Operation Clean Up Gardens.

The exterior of the townhouse has started to become a total mess lately.

Much of the garden work I did has somewhat overgrown to be a forest like environment. Then there is the weeds which seems to be an everlasting and enduring problem around here.

First step is to get that weeds taken care off.

The first 2 flower beds aren't too difficult, just do some smart placing of the plants and repotting should do the trick.

The back possess a different problem all together.

BUT for now I will concentrate on the front.

Changing the pond to a bigger one will be the main priority. Then instead of soil surfaces will move towards mulch based surfaces. The idea will be plentiful but minimalist. No more bushy hedges, just clean neat greens.

The first flower bed, decided to change it to be palms and some general ferns with this money plants hanging on top.

Second flower bed opted to retain the general bamboo them with pine and various ferns to be hanging down. Soil area to prevent the weeds will be purely pebbled up. Now I hope there is enough pebbles around.

It will be a slow project though which I am sure would only be finished sometime when it is nearing my time to jet set again.

Place where I keep on coming back.

I do tend to have a fondness for living in hotels it seems and obviously the more expensive the better.

My favourites tend to be small luxury boutique hotels especially those you find in Britain. But right now am staying at the executive club floor of the Mercure Roxy in Singapore.

Since leaving Australia, it has been just a few days. The weekend most did nothing, then on the Monday had to go to get my passport renewed. All was set and the next day headed for Singapore. This time decided to come by express bus. Took the dual deck (though the bottom deck is just an area where they store baggage. Journey was decent.

Had a Thai buffet at Marina Parade, was alright but nothing special. Also had a go at the Tony Romas which is quite good just leaves you with an ever faithful thirst for water or anything sweet (come to think of it, most foods in Singapore does tend to do that to you)

I am as I write this blog wondering where we should head to next. Thinking somewhat of going to Thailand for the sole sinister reason to massage :D But since politically the place is somewhat of a disaster am unsure if that is the best of place to go to right now. Also somewhat rather go to a place that is a lil out of this world and you know a place that you can somewhat see some real history. Perhaps East Malaysia, but it is so freaking expensive to do anything within Malaysia and flying to the other part of Malaysia is not a cheap affair. Maybe another trip to China? Why not........ but I have already been there and would like to see someplace different. Hmmm Cambodia?

Ahh enough of this dreaming for now. Gonna go enjoy the perks of living on the executive floor.

By the way it is wonderful :D Especially when you don't have to pay for it :D :D :D

Goodbye Australia.

Well the day has come that I will say goodbye to Australia.

Somehow I still felt somewhat like a tourist today, surprising since I've spent so long here and this is the first time I have actually done the touristy stuff.

Today after packing up, I decided to take a walk to the CBD area.

Then I decided to jump on the city circular tour.

First one was to Bondi Beach.

It was somewhat cold this morning. But it was still an interesting area. My guess is at the height of summer this must be the best place to be.

My breakfast at Bondi beach was a grilled Lobster with a piece of grilled salmon and chips. Damn it was bloody good.

Bondi itself isn't really anything special, generally just a huge happening real estate developement.

The next stop was the city circular.

My impression on Sydney isn't really fond. It is one of those places that seems too old to be new, yet too new to be really old. In terms of old factor, Tasmania seems to be better.

Architecture and skyline seems somewhat like an eyesore. It has somewhat of the multistyle of the mix of old and new, just it doesn't blend in as well like say those in London or England in general.

Had a nice good lunch today, lamb shanks and mashed potatoes.

Amazingly I never took a single picture since I left Tasmania. Now I wonder why is that. Perhaps my interest in photography is wanning. Perhaps there just isn't anything significant I would like to snap on.

Anyhow, after lunch I decided to take a stroll back to the hostel, packed up the car and made my way to the airport.

The airport in Sydney isn't really anything to shout about per say.

Decided to do some last minute shopping and bought what I been hoping to buy for a long time. An iPod. Decided on the 80GB version, hope it somehow does not become a white elephant like all other small electronics I have ever purchased.

Anyways, it is time to board now. I will remember my time in Australia and Tasmania for all the happy moments I had and for the relaxed lifestyle there was. Someday I will definitely want to return for the sole reason that it is a nice place to be, however I am pretty sure things would be different from what I knew it to be.

Goodbye Tasmania.

Somehow I am feeling somewhat nostalgic.

The last few days I been traveling around Tasmania.

Mitchell and me had been driving around at Cradle Mountain as well as Lake St Clair National Park.

This is a beautiful region. Reminds me a lot towards my time in Montana.

I will post more pictures on this place later.

Left Tasmania yesterday after a drive through Queenstown, Stanley, Devonport and finally Launceston where I flew on to Sydney.

Picked up a car at the airport and drove on to Redfern. After throwing the bags into the hostel it was onwards to the Chinatown district.

Looking for food in Sydney after hours is actually quite a challenge, but thankfully the Chinatown had sufficient choices around.

Had a quick bite of a yang chow fried rice and then took a drive to the ANZAC brigdge (just for kicks)

Today in the morning since I had nothing better to do, I took a drive to Blue Mountain. It is okay. But after coming from Tasmania and previously spending time in Montana this place is somewhat lame. Plus most things are quite expensive here as well.

Later on took a drive to Canberra. Interesting scenery getting there.

One thing for sure, driving here can involve some tiresome long journeys due to the relatively low speed limits here.

I can't believe tomorrow will be my last day in Australia, 10 days short of being a year in Australia.

Somehow or rather I am somewhat glad that it is over, but at the same time I am somewhat sad that I am leaving. Granted if I wanted to stay on, the choice is always there. But just somehow I feel that I could achieve more by returning to England.

Someday I shall return, but somewhat I feel that it would be a long while before I return as I would like to see new places and perhaps my next port of call will be somewhat further from Australia. My aim now is to be again closer to Europe.

My last weekend in Hobart.

I can't believe it, but my last weekend in Hobart is here and what did I do? You guessed it right. I was working.

Days off were cut short due to staff shortages, but it was alright could do with the money anyways.

Yesterday had some big time partying at Isobar, it was good and I had loads to drink.

Today was bloody murder as I had to be at work.

Sold off the Alfa today for AU$450 was quite happy got back some money for it. But nevertheless was sad to see that car go.

Started packing today as I leave next Friday. Now the challenge is to have everything fit in the same Samsonite bag I came with and a smaller backpack for the laptop and some carry-ons, oh my is it a daunting task or what.

Will be flying out from Launceston on Wednesday for Sydney and will spend a few days there.

Well stay tuned for some updates, as before Lauceston I still have 1 more trip within Tasmania to do.

Foul mood whole day today

Been in a foul mood whole day today.

Early in the morning had my slumber disturbed by an emergency call at work. You guessed it my week off was cut short and was called back to work.

Some processes had changed and there seemed to be quite a few new faces.

At work I found someone had nicked by boots and had to wear a leaky pair today, I hate it when my feet get wet. Lots of walking and running around today. Damn speaking of feet, I really wish could go for a reflexology session, which brings me to the next point of foul mood.

Being dead tired and since I had a pay pack in the bank account, I decided it was time to go waste money. So I book a reflexology session at the only Thai massage place. Specifically told them I wanted it at 5pm as 7pm I had a dinner appointment.

Show up at 4:55pm and they can't find my booking. Then am told I have to wait 30 minutes, so off I go to have a quick drink while waiting for the 30 mins to pass. Guess what? 30 minutes goes by and they tell me there is no staff to do it. I told them forget it I will just go without.

At a few minutes before 6, I am already sitting at Ball and Chain waiting to order and I get a call. The person who took my reservation is asking me why I had not bothered to show up for an appointment. Man I tell you was I livid. I gave her and her manager a piece of my mind and only to realize that nearly the whole restaurant had gone silent......whoa.

Thankfully my steak arrived and damn it was good.

Upon returning home, I find the carpets of the entire house soaking wet and wettest point was in my bedroom. I was wondering what the hell happened because in my room even my photos hung on the wall got wet.

Turned out there was 2 sources of leakages, first leakage was the washing machine, the washer drainage system was buggered and the water somehow or rather was not going down. The entire floor was wet. That also caused some of my books to get buggered.

Then the other part was the rain has exposed a leaky roof due to the horrendous wind storms we been having. Damn all my pictures are gone. Thankfully the laptop was not in the room or that too would have gone. Even my bed is all wet.......sigh.

Today will have to sleep somewhere else till my bed dries out, they better fix this stuff up.

So warm it is, 1 week off.

Another tough week came and went. Worked 6 days and on average 10 hours a day. I am officially horrendously exhausted.

Next week the classes at uni starts and that will mean more work for everyone involved as scheduling becomes even more impossible and finding people becomes a major challenge.

I have decided not to continue for this year. It is time for a year off for me as I feel I need to look after my health issues, intermittent chest pains and the high blood pressure seems to be taking a piece of me everyday bit by bit. Thankfully the chest pains turns out to be related to breathing issues due to nose and sinus blockage rather than anything coronary related.

The Alfa is giving problems again, the starter motor had completely gone and since I have no intention of replacing it I have just opted to park the car on slopes or jump start it. I actually sold the battery which was fairly new a few days ago.

Since I got a whole week off, I have decided to rent a car and do some traveling around.

Yesterday for the first time I explored a lil more of southern Tasmania, around Dover and Hastings. I finally discovered that after Hounville there are actually little to no places to eat. Usually anything available tend to be some shitty deep fried fish and chippies shop.

The Hyundai Getz which I rented ain't a bad car, but I finally realized why it just never caught on in more developed countries. For the most part, this car is rather wallowy in ride and it is not exactly a spirited drive. Gearshift is vague and rubbery, and well for the most part it fits the typical korean crap car impression I tend to have for most Korean built products.

Hastings has an impressive cave which is well worth a visit if you are into this type of outdoor activities.

The other thing that is really worth looking at is the steam train if you are an enthusiast. Personally I love this type of stuff.

Today am doing another trip down south, going to explore a lil more here and there. Hopefully do some fishing as well.

Damn I can't wait to get out of the house as it sure is getting hot again.