Nice

Day 3 on my little QLD Adventure and I;m rightfully a couple of shades darker. I've been doing a lot of walking under the blazing Australian sun, and it's starting to feel like Malaysia.

I'm currently in Brisbane, and my host over here, Cara is really really sweet. She's such an interesting character, very bubbly and chatty, and oh so kind hearted. And I've met her other flatmates as well and they all seem very nice. It really reminds me of the Green house I was living in last year because of the retro design of the house, and how everything is really old in here. Also because there're 4 girls and a guy living here.

I guess one of the biggest things my Couch Surfing experience has taught me thus far is that people are remarkably nice. The very core of humankind, is compassion and generosity, just that for some people it's buried far deeper than others. I guess I believed that for a very long time, and I'd really like to continue believing in it, but it just seems harder and harder to keep believing in it.

However, what I've come to realise from my life abroad, and from my travels is that the people who you hardly know, are the people who treat you with pristine kindness, whereas the people you hold really close to your heart, has the largest advantage of breaking it into smithereens. I guess the universe is funny sometimes.

Hello, Sunshine!

I just arrived in Gold Coast Australia this morning. At 7.15 am, I was greeted with a warm 24 degrees air, with soft breeze and bright sunshine! Ah...yep, definitely on a holiday!

My host, Brendon, met me at the airport because he was flying in from Melbourne and was arriving at the same time too. He's a nice guy, but I haven't talked to him much yet. He's away at work at the moment, but we're gonna have dinner later. He works in a gym! =)

The first number on my to-do list was to get a sim card. So when Brendon went off to work, I followed him (to get something to eat too, because I was famished). His gym is in Robina Town Centre which is an amazingly huge shopping mall, much like Pyramid, and very modern looking. Also, right smack at the entrance was was a HUGE christmas tree (like the one in Singapore) and Max Brenners. YUM. Such a huge change from Auckland. But because its a Sunday, most of the stores aren't open yet. It was only 9 am, and I had to wait till 10.30 before I could start shopping. But I managed to get myself a salmon wrap from the food atrium (much like the one in KLCC, I swear). The last time I ate was at 4.45 am Auckland time, which was aeons ago.

I was kinda sleep deprived because I've had about 6 hours of sleep in total for the past 2 nights, with going away drinks, and Christmas (early) parties. And my extremely early flight this morning. So yeah, I was pretty knackered. I just needed to get the sim card. After asking around and doing some simple math in my head, I opted for Virgin Mobile because they gave me good data plan and credit expiry for 180 days. =)

Then I hopped onto a bus to come back to Brendon's flat. $3.40 was the bus fare. That's ridiculously expensive!! That's like a 3 stage fare in Auckland!! And I was only going 1 stage! Oh wells, I guess I'm walking there tomorrow morning. Looks like a pleasant 3km walk.

I came back and had an hour's nap because by now my head was throbbing from the heat, and the dehydration and the lack of sleep. And now I'm just waiting for dinner. =)

So my virgin couch surfing experience, Day #1, has been quite pleasant so far. We'll see what tomorrow brings! =)

Sometimes, I wonder if I would ever leave footprints in your heart. I wonder if you would sit down one day, and think about the times we had had together in the past. I wonder if you hold these memories close to your heart at all. I wonder if I made a mark in your life. And whether you really are better off having met me at all. I wonder if I've changed you in any way, big or small, for the better or for worse. And I wonder if, further down the road, you'll talk of me again, just in passing, to a friend who asked. And whether the sound of my name, would tug your heartstrings at all. A little self centred I know, but I guess I'll never find out.

83.33%

I am 83.33% done with my degree. :)

declutter

de.clut.ter (diːˈklʌtə)
— vb
	to simplify or get rid of mess, disorder, complications, etc:declutter your life

I'm starting with you.

A minute and a half? I'll take it.

I've been meaning to post a race report sooner but I was tied up with exams, and my cousins, nieces and nephew, uncle and aunt, and grandfather was in town too! So I decided to cook a big feast for them and have them over for dinner, which was an ultimate success! My only regret was I did not take any photos. Bummer.

Oh and then my brother went and got himself engaged, so that kinda stole my thunder for a while. :P But CONGRATS Kor & Li-Ann! Finally i'm getting myself a sister soon. =)

Anyway.

I guess I have reached a stage where I should no longer expect 20-30 minute improvements on my race times. heh.

I did the Auckland Marathon on Sunday. It was a gorgeous day with clear skies and just the right amount of clouds to make it not too hot, yet not too cold. And for a pleasant change, Erin came with me this morning because she signed up for the full marathon too! That brave, brave woman. Even I wouldn't be crazy enough to do something like that...run a marathon as my first formal race.

So yes. About 2 weeks and a little more ago, I had worn the wrong pair of shoes by mistake to work. I had wanted to do a work out after work and I wore my old trainers which have absolutely no more support in its soles anymore. But I ran on the treadmill anyway. And it started from then. I had a sore left heel and it just never got better. I still kept up my running, 2-3 times a week, which really isn't that much. But I guess it never got the chance to heal. Roughly 8 days before today, I decided to completely shelf running and do spin/swim instead.

In the morning, my heel felt slightly tight, so I stretched my entire body out properly. Then I started to run. It wasn't extremely painful, but i could feel it there. I tried to ignore it. But at about 10km it started to play up. The pain was getting quite uncomfortable and I didn't know whether I should continue to plough through or slow down. I decided on the former, telling myself to just go on as long as I can bear.

The pain persisted, and I was sure I had a funny stride by now. I got slightly worried, and told myself that I will slow down when I hit 21k. Funnily enough, when I crossed the Harbour Bridge, the pain went away! It could've been the excitement, it could've been it was (finally) warm by then, whatever it was I just realised "Hey, it didn't hurt anymore! Go forth!". =D

The rest of the journey was pretty much the same. I maintained my pace to the best I could. Once in a while I could feel a sharp pain on my heel, but for some reason I was able to mask it quite well. I slowed to take sips at the drink stations, I ate both my GU gels, and I had a jetplane (jelly bean).

The best part of the race, I guess, was the fact that because I wore devil horns (It was Halloween!) people were cheering for me! I heard "Go Devil Lady!" and "Go Ms Devil!" and even "Go Horny!". hahaha...it was pretty cool because I sometimes sit and ponder how I could get people who don't know me to cheer for me at a race (to simulate home). =)

I had targeted under 4 hours - that's what I tell people. But really I had wanted to do it under 3:55. I had people I wanted to beat. But most of all, I had really wanted to come out strong from this race, hold my chin up high and feel really good about myself. Just so that I know nothing can bring me down.

I guess that last bit helped me achieve 3 hours 55 minutes. It's roughly a minute and a half faster than last year. I was pretty pleased, eventhough I had lost to Heather by about 4 minutes, that's ok. She did her PB too, so I'm proud of her. =) I did my best, and I felt great! I even went on to cook dinner for 10 adults and 3 toddlers that night. I'm awesome. =)

Whatever you say, it's your loss.

It has been about 3 and a half days. And it still hasn't gotten any easier.

I am the walking wounded. Both physically and emotionally. The analgesia I obtained from my ecstatic PB at the Auckland Marathon has long worn off. The pain in my feet, my calves, my quads and hams...they all conglomerate together making me walk like a penguin with a broken ankle. Yet they feel nothing like the pained beating inside my chest.

I do not understand. For the life of me, I try to, but I do not understand your actions.