The O.C Road Trip

I just came back from a road trip to Port Macquarie. Was a bit random how we ended up there and quite a few things happened within those 3 days (including Kat in an ambulance) but overall it was a great trip and I got much needed relaxation time and a break from work!

Kat and I were meant to go to Port Stephens together but after a conversation with Ben from Church (different person to save-the-world-Ben), he was going to Port Macquarie and staying at his friend's house (Alan) which is right next to the river. Alan was staying with 2 other doctors in this HUGE house so Kat and I went up with Ben and Gilead so it saved us having to plan accomodation etc. Btw I didn't know Ben very well but went up on a road trip with him anyways haha! But I got to know him on the trip and us four pretended to be Somer, Seth, Ryan and Marissa from the OC (an asian version).



These pics are taken from the balcony of the backyard- they have their own wharf! It's so OC. And I woke up early on Sunday and looked outside and saw THE END OF A RAINBOW! I got so excited but there was no pot of gold or leprechauns. So here's proof that I've seen the end of a rainbow.

Ben and I woke up early after seeing the end of the rainbow on Sunday morning and went for a walk/jog through the beaches.



We found a hidden beach and called it OC beach.

When Ben and I were at the beach, Kat and the others went sailing and Kat got hit by the boom and got knocked overboard. An ambulance was called but she was under good hands because we were living with 3 doctors. I rushed to the hospital and when I saw her, she was all mummified with blood everywhere and looking shaky. They let me stay with her when she got X-rays done and when she got stitches done. I felt like I was in Grey's Anatomy and the hospital was actually quite fun once I realised Kat would be okay.

Pictures speak more than words so I'll put up other photos from the road trip. I'm so tired!

Fishing and reading in Alan's backyard wharf

The beach when I woke up early to go for a jog. Ben kissing a fish he caught.

Cheesy O.C poses (Kat is meant to be Marissa but looks like Julie Cooper here)

Us being immature. We stopped in the middle of the freeway to take pictures of us pretending to be constipated under a sign that said 'Poo'.

Ben has gone off to Save the World

My good friend Ben does stuff with the UN and goes away for year long missions working for child protection rights. When he tells me what he's doing, it has always kind of gone in one ear and then out the other and I call what he's doing as "saving the world" as the details sort of disappear into the ethereal.

But after he came back from Nepal, I saw he was a changed person and I was actually a bit frightened. What happened to the friendly, easy-going Ben that I knew before? He had come back quite dark and felt bitter and angry about the ignorance of Sydneysiders. He had seen horrific things done to helpless children in Nepal. He hadn't prepared himself to experience what he did and it has changed his life and there is no turning back. Coming back to Sydney had made him realise how ignorant, ungrateful and arrogant a lot of people are.

Although I was kind of afraid of his intensity, he was able to overtime make me passionate about the problematic issues of the world too. I had told him honestly that I really admire what he does but if I were in his shoes, I wouldn't want to go to places and see all those depressing things as I would feel depressed and there's not much that I can do anyways and I know it will change me to be a darker person. And I, like everyone else, are probably immune to seeing starving children on TV or the devastation from events like Sep-11, the tsunami, mudslides etc and don't react the way we would if we were there.

For those who know Ben, he was an arts/law student at UNSW, won bachelor of the law faculty a few times, was the karate captain etc etc. Instead of leading a conventional life and continuing his success story into becoming a lawyer at a nice firm in Sydney, he has pursued a different path that will actually make a difference in helping other people to have better lives. He will be going to East Timor soon to work for UNICEF and understands that it will be hard to make changes in a big way (due to the culture there and the government) but believes small things can make a big impact on others lives.

He has certainly inspired me and other friends. Not sure if I would have the courage to break out of my conventional life though. But he has made me seriously think about helping out some way in the future. Perhaps after I reach more senior levels in Marketing, I can apply my marketing skills to get funding for charities and other organisations. Because seriously - how effective is it having people chase you around at train stations with buckets trying to make you feel guilty? The key is to make people feel passionate about the cause too. But later on, I'd probably have kids and have a house and will think that I've got to look after my children etc etc. I dunno... the future is so unknown..

Dini's Hens Night

I went to my first Hen's night last Saturday. It wasn't really a proper hens night as there were guys invited as well. There are about 6 people engaged from my grade at school. And Dini is getting married in less than 2 weeks. Omg! I'm so not ready for that stage in life!

Dini dancing at her hen's night

PMS = Perfect Moment Syndrome

I hate to admit it but I agree with a lot of the things the Cleo editor, Nedahl Stelio, writes about. I don't want to be seen as a "Cleo girl" and my excuse is that I get free magazines at work so I read a lot of magazines.

This month she talks about having PMS (Perfect Moment Syndrome). And I think I've sort of got it too. It's when you're forever running after the perfect moment, setting, drink, night etc and it gets tiring. She uses an example where her friend at Big Day Out ran from act to act trying to chase the perfect moment- will she be more happy at the front? Was she happy watching M.I.A? Perhaps going the Boiler Room would be better. Nah she better run back.

I don't think I try to chase the 'most perfect' moment (like getting pissed off when I've missed out on the balcony table at a restaurant... well, sometimes) but I do try to do everything at once so I won't miss out on anything. And it's affecting my health (i've got a cough at the moment). But I should take Nedahl's advice and just chill out - "It's that whole stop, look around and appreciate what you've got thing". So my goal is to stop thinking about what I'm doing next all the time and to just enjoy the moment of whatever I'm doing. And then perhaps my cough will go away.