small *BRIGHT* stories!

Well Hello there! Blog readers, are you ready for some short, sharp stories about my weekend adventures?
No?
Well i suggest stop reading this instant.

So it begins:
-Destination: Bright.
-Days: 4
-Attendees: i lost track
-To do: camp, explore, enjoy, relax, survive.
-Amenities: None.

*Bliss.*

*Everyone was arriving at random intervals during the day, so we decided to stay in town pottering around & exploring our new home. After starting off with a delicious breakfast of pesto toast, poached eggs, shredded beetroot & feta at a quaint little cafe called 'Coral Lee' (best.name.ever.) we began exploring. There was a huge market full of unpretentious country people, it was lovely. They sold everything from fleecey clothes, jams, chutneys, sheep skins, crepes to homemade soaps. There's something nice about wandering through a country market in the sunshine... except for the part where your annoying friend is trying to beat you up, push you into other people & try to make you fall over. Thankyou Captain Annoying!*

*Our campsite: was on a massive block of land. On one side was a pine forest. On the other side, was an old abandoned building. Oh yes, we definitely explored that! According to 'legend,' it was used for some crazy cult years ago. It was really quite strange. You walk into a big hall with bright blue carpet, a stage at the front & wood panel walls. There are two hallways running along the side each with multiple rooms coming off them. These smaller rooms have carpeted walls. I'm telling you, it was WEIRD. The rooms were maybe 3m x 3m, perhaps? The place had been trashed with the obligatory spray paint everywhere, broken windows & smashed walls. Strange. Very strange. I was hoping to find hidden treasure but all we found were some dead birds.*

*We set up our camp & started a bonfire. Super chilled, snacks, chats, toasting marshmallows, song writing, guitar playing & a full moon. Ahh, then there's that awkward moment when you are relaxing on a tarp, next to the bonfire, under the stars, sipping some American Honey whiskey, you roll over onto your stomach & the friend sitting next to you informs you that 'You have white, sticky marshmallow all over your bum.' Awesome. How did i try to fix it? By rubbing dirt into it. Fail!*

*Under the moonlight, we played 'Hide & Scare' in the forest. Everyone goes into the forest & then you have to hunt each other down & try to scare one another. The only problem with this is, it's dead quiet & you can hear someone creeping up on you from miles away. Except for that one time when i was walking along thinking i was being sneaky & my darling friend gave me the fright of my life. I screamed down the forest. 'ARGHHHH!' She got me good.*

*There is also a hedge maze near Bright. Usually, i am rubbish in a maze. Not this time! I think a highlight was finding the 2nd tower & waiting.. waiting..waiting for everyone else to find it 'Hey guys, what took you so long?!' We had a mini tower dance party & then moved on.*

*Possibly the biggest surprise of my weekend away was discovering that my friend has a fear of feathers. Oh the joy i got from this & will continue to get from this!*

*On the last afternoon we decided a trip up to Mt Hotham was in store. And boy was it amazing! Climbing the mountain along winding roads, it was getting colder & colder with each bend in the road. The views were spectacular! Mountains as far as the eye can see, hidden under a sea of clouds. Then, snow. It was actually snowing! The further up the mountain we got, the more snow there was. Looking out across the mountains, it looked like white frosting had been sprinkled everywhere, it was magical. We finally reached the top & it was absolutely freezing! But despite the icy'ness, it was so beautiful having snowflakes fall softly on our faces. Amazing. Beautiful. Mesmerising. Peaceful. We grabbed some snacks & hit up the pub. Overlooking the mountains, snow softly floating down from the sky, a guy playing guitar & singing us songs, it was the epitome of bliss.* 

*The mountains took away my breath :)*

xox

*SNEAKY* Airport SURPRISES!

Feb 14 2012
Marks the 2nd day this year that i have surprised friends at the airport on their Melbourne arrival!
Why do i do it? Because its FUN!
Its the unexpected. The thrill. The excitement of it all!
The first time, i was carrying an arm load of brightly coloured balloons.
The second time, i was wearing a big red bow tied around my body like i was a present.
I love surprises!
More importantly, i love it when i am the one giving the surprise.
In the lead up to the surprise day, you get to be all sneaky & be like a secret agent trying to find out much needed information so that it will all run smoothly on the day.
I started working this out about 2 weeks in advance.
Observe:
You need to put your friends off the trail completely before they are even on your trail.
'So, when do you get home? Cool story. Let's go get a beer.'
~seems random, but you found out the date they come home.
'So, what time do you get home? Cool story. Let's go get a beer.'
~seems random, but you found out the time they get home.
Next, you need to work out what airline they're flying with, if it's a domestic flight or international flight & where they are flying from. 
'So, is Jetstar taking you home via Perth again? yuk!'
~seems random to ask that specifically, but you still find out the needed information in your friends reply.
It seems everything is in place & ready to play out.
Excellent.
Oh! How could i forget to tell you this.. while all of this has been going on, you inform your friends on the day they are due to arrive that you 'don't want them back.'
Ofcourse you are only joking, but it does add a little more depth to the surprise i think...
The day has finally arrived.
At the airport with a carload of friends, sipping some beers, snacking, chatting & laughing away at how terrible we look wrapped in a big red bow.. you decide to go for a wander, thus separating yourself from your 3 friends.
'I'll meet you guys at the gate in 10 minutes!'

You check with airport staff about flights.
You go to the gate.
There is no one as far as the eye can see.
It's now 10 minutes after they supposedly landed.
You are alone, at the opposite end of the airport, wearing a big red bow & ignoring the strange looks you are getting as you walk through security.
cue *PANIC SWEAT*
Then.
THEN.
There's that heavy feeling in your gut.. no, not from what you just ate... 
Where the hell are they? Have i missed it completely?
No. Surely not.
Hell no. It was planned to a TEE.
It was PERFECT!
You decide to head back to where you left your other 3 friends.
On your way, you make a quick phone call & are told 'Yeah, we're here with them now. Where are YOU?!'
..and then there's that awkward moment when you realise you are at the wrong gate, you got told the wrong airline, which in turn makes you nearly burst into tears & you show up 5 minute's after everyone else has done your big SURPRISE!
FAIL.
No, you weren't there for the initial surprise.
But your friends were stoked to see you.
So i guess at the end of the day.. mission accomplished?!
xox

i just got 'shot gunned'‏ ~a true story~

Whats that?

Let me fill you in.

I arrive at work... well, i arrive in the street where i park around the corner from work, I've got my RnB music pumping (don't laugh... it helps wake me up in the mornings!)

Anyway.

There's a couple of houses getting renovation's where i park so there have been tradies around in general over the last couple of weeks.

No complaints here.

I drive passed one guy & i cant help but gawk... just a lil bit.

By gawk i probably just mean stare... too much & too obviously... *oh dear!

Will i ever learn it's rude to stare?

In my own defence, it was a Friday. He's cutie. And he's looking at me. What am i supposed to do?
 After driving around looking for a car spot, i end up parking opposite the house getting renovation's that is full of tradies... feeling very conspicuous.

I finish my coffee in my car, I've still got some music on- i turn it down once i park so i don't look like too much of a twit.

I get out of my car... am too scared... aka chicken to even glance at the tradies working on the renovations.

(also hoping that i don't have any food, drink, marks on myself anywhere to be seen & hoping that i don't fall/trip over or something dumb like that..)

Then 2 seconds later as I'm walking along the street these 2 tradie guys are saying/yelling out loud: 

'SHOT GUN!!'

'SHOT GUN!!!'

And I'm like.. naaaa, as IF they're yelling about me.
That's really funny & quite an odd thing to be yelling out.

THEN.

..and then..

I hear one of the tradies say:

'I saw her when she was still in the car!'

Cue me walking off speedier now because I'm a little bit stoked/ a little bit freaking out/a little bit giggling like a 15year old girl about being 'shot gunned' thinking...

'CRAP! I gotta get in to work so i can email my girls!'

(and blog about it to you guys ofcourse!)

Happy (almost) Friday my loves!

xox

ps- Here is some trivia for you-

Back in the olden days~ I'm talking horse & cart era/ cowboys & indians era, there would be one guy up front who would be driving the horse & cart & sitting next to him would be a second guy who would carry a shotgun to ward off or even shoot any enemies who came along the way. (Or if in fact YOU are the bad guy, then it's to ward off the good guys trying to catch you along the way!) 

Therefore, when your friends yell 'SHOTGUN' as they're approaching your car or there's one piece of cake left, it means they just want to be riding up front with you or they get first shot on the cake.

Game on!

THE LOVE OF MY LIFE.

I have 4.

Yes, 4 loves of my life.

one, two, three, four.

Simple as that!

Does that sound just a *little* bit greedy??

I figure, what's better than having 1 love of my life? ...well, having 4 of them, ofcourse darling!

The catch is, I don't want to share them~ so i guess that would be classed as greedy hey.

(Although, I am talking about them with you on my blog.. does that count as sharing them? Giving insight into them? Into the workings of my psyche? Maybe im not so greedy afterall)

It's ok to have 4... isn't it?

Who are they?

I thought you'd never ask! :)

Let me discuss:

Every now & then, you will meet someone who will completely blow you away.

Instantly.

That first impression will often set the benchmark for your future relationship with them.

You had fun with them & they left a huge impact on you.

From then on, the friendship & relationship can

only grow stronger.

No question about it. You are enamoured by them.

You want to see them every day & spend every waking

minute with them.

They are constantly on your mind. Morning, noon & night.

You want to love them, you want to smother them in kisses, you want to protect them, you want to help them, you want to always be there for them, if you could give them the world you would.

Then they do a small, simple gesture.

They smile at you.

They might hold your hand or give you a hug.

A kiss.

Just that little display of affection can keep your heart smiling for days, weeks, even months to come.

Every time you see them, whether it's often or not, you always experience a warm buzzing feeling deep down inside your heart.

Instantly a rush of endorphins flood over you.

You could be surrounded by a crowd of people, but in that very moment, nothing else matters except them.

The world around you is insignificant.

You are caught up in the moment!

I am ofcourse, talking about my 3 nieces & my 1 nephew.

The 4 loves of my life.

The very instant i met them after they were born, i felt

all of the above & more!

Instant, unselfish love.

I would do anything for those kids.
Anything.
No questions asked.
***
Im sorry if you got the wrong impression.
But i guess thats your fault for making such a wild assumption that i was in love with 4 men!

Thats just crazy.

ps- xox

SYDNEY ADVENTURES

It begins.

3 day long weekend.

15 Melbournians.

1 Capital City.

~INVASION~

Before i even left Melbourne, 2 good things happened to me.

1- Phone call from a friend offering me to pick me up at Sydney airport. Score! Thanks mate!

2- A text from another friend asking me out for dinner in Sydney. Lovely.

FAST FORWARD

I'm in Sydney. I've checked into accom. I've eaten. And am on my way to a party in Manly.

On the way, a friend sent me a text saying 'don't bother coming.'

We were 5 minutes away.. and well, i was intrigued. Onward.

To say that Melbourne brought the party to the party, is an understatement.
(dear Sydneysiders: don't hate me!)

I think it was half Melbourne & half Sydney people.

The guys were *rather* friendly.

Randomly coming up & introducing themselves.

Getting in photos with you.

(Quite a change from Melbournians who are rather highly strung & too scared of rejection that they wont bother to say 'hi.')

Then this one guy who i had only just met grabbed my hand on the dancefloor & said 'Lets salsa!'

Right.

They're playing house music & you want to salsa?!

So we salsa'd for a bit & i was just not feeling it.

Couldn't get me out of the awkwardness fast enough.

Yes, i did feel a little bit bad that i didn't dance with him for long. Sorry. I'm sure you're lovely.

I wont lie, i prefer dancing to dirty RnB.

"Any day of the week & twice on Sundays"- that's a quote from my favourite movie, 'A Few Good Men.'

Back to the party.
I did definitely meet some nice people & caught up with a lovely friend which was ace.
She actually said to me 'When i sent you that text, the party was really boring, but then all of the Melbourne crew showed up & it got heaps better! You guys bought the party!'

I was quietly stoked :)

The difference between a Sydney party & a Melbourne party?

Who even knows.

If I was to speculate.. i would say it's the people.
Melbournians aren't wildly crazy, we just don't give a rats as long as we're enjoying ourselves & having fun, nothing else matters.
Making fools of ourselves? Yeah. We don't care.
Good friends. Good tunes. Good vibes.

Maybe because Sydney is such a beautiful city there's a pretense that comes with living there?

Dare i say, a standard that if you don't meet, you'll feel like the odd one out & will be getting odd sideways glances.

Or as a friend said to me recently "it's like a disabled kid on the bus - you know its not right to stare but somehow you

can't avert your eyes."

If you don't fit the mould, do you get rejected?

Please don't get me wrong, i love every bit about Sydney & i always have a blast each time I'm there.

HOLD ON.

I love Sydney.. I always have a blast there..

Am i meant to be a Sydneysider?

XOX

TRAVEL BUG BITTEN & CURED? ..surely not.

All my life I've loved travelling.
Whether it's been a 3 month camping trip with the parentals 1/2 way round Australia, a tropical island or 3, UK,

Europe, America, Japan..

I've loved every inch of it.

And for the past 5 years (that i can remember..) i have been overseas each year.

All up it's a grand total of 7 times overseas.

To say it feels rewarding knowing i have done that at a young age makes me happy.

What is it that we love about travelling 24 hours on a plane to a city/state/country that we have never been to, where we don't know anyone & we absolutely cannot wait to get there?
Perhaps it's because we are so sick of our mundane, routine lives at 'home' that we need to mix things up & get some
change & escape.

Escape to a place where no one knows us, it's fresh, new, exciting, scary, mysterious & there are endless discoveries to be had.

Short term or long term.

And in turn, you always learn more about the world & yourself.

Bottom line- it's a win/win situation.

You get to learn how other people live, taste different flavours, experience different seasons,

become engulfed by amazing scenery.

Learn phrases in another language so you can chat to locals.

Feel like the odd one out for once when you are the only Caucasian person on a train in Japan. And on top of that, the only person with blue eyes for as far as you can see.

This year however, is different.

For some reason, at the outset of 2011 i said to myself 'Stay in Australia for 12 months & just save some money.'

You know what? So far, it's worked out pretty well for me.

....i have to admit though, i was *THIS* close to booking a trip to Europe to meet up with friends for later this year.

But something wasn't sitting right.

My heart wasn't in it.

First time ever. I have no idea why.

Am i finally rid of the ill fated travel bug that loves to bite?

Was it because of other things going on in my life

that needed closure?

Is it because i truly am happy to save some cash &

stay in my country?

Or maybe I've simply grown up & am reassessing life. Yes, I've been to Europe 3 times. Loved it every time. Do i really need to go again? Is that just insanely greedy & self centred?

Having rambled on about all of this.. I wouldn't be surprised if in a couple of months I'm on here bragging about just booking a flight overseas.. but until then, watch this, its amazing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=2HiUMlOz4UQ&vq=large

Then sometimes you'll come across a person who has never been overseas, who has never been on a plane & who has never left the state they live in.

Honey.

You need to go get yourself a life & a plane ticket out of there.

Even if it's just interstate.
Pronto.

(as they say in Italy)

..but you wouldn't know because you've never been.

xox