Cooking Monster: 2013

OFF TOPIC: 2013 Recap - The Travel Edition

December 30, 2013

Since the year is days away from ending, I'm doing a recap on 2013. This year my traveling boots went on a roll. I explored a handful of main cities and attractions on Australia's East Coast and Auckland, New Zealand. I've noticed the difference between students studying in Australia and those studying in European countries. Our pictures always comprise of blue skies, blue waters, green trees, the shining sun and theirs have more buildings with architectural wonders. We get to wear more summer outfits while they're always bundled up. So I've decided that Sydney is the place to be. Since UNSW is located in the suburbs but only 10-15 minutes away from the city and beaches, I think it has the perfect balance for work and play. This is only the beginning of my traveling experience. I aim to save enough money to explore more Asian and Western countries in the future!

Melbourne (30/3/2013 - 2/4/2013)

Royal Exhibition Building

Brighton Beach

Vivid Sydney (1/7/2013)

Opera House and Harbour Bridge

Sydneysiders

Auckland (21/7/2013 - 25/7/2013)

Parnell Village

View of Auckland City from Skycity

Waiheke Island

Blue Mountains (1/7/2013)

Scenic World

Echo Point

The other side of that mountain. Took it on the way back from Wiruna. (see below)

Wiruna, Ilford (6/9/2013)

During this year's first semester I took a General Education course on Astronomy. Got excited seeing how beautiful the space is. Then after watching The Great Gatsby, there was a scene when it flashed back to Gatsby's childhood home and the night sky was amazing. Thus, seeing the stars in a clear dark sky was immediately on my bucket list. I started googling 'Where can I see the stars at night?'. Led me to a list of 'The Darkest Skies in The World'. And Wiruna was somewhere in top 8! I was super stoked that there was a place only a few hours from Sydney because the rest were in the American continent.

Wiruna is a piece of land owned by a group of astronomers that opened the camping grounds to members and non-members to create awareness on the beauty of astronomy. It's located in Ilford, NSW. We packed our gears and camped for night. Didn't manage to get any pictures of the sky at night because my camera wasn't high tech enough. But my God, the sky view was literally out of this world. I have never in my life seen that many stars strewn across a black blanket. The sky was so dark that we could even see stardusts (stars that are too far from us that they appear like dusts). If I had discovered this place earlier on in my stay here in Sydney, I would've gone there at least twice a year. And I'm pretty sure we were the first group of Malays to go there. So to the Malaysian students who are still studying here, I strongly recommend you to visit it at least once, the view is magnificent that it's worth driving off the beaten path. No joke.

Canberra (21/9/2013)

Grand Pacific Highway

Floriade 2013

Port Macquarie (28/9/2013)

Cowarra Dam

Gold Coast (29/9/2013 - 2/10/2013)

QackrDuck Amphibian Ride

Wet World from the ride. I didn't go into the theme parks because I'm scared of rides that involve heights :(

Nimbin (2/10/2013)

Do you need directions?

Coolamon Scenic Drive

Byron Bay (2/10/2013 - 4/10/2013)

I saw a whale for the first time in my life from the Most Easterly Point in Australia Mainland!

Byron Bay Lighthouse

That shit cray

Byron Bay Lighthouse Trail

Coffs Harbour (5/10/2013 - 7/10/2013)

Sealy Lookout Point. Forest Sky Pier

Mountain view

Sea view

Pet Porpoise Pool (free Seal kiss!)

Pet Porpoise Pool (free Dolphin kiss!)

Kiama Blowhole (11/12/2013)

The tunnel that the water flows in to blow out of the hole

The Big Blowhole. We caught quite a number of blows, but didn't make in on camera

How it works

The bluest ocean water I've ever seen!

So I think that wraps it for my traveling experience as a student. The next time I do it I wouldn't have as much flexibility when it comes down to time and spontaneity. Having the means to travel is definitely a privilege. Those who can afford to do it, should do it while they still can. And I'm not only speaking in monetary terms. Time, health, freedom, all that jazz. One thing's true though, if you think what you see in pictures are beautiful, what you will see yourself can't even compare. Even the best cameras won't do 100% justice of what you'll see with your own eyes. I'm sure my mum would be all like "Haaa I told you to travel masa you study kan? No regrets kan?". Haha (Hai Ma!). But she was right. Travel! Have adventures! Because the phrase "Jauh perjalanan luas pemandangan" speaks volumes. Traveling and seeing unfamiliar places do change you in some ways.