Melbourne Moments : Part 1

How are you mate? Good day today?


I'm refreshed and rejuvenated, as intended after a week long vacation with hubby to Melbourne, Australia. I'm just about done sorting about 2000 photos we have. On to the first post.

The Great Ocean Road Tour
We took a tour on our second day to The Great Ocean Road. Its in Victoria, about 4 hours drive from Melbourne.We were up bright and early on Wednesday morning.

Our pick up time 7.30 am. A small group of 20 people in our day tour. Normally the fee is 120 AUD per person, but there was a promotion going and we got 95 AUD.

This tour is about beautiful coastal views, amazing beaches and all nature beauty. Several stops along the way for picture taking, coffee breaks, etc.

Our first stop is Bells Beach. Its a renowned surf beach. Currently the home to the world's longest running surf competition.

We caught some surfers in action. There are always somebody surfing regardless the weather. Its cold outside, I can't imagine in the water.

We took our coffee break here.

This structure with aborigines mural is the public toilet.

The next stop is Split Point Lighthouse.

If you wander down and get to a tiny spit, you can look out to a great view of what's called the Australia Shipwreck Coast. Its where about 700 ship wrecks said to have littered the coast.

beautiful postcard view.

along the way, a bizzare house hanging on stilt.

We steered off the coastline into the woods for a minute, for a bit of wildlife and rainforest walk.

200 years old tree as big as a house.

We stopped at Kenneth River.

For a picnic lunch.

But hubby & I brought our own sandwiches and whiled away here at the local cafe. Our group was fun. There were 2 families from England, a couple of students from China, a couple from Spain, a couple from India, one from Puerto Rico and 2 Aussies. They were all nice and friendly.

After lunch, we headed off to the main tourist spot in this road tour, The 12 Apostles.

Twelve Apostles is a collection of limestone stacks, off the coast of Port Campbell National Park.
Its formed by erosion. Waves eroded the limestones to form caves in the cliff, which then became arches, which in turn collapsed leaving rock stacks.

There are now 8 stacks left. The others have collapsed over time.

This has got to be the most breathtaking ocean view I've ever seen in my life.

Spectacular and majestic.
Looking out from the cliff , its hard not to be humbled and awed by greatness of God.

His creations and the beauty of it.
It was more real than a picture perfect postcard background.

Up several miles, we got to view the remains of the collapsed London Bridge. There's a London Bridge in Melbourne did you know? I didn't.

The last stop was Lorch Ard Gorge.

Lorch Ard is the name of the ship that was wrecked in this coast, killing all but 2 passengers, one young woman and one young man. It became a popular local history.

Top- is a view from up the cliff. When you descend to the shore, its amazing.

I thought its a bit like the scene background of Leonardo's movie, The Beach.

We got back to the city at 8.15pm and were told it had been raining all day. A great timing for a day out of town. So I'll see you again soon.

Peace!

Hari Raya Odysse

Syawal is ending. How are you guys faring?
Let me guess. Waistline expand- check. Plump cheeks- check. Bulging tummy-so check!Yeah..but its still nice having all these open-houses to attend before you're back to routine.

The below pics are of my fun-filled Raya spent in Labuan at mom-in-law's place. It was havoc leading up to Raya. A kid injured (Helmi again),endless cleaning , air-con repairing, TV replacing, a new cabinet ...,etc. For some reason, we like to do all these things a day before Raya. The new TV cabinet almost arrived on morning of Raya.

with sisters-in-law.

I had my open house in KK the second week. There was a fun reunion with some of my schoolmates.

Ex-SMESH batch 84'. Three of them were my dorm-mates way back then.

I'm very happy they came and made my day and we got these lovely photos taken together.

This was taken at a friend's open house a week prior.

Thanks to our active PR of reunion, Marilyn, we got together a lot and took pictures everywhere (smile).

Ok, enjoy getting busy with work and school. Good luck for PMR, whoever has kids sitting.

Blog off.

kuih raya

Ya..mari kita cerita kuih raya. Banyak sudah kuih kamu? Sedap2 ? Dimana kamu beli? Atau buat sendiri?

So I started late this time. Penat eh tiada orang gaji ni. I haven't told you I don't have a full time maid these days, have I? Since March. And I was completely maid-less for 3 months before I got this part time who comes in 3x a week.

Jadi plan nya mau main beli saja ini tahun. Tapi bila aku jalan2 di Wisma MUIS beli songkok anak itu ini, nda juga aku terbeli. My MIL made some of her usual cookies when she joined us here 2nd week puasa. Dia punya ritual tahunan - makmur, agar2 gula & ulat bulu. So that started me going too. Ada kawan.

I managed 4.

London Almond, chip cookies, pistachio & butterfly cornflakes. Not all success story. Yang chip cookies tu baru punya resipi dari Keluarga Sep'10. Terlampau manis. Gila menala-nala. Mau dikurangkan separuh sukatannya.

Tapi aku mau cerita pasal pistachio cookies ni. Di ambil dari Buku resipi tahun 2002 punya. Lagi reliable. Jadi, dan sedap. Tapi rumitnya kerja....siapa juga suruh aku mencuba. My MIL geleng kepala ja tengok aku terkuliat2 membuat.

Mula2 bancuh adunan semua. Lepas tu terap doh pakai piping beg bikin bentuk siput/kerang gitu pakai star nozzle (sakit jari, lain kali bagus pakai alat penekan yang ada template nya di hujung tu)

Sudah siap di bakar, dikatup dua keping, dicelup dalam coklat cair. Lepas tu salut sama serbuk pistachio. Biarkan kering di dulang baru boleh simpan.

Siputnya pun nda seragam. Ada mama siput, ada anak..hahaha..peduli la.

Aku rasa sudah2 la cookies. Karang aku mau try bikin kek lagi. Harap2 success story.

Jadi kalau aku nda muncul2 lepas tu mengkali kecundang la tu. Hik.

Later !

salam ramadhan

Salam semua.

Ramadhan kembali lagi. Begitu cepat.

Hujung minggu lepas sibuk dengan kenduri arwah. Kami balik ke kampung halaman hubby untuk mengadakan kenduri dan menghadiri kenduri orang juga.

Not a good weekend. My youngest hurt himself. Pretty bad. The worst in his 7 years.


He took a nasty fall while playing with cousins, acting out goalie dives from the sofa and hit the table very hard. Deep gash and blood all over. My heart went cold. It very nearly missed the eye. I'm still feeling sick about it.

Itu dia 3 jahitan. The eye was swollen for 4 days despite cold compress.

Ada orang Hari Raya tahun ini dengan muka berparut. Namanya orang 'gauk'.

Well, wishing you all, my muslim friends, a 'barakah' month.

Happy fasting.