Taipei, Taiwan (29th-30th May 2010) - III

Flight No: CX450/CX505 (HKG-TPE-NRT-HKG)
Date: 29th - 30th May 2010
Flying Hours: 1 hour 45 mins (HKG-TPE)
3 hours 20 mins (TPE-NRT)
4 hours 40 mins (NRT-HKG)
(GMT +0800)

3rd time operating CX450, CX longest Taipei stay arriving in the afternoon and departing the next day at 11am, I swapped in this flight and my previous Bangkok-Colombo flight with my original 4 days San Francisco. First day of this flight pattern is really short & easy as we just operate a morning HKG-TPE, but the next day is gonna be a long & tiring day as we need to operate CX450 TPE-NRT, transitting 1 1/2 hours and then operate CX505 NRT-HKG, arriving HKG at 2230.
The good thing is that I am able to spend half day in Taipei enjoying the food and shopping, of course meeting my friends in Taipei. It's been 3 years plus since I knew Celia, a closed friend of mine whom I knew from the Star Search 2007 competition, and I am so glad that we managed to keep in touch and maintain our friendship ever since. We really treasure each other and it's been always excited to see her....
She's a tough girl who always fight for her dreams and life, that's truly inspiring if you know what had she been through these years. A talented girl who has never being arrogant but always strive for the best, seek for improvement and with an excellent attitude. I always motivate her, giving her mental support as I know sometimes she's really tired and in need of a push.Had coffee and chocolate cake at 85degree cafe

Celia with her babyHoliday KTV at Shilin Night Market

Kelun arrived in Taipei the same day as I did and we met up at Shilin Night Market
M9 - Kelun & M10 - Raynard

Sydney, Australia (30th Apr-3rd May 2010) -II

Flight No: CX139/CX138 (HKG-SYD-HKG)
Date: 30th Apr - 3rd May 2010
Flying Hours: 9 hours 10 mins
(GMT +1000)

2nd time to Sydney after over a year, it's really hard to believe that time flies and it felt like my first time to Sydney in Nov 2008 was just like a previous month's trip. My ex-secondary classmate Leyland has moved to Sydney from Melbourne, working with Australian Government at Sydney International Airport as a Customs Analyst. We've planned our trip to Blue Mountains and Bondi Beach which he will be driving me, it has been 13 years since we last met when we were both 15, studying in Chung Ling Private High School, Penang, and now we are nearly 30, can you believe that? Well, I choose to ignore the scaring numbers.
Beside meeting my old friend, I planned to meet with my cousin brother and sister too for a meal, since they are both there working after completing their studies. You know what, we've never gone out for a meal in Penang and this is the first time we purposely arranged to meet up, and that's in Australia, strange isn't it?
Here's the itinerary, I met up with Leyland at my hotel on 1st May at 0830 for buffet breakfast before meeting with 3 of my colleagues at 0930, they would like to join us to Blue Mountains too, of course they would be glad to since there's someone driving. Lucky girls~

This is the Bills Restaurant in Darlinghurst suburb, you can enjoy a very authentic western breakfast there with a cozy ambience, at an affordable price.

My 3 lady colleagues, Celine, Janice and KathyVery well presented, isn't it?

The Blue Mountains is a montainous region in New South Wales, Australia. It borders on Sydney's metropolitan area, its foothills starting approximately 50 kilometres west of the state capital. The area begins on the west side of the Nepean River and extends westward as far as Coxs River.
Consisting mainly of a sandstone plateau, the area is dissected by gorges up to 760 metres deep. The highest point of the range is 1190 metres above sea level. A large part of the Blue Mountains is incorporated into the Greater Blue Mountains Area World Heritage Site, consisting of seven national park areas and a conservation reserve.
The Blue Mountains area includes the local government areas of the City of Blue Mountains, the City of Hawkesbury, the City of Lithgow and Oberon.The CX139 crew
When the sunlight starts scattering on Blue Mountains, I immediately take more shots as when we arrived there earlier, it was very cloudy and I can hardly take great photos.
With my 3 sisters
What an astonishing night view of the city of Sydney from Leyland's bedroom.
Dinner at the Pancakes on the Rocks in Darling Harbour
With my cousin brother & sister, Peyling and Song
A French style cafe in Darlinghurst suburb
Egg Benedicts with Ham, taste that I will never forget
Bondi Beach is a popular beach and the name of the surrounding suburb in Sydney, Australia. Bondi Beach is located 7 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Waverley Council, in the Eastern Suburbs. Bondi, North Bondi and Bondi Junction are neighbouring suburbs.
Surfers and Swimmers, please watch out for dangerous currents!
Look at his ass ....
Way to go, young surfer!
Watsons Bay is a harbourside, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Watsons Bay is located 11 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Woollahra.
Watsons Bay sits on the end of the South Head peninsula and takes its name from the sheltered bay and anchorage on its western side, in Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour). It provides spectacular views across the harbour to the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The Gap is an ocean cliff on the eastern side with spectacular views to Manly at North Head and the Pacific Ocean. Vaucluse is the only adjacent suburb, to the south.
The Gap, view of the Pacific Ocean
Sydney Opera House

Juggling performance at the Darling Harbour on Sunday evening