The one where 2007 ends and 2008 begins...

The plan for new year's bash was nothing too wild as we all are getting on with the years (heh).. So in a nutshell, it was steamboat dinner hosted by Freddy and Bee and fireworks and board/card games to keep us entertained.

Steamboat was absolutely fab and the teppanyaki which accompanied it was also brilliant! Haha.. we seem to always be rambling on about how fab the food here is but note that mostly, we're referring to home cooked meals! We're really lucky that our friends here can cook! So people, be prepared (and polite) for the pounds when we come home!

Somehow celebrating festivities like Xmas and new year's are really different when you're not at home. For those intending to go overseas for a significant amount of time, brace yourselves when such times come becoz that pang of home-sickness, even when you've not felt this way before, really kicks in. Melbourne is a great place to be and you will grow to love this place and the freedom that comes with it. The only set-back is you don't have the same people you grew up with, here with you.

The forecast for the year of the dog (year I'm born in) in the year of the rat (i.e. 2008) according to the Chinese calendar bodes lil' good news. And starting the new year without the closest family and friends, isn't really the same. Already, the bad luck seems to have befallen me with stuff breaking around the house, the computer at work not cooperating, extra bank charges etc.. So we're keeping things low at the moment. No exciting road trips or holidays in the near future, simply doing the everyday mundane stuff like tidying the house, feeding ourselves and going to work. We are, however, starting a healthy routine of exercise and playing badminton on Sundays. So far, we've only had one session and already Bee and Sharon have sprained some part in their bodies! We're having another session this weekend, and this time, we'll try to remember to bring the camera so we have evidence!

Don't want to sound too pessimistic either but I believe that the bad vibes are going away and things are normalising. Australia Open is currently going on as well and if our wallets allow, we would try to catch a game! Back home I hear that things are going well also, Kongkong is happy and right now, that's the most important news to me..

~* Gie