That was from about 4-5pm. The sun was setting already so we thought we'd better hurry up. Off we go again!

Drive drive drive... sleep sleep sleep... The next stop was at Mac's... where it was starting to close already. The time was 11.40pm. It was really cold, like 14°C or something. I was wearing berms, sleeveless & slippers while others were wearing jackets & sweaters. Haha! I love the cold man... *chatters teeth* Everyone ate something except me. It was supposed to be dinner but I had so much potato chips in the car I didn't feel really hungry. So yes, we drove off after the meal, heading into Sydney! Yay! And when we were in Sydney area already, it appears that they couldn't find the backpacker's that Barry booked. So they brought us driving around in circles & circles... until they finally decided that they can't read maps & went to a petrol kiosk to ask for directions. Whilst they were asking, I took the map from them & asked whereabouts we should go. And before they even asked the kiosk people, I found out where it was & how we should go already. Sheesh! *shakes head* And I thought women are generalised as not being able to read maps... Apparently some men too. Ha! Told Gabriel what I found, and he excitedly went to show the rest. But they being men, still went ahead to ask the kiosk ppl. And it turns out I was right! *bleah* Ah wells... so we drove into the suburb and met the manager & talked & parked & unpacked & toured the place... and then we bathed & prepared to sleep. By the time everyone was done, it was 3.16am. (this timing is gonna be rather interesting in the days to come...) So sleep we did... waiting to get up at 8 so that we can go out at 9. I think...

Now she's even further away, he still misses her everyday. Every moment she'll be on his mind.

Day 2: 15th April 2006

Nobody could get up till I went around waking them... at least for my room la. Oh ya, there were 8 in my room. SX, Vivian, DL, Daphne, Sue, Jared, Damien & myself. And the girls needed to wake up earlier to bathe & put on make-up & all... so I woke them up at 7.30am. Reached the Sydney Fish Market at 9+, ordered brunch, eat eat eat...

... then took some really nice pictures, especially 1 of SX... I really think it was a nice shot lor. Not that the others aren't la... but there's something about that picture that just grabs you. Really! I'll show y'all, with the permission of Shuxian, of course.

The rest of the day, just travelled around... shopped at Paddy's Market, Market City, Chinatown... ya, nothing much la... shop shop shop only lor. At night, we went to ermm... where did we go? *thinks* Oh, we went to somewhere across the Opera House where we can take photo of the Opera House & Harbour Bridge. And there, I showed the girls the effects of double exposure, and they were SO excited they kept taking & taking... haha!

So silly lor. And the guys were like freezing and sitting behind watching them do all sorts of funny poses. We left the place at near 12. Then we drove over to the Opera House. Took some more photos, group shots and all... haha!

The wind was pretty strong & everyone was freezing! But I was still in sleeveless & berms... haha! Well, I was cold too, but I like the cold, and Daphne was like, keep chattering & shivering le lor... so I gave her my sweater coz she needed it more. Then they all were like, wah, Kane, u not cold ah? And I was like, I like the cold. Then Vivian & DL & Shuxian & Daphne all touched my neck with their hands... haha! And they were like, how come u so warm one? Like heat generator like that... And their hands were all over my arms & neck, absorbing the warmth from me. DL said I was like a warm teddy bear. Haha! So funny la! Anyways, we went home after that le. And by the time everyone got ready to sleep, the time was 3.16am. And we had to wake up like 8am. We refers to DG, Barry, SX & me... coz we were going to the Hillsongs church.

He imagines her just there... so pretty and prim. And then she vanishes as if she was never there. But she really was never there... downcast.

Day 3: 16th Apr 2006

I woke 1min before my alarm rang! Darn it! And shortly after, Shuxian's handphone went off! Haha! So loud la, I was afraid it'd wake everyone so I quickly clambered down my double deck to look for her phone... and I saw Vivian staring blankly into space. So scary la! Haha! Then I was like, ok ok... I'm searching. Fumbled about near her pillow, thus awakening her, then got her phone & turned off the alarm. Then I woke Barry up also... and we all washed up & prepared to go.

Hillsongs church is so like City Harvest can! Haha! Or rather, City Harvest is so like Hillsongs. Whatever la, except the speaking in tongues thing... I wasn't really comfortable there but I guess if one were active enough (like the auntie beside me) one would thoroughly enjoy the worship. They gave out Easter eggs after the service but I didn't take it. SX offered hers to me but nah... I'm alright. =)

We walked back to where we parked, near Chinatown, and arranged to meet Jared & the rest there. We had lunch in this food court underground. Ate char siew noodles! Haha! It was souped la, something I hadn't tried for a really long time. Anyways, after we had lunch, I took a photo of SX with this gigantic teddy bear. It was really huge la! Can't even fit into a car can! Haha! I'm serious! See!


Ok, anyways, SX met her friend and I met Jared & gang, then DG & Gabriel they all went their seperate ways lor. Went into Market City & Paddy's Market to shop some more... but only for awhile coz Jared parked at Broadway, which has 3h free parking, and the 3h is almost up! So we headed back to get the car, then all of us met somewheres and we headed off to Bondi Beach. Walked along there for an hour plus, took lots of photos of Jared & Sue, and Vivian & Daphne, and some surfers, and the giant waves, and the beautiful sky... 5+ or 6 like that, we headed back to our cars... wanted to eat at Bondi but didn't manage to book a place. So we just found a place to eat at Chinatown again... haha! Then after that, they wanted to go clubbing... but everywhere was SO crowded... and where it wasn't, we weren't allowed in coz Damien & I were wearing sports shoes... Oops... sorry Sue & Daph... =P In the end, we went to this Shark Hotel to have a drink... played pool too... and when we were leaving, we realised there was an upstairs where ppl could dance. Haha! But nvm... we just headed back to the car & drove home... That night, by the time everything's done and everyone was ready to sleep, it was 3.16am again! Haha! I wonder why... Next day would be going to Blue Mountains. DG's gang wouldn't be going so it's just 2 cars.

He would really rather spend time calling her. But circumstances were against him. He knows she misses him so much, and he's aching for her...

Day 4: 17th Apr 2006

Wakey wakey at 9 I think... Timing's up to us anyways. When everyone was ready and all, we drove off to the city to get some Krispie Kreme, supposedly for breakfast. Haha! But I led them the wrong way on the map and we headed outta the city, across the Harbour Bridge. Haha! And when we wanted to get into the city again, we had to pay toll! Haha! So shitty la! $3 can! But anyhow, we got in, got the Krispie Kreme, and headed for the Blue Mountains... The time was 11am I think. Or somewhere near that time. Haha! Ok, drive drive drive... we got up onto the Western Motorway soon enough. And we were cruising along the highway, and I was trying to keep track of our exact location on the map, so I'd know when to turn out. Everyone else slept, even in Barry's car. Haha! Ya... Aiyah, the journey there is boring la.

So we reached Blue Mountains area, and we had to pay $7/car to enter into the area. Drove around, dependant on a flimsy piece of paper with the attractions mapped out on it. Jared took the lead, and our first stop was someplace called the Jellybean Pool. Haha! Weird... no jellybeans at all when we got down to the pools... *shrugs* Oh wells, we climbed around abit, then took some pictures, and we got back to the car, going to the next destination. We drove uphill, to get up to the place where we could overlook the entire Cumberland Plains. Nice view they've got up there man! We took quite alot of pictures there then.


Saw some rockclimbers on the cliffs next to us.. So cool! I also wanna try lor. But that'll have to wait till maybe when I join UQ Sports for Rock Climbing at Kangaroo Cliffs. Ok ok... sidetracked... =P We got bored of the cliffs, so we wanted to go someplace else... Some of us needed to go to the loo, so Jared decided we should go 10km away to this place called the Red Hands Cave where there's a public toilet there. Ok! Sleeping time! Haha! 10km later, all of us clambered outta the car... it was a rough ride man... haha! But the toilet is more important... so we all queued up and took turns. I took a shot into the bowl. Haha! It's just a hole dug into the ground under the cubicle lor...

When everyone's had a turn in the makeshift toilet, we started heading down towards the Red Hands Cave...

Turns out it wasn't much of a cave also... It's just an enclosed area under some rocks that had red prints and inverse red prints of hands that seem to be reaching out to the skies for help or something.

If you're there alone, I guess it'd be pretty creepy... *shudders* Yikes!

Anyways, Jared and a few of 'em got tired of the Blue Mountains already so we decided to leave the place and go back to the city or something... On the way back, we had to fill up our petrol & wash off the dust that's covering our cars, so we stopped at a petrol kiosk and did just that... The sun was setting and we were hungry, so we went a few metres down the road to a Red Rooster Restaurant. Had our dinner there, headed back to Parramatta to get on into the city. But somehow my navigation didn't bring us back the way we came, but we still got to the city anyways. Haha! Ah wells... Anyways, we all went to a karaoke lounge, $10/head for 3h. Sang for half an hour less, then Damien & Shuxian & I went off to take photos of Darling Harbour & Cockle Bay Wharf. We all had our cameras & tripods so we played around with the settings and all. Showed Shuxian how to make the star effect but I dun think I explained why... haha! Oops! =) Anyhow, we walked in a circle around Darling Harbour lor, take a few photos only I think... then the rest wanted to go home le, coz next day everyone except my family (save for Vivian) and Damien had a tour to Hunter's Valley. The time was approximately 12mn, but we walked to look for them... so it became later. By the time we got home and everyone was prepared to sleep, no, it wasn't 3.16am. Haha! It was about 2.40am, if I remember correctly. So I thought, hmm, tonight won't be 3.16am already... and I was abit sad. Haha! Lame la lame la... but it turned out that by 3.16am, most of us were still awake! Haha! So I told them the time, and all of them quickly got into bed to sleep otherwise they can't wake up in time. Haha!

The beauty of nature brings to his mind the beauty of his lady. So wonderfully complete and perfect...

Day 5: 18th Apr 2006

5.55am, 2min before my alarm was set to go off, I opened my eyes. I think it was Barry's alarm that woke me up... And DL woke up too. Both of us just sat on the bed for a coupl'a minutes, then DL walked over to wake Vivian up, and I walked over to wake SX up... Then after that, I woke Barry too... And soon, all of them were awake. I went back to sleep, coz Jared they all didn't state a timing to wake up. But at 7.01am, I woke up and they were just leaving! SO late le lor! They have to be in the city by 7.20am leh, still must park car, fight the jam (if there's one) and walk over to the meeting place... Was abit worried for them... but apparently they made it. Haha! So I went back sleep again and when I next woke up, it was 10 already. And by the time everyone was awake and ready to leave the backpackers for good, it was about 11. Went city to meet Damien for lunch. After lunch, went shopping. Ok, they went shopping. I went photo-taking. Damien went to buy bah kwa, and read comics... haha! So yes, I was alone & walked down George St towards the Sydney Opera House... It was an overcast day, and I didn't expect the pictures to turn out well... but oh wells, just to prove that I was there, I took those pictures anyways.

Went over to the Rocks to take pictures of the Opera House fully, then slowly walked over to the Opera House itself via Circular Quay, taking pictures of Harbour Bridge on the way.

When I got to the Opera House, took a few shots, wah, I saw the golden rays peeking through the clouds and shining brilliantly on the Opera House!

Wah lau! I was calculating whether I have time to get over the other side, decided I don't, and wanted to make good use of whatever's available. So I walked towards the Botanical Gardens... but then something inside me tugs at me saying, if u don't try, you know you're gonna regret it big time. So I took my camera in 1 hand, tripod in the other, upped and started running! Ran all the bloody way from the Opera House through Circular Quay, up to the Rocks. By the time I got there, the sun had to filter through Harbour Bridge to shine on the Opera House, casting its ugly shadow on the shells of the Opera House. But heck, it's still glowing golden!

Took a couple of shots of the sun-rayed landmark, posed a few shots too (but later realised I look so tired and ugly), then sat down to rest. There were a few guys there doing a studio shot for the restaurant behind, and they were smiling at me, nodding knowingly the gratification of a photographer's task accomplished. Called Sue to find out where she was, and started walking towards her. The skies turned pink, the setting sun faded into the skyline. At least I got my shot. Met up with Jared, Sue & Daph, drank some Boost, then headed back to our car. Met up with everyone else and had dinner at this chinese restaurant that's not too bad.

And off we go! Back to Brisbane! Same thing as coming here lor... drive drive drive, sleep sleep sleep... zzzZZZ... ...

He's finally going home, where they can talk for long periods of time at their own leisure. Oh, the joy of hearing her voice again!

Day 6: 19th Apr 2006

Nothing fascinating here, except the anticipation of sunrise at Byron Bay. At 2am, we started to doubt if we could reach by 4. Nope, even though we were speeding at between 120-200km/h. The morning was really foggy and all... At 4am, we were still a long way away from Byron.

So the sun rose impatiently, clearing up the fog, casting its red glow onto the land. I managed to take some shots of it through the window but that's it.

By the time we got to Byron Bay, it was 7am... 3h behind time. Haha! And the sun was a good way from the horizon already. Nevertheless, we stopped there to explore the place, took photos, saw some dolphins, took more photos, then we thought it's time we got back.

And the rest of the journey's just driving back to Brisbane. Good ol' Jared brought the 5 of us safely to our doorstep. But he was so tired he headed straight into the house while we took out our luggage & stuff... Go ahead man, u need to rest.

We unpacked, sorted out our laundry, cooked instant noodles, and suddenly, none of us felt like sleeping already. Haha! Vivian & Sue & Jared then went to return the car with Barry & DG... I was left at home with Daph... I slept on my bed, intending to wake up at 3pm... haha! Wishful thinking! When I woke up, it was already 5pm! What a waste of the day... *pffft* Oh wells.

That's it! My Road Trip to Sydney and Back! Ha! My hands are tired man...

He hasn't really been calling her everyday. But he ends his activities so late everyday, he doesn't really have the time to call. *guilty* So sorry darling. Do you still love me?

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