To Terrigal

I recently went on a trip with 16 other friends to Terrigal on the Central Coast for three days and two nights. Let’s just say that beyond the fun times, beach-side games and late night drinks, Terrigal is actually a very chill and relaxing place. It’s a family friendly get-away from the city (with many people bringing their pets with them!) where you can opt to soak up the sun on the main beach or go exploring at Terrigal’s quieter and more secluded beaches. In this post, I’ll recap what we did during the three days, what we ate and the places we stayed while on a budget (because when you’re on holidays, the last thing you want to worry about is what the maximum is that you can spend without feeling guilty).

To start off with, I want to say thankyou to the people who organised this trip for everyone! They put in so much effort and I think it really paid off because it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience 🙂

#memesoc at Terrigal

Ok so first thing I want to mention is accommodation.

I’m sure you’ve heard of Airbnb. If not, it is a hosting site where people can list their houses/rooms for rent to people looking for a cheap place to stay. These places have all the facilities that an average home has including TV’s, kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms and garages for your cars if you’re driving up yourself. Most houses will also offer fresh towels and clean bed sheets with each visit. Essentially you get to live like a local during your stay without the hefty prices some other accommodations charge you.

So what we did was rent two Airbnb homes within walking distance to accommodate our large group. But let me tell you, the main house where we put all the food was located on a very steep hill from where the second house was located. That trek up for lunch and dinner was a bit painful but we made it work HAHA! The cost for the two nights’ accommodation worked out to be around AUD$55 per person which was pretty worth it. On top of the cost, the second house, where I stayed, was only a 5min walk from Terrigal beach, a fact which we definitely took advantage of. I was actually very surprised at the quality of the Airbnb homes we stayed in and for the cheap cost, I will be sure to look at Airbnb homes first when I do any travelling!

The view from the top house

The second thing that should be considered in planning a trip is food and how everyone is going to be fed. On the day we first arrived, we ate lunch at a nearby cafe at our own expense while we waited to be checked-in. Our dinner that night was pizza which we had delivered and was part of the overall trip expense. Note; if you don’t feel like cooking and you’re with a big group of people, pizza is always a fast and easy option for a meal.

Playing at Terrigal beach

On our second day, breakfast consisted of croissants, muffins and banana bread which a friend brought from his café. For those who wanted milk with their breakfast, there was a local IGA which was a 5min walk from the second house. Lunch on the second day involved a bit of preparation with people from the main house pulling apart four bbq chickens bought from the supermarket and adding parsley and other garnishes to it. This could be eaten as it was or could be put on top of slices of bread to make a wholesome, cheap chicken sandwich. Note; if you don’t want to spend time washes up too many dishes and cutlery (which may not be provided at your Airbnb to begin with), come prepared with plastic plates and cutlery which can be easily thrown out afterwards. Dinner on the second day consisted of Thai takeaway which was included in the expenses.

Midnight chills by the beach on the second night

On the third day, we woke up early to clean up so we could check-out in time. This meant we would be buying our brunch before we headed back home. Our large group split off to eat what we wanted. The group I was with ate at a nearby restaurant that was serving $10 big breakfast’s with a complimentary cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate. After spending the last two days eating take-out and home-made food, this breakfast was one of the best I had ever had! HAHAHA on top of that we had American pancakes which were basically pancakes with maple flavoured bacon! It was like a symphony in my mouth, simply delicious for my last meal in Terrigal.

And now onto the activities.

Terrigal beach

On the first day we arrived, the weather was quite gloomy and rainy. Thankfully the weather cleared up just as we finished checking in and settling into our house. The group from the second house decided to go to Terrigal beach where we played some beach footy, soccer and water games. The group from the second house opted for some more relaxing activities such as yoga, sleeping and chilling. After washing up, we all came together for dinner and of course… drinking games. It was my first time playing King’s Cup and I have to say it’s pretty fun HAHA!

The second day started off a bit slower thanks to the previous night’s activities. So after lunch, one member from our group suggested we go to a more secluded beach that was a 15min drive away. I would definitely suggest Googling different beaches/places to explore when you visit tourist areas because the more known beaches are often crowded and dirtier. Of course if you want the protection of lifeguards, the smaller beaches won’t be patrolled, but if you take care of each other, the peacefulness of the smaller beaches and the cleaner sand definitely outweighs any benefits of the main beach. So off we went to Spoon Bay which is located within Wamberal Lagoon Natural Reserve.

The view from the top of the bay

Follow the path down from the top and you’ll reach the sandy beach

It was seriously so beautiful there! We were probably the only group there for a while and that allowed us relax and do as we pleased. It was quite a hot day so jumping into the cool refreshing water felt so good! We played some water games, beach soccer and even had some wrestling matches HAHA while some took to getting their tan on. Note; don’t forget to bring towels, and a backpack full of water, sunscreen, hats, umbrellas, tissues and whatever you think you may need. Because when you’re quite far from everything, you won’t be able to go back to retrieve anything you forget. Better to come prepared with everything!

The water was so clear

The sand was so clean

Later in the day, we decided to walk towards the cliff side of the beach and walked on the rock structures. The view from above was incredible and made for some Instagram-worthy photos HEHE after a few hours we headed back for a quieter night of games and less drinking.

Rock structures towards the left of the beach

“Wave after wave, slowly drifting”

Spoon Bay, Wamberal Beach, Terrigal

On our last day, there wasn’t much to do as everything was already packed. So after brunch, we chilled by Terrigal beach before heading back home.

And there you have it! My recap of my trip to Terrigal (my first trip with friends not organised by a school or uni too)!

Let me know of any places you’ve been with friends and what activities are the best to do with a large group of people, also what accommodation you find to be the best! Ok that’s all from me, see you guys soooooon!

Terrigal beach

Towards the right side of the beach there is a kiddy pool and natural rock structures

Tis the Season

Christmas has finally returned for another family-filled, food-filled and fun-filled couple of days. And seriously I feel as if it has arrived so much faster this year than previous years. As one of my customers said at work, “as you get older, the years go by faster,” and I have realised that this is more true than I thought possible! This year for instance has come and gone so quickly if feels like only yesterday when I was still ‘studying’ for finals (thank goodness though that I’m free from uni until next March HEHE). Anyways I have prepared a little taste of what my Christmas looks like as well as a special Christmas outfit for you guys, so please enjoy!

Christmas to me has always meant family gatherings, large meals, Christmas mass and of course Christmas carols. Surprisingly, I have a renewed love for Christmas carols and just the thought of everyone coming together and singing with so much energy and fun brings me such joy. Like recently at the CASS Christmas party (mentioned in my last post), a group of us sang carols with guitars playing and harmonies ringing. Everyone was smiling and joining in and it’s such a warm feeling being there in the moment.

Another Christmas tradition I grew up with is my Godparent’s Christmas-Eve party where families come together to celebrate. I unfortunately only get to see everyone once a year at this party because they’re not my blood relatives but catching up is always fun. At this party there is always a scrumptious selection of Christmas meals complete with ham and jam and turkey (no need to worry about getting midnight snack cravings!)

Christmas family dinner

After dinner, the young kids prepare a re-enactment of the birth of Jesus Christ. And yours truly played Mary. It’s interesting to see that as everyone gets older, the roles get handed down to the younger generations. For instance I played the Angel when I was younger and my brother played the Little Drummer Boy. These roles were passed down to the younger children last night and my brother was promoted to Joseph HEHE. After the play we sang Christmas carols and enjoyed some desserts before leaving for the night.

This year as well, I watched as the little kids opened their presents and I felt like a child with them! Seeing them rip open the wrapping paper and seeing their faces light up from the goodies underneath was so nostalgic. As I get older, wrapped presents become less of the norm and “Red Packets” become the easier option for relatives to give. So being there in the moment with them definitely brought back good memories.

For my actual Christmas day, this started off with a Christmas mass at my usual cathedral and a roast lunch made by my dad! Seriously the roast pork was en point hehe. Later in the day, I headed off to a friend’s party which was a great way to spend my Christmas with both FAMILY and FRIENDS.

Sausages straight from the bbq

Asian roast lunch complete with rice hehe

And now for the Christmas outfit special that I wore for the Christmas-Eve party. I went for a red and black patterned maxi skirt that I thought was quite festive. I matched this with a plain black tee and a simple chain necklace. For my hair, I plaited my damp hair in the morning and let it remain tied until the moment I was getting ready for the party (this meant that they were tied up for about 4-5hrs). This allowed me to create a wavy effect without the trouble of curling my hair or using heat (yay for lazy methods), and finally I set the waves with some hairspray (otherwise my hard earned curls would be straight within the hour).

And there you have it, my Christmas in a nutshell and a sweet-as blueberry cheesecake outfit to go with it! Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and enjoy it with family and friends! Let me know how you celebrate your Christmas/holidays!

HELLO, IT’S ME

Hello friends, wow has it been a while! And seeing as the new year is just around the corner, I thought it would be appropriate that I’d do a little review of the second half of the year, and take some time to reflect on the year that has been 2015.

hello, it’s me

For starters, I have now officially finished the first year of my university degree! Only 4 more years to go!! Honestly when I started uni this year, I was nervous – about making new friends, fitting in, worrying about whether my degree was what I actually wanted to do – and at the same time I was excited – to start living my life and experiencing everything that uni has to offer. And boy did this year not only exceed expectations, but it allowed me to realise that everything I’ve done so far has been part of what I like to call … THE UNI EXPERIENCE *cue bright lights and ethereal music*

High tea with the Hierarchy 🙂

#memesoc at Terrigal 🙂

Let’s go back to the beginning of the year when I went to the orientation camps for both the business part of my degree and the law part of my degree. This was where I had my first experience with alcohol and also where I made some good friends who I’m pretty sure I would never have met otherwise. Speaking of which, I recently went on a trip with my law group of friends to Terrigal for three days and two nights where there was (you guessed it) more alcohol and chill times. I didn’t go away for schoolies (a week after final yr 12 exams end and before results come out), so before going on this trip I was very excited. And honestly I had the best three days that I could have asked for! (Check out my more detailed report of the trip here).

Spoon Bay, Wamberal Beach, Terrigal

Spoon Bay, Wamberal Beach, Terrigal

Continuing on with uni, if you remember back to my TOO LONG (A ‘REVIEW’ OF MY FIRST SEMESTER AT UNIVERSITY) post I mentioned that by the end of this year I would have “joined and actively participated in a society I am passionate about” and would have achieved a “more positive, confident outlook on my university life”. I am glad to say that I have made this happen! I became more active in a society called the Catholic Asian Students’ Society (CASS), where I am currently the Treasurer at my uni. I am so happy that I joined this society because it’s not just a society, but it’s really a family with branches across the four main uni’s in Sydney. I have gotten a lot closer to my faith as well and am eager to learn more next year. The friend’s I have made through CASS are also people who are genuinely amazing with so much love and faith to share. Recently at the annual Christmas party (which happened to fall on my birthday) they surprised me with a birthday cake which I was not expecting! It was a small gesture but I really felt so loved and that I was finally in a great place with my university life.

Enlarge the photo for the Christmas puns!

Apparently I was only turning 1 HAHA

The second half of this year also saw me getting more involved with food, so much so that I went to an INSTAFOODIE Event specifically for enthusiastic foodies from the Instagram community. We went to One Tea Lounge and Grill located on York St near Wynyard Station for a night of fire, ice and delicious food! Check out my Instagram here for pics of the food from the night. Also this year, I went to the Night Noodle Markets for the first time. I have to say, being at uni in the city definitely makes it easier to stay back after classes to meet up with people and head off to events such as this one. There were so many different styles of food available (all with an Asian flavour) that I managed to go three times! In fact this is where I was introduced to One Tea Lounge’s featured Ramen Burger Sliders and their famous Ice Cream Baogers *omnomnom* A particular story pops to mind with this event. So on one of the nights when I went with a friend, we decided to go for some drinks afterwards. And to our surprise we were chatted up by a couple of guys HAHAHA it was legit one of the funniest experiences for both of us!

Ramen and Rice Beef Sliders at the Night Noodle Markets

Fried icecream in a deep fried bao from Gelato Messina

Ice Cream Baogers with a white Ferroro Rocher ice cream patty

9+ Wagyu Beef on a sizzling hot plate and the flaming wagyu volcano

Continuing with the ‘new experiences’ topic, I finally got around to getting my Provisional Driver’s Licence this year! I think I spent about two years as a Learner (meaning I had to drive with a fully licensed driver beside me at all times), so having that freedom to drive whenever and wherever I wanted was both exciting and scary. But now I love the independence I get from driving without bothering my parents to pick me up and having the ability to go to work without having to take public transport. Speaking of work, this year was also the first year I started working. Not only have I developed stronger conversational skills with customers but that feeling of earning my own money feels great!

Yay for passing my driving test!

A sunrise that can only be seen right before I head off to work

One last thing that I had the opportunity to do was attend a BIGBANG concert in Sydney!!! My word, I remember my friend introducing me to K-pop (Korean Pop) almost five years ago and I remember being so hesitant to like it. But now I have a deeper appreciation for it than I thought would be possible. BIGBANG was one of the first groups I listened to and all their songs are amazing. They are very creative with their sound and also self-produce most of their songs which is no small feat. I also remember telling my friend that if they ever came to Sydney I would be going no matter the price, day, time, year, anything! And I am soo happy that they did come Down Under. They really know how to put on a show and I enjoyed every last minute of it! (They’re more beautiful in real life I swear… and their voices ermahgosh it’s like they swallowed their CD!) Can’t wait for the day that I can travel to South Korea and watch them perform live again (and also to see my other favourite groups and try authentic Korean cuisine :)) Check out some of my fancams here, here and here.

During their ‘If You’ stage

During their ‘We Like to Party’ stage

Seungri!

Taeyang with the voice of an angel!

T.O.P rapper: my ultimate bias!

So as Christmas draws near, and New Year’s soon after, I have another message for myself… take care of yourself and enjoy everything. Do the things you’re passionate about because that way you’ll be able to enjoy it more, get the most out of it and not waste your time. Don’t get caught up in the ‘what-ifs’ and the ‘maybes’, just do it! Never think that you’re alone, and don’t be ashamed to ask for help if you need it. I have a good feeling about 2016, so let’s get out there and make it the best year yet!