a chapter to a holiday filled with so many challenges, frustrations, adventure and excitement. A holiday I will long remember as a dream that came true to visit a craft fair that not many of my crafting friends back home in Malaysia would have had the opportunity to do so, and could only go on dreaming. It would also be a holiday that I will remember most as the one holiday that I spent most part of the holiday being sick, and feeling dazed most of the time from the multiple medication that I took.
Nevertheless, I thank God for the opportunity to visit another foreign country, as not everyone is fortunate to be blessed with the rezeki to go on holiday to another country quite far away, unless you happen to be filthy rich. I count my blessings everyday.....
We safely arrived back in Malaysia at 5.30am, Malaysia time on 18th March 2008.
End of the Melbourne Trip
Thank you everyone who had followed my journey through my blog. I hope everyone have had a good read, as I had enjoyed relating my journey through my writings.
1 comment:
Nik, Thank you for a informative account of your fabulous Aussie adventure! Enjoyed 'every day' of your well executed narrative of your week long holiday!
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