Sydney Aquarium and Misc

As a late birthday present to my cousin, JC, we went out to Sydney Aquarium.

I was still completely sleep deprived, but hey, what can you do.

Walking to Darling Harbour

We were greeted by the giant floating turtle 'Alfie', which promoted the Art Exhibition that's currently being held at Sydney Aquarium. I suppose that made up for the lack of the Dugongs (which are undergoing renovation)

Alfie

Before heading off, my cousin and brother seemed really keen to head off and try Starbucks, so I thought I'd treat them out. Wow, so young, yet already had their first ever Starbucks. Kids these days.

Not the best photo; was trying to take it quickly because I didn't want to be that typical ~hipster~ teenager who took photos of Starbucks, but it was JC and JD's first time, so it was a momentous occasion.

Afterwards, we went off to the Harbourside Shopping Centre to try out Yoforia, because we had a Groupon voucher for it.

So after a nice, long early-morning snack on frozen yoghurt, we finally managed to head off to the aquarium. After an excessively long line, we made it into the actual place.

I brought my 50mm, which made it quite interesting to take photos, especially when it came to focusing. The low aperture was really nice though, meaning I could take decently lit photos using ISO 100, even indoors.

Unfortunately, since they were renovating, the marine tunnel was a lot darker than it usually was.

I went to Sydney Aquarium quite recently, actually. By 'recently' I mean, in January 2014, so a lot of this was familiar stuff. It was still amazing and I still enjoy aquariums a lot. However, I'll admit, taking JD and JC out meant I had to watch them a lot of the time, and I didn't exactly get to sit down and just stare at the giant tanks for as long as I had initially hoped for.

Really loving the colours in this photo

Typical photo of mine

It was a great experience overall, though. And although we missed out on the Dugongs, they gave us 2 x 50% off vouchers for next time, to make up for it. So I guess that means I'll be going again soon?

We decided we'd head off to the playground at Darling Harbour to kill some time, but we stopped for a street performer from Japan.

Kinda upset that I cut off his foot in this photo accidentally; it was a spectacular jump and caught me off guard.

So, we made it there, and of course, JC and JD got wet.

I spent a lot of the time doing one of the following things:

1. Taking photos
2. Making JD and JC pull up their sleeves, take of their jackets and roll up their pants to minimise getting wet (also taking shoes off)
3. Holding all the clothes that JD and JC had removed (+ bags, etc.)
4. Sitting down with everything because it got over-whelmingly heavy
5. Worrying they got kidnapped
6. And reflecting on my childhood

Somehow along the line, I switched places. I remember a time when I was the one who would run towards the playground and charge in without a consideration of my clothes, the cold, my shoes, etc.

A time when I had so much energy, and would just leap head-first to have fun. I would be able to play for hours on end in the same playground, doing the same things over and over, despite having been to that exact place several times in the past. It was so exciting.

Yay for street photography

Even the smallest things were entertaining.

If you managed to find even a stick, a leaf, or if you were lucky enough, a cup (!!!) you would somehow manage to make the most of it. Meanwhile, I was sitting there with my phone in hand, finding boredom even with the world at my fingertips.

Hopefully no anxious parents caught me taking street photography of their kids. That would have been awkward.

occasionally I sit back and wonder
whether I have finally grown older
"i never want to grow up"
"i will always be a child at heart."
I used to say
yet
somehow along the way
I began to think only of the future
and forgot that right
now is the present

and I suppose
the nail on the head
is when you start writing poetry
instead of living it

Needless to say, JC and JD got excessively drenched.

I remember a time when doing things like this was attractive to me. It used to be something I would run out to do! But yesterday I found myself on the sidelines thinking "Oh man, that's going to take ages to dry" and "she's going to get cold!" and other adult-things along those lines.

I suppose you could say that children are concerned with the present, while adults are concerned with the future.

I instructed them to sunbake in the sun so that
1. They could get their daily Vitamin D
2. They could dry off before heading off for ice-cream

Though, these are very strict generalisations. The definition of 'a child' and 'an adult' is a fine line, and differs between people. 

Personally, I believe the transition between child --> adult is when you stop taking risks and stop questioning. When you start to let others dictate your life, and don't stop to question why they do that, or what authority they have. When you let the worries of life hold you down.

I'm not saying children are frivolous and have no consideration for the important things in life. I just think they have a different approach to life, and see things in a different way.

Whether or not I'm a child or an adult now, I don't really know, to be completely honest. All I know is that while reflecting on it for a good hour or so while JC and JD enjoyed themselves, I started to realise that somehow along the line, I changed.

Anyway, back to the story at hand: so after considerably 'drying' and snacking on a small pack of McDonald's fries, we finally head off to N2, which JC and JD had never tried before.

And we also stopped to play a little bit more.

Tried several flavours; one each.
JD - Milo Mofo
JC - Creme Brulee
MD - Kinky Kinder

Couldn't finish my ice-cream, so the two kids finished it off for me.

Anyway, it was a very tiring day, but it was a nice day out. The weather was very nice, and it's relaxing to just take a day off, every now and again.

There's a lot going on in life right now, and I keep feeling like I just don't have enough time to do everything I would like to. But, I can't stop now.

May not post for a while, but who knows.

Okay, have a pleasant rest of the week!