To the end of 2009

Quick and easy pictorial post of what I’ve been up to since it’s less than 24 hours 6 hours till New Year’s.

Saturday, 12th December 2009

I was holed up in the State Library using RMIT’s free WiFi when Ivan rang me up, asking if I’d like to go to join them with a friend of Kelvin’s to explore Monash. Being completely free and having less than several weeks left in Melbourne, I took up the invitation, but not before I had to rush back home to dump my laptop bag and bring along my DSLR—can never miss out an opportunity for photo ops, even if Ivan had asked me to hurry (if only I knew this earlier and not at the last minute) when I declined his suggestion of meeting up at Melbourne Central as I wanted to bring my camera with me.

On the Glen Waverley train.

The four of us (me, Ivan, Kelvin, and Alexandria) picked up by Kelvin’s friend (whose name I forgot.. I’m atrocious with names).

The Engineering faculty where Kelvin’s friend is studying at—the campus is impressively large, “almost like a city in itself”, Kelvin’s friend had said.

The Hargraw Andrew Library.

Part of the faculty where we’re given a tour by Kelvin’s friend.

Collapse of the Westgate Bridge—detailed dissection of why the bridge collapsed in a tragedy that occurred decades ago and how to prevent it in the future.

Group pic.

Part of a wall which I thought looked rather China-ish.

Monash’s sports centre.

A large field in Monash.

I awoke to this scenery by Kelvin nudging me to savour it when I accidentally fell asleep in the rather comfy car.

At Knox Shopping Centre.

Narrowed down a cafe for dinner.

The Hog’s Breath Cafe, with the most hilarious, unique sign from a restaurant that I’ve ever seen.

The saloon. If you’ve always been wondering the difference between a saloon—perennially misused in Malaysia—and a salon, this is a pictorial explanation.

Ivan, Alex, Kelvin, Kelvin’s friend.

And with me.

My chicken burger for about $12.75, which is one of the cheapest food they’ve got.

An attraction which involves bouncing on a trampoline.

Returned to Kelvin’s friend’s place at Glen Waverley, where he bought this house (yes) and the one opposite it, and has an uber-cool room.

We were browsing through Kelvin’s friend’s incredible hoard of DVDs and videos he have, we ended up watching Stephen Chow’s 食神 and it was strangely nostalgic, despite me thinking that I’d never get into watching Hong Kong movies or TV series again. I’m pretty sure I’ve watched it before, but with my receding memory, watching it again felt like I was watching it for the first time.

It took us about ten minutes to locate this Night Rider bus stand.

There were very few people in the bus; in fact at one point, it was just the four of us.

We stopped at St Paul’s Cathedral along Swanston St, and after Kelvin and Alex went for a munch at Subway, opposite the cathedral, I snapped this picture. That week’s weekend supposedly hosts some major Christmas parties everywhere, and the police were patrolling rather heavily. There was even a free tea & coffee stand set up by the Rotary Club even at 2am+, apparently as a community service for these binge drinkers to sober up before heading back home. I was suitably impressed.

Bourke St Mall at night.

Tuesday, 15th December 2009

Carol, a friend of Suet’s, randomly asked me on GTalk on Monday night if I could show her friend around Melbourne, and I was all “Sure!”, considering I really had nothing better to do. So I was put in touch with Albert, an Asian-American, and after exchanging some messages and finally text messages when he touched down in Melbourne, I finally met up with him at the YHA hostel near Queen Victoria Market, which wasn’t that far away from my place.

And so we walked down to the city, and brought him to cheap ol’ reliable Don Don and munched in on my Unagi Don (prices up by AUD$0.10 for said dish) which I’ve missed eating for more than a month now. Subsequently I recommended him The Sherlock Holmes bar where I’ve been briefly once during a bar-hopping game of Pubgaine organised by RMIT Outdoors Club, and thought its unique theme was worth a look. So with the aid of the Google Maps in Albert’s iPhone, we located the place on Collins St.

In The Sherlock Holmes.

Albert, who most generously bought me a pint of beer when I told him I didn’t feel like going to any pubs cos I was running out of cash in Melbourne. >_>

I learned that he was from New York, used to study in Columbia, and is currently working in the banking sector; and it was pretty chill chatting with him, considering the circumstances: I’ve not met Carol (yet), but I was already bringing a friend of hers around the city I knew better than Kuala Lumpur itself. I offered a place for him to crash should he decide to stay on longer in Melbourne, and he offered the same should I ever find myself in New York (fingers crossed!).

According to him, I have a British accent that’s similar to his Singaporean and Hong Kee friends. >_> I can never discern my own accent, but does our colonised past have anything to do with the Brit accent surfacing subconsciously?

Outside of The Sherlock Holmes.

A huge Christmas tree at the corner of Collins and Swanston Sts.

Hardware Lane—was supposed to come here the next day for a Christmas get together organised by Kelvin, but after learning about the exorbitant prices of the restaurants there (at least $20 wtf) I decided against attending it.

Another look of Hardware Lane.

I brought him to a back alley but cosy bar called Sister Bella (at the end of Swinders Lane, right next to some dumpsters) and we re-entered it twice as he contemplated whether to stay on or not, as he was already feeling tired and wanted to retire to his hostel. In the end, the thought of not coming here again won him over and he bought me a bottle of beer yet again.

The counter.

I didn’t like Melbourne Bitter at all—it was as the name implied: bitter.

Wednesday, 16th December 2009

On Milton St (right near Walsh St) at the top of about 39C with some guys fixing their broken car in the sun. No shit.

Sunday, 20th December 2009

Carriages and horses along William St next to Flagstaff Garden when I was on the way to the State Library.

The interior of the Redmond Barry Reading Room, click to enlarge.

Tuesday, 22th December 2009

I had just finished shopping for some groceries at Woolworths QV after spending most of my afternoon away at the library on Swanston St, and was on my way to the tram station, walking past the State Library when a group of people—mostly men in suits—were singing some Christmas carols at the steps. I stopped to watch and gingerly started to rummage through my laptop bag to take out my camera, when a Chinese-looking dude in that same suit as the rest began to approach me and started to make some small talk (where I’m from, am I studying here, etc) and then he began to tell me he’s one of the missionaries from the States and asked what do I know about Christmas wtf.

I made some pseudo-intelligent remark about how Christmas is now about giving and receiving gifts and Santa Claus and not about the birth of Christ, and then he started asking me for my contact number to follow up on me or something.. which I declined by saying that I was going back to Malaysia for good next week (a lie). I was actually quite amused by his American accent, and despite being born in China, he has been living in the States all his life.

The choir group.

At the steps of the State Library.

Friday, 25th December 2009

I had about 3 hours of sleep, but for some reason I managed to rise at 6.30am and got ready to go to Geelong all on my own on the V/Line at the Southern Cross Station. With about 2 weeks left and public transportation provided free on Christmas Day, what’s better than exploring on your own? The 15-minute walk to the station was deathly still, almost like how it was like during Chinese New Year back in Subang.

It’s about an hour ride to Geelong, and this photo just proves it that I was indeed there.

Outside the railway station at the bus station.

I met a group of Indians who asked me for the directions of the beach, and I told them that I was in search of it too.

The Ford Discovery Centre.

A HDR rendition of an otherwise boring photo—was merely testing it out again after stumbling to a HDR article online the day prior, and I thought it looked pretty good.

Compared to a mundane HDR-less photo on an overcast day. It was actually drizzling for a short period too at the time.

Funny statues can be found around Geelong by the sea.

The surrounding sea, click to enlarge.

More funny statues.

I then learned they were from the Victoria Baths Swimming Club.

Fishing.

I noticed the only ones who were out and about were foreigners—China, India, Malaysia/Singapore, some Europeans, and the rare Aussies wtf.

After helping two Chinese girls to take a photo of them by these statues, I asked for a similar favour in return.

A closed information centre.

A HDR of Cunningham Pier.

I was then back again at the railway station an hour later to catch the next train home—Geelong doesn’t do much for me in its relatively dead state, but I’ve already anticipated that. At least I had satisfied myself of having been there, watching serene fields flashing by that are reminiscent of New Zealand yet not quite so while I was on the V/Line train.

Look who I met! Esther rang me the (mid)night she arrived on the 25th, and then we decided to meet up at Flinders St Station. When she told me how lost felt being in a completely foreign place, I immediately knew how she felt—I was once swayed by disorientation like that too. We waited for a while more for her friend Kelvin to arrive, whereby we then walked around in search of food and ended up at QV for some cheap Japanese food but it was closed. We passed by Old Town Kopitiam Mamak which would soon be opened here—can’t believe how the place I hate has expanded so rapidly and managed to spread its poison to Melbourne.

A typical Esther can’t make do without a Starbucks.

A fascinated Esther was chatting away with the owner of the dog.

Outside Starbucks Coffee along Swanston St. (No that drink wasn’t mine but Kelvin’s.)

At Es Tella, an Indonesian restaurant, because my favourite Don Don is closed as well. :(

My AUD$9 Nasi Uduk. There was also some Sop Buntut ($9) on the menu, which really does leave one wondering wtf they could be.

Chilling for a bit at the State Library, by basking beneath the sun (it was a little chilly earlier, with the wind brushing through us and all).

Me and Esther.

Showing her around RMIT for a bit, at least, just Bowen St anyway.

Hola from Southbank Promenade by the Yarra River!

Both Kelvin and I made sure that Esther got onto the right train at Flinders St Station, before we went to a few supermarkets to locate some wrapping papers that Kelvin wanted, got on the same tram, and departed our separate ways. Turns out I got on the wrong tram fml, but nothing a quick switch of a tram wouldn’t do. I was exhausted at the end of it all, and napped from 6-10pm when I finally got home.

Saturday, 26th December 2009

Boxing Day! Was supposed to meet up with Esther at Melbourne Central, but turns out she’s at Myer’s Bourke St wtf. I ended up walking around Central on my own and got a grey tee with angsty text for $10 at JayJays, after perusing for the longest time I’ve ever allowed myself to (about 20 minutes). There were also shitloads of people in the city, and that is putting it mildly, compared to the graveyard the city has been the day before.

Another look of Melbourne Central.

I couldn’t contact Esther on her phone at all, so I ended up walking along Elizabeth St and spotted something I’ve never seen before, a Royal Selangor shop wtf.

People queueing up just to enter Swarovski, some watch shop. Presumably because the shop is small and there was a need for crowd control.

Bourke St Mall, where I eventually met up with Esther, her aunt, and her other relatives.

A dude decked completely in silver like a statue. When I first saw him in the streets a month or two ago, I thought he was actually a statue. >_> Impressive.

At Dragon Boat Palace, where I ate before with Will previously. Buffet dimsum is the love (about $22 per person).

Esther’s uncle and his wife. Esther’s uncle treated me to the lunch too, awfully generous of him!

Esther and her relatives.

Making our way to DFO (Direct Factory Outlets) South Wharf by the Yarra River, after hitching a tram to the Crown Casino and the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.

An old ship docked safely as an exhibition, near the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.

A bridge with an intricate, modern design.

Nike Factory Store, where I bought a red Dry-Fit tee for $21, which is about RM20-30 cheaper than the ones in Malaysia, I think.

We window-shopped around, and eventually I stayed at Cotton On with Esther for quite a long time (never heard of the brand prior to this, apparently it’s much more expensive in Malaysia, plus I only stayed on so long in Cotton On—about an hour—because of Esther lol) and I got a nice-looking shirt for $15 in the end. Its recommended retail price is supposedly RM99 in Malaysia, so it was a smashing deal alright.

We met up again with Esther’s relatives at a designated place and time, and then we were off.

Waiting for a tram.

A restaurant tram, something I’ve wanted to capture for ages!

Monday, 28th December 2009

Went to DFO South Wharf again with Ivan and Adi this time—spent there about an hour plus but I didn’t even get to visit every single shop yet. Ivan and I had planned to cook for dinner, which was why we stopped at Coles at Southern Cross to quickly purchase some groceries, but we got lazy and stopped by at this Indian restaurant along William St on the way back, and had a hearty meal for $9.

Tuesday, 29th December 2009

Met up with Esther with her aunt and uncle at the Victoria Market tram station at Elizabeth St at around 3pm-ish; initially I was at the tram station at Peel St, forgetting that Victoria Market is actually huge and there are actually multiple tram stops around its perimeter. But because I was in such a hurry to meet her, thinking she was just nearby and she also wanted to store her things in my room, I left without my wallet and in just my short pants, so I had to backtrack again to my place, dump the bags, change into a pair of jeans, and go out again.

We switched trams at Elizabeth St / Bourke St, then left her uncle there as he had some other business to attend to, and so the three of us made our way to the DFO at South Wharf again lmao. As I walked, I realised that I had actually finished walking the breadth of the place, and I also visited Timberland and Kathmandu to try and get a new pair of shoes but to no avail—the ones I really liked didn’t have my size. =/

And so we stopped by Starbucks again for Esther’s coffee fix and Woolworths QV for a while for me to buy some quick groceries, and then we hitched a tram back to Milton St.

The church nearby my place.

Never took a picture with it till now.

As I was reaching my place, saw Ivan and Kelvin leaving (sunglasses and all), but they were in a hurry to make it to Sofia, Camberwell, as Ivan had booked it for 7pm. Waited for Esther to finish shower and get herself ready, and then we were off!

With some wine at the best Italian restaurant in the world, in my opinion.

Andrea, a chirpy and friendly German girl, talked to Ivan. Apparently both of them met while on a plane and remained good friends since wtf.

Stunning garlic bread. I absolutely adore this.

Esther in conversation with Andrea and Ivan, with our usual Fritto Misto on the table, shared between me, Esther, and Kelvin. =D

Large Spaghetti Marinara for only about $13!

Our melting gelato which has to be placed on a separate plate, shared between me and Esther. Esther’s face on seeing the gelato was priceless lol—she had expected it to be on a small cup.

Ivan and his birthday cake.

Finally 21!

In a train back to Flinders St Station.

Andrea and Ivan. Andrea literally kissed the rest of us goodbye when she left, and so the rest of us made our way back to Walsh Residence.

We had initially wanted to go to a bar, but Esther didn’t bring any sort of identification with her (my fault for not informing her beforehand), so we had wanted to settle for the Irish bar very near to our place, but then settled with buying a carton of beer back home. >_>

Ivan, Ali, Neil, and Kelvin. Esther was sitting right next to me and wasn’t in the picture.

Neil pouring Kelvin’s ‘port’, or however it’s spelt. Normal wine has about 13% alcohol, while port has 19% wtf.

Esther left at about 12.30am, and I drank a wee bit too fast and fell asleep. When I woke up, I went downstairs to drink some water, and then proceeded to go to the toilet and puked my guts out. >___>

Made my way back to my room to find Esther on my laptop, then collapsed on my bed.. had wanted to go to Dimmeys at Richmond, but I was feeling rather nauseous.

Went down with Esther on a tram to show her the way to Flinders St Station so she can make her way to Chadstone Shopping Centre, the largest shopping centre in the Southern Hemisphere. I ended up at MagNation instead, and took the chance to read some photography and writing mags, the latter which I didn’t even know existed.

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I’m running out of time. The days have sprouted legs and ran ahead of themselves, and I’m left behind in this race for the future. I’m still stuck, somehow, in this shimmering heat and coolness of Melbourne all at once—I’m afraid if I ever leave this place, I’d leave my heart in the corner of my Walsh West room, a shard of my soul hidden amidst the grass of Flagstaff Gardens swaying with the wind, and that blissfully routine life of shopping for groceries, cooking with the boys, and playing our trite card games. I could feel my heart sinking, a little envious even, when I chatted with Desmond earlier yesterday who told me that before he left for Brunei, he could play Rise of Nations with Ivan through LAN, via a wireless network Ivan had created, and I really wanted to be part of that LAN-playing team of buddies—and suddenly that quantum mechanics theory of many-worlds I learned from an episode of FlashForward I watched earlier yesterday surfaced in me. In that other world, the parallel me would’ve stayed on here, expend as much money as possible for another 6 months of a life I now truly want weaved with endless silly LAN games. But I’m not ready for that kind of resolve. I’m not ready for expending another 50 grand ringgit for another 6 months here, because lord knows I need that kind of money.

Perhaps one of the parallel me’s has managed to snag that 1-year scholarship 6 months ago after all. Perhaps there is a sliver of comfort to be taken in that.