living life on the edge

Recently had one of the most amazing trips back to Sydney (#myhappyplace) for my graduation! Still missing every bit of it. Being back there was one of the most refreshing feelings ever, swamped with an overwhelming sense of familiarity and comfort of being back at a place I've grown to know so well and now call my second home. 

I'll be putting together a video very soon, but in the meantime, here's what I got up to while in Sydney ;)

I've certainly had a lot on my mind these past few days. Been willing myself to make a concrete decision on what I'm gonna do next. Sometimes I just wish I had all the answers. But you know, that doesn't happen and things don't just get handed to you on a silver platter. That's what makes successes all the sweeter, right? I know I'm someone who's very driven by the things that make me happy, but everything's got to have a purpose somehow. Once I find that, I'm pretty much set.

I've been told that we all have to start somewhere. We don't just expect to get gifted things, as though they were meant to be ours. Nothing is ever for certain, and what's yours can easily slip away. I think why people so often fear making the wrong decisions is because they know they've a long way ahead of them and a long path to carve out. Once the fork turns the wrong way, it's hard to rewind and go back. But precisely because we have a long way ahead of us, we shouldn't lose sight of who we are. And precisely because we have a long way ahead of us, we shouldn't be afraid to venture into new things. And remember, your life is what you make of it. Isn't it? After all, we still have a lot to learn.

Travel Diary: Sydney (Day 2)

Continuing our adventures around Sydney, we started our day bright and early at the Fish Market. Known for its fresh seafood, the Sydney Fish Market is one of the must-go places when visiting Sydney!

Sydney Fish Market

It didn't disappoint. 10 minutes into sitting down with our food, I found the girl gobbling up her lobster and abalone like there was no tomorrow. Her verdict: excellent and worth the money spent! 

One catch about the Fish Market is to be careful of the seagulls flying around if you pick a seat outside! These birds have been known to swoop down and grab your food so be very wary :)

Afterwards, we found our way back to the city for souvenir-shopping. Strolling along Strand Arcade, we got to Haigh's and piled our basket with chocolates. My favourites were the marshmallow kokettes and chocolate-coated nougats. There are quite a few of these chocolate shops around the vicinity so if you're looking to get souvenirs for a friend who's a chocolate-lover, this is the place to go.

Next stop: Circular Quay.

And we rounded off the night with dinner at Hurricane's. The ribs were amazing, as always. :)

Christmas is around the corner! I love it when all the Christmas lights and decorations go up; it puts you in such a festive mood. Though it's also a timely reminder that the year's coming to a close. Makes me ponder over what I've achieved this year - I'll save that for another post :) Have you done your Christmas shopping? What are your plans this Christmas? ;)

And I'll end off this post with this: 

Hope. Dream. Glow. X'mas.

Travel Diary: Sydney

Stellina came to Sydney to visit earlier this week! Even though it's been three years since I moved to Sydney, it's been quite a while since I last toured this city, so going around with her again was a refreshing experience. 

Our first stop: Centennial Park.

After an hour exploring the park, we finally found our way to the Equestrian Centre where the horses were housed. (Travel Tip: definitely remember to check the map for where you're headed before you go or you'll easily find yourself getting lost in the park!)

her selfie stick got so many strangers staring at us! it was hilarious but so fun HAHA

The walk was totally worth it. We didn't expect horse-riding to be so popular so we skipped out on making a booking and missed out our chance for a ride on the horses, but at least we got to have a tour around the stables! The Equestrian Centre houses 5 different stables, so there's bound to be one that suits what you're looking for. Lesson learnt is definitely to remember to make bookings for your horse-riding lesson! The last time I rode a horse was probably 10 years ago, so seeing these horses again was really quite exciting.

Our next stop: Bondi Beach.

I think this reignited my love for beaches. I've been a parks > beaches person for over a year now. But revisiting this beach again made me all happy-chappy. There are plenty of cafes just along the beach, so it's a great place to relax and chill for a couple of hours. Tons of people come here to surf, and the beach is located about a 20-minute bus ride from the city so it's incredibly convenient. I imagine that if I could choose the location of my dream house, I would want one overlooking a beach like that.

Rounded off the night with pancakes!

Good night, Sydney.

Updates on Day 2 will be up soon :)