Sydney Aquarium

One rainy day while we were exploring Circular Quay, we decided to hop on the ferry and visit the Sydney Aquarium!

So, I realized that I'm horrible at taking action shots or I need a better camera (like that would solve it). We spent a good part of the morning at the Aquarium.

I especially loved the tunnel (which I don't have a picture of) where you can see the fishies and the sharkies swimming above and around you!

Friendly dugong. Someday I will swim with them in Donsol or wherever.

Dugong

Dugong

Colorful fish...I only got pictures of a few because I was too busy looking. :)

Manta rays? These are two different kinds, note how the, uh, eyes and lips are different.

A picture of a ray swimming below a school of fish -- before I figured out the camera settings for low-light pictures.

Seahorse! And not just the ordinary kind. This one's leafy? weedy? ferny?

Sea turtle!

Sharks!

These dog sharks are resting on the ceiling of the aquarium tunnel (or floor, from their perspective) right where the vent causes warm (or was it cold?) water to flow into the aquarium.

I haven't been to the Manila Ocean Park. Is it anything like this?

"Your blog's so depressing."

"Are you depressed?"

"No, I'm not depressed."

"Your blog's so depressing."

"Well, I'm not depressed. (Defensive much?) It's just easy for me to write depressing and sad stuff. I don't know why. Writing upbeat and lovely stories takes more effort."

"You sure you're not depressed?"

"How many times do I have to say that I'm not depressed? Well, not clinically diagnosed anyway."

"You know how they say write what about what you know? So maybe your writing's so depressing because you're depressed."

"Sweetie, I know sad. I know happy. I know contentment. Drama just comes naturally. Besides, while I'm sure a lot of people will be interested to read about tax (humblebragging), I don't think I could keep that up. Then I wouldn't have any outlet. THEN I'll be depressed."

snicker. snicker. (thanks G for this useful expression)

If we go on as we are now

I'd get used to not talking to you.

Pretty soon, I'd learn that I can live my life without you.

I will go on to live my life without you.

Maybe someday I will also realize that none of these mattered to you.

And then maybe we could go back to normal.

The way we were before I wanted more.

How to turn your life around

I really have no idea.

My soulmate died on the day I turned 18

When people ask me why I can't seem to make relationships work, I always say I TRY to make them work, it's just that something is always missing. He's not the One. And I'm not going to find the One in this lifetime because he died on my 18th birthday. I get strange looks because of this statement. Here's my story:

The day started out ordinarily enough. I had just the one class that day. A mind-numbing session of Econ 100.2 held at the auditorium, with 3 other blocks.

I remember while waiting for class, I was flirting and laughing. Because I was young and happy and had my whole life stretched out before me. I spent class alternately listening and watching the graphs being flashed on the screen and passing notes and giggling with my seatmates.

It was a normal day, until it wasn't.

I was on my way home when it happened. A sudden crushing sadness that made tears spring to my eyes. The kind where it grips your lungs and you can't breathe. If I didn't know better, I would have said that a dementor had gotten into the car with me. But it wasn't, because it wasn't cold. (Back then I didn't know about dementors anyway, Harry Potter hadn't yet made that big an impact in the Philippines).

I blinked back the tears and tried to breathe, and I wondered what had happened to me. I had no obvious reasons to suddenly feel so sad.

I wrote off the entire incident as hormones or maybe a chemical imbalance in my brain, but it has always stayed with me. Until now, I haven't felt that same level of loss as I did that day.

But since that day, I have had this empty place which nothing can seem to fill. I may be happy but there's that. Empty. Dark.

I never met him. And I don't have flashbacks of past lives bothering me. But this lifetime is really screwed up. He wasn't supposed to die. I don't know how many lifetimes it will take until all the circumstances are right for us to meet again. Because it was supposed to be this lifetime. And now I think he's lost. And I still have my whole life stretched out before me. Or lifetimes.

Until my soul finds yours.

Royal Botanical Gardens

I don't have a lot of pictures here...but it was a huge place. With lovely little benches. You can sit down and admire the ocean/harbour. All the different kinds of plants and trees. It was lovely and so green. E and I enjoyed a couple of picnics in this place.

A huge tree with fantastic spreading branches.  It reminded me of another tree, except this one's in real life:

How about this one. Is it lazy or has it given up? I don't know what type of tree this is. Or maybe it's an overgrown vegetable?

Sydney Government House

a.k.a. my dream summer house. LOL!

From the driveway, with the other tourists.

The back veranda, or was it the side?

Close-up of one of the panels

The back/side portion of the house, with the fountain.

Sadly, we didn't make it to the indoor tours. :(

Dear Rob T.

"Why didn't you just address the blog entry to him?"

"What?"

"Or not directly to him, but somewhat vague or something..., like 'Dear Rob T.'"

"Wow! What a GREAT idea! That's so vague! 8-|"

"Don't roll your eyes at me. Just say it's addressed to Rob Thomas. You like him."

"Yeah, but reading the entry will clearly reveal it's not about Rob Thomas."

"So? You  just have an active imagination."

"Well, you know, the point of the blog entry is that he won't see it...My drama, my rules."

"I'm just saying that maybe if he knows how you feel...something might happen. You could be 'friends', or whatever. :|"


silence...

"Honestly when will you get over your fear of commitment?"

Manly Beach, Sydney

At sunset, reflecting off of the buildings

Manly Beach

I've got my head in the clouds

Because I need to forget about real life for a while...

Somewhere along SCTEX:

In front of Clarkfield, Pampanga's Nayon Pilipino:

Heh.

Healing

What my horoscope says for today:

For anything to heal, certain circumstances must be created. Healing can only take place in particular environments and enough time and patience need to be given for something to heal properly. You appear to be in a process of healing now in some way. You are adjusting to a new set of circumstances that probably aren't easy to adjust to at this early stage. Before this month is through, you will be very aware of how much better an awkward situation has become. http://www.freehoroscopesastrology.com/

I'm glad my horoscope agrees with what I'm setting out to do.

F*ck you f*ck you f*ck you.

And for the last time, f*ck you.

I should, no?

This is the last time you will hurt me. It was a long time coming but hey, sometimes I hold on for all the wrong reasons.

I need something to make this quick and painless. I hope I can just remove you from my life with the precision of a surgical strike (I'm mixing up my metaphors or something).

Lines drawn. Give me the strength to never cross it.

Truth

"He can't will never make time for you."

Honesty

"It's not that he's torpe, dear. You're just not his type."

Ow.

Make your own drama - 4

My heart's set on you. "You are the love of my life."

My mind shies away from you. "Please, just move on and forget about him."

Unfortunately, love can't be reasoned with.

Blue Mountains - random pictures

I can't remember what my pictures are of...

View from the Skyway...(which is a glass-bottomed tram) travelling between two, uh, cliffs?

The effect of a recent bush fire. Poor trees and grass and insects.

Healthy trees right outside Scenic World, while waiting for the Explorer Bus. I don't know if they're trimmed (because these are really tall trees) or they really grow like that... Pretty.

Here's an example of how educational the forest walk was:

First, you're given the information:

Then, the actual thing:

Finished.

Katoomba Coal Mine

Still part of the Blue Mountains Explorer Tour. But the mine is closed now.

Katoomba Coal Mine

A replica of the coal carts drawn by uhm, ponies?

How did they ever get the coal up the mountains? This is how...

Better known as....

Here's the replica. We did ride something like it...which also passed through a rock tunnel. No pictures of course, because I was too busy holding on for dear life.

Pinatubo crater

Just to prove that I made it to the Pinatubo crater (January 21, 2012)


With R.

Courtesy of G

Morning Prayer for a peaceful life

http://pinterest.com/pin/85075880430754275/

I bet you thought I it was something really serious. But I'm serious about this prayer...

Blue Mountains - Part 2

One of the more identifiable sights from Blue Mountains -- The Three Sisters! (it's a sad story because it's part of the Seven Sisters...I think the other 4 are gone. Sorry wasn't paying attention.)

In real life...(view from Echo Point)

The Three Sisters

We decided we wanted to get to know the Three Sisters (well the first sister, at least) up close and personal... which led us to the Giant Stairway

It's for strong walkers only!

Look at that! That's not even the whole stairway.

Proof that I made it down...Look at those raised shoulders...can't breathe properly but can still smile.

The view was worth it...Echo Point is visible at the top of the sheer rock face.

View from the first sister (wall side)

Blue Mountains - Part 1

Why are the mountains blue? because the eucalyptus trees emit oil vapour into the atmosphere which along with dust particles and droplets of water vapour, scatter blue light. -- from the Blue Mountains Explorer Guide Book

Here is further proof that I'm the most unimaginative picture-taker...

See the cloud that looks like a galloping horse (not a unicorn, sorry.)? It's being chased.

...by a giant flying seahorse, a bunny and a tortoise...*shrug*