Australia Day 2010

This year's Australia Day marked my 2nd year of living in Australia. We celebrated it locally having come from a long drive down the South Coast. Just hoping everyone had a wonderful Aussie Day too!

Fireworks at The Rooty Hill

In 2009

So many things happened, and I can't believe it's (almost) over! I'm a big fan of lists, so here's one to tie the 2009 bag of craziness up!

• Had my first New Year's eve outside of home
• Moved to Australia
• Learned to do house chores (or had to... lol)
• Started my B Psych degree in UWS
• Drove on the other side of the road
• Learned Spanish
• Spoke more German than I ever have
• Went to Melbourne with friends (!)
• TURNED 21! (Can't wait to go back to Vegas!)
• Started paying my own bills
• Learned to take public transport
• Dated, dated, dated
• Watched a play and 2 musicals
• Got a job
• Went to Queensland with a friend
• Visited heaps of museums and art galleries
• Travelled overseas by myself (back to Manila)
• Applied and got accepted to move into my own place (though in uni) for 2010
• Met a wonderful, wonderful boy <3

It has been a fun-f'in-tastic year with lots of ups and downs. I met heaps of different people, fell in love, got dumped, slept a lot, and spent much of my time by myself a lot. I can't say it was brilliant all throughout, but it has definitely been such a good way to finally grow up. Without further ado, I bid 2009 a big fat good bye and welcome 2010 (a new year and a new decade) with a big fat HUG!!! Cheers, prost, salud, what have you, just have a blast!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

¡Prospero Año Nuevo a todos!

Ein Glückliches neues Jahr zum Alles!!!

Going local

Brisbane has been a great adventure for me, as the entire year has been. I thought that immersing myself in the local sights of Brissy was the best way to wrap things up. It's like taking myself back home, wherever that is in my heart of hearts.

The day before we left Brisbane, we went to the North Pine Dam just for some down time and some quality chit chat amongst friends. We were pretty lucky cos it was deserted that day, and it was sunny and bright.

Caloy the talented, trigger happy boy enjoying the lush greenery

The dam. Wonder if you can go for a swim here lol

Of course my blog wouldn't be complete without an old tree

We spent hours on end there, until we got hungry and got some Cold Rock ice cream at Chermside (our first choice was a Mexican fiesta at Montezuma's but it was closed, so, sad face). Then, we waited for Tippy to finish TAFE at 9 in the evening. We drove straight to Mt Coot-tha, which is Brisbane's best lookout! Going up there at night was mesmerising - we saw the entire city lit up.

Tippy took this beautiful photo :-)

Before she got all melancholic and dramatic. Jokes

After that, we randomly thought of going to Shorncliffe one last time. As I may have mentioned before, this is where some scenes in the movie Aquamarine were shot. :-) The first time I went to Shorncliffe was in Autumn 2008 at night time. Then we went on the first night of our Brisbane visit this year. We saw a shooting star then. It was magical and enchanting. Then for our last night, we hung out here again. It just brings everything together beautifully. I say Shorncliffe is some piece of magical land.

There's no better way to leave Brisbane than being at Shorncliffe.

The ebb & flow of the water, the orange lights and the cool breeze just leaves you clear-minded and ready for another adventure.

(edit: I know this has been already posted as a 2010 entry, but I meant for it as a year ender one. Sorry for the timezone change, I'm in the Philippines and it's only 11:30 here and I still have an hour 'til 2010. LOL)