Wollongong w/CMFC Video

Here's the video!

Also a little note: jet-setting off again to a new place in Australia (to be revealed in due time)! Heaps excited for this trip, even though it's smack-bam during the Uni Semester.

Photos will ensure, and I anticipate a few posts on here but let's just say that's a large variable factor because time issues, y'know?

Stay safe for the time being, y'all.
Stay healthy and don't forget your fluids.

Wollongong Roadtrip w/CMFC

A few days ago I went on a one-day road trip with a couple of friends (whom of which identify as #CMFC). I guess this was a day of firsts -- the first time I really went on a road trip just with friends, and it was a really nice day for it!

Rise and shine early in the morning, with a pick-up at 6:00AM.

After meeting the rest of them at Parramatta Park (initially aiming for the sunrise at 6:30AM, but we ending up late), we headed off for a Woolies run.

Followed by, as you would expect, a Macca's run.

On the way back after a good feed. Hashbrowns all round.

It was about 8:30 in the morning, and after a run refresher in the children's playground, it was finally time to head off to our first look-out.

We found ourselves inside the Royal National Park and managed to find some sort of a look-out. Most of the day was improvised, really, and I guess that was a change from the usual plans that road-trips have.

The weather was absolutely perfect. Blue skies, sun shining, and not too windy.

We stopped by at some sort of lake, and the water was absolutely stunning. Clear? Crystal. Even tempted to jump in for a quick swim, if it weren't for the fact that we didn't bring our swimmers or towels (and... It was still pretty cold, to be fair).

Fishing for compliments

Hopped back into the car and drove off "before the Rangers find us". Soon enough, arrived at another look-out and we all stepped out.

The view was breathtaking. It was so extreme and vast that you could actually see the slight curve of the Earth (something that I always seem to be fascinated by).

((Side tangent: isn't it amazing though? Imagine if you were the first person to see the curve of the Earth -- in a society which believed the Earth was flat. How crazy would that be.))

Of course, selfies were taken. The conditions were right.

Finally we decided to make camp at Stanwell Park Beach.

It wasn't a bad day for the beach, despite it being winter (I know!)

The sun was shining, there weren't many people, so it was really a great time to just chill out. SQ even managed to bring a guitar, so that meant jams and good times.

A few more stops here and there were made, and also the presentation of HG with his late birthday present. None other than a penny skateboard! I feel like we seem to get more and more tardy with birthday presents. But I guess better late than never! And we're going to pull the old 'we wanted to give it to you all together' trick as an excuse.

Needless to say, much skating was had.

Did he trip a moment after this photo was taken? You'll never know.

Ultimately though, it was a great time just skating around (despite the fact that I myself cannot ride one. Maybe one day). Sometimes you need to just take a step back and revert to old time activities, y'know what I'm saying? (I don't know what I'm saying. Don't mind me).

With a bit more driving (phew!) we finally made it to the long-awaited Seacliff Bridge. Many photos were taken, and the water below was so beautiful. The entire scene itself was gorgeous. Blue, blue, everywhere -- the sky was clear, the sun was out, the waves were crashing.

This looks like an advertisement for the phone.

It actually made for a really nice and comfortable walk. The view was incredible, and sometimes it's hard to realise that something so aesthetic is just around the corner (well, maybe about an hour's drive).

AND THE WATER. LOOK AT THE WATER.

I've also started to try and pay more attention to more unique framing, so I tried to experiment a bit with my photography.

This trip was the first time I'd used my camera seriously in a while (like, a month) so it felt good to get back into the game.

Needless to say, with all the nice-ness of the Seacliff Bridge, we spent a great deal of time here. Skating, taking photos, playing the guitar. Sometimes all at once. As you do. Or, as SQ does.

And, of course, more photos of the water.

Yeah, kinda soz not soz about all the photo-spam on this post, but hey, cut me some slack. I love water, okay? Believe me, there are plenty more where these photos came from.

After finally managing to pull ourselves away from the gorgeous view (after a few more photos) we hopped back into the car (so, so many times today) and kept pushing ahead. The afternoon was approaching soon, and we still had a few places to go.

You can never have too many photos, ft. KR

One of the last stops! The Wollongong Head Lighthouse! 

I'd been here several times in the past, but nonetheless it was fun to take photos.

It was surprisingly windy up here, and I started to feel the breeze (considering I was wearing what was essentially a singlet). But, the sun still managed to keep my spirits warm.

"I'm swapping Nikon for cannon" heh.
If you look closely, my fluoro-pink thongs make a reappearance

After feeling a bit adventurous and all climbing up rocks to look at the cliff-side ocean view (many photos were, once again, taken), we all started to feel a bit peckish and decided it was about hay-time to start heading off for lunch.

So, the final drive to Wollongong was made, and we parked to try and find some good food.

But, alas, poor planning led us to the wrong area and we were faced with food-court food. Which, to be fair, we weren't exactly keen on consuming, having driven so far. It is also my tradition to have fish and chips every time a roadtrip to some sort of beach/rock-pool/coast is traveled. It just feels natural, y'know?

Fish and chips are a must-have.

So, trust Google Maps led us to Levendi Cafe on the Harbour and we all feasted on their Beach Packs (except HG the hipster).

It was a feed. To which I couldn't finish. But it was a decent feed.

We found ourselves with only about half an hour to spare, so instead of forcing ourselves to hustle our bustle anywhere else, we decided to just soak in the sun and take some nice breathers.

And take a few model shots. As you do.

JT the model :P

 And a few more photos. Panoramas. 

DSLR panoramas are a new thing that I'm starting to test out

Since we had to get back by sundown (for reasons), we left quite early and drove straight back.

A big shout-out to KR and SG for driving as the rest of us fell asleep in the car-ride back. It had been an exhausting day with little sleep, much energy, and breathtaking sights.

Leaving the place with nothing but smiles, many photos, and memories, we returned back to where we started (Parra Park) to say our goodbyes and head off again. With many of us scattered all over Australia, it's difficult to meet up frequently.

But, as we all know, sometimes you just have to find the time.

It was a great day and it felt so incredibly worth it. It didn't fail to disappoint, everything went according to plan (well, I guess, we didn't really have a plan so nothing really could have gone too haywire) and I'm already keen for the next roadtrip.

CMFC out, till next time!

Melbourne (inc. AMSA M15 Convention)

So I went off to Melbourne for ten days.

This time, for once in my life, I didn't bring my DSLR. I know, that's a big drastic change for me.

Instead, I was equipped with my GoPro and iPhone.

First stop was JH's place. I guess this means we're now even, since JH stayed at my place in December last year. I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed my stay, and I'd definitely look forward to staying again.

Just settled in? GoPro selfie, of course.

Most of the first three days at JH's place was spent exploring the city of Melbourne. Going to various discount stores to buy cheap clothes (for my costumes at AMSA M15 convention) and visiting nice food places.

Such as my old-time favourite, Luxbite! We went the trek over there, and also managed to stumble across the best Vietnamese Pork Rolls I've ever had. Though slightly pricey at $6 each, they were heavenly (and I managed to stuff two inside of me).

But of course, Luxbite was the cream on the top. Matcha cheesecake was irresistible, so I indulged.

Not going to lie, it looked like grass, but it tasted like Heaven's nectar.

Okay, maybe an exaggeration. But if you're someone like me who loves 1. Matcha, and 2. Cheesecake, then this is a combination made in the Heavens.

Each layer was so delicious. I cannot even express.

And once we ran out out of things to do, we decided to head off to the ACCA (Australian Centre for Contemporary Art). So through the pouring rain (with no umbrella) we braved and braced the chilly butt-freezing weather of Melbourne and made it there.

Where art thou

Not going to lie, it was smaller than I expected. Really, it was just one exhibition. I suppose I was expecting something like the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney.

And, as always, when I'm in Melbourne with nothing to do I always head off to cheap book stores. Managed to walk away with four? Five? books. I don't even remember how many I bought. (But they were only $5 each!)

After a long, tiring three days spent up late-at-night talking about random things and playing Tetris, it was finally time for me to leave and head off to AMSA.

For those who don't know, AMSA is the Australian Medical Students Association, and they host yearly Conventions. This year's was in Melbourne (#amsaM15), and it was something that I'd been looking forward to for a real long time.

I had no idea what would be in store (considering I'm what they call a 'convirgin'), but I was stoked none-the-less. With a suitcase bursting with costumes and a head full of excitement, on the 5th of July we signed in and settled down.

And, of course, got into the jive of costuming.

Here's just some pictures/highlights.

Terminator night! A UNSW coordinated costume.

Refraction/reflection! You can't see it, but my legs were shiny with glitter.

One of the best costumes my friends did was none other than RF's. I'm not too sure what he was exactly trying to be, but all I can say is that it definitely looked insane enough to fit the 'Deranged/Departed' theme.

Step 1: fit a glove on your head.
Only kidding (it's a bald cap).

One of the most anticipated days for me was Sports Day.

Two main reasons:

1. Superman costumes
2. Jumping castles

What more could I ask for? When you grab two great things and smash them together, this is what you get.

Much fun was had. I loved having an excuse to dress up as Superman. It's not every day that you get this opportunity, you know?

With the last few days emerging, the exhaustion had started to hit. A-many friends had started to succumb to sleeping whenever and wherever, and a few cases of conventionitis had begun to hit home. But the Convention must go on!

With the final Gala Ball upcoming, we all dressed up (as best as we could, with our aching bodies) and dined at The Crown with a nice Wonderland theme.

'Drink Me'!

The night went long, but it was not over yet.

The next day we rose up early to check-out and then try and grab a spot at Hardware Societé. We had attempted to go the day before (Saturday brunch) but the line was incredibly long that we figured we'd be there for at least another two hours before all nine of us managed to get a spot.

So, on Sunday morning (whilst rain was falling. Heh.) we waited patiently for 40 minutes to grab a table at the esteemed venue.

Terrible photo, I know. It was raining, cold, and the heater was radiating red light.
Crispy pork meal.

I grabbed a favourite dish and also a cup of hot chocolate (perfect for the five degree Celsius weather). And, let me tell you, Hardware Societé did not disappoint.

This was my second time at the brunch café, and it was still fantastic. My friends all enjoyed it too, and it was well worth the wait. If I had to recommend one place to eat brunch at in Melbourne, I would say this place. It is top-notch and the food is smashing.

With some more time to spare (and in desperate search for shelter from the downpour of rain) we decided to spend some time at the NGV (National Gallery of Victoria). I'd also been here before, but I felt like I didn't fully appreciate it the last time I was here.

Mirror selfies?
Nonetheless, the furniture was nice. I kind of felt like I was in a museum, really, rather than an art gallery.

It wasn't the best last-day-of-Melbourne, but it was enjoyable. There's nothing else that quite represents the Melbourne-experience as well as a sudden flash of rain, forcing you to brave the streets with nothing but a flimsy red poncho. I wished my glasses had windscreen wipers.

Overall, Melbourne was nice. It was cold, I must say, but I feel like I returned to Sydney with a reset thermoregulator. I think I can withstand the cold a lot more now!

It was wonderful to head back to one of my favourite cities and spend some time there seeing old friends, and also making new ones. AMSA Convention 2015 was an event that changed a lot of things, and was definitely a roller-coaster of events. None-the-less, I'm keen to return next year (hopefully) for 2016's Convention!

Before I end this post, just wanted to say that I've been real busy of late. A lot of photos, footage, and things to do in the next three weeks. Life is taking a turn for the hectic, and I'm really trying to fit time to blog and update this but I'm definitely struggling. Once the photos are (eventually) edited they should be posted here, but who knows.

Life seems to be moving too fast for me to even update this in time! But that's okay. Hope y'all going well. Also, we're just past halfway through winter (in the Southern Hemisphere)!

Okay, take care.

Manj.

Badmanner Thymes Espresso

Yeah, hiatus-smiatus.

Kinda was in a better mood today, despite the ever-mounting things that I'm supposed to be doing right now (AHHH!). So I decided to edit a few pictures and upload them before I head off.

A lot of things rushing in my head -- costume ideas, packing, last-minute washing, tutoring shifts (that I'm not ready for yet!) and a lot of in-between tasks.

But, I made the time to go out with DS to check out a cafe that we'd been meaning to for a while. We'd planned to meet up a few weeks back, actually, but careless, clueless Manjekah decided to accidentally forget and instead found herself cramming her butt off for exams, completely oblivious to our plans.

So, it was postponed. Till yesterday.

After meeting up, we legged our way to the Cafe, which was a nice short walk from Parramatta Library (in Google Maps we trust).

Despite having a late breakfast that morning, I decided to go full-out and order a burger, chips, as well as a green tea latte (in hind-sight, could have passed on the chips... but they were only $2!! And the menu said they were 'super crispy'!!).

Only $3.50! Green Tea Latte.

I will admit, I absolutely loved the green tea latte. If it were possible to fall in love with a drink, this would be it.

matcha matcha matcha

The texture was so smooth and the taste just right! If it were possible, I'd love to have this on a daily basis. In fact, if they opened up-shop at the UNSW campus, I would most definitely find myself sipping on one every day (not sure if that's a good thing for my wallet).

Burger-wise, Diana settled with a Kimchi pulled pork burger, whilst I the Badmanner Burger (no jalapenos) (each $13) with a side of super crispy fries ($2 extra).

Diana's burger

Not going to lie, the burgers looked like a mountain! But a delectable mountain, at that. It looked absolutely spectacular and I was so keen to dig in.

I'll admit, I was a bit conflicted about how to consume the entire thing. Surely no regular human's mouth is large enough to fit the burger in comfortably. No wonder they gave us a fork and knife.

But I never knew how to eat a burger with a fork and knife -- I prefer all the ingredients to be consumed together (am I making sense? It's a cold Monday night, forgive me). So, I braved it and attempted to eat it like a 'regular' burger.

I like to think I succeeded. It was definitely a mighty burger, but it was absolutely delishhhh!

Yum

The little cafe itself was a nice little setting. Not, y'know, absolutely fantastic, but it was a nice little quaint and comfortable atmosphere for two friends to catch up.

Will admit, though the window seats had nice lighting, it was kind of difficult to speak to each other since we were sitting side-on (probably our own faults, to be honest).

Overall though, everything was well and good. Definitely my favourite would still be the green tea latte, but the burger itself was a damn-good burger. The lettuce and sauce was done so well and all the flavours mixed together nicely. Yum.

Definitely would return again. And most certainly would recommend it to anyone who's keen on a nice burger or amazing (and affordable!) green tea lattes.

Anyway, in other news, as this is being posted (scheduled earlier ahead), I'm furiously packing clothes and everything into a small little suitcase to travel. I'm off again, and by the looks of it, I will be leaving my camera and laptop here in Sydney (for several reasons).

So, I won't be posting for a while, but you can guarantee a post upon my return (once I recover).

There's plenty more I'd like to do, say, and finish before I jet-set away, but (as my life has been in the last year) time waits for no one.

Oh man, why do I do this to myself?!

Only kidding. Mostly.

Stay safe, eat nice food, and don't forget to enjoy your life every once in a while. And don't forget your vitamins, kids. Never forget the vitamins.

Manj.